{Five seconds before the blast}
As Haru got thrown into the corridor through the emergency door, he could barely figure out what was happening to him. His body hurt, and his stomach bled badly from a deep wound, but he couldn't focus on the pain because an even more dangerous threat was approaching.
'Why is this happening!?' His thoughts were erratic while in midair as his eyes were fixated on the fiery ball that was being launched by the Roachina. All he wanted was to protect Aki, but everything seemed to be going wrong, making him feel desperate.
Just when he believed he had gathered enough strength and confidence to shield Aki from harm, a more frightening monster, the Roachina, emerged, making their survival even more challenging.
He tried everything to get away from it, yet he got discovered way before he could even try.
He tried to trick it by going downstairs, yet he got cornered with no escape because of an error in judgment.
He tried to fight against it, yet he got thrown away easily.
'What can I even do? Why am I suffering all of this? Why? All I wanted was our happiness, and yet!' Haru felt truly hopeless as many thoughts crossed his mind while he stared at the monster throwing fiery-ball in his direction.
"Black Chain-- AHHHHHHH!" In desperation, he quickly tried to cast the spell towards the fiery-ball to stop it, but a strong drilling pain like none other hit his brain, immediately distracting and breaking his connection with the spell.
'What--?' Seeing that the only thing that could help them was not working struck him with a sense of dread, and his breathing quickened as he stared at the dangerous fiery-ball.
He wanted to dodge, but how could he while still in the air?
He wanted to block it, but how could he when there was nothing near him?
Then a thought came to his mind to throw his sword at the fiery-ball to stop it, but how would he survive the impact up close?
Even if he did survive the blast, what means of defense would he have afterward?
Multiple thoughts raced through Haru's mind within a second as he considered his remaining options, but none seemed effective enough to give him a chance to survive.
Deep inside, he yearned for Mimi to awaken and provide assistance, but knew how hopeless it was.
{Four seconds before the blast.}
"Is this the... end?" Haru thought as he saw the fiery ball a few meters away from him, knowing within a few seconds it would directly hit and end them.
When all hopes were lost and he nervously stared at the fiery ball inching closer, his body suddenly felt something, and time within his mind slowed down for him.
Thug! Thug! Thug!
It was a strong beating of a heart, so loud that despite the situation, he could feel it. But the thing was – it wasn't his heart.
'Aki!? What is... happening?' Feeling her heartbeat getting louder and louder, Haru realized something that, up until then, he had never felt or heard her heart beat this loud since he started carrying her on his back.
But as he was confused and her heartbeat continued to beat aloud, a strong yet strange feeling entered his own heart.
It was a feeling of someone worrying, loving, cheering, wishing, and praying for him.
'Aki...?' He didn't know why or how, but he was sure that the connection and emotion flowing into his heart were somehow related to Aki.
'Was I just... giving up without giving my all? How could I!?' It was then something within his heart shook as his eyes narrowed dangerously, a crimson glint forming in his eyes as he stared at the fiery ball three meters away from him.
{Two second before the blast.}
'Aki is hoping for my best!! How could I give up that easily!? SCREW EVERYTHING!!!' Extending his left hand in the direction of the fiery ball that was dangerously close, Haru chanted, "Black Chain!!!"
A magic circle formed at his hand, and from there, a black Chain appeared as Haru willed it to form into a shield-like structure.
'PROTECT US!!!!!!' Immediately as Haru cast and tried to control it with mental connection, a pain like none other hit his head again, but this time he did not care about it at all and continued to control the chains.
'AHHHHHHH!!!!' Nerves popped up on his forehead as it turned his head red because of the effort Haru was putting into the chain while ignoring the excruciating pain. But it wasn't just that; blood also leaked from his nose, and veins became visible within his eyes, but he did not give up.
"I WON'T GIVE UP!!! AAHHHHHHH!!!!!"
As Haru's pain and will crossed a limit that hardly anyone could surpass or sustain, something unexpected happened.
[You Skill – Husbando's Aura is reacting to your will and your Waifu's connection!!]
[Husbando's Aura is resolving the strain of the Spell on the brain!]
[Husbando's Aura is enhancing the strength and durability of the spell - Black Chain!]
As multiple messages flooded in, a reddish aura tinged with hints of gold burst forth, enveloping not only Haru's entire body but also the black Chain, amplifying their power and strength to new limits.
"AAHHHH!!!!" Haru doesn't know what just happened, but all he knew was suddenly the pain he was feeling was gone, and he could easily control the chain like he did back in the classroom. So, without wasting a second, he willed to control them.
Clang! Within a second, a shield-like structure, one meter in diameter, was formed right in front of Haru.
{Zero second before the blast.}
BOOOM!!
A terrifying explosion occurred within the corridor as the fiery ball just came in contact with the shield made up of Black Chain, engulfing the area into flames and smokes.
Surprisingly, the shield withstood the explosion without breaking apart, but due to the excess heat from the blast, it turned red and Haru had to let it go quickly. But despite surviving the explosion up close, the impact flung his body further away.
Crash! As his body broke through the window of the classroom, Haru crashed into the floor of the classroom.
[-5 HP]
"Cough!" Haru coughed out red blood on the floor as he fell. But he knew things were far from over.
"Screech!!"
As he looked up, with blood leaking from his head, nose, mouth and stomach, he saw Roachina standing in the corridor with an angry expression, wondering how he was still alive.
Looking at the Roachina slowly moving toward him through the burning corridor, Haru stood up with the support of his sword despite the pain all over his body.
The same Aura once again covered his entire body. On his left hand, Black Chain immediately coiled together to form a new shield, and on his right hand, he held his sword, which he pointed toward the Roachina as he said,
"Hah... Surprised that I survived? Guess we both have something in common, b*tch."