Chapter 67: Twisted Madness

Shingin furrowed his brows, staring intently at Akari. The calm composure Akari had initially displayed was gone, replaced by a twisted, unsettling expression. His hands clutched his head as if battling an unbearable pain.

Riyugi's voice trembled, "Shingin, something's wrong with him!"

Shingin cautiously stepped closer, his tone gentle yet wary. "Mr. Akari, are you alright? Are you in pain?"

Before he could finish, Akari snapped his head up. His gaze brimmed with madness and loathing, and a crooked smile played across his lips.

Suddenly, a childlike, delicate voice rang out, tinged with a peculiar, playful whine:

"Brother, I hate these people! Kill them!"

The voice was soft and eerie, echoing from all directions, sending chills down everyone's spines.

Riyugi gasped, frantically scanning their surroundings. "Who's talking?!"

The girl's voice came again, clearer this time. "Kill them, brother! They make me so uncomfortable!"

A thunderous realization struck Shingin as he instinctively turned to Akari. Akari's deranged grin deepened, and through gritted teeth, he murmured, "Don't worry, Akane. I'll make them pay."

"Wait! That voice—it's coming from him!" Riyugi exclaimed in terror.

Yahageshii's pupils shrank to pinpoints as his body tensed. He growled under his breath, "Who the hell is this guy?"

Before anyone could process, Akari's movements turned unnaturally erratic. A sinister smirk curled his lips as he ripped open a hidden compartment in his coat, unleashing an arsenal of weapons—daggers, steel balls, throwing knives—all scattering into the air at impossible angles. The space was filled with the deafening sound of spinning metal, an orchestra of impending doom.

Shingin's nerves screamed as he dived aside.

"Shingin, get back!" Riyugi's sharp warning barely registered amidst the chaos.

One of the knives, seemingly tossed at random, rebounded mid-air and shot straight toward Shingin's blind spot. He barely managed to avoid a direct hit, but a shallow cut marred his cheek, blood dripping from the fresh wound.

Akari's control over the airborne weapons was terrifying. Each piece seemed to dance to his will, ricocheting unpredictably yet always striking with deadly precision.

Ryuosho wasn't as lucky. A rebounding dagger sliced through his arm guard and embedded itself in his left arm. He groaned in pain, gritting his teeth against the searing sensation.

"Did you see that, Akane?" Akari's voice softened, a disturbing mix of tenderness and mania. "They're utterly helpless. How… pathetic."

"Brother!" the girl's voice chimed again, its eerie sweetness devoid of warmth. "That woman went to the right!"

"Don't worry, Akane!" Akari responded with twisted devotion. His raspy laughter filled the air, grating and deranged. "Your brother sees everything! Hahahaha!"

Myouka ducked behind a crumbling wall, her heart pounding in her chest. I didn't make a sound—how does he know where I am?!

"How did he notice?!" Shingin's thoughts raced. Akari had not even looked at Myouka, yet his callout was uncannily accurate.

"Mr. Akari, calm down! We didn't provoke you!" Shingin forced himself to speak despite his confusion and fear, but Akari ignored him entirely.

"Brother, I hate him!" The voice whined with chilling petulance. "Kill him quickly!"

Akari licked his lips, his grin growing wider. "Of course, Akane. I'll make him pay."

Raising his gun, Akari fired—not at anyone directly, but at a knife still mid-air. The bullet struck the blade, sending it spinning faster than before, its trajectory shifting impossibly toward Yahageshii.

Yahageshii tried to dodge, but the knife struck his leg with unerring precision. Pain erupted in his calf, forcing him to his knees.

A cold realization gripped Yahageshii's heart. He hit both the knife and my leg with one shot?

Shingin's mind reeled. This isn't random. Every move he makes is calculated, and every reaction of ours falls perfectly into his trap.

"Everyone, be careful! He's attacking again!" Riyugi shouted, her voice shaking with urgency.

Akari's voice cut through the tension like a razor. "Relax. I'm just playing a little game with you all. If you lose…" He paused, licking his lips as his crimson eyes gleamed with malice. "…you'll pay with your lives."