Kazuki's life had become a chaotic whirlwind of anxiety, absurdity, and an ever-deepening sense of dread. Each day felt like a relentless assault on his sanity, and he couldn't shake the feeling that he was teetering on the edge of a cliff, about to plunge into an abyss from which there was no return. The weight of everything—the tasks, the rumors, Haruka's growing concern—was crushing him, and he could feel himself cracking under the pressure.
It had only been a few days since his last task, but the strain of it all had taken its toll. Kazuki could barely sleep, haunted by vivid nightmares that left him drenched in sweat and gasping for breath. Every waking moment was a struggle to keep his fraying nerves in check, to put on a mask of normalcy in front of others when inside, he felt like he was falling apart.
And now, as he sat alone in his dorm room, staring blankly at the wall, the system's voice broke through his thoughts like a shard of glass, shattering what little peace he had left.
"Kazuki," the system's voice chirped, its tone annoyingly chipper. "It's time for your next task."
Kazuki flinched at the sound, his heart lurching in his chest. He didn't want to hear it. He didn't want to know what the system had in store for him this time. But there was no escape. The system was a constant presence, always lurking in the back of his mind, ready to remind him of the grim reality he was trapped in.
"Please, no more," Kazuki muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. He ran a trembling hand through his hair, which was damp with sweat. "I can't… I can't keep doing this."
The system, of course, was unmoved by his plea. "You know the rules, Kazuki. If you want to stay alive, you have to complete the tasks. It's as simple as that."
Kazuki clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. The system's words felt like a death sentence, and the worst part was that he knew they were true. He was trapped, forced to play this twisted game with no way out. And the more he played, the more he felt himself slipping away.
"What's the task?" Kazuki asked, his voice hollow, as if he had already resigned himself to whatever fate awaited him.
The system's tone turned serious, as if it understood the gravity of what it was about to ask. "This task will require you to take a significant risk, Kazuki. It's not going to be easy, but you've proven yourself capable before."
Kazuki's stomach churned with nausea. He wasn't sure if he wanted to hear what the task was, but he knew he had no choice. "Just tell me."
The system hesitated, as if savoring the moment. "You need to steal the most intimate item of clothing from a specific girl on campus."
Kazuki felt like the air had been sucked out of the room. He could barely comprehend what the system had just said. "You want me to steal… a girl's underwear? Again?"
The system was quick to correct him. "Not just any girl, Kazuki. This time, the target is Rina Yoshida."
Kazuki's heart dropped to the pit of his stomach. Rina Yoshida. The quiet, mysterious girl who had always kept to herself, who had barely spoken a word to him since their first awkward encounter. The thought of targeting her made Kazuki's skin crawl. She was an enigma, a girl who seemed to exist on the fringes of campus life, and the idea of invading her privacy felt like crossing a line he could never come back from.
"Rina… why her?" Kazuki asked, his voice trembling.
The system didn't miss a beat. "Because she's important, Kazuki. She's different from the others. Completing this task will unlock new opportunities for you. But more importantly, it's a test of your resolve. You're going to have to push past your limits if you want to survive."
Kazuki felt a wave of despair wash over him. This was too much. How was he supposed to do something like that? It was one thing to steal underwear from a random girl in the dormitory, but Rina? She was practically untouchable, and the thought of what he was being asked to do filled him with a deep sense of shame.
"I can't… I can't do this," Kazuki whispered, his voice cracking. He felt like he was on the verge of tears, his emotions boiling over in a way that he could no longer control.
The system's voice softened, almost as if it were trying to comfort him. "I know this is hard, Kazuki. But you've come this far. You've already made it through two tasks. You're stronger than you think."
Kazuki shook his head, his vision blurring as he tried to fight back the tears. "This isn't strength. This is madness."
"Maybe so," the system replied. "But it's the only way forward. You have to make a choice, Kazuki. Are you going to give up now, after everything you've been through? Or are you going to keep fighting, no matter how difficult it gets?"
Kazuki was silent, his mind a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts and emotions. He wanted to scream, to lash out at the system, to tell it to leave him alone. But he knew it would do no good. The system was relentless, a merciless force that held his life in its hands.
After what felt like an eternity, Kazuki let out a shuddering breath. "When… when do I have to do this?"
"The sooner, the better," the system replied. "But you have three days. I suggest you start planning immediately."
Kazuki nodded weakly, feeling utterly defeated. He knew he didn't have a choice. The system had him cornered, and there was no way out but through.
The next day, Kazuki found himself walking across campus, his mind a foggy mess. He felt like a zombie, barely aware of his surroundings as he tried to come to terms with what he was about to do. Every fiber of his being screamed at him to stop, to turn back, to find some other way. But the system's voice was a constant reminder that there was no other way. Failure meant death, and as much as Kazuki hated the situation he was in, he wasn't ready to die.
As he walked, his thoughts drifted to Rina. He barely knew her, but he had always sensed that there was more to her than met the eye. She was quiet, reserved, almost like a ghost who moved through life unnoticed. But there was something about her that intrigued Kazuki, something that made him feel like she was hiding a part of herself from the world.
And now, he was supposed to invade that privacy, to steal something intimate from her. The thought made him sick to his stomach, but he knew he couldn't back out now.
Lost in his thoughts, Kazuki didn't notice Haruka approaching until she was right in front of him.
"Kazuki!" she called out, waving to get his attention.
Kazuki snapped out of his daze, looking up to see Haruka jogging toward him. He forced a smile, trying to act normal, but he could tell by the look on her face that she wasn't fooled.
"Hey, Haruka," he said, his voice strained.
Haruka frowned, her eyes narrowing as she studied him. "You look terrible. Are you okay?"
Kazuki tried to laugh it off, but it came out hollow. "Yeah, just… didn't sleep well last night."
Haruka didn't seem convinced. "You've been saying that a lot lately. What's really going on?"
Kazuki felt a pang of guilt. Haruka had been nothing but kind to him, and here he was, lying to her face. But what choice did he have? He couldn't tell her the truth, and he certainly couldn't let her get involved in the mess he was in.
"It's nothing, really," Kazuki said, trying to sound reassuring. "Just some personal stuff I'm dealing with."
Haruka crossed her arms, clearly not satisfied with his answer. "You're not very good at lying, you know that? I'm your friend, Kazuki. You can talk to me."
Kazuki felt a lump form in his throat. He wanted to confide in her, to tell her everything that was happening, but the fear of what she might think—of how she might react—kept him silent.
"I appreciate it, Haruka," Kazuki said softly. "But it's something I have to figure out on my own."
Haruka's expression softened, and for a moment, Kazuki thought she might drop the subject. But then she said something that made his blood run cold.
"You know, I saw something weird the other night," Haruka said, her voice laced with suspicion. "I was coming back to the dorm, and I saw a figure lurking around. It was dark, so I couldn't see who it was, but… it looked a lot like you, Kazuki."
Kazuki's heart skipped a beat. His mind raced as he tried to come up with a response, but his thoughts were too jumbled to make sense of. "I-I don't know what you're talking about," he stammered, his voice cracking.
Haruka's eyes narrowed, and Kazuki could see the wheels turning in her mind. "Are you sure about that? Because I could have sworn…"
"I wasn't there!" Kazuki blurted out, his
voice louder than he intended. He immediately regretted it, seeing the hurt look on Haruka's face.
"I'm sorry," Kazuki said quickly, trying to salvage the situation. "I didn't mean to snap at you. I just… I've been under a lot of stress lately."
Haruka stared at him for a long moment, as if trying to decide whether or not to believe him. Finally, she sighed and looked away. "Alright, Kazuki. I'll drop it for now. But if you ever want to talk, you know where to find me."
Kazuki nodded, feeling a mixture of relief and guilt. "Thanks, Haruka. I appreciate it."
Haruka gave him a small smile before turning and walking away, leaving Kazuki standing alone in the middle of the campus, his heart still racing from the close call. He knew he couldn't keep this up. The lies, the secrecy, the constant pressure from the system—it was all too much.
As he watched Haruka disappear into the distance, Kazuki felt a sense of dread wash over him. He knew he was reaching his breaking point, and he had no idea how much longer he could hold on.
The next two days passed in a blur of anxiety and fear. Kazuki spent every waking moment trying to come up with a plan, a way to complete the task without getting caught. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was walking into a trap.
Finally, the third day arrived, and Kazuki knew he couldn't delay any longer. He had no choice but to go through with the task, no matter how much he dreaded it.
That evening, as the sun began to set, Kazuki made his way to the dormitory where Rina lived. His heart was pounding in his chest, and his hands were slick with sweat. He felt like a criminal, sneaking around in the shadows, and the thought of what he was about to do made him sick to his stomach.
But the system's voice was a constant reminder of what was at stake. "You can do this, Kazuki. Just stay calm and focus."
Kazuki took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. He had done this before. He could do it again. He had to.
As he reached the dormitory, Kazuki slipped inside, moving as quietly as possible. The hallways were empty, and the only sound was the faint hum of the fluorescent lights overhead. Kazuki's heart raced as he made his way to Rina's room, his mind a whirlwind of fear and guilt.
When he reached her door, Kazuki hesitated. This was it. There was no turning back now. He had to do this, no matter how much he hated it.
With trembling hands, Kazuki reached out and slowly turned the doorknob. The door creaked open, and Kazuki slipped inside, his heart pounding so loudly he was sure it would wake the entire dormitory.
The room was dark, but Kazuki could make out the faint outline of Rina's bed in the corner. She was asleep, her breathing slow and steady. Kazuki's stomach churned with nausea as he realized what he was about to do.
He moved quickly, his movements shaky as he rifled through her belongings. He found what he was looking for—a small, delicate piece of fabric that made Kazuki's skin crawl with shame. He grabbed it and slipped out of the room as quickly as he could, his heart racing with fear and guilt.
As he made his way back to his own dorm, Kazuki felt like he was going to be sick. He had done it. He had completed the task. But at what cost?
When he finally reached his room, Kazuki collapsed onto his bed, his mind a mess of conflicting emotions. He had done what the system had asked, but the sense of relief he had expected never came. Instead, he felt hollow, like a part of him had been stripped away, leaving nothing but emptiness in its place.
The system's voice chimed in, sounding almost congratulatory. "Well done, Kazuki. You've completed the task."
But Kazuki didn't feel like celebrating. He didn't feel anything at all. He just lay there, staring up at the ceiling, feeling like a stranger in his own body.
As the night wore on, Kazuki's mind drifted back to Rina, to what he had done. The guilt was overwhelming, suffocating, and he knew he couldn't keep this up. He was reaching his breaking point, and he didn't know how much longer he could hold on.
In the darkness of his room, Kazuki made a silent vow to himself. He would find a way out of this, no matter what it took. He couldn't keep living like this, trapped in a nightmare with no end in sight.
But as the system's voice continued to whisper in his mind, Kazuki knew that escaping would be easier said than done. He was in too deep, and the path to freedom was anything but clear.
For now, all he could do was survive, one day at a time, and hope that somehow, some way, he would find a way to break free from the system's grasp.