The sky was red.
Not the soft red of a sunset, nor the warm glow of dawn.
It was heavy.
Oppressive.
As if the sky itself was watching.
Kaito Renji slowly opened his eyes.
For a moment, he didn't understand where he was.
The ground beneath him was black—cracked like burnt stone. The air was thick, suffocating, filled with a strange metallic scent that clung to his throat.
"…Where…"
His voice came out hoarse.
Then it hit him.
The dungeon.
The demons.
The deal.
And—
"…they left me."
Silence answered him.
Kaito slowly sat up.
His body ached, but he was alive.
Alive… in a place that didn't feel like the world he knew.
In the distance, jagged black towers rose toward the crimson sky. Strange creatures moved along the horizon, their forms twisted and unnatural.
This wasn't the human world anymore.
This was—
"Inether Vale."
The voice came from behind him.
Calm.
Amused.
Kaito's body tensed instantly.
He turned.
Raizen stood a few steps away, hands behind his back as if he were simply taking a stroll.
"You finally woke up," the demon said.
Kaito's grip tightened against the ground.
His heart pounded violently.
Every instinct screamed at him to run.
But he knew.
There was nowhere to run.
Raizen tilted his head slightly.
"What's wrong? I expected more of a reaction."
Kaito said nothing.
His mind was a mess.
Images flashed through his head.
Ryuji turning away.
Hiroto hesitating.
Yuna avoiding his eyes.
Airi's cold voice.
"He is the only logical choice."
Kaito's breathing became uneven.
"…logical."
He let out a quiet laugh.
A dry, broken sound.
"So that's all I was."
"Logic."
Raizen watched him with interest.
"Humans do love their justifications."
Kaito slowly pushed himself to his feet.
His legs trembled slightly, but he stood.
"…Why?"
He didn't look at Raizen.
"Why am I still alive?"
Raizen smiled faintly.
"Because I allowed it."
"That's not what I meant!"
Kaito snapped, his voice cracking.
"Why didn't you kill me?!"
For a moment, silence fell.
Then—
Raizen laughed.
Not loudly.
But genuinely amused.
"Because you're interesting."
Kaito froze.
"…what?"
Raizen stepped closer.
"Most humans, when abandoned, beg."
"They cry."
"They break."
His crimson eyes locked onto Kaito.
"But you didn't."
Kaito clenched his fists.
"I just didn't have time."
Raizen's smile widened.
"Is that so?"
The air grew heavier.
Kaito's heartbeat echoed in his ears.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
His thoughts began to spiral.
Interesting?
Was that all he was now?
A toy?
A curiosity?
He lowered his head slightly.
"…I see."
A quiet whisper escaped his lips.
"…so that's it."
His shoulders trembled.
Then—
He started laughing.
Soft at first.
Then louder.
Unstable.
Broken.
Raizen watched silently.
Kaito spoke, his voice uneven.
"Left behind by my party…"
"Spared by a demon…"
"Because I'm… interesting?"
He laughed again.
"What kind of joke is this…?"
His hand slowly moved toward his waist.
"…this is a joke, right?"
Raizen said nothing.
Kaito's fingers wrapped around the hilt of his short sword.
His breathing grew heavier.
Faster.
His thoughts began to scatter.
"They left me."
"They didn't even look back."
"I wasn't worth saving."
"I wasn't even worth hesitating for."
His grip tightened.
"Of course…"
"I'm weak."
"I always was."
His voice dropped into a whisper.
"…so this is what I get."
For a moment, everything went quiet.
Then Kaito lifted his head.
His eyes were no longer shaking.
They were empty.
"…fine."
Raizen noticed the change instantly.
Something shifted.
Something dangerous.
Kaito spoke again.
Calm.
Too calm.
"If I'm going to die anyway…"
His grip tightened on the sword.
"…then I'll choose how."
Raizen's smile returned.
"Good."
"Show me."
Kaito's mind cleared.
No more confusion.
No more hesitation.
Only one thought remained.
"I'll kill him."
Even if it was impossible.
Even if it was meaningless.
Even if it ended in his death.
"…I'll take him with me."
In an instant—
Kaito moved.
His body surged forward, faster than he had ever moved before.
His sword aimed straight for Raizen's throat.
A desperate strike.
A final gamble.
A scream tore from his throat.
"DIE—!!"
The blade cut through the air—
And stopped.
Just inches away from Raizen's neck.
Kaito's eyes widened.
He couldn't move.
His body refused to obey.
Raizen stood there, completely still.
Two fingers lightly held the blade.
Effortlessly.
"…too slow."
Kaito's breath hitched.
Then—
A crushing force slammed into him.
His body was thrown back, crashing against the black ground.
"Gah—!"
Pain exploded through his chest.
He coughed violently.
Blood stained his lips.
Footsteps approached.
Slow.
Calm.
Raizen stood over him.
Looking down.
"…pathetic."
The word should have broken him.
But Kaito laughed.
Weakly.
"…yeah."
"I know."
His vision blurred.
His body refused to move.
So this was it.
He failed.
Of course he failed.
What did he expect?
To kill a Demon Calamity?
"…stupid."
His eyes slowly closed.
"Really… stupid…"
Raizen remained silent for a moment.
Then—
"…no."
Kaito's eyes opened slightly.
Raizen was still looking at him.
But his expression had changed.
"…not stupid."
"…interesting."
Kaito stared at him, unable to understand.
Raizen crouched slightly.
His crimson eyes gleamed.
"A human who chooses to fight instead of beg."
"A human who decides to die on his own terms."
His smile slowly widened.
"…you're exactly what I was hoping for."
Kaito's breath trembled.
"…what…?"
Raizen stood again.
"From now on…"
His voice echoed in the red sky.
"You belong to me."
Kaito's vision faded.
His consciousness slipping.
The last thing he saw—
Was the faint smile of the Demon Calamity.
And for the first time…
He realized.
Death would have been the easier fate.