The hallway shook like a giant was rattling the world, but Kaze walked through it as if nothing was wrong. Glitch lightning flashed above, desks floated in the air, and students screamed, running for their lives. Yet, he kept walking forward, cool as someone crossing the street.
Riko felt a change in the air as Kaze got closer. The chaos seemed to steer clear of him, as if scared to touch him. Luna squeezed Riko's jacket. Her voice was quiet against all the noise around them.
"Riko...what does he want?"
Riko couldn't answer. He could barely breathe. Kaze's steps echoed, even with the sounds of the school falling apart. Each step cut through the noise. When he got to them, he didn't waste time.
He grabbed Riko's wrist.
Not in a nice way.
Not in an angry way.
He just did it, like it was his right, like he'd been waiting to do it.
Riko winced. "Hey—Kaze, what are you doing?!"
Kaze didn't look at Riko, or even Luna. He looked at the screen on Riko's arm, which was flashing warnings as the tear in the air above them got bigger. The light from the tear reflected in Kaze's face, making him look almost not human.
He stared at the Level Screen like it was a bomb about to go off.
Luna stepped up, looking angry. "Let him go!"
Kaze didn't move. His voice was even, but it cut through the shaking building.
"This thing ruins worlds."
Riko blinked. "What?"
Kaze's grip on his wrist got tighter. Luna took another step, but a burst of glitch wind pushed her back. She covered her face as pixel dust flew around.
Riko twisted his arm, trying to get away. "Kaze, stop it! I don't know what you're talking about!"
"You don't need to know," Kaze said. "Just know this."
More glitch lightning struck down next to them. It turned a row of lockers into floating blocks, pushing a wave of force down the hall. Students screamed as the lights went out. The only light now came from the tear above and Riko's screen.
Kaze didn't even blink.
He moved Riko's arm closer, looking at the error messages like he was studying something. He didn't look angry, just sure of himself. He spoke slowly, making every word clear.
"This system ruins everything it touches. Cities. Realities." He looked at Riko. "And you're letting it hold onto you."
Riko felt cold. "Hold onto me? It picked me!"
Kaze shook his head. "No. It got you."
That word felt like a punch.
Luna's voice broke. "Got him?! He's not some sick person!"
Kaze still didn't look at her. "Then why are there rifts? Why are there monsters? Why is the building glitching? Everything started when he turned on this screen."
Riko's stomach sank. "You're saying… it's all my fault?"
"Yes."
The simple answer hurt.
Kaze finally looked at him—not with hate or fear, but like he was looking at a damaged weapon. It worked, but it was dangerous. It could be saved, but only if fixed.
"You're not the bad guy, Riko," Kaze said quietly. "But that thing on your arm? That's different."
Riko gritted his teeth. "It saved me!"
"It wants something from you," Kaze said. "They always do."
The ceiling above them cracked open even more, making the tear bigger, spilling more blue light. Pieces of the floor above fell into pixel dust. All the students were gone from this part of the school. Only the three of them were left.
The air vibrated, and the windows shook like they were about to break. Riko's screen started to glow like a heartbeat, counting down to something he didn't know.
Luna grabbed Riko's hand. "Riko, don't listen to him! The screen has saved you so many times!"
Kaze finally looked at her. He didn't look mean, just tired.
"Saving him doesn't make it good. Some things protect the people they need to stay alive."
Riko's chest felt tight. "You're talking like it's alive."
Kaze looked back at the screen. "It is."
Riko froze.
Luna's jaw tightened. "Kaze, you're nuts."
But Kaze didn't argue. He didn't yell. He just turned Riko's arm, holding the edges of the screen like he was figuring out where to push. He didn't change his face, but something in the air did. A faint pulse, like static building up around him.
"Riko," Kaze said, his voice low. "If I don't stop it now, the next rift will be bigger than a school."
Riko's heart beat fast. Really fast. "What are you going to do?"
"Fix it."
Luna stepped between them, but the pixel storm pushed her back. She coughed as the air shook.
Riko pulled his arm, but Kaze held tight. "Stop! You're hurting me!"
"You'll thank me later," Kaze said quietly.
The screen on Riko's arm flashed red as Kaze touched it. Error codes flashed by so fast Riko couldn't read them. The band shook, as if it was scared, as if it knew what was coming.
Kaze's black glove changed. Lines of light appeared on it.
Luna screamed, "RIKO, MOVE!"
Riko tried, but Kaze was stronger. Lots stronger.
The air around Kaze's hand pulsed. It was the same sound Riko heard when Kaze first showed up on the roof. It was the sound of something dangerous. Something made to stop the system.
"Kaze—NO!" Riko yelled.
Kaze finally sounded like he meant it.
"This is the only way to keep the world from breaking."
And then—
His glove glows — he tries to crush the screen.