"Bang!"
With a deafening crash that set teeth on edge, the iron door swung open.
Blinding afternoon sunlight streamed through the open doorway, casting a murky shaft of light through the dust-filled air.
Backlit by the sun, Kannazuki stood rooted in the doorway.
He gasped for breath, his chest heaving violently.
His once-spotless white shirt was now completely soaked with sweat.
After running fifteen kilometers in a desperate race against death, he had nearly exhausted every ounce of this human body's potential. His legs felt heavy as lead.
But his eyes, hidden in shadow, shone with a terrifying intensity.
It was the look of a beast that had found the only treasure it would ever cherish.
"Shiyu!"
Kannazuki's gaze swept the room like radar, instantly locking onto the girl bound tightly with coarse hemp rope to an iron chair in the middle of the room.
At that moment, the thread called reason, which he had strained to hold intact, finally snapped.
He lunged forward.
"I'm here... don't be afraid. I'm here."
Kannazuki dropped to one knee, his hands trembling as he worked at the ropes that had left red welts around Jiang Shiyu's wrists.
"Did he hurt you? Did he touch you anywhere?"
The coarse ropes finally tore apart and fell limply to the floor.
Kannazuki drew a deep breath and opened his arms, trying to crush the girl he would gladly die for against his chest.
To draw from her the little warmth that could keep him human.
But-
"Don't touch me!"
Jiang Shiyu screamed with piercing anguish, as though a branding iron had seared her.
She recoiled violently, desperately pressing herself against the chair's back.
"Creeeak!"
Jiang Shiyu turned her head away. There was no joy at their reunion in her eyes, only fear and rejection.
She did