Chapter 34: Inviting a Wolf! 

"Go to your house?"

Nanashi smirked, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Hmm… Forty minutes isn't enough. Not nearly enough."

His tone carried an unmistakable hint.

Nami immediately caught on.

She narrowed her eyes at him, a teasing smirk tugging at her lips.

"Hmph. Can you even last that long?"

…

Nanashi had to admit—she knew exactly how to push his buttons.

Without giving her a chance to react, he scooped her up and vanished in a flash, teleporting straight to her home.

Just as Nojiko was stepping inside—

She was promptly escorted back out, confusion written all over her face.

A moment later, realization struck.

"...Oh."

—

Nanashi returned to his own world.

Still seated.

Still appearing to listen attentively in class.

"Huh?"

Behind him, Megumi furrowed her brows as she studied Nanashi's back.

Something felt…off.

Just a second ago, he had been zoning out.

Now, all of a sudden, he seemed alert—his energy completely different, like his mind had been somewhere else entirely.

—

After his interaction with Nami, the first person Nanashi thought of was a girl from his memory.

Haru.

The memory stirred something deep inside him—a sense of nostalgia, tinged with longing.

Ever since he learned about the approaching doomsday, he had thrown himself into fighting.

Hunting down demons.

Killing evil spirits.

In the beginning, when his abilities were weak, he had often danced on the edge of death.

And yet, despite all the danger—

The worst part wasn't the fighting.

It was the isolation.

He couldn't talk to anyone about what he knew.

The weight of it all—both physical and mental—had nearly broken him.

Those days were his darkest.

Until that day.

When he met her.

The girl whose real name might not even have been Haru.

He had saved her from a demon.

Their conversation afterward had been brief—Nanashi hadn't been in the best mental state.

And yet, something about him must have piqued her interest.

She had introduced herself as Haru.

They met again.

And again.

And then, one night, he took that final step with her.

For half a month, she became his refuge.

She eased his burdens—both mind and body.

And just like that…

She was gone.

His breakdown had passed, but the memory of her remained.

She was a shadow in his past—distant yet unforgettable.

Without her, he might not be who he was today.

And now…

Where was she?

He didn't know.

His only memory of her was long black hair and a radiant smile.

Nanashi sighed.

"If we're meant to meet again… we will."

Shaking off his thoughts, he opened the group chat.

The discussion inside was lively.

—

Suzuki: "It's just like a game! You can draw abilities and upgrade skills!"

Shinobu: "Doomsday Points are that useful? My Insect Breathing is only ranked C… so just how powerful would an A-rank or higher be?"

Nanashi wasn't surprised.

Breathing techniques weren't that strong.

At their core, they were just a method of enhancing blood circulation—hardly an actual power-up.

A C-rank classification was fair.

—

March 7th: "I don't get it… My Life Preservation Destiny is S-rank, but it's only Level 3. I still feel weak… wuwuwu!"

Lemuel: "Haha! My Originium skill is also C-rank, but I just pulled an A-rank firearm creation ability! Super OP!"

Saeko: "All my abilities are B-rank, and they're already Level 3. I feel pretty strong!"

Aqua: "Hehehe! This goddess's Water God power is SS-rank!"

—

Nanashi rolled his eyes.

"Quit showing off, you stupid goddess."

Aqua: "You're the stupid one! Stupid Nanashi!"

—