029 Functioning Psychopaths - Part 3 - Mark’s POV

  It was killing me.

  Anna wouldn’t stop.

  "Oh my god, Mark," Anna whispered, practically vibrating with malicious glee. "Mirai likes your side dishes. Isn’t that so cute?"

  I rubbed the bridge of my nose, trying to force down the heat creeping up my neck. "Anna. Drop it."

  Anna gasped theatrically, clutching her chest. "Drop it? How could I possibly drop something so—" she leaned in dangerously close "—romantic?"

  "Anna."

  "Come on, Mark!" She jabbed her elbow into my ribs. "Is it true? Do you make lunch for Mirai every day?"

  "Sometimes," I muttered.

  "SOMETIMES?!" Anna’s eyes went wide with mock scandal. "Wow, Mark, I didn’t know you were already practically married—"

  "Anna." I shot her a warning look.

  Her grin widened. "Ohhhh, you’re getting flustered! That's so adorable!"

  I wanted to disappear into the floor.

  Meanwhile, in the arena, Mirai and Gina were still locked in combat — and for some godforsaken reason, Mirai was still spouting off embarrassing things.

  "I-It’s not like Mark’s food tastes bad or anything! Actually, it’s really good! I look forward to it every day!"

  Anna’s hand shot up to cover her mouth, but her eyes were practically sparkling with sadistic joy.

  "Mirai!" I yelled, my voice cracking slightly.

  "And he always gives me the best portions too!"

  Anna choked. "Mark, you’ve been playing favorites?!"

  I am going to jump off the rooftop.

  I forced my focus back to the fight. Gina was a grappler — and her ESP was brutal in close combat.

  Adhesive Manipulation — Gina could create adhesive effects by marking surfaces through physical contact. If she timed it right, it made her a nightmare for melee fighters.

  Mirai was holding her own — but barely.

  Gina lunged with a low hook aimed at Mirai’s side. Mirai twisted her body, narrowly avoiding it, then launched a retaliatory kick at the back of Gina’s ankle.

  The kick connected —

  —but Mirai’s other foot was stuck.

  Shit.

  It was subtle but clever. Gina must have marked the floor when Mirai’s foot connected. Delayed activation — holding back the adhesive reaction until the perfect moment.

  Mirai’s eyes widened. She tugged at her foot, but it didn’t budge. Her shoe was practically fused to the floor.

  Gina grinned. "Gotcha."

  Mirai inhaled sharply — then, of all things—

  "It’s not like Mark’s cooking is the only thing I like about him or anything!"

  What the hell was she doing?!

  Anna doubled over, clutching her stomach and howling with laughter. "She’s trying to recharge her luck!"

  Oh my god, why does her power work like this?

  Mirai braced herself, eyes flicking toward Gina’s shoulder, trying to read the trajectory and timing of her punch. Mirai yanked her foot, but the adhesive held fast.

  Gina’s fist shot toward her face—

  Mirai ducked. Her eyes locked on Gina’s exposed side—

  Suddenly, her legs buckled. The adhesive spread up her ankle, locking her stance.

  "Oh no," Mirai hesitated for a split second. “Not now…”

  And in that second—

  Gina’s fist connected.

  A brutal right hook.

  Mirai’s head snapped sideways. Her body crumpled.

  She hit the floor with a harsh thud.

  I shot to my feet. "Mirai!"

  She wasn’t moving.

  Gina stepped back, shaking out her hand, breathing hard. She stared down at Mirai, expression unreadable. Sweat rolled down her face, dripping from her chin. Her hands were trembling.

  "I… I won…" Gina whispered, almost like she couldn’t believe it herself.

  Professor Merrick’s mouth opened to declare the match—

  But then—

  Mirai’s eyes snapped open, showing she was faking being knocked out.

  The moment Gina had let her guard down, her adhesive powers had released.

  In one smooth motion, Mirai swept her leg out, hooking Gina’s ankle—for the third time. At this point, it was almost an insult.

  Gina’s eyes widened. "Wha—"

  Her foot slid out from under her. Gina flailed—

  —and hit the floor hard on her rear.

  "What the hell?!" Gina gasped, scrambling to push herself up.

  Mirai was already moving.

  With eerie calm, she sat up and reached for her shoe. Her fingers worked quickly, undoing the laces in one smooth motion. It looked almost like a magic trick.

  Gina’s eyes narrowed. "What are you—"

  Mirai’s shoe flew through the air.

  It spun—

  —a blur of motion—

  —before striking Gina square in the forehead.

  "What the hell?!"

  Gina recoiled, clutching her head, her balance thrown off.

  That was all Mirai needed.

  She surged forward. In an instant, she was behind Gina, one arm wrapping tightly around her neck.

  The shoelace slipped through Mirai’s fingers, smooth and fast, before tightening around Gina’s throat like a noose.

  Gina’s body arched in panic. She clawed at Mirai’s hands, trying to pry them away. Her legs thrashed wildly, but Mirai’s legs were already locked around Gina’s torso.

  Grapple secured.

  "Let… go!" Gina choked out, twisting violently.

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  Mirai’s grip only tightened. "Shhh… go to sleep… go to sleep… go to sleep…"

  Gina’s face twisted in furious panic. She clawed at Mirai’s arm, nails digging in—

  Mirai didn’t flinch.

  Gina’s breaths turned ragged. Her body jerked and thrashed, but Mirai’s hold didn’t loosen.

  If anything, it got tighter.

  Gina’s lips curled back in a snarl. "F—fuck… you…"

  Mirai’s expression was calm. "Go to sleep."

  Gina’s face darkened. Her movements slowed. Her hands weakened.

  Then—desperately—Gina’s hand slapped Mirai’s thigh.

  Tap.

  Tap, tap.

  Professor Merrick’s voice cut through the tension. "Gina Morse—eliminated."

  Mirai immediately released the shoelace and rolled off Gina’s back. She landed on the floor with a quiet thump, sitting back on her elbows. Sweat dripped down her temples as her chest heaved.

  Gina slumped to the ground, clutching her throat and gasping for air. She rolled onto her side, red-faced and coughing harshly.

  Mirai sat there, watching Gina struggle, her expression completely blank.

  I stared, stunned.

  What the hell did I just watch?

  Anna whistled. "Damn."

  Gina pushed herself up on shaky arms, her face twisted in disbelief and humiliation. Her hand wiped her mouth, trembling. "You…" Gina’s voice was hoarse. "You used a grappling move on me?"

  Mirai’s smile was small. "Seemed appropriate."

  Gina’s hands curled into fists.

  Ironic, really. Gina, the queen of grappling in our class, beaten at her own game.

  Mirai leaned back on her palms, completely unfazed. "You shouldn’t have let me get close."

  Gina’s jaw tightened. Her breathing was still shaky.

  Mirai’s eyes slid toward Merrick. "So… I win, right?"

  Merrick’s gaze lingered on Gina for a moment before his tablet beeped. He gave a short nod. "Mirai Valeska—victorious."

  Mirai’s shoulders sagged in relief. She lay back on the floor, letting out a tired sigh. "Thank god…"

  Gina wiped her mouth again. "I hate you."

  Mirai just smiled. "That’s fair."

  "That’s my bebe girl!" Anna hooted, throwing her arms in the air and spinning in place like an idiot. “So what reward do you want?”

  Mirai stood and walked toward me, her footsteps light and a little unsteady. Her hair was messy, her face flushed from exertion — but somehow she still managed to look… adorable.

  And that was a problem.

  She stopped in front of me, hands clasped behind her back. Her eyes were wide and shining as she stared up at me, like a puppy waiting for praise. "Mark," she said softly. "I… won."

  I scratched the back of my neck. "Yeah… I saw that."

  Mirai beamed.

  Anna practically exploded next to me. "Wahoo~!" She punched the air, practically vibrating. "She’s asking for a reward, Mark! Reward her! Kiss, kiss, kiss!"

  "Anna—"

  "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!"

  My face burned. "Shut up."

  Anna didn’t.

  Why was romance so awkward, difficult, and disgusting?

  A k-kiss?!

  Seriously?

  Behind Anna, the rest of our classmates turned toward us, most of them with varying degrees of exhaustion or disinterest. A few raised eyebrows. Fiona, still wiping her mouth and looking vaguely traumatized, shot me a glare. What did I even do to her?

  Gina, lying on her back and still gasping for breath, didn’t even have the strength to be annoyed.

  No one else reacted.

  Except Greg.

  "Booo~!" Greg cupped his hands around his mouth. "Power couples are overrated! Go die in a ditch!"

  Mirai’s cheeks instantly turned red. "W-we aren’t a couple!"

  For some reason, I suddenly found it hard to look at Mirai. And it seemed like she was having the same problem.

  Greg smirked knowingly. "Ah, my mistake. Star-crossed lovers, then. A tragedy in the making!"

  Anna shot Greg a withering look. "Mind your own business, Greg."

  "Sure, sure." Greg waved a hand lazily. "Just trying to balance the universe. Gotta keep all that romantic tension from tipping over, y’know?"

  Anna’s eyes narrowed dangerously. "You’re so lucky I don’t have a knife on me."

  "Eh, I’d just steal it anyway."

  Professor Merrick coughed — loudly. "Enough." His voice cut cleanly through the noise. "Prepare yourselves."

  I blinked.

  "Next match," Merrick said, his gaze sliding toward the group of waiting students. "Karl Brandt. Elena Faust. Greg Green."

  Greg’s smile sharpened. "Oh? My turn already?"

  Elena’s eyes opened lazily from where she had been leaning against the wall. Her shadow flickered unnaturally beneath her feet.

  Karl’s expression was unreadable as he rose to his feet. His red hair caught the light, a burning contrast to his pale complexion. His scowl deepened as he stepped toward the arena.

  Greg stretched his arms behind his head. "Alright then," he said cheerfully. "Let’s see how long I last."

  "Hopefully not long," Karl muttered.

  Greg winked. "Aw, don’t be like that, Brandt. We’re all friends here."

  Karl’s glare could’ve melted steel.

  Mirai tugged at my sleeve. "Mark," she whispered. "Do you think Greg will be okay?"

  I glanced toward the arena as Greg sauntered to his position, grinning like a fox walking into a henhouse.

  "I think…" My gaze lingered on Elena’s shadow twisting unnaturally and Karl’s steadily darkening expression. "...he’s about to have a lot of fun."

  Elena smiled thinly, her arms crossed as she addressed Karl. Her blond hair shimmered faintly beneath the training hall’s bright lights. "Heed my advice," she said, her tone light but sharp enough to cut. "If you still have the cacti Mr. Green here so generously gifted to everyone when he arrived…"

  Her gaze sharpened.

  "Discard it."

  Karl scowled, his expression darkening. "Don’t tell me what to do."

  Elena's smile didn’t waver. "Of course. Feel free to keep it — if you’d rather take the risk."

  Karl’s eyes narrowed dangerously. But after a long, tense moment, his hand twitched toward his jacket. He reached into his inner pocket and pulled out a small potted cactus. It was small enough to pass for a trinket or a keychain.

  There wasn’t anything special about Greg’s cactus. At least, not visibly.

  Karl studied it for a second. His scowl deepened.

  His hand ignited.

  Flames crawled up his wrist and licked at the edges of the pot. With a low growl, Karl tightened his grip — and the cactus erupted into ash.

  Across the field, Greg winced dramatically, clutching his chest. "Ouch. That really hurts, Brandt. What did that poor cactus ever do to you?"

  Karl ignored him.

  "Interesting," Elena murmured. "You actually listened."

  Karl shot her a glare. "Don’t push it, Faust."

  Greg tilted his head, still smiling. "Seriously, guys. What’s with the cactus violence?"

  Elena chuckled softly, her eyes glinting coldly. "Greg Green — you play the overenthusiastic class clown. Always smiling. Always joking. Always just… a bit too friendly."

  Greg’s smile widened.

  Elena’s gaze sharpened like a blade. "You skipped an entire week’s worth of class. Then you showed up here— this one particular extra-curricular activity — despite the fact you shouldn’t have even known about it, considering your absences. And then you arrived with a collection of cacti as gifts, flashing that disarming smile. Dumb, innocent, and just hard enough to read that no one would refuse."

  She tilted her head slightly. "Planting a ticking time bomb."

  Greg clapped his hands together. "Wow. I'm impressed. You figured that all out by yourself?"

  Karl’s brow furrowed. His gaze flicked toward the blackened remains of the cactus at his feet.

  Elena’s smile turned razor-sharp. "You wanted to mark us. That was the plan, wasn’t it? Use your ESP to implant something through the cacti. A tracer? A parasite? A connection of some kind? It’s also possible your ESP is related to cactus or plants in general."

  Greg shrugged. "Now, now, Elena. That’s a lot of heavy accusations you’re throwing around."

  "And I suppose it’s coincidence that you insisted on handing those out to everyone?"

  Greg’s smile didn’t budge. "Hey, I’m just a friendly guy. Is it my fault everyone here is suspicious?"

  Elena’s gaze darkened. "I threw mine away the first chance I got."

  Greg’s smile twitched for half a second.

  "Of course you did," he said softly.

  Karl’s flames roared to life, forming a ring around his shoulders and burning upward like a scarf of flickering light. His red hair gleamed in the glow, his scowl sharpening into something lethal.

  "Enough talking," Karl said. His gaze burned into Greg’s. "Let’s settle this."

  A thin, serpentine shadow curled at Elena’s feet. Red eyes glinted beneath the surface of the darkness as her Shadow Demon stirred awake.

  "I agree." Elena’s voice was light, almost playful. "Shall we take him down together first, before we settle our score, Mr. Brandt?"

  Greg’s eyes sharpened, his smile thinning at the edges.

  Professor Merrick raised one hand, his gaze cool and expressionless.

  "Begin."

  "Ha ha ha ha ha~!"

  Greg's laugh cut through the training hall like broken glass. High-pitched and unhinged.

  He was grinning — wide enough to show all his teeth. His hands were in his pockets, his head tilted at an unnatural angle. His bright green eyes gleamed beneath his messy green hair.

  "So funny…" His voice was light and casual, but there was a dangerous edge underneath it. "Ms. Faust, you overestimate yourself…"

  Elena’s gaze sharpened. Her Shadow Demon’s red eyes glinted beneath her feet.

  "Give up on your bravado," Elena said coldly. "I know there’s a reason why you targeted John. He could copy the ESP of others. He’d hard-counter whatever scheme you were playing at and would have rendered your cactus strategy or whatever that was… useless.."

  Greg’s smile widened.

  Elena raised one hand. "Shadow Demon, destroy—"

  Her eyes widened.

  Her body tensed.

  "Ugh… Wha—what’s… happening?"

  Elena stumbled forward, clutching her side. A dark stain bloomed beneath her hand — red seeping into her white blouse.

  Her pupils contracted.

  Her breath hitched.

  "…It hurts…"

  Her knees buckled.

  Her Shadow Demon screamed soundlessly as it dissolved into smoke. Elena’s breath hitched before she fell face-first onto the floor.

  Dead silence followed.

  Greg smiled. Slow and easy.

  "Do you know…" he began, his voice light and conversational, "that cacti have spores?"

  Karl’s flames flared higher. His teeth bared in a snarl. "What did you do?"

  Greg’s eyes glinted. "And guess what…" His voice dropped to a whisper. "I can do with spores?"

  A thin green mist curled around his fingertips. His smile widened.

  My stomach dropped, recalling my journals… and this one particular event. This was Greg’s ultimate debut, something I wasn’t exactly looking forward to. Greg's ESP was called Green Thumb. He could control any plant he had tended for a period of time.

  What Greg had done was monstrous.

  I knew just enough

  Greg had hidden spores under Elena’s clothes — tucked into the folds, the creases, the places no one would ever think to check. And then, with surgical precision, he had accelerated their growth from beneath her skin. A ticking needle bomb, buried under her flesh. If he had wanted to, Greg could have let the cactus take root, hollow her out from the inside, and kill her on the spot.

  And the cactus in all of this was just his method of delivery system.

  "You’re lucky I’m in a good mood," Greg said softly. “I could’ve tortured, Ms. Faust, you know?”

  Karl’s flames roared. His eyes burned with raw fury. "You—!"

  Greg’s gaze flicked toward him. His smile sharpened. "Careful, Brandt. Burn me too hard…"

  A vine curled beneath Greg’s feet, thorns glinting under the light.

  "—and Elena might not wake up."

  Karl’s flames wavered. His fists trembled.

  Honestly… even I, who had dealt with my fair share of trauma, was shook seeing Elena lying there, bloodied and unconscious.

  I turned to Professor Merrick, who looked like he didn’t care one bit about Elena's suffering. Mom was right. This place was tough… Too tough, especially on its students, I’d call it heartless. And that was saying a lot, from a guy who grew up with a Mom like mine.

  Romance or Ruin? You've got an isekai Mom with meta knowledge and a system (kind of)—talk about a power house! ????

  Virtuous Demon? You've got a character that wasn't the protagonist rocking the system this time—flipping the script in the best way! ????