"Huuh..."
At that moment, Yoru Moonshadow's breathing was strangely erratic. It seemed like it followed a rhythm, but at the same time, it was utterly chaotic.
In truth, this was one of the body-strengthening breathing techniques from one of the worlds he had conquered.
By controlling the flow of his blood through this breathing method, he could induce a unique circulation of energy, gradually reinforcing his body. Once the foundation was properly set, his physical strength would increase by dozens, even hundreds of times.
"Haa... huu..."
But now, his face was beginning to turn pale.
Again.
Shaa... shaa...
He looked like someone suffocating, gasping desperately for breath.
Failure.
This body simply lacked the talent to learn that breathing technique.
If he were still in that world, this physique would be considered downright worthless. It wasn't even about the difficulty of the breathing art despite it being called a "Demon King's Secret Art," it was actually one of the easiest to learn. He had developed it himself by refining various martial arts from that world.
Still, there was no need to be discouraged. He had ninety-eight world systems to draw from surely one of them would suit this body.
As long as he succeeded just once, he could barely pry open the Demon King's Ring and access the treasures within. With that, he'd claim the throne of otaku culture, shaping it into the ultimate trend of his era and bask in the glory of absolute weebdom.
"Now, which one should I try next? Dangerous ones are out, and overly complicated ones too, so..."
Ding-dong.
The intercom rang. He already knew who it was and quickly answered it. A moment later, he stood by the door to receive his delivery several meals' worth of food.
Back in the living room, a feast awaited: pizzas, burgers, fried food, and more.
"Perfect. Time to try that one."
From another world, one of his Demon King abilities: Devour.
Starting simply he would begin by devouring food.
He took a massive bite out of a slice of pizza, chewing while focusing his mind intensely, trying to sense the life energy within the food. Even after processing, ingredients still retained a trace of primal vitality.
Focus. Focus. Focus. Focus. Focus... maximum focus!
Burp.
Yoru let out a bloated belch and rubbed his painfully full stomach.
Nothing. He couldn't feel a damn thing. Life energy, his ass. It was all probably because this body was just that terrible. No matter how much he focused, it was pointless.
Moving on, he spread out a giant sheet of white paper across the floor, then drew blood from himself yes, self-inflicted and began sketching an ominous-looking magic circle, like one meant for some kind of ritual sacrifice.
"Ugh... getting lightheaded..."
He was clearly suffering from blood loss.
Taking a deep breath, he cleared his throat.
"Gu-cha-na-ji... wa-ga-kyo..."
A tongue-twisting incantation that had him nearly tripping over his own syllables. It was a long one.
"Awaken, power of the bloodstained sigil!"
He shouted in a tone only a cringey chuunibyou could match.
Silence. Nothing happened.
If a crow had flown by, it would've probably cawed, "Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!"
"..."
Yeah. Another failure.
Next, he sat cross-legged like a meditating monk, trying to relax his body and open every pore. He focused entirely on sensing the atmosphere searching for some kind of magical energy, spiritual force, or elemental power.
Half an hour passed. Cold sweat dripped from his forehead.
One hour passed. His legs began to tremble.
Two hours passed. His face was pale and drenched in sweat.
Five more minutes, and Yoru finally opened his eyes. He couldn't take it anymore. He tried to stand but collapsed instantly his legs were completely numb.
He dragged himself over to the drawer under the TV and pulled out a bottle of digestion tablets his binge eating had left his stomach in ruins.
That was enough. Time to admit defeat.
Just be a normal human for once.
"...What? It's empty?"
The bottle had nothing left. His only choice now was to call an ambulance.
He reached for his phone only to remember it had been destroyed during the whole "returning to this world" fiasco.
Fine. Use the landline, then.
Wait.
He pressed the buttons. Nothing.
Upon closer inspection, the wire was cut. Probably damaged during the standoff with Miss Hiratsuka earlier.
Crap. Was he seriously going to die because of this nonsense?
Fine. He had only one option left ask the neighbor for help.
He shuffled over to unit 1507 across the hall and rang the bell.
Instead of a standard buzzing tone, the chime played a soft, elegant tune. After all, this was a luxury apartment.
No response? Asleep?
No way he'd let them sleep now he was ready to spam the doorbell like a madman
...Actually, better not.
Just as he was about to turn and leave, he heard the chilly clicks of several locks disengaging from behind the door. After a few seconds of delay...
The door opened, and Yukinoshita quietly poked her head out, giving him her usual icy stare.
She hadn't intended to answer. But through the peephole, she saw what a mess he looked like and figured out what had happened. Earlier, while taking out the trash, she saw the delivery man bringing heaps of nutrient-deficient junk food to his door.
"Come in."
Cold as ever.
Yoru blinked in surprise, then followed her inside.
A faint scent of soap lingered in the air.
Right now, Yukinoshita gave off a different vibe than usual. She wore a slightly loose, white knitted sweater that draped over her slender figure. The sleeves were too long and completely covered her hands. Her collarbone peeked out gently from beneath the wide neckline. Her long black hair was tied in a loose ponytail, resting on her chest, and her lower half was clad in a white skirt that fell just past her knees.
The living room's setup was slightly different from his own clean and minimalist, like a budget hotel room. Clearly, she had no plans to entertain guests.
However, three massive TVs stood in the room, with a collection of Panda Johnny plushies lined up neatly on the cabinet below.
"Sit there."
She pointed to a single-person couch, silently warning him not to wander.
She placed a cup of warm water and some digestion tablets in front of him.
"Take them, then leave."
Just as he reached for the pills, she grabbed his wrist, eyes narrowing sharply.
"A new wound?"
"Oh, this is "
"Shut it! That's clearly self-inflicted. What were you thinking?... Someone who doesn't even value their own body is beyond saving. If that's how you are, then why even bother..."
Like a relentless prosecutor, Yukinoshita tore into him with harsh, merciless words. Every sentence hit the mark. He had no room to argue, beads of sweat rolling down his temples.
Yoru knew now despite her frosty exterior and aloof demeanor, she was someone who'd always lend a hand to those in need. She just didn't know how to express emotions in normal social contexts. Her words, while accurate, tended to offend people by being too blunt.
And yet, as her scolding continued...
Neither of them noticed that, at that very moment, a terrifying presence that would make even the bravest tremble had silently crept into her home.