Kado stormed out, anger burning through his chest, his steps heavy against the ground.
"Kado!"
He stopped.
Akira's voice.
His jaw tightened, but he didn't turn. He just stood there, back facing her, shoulders stiff.
He heard her footsteps—soft, careful.
She was coming closer.
Kado's tuff twitched. He could feel her presence… closer… closer…
She's going to hug me…
His chest tightened slightly—but he didn't move.
The footsteps stopped.
Silence.
He frowned slightly.
Akira didn't touch him.
Instead, her voice came, calm but distant.
"I perceived your scent in the forest this afternoon."
Kado's eyes narrowed slightly.
"For your own sake," she continued, "you should stay away from danger. You're not… able to protect yourself yet."
Kado's fingers curled slowly into fists.
Even her…?
His breathing grew heavier.
Akira sighed softly. "The boy I was with—Hiroto—he's the strongest in our team. You could learn from him."
That was it.
Kado turned sharply, eyes burning.
"I don't need anyone's help!"
Akira blinked, slightly taken aback.
"I'll be better on my own," he snapped.
"Even you… you think I'm weak?"
"That's not what I—"
But he didn't wait.
Kado brushed past her, his shoulder hitting hers roughly. She staggered slightly, surprised.
"Kado—!"
He was already gone.
He ran past the others—Taro, Kaori, and Riku.
Kaori raised a brow. "What's his problem?"
Taro snorted. "He has a quarrel with his girlfriend."
Riku said nothing. His gaze stayed cold, unmoving.
Kado didn't stop.
Not until he reached the back fence of the dorm.
He leapt over it.
Landing hard in the empty field behind.
He stood there, breathing heavily, fists clenched.
"…Curse," he muttered. "I'm ready."
Silence.
Then—
ARE YOU?
Kado's eyes darkened. "I want to be stronger."
ONCE YOU WALK THIS PATH,
curse said calmly,
THE CURSES WILL HUNT YOU. YOU WILL BECOME A TARGET.
Kado didn't hesitate.
"I don't care."
His voice hardened.
"I'll take back my kingdom from Kenji… and I'll repay Akira."
His jaw tightened.
"Even if she doesn't believe in me."
That thought burned.
CLOSE YOUR EYES, Curse commanded.
Kado obeyed.
"INHALE…"
He breathed in slowly.
"FEEL THE WIND…"
The breeze brushed against his skin.
"STRETCH YOUR HANDS FORWARD."
Kado did.
"BEND YOUR WRIST… NOW OPEN YOUR FINGERS."
His fingers spread—slowly, like claws forming.
His nails grew.
Long. Sharp. Deadly.
Kado's eyes snapped open.
"My hand…"
The wind stilled.
DON'T CELEBRATE, Curse said coldly. IF YOU WANT STRENGTH, YOU GO FURTHER.
Kado clenched his jaw and shut his eyes again.
He repeated it.
This time—
Power surged.
The ground beneath him cracked, bursting outward from his palm.
Kado gasped, eyes snapping open—
They had changed.
Dark. Red. Slit pupils.
His vision stretched.
Far.
Too far.
It was like seeing through everything—like the world had peeled open.
He saw bones.
Skeletons of animals beneath the earth.
His tuff twitched violently.
He turned sharply.
"FOCUS," Curse commanded.
Kado stretched one finger forward.
"FIND THE SOUND."
He listened.
Again.
Again.
Until—
There.
He locked onto it.
"MOVE."
Kado vanished.
Speed exploded beneath his feet.
Faster.
Faster.
The wind tore past him as black-red veins crawled up his arm… his neck…
His body trembled.
Weakness crept in.
But he pushed further.
"I can go more—"
STOP.
Kado froze mid-motion.
THAT'S ENOUGH, Curse said firmly. YOU'RE NOT READY.
The power dropped instantly.
Kado stumbled—then crashed to the ground.
His body gave out completely.
Evening shadows stretched across the field.
His breathing slowed…
…and slowly, he slipped into sleep.
...
...
Kado's eyes fluttered open.
Warm light flickered across his face.
He blinked slowly and realized he was back in the dorm.
Riku sat beside the fire, silent, staring into the flames.
Kado groaned softly, scratching his head. "How… did I get here?"
No response.
Only the crackling fire.
Seconds passed.
Then Riku finally spoke, his voice low and flat.
"You're alive."
Kado looked at him.
Riku didn't turn.
"At least I don't have to watch another body get burned in front of me."
The words sat heavy in the air.
Kado exhaled slowly. He shifted, trying to sit up, trying to move closer—
Riku raised a hand.
"Don't."
Kado froze.
He looked away, jaw tight.
"I know… you don't trust me," he said quietly. "But I swear… I'll get stronger. I'll be better. No one… no one will—"
Riku moved.
A sharp punch landed straight into Kado's face.
Kado winced, his head snapping to the side, pain ringing through his jaw.
"Go to sleep," Riku said coldly.
Kado didn't argue.
He slowly lay back down, staring at the ceiling, his chest tight.
Then he turned his face away… and closed his eyes.
Morning came with noise.
Students filled the grounds, talking, laughing, gossiping.
Kado stood at the edge, silent, watching.
Ahead, Sensei Takeda was speaking with other teachers.
"…the expedition will require at least seven demon beast cores," one of them said.
"We move before dusk," another added.
Kado's eyes sharpened.
He stepped forward.
"I want to go with you."
The chatter around him paused—then exploded into laughter.
"Him?"
"The weak one?"
"He'll die before they even reach the forest!"
Kado didn't react.
He stood firm.
"I'm going," he said again.
Takeda looked at him for a long moment, eyes narrowing slightly.
Akira, standing nearby, stiffened.
"…Please," Kado added, voice steady.
A pause.
Then—
"Fine," Takeda said.
The laughter stopped instantly.
"What?!"
"Why him?!"
Others began stepping forward. "Sensei, I want to go too!"
"Me too!"
Takeda raised a hand. "Denied."
Silence.
Kado didn't move.
Akira walked up to him quickly, her expression tense.
"Kado… this isn't a good idea," she said. "You don't have to prove anything like this."
Kado shook his head. "I'll be fine."
Her eyes searched his face, but he didn't give anything away.
She hesitated… then stepped back.
Kado turned and walked toward Riku.
Riku didn't look at him.
Kado clenched his fists.
"I'll be stronger," he said sharply. "And I'll repay those demons… for every soul that died that night."
Riku let out a quiet breath… then walked past him.
No response.
Kado stood there, frozen.
His hands trembled.
His chest tightened.
His eyes burned—but he forced it down.
Not now…
He clenched his fists harder.
I won't break here.
...
...
The teachers turned.
Kado followed behind them, then paused—glancing back one last time.
Akira stood in the distance.
He held her gaze for a second… then turned and walked away.
Deep in the forest, the group stopped.
Four teachers gathered around a flat rock, maps spread out.
Sensei Takeda, Sensei Hiroshi, Sensei Daichi, and Sensei Ren spoke in low, focused tones.
"We split here," Hiroshi said, tracing a path.
"No. The terrain narrows," Daichi replied.
"We'll get surrounded."
Ren folded his arms. "Then we draw them out instead."
Kado sat a few steps away, silent.
Listening.
Watching.
His tuff twitched.
Then again.
COME, Curse whispered.
Kado's eyes shifted slightly.
"…I need some air," he said, standing, scratching his hair smiling.
The teachers paused.
Takeda frowned. "There's plenty of air here."
Kado didn't stop. "I won't be long." He smiled
They exchanged glances as he walked off.
Kado moved past the rock, slipping through the trees.
His footing slipped—he nearly fell into a spring, catching himself at the last second.
"…Tch."
He kept moving.
The cave entrance appeared ahead.
Dark.
Quiet.
He stepped inside.
Closed his eyes.
Exhaled.
Then opened them—
His vision stretched.
Far.
Wide.
Alive.
Shapes moved in the dark—different beasts… crawling… lurking… breathing…
And then—
"Master…"
"Master…"
Voices.
Low.
Calling him.
Kado let out a short laugh.
"I told you… your master is in me now."
He moved.
Fast.
Following the pull.
Then he stopped.
A small creature lay ahead.
A baby beast.
Weak.
Barely breathing.
Kado's expression shifted.
"…You're sick…"
Dark energy began to gather in his palm.
Consume it, Curse urged.
Kado's eyes hardened.
"No."
He stepped forward slowly.
Just as his hand reached out—
A shadow slammed down between them.
Kado jumped back instantly.
"Woah—woah! Okay—!"
The mother.
Towering.
Furious.
"I'm not here to—"
It attacked.
Kado moved.
Fast.
He dodged, sliding across the cave floor, grabbing a rock and flinging it—
It struck the beast—
She slammed into the cave wall.
But she came again.
Faster.
Stronger.
Kado raised his hand.
"Wait—!"
Too slow.
She hit him.
Hard.
His body crashed into the rock behind him.
Blood spilled from his lips.
"…Tch…"
He pushed off the wall, dodging again, breath uneven.
She lunged—
Pinning him.
Kado struggled, teeth clenched.
"Get—off—!"
He forced his hands downward—
Power burst.
The ground exploded beneath them.
They crashed apart.
His veins crawled up his arm.
The beast charged again—
Kado's eyes sharpened.
His claws grew.
He leapt—
And slashed across her face.
A roar shook the cave.
The baby stirred.
Stood.
Moved toward him.
Kado clicked his tongue, annoyed.
"Stay down, little guy."
It didn't.
He flipped backward, grabbed it mid-motion—
And threw it toward its mother.
They collided.
Kado didn't hesitate.
He moved.
Fast.
His hand drove straight into the mother's chest—
And ripped through.
Blood burst across his face.
Silence followed.
Heavy.
Still.
Kado stood there, breathing hard.
The baby whimpered weakly.
Kado looked at it… then exhaled.
"…Sorry, little guy."
He turned.
And walked out of the cave.
Then—
"KADO!"
The teachers' voices echoed through the forest.
Kado's eyes snapped up.
"…Tch."
He took off running.
Kado stopped running.
A voice came from behind him—
"Kado…"
He froze.
Sensei Takeda stood there… eyes locked on the blood on his hands.