C.S.O.

A week has passed since the sealing ritual.
Kuro behaves and acts as he did before the ritual.
He goes to school, studies, and plays like any other normal child.

It can be said that there hasn't been any significant change, but his friends can't help but feel the evil and unpleasant aura emanating from Kuro.
This, of course, makes no one want to play with him and keep their distance from him.

Although he has no friends to play with, it doesn't mean that Kuro is sad, lonely, or angry.
There are no special feelings like that within him anymore.
The reason for this, of course, is that even though he appears as Kuro on the outside, his soul belongs to another, Shiro.

Shiro is not Kuro.
They may share memories and emotions, but that doesn't mean they have the same preferences or desires.
Moreover, there are significant differences that set them apart.

Kuro is a quiet child who always keeps his feelings to himself, whereas Shiro is the opposite.
Shiro always speaks his mind without much concern for his surroundings.

Shiro can also be reckless in using his powers.
He has disrupted games in the park multiple times, and he doesn't hesitate to jump from the third floor simply out of boredom.
Perhaps this is also why some of his friends keep their distance from him.

Today, Kuro is alone in the playground.
He is playing with a soccer ball at his feet.
Unlike other children who kick the ball aimlessly, he plays with it like a professional soccer player.

Normally, he would impress those around him, but what he shows is not something impressive, but rather frightening.

“…”

Kuro diverts his attention to a figure slowly approaching.

“Yo…
Chi-chan…
Do you want to play with me?”

“…”

Chiaki remains silent, only hugging her small teddy bear.
In Kuro's memory, Chiaki does indeed like Teddy Bears.
She has several large-sized ones in her room.

But despite her fondness for dolls, Chiaki is not the type of child who plays house with them.

“Why are you staring at me with such a cold gaze? Are you scared of me like the others?”

Kuro plays with the ball, kicking it high up in the air.
The ball disappears, and this time Kuro stares intently at Chiaki.

“…if you say I'm scared, it would sound quite funny to me, Kuro-chan.”

“I don't understand what's funny about it.”

Kuro approaches, and the two face each other.

“…right, it's funny.
Instead of being scared, it might be more accurate to say that I'm angry right now.
Kuro-chan, do you know why I'm angry?”

After thinking and recalling what happened between them, Kuro understands what Chiaki is feeling.

“Sorry…
is it because I left you alone back then? I forgot that you're just a little girl.”

Kuro remembers leaving Chiaki alone in the forest.
Even though they both know the forest well, Chiaki is still a child.
She would be scared if left alone in a place like that.

Kuro curses his past self for being so heartless to Chiaki.

Chiaki sighs.

“You don't know why I'm angry? My goodness, as I suspected, a fake will always be a fake.”

After saying that, Chiaki turns around and leaves the playground.

Kuro can only remain silent.
He's not foolish enough to not understand the meaning behind Chiaki's words.

“…so that's how it is…”

At that moment, the ball that was kicked up in the air falls right into his hands.

“…even though I have your body, it doesn't mean I have everything that you possess…”

His chest feels painful.
To him, that feeling is piercing and agonizing.
He can't hide anything from Chiaki.
His past and present selves are well aware of this.

“Uh…
if I don't do something, I might regret it…”

It's strange.
He used to not care about regrets.
He didn't need them.
But only with Chiaki does he feel the need to do something.

The sun slowly sets in the west, and Kuro decides to go home.

At home, he heads straight to the bathroom.
Not because his body is dirty from playing, but because he knows what awaits him in the bathroom.

He quickly takes off his clothes, standing naked.
Then, without hesitation, he opens the bathroom door and finds a little girl washing herself.

For some reason, the white foam covering most of Ruko's body triggers wild imagination.

“Heh…
not bad, Hime,” Kuro says with a lascivious face.

In addition, Kuro putting his hand on his chin and acting like a detective makes him seem like a true pervert.
No, Kuro is indeed a pervert.

Ruko naturally covers her body.
Her face turns red with embarrassment.

She has bathed with Kuro many times.
They are familiar with each other's bodies.
There is no shame between them…
or at least there shouldn't be.

But ever since Kuro changed on the inside, she now feels a sense of shame.
She likes Kuro as an older brother and as the opposite sex.
However, she can't see Kuro the same way as before.
Now, Kuro is a stranger.
Only his body and face remain the same.

But even so, in her heart, the new Kuro is the one she has always dreamed of.
The one who loves and cherishes her.

“Alright…
I've decided to wash your back today.
Well…
even if I accidentally touch certain areas…
hehehe…”

The only thing that has changed the most about Kuro is perhaps that he has become more lecherous than before.

Ruko sighs deeply.

“Onii-chan, could it be that you're a devilish siscon? No, it might be more accurate to call you a lolicon.”

The devil inhabiting Kuro's body has an unknown age.
He could be a hundred years old, or even a thousand years old.
He is older than he appears.

“Your words pierce me, Hime.
Fine, if you don't want me to, just say so.
I'll wash your back in my imagination only.”

And then, he receives a shampoo bottle thrown right at his head.

“Don't do that.
It's worse.
And it makes you the worst.
Besides, I didn't say Onii-chan can't wash my back.”

“….so…”

“..do Onii-chan want me to change my mind?”

Kuro finally smiles happily because his request was granted.
But it doesn't mean he will take advantage of the situation in the foam.
He washes Ruko's back normally and finally finishes his bath as usual.

After the bath, Kuro lazily lies down in his room.
He used to practice kendo, but he hasn't done it anymore.
If asked why, it's because Kuro now possesses the power of a God Slayer.
Instead of possessing it, it's more accurate to say he can use his power.

If he were to train, he might end up destroying the house with a single strike.
That's the frightening aspect of his power.

So for over a week, Kuro can only laze around or read the books on his shelf.

“…bored…”

For the first time, he feels bored.
It would be different if he had hobbies or a job, but all of that is impossible.

If he wanted to apply for a part-time job, he is not old enough.
He might be seen as strange and sent back home.
And even if he wanted to fight as a God Slayer, his power is not enough to face a Fallen God.
He doesn't want to die before taking Ruko's virginity, but he also doesn't want to die out of boredom.

He then looks towards the window.
From there, he can see Chiaki's house.
The window of Chiaki's room is still lit up.

“…”

Kuro still remembers Chiaki's words in the park.
Chiaki called him a fake, which means Chiaki knows that he is not the same Kuro as before.

The old him had feelings for Chiaki.
It could be called love.
Could it be that those feelings made Chiaki aware?

“…”

He doesn't know.
For him, love is an emotion he will never fully understand.
But that doesn't mean he doesn't feel it.

Right now, he has those feelings for Ruko.
It's strange, but it's normal considering he is not the same Kuro as before.

“Haaa…
why did you choose to run away, you coward.”

For the first time, he is angry at his past self.

Two days later, Kuro decides to do something about his boredom.
Although he has the power to destroy Mount Fuji with a few punches, it doesn't mean he chooses to do so.

Instead, he decides to go to the library.

“….alright…
let's see how many books I can read today..”

He quickly searches for books that he finds interesting.
With books, at least his imagination can roam freely and vary.

In this era, many books are in digital form, but Kuro chooses physical books.

After about 15 minutes of browsing, he now has around 20 books neatly stacked like a tower in his hands.
He certainly attracts the attention of other visitors, but no one dares to comment.

After about 2 hours, Kuro has read 50 different book titles.
For a while, it helps alleviate his boredom, but he still feels something is missing.

He gives up on reading books and decides to end it after two hours more.

He then leaves the library and decides to wander around the surrounding area.
His first destination is a mall.
However, he becomes the center of attention because he is a 9-year-old child.

The police guarding the place quickly approach him.

“Hello, how did you get here? Could you be lost? Where are your parents?”

Kuro, a superhuman who doesn't need adult assistance, knows that the police are just doing their job.

“Um…
actually, I came here with my parents.
I'm picking up my dad's wallet left in the car.”

“That's outrageous.
How dare they send a small child alone.
Don't they think that their child might be kidnapped?”

In Kuro's mind, ordinary humans are no more than leaves growing on a tree.
They are born, grow, and eventually die, becoming fertilizer.

“Never mind, Uncle.
They're not afraid of me being kidnapped, but they know they can trust me.
Even so, I can do martial arts, hehe…”

The police can only smile wryly and pat Kuro's head.

“You're still a little kid who needs adults to accompany you.
Haa…
but indeed, in this era, you can monitor someone from a distance.
I'm sure they do the same to you.”

Devices like GPS are usually installed by parents on their children to monitor them from a distance.
With that, parents can feel a bit relieved, but it doesn't reduce the crime rate like kidnapping.

“Yeah.
Can I go now?”

“..I'll accompany you unti-“

“Ah…
Mom‼”

Kuro shouts while pointing behind the police officer.
The officer quickly turns around, but what he sees is a clown statue sticking out its tongue.

“Hey…
where is your- huh?”

The officer is surprised because Kuro's figure has disappeared.
The officer looks around in different directions but still can't find Kuro anywhere.

That's normal.
Kuro is now on the second floor after using teleportation magic.
He then walks around the mall with a cheerful face.

(I knew pranking people is fun…)

For a moment, Kuro feels something he hasn't felt in a long time.
Joy.
Even if it's achieved by playing tricks on others.
Perhaps his demonic nature is starting to emerge again.

But even though his wicked nature is starting to surface, there is something that urges him to restrain himself.

(Tch…
do you want me to refrain from using my power for evil?)

That something is none other than his other self.
Even though they are asleep, they warn each other.
It's like a demon and an angel residing in a human's heart, but there is no angel within Kuro.

This is quite amusing when considered logically.

“?”

As he looks around, he spots a doll shop.
There's a teddy bear doll there.
Suddenly, without realizing it, he takes a step toward the shop.

But before he enters, he turns around and leaves.

(Damn…
what's wrong with me?)

“KH!”

The teddy bear doll is Chiaki's favorite.
He has no reason to buy Chiaki a doll, but his heart moves his body on its own.

He's not sure what he's experiencing, but he suspects one thing.

(Could it be that I'm starting to become Kuro?)

This is dangerous.
He realizes it.

Until now, he regarded himself as not Kuro.
Another soul.
They were not the same.

But after some time, he realizes that there is no difference between his current self and his old self.

In the end, he doesn't understand his purpose in going to the mall and returns home.

________________________________________

At home, he helps Ruko with her homework in her room.
With the intellect he possesses, Kuro is currently one of the most brilliant people in the world.

But Ruko is different.
Despite being a God Slayer, she is only categorized as highly intelligent.
Although she doesn't have any difficulty doing her homework, she enjoys it when Kuro offers to help.

But something bothers her while she's trying to concentrate.

“Onii-chan, are you serious about helping me?”

“Why do you ask?”

“If yes, can you remove your hand from my butt and chest? I know you're perverted, but can you control yourself?”

Kuro chuckles and then removes his hand from Ruko's chest and butt.
Afterward, he lies down on Ruko's bed and sniffs the pillow placed on the bed.

Seeing that, Ruko can only sigh heavily.
She continues working on her homework with a flushed face.
In the end, Kuro becomes a perverted spectator.

“…Hime, do you love me?”

Ruko stops writing and turns to Kuro.

“I don't know why Onii-chan is bringing this up, but I'm sure you know the answer.
…I love you, Onii-chan.”

Those sincere words, spoken by a beautiful girl who is like a princess, leave Kuro stunned for a moment.

Kuro is happy and filled with joy.
His heart begins to calm down, and the boredom he felt instantly disappears with the wind.

“I love you too, Ruko…
huh?”

Why did he call her Ruko instead of Hime? When he realizes this, Kuro starts to fear his own condition.
He slowly begins to become someone else.

“Onii-chan?”

“It's nothing, Hime.
…Can I sleep with you tonight?”

“Uh…”

Hime's face turns red, and she appears panicked at Kuro's sudden request.
But she can't refuse Kuro's invitation.

“Okay…”

Ruko continues working on her homework with a wide smile.

Meanwhile, Kuro sulks.
He turns his body to the other side so that Ruko doesn't see him feeling sad.

(I don't know how long I can be myself, but I should do something to avoid any regrets…)

He makes a decision.
A decision he made after realizing his destiny as Shiro, not Kuro.

__________________________________________________________________________

The next day, as usual, they have breakfast with Ruko's homemade dishes.
Despite being only 8 years old, Ruko's cooking is like that of a famous restaurant chef.
At least that's what Kuro thinks.

Unlike usual, Ruko eats with a happy face.
Normally, she would have a faint smile, but there is something different about Ruko this morning.

Perhaps, sleeping together with Kuro had a more significant effect than expected.

“Onii-chan, is something wrong?”

“No.”

“Don't lie.
Even if you hide it, I will definitely know.
There must be something bothering you right now?”

“…you're right, you always know.”

“Of course.
How long do you think I've been with you, Onii-chan?”

“….”

Kuro calmly enjoys his breakfast.
He usually cherishes these moments of having breakfast with Ruko, but for some reason, this morning's breakfast feels cold.

(Has it been a long time…?)

Doubts start to arise.
Who is he really? Kuro? Or Shiro?

“Uh…
Onii-chan, you're making that expression again.
If you're hiding something, I'll be really sad.
Didn't you say last night that you like me? If that's true, there shouldn't be any secrets between us.”

“…you're right.
But it's not a big deal.
I just wanted to know.
Hime, who do you love more, me or Kuro?”

“..huh?”

Upon hearing that question, Ruko chuckles softly.
She chews on the fried fish and then begins to answer.

“Onii-chan, do you think I see you differently? Even if you call yourself Shiro or whatever, it doesn't change the fact that you're the Onii-chan I love.
Well, I have to admit that I prefer you as you are now, not in a perverted way, but in reality, you're not a stranger.
You're still Onii-chan.”

“But I…”

“You probably want to say that you're a demon possessing Onii-chan's body, but from what I've seen so far, you're just running away from your own reality.”

“What do you mean?”

It's his past self that's been running away.
That's why he's confused.

“If you compare yourself to your past self, what's different? You used to love Chiaki-chan, and now you love me.
In the past, you didn't use your powers, but now you're like the last boss in a game.
In the end, you're just running away from your old self, Onii-chan.”

“…”

“Maybe you call yourself Shiro, but in my eyes, you haven't changed at all.
No, maybe you're just being more honest with yourself.
That's what makes me so happy, Onii-chan.”

“Thank you, Hime.
I love you.”

“I love you too, Onii-chan.”

After breakfast, they get ready for school.
They leave together as usual, but as they step outside the house, they run into Chiaki.

Chiaki looks indifferent and prepares to leave alone, but suddenly Kuro grabs her hand.

“What do you want?”

Creepy.
Others might run away if they saw Chiaki's expression.

“Ah…
nothing.
But can we go to school together?”

Chiaki looks away to avoid their gaze but then sighs.

“Fine.
Let's go to school together, Kuro-chan, Ruko-chan.”

“Yes.”

“…”

Ruko shows a jealous aura, but Chiaki smiles slightly as if she's pleased with Ruko's reaction.
No one knows who is the demon and who is the human.

But this is the beginning of a love triangle between them.

Unfortunately, there is a small secret that Kuro (Shiro) is hiding.

Perhaps Ruko and Chiaki think they are the same person, but in reality, they are two different individuals.
It can be said that they are like positive and negative.

(Maybe one day I will disappear, but before that, I have to let them know about the 'real' one.
If 'that person' awakens again, there may be nothing to stop him.
Chiaki, Hime.
I love both of you.)

After a few months, Shiro disappears.
But that doesn't mean he disappears completely.
He is just asleep.

In his place, a new personality emerges.
The third personality, which is a combination of Shiro and Kuro.
That personality is now known as Kuro Kanata.