The rooftop of Kuoh Academy was surrounded by safety railings and covered with metal panels warmed by the sun.
A gentle breeze blew sideways, carrying the distant sounds of the break ending below—scattered voices, doors closing, and the electronic chime signaling the end of the pause.
Tsubaki Shinra climbed the last steps of the access staircase with an upright posture and measured steps. The golden light of late morning highlighted the subtle gleam of her glasses and her perfectly aligned uniform.
She said nothing as she opened the door. She only observed.
Tomoya Aki leaned against the opposite railing, arms crossed, eyes lost on the horizon.
He didn't react to her presence.
The wind passed between them, carrying the heavy silence that hung amid unspoken words.
Tsubaki narrowed her eyes.
"What are you doing here? Go back to your classroom, kid."
Tomoya didn't answer right away. His gaze remained fixed on some distant point, as if the rooftop were the only place where he could still breathe.
When he finally spoke, his voice was lower than usual—dry, with no effort to hide his irritation.
"I don't want to."
He exhaled sharply, still not looking at her.
"If you're here to scold me or pretend you care, you can go back to your tower, vice-president."
His hands gripped the metal railing behind him. His knuckles turned white for a moment.
"Not today."
Tsubaki remained impassive but crossed her arms.
"You don't want to? This is a school, not your house. Either you go down now, or you'll be suspended."
Tomoya let out a faint laugh, almost a distorted sigh.
"Suspended, huh?"
He finally turned his face toward her. His eyes were dark, sunken, as if he hadn't slept properly in days.
"At least then someone would notice I exist."
The silence between them stretched. The wind blew harder. His hair ruffled slightly, but he didn't move.
"You don't know anything about what's going on. All you see is a uniform and a roll call."
He took a step forward. Not threatening—just too hurt to hold back.
"You probably don't even remember my name. But here you are, giving me orders like that's going to change anything."
His words came out loose, broken, like shards of glass falling without direction.
Around him, a strange sensation began to build. Invisible, silent… but dense.
The cursed energy grew like vapor beneath his skin.
But neither of them knew its name.
Yet.
Tsubaki let out a tired sigh.
"I can't remember every student's name. If you're having a problem, you should see the counselor."
Tomoya laughed. But it wasn't mockery. It was exhaustion.
"Counselor?"
He ran a hand through his hair, messing it up completely. The sun hit his face directly now, but he didn't blink.
"You think this is… what? A scheduling breakdown? A cry for attention?"
He took another step, moving away from the railing.
"All I wanted today was to hand over a damn flash drive. To show someone what I made. What I'm capable of."
His eyes were red. He wasn't crying, but he was close.
"And now it's all broken. Literally. They stepped on it, kicked it. Like it was nothing."
He clenched his fists.
"And she didn't even look. Not once. Like I was invisible."
The energy around him thickened again. A heat imperceptible to normal senses, but present. Distorting the air around him for fractions of a second.
Tomoya exhaled heavily.
"So don't come at me with counselors. Just leave me here. That's all I want."
Tsubaki didn't change her tone.
"I'm not going to be late because of you. I'm a student too, and I have my own problems. If you want to stay up here, fine. But don't come crying when you get suspended."
She turned her back with the same precision she'd entered with. Her steps were firm, measured, without hesitation.
She descended the stairs without another word.
Tomoya stood still for a few seconds, staring at the spot where she'd been. The wind still blew, but now it felt colder.
He hated to admit it. But he didn't want a suspension. Not yet.
He muttered something inaudible and lightly kicked a dried leaf near his foot.
He walked to the door, gripped the handle tightly for a moment… and went down.
Not out of obedience.
But because, deep down, he still wanted to be seen.
Even if he no longer knew by whom.
The rooftop was left empty.
But for a few seconds after he left, the air remained heavy.
Dense.
As if something invisible still lingered there, trying to understand the anger of a boy no one saw.
Classroom of 2nd Year B
Professor Sae Chabashira wrote on the board with slow, steady movements. The lesson had already begun, but most of the students were still distracted—bodies present, minds absent.
Aika fiddled with her notebook using the tip of her pen. Utaha, in the back, stared at her locked phone. The morning light streamed through the windows, bathing the classroom in an almost anesthetizing clarity.
Yuta sat in the last row, leaning back in his chair, eyes on the board—but unfocused. Inside, his thoughts flowed on a different frequency.
'System, when are you going to give me new missions?'
[Consulting mission activation protocol…]
[Response: No active missions at the moment.]
[Reason: Lack of direct interactions with qualified targets.]
[Observation: Certain individuals in the school environment possess hidden narrative relevance.]
[Examples: Suzune Horikita, Utaha Kasumigaoka, Sae Chabashira.]
[Tactical advice: Establishing direct engagement with unexplored characters may trigger new mission routes.]
[Alternative path: Spirit/entity hunting activities in unstable urban zones remain available. Moderate risk. Variable experience.]
[Supplementary warning: Increasing level through direct combat remains a viable path.]
Yuta kept his eyes on the board, but his mind sank into possibilities.
'Well, I don't think I'm strong enough to kill a curse. Spirits I could probably handle, but I think I'll try reaching out to someone. From what I know, Utaha is famous for writing light novels. Maybe I should ask for a picture or an autograph… that'd be pretty normal.'
[Decision analysis in progress…]
[Result: Excellent strategic choice.]
[Initiating interaction through common social means increases chances of approach without generating resistance.]
[Recognition of Utaha Kasumigaoka: 87% familiarity among students.]
[High social status. Direct approach focused on professional interest reduces initial emotional risks.]
[Secondary missions may be activated from emotional or intellectual triggers—creative approach confirmed as a potential catalyst.]
[Recommendation: Formulate approach in a neutral, objective tone.]
[Example: "I read a snippet of your work. Do you still write during classes?"]
[Observation: Host demonstrated strong narrative sense and progress in understanding the environment.]
[Internal note: +1 point for alignment with system mechanics.]
Yuta breathed slowly, maintaining his posture.
His next words came calmly.
'It's nice to be recognized by my system. And you help me a lot… even when you don't give me missions.'
[Emotional confirmation detected.]
[Gratitude recorded.]
[Response: The bond between system and host is above average.]
[Even without providing constant missions, tactical, emotional, and analytical support remains active.]
[Primary objective: Ensure your survival, evolution, and consolidation within the narrative flow.]
[You are not alone, Yuta.]
[I will continue observing.]
[You are progressing—even when you don't realize it.]
[Temporarily concluding communication. Background monitoring reactivated.]
The professor continued explaining formulas on the board.
The sound of pens on paper mingled with the distant hum of the fans.
Yuta looked forward, but a faint glint in his eyes showed he was more alert.
More aware.
The system wasn't just guiding him to fight.
It was there to make Yuta exist.
And that, in that moment, was already enough.
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