"You monster..." The purple-haired youth spat out a mouthful of blood, questioning the humanity of his assailant.
"Apologies for being a 'monster,'" I responded, a hint of annoyance evident in my tone as black lines formed on my forehead. How dare he label me a monster when he himself epitomizes a muscle-bound brute lacking in intellect!
Admittedly, my irritation was at its peak. Delivering another fierce punch to the youth's face, I unleashed a barrage of attacks on him, each blow embedding him further into the wall.
The purple-haired youth was a portrait of tragedy. Desiring even the release of unconsciousness, he found no reprieve from my controlled but punishing strength. Was this what hell felt like? He certainly felt aggrieved.
After ceasing my assault, the youth was a battered mess, prompting me to reconsider my forcefulness. Perhaps a gentler approach would be wise in future encounters, given the inhabitants of this world's resilience to death.
"My apologies for not moderating my strength. I'll be more mindful next time," I offered nonchalantly before departing the scene. The notion of a "next time" seemed to terrify the youth, now slumped against the wall, contemplating if I was indeed a demon.
Having dealt with the fool, my spirits lifted. I approached the fabled principal's office, rumored to be rigged with traps requiring a passphrase for safe entry. What was the passphrase again? Ah, yes, I recalled it perfectly.
"Without gods or Buddhas, and devoid of angels," I uttered, deactivating the traps. With no reaction from the surrounding mechanisms, I proceeded confidently.
"What? Are you seeking death? That name sounds like a death sentence," came a voice as I entered. Yui, was she discussing something? Observing the crowded office, it appeared a meeting was underway.
"Who's there?" My entrance drew immediate attention, especially from a girl in the corner, her expressionless face marking her as someone of significance.
Recognizing the girl as Nonaka from the original storyline, known for her strength and ninja skills, as well as her affection for cute things, especially puppies, I couldn't help but find her character traits endearing.
"It's you!" Yui and Hinata quickly identified me, their surprise palpable. Despite having left only the night before, my presence now was unexpected.
"Indeed, it is I," I shrugged, ignoring the hostile glares from some of the male members and making myself comfortable on a sofa near the desk. The Afterlife Warfront's amenities were surprisingly luxurious.
"How did you enter safely?" Yui inquired, remembering the room's traps. Without the passphrase, entry should have been impossible. My successful entrance added a layer of mystery to her perception of me.
"I simply walked in," I replied with a smile.
"That's impossible! There's a passphrase!" protested a black-haired youth, revealing himself to be another of the SSS's elite, though his name eluded me.
"A passphrase? You mean 'Without gods or Buddhas, and devoid of angels'? Such a simple code could be easily guessed," I teased, leaving them to ponder over my cryptic words.
"What?" The revelation shocked everyone. Their carefully crafted passphrase had been deciphered so effortlessly?
"You, I won't accept this! Let's settle this with a fight," challenged the purple-haired youth, making a dramatic re-entry only to be comically dispatched by a trap he himself had set.
As he was propelled out of the window by a massive hammer, the onlookers, now gathered by the window, watched in amusement. "Noda," someone called out, correcting my earlier memory of his name. Hinata sighed at the spectacle, lamenting Noda's folly.
The diversion caused by Noda's blunder shifted focus away from my decryption of the passphrase. It seemed the members of the SSS didn't dwell on matters for long.
"What brings you here this time?" Yui asked, her demeanor serious. Last night's recruitment attempt had failed, leading her to concoct various plans for persuading me, even considering seduction. Yet, here I was, appearing voluntarily in their headquarters.
"My purpose? It's simple: to join this warfront," I stated, smiling.
"Really?" Yui's disbelief was palpable.
"As real as it gets," I assured her, eliciting further disbelief from Yui and Hinata about the sudden change in my stance.
"In that case, welcome to our... uh..." Yui began, extending a hand but faltering when naming the warfront.
"'You're the One to Die' Warfront," someone corrected.
"Right, welcome to the 'You're the One to Die' Warfront," Yui concluded, finally embracing the name of their uniquely titled warfront.