The recess bell rang.
The children immediately streamed out of the classroom—to the cafeteria, to the yard, to the toilet. The atmosphere was lively. Chairs scraped, bags were grabbed, laughter and shouts filled the room.
Sae turned. Her eyes sparkled as usual. "Tobio, want to go to the cafeteria? I'm hungry."
Tobio shook his head gently. "I have a lunchbox."
"Oh." Sae didn't push. She was used to Tobio preferring to eat alone. "I'm going to the cafeteria then, okay! Later, play in the yard?"
Tobio nodded. "Yeah."
Sae ran out of the classroom, her brown hair streaming behind her. Soon the bell would ring for class to resume, but she still had time to buy snacks.
Tobio opened his bag. Took out his lunchbox—made by Grandma Ageha. Wrapped in a simple floral-patterned furoshiki cloth. He opened it.
Warm white rice. Three pieces of rolled omelet. Two fried sausages. A few slices of apple and orange.
Everything arranged neatly. With love.
Tobio ate alone at his desk.
A few children glanced over, but no one approached. Maybe Tobio was known as a quiet kid. Or maybe they already knew that Tobio didn't like to be disturbed while eating.
Tobio didn't mind. Alone was comfortable.
No need to pretend. No need to be vigilant.
Just eat and enjoy.
Sae returned from the cafeteria with a pack of snacks—BBQ flavored chips, her favorite. She sat beside Tobio, slightly out of breath.
"Wow, it's so crowded at the cafeteria! Long line."
Tobio had finished eating. He was tidying his lunchbox.
Sae looked at him. "Tobio, want some snack?" She offered the chip bag. "I bought a lot."
Tobio looked at the snack. Then nodded. "Sure."
Sae smiled broadly. She opened the bag and poured some into Tobio's hand.
They ate quietly. Sae talked about the line at the cafeteria, about her friend who almost fell, about a teacher who got angry. Small, unimportant things.
But Tobio listened.
Because this was what friendship was about. Not big conversations. Not the secrets of the world. But the small things. Together.
The bell rang for class to resume. Recess was over.
Next lesson: Mathematics. Tobio worked through the problems easily. He had mastered all this material long ago—Haruto's private lessons back then were far more difficult.
Japanese: writing an essay about "My Summer Vacation". Tobio wrote about helping Grandma at home, about going to the river with Sae. Didn't mention the festival. Didn't mention the power. Just ordinary things.
Science: photosynthesis. Easy.
History: the Muromachi period. Tobio read the textbook carefully, looking for clues about the supernatural world. Maybe there would be familiar names—famous exorcists, or events that actually involved devils.
Nothing. All the history seemed normal. Like a world without Angels and Devils.
Or maybe they were good at hiding their tracks.
Or maybe this textbook was deliberately written to cover up the truth.
He didn't know.
---
PE Class - 1:00 PM
The sun was blazing on the field.
Suzuki-sensei—a burly PE teacher with a thick mustache—blew his whistle. "Today we're playing soccer! Divide into teams!"
The children cheered. Soccer was everyone's favorite.
Tobio was put on the red team. Sae was on the blue team—coincidence? Or did Mr. Suzuki deliberately separate them to make it more exciting?
The game began.
Tobio ran, chasing the ball. But he didn't stand out. Didn't try too hard. Just played along, passed the ball if needed, ran when he had to.
Don't attract attention.
Ordinary kid. Just ordinary.
But someone was watching him.
Kenji—the chubby boy from class earlier—was on the same team. Every time Tobio got the ball, Kenji was nearby. Not to help, but to... bother him.
When Tobio was dribbling, Kenji bumped into him from the side.
Not a hard bump—but enough to make Tobio lose his balance.
"Whoa, sorry!" Kenji laughed. There was no regret in his eyes.
Tobio got up. Brushed the dust off his uniform. Said nothing.
A few minutes later, Kenji did it again. Harder this time.
Tobio fell. His knee was slightly scraped.
Mr. Suzuki blew his whistle. "Kenji! Less rough play!"
Kenji raised his hand, pretending to be innocent. "Yes, sir. Sorry."
But when Mr. Suzuki turned away, Kenji glanced at Tobio. Smirked.
This kid... He has a problem with me.
Or with Tobio.
Maybe Tobio had often been a victim for a long time.
And the old Tobio always stayed silent.
Tobio chose to stay silent too. Not out of fear. But because he didn't want to attract attention.
Sae, from the opposing team, saw what happened. Her eyes were worried. She signaled—'are you okay?'
Tobio shook his head. 'I'm fine.'
After PE, all the students went to the classroom for lunch.
Tobio sat at his desk. Sae beside him, as usual.
His mind was busy.
Kenji. A bully.
A small thing. Unimportant.
But... Could his power influence other people?
Influence their fate?
Like changing an outcome—from winning to losing?
Or... making them sick?
He remembered something. Yesterday, that stone stopped in mid-air.
The laws of physics were violated.
If the laws of physics could be violated... Maybe people's fates could be too.
But... Was that ethical?
Using power for trivial things?
For petty revenge on an elementary school bully?
Sae interrupted his thoughts. "Tobio, why are you so quiet? What are you thinking about?"
Tobio turned. "Nothing. Just... thinking."
Sae pouted. "Always thinking. Come on, talk!"
But Tobio didn't talk.
Quietly, in his heart, an intention began to form.
Not a big intention. Not an evil plan.
Just... a small experiment.
To know the limits of this power.
To know if he could influence other people.
And to know—how much the price would be.
Tobio touched his wrist.
Beneath his uniform sleeve, the bracelet Grandma Ageha gave him was wrapped around. Black stone with silver veins—still intact.
'If I use it with this bracelet on... Maybe the impact will be dampened.'
'But I don't know for sure. Better take it off.'
He pretended to scratch his arm. With a quick movement, he unclasped the bracelet and slipped it into his pants pocket.
No one saw.
Sae was busy eating.
Tobio closed his eyes. Formulated the desire.
'Kenji... will have a severe stomach ache.'
'A loud fart with an unpleasant smell. All due to digestive issues.'
Not a big desire. Not seriously hurting anyone. Just... a moment of embarrassment.
He opened his eyes.
Waited.
10 Seconds Later.
In the back row, Kenji was chatting with his group. He was laughing loudly—maybe telling a joke.
Suddenly—
PRRRT!
A loud fart sound. Very loud. Almost like a toy trumpet.
The whole class went silent.
Everyone turned towards Kenji.
Kenji froze. His face turned bright red.
And the smell—God, the smell. Like rotten eggs mixed with wet garbage.
The kids around him immediately covered their noses. "Kenji! That stinks!"
"Eww, disgusting!"
Kenji held his stomach. His face changed—from red to pale. "I... have a stomach ache."
He ran out of the classroom. Towards the toilet.
Behind him, laughter erupted.
The girls laughed heartily. Kenji's friends also laughed—even though they were his friends, this was too funny to miss.
Sae laughed a little. "Wow, Kenji actually farted in class!"
Tobio smiled faintly.
But at the same time— His head throbbed.
Pain stabbed from within. Like yesterday, but a little different. Heavier.
Payment.
For influencing another person, the payment was greater.
Or maybe because this was a more specific desire.
He held his head. Endured the pain.
A few minutes—maybe five—the pain subsided. Replaced by a deep fatigue. Like after running a long distance.
Tobio sighed. His hand felt his pocket—the bracelet was still there.
He put it back on.
It worked.
This power could influence other people.
But the payment... The greater the desire, the greater the pain.
And this was just a small desire—only embarrassing an elementary school kid.
For a bigger desire... He didn't want to think about it.
---
The dismissal bell rang.
The children poured out of the classroom. Lively noise filled the corridor. The first day of school was over.
Sae quickly packed her bag. "Tobio, walk home together?"
Tobio nodded. "Yeah."
The two of them left the classroom. Walked through the corridor, then the schoolyard, then the gate.
Sae chattered as usual. She talked about Kenji who still hadn't come out of the toilet, about the teacher who was angry because of the smell in the class, about weekend plans.
Tobio listened—though not everything registered. His mind was still fixated on the power that felt both strange and dangerous.
Today's experiment was successful.
But also frightening.
Because if he could influence others... Could he influence himself?
Change his body? Change his abilities?
Maybe, he should try at home. But carefully, very carefully.
At the crossroads—the same place as yesterday—Sae stopped.
"I'll go this way." She pointed towards her house.
Tobio waved. "See you."
"Oh, take care, okay!" Sae waved. "See you tomorrow!"
Sae ran towards her house, her brown hair streaming in the wind.
Tobio continued walking alone.
Tobio knocked on the door. Opened it. "I'm home."
From the kitchen, Ageha's voice answered. "Welcome back!"
Tobio took off his shoes at the genkan. Put his bag near the door.
Ageha appeared from the kitchen, an apron on her body. Her hands were still wet—maybe just washing vegetables.
"How was school?" she asked while drying her hands.
Tobio nodded. "It went well. Sae helped me."
Ageha smiled. "Good. I'll prepare dinner."
Tobio looked towards the kitchen. The ingredients were already on the table—potatoes, carrots, onions, chicken meat.
"Grandma..." Tobio hesitated. "Can I help cook? I feel like I want to learn to cook."
Ageha blinked. Then smiled even wider. "Of course! This time we're having curry."
Ageha took ingredients from the fridge. Potatoes, carrots, onions, chicken meat—all placed on the cutting board.
"Cut the potatoes." Ageha demonstrated. "Medium size, like this."
Tobio took the knife. His hand—still small, but already quite skilled—began cutting.
First slice. Slightly angled. But neat enough.
Second slice. Better.
Ageha watched from the side, cutting onions. "Good. Take it slow."
After the potatoes were done, it was the chicken's turn.
Tobio hesitated a bit. He had never cut raw meat before. The texture was strange—slippery, slightly springy.
But he tried. Cut slowly.
Ageha smiled. "You learn quickly."
Tobio didn't answer. Concentrated.
After all the ingredients were ready, Ageha took over. Sautéed the spices. Added the meat. Added the vegetables. Water. And finally—the brown curry blocks that melted slowly.
A fragrant aroma filled the kitchen.
Warm curry in bowls. White rice. Pickles.
"Itadakimasu."
Tobio ate heartily. Whether because he was hungry, or because he helped cook, or because Grandma's curry was always delicious.
Ageha ate slowly. Her eyes watched Tobio.
"Not bad for the potato and chicken cuts," she said.
Tobio swallowed his food. "Thank you. Though I'm not used to it yet."
Ageha smiled. "There's a special cooking school. But it's very hard to survive there."
Tobio tilted his head. "Cooking school? But 'survive' too? Is it like military training?"
Ageha laughed softly. "Not military. But yeah, you could say that." She looked at Tobio. "A special elite chef school. Only 1% of students there graduate. The name of that school is Totsuki."
Tobio was silent.
Totsuki.
A 1% graduation rate. Very strict regulations.
Shokugeki no Soma.
An anime about cooking with ecchi seasoning. But why was it in the DxD world?
His mind raced. 'Is this a mixed world?'
Maybe there was also a magic school. Or a hero academy.
Ageha noticed Tobio's silence. His face was serious—like he was searching for data, matching information.
She knew that expression. The same expression when Tobio was processing something big.
Gently, Ageha said, "Don't think about it too much."
Tobio was slightly startled. Snapped out of his daze.
"Sorry. It's just... maybe I'm not suited for that school."
Ageha smiled. "It's okay. Besides, I just want you to go to a school where you feel comfortable."
Tobio helped wash the dishes.
Finished. He returned to his room.
The light was turned off. Only silence remained—and the sound of crickets from outside.
Tobio sat on the futon. Removed the bracelet from his wrist. Placed it on the small table beside him.
Second experiment. 'This time, on myself.'
To know if this power could affect his body.
Change his abilities.
He took a breath. Formulated the desire.
"Tomorrow morning, I want my body to be healthy enough and able to lift 15kg."
Not a big desire. Just wanting his body to be a little stronger. Healthier.
He willed it.
Nothing happened now. But he knew—the effect would be felt tomorrow.
And he would pay the price.
Tobio covered himself with the blanket. Closed his eyes.
Hopefully it won't hurt too much.
---
The sun had just begun to appear on the eastern horizon.
Tobio hadn't opened his eyes yet. But his body already felt something.
Pain.
Not ordinary pain. But deep pain. His muscles—all his muscles—felt stiff and sore. Like after excessive exercise, but ten times worse.
His ears were ringing. His body trembled—a fine tremor he couldn't control.
'Damn. It hurts so much.'
Normally, if someone trained in sports, it would take weeks or months to get optimal results. Biology develops normally.
But he forced that outcome overnight.
The result—his body couldn't handle the change quickly.
He tried to move his hand. Difficult. Muscles protested.
Outside, Ageha's voice called. "Tobio, wake up! It's morning!"
Tobio couldn't answer. His mouth was stiff.
Ageha knocked. No answer. She knocked again, still nothing.
Tobio was usually already awake.
Why today... A bad feeling. Ageha opened the door.
Tobio was lying on the futon. His face was pale. His body trembled. Cold sweat dampened his forehead.
"Tobio!!"
Ageha ran to his side. Her hand felt his forehead—cold. Checked his body—muscles felt hard. Not normal.
"Are you okay? Tobio!"
Tobio opened his eyes with difficulty. His voice was hoarse, weak.
"Just... a little pain... and soreness in my body."
Ageha examined more closely.
She opened Tobio's shirt slightly. And her eyes widened.
On Tobio's stomach—abdominal muscles were beginning to form. A faint six-pack, but clearly not the stomach of a normal twelve-year-old.
Shoulders—broader. Stronger.
Posture—more robust.
This... physical change.
In one night, without exercise.
Without training.
This was impossible.
Unless— Ageha looked at Tobio's wrist.
Empty.
The bracelet—the protective artifact—was gone.
"Tobio." Ageha's voice changed. Serious. "Where is the bracelet?"
Tobio swallowed. It was hard. His throat was dry.
"On... the table."
Ageha took the bracelet. Quickly, she put it back on Tobio's wrist.
Then she looked at Tobio. Her eyes—a mix of annoyance, worry, and anger.
"Tobio..." Her voice was soft, but heavy. "You did something again, didn't you?"
Tobio couldn't lie. Not now.
"Yes." His voice was barely a whisper. "I'm sorry."
Ageha stared at him for a few seconds. Then let out a long sigh. "You're so stubborn."
Her hand still held Tobio's. Warm.
"You tried to experiment again with that outcome-forcing power. On your own body." Not a question. A conclusion.
Tobio was silent. Acknowledged it.
Ageha sighed. Frustrated. "You really don't listen, do you."
But her tone wasn't angry. More like disappointed. Worried.
She knew Tobio wasn't doing this out of carelessness. But because his curiosity was too great. Too deep.
And that was precisely what made her more worried.
This child... Just like his father.
Too curious, too brave. And that could kill him.
Ageha stood up, walked out of the room. Tobio could only stay still. Waiting.
A few minutes later, Ageha returned. In her hand—a bottle of massage oil. A pungent herbal smell.
"This is massage oil." She sat beside Tobio. "I'm going to massage your body so those muscles don't ache."
Tobio nodded weakly.
Ageha opened Tobio's shirt. Poured oil into her hands. Then began massaging his shoulders.
At first—still normal. Warm. The oil absorbed.
But then— Pressure on the shoulder. A tense muscle point.
"Ah—!"
Tobio reflexively cried out. Pain shot from his shoulder throughout his body.
"Wait... that hurts!"
Ageha smiled gently. And pressed a little harder.
"Relax. This is to loosen your muscles."
Her smile was gentle. But there was something in her eyes.
Tobio glimpsed his grandmother's face. A gentle smile—but somehow... frightening.
'Why... does Grandma's face look scary?'
Ageha moved to his back. Pressed a point between his shoulder blades.
"AAAA—!"
Tobio struggled. The pain was incredible. Like something stabbing right into the center of tension.
"Wait—that hurts so much! Don't massage there!"
Ageha answered calmly. "If it hurts, it means your muscles are really tense."
The pressure didn't lessen. It increased.
Tobio bit his lip. Endured the pain.
After a few minutes—which felt like hours—Ageha finished.
She wiped her hands. Looked at Tobio, who was gasping on the futon.
"Next time," she said softly, "wear the artifact."
Tobio could only nod weakly.
Today's lesson:
This power could influence other people.
This power could influence himself, and his grandmother... knew everything.
She would always be there to protect him.
Even if her methods... were painful.