"Can you see my mana?" Noara inquired.
Yuri nodded with a hint of embarrassment.
As Shuuta recalled Noara's explanation that ordinary people could become Mystics through contact with another Mystic, everyone turned their expectant gaze toward him. The synchronized response from the group was nothing short of comical.
Glares and beady eyes bore into Shuuta, intensifying his unease.
"I-I don't remember... doing anything," Shuuta stammered, though a disconcerting memory surfaced in the back of his mind—one involving waking up naked with Yuri.
This revelation only deepened the collective stare they directed at Shuuta.
With flushed cheeks, Yuri hesitantly posed a question. "May I ask... how does it work? This mana thing... How is it transferred?"
Noara's response was hesitant, and her blushing face added to the suspense. Shuuta, too, felt his nerves creeping in, a thick lump forming in his throat.
"You have to take the essence from a powerful Mystic... you know what I mean," Noara answered, prompting Shuuta's brain to veer into uncharted territory.
"Essence... Oh, like the term used in fantasy and dark fantasy games... Wait, what?!" Shuuta realized his ill-timed analogy just as the atmosphere around Mikazuki shifted, her expression growing dark as the presence of a demon.
"I swear I didn't do anything to her!" Shuuta's desperate denial was punctuated by coughing up blood, a testament to his indifference toward the ensuing chaos.
"I... probably did something..." Yuri confessed, averting her gaze from the judgmental glares.
Once more, the room's occupants fixed their united gaze upon Yuri.
"I might've... fed him... mouth to mouth..." Yuri admitted with a heightened blush.
Shuuta's embarrassment skyrocketed. Such encounters were not within the purview of typical childhood friendships, and the implications suddenly became clear.
Frowning disapproval was etched across every face in the room, but Mikazuki's displeasure was especially palpable.
"...and, well... we also slept together naked..."
Shuuta nodded sagely, unable to deny the accuracy of her statement.
An uncomfortable silence settled over the infirmary, where frosty tension hung in the air.
Amid the stillness, a creaking noise heralded Hikaru's entrance. He froze in his tracks, mystified by the hostile glares directed at Shuuta.
...
"I see... Yuri can sense mana now. Great job, Shuuta!" Hikaru commended Shuuta, unaware of the misunderstandings brewing.
"I didn't do anything!" Shuuta protested, his face flushed from the conversation's awkward turns. Peeking through his fingers, he observed Yuri, who was inexplicably thrilled by her newfound abilities.
"So, does this mean that Yuri can use magic?" Hikaru inquired.
Noara confirmed, "Yes, she can now use magic. But she became Shuuta's Familiar in the process."
Shuuta was understandably bewildered. "Wait, what? How did she become my Familiar?"
Yuri blushed heavily, recalling Noara's mention of Familiars being akin to lovers. At least she had a head start over any other girls present, or so she thought.
Nonetheless, her new ability allowed her to see the flow of mana around any individual's body. She could focus her vision to replicate their appearance, making the unseen visible through walls, rooms, cars—everything that couldn't be seen from the other side was now exposed to her.
Shuuta couldn't help but notice Yuri's intense gaze, her attention focused on something—or someone—near his vicinity. His own curiosity grew, but before he could react, she approached him, her eyes narrowing with a menacing glint.
"It appears you have a cozy guest on your lap," she growled, gripping the blanket tightly.
Shuuta's heart raced with dread. "No, please don't pull the blankets! Hikaru's here!" he whispered in desperation. But Yuri wasn't easily swayed.
"What do you mean? I can see a small person on your lap. Who is it?" she demanded.
Shuuta leaned closer to her ear and confessed, "It's Kurumi, Hikaru's sister, the principal's daughter."
A vein bulged on Yuri's forehead. "That's not the issue here. Why won't you let me uncover it?" She sported a sly smile.
Shuuta was certain she had caught on to his secret. But Yuri's new ability wasn't only about seeing mana; it allowed her to see through everything and anything. As his despair grew, he met Yuri's devious smirk with one plea: "Spare me..."
"You got what you deserved!" Hanako chimed in telepathically, her words resonating with disdain for Shuuta's predicament.
Shuuta's eyes welled with tears, and his expression took on a pitiful appearance.
Suddenly, the blanket rustled, and a mischievous Kurumi emerged.
"Gah! Cover yourself!" Shuuta cried out, hastily shielding his eyes with his hands, his face burning.
Myra Noara found humor in the chaos and chuckled.
Mikazuki was utterly taken aback when she found a small, petite girl sleeping naked on Shuuta's lap. Her thoughts raced as she pondered, "She was like a pet... Is Shuuta into that?"
Her face was flushed, her embarrassment mounting.
Not to be outdone, Romuro and Yoshino exchanged glances, then turned their attention back to Shuuta. "Loli-con," they simultaneously blurted out, a figurative arrow that read 'Loli-con' piercing Shuuta's figurative back.
Shuuta gulped, feeling the weight of their words.
Just as he was about to vocalize his unease, a disconcerting observation struck him. "Wait... something feels off. Why isn't Hikaru trying to kill me?" Shuuta turned toward Hikaru, who bore a visibly irritated expression, dark clouds practically looming over him.
Fear began to course through Shuuta as he swallowed nervously.
"Why would I kill the one who saved my sister... right? There's no reason to kill you, right? Right, Shuuta?" Hikaru spoke, his voice laced with subtle menace.
"Heesh! You're releasing a lot of mana! Simmer down, dude!" Shuuta urged, the unleashed mana stinging his skin.
The tension in the room was palpable, and Hikaru's mana release had Shuuta on edge.
The pressure seemed to dissipate as Hikaru finally conceded, "What? Oh, my bad, I suddenly lost it."
Shuuta's brow was drenched in sweat as he chuckled nervously, his relief evident.
As he pondered his inexplicable newfound power, Hikaru felt a pang of insecurity. In less than a week, Shuuta had gained incredible strength and recognition. "Damn it..." Hikaru grumbled.
Shuuta noticed Hikaru's discontent but decided to let the matter slide. He couldn't fathom the circumstances either.
Returning to the conversation at hand, Noara began to explain, "As I was saying, Yuri became your Familiar because that's the first step of becoming a Mystic."
Sheathed her sword, Noara crossed her arms as she continued, "As a Familiar, to become a Mystic, you will have to accumulate XP (Xuvia Particles) to rank up from Familiar to Mystic."
Yuri maintained a poker face as she processed the information. "XP? As in experience?"
"No, it means Xuvia Particles. The essence drops when you kill a demon, the amount varying depending on their rank," Noara clarified.
Shuuta seemed taken aback by the gaming-like concept. "So it's like a game?"
"Perhaps you could say that, but it's a game with high stakes—your life," Noara added.
Shuuta pondered for a moment, his HUD displaying a negative XP value, causing him to gulp nervously. Did all Mystics have HUDs? Did they see what he saw? "Should I ask them? What if they see me as a mentally disabled man?" he wondered.
Ultimately, he had nothing to lose. "Pssst! Hikaru, Oi... I have a weird question. Will you entertain my query?"
Hikaru squinted his eyes and gave Shuuta a complex look, but his curiosity got the better of him. "I won't give you my sister," he declared.
Shuuta, befuddled by Hikaru's response, stammered, "Err... what?"
Hikaru clarified, "That's not it? Fine, what's on your mind?"
Scratching his head, Shuuta asked in a hushed tone, "By any chance, do you have, like, a HUD inside your eyes? Can you see how much XP you have, a skill tree displaying various abilities you can acquire?"
Both of them exchanged awkward glances, and Hikaru looked at Shuuta as though he were an imbecile. But to Shuuta's surprise, Hikaru confirmed, "Yes, why?"
Shuuta was astonished. "For real?"
"For real," Hikaru affirmed.
They gazed at each other silently, their mood somewhat awkward.
Shuuta's thoughts began to race. 'Hanako! I thought the Upgrade Menu was a special skill that only I could use!'
With a mischievous chuckle, Hanako replied, "Ehe Ehe Ehe..."
"What do you mean 'Ehe'?! This is ridiculous!"
Hikaru's brow furrowed as he considered Shuuta's revelation. He had initially thought it was a unique ability possessed only by Shuuta, but now he wondered about Shuuta's seemingly exceptional nature. "Seriously, Shuuta, you're impressive in every way...."
"Anyways... I came here to tell you something important," Hikaru began.
Shuuta inquired, "Y-yeah? What is it?"
Hikaru confided, "The principal wants to speak with you personally."
"Huh?"
After that, Shuuta left the infirmary, informing everyone that he'd be back as it was an urgent matter. The two of them headed for the door that read 'Principal's office.'
"Go on in. He's waiting for you," Hikaru urged.
Shuuta nodded hesitantly and turned the doorknob, embarking on a conversation that Hikaru strained to hear from outside. The situation was highly unusual; Hikaru had never known his father to seek outside assistance, especially from a student.
Hikaru listened intently, his sharp eyes focused on Shuuta.
"So how are your wounds? Anything feels abnormal?"
"N-no, I'm good. I do feel a little exhausted," Shuuta replied, not daring to mention the peculiar debuff he had acquired.
"I see. I'm glad to see you in good shape." The burly man examined Shuuta, his eyes scanning for any signs of distress. The sight of a new, powerful asset to his branch filled him with relief and hope.
"All right, I'll cut to the chase." Kentaro rose from his desk and walked to a window, his gaze fixed on the students enjoying their meals and leisure time outside. His chest burned with determination.
"Shuuta, I task you to cleanse Kurumi's curse. It's the top priority," Kentaro declared, his expression earnest.
"Please, don't do it for my sake. As her friend, I ask you to save her, and as her father, with all sincerity..." Kentaro moved to the floor, performing a dogeza, an act of profound humility.
"Please save my daughter."
This revelation contorted Hikaru's face. Why hadn't his father asked for his help? He was part of the family, so why had Kentaro sought assistance from Shuuta?
Hikaru gritted his teeth and whispered, "I will be the one to save my sister, not Shuuta."
Shuuta, on the other hand, was shocked beyond comprehension. He had never imagined that the all-powerful principal would perform a dogeza to ask him to save his daughter.
"Raise your head! Of course, I'll save her! It was my intention from the beginning," Shuuta declared firmly.
Kentaro stood up and nodded, crossing his arms as he spoke. "Go to Kyoko High. You will find someone who can bind the curse to give us more time."
Shuuta recalled Noara mentioning Kyoko High and inquired, "Oh! Noara spoke about that place, right? She mentioned someone... Han?"
"Han... Yuuji Han, Noara mentioned him?" Kentaro facepalmed and sighed in frustration.
"What's wrong? Did something happen between you?"
Kentaro hesitated before responding, "Not between me... Noara had an... affair. You know what? Let's forget we ever spoke about this."
Hikaru was curious about what had transpired between Kentaro and Noara but decided not to press further.
Kentaro had one more thing to address, and his face darkened. "Go visit her, Hikaru," he instructed sternly.
With a slam, Shuuta turned around as Hikaru abruptly left, his anger lingering in the room.
"Please take care of him. He might appear independent, but in reality, he's very reckless. As his kouhai, support him with everything he needs," Kentaro requested.
"I understand," Shuuta replied.
Kentaro approached the red-haired boy, making him slightly nervous, and handed him a piece of paper. "This is the location. Now, go. Time is of the essence."
"Understood," Shuuta affirmed as he left the office, his eyes focused on the piece of paper.
Shuuta's resolve was strong, but his thoughts were a whirlwind. 'I need to catch up with Hikaru; he probably already went there.'
As Shuuta scrutinized the paper's contents, he turned back to the massive school building, marveling at its grandeur. It resembled an estate from a tycoon's family, an overwhelming sight.
"I guess this is it," Shuuta remarked, prompting Hikaru to respond.
"Yeah... I'm back, Mom."
Both of them paused, their eyes locking for a moment.
"Shall we go in?"
Hikaru nodded, and they made their way toward the imposing entrance of Kyoko High.
Back at the office, Kentaro was engaged in a conference with other principals. His grave demeanor and seriousness had everyone uneasy.
"How are things on your end?" Kentaro inquired, unwavering in his resolve.
"We're preparing. Please give us more time, boss. These kids need more time," one of the principals requested.
Kentaro's expression remained stern, and he declared, "We lack time, Maki. Time is stacked against us. I can sense a malevolent presence making its move. Sooner or later, Earth will become a battlefield."
"We know, and we are doing our best. But, as you said, time is our enemy. We propose that the boy learns how to manipulate that Menos. If he learns, we may gain more time."
Kentaro acknowledged the proposal but slammed his fist on the desk, rattling the items on it. "We must strike soon. Asmodeus is on the move. I can feel it. I've been on his trail since Kyoko."
"I will take my revenge."