For a boy, everything before him felt like a nightmare.
Ah... There was no hope left.
He slumped in an empty alley, staring despairingly at the dim path ahead. It was broad daylight, and as long as he walked out of here, he could return to the bustling streets filled with traffic and voices. But at this moment, the boy could do nothing, because an obstacle stood between him and that ordinary daily life.
It was a man.
Or rather, he looked like a man.
He wore human clothing, and his appearance was not much different from a human's. But at that moment, the man's eyes were swollen, and blue tears streamed from their corners, leaving strange trails down his cheeks. He also held a sharp kitchen knife in his hand. Combined with the drool spilling from his mouth, he looked at first glance exactly like a crazed murderer.
No, or rather, he truly was a crazed murderer.
The boy clenched his teeth, held his breath, and glared at the man before him. After being cornered here, he had already abandoned any thought of escape. But... that didn't mean he would meekly surrender!
"Ah?"
At that moment, a lighthearted voice suddenly rang out, shattering the alley's deathly, oppressive silence. The boy froze for a moment, then raised his head and looked behind the man. On the other side of the alley, a girl was curiously peering this way.
She had long, emerald-green hair and a lovely face. Her large eyes were clear and bright as she gazed over, as if she were looking at something fascinating.
"No, don't come over! Run!"
The boy struggled to shout.
"Go call the police! Hurry!"
If it had been an ordinary person, merely seeing this scene and hearing the boy's screams would probably have