Chapter 11 : Return to Shibuya

After 5 Days .

It has been five days since Arata started tormenting Renè, and today Guren contacted him, asking him to return to Shibuya because the Hiiragi family was inquiring about his whereabouts.

Although Arata didn't care about the Hiiragi family, he decided to go back because he was starting to get bored, especially with Renè's broken mind.

Despite Renè's shattered state, Arata did not release him from the torment of the Black Flame. Even in his absence, Renè's body would be destroyed and then restored.

"It's been a while since I've been here," murmured Arata as he looked at Mito's apartment.

In truth, the main reason for his return was his longing for Redhead Tsundere.

"Tadaima!" exclaimed Arata as he entered the apartment and caught Mito, who rushed to hug him upon hearing his voice.

"Where did you go? I was worried about you!" Mito yelled angrily as she embraced Arata.

Arata remained silent, patting Mito on the back, allowing her to release the pent-up anger from the past five days.

After a while, Arata and Mito sat facing each other. Mito's eyes were still red from her earlier crying, but the intensity in her gaze remained.

"Then why did you take the black-haired vampire and disappear during the battle?" Mito asked seriously, her concern evident after his five-day absence.

"Do you remember my older sister, Kasuga Maya, whom I told you about?" Arata asked, not intending to hide the truth from Mito.

"I remember. Kasuga Maya, your older sister who was killed by the vampires," Mito said, recalling the details Arata had shared about Maya without even showing her picture.

"So, what happened to your older sister during your five-day disappearance?" Mito asked, puzzled, but she soon realized something. "Don't tell me..."

"That's right, the black-haired vampire, Simm Renè, is the one who killed Maya-nee," Arata nodded, confirming Mito's suspicions.

"So, did you kill him?" Mito asked after a moment of silence.

"It's impossible for me to do that," Arata shook his head, a cold smile appearing on his face. "Killing him quickly would be too easy. I will subject him to endless torment until he dies."

Seeing the cold smile and the hatred in Arata's eyes, Mito fell silent and avoided looking at him. She got up and headed to the kitchen, saying, "I'll make food."

Upon hearing Mito's words, Arata began to think about the rewards he had received in the past five days.

To be honest, apart from one highly valued item, he hadn't obtained anything significant.

[Name: World Key]

[Type: Space Item]

[Rank: SS+]

[Description: This World Key is a Space Item that allows the owner to save the coordinates of different worlds and teleport to them at will. It automatically returns to its owner if it moves more than five meters away.]

[Owner: Kasuga Arata]

The World Key was a palm-sized, pure black key.

At present, Arata didn't possess the coordinates of any world, so the key was of no use to him and remained in his inventory.

In addition to the key, he had obtained a bed, an anime figure, a toothbrush, and an endless bag of water.

*Knock*

*Knock*

*Knock*

Arata heard a knock on the apartment door and went to see who was there.

"Officer Kasuga, Lieutenant Colonel Guren requests your presence in his office immediately," a member of the Vampire Extermination Unit saluted Arata and informed him.

"Well, I'll head over there right away," Arata replied. He returned to the apartment, informed Mito about the meeting, and left again to go to Guren's office.

It didn't take long for Arata to arrive at Guren's office, where he found Guren waiting for him.

"What do you want, Guren? I'm tired and hungry," Arata grumbled upon seeing Guren, who seemed to be plotting a war using a map on his desk.

Ignoring Arata's complaint, Guren said, "You disappeared for five days, and those are the first words you say to your boss."

Arata stared at Guren in silence, showing his indifference towards rank or hierarchy within the army.

"Let's set that aside for now and focus on the main topic," Guren said, deciding to change the subject. "I called you here to inform you that Hiiragi Kureto has set his sights on 'Owari no Seraph'."

"You mean he targeted Kimizuki's younger sister?" Arata raised an eyebrow, as there were only two people in Shibuya who possessed trumpets—the third trumpet being within Yuu, whom Guren wouldn't let anything happen to. The other person was Kimizuki's younger sister, who possessed the third trumpet.

"That's correct. It appears he's attempting to control the third trumpet and is preparing to exterminate the vampires in Japan," Guren nodded, explaining the current situation within the Hiiragi family.

"I see, but most importantly, what happened during the control test of 'Owari no Seraph'?" Arata asked, showing little interest in the vampires or the Hiiragi family.

"The consciousness of the second trumpet took over Yuu, and he attempted to kill all of us. However, thanks to Shinoa, Yuu was able to awaken and suppress the second trumpet's consciousness," Guren revealed, showing some satisfaction with the progress made, as they no longer had to resort to rendering Yuu unconscious or engaging in fights until he exhausted himself and fell asleep.

Indeed, this wasn't the first attempt to control 'Owari no Seraph', but in the past four years, Guren had made significant progress, even though complete control had yet to be achieved.

"In that case, as we expected, demons can counter seraphs," Arata remarked, as the only significant change in Yuu was the power to suppress the second trumpet's consciousness.

According to the theory developed by Arata and Guren, demons should possess limitless power as long as their desires, such as greed, envy, love, hate, and jealousy, were harnessed. While there were other factors at play, such as the magnitude and quality of desires, they couldn't deny that demons granted their bearers strength whenever a desire was present.

"Yes, but the human body cannot endure such immense power. Even with modifications from experiments, it would ultimately be destroyed," Guren said, wearing a contemplative expression.

"Well, pondering it now won't do us any good. We've committed to this path until the end," Arata shrugged, displaying a lack of concern.

"You're right," Guren agreed, pushing less relevant thoughts to the back of his mind.

"Then I'll be on my way. I'm hungry," Arata stated, turning to leave.

"Before you go, make sure to warn the Hiiragi family. Don't disclose anything about Yuu and the test," Guren instructed seriously, not wanting to raise any alarms within the Hiiragi family during this delicate time.

"I understand," Arata acknowledged, having no intention of revealing anything to the Hiiragi family, as they were under the control of the First Ancestor.

"We"We'll begin the next phase of the plan in 15 days, and I want you to stay with the Shinoa Unit to keep an eye on them," Guren added, refocusing his attention on planning the war against the vampires.

"Leave it to me," Arata replied, waving his hand as he walked out of Guren's office. He made his way back to his apartment, his thoughts filled with Kimizuki's younger sister, Mirai.

Mirai possessed the third trumpet within her, and Arata was well aware of it. They needed to eliminate her in order to obtain the keys to the sins residing within her. Although he felt a pang of guilt for having to kill a child, he understood it was necessary for their plans. Once their objectives were achieved, they would revive her.

Returning to the apartment, Arata found Mito waiting for him with hot food. Her eyes were no longer red from crying earlier, but there was still a fierce determination in her gaze.

"Mito, thank you for making the food," Arata said, genuinely appreciative of her efforts.

Mito nodded and replied, "It's nothing. I just thought you might be hungry after being gone for five days."

They sat down to eat, the atmosphere between them a mix of silence and unspoken emotions. Arata could sense that Mito was still troubled by his actions and the revelations about Renè being Maya's killer. He knew he had to address the situation.

"Mito, I understand that what I did must be hard for you to accept," Arata began, his tone sincere. "But please understand that I have my reasons. I cannot let Renè off easily for what he did to Maya-nee. He will suffer until he meets his end."

Mito looked at Arata, her expression softening slightly. "I know you loved your sister, and I can't imagine the pain you must feel. But I worry about you too, Arata. Holding onto so much hatred and seeking revenge... it's not healthy. It's consuming you."

Arata took a moment to digest Mito's words. He knew she cared for him and was genuinely concerned. While he appreciated her support, he also knew that he had his own path to follow.

"I understand your concern, Mito. But this is something I have to do. It's my duty to seek justice for Maya-nee," Arata replied, his voice resolute. "I won't let myself be consumed by hatred, but I won't forgive Renè either. There has to be a balance."

Mito sighed, her gaze meeting Arata's. "I just don't want to see you lose yourself in the process. Remember, you have people who care about you, including me."

Arata reached out and took Mito's hand in his. "I haven't forgotten, Mito. You're important to me, and I appreciate your concern. I promise I'll do my best to find that balance and not let my emotions overpower me."

Mito gave him a small smile, her grip on his hand tightening slightly. "That's all I ask, Arata. Just remember that you're not alone in this."

They finished their meal in a more relaxed atmosphere, discussing lighter topics to ease the tension. Despite the challenges they faced and the darkness that surrounded them, Arata knew he had Mito by his side, supporting him in her own way.

As the days passed, Arata prepared himself for the upcoming events. He kept a watchful eye on the Shinoa Unit, ensuring their safety and readiness for the next phase of the plan.

...

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