Chapter 246: Akari's Intentions to Head for the Empire

The sound of Akari's footsteps echoed through the empty underground passageway, leisurely and unhurried. His figure stretched long under the dim glow of the lanterns; the surrounding walls were rough and irregular, yet bore faint traces of human construction. This place resembled some ancient underground ruin, with the passage of time leaving mold stains and rust on the walls. The air was thick with dampness and decay.

Akari moved without hesitation, as though he knew this subterranean world like the back of his hand. His crimson eyes occasionally flickered with an unusual gleam in the dim light—cold yet calm, like a predator stalking its prey. Despite the cataclysmic battle between Usagi and Leo wreaking havoc on the surface, the underground remained untouched, as though it were completely isolated from the chaos above.

He walked on until he stopped before a heavy door, its surface etched with ancient patterns. Though parts of the engravings had worn away with time, faint traces of authority and power remained. Akari reached out and pushed the door; the hinges groaned in protest, revealing an unexpected sight beyond.

It wasn't some abandoned ruin but a hidden underground base. As he stepped inside, thousands of eyes instantly turned toward him. In the center of the room stood several worn wooden tables surrounded by tense, wary individuals. Their weapons were ready, and their eyes sharp and cold, clearly unwelcoming to this unfamiliar intruder.

A burly man rose from his chair, gripping a dagger stained with grease. His voice was low and threatening: "Who are you?!"

Akari stood at the threshold, making no immediate response. His gaze swept the room, seemingly confirming something, before his lips curled into a faint, enigmatic smile. In the dim light, his crimson eyes gleamed like flames from the depths of hell, sending chills down spines. When he finally spoke, his tone was calm yet carried an undeniable chill.

"The one who will kill you."

The man's stare sharpened; killing intent flickered in his eyes. Yet Akari's brazen arrival and unshakable composure made him hesitate. He tightened his grip on his dagger, his voice low with cautious suspicion. "What are you doing here? What do you want?"

Akari didn't move from the doorway. His hands casually slid into his pockets, his crimson eyes brimming with cold disdain. His tone was calm, yet it cut like ice.

"You're soldiers fighting against the Astheria Empire, aren't you?" His words dropped like a judge's verdict, making the air grow heavy.

The mention of the "Astheria Empire" made the room's tension spike. The seated soldiers exchanged quick glances and gripped their weapons tighter, as though ready to strike at any moment. Akari, however, ignored their growing hostility.

"Maps. Information. All of it. Hand it over." He stepped forward slowly, his gaze sweeping across the room like a predator surveying its prey. "I'm looking for Astheria Alpha Mio, and you..." He paused, the corners of his lips curling into a glacial smirk. "...will make your greatest contribution."

Though his voice was soft, it struck like a stone shattering the room's fragile silence. The burly man's brow furrowed deeper, his dagger trembling slightly in his grip. Was it anger or fear? Perhaps both.

The soldiers began to shift, some reaching for their firearms. The atmosphere crackled with tension. Still, Akari remained unmoved, as though he were certain none of them would dare act.

"Don't resist," Akari warned, voice icy and eyes gleaming with mockery. "Otherwise, your only contribution will be your corpses."

The threat shattered the soldiers' resolve. One lunged from behind, thrusting a spear toward Akari's back with lethal precision. The spearhead whistled through the air—a strike meant to end him instantly.

But in that moment, Akari's shoulders twitched, and a piercing, childlike laugh burst from his lips. The sound was shrill and unsettling, crawling under the skin like broken glass. He dropped into a crouch, arms hugging himself as his laughter warped into a trembling whimper.

"Brother! I'm scared!" he shrieked, voice cracked with terror.

The attacking soldier froze mid-strike. The spearhead grazed Akari's hair but failed to find flesh. Shock widened the soldier's eyes; the speed and precision that should have killed the intruder were effortlessly avoided.

"What's there to fear, Akane?" Akari's voice dropped into a low, soothing murmur. He raised his head slowly, revealing crimson eyes that shimmered with eerie light. "With me here, you have nothing to fear."

Before anyone could react, Akari spun around. A dagger had appeared in his hand, its edge glinting as it sliced across the soldier's throat with merciless precision. Warm blood spurted into the air. The soldier's knees buckled as he collapsed, eyes still wide with disbelief.

"See?" Akari straightened, casually flicking the blood from his blade. His lips twisted into a manic smile. "I told you, didn't I? With your big brother here, you have nothing to fear."

He reached into his coat and pulled out an assortment of weapons—knives, throwing stars, chains, even a compact crossbow. Tossing them into the air like toys, he watched the glint of steel with childlike fascination.

"Gabrielle awaits me," he said, tilting his head as the weapons began to fall. His crimson eyes shone with fervent excitement. "But before that..."

He caught a long blade with ease, twirling it like a baton. The wicked smile stretched across his face.

"Let's have some fun. I'll kill you all slowly... until there's nothing left but pain."