"Suzune... and everyone from the ICU..."
Although their faces were blurry, he could tell from their silhouettes that these were the most important people in his life!
Kinoshita Tatsuya walked forward. He didn't know if he could reach them, but he hoped to be just a little closer, even if only by a fraction...
He, Kinoshita Tatsuya, had been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of Tokyo City Hospital due to a terminal illness. It was there that he met the girl who gave him hope, and it was also there that he witnessed his hope turn into hellish despair.
About two years ago, the patients fighting the disease alongside him in the ICU died one after another until he was the only one left. Tatsuya knew he wasn't far from death. He had planned to give up treatment and use his remaining time to see the world before dying quietly.
But then... that girl, as bright as the sun, appeared.
"Mr. Tatsuya, please don't give up on yourself. Even if you give up, I won't give up on treating you!"
In Tatsuya's memory, Suzune always wore a silly, happy smile. No one knew what she was so happy about; they only remembered how hard she worked. That radiant smile warmed countless people, including himself.
When he made it clear he was beyond saving and wanted to stop treatment, Suzune patiently urged him to continue. She would claim, mindlessly yet with absolute certainty, "Mr. Tatsuya's illness will definitely get better."
Even after learning his family wasn't wealthy, she took the initiative to supplement his expenses from her meager income. This act warmed him to his core. Tatsuya felt that such a beautiful girl was perhaps the most beautiful scenery in the world. In his final moments, staying by her side and watching her heart-warming smile seemed like a good way to go.
Ultimately, he chose to sell his family home and stay in the ICU to remain by Suzune's side. Though his condition worsened by the day, sometimes making it difficult even to take a single step, his mood was exceptionally good, filled with a deep sense of happiness.
About three months ago, he accidentally learned that Suzune was to be promoted to head nurse and had become the fiancée of a wealthy businessman. He felt no resentment; instead, he sincerely blessed her. He truly believed that a girl as radiant as Suzune deserved happiness and all the beauty in the world.
He thought Suzune would live a happy life, but the good times didn't last. Her colleagues were jealous. The current head nurse took the lead in isolating and bullying her. Tatsuya wanted to help, but he was beaten by them. At that time, he was already terminally ill and close to death; he couldn't even beat a child, so how could he be a match for those women?
Even so, Suzune continued to care for him happily and thanked him gently. Her forbearance did not earn the sympathy or apologies of her colleagues. Instead, they intensified their bullying, eventually throwing sulfuric acid on her face and ruining her life.
In the end, Kinoshita Tatsuya watched with his own eyes as Suzune committed suicide, collapsing before him...
Suzune's death left him devastated. He left the city hospital, wanting to leave this painful world, and that was when that man appeared.
"You seem very angry, don't you?"
"How pitiful. You are so angry, yet your body is so fragile that you have no way to vent your rage and hatred!"
"Someone like you probably wouldn't be happy even if you went to the world of dreams, would you?"
"How about this? I'll turn you into a demon. It just so happens that 'that person' gave me a quota to transform people into Berserk Demons for his use."
"What do you think? As long as you become a Berserk Demon, you can do whatever you want. You can even resurrect the girl in your heart..."
The man called himself Enmu, Lower Moon One of the Twelve Kizuki. Tatsuya didn't care about the man, but his heart shook at his words. If he became a demon, he could resurrect Suzune!
Thinking of this, he accepted Enmu's gift without hesitation and instantly grew into an abnormal demon. After devouring a few passersby, he obtained a Blood Demon Art called Inner Demon Manifestation, which could materialize the things in his heart. Finally, he created a demonic puppet that looked exactly like Suzune.
Looking at the puppet, Tatsuya's heart was filled with happiness. His Suzune was back; the old Suzune was back. Everything was back...
But he soon discovered that the Suzune before him was merely a puppet on strings, with no soul at all. Moreover, using the Blood Demon Art was exhausting. He was hungry...
So, he looked toward Tokyo City Hospital. The nurses there dared to bully Suzune, the doctors and the director stood by and did nothing, and Suzune's fiancé had the gall to abandon such a kind girl!
They... all deserved to die!
So, he acted. Under the guise of avenging Suzune, under the banner of strengthening his Blood Demon Art to fully resurrect the Suzune in his heart, he went to satisfy his own appetite.
...
"Heh, what revenge? What resurrection... these were all just my self-deceptions. To satisfy my hunger, I lied to myself that it was all for Suzune."
"I knew Suzune was dead. I clearly knew it! But I was just too hungry, so I deceived myself and used Suzune's name as an excuse to eat those people."
"That kid was right. I am the one who tarnished Suzune's kindness."
"I really want to see Suzune. I want to thank her in person for giving me the hope to live, but she is dead. It's impossible for me to see her again..."
"That's not true."
Just then, a warm and gentle hand rested lightly on his shoulder. As he recognized his true self, the hazy blood mist surrounding him completely dissipated. Suzune had appeared beside him at some point, along with the five patients from the ICU who had fought the disease with him.
"Suzune, and everyone..."
Tatsuya looked at everything before him in disbelief. Was this a dream?
"Don't cry, Mr. Tatsuya," Suzune smiled sweetly. "I told you, I'll always be watching you because I really want to see Mr. Tatsuya healthy again!"
"Let's go together, Tatsuya!" A fellow patient patted his head and laughed. "We're comrades who fought the disease together. Let's fight side by side once more!"
"That's right. Even if we're going to hell, we'll go with you!"
"Yeah, we've already experienced something as painful as fighting a disease. Are we really going to be afraid of going to hell together?"
"Well said. Let's go..."
"Wait!"
Just as everyone was about to go to hell with him, Tatsuya suddenly spoke.
"I will take responsibility for what I have done alone. You brothers have already suffered enough in this life. I cannot let you suffer with me because of my own selfishness."
"But..."
"No more talk. I've already made up my mind!"
Seeing Tatsuya's determined expression, Suzune suddenly held out her pinky and smiled sweetly. "Since Mr. Tatsuya has made up his mind, let's make a promise. If there is a next life, Mr. Tatsuya, and everyone else, you must live healthily."
Tatsuya nodded gently and reached out to hook his pinky with Suzune's.
"Yes, I promise!"
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]