Merge

Looking at the girl in front of him, a multitude of thoughts surfaced in Azrael's mind.

'I should go.'

'Should I help her?'

'But that feeling...'

That feeling, he knew for sure, came from the girl.

Azrael took a step back and turned around.

'Wait... the phone. I think it was just an accident. I can't just leave her like that.'

Azrael thought, and his footsteps halted. He didn't fully understand the situation, as he didn't believe in supernatural phenomena. Clinging to this belief, he turned to look toward the girl, confusion painting his face.

'There should be a wound on her stomach...'

Even with the pain emanating from his hand, he remained standing.

Even the girl's clothes, which should have had a hole, were now intact.

'Strange... but I should help her.'

Ignoring the pain, he moved forward, attempting to lift the girl with his other hand. Although Azrael didn't frequent the gym, he still possessed considerable strength, even with only one hand. As his hand almost touched the girl, her eyes suddenly opened, and she grabbed his hand.

Azrael's heart pounded, and he braced himself, expecting that familiar sensation.

...

Silence pervaded the surroundings.

Azrael gazed at the girl, who in turn looked at him.

That familiar feeling didn't arise, and Azrael let out a sigh of relief. Azrael pondered that perhaps what had happened was all an illusion, and he had experienced terror for no apparent reason.

Well, fear didn't come—pain did.

"Argh!"

His injured hand trembled, and he took a deep breath to alleviate the pain.

"We need to go to the hospital."

Azrael said to the girl. They needed to reach the hospital immediately; if he bled more, the risk of dying from blood loss was high. Setting aside the past events, Azrael attempted to stand while holding the girl's hand.

Thud!

Azrael tumbled to the ground as the girl abruptly stood up. With her emotionless eyes, she stared at the sky, scrutinizing everything her gaze landed upon.

"Hey, what are you doing?! Let's go now!" Azrael nearly shouted, unable to bear the pain any longer.

"ƬΉΣY'ЯΣ ΉΣЯΣ"

"What are you saying?" Azrael asked, holding his bleeding hand. He couldn't comprehend her words and didn't notice that the sky had transformed—something that normal humans wouldn't be able to discern. The cats huddled together in a corner. Azrael paid them no heed; he was aware of cats' exceptional survival adaptability.

The girl looked up at him, then examined her own body. Azrael heard her let out a sigh. His patience wearing thin, the girl just stood there like a statue. Azrael packed up his backpack and approached his cats. Feeling safe around him, the cats gathered. Knowing he couldn't wait any longer and judging by the girl's reaction, she seemed fine.

But that couldn't have been further from the truth.

As the girl looked at the sky, she felt the end of her life drawing near. Time was running out. When she tried to return, her body rebounded. Fortunately, her physical structure differed from that of a regular human, as in the first place she is not a human; otherwise, she would have been crushed. In her eyes, the once clear blue sky was now fractured like a broken piece of glass. It was bad news for her.

Sensing herself, the life force that sustained her was visibly draining.

'I can't die just yet. If only I still have the strength...'

'I need my revenge.'

'They need me.'

The girl clenched her fist, determination flashing in her eyes as she turned toward Azrael. His back was turned to her now, his cats following him as he staggered forward.

"Hey!"

The girl shouted, and Azrael, infuriated, spun around. What he saw were the girl's fingers pointed toward his forehead. Azrael's eyes widened, fear, confusion, and nervousness enveloping him.

The girl moved so swiftly that the wind stirred in her wake. The moment her finger touched Azrael's forehead, a blinding light erupted between them. The light didn't hurt Azrael's eyes, allowing him to clearly see the girl's face. What was a girl of 9 or 10 years old just moments ago had transformed into a mature woman. Her beauty was captivating, his thoughts consumed by her visage. Her presence shifted too—initially, he hadn't felt much looking at her, except during that brush feeling with death. Now, a sacred presence emanated from her, suffocating yet comforting simultaneously.

"ƬΉY ᄂIGΉƬ BΣ IП YӨЦЯ GЯΛᄃΣ I YӨЦЯ ƧΣЯVΛПƬ BΣƧƬӨЩ ЦPӨП MY ƧӨЦᄂ"

Azrael heard these strange words, the sounds echoing inside his head. Suddenly, pain consumed him; it surpassed even the agony of his exploded hand. Every fiber of his being ached—his soul, his consciousness—various forms of pain assaulted him.

"ARGHHHHHHH!"

Azrael screamed, and the girl, or rather the woman, looked at him with emotionless eyes, repeating those strange words. The light grew, and his cats were already obscured by its brilliance. The once serene forest now echoed with the screams of a man.

From a bird's-eye view, the expanding light suddenly shrank until it was invisible. Amidst apparent peace, a powerful shockwave erupted from where the light had vanished.

BOOM!

The forceful wind expanded, birds scattering from the forest, trees bending in response to the impact. Some smaller trees were propelled into the air. The shockwave's sound reverberated, alerting students and teachers within the academy.

...

"How's your studying going, Sky?"

Ray asked Sky, who had a plate brimming with food. Ray's tray contained only basic fare, as he wasn't as hearty an eater as Sky.

"It's alright. I might look like this, but I can keep up."

"Good. What about you, Lance?"

Lance, engrossed in his portable gaming device, merely waved. Familiar with Lance's attitude, Ray wasn't perturbed. Among the three of them, Lance was likely the most intelligent, second only to Azrael. As thoughts of Azrael crossed Ray's mind, he took a bite of his sandwich.

"Ray, do you think Azrael is really seeing a girl right now?"

Sky asked, a mouthful of food distorting his words. Lance's ears perked at the question, evidently intrigued.

"I don't know, but we will—"

BOOM!

Before Ray could finish his sentence, an explosion resounded, shaking the table and chairs. The other cafeteria patrons screamed, particularly the girls.

...

Due to the shockwave, the secret spot that Azrael cherished now resembled a battlefield. Dirt lay upturned, leaves swirled through the air, and small trees were strewn about. Facing Azrael stood the woman, her hand lowered. Azrael's gaze was unfocused, his body swaying as though a mere touch might cause him to collapse.

"I didn't anticipate sinking this low, to stand before such an insect," the woman said, her eyes still devoid of emotion. Her gaze shifted, however.

"But I have no other choice."

If anyone were to witness the scene, shock would undoubtedly seize them. Coupled with the woman's otherworldly beauty, the unfolding phenomenon would double the shock factor. The woman's body had turned transparent, parts appearing shattered. Starting from her feet, she began breaking apart, piece by piece. Oddly, the broken fragments fused with Azrael's chest. Observing this, she sighed.

"Insect, you're remarkably fortunate."

She remarked to Azrael, her gaze shifting behind him.

"A life form even lower than this insect? What a stroke of bad luck. Nevertheless, it's not terrible. At the very least, I'll have playthings."

Behind Azrael, his cats also began fracturing, like glass. The shattered pieces likewise entered Azrael.

Now, only her eyes remained visible, and in her final moments, she closed them slowly.

Whoosh!

Together with Azrael's cats, they vanished into Azrael's chest.

Thud.

Azrael fell, his hand—previously resembling charred meat—healing at a noticeable rate. After a while, his breathing stabilized, and he once again entered the realm of dreams, for the second time that day.