Kazuki Yamada spent the following day in a daze, his mind spinning with the surreal events that had unfolded since the activation of the system. Despite his best efforts to convince himself that the voice was just a hallucination—a figment of his imagination brought on by stress and trauma—he couldn't shake the unsettling reality of it. The voice was persistent, an ever-present reminder that his life was no longer his own. Every few minutes, it would chime in, reminding him of the task he had been given and the consequences of failing to complete it.
"You have two days left, Kazuki," the voice chirped in his mind, its tone disturbingly cheerful. "Better start planning!"
Kazuki gritted his teeth, trying to block out the voice as he walked through the university campus. He had hoped that going to class would help distract him, but instead, he found it impossible to focus. His thoughts were consumed by the task at hand, the absurdity of it, and the fear of what might happen if he failed. The very idea of sneaking into the girls' dormitory and stealing a pair of panties was so ludicrous, so humiliating, that Kazuki wanted to scream.
But beneath the embarrassment was something far darker: a growing sense of dread. The system had been clear—this wasn't a joke. If he didn't complete the task, he would die. The finality of that statement echoed in his mind, leaving him cold with fear. He wasn't ready to die, but how could he possibly go through with such a perverted act?
His internal turmoil didn't go unnoticed. Haruka Takahashi, who had been friendly and welcoming since his late arrival, picked up on his troubled state almost immediately. They were walking to their next class together when she turned to him, her brow furrowed with concern.
"Kazuki, are you okay?" Haruka asked, her voice gentle. "You've been really quiet today, and you look… I don't know, stressed."
Kazuki forced a smile, trying to appear calm despite the storm raging inside him. "I'm fine, just a little tired. It's been a long week."
Haruka didn't seem convinced. "Are you sure? If something's bothering you, you can talk to me about it. I'd like to help if I can."
For a moment, Kazuki was tempted to tell her everything—the voice, the system, the terrifying task he had been assigned. But the very thought of saying those words out loud was enough to make his stomach churn. How could he possibly explain something so insane? And even if he did, what could Haruka do? This was his burden to bear, not hers.
"I appreciate it, Haruka," Kazuki replied, his voice strained. "But really, I'm okay. It's just… adjusting to university life, you know?"
Haruka nodded slowly, though she still looked unconvinced. "Alright, but if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask. I'm here for you, okay?"
Kazuki nodded, grateful for her kindness even as guilt gnawed at him. The system had already suggested that Haruka might be able to help him with the task, an idea that horrified him to his core. The thought of involving her in something so perverse, of dragging her into his twisted nightmare, was unbearable. He had to do this alone, no matter how difficult it was.
The rest of the day passed in a blur. Kazuki tried to go about his routine, attending classes and interacting with his classmates as best he could, but the voice was relentless. Every time he started to relax, even for a moment, it would pop back into his mind, reminding him of the ticking clock and the task that awaited him.
"You only have one day left, Kazuki," the voice reminded him as he left his final class of the day. "You should really start thinking about how you're going to do it."
Kazuki clenched his fists, his frustration boiling over. "Shut up!" he hissed under his breath, earning a few curious glances from the students passing by. He quickly looked away, embarrassed by his outburst. The last thing he needed was more attention, especially now.
The voice giggled, clearly amused by his reaction. "You know I can't do that, Kazuki. I'm here to help you, after all. You should really be grateful."
"Grateful?" Kazuki repeated incredulously. "You want me to break into the girls' dorm and steal their underwear! How is that helping me?"
The voice's tone became more serious, though it retained its childlike quality. "This is just the beginning, Kazuki. The tasks will get easier, and the rewards will make it all worth it. But you have to trust me and do what I say. Your life depends on it."
Kazuki felt a cold shiver run down his spine. The voice was right—his life did depend on it. But that didn't make it any easier to swallow. Every instinct in his body screamed at him to run, to hide, to do anything but what the system demanded. But the fear of death was a powerful motivator, and as the hours ticked by, Kazuki realized he had no choice.
By the time night fell, Kazuki's anxiety had reached a fever pitch. He knew what he had to do, but the very thought of it filled him with a deep sense of shame and self-loathing. He had always considered himself a decent person—quiet, shy, maybe a little awkward, but not a criminal, not a pervert. Yet here he was, standing outside the girls' dormitory, trembling with fear as he prepared to do something that went against everything he believed in.
The campus was quiet, most of the students having already retreated to their rooms for the night. The girls' dormitory was a large, imposing building, its windows darkened except for the occasional light flickering from within. Kazuki felt like a thief in the night, his heart pounding in his chest as he scanned the area for any sign of movement.
The voice in his head was silent now, waiting, watching as Kazuki hesitated on the threshold of his own personal hell. He knew he had to move quickly, but his legs felt like lead, rooted to the spot by the weight of his own fear.
"This is insane," Kazuki muttered to himself, his breath coming in shallow gasps. "I can't do this… I can't…"
But the alternative was even more terrifying. The system had been clear—failure was not an option. If he didn't complete the task, he would die. The finality of that thought spurred him into action, and before he could talk himself out of it, Kazuki forced his legs to move, slipping into the shadows as he made his way toward the entrance of the dormitory.
The door was locked, as he had expected, but that didn't stop the voice from offering its unwanted advice. "There's a window on the first floor that's usually left open," it whispered in his mind. "You can climb in through there."
Kazuki swallowed hard, the nausea rising in his throat as he circled the building, searching for the window the voice had mentioned. Sure enough, he found it—a small window near the back of the dormitory, just large enough for him to squeeze through. His hands were shaking as he pried it open, the sound of the creaking hinges echoing in the stillness of the night.
With one last glance around to make sure no one was watching, Kazuki hoisted himself up and climbed through the window, landing clumsily on the floor inside. He froze, listening for any sign that he had been detected, but the dormitory remained silent.
The hallway was dimly lit, the soft hum of the fluorescent lights the only sound as Kazuki crept forward. His heart was racing, his breath coming in quick, shallow bursts as he made his way toward the stairs. He had no idea where he was going, no plan beyond the immediate task at hand. The voice had been vague about the specifics, leaving him to figure out the rest on his own.
As he reached the second floor, Kazuki hesitated, his mind racing with doubt and fear. What if he got caught? What if someone saw him and reported him to the authorities? The consequences of being discovered were too horrible to contemplate. But the voice in his head was relentless, urging him forward with promises of safety and survival if he just did what it asked.
"You're almost there, Kazuki," the voice coaxed, its tone soothing and reassuring. "Just a little further, and it'll all be over."
Kazuki's mouth was dry, his palms slick with sweat as he crept down the hallway, his eyes scanning the doors for any sign of movement. The dormitory seemed deserted, the only sound the soft rustle of his clothes as he moved. He felt like a ghost, invisible and weightless, his every step echoing in his mind like a death knell.
Finally, he reached the door at the end of the hall, the one the voice had guided him to. It was slightly ajar, the faintest sliver of light spilling out into the hallway. Kazuki's heart was pounding in his chest as he reached out to push the door open, his hand trembling with fear.
The room beyond was dark, save for the soft glow of a nightlight near the bed. Kazuki's breath caught in his throat as he stepped inside, his eyes adjusting to the dim light. The room was small, cluttered with books, clothes, and other personal items scattered haphazardly around. On the bed, he could just make out the form of a girl, her breathing slow and steady as she slept.
Kazuki's stomach churned with guilt and
shame as he approached the dresser on the opposite side of the room. He felt like a criminal, a voyeur, invading this girl's private space with the worst of intentions. But the voice was insistent, its demands echoing in his mind like a relentless drumbeat.
"Hurry, Kazuki," it urged. "You're running out of time."
Kazuki's hands were shaking as he opened the top drawer of the dresser, his breath coming in shallow gasps as he rifled through the contents. His fingers brushed against something soft, and he pulled it out, his heart sinking as he realized what it was—a pair of pink, lace-trimmed panties.
The reality of what he was doing hit him like a sledgehammer, and for a moment, Kazuki wanted to throw the panties back into the drawer and run, consequences be damned. But the voice in his head was relentless, reminding him of the stakes, of the life-or-death nature of the task.
"Take them and go, Kazuki," the voice whispered, its tone both commanding and reassuring. "You've done what you needed to do. Now get out of there before it's too late."
Kazuki stuffed the panties into his pocket, his mind numb with fear and shame as he turned to leave. But as he reached the door, his foot caught on the edge of the rug, sending him crashing to the floor with a loud thud.
The girl in the bed stirred, her eyes fluttering open as she looked around the room in confusion. Kazuki's heart stopped, his breath catching in his throat as he scrambled to his feet, his mind racing with panic.
"What was that?" the girl mumbled, her voice groggy with sleep.
Kazuki didn't wait to find out if she would fully wake up. He bolted out of the room, his heart pounding in his chest as he fled down the hallway, his footsteps echoing in the silence. He didn't stop until he was back outside, the cool night air hitting him like a slap in the face.
He leaned against the wall of the dormitory, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he tried to calm his racing heart. The panties in his pocket felt like a burning brand, a constant reminder of the shameful act he had just committed.
But the voice in his head was satisfied, its tone almost smug as it congratulated him. "Well done, Kazuki. You completed the task. You're safe… for now."
Kazuki didn't feel safe. He felt dirty, ashamed, and utterly alone. The system had forced him into something he would never have done on his own, and the realization that this was only the beginning filled him with a deep sense of dread.
As he made his way back to his dormitory, Kazuki couldn't shake the feeling that his life was spiraling out of control, that he was trapped in a nightmare from which there was no escape. The voice in his head might be satisfied, but Kazuki knew that he would never be the same again.
The task was done, but the cost was far greater than he could have ever imagined. And as he lay in bed that night, the stolen panties still hidden in his pocket, Kazuki couldn't help but wonder what horrors the system would demand of him next.