Clyde paced back and forth, nervous . His party members were strong, which is why he trusted them to do things without him around . His policy from the beginning treated everyone as adults—they weren't a perfect party . Although…the power gains .

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It came as a shock to see Ruri, Matsume, and Tear return with Toru and Nina . Melody emerged at that moment, worry in her eyes .

Clyde saw an eternal blankness in Toru's eyes and flinched . The loli vampire was asleep .

"I'll go get Alice," Melody said then hurried off .

"What happened?" Clyde said .

"They were attacked by that man from before," Ruri said .

"Toru's uncle," Tear said .

Clyde's eyes began to glow .

"What else," he said, sensing that the worse hadn't come .

"Hideo…" Ruri's ears sagged . "Hideo killed Fumi . " Tears fell from the h.e.l.lhound's eyes . Clyde…felt himself freeze over within . Toru found his love and bothered no one . Fumi was a girl, from another species, but with the heart of a saint . Everyone enjoyed her company . She didn't like fighting nor partic.i.p.ated in any violence whatsoever and made Toru happy . A positive, hard-working woman, a civilian . And an example toward peaceful coexistence between human and nonhuman .

The glow fell out of his eyes as he looked at his friend . Blankness wasn't the only thing off, but something stirred within the n.o.ble .

Eventually Melody turned with a hard-eyed Alice . The half-demoness wasted no time, casting All Calm on everyone . Matsume relayed the news after the entire household gathered .

The party looked at Toru, who stared at the wall, despite being cured of the poison . Clyde opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly the n.o.ble chuckled .

"I suppose this is what I get," he said . "Before I met you Clyde, I had the typical one-sided view against monsters, demons, you know, paranormal things . The gift was always there, but I truly had no idea what to do with it . Airi was perhaps the first I met who knew about the abilities . She introduced me to another magic user, that is Harumi . Chika didn't want anything to do with the supernatural at the time so that left us, not doing much but going on with our lives, Airi deciding to leave . Eventually I lost interest in the gift, bogged down with my father's companies . " He locked eyes with Clyde . "When you came along, carrying out patrols, the thrill returned, and I decided to become a new me . Decided, but not pushed forward . Not until I met Fumi . An accountant…well, more than just an ordinary accountant . I…" He snarled, tears trailing . "It's my fault . Knowing what I fight, I should've taken in the possi—"

"It's not your fault," Clyde interrupted, voice soft . "I honestly don't understand why someone would want to harm…but…" Time and s.p.a.ce s.h.i.+mmered briefly around the young man . Toru's hurt seemed to merge with him . "I f.u.c.king swear man, that motherf.u.c.ker will not get away with this . " Red aura outlined Clyde and didn't show any signs of vanis.h.i.+ng . He looked at the others . "Do—"

A hand rested on his shoulder .

"Clyde, it's okay," Toru said then smiled . "It's fine . Do you mind lending me a room? I can't go back . I'll have one of my trusted maids secretly bring me some clothing and belongings in the morning . Just a temporary stay in case he's still there . "

Clyde nodded .

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"You're welcomed here anytime, man," Clyde said . He…saw the fire in Toru's eyes . He could only support his friend, back him up . And the aura that raged inside of him… It was like Zen mode switched to a new setting .

Toru finally understood Fumi's teachings . Zen in his martial arts represented peace, calm, and harmony . His lost love…always coached him to use it defensively, not offensively . Its full power was for protecting others, protecting the peace . If only he realized it sooner . Now…he reached for Zen's other half, pandemonium or Zang, the Alethian term for it .

Fumi only told taught him Zen and warned him of Zang . Zang was supposed to be lost but Toru secretly researched it behind her back, out of curiosity . He…wanted to be the first to balance the raging sides . Zen and Zang were a direct concept of Yin and Yang, adopted by some unknown group .

Now, Toru just wanted to crush him . Even if using Zang would cost him his life, he'd break every bone in Hideo's body before killing him . He'd rip his throat out . Maybe force him to beg for her forgiveness before death . To…kill Fumi for no reason at all .

Crusaders…They all needed to die .

Toru wondered just how he was going to live with himself, with the young woman's death on his shoulder . He appreciated the words of Clyde, but could not push the responsibility elsewhere . He would make this right, even if he had to die trying . No, that wasn't going to be enough . There can be no rest until Fumi's avenged .

The young man gave his thanks to Yuki for showing him the room and the showers . Nina volunteered to sleep at his side or even at his door, but he turned her away . The maid demoness plucked the kid by the back of her collar and took her to her sleeping quarters .

After making the phone call, he laid back and stared at the wall . His eye color s.h.i.+fted from blue to yellow, pulsing, capturing light . The room felt too large without…

He clenched his fists, snarling . . . Don't go charging blindly, Toru . Plan . Be patient . She'd scold you for charging in, guns blazing . She'd…scold you for using Zang over Zen .

Tears slipped from his eyes…he missed her already . What was he going to do with his life? Someone who didn't see him as a bank account, the rich man's son, or the rich pretty boy . That's why he had a deep respect for Chika, daughter of the most powerful man in the city, and didn't flaunt riches whatsoever . Sometimes he wondered what Clyde did to attract someone like that .

His thoughts rolled back to Fumi . She may have been Suraimu, the official name of the slime girl race, but she was no doubt wise, denouncing all stereotypes, possibly a queen slime . She talked about her hometown every now and then, somewhere hidden in the monster kingdoms .

So much he wanted to learn about her…He wanted to create a legacy with her by his side . All of it taken away from him because of someone else's flawed beliefs .

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Kitome and Yusuke's house…

11 P . M…

A knock on the front door, took Yusuke's eyes off the TV . Undine was about to get up, but the young man beat her to the leap . Just who the f.u.c.k could be at the door this late? His mom and dad were out of town until Thursday—everyone in their circle knew that . Delinquent persona switching on, he walked to the door, scratching his b.a.l.l.s a little along the way, as if enhancing the effect . He opened the door, intending to give venomous words to the uninvited guest . A woman with long silver hair and purple eyes stared at him . And she had large black angel wings .

Yusuke smiled then closed the door, locked it, shook his head . The fallen angel kicked it down .

"How dare you close the door in my face," she snarled, almost comedically, fist raised at his face .

"How dare you break down my door, you lousy robber," Yusuke yelled back, radiating his delinquent att.i.tude for all it was worth . "Do you have any idea how much it's going to cost for repairs? Well, do you?"

Matsuko waved a finger which instantly repaired the broken door .

"There, happy now?" She shoved past him .

"Why are you here?" Yusuke said .

Undine emerged, eyes intense . The ninja looked at her .

"Well, well," Matsuko said, grinning . "I didn't take you for the settling type . "

"Someone who's never had a man inside of her wouldn't," Undine said .

"There's nothing wrong with that," Yusuke said . "She's her own woman . "

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"What he said," Matsuko quickly said, placing her arm around his shoulder . "A human with real intelligence . First time for everything . "

Undine shook her head .

"Purist . "

"I'm not a," Matsuko started to say but then sighed . "If you still remember that stupid nickname, then you hadn't lost the vigor to drink with me . Old rival . "

Undine laughed .

"Yusuke, bring us what's in the third cabinet . Two cups . You have cla.s.s in the morning . "

He sighed, muttering to himself as he marched to the kitchen .

"What's up with the noise?" Kitome said, emerging from her room, dressed in nightwear .

Yusuke snapped back to himself, realizing who was at the door .

"The fallen angel's here," he whispered . "And apparently she and Undine are old rivals or something . They're about to have a drink . "

Kitome's eyes widened then darkened .

"The f.u.c.k?"

"That's my line," Yusuke said . "So what should we do?"

"It's your fault for keeping her here," Kitome hissed .

"How is it my fault?" Yusuke said . "She lived here before any of us . Look, we don't have time to point fingers . Should we call the others?"

"Wait, she's just here to drink, right? Maybe she'll leave . It's not like we matter," Kitome said . "We'll have to trust in your stupid reaperess girlfriend . "

"You should stop the hate," Yusuke said . "She's the only powerhouse we—"

Kitome closed her door in his face .

"f.u.c.k out of here," she said . "I'll relay this to the others just in case . "

"Maybe I should've taken Natalia's advice and go all anime on you," he said . "Start calling you Onee-chan . "

"And I will rip out your tongue and shove it—"

"HEY! Hurry up with that booze," the fallen angel yelled . "And you call yourself a man, keeping a lady waiting . "

Yusuke snarled .

"I'm not a G.o.dd.a.m.n butler, bird brain!"

"I'll turn you into ashes, mortal," she snapped .

"You're a terrible house guest," Yusuke shouted while on his way to the kitchen .

"Why you—"

Undine laughed .

"Sit, Matsuko," she said . "And maybe you can tell me how you ended up tainted, bound to a dark G.o.d, and here of all places . "

Yusuke reemerged just in time to see the fallen angel's widened eyes . They were sitting at the table in the front room .

"Just give me the d.a.m.n drink," she said with defeat in her voice . "I'm pretty sure you don't want to talk about how you ended up bound to this place . Let's drink away those memories and catch up . "

Yusuke poured them the non-ordinary, super sake . The duo took the first drink and sighed .

"You could say that I have the worst luck, ever," Matsuko said . "And I'm here on a job to hunt down a brat . I think I'll be dealing with her tomorrow . "

Yusuke shook his head, but said nothing . He didn't want to risk her finding out that he knew Melody .

Tomorrow was going to be a longggg f.u.c.king day . And here he thought he could just enjoy a normal school day, go to his favorite store, maybe beat up a few idiots that attempted to "claim" his territory, and pick up a few new light novels . Ruri still hung out with him on occasion, with her h.e.l.lhound companion, but only if Undine was busy . Sometimes Seth tagged along .

If only things could be normal for once .

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