My youth story cannot be a knight war

Zaimokuza's heart trembled at the same time. Before he could finish his words, a mocking laugh suddenly came from the nailed Jaraji, immediately attracting the attention of both men.

"You won, KUUGA, Daguber, but..."

It raised its head with difficulty, extended its hand toward the two people, and slowly clenched it.

[“The final winner…is me.”]

["——!???"]

Jaraji's body suddenly dissipated from the outstretched hand, gradually transforming into red stardust from the end. Under Zaimokuza's stunned gaze, its body quickly vanished, leaving Kousaka Kyousuke's spear standing alone in its place.

[Ding Dong——]

A silver needle fell to the ground, and the crisp sound it made seemed to echo in the hearts of Zaimokuza and Kousaka Kyosuke, quietly but shaking their souls.

[“——Oops!”]

A tense sentence came from under G1's helmet. Even without the transformation, it was clear how grim Kousaka Kyousuke's expression was beneath the helmet.

"This is a trap! It's just a clone. Number 33's target was never us!"

Upon hearing these words, Zaimokuza's heart instantly sank into an icy cave, a bone-chilling chill enveloping his body.

【“!”】

He suddenly turned and looked towards the woods behind him, seeing the direction the two had moved to during the battle, and spoke in a voice of shock and anger.

"Xiao Wei and the others are in danger!"

12. Nowhere to Escape (4k)

Beautiful pictures.jpg

【not long ago. 】

The villa, originally on alert due to the intrusion of Unidentified Lifeform No. 33, now became incomparably quiet, with no human voices heard.

[Tick tock. 】

The red liquid gradually spread across the entrance steps of the villa. When it reached the edge of the steps, it slid down at a right angle of 90 degrees, finally dripping onto the next step. A gorgeous red plum blossom blossomed on the palm of another hand.

Inside and outside the villa, all the guards collapsed soundlessly to the ground. Blood splattered from beneath their bodies, forming a pool of crimson blood, reflecting their lifeless eyes and hollow expressions.

[In contrast to this scene of corpses strewn across the ground, there were no signs of a skirmish anywhere near the villa. Even a non-expert could draw a conclusion from this incongruous contrast: these people were killed in an instant, without even realizing or resisting, before they could even react. Otherwise, the strangeness of this scene would be impossible to explain.]

【Snapped. 】

【“～?”】

Amidst a sudden snap of fingers and a soft hum, a foot in a black sneaker stepped over one of the pools of blood spreading across the floor, leaving a trail of blood-stained footprints on the luxurious plush carpet.

Jaraji, transformed into a human form, snapped its fingers as it stepped over the corpses in the corridor and headed towards the stairs leading to the second floor of the villa. Its relaxed expression showed that it didn't take the people it had killed seriously at all. The expression on its face as it stepped over their bodies was as if it were stepping over ants rather than living beings with similar forms to itself.

【"Um?"】

As Jaraji walked around a corpse and was about to walk up the stairs, something framed on the wall caught his attention. He stopped and looked at the object in the frame, raising his eyebrows in interest.

It was a stone axe made of rough wood and sharpened stone, with a very rough and barbaric style. The stone axe was nailed to the center of the frame, and a piece of paper was stuck to the glass of the frame. It read: Viking Battle Axe (made between 1000 and 1150)

Authentic Viking battle axes are so rare that it's no exaggeration to say that each one could be a treasure in a Viking museum. A wealthy individual could acquire one of these and pass it down to their descendants as a family heirloom.

However, the Kotobuki family, a wealthy tycoon, clearly wasn't comparable to the average wealthy. For their vast wealth, this ancient Viking artifact, considered an antique, could only serve as a decoration for their summer home.

Looking at the stone axe embedded in the frame, Jaraji stroked his chin. Suddenly, he thought of a very interesting way to play with it.

【Click! 】

Amidst the piercing sound of shattering glass, Jaraji unceremoniously punched the glass on the frame's surface, shattering it. He then took out the stone axe embedded within, weighed it in his hand, and nodded in satisfaction, muttering to himself.

“It’s not great, but it’s good enough to be used as a toy for entertainment.”

After saying this, it cast a malicious glance at the still second floor. It then grasped the stone axe in its right hand and pressed it against the wall. With a sharp scratching sound and scattered debris, it walked towards the second floor.

Jaraji stepped over the corpses of several other guards piled at the stairwell without stopping. After reaching the second floor of the villa, it walked straight through the front living rooms without looking around. Judging from its unwavering pace and direction of movement, it was obvious that it knew exactly where it was going.

When Jaraji reached the last living room at the end of the corridor, he finally stopped and turned to face the entrance of the living room. A strange smile appeared on his face.

Jaraji strode to the tightly closed side door of the living room and gently knocked on the solid nanmu door. No response came from the other side.

Even though Jaraji's appearance was human, his true nature was still that of a Gurongi. His exceptional five senses allowed him to easily hear the brief, sharp exclamation from the other side of the door when he knocked. He probably subconsciously tried to scream when someone covered his mouth with a hand.

This discovery immediately fueled Jaraji's inner sadism. With a strange smile on his face, he leaned against the door and whispered.

"Little pigs, dear little pigs, can you open the door and let the big bad wolf in?"

【“——!?”】

In the dimly lit room behind the door, the light music club members and the other two girls covered their mouths with their hands in fear as they heard the sound coming from outside, fearing that any sound would let Jaraji know that the target of its game was right here.

Even though they knew this was just a cover-up, the other party had actually said so, clearly knowing they were there. However, a lingering hope in their hearts still made these girls hold onto a tiny hope, hoping that the monster standing outside the door was merely testing them.

"Mio-chan...!"

[Kotobuki, trembling all over, held the gloomy-eyed Hirasawa Yui in her arms and stared fearfully at the door of the room, until a hand gently rested on her shoulder.]

She followed the direction of the hand and saw Akiyama Mio, whose face was also pale.

"It's okay. Trust Zaimokuza-san and Kousaka-san. They'll definitely come and save us..."

The girl with long black hair whispered to Qin Chui. Although there was also an indelible fear and anxiety in her eyes, there was more determination.

[At some point, the usually most timid girl in the light music club had unknowingly transformed into the bravest of all present. The conviction in her voice was inexplicably infectious, causing the others, who were in a state of panic, to relax a little, their bodies tensed by the fear so close at hand.]

"Mei, Mei's mistake! Xiangxin and the others, they've never been late before, right? Aa ...

Seeing her friend display uncharacteristic bravery at this moment, even though her tongue was nearly numb from inner fear, Taichu Ritsu still managed to speak incoherently. She bit her tongue at the end, and Akiyama Mio quickly covered her mouth with her hand, muffling the agonizing cry that was about to erupt.

But all this was in vain. Jaraji, standing outside the door, knew full well that they were actually inside. Its seemingly tentative actions were merely a result of its own malicious interest in toying with its prey.

"Oh~ No way? You definitely won't open the door to the Big Bad Wolf, right?"

The strange smile on his lips became even more pronounced at this moment. Jaraji held the stone axe in both hands and slowly raised it backwards.

"Then I'll blow hard, blow hard, and blow your house down."

[It consciously controlled itself, reducing its strength to that of a normal human. The stone axe blade gleamed in the light from the window, a cold gleam almost indistinguishable from steel, and then it chopped down with all its might.]

【boom! 】

[“Aaaah!”]

The sharp stone axe struck the door with a dull thud, the axe blade lodging itself deeply into the door, accompanied by a shower of wood chips. At this sudden movement, the girls inside could no longer conceal their terrified screams.

【"Ha ha ha ha!!!"】

[And their screams filled with fear sounded to Jaraji like the most elegant piano music. He laughed wildly and pulled out the axe that was embedded in the door, and continued to chop at the same place as before.]

This time, the stone axe finally broke through the door, and the sharp axe blade protruded from the other side. This scene made the girls hiding in the room scream again.

In reality, this was the result of Jaraji's extreme efforts to control his strength. This high-end door made of nanmu wood was indeed very strong, but in the face of Gurongi's strength, it was basically no different from paper. If it wanted to, it could easily tear the door apart with its bare hands.

[But Jaraji gave up doing this, not because he liked to lose sight of the main point, but because this was what he really wanted.]

Unlike the rest of the Gurongi clan, which only treats humans as a means to complete their game, Jaraji has, since ancient times, enjoyed toying with its prey. Initially, this toying involved physical torture, but as Jaraji grew tired of it, it escalated this behavior to psychological abuse.

Ever since it first used various methods to drive its prey, Gulindo, to a mental breakdown in the ancient past, ultimately choosing suicide rather than living, Jaraji has become deeply fascinated by the feeling of psychologically torturing its prey step by step.

The pain inflicted by its prey in this process delighted it as if it were experiencing it itself. The wails it heard sounded like heavenly music to its ears, and the despair in its eyes was a sweet delight. It could be said that even among the entire Gurongi clan, few could compare to Jaraji in this degree of distortion.

[And precisely because it enjoys the fear it can extract from these girls, it engages in such behavior that other Gurongi, who only focus on game efficiency, consider meaningless and even a waste of time. For Jaraji, the joy it can gain from the game process is far more meaningful than the task of achieving the game goal.]

The malice and distortion within it were now directly revealed to the innocent people. Watching the axe blade repeatedly pierce the door, the girls' screams were as incessant as the climax of a band concert, and everyone's faces turned extremely pale.

[“I must, I must find a way to escape!”]

[Tainaka Ritsu, quick-witted, glanced around frantically. When his eyes caught sight of the window behind him, his vision lit up. He quickly pushed aside the other trembling girls, stepped forward, and forcefully pulled the curtains open.]

The dazzling light illuminated the hope in her chestnut eyes for a moment, but when she saw the shape of the window clearly, this hope turned into despair in an instant.

“How could it be—”

Crossed wire mesh and a fence completely separated the window from the outside world. These two devices, designed for protection, now became a death warrant blocking all paths to life. Nearing a breakdown between grief and joy, Tianzhong Ritsu reached out and grasped the railing, crying out.

"Why aren't there any other rooms like this? Why is there one in this place?"

"Because this place was originally used to keep cats and dogs! We installed these things to keep them from running around while we sleep!"

Kotobuki? This time she really cried. She hugged Hirasawa Yui tightly, her expression still blank and lifeless, and cried out in a voice thick with tears.

"Everyone, I'm sorry! I should have found a better room! I'm sorry!"

【“?, it’s not your fault…”】

【--Bang!】

Akiyama Mio, her face pale, was the only one present who remained calm. Just as she was about to say something, a strong light, accompanied by a crackling sound, streamed into the room from the gap created by the axe blade, illuminating the girls' horrified expressions.

[A face was pressed against the gap that just barely revealed his entire face. Jaraji looked around the room, a cold smile curling up at the corner of his mouth.]

"Here's Johnny~"

[“——Aa ...

【“…”】

Upon seeing the face she had seen on the school festival surveillance camera, Kotobuki screamed and turned around, hugging Hirasawa Yui. Hirasawa Yui then looked directly at Jaraji standing at the door. Her lifeless eyes seemed to ripple with light as she saw Jaraji's figure.

"Okay, now that our fun game of hide-and-seek is over, let's get straight to the point."

Jaraji reached through the gap in the door, turned the lock, and unlocked it. Then he easily turned the handle and opened the door. The creaking sound of the wooden door as it was pushed open sounded to the girls like the sound of gallows chains rubbing against hinges, the executioner's knife rising higher and higher, waiting for the moment to fall.

Jaraji walked in, disregarding the historical value of the Viking axe in his hand. He discarded it carelessly like trash, then looked at Akiyama Mio and Taichu Ritsu, who, despite their fear, forced themselves to stand in front of the others, and said with a smile.

[“——Now, you have nowhere to escape, right?”]

Unlike Zaimokuza Yoshiki's smile, in Akiyama Mio's eyes at this moment, Jaraji's smile was like a demon opening its fanged jaws and spitting out a foul breath.

【Cold, dark, evil, and bloodthirsty.】

13. The Power Taken Away (7K)

【Despair, utter despair.】

When the demon with human appearance came into view without any hindrance, even Akiyama Mio, who had become the strongest among all people after being enlightened by Zaimokuza, was inevitably plunged into great fear at this moment.

In her panic, she subconsciously glanced around and spotted a small fruit knife in a fruit basket on the table next to her. She immediately rushed over to grab it, then stood in front of everyone, holding the fruit knife with both hands and pointing it at Jaraji who was standing at the door.

"Mio! Come back soon!"

【“Mio!?”】

【"Woo..."】

Amidst the exclamations of her friends behind her at her sudden action, Akiyama Mio looked at the smiling demon in front of her. Her throat moved incessantly with fear, her slender body trembling constantly, and even the fruit knife in her hand shook.

The weapon in her hand gave her no sense of security at all. Akiyama Mio knew that to these monsters, this small knife, which could kill an ordinary person, was no different from a mosquito bite. However, unwilling to submit to death, she chose to resist in this way, even though she knew it was meaningless.

As expected, Jaraji didn't react at all to her action. It just smiled at the girl who was terrified but still forced herself to stand in front of her friends. Its eyes were like a human watching a monkey perform a circus on stage.

Jaraji walked briskly and slowly towards the group. The sound of his shoes hitting the floor was like the tolling of death knell to the girls. Some of them burst into tears, unable to bear the torture.

Even the guest rooms in this villa were nearly a hundred square meters. Fairly speaking, the distance wasn't too short or too long, but to Akiyama Mio, it felt infinitely extended. Every step the other person took felt like a tread on her heart. The pulsating rhythm was increasingly suppressed as the distance between them closed. The pressure she felt within her grew exponentially greater, and her face quickly paled.

[Incomparable fear made Akiyama Mio tremble, tears welled up in her eyes, but she forced herself not to let them fall in front of Jaraji.]

【"Why……"】

She watched Jaraji approaching, its smile growing wider and wider. Suddenly, she remembered her classmates who had tragically died, and Manabe Kazu, who smiled before his death, knowing they were safe. Especially that face, stained with her own blood, yet still gentle, before his death... A surge of indignation and hatred suddenly surged from deep within her, rapidly surpassing the fear that had previously dominated her.

Driven by this emotion, the girl, with tears in her eyes, broke through the threat and restraint of the fear of death on her body and accused the devil in a sobbing voice.

「──Why are you still smiling so happily?! Why did you do such cruel things to Kazu and everyone else in the school?! Why!?」

She really didn't understand why, after doing such an inhumane thing, he could still wear that genuine smile on his face. She could tell that the genuine joy in his smile was definitely not fake.

[But it is precisely because of this that Akiyama Mio is so indignant. Why are there creatures in the world that look so similar to humans, yet are so evil and cruel?]

[You haven't confirmed life forms, so what do you think of people's lives? ]

"Wow? Interesting! You're actually asking me a question?"

The girl standing in front of everyone didn't fall into despair and panic like the people behind her did when he approached her. Instead, she even summoned the courage to question him. This surprised Jaraji a little, and he couldn't help but feel a little interested.