Chapter 162: You Really Deserve to Die!
"Alright, let's continue."
Seeing that the two from Night Raid had started playing with Kurome's toys, Mahiro stopped paying attention to them and instead turned his gaze toward Zanku across from him, speaking slowly:
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Yotsuba Mahiro, head of the Imperial City's Secret Guard. It's our first meeting, Mr. Zanku the Beheader, the serial killer. Your... 'care' for my subordinates has been quite generous."
His calm and composed demeanor inexplicably made Zanku panic.
No longer manic, Zanku's widened pupils were instead filled with fear and disbelief.
"Why... why can't I hear your voice?!"
"Why is there no sound coming from you at all?!"
Zanku screamed.
His Teigu, Almighty Five Sights: Spectator, possessed five abilities: mind-reading, clairvoyance, x-ray vision, future sight, and illusion casting. It could read minds, observe distant places, see through obstacles, predict the future, and cast hypnotic illusions.
Yet, even though he had activated the mind-reading ability, he couldn't hear any sound from Mahiro!
It was like a deep, still spring... no, more precisely, like stagnant water!
Completely undisturbed!
Even though he stood right before him, with such an overwhelming presence, the tranquility of his heart and expression was like nothingness!
Empty, devoid of thought like plants and trees!
Or perhaps like a massive void, one that could devour everything—even those whispers, the curses from hell uttered by those he had personally executed, were all swallowed up completely!
"Why is this?!!"
What kind of monster is this guy?!!
For the first time, Zanku felt the urge to retreat.
The extreme terror he sensed from the other, the fear that arose involuntarily in his heart, sobered him from his madness.
"Oh, so you're trying to peek into my mind... and you can't hear anything, right?"
Mahiro smiled faintly, a somewhat sinister curve to his lips.
"Dealing with you, a mere runaway executioner, why would I need to exert any thought? Aren't you overestimating yourself, Mr. Zanku."
The matter-of-fact tone, even if true, once again struck Zanku's fragile and feeble heart.
A surge of hot blood rushed to his head.
That madness once again seized the high ground of his intellect, overpowering the fear of the unknown!
"Absolutely... I will definitely make you regret this! This is the price for underestimating me, Mahiro!!!!"
Zanku's expression instantly turned ferocious.
The eye on his forehead, the Almighty Five Sights: Spectator, activated once again!
The wildly rolling eye fixed on Mahiro, and as a certain ability was unleashed, a strange mist enveloped the surroundings. In Mahiro's eyes, Zanku's appearance began to change.
First, he transformed into a petite black-haired girl with wine-red eyes, seemingly greeting him with a smile.
It was Mayumi.
Then he shifted into a tall, beautiful kendo girl, Sayaka.
Followed by Miyuki, Shizuku, Lina, Honoka...
Even during the process, figures like Sumire, Kisara, Seitenshi, and Miori appeared, along with Mine, Akame, and the elite group.
But when the final image solidified, what manifested was an elegant and graceful posture, along with a dignified countenance tinged with a hint of charm.
Throughout this, Mahiro simply watched as that figure finally emerged and stood before him.
That person was smiling gently at him, spreading their arms wide as if to embrace him.
Yet his gaze grew increasingly cold, eventually turning deathly still.
Tap—
The sound of footsteps quietly echoed.
Mahiro began to walk, step by step, toward the figure that seemed to want to embrace him with open arms.
"Delightful, delightful!"
Zanku grinned, his mood exceedingly pleased.
Zanku the Beheader, his eyes gleaming with bloodlust, raised his twin swords and revealed a cruel smile!
For he had heard it—the innermost thoughts of the youth before him!
It was a complex yet pure emotion!
Zanku watched as Mahiro walked toward him, already poised with his sleeve blades, waiting for the other to willingly offer his neck for the slaughter.
That was how it should have been, but for some reason, Mahiro's footsteps abruptly halted, just five centimeters away from his sleeve blades!
He stopped in his tracks.
At the same time, a large hand suddenly shot out, moving so fast that even his future vision couldn't react in time. Those slender fingers clamped down on his face!
The force was so immense that Zanku couldn't resist at all!
His skull creaked under the pressure!
Instinctively, he tried to swing his swords to sever the other's arm, but before he could even raise them, his sleeve blades were brutally snapped in two!
"How is this possible?!"
"Why wouldn't it be possible? Mere hypnotic abilities, just slightly above the level of a magic eye. But... you truly deserve to die!"
Mahiro spoke softly, yet his voice was unusually deep. The killing intent radiating from him caused the air's temperature to plummet.
"Hey, I thought... you could read minds, right? Come on, read mine. What exactly am I thinking right now?"
That voice echoed like a roar from the depths of the underworld.
In an instant, Zanku felt as if he were in hell, surrounded by countless demons reaching out to drag him into the abyss!
The voices not only returned but grew even more intense!
But the most terrifying part was what he read in Mahiro's mind—
Dismemberment, lingchi, human swine, hot iron branding, waist-cutting, flaying, drowning, lead-pouring, spine-breaking, heart-ripping, gut-pulling, skull-drilling, ear-piercing, kill kill kill kill kill...!
The moment he read it, Zanku's body trembled like a sieve.
Mere beheading?
In this encyclopedia of torture, it was the gentlest method imaginable!
"Hey, I thought... you've already heard it, right? What do you think?"
Mahiro wore his usual gentle smile, but to Zanku, that smile was like a demon crawling out of hell!
His rage, his hatred, his killing intent—all of it was clearly conveyed to Zanku.
The figure Zanku had shown him was none other than Maya!
Unforgivable!
Zanku's pupils trembled, instinctively trying to avert his gaze, but Mahiro forcibly twisted his head back.
"Look at me!"
"Eek!!!"
"Now, let's count your sins, Zanku." Mahiro spoke while maintaining eye contact.
Those pitch-black pupils seemed ready to devour his very soul!
"First sin: you never should have used their appearances to tempt me."
As he spoke, his other hand had already climbed onto Zanku's shoulder, gripping his neck tightly.
"Second sin: you should never have appeared before me wearing that woman's form!"
"No... please... spare me... l-let me go..."
Zanku was terrified, genuinely frightened from the depths of his heart. His survival instinct forced him to utter the same pleas for mercy as those he had beheaded!
But would Mahiro pay any attention to such begging?
That was impossible.
"Now, I sentence you to bone-severing punishment!"
Rip!
With a sudden exertion of Mahiro's hands, Zanku's body was torn apart!
Head separated from body.
A complete lamb spine appeared in his hands, scorching hot blood splattering everywhere, dyeing the square's ground crimson. Under the moonlight, this blood red appeared particularly eerie.
"So, your blood is red too."
The warm blood staining his cheeks gradually evaporated. After tearing the Teigu from Zanku's forehead, Mahiro casually tossed the yo-yo-like head to the ground.
What's this...
Are serial killers really unafraid of death?
Not really. They just haven't encountered someone who can make them fear death.
Look, even Teigu can feel fear.
Just like the Almighty Five Sights: Spectator in his hand was transmitting trembling fear, terrified of being crushed by his grip.
...
Meanwhile.
Kurome had already concluded her battle.
Lubbock was captured, his Teigu confiscated. Without his Teigu, he simply lost all combat capability.
"This thing is quite interesting. Lord Yotsuba will definitely like it."
After fiddling with the thread Teigu Infinite Uses: Cross Tail, Kurome happily stored it away. Then she looked down at the building's base where Tatsumi was being firmly suppressed by the burly man named Wall.
"Well well, not running anymore? Is this all you've got?"
"..."
Pinned down by the burly man and unable to move, Tatsumi barely raised his head to look at the giggling girl on the rooftop, his eyes filled with frustration.
Damn it!
Who exactly are these people?!
Despite having strength capable of slicing through first-level Danger Beasts, he was completely suppressed by this burly man!
All the joints in his arms and legs were locked—he couldn't move at all!
This was to be expected.
After all, Wall had been a bodyguard when alive. Even though being used as a corpse controlled by Yatsufusa reduced some of his strength, it was more than enough to deal with Tatsumi.
"How boring."
Kurome sat back down on the massive body of Death Tagool, the Super Danger Beast that served as material for Teigu, pulling out a snack bag from her waist and taking out small cookies to eat again.
But at that moment, faint footsteps suddenly approached from behind her.
"Who's there?!"
Kurome sharply turned her head, only to see a shadow swiftly brush past her.
Immediately after.
Boom!
With a tremendous crash, the shadow landed on Wall like a falling meteor.
It had completely shattered Wall with a single punch!
The figure's appearance was now fully revealed within their line of sight.
"Leone!!!"
Lubbock and Tatsumi shouted with joy.
"I'm sorry."
As the apology echoed, a flash of white light appeared, and the gorilla Danger Beast Apeman that had been restraining Lubbock was cut in two.
After the enormous corpse collapsed, a purple-haired girl appeared.
The hem of her qipao swayed gently, revealing a pair of slender jade legs wrapped in white stockings. Carrying a giant pair of scissors on her back, her deep purple long hair fluttered in the wind. Her cool, composed face and calm eyes were quite captivating.
"Sheele!!!"
The joy on Lubbock and Tatsumi's faces grew even stronger.
They never expected the reinforcements to arrive so timely. With this, the four of them could definitely handle this Kurome!
They could even take back the Teigu...
Just as Lubbock was thinking this, Leone's voice rang out.
"You two, run! Sheele and I will cover the rear!"
"What are you talking about, Leone? There are four of us..."
"Go now!"
Before Lubbock could finish speaking, Leone turned her head and coldly snapped at him.
Her face no longer carried its usual playful smile, instead replaced by an unmistakeable gravity.
The reason was simple.
Neither she nor the Boss had expected Mahiro to participate in this operation, let alone bring the entire assassination squad!
A total of six squads, nearly a hundred assassins, were rapidly gathering toward their location.
Yet she couldn't just stand by and watch Lubbock and Tatsumi get captured, since capture would mean certain death for them!
But she and Sheele were different.
They both had connections with Mahiro. For old times' sake, if they were captured, they probably wouldn't be killed immediately and would most likely be imprisoned instead.
Despite Mahiro's coldness when taking action, he was still someone who valued past relationships.
Though she was well aware that her approach was quite despicable...
Meeting Leone's gaze, Lubbock immediately understood and grabbed Tatsumi's arm, preparing to escape.
"Hey! Lubbock, what are you doing?! We need to help Leone and the others!"
"Idiot, shut up! Do you want to die?!"
Lubbock harshly scolded Tatsumi, dragging him recklessly into the alley shrouded in night.
"Trying to escape? It won't be that easy~ Doya, go break their limbs and bring them back."
A new puppet corpse was summoned—a woman from a foreign nation dressed like a cowboy, complete with two revolvers as weapons.
However, just as Doya was about to charge into the alley, she was suddenly sent flying by Leone's punch.
"Don't get so cocky, your opponent is me!"
"No, your opponent is me!"
Another voice quietly sounded as a golden figure rushed out from the darkness, delivering a whip kick toward Leone.
Leone blocked the attack with both arms, but the tremendous force still sent her stumbling backward quite a distance.
"..."
Even though she was already partially beastified, this single strike had already pushed Leone to her limits.
Standing before her was another golden figure, with long golden hair flowing in the wind, even her physique bore remarkable resemblance to Leone's.
"I never expected you to be this strong, Cornelia." Leone said playfully, trying to establish some rapport.
But unexpectedly, the other party wasn't having any of it.
"How surprising. I never thought you, Leone, would be a member of Night Raid."
Cornelia said coldly: "Working as a guard for Lord Yotsuba was not only safe with guaranteed meals, but also offered considerable freedom. Could it be that such a stable life wasn't enough to satisfy you? To actually join Night Raid."
"Ahaha... you're right, being a guard was indeed stable work. But I'm a wildcat at heart, never satisfied with the status quo."
Leone's words were quite contrary to her true feelings.
Who wouldn't desire a high-paying, stable life?
If not for that very desire, she would never have joined Night Raid!
"Is that so, I understand. Then I'll capture you with my own hands! Crushing King—Equip!"
Without further ado, Cornelia immediately equipped the Crushing King and charged at Leone.
So fast!
Leone was somewhat shocked.
Even though she knew Cornelia was strong, she never expected her speed to rival her own in semi-beast form... no, she was even faster!
Their fists and feet continuously clashed, creating shockwaves that swept through the surroundings.
The ground cracked, rubble flew everywhere.
They engaged in the most primitive form of combat—close quarters brawling, trading blow for blow!
However, Leone was clearly struggling, finding it difficult to even fight back.
She felt as if she was facing herself—a version of herself who also possessed a Teigu, but was even stronger!
No wonder.
After all, Mahiro had modified the Crushing King to an absolutely ridiculous degree. Though nominally a Teigu, it was no weaker than imperial arms, and might have even surpassed them!
If Cornelia were to execute the crushing and acceleration spells, Leone would already be dead.
"Leone, I'll help you!"
Sheele suddenly rushed toward Cornelia's back at incredible speed, raising her giant scissors.
Despite her usual airheaded appearance, she was actually extremely powerful in combat—stronger than Leone herself, second only to Akame!
She was practically a born killer.
"Soul Release!"
The scissors' blades suddenly erupted with intense light, like an exploding flashbang, blinding everyone present.
Seizing this opportunity, Sheele raised her scissors and struck Cornelia's waist with the flat side.
"Justice Execution!"
Suddenly, another person intervened in the battlefield.
Seryu descended from the sky, her hard tonfa striking directly on Sheele's Teigu. The tremendous force nearly made Sheele drop her Teigu.
She immediately redirected the pressure to the ground.
The earth was instantly torn apart, forming a deep crater beneath her feet!
"Surrender now, sinners of Night Raid! I, Seryu Ubiquitous, shall deliver the most just judgment upon you!"
Seryu stood up amidst the dust and declared this. Koro, whom she was holding, swung like a kite before finally landing at her feet after a long moment.
It cooperated perfectly with Seryu, putting its hands on its hips and letting out a strange "Guruu" sound.
"Heh, 3 vs 2... What a terrible situation."
Leone wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and slowly grinned.
But fortunately, Mahiro over there seemed to have already dealt with Zanku, yet showed no intention of joining the fight, merely standing there watching.
Could this be considered a blessing in disguise?
"No, it's 2 vs 2. I won't intervene. If I steal their prey, Seryu and Cora-nee would get angry."
Kurome sat on the shoulder of the Danger Beast, calmly eating snacks.
Judging by her demeanor, she truly had no intention of taking action.