Totsuka had changed back into his school uniform, the flush from intense exercise still lingering on his white cheeks. He stood before Darius, nervously clutching the hem of his shirt, while his eyes sparkled with a strange gleam.
It was no longer the fear or confusion from when they first met. It was the kind of reverence and fanaticism ordinary humans possessed after witnessing a miracle.
"Darius-kun..." his voice trembled slightly, carrying a worshipful tone like he was in a trance, "You're amazing..."
With just a tape-wrapped racket, Darius could produce attacks capable of bending metal poles. That kind of power had surpassed his entire understanding of physics.
"That's just basic operation." Darius tucked his "lightsaber handle" back into the back of his waist with a flat tone, as if he had just done something trivial. "Your evasion training bore tangible results. You successfully survived when facing saturated attacks from the 'Hayato' series clone. Worthy of commendation."
"Clone..." Totsuka murmured the word though not fully understanding.
"Remember my words." Darius's expression became serious. He stepped forward, looking directly into Totsuka's eyes. "Stay away from Hayama Hayato. His very existence carries a data assimilation protocol. Long-term contact will cause your individual characteristics to be covered and absorbed by his 'standard template', until finally you become just a faceless soldier in his legion of troops."
Totsuka shuddered imagining the future prospect contained in those words, then nodded vigorously.
"I understand!"
"Good." Darius nodded with satisfaction. "Starting today, you are external support personnel for SCP Sobu High Branch. Your task is to use your 'Charm' ability to monitor abnormal energy fluctuations in the school environment, and report to me at any time."
He paused, then spoke in a tone as if bestowing the highest honor: "I give you the codename: 'Nightmare'."
"Nightmare..." Totsuka murmured to himself. Instead of fear, his eyes radiated joy at being entrusted with great responsibility.
Beside them, Yukino sipped her black tea in silence, trying to use the bitter taste of tea leaves to numb her nearly collapsing nerves. She had given up. Trying to correct Darius was like trying to be logical with a black hole; in the end you would only be distorted by its gravity and sucked in along with all your common sense.
Meanwhile, Yui clapped beside them: "Wonderful! Totsuka-kun is joining us too! Our organization is getting bigger!"
After seeing off Totsuka who left with emotional gratitude and promised to complete the "monitoring mission", the Service Club—no, SCP Sobu High Branch—returned to calm for a moment.
Darius had just been about to conduct a review of the earlier "Exorcism Ritual" when the club room door was knocked softly.
The three of them turned. At the threshold stood a cute short-haired girl with hair clips wearing a sailor uniform. She peeked half her body in, her large eyes radiating slight anxiety and curiosity as she scanned the room's contents.
"Um... excuse me, is this the Service Club?"
The girl's voice was clear and cheerful, like flowing water in a small stream.
Upon seeing this girl, Darius's pupils slightly contracted. He didn't assume an exaggerated defensive position like when facing Totsuka, but rather leaned forward slightly with a gaze as sharp as an eagle, as if scanning very precise instruments.
[Target scan in progress...]
[Individual identification: Hikigaya Komachi]
[Species: Human (Larva)]
[Characteristics: High IQ, possesses extremely strong logical induction and emotional manipulation abilities, holds absolute control over 'Older Brother' unit.]
[Danger Level Assessment: B+ (Potential Threat)]
"Yes, correct." Yukino set down her teacup and answered formally, but her tone was much gentler than usual. Clearly the girl's cute appearance had lowered her vigilance.
The girl breathed a sigh of relief, entered, and bowed to the three of them: "Thank goodness! My name is Hikigaya Komachi, first-year female student. I came to... ask for help with something."
"Please sit." Yukino pointed to the chair in front of her.
After Komachi sat down, she placed both hands on her knees with a worried expression unsuited to her age.
"It's about my older brother." She got straight to the point.
"Your older brother?" Yui asked curiously.
"Yes, my older brother is Hikigaya Hachiman from Class 2-F."
As soon as that name was mentioned, Yukino and Yui's expressions became somewhat subtle. That solitary young man who always had dead fish eyes could be said to be a celebrity in a certain sense at school.
Darius remained expressionless, as if that name was just irrelevant data.
"What abnormality has appeared in your older brother?" He asked with precise and cold word choice.
Komachi was stunned for a moment, seemingly not expecting to be asked in that way, but she quickly reacted with an increasingly worried face.
"My older brother... he's been very strange lately."
She organized her words and slowly told her story: "Lately he's always coming home very late. Every time he comes home, he looks very tired, and his gaze... is even more lifeless than usual. When I ask him where he went, he won't say, he just says he's been contemplating life outside."
"Contemplating life?" Darius snorted coldly. "Standard answer template after memory manipulation."
"Moreover." The furrow in Komachi's brow deepened, "The strangest thing is there's always a smell clinging to his body."
"Smell?" Yukino pressed.
Komachi tried sniffing, as if trying to recall that scent.
"Umm... a smell that's... hard to explain." She said confusedly. "A bit like... the smell of soil and rotten leaves mixed together after rain. Damp, and there's a bit of... earthy fishy smell."
As soon as those words were spoken, Darius suddenly stood with an unprecedentedly serious expression.
He stared sharply at Komachi, and uttered each word with emphasis:
"That's the smell of corpses."
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