"Damn it, damn it! I just swore to protect her, and she's already in danger!"
Kojou's mind was in complete chaos after the call from Diana. But amid the turmoil, one person came to mind:
"If it's her, she can help Nagisa until I get there."
Without hesitation, Kojou pulled out his phone and dialed an acquaintance who could protect Nagisa—even if only temporarily.
Ring… Ring… Ring…
"Hey, Natsuki-chan!" Kojou blurted the moment the call connected. "Can you teleport to my apartment right now and take Nagisa to Prison Barrier? Her life's in danger, and I'm too far away!"
"Got it." Though Natsuki had countless questions, the panic in Kojou's voice made her save them for later.
"Thanks, Natsuki-chan!" Kojou hung up, his hand turning jet-black with crimson streaks as an overwhelming surge of magical energy enveloped him.
"I, Akatsuki Kojou, successor to the blood of 'Kaleid Blood,' now release your constraints. Come forth—First Familiar: Mesarthim-Adamas!"
As the incantation ended, a colossal horned goat materialized behind Kojou. Manipulating its power, he conjured a diamond staircase into the sky.
With Natsuki's help assured, Kojou knew Nagisa would be safe—for now. Free to act, he channeled Mesarthim-Adamas' power to race home.
Without a second thought, Kojou shot skyward, crafting a hexagonal diamond platform angled for a high-speed dive.
Swish!
In the blink of an eye, Kojou launched through the air like a bullet, crossing from West Island to South Island in mere seconds.
—
BOOM!
His landing cratered the ground, but he ignored it, sprinting toward his apartment just meters away.
Swish!
He burst inside, heart pounding. Though Natsuki's intervention should've secured Nagisa's safety, dread gnawed at him: What if she hadn't made it in time?
"Nagisa!!" Kojou shouted, barging into the living room—only to find shattered furniture, broken glass, and lingering traces of magical energy.
"Calm down, Akatsuki. Your little sister's alive in Prison Barrier," Natsuki said, scanning the room for clues.
"Is Nagisa okay?!" Kojou grabbed her shoulders, shaking her. Alive didn't mean unharmed.
Natsuki's expression darkened. "According to the maid, your sister was attacked by a Beastman during her bath. When the maid tried to help, she saw a Beast Vassal freeze the assailant and shield Nagisa." She paused. "But the Beast Vassal drained too much of her life force. At this rate, she has days left at most."
"…" Kojou's face shadowed. The Beastman attack reeked of retaliation—those thugs he'd beaten earlier that day. He hadn't expected such swift vengeance.
"Take me to Prison Barrier, Natsuki-chan," he demanded, resolve hardening. He'd save Nagisa—even if it meant her fearing or despising him.
"Akatsuki, you can't possibly be thinking of—!" Natsuki cut herself off, but Kojou understood.
"Exactly what you're thinking," he said, unwavering. "I'll save Nagisa. I don't care if she learns I'm the Fourth Primogenitor—or if she hates me for it."
"You…!" Natsuki recoiled. His choice carried irreversible consequences. "But you need to understand the repercussions!"
"I'll deal with them later. Just take me to Prison Barrier—now." Kojou's tone brooked no argument. For Nagisa, he'd defy logic itself.
Wasn't the Fourth Primogenitor a monster beyond reason? A being unbound by human norms? And he was the Fourth Primogenitor.
"Fine…" Natsuki relented, teleporting them.
—
Prison Barrier.
"Nagisa!!" Kojou rushed to his sister's side. She lay pale and frail in Diana's arms, the latter transferring her own life energy to sustain her. Without Prison Barrier's time-stopped realm, Nagisa would've already died.
"Kojou…" Diana whispered, guilt etched on her face. She'd been in the same house yet failed to protect Nagisa.
"Don't worry, Senpai. Nagisa will be okay." Kojou smiled—then stabbed his own ribs with his free hand. "Cough—!!"
"Kojou!!" Diana screamed, horrified—until she saw his red eyes and fangs. Realization struck. "Are you planning to make her…?!"
"Yes. If Nagisa becomes my Blood Servant, her life-force consumption stops. She'll draw from my negative energy instead—and live normally." He gritted his teeth. Shattering his own bones hurt, even for him. "Sorry, Nagisa."
Without delay, he sank his fangs into her neck, injecting his blood plasma. Simultaneously, his hand pierced her chest, destroying two of her ribs and replacing them with his own.
"Idiot…" Natsuki muttered, watching as Kojou continued draining and replenishing Nagisa's blood—his ultimate act of defiance against fate.
...
To get more chapters please visit my p@treon :
[email protected]/Akasaki_Ryujin
For support :
https://ko-fi.com/akasaki_ryujin