One end and one beginning

Far away, far away, far away.

Quickly, quickly, quickly.

To a place as far away as possible, to a place where there is no one.

I ran with all my might.

And...

"This place should do..."

I arrived at the desired location.

When I looked around, there were only moonlight illuminating the surroundings, a grassy area surrounded by mountains. In this place where no one was around, I could reach the end without causing any trouble.

The moon hanging in the sky was the last witness, but that was irrelevant to me.

"There were so many things..."

I reflected on my life before my final moments.

The encounter with swordsmanship. The conflict with my sister. The discord with my parents.

I also remembered how I was a target of bullying when I was in elementary school. I was ridiculed by the Star Pulse Generation for having little Star Energy and mocked as a freak by the Non-Star Pulse Generation. But that was the result of my own choices. I had no reason to be dissatisfied with being a loner.

However, a change came in my second year of junior high.

"...The Service Club, huh."

I didn't know what my state of mind was when those words came out of my mouth.

______I order you to participate in club activities here. Dissent, objections, protests, questions, backtalk will not be tolerated.

______Welcome to the Service Club, we welcome you. We will fulfill the responsibility as requested. We will correct your problems.

______Why is Hikki here!

Various requests. I resolved various troubles. There were various problems, but gradually, that place started to feel special.

But...

"What should I have done..."

The cultural festival and the school trip. Two requests that led the Service Club into disarray.

In the end, they were resolved thanks to Hachiman's self-sacrifice.

______I don't like your way of doing things.

______Think more about other people's feelings.

The darkness that enveloped my body grew larger. I gritted my teeth and tried to suppress it, but it wouldn't stop.

There was only a little time left.

"Komachi, Dad, Mom, Yukinoshita, Yuigahama, Ms. Hiratsuka."

I muttered the names of my family and the people related to the Service Club. They were precious family members, precious comrades.

But now, things were different.

"Yukinoshita-san. I understand how you feel."

Hey, Hachiman, do you know? Love and hate are two sides of the same coin.

Because they are important. Because they are precious. The stronger those feelings are, the greater the hatred becomes. And my own ability is accelerating those feelings.

"...Haruno-san, Rumirumi."

I remembered the two I last met. The two who gave their all for me. They held me back with faces that were about to cry during our parting. Their feelings provided me with a small bit of solace.

The darkness expanded. Feeling that stopping it was futile, I decided to surrender to the flow. I realized that the door deep within me had been fully opened. Along with the immense Star Energy, my ability was being released from the depths.

Lastly, I thought...

"...Come to think of it, I haven't listened to Sylvia Runeheim's song."

Such trivial things.

How much time had passed?

It might have been several tens of minutes, or maybe several hours. Hachiman Hikigaya woke up again.

He sat up and moved his body without any problems. But there was one definitive difference from before.

"...I feel great."

It was as if the worries from earlier were a lie. Family matters, school matters, Service Club matters, none of it mattered anymore.

"It's simple. Just destroy everything that's in the way and kill it! Why didn't I think of this sooner!"

If you destroy everything that's in the way and kill anything that opposes you, there won't be any problems. And I have the power to do just that.

"Hahahaha!"

I immediately understood my ability. The power of darkness. Darkness consumes and absorbs everything. I activated my ability as I imagined.

Then, the surrounding ambient particles gathered and transformed into Star Energy, becoming my power. The darkness swallowed everything as if devouring all the ambient particles in the vicinity.

And that's when it happened.

"Your power is consuming you."

I heard a voice from behind.

When I turned around, there was a young girl with butterfly-like tied-up hair standing there.

"...Who are you?"

I became more cautious and asked. In this space where darkness stretched out, I had a rough grasp of everything within a radius of one kilometer. There should have been no one around a moment ago. Yet this girl was here now.

"Well then, let's start with introductions. My name is Fan Xinglu. Nice to meet you, Hachiman Hikigaya."

She introduced herself with an innocent expression. Moreover, if she already knew my name, then her presence here was no coincidence. I remembered her name, Fan Xinglu—it sounded familiar.

"...The first-ranked member of the Kaiyō Order, Manyū Tenra."

"That's correct. Since you know, it saves me the trouble. After hearing about you from Haruno, I thought I'd like to meet you."

"...Is it about revenge?"

"It's not such a grand thing, just out of curiosity... However, your ability to manipulate darkness, I have been alive for many years, but this is the first time I've seen such an ability."

She said that and her innocent expression suddenly changed to a serious one.

"I mentioned it before, but have you realized that you're being consumed by your own power?"

"...So what? What does it matter if I'm consumed by power? It has nothing to do with you."

"I find it strange that you're maintaining your sanity in your current state. You should be going berserk, but you're still conscious... However, there seems to be a change in your personality."

She observed me calmly and accurately. I couldn't hide my frustration at her behavior.

"Why don't you get to the point?"

"Aren't impatient men disliked? Well, fine. I'll make it simple."

She smiled and then stated her conclusion.

"I'll fight you, Hachiman Hikigaya."

"...Ugh... Where... Where am I?"

"You've awakened?"

"...Haruno-san."

Rumi Tsurumi opened her eyes and saw Haruno Yukinoshita sitting in a chair, staring at her.

Realizing that she was lying on a bed and seeing the marks of treatment on Haruno's face, Rumi realized that she was in a hospital.

"Why...! Right! Where is Hachiman? Where is he?"

Remembering why she had collapsed, Rumi asked Haruno.

Haruno responded calmly, without any signs of panic.

"I don't know where Hachiman is, but you don't have to worry anymore."

"Why? How come?"

"My mentor came right after we collapsed."

"Your... mentor?"

"Yes. I entrusted Hachiman to that person. They will definitely bring Hachiman back."

"But..."

Even though Rumi knew that Haruno's mentor was strong, witnessing that extraordinary power, she couldn't fully believe those words. In an attempt to ease her anxiety, Haruno affirmed while gently stroking Rumi's head.

"Don't worry. That person is the strongest."

"Hahaha! How enjoyable, Hachiman!"

Fan Xinglu laughed as she spoke to Hachiman. Her ferocious smile didn't match that of a young girl, but she didn't seem particularly concerned about it.

"There!"

In response to Hachiman's shout, a sphere of darkness appeared in the air. Created by Hachiman's will, it could manifest anywhere. The numerous spheres that appeared, surrounding Fan Xinglu, should have been impossible to avoid.

However...

"Foolish! Foolish! You're so foolish!"

Fan Xinglu easily evaded them as she moved freely through the air. It seemed to be a technique similar to Yukinoshita Haruno's. She concentrated Star Energy in her feet, kicking through the void to move. But her speed was on a completely different level. Barely anticipating the movements while sensing the Star Energy, Hachiman managed to keep up his defenses and continued releasing his ability. However, Fan Xinglu's movements were overwhelmingly faster than the speed of the dark spheres.

And in the next moment...

"Ugh!"

Hachiman was sent flying by Xinglu's palm strike. His body floated in the air, almost about to crash into the ground, but he managed to roll and stand up.

"Oh? You concentrated the darkness to defend against my attack. Impressive. Your ability, which excels in both offense and defense, could be called versatile, and moreover..."

Xinglu stroked her right cheek with her right hand. When she moved her hand away and inspected it, there was red blood on it.

At the moment when Xinglu launched her attack, she concentrated darkness and formed a defensive field. Then, she attacked in anticipation of a counterattack.

"To have withstood my strike! Hahaha! I like it! I like it, Hachiman!"

At the same time she spoke, an oppressive aura emanated from Xinglu's entire body, as if crushing everything. In such an environment, where an ordinary person would faint just from the pressure, the two collided.

"More! Stir me up more, Hachiman!"

"...I'll kill you!"

On an early morning in November.

A battle between two Star Pulse Generation members occurred in the northern part of the Kanto region.

However, no one was there to witness it, and the grassy area where it took place turned into a wasteland overnight.

The next day, local residents discovered it, and the police investigated, but the cause was never determined.

"Ugh... It's... so hot..."

In the midst of drowsiness, a voice was heard.

"Even if... you're... waking up..."

With that vaguely familiar voice as a clue, consciousness gradually began to awaken.

"Get... changed... and... finish..."

And as consciousness returned and the eyes opened...

"...Ah, you've awakened. Hachiman."

There, a young girl wiped the wet towel on the half-naked body of Hachiman Hikigaya.

Upon seeing his own state, the first action Hachiman took was...

"I'll do anything, so please forgive me."

He prostrated himself and apologized.

"Hehehehe!"

"...There's no need to laugh so much."

"Well, sorry, sorry. I didn't expect you to react that way when I took care of you."

"It just looks like a criminal scene with a half-naked man being approached by a young girl."

"Indeed, it may seem that way, but if I'm doing it willingly, it's your misunderstanding, isn't it?"

"Well, I guess you're right."

Fan Xinglu, who was laughing in a seemingly good mood, and Hachiman Hikigaya with a sullen expression.

After that, Hachiman had his sweat wiped by Xinglu and changed back into his pajamas. He got into bed and sat up with his upper body, talking with Xinglu.

"Would you like some water? It's been three days since you collapsed. You must be thirsty."

"...Thank you."

Hachiman took the glass and drank the water. His throat was indeed parched, and he drank it all.

Taking a breath, Hachiman turned to continue the conversation, but Xinglu gently laid him down on his side.

"You still have a fever. Lie down. I'm sure you have many things you want to ask, but it can wait until you recover."

"But..."

"Don't worry. Yukinoshita Haruno, Rumi Tsurumi, and your sister, Komachi Hikigaya, are all safe. There have been no casualties, including the robber."

"I see... Thank you, Fan Xinglu."

"Just call me Xinglu. No need for formal language. By the way, Hachiman, are you hungry?"

As soon as she asked, Hachiman's stomach growled loudly.

"Heh, having an appetite is a good thing. Just wait a moment."

Saying so, Xinglu left the room.

Left alone, Hachiman looked around while lying on his back.

The room was covered in tatami mats, with his futon and another futon next to it. There was a bucket of ice water with a towel by the bedside. It seemed to be a Japanese-style bedroom. Of course, he had no recollection of it.

"...Where am I?"

"Open wide and say 'aah.'"

"No, I can eat by myself."

"What are you saying? Patients should listen obediently. Now, open wide and say 'aah.'"

Hachiman brought the spoon to his mouth. The well-cooked rice and perfectly seasoned porridge had a delicious flavor.

"...It's delicious."

"That's good to hear. Would you like to eat more?"

"...Thank you."

As he continued eating, his appetite grew. Before he realized it, the pot was empty, and he had finished the porridge.

"Thank you for the meal."

"You're welcome. Well, your appetite seems to be satisfied. Now, we just have to wait for the fever to go down..."

Xinglu placed her hand on Hachiman's forehead to check his temperature.

"The fever is still high. It'll take a little longer."

"...I've never had a fever before."

"Star Pulse Generation members don't usually need doctors. In your case, your body couldn't keep up with the changes due to the release of Star Energy. Well, it'll be a few more days."

Hachiman agreed with Xinglu's explanation, but suddenly, something came to mind.

"...By the way, are there other people in this house?"

"Why the sudden question?"

"Well, if there are family members, I'd like to greet them... It's not just me, right?"

"I'm the only one here. And to be clear, I don't have any blood relatives."

"...I mentioned earlier that I had been unconscious for three days. During that time, the care... Could it be..."

"Yes, it was only me. Don't worry about it. Taking care of someone for a few days is nothing. I've experienced it before, so it's not a problem."

"Oh... I see. Sorry."

"In times like this, instead of apologizing, you should say 'thank you.'"

Following Xinglu's advice, Hachiman reached out and patted the head of the young girl in front of him. While stroking her head, he expressed his gratitude.

"Thank you, Xinglu... By the way, is something wrong?"

Hachiman couldn't help but feel curious when he saw Xinglu's expression as she looked at him. The young girl gazed at him with a puzzled expression. It wasn't that she disliked it, nor was she particularly happy. If anything, she seemed to be bewildered.

"Well... It's just that this is the first time someone has patted my head, I think."

"Is that so?"

"...Yes."

Since it seemed like she wanted him to continue, Hachiman decided to pat her head a little longer.

He, who possessed the power of the Universe Fabric, accepted being patted on the head. If Xinglu's disciples saw this scene, they would surely claim it was a dream, an illusion, or even an enemy's mental attack.

From an outsider's perspective, it looked like an older brother patting his younger sister's head, and the scene continued for a while.

...

"Haruno, how is your condition?"

"I'm managing somehow. Oh, by the way, the information manipulation you asked for is complete."

"I see. Good work. For now, things have settled down."

Xinglu and Yukinoshita Haruno were reporting their respective situations to each other through a spatial window.

"...How about Hachiman? Is he doing well?"

"He's physically fine. He still has a fever now, but it'll be gone soon... The real concern is his emotional well-being."

"..."

"We can't confirm the emotional scars like we can with physical wounds. Nobody knows how much he's been hurt."

"Is it impossible to send him back to his family?"

"Stop it. Just mentioning his sister, Komachi Hikigaya, caused such a strong reaction. I've heard a bit about his circumstances from you, but it won't end well if he meets his sister or family in his current state."

Xinglu recalled Hachiman's condition. When he mentioned Komachi Hikigaya's name, his abilities unconsciously began to manifest along with his agitation. It was easy to imagine what would happen if he were to meet his sister or family.

"I guess it's impossible... like me."

"...Abilities reflect a person's essence. I've told you this before."

"Yeah..."

"He was completely consumed by his abilities when we met that night. He was completely different from the person I spoke to earlier."

"That's..."

Haruno couldn't find the words to respond to Xinglu's description of Hachiman's condition.

"He must have gone through something significant. Abilities and the intense desire to kill don't simply appear. Whether it's his family, friends, or some other factor, we don't know the exact cause..."

At that point, they paused the conversation.

"He's longing for human warmth, that's for sure. Despite being timid and overly cautious about others' goodwill, he has an odd boldness. That's Hachiman."

"Well... did Hachiman do something to you, Xinglu?"

"Hehe, it's a secret. Well, Haruno, I'm thinking of proposing something to Hachiman."

Saying that, Xinglu sent Haruno some data.

"...Eh! Wait! Are you serious, Xinglu!"

"Yes, I am serious. I wouldn't make such a proposal as a joke."

"I understand that, but..."

"Well, it's just a proposal. The choice is up to him. So, what do you think?"

Haruno pondered for a moment.

"...Depending on the conditions, I think he might accept it. Honestly, I don't think Hachiman is unaware of his own issues."

"I see. That's what I thought. By the way, Haruno, what are your plans for the future?"

"I'll stay in Soubu for a while. I'm concerned about Rumi-chan, and there are things I want to investigate. Besides, depending on the outcome of the proposal, it might be better for me to take action, right?"

Xinglu nodded, satisfied with Haruno's answer.

"Indeed, that makes sense. Oh, about Tsurumi Rumi, she's a valuable healing ability user. Can we somehow recruit her?"

"It might be difficult. She's still in elementary school, and I doubt her parents would allow it."

"...I guess there's no help for it. But please subtly suggest the idea of recruitment."

"Understood... By the way, I'm curious. How did you explain your absence at school? I think it would cause quite a commotion if Astelisk suddenly disappeared."

"I was in a hurry at that time. I just informed Akatsuki Hikage that I would be absent for a while, so there was no need for further communication."

"...Um, is that all?"

"That's all."

Haruno couldn't help but smile wryly at Xinglu's answer.

"...The school's spies must have been in a frenzy. And Toramine might have a stomachache."

"Don't exaggerate. It's not that serious without me."

"The influence of Universe Fabric is quite something... Sorry, it's my fault that things turned out like this."

"No need to worry. Thanks to that, I was able to meet him."

Xinglu recalled the fierce battle from that night.

"Hachiman was amazing, Haruno. The Star Energy growing stronger with time, the ability to adapt and change according to the situation, and the unwavering intent to kill me until the end... It was an incredible night."

Xinglu spoke with a dreamy expression. Her expression was as if...

"You have the expression of a girl in love, Xinglu."

"Is that so? Well, you could say it's not entirely wrong."

"What! Seriously!?"

"I fell for his talent. In that sense, you could say I'm in love. Honestly, I can't wait to train him."

"Oh, I see. If you mean it that way, then I understand."

"...By the way, Haruno. Am I the only one who fell for him?"

"What do you mean?"

Haruno averted her gaze from Xinglu, who was looking at her with a smug expression.

"Honesty is the best policy. Especially with someone like Hachiman."

"...It's none of your business."

"As one gets older, they want to take care of young people. Take it as advice from an older person."

"...What are you talking about, being a single-digit age in physical appearance?"

Haruno pouted and turned away, and Xinglu found it amusing.

"You've become more straightforward and show more age-appropriate emotions compared to when you first came to Astelisk."

While feeling happy about it, Xinglu continued the conversation with Haruno.

...

"...So, I fell for him."

Xinglu took a towel from the bucket of ice water, wrung it out, and placed it on Hachiman's forehead as he slept. She muttered to herself.

"I fell for his talent. That's for sure..."

While saying that, Xinglu found it difficult to gauge her own feelings.

The actions of those who knew the name and power of the Universe Fabric generally fell into two categories: caution and fear, or admiration and worship.

However, the person in front of her didn't fall into either category.

"...It was my first time."

Without fear or worship, just accepting things as they were. That's how she felt when her head was gently patted, as if interacting with an ordinary young child. Unable to hide her uneasiness from the simple act, she let herself be carried away by the comfort.

"Finding joy in being patted on the head... Am I too attached to the physical aspect?"

Xinglu stared intently at Hachiman's face. She noticed sweat dripping from his face and wiped it away with another towel.

"Yes, that should do."

Xinglu had one conviction. If she trained him, he would be able to fight seriously. No, in the future, he might even be able to experience defeat. That realization made her body tremble with joy.

But it was currently impossible.

The immense power of Star Energy that he demonstrated that night had subsided. He was likely unconsciously suppressing a certain level of Star Energy. It was an incredible self-awareness.

However, in his current mentally fragile state, there was also the possibility of another outburst. And the power he could unleash in such a state would be nothing more than blind strength that could lead to self-destruction, something Xinglu didn't prefer.

"First, I'll train his body and help him control his abilities. Simultaneously, I'll educate him in knowledge and teach him the ways of Star Arts. We don't have much time, so it won't be an easy schedule."

Xinglu started planning the training. Just as a solid foundation is necessary to build a good building, a strong foundation is required to become significantly stronger.

"...Hikigaya Hachiman."

At first, it was out of curiosity. Taking him as a disciple solely for the sake of her goal. It was supposed to be the same as before...

But now, Xinglu realized that she wanted more than that.

"I want you, Hachiman."

Two days later, early in the morning.

When Hachiman woke up and looked beside him, the other futon was folded, and Xinglu was nowhere to be seen.

Feeling completely recovered, he got out of bed and noticed a change of clothes placed next to his pillow.

He thought Xinglu had prepared them and changed from his pajamas.

As he left the room and entered the hallway, he suddenly felt the urge to see the outside scenery. He headed towards the entrance and opened the door.

The first thing he felt was the dazzling morning sunlight and the cold wind. The next thing he saw was the snowy landscape stretching all around. He noticed a single footprint at his feet. Following the footprints, he saw a familiar figure standing near the edge of the cliff. As he approached...

"It's a beautiful place, isn't it?"

Without looking at him, Xinglu spoke. He continued walking and stood next to her.

"Good morning... It's a beautiful view."

"Yes, good morning. I discovered this place when I was wandering with my disciples in various locations in the past. It's known for having a denser concentration of Universe Fabric than other places. It's a perfect place for training."

The current location seemed to be at a high elevation. The surrounding area was filled with mountains and forests, all dyed white by the snow. There were no buildings nearby, except for a traditional Japanese house that appeared to be the only one Hachiman could see.

"It seems your condition has improved."

"Yeah... Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, go ahead and ask."

Their gazes intertwined.

"...On that day, I fought against my sister and Haruno-san. As a result, I destroyed buildings and hurt various people. Normally, I should have been taken into custody by the police... Why didn't that happen?"

"What about it?"

Smiling wryly, Xinglu answered.

"I applied pressure and manipulated information. That's why you weren't captured by the police."

"...Is that even possible?"

"You must be aware that the current world is under the control of the Unified Corporate Body. If it benefits them, certain things can be overlooked. While I don't have as much power as them, I still hold some influence. This time, I was able to make use of it."

"Why...?"

"Hmm?"

"Why did you go to such lengths for me?"

Hachiman didn't understand. If Xinglu's words were true, it meant that she did it for his sake. He couldn't believe he had that much value.

"...As I've heard, you have a low self-esteem."

With a tone that commanded attention, Xinglu continued.

"After all, you defeated Yukinoshita Haruno. You became the third-ranked in the hierarchy of the World Dragon. Few exist in Astelisk who can defeat the current him, who has surpassed the wall."

"But, at that time, I..."

"Did you go out of control? That is also part of your power. Even if you can't control it now, if you continue to train, you will eventually be able to master it."

"...That power, huh?"

A dark abyss crossed his mind. Defeating his sister, defeating acquaintances, and eventually...

He remembered, and his body began to tremble, but the warmth that covered his hand stopped it.

"...Sorry. I brought back those memories."

Looking apologetic, Xinglu spoke. Her hands enveloped Hachiman's left hand.

Hachiman looked at Xinglu again. Her small body, small hands... She didn't seem like the opponent he faced that night.

"...By the way, I didn't thank you properly."

"Thank me?"

"Yeah... Thank you for stopping me that day. I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't."

He bowed his head in gratitude.

"Don't worry about it. It served my purpose as well."

"Purpose?"

Xinglu nodded.

"I have one purpose. No, meeting you made it three."

"That's a lot."

Chuckling, Xinglu continued her explanation.

"One, I wanted to assess your true strength. I was eager to meet the person who defeated Haruno. The result... was incredible."

Xinglu smiled happily.

"Two, I want you to live with me for a while. You're like a sword without a sheath right now. Until you train yourself and control your abilities, even daily life will be difficult."

Hachiman nodded at those words. He was aware of that himself.

"And three..."

Suddenly, Xinglu hesitated.

When Hachiman looked at her face, she appeared anxious as she looked back at him, her eyes trembling with uncertainty, like a lost child.

"What's the third one?"

He urged her to continue slowly.

And as if the hesitation had disappeared, she looked up at him with a serious expression.

And she said...

"A proposal that will change Hikigaya Hachiman's fate."