"Death by a thousand cuts. I've read about it in Chinese history."
"No! Drawing and quartering is better."
"Can't it be six horses?"
"Turn him into Anomaly sashimi for Pochita and Beam to eat."
"Use my domination ability to make him eat dog shit."
Everyone was suggesting various methods they thought were the most cruel.
"Everyone, pay attention. His mother is right here." Just as the discussion was getting out of hand, Megumi quietly reminded them.
The chatter stopped abruptly, and everyone looked at Yukiko.
"It's... it's okay..." Yukiko waved her hand, her expression complex.
With that, Yukiko got up to leave.
"I'm sorry. I... my mind is a bit messy. I need to be alone for a while."
"Makoto-kun, maybe you should go check on Auntie Yukiko." Sonoko looked at Yukiko's departing back worriedly. "I'm afraid she might do something desperate."
The other women agreed.
Husband dead, son turned into that kind of beast… it might actually be possible.
Makoto nodded to the women to take care of Eri and her daughter Ran, and quickly followed.
In Yukiko's room,
When she saw Makoto enter, Yukiko could no longer contain the grief in her heart. She hugged him tightly and wept bitterly.
"What should I do... what should I do..."
She had just seen the look in her best friend's eyes… Yukiko knew very well that Eri would never let Shinichi get away.
Moreover, what he had done was witnessed by so many people in broad daylight... he couldn't escape even if he wanted to.
But no matter what, Shinichi was still her son.
Did she really have to watch him die?
Makoto held her quietly. Only when Yukiko had cried herself dry did he finally speak: "Forget it. Just forget... it'll be okay."
"Might as well have said nothing." Yukiko sobbed. "How could anyone possibly forget something like this?"
"Nayuta can do it."
Makoto's words left Yukiko speechless.
'That little girl could do even something like this?'
"Forget it. Will you forget?" Makoto asked, pressing his forehead against Yukiko's. The two could touch lips if they just pursed them a little.
To be honest, erasing Yukiko's memory felt like it might weaken her married woman aura, which he was a little reluctant to do. But with her in such misery, caring about that would be a bit beastly.
"...Mm." After a long silence, Yukiko murmured in agreement.
Now, she perfectly suited the saying: 'The real world is hell.'
Having lost her husband and thought she had lost her son was already tragic enough.
Now her son had turned into a monster and killed her best friend's husband.
It felt like Yukiko could say to Subaru-kun: My suffering has surpassed yours.
Makoto then called Nayuta and briefly explained the situation.
"What's in it for me?" Nayuta had a negotiating look.
Makoto was speechless.
He knew this girl would definitely make an exorbitant demand.
"What do you want?"
Nayuta pinched her chin and fell into thought.
This action immediately reminded Yukiko of her husband and son, and the grief surged again.
'Sigh, Makoto was right. Better to just forget.'
Nayuta thought for a long time, mainly because she couldn't think of anything she really wanted.
Not to mention that Makoto's abilities alone were enough to get him anything he desired… the power Makoto now possessed in the real world was also sufficient to fulfill 99.9% of Nayuta's wishes.
After all, Makoto truly doted on Nayuta as if she were his daughter.
"Then how about we keep it for later, and you can tell me when you think of something?" Seeing Nayuta unable to decide, Makoto decided on a delaying tactic.
Suddenly, Nayuta's eyes lit up. She raised her hand and tapped her cheek.
Makoto: "?"
Nayuta continued tapping her fair little cheek, giving Makoto a 'you know what I mean' look.
Okay, Makoto understood.
Smack!
Makoto crouched down and, under Yukiko's gaze as if looking at a pervert, kissed Nayuta on the cheek.
"Good enough now?"
"Hehe, I'm feeling generous today so I'll give you a discount. It won't be this easy next time." Nayuta smiled smugly, rolled up her sleeves, and began to work.
Makoto silently resolved: 'Unless absolutely necessary, I would definitely not ask this girl for help again.'
With her memories erased, Yukiko temporarily fell into a deep sleep.
Makoto then took Nayuta to rejoin the women.
Just then, the television was broadcasting news related to Shinichi.
"This has become a huge deal, after all, the one who turned into an Anomaly this time is a celebrity… the Savior of the Japanese Police." Alice commented wryly.
She had obviously heard of Shinichi's reputation, but her first reaction back then was: How useless must the Japanese police be to need a high school student to save them?
"..."
Just then, Ran murmured and woke from her coma.
Her shoulder had received emergency treatment and was wrapped in thick bandages.
Eri quickly held her daughter's hand: "Ran, are you okay?"
"Mother... yes, I'm okay. It still hurts a little, though." Ran forced a smile, not wanting to worry her mother. Then she looked at Makoto: "Th... thank you for saving me, Sensei."
Makoto waved his hand, indicating Ran shouldn't worry about it.
Seeing the bandages on her shoulder, Makoto thought he should either learn some healing techniques soon or have one of the girls in the team change jobs to a healer.
The news report on TV continued. The anchor, Mizunashi Rena, stated to the camera: "Although Kudo Shinichi has committed unforgivable crimes, the specific disposal plan awaits the final decision of Commander Nishikawa."
Instantly, all eyes turned back to Makoto.
Makoto, in turn, glanced sideways at Eri and her daughter Ran.
"Attorney Kisaki, Ran, what do you want to do?"
Although he had called her Eri, baby, daughter... more than once the night before, now with so many people present and her daughter there, he still needed to be restrained.
"I want him dead!" Eri hissed through gritted teeth.
Her eye sockets were red, her tear stains not yet dry.
Her eyes were filled with a hatred that wished she could tear Shinichi limb from limb herself.
And Ran, called an angel in the original work, could no longer tolerate such behavior from Shinichi either.
Although she didn't express her hatred for Shinichi as directly as her mother, with her personality, silence already implied agreement.
Having experienced so much, she was completely hopeless about Shinichi as a person.
"Commander, has the verdict for Kudo Shinichi been reached?" Just then, the Teddy Devil, having reverted to his small, evil teddy bear form, hopped over.
"Yeah, it's been decided. Execution."
"Huh? Just execute him outright? That's a shame." The Teddy Devil looked regretful.
"Oh? Do you have a better method of execution?" Makoto asked with interest.
The Teddy Devil flashed his signature sinister smile: "Please leave it to this lowly one. I will surely give the Commander an unexpected surprise."
…
Three days later, Nishikawa Nation, Times Square.
Shinichi, who had been unconscious, gradually awoke. The first thing that came into view was...
Makoto, sitting on the opposite sofa, his legs crossed.
And, tens of thousands of eyes surrounding him.
The Anomaly Shinichi suddenly realized that his limbs were pierced by chains, tightly bound to a temporarily erected platform above the square.
"Nishikawa Makoto, what are you going to do?"
Seeing the man he hated most sitting right in front of him, Shinichi's emotions became out of control again: "You dog, kill me if you want, stop wasting time!"
At this point, he knew he probably wouldn't live. Even if just for the satisfaction of speaking, he wanted to disgust the other.
But his voice was trembling.
His whole body was trembling too.
Because he also guessed… Makoto would never let him die easily.
Makoto took the milk tea handed to him by Alice and said cheerfully:
"Hehe, Kudo Shinichi, keep making a scene. Because later, when you beg for mercy, I'll feel even happier."