“…” Drowning in self-pity, Mei stared numbly at the hellscape that was once her school.
Her deep purple eyes were hollow and dull, stripped of all their usual light.
The campus, once full of life, was now filled with monsters and stained with blood.
“They’re all dead…” “It’s my fault.” “This is all… my fault.” Tears ran down her pale cheeks and fell onto the cold concrete railing, leaving small wet spots.
The disaster had started because of the power inside her that she couldn’t control.
She could only watch as the classmates who once bullied her changed into mindless monsters right before her eyes.
And she couldn’t do a single thing to stop it…
The only solution she could think of was to erase her useless self, along with the dangerous ‘other her’ lurking inside.
She thought one jump would end everything… Maybe then, the crushing guilt in her chest would finally go away.
“Huuuuu…” Raiden Mei closed her eyes and took one last deep breath of the air, saturated with blood and despair.
When she opened them again, her gaze held nothing but dead resolve.
“Goodbye, Kiana.” “Goodbye, Father.” After saying goodbye, Mei made her decision.
She spread her arms and stepped off the roof.
A moment later, her body quivered as she lost her balance and fell straight toward the ground.
“MEI!!” At that exact moment, Kiana, who had just reached the bottom of the building, saw something that broke her heart.
Her heart tightened, and her eyes widened in shock.
The girls next to her turned pale with shock.
“!!” Elysia seemed truly shocked for the first time.
She could tell right away that the girl falling was a newly born Herrscher.
But what surprised her most was that the girl was holding back the Herrscher’s transformation and staying true to herself.
This went against everything she knew about Herrschers.
(Are Herrschers really not all the same?) (Uh, I guess I’ve only really seen one before.) “…?” In a free fall, Raiden Mei faintly heard a familiar voice.
She snapped her eyes open and saw Kiana’s terrified, despairing face.
That single look shattered her heart.
Tears spilled over again.
(Am I really… that useless?) (Even in my final moments, am I still hurting someone else?) (Kiana… she’s going to suffer for the rest of her life because of this, isn’t she?) (I really am just a burden.
I shouldn’t have even been born.) An endless wave of self-loathing swallowed her.
But in the next split second, her tear-filled purple eyes trembled.
She saw someone shoot up from the ground, fast as a rocket.
Then, she was pulled into a tight embrace.
Her fall stopped right away.
Defying gravity, they shot up into the sky, and she instinctively wrapped her arms around Zane’s neck.
In the blink of an eye, they landed back on the rooftop.
“…” “…” Time seemed to freeze.
Raiden Mei’s mind went blank, and a loud ringing filled her head.
The sudden extreme drop followed by the rapid ascent sent her blood pressure spiking.
Her vision darkened, and her breathing grew heavy.
Zane looked down, an amused smirk on his face as he studied the girl in his arms.
He had to admit that while seventeen-year-old Raiden Mei still had a bit of youthful innocence in her face, her figure was already very well developed.
She had gorgeous curves, a slim waist, and long shapely legs wrapped in black pantyhose.
Holding her, he noticed how soft and warm she felt.
Soon, the dizziness faded, and Raiden Mei came back to her senses.
Almost right away, a dangerous spark of purple lightning appeared in her eyes.
A stranger was holding her in his arms like a bride…
But worst of all, the guy had one hand resting right behind her smooth thigh, while the other was gripping her…
Murderous intent flooded her eyes as purple arcs of electricity crackled out of control.
“MEI!” Several figures jumped onto the fourth-floor rooftop.
Kiana flew up right behind them, riding Silver Wolf’s hoverboard.
“Kiana?” Hearing that familiar voice, Raiden Mei stopped moving.
The killing intent that had just flared up, along with the ‘Stigmata Persona’ that had nearly taken over her mind, sank back into dormancy.
“It’s me!
Mei!
Are you crazy?!
Why would you jump off the roof?!
You almost scared me to death!” Kiana threw herself forward without a second thought.
Seeing this, Raiden Mei quickly got out of Zane’s arms and jumped down.
Before she could steady herself, she stumbled and was knocked to the ground by Kiana’s sudden hug.
“Ouch!” Mei let out a soft groan.
“Ah, sorry!
But Mei, I’m so glad you’re okay.” Kiana loosened her grip a little, but kept her arms wrapped tightly around her, teary-eyed and choking on her words.
“It’s okay, Kiana… Just let go a little, you’re squeezing too hard.” Raiden Mei gently patted Kiana’s back, comforting her softly.
“Oh, right.” Kiana finally pulled back, though she looked like she didn’t want to.
At that moment, Elysia stepped forward and scrutinized Raiden Mei from head to toe.
Slowly, her eyebrows drew together in confusion, something that didn’t happen often.
“Just what exactly are you?” “…” —
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Raiden Mei (Image)