Kazuki's mind was unraveling. The rumors that had started as small whispers in the corners of the cafeteria and the hallways were now spreading like wildfire across the campus. Every day, the murmurs about the pervert sneaking around the girls' dormitory grew louder, more detailed, and more frightening. And with each passing hour, Kazuki's paranoia intensified.
As he walked to class, he could feel eyes on him—judging, suspecting, accusing. He told himself it was all in his head, that no one knew the truth, but the fear gnawed at him relentlessly. Every glance from a passing student felt like a piercing gaze, every conversation that dropped into hushed tones as he approached seemed to be about him. The walls of the university, once a place of hope and new beginnings, were closing in, suffocating him with the weight of his secret.
In his classes, Kazuki could hardly focus. His eyes darted around the room, watching for any sign that someone might suspect him. His heart would race when a professor called on him, and he would stumble through his answers, his mind too clouded with fear to concentrate on the material. He sat in the back, as far away from the others as possible, hoping to disappear into the background, but it only made him feel more isolated, more conspicuous.
Kazuki's paranoia was beginning to affect his physical health. Dark circles formed under his eyes from sleepless nights spent tossing and turning, haunted by the system's voice and the memory of what he had done. He barely ate, his appetite stolen by the constant knot of anxiety in his stomach. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the girls in the dormitory, their faces twisted in anger and disgust as they discovered their missing belongings. And every time he woke up, he was drenched in sweat, his heart pounding with the terror that today might be the day he got caught.
One day, as Kazuki trudged down the hallway to his next class, he heard a familiar voice call out his name. He flinched, his pulse quickening, but when he turned, he saw Haruka walking towards him, her face full of concern.
"Kazuki, wait up!" she called, catching up to him with a worried expression. "Are you okay? You've been acting really strange lately."
Kazuki's heart sank. He had been avoiding Haruka as much as possible since that night, unable to bear the thought of her finding out the truth. But here she was, standing in front of him, her warm eyes searching his face for answers.
"I'm fine," Kazuki mumbled, his voice shaky. He avoided her gaze, staring at the floor instead. "Just… tired, I guess."
Haruka frowned, clearly not convinced. "You don't look fine. You've been so distant, and you look like you haven't slept in days. Is something bothering you? You know you can talk to me, right?"
Kazuki felt a pang of guilt at her words. Haruka was only trying to help, but he couldn't let her get too close. If she found out what he had done—what he was being forced to do—she would hate him. She would see him as the monster he feared he was becoming. The thought of losing her friendship, of seeing the warmth in her eyes replaced with disgust, was more than he could bear.
"I'm just dealing with some personal stuff," Kazuki said, forcing a weak smile. "But really, I'm okay. You don't need to worry about me."
Haruka's eyes softened, but the concern didn't leave her face. "Kazuki, you don't have to go through this alone. Whatever it is, I'm here for you."
Her kindness was like a knife twisting in his chest. He wanted nothing more than to confide in her, to tell her everything and have her reassure him that it would all be okay. But the system's voice echoed in his mind, cold and unyielding. There was no way out of this, no one who could help him. He was trapped.
"Thanks, Haruka," Kazuki said, his voice barely above a whisper. "But I just need some time to sort things out."
Haruka hesitated, clearly wanting to press further, but she seemed to sense that Kazuki wasn't ready to talk. She gave him a small, understanding nod. "Alright, but don't shut me out, okay? You're my friend, and I care about you."
Kazuki forced another smile and nodded, though inside, he felt like he was falling apart. Haruka's concern only made him feel worse, and the guilt was eating him alive. He wanted to scream, to run away, to do anything to escape the nightmare his life had become. But he couldn't. The system had him trapped, and there was no way out.
As he watched Haruka walk away, a new voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Yo, Kazuki! You look like you've seen a ghost."
Kazuki turned to see Yuto Saito, a fellow student who had recently started talking to him more often. Yuto was tall and lanky, with a mischievous grin and an easygoing demeanor that made him popular with everyone. He always seemed to have a joke ready, and while Kazuki had initially appreciated the distraction, Yuto's presence now only heightened his anxiety.
"Hey, Yuto," Kazuki replied, trying to sound casual but failing to hide the tension in his voice.
Yuto gave him a curious look. "Man, you really don't look good. What's eating you?"
Kazuki shook his head, trying to brush it off. "Just tired, that's all."
Yuto wasn't convinced, but he didn't press the issue. Instead, he leaned in closer, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "You know, there's been some crazy stuff going around campus lately. Have you heard about the pervert in the girls' dorms?"
Kazuki's heart skipped a beat, and he struggled to keep his expression neutral. "Yeah, I've heard some rumors."
Yuto's grin widened. "It's nuts, right? I mean, who the hell does that? Stealing panties? The girls are freaking out, man. They're saying the guy's still out there, lurking around. They even brought in extra security."
Kazuki swallowed hard, trying to keep his voice steady. "That's… really messed up."
"Tell me about it," Yuto continued, clearly enjoying the gossip. "Some of the girls are totally paranoid now. They're even saying that the perv might be one of the students. Can you imagine? Someone we know, sneaking around at night like some kind of weirdo."
Kazuki felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead. He forced a weak laugh, hoping it didn't sound as strained as it felt. "Yeah, that's crazy."
Yuto slapped him on the back, oblivious to Kazuki's internal turmoil. "Anyway, keep your eyes peeled, man. You never know who might be next. And if you see anything suspicious, make sure to report it, alright?"
Kazuki nodded, his mind racing. Yuto's words only added fuel to the fire of his paranoia. The idea that people might start suspecting him, that they might be watching him, was almost too much to handle. The stress was eating him alive, and the constant fear of being caught was driving him to the edge.
The system's voice, which had been mercifully silent for most of the day, suddenly chimed in, its tone dripping with amusement.
"Oh, Kazuki, you're so tense. You should relax a little. After all, you still have another task to complete, don't you?"
Kazuki clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. The system's words sent a wave of dread crashing over him. The deadline for his next task was fast approaching, and he had no idea how he was going to pull it off. The first task had nearly destroyed him, and now the system was demanding something even worse. He didn't know how much more of this he could take.
"Just leave me alone," Kazuki muttered under his breath, hoping Yuto wouldn't notice.
But the system was relentless. "You know I can't do that, Kazuki. You have a job to do, and you don't have much time left. You wouldn't want to disappoint me, would you?"
Kazuki bit down on his lip, trying to push the voice out of his mind. But it was no use. The system's demands were like chains around his neck, dragging him deeper into the darkness.
Yuto, oblivious to the inner battle Kazuki was fighting, continued to chat, his voice a constant buzz in Kazuki's ear. "Anyway, man, if you need anything, just let me know. We've got to stick together, especially with all this crazy stuff going on. You never know who might be lurking around."
Kazuki nodded, barely hearing him. His thoughts were consumed by the task ahead, the system's voice echoing in his mind like a twisted mantra. He didn't know how he was going to get through this, but he knew one thing for certain: he was in way over his head, and there was no turning back.
That night, Kazuki lay in bed, staring at the ceiling as the hours ticked by. Sleep was impossible, his mind racing with fear and paranoia. The weight of the next task loomed over him, a dark cloud that threatened to consume him entirely.
Every creak of the floorboards, every rustle of the wind outside, sent a jolt of fear through him. Was someone outside his door, waiting to expose him? Were the other
students talking about him right now, piecing together the clues that would lead to his downfall? The fear was suffocating, and Kazuki felt like he was on the brink of losing his mind.
And then, just as the first light of dawn began to filter through the blinds, the system spoke again, its voice soft and insidious.
"It's time, Kazuki. You know what you have to do."
Kazuki's heart sank. He had hoped, foolishly, that the system might give him more time, but there was no mercy in its cold, mechanical voice. The task was waiting, and Kazuki knew he had no choice but to complete it. The alternative was unthinkable.
He sat up, his body heavy with exhaustion and dread. The room was silent, the air thick with tension. Kazuki's mind was a whirl of conflicting emotions—fear, disgust, anger, and a deep sense of despair. But underneath it all, there was a cold, hard truth that he couldn't ignore.
He had to do this. There was no other way.
With a trembling hand, Kazuki reached for the door. The task was waiting, and time was running out.
As he stepped into the hallway, the weight of the world pressing down on his shoulders, Kazuki couldn't shake the feeling that he was walking towards his own doom. The paranoia, the fear, the guilt—it was all too much. But the system wouldn't let him rest, wouldn't let him escape. It was always there, whispering in his ear, reminding him of the price of failure.
And as Kazuki walked into the darkness, he knew that he was no longer the person he used to be. The system had changed him, twisted him into something he didn't recognize. The line between right and wrong had blurred, and he was losing himself in the process.
But there was no turning back now. The task had to be completed, no matter the cost.
And Kazuki was prepared to do whatever it took to survive, even if it meant losing his soul in the process.