Yuki slowly woke as she felt it resting on something and thought, 'I fell asleep on someone's lap?'
She slowly opened her eyes as the sun shone behind the person's face, obscuring her vision.
Kiyotaka moved his head to block out the sun as Yuki blushed quickly, getting up and asking, "Um? What's going on, Kiyotaka?"
Kiyotaka got up slowly and said, "Right now, things are a bit dangerous. Stick close to me."
Yuki blushed more for a second, but then she frowned and held her head as memories flowed into her mind as she looked to Kiyotaka and began, "Kiyotaka, I..."
"It's not your fault. I dealt with it, so don't worry."
Kiyotaka said this as Yuki looked guilty, thinking, 'He almost died trying to save me. Trying to get my body back.'
Kiyotaka extended his hand, saying, "From now on. Let's try to be friends, okay?"
Yuki paused for a second as she asked, "Friends? You... want to be friends?"
"Yeah. Is that alright?"
Yuki took his hand and said, "Yes. It's alright."
Then her eyes shifted to his scar. Yuki cupped his cheeks as she inspected him, asking, "How did you get that scar? Are you okay?"
Kiyotaka grabbed her hand, pulling him away and said, "I'm fine. Don't worry about it."
She smiled warmly before blushing as she remembered Hidaka's provocative approach to Kiyotaka, and she said, "Um... uh... Kiyotaka. The woman who was in my body said a lot of things that um..."
"Well, it was all quite strange."
Kiyotaka said this as Yuki blushed and said, "About my consent... Um, well.. she was right."
Kiyotaka deadpanned, thinking, 'Maybe she liked Yuki as a vessel for more reasons than just her Cursed Energy Trait.'
Yuki blushed and said, "Wait, um... well."
'They both have the same taste in men, but I guess Yuki at least isn't obsessive.'
Kiyotaka thought this before thinking, 'That thought better not come back to punch me in the gut.'
Kiyotaka looked at her and asked, "Do you share the same preferences as her?"
"Huh? Um... no. Um... kind of yes? I could feel the way she felt from her memories. She wanted a cold man because they were the only type that were affectionate with her. I just think that seeing someone who rarely smiles smile would be even better than seeing a normal person smiling. It's... more worthwhile. Um... something like that."
Yuki said this as she blushed again, and Kiyotaka sighed, saying, "That's good. I don't think I'd be able to handle another woman with the same taste for the same reasons as her."
Yuki then looked to Kiyotaka and asked, 'You have a plan for ending the Culling Games, right? This kind of thing can't be allowed to continue."
Yuki said this as Kiyotaka nodded, saying, "Agreed."
"The one with stitches that turned Hidaka into a Cursed Object... he said he created barriers for the game, but... it would be difficult to create Barriers this strong normally, right? Even with all those binding vows, it would be more efficient to use preexisting barriers as a base."
Yuki said this as Kiyotaka nodded, saying, "That's a good point. Then, the most suitable would be Tengen-sama's barriers. Destroying those barriers would end the Culling Games."
"Tengen-sama? Oh. Right Hidaka knew about her, too. Tengen-chan really is immortal, huh?"
"Tengen-chan?"
Kiyotaka said this quizically as Yuki looked awkward and said, "Well, um... that's how Hidaka referred to her. I still have her memories, so... a bit of her personality flowed into me."
"I see."
Kiyotaka said this as Yuki then blushed and pouted, saying, "It wasn't very nice aiming for my chest during your fight with her, you know."
Kiyotaka deadpanned and said, "Sorry about that" while thinking, 'Sorcerers truly are strange.'
Kiyotaka then sighed, saying, "I'll have to inform the others of this information."
He then called out, "Kogane. Add a rule. Allow players to communicate with each other between colonies and within colonies."
Kogane popped out and said, "Processing... Processing... Processing..."
Yuki's Kogane then popped out and announced, "Ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong! A player has added a new rule to the Culling Game. Rule 12: Players can communicate with each other across and within colonies."
Yuki then asked, "Aren't those barriers that Tenen-chan made important for enchaincing the veils of Sorcerers and other things like that?"
"Curses have been made public, so it hardly matters. Binding vows can be made to exchange the concealment factor for enhancing the barrier's ability to keep Curses inside."
Kiyotaka said this as Yuki nodded, saying, "That does make sense."
Kiyotaka then asked, "Do you have a Cursed Technique?"
"Um, yes. The one that Hidaka had. I think... it engraved itself into me."
Yuki said this as Kiyotaka thought, 'Engraved itself into her? That should take months. Was she forced to ingest it as a child or baby? No. A newborn wouldn't be able to withstand such a thing normally. Was she created to house Hidaka? Please don't tell me this girl is my sibling or something like that.'
"I see. Do you remember ingesting her Cursed Object?"
Kiyotaka asked this as Yuki responded, saying, "No. It's strange. For whatever reason, I can't remember eating it. I don't even know what it looks like."
Yuki answered with this, making Kiyotaka think, 'This must have something to do with that man's Cursed Technique. I think I know what it is too.'
Kiyotaka looked to Yuki and asked, "Do you have confirmation of your parenthood?"
Yuki looked confused before saying, "Yes. I took a paternity test because I was curious. My parents are living in America right now. I already knew they didn't care much about me, though. That was obvious."
"I think you're better off without them if they're going to act like that."
Kiyotaka said this as Yuki smiled, grabbed his arm and hugged his arm as they walked, and Kiyotaka said, "Let's head to the infirmary. Some people over there need my help."
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Kiyotaka arrived at the Infirmary to see Hiyori treating Komiya as she saw Kiyotaka and called out, "Ayanokoji-kun, you made-"
She froze as she saw Yuki, but Yuki bowed and said, "I'm sorry about what happened. The woman controlling my body hurt you, and I want to apologise."
Hiyori got up and asked, "But you're in control now, right?"
Yuki nodded as Hiyori let out her held breath and said, "Then it's okay."
Yuki smiled and said, "Thank you."
Koenji got up from his bed and said, "It seems like you finally made it, Ayanokoji-boy."
Hiyori looked at him and said, "You sit back down and behave, or I'm not healing you."
Koenji grumbled before lying back down as Hiyori nodded, saying, "That's better."
Kiyotaka deadpanned at this, thinking, 'Controlling Koenji? I think that might be a more impressive feat than my Open Domain Expansion. Also... No Cursed Energy at all? He must be heavenly restricted like Maki-Senpai. But since when?'
Hiyori then began healing Kanzaki, who was unconscious, as Kiyotaka sat next to her and stated, "Learning to use Reverse Cursed Technique Output? That's impressive. Does it have to do with your Cursed Technique?"
Hiyori nodded as Yuki looked at the two and thought, 'Reverse Cursed Technique... Output...'
She began watching the way Hiyori was doing it as she sat down next to them and started also using it, as Hiyori looked surprised, saying, "Huh? You can use it to... um..."
"Yuki. Sakurako Yuki."
Yuki answered for her as Hiyori asked, "Ayanokoji-Kun, is this power easy to learn how to do?"
"It's quite difficult. I'm actually surprised you manage to do so easily, Yuki."
Kiyotaka said this as Yuki smiled and said, "Well, Hiyori-san has it down so well that it became easier to see how to do it."
Kiyotaka then moved over to see Ichika sitting in a seat as he asked, "Are you okay?"
Ichika laughed half-heartedly as she said, "Takuya bruised my neck pretty badly. Maybe a hickey will make me feel better, Senpai."
Kiyotaka sighed as he began to heal her with his hands, saying, "I asked Kogane, and she confirmed that Yagami is dead."
Ichika's eyes widened before she looked to Kiyotaka and saw the scar and shouted, "What? How? Did you..."
Keonji laughed from his bed and said, "That would be my doing."
Ichika looked at Koenji and thought, 'What a monster.'
Kiyotaka looked to Koenji, thinking, 'His Heavenly restriction must be artificial. Kenjaku must have been feeling curious', and asked, "Did you use a Cursed tool to kill him?"
Koenji laughed and said, "I did not use any tools. What is a Cursed Tool?"
Kiyotaka sighed and said, "They are weapons imbued with Cursed Energy. They would allow people liek you to kill Cursed Spirits."
Koenji smield thinking, 'Oh? How intriguing.'
Kiyoatka then chanted, "Shift", as he summoned Fluid staff and gave it to Koenji, saying, "I'll be taking it back once things calm down, but use it for now."
Koenji nodded and said, "Very well, Ayanokoji-Boy."
Kiyotaka then said, "Cursed tools are also a factor that prevents the birth of Vengeful Cursed Spirits, so because Koenji didn't use one while killing him, there's a chance that Yagami will become one. Not good."
Ichika's eyes widened, asking, "A Cursed Spirit?!!"
"It's fine. He'll be obsessed with me, so he'll target me."
Kiyotaka said this as Ichika asked, "How dangerous is he?"
"Very dangerous. Vengeful Cursed Spirits have infinite Cursed Energy and must be dealt with in a way that relates to what ties them down to the world. For Yagami, that would probably be his obsession with beating me. If I kill him, then it'll be over. Permanently."
Kiyotaka said this as Ichika asked, "But wouldn't you be in a lot of trouble facing someone with infinite Cursed Energy?
Kiyotaka smiled and said, "Nah, I'd win."
Ichika's eyes widened before she smiled, thinking, 'Who was I to doubt you. Of course you'd win.'
She then asked, "Senpai. Have you checked the radar function?"
"Radar function?"
Kiyotaka asked this, and Ichika then said, "He's here. In this colony."
Kiyotaka's eyes sharpened at this as he then said, "Kogane. Search for a player under the name Ayanokoji Atsuomi."
"Searching.... searching... searching..."
Kogane said this before pulling up the information;
Name: Ayanokoji Atsuomi
Rules Added: 0
Points: 0
Current Colony: ANHS Colony
Kiyotaka sighed, thinking, 'Has he come here to die by my hands? Why?'
Kiyotaka straightened up and said, "Ichika. You and Koenji can handle the defence, right?"
Ichika shook her head, saying, "There's still one heavy hitter left. Hidaka-"
"Her incarnation has been cancelled. Yuki's soul is in control now. There's no need to worry about Hidaka."
Kiyotaka interrupted her, saying this as her eyes widened, thinking, 'He dealt with that crazy woman? Senpai really is amazing.'
Ichika smiled and said, "Well, if I have Koenji-Senpai supporting me, I should be fine."
Hiyori then walked over to Koenji and said, "Behave and participate in the defence, and I'll heal you, okay?"
Koenji laughed and said, "Fine. Fine."
Kiyotaka looked around, thinking, 'A lot of students are probably scattered around the school. I should call them here.'
Kiyotaka then said, "Kogane. Send a message to the following players."
After a full 5 minutes, Kiyotaka listed every student in the school, not missing a single student, acknowledging any deaths or first chance exits as he did so and said, "All of you. The colony is mostly safe now. Group up in the infirmary so that Koenji and Ichika can protect you."
Kiyotaka said this as he saw Ryuen and asked, "So you're a player too."
Ryuen looked to him and scoffed, saying, "I knew you were in the hospital or some bullshit that. Gas explosion, my ass."
Kiyotaka saw his Cursed Energy and thought, 'Not bad. Even without training, he's almost a Grade 2 Sorcerer. '
Ryuen looked at the scar and laughed, saying, "I guess you aren't as untouchable as I thought."
"What did you expect? A pristine appearance? What kind of naive outlook is that?"
Kiyotaka asked this as Ryuen snorted and said, "Looking down on me, huh? Just like the old days."
"You did a good job. Well done."
Kiyotaka said this as Ryuen looked annoyed, saying, "I don't need to hear that from you."
Kiyotaka deadpanned and said, "Then you did a bad job. A very bad job."
Ryuen looked pissed, saying, "Fuck you."
"That's kinda gay."
Kiyotaka said this as Ryuen froze and asked, "When the fuck did you grow a sense of humour?"
Kiyotaka shrugged as he walked off, thinking, 'So many casualties. It makes sense thought. The weeding out of the weak during the earlier stages.'
Kei rushed in as she began breathing heavily and looked to see Kiyotaka, as an awkward expression formed on her face.
Kiyotaka walked over, wiped the blood from her cheeks, and said, "Sorry for being late."
Kei smiled and said, 'Better late than never."
Her smile looked very pained as Kiyotaka thought, 'She's swelling with Cursed Energy. She has more than me when I'm full.'
Kiyotaka checked the system and found her layer information.
Name: Karuizawa Kei
Rules Added: 0
Points: 35
Current Colony: ANHS Colony
Kiyotaka looked to her and asked, "You've killed other plays, huh?" "Yeah. I have. I only got lucky, though."
"Lucky?" asked Kiyotaka.
Kei's voice caught in her throat as she said, "Sometimes players would fall unconscious and I would..."
Kei showed her hands and said, "My Cursed Technique is Parastism. It looked like I can drain and pour out Cursed energy with contact. I've been trying to convince myself that they didn't feel pain when they died."
"I see. Can you pour that Cursed Energy into me? I'll need it where I'm going as assurance. As for your safety, you should be fine here with Koenji and Ichika."
Kiyotaka said this as Kei nodded, putting her hands on Kiyotaka's navel and pouring Cursed Energy into it with a blush, saying, "To use my technique, I have to touch the... what was it called? ... Navel? So... um... sorry?"
"It's fine."
Kiyotaka said this as he felt his energy return.
Kiyotaka sighed, thinking, 'I mostly have to deal with my exhaustion now. I should still be able to handle Takuya as a Vengeful Cursed Spirit, though.'
That's when Ichinose's eyes fluttered open, and she saw Kiyotaka as she rushed over to him, shouting, "Ayanokoji-kun! You're alright!"
Kiyotaka smiled and said, "I'm glad to see you're alright as well."
Ichinose froze at his smile, thinking, 'He's... smiling...'
"You did a good job healing everyone up until now. If not for you, there would be a lot more casualties. Take a nice rest while Hiyori and Yuki take over. And... I'm sorry about what happened in the Final Exam for our second year."
Kiyotaka said this as Ichinose's eyes widened, and she said, "It's... okay."
Ichinose then thought, 'Hiyori? Yuki?'
She looked to see them and thought, 'Right... Himeno-san is dead... Not the same Yuki.'
Her face darkened for a second at this.
Kiyotaka sighed and said, "You did your best, and no one can tell you otherwise. I've dealt with the biggest threats in the colony. All except one. I've got work to do, so I'll be off."
Yuki looked to Kiyotaka and said, "Stay vigilant. Don't let Yagami take you off guard. His Cursed Technique gives him full control of all Cursed Energy. He doesn't need to see it to control it."
Ryuen clicked his tongue and said, "Yeah. He ripped my Cursed Technique to shreds and knocked the wind out of me one time. He definitely doesn't need to see it."
Kiyotaka's eyes widened as he thought, 'His Cursed Technique is quite good. He was likely at a massive disadvantage fighting Koenji, who has no Cursed Energy. If Koenji had Cursed Energy, then he'd definitely have died to Yagami.
Hirata walked into the infirmary as his eyes widened, limping over and saying, "Ayanokoji!" as he hugged him, crying tears and saying, "I'm so glad you're alright."
Kiyotaka hesitated before reciprocating and asking, "Are you alright?"
"I'm okay. I was trying to keep everyone's morale up, but I think I fainted, and a piece of rubble hit my leg. I woke up just a bit ago and heard your message."
Hirata said this as Kiyotaka helped him sit back down and said, "You and Suzune did well. I can see she's not here, so I'll keep an eye out for her on my way to my next target. Take a break."
"I can't just lie around doing nothing."
"If you hurt yourself, then morale will go down. Stay put."
Kiyotaka said this as Hirata sighed and said, "Alright", as he finally let go of the tension and fell asleep.
Kiyotaka looks at him, thinking, 'He's exhausted. He won't wake up for a day or two.'
Ike ran into the infirmary carrying Shinohara in his arms as he was clearly struggling before laying her on the bed as he called out, "I need some help over here!"
Yuki walked over and began healing and said, "She's going to be alright. You made it just in time."
Ike sighed in relief and said, "Thank god", before collapsing on the floor, blood pooling underneath him.
Yuki's eyes widened, checking his vitals and rolling him over to see blood-soaked bandages wrapped across his chest as she said, "He's... dead. Wait! He actually carried a person with these injuries?"
Kiyotaka sighed, thinking, 'In the end... even you managed to surprise me, Ike. Every movement you made on your way to the table while carrying him was so inefficient, but you managed it. Humans... are far more remarkable than I thought.'
Kiyotaka moved to leave when he saw Nanase standing there and stood next to her as she asked, "Ayanokoji-Senpai. That man is here, right?"
Kiyotaka looked to her and thought, 'She has a lot of Cursed Energy. Not as much as mine, but a good amount.'
He nodded and said, "Yes. He's here."
"I want to go with you."
"Are you strong enough to keep up and not die?"
"I'm strong enough to keep up. Whether I die or not from it doesn't matter. As long as that man dies."
Nanase said this as Kiyotaka said, "If that's the equivalent curse you've chosen to use against him, then that's fine. It doesn't have to be me who kills him, so if you want to do it, that's fine too."
"Your Cursed technique?"
"You'll see."
Kiyotaka looked up her information, scrolling through his Kogane and saw it before thinking, 'You're definitely strong.'
Name: Nanase Tsubasa
Rules Added: 0
Points: 45
Current Colony: ANHS Colony
They headed out towards Atsuomi's signal.
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A man stood there before a boy with light-purple hair and said, "Give up your points, and I won't kill you. Okay?"
"I already told you. I don't have any. Just check your Kogane."
"Do you think I'm dumb, kid? Someone with Cursed Energy as potent as yours? I don't even need to check. There's no way you don't have points!"
The boy replied, "If you want to fight, then let's fight, but it won't end well for you."
"Yeah! Let's fight you, brat!"
The battle lasted 30 seconds as the man's body was impaled with spikes made from wood as the boy walked past him, wiping the blood off his cheek, saying, "I told you it wouldn't end well."
Kogane appeared and said, "You have earned 5 points for a kill. As per an agreement, the player has transferred 15 points to you."
Name: Kanamori Shiro
Rules Added: 0
Points: 20
Current Colony: ANHS Colony
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To Be Continued
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Rating Out Of 10 For This Chapter?
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