The one responsible for such large-scale destruction was a boy with white hair and brown skin.
"Someone from the Mediterranean, then. I recall the Sardinia research facility did indeed conduct specific human experiments on albino patients."
Looking at the data attached to the email, Saigou Homura quickly recalled something.
Third Stellar Particles combine with an organism's internal genes to form a completely new and unique structure. The devices within the BDA merely help these recombined genes express themselves in special ways—the crucial factor is the content of the genes themselves.
Therefore, in human experiments, the expression of specific gene sequences from different ethnic groups would produce varying phenomena upon combining with Third Stellar Particles. Despite being unethical, researching this was considered a fundamental part of a scientist's job.
According to the data, the test subject had already started resisting before being rescued, but was subjected to considerable torture by the researchers at the time, leaving him in a near-death state.
And after the Holy Cross Group intervened, before they could even launch a rescue, the subject suddenly erupted with immense power, escaped the facility, and even destroyed the entire island where the facility was located.
"In other words, our people failed to establish a foundation of trust with him. In this guy's eyes, we're probably no different from the people at the research facility. Even if we fight, it'll just be a case of dog-eat-dog," Izayoi analyzed, rubbing his chin.
"With an experience like that, it must be hard for him to trust any other human again!" Kudou Asuka sighed.
"That's inevitable."
Izayoi blinked and said with a smile, "I remember being the same way when I was a kid. If Canary hadn't used reverse psychology to lure me in, I never would have gone with her!"
As one of the first human test subjects for Third Stellar Particles, he could understand the mindset of an experiment.
Most who approached him wanted to use him. Those who didn't, feared him.
Looking around, there was no one in the entire world worth trusting.
Under those circumstances, it's perfectly normal to run and lash out.
With that in mind, he looked through some other documents and spoke up after a few dozen seconds.
"I have some good news and some bad news. Which do you want to hear first?"
"You're still trying to be dramatic at a time like this? Aren't you worried that kid will cause another huge problem?" Kudou Asuka looked at Izayoi, unable to understand.
"Are you crazy?"
"Of course not. I'll be sane even if all of you go crazy," Izayoi pouted and continued.
"The good news is, only the foundations of Sardinia were destroyed, and they managed to evacuate and rescue all the innocent residents before its collapse. As for the Vatican, only the buildings were completely destroyed. There were some minor injuries, but no reported deaths."
As he spoke, he gave everyone a somber look.
"To precisely destroy the island's foundations and precisely demolish buildings without harming anyone... you should all know what that implies."
"Mhm," Percher nodded and answered naively. "It means he's a good guy, right? At least he doesn't kill innocent people indiscriminately?"
To be able to consider the safety of the public while escaping in a stressed state after reviving from the brink of death—that's enough to prove his moral compass is far superior to the researchers at the facility.
"That's right," Kudou Asuka nodded, agreeing with Percher's assessment, before her tone shifted. "But it also proves that he possesses extremely formidable martial arts and perception. Otherwise, it would be impossible to do something like that."
"I couldn't do it, anyway," Izayoi shrugged, acknowledging the answer.
His martial arts were by no means weak; in fact, you could even say he was the strongest below the Divine Realm.
For even him to admit inferiority meant the other party's martial arts had reached the Divine Realm.
So, the question is.
How did a mere test subject learn Divine-Realm-level martial arts, and where did he master the technique to precisely delay an island's destruction?
And besides this string of questions, there was one more important point.
"To be able to destroy an island while holding back and focusing on technique... it means his true power must be far greater than this. He might even be able to easily destroy a country or even a continental plate!" Kudou Asuka said with a serious expression. "In other words, he might possess power on par with Izayoi!"
At these words, everyone was stunned.
A wild test subject with power comparable to Izayoi's.
"That's enough power to overturn the world!" Percher couldn't help but exclaim.
"And what's more terrifying is that the person who wields this power doesn't have a very good impression of the world," Kasukabe Yō added grimly. "Just try to imagine a completely corrupted Izayoi, obsessed with destroying the world."
"Eek!"
Everyone immediately shivered.
"If a problem child like that turned evil, wouldn't he basically become a Final Trial for humanity?" Little Black Rabbit couldn't help but retort.
"Hey, hey, what kind of image do you all have of me in your heads?" Izayoi looked at the terrified group with a dark expression. They were talking as if he were the world-destroying demon king.
"I'd love to correct the ridiculous prejudices you all have about me, but now's obviously not the time."
As soon as he said this, everyone's eyes widened.
"What? He sees us as the enemy?" Percher said in disbelief. "No, what does this have to do with us? We're the good guys who are trying to help them! Even if he doesn't believe that, shouldn't he be getting revenge on the people in power over there? Why is he coming after me?"
Before, she had been scheming to have this victim take a little trip to North America, take out all those fat-cat culprits, and then their side could swoop in, calm things down, and successfully resolve the crisis.
Who would have thought that instead of going after the bigwigs, he'd set his sights on them?
What is this, biting the hand that feeds you?!
Percher's surprise was perfectly natural. No one would have ever imagined they'd be treated as the enemy.
But Izayoi's expression was different from theirs.
"As much as this great me would love to say the idiot's got the wrong target for revenge, to stand on my moral high ground and point my finger at him, the reality is a little different from what we think."
Under everyone's confused gazes, Izayoi sent a copy of the data to each of them.
"According to the report from the Roman Church, the Sardinia research facility was operating with the tacit approval of the local church. The higher-ups in the Church didn't know about it before; they only found out after an investigation. They're cleaning house now."
Seeing the information in their hands, everyone was at a loss for words.
After a dozen or so seconds, Kudou Asuka spoke in a melancholy tone.
"I can't believe the Church would actually be involved in something so disgusting."
The Holy Cross Group's expansion and development were closely tied to the Catholic Church behind it. Although they weren't the same organization, but rather two different entities operating independently, the extent of their cooperation led everyone to subconsciously consider the Church as one of their own.
To think that one day, "one of their own" could do something so vile.
This made her feel unavoidably disappointed in the Church.
"It can't be helped. Large organizations always have blind spots. I'm not making excuses for them, but realistically, with the Church's immense influence, for only one out of so many facilities to be dirty is actually surprisingly good."
Izayoi's attitude, however, was quite calm.
Even if the Church headquarters was on their side, it couldn't control the diocesan branches.
Given the trends in faith distribution in modern society, the Pope's authority is actually quite limited, and his control is nowhere near as strong as it was in the Middle Ages.
It's only a matter of time before a subordinate organization of the Church has problems. As long as they're investigated and cleaned up in a timely manner, it's fine.
"Of course, even so, the Church can't wash its hands of this responsibility. After all, the research facility was only able to grow to this scale under the Church's protection," Izayoi sighed.
An unavoidable situation, an inescapable sin.
At least from the victim's perspective, the Church was indeed in league with the forces of evil.
"No wonder that after this guy escaped, the first thing he did besides destroying Sardinia, the island with the facility, was go to the Vatican for revenge," Saigou Homura said thoughtfully. "It seems he already considers the Church his greatest enemy."
"But why didn't he make a move at the Church headquarters? Didn't he already go to the Vatican?" Percher asked, confused.
"Probably because there are too many tourists in the Vatican!" Kudou Asuka said after a moment of thought. "The bishops don't usually gather in the Vatican anyway. Attacking there would only harm innocent tourists and wouldn't be a major blow to the Church."
"Exactly," Izayoi nodded. "To catch the bandits, first catch the king. If you want to take down the true leaders of the Church, the simplest line of thought is to go after their biggest leader."
"And in the eyes of an ordinary person, the strongest symbol of the Church's power, the most common Holy Cross emblem, besides the Vatican... there's only..."
He stopped there, needing to say no more.
"...Us!" Percher, however, already understood what he meant, her voice trembling slightly.
"So, now the Holy Cross Group has become the mastermind in his eyes instead?"
This is completely backwards!