Ryu stood at the edge of the school rooftop, facing Alice.
"Teach me," he said, fists clenched. "I need to control it. I can't keep waking up afraid of myself."
Alice studied him, her heterochromatic eyes gleaming in the sunlight. "Fine. But this isn't a game, Ryu. What you carry inside you… it wants to consume everything. Including you."
They trained in secret, on the school rooftop after hours. Meditation. Energy focus. Breathing.
Alice showed him how to stabilize his emotions. How to listen to the inner silence before the voice started to whisper. How to resist.
But it wasn't easy. The mark on his chest pulsed each time he closed his eyes.
"Don't fight the fear," Alice said. "Acknowledge it. That's how you weaken its hold."
Later, she conjured an illusion—a shadowy creature that lunged at him with claws of flame. Ryu fought back with instinct, but halfway through, something snapped. His eyes turned red. He howled, black energy bursting from his hand.
Alice blocked the attack.
"Ryu! Stop! That's not you!"
He dropped to his knees, panting, eyes wide with horror.
"I almost—I nearly hurt you."
"But you didn't," she said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You pulled back. That matters. You're not lost yet."
The next day, Ren approached him after class.
"That girl, Mizuki... she keeps watching you. Almost like she's measuring something."
Ryu tried to laugh it off, but Haruto joined them.
"People say weird things are happening around you, man. Shadows moving. Lights flickering. Even teachers are whispering. You good?"
Ryu hesitated, then nodded. "I'm trying."
"If something's going on, we got your back," Haruto said. "We always have."
Ryu smiled faintly. For once, he felt less alone.
Far across the courtyard, Mizuki stood by a tree, eyes narrowed.
"He's resisting," she whispered to herself. "Interesting... how long until you break, little host?"
That night, Alice appeared at Ryu's window.
"There's another presence," she said urgently. "I felt it. A demon just crossed into this world. And this one... it's not weak."
Ryu stood up, already grabbing his jacket.
"Then we don't have time to waste."
Alice gave a small nod. "Training's over. Next time… it's real."
The mark on Ryu's chest pulsed again—but this time, it didn't burn with fear.
It burned with resolve.