Chapter 209: The Sickness Within the Soul

Akari and Hayato turned away, their steps as casual as a stroll, completely unconcerned about leaving Kanto to battle alone.

Usagi's crimson eyes quietly observed from behind, analyzing Kanto's movements in an attempt to decipher his combat style. Each of Kanto's actions flowed with seamless precision, devoid of any wasted effort. His strategy was orderly, as though every detail had already been calculated and accounted for.

When the fight concluded, Usagi initially thought she could grasp Kanto's method. Instead, a chill surged in her heart—a primal fear of the unknown. A sudden realization struck her like a thunderclap, sending shivers down her spine: Kanto might be even more terrifying than Akari.

Akari's combat was manic, a deranged jigsaw puzzle of chaotic moves that no one dared to dismiss. Kanto, however, was entirely different—calm to an unnerving degree. He wasn't mad. He was calculated, cold, and precise, with an intellect that turned him into an extraordinary tactician. A mechanical genius, blessed with an eidetic memory and meticulous planning skills, Kanto's every move seemed like the product of perfectly timed calculations, locking his enemies into an inescapable death trap before striking them down without mercy.

Usagi took a deep breath, forcing herself to stay composed, but her thoughts remained unsettled. Akari's insanity was unpredictable, but Kanto's rationality made him even deadlier. His high IQ and impeccable logic didn't render him a safe ally but rather transformed him into a force of nature—a lethal storm.

Not far away, Akari appeared to notice Usagi's covert observation of Kanto's battle. Yet, he seemed unbothered, even exuding a strange sense of ease. His expression, detached from reality, carried a hint of eerie amusement.

As Usagi sought to delve deeper into her analysis, a sudden, crisp voice broke the tense atmosphere.

"I'm starving, Hayato! Do something about it!"

The voice, soft and tinged with childlike mischief, was a deliberate imitation of Akane's tone. Nearby, Akari smirked, his expression unreadable, his eyes as enigmatic as a bottomless abyss. His mimicry was flawless, down to the smallest nuances in Akane's inflection. It felt less like an impersonation and more like a calculated demonstration of his mastery over detail.

Hearing the voice, Usagi's brow furrowed, a cautious unease rising within her. This seemingly harmless remark felt like the prelude to one of Akari's manipulative games.

Hayato froze mid-step, his body tensing like a predator responding to its prey. He sniffed the ground, his nostrils flaring as if detecting a hidden scent. Suddenly, his eyes lit up with feral excitement, a crazed grin splitting his face as drool trickled from the corner of his mouth.

"Found it—hahaha!"

Before Usagi could react, Hayato dropped to all fours and darted forward, his movements as swift as a hunting leopard.

Left alone with Akari—or perhaps, Akane's consciousness—Usagi hesitated.

"Should I run?" The thought curled around her mind like a serpent. Yet Akari stood silently nearby, his expression locked in that cryptic smile, somewhere between innocent and sinister, pinning her in place.

Usagi's chest tightened as she unconsciously stepped back. Was this Akane, or was Akari waiting to awaken? She couldn't tell. Both presences within his body were equally dangerous.

The idea of escape tempted her like a siren's call. With Hayato gone, only Akari remained—this was her chance. But when her gaze met his enigmatic eyes, her courage withered, doused by an icy dread.

Akari didn't move. He simply watched, his predator's eyes fixed on her as if she were already caught in his snare.

Usagi's body trembled as she slowly backed into a thick tree trunk, pressing her arms tightly against herself for a semblance of security. Closing her eyes, she tried to block out the mounting sense of peril.

The forest whispered around her, the rustling leaves carrying foreboding murmurs. But Usagi's heart refused to find peace. The real threat wasn't Hayato, nor Akari's unsettling smile—it was the unknown presence stalking her through this fog-laden woodland.

At the campsite under the starlit sky, university students laughed and chatted around a campfire. One student stood and stretched.

"I'll grab some firewood," he said, picking up a flashlight and strolling toward the forest.

As he entered the woods, the light dimmed, leaving only the flashlight beam cutting through the shadows. He crouched to pick up a fallen branch, but a sudden, powerful grip seized his ankle.

"Ah—!" He barely managed to cry out before being yanked into the dense underbrush. His flashlight fell, its beam darting wildly across the foliage, briefly illuminating a pair of crimson eyes.

"Shhh… Don't make a sound." A low, chilling voice whispered, tinged with insanity.

Hayato knelt before the student, a deranged grin splitting his blood-smeared face.

The student's eyes widened in terror, tears mingling with sweat as he nodded frantically.

"Good boy," Hayato murmured, his voice almost gentle. Then, without hesitation, his blade slashed across the student's throat.

Blood sprayed like a crimson fountain, and the student's desperate, soundless screams dissolved into silence. His hands clawed feebly at the air before falling limp.

Hayato chuckled, his eyes wild with ecstasy. "Caught you…"

Back at the campfire, the remaining students tensed at a faint sound from the woods.

"Did you hear that?" one girl asked nervously.

"It's probably just him fooling around," another replied, frowning.

In the woods, Hayato wiped blood from his face, his deranged grin growing wider.

"They noticed," he whispered. "Now it gets interesting."

Straightening, he began walking toward the campfire, his footsteps eerily light. His laughter echoed through the forest—a chilling prelude to the carnage that awaited.