Mimi? Is that your name?

Haru didn't know how to respond to his System's words—or maybe he just decided to ignore them. Yet, in his heart, he couldn't help but feel a bit of familiarity, making him remember a certain person.

'No... She is dead... Focus on what's more important right now. It doesn't matter now.' Haru cleared away all the unnecessary thoughts and redirected his attention to the spell.

Although the spell wasn't anything special that he thought he would get, but he had to somehow use it to his advantage given their situation.

As Haru pointed his left hand toward a lying chair nearby, his mind pictured the spell's structure that was engraved within his brain because of the Sorcerer's Stone and channeled Prana from his body.

Manipulating the Prana within his body felt as natural as breathing to him now; the crucial part was directing it outside to form a Magic Circle.

These tasks would have been difficult for a beginner like Haru, but as his System had mentioned, the Sorcerer's Stone proved to be an invaluable item, allowing him to bypass the necessary steps required to cast the spell.

'Black Chains!'

Clang! Just as Haru willed it, a small yellow Magic Circle formed in his hand, summoning a 2-meter-long black metallic chain that fell to the ground producing a metallic sound. 

[Prana - 1949/1950]

'How peculiar... but...' Haru was surprised by how easily it worked, but there was a hint of disappointment within him. While he successfully summoned the black chain, he couldn't manipulate it as he wished. What he desired was to control the chain and coil it around the chair.

["Why are you so disappointed, stupid? This is to be expected! Casting a spell is normal, but manipulation requires a bit of practice since it involves a mental connection. It's like asking a baby who just learned to crawl to run instead! Anyways, although this spell is not seemingly bad, since it requires manipulation technique to shine properly, let's leave it aside for now."]

'A mental connection?' The term triggered something within his brain as he extended his hand towards the chair again.

["What are you trying to do stupid? Did I not tell you that it won't be-"]

Clang!

Before she could complete her sentence, Haru concentrated and summoned a long chain, directing it straight toward another chair, his intended target three meters away.

'Reach!!!' This time, contrary to what his System had expected, the chain traveled directly toward the chair without any interruptions, and upon reaching the chair, the black chain coiled around it, restraining it within its grasp.

"Come!" Satisfied that his spell and manipulation were working fine, he then strongly pulled the chain back, forcefully crashing the chair against the nearby wall.

Bang! The impact from Haru's strength alone, when he threw the chair into the wall, was enough to shatter it into pieces. 

"I think I know how to use them properly..." Haru remarked, realizing that not only could he extend the chains, but he could also retract them at will. He then questioned his System, "Were you saying something earlier?"

["You were able to establish a mental connection already!? How the hell did you do that!? AND THAT TOO ON SECOND TRY!!!... Wait.... Ahem... I mean, now that I think about it, this much is should be expected from someone I chose to be my host, right!? Even though, you are still stupid."] 

"..."

["Gosh, I think my genius is so infectious that people around me keep getting affected!"]

"..."

["Ahem! Since you can manipulate them now, how about binding your Waifu behind your back using these chains? Then you won't have to worry about monsters attacking her while you are fighting!"]

"Not a bad idea... but I hope you didn't get this idea by imagining us in any weird play or anything." Haru joked a little which he doesn't why given his situation. 

Was it because his body reflexively responded hearing the similar teasing that was used to from certain someone in the past?

Or, rather was it because he was getting used to these situations and her weird antics?

["Oh gosh... where are my tissues? My nose is bleeding again..."]

"..." 

Shaking his head a little, he then promptly picked up the unconscious Aki in a piggyback position and securely bound them together with the chains. Although the cold chains around him felt slightly uncomfortable, he knew it was a better way to protect Aki from harm.

Despite having Aki on his back, this time, Haru didn't even feel her weight, and his body movements seemed unaffected.

Prepared to face the potential monster that could appear at any moment, sword in hand and Aki securely bound, he then asked his System, "Now that I think about it... do you have a name? Or should I just call you 'System'?" 

["..."]

"What's wrong? You don't have any?"

["OH CRAP!!! HOW CAN I FORGET TO INTRODUCE MY NAME?!"] 

"..."

["Ahem! Anyways, LISTEN! I am one of the highest spiritual beings in this universe and my name is Mi-"]

Crash!

But before she could finish her sentence and reveal her name, the window facing the corridor shattered into pieces as an intruder breached inside. 

[You have encountered an Awakened Zombie, Level 5 Mutant!] 

"GROWL!!!" The Mutant Zombie growled greedily upon entering the classroom, detecting Aki's scent nearby.

This Zombie was no ordinary one; it appeared slightly larger and bulkier than any Zombie Haru had faced before. Moreover, it emitted an even more terrifying presence than the level 5 beast he had encountered earlier.

However, despite confronting such a monstrous being, Haru didn't feel anything in its presence. 

"Mi? Mimi? Is that your name? Anyways, let's continue after dealing with our first guest." 

["W-Wait no! That's not my name!!!!"]

Ignoring his System's or rather Mimi's words, Haru narrowed his eyes as he faced his first enemy. As his gaze fell upon the Zombie, a terrifying aura erupted from his body, and unknown to him, his eyes displayed a crimson glint.

Swoosh!

"Growl...."

Sensing the change in the atmosphere and feeling a formidable gaze upon its body, the mutant zombie, stronger than any monsters Haru had faced, unexpectedly flinched.

Faced with a predator's aura, or rather Husbando's Aura, the mutant Zombie instinctively felt fear, and being a male Zombie, its power instantly dropped by 10 percent.

As Zombie was under shock, Haru didn't give it time to do anything and acted immediately.

'Black Chain!!' Haru immediately summoned the black chain and send it flying toward the Mutant Zombie.

Clang!

"Growl!!" The Zombie roared at the incoming black chain and attempted to attack it, but the chain was faster, immediately coiling around its body and restraining all its movements as Haru willed.

"Ha!" Despite its bulky and larger body, Haru pulled the chain back and reduced its length with his will, bringing the Zombie toward him at high speed.

Despite the rapid movement, everything felt slow to Haru, and as the Zombie reached near him while still in the air, Haru slashed his sword.

Slash! As his blackened sword hummed through the air, the Zombie couldn't even react before its neck was cleanly severed, killing it instantly. 

[You have killed an Awakened Zombie, level 5 Mutant! 65 EXP gained!]

[EXP – 65/10000]

"These chains are very versatile... Anyways, were you saying something earlier, Mimi?"

["LIKE I SAID MIMI IS NOT MY NAME!!! UGRH!!!!"]