My name is Stephan Karlsson.

Last year, I moved to Japan to enroll at Yoba Academy, and at the same time, start part timing at CiRCLE live house.

But things quickly took a turn for the worse, and I soon found myself in a conflict I could've avoided to begin with.

I was too arrogant, but after a certain person had helped me design a very special outfit, I got more confidence in that I should go for saving my parents.

That person most likely regrets encouraging me, because what she initially thought would just be a small and quick thing for me to do turned into a whole ordeal of madness.

Touko Kirigaya is her name, and she means the world to me. She is my reason for even wanting to live at this point, because I have lost everyone in my family.

But now... I have to distance myself from her, because she has already been hurt once as she got kidnapped by some goons just so I would get relied up and continue killing more assassins.

Now when I will be distancing myself from her, she won't get hurt, none of my friends either. I have hurt them enough with my presence...

I'm sorry, Touko, I'm so sorry for ruining your life..!

...I get images in mind of her looking at me while crying. I truly have hurt her, worse than ever.

...Only Sam mentioned it to me in secret, but as I will be sealing the Zero Point, not only the Device, but my whole life will be needed...

I cannot say to Touko that I will die, because I think she will be happier anyway once I disappear, forever.

...

Touko has remained quiet ever since we came back to school today.

Then again, we began school at a very inappropiate time in terms of what has been going down, but they can't really just let us all off the hook just because of a potential world ending threat brewing?

...Oh what I am saying, what clearly is heavy is that Stephan, a dear friend to many of us and Touko's boyfriend, got arrested just yesterday due to all along having been an assassin.

Of course, he and Touko told me as they trusted me enough, and I... I love Stephan deeply as well...

I want to show myself strong to everyone, but it's hard now, especially as everyone including me are feeling down about all this.

But clearly, Touko got hit by this the most. She is in grief and despair, and came later than usual due to actually not wanting to go back to school because she rather want to know what happened to Stephan after the happenings yesterday.

She was very quick with convincing the members of RAS and Kokoro to try get him out at any cost, and apparently it went through from what I've heard, but things has been just radio silence since then, so it's unsure.

"Get your chin up and stop crying, Kirigaya. We have to go on like normally with school now." Rui bluntly says as me, Mashiro and Nanami can't help but to gasp a bit.

"R-Ruirui, you don't need to say it like that you know-"

"Listen here, bitch." Touko suddenly says as she turns to Rui. "One more word about having to go back to normal and I will punch you."

"T-Touko, why are you threatning with violence?!" Mashiro asks our guitarist, but the latter isn't listening.

"Like Mashiro says, stop it! That's way too far to say-"

"Oh, I can say further if I want to. Because I know how to take lives as well." Touko replies to me as for the first time, I am genuinely getting scared from her...

"So, what was it again, Rui Yashio? Go back to normal? Do you want to die?"

"Yes, you should. My point still stands."

"But like, don't you care about Stephan-"

"I am sorry Futaba, but I am not trusting him anymore-"

"Faithless bitch! You don't care because you didn't know him like I did! You are so god damn cruel and terrible!" Touko yells at Rui as the latter just shakes her head.

"Strong words that doesn't mean anything because you also just make yourself less trustworthy by every passing minute, just like that boy you call your 'everything' for some reason."

Touko immediately almost lunges at Rui with a right hook, but me and Nanami manage to stop her at the last second. "Stop it, Touko Kirigaya, right now..! I care, I care immensely about Stephan yet as well, so you are not alone about feeling like you are at the very bottom from all of this..!"

"F-Fusuke..."

"But going rouge on your friends is not what you should do. Stephan would be devastated to see you being violent instead of going for being the regular you that he loves so dearly!"

"S-sorry, I'm so sorry... Holy shit this isn't me, what am I doing..!" Touko says while apologizing as she is crying now.

"Touko, it's fine and everything will be fine. That's what Stephan would say, right..?" I tell her as I can't help but to start crying as well. "I am scared too, Touko, really scared. But let's put our faith in that he is okay, r-right?"

Touko is wailing loudly now as my tears can't stop either as I go for hugging my friend...

Mashiro begins crying as well as she also hugs Touko, before Nanami joins in as well. "Oh Touko, how things has turned out..."

Rui keeps looking on, before I see small beads of tears in her eyes form as her expression for the first time drops that stoic look and she genuinely looks sad as well.

She soon joins in on hugging our guitarist as all five of us are sniffling and making sounds like we are in pain.

Because deep inside, we are indeed in pain because a dear friend of ours has been taken away from us, and we have no clue were he is at this moment of time. Especially Touko, who is the one in a relationship with said friend, and him being her beloved boyfriend.

We all are scared, because what will happen next with that thing that also has emerged from under CiRCLE?

What... What are we supposed to do..?

...

I've been running for what feels like hours, but now I am finally here in front of the Zero Point.

...Oh crap, the Device, I don't remember who had it last time.

Then I remember, before groaning. "I can't go back, I can't have Touko be more hurt with my presence..."

I suddenly hear the earpiece on my left give off a sound, so I touch on it and soon hear Chiyu's voice.

"Dang it, why didn't you wait?! Anyways, yeah, that earpiece is so we can contact you because you are finding yourself in a danger area, and we are strictly prohibited from entering those areas around the Zero Point."

"I can do fine on my own." I bluntly reply as she sighs.

"Look, you will not be able survive just on your own, believe me-"

Suddenly, what looks like a tendril shoots out from the orb at the top the pillar and hits a building, and I just manage to get away from the blast.

"Crap..."

"The hell happened? Was that a freaking explosion just now?!"

"Yeah, the Zero Point had a tendril like thing shoot out from it, hitting a nearby building and leveling it with the ground in an instant."

"Stephan, I think you shouldn't be there for now, you need the Device!"

"But Touko has it..."

"And?! What's the hesitation? She's your girlfriend, your future wife, and you suddenly don't want to face her after we in RAS worked with Kokoro to bail you out?!"

"...In order for her to not be hurt, she has to stay away from me. She might be able to handle things on her own super well, but the fear in me is there..."

"I can't believe you are still doubting Touko, out of all people you have met in your life." Chiyu says before I hear her talk to Rei, and the latter soon takes over.

"Stephan?"

"Rei, I don't know much you have heard, but-"

"You need to show yourself to her. You can't just roam downtown without her knowing that you are at least out of jail, but I can't say much about being in safety."

"That's another problem, if she even gets a word about that I am unsafe, she will want to rush to help me, and that might very well end up for her to get harmed-"

"Again, like Chiyu said, you really are still doubting her." Rei says with a rather serious tone, and can I really disagree on that..?

"Maybe I do, but even so, I refuse to let Touko or any of you guys come to harm..!"

"Stop playing the hero, Stephan! While only you are able to make things go back to like they were, that doesn't mean you should sacrifice everything in order to do such!"

Clenching my fist, I can only remain silent as Rei continues speaking the truth to me, but... I will be stubborn about this, no matter what.

So pressing on the earpiece, I end the call, before I turn around and head towards the place I had told Touko to keep the Device at; Her parents' home.

Some more minutes of running and I arrive at the kimono shop, which has people outside, all of whom suddenly turn towards me before running up to me, as it turns out to be reporters.

"Stephan, why did you agree with being an assassin and why did you involve the Kirigaya family's daughter into this?!"

"No comment." I just reply as I squeeze past the reporters and cameramen before coming up to the entrance of the kimono shop. Banging on the sliding door that is currently locked from the inside, I soon yell to see if someone replies.

"Mrs. Kirigaya, Mr. Kirigaya! It's me, Stephan!" I say at first to see if I get a reply, and almost instantly I hear someone come up to the door and unlock it before sliding it open. It turns out to be Touko's mom.

"You..!"

"Yes, I know I have kept it secret that I am an assassin and I am partially responsible that shit went down-"

"Why aren't you with my daughter?!"

"Huh..?"

"I know you might have some dangerous things tied to you, but you proved to wanting to save my daughter no matter what." Mrs. Kirigaya says as she goes back in before coming back with none other than the Device. "She told me this would fix whatever the heck has appeared in downtown, and to give it only to you if you ever ask for it."

"But, even so, I have hurt her by distancing myself after this. I just don't want her to be hurt-"

"I care a lot to see my daughter be at her best, but not even we can stop her with her stuff she does. So that's why you, as her boyfriend, should look out for her as well, just as much as us, if not more!"

Sighing, I realize she is right, I should take care of my beloved, even if things doesn't look the brightest. But even so, I can't let her get hurt...

Thinking for a bit more, I finally nod and grab the Device from Mrs. Kirigaya's hand. "I will do my best with being by Touko's side. She is my everything, after all."

"...That's the spirit." She replies as she has a small smirk before glaring at the reporters and cameremen. "And all of you, shooo! Get lost, I have nothing to say about all this!"

"But Mrs. Kirigaya, we would really like to know-"

"No, scram! Oh and Stephan is a good man at heart, and I trust him with my daughter!" She yells at the reporters whom all looks a bit dumbfounded.

"But, he is an assassin-"

"He saved my daughter when she was kidnapped. He loves her with his whole heart. I will admit I thought he was just a foreigner that took advantage of his looks or such to being with my daughter." Mrs. Kirigaya says as she lays a hand on my shoulder. "But, like Touko would say, he has some 'balls of steel'. If he had just been with her because of her looks and popularity, he wouldn't go out of his way to risk his life for her, yet Stephan did."

"...Because Touko is my everything, my beloved girlfriend that I want to be with forever." I soon say as Mrs. Kirigaya smiles proudly at me as the reporters and cameramen soon lowers their microphones and cameras.

"So much for wanting a dramatic story out of it." One of the reporters says before she shrugs on her shoulders and walks away as the others soon follows suit.

"...Well then, off I go then." I tell Mrs. Kirigaya, but not before she stops me.

"Even if I want you to be with Touko, I still appreciate not wanting to involve her in this last thing. But say hello to her at least, okay?"

"Yeah, I will." I tell her as she lets me go as I am soon on my way back to the Zero Point.

But things doesn't go too smoothly before a big explosion happens over were the Zero Point is at, and many people starts screaming and panicking. "Shit, I need to hurry-"

Not a second after, a tendril shaped like a missile shoots skyward before exploding and seemingly creating a crack in the sky, illuminating with the same light blue light and color as the Zero Point.

I suddenly hear the ear piece ring again, and touching on it, I hear Chiyu's voice again.

"First of all, screw you for hanging up on us! But you okay? We heard even over here how loud the Zero Point exploded, and what looks like a crack in the sky has formed."

"Yeah, I can see it too. I can only assume bad things are brewing with the Zero Point doing things like this, so we need to act fast-"

I soon get interrupted by another missile-like thing shooting upwards before colliding and forming another crack in the sky.

"Dang it, another crack?!"

"I see it, Chiyu. I will have to hurry, I'll talk to you later."

"Just take it careful, okay? You have someone to come back to after all..."

"Y-yeah, I know..." I reply to her as she hangs up as I start running again.

It's a battle against time now, and I really am the only one who can stop it. I just don't get why it's all tied to me, and Sam has dodged answering me regarding that, so I am clueless about it all...

But I have a feeling things will be revealed in due time, that's how it often is in situations like this.

Meanwhile...

Standing on the rooftop with my classmates and the rest of Morfonica, I look to were the Zero Point is as cracks in the sky has started appearing thanks to it.

...Stephy is most likely on his way to stop it, if what Chiyu told me is true. But why isn't he contacting me..?!

Just, why...

"Thinking about Stephan?" Nanami asks me as I just sigh while nodding.

"24/7, as he would cutely tell me..." I reply as Nanami pats me on the back. "I am going to go and find him."

"B-but Touko, you can't just-"

"Shiro, I do not care about what the school says! Schools do not care about if a student's boyfriend is possibly in great danger!" I reply to our vocalist, before Rui steps forward. "What is it now then-"

"Go. We will cover for you." She tells me as I look at her for a bit. I probably look very dumb for how shocked I am feeling from Rui out of all people being on my side.

"Yeah, go for it, Touko!" Fusuke soon says to me as well as the other students soon goes in for cheering me on to go and help Stephy.

"Do it, Touko, we believe in you!"

"Go, Kirigaya, go!"

"Help your beloved Nighthawk!"

I feel like I am almost tearing up from everyone supporting in me returning to my Stephy despite him being revealed to be an assassin that was never a hero to begin with.

But for me, and many others, he is the greatest everyday hero there is..!

"Go on now, Kirigaya, before I change my mind." Rui tells me with a serious expression before a small smile forms on her lips. "This time, I believe in you as well."

Grinning at everyone, I fetch my guitar from the case I brought with me up here, before I take it out and activate it, revealing the scythe I had modified it into, before I swing it against the floor to leap upwards and over the fence, which I soon grab onto with the scythe as I swing with it.

Making sure to just have the blade grab onto ledges of the building, I do minimal desctruction to do the school while still escaping. I am defying the school's orders, but that doesn't mean I should damage anything.

"Homeward to fetch my outfit, and helping Stephy it is then!" I tell myself as I run towards the direction of the kimono shop with newfound determination to help Stephy, my wonderful and fantastic Stephy..!

Close by the Zero Point...

Making my way to the Zero Point, I have been feeling very heavy in body and mind, and I don't know why...

Maybe it's me being scared that if I meet Touko, I have to say as it is that I have to die in order for the Zero Point to be neutralized.

But at the same time, isn't there other ways to stop it? Can I avoid dying at the end of my story..?

...Damn it, every step is just feeling heavier, and... is that voices I am hearing, and why do most just sound like me..?

"You have to listen to me..."

"The Titans will be relied up from this!"

"HENSHIN!"

"Scott never told me this would be part of my job..!"

"I am vengeance..."

Am I going insane? Why am I hearing all these voices... Titans? And who the hell is Scott..?!

But soon, I hear something that sends chills down my spine...

"No, no.... STEPHAAAAAAAN!"

I collapse upon hearing that, because that was unmistakenably... Touko, my beloved Touko, sounding completely defeated as she yells my name.

Is that, when I die? Did I hear something from the future? But if so, the other one's does not make sense, because why would I say "Henshin"?

I am not a Kamen Rider in any way, and never could be as it is fictional...

I... THIS DOESN'T MAKE SENSE, DAMN IT!

...I will die, and I can't prevent that... I am a failure for having let Touko be so attached to me when there really are better people than me out there...

I need to disconnect myself from everything, because I am just a pathetic loser in the end. Once I am gone, my only legacy will be a weird guy that wanted things to be right, even if I did assassination stuff in order for that to become reality.

Getting up again, I groan a bit from the heavyiness before I look forward, and I... start feeling empty.

Emptying myself out of all thoughts, just to become a simple puppet that is there to woe and save everyone. Because...

...A puppet is always what I have been meant to be.

....

"Stephy, there you are!" I yell out as I run up to him. "Stephy, it's me..!"

He still isn't responding, this is not like him... "Stephan..?"

"Save yourself, Touko. I have hurt you enough now, and now I need to finish what I have caused."

"Huh? Stephan, what are you talking about?! I am sure we can do this together-"

"I said no, Touko. Just leave me alone, and you will be happier like that." He replies as he finally turns to me, but I can only see his eyes being completely lifeless of them...

"Stephy, what's the matter..?"

"I am meeting my fate once I go for neutralizing the Zero Point. I am a puppet, and thus my best course of action is destroying myself in the process."

"Stephan, you are talking as if you are posessed or something! Snap out of it, this is just not you!"

"What if this has always been me, and I just didn't realize it until now."

I was shocked hearing all this come out from Stephy's mouth. This... This is not him, clearly something is wrong!

"Farewell, Touko Kirigaya, you truly showed me how beautiful love can be." He soon says as he turns back around and begins walking. "I will always love you, my beloved everything, but this is were we part ways."

"No, you aren't going without me-"

But before I manage to protest, Stephan runs off while I am standing in place, wondering what in the world just happened.

He must've heard or seen something, he can't just simply do such a 180 in how he acts. And I intend to find out, no matter what is going on...

And also, fate? There is no way he is going to die, right..? Because even so, I shall prevent that, no matter what.

I want to grow old with my Stephy, and nothing will change my mind! "I am coming for you, Stephy, and I will help you, no matter what you say..!"

And so I begin running after him, because I am not going to let him go that easily, he should know better that I am stubborn of me!

At Chiyu's penthouse...

"Damn it, he isn't picking up, the hell's wrong with him?!" I say as I just give up at this point, because why is he so hard to reach for all out of sudden?!

"The only thing we can see is that he is storming towards the Zero Point currently..." Rei says as Masuki butts in.

"The guy has completely lost it! I thought he was reconsidering when he was stopping at the park, but nope, he just keeps on going!"

"Maybe you should take your motorcycle and catch up to him?" Reona suggest to Masuki as the latter nods and almost runs to the entrance, but Rei stops her.

"We are locked in here anyway, and besides, we can't do much else. It's too dangerous for us out there."

"But I can fight, Rei, I can fight!"

"Please listen to them, Masuki!" Rokka says as I and Rei nods.

"Do you guys want to help Stephan or not, huh?! Think about the shit he has had to witness more than any of us, the absolute morale breaking stuff he had to go through!" Masuki says to everyone as she groans. "We are no different! We all hit our low points, and this is his low point. And all of us helped each other in our low points, but with Stephan, no help?!"

"MASKING, it is not that we don't want-"

"Shut up Chiyu! Your mom was the reason for the UAA in the first place, why should we listen to you?!"

"ENOUGH!" Rei yells out as me and everyone else goes quiet.

"Instead of fighting each other like this, we need to work together on all of this! I want to help Stephan as much as all of you, but it's a matter of how we approach it, because we can't just head towards Shinjuku seeing as the Zero Point is very dangerous to be near. All of you have seen what it does!"

"...Y-Yeah..." Masuki says before she sits down again. "Man this sucks..."

"And things has to suck at times, but that's why we find other ways to overcome it. Right, Chiyu?" Rei says as she looks at me as I crack a small smile and nod.

She has always been a voice of reason in Raise A Suilen, so I am grateful to have her around here. "Everyone, we need to wait for a bit more. Things are not safe out there, but I think I know how to have others help so we all can help bring Stephan to a halt before he does something dangerous."

"I am with you on that, leader!"

"I agree with mistress CHU²!"

"And you two then, LOCK and LAYER?" I say as I look at our guitarist and vocalist as they both nod. We will help you, Stephan, in some way or form, just hold on out there as we figure out how...

We suddenly hear a knocking on the door, and we all look at each other as no one should be able to get inside the apartment complex without our help.

As we open it, before us stands Kurumi Shiratori, one of the members of Lyrical Lily. "What the, how did you get here?!

"Teehee, I have my ways~" Kurumi replies to me in a smug way before being serious. "I want to help you guys in helping Stephan! I want to make up for having joined the UAA and letting my feelings for him get the best of me!"

"Uhuh, sure thing, I don't have much to say as we just appreciate any help really." I reply as we let Kurumi in, but not before I frisk her so she doesn't have the recorder doubling as a beam katana on her, but nope. At least this isn't some kind of assassination attempt. "Right then, we will hear you out, Kurumi."

A lot is going down in the once peaceful Shinjuku now after the Zero Point appeared, creating cracks in the sky while laying destruction on the surronding area. Stephan has felt something that suddenly made him switch up his otherwise positive thinking, causing him to act as a mere lifeless puppet of himself.

How will this all go, and what is the true goal of the Zero Point being so destructive..? What might be revealed could very well mean the fate of the multiverse as a whole.

To Be Continued.