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Chapter Forty: S.O.S. Cloud:

This experiment had to end. Yu floated through the blowing black clouds as he tried to look around for help. In half a day, he couldn't find anyone. Most of the people he trusted were dead or swallowed up. Cell phones didn't work either. All Yu could do was float around until he found another living soul.

He came to an empty pachinko parlor and looked in the window. His hope woke up from its coma and looked around. Tsuzuki sat next to one of the turned off machines. Yu pushed open the door and went inside. The shinigami looked up at the sound. Yu stared him up and down.

"You have the virus?" he asked. Tsuzuki shook his head.

"No," he said.

The junior's eyes lit up. "Thank goodness!"

Tsuzuki eyed him in a strange way. "Who are you?"

The junior snapped to attention. "I really need your help." The shinigami blinked.

"What do you mean?" he asked. "Who are you?" Yu lowered his head as he readied himself for the next reaction to follow.

"The one who caused this mess," the boy confessed. Tsuzuki's eyes widened.

"What did you say?" he asked. Yu breathed out.

"May I sit down?" he asked.

"Sure," Tsuzuki replied. Yu took a seat next to him.

"First, I am so sorry for all of this," he said. "We didn't see this coming."

"Fair enough," Tsuzuki said. "What is all of this? How do we fix it?"

"My project leader wanted to unlock the human id. She recruited me and two other students. Yet, we couldn't do it alone. Our leader turned to one of the professors for some help." Yu shook his head. "I met her a couple of times during my freshman year. She only chased after her own interests."

"How did you make the virus?" Tsuzuki asked.

"I don't know from memory," the junior said. "I'll need the notes again."

"Well, where are they?"

"Back in the lab at my school." He grabbed Tsuzuki by the hands. "Please! We don't have time! I didn't want this to happen! I have to end this now!"

Tsuzuki didn't have to think at all. "I will."

Yu's whole face lit up, bowing his head. "I thank you!"

The shinigami held up his hand. "But!" He took a moment before speaking. "I need to know everything."

The junior quickly nodded. "Of course!"

"First, where is your team?"

Yu bit his lower lip. "Dead…" However, that answer didn't come out clear enough. Tsuzuki strained closer for a listen.

"I'm sorry?" he asked.

"They got killed!"

The shinigami gave them a puzzled look. "What makes you say that?"

"Can't contact them. Our leader took the keycard and no one was answering their phones before this mess started. I tried to go them, but then… this all happened."

"Alright, so this world isn't your doing?"

"No!" Yu shouted.

"I see…" Tsuzuki worked out the rest of the scenario in his mind. He turned to the junior. "Take me to your lab," Yu nodded quickly. He rose to his feet and headed out the door. The shinigami followed behind. Haruka's monster stalked them in the deep purple-clouded sky. Just one more before the main course. As it searched, dark rot lay in its wake.