Chapter 8 - Chapter 7: The contract

Takumi was always an introverted boy who kept to himself at Good Hills High School in Kyoto. He was constantly bullied and taunted by his classmates, and it seemed like every day was a new challenge to survive.

One day, as he was walking home from school, Takumi came across a strange figure sitting on a park bench. It was a demon, with bright red skin and piercing yellow eyes.

"Are you okay?" the demon asked, his voice deep and ominous.

Takumi was frightened, but he couldn't help but feel drawn to the demon's power. He had always felt helpless and weak, and the idea of having someone on his side was tempting.

"I'm not okay," Takumi replied, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm being bullied at school, and I don't know what to do."

The demon smiled, revealing sharp teeth. "I can help you," he said. "I can protect you from the bullies."

"How?" Takumi asked, skeptical.

The demon pulled out a piece of paper and a pen. "Sign this contract," he said. "In exchange for my protection, you will give me your soul."

Takumi hesitated. He knew that making a deal with a demon was dangerous, but he couldn't ignore the temptation of being safe from the bullies. He took the pen and signed his name.

Instantly, Takumi felt a surge of power coursing through his veins. He felt invincible, like nothing could hurt him.

The next day at school, Takumi walked with his head held high. He no longer cowered in fear when the bullies approached him. He stood his ground and faced them head-on.

The bullies were taken aback by Takumi's sudden change in attitude. They tried to push him around and taunt him, but he refused to back down. He knew that he had the demon's protection, and that nothing could hurt him.

And indeed, nothing did. The demon was true to his word, and Takumi remained unscathed by the bullies' attacks. He felt powerful and in control, something he had never experienced before.

But as time went on, Takumi began to notice a strange sensation in his body. It was like something was gnawing at his flesh, eating away at him from the inside out.

He tried to ignore it at first, thinking it was just his imagination. But the sensation grew stronger with each passing day, until it became unbearable.

Takumi went back to the demon and asked him what was happening. The demon grinned and revealed a horrific truth: every time the demon strangled a child who hurt Takumi, he took a piece of flesh from Takumi's body as payment.

Takumi was horrified. He had no idea that the demon's protection would come at such a cost. He tried to break the contract, but the demon reminded him that he had already given his soul.

Takumi was trapped. He couldn't escape the demon's hold on him, and he couldn't endure the pain of losing his flesh with each kill. He felt like he was dying a slow and painful death.

In a desperate attempt to break free from the demon's grasp, Takumi turned to the school counselor for help. The counselor listened to his story and immediately contacted the priest.

The priest investigated the situation and found evidence of the demon's killings. They managed to capture the demon and break the contract, freeing Takumi from his hold.

Takumi was relieved to be free from the demon's grasp, but he was left with a permanent reminder of his deal with the devil. His body was covered in scars and missing patches of flesh, a constant reminder of the pain and suffering he endured.