Attack Of Parasites

The tram reached its destination, and the door opened. Suddenly, a person was kicked like a direct free kick in a football match, and the sound of the impact echoed from the waiting seats. Yes, it was the man who dared to harass the lady. Everyone present was shocked and turned their gazes towards the man who fainted immediately. The lady, confident in herself, walked out, her eyes eerily captivating. She made her way as if nothing had happened.

"It can't be that what just happened is real; no ordinary person could possess such strength, especially a woman," Dikim said to himself, his eyes not leaving the woman until she disappeared from view.

At the breakfast table, the father, as usual, was browsing the news on a tablet, facing him were Izumi and the mother as well.

"It seems they have chosen the winner of the Kayama Award for Fantasy Literature," said the father as he began reading the article.

"It's Yoshimi Dai's turn, right? The Seventh Transformation novel," interrupted Izumi, cutting into his father's reading.

"Ah, that's right! Have you read the novel?" The father was surprised by Izumi's interest in literature.

"The novel is about a boy who gains superpowers, allowing him to communicate with reptiles and use them to eliminate everything he dislikes in society. That's just not realistic," said Izumi, shaking his head in rejection of the idea.

"Of course it's far from reality, which is why it's called the Fantasy Literature Award," the father said, sipping his coffee.

"Again, this is leading to a crazy rise in numbers. How is this happening?" the mother said, her gaze fixed on the television.

"Ripped flesh crimes? The specialists solving this case haven't left their offices. The longer it takes, the more the losses increase," the father said in frustration.

"It doesn't surprise me anymore; it's like we've gotten used to it. Thanks for breakfast," said Izumi as he stood up.

"You didn't even finish half your plate!" the mother exclaimed, surprised by her son's eating habits.

"I'm late, Mom," said Izumi, adjusting his backpack.

On his way to the university, Izumi found it increasingly difficult to be alone; whenever he was by himself, thoughts plagued him.

"I might be one of the only two people in the world, along with Dikim, who knows the truth behind these crimes. How long will we keep living like this?" Izumi thought aloud.

"Izumi! Izumi!" came a shout from a distance.

Izumi stopped and turned to see Murano waving at him.

"Good morning," she said with a smile.

"Hello," replied Izumi, not adding anything further.

"You've changed recently," Murano remarked, noticing Izumi's silence.

"Me? I don't think so." He was only physically present, not really aware of Murano as he walked.

"Izumi," came a soft call.

"I heard my name just now," Izumi said, surprised, stopping in his tracks and looking back toward the source of the voice.

"Here," Megi climbed stealthily onto Izumi's back to whisper in his ear.

"Megi! I felt a tickle..." Izumi was startled by Megi's unexpected presence and placed his left hand on his neck to block her.

"Why did you stop?" Murano asked, a few steps away after Izumi halted.

"Nothing, I'm coming," Izumi replied with a fake smile.

"One of my friends is nearby," Megi said, trying to meet Izumi's gaze.

"Again? It must be Dikim," said Izumi.

"No, it's a strange companion; he's approaching slowly," Megi replied.

"But no ripped flesh crimes have happened nearby," Izumi said as he resumed walking to catch up with Murano.

"It's possible they haven't found any bodies yet; he's about 70 meters away," Megi said.

Izumi continued walking but suddenly stopped and exclaimed, "Could it be...!!!"

"Yes, he's inside the university walls," Megi replied.

"Inside...!" Izumi realized at that moment that things were not looking good and spoke with a trembling voice.

"Izumi... Izumi... wait!" A few dozen meters away, Dikim spotted his friend and started calling out to him.

"Hey, what's up?" Dikim said.

"Nothing much, except that one of Megi's and Hidari's friends is inside here," Izumi said, glancing around, hoping to identify who it might be.

"I suggest we leave; we can't risk exposing ourselves to everyone," Dikim urged.

"No, we need to find out who it is. We don't know their intentions or why they're here," Izumi insisted, looking at his right hand, hoping Megi would agree with him.

"Alright, alright..." Dikim hesitated, and they continued walking through the university grounds.

"Tell me, have you ever encountered someone with superpowers?" Dikim asked, recalling the tram incident.

"Nothing like that. Do you want to connect the events of the novel by the author who won the Fantasy Literature Award to reality?" Izumi replied, distracted.

"No, no, but I did meet someone—a woman who kicked one of her harassers..." Dikim said, trying to convince Izumi of what he had seen.

Izumi interrupted him, saying, "Now is not the time to discuss this; we need to plan for what we might face inside the building."

"Hello, this is the university administration speaking. We kindly ask our dear students to head to the multipurpose hall for the introduction of our new mathematics professor. Thank you for your cooperation." The announcement echoed through the loudspeaker.

Students began to flock to the hall in response to the administration's request, with many organizing themselves into long, orderly lines. Among those present were Izumi and Dikim, who chose to stay at the back, observing the situation from a distance. Izumi hoped to identify the person harboring the parasite, which could only happen with Megi's help. Anxiety was evident on Izumi's face, as if something unpleasant was about to occur. In contrast, Dikim appeared relaxed and calm, especially since Hidari was still asleep, unaware of the unfolding events—something that increased Izumi's tension, as he could find himself alone facing the parasite and its host.

"Where is he? Who is it? A boy? A girl? One of the administration members? Do something, Megi!" Izumi thought aloud, his eyes restless, scanning the crowd.

"Calm down... Your excessive movement is raising suspicions!" Dikim whispered in Izumi's ear from directly behind him in the line.

"He's in the hall; I'm sure he's among the attendees," Megi said.

"I advise you to be patient; don't let your eyes meet. He's searching for us too, but he can't pinpoint our location thanks to this crowd of students," Megi added.

"Good morning everyone. First, I would like to thank you for your presence and for welcoming our new professor, who is taking over for Matsuyama, as you all know is in critical condition at the hospital after a terrible traffic accident. Please welcome Ms. Tamiya..." said the university's human resources representative from the podium.

Amid the students' anticipation, a strange silence enveloped the hall. From behind the curtain, Ms. Tamiya stepped forward, her movements precise and coordinated, maintaining the same rhythm between each step. The only sound echoing in the hall filled with hundreds of students was the click of her high heels. She wore a knee-length gray skirt, a black blouse under a classic gray blazer, with wide gray eyes, moist lips painted red, and gray hair cascading down to her shoulders, presenting a stern demeanor.