Darius's gaze pierced through the window, as if he were a sniper's scope that had locked onto the next mission target.
"A proper headquarters must have a clear identity."
He had just affixed paper reading [Warning: Vicious Dog] to the door frame when a figure appeared at the threshold.
It was a figure smaller than Yukino, wearing a Sobu High male uniform, but the uniform couldn't hide the slender body frame. Short pale pink hair, clean white skin, and a pair of large teary eyes that looked shy.
Standing there, hands nervously clutching the hem of the shirt, as if not daring to enter.
"Um... excuse me, is this the Service Club?"
The voice was clear, gentle, and carried a hesitant tone, like a feather tickling the eardrum.
Yui's eyes instantly sparkled, her face flushing red: "Wow, so cute..."
Even Yukino, who was usually critical of everything, seemed to soften her cold expression slightly. She observed the person, and her voice sounded much gentler than usual: "Yes, this is the Service Club. Please come in, is there something we can help with?"
However, Darius's reaction was truly different.
The moment that figure appeared, he jumped back a step, his right hand quickly covering his own eyes, but leaving a gap between his fingers—as if observing a singularity through nuclear blast protective goggles.
"Don't look into the eyes!" Darius's voice suddenly became shrill and hurried. "That's mental pollution! High-level illusion-type ability!"
"Huh?" Yukino and Yui were stunned simultaneously.
"You don't feel it?" Darius's voice was full of shock and disappointment at his teammates' slowness. "The ether concentration in this room is drastically increasing! Our mental protective wall is being eroded by an unknown charm field! Yuigahama, is your antenna receiving abnormal brain wave signals?"
Yui reflexively touched her hair bun with a confused face: "Th-there's nothing... Just feels like my heart is beating a bit fast..."
"There it is!" Darius asserted. "Your biological radar has been jammed! Rapid heartbeat is the body's stress reaction when invaded by magical power!"
The young man at the door was startled by the sudden incident, stepping back half a step timidly, making him look even more adorable.
"I... I just wanted to ask for help with something..."
"Ask for help?" Darius stared at him sharply through the finger gap. "Is your request for us to help you find 'true love', or make you 'more popular'?"
The young man was stunned for a moment, then nodded vigorously: "Yes! I want to make myself look a bit more masculine, our tennis club—"
"I knew it!"
Darius cut him off, lowering the hand covering his eyes, his face looking very serious.
"Classic energy-draining type initial mission! Building emotional bonds through mission completion, then when the target's mind is most happy and relaxed, draining their life essence!"
He turned to Yukino and Yui, lowering his voice, speaking in a tone as if revealing the world's secrets: "Look at its true nature! He's not human! This is a 'Gender Identity Disorder Type Succubus'!"
"Su-Succubus?" Yui's worldview was shaken slightly again.
"Exactly." Darius's analysis continued. "It blurs its own gender characteristics to produce charm effects on both men and women simultaneously to expand the hunting range. Look at the appearance; cute, innocent, weak—these are all mimicry evolved to lower prey vigilance! Danger level at least class-A!"
Yukino's temple throbbed. Her SAN value that had just stabilized showed signs of collapse again.
[SAN Value: 73%... 72%...]
"Darius-kun." She took a deep breath, trying to maintain her last sanity, "His name is Totsuka Saika, he's a second-year student. Very clearly, he is male. Can your fantasy be a bit closer to reality?"
"Male?" Darius snorted coldly. "Naive. For a high-level existence like this, physical gender is meaningless. Its very existence is a conceptual weapon. Dare you say when you saw him earlier, your heart didn't waver at all?"
Yukino's expression froze. She couldn't deny that at first sight of Totsuka, she did indeed feel he was very cute, even briefly had the urge to protect him.
"See." Darius caught that moment of hesitation, "You've already been affected. Your critical judgment is being eroded by beauty's charm."
"I-impossible!" Yukino immediately retorted, but the suspicious blush on her cheeks betrayed her.
Totsuka was truly confused by this conversation. He mustered courage to step forward again, giving Darius a confused and innocent smile: "Um... friend, do you have a misunderstanding about me?"
That smile was like a spring breeze. Yui was already clutching her chest while making an "Ugh" sound.
Yukino's eyes also briefly looked dazed.
"Now!" Darius's eyes flashed. "He's launching an area mental attack!"
He lunged at the table, grabbed the red marker that had already performed great service, opened the cap, and held it like holding a silver demon-exorcising dagger.
"Back! High-risk containment object! One more step forward, and I'll carve a 'Restraint Rune' on your forehead!"
Darius assumed a charging stance, the marker tip aimed right at Totsuka's forehead.
Totsuka was frightened by that fierce face. He let out a small scream and nimbly hid behind Yukino's back, only peeking his small head out to look at Darius fearfully.
"Yukinoshita-san..."
Yukino reflexively protected Totsuka behind her, glaring sharply at Darius: "Darius-kun! Enough! Don't you harass Totsuka-kun!"
Seeing this scene, Darius's face showed an expression of deep disappointment. He slowly lowered his marker, shaking his head as if mourning a fallen comrade.
"It's over... it's all over..." His voice was full of sorrow. "Our main security personnel has finally failed to resist the temptation of beauty. She has betrayed humanity and sided with the Succubus."
"I did not!" Yukino trembled with anger.
"You still won't admit it?" Darius pointed at her. "What you're protecting now is a monster that could drain the life energy of all teachers and students in this school at any time! Will you sacrifice the future of all human civilization for momentary pleasure?"
"I'm just protecting a junior you're scaring without reason!"
"Junior? No, that's your farm master!"
"You!"
Seeing Yukino about to enter "Apocalypse Witch" rampage mode, Yui quickly mediated: "Okay, okay, Yukinon don't get angry again! Darius-kun, don't talk like that either... Totsuka-kun doesn't look like a bad person."
"Doesn't look like?" Darius glanced at her. "The anti-matter cookies also looked like ordinary biscuits. External appearance is the most deceptive thing."
Yui was instantly speechless.
The atmosphere became deadlocked. Totsuka trembled behind Yukino's back, Yukino glared angrily at Darius, and Yui stood confused beside them.
Finally, Darius sighed, as if having made a painful decision.
"Alright." He said. "Since our defense line has been breached from within, direct exorcism is no longer possible. We're forced to use Plan B."
"What Plan B?" Yukino asked warily.
Darius's gaze returned to Totsuka, his eyes full of assessment and calculation.
"You said you want to become more masculine for the tennis club, right?"
"Yes..." Totsuka Saika answered softly. "My stamina isn't very good, I'm always troubling others..."
"Stamina not good..." Darius repeated in a low voice, the corner of his mouth curving into a strange smile. "I see, your magical energy reserves aren't enough so your mimicry can't be perfectly maintained?"
He raised his head again, solemnly announcing to Totsuka: "This request, I accept."
Yukino and Yui both breathed a sigh of relief.
"But." Darius continued, "My purpose isn't to help you train, but to drain all the magical energy in your body through high-intensity training, until you reveal your true form! Only after that will I perform the sealing!"
Totsuka: "Eh?"
Darius paid no attention to his confusion, turning to rummage through his school bag. A moment later, he pulled something out.
It was a tennis racket. However, the head and handle were wrapped tightly with black electrical tape, leaving only a vague frame. The entire racket looked like a crude black stick.
Darius held the "stick" with one hand, flicking his wrist, and assumed a swordsman's horse stance. He stared at the confused Totsuka, then said coldly:
"Let's go, Succubus. Let's head to the training ground. I'll teach you the true meaning of despair with this 'Lightsaber' handle."