171-175

Chapter 171: Lan 

Central Empire 

In an unassuming rural school, a horrific scene was unfolding. 

“…Who are you people? How could you do such things to those children? Aren’t you afraid of retribution?!” 

The speaker was a woman, in her early twenties, with a refined face and the scholarly air of a teacher. But now, she lay disheveled on the ground, her bare body covered in wounds. The salty, sea-like stench in the air told the story of what she had just endured. 

“Retribution?” The man across from her burst into laughter, as if he’d heard the funniest joke in the world.  

“Hahaha! Who do you think this empire exists for? I’m the son of Minister Honest! The empire only stands because of us! Lowly commoners like you should be grateful just to be alive, and you dare talk about punishing me?” 

Faced with the man’s arrogant smirk, the woman’s expression grew fiercer, her bloodshot eyes glaring at him. “Letting your men slaughter and defile young girls… that’s a crime deserving of death! Even if you’re the minister’s son, the governor… the governor will never forgive you!” 

“The governor?” The man’s grin widened, turning vicious. “What a naive woman. Let me show you the reality of this world.” 

He grabbed her by the neck, lifting her off the ground, and strode outside. 

Beyond the door lay a gruesome sight—severed limbs and pools of thick blood. 

A swordsman twirled his blade, sheathing the demonic sword “Kousetsu.”  

“Lord Syura,” he said. 

“How does it feel, Izou?” the man asked. 

Izou bowed slightly. “Thanks to you, Kousetsu has drunk deeply from the blood of the resentful. I can feel its power growing.” 

“Hmph. When we return to the capital, there’ll be even more blood for it to feast on…” Syura glanced around. “Where’s Champ?” 

“Over there.” 

Following Izou’s gesture, they saw a fat man in a clown mask emerging from another building, clutching several blood-dripping heads. His face twisted into a grotesque mix of tears and laughter. “Such adorable children… like little angels. I couldn’t bear to see them grow into filthy adults. They’re better off like this…” 

Despite the atrocities they were committing, Syura and his group spoke with a casual indifference, as if discussing dinner plans rather than murder and mayhem. 

The woman, still dangling in Syura’s grip, stared at the scene with eyes that seemed to bleed with rage. But with her throat constricted, she couldn’t make a sound. 

At that moment, hurried footsteps approached from outside. The door burst open, and a squad of fully armed guards stormed into the school, led by the local governor—a woman. 

“Who dares cause trouble here—” 

Her words cut off abruptly. Upon seeing Syura’s face, her expression shifted to panic. “Y-You… Lord Syura?” 

After a brief hesitation, she dropped to one knee, signaling her soldiers to do the same, heads bowed low. “I am Fural, governor of this region. I didn’t know you were here. If I spoke out of turn, please forgive me!” 

Syura turned to the woman in his grip, sneering at her despairing face. “This is the ‘just’ governor you spoke of?” With a cruel twist, he snapped her neck and tossed her body aside like trash. 

His gaze then fell on Fural, and he licked his lips. “You. Come here.” 

Fural’s heart trembled, a flicker of fear crossing her face, but she forced a shaky response. “Lord Syura, this place is too filthy for your noble presence. Please, come into the city. I’ll prepare a banquet to honor you. As for this mess, I’ll ensure these commoners’ bodies are disposed of cleanly—no one will ever connect them to you.” 

“Into the city? Hmm… fine.” Syura nodded. “I’ll give you filthy commoners a chance to serve me.” 

With that, the minister’s son strutted out of the school, followed by Izou, Champ, and the others. 

Fural turned to her subordinates, issuing quick orders. “Send men to burn this school down and seal off all news of this. If Lan returns and asks, tell him it was bandits.” 

“Yes, ma’am.” 

As Syura’s group disappeared into the distance, flames began to rise within the school. Every trace of their crimes was consumed by the fire, leaving only charred ruins standing silently on the plain. 

Much later, a handsome young man with golden hair stumbled to the school’s entrance. Staring at the familiar yet unrecognizable ruins, his voice trembled. “What… what happened here?” 

Uchiha Hikari reached the marked location on the map in just half a day. But tracking down Syura took more effort. The divination Teigu had pointed to a vast plain spanning dozens of square kilometers, dotted with villages and towns housing tens of thousands of people. With Syura and his group keeping a low profile, Hikari resorted to a carpet-search strategy, splitting into a dozen shadow clones and soaring through the skies with the Flying Thunder God technique, scanning the crowds below with her Sharingan. 

Until… she spotted a familiar figure—a golden-haired young man. 

“Hey, what’s your name?” Hikari descended from the sky, landing in front of him. 

The young man looked utterly broken, as if he hadn’t even heard her question. It wasn’t until Hikari cast a gentle Tsukuyomi that he calmed down. 

“…Lan?” she murmured, piecing together his identity. 

He was a member of Esdeath’s “Hunters” organization, wielder of the Teigu “Mastema: Wings of a Thousand Miles.” In the original story, Lan was a rural teacher beloved by his students and in love with the local governor. But after returning from a trip, he found his students slaughtered by villains, their deaths covered up by the authorities. Disillusioned, he abandoned teaching, joined the Hunters, and vowed to change the empire while seeking revenge for his students. 

In truth, the “villains” were none other than Syura’s group, the “Wild Hunt.” 

In the original timeline, Lan eventually faced Champ from the Wild Hunt, dying in a mutual kill. His body was later turned into a puppet by his teammate Black瞳 using her Teigu, Yatsufusa. 

“So, the murder of your students… it happened just a few days ago?” Hikari asked, confirming the timeline with Lan. Her mind clicked into place. 

“Lan,” she said, her voice steady, “want to know where the ones who killed your students are right now?” 

His head snapped up, eyes wide with shock. “You… you know?” 

“Of course.” Hikari nodded. “But before I tell you, answer one question: where does the governor of this city live?” 

Chapter 172: Let the Killing Begin! 

“…So this is the Governor’s mansion?” 

Under Ran’s guidance, Uchiha Hikari found herself standing before a cluster of buildings in the heart of the small city. 

The guards at the entrance seemed to recognize Ran, but they still crossed their spears and barked at them to stop. 

“The Governor is entertaining an important guest right now and isn’t seeing anyone else… Mr. Ran, please leave. The matter of your school being attacked by bandits will be investigated as soon as possible.” 

“I…” 

Ran started to say something. 

But Uchiha Hikari had already tilted her head slightly, her dark Sharingan eyes spinning with black tomoe. The guards froze in place, their bodies locked as if bound by invisible chains, sweat pouring down their foreheads. 

“…Framing your comrades and murdering for profit? That’s a death sentence.” 

“Bullying the weak and disregarding human decency? Also a death sentence.” 

Hikari had only intended to use her “Engraved Tsukuyomi” and “Yasaka Magatama” to peek into the guards’ memories and confirm Sheila’s presence. But almost instantly, she uncovered a slew of vile crimes unrelated to Sheila—sins these guards shared among themselves. With a flick of her blade, she dispatched them one by one. 

“Let’s go.” 

Tossing out the words casually, Hikari stepped forward. 

Ran, stunned, stared at the headless guards lying in pools of blood. He hurried to catch up. “How could you just kill them like—” 

“Innocent?” Hikari let out a cold, silent laugh. “You’re way too naive, Teacher Ran. Open your eyes and see what we’re about to face.” 

The mansion was pretty massive. 

As Hikari moved deeper inside, armored soldiers occasionally leaped out from the shadows. But the moment their eyes met hers, they froze in place. Ran, trailing behind, watched with a mix of awe and disbelief, his mouth opening and closing as if he wanted to ask something but didn’t dare. 

“By the way… is there some kind of banquet going on here?” 

The mansion was decked out with colorful lanterns, and through the open doors, Hikari could faintly hear lively chatter coming from deeper within. 

As Hikari and Ran pressed forward, a hoarse, grating voice suddenly rang out nearby: 

“Well, well, where’d this cute little lady come from? Lost in the mansion, are we?” 

Hikari turned toward the voice. A fat man wearing a clown mask stood in a nearby corridor, eyeing her. When their gazes met, he waved with a goofy grin. 

At first glance, he didn’t seem like some great villain—more like a comical side character. 

But… 

“Champ?” 

Hikari tilted her head, calling out the clown’s name. 

The man froze for a moment before laughing again, though this time his smile felt hollow. “Oh? You know my name? With a face and body like that… you’re like an adorable little angel. I can’t wait to kill you with my own hands…” 

“Kill her?”  

Ran blinked, clearly thrown off. He hadn’t expected the clown to follow up a compliment like “adorable angel” with that. 

Hikari just smirked and glanced back at Ran. “See? The murderer you’re looking for is right there.” 

“?!” 

Ran’s eyes widened. “You mean this clown is…” 

“Exactly. Champ, one of Minister Ornest’s son Sheila’s lackeys. Looks like a clown, but he’s a serial killer who loves targeting kids. Gotta hand it to that black dog of a boss for scrounging up trash like this from all corners of the world.” 

“…Who are you?” 

Champ’s grin vanished, replaced by a menacing scowl. “You’re no ordinary kid… You know about us. Are you an assassin sent by the Revolutionary Army?” 

As he spoke, Champ yanked open his coat, revealing a string of transparent orbs about the size of Dragon Balls. 

Every member of the “Wild Hunt” was practically a Teigu user. 

And Champ wielded the “Chaos Pitch,” a set of six spherical Teigu: the Storm Orb, Explosion Orb, Flame Orb, Frost Orb, Lightning Orb, and Corrosion Orb. Each one packed an extraordinary punch. 

Without warning, Champ hurled two orbs! 

The air screamed as blazing fire and crackling lightning burst from the orbs, transforming them into a fireball and a lightning sphere that rocketed toward Hikari and Ran! 

Ran instinctively dodged. 

The blond teacher might be an educator, but he was no slouch in a fight—otherwise, he wouldn’t be a Teigu user. 

Hikari, however, just calmly watched the orbs hurtling toward her. With a soft exhale, she murmured, “Word Spirit: Dustless Land!” 

In an instant, an invisible force field flared up, halting the orbs mid-air! 

Then, with a single hand sign, Hikari called out, “Fire Style: Majestic Flame Extinguisher!” 

A tidal wave of fire roared from her mouth, surging toward Champ like a tsunami! 

Both attacks were fire-based, but the flames Hikari unleashed dwarfed the Flame Orb’s power by dozens of times! 

“?!” 

Caught off guard, Champ frantically threw out his Frost Orb and Explosion Orb before turning to flee. But the frost barrier shattered in an instant, melted away by the overwhelming heat. The flames chased Champ down, engulfing him and the surrounding grass in a blazing inferno. The clown, now a screaming fireball, stumbled and rolled toward the mansion’s inner halls. 

“Intruder! We’ve got an assassin!” 

“Someone, help!” 

Hikari didn’t bother stopping him. She followed at a leisurely pace until Champ neared the final hall. With a flick of her wrist, she hurled a long blade, piercing him from behind and pinning him to the ground, his body still burning. 

Ran, ignoring the heat, rushed forward and grabbed Champ’s collar, shouting questions about his students’ deaths. 

The commotion had clearly caught the attention of the mansion’s deeper residents. 

Soon, two towering men appeared in the courtyard, flanked by a group of guards. They bellowed toward Hikari and Ran, “Who dares cause a ruckus out here? Disturbing Lord Sheila’s meal—what’s your crime?!” 

Chapter 173: Moonlit Dance and… Crescent Moon Slash! 

After the sharp rebuke, the two men finally noticed Champ, pinned to the ground by a long blade. 

The clown was now charred black, as if he’d just crawled out of a furnace. His vocal cords were ruined, and he could only stretch out his hands in desperation, enduring the agony of the blade tearing through his flesh. His hoarse voice rasped as he pleaded for help. 

“Tch, tch… to think you got beaten this badly by some frail-looking kid. How embarrassing, Champ!” one of the men sneered. 

They assumed Lan was the one who’d attacked, given how he was gripping Champ’s collar, looking ready to interrogate him. 

But Champ, struggling, raised a trembling finger and pointed behind him. “N-No… it’s her… she’s… a Revolutionary Army… assassin…” 

“Revolutionary Army?!” 

In that instant, the two men’s expressions shifted. 

They didn’t care about Champ’s life. After all, they were just a band of scum gathered from the world’s corners, brought together by Syura. There was no loyalty between them. But if the one who’d crushed Champ was a Revolutionary Army assassin, that changed everything. 

This was their chance to prove their worth to Syura! 

“Heh, a Revolutionary Army assassin, and so young? They really don’t take us seriously,” one of them scoffed. 

“She’s a girl, and a pretty one at that… let’s try to take her alive for Lord Syura. He’ll like that,” the other added with a grin. 

As the two men whispered to each other, Uchiha Hikari stood calmly on the other side of the courtyard, watching their performance unfold. 

She had already recognized them—Syura’s lackeys: Izou and Enshin. 

Izou wasn’t a Teigu user, but he was the strongest in the Wild Hunt, wielding the blood-drinking demonic blade “Kousetsu.” He’d once killed the escaped Lubbock with a single slash. Enshin, on the other hand, was the wielder of the Teigu “Moonlit Dance: Wind Blade Sword,” a curved blade that unleashed vacuum slashes. Its power waxed and waned with the moon’s phases, reaching its peak under a full moon. Like Syura, Enshin had a vile penchant for assaulting and torturing women. 

At that moment, Enshin jerked his chin, signaling the soldiers to surround her. He drew his curved blade from his waist, raising it slightly. As he did, the blade gleamed with a cold light, resonating with the moonlight above. The glow grew as radiant as the full moon itself, and a sharp, whistling wind gathered around the blade, exuding a tangible killing intent. 

“…Vacuum Slash!” 

With a series of swift swings, several two-meter-tall air blades erupted from the Moonlit Dance, tearing through the air with ferocious speed as they hurtled toward Hikari! 

Faced with the onslaught, Hikari gripped her blade and unleashed a flurry of horizontal slashes. 

Clang—!!! 

Sparks flew! 

In the moment of collision, her Dragonbone Blade didn’t budge, while the vacuum slashes shattered into invisible gusts, scattering outward. They left sharp gouges in the surrounding air and ground before dissipating entirely. 

“!?” 

“A defensive blade-type Teigu?!” Enshin gasped, stunned. 

Hikari, meanwhile, assessed the force of the attack and nodded slightly. “A bit stronger than Cross Tail, and it looks decent enough… it’ll do as a toy, I suppose.” 

“…A toy?” Enshin blinked, then laughed in fury. “You little brat, you think blocking a few of my vacuum slashes means anything? Since you dared come here, your grave’s already been dug!” 

“Shut up,” Hikari cut him off. “I’ve seen your ‘Vacuum Slash.’ Now… it’s my turn.” 

With those words, an overwhelming aura erupted from her. The Dragonbone Blade in her right hand thrummed to life, its four-foot blade extending rapidly to a terrifying length of over three meters! 

Demonic energy surged! 

The enhanced Dragonbone Blade was worlds apart from its original state. Hikari’s spiritual power, honed through rigorous training, had grown immensely. Without even lifting the blade, a howling wind exploded around her. An indescribable pressure radiated from the blade, sweeping across the entire courtyard! 

Crack—! 

The ground beneath began to splinter, shards of stone and debris flying into the air! 

“W-What the hell?!” 

“Is that Teigu controlling gravity?!” 

“…Kill her, now!” Izou, sensing danger, drew Kousetsu in a flash and charged at Hikari like lightning. Before he even reached her, a wave of bloodthirsty killing intent enveloped her completely! 

Hikari raised her head. 

Calmly, she lifted her blade, swung it, and parted her lips. “Crescent…” 

“…Moon Slash!!!” 

In that moment, a massive milky-white arc of light burst from the blade, expanding at a visible rate. What started as a three-meter crescent swelled into a monstrous thirty-meter arc, like a crescent moon plucked from the night sky, soaring forward! 

“?!” 

Izou, mid-charge, was blinded by the moonlight. In an instant, both he and his blade were swallowed by the crescent. His body was pulverized into dust in mere moments, Kousetsu reduced to scattered iron fragments! 

And it didn’t stop there. 

The Crescent Moon Slash tore through everything in its path—soldiers, houses, rock gardens, walls, and even the forest hundreds of meters beyond the governor’s mansion! Under this divine strike, everyone was struck speechless, their eyes locked on the crescent as if it were the only thing left in the world. When the dust settled, a massive vacuum zone stretched hundreds of meters, everything within it utterly annihilated! 

For minutes, the sound of collapsing buildings echoed. 

“No… no way…” 

“Is this girl even human?!” 

Clang— 

The sound of a blade hitting the ground rang out. 

In front of Hikari, Enshin—half his body obliterated by the edge of the Crescent Moon Slash—opened his mouth, then collapsed. His body shattered like broken ice, scattering across the ground. 

Silence fell. 

No one dared speak. 

In the dead quiet, Hikari tilted her head, glancing at another Teigu user nearby. “You want to dance too?” 

Chapter 174: Who Are You Saying Goodbye To? 

Gulp— 

Under Uchiha Hikari’s piercing gaze, Cosmia, dressed as a bunny-eared songstress, gripped her microphone tightly, swallowing hard. Cold sweat trickled down her temples. 

—Cosmia, another member of the “Wild Hunt,” a witch-like diva from a Western nation who loved toying with men. 

As one of Sheila’s handpicked subordinates, she wielded a Teigu: the microphone-shaped “Earth Rumble: Heavy Pressure.” 

This Teigu transformed any sound she produced into ultra-high-frequency sonic waves, capable of shattering enemies within its range into dust. In theory, activating “Earth Rumble” could reduce Uchiha Hikari to powder, just like Izou had been obliterated by her “Getsuga Tensho.” 

But… 

Right now, Cosmia didn’t dare use it. She didn’t even dare make the slightest sound, terrified that any noise might be mistaken for an attack. 

“Hm?” 

As Hikari turned to face her, Cosmia’s knees buckled, and she dropped to the ground with a thud. Raising the microphone above her head, she stammered, “I-I surrender! I was… forced by Lord Sheila—by that man—to come to this empire! I haven’t killed anyone from the Revolutionary Army! I’ll hand over my Teigu, just please don’t kill me!” 

“Huh?” 

Hikari raised an eyebrow, her voice icy. “Look up. Meet my eyes.” 

“?” 

Cosmia hesitated but obeyed, lifting her head. Her gaze locked onto a pair of eyes spinning with a six-pointed pinwheel pattern. 

Engraved Tsukuyomi! 

In the span of a single second in the real world, Cosmia’s body shuddered, collapsing as if drained of strength. Hikari tossed out a casual, “Stay there and don’t move,” before striding forward through the courtyard. 

The guards on either side, already terrified by her earlier “Getsuga Tensho,” stood frozen. Staying in the courtyard without fleeing was the extent of their courage. As Hikari advanced, the soldiers parted like a tide, clearing a path for her. 

Sheila stood at the entrance to the main hall. 

The commotion from “Getsuga Tensho” was impossible to miss. 

Hikari was a bit surprised he dared to face her. If Sheila had been cautious enough to use his “Shangri-La” Teigu to teleport away immediately, she might’ve had a hard time tracking him down. 

“…Who are you?” Sheila’s face was grim. “Whoever sent you, I’ll pay double—no, ten times their price! Join me as my subordinate, and I swear I’ll grant your every desire!” 

“Oh?” 

Hikari let out an amused chuckle. 

She was being recruited? 

From Sheila’s perspective, it made sense. He’d used similar tactics to gather followers like Izou and Cosmia. If Hikari were just a skilled native of the Akame ga Kill! world, the offer might’ve been tempting. Despite his countless crimes, Sheila was Minister Ornest’s only son, practically a prince in an empire where the throne held little power. Even if the empire fell, sticking with him could mean endless wealth and luxury—assuming he survived. 

Too bad… 

“I do have one wish,” Hikari said. 

“What is it?” Sheila asked, his voice tense. 

“I’ve never seen someone die by a thousand cuts. Care to put on a show for me?” 

Hikari tilted her head, flashing a deceptively innocent smile, her tone carrying the playful lilt of a young girl. 

“…You’re dead!” 

As the words left his mouth, Sheila flung two throwing knives and raised his right arm, revealing the Teigu on his wrist. 

—Dimensional Array: Shangri-La, a rare spatial teleportation Teigu that could instantly transport a target to a designated location. It consumed massive energy, preventing consecutive uses, but its power was unmatched among Teigu. 

This Teigu was why Sheila had the confidence to confront Hikari even after witnessing “Getsuga Tensho.” If he could recruit her, great. If not, he only needed a second to teleport thousands of miles away. 

As “Shangri-La” activated, a glowing teleportation array began to form. Sheila even flashed Hikari a sinister grin, already imagining her bound in a dungeon, torn to pieces. “Goodbye, kid. I’ll look forward to our next—” 

A faint breath brushed against Sheila’s ear. 

Then, a soft, almost melodic whisper: “Who… are you saying goodbye to?” 

A flash of brilliant steel followed! 

Swish! 

Before Sheila could process what was happening, his entire left hand—along with the watch-like “Shangri-La”—fell silently to the ground. 

The teleportation array’s glow flickered out. 

The blade continued its arc, slicing through Sheila’s left leg just above the knee. The cut was so swift that it took a second or two for him to stumble and collapse, blood gushing from the stump. 

“What… what’s happening?!” 

Sheila, a seasoned fighter who’d trained across nations, instinctively moved to stop the bleeding despite the shock. 

Meanwhile, the Uchiha Hikari standing in the courtyard raised a hand, using “Word Spirit: Dustless Land” to halt the incoming throwing knives mid-air. With a burst of force, she sent them flying back, embedding them into Sheila’s chest. 

“Gah!” 

Sheila roared in pain, his eyes wide with disbelief. He glanced at the Hikari standing beside him, then at the one in the courtyard, his face twisting in horror. “You… what are you?! This isn’t something a Teigu can do!!” 

“Guess.” 

Hikari ignored his outburst, crouching to inspect the severed hand. She removed the “watch” from the wrist and tossed the rest aside like garbage. 

“So this is ‘Shangri-La’… Looks a bit cooler than I expected.” 

“Kind of dirty, though.” 

Chapter 175: Your Life Hangs by a Thread 

The piece of “Shambhala,” shaped like a wristwatch, was stained with blood from being severed directly from Syura’s hand. 

Uchiha Hikari wiped it distastefully with her sleeve, gripping it in her hand. She then raised her Dragonbone Blade, now back to its four-foot straight form, and looked down at Syura with eyes that saw him as nothing more than trash. 

Missing an arm and a leg, Syura writhed on the ground like an oversized maggot, unable to even stand. 

“Any last words?” Hikari asked coldly. 

“…You filthy peasant! Do you know who my father is? If you dare kill me here, the Honest family will never let you go! My father will hunt you to the ends of the earth, tear you to pieces, and avenge me!” Syura roared hysterically under the weight of her chilling killing intent. 

“Oh,” Hikari replied, her face calm as still water. She aimed the tip of her blade at his heart. 

Realizing his threats were useless, Syura’s tone shifted abruptly. “W-Wait! Don’t kill me, I beg you! I’ll do anything! I’ll give you all my wealth! And my father—I can tell you where he hides his treasures!” 

“Oh?” Hikari raised an eyebrow, watching his pathetic display. “Where does your father keep his treasures? Let’s hear it.” 

“Y-You… will you spare me if I tell you?” Syura stammered. 

“I’ll consider it,” she said flatly. 

“?!” 

Syura’s expression wavered. Even knowing his chances of survival were slim, he clung to the faint hope like a drowning man to a straw. “Come closer, I’ll tell you…” 

Hikari crouched down, listening as Syura whispered an address too quiet for others to hear. 

After he finished, her face remained expressionless. “So that’s where it is… Got it. Since you were honest about the location, I’ll spare you for now. Let’s play a little game.” 

“A… game?” Syura rasped. 

“It’s called ‘Cat and Mouse.’ You’re the mouse, I’m the cat. From now until sunrise tomorrow, you can leave this mansion and go wherever you want. I’ll start chasing you at dawn. If I find you, you die. If not, you live. Sounds fun, doesn’t it?” 

Syura’s lips twitched, his eyes burning with venom as he glared at her. 

Hikari smiled faintly. “Or I can just kill you now. I don’t care either way.” 

After a brief stare-down, Syura struggled to his feet—well, foot—and began crawling out of the governor’s mansion with his remaining arm and leg. 

Hikari shot a glance at one of her shadow clones, then strode into the inner hall. 

Inside, a few people remained. The female governor sat in a daze, seemingly oblivious to her surroundings. The others looked like local gentry, some of them elderly, all sitting in terrified silence. Their faces were a mix of fear and awe as they watched Hikari enter. 

Until today, they couldn’t have imagined anyone in the empire daring to cripple Syura so brutally in public. 

“…My lady, Syura’s crimes have nothing to do with us! I’ve always opposed his actions. I support the Revolutionary Army! If you spare me, I’ll donate all my wealth to their cause!” one of the gentry blurted, trying to curry favor. 

The others, snapping out of their shock, echoed similar pleas. 

But Hikari had no interest in their groveling. She cast Tsukuyomi on each of them, using her “Yasakani” to scan their lives in an instant. Then, with a flick of her blade, she cut down three of them. 

“Sorry, I’m not with the Revolutionary Army,” she said coolly, shaking the blood from her blade. She turned to the remaining two. “You two, go inventory the wealth of these three and convert it to gold and silver. Deliver it to me. Don’t try anything clever—I can see into your hearts. If anyone’s eager to die, go ahead and test me.” 

From their memories, Hikari had glimpsed some of their hidden wealth, though the details were incomplete. Much of it was tied up in antiques, paintings, land, or property—things that took time to liquidate. Better to let their own kind handle it. 

“Oh, and bring that guy Lan along when you raid their estates. He’s taught for a few years; he can probably handle the accounting.” 

Hundreds of meters away, on the street, Syura stopped crawling. His face twisted in pain as he gasped for air. He was adept at inflicting gruesome tortures on others but had never endured such agony himself. Despite years of martial training, the tidal waves of pain were unbearable. The street stretched endlessly before him, like a road with no horizon. 

A voice broke the silence. “Don’t stop. Keep crawling.” 

“??” Syura’s head whipped around in terror, and he screamed, “You said you wouldn’t chase me until dawn! Why—?” 

“That promise was made by my real self. What’s that got to do with a shadow clone?” Hikari’s clone smiled gently. “And tell me, did you ever keep the promises you made to those you killed?” 

Her voice softened, almost tender. “Don’t worry, I won’t kill you before sunrise. I might even let you live a few extra days. Here’s the deal: if I find you after dawn, I’ll cut off your other arm and leg, then let you crawl until the next sunrise. You’ve already lost one arm and one leg, so you’ve got three more chances—three more days to live. Sounds exciting, doesn’t it?” 

Syura’s face contorted, and he finally snapped, cursing, “You… you’re a demon! Who comes up with such a sadistic game?!” 

“Being called a demon by someone as vile as you? I’m almost flattered,” Hikari said, her smile warm. “Stop dawdling and crawl. Or I’ll start slicing your flesh off now. Your life’s already flickering like a candle in the wind, but if you entertain me, I might grant you a quick death.” 

Syura fell silent. 

For the first time, he understood the humiliation and fear his victims had felt. 

He resumed crawling, leaving a trail of crimson blood as he dragged himself toward his own personal hell.