First-Degree Criminal
One hour after the thieves' incident...
In the Kagutsuchi Empire, specifically in the capital, the city looks like a paradise in this world—tall buildings and gardens everywhere.
Akayama returned, but in a different form; his silver hair had turned black, his blood-red eyes were now blue, and his body was frail, showing signs of weakness. He thought to himself: "When you first enter the capital, you will think that everything in it is beautiful, and you will live under the illusion that all its parts resemble this place. But the truth is dark, for nothing is perfect—there must always be a dark side."
Akayama looked at the sky and smiled: "I changed my appearance so that suspicion wouldn't increase. They will undoubtedly monitor me, so I must appear as a weak person who completes his missions by luck or coincidence, allowing me the freedom to execute my plans instead of revealing my true strength. I must also pretend to be a good man seeking righteousness."
He began to move and said in annoyance: "I must go to the headquarters now."
Akayama entered the samurai headquarters, where a man with strong features stood before him, looking at him coldly, saying:
"So, you completed your mission by killing the group of thieves... And now, looking at you, I assume you are ready for your next task."
Akayama replied in confusion: "What do you mean?"
The samurai smirked maliciously and said: "To be bait in the next mission."
Akayama's face darkened as he asked: "Bait for whom?"
The samurai looked at him and said: "To be bait in the mission to kill Yosuko."
Silence filled the place, as just hearing the name "Yosuko" was enough to instill fear in anyone.
Akayama looked at the samurai coldly and asked: "And who will be with me on this mission?"
The samurai replied: "Don't worry, a high-ranking samurai will accompany you. All you have to do is lure Yosuko, nothing more. This mission will make you more valuable. If you fail, you will be someone who sacrificed for his homeland, and if you succeed, you will be a hero who brought glory to his nation. So, what do you think?"
Akayama, coldly: "Fine, I accept the mission."
As Akayama left, a sinister smile appeared on the samurai's face.
Akayama sighed and sat in an abandoned area, saying: "Really... they've started to suspect me. How can I believe that they would send a high-level samurai along with a group of weak ones to face someone as powerful as Yosuko? What confirms my suspicions is that all the samurai accompanying me have committed crimes and are trying to cover them up. This doesn't make sense..."
A strange expression appeared on his face as he wondered: "Are they starting to suspect me, or are they trying to get rid of me? I need to find out."
As he looked into Yosuko's records to verify his story and abilities, he read:
"Yosuko was a former samurai ranked as a leader. He fought in many battles and won them all. He killed many yokai as if they were mere insects. He possesses a strong physique, and when he rebelled against the samurai, no one could eliminate him. Since then, he has become a terror roaming the world. He is now seventy years old but still poses a great threat, as he is capable of using magic—specifically ice magic. If they truly wanted to kill him, they would have sent a commander to face him, yet they only sent this group."
Akayama smiled and said: "Fine, I'll go along with your plan. I should go now; I've delayed too long."
Akayama entered the slums.
Everything before him was in ruins—buildings destroyed, poverty spreading in every corner. He looked around and said: "Everything here is devastated... This is the dark side of the capital. In this place, people suffer from starvation, while noble children live in luxury. Here, children are abandoned, and if their families go bankrupt, they lose everything. The noble children fear losing their toys, while the children of this place wish for death. They no longer have any hope in life..."
He continued walking and said: "I need to check on him."
When Akayama entered the house, he found his younger brother, Kanjiro, standing before him.
Kanjiro looked at him angrily and said: "Why don't you quit that damn job? Why do you have to get hurt every time? Every time I see you, you're covered in wounds!"
Akayama sighed and said calmly: "Forget it, Kanjiro. If I quit, you'll starve to death, so let's not discuss this topic."
Kanjiro replied angrily: "Enough, big brother! Even if I'm a child, I understand the truth! But what will happen to me after you die?!"
Akayama, coldly: "They will give you compensation, and you will continue your life... Now, let me go to sleep."
Akayama went to his room and sat thinking: "Really... this kid is aware despite being only twelve years old. He understands the bitter reality of this world. But in truth, I lost my emotions a long time ago... His voice now just sounds like a child's screaming to me. I have only regained a quarter of my strength, and the more I recover, the more I lose my emotions. I lied to him when I said I didn't leave the samurai for his sake. Moreover, my body never sleeps... I was lying to him."
Akayama's face turned cold as he said: "I need to clear my mind now."
In the house, Kanjiro was very angry, thinking to himself: "Why won't he listen to me? I've started having strange dreams... I see him gradually disappearing, a part of him vanishing each day. It's terrifying, and it's impossible for it to be a normal dream. He won't believe me if I tell him, but I will do everything I can to convince him."
Kanjiro's face became serious, and he was confident that he could convince Akayama.
In a distant place, on an icy mountain...
A snowstorm raged, and torn bodies were scattered in every direction. On top of a pile of corpses, a man sat, holding his blood-covered sword.
All the bodies belonged to yokai, shredded in a brutal manner. The man was muscular, with wrinkles on his face, but his white hair covered his right eye.
The man smiled and said: "It seems they sent the weak ones to fight me..."
That man was Yosuko.