Campione: Strongest# 469: The Right to Harm

The black Toyota wound through dense mountain forest, following the serpentine road toward Misaki City.

Past nine o'clock now—the direct trains to Misaki had long since stopped running. To ensure tomorrow's attendance, Haru drove Fujino back to Reien Academy.

"Haru... wasn't that too cruel? To do that to a boy?"

The glass reflected Fujino's delicate face, etched with reluctance. The girl in the passenger seat bit her lip softly.

Keita's fate had shaken her.

To give him hope of salvation one second, then unleash the wolf pack the next.

But the worst part—Haru had embedded the concept of 'Restoration' into that healing orb.

Even now, that wretched delinquent continued enjoying the wolves' passionate kisses, with several giant teddy-bear-like beasts eyeing his rear hungrily.

Yet every injury healed instantly, trapping the boy in an endless cycle of violation and mauling.

By the time Fujino had entered Haru's car, the boy had already teetered on the edge of mental collapse.

"Do you think I'm cruel, Fujino?" Haru drove steadily, not turning back, his voice neutral as he questioned her.

"..." Fujino didn't answer, but her silence spoke volumes.

Understanding her meaning, Haru frowned slightly. Honestly, he felt no regret about his methods.

After extracting Keita Minato's name from the gang leader's soul, he'd actually thought he'd been too lenient.

Why? Because in the original timeline, that piece of trash had been one of the delinquents who'd violated Fujino.

For such worthless humans, no amount of torture could satisfy him.

Still, he had to consider Fujino's feelings now. After all, that scene had been far too graphic for a thirteen-year-old girl.

Fujino turned to watch the forest racing past the window. Without streetlights, the mountain road at night was deeply shadowed, carrying an indescribable chill.

Seeing her frowning reflection in the glass, panic flashed through the girl's bright eyes. She stammered:

"I—I don't think you're cruel! I just felt like... like the punishment didn't fit the crime. Like the sentence was too harsh."

Finishing her words, Fujino's wine-red eyes reddened slightly. Perhaps Haru didn't realize it, but after her mother's death, he'd become her only anchor.

Creating a rift between them over some outsider was absolutely unacceptable. Yet the girl didn't know how to explain herself.

Watching Haru's furrowed brow, Fujino spiraled into anxious worry about being disliked.

Glancing at the panicking girl, Haru blinked in surprise, then slowly pulled the car to the roadside and stopped.

"Too harsh a sentence, huh~" Haru said with resignation.

Hearing those resigned words, Fujino's face went rigid. 'What do I do? What do I do? Haru's angry! I shouldn't have brought this up. Why did I even mention that scum??'

The panicked girl fell into self-recrimination.

"I don't think it was harsh at all for someone who wanted to hurt Fujino." Haru's lips curved upward as he smiled at her.

Fujino froze, blinking her wine-red eyes as a fierce blush bloomed across her delicate, fair face.

"Ehhhh??" The girl shrieked, covering her burning cheeks as realization hit.

"If anyone's going to 'harm' you, it'll be me. Anyone else who reaches for you, I'll tear them apart. Your 'right to harm'—that's something I won't give to anyone else." Haru grinned wickedly, completely shameless.

"The right to harm...??" Fujino was dying of embarrassment. After spending so much time around Haru's corrupted mind, she understood exactly what he meant.

She pulled her stocking-clad legs up onto the car seat, wrapping her pale, slender arms around them, burying her burning face against her knees.

"Hehe~" Watching the mortified Fujino, Haru chuckled evilly and started the car again.

Just then, a timid voice whispered: "It's okay... if it's you, Haru... it's okay."

Haru's hands froze on the steering wheel. He turned in shock to see the purple-haired girl, who'd been curled up like a kangaroo, had raised her head.

Her crimson eyes darted away, unable to meet his gaze. Her youthful, delicate face burned scarlet. Her small, slender hands gripped her skirt hem—as if to lower it, yet seeming more like she was lifting it, anticipating something entering.

Looking at the bashful girl beside him, Haru silently killed the engine, pulled the lever, and slowly reclined the seat.

With a startled cry, he pulled Fujino into his embrace, capturing those cherry-pink lips.

"Mmm... nnh..."

Without even token resistance, the girl let herself be pulled into his arms, her soft body melting against him. She tilted her head up hesitantly, allowing him to 'devour' her.

Click—

As the headlights switched off, darkness enveloped the car's interior. The sedan, parked steadily on the mountain road, began to rock with mysterious tremors.

—————

"What are you doing here?" The cold voice rang out softly.

Shiki Ryougi, dressed in her cherry-blossom kimono, stood on the streets of Asakawa-cho, glancing sideways at the silver-haired youth who'd appeared beside her.

A grand white cloak embroidered with gold thread concealed everything below his neck. His somewhat feminine face wore a gentle smile, but those dark gray eyes radiated absolute coldness.

If not for the identical appearance and overwhelmingly similar aura, she might have thought she was seeing things.

"So this is where you wanted to 'wander alone.'" Haru gazed indifferently at the spiral building ahead.

"None of your business. Go play with your Fujino." Shiki snorted coldly, lifting her wooden-sandaled foot toward the single main entrance.

On the wall beside the main gate, the black characters spelling 'Ogawa Apartments' stood out clearly.