Chapter 15 (Beast Complex)

**The Python and the Hyena** (ニシキヘビとハイエナ, *Nishikihebi to haiena*?) is the fifteenth chapter of *Beast Complex*.

## Synopsis

At a middle school, a python student named Kameji is happy to be able to crawl through the corridors without feeling the trembling of the other students' footsteps, as he is always early. Upon entering the classroom, Kameji witnesses the worst tragedy that can happen in an empty classroom first thing in the morning, finding the body of a student who committed suicide, hanging himself on one of the ceiling beams.

Kameji screams loudly and upon discovering that this student's body is still warm, deducing that the subject is still alive, Kameji cuts the rope with his fangs. Upon looking closely at the student's face he discovers that it is Murou, a hyena who bullied him. Kameji wonders why Murou would try to commit suicide and decides that he should call a teacher, but Kameji becomes paranoid as, although he is the first witness to the tragedy and was only trying to help, seeing the situation from another perspective, in which a bullied student discovers that his bully committed suicide by hanging himself, they might think that he strangled him with his body.

Snakes are up to no good, you never know what the others could be thinking and that is why animals stay away from him - malicious words that Murou drilled inside his head. Kameji feels like even from his apparent death, Murou can still torture him. Kameji hears someone about to enter the room and in an impulsive act of panic, Kameji quickly engulfs Murou's body completely. Upon entering the teacher sees Kameji's exaggeratedly swollen body and through the snakes' digestive system, she assumes that Kameji just eat a lot for breakfast. Kameji realizes that he just swallowed his classmate. Throughout the class Kameji wonders if animals are suspicious seeing him so swollen and wonders what he should do. Kameji supposes that being a python he could dissolve Murou's body within a day, but he recants and even believes that he can hear Murou inside him. Being lighter than he thought and kind of bony, Kameji assumes Murou hasn't been eating.

Kameji wonders again what made Murou want to end it and checks his backpack to see if there are any clues or suicide notes. After checking his backpack and locker, the more he searched, the less he found. Murou had no hobbies, skills, friends or even a crush, and Kameji says to himself that there's nothing here. Kameji remembers how Murou was only recognized for being a bad hyena for his bullying, pulling pranks, scaring other animals, and trying to be the typical hyena that everyone he should be. Kameji thinks that deep down Murou was a nice hyena, and it is possible he was just struggling to find his own path. He prepares to spit Murou out and show him to the teachers, deciding to take responsibility for whatever they charge him with. Before spitting him out, Kameji feels Murou's body squirming, realizing that he is alive. Kameji begs him not to move back or he really will die and he won't be able to spit him out. Kameji tells him that after he gets him out, he will forgive him for everything, declaring that on his call, he will come back safe and sound.

After spitting him out, an annoyed Murou tells Kameji that of all animals, of course it had to be him. Kameji hugs him and asks him when did he wake up. Murou replies that he woke up when he said that "there is nothing here" and curses at him. Kameji says he's glad that Murou is okay. He asks him what he said, but Kameji says he didn't say anything. Eventually someone will find the real you.