The silence didn't feel empty.
It felt heavy.
Like something was pressing down on everything at once.
Yakumaro didn't move.
He was still holding him.
His body.
Still warm.
But empty.
---
"…Get up."
---
No response.
---
"…You said you wouldn't die."
---
His voice cracked.
Not loud.
Not dramatic.
Just… broken.
---
His fingers tightened on the torn fabric.
Blood soaked into his hands.
Warm.
Sticky.
Real.
---
"…Don't joke like that…"
---
Nothing.
---
Something inside him shifted.
Slowly.
Quietly.
---
Not grief.
Not yet.
---
His head lowered.
Shadows covering his eyes.
---
"…You killed him."
---
He stood.
Carefully.
Gently placing the body down.
---
Then he turned.
---
The creature was still there.
Watching.
Observing.
Learning.
---
Yakumaro's breathing slowed.
---
"…Say something."
---
Silence.
---
"…Was it easy?"
---
Nothing.
---
"…Was he just another test?"
---
The creature tilted its head slightly.
---
That was enough.
---
Something snapped.
---
The system flickered violently.
---
[ Warning ]
[ Emotional overload detected ]
[ Stability compromised ]
---
"…Shut up."
---
His voice dropped.
Cold.
Empty.
---
"…I don't need you."
---
[ Risk level increasing ]
---
"…Then disappear."
---
For a moment—
The system… hesitated.
---
Then—
Silence.
---
Gone.
---
Yakumaro stood alone.
---
But not really.
---
Something else was there now.
---
Inside him.
---
A pressure.
Dark.
Heavy.
Unstable.
---
His heart beat slower.
Stronger.
---
"…I'll kill you."
---
The words weren't loud.
But they carried weight.
---
The creature moved.
---
Faster than before.
---
It struck.
---
Yakumaro didn't dodge.
---
The impact landed.
Hard.
---
Blood sprayed.
---
His body slid back.
---
But he didn't fall.
---
His head lifted.
Slowly.
---
A smile.
---
"…That's it?"
---
The creature paused.
---
For the first time—
It didn't attack immediately.
---
Yakumaro stepped forward.
---
The ground cracked under his foot.
---
He vanished.
---
Appeared in front of it—
---
Struck.
---
A direct hit.
---
The creature blocked.
---
But—
It moved.
---
One step back.
---
Silence.
---
Yakumaro's breathing was unstable.
His body shaking.
Not from fear.
---
From power.
---
"…Again."
---
He attacked.
---
Faster.
Wilder.
---
Each strike heavier than the last.
---
The creature adapted.
---
Blocked.
Dodged.
Countered.
---
But not perfectly.
---
Small mistakes.
Tiny delays.
---
For the first time—
It wasn't in control.
---
Yakumaro laughed.
Low.
Unstable.
---
"…You feel it… don't you?"
---
The air twisted.
---
Something dark leaked from his body.
Barely visible.
---
But there.
---
The creature stopped.
---
Completely.
---
Watching.
---
Analyzing.
---
Then—
It smiled.