Haruki and Suzu continued to study alone, becoming even more isolated after the duel. Younger students scurried out of their way, while others were too terrified to speak when asked even the simplest of questions.

Wen was the only one who didn't seem to bothered by the whole ordeal, so they were together most days. The three often met up at the main square, chatting idly as they snacked on sweets.

Yuji and the others had all distanced themselves since Keishi's death. Haruki couldn't blame them for it since he did kill their oldest friend, but it didn't hurt him any less. Both eager to leave the Academy, Haruki and Suzu studied hard with their hearts set on graduation.

It was halfway through Haruki's fifth year and, more importantly, finally time for his day of ascension.

He had been going home often enough, since it was only a short walk, but for such an important event, he had decided to stay for a few nights. His father had recently returned from his travels too, so he was looking forward to sparring with him once again.

“I'll be back within the week, Suzu.”

Haruki originally wanted her to come along, but she was in the middle of special training with her naginata. Neither of them wanted to interrupt it after she'd worked hard to find someone with the necessary skills.

“Nn.” She pouted, still half tempted to chase after him.

They shared a brief kiss goodbye before Haruki released her and took a step back. Haruki nodded once and jogged off with a backhanded wave.

Suzu felt completely alone as her eyes finally lost track of him in the crowd.

'Be safe, Haru.'

Haruki walked along the western road accompanied by a wave of warm nostalgia.

'Ahh, this is where it all began. This is where I met Suzu, That's where we nearly died that time. I met that weirdo goddess too. Wonder what she's up to these days?'

The gate let out a brutal, grinding shriek as Haruki closed it behind him, sending Ayako racing out from the house with joyful tears streaming down her face.

“Haru-chaaaan!”

She tackled Haruki to the ground, pulling him into her smothering bosom so tightly that his shoulder popped painfully.

“Gack. Okaa-san, I'm glad to see you too... But I can't breathe.”

Releasing him, she reflexively apologized before exclaiming “Welcome home!” with an angelic look.

'It's good to be home... When did that even happen, anyway? When did this become home and not Earth, I wonder?'

Earth was just a distant memory in his mind now. He sometimes even had trouble remembering what his old parents looked like. The only remaining desire from that time was the urge to game.

'I wonder what my ping would be like from another universe? Probably no worse than the average Australian internet connection...'

He followed his mother inside, happily chatting to her about Suzu. Finally hearing his voice, Ketrel charged out of the kitchen, wrapping him up in yet another vicious embrace with a mighty roar.

'I'm going to be thinner after this visit... And deaf.'

The three quickly caught up over lunch, eating heartily as they laughed at Ketrel's stories. But despite the mood being comfortable and joyous, Haruki still felt a small pang of loneliness.

'I wish Suzu could have been here for this....'

During their luxurious dinner, Ketrel offered Haruki his 'first' beer. Haruki chugged it down with a loud belch, earning himself a roar of approval from his father as Ayako rolled her eyes. He wasn't overly fond of drinking in the past, but that was mostly because it cost too much to even get him buzzed. While his new body was somewhat different, it seemed to have his strong constitution towards alcohol.

Ketrel proudly slapped him on the back. “Your first drink. And you've already had your first kill. By every measure but one, you're a man.”

“Now for you to become a father...fufufu”

Haruki winced at the critical strike.

Their raucous celebrations continued until late, wrapping up shortly after midnight. In a half tipsy stupor, Haruki collapsed onto his old bed and fell into a deep sleep, too exhausted to remove his clothes or weapon belt.

“IN THE NAME OF EPIMETHEUS AND THE CHURCH, OPEN THE DOOR!”

Haruki was jarred awake by a heavy pounding below him. Peeking through the window, his heart sank as he discovered the source of the noise.

'What the fuck!?'

There were around 30 soldiers standing in lines by the front door, all bearing the insignia of the Church. A few priests were intermixed, but he counted no more than a few at first glance. What made his heart quake was further off in the distance...

'Is that... They must have sent at least half a cohort! Why would they send over 200 soldiers to our house?'

As Haruki peered down from the window, Ketrel answered the door with a violent look on his face.

“What do you want? We've broken no laws, so just fuck off.”

“The Church has issued a declaration. The occupants of this house are to be held for questioning in regards to the usage of blood magic and multiple darkness affinities.”

Ketrel stiffened up.

Ayako had been born into an old clan, hidden away and long forgotten by the world. At the cost of their own blood, they could greatly empower spells or control the minds of others. While the ability was rare, it was one of the few big taboos of the Church.

'How the fuck did they find out?! We haven't even told our own son yet!'

“We've done nothing wrong, so I will again tell you to kindly fuck off or I'll MAKE you fuck off...”

A burly, middle-aged soldier took a cautious step forward with his hands raised, attempting to defuse the situation.

“Rhino. You're well respected in Touhama. Don't do anything rash and I'm sure you can just talk it out with the Church. You'll probably just get released in a few days.”

“You fucken' kidding me? You think my head's soft? You don't bring an entire fucken' army to escort someone for questioning...” he roared, slamming the door shut in the soldier's crestfallen face.

With a slow, well trained movement, Ketrel silently unsheathed his blades.

Ayako was standing by his side, anxiously glancing up towards Haruki's room.

“Dear, we can't falter now. That's as good as giving up Haruki ourselves...”

Ketrel nodded. “Seems we have a rough battle ahead, my love.”

She smiled back at him with a furious passion smoldering in her eyes.

“Just like old times...Fufufu.”

He pulled Ayako into a deep kiss, both of them lingering in silence for a moment.

“Ketrel, dear, could you get the door please?”

With a nod, he charged towards it with a lowered shoulder, shattering the thick wood outwards in a rain of splinters.

“YAAARRRRGGGHHHH!” Two mighty blades erupted from the debris, slicing a few men in half. Their bodies separated at the waist with a wet grinding sound, sending the survivors into a panicked retreat as the giant Barbarian sauntered towards them. Painted red in the blood of their comrades, he sneered down at their backs as he roared.

“Windstep.”

Ketrel teleported a short distance forward, slicing into the rear of the retreating formation like butter.

“Call the paladins!” a shout rose up from a nearby priest.

Shink.

His head fell to the ground in a spray of dark, arterial blood.

“PILUM!”

A wave of spears darkened the sky as the soldiers let loose a volley. Ketrel teleported even closer with a crazed look in his eyes. Keeping to the edge of the formation, he circled around them cautiously. Seeing a moment to strike, he stepped in and thrust his blade into a priest's throat before quickly stepping back again.

Ayako watched on with a face that would scare even a demon. A sinister, twisted smile formed on her lips as she raised her arms above her head with open palms.

“Blood moon.”

The sky grew dark as a river of blood floated towards her, coalescing into a pulsating crimson orb between her hands. As it absorbed more of the surrounding blood, it quickly grew in size.

After it reached the size of a small car, Ayako flicked it towards the soldiers with a loud shout.

“Now!”

Ketrel appeared beside her as the orb burst violently over the remaining soldiers.

Red rain washed over the men, but their fear quickly turned to laughter and jeers as they looked around in confusion, seemingly undamaged.

“Epimethus is stronger than any cursed blood magic! Charge them!”

Their light mood quickly shifted into horrified screams as chunks of flesh began falling from their bodies, many soldiers staying conscious as their organs and flesh liquified.

Not even a minute passed before their last dying groans subsided, leaving behind only a fleshy red mud puddle. A single priest sobbed up at them from the mess of flesh, having somehow survived losing his limbs and most of his lower abdomen.

“Please... Don't... Kill...”

Ketrel ran over, callously lopping his head off with a cold sneer.

“Was that it?”

“Don't raise any flags, dear...” Ayako smiled back stiffly, shaking slightly at the knee. Her magic was overwhelmingly powerful, but it used up a large amount of her own life-force. She could risk another 2 or 3 big spells, but beyond that, she would be in danger of dying.

Seeing the fragile state of his wife, Ketrel quickly returned to her side, planting one sword tip into the ground beside him. A loud roar in the distance gained their attention.

“Oh fuck me... Paladins... That priest wasn't kidding, eh?” Ketrel gripped his wife's hand gently, giving it a reassuring squeeze. At least 100 paladin's were currently forming into a long line at the top of a distant hill.

“Who'd have thought they'd be this angry? First they start a war, now they're attacking citizens with elite units?”

Letting go of her hand, Ketrel pulled his sword from the ground with a serious look crossing his tired face.

“Shall we, then?”

“Yes, dear.”

They both took up a defensive stance, preparing for the next wave.

Haruki had been watching on dumbfounded as his parents erased hundreds of lives as if they were nothing but ants.

Snapping from his daze at the sudden silence, Haruki realized he needed to help. Grabbing the bow that had been hanging on his wall for as long as he could remember, Haruki prepared himself for battle.

'Only 3 arrows... Shit. I hope this bow isn't decorative... Please don't snap on me, Okaa-san would kill me if I broke you...'

Haruki ran outside, still tightening the straps on his leather armour.

His gaze immediately met his father's wild eyes. Ketrel was surrounded on all sides by paladins of the Church. Bleeding, broken and out of mana, he roared furiously as his attacks steadily grew slower. They had taken up a perfect encirclement around him, using their shields as a wall to keep him trapped while spears stabbed into him from all directions.

Ayako had already collapsed by the front door, pale faced and unable to move.

Another sharp pain pierced his shoulder as Ketrel turned back towards the house for a moment and roared.

“Ayako, please. Use it now. I'll see you again soon, my love.”

Ignoring the dozen or so spears impaling his body, he bellowed out across the battlefield. “Devour my flesh and destroy my enemies!”

Ayako nodded back, sobbing as she choked out her final spell.

Haruki had a sudden realization.

'That's the look of someone who knows they're about to die...'

“Nooo...” Haruki growled, hatred stirring in his soul. With each wound his father took, his own heart trembled wildly.

Haruki fired his first arrow, missing wildly. The next two shots were no different. His shaking hands refused to let him fire accurately. With a furious howl, Haruki drew his long-sword and dagger, sending the bow back into his ring.

Charging to the fray, Haruki was stopped in his tracks by a strange, ethereal howl rising from his father.

Ketrel's eyes were burning with a fiery energy, his entire body engulfed by a pillar of brilliant purple flames. Vicious waves of dark energy crashed out from his body, leaving nothing in their wake but scattered ashes and scorched earth.

“Fall back!” One of the remaining paladins screamed as the roaring pulsations reached a brutal crescendo.

KABOOM!

Haruki was blown away, sent tumbling across the ground by the massive shock wave.

“Haru-chan. Run!” Ayako screamed weakly from somewhere behind him, waking him up from a concussed daze.

Haruki's mind cleared as he chanted to himself.

'No hesitation. Kill the enemies. Kill... Kill...'

Only a dozen or so paladins had survived the blast, while only a single priest remained. Haruki charged towards the wickedly grining priest. As he appeared beside him, the priest raised his hand towards him with a cold sneer.

“Thor's Hammer!” He shouted his spell seconds before Haruki's blade entered his throat.

Haruki's mind barely registered a sound behind him, but he was lost in an absolute rage, mind focused only on killing those who had murdered his father. Without regard to his mana, he quickly slaughtered his way through the survivors.

A pained, animalistic scream unconsciously escaped his throat as he finally stabbed the two remaining paladins through their visors, twisting both blades in their eye-sockets with a sickening crunch.

Breathing heavily and completely drained, Haruki slumped down onto the stinking, muddied ground.

“Okaa-san. I avenged Otou-san...”

The silence was piercing.

“Okaa..”

Haruki finally looked back over his shoulder and saw his house, burning. There was dark patch on the grass, as if it had been struck by lightning.

“No...”

In the middle of the burnt patch, there was a smoldering body.

“ARRRRGH!”

Haruki's stood rigidly, mouth open and unable to look away from the smoking corpse of his mother. His ear's tingled, drowning out all sounds with the rushing of blood, while his vision faded out into a painfully bright white.

Turning away with stiff, jerky movements, Haruki staggered off absently towards Touhama. A single thought revolved over and over in his head.

'Kill them all...'

“I've come for graduation.” Haruki's cold, gravelly voice rung out around the small dojo.

“Are you joking? How old are you, around 15?”

“Yes.”

“In order to pass, you have to show off an adequate level of ability. If you fail to impress me, you won't get to try again this year. Are you sure you want to go ahead?”

Haruki growled back. “Yes”.

With an annoyed sigh, the teacher checked the list and, sure enough, Haruki Abe was listed as 'awaiting examination'. He had submitted the application shortly before going home, intending to graduate at the end of the year with Suzu.

With a slight frown, the man grumbled and pointed towards a small arena on the other side of the room.

“Go ahead then, show me what you've got.”

Haruki nodded, turning his back to the teacher for a moment. He muttered a few words and turned back with a blank expression.

“Done.”

The teacher looked at him with a scowl of disbelief.

“Eh? You haven't even moved into the ring...?”

Haruki snatched up a small paper-weight from the desk, tossing it backhandedly towards an empty part of the polished, hard-wood floor.

A massive explosion sent wood debris raining down over everything in the room. When the smoke settled, an entire wall of the building was missing, along with most of the ceiling and floor.

“P...Pass...”

Haruki nodded sternly, marching out of the exam room without another word.

“Monster... I've met a monster!”

The examiner let out a heavy sigh as he eyed the damage.