Oikawa himself had appeared just as unexpectedly as he first had. It was uncanny, and the mere thought of it sent chills up and down Iwaizumi's spine. There he was, stunning, powerful, and...horrible. It was like there wasn't a shred of Tohru inside, just a shell filled to the brim with ire and hate. Refusing to think about another possibility, the boy stepped forwards, and with much more courage than he felt, looked him in the eye.

Immediately, he was almost blinded by pain so intense his vision went red. Looking away and falling to his knees, he faintly heard a sick cackle coming from his direction, and Kageyama's voice, but it was all a muddled blur. After a few seconds, his vision returned an the managed to stand up, only for Oikawa to strike him down again. This time, though, it felt different. Instead of pain in his head, the pain was deep in his chest, in his heart...

"Iwaizumi-san!"

"I'm fine, Kageyama, and just Hajime's fine."

"Right, right."

The ravenette turned to him with an intense glare that would've made anyone else on the receiving end flinch. Instead, however, Oikawa grinned lopsidedly, once again sending chills through Hajime's spine, and beckoned his finger. Immediately, Kageyama stepped forwards as if in a trance, turning on his heel once he was at the other's side.

And at that exact moment, Iwaizumi realized something that he had never been willing to believe before then.

Oikawa was just toying with them.

There wasn't a single way he could win. He had massively overpowered them without even trying, or breaking a sweat. And now, he had Kageyama, too. There wasn't anything he could do. He had no choice but to run away.

After a few tense moments of silence, Hajime bolted for the exit, and he actually made it out, too. But maybe it was the volleyball reflexes, or the supernatural powers he now possessed, Oikawa had no trouble following him out into the cold air of what he now realized was dusk. Thick clouds blanketed the sky, and the only glimpses of him Iwaizumi caught were the ones that the blinding flashes of lightning managed to illuminate. He knew this put him at a disadvantage. Not only was Oikawa probably immune to getting struck by lightning, he also probably had good enough vision to see his former friend wherever he went. No doubt about it, it was a losing battle.

Iwaizumi was beginning to lose hope.

How, Tohru thought, How? It's distracted with its battle, or chase, really, so there must be an opening. What if I just-

He slipped into his body, and found himself in control for the first time in far too long.

Thunder rumbled behind him, and a brilliant flash of lightning suddenly revealed Iwaizumi.

It was just for a fleeting moment, but their eyes connected. Then Tohru cried out. His voice was dry and hoarse from the lack of use, and his tongue could barely form the words, but eventually his delinquent muscles obeyed, and he screamed out, as loud as he could.

"IWA-CHAN!"

Hajime's eyes widened in shock. Tohru could barely see it through the pouring rain. Or was it the tears steaming down his cheeks? Was it both?

"I don't know how long I can hold control, so you have to listen to me!"

Through whatever it was, he saw a nod.

"EVERYONE IS IN THE DUNGEONS ON THE THIRD LEVEL DOWN FROM THE ENTRANCE. IF YOU STICK TO THE LEFT WING THERE WON'T BE ANY TRAPS! IWA-CHAN, I LOVE YOU MORE THAN WORDS COULD EVER SAY! I DON'T CARE IF THIS KILLS ME, BUT I CAN'T LET IT HURT YOU!"

"I am never letting you die."

The words shocked even Iwaizumi as he heard himself say them, but he knew that nothing he ever told Tohru could ring truer than that one sentence. With a courage he never knew he had, he walked towards the boy, and reached out a hand. Their fingertips connected.

Then, the demon's consciousness flipped into Hajime's body.