"Mama?"
The moment Kubo Ichi saw the photo clearly, his pupils shrank.
His mind went blank.
Warm spring sunlight poured in through the stairwell windows, but Balem Bridge's face remained half-hidden in shadow, his smile calm yet deeply unsettling.
"Mr. Bridge… why do you have a picture of my mother?"
Bridge's lips curled slightly.
Rip.
He tore the photo into pieces and let them fall like snow.
Then he leaned close to Kubo's ear.
"Kubo… is this really the time to stand here talking to me?"
"Aren't you curious what's actually burning… to make smoke this thick?"
His voice dropped to a whisper.
"Or have you really not heard your mother screaming?"
Bridge suddenly burst into laughter, tears forming in his eyes.
"I heard her!"
He rolled his eyes back, tongue sticking out as he clawed at himself in mock agony.
"It's so hot! So hot! I'm burning! Help me!"
Kubo Ichi felt cold all over.
His body stiffened, his gaze locked onto Bridge like he wanted to tear him apart.
Thud.
Bridge slammed him against the wall and shoved a key into his hand.
"Kid… this opens the basement."
"If there's still time, go save her."
His tone softened, almost thoughtful.
"Don't hesitate and regret it later."
Kubo's breathing turned ragged. His eyes reddened as something inside him snapped.
He clenched the key so tightly his palm split open.
He wanted to beat Bridge into the ground.
But his mother came first.
"Bridge! Fuck you! Just wait!"
He turned and bolted down the stairs.
His eyes were bloodshot as he shoved students out of his way.
"Move! Get the hell out of my way!"
A smaller boy stepped forward nervously.
"Kubo… the teacher said we should evacuate properly…"
"Shut up! My mom's dying!"
Kubo slammed into him without slowing down.
Higashiyama Yori was knocked aside, crashing into the wall and getting stepped on as Kubo charged past.
The orderly evacuation began to fall apart.
Chaos spread.
"Haha."
Bridge stood there, hands on his hips, smiling.
Then he suddenly raised his voice, screaming in panic.
"Emergency! Everyone run! A Fire Devil is coming down from the roof! If you're too slow, you're dead!"
Normally, the students might have doubted him.
But after seeing Kubo lose control like that, the fear felt real.
"A devil?!"
"Scream!"
Panic exploded.
Students shoved and pushed, trying to escape faster.
Order collapsed completely.
A stampede began.
One minute later.
Kubo Ichi reached the basement first, battered and coughing from inhaling thick smoke.
The air was suffocating.
Flames flickered everywhere.
And then he heard it.
A clear, agonized scream.
"Mom, I'm here!"
He forced himself forward, vision blurring, and jammed the key into the burning hot lock.
Click.
The door swung open.
"Cough! Cough!"
Smoke choked him as he rushed inside.
At the center of the room, something burned and twisted.
There was movement beneath it.
Still alive.
There was still a chance.
Kubo threw himself forward, pushing away the burning debris with bare hands.
He didn't care that his skin was burning.
He had to save her.
But when he saw what was underneath, he froze.
Silence.
It wasn't his mother.
There was no Hosokawa Meiko.
Only a pig.
Its legs were chained, its body scorched, writhing in panic as it stared at him with wide, terrified eyes.
"..."
For a second, everything stopped.
Then—
Boom.
Kubo burst out of the basement, completely engulfed in flames, screaming in agony.
"Bridge! I'll fucking kill you!"
He sprinted toward the first-floor restroom.
"Move! Get out of my way! I need water!"
But he didn't notice.
Every step he took left fire spreading behind him.
Gasoline had already been smeared across the hallways.
The flames followed him.
Boom.
Boom.
Fire erupted among the students.
More bodies caught fire.
Screams filled the building.
"Ahhh!"
"What the hell! I'm on fire!"
"Stay away from me!"
Students dropped to the ground, rolling in panic.
It only made things worse.
The flames spread faster.
Some followed Kubo's lead and rushed toward the restroom.
It only turned that area into another inferno.
And then came the final blow.
There was no water.
Bridge had already cut the supply.
The hydrants were locked.
No escape.
"Hahahaha!"
Bridge's laughter echoed through the building.
Then it stopped.
He slowly pulled out an old photograph.
A little girl with purple hair and green eyes.
In the corner, small text read.
Pomu 0027.
"Strange… why am I so happy?"
He tilted his head slightly.
"Is it the killing?"
"No… that alone shouldn't excite me anymore."
His gaze drifted toward the flames.
"Maybe it's the fire."
"It's beautiful."
"Like it's alive."
He pressed a switch.
Click.
All exits to the school sealed shut.
No one was getting out.
The fire grew stronger.
Bridge wiped tears of laughter from his face.
"A realistic disaster drill."
"I didn't lie, did I?"
Smoke thickened.
Some students, realizing the exits were sealed, began jumping from the second floor.
Staying inside meant certain death.
On the third floor, in a corner no one noticed.
Higashiyama Yori curled up on the ground.
Fire surrounded him, yet he remained mostly unharmed, aside from the earlier hit.
His hands trembled as he pulled out his phone.
First, he called the fire department.
Then, he dialed his sister.
If anyone could help, it was her.
Ring.
Ring.
On the other end, Higashiyama Kobeni spoke in a hushed voice.
"Yori? What is it? I'm still at work."
Yori sniffled, his voice shaking.
"Sis… can you come pick me up?"
"I'm… I'm about to burn…"
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