Morioh, under martial law, was like a patient with their throat clutched by an invisible hand; the streets were empty in the daytime, the usual hustle replaced by a suffocating silence.
The nights were even worse, patrol car sirens ghostly sweeping across the streets, and the occasional dog bark quickly fading into the quiet.
Kira Yoshikage's life rhythm was completely disrupted.
He still went to work and came home on time, but his commute became an agony, with armed police at every intersection and searches that were strict to the point of being rough.
Like needles, they constantly pricked at his nerves, which craved order, and a madness representing despair gradually rose within him.
Especially when the police heard the surname "Kira," the subtle, fleeting change in their eyes made him feel like he had daggers in his back, causing him to gnaw at his fingernails, even drawing blood.
He knew he must be on some list.
Although he didn't know how much information had been leaked, the keyword "Kira" had clearly been caught by the other side.
Was it the fragments of the burned "pages"? Or did Kishibe Rohan reveal something? He didn't know, but this uncertainty itself gnawed at his heart like a poison.
At the company, he could no longer maintain his perfect low profile.
The whispers of his colleagues, the anxious yet probing gaze of the female colleague from HR, and the Section Chief's repeated emphasis on "cooperating with the investigation" during meetings all made him feel like he was under a microscope.
His perfectly manicured fingernails started to itch uncontrollably again, growing faster, which forced him to frequently excuse himself to the restroom to trim them.
"Endure... I must endure..." he admonished himself countless times, "Any unusual behavior now could become their evidence. As long as I get through this round of screening, once they find nothing, their attention will naturally shift..."
But the killing intent in his heart grew day by day, along with an indescribable, eerie excitement.
Every time he was questioned by the police, every time he saw a patrol car outside the window, every time he felt that omnipresent sense of surveillance, his urge to blow everything up intensified.
On the way home from work, the inspections were especially long.
Upon returning to his villa, he drew the curtains, and the first thing he did was rush into the bathroom, frantically trimming his nails until his fingers were bare, even slightly bleeding, before he stopped; all of this was starting to drive him mad.
Although being searched everywhere by the police was better than being hunted by the protagonist group, if he didn't do something soon, the protagonist group would recover!
His previous decision was actually not a problem; it did severely injure the protagonist group, and if given the chance, he could have completely eliminated them, but he didn't expect Kishibe Rohan to actually come up with useful information.
Moreover, what he didn't know was that the other party had already used Heaven's Door on him, but this time it was quite abstract, and the other party was still analyzing it… He looked at his own eyes in the mirror, distorted by suppression, and gasped for air.
"My dear..." he whispered to the empty room, his voice hoarse, "I can't take it anymore... this feeling of being hunted... just like before..."
He seemed to recall some unpleasant fragments of escape memories, and his eyes became even more sinister, "But thankfully, cinderella, I've found you!"
Although Kira Yoshihiro was disguised as an ordinary photograph in the living room, not daring to move easily.
But his own ability to gather information was also formidable; after a few days of preparation, he had located the other party and Kosaku Kawajiri, and he could strike at any time.
However, the surveillance cameras outside were like countless eyes, making him uncomfortable even walking in his own yard.
"cinderella... Kosaku Kawajiri... endure..."
These names swirled in his mind; changing his identity, completely becoming another person—this thought had never been so strong.
But during martial law, trying to find the other party and complete the "exchange" silently was extremely difficult, causing him to feel a terrible pressure.
"Hahaha, I understand, I understand, it's this feeling of despair, this is exactly what I need, yes, this is also one of the reasons I'm doing this!"
But suddenly, he burst into maniacal laughter, clutching his face as his body gradually contorted, a wild, insane laugh erupting from his mouth, to Kira Yoshihiro's shocked gaze.
He suddenly pulled open a drawer in the bedroom and grabbed an... Arrow from inside!
"Now is the time! Come, feel it, this is the will and despair from me, Kira Yoshikage! Grant me strength, awaken, Third Bomb!"
In an instant, the Arrow moved, as if it had come alive, wrapping around Kira Yoshikage's wrist like a snake.
The arrowhead grazed Kira Yoshikage's arm, then nodded with satisfaction, as if it had found a suitable host, and plunged directly into Kira Yoshikage's neck.
Blood gushed out, but Kira Yoshikage, feeling the pain, did not scream; instead, he revealed a crazed smile.
"Hahaha, yes, that's it, I can feel my power surging wildly!"
Killer Queen emerged behind Kira Yoshikage, its form constantly twisting.
The button on its hand gradually melted and merged into its hand, and an arrow-shaped protrusion appeared on its neck, then slowly dissolved again, making Killer Queen even stronger.
Explosive muscles swelled out, then, as if constrained, bound, and suppressed, they were reined back in, only slightly stronger than before, but the power was immeasurably greater.
Under Kira Yoshihiro's worried gaze, as if completely exhausted, Kira Yoshikage directly knelt on the ground, but his face was full of smiles, and the Arrow had completely disappeared, fully integrated into his body, and his wound was completely healed.
"Yoshikage, are you alright? You're being too crazy! What if..."
"It's alright, I succeeded. I can feel it, the Arrow chose me. Now I finally have this invincible power, and I don't have to worry anymore with this power.
The police search and Jotaro and his group are no longer important."
Supporting himself, Kira Yoshikage slowly stood up, waving his hand to reassure Kira Yoshihiro not to be too nervous.
"What?"
Kira Yoshikage showed a confident and sunny smile, as if his previous madness was fake, "Killer Queen has awakened its Third Bomb, and the first two bombs are also stronger."
"I've named this Third Bomb... Bites the Dust Rhapsody!"
"Tomorrow morning, it's time to act. This prolonged martial law isn't working; it's time to set things right."
Kira Yoshikage was also smiling inwardly, his smile sunny and brilliant, as he had already felt the power of this Third Bomb.
Originally, his scheme against Higashikata Josuke and the others was based on the Third Bomb being Bites the Dust, and his strength being insufficient.
After all, although his strength was growing with the fusion of two souls' powers, he didn't have the Arrow yet, and would eventually awaken the Third Bomb on his own, and its power would be considerably stronger than the original.
But now he was in too much of a hurry; he didn't know how much stronger it would be, perhaps only a little stronger than the original Kira, and still needing subsequent growth potential to mature.
But unexpectedly, or perhaps due to a difference in his ideas, this Third Bomb exceeded his imagination; although it was also similar to Bites the Dust... there was a fundamental difference, not just in power.
In his opinion, Killer Queen was truly invincible now; he couldn't think of any Stand that could defeat the current Killer Queen, except for Requiem and the Heaven series.
As long as Jotaro dared to continue investigating, he was confident he could eliminate all of them; he just had to wait until tomorrow... PSD temporary command post.
On the huge electronic screen, data streams constantly refreshed. The screening model, built based on the profiling provided by Jotaro and existing intelligence, was running at high speed.
"Section Chief Iwakura, the list of 'high-risk observation targets' initially screened has been generated, totaling 17 people. In-depth background analysis and recent behavior pattern comparison are currently underway," the technician reported.
Iwakura Yusuke looked at the list, his gaze sharp; they had changed their minds again, now stating that they must catch the murderer, forcing him to personally come and check on this matter again.
Kira Yoshikage's name was prominently listed, and quite high up, due to being noticed by Jotaro and others, and marked as a key suspect, and this Section Chief, after the rat incident, now almost unconditionally trusted Jotaro.
"Prioritize monitoring Kira Yoshikage. Deploy two teams of field personnel for 24-hour rotating shifts, covertly monitoring his residence and workplace.
Record all personnel entering and exiting, analyze his daily behavioral patterns, and apply for communication interception permits."
Iwakura issued instructions; although direct evidence was lacking, his intuition and experience, along with Jotaro's advice, told him that this person was worth a deep dive.
"Also, if Mr. Kujo needs any supplies during the investigation, they must be prepared immediately. His word is my word, understand?"
"Yes, Section Chief!"
The technical staff and his deputy saluted him and shouted, but for some reason, the deputy kept looking at the notebook he was holding, which made him feel a little uncomfortable.
'Never mind, never mind, none of this is important. It's more important to quickly go and discuss with Lord Kishibe Rohan how to reasonably and legitimately put on a show and release the respected and great him. I was truly possessed before, even thinking of torturing Lord Rohan, I truly deserve to die!'
Thinking of this, Iwakura touched the notebook he was holding, and endless guilt rose in his heart.