The room was dimly lit, the only source of light being a small lamp on the nightstand. Kazuichi lay in the center of the room, his body drenched in sweat, his face twisted in agony as he tossed and turned in the bed. His chest rose and fell in rapid, uneven breaths, as if he were fighting an invisible enemy.

Around him, his friends gathered in tense silence, their faces etched with worry. Ayaka stood closest to him, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, her eyes never leaving Kazuichi’s pained expression. Jurou paced back and forth at the foot of the bed, his fists clenched in frustration. Arisu and Lea sat nearby, exchanging anxious glances, unsure of what to do.

"He looks like he’s in so much pain..." Lea whispered, her voice trembling. "I’ve never seen him like this before."

Arisu nodded, her eyes wide with concern. "What could be causing it? He was fine just a few hours ago."

Jurou stopped pacing and turned to face them, his expression grim. "This isn’t just exhaustion or a simple injury. There’s something deeper going on here, something that’s affecting him on a whole other level."

Ayaka’s gaze hardened as she watched Kazuichi’s restless movements. "I think I know what it is," she said quietly, her voice filled with a mix of determination and dread.

The others looked at her, their expressions shifting from worry to curiosity. "What do you mean?" Jurou asked, his voice urgent. "What could be causing this?"

Ayaka hesitated for a moment, her mind racing as she considered the implications of what she was about to say. But there was no time for doubt—Kazuichi needed their help, and she couldn’t afford to keep the truth from them any longer.

"When was the last time any of you saw Kazuichi drink blood?" Ayaka asked, her tone sharp.

The room fell silent as the others processed her question. They exchanged confused glances, each of them trying to recall a moment when they had seen Kazuichi feed. But as the seconds ticked by, the realization began to dawn on them.

"I... I don’t think I’ve ever seen him drink blood," Arisu admitted, her voice small.

Lea shook her head, her expression troubled. "Me neither. I just assumed he did it in private, like most Hybrids."

Jurou frowned, his brow furrowing in thought. "Now that you mention it... I can’t remember seeing him drink blood either. But that doesn’t make sense—he should have needed to by now."

Ayaka’s expression darkened, and she uncrossed her arms, taking a step closer to Kazuichi’s bed. "That’s because Kazuichi has a condition. No matter how much regular blood he drinks, it’s never enough. He needs something more... something stronger to maintain his sanity."

The others stared at her, shocked by her revelation. "What do you mean?" Jurou demanded, his voice laced with concern. "What does he need?"

Ayaka took a deep breath, steeling herself for what she had to do next. "He needs the blood of a Dement Hybrid."

The air in the room grew thick with tension as the weight of her words sank in. The others exchanged uneasy glances, the gravity of the situation becoming all too clear.

"So that’s why he’s been hiding it from us," Lea said softly, her voice tinged with sadness. "He didn’t want us to know."

Ayaka nodded, her jaw set in determination. "He’s been trying to fight it on his own, but it’s not enough. If he doesn’t get the blood he needs soon, he could lose control completely."

Jurou’s eyes widened in alarm. "Then what are we waiting for? We need to get him that blood!"

Ayaka didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she pulled a small knife from her belt and held it over her wrist, her eyes never leaving Kazuichi’s face. Without hesitation, she drew the blade across her skin, slicing open a deep gash. Blood welled up instantly, dark and thick, and she pressed her wrist against Kazuichi’s mouth.

The moment her blood touched his lips, Kazuichi’s tossing and turning stopped. His body went still, his breathing slowing as if he had found some semblance of peace. The tension in the room eased slightly, but only for a moment.

A strange warmth began to spread through Kazuichi’s body, starting at his mouth and radiating outward like a wave of fire. His skin flushed red, and beads of sweat formed on his forehead, sliding down his temples. The warmth quickly intensified, becoming a burning heat that seemed to consume him from the inside out.

"What’s happening to him?" Arisu asked, her voice rising in panic.

Jurou moved closer to the bed, his hand hovering over Kazuichi’s forehead. He recoiled at the searing heat emanating from his friend’s skin. "He’s burning up! This isn’t normal!"

Ayaka withdrew her wrist, watching in alarm as Kazuichi’s body continued to grow hotter. His skin was now a deep shade of crimson, and his breath came in labored gasps. The bed sheets were soaked with sweat, and steam began to rise from his body.

"We need to cool him down, now!" Jurou shouted, his voice filled with urgency. He grabbed a bucket of water from the corner of the room and began wiping Kazuichi’s forehead, the water sizzling as it made contact with his skin.

Ayaka bit her lip, her mind racing as she tried to think of a solution. "We need ice—lots of it," she said, her voice steady despite the chaos around her. "Arisu, Lea, go get as much ice as you can find. And someone needs to inform Ryuunosuke about what’s happening!"

Arisu and Lea sprang into action, rushing out of the room in search of ice. Jurou continued to wipe Kazuichi’s forehead, his hands moving frantically as he tried to bring down the fever that was threatening to consume his friend.

But despite their efforts, Kazuichi’s body only grew hotter, the heat radiating off him in waves. His skin was now blistered and raw, the intense fever pushing his body to its limits.

"Come on, Kazuichi, hang in there," Jurou muttered under his breath, his heart pounding in his chest. He knew Kazuichi was strong—stronger than anyone he knew—but this was beyond anything they had ever faced.

The door burst open as Arisu and Lea returned, their arms loaded with bags of ice. They quickly surrounded the bed, placing the ice packs on Kazuichi’s body, trying to lower his temperature. The room was filled with the sound of melting ice and the hiss of steam, the air thick with tension and fear.

But Kazuichi’s fever showed no signs of breaking. His body remained a furnace, the heat continuing to build until it seemed like he might burst into flames at any moment.

Jurou clenched his jaw, his eyes filled with determination as he continued to care for his friend. He wouldn’t let Kazuichi go down like this. Not after everything they had been through together.

But as the minutes ticked by, the fear in the room grew. They had no idea how long Kazuichi could withstand the intense heat, and they were running out of options.

"Where’s Ryuunosuke?" Jurou demanded, his voice tense. "We need him here, now!"

Arisu shook her head, her eyes wide with worry. "I don’t know! Someone went to get him, but he hasn’t arrived yet!"

Jurou cursed under his breath, his hands trembling as he continued to wipe Kazuichi’s forehead. The water in the bucket was now boiling, steam rising in thick clouds as he worked.

"Kazuichi, you need to fight this," Jurou whispered, his voice hoarse with emotion. "We can’t lose you—not like this."

But as the heat continued to radiate off Kazuichi’s body, the fear in Jurou’s heart only grew. He had seen Kazuichi face impossible odds before, but this was different. This was something they had never encountered, something that threatened to tear their friend apart from the inside out.

And all they could do was watch and pray that Kazuichi had the strength to survive the battle raging within him.