Kazuki Akai/Plot

## Cerberus High

The story opens up with Kazuki sitting in the back of Alonzo's car as he was driven to the notorious Cerberus High. The human tries to mask his anxiety by looking unbothered as possible with his head resting on his hand as he continues to look out the window. As he thought about how different his life would've been if Yuu hadn't gotten so close to him, flashes of his traumatic past overwhelm him until Alonzo slams his fist on the door and announces their arrival.

After thanking the older male for taking care of him up until now, Kazuki exits the car after pulling his hood over his head. Alonzo speeds away, blasting Kazuki with car exhaust. Kazuki eventually finds his wits and enters the school when his Mark of the Beast is burned into the side of his neck. As he was distracted by the strange brand he is knocked out by a flying marble sculpture and wakes up with a pounding headache in the school’s infirmary. He touches his head but doesn't feel any injury. Sherbet Summers beams at his regained consciousness from his bedside and holds her hand out to introduce herself, apologizing for hitting him with that marble sculpture earlier. Kazuki shakes her hand hesitantly while responding with his name and inquiring what she was doing with that sculpture. Sherbet tells him nonchalantly about the brawl she just in with the ceramics class which was confirmed by her many bandages. Sherbet guesses right on the money that Kazuki human and tells him that it was his smell that gave it away. Sherbet then pries him on how he ended up at the school which Kazuki relented on, telling her that it all happened a long time ago and now he’s just trying to forget about it.

Out of the blue, Sherbet proposes that she becomes his bodyguard which causes Kazuki to question her. Pouting, she tells him that he should know of the horror stories that come out of this school and adds how a baby faced twerp like him wouldn’t last the week. Kazuki lowers his head at her words which causes her to feel guilty and she places a hand on his shoulder. The tanuki advises him that they really should leave before the infirmary gets filled and bolts out of the room as Kazuki stumbles out of the bed to run after her.

Time-skipped to a short while later, Sherbet and Kazuki were walking around the schoolyard as the former explained all the school's terminologies. That was when an idea sparked in his head after looking at a piece of glass on the cement and he cuts deep into his wrist to Sherbet's horror. Light-headed from the sight of his own blood, Kazuki stumbles back but Sherbet catches him. She checks his wrist and is surprised to see that the wound has already healed.

Kazuki retires into his solidarity dorm where he gives himself self-inflicted wound on the palm of his hand with a pencil. With this wound being more superficial, it took less time to heal which confirms to Kazuki that he gained a healing ability from his Mark of the Beast brand. He decides to stop thinking and just sleep.

### A Mere Human Arc

The arc begins with Kazuki walking alone in the crowded hallway of Cerberus where he is cornered by Axel Amsel who tries to intimate him into joining his cheer squad, bring up the dormant “dark power” within him. Kazuki's bodyguard Sherbet Summers appears and is instantly suspicious of Axel but dismisses it and turns to leave. As Axel redirects his attention back to Kazuki, Sherbet fakes a sneeze and throws a shuriken at his head and she grabs Kazuki's hand as they make a break for it. Axel transforms into a werewolf and chases after them on all fours.

Kazuki and Sherbet lose him but are knocked out by Mitzy and Roxy with a swift neck chop from behind. Kazuki sees a brief vision of Rouge before he wakes up in the gym chained to a pole and is greeted by Axel who asks him again to join his squad. Kazuki snaps at him, demanding to know what his deal is and why he cares so much for a plain human like him. After dismissing the twins, Axel brings up Kazuki’s regeneration ability and rips out his heart. He tries to slow the beating of Kazuki's heart by telling him to breathe which works and the initials “E.O.B” appear on the organ. Axel then convinces the human once more to join his side, highlighting the fact they are the same. Kazuki, with his spirit broken, finally agrees in defeat. Axel approves of his compliance and inquires if he will be needing Sherbet any more. Kazuki just tells with him to not harm her which Axel responds by slicing his chains with his hand and welcomes him to the team but Kazuki ignores him as he gets up.

#### Kazuki vs Axel

Sherbet bursts into the gymnasium and voices her hurt that Kazuki would join forces with the likes of Axel but Kazuki argued that he had no choice. Axel tells her that he had promised to kill Kazuki if he ever turned his back on the squad, causing Sherbet to shield Kazuki with her own body. Kazuki shouts out to Axel from behind Sherbet that he’ll take him on. Amused, Axel questions him on his sudden display of bravery in which Kazuki merely quotes him on how they’re the same making him fit to be his opponent.

Kazuki closes his eyes and reopens them to find himself in the deep recesses of his mind where he meets Rouge in her wraith form. Rouge tells him that she’ll lend him her powers but only if he says her name but Kazuki doesn't know it. She instructs him to look deep within himself and when he does, Kazuki's eyes shot open as he calls out the name Rouge. Kazuki explodes into black flames as he summons his Eternal Onyx Blade for the first time and he to lunges forward strike Axel but Axel catches the blade with his bare hands, tossing it aside along with the human.

As the fight went on, Kazuki clearly becomes exhausted, giving Axel an opening and he slashes Kazuki on the face with his clawed hand. The fallen Kazuki crawls backward until his back hit the wall and he starts hyperventilating. Rouge helps Kazuki in slowing down his heart with proper breathing exercises which is successful. However, Kazuki’s face becomes pale as the same black photosphere that killed Yuu was in front of him. Kazuki cries out to Axel to run away but he doesn't move and takes the blast head-on. Axel coughs up blood, commenting on how the attack messed up his insides and could have destroyed his heart. The two dingo-canids run to their injured captain's aid and before teleporting away look at Kazuki with anger in their eyes. They warn him that this isn’t over and that they won’t take such an embarrassing loss lightly. After hearing Rouge praise him for how well he fought Kazuki finally faints.

### Brazen Youths Arc

Word has gotten out around the school about Kazuki's win against Axel at the end of the previous arc which Sherbet points out as her and Kazuki are sitting at a lonesome lunch table. Even through Kazuki was silent, Sherbet could tell that he was worrying about Axel and reassures that the werewolf will be back on his feet in no time.

While on their way to their next class, Axel’s former fan club appear and crowd around Kazuki, trampling Sherbet in the process. As they congratulate him on his win against Axel, a note from Axel is sent down from above which Kazuki catches. He excuses himself from the rabid fangirls before helping Sherbet up and the two find that the note’s content is completely unintelligible save for Axel's name. Sherbet crumbles up the note and tosses it to the side which causes Kazuki to cry out. He tells her to hold on for a moment and that they should visit Axel’s dorm to see if he’s alright.

After some reluctance from Sherbet, the two finally make to the werewolf's dorm where they notice that the door was not fully closed and find the room empty. Sherbet shrieks as Kazuki is suddenly tackled by the werewolf who had been stealthily clinging to the walls the whole time. Kazuki could barely breathe as Axel playfully had him in a headlock but the human was able to vocalize his relief that he had recovered. Sherbet catches Kazuki as he was let go and angrily turns to say to Axel that they're leaving which causes Axel's mood to change. The werewolf apologizes to the both of them for what put them through, explaining how that dark power of Kazuki’s isn’t something to be taken lightly and ensures Cheer Squad will do their best to protect them. Sherbet argues that she doesn't need his protection as she was more than capable of protecting both herself and Kazuki. The human tries to convince her to just accept their help and once again Sherbet's resolve melts.

#### Kazuki’s Breakdown

Kazuki begins to exhibit some worrying behavior which included him zoning out often to him eventually never leaving his room. He finally learns that ignorance is bliss after Rouge reveals the truth behind his existence. His despair manifests into a being known as Shadow Kazuki who attacks him in the recesses of his mind with Rouge nowhere to help him. The imposter rips Kazuki in two, causing him to wake up in a cold sweat and, for the first time, feels relief when he hears the voice of Rouge in his head. However, as she reassures him that she will never leave him, Kazuki is reminded how his life will never go back to normal and he cries.

A week later, Sherbet knocks on Kazuki's door for the umpteenth time but this time she brings Axel along. Kazuki frees himself from his blanket cocoon to let the two in and when he does, they see that he hadn't been talking care of himself at all. Kazuki snaps out his friends, causing Sherbet to storm off while Axel runs after her.

#### Kazuki vs Elliot

As Sherbet and Axel were being attacked by Elliot and Ember, Kazuki is still in his room, letting what just transpired eat him up inside. Several shadow cobras spawn in his room but Kazuki is too deep in his depression to realize until one of them slithered up his leg. Kazuki jumps up to see all their piercing red eyes and he slowly backs into the corner of his bed. Kazuki summons his tonfas as he asks Rouge what was going on which she responds by notifying him of the two malevolent power forces in their vicinity. Kazuki mows down all the row of cobras effortlessly, clearing a path for himself so that he is able to leave.

Kazuki arrives outside of the dormitory building right as a large black box had risen out of the shadows. The box opens, revealing Elliot standing with his foot weighing down on the chest of the paralyzed Sherbet Summers. Kazuki runs towards the cryptid canid but he too is paralyzed and collapses. Laughing, Elliot mocks the human, asking him in a very condescending manner if he really thought he could escape his **Pandora’s Box** that easily as he reveals that shadows generated by those cobras after Kazuki killed them were actually poisonous fumes that he was unknowingly breathing in. Elliot manipulates Sherbet's body, making her attack Kazuki with her kusari-fundo. Against her will, Sherbet strangles Kazuki with the weapon's chain.

Ember retreats while Conrad, who had taken Axel place in the battle, uses his aerokinetic powers to trap Sherbet a small whirlwind which he lifts into the air. The boiling of Kazuki's demonic blood cancels out the effects of the poison and he threatens the cryptid to reverse the effects of his **Pandora’s Box** but the cryptid refuses. Conrad to assists Kazuki in killing Elliot by combining their powers and they create a speeding vortex.

Conrad vanishes with Axel, causing Sherbet to be released by the tiny whirlwind but Kazuki catches her in time and sets her down in the ground. Kazuki cries as he apologizes to her while putting himself down. The tanuki stops his self-deprecation by flicking his forehead twice before muttering to herself that she needs to get stronger. Jumping to her feet, Sherbet informs Kazuki that he is forgiven and leaves like nothing happened.

#### Kazuki vs Blanc

A day after the fight with Elliot, Axel reveals that he is joining Kazuki and Sherbets squad. Axel then asks the two what they're going to name their squad and was going to propose a name until he hears arguing. Two males students were enemies in a love-triangle which becomes even more heated when one of Xiomara's uniformed assassin approaches them and encourages them to fight. Axel intervenes before the fight could escalate but Xiomara and her two closest assassins suddenly appear, causing the two male students to flee in fear. The female werewolf pleads with him to join her league of assassins, causing Blanc to become jealous and he attacks him with his ice bow and arrow. As Kazuki uses his tonfas to shield himself from all the fired icicles, Rouge tells him that she has to fight Blanc but Kazuki doesn't want to kill anyone else. The human uses his **Numbing Burst** to numb both of Blanc hands but the frosthound's wrath was unstoppable. Multiple ice pillars shoot out of the ground but Sherbet shields Kazuki and is impaled through her solar plexus.

The Brazen Youths retreat and Kazuki and Axel take Sherbet to the infirmary where her wounds are treated. Sherbet confesses how she is weak compared to the two of them, causing Kazuki and Axel to remind her how much of a essential part she plays in the team. Touched by their words, Sherbet wipes away her tears and smiles which becomes a curious smirk. She asks Axel what he had proposed as a name for their squad which the werewolf answers with a bad name which makes the tanuki laugh. Kazuki suddenly pipes up and proposes that they name it the Take-down Squad. Sherbet and Axel look at him which causes the human to become embarrassed but the two love it and the name sticks.

#### Kazuki vs Xiomara

Kazuki arrives at the schoolyard to fight Xiomara who makes the first move and transforms her leg to give him a roundhouse kick. She commends the human for being able to block her were-kick but Kazuki pleads with her come back to her senses for Axel. Xiomara refuses, telling him that she doesn't care about her brother which infuriates Kazuki. He begins striking Xiomara, catching her off guard with a leg swipe. However, she instantly gets back on her feet and strikes him with another were-kick. The kick connects and Xiomara snakes behind Kazuki before he could fall, putting him into a rear-naked chokehold. Rouge tells him to kill Xiomara but Kazuki refuses and is able to slip out of the submission hold. Kazuki's stubbornness disappoints Rouge and she makes Kazuki fend for himself without her guidance. Xiomara yells at a distracted Kazuki to get his mind back on the battle and lunges at him. Kazuki mentally apologizes to Axel before shooting Xiomara with his **Numbing Burst** which makes her unable to move. Kazuki fires his forbidden **Zipping Burst** at Xiomara which heavily injures her. Kazuki was going to pass out, but one of Xiomara’s assassins grabs him by the collar. However, Xiomara stops the assassin before he could do anything and announces that Kazuki is the victor before falling back down but Kazuki catches her just in time. Xiomara questions why Kazuki is treating her so nicely, causing the human to remind her for his promise to Axel. Xiomara facetiously remarks that her brother has really stolen his heart which makes Kazuki blush before they are both alerted to Blanc screaming. As Xiomara was being carried away, she bids Kazuki farewell and says that she accepts his truce.

### Underworld Arc

A month after the defeat of Xiomara, Rouge suddenly mentions wanting her soul to be exorcised from Kazuki's soul. Surprisingly, Kazuki fulfills her desire with the help of Ember but something goes wrong and Rouge is ejected out from Kazuki’s body with her soul becoming reborn. An unknown portal opens up behind Kazuki and he is grabbed by black tendrils that pull him into the portal. Sherbet tries to reach out to grab him but it is too late and the portal closes.

Kazuki is dropped into his Forever-still Space from the ceiling where scenes of Rouge's final moments began running through his head, causing him to vomit. Strangely, the vomit on the floor disappears and Kazuki is forced to explore more of the foreign space to find his way out. In the middle of going through the drawers of the master bedroom, he come across a journal owned by Rouge's father sees a photo inside that of Rouge and her family. Kazuki's mind to race at the discovery and he flips the page to see Casimir's final entry written on Kazuki's birthday. However, before Kazuki could read any more, his **Mark of the Beast** brand starts burning painfully, making him drop the journal. Kazuki is transported out of his Forever-still Space and into an alleyway located in Underworld where he finally notices his immense hunger. He isn't the only one who notices as Oralee comes over to him and presents him with with a candy apple which Kazuki almost takes a bite from it but stops himself. After noticing his lack of horns, the small demoness begins ruffling through his hair in search of his missing demonic appendages. Lita runs over to the pair and started to reprimand Oralee but the younger demoness begs her take Kazuki to a good restaurant. At the restaurant, Lita questions him on his race, bringing up his lack of horns which nearly makes Kazuki choke on his food. As punishment, Lita tells him that he’s allowed to ask her anything he wants. Kazuki hesitates before bringing up the strange cloaks that they were wearing. Lita expresses her surprise that Kazuki knew nothing about them, assuming that he was a denizen of the Underworld like herself.

Kazuki and his friends are reunited after Sherbet spots him in a crowd and the two share an embrace. However, relief turned to horror when he is informed of Rouge's disappearance as well as the destroyed grimoire. Axel blames himself for the demoness's disappearance but Kazuki tells him that he shouldn’t blame himself and that he is thankful that they were able to find him. Suddenly, the pain on his neck returns and everyone huddles around him, causing them to be sent to Kazuki's Forever-still Space along with him. Within the space, Kazuki explains them that this place was somehow connected to his past and that it’s like some kind of “undo button” is activated whenever an object is disturbed in any way. Ember recalls hearing about a place like this when she was younger and deduces that this still-space was made to be an exact replica of the place where Rouge’s life ended, causing a chill to go through everyone in the room.

Kazuki crosses paths with Oralee and Lita once and brings up Rouge's disappearance. Lita tells him that she hasn't seen her but promises to keep an eye out her the melancholic demoness. When Kazuki returns to his group of friends, they bring their suspicions about Lita and Oralee but the human isn't convinced that they are directly involved in Rouge's disappearance.

### The End

Lured by a strong presence, Kazuki runs to an abandoned town with Sherbet and Axel following behind him. Kazuki instructs his friends to stand back as Neo finally appears shrouded by the thick fog. Neo's form is finally revealed which causes Kazuki to be confused on why the demon came alone. Neo confesses that he killed Rey and Lita which outrages Kazuki. Kazuki demands to know why he would kill his own people and if he killed Oralee too. Neo lies and says he did kill her, adding that he "had fun" with her body afterward. In the middle of the heated standoff, both of Kazuki's onyx blades shatter and Neo charges with his Ephemeral Platinum Saber, causing Sherbet to scream. This succeeds in snapping Kazuki out of his shock and miraculously the shattered remains of his tonfa blades form a shield, protecting him from the blow that would’ve ended his life. However, this was all an illusion made by Neo and it revealed that Kazuki was stabbed in the heart Neo fuses with his saber and he awakens as a god. With despair and rage fueling them, Sherbet and Axel charge at Neo but they were both killed with a single head tap that destroyed their brains.

All seemed dire until Kazuki absorbs the souls of his fallen friends and transforms into his Cerberus form. Kazuki is able to defeat Neo with his newly acquired **Hades Raging Blood Burst** which sends the demon to his own Forever-still Space where he will stay for all eternality. This causes all the Overworld characters to come back to life but Rouge is not so lucky as she crawls over to Kazuki to say her final goodbye. Kazuki cries as he doesn't want her to leave him but Rouge reminds him that his friends are still there and places a final kiss on his forehead before fading away.

Ember and Oralee appear and the demoness uses her newly acquired ability as the Child of Light to send all the Overworld characters back to their homeworld. There Kazuki makes his feelings for Axel known as he kisses him.

### Epilogue

During Kazuki's surprise birthday party that his friend throw, he gets emotional imagining Rouge watching over him from Elysium. Kazuki also wishes Oralee a happy birthday as well.

## Cerberus High II

### The Beginning

#### Elliot's Unprecedented Return

The humdrum Sunday morning shared by Kazuki and his husband Axel soon took a turn for the worse when Xiomara reveals the premonition she had last night that said that, on the night of a red moon, the world would end. The two wondered what she meant by premonition as Xiomara’s never had an ability like that before. Their thoughts are interrupted when the phone rings and Kazuki answers it. When doing so, he is greeted by Elliot who sounds like he’s aged 70 years instead of 20. Despite how aged he sounds Kazuki recognizes him instantly and questions how he is still alive. Elliot ignores his question and brings up Xiomara’s premonition about the world ending. Kazuki knew that he would be involved in something like this and contacts Ember to warn her. During their phone call, Kazuki admits that he is worried for Oralee living in the Underworld.

#### Face to Face

On a rainy night, Kazuki gets another call from Elliot who tells him to come to the cemetery for a little chat. The elderly cryptid promises that he won't try anything funny. Once he arrives, he sees Elliot emerge from the shadows bound to a wheelchair. Kazuki is daunted by how decrepit he looks but maintains his seriousness. Elliot explains how he was able to survive their fight 20 years ago and mentions a being known as Red Star. Elliot explains how he plans on using the cryptic canid breeds he’s rounded-up as sacrifices to be the Sword of Supernatural Calamity. Since he is dying, why not have the earth and everything else go out just like him? His “children'' that he's accumulated over the years have been very dear and near to him but he has not made them aware of his plans. Cryptids canid breeds spawn from the shadows meaning they don't have any parents nor can they procreate with each other. Elliot had made sure to surround them in a Pandora's Box so that the others would still be “in the dark” about everything. Elliot gets up out of his wheelchair to laugh maniacally before falling back as he finally dies and is caught by a newborn Red Star.

#### Kazuki vs. Red Star

The elder cryptid explodes into darkness in her arms as Red Star introduces herself to Kazuki. Red Star calls Kazuki cute but says that it’s a shame that he’s way past his prime which was true since he lost his Eternal Onyx Blade during his fight with Neo and had become rusty with all his Burst abilities. She begins attacking him with just her legs and her fists which Kazuki blocks all of. She jumps up only to send her foot right down on Kazuki who blocks her axe kick with his two forearms. Kazuki yelps as the ground below him break away and he falls six feet, landing on a casket. Red Star stares down the grave he’s fallen into and remarks how fitting Kazuki looks 6 feet under. She then looks up at the large blood moon and thanks Kazuki for playing with her. Kazuki attempted to climb out but the dirt was too wet for him to get a firm grip on. Red Star transforms into her original red star form as she flies away to where the school is.

### The End

Kazuki soon arrives to the school covered in mud where he meets Axel, Xiomara, and Blanc. From within the sword, Red Star begins taunting Kasumi and reveals the truth about Nagisa’s existence including the fact that he never loved her. Kasumi's despair causes her to transform into Shadow Kasumi, the energy released knocking the sword of Miu's hand. Laelaps catches the sword and jumps off the roof where the other characters are. Blanc freezes the sword and Laelaps proposes that they all destroy it using their combined powers. Kazuki argues against it as doing that would kill all the cryptids trapped inside of it but Laelaps doesn’t care as they are responsible for Laika’s disappearance.

With the Sword of Supernatural Calamity out of her hands and her body back under her own control, Miu fearlessly tries to get Kasumi back to her senses but the black vixen’s rage is unstoppable now as Shadow Kasumi. Shadow Kasumi grabs Miu by the throat and a lightning photosphere engulfs both of them. Miu finally opens her eyes and awakens in her strongest form with a cured Kasumi in his arms. Suddenly the sword encased in ice starts levitating into the air and shatters revealing Red Star in black armor made from the essence of all the cryptic canid breeds. Red Star flies towards the two and Seraph Miu teleports Kasumi away so that she is in the arms of both of her dads below.