Volume 8 - CH 29

Compensation for Weakness: Jet Black

“Haa……., Haa……Haa……..”

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Night sweats and a terrible nightmare.

I don’t know what the dream was about nor do I remember it.

But, it must have been one terrifying dream.

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“I’m glad I managed to wake up……”

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I was worried that my eyes wouldn’t be opened again.

I was afraid that I would have to remain inside that nightmare world forever.

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“Ugh….., it’s already 10……..”

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I was surprised when I saw the time on my alarm clock.

Even on holidays, I would wake up around 8 because of the noises my family makes downstairs but I slept in for 2 more hours today.

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……….eh?

That’s weird, why is everything so silent?

The sound of the clock ticking alone is unnecessarily loud.

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Dad, Mom, Kazuma, Nekosuke.

Even on their day off, there would at least be some footsteps coming from the corridor.

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The anxiety from my nightmare came back.

I recall the great darkness that enveloped my entire house and I started sweating again.

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“……there’s no way right? This, this is reality isn’t it?”

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On their day off, my parents would always watch TV together in the living room at 10 o’clock. Kazuma would be playing his games and Nekosuke would be wandering around the house.

I nervously stepped outside my room.

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“……there’s no sound at all.”

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I head to the living room.

There was nobody there.

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I head to the restroom.

There was nobody there.

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I head to the kitchen.

There was nobody there.

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“Haha, did they go out? …..they just went out right?”

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With tears in my eyes, I open the door to my parents’ bedroom.

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“Dad? Mom…..?”

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I fearfully called out.

I gazed at the futon where the two should be sleeping and saw two shadows there.

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“Haaa…., I’m glad. They just oversleep like me……”

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I calmed down and let the relief wash over me.

I’m glad. I thought they had disappeared.

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“Dad! Mom! It’s 10 already you know! If you don’t get u——-…?”

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Who?

Strangers are sleeping in my parents’ futon.

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“………….Uu.”

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Even when I got closer, I couldn’t recognize them.

Who are they……?

Why are there [Skeletons] sleeping in my parents’ bedroom…..?

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“U……Ugeh…..”

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Gastric juice overflows from my mouth.

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“GEH…..UGahh……”

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I realized the identity of the white [Skeletons] and started vomiting on the floor.

How…..?

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How did dad and mom turn into [Skeletons]…..?

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With tears in my eyes, I tried to leave my parents’ bedroom like I was trying to run away. I still can’t understand what’s happening.

The sickening smell of death lingers in my nose…….

I ran out of the room and screamed out.

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“Kazuma! KAZUMAA! HEY, WAKE UP!”

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Why doesn’t Kazuma come out no matter how much I screamed?

Is he playing games in his room?

He just can’t hear my voice because he’s wearing headphones right…..?

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“Kazuma! Hey!”

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Without a knock, I violently open the door to Kazuma’s room.

Kazuma’s room looked normal.

His mangas, his study desk, and his game console were where they should be.

Then there’s a figure on top of the bed where Kazuma should be sleeping.

I approach the bed while calling his name.

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“Kazuma……, wake…….up?”

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Why……?

Why is there a [Skeleton] in Kazuma’s room too…….?

Moreover, the clothes it’s wearing are the same ones Kazuma was wearing when I hit him with Nekosuke Missile last night……

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“Why……..?”

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Who did this…..?

Did a burglar break in when I was sleeping……?

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No, the house wasn’t damaged at all.

And it wasn’t like they were stabbed with a knife.

How did they turn into [Skeletons]……..?

What did they do to make it look like they have been dead for years…….?

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I don’t know.

Is this real?

I’m still dreaming, right?

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I walk out to the corridor.

A large rotten something was lying there.

It’s clearly something that I don’t remember having in my house so I rushed over to investigate……

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“Nekosuke……?

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It was a corpse of a cat.

What is this, what is going on, I can’t……

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Why everyone but me is dead? Why do they look like their souls have been sucked out……?

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“…….eh?”

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Their souls sucked out…….?

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[Energy Drain]?

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I returned to my room, put on the Gift Glasses I got from Akechi-san, and look at myself in the mirror.

It’s impossible, I have already overcome my Gift……

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There’s no way that my Gift caused this!

To be sure of that, I fearfully look at my reflection.

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“What is this……..?”

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A lump of black Gift power is wrapping itself around me.

It has bloated to a degree that I’ve never seen before and the entire room was dyed black with it.

My instinct tells me that this jet-black thing is dangerous, that it should not be touched.

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“Zuuu—….., Haa…….”

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Using the method Akechi-san taught me, it got slightly smaller.

However, I couldn’t completely suppress [Energy Drain] like I did until yesterday.

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“How…..? That means……I did it, I killed everyone……?”

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My kind and loving parents who continued to love me despite my Gift.

My annoying but good-natured little brother.

My beloved pet cat.

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I was the one who killed them all……?

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Unable to face reality, I got on my bike.

There are many people on the street after 10 o’clock.

The wind I feel on my body as I speed down the road tells me that this isn’t a dream.

It is all too real to be a dream.

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This world I thought to be a nightmare is the real world.

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I want to escape from this reality so I fled to the ruins.