POV RYOUMA
After that horrible mission, Kohaku sent us on the first flight back to Japan. He couldn't come with us because he had a meeting in the United States.
I was heading to my room when someone tapped my shoulder.
"Hoshino, what is it?"
"It's been three months now, you don't need to call me by my last name."
"Alright, what do you need?"
"I just want to talk."
It was the first time I'd seen him smiling without fear, so I agreed.
We went to his room. Everything was messy, full of manga and instant noodles.
"For someone who can cook like a professional chef, it's incredible that you only eat instant noodles."
"Ha, ha, a friend of mine used to say the same thing…"
"I see," I said, remembering for a moment the shadows of my own lost friends.
I watched as Takumi started cleaning his room; I also crouched down to help pick up the dirty clothes.
"Ryouma, can I ask you a favor?"
"What favor?"
"My best friend… he's always wanted to be a great exorcist. I was wondering if…."
"No, I can't. All candidates go through rigorous tests. I can't just let a nobody into the society."
His expression darkened. I knew he didn't like my answer, but I couldn't do anything.
"I understand… Thanks anyway."
"…"
I let out a quick sigh. So many things have happened these past few months.
"I'll talk to Kohaku, but I'm not promising anything."
"You're amazing!"
"Agh, alright, but don't jump on me again," I said, trying to push him off.
At that moment, the door opened, and Hotaru entered, staring at us.
"I don't judge, but you should close the door."
I quickly pushed Takumi away from me.
---
The following days were quiet with small missions. Then Livia showed up.
"Guys, let's go eat. Ryouma's paying," said Livia, pushing me forward.
"Great, then let's go for ramen!" said Hotaru, getting up from her seat.
"I wanted Italian food," Livia mentioned sadly. "But it's okay if Hotaru picks the place."
"I agree," said Takumi, moving closer to me.
Livia gave Takumi a dirty look. He just laughed nervously under her sharp gaze.
"Why am I the one paying?"
"Because you're the only one with a credit card," the three said in unison. Before I could do anything, the three of them picked me up and carried me out of the building.
We ran out until we saw the Director's secretary.
"Mr. Jane."
"I'm very sorry to interrupt your plans, but we need exorcists. A Class S Ghost has been found."
"Can't they call others?" I questioned. They don't normally send beginners without a teacher.
The secretary shook his head and opened the car door for us to enter. With no other choice, we got in.
Something inside me said something was wrong.
"Secretary Jane, can't one of the Helis go?" Hotaru questioned; she looked a bit nervous.
"Unfortunately for us, the Helis are in Mali and Burundi. Other exorcists are already there, just help," the secretary's response left me a little stunned.
Help? This mission should be for a Class E or a Kojin Ikimono.
The car took us to a convent. The entire building was surrounded by impure Jaki, not a single positive emotion.
"Is this really what a Class S feels like?"
I could see Takumi, Livia, and Hotaru start to tremble. This was more than bad.
"Go in, I'm going to find more exorcists and the Director."
Before I could do anything, Secretary Jane was already gone.
The moment we set foot inside the place, the lights went out and the doors slammed shut. At that moment, an exorcist covered in blood appeared, crawling.
"H-help…"
Behind him appeared the figure of a woman dressed as a nun.
"Shit, everyone back."
It was all I could say before being attacked by the Ghost. Its limbs elongated and its mouth opened into a huge maw of fangs.
"RUN!"
Everyone had frozen. I had to zip my mouth shut and attack the Ghost with a simple bird created from my Jaki.
"Hotaru, snap out of it!"
I managed to grab the hands of all three.
---
As I tried to maintain consciousness, the situation for Takumi was becoming a nightmare.
POV NARRATOR
The four young people began to run, although everything seemed like an infinite black space, falling into a net of dark energy that appeared under their feet.
Ryouma couldn't handle everyone, so the Ghost grabbed him, smashing his head.
"Ryouma!" Livia screamed, cutting the Ghost's arms.
Livia was about to attack again, unsuccessfully, as several Ghosts appeared behind her, tearing her clothes and cutting off one of her arms.
"Livia…"
The claws went towards Hotaru.
Takumi saw this and decided to be brave. He grabbed one of Livia's knives, plunging it into the Ghost's body.
The creature slammed Ryouma into the ground, making him spit up blood.
"Hotaru, grab Livia and Ryouma!" Takumi ordered as he started running, moving away from them.
Hotaru, still in shock, could only nod, grabbing her two friends and getting out of there.
The Ghost followed Takumi. Its limbs elongated in his direction. Before he could jump through the window, fear paralyzed him.
He felt his skin begin to burn from claw marks appearing on his body.
He looked around in terror. When he looked back, he found himself face to face with that creature, which lunged at him.
---
POV RYOUMA
We managed to get out of the place. Despite the pain, I was still somewhat conscious.
"Hotaru… go find a Kojin Ikimono, take Livia with you."
"And you? What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to check on Takumi."
"Then I'll go with you."
I saw Livia approaching, determined to go.
"Alright, let's go."
The two nodded. We quickly split up. Livia and I entered the convent; everything seemed normal again, except for the lifeless bodies on the floor.
I walked, shouting, until I was finally transported to that dark place.
"What's happening with the space again?"
"It's a 'parallel universe.' It has us trapped. If we can't finish her off…" I murmured. "Let's find Takumi quickly."
We searched everywhere until I heard a heart-wrenching scream from one of the rooms. I ran towards the sound.
I kicked the door open.
All I could see was blood. Takumi, armless, begging for his life, about to be devoured. My whole body froze.
Blood began to stream down his newly dismembered legs.
The Ghost's wide smile and those penetrating eyes made it clear I would be next.
Am I… going to die?
I felt like vomiting. Before Takumi was eaten, the sound of a window grating was heard. There I saw it.
A yellow Boger…
That figure confronted the monster effortlessly. With fast and agile movements, it annihilated it. A greenish color filled the room, covering the walls.
I thought an ally had finally arrived until the Boger started stabbing Takumi.
"Agh!"
The Boger kept stabbing him until he stopped moving.
At that moment, all I heard was Livia's voice, arriving at the scene.
"Idiot…?" Livia ran towards the figure. It dodged her attacks and, with a mocking smile, jumped from the third floor, disappearing into the darkness.
Finally, Hotaru arrived with a Kojin Ikimono, but it was too late.
---
POV NARRATOR
The gaze of Ryouma and Livia was completely empty. In their arms, they carried Takumi, dead.
"…."
Hotaru could only cry and vomit.
The next day, Kohaku arrived and went to Ryouma's room, who was in bed, covered in bandages and a blanket.
A spicy, pleasant scent reached him, but he didn't want to know who it was because he already knew it was Kohaku.
"What Pokémon is this~~?" Kohaku's usual taunt was heard before he lifted the blanket.
Ryouma was curled up in himself, with an expression colder than usual.
"What happened?" Kohaku asked as he sat beside him, waiting to hear. His smile didn't fade.
"… He died," said the hazel-eyed boy with slight tremors.
"A nun was eating his parts?"
The young man just nodded.
"Don't blame yourself, Ryouma. It was Class S. It was out of your league," Kohaku said while stroking his head.
"I know… but I was older than him, I trained with you for over 10 years, I'm Class Dua, and I let a Maldit save me."
"Pity or shame? Think about it carefully." Kohaku stopped stroking his head and went to Koko's clinic.
There, he saw the assistant.
"Kohaku, I…"
Before he could finish, Kohaku grabbed him by the neck and slammed him against the wall.
His smile still hadn't disappeared, only this time it was a smile as cold as ice.
"What happened this time? Another pathetic excuse?" he said, squeezing tighter.
"A-Agh… Ko-haku… you're… choking me… it was an accident…"
"An accident? Ryouma said a Boger appeared. Bogers don't attack without orders."
"It was a Boger… I swear I don't know who it is…"
Kohaku's presence manifested. The assistant trembled with fear.
A yellow Boger… I should have guessed.
"Let him go, Kohaku," Koko ordered, pointing her finger for him to lower him.
"Koko, you're asking me to let this idiot go? Really?"
"It's not his fault. He's a clerk, he just follows orders. Unfortunately, there were no other exorcists and he had to send them."
Kohaku let him go. It was more common than it seemed.
"How is he?"
"I was able to reconstruct his body, or well, what was left of it. Although most of his organs… impossible."
"Those old men did it again… if they weren't so entertaining, I would have killed them already," Kohaku murmured, sitting in front of Takumi's corpse.
"What are you planning to do?"
Kohaku thought for a moment, then smiled mockingly again.
"I have a little experiment I saw in a show," he said, putting on gloves and a gown.
"Again with your cartoons?" Koko laughed while also putting on gloves. "What if he doesn't revive?"
"Well, too bad, he stayed dead."
The secretary was frightened. He knew Koko and Kohaku perfectly; all he could do was back away if he didn't want to get hit.
Kohaku left and returned with Ghost organs.
It was long hours of surgery. When finally, Kohaku pulled the machine's power cord.
"Ready~~," he murmured through his teeth, high-fiving Koko.
---
POV TAKUMI
I thought I would never feel again, but I did.
My body burned as if I were being cooked alive. Everything was on fire, and in that moment, I felt a great power coursing through my veins.
I felt something growing around me. It was very painful, like thousands of needles piercing my skin.
Seconds later, I saw the light again.
I was tied down, and with a single movement, I broke the chains, seeing my limbs again.
"He's alive!" Kohaku shouted dramatically. "I always wanted to say that."
---
POV NARRATOR
Takumi's eyes were bloodshot, and in a blink, they returned to normal.
"Kohaku…?"
"Good morning, little Takumi~~"
"Good morning…? What happened?"
"You died and came back~~"
"I died…"
Yes… you came back.
Takumi turned, looking around, trying to find that voice. Doing so, he looked and noticed he was naked. He quickly covered himself.
"It's not like there's much to see~~" Kohaku joked.
"Hey! …It's cold."
Everyone laughed. Koko handed him a robe.
"Don't worry, we'll keep this hidden."
"Why?"
"Because now you're a freak. It's better if they think you're still dead," Kohaku said, looking at Jane.
"Of course, sir!"
Takumi laughed softly, though he still felt dazed and his body burned uncontrollably. Finally, he looked at Kohaku seriously.
"Am I a… monster?"
"Yes, and you'll be happy to live in hell with me."
Once Jane, still pale, swore to keep the secret, Kohaku ordered Koko to do the same and then took Takumi to a classic Japanese-style house.
"I thought you didn't like old-fashioned things."
"I don't, but it's what's available."
"What will we do here?"
"You'll live here until you're capable of taking care of yourself."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"But… I lost my limbs and I'm…" He waved his arms, confirming they were his. "…whole."
"Ghost organs are easily lost, except when they're from a Class E. It can reconstruct even your brain."
"What?" His face turned pale. "What did you do to me?"
Now do you see?
Takumi turned again, searching for that voice.
"I saved your life, and you should be grateful."
Takumi looked at him in horror. He couldn't believe it. He had the organs of a monster.
"And your friends are fine. Koko healed them. You shouldn't worry about those details, just fulfill your duty."
Takumi sighed. He still couldn't believe what had happened. He was a monster.
"Well, do you want to go home? You can… but remember: this was your last chance."
Takumi thought about it. He felt strange, betrayed, and lifeless, but before Kohaku left, he grabbed his poncho.
"I want… to stay."
Kohaku smiled.
"Are you ready for the real training?"
Takumi couldn't speak. He only felt his organs twisting inside him, making his stomach burn as if they had a life of their own.
"… Yes."