Somewhere in Kyoto.
Three floors beneath an unremarkable old building.
Kokichi Muta lay in a medicinal solution.
His naked body was completely submerged, with only his head and the area above his collarbones exposed.
The bandages had already been removed. His thin shoulder blades protruded slightly beneath his skin, like a skeleton that had yet to take shape.
His eyes were slightly red, and his breathing was a little faster than usual.
"Teacher Wangchuan."
"I'm ready."
Wangchuan stood beside the bathtub, hands in his pockets, his head tilted as he studied Kokichi Muta in the medicinal solution.
He tipped his head slightly, the corners of his mouth curling up a little, his tone as relaxed as if he were asking what was for dinner.
"Okay, I'll start, then."
He paused, his gaze lingering on Kokichi Muta's face for a moment, as though giving him a warning in advance.
"But whatever happens next, don't panic."
Kokichi Muta blinked, a trace of confusion flashing through his eyes.
"What do you mean... don't panic?"
He struggled to lift his head to see Wangchuan's expression clearly, but the backlighting left him able to make out only a silhouette.
Wangchuan did not answer.
He raised his hand.
Then Kokichi Muta's eyes flew wide open.
"Sir?!"
A thick layer of purple demonic energy suddenly surged around Wangchuan, as though seeping out from beneath his skin. It churned and expanded through the air, swallowing his figure completely.
The Demon Chi swirled for about three seconds.
Then it dissipated.
Kokichi Muta's pupils contracted sharply, and for an instant, his breathing almost stopped.
The person standing before him was no longer the gentle-faced Wangchuan in his black uniform.
Instead, it was an entirely unfamiliar being.
Kokichi Muta's Adam's apple bobbed.
"Th-this is..."
His voice was tight. That Four Arms,