Kazuki lay on his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. His mind was in turmoil as the system's voice echoed in his ears, delivering the latest task.
"Your next mission, dear Kazuki, is to sneak into the girls' locker room during gym class and remain there undetected for at least five minutes," the system chirped with a playful lilt.
Kazuki felt his stomach churn. The thought of carrying out such an invasive and morally questionable act made him want to crawl into a hole and disappear. But as always, the system didn't care about his feelings or moral quandaries. It only cared about the task at hand and the consequences of failure.
"You have until the end of the week to complete this task. Failure is not an option," the system continued, its tone suddenly shifting to something more serious. The playful edge in its voice was gone, replaced by a cold, stern command that made Kazuki shiver.
"Why… why are you doing this to me?" Kazuki muttered under his breath, his voice shaky with fear and frustration.
"Oh, Kazuki, you know why. You agreed to this, and now you must follow through. Besides, you've been getting better at these tasks, haven't you? You should be proud!" the system teased.
Kazuki clenched his fists. Yes, he had been completing the tasks, but the price he paid was his own sense of self. Each task chipped away at his conscience, leaving behind a hollow shell of the person he used to be. He had become more agile, more stealthy, and slightly more confident around girls—but at what cost? These changes were not the kind of improvements he had ever wanted.
His thoughts were interrupted by the system's final words before it went silent again. "Remember, Kazuki, your life depends on completing these tasks. You have no choice."
Kazuki sat up and rubbed his temples, trying to ward off the growing headache that accompanied the stress of his situation. He had to do this. He had to find a way to complete the task, no matter how much it disgusted him.
But how? The girls' locker room was a high-risk area, especially with the heightened security measures on campus. Rumors of a pervert lurking around had led the administration to beef up security, making Kazuki's task even more dangerous. He knew that one wrong move could lead to his exposure—not just to the school authorities, but to everyone he cared about. The thought of Haruka finding out about what he was doing made him feel sick to his stomach.
He let out a deep sigh and flopped back onto his bed, covering his face with his hands. "Why me?" he whispered to himself, wishing for the millionth time that he could somehow escape this nightmare.
As the week progressed, Kazuki's anxiety only grew. He avoided his friends, especially Haruka, whose concerned glances became more frequent and intense. She could sense that something was wrong, and Kazuki knew it was only a matter of time before she confronted him. But he couldn't afford to let her get too close—not when he was struggling to keep his own head above water.
One afternoon, as he was walking across campus, Kazuki saw Haruka approaching from a distance. Panic surged through him, and he quickly ducked into a nearby building, hoping she hadn't seen him. He couldn't face her—not now, not when he was about to do something so terrible.
As he leaned against the wall, catching his breath, Kazuki cursed himself for being such a coward. Haruka was his best friend; she had always been there for him, even when no one else was. But now, he couldn't even look her in the eye. The guilt was eating him alive.
The memory of how they met came flooding back to him, unbidden. It was during junior school, and Kazuki was just an awkward, shy boy who preferred to keep to himself. Haruka had been a bright, cheerful girl with a radiant smile that could light up a room. But she had her share of problems, too—mainly the bullies who picked on her relentlessly.
Kazuki couldn't stand to see her suffer, so he had stepped in, despite his own fear. He had taken the brunt of the bullies' wrath, getting beaten up in her place on more than one occasion. Haruka had always looked at him with those big, grateful eyes, and it was then that he realized just how much she meant to him.
But now, he was failing her. He was failing himself.
Later that evening, Kazuki sat in his dorm room, staring at the small clock on his desk. The deadline was fast approaching, and he still had no plan. His mind raced with a thousand possibilities, each one more dangerous and risky than the last.
Suddenly, his phone buzzed on the desk, pulling him out of his thoughts. It was a message from Haruka.
**Haruka:** *Kazuki, can we talk? I'm worried about you.*
Kazuki's heart sank. He had been dreading this moment. He knew he couldn't avoid her forever, but he wasn't ready to face her either. He typed out a quick reply, trying to sound as casual as possible.
**Kazuki:** *I'm fine, Haruka. Just busy with school stuff. We'll talk later, okay?*
He hit send and immediately regretted it. He knew she wouldn't be satisfied with that answer, but it was all he could manage right now. He couldn't let her see the mess he had become.
The next day, Kazuki's anxiety reached a boiling point. The gym class was scheduled for the afternoon, and he knew this was his best chance to complete the task. He had scouted the area earlier, noting the security cameras and the patrols. His new stealth abilities would help, but they weren't foolproof. One slip-up, and it would all be over.
As the time drew near, Kazuki's heart pounded in his chest. He made his way to the gym, his hands shaking with nerves. He had to stay calm. He had to focus.
He slipped into the locker room area, moving as quietly as possible. His heart raced as he approached the door, and he paused for a moment to listen. The sound of girls chatting and laughing reached his ears, making his stomach twist in knots.
Kazuki took a deep breath, steadying himself. He activated his stealth ability, feeling a strange sensation wash over him as his presence seemed to fade into the background. It wasn't true invisibility, but it made him much harder to notice.
With trembling hands, he pushed the door open just enough to slip inside. The locker room was filled with rows of lockers and benches, and the girls were scattered around, some changing clothes, others chatting with friends.
Kazuki felt like he was going to be sick. He forced himself to move forward, finding a spot where he could remain hidden while still fulfilling the system's requirements. The five minutes he had to endure felt like an eternity.
He kept his eyes down, trying to block out the scene around him. The guilt and shame threatened to overwhelm him, but he couldn't afford to lose focus. He had to survive this—he had to.
Just as he was about to reach the five-minute mark, he heard a familiar voice that made his blood run cold.
"Kazuki?"
He looked up, his heart stopping as he saw Haruka standing not far from him, her eyes wide with shock. She had seen him—she had caught him.
For a split second, Kazuki was paralyzed with fear. But then his survival instincts kicked in. He quickly activated his stealth ability again, moving away from Haruka before she could get a good look at him. He ducked behind a row of lockers, his heart hammering in his chest.
Haruka frowned, her eyes scanning the area where Kazuki had been just moments before. She took a few steps forward, clearly suspicious, but she didn't see him.
"Kazuki? Is that you?" she called out, her voice tinged with confusion and concern.
Kazuki held his breath, praying that she would leave. After what felt like an eternity, Haruka finally turned and walked away, still looking around as if she couldn't quite believe what she had seen.
Kazuki waited until he was sure she was gone before he slipped out of the locker room, his legs shaking with the effort. He had done it—he had completed the task. But the victory felt hollow, tainted by the fact that Haruka had almost caught him.
He stumbled out of the building and made his way back to his dorm, his mind racing. How much had Haruka seen? Did she know it was him? The questions swirled in his head, each one more terrifying than the last.
As he reached his room, the system's voice chimed in again, breaking the silence.
"Well done, Kazuki. You've completed the task. As a reward, your stealth abilities will be enhanced, and you've unlocked a new skill: temporary invisibility. Use it wisely."
Kazuki collapsed onto his bed, feeling completely drained. The system's words barely registered as he stared at the ceiling, his mind numb from the events of the day.
He had survived, but at what cost? The line between who he was and what the system was turning him into had blurred, and he wasn't sure if he could ever go back.