Taroli stood, calmness ruling his posture.
Kazuma stretched his left arm forward, fist clenched.
Taroli (calmly):
"Where is Ten?"
Kazuma and Rin stayed silent, frozen with fear.
Suddenly, a voice came from behind Taroli.
Voice:
"So… you've finally returned."
Taroli (turning, faint smile):
"It's been a long time, Ten."
Kazuma and Rin watched, tension choking the air.
Ten (softly):
"Why all this chaos? You're only hurting yourself… and everyone around you."
Taroli (a sly grin creeping across his cheek):
"I've done nothing wrong."
Ten:
"Justice doesn't work like that."
Taroli (cold gaze, steady voice):
"Justice? And who has the right to define it?
The victor? The ruler? Or the one who's never tasted loss?
I've walked a path written in blood…
I call it justice because I refuse to let my life be meaningless."
Ten (lowering his head, voice breaking):
"I never wanted you to take this path, Taroli…"
Taroli (with icy certainty):
"Humans are enemies by nature.
The strong devour the weak.
The rich crush the poor."
Taroli (raising his hand like a judge):
"But in my plan… there will be no strong, no weak.
All will be equal. No chaos. No injustice."
Ten (lifting his head, sorrow in his tone):
"But your equality kills freedom… and buries mercy."
Taroli (narrowing his eyes):
"Tell me, what freedom? In this world?
The world is already in ruins.
There is no place left for peace."
Ten (calm but firm):
"I know you had a tragic past…
But what fault do the innocent have in your plan?"
Taroli (coldly):
"And what fault do the innocent have in the greed of the rich?"
Silence.
Taroli's eyes froze like ice.
The wind stirred.
Ten's robes swayed.
Taroli's hair danced with the breeze.
Taroli turned his neck toward Kazuma.
Taroli (raising his voice with confidence):
"Kazuma is the only one who understands me."
Kazuma's eyes widened in shock.
Rin looked at him, stunned and afraid.
Kazuma:
"W… What does this have to do with me?"
Taroli:
"We suffered the same pain.
We share the same thoughts."
Ten (clenching his fist, shouting):
"Don't drag Kazuma into this!
This is between you and me!"
Taroli (extending his hand toward Kazuma):
"Join me, and you'll see a new world…
A world free from oppression."
Rin (worried):
"Don't listen to him!
He just wants to use you!"
Taroli:
"What if we build a world with no destruction…
No more tears?"
Kazuma trembled, terrified.
His left eye twitched violently.
He fell to the floor, clutching his eye, teeth gritted in pain.
Ten rushed over.
Rin knelt beside him.
Rin:
"Kazuma! What's happening?"
Kazuma (panting):
"I… I don't know… suddenly, this pain!"
Taroli (walking away, voice echoing):
"This world… is just a page, soon to be turned."
He extended his left hand.
His palm glowed.
A portal formed, glowing purple like a door.
Taroli (stepping inside with a farewell smile):
"Ten… you were always just an obstacle."
He vanished through the portal. It closed.
---
Two hours later…
Kazuma sat in a chair, staring at his trembling hands.
Rin (deeply worried):
"What happened to you?"
Kazuma:
"I honestly don't know…
It felt like a blade pierced my eye."
Ten entered, laughing.
Ten (hands on hips):
"Congratulations, you two!"
Kazuma (looking up):
"Huh? Why are you congratulating us?"
Ten (grinning, raising two fingers):
"Tomorrow… you're going to school!"
---
The next day…
Kazuma and Rin walked with their schoolbags.
Kazuma's was green, Rin's was red.
The road was paved with stone, not sand.
Shops lined the street across from the school, surrounded by houses.
The school was large, with a yellow gate.
Atop the roof, a white flag flew, bearing a roaring lion.
Students poured in like soldiers invading a fortress.
Kazuma spotted the boy who had punched him at the market.
The boy smirked wickedly.
Kazuma turned his face away.
Rin had already gone inside.
---
Inside the classroom…
Kazuma sat at the last desk in the left row, chin resting on his hand, lost in thought.
Rin sat across from him.
The teacher wore a white robe.
His face was thin and slightly long, sharp lines marking his jaw and cheeks.
His chin was pointed, his eyes narrow and tilted upward at the corners.
His nose straight, lips thin and tense, the corners pulled slightly upward.
His hair was a sleek blue, combed neatly back.
He wore glasses.
His pupils were brown.
The classroom was silent.
Teacher (with a sly smile):
"History… always finds its way back to us."
Teacher:
"Humans always take what they believe is rightfully theirs."
Kazuma looked toward the window—
His reflection stared back.
His left pupil was now deep blue.
Inside it was a shuriken symbol—
But with only one blade, aligned diagonally.
Kazuma (eyes widening):
"My… my eye?!"
He quickly covered it with his right hand.
Kazuma:
"Sir… may I go to the bathroom?"
Teacher (kindly):
"Only today, since you're new."
Kazuma rushed out, nearly running, his hand pressed over his eye.
Rin watched, confused.
Teacher (raising his voice):
"I have a meeting with the principal."
---
Kazuma walked through a wide hallway.
Lockers lined the walls.
The floor was black-and-white tile.
He gripped a locker, still covering his eye.
Suddenly, he felt a dark aura behind him.
He turned—
It was the teacher.
Kazuma (terrified, panting):
"Sir…?"
The teacher smiled wickedly and walked away.
Kazuma darted into the bathroom and stared into the mirror.
Kazuma (sweating heavily):
"What's happening…?
My eye changed out of nowhere!"
Teacher (standing at the door, ominous tone):
"Don't look into the mirror…
Some truths, once understood… will consume you."
Kazuma looked at him in horror.
The teacher's eyes were completely black.
A monstrous aura surrounded him.
Fangs protruded.
His body was black as the night sky—like a cosmic void.
Kazuma stepped back, trembling.
Teacher (closing his eyes, smiling):
"Don't be afraid.
I'm just a normal teacher…
Why all the fear?"
The teacher walked away.
Kazuma's eye returned to normal.
The strange power faded
.
He gripped the sink, splashed water on his face, drenching the mirror.
His expression was filled with disbelief.
He stared at his reflection, eyes wide with terror.
The camera slowly rose, pulling away from Kazuma… and the bathroom…
And the episode ended.