Kazuki lay awake in bed, staring at the ceiling, unable to shake the overwhelming guilt gnawing at him. The events of the previous night replayed in his mind like a nightmare he couldn't escape from. The stolen panties, hidden away in his drawer, felt like a physical weight pressing down on him, a constant reminder of the perverted act he had been forced to commit. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the girls in the dormitory, blissfully unaware of his intrusion into their privacy, and the shame washed over him again.
He had tried to convince himself that he had no choice, that the system had backed him into a corner where his survival depended on completing that wretched task. But no matter how much he rationalized it, he couldn't shake the feeling of disgust with himself. This wasn't who he wanted to be. Yet here he was, reduced to a thief by a voice in his head that threatened his very life if he didn't comply.
As morning light filtered through the blinds, Kazuki reluctantly got out of bed, his body moving automatically as he prepared for the day ahead. His mind was a storm of conflicting emotions—guilt, fear, anger, and a deep sense of self-loathing. He barely registered his surroundings as he dressed and made his way out of his dorm room. He wasn't sure how he would face anyone today, least of all Haruka, whose kindness and concern had only made him feel more wretched.
The walk to campus felt longer than usual, every step heavy with dread. Kazuki kept his head down, avoiding eye contact with everyone he passed, afraid that they could somehow see right through him and know what he had done. His heart pounded in his chest, the fear of being exposed growing with every passing moment.
By the time he reached the campus, the hallways were already buzzing with the morning rush of students heading to their classes. Kazuki moved through the crowd like a ghost, trying to blend in and disappear. But the more he tried to avoid attention, the more paranoid he became. He imagined that every whisper, every glance in his direction, was someone discussing him, speculating about the pervert who had invaded the girls' dormitory.
As he entered his first class, Kazuki's anxiety skyrocketed. He slipped into his seat at the back of the room, hoping to go unnoticed. But the weight of his guilt was too much to bear, and he couldn't help but glance around, scanning the faces of his classmates for any sign that they might know. He could barely focus on the lecture, his mind racing with thoughts of what might happen if he were caught.
Throughout the day, Kazuki's paranoia only grew. Every time he overheard a conversation, his heart skipped a beat, and he strained to catch every word, terrified that they were talking about him. In the cafeteria, he sat alone, picking at his food while his ears picked up fragments of conversations from nearby tables.
"Did you hear? Someone's been sneaking around the girls' dorms at night."
"Yeah, it's so creepy! I heard they stole some underwear."
"They should really increase security. What if it happens again?"
Kazuki's stomach churned as he listened, his appetite completely gone. He pushed his tray away, unable to take another bite. The realization that his actions were now the subject of campus gossip filled him with a cold dread. How long would it be before someone put the pieces together and figured out it was him? He couldn't afford to slip up, but the pressure was mounting, and he felt like he was on the verge of cracking.
Haruka's concerned face flashed in his mind, and Kazuki's chest tightened with a mixture of guilt and sadness. He had been avoiding her all day, unable to face her after what he had done. The thought of her finding out the truth made him sick to his stomach. How could he ever look her in the eye again, knowing the perverted act he had committed? She had been so kind to him, and he had repaid her by becoming the very thing she would despise.
As the day dragged on, Kazuki's anxiety only deepened. The whispers about the pervert in the girls' dormitory seemed to grow louder, and he could barely concentrate in his classes. Every time a professor called on him, he stumbled over his words, his mind too preoccupied with the fear of being caught. He could feel the walls closing in around him, the noose tightening with each passing hour.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the day came to an end. Kazuki practically bolted out of his last class, desperate to escape the suffocating atmosphere of the campus. He needed to clear his head, to find some way to calm the raging storm of guilt and fear inside him. He wandered aimlessly around the city, trying to lose himself in the crowds, but the anxiety followed him like a shadow, never giving him a moment's peace.
By the time Kazuki returned to his dormitory, night had fallen, and the campus was eerily quiet. The silence only amplified his paranoia, and he hurried inside, wanting nothing more than to lock himself in his room and shut out the world. But as soon as he stepped into the dimly lit hallway, he heard the voice.
"Well, well, Kazuki. You've been busy today, haven't you?"
Kazuki froze, his blood turning to ice. The system's voice was as chipper and unsettling as ever, its loli-like tone completely at odds with the sinister words it spoke.
"You've done a good job so far, but don't think you can rest just yet. There's still more to be done, after all. You wouldn't want to disappoint me, would you?"
Kazuki's heart pounded in his chest, his breath coming in short, panicked gasps. "Please," he whispered, his voice trembling. "I can't do this anymore. I don't want to hurt anyone."
The system chuckled, a sound that sent shivers down Kazuki's spine. "Oh, Kazuki, you don't have a choice. Remember what happens if you fail to complete your tasks? You wouldn't want to die, would you?"
Kazuki clenched his fists, tears of frustration and helplessness welling up in his eyes. "Why are you doing this to me? Why me?"
The system didn't answer immediately, letting the question hang in the air like a dark cloud. When it finally spoke, its tone was almost pitying. "Because, Kazuki, you have potential. You just need a little push to realize it. And I'm here to help you reach that potential. But that means you need to keep going, no matter how difficult it gets."
Kazuki shook his head, despair washing over him in waves. "I don't want this. I never asked for this."
The system's voice hardened, losing its playful edge. "It doesn't matter what you want, Kazuki. This is your reality now. You either adapt, or you die. It's as simple as that."
Kazuki's knees buckled, and he collapsed onto the floor, his body trembling with fear and exhaustion. He couldn't keep doing this. The constant pressure, the guilt, the fear—it was all too much. But the system was relentless, its demands unyielding. It would keep pushing him until there was nothing left of the person he used to be.
And then, as if sensing Kazuki's despair, the system delivered the final blow.
"Your next task, Kazuki, is going to be even more challenging. But don't worry—I have faith in you. After all, you've already proven you're capable of doing what needs to be done. Now, let's see how far you're willing to go."
Kazuki's breath caught in his throat as the system laid out the details of the next task. It was even worse than the first, more daring, more perverse. The thought of what he would have to do made him want to vomit, but the system's voice left no room for negotiation.
"You have three days to complete the task. Fail, and you know what will happen."
Kazuki's mind was a whirlwind of emotions—fear, disgust, anger, despair. But underneath it all, a cold, hard truth settled in his gut: he had no choice. If he wanted to survive, he would have to do whatever the system demanded, no matter how much it went against everything he believed in.
With a final, mocking laugh, the system's voice faded, leaving Kazuki alone in the silent hallway. He stayed there for a long time, curled up on the cold floor, too numb to move. The weight of the stolen panties in his drawer felt even heavier now, a symbol of how far he had already fallen.
Finally, after what felt like hours, Kazuki forced himself to stand. He stumbled to his room, his body moving on autopilot as he opened the door and collapsed onto his bed. He stared up at the ceiling, his mind blank, too exhausted to think.
But even as he drifted off to sleep, one thought kept replaying in his mind: How much further would he have to fall before this nightmare ended?
Kazuki closed his eyes, hoping that sleep would bring some relief from the torment that had become his life. But as he drifted off, the system's voice echoed in his mind, a cruel reminder that there was no escape from the darkness that had taken hold of him.
And deep down, Kazuki knew that this was only the beginning.