"Rush-senpai! Um... did you need to see me for something?"
"Yeah, sorry about this. Actually, there's a favor I need to ask... will you listen?"
"O-Of course! If it’s you asking, Senpai, I’d be happy to!"
"Thanks. I knew I could count on you!"
Lured to a secluded spot away from prying eyes, the young student felt her heart hammer against her ribs at the sight of Rush’s cheerful smile.
She was a student in the Middle School Division, and she had long harbored a secret crush on Rush, her senior, a blend of deep admiration and blossoming love.
When he had called her out to this private place, she had dared to hope—could he be about to confess his feelings? But reality was rarely so kind.
Still, she was thrilled that Rush had reached out to her. It meant he trusted her enough to share a secret request, and that alone was enough to make her chest swell with joy.
She had been worried when she heard the dark rumors circulating about him recently, but looking at him now, he seemed to have fully recovered.
That’s the Rush-senpai I love, she thought, before offering him an eager smile.
"So, what is it? What can I do to help you, Rush-senpai?"
"Well... you know, don't you? That I lost the Duel to Hugo Clay the other day."
"Y-Yes. But that was only because he played dirty... right?"
She asked tentatively, piecing together the fragments of rumors she’d heard. Rush gave a heavy nod, confirming her suspicions.
A look of bitter frustration crossed his face as he continued.
"He cheated. But regardless of how he did it, the fact remains that I lost. And the worst part is, I still don't even know what kind of trickery he used."
"I understand! You want me to investigate him and find proof of his foul play, right?"
The girl thought of the arrogant noble she’d heard so much about—the man who had snatched victory from her admired senior through wicked means.
Hugo Clay was a known lecher. If she approached him pretending to be an adoring fan, he would surely let his guard down and keep her close.
Rush must want her to infiltrate Hugo’s circle, gain his trust, and then expose his misdeeds.
The mere thought of acting like she liked someone like Hugo made her skin crawl, but for Rush, she could endure anything.
He was a man who deeply valued duty and honor. Once the truth was out, he would surely be grateful. He might even repay her by finally seeing her as more than just a junior...
She was lost in her own hopeful fantasies when Rush shook his head, shattering her theory.
"No, that’s not it. I don't care about his cheating or his tricks anymore. None of that matters."
"Huh...?"
Startled by the unexpected turn in the conversation, the girl stared at him.
Rush reached into his jacket and pulled out a pair of Black Crab Scissors. His gaze dropped to the dark implement as he spoke.
"Evidence, tricks... it's all meaningless now. The only thing that matters is that I become strong enough to win even if he plays dirty. And I can do it. I am strong. Since I got these, I've felt my power reaching new heights. But it’s still not enough. More... I need more. I want to be even stronger...!"
"Sen... pai...?"
Something was wrong. The thought flickered through her mind, cold and sharp.
The boy standing before her wasn't the Rush she knew. The fiery passion that was usually so bright—even if it was a little overbearing—seemed shrouded now, dampened by a dark, suffocating fog.
Furthermore, the black scissors in his hand were emitting an aura of pure malice.
One look at the wicked object, and the way Rush stared at it with such twisted affection, sent a violent chill down her spine. She took a reflexive step back.
"...That's right, I haven't told you the favor yet. You said you’d be happy to do whatever I asked, didn't you?"
"Hie...!"
The moment he turned his eyes toward her, she saw it.
There was an unmistakable madness dwelling in his pupils. A stranger was standing in her hero’s skin.
"I’m strong, but I have to be stronger. I want to reach the absolute peak of strength—not just as a Magic Knight, but as the Strongest Being in this world. And to do that, I have to make sacrifices. A true hero is someone who grows strong by carrying the feelings of others. You adore me, and I trust you. That’s why... I want you to become my nourishment, just like the others."
"A-Ah... A-Agh...!"
Her instincts screamed at her. Her life was in immediate, mortal peril.
This Rush was a monster. If she didn't run now, she was dead.
"Help! Someone, help—!"
Her body was paralyzed with terror, but she forced her trembling legs to move, desperate to flee. But Rush simply caught her in the empty space between the blades, just as he had done once before, and whispered to the air.
"...Go ahead. Eat."
Clack.
The sound of the scissors snapping shut echoed through the clearing.
When Rush opened the blades again, the girl was gone. Not a trace of her remained.
"A clean meal. You’re learning well. You've grown so clever, and so strong. But... you've grown selfish, too."
Rush gave a bitter smile, conversing with an invisible presence that wasn't there.
Tucking the Black Crab Scissors back into his jacket, he let out a soft, low murmur.
"You keep saying you want to devour younger lives, so I've done what I could... but I suppose Middle School Division students aren't enough for you anymore. If we go any younger, it’s the Elementary Division, but I can't keep using academy students as bait. It’s too risky. I’ll have to find another way..."
He turned to leave, then paused.
He stared fixedly at the empty space where the girl had stood only moments before. Without a flicker of emotion on his face, he offered her a final word of thanks.
"Thank you. I won't let your feelings go to waste. I’ll carry the weight of every sacrifice to become the strongest... so, please, watch over me from heaven. Watch me as I become the Strongest Being...!"
The Mysterious Disappearance Incident that had been plaguing the city—this was the horrific truth behind it.
And yet, no one knew that the culprit was hiding in plain sight within Luminous Academy, the very place meant to train the Magic Knights who protected the world.