"Summer Sea, you—"
Seeing Sakurakami Natsumi tossed into the room by two writhing tentacles, the archery club senpai rushed to catch her and turned to glance at the two monsters already locked in fierce combat. "What happened out there?"
"It's… kind of complicated." Natsumi internally cursed out Muxiaoxiao. He actually threw me in like that?
But now wasn't the time for complaints. "Anyway, thank goodness we made it in time. Otherwise… Donghua, are you okay?"
"I'm fine," the girl said weakly. Lying on the floor, she wiped her eyes. After being helped up, she looked toward the shattered window, where the monstrous battle had spilled into the infirmary.
Cracks spread across the walls, the ground trembled, and every glass pane had burst. Muxiaoxiao grimaced, glancing down at his own tentacles, half of them already shredded. Didn't expect this elite miniboss to be this strong.
In terms of raw tentacle power, he had the upper hand. But whenever he shredded one of the worm's limbs, that disgusting creature used its puckered, gaping mouth to chomp down on his.
A brutal stalemate.
Should I run? The thought crossed Muxiaoxiao's mind. He glanced at the battered group of students. Honestly, if he hadn't shown up, that girl—Donghua—would've definitely been defiled by the monster… right in front of her own brother.
Seriously? This is straight out of a nukige...
Muxiaoxiao hated these kinds of yellow-haired hentai plots. Still, whatever his frustration, his own survival came first. But just as he resolved to bolt, he caught a glimpse of Natsumi's face among the students.
Hands clutched tightly over her chest, staring straight at him with worry.
Natsumi was genuinely anxious. After all, this was the first monster strong enough to give him real trouble. Would he be okay?
She was really worried.
Muxiaoxiao sighed deeply.
If I just run, none of these girls will escape. They'll become broodmares for this thing... He glanced at his system panel:
[Evolution Points: 68/100]
"Even if I've turned into a monster… my morals, my emotions, and my feelings are still human."
Judging from its condition, the worm was worse off. He narrowly dodged its lunging, puckered maw and clung to the ceiling, his tentacles launching like raindrops, stabbing into the monster's back.
Splat splat splat——!
"GAAAAAAAA———!!"
The monstrous worm howled in agony and thrashed, trying to bite at the tentacles. Muxiaoxiao endured the pain and continued to twist and rip into its body. Filthy, sticky blood splattered everywhere.
Slice—! Rip—!
Sssssshk—!!
The worm's movements weakened, but in a final desperate burst, it launched its last tentacle—not at Muxiaoxiao, but straight at the students.
Natsumi and the others froze in terror.
Muxiaoxiao reacted quickly, dashing in and severing the tentacle before it reached them. Then he poured every last ounce of strength into tearing the worm apart.
Splat—!!
Chunks of shredded flesh sprayed across the infirmary floor. Muxiaoxiao's tentacles drooped, ragged and bleeding. He ignored his injuries, frowning as he stared at Donghua.
That needle… it was fired from the tentacle. So its final move was—
He'd seen it clearly. Just before destroying the monster's last limb, a thin needle—no thicker than a hair—had shot out and embedded itself in Donghua's leg.
Too fast to stop.
"Whatever. I'm no saint. I can't save everyone anyway." At least Natsumi was safe. He glanced at the system again.
[Evolution Points +50] — enough to trigger his first evolution.
His injuries suddenly didn't seem that important.
Muxiaoxiao turned and leapt out the window.
"Wait—!"
Natsumi snapped out of her daze just in time to see him leave. His tentacles were covered in horrifying wounds—it made her heart ache. Why was he so quick to leave? He should be resting, recovering…
She was worried. The concern was plain on her face.
Yakumo-senpai, bow slung across her back, gave Natsumi a strange look.
Why is she so worried about that monster?
"That thing's still a monster," Matsubara Tomokazu muttered. "Even injured, it could kill us all."
"What do you mean by that?" Natsumi snapped, frowning. "He saved us! He saved Donghua! If he hadn't shown up, we'd all be—"
She bit her lip, remembering the fates of the other girls.
"…I know," Tomokazu said. "I'm grateful he saved her. But it's still a monster. We don't know what it's really thinking. It could turn on us at any time."
He can communicate! Natsumi wanted to shout, but was cut off again by her childhood friend.
"Natsumi, it's just too dangerous."
Natsumi trembled. Hearing Tomokazu call him a monster over and over again… it made her feel awful inside. Her eyes glistened.
He wasn't wrong—he was worried about her. But somehow, that only made it hurt more.
It wasn't for herself she was sad.
It was for Muxiaoxiao.
Tomokazu had never seen his childhood friend look like this. His heart trembled.
Natsumi turned away, silent.
Tomokazu sighed in relief. "Besides, I didn't chase him off—he left on his own."
Still, Natsumi didn't respond.
Yakumo-senpai wanted to break the tension, thinking the same thing: That tentacle monster really is different. Natsumi's reaction said as much—she clearly knew something.
"Let's not dwell on this. We need to—Donghua?!"
In Yakumo's arms, Matsubara Donghua suddenly convulsed. The senpai's eyes widened as blue veins bulged across Donghua's neck. Her eyes turned crimson, streaked with blood.
"AaaaAAAAHHH!!"
"Donghua?! What's happening?!"
The others rushed to her side, just in time to see tentacles erupt from her back.
They all recoiled instinctively.
"What is this?! Why is she turning into…?! Donghua?! Answer me!" Tomokazu crumpled to the floor in disbelief.
My sister… she has tentacles now?!
Donghua blinked in confusion at her own body, then looked up at her shocked friends. "Big Brother…"
Her vacant look suddenly twisted into a sly smile, gleaming with madness and darkness.
"Kuku… I never thought I'd turn out like this…"
Donghua?
Was that really still Donghua?
"Run!! Get out of here!!" Natsumi screamed.
"What are you saying?! Donghua is still there! She—"
"You said it yourself: monsters are still monsters." Natsumi stared at Donghua's deranged expression, her skin crawling. "She was your sister… but now…"
Tomokazu stood frozen, shaking his head violently. "Natsumi! She's my sister! Don't lump her in with them! She's not like that thing!!"
Natsumi didn't reply. Lips pursed, her gaze was conflicted. Once, the two of them had been inseparable. She even had feelings for him—soft, budding affection.
Now, something had changed between them.
A rift had opened between childhood friends.
She said nothing, only stared at Donghua's twisted, smiling face. The grin was unfamiliar, sinister—full of malice.
Suddenly, Natsumi's thoughts stalled.
Wait… Donghua turned into a monster. But what about him? He can talk, eat, use a phone, even type… and he has a name!
Could he… have once been human too?
A daring thought bloomed in her heart.