On the rooftop, there were chairs arranged in a semi-circle. In them were Harumi and Kitome. The heat wasn’t too bad thanks to the cool breeze and clouds that passed over the group. Clyde sat next to Harumi.

“Are you alright?” she asked before he had the chance to tear Toru a new one. Her big, glistening eyes doused his anger like a summer rain donning on a campfire.

“Be straight with me,” he said to the group. “Something…isn’t—”

As if summoned, Chika came through the door, eyes bright, cheerful expression stirring the guilt within him hard.

“Sorry I’m late,” she said then sat in the open chair next to Clyde. She sat close enough that her sweet-smelling perfume threatened to entice him. “Toru invited me to the meeting.”

Clyde shot Toru a glare. Toru hid within a blank stare.

“What were you going on about?” Kitome said.

“Later,” Clyde said. “Men stuff I’ll discuss with Toru. Right now, we have a guest.”

He could feel Chika’s vibe around him, an air that shimmered with enough happiness to fix a city. Unnatural happiness.

Toru began the meeting with an overview of the fights for Chika’s sake. He explained the demon lord threat, the gifted, and monster. The silver-haired girl asked a few questions, which got answered.

“Will you join us? We could use your help,” Toru said.

“And how many times do I have to tell you,” Chika said. “I’m not cut out for any fighting. I do want to support you guys, help Clyde. I’m not happy to see him brought into this crap.” Her voice was sharp like a knife’s edge, at the end.

“Think about it,” Toru said. “Anyway, let’s speak battle strategy.”

He glared at Kitome.

“What?” the blue-haired anime girl said. Toru let the glare roll for another fifteen seconds then lectured. After he finished, getting the party’s agreement, his eyes landed on Clyde.

“Just who are you?”

“Pardon?” Clyde said, giving him a skeptical look.

“Who are you? A weakling…no not a weakling, but a power level that low shouldn’t be able to stand up to levels that far exceed your own. It’s like you’re breaking the rules.”

“Look man, I am who I am,” Clyde said. “Besides, we’ve got a new problem to add to our stew. Actually two.”

Everyone looked surprised when he brought up the subject of Alice’s father. He told them how they must challenge the demon lord for the city. The alarm in their eyes didn’t fade when he finished off with Seth’s tale and the bad feelings he got about the monster.

“Well, you know the deal,” Toru said. “We meet up at eight and kick some ass. Assuming we don’t run into something beyond us. Are you sure you don’t want to join us, Chika?”

“Let me think on it a bit.” She stood up. “My ride’s here, so I’m heading home first. Want to come, Clyde?”

Red flags burned from the invitation. Well, not really, but he decided not to chance it. Why Chika? His funny, lovable friend. Her smile felt wrong. The jealous aura….it wasn’t visible, but he felt it. On the corner of his eye, Harumi was too close to him—talking to Kitome but sitting very close.

Defiance flooded through Clyde’s blood. No one, no matter how crazy, was going to dictate his life. Fuck that.

“I appreciate the offer,” he said, “but I’ve got a few more things to do at the school. Go on ahead without me.”

“Awe,” she said. “Be careful on your way home. Can’t wait to see you tomorrow.” She winked and was off. The brief flash of utter hatred Chika gave to Harumi didn’t miss Clyde’s eyes.

Fifteen minutes later, after Chika was long gone, Clyde and Harumi walked home.

“Is there something about Chika you guys are not telling me,” Clyde said.

“You mean her powers?” Harumi said. “I didn’t know anything about it until the meeting today. I really don’t talk to Chika.”

Clyde felt a lost cause with this and let the topic drop. Without proof, he couldn’t do much with his accusations. He sure as shit wasn’t going to let some anime girl kill him, but Chika’s type was known to have supernatural strength. Deep slash level fifteen. Why wouldn’t the knife be included in the full package?

One thing he wasn’t going to let get into his mind was: a naive ideal about saving the girl. He’d love to, but the trope was impossible. If she killed anyone, Clyde wasn’t having it. He wouldn’t take the law into his own hands unless for self-defense. It was a miracle Chika hadn’t broken into his apartment yet, though he wouldn’t doubt that she tried. All it would take is one level boost to the relationship and boom, who knows? What if he canceled plans for the following day? Would the stats drop?

He wished he could do what some dumb main characters did: pass this whole ordeal off as paranoia, but he wasn’t stupid. That glitchy type, deep slash level fucking fifteen, and triple thrust. Chika…sweet and funny Chika was undoubtably a fucking Yandere. He was warned in the beginning and still somehow ended up befriending one. Thanks to the goddamn system. Yet…besides from the look she gave the pink-haired girl, Chika hadn’t harmed anyone. There was another type of Yandere, slightly less psycho. Overly-loving, but less stabby-stabby. The silver-haired girl’s stats didn’t present a feasible case…

When Harumi stepped into her apartment, cheerfully waving Clyde off, he nearly stepped on something.

[You have found a Defense card. Item class: bizarre. King’s Last Hold, a highly sought-after card that once belonged to a legendary deck.]

[The cards effect’s and abilities cannot be revealed to you until the contract is formed.]

Yet another nuisance. He’d deal with it later. He saw no point of stressing out over cards he could sell online for a decent price. There was something about them that pulled in his curiosity.

[Quest: Look into the mysterious cards. This question is mandatory and cannot be refused. Reward: Unknown.]

Clyde opened his door. He almost laughed at the sight of Alice lying on his couch, flipping through TV channels.

“You humans sure are strange,” she said. “So many mating rituals for simple sex. And why do men spend thousands of dollars? You’d save more money with escorts.” She shook her head.

Clyde laughed then headed to his room. He set his bag on the floor, turned around ready to join the young woman in the living room, but there she stood, sly look on her face.

“I won’t be robbed like this morning,” she said then before he knew it, the demoness kissed him.