Kiyoura Setsuna stood in the infirmary, her dull eyes fixed on Kawashima Toya. "Kawashima-sensei, I'll take you to my home now. I want to be there for my mother's final moments."
"I understand," Toya replied softly.
Both logically and emotionally, it was only right for her to be there. He saw no reason to refuse, even if the task ahead was grim.
Ten minutes later, Toya followed Setsuna to an apartment building. She stopped outside a bedroom door, her hand hovering over the handle.
She was trembling—a mixture of grief and reluctance visible in every movement. Toya waited in silence, standing still like a shadow to give her the space she needed.
Maybe I shouldn't have let her come along.
He felt a twinge of regret. It might have been better to resolve the issue himself rather than forcing her to witness such a harrowing choice.
After several minutes, Setsuna's hand steadied. She took a deep breath and turned the handle.
.....
Kiyoura Residence
Toya followed her into the room. Her mother, Kiyoura Mai, lay sleeping on the tatami, looking as though she were lost in a peaceful dream. However, the frigid, decaying aura of a Shiki was intensifying. As the sun dipped below the horizon, Mai was beginning to stir.
"Mom... I'm so sorry."
Setsuna's usually toneless voice broke. She collapsed beside her mother, sobbing uncontrollably. Faced with the reality of losing her parent, all her stoicism crumbled.
This is a mess, Toya thought, rubbing his temples in frustration.
I came here to hunt a monster, but how am I supposed to do that now? Am I really going to kill her mother right in front of her? The idea is unnecessarily cruel. If I do it, the image will haunt Setsuna for the rest of her life.
System, I need a solution.
He opened the interface to search the shop for an alternative.
[Item: Supernatural Evolution Erasure Potion]
[Grade: N/A]
[Description: A disciplinary measure developed by a high-level technological civilization. It nullifies all supernatural traits, ensuring the target reverts to a normal human.]
[Effect: Takes effect within ten seconds.]
[Price: 1,000 Origin Points]
[Note: This potion can neutralize the Shiki state and restore humanity.]
That's expensive. Despite the steep price, Toya gritted his teeth and made the purchase. He couldn't stand the sight of the girl clinging to her mother in despair.
Toya looked at the vial of glowing blue liquid, then at the weeping girl.
"Stop crying. It's giving me a headache."
Without further explanation, he knelt down and injected the potion directly into the sleeping woman's neck.
"Mom...!" Setsuna cried out, unaware of what he had just done. She pulled her mother closer, assuming this was the end.
Ten seconds passed. Toya watched Mai closely. Once the frigid aura of the Shiki had completely vanished, he stood up and turned to leave.
A thousand points... Sawagoe Tomaru, you better hope I don't find you.
.....
Apartment Hallway
Cursing the man under his breath, Toya pulled out the Misfortune Charm and scribbled the name 'Sawagoe Tomaru' onto it. The paper immediately ignited with a dim light and fluttered away toward the city.
Toya followed at a brisk pace. He needed to vent the frustration of losing those points on the man responsible for this.
Back in the apartment, Setsuna suddenly realized her mother was breathing. Mai's body was regaining warmth.
What's happening? Shiki don't have heartbeats... they don't have body heat.
As she puzzled over it, Mai's eyes fluttered open. Her pupils were no longer the void-like black of a monster; they had returned to their natural color.
Sensei...
Setsuna realized the truth. That blue vial hadn't been poison; it had been a miracle.
"Setsuna? I... I feel like I just had the most horrible nightmare," Mai whispered weakly.
.....
Commercial District
Toya moved like a shadow across the rooftops, following the charm until it hovered over a high-end bar.
"So, he's in there," Toya muttered. He dropped to the street and pushed past the security guards, entering the establishment.
Inside, an elderly man who still retained the handsome features of his youth was dancing amidst a crowd. Sawagoe Tomaru. Toya identified him instantly. The man had already turned into a Shiki; that decaying chill was impossible to miss.
Wait. There are over a dozen of them?
Toya felt a surge of adrenaline. Perhaps saving Setsuna's mother had brought him some good karma after all. Aside from Sawagoe, there were nearly fifteen other Shiki lurking in the crowd. The bar, already thick with smoke, felt like a frigid demon's den.
"Wait outside!" Toya barked at the guards trying to grab him. He knocked them unconscious with a casual strike, tossed them out, and locked the heavy doors.
Toya looked at the monsters on the dance floor and smiled.
I guess good things do happen to good people. A thousand points for a whole nest? That's a bargain.
System, give me that black ghoul mask.
[System Notice: You have purchased: Black Ghoul Mask. Cost: 100 Origin Points.]
A hundred points just for a mask? I really need to start checking prices before I click buy.
Despite the cost, he slowly pulled the jagged, ghoulish mask over his face. Instantly, his aura shifted from a gentle teacher to something far more violent.
He looked like a god of death rising from the abyss.
"It's hunting time."
BOOM!
The floor beneath Toya's feet cracked as he lunged forward. He vanished from sight, reappearing instantly beside a Shiki dressed like a corporate salaryman. The monster stared at the masked intruder in pure terror.
"Rest in peace."
Toya swung the Soaring Spear of Piercing Death in a wide arc.
CRASH!
The sheer force was like being hit by a freight train. The Shiki's body literally detonated upon impact, sending fragments flying across the room.
"KYAAAAAH!"
Piercing screams erupted as the human patrons realized what was happening.
"Don't worry," Toya called out over the chaos. "Once I've cleared out the trash, you can go back to your party. I won't be long."
He locked onto another target—a Shiki disguised as a maintenance worker—and lunged. Like the first, the creature stood no chance.
Against these low-level monsters, Toya didn't even need the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception. Brute force was more than enough.