NOVEL NEXT 005 – Rei Value
Humans are born similarly.
The moment we were born, we were already known to be similar to each other. However, the determined similarity becomes extinct the moment we finally move into our adolescence phase or after we have shown our talent.
And as long as everyone is different. Those who do not have some great talent will imitate those who have one, while also creating an unconscious fabricated talent that exists from a result of an envious reaction, but even so, the expected outcome will always be inchoate; which demonstrates the difference between everyone.
Humans are unique.
Coins are the same too, they inaugurate to a whole, but to wholely become one, there have to exist two differing sides. The two different sides then assist each other with different fields they are capable of doing that the other side cannot, emerging into a whole, but most of all, the two sides have different meanings, making them unique and different.
It has been the case between Atsushi Naoko and myself.
But with that difference becoming the opposite. I do not feel satisfied, merely from knowing that I have now become the one with the greater talent while he who once had one, is sitting in the cold darkness that I do not want.
I have no reason to interfere in his thoughts of the process nor will I ever force him to do what he completely dislikes because I know that I can never save him. Only Atsushi can save himself, not myself or Fūjin.
It’s the same for me.
I cannot be saved by Fūjin but can only be helped by giving me a little push to change my mind or soothe my broken soul. The rest is my problem to fix.
Anything other than that, I don’t think I can do anything with this power of mine because I can’t even control it and I don’t think I could ask Fūjin for any information because she looked confused too.
Whatever, I should go over to that shrine again with Atsus—
A sudden headache like a bell becoming bashed by a hammer hit my head with great force which was just about to make me vomit but the pain subsided, letting me breathe to recover myself. But as I opened my eyes and stood, the world around me has become shrouded in darkness.
Agh! What is going on?
I then looked around me as this world of darkness changed into our school which showed a lot of students sitting around.
Just what was that darkness?
As I touched my head cautiously, I then looked behind me, only to see myself slumping at my table which made me step back and fall, baffled.
This must mean that I am subconsciously moving like a ghost…
And I thought everything went back to normal after being shrouded in darkness… but with my head hurting, this might be a sign that right now, I am looking in the future. For now, I should follow Atsushi… I don’t think I can continue panicking in this situation.
I then walked together with Atsushi without noticing me in the hallways where he was looking everywhere and even outside the window for no reason. He does seem to smile randomly but I don’t know why.
I sighed.
It seems there is nothing I can do here other than look at everyone without anyone noticing…
Wait wait, what did I just say? If that is what is happening right now, then could this mean that I can do anything without getting caught by everyone? But would that happen?
I mean, having to find myself unattached from my main body and then learning that I could look at every girl’s panties whenever I want is the very path to injustice! Some apparition should be looking at me, stopping my every perverted move. Knowing that I haven’t tried it, I want to do this for the sake of every boy out there.
And with those thoughts, I went wild.
Crawling should be enough to prevail the world’s calling—too much body movement! The skirts are so long while their legs aren't spreading enough for me to see it and getting stepped on isn’t what I wanted. I can’t even move their skirts and where is the wind when I need them? If anything, I should take the time for it and then—there it is!
As the small wind blew a girl’s skirts, I quickly ducked to see what life meant but then…
A ray of light is censoring the panty?! How is that even possible? Maybe it’s because she was close to the window? Dammit… I-I shouldn’t give up. I should try doing this one last time for the sake of all the boys out there. It seems there is no apparition interference whatsoever, so I should start by flawlessly creating a way to fully see a girl's panties without it ever being censored. I should prioritize the girls that aren’t moving too much and of course, beautiful.
They do say that there are many mysteries in this world and as that person who is trying to prevail them, I’ve realized that it is very difficult. It takes the mind and courage to look at someone’s panty, the same as trying to grope someone’s breast. But that’s not what matters right now.
If you know that today is the day to look at someone’s panty without getting caught, then there is no stopping it!
At this moment, I crawled my way to every girl that was appearing in my direction and when they finally got closer, the wind blew harder, letting me finally discover what was hidden beyond those skirts that all men wanted.
There it is, the right moment in front of me. Finally, I have done what they have… wanted…
She… she has no panties!?
Agh! My eyes…
I rolled in agony.
I… I don’t want to do this anymore.
A second later after giving up, I realized that Atsushi wasn’t beside me anymore and I was looking everywhere to find here when a loud noise could be heard in the stairs to the left.
“Everyone or someone out there, I need some help!” I quickly ran over there as I heard that alerting voice.
Most people did react to the noise, however, they were occupied with other things to do and ignored it.
In seconds of reaching the stairs, I’ve finally found Atsushi but he was lying on the ground with a soulless look like someone stole the life out of him. I immediately put his head on my knees but I realized that I cannot as I am still in my ghost form.
“Dammit!” I angrily punched the ground.
What am I supposed to do in this situation?
Atsushi isn’t even waking up anymore, just like how a corpse would act. But knowing that I can still change the future after I turn back the time and back to my main body, I might be able to change anything.
I’ll try again.
I closed my eyes which made me drift again to the same old darkness that was shrouding me, but the moment I opened my eyes, I came back into my main body, slumping on a table, and quickly ran outside to chase Atsushi.
I don’t know how long I was resting on the table.
I don't know what time Atsushi left the classroom.
I only want to make sure that he hasn’t died yet!
I ran through the hallways as the students glanced at me and when I came into the stairs, I passed by a suspicious student that felt so dangerous and frightening.
What was that? Who was that?
Well, I don’t have the time to deduce that right now.
As I appeared in the same scene again but quicker, there wasn’t any change at all. I, however, was able to put his head into my knees, shouting some sense into him, but just like a corpse, he wasn’t breathing nor was he moving anymore.
This can’t be… no, no. I refuse this to happen!
I decided to piggyback Atsushi to the infirmary without letting anyone know and lastly, I went outside through a secret passage out of this high school and ran to the Hachi-mountain shrine with sweat in my forehead and back.
As I breathed heavily at the end of the stairs, Fūjin approached me with a worried look. “What happened?” She looked at the skies.
“Atsushi… Atsushi Naoko is dead!” I clenched my teeth in anger.
“You are wrong, Shunichi.”
“What are you talking about? I saw him lying on the ground without breathing.”
“I am pretty sure that Atsushi is not dead yet and that’s the least of what I can tell you.” Beyond doubt, Fūjin said.
“You mean?”
“Before you came here, I have been called by my friend, a shrine deity, telling me that a psychopomp has been sighted in your school and it’s only a matter of time before that apparition will cause a lot of chaos.”
“So this is what it’s all about?” I became reassured and breathed in and out. “As long as we defeat that psychopomp or apparition—whatever, then all the souls that have been stolen will be given back. But my question is… how does that happen?”
“Well, I wasn’t able to say this but apparitions who manifest to a person acquire enhanced ability like instead of guiding deceased souls across the rivers Styx, it guides living people souls to its world.”
“And it’s only a matter of time before their souls are captured in that world…”
I don’t know but I have heard of this apparition before. It’s best to know that approaching an apparition like that would only lead to losing your souls and losing your soul means dying.
“You’ve heard of it before?”
“Yeah. I have heard about it from the occult club a year ago.” I looked at her with certainty. “And from the looks of this… it is Charon, isn’t it? The grim reaper.”
“Yes.” She sadly said.
There had been no explanation as to why this has happened to us but knowing that we involve ourselves in our volition means that if something unordinary happens to us, then bringing it to an end might as well be the solution to them. Yet having to experience something as heartbreaking as Atsushi’s death never even led me to shed some tears, it was like it was a normal occurrence for me that someone has died.
And knowing this…
Made me hate myself more than that.