The Traitor Behind the Mask

"Hey! Hey, Watano! Are you even listening?"

I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder, pulling me out of a hazy sleep.

"What is it, Captain?" I asked, my voice still heavy with drowsiness.

"Do you realize we're in a meeting right now?"

Captain Kasukabe's voice whispered beside me.

I jolted awake, blinking against the harsh overhead lights that made me squint as I struggled to adjust.

"Oh no, I'm sorry. I guess I'm a bit tired after staying up too late last night."

"Did I miss anything important?"

"Not really. But if you're too tired, you can head back to your room for now."

"No, it's fine, Captain. This is important. I can't afford to miss it."

"Just make sure you pay attention."

"Yes, ma'am!"

It had only been a day since that night—a night I could never forget, when I crossed the fragile boundary of humanity and became something no longer of this world. A god or a monster? It no longer mattered. What did matter was that I was <The Merciless>, the embodiment of ruthlessness and absolute power.

---

**Flashback**

"So, no one dares to challenge me anymore? Or are you all just trembling before me? HAHAHA!"

"Shido, let me fight him!" Tohka declared, her voice filled with determination.

"No, Tohka. It's too dangerous, and you're still hurt from the battle with Ellen Mathers earlier," Shido replied, his concern evident in his eyes.

"But I can't just let him—"

"Hey, down there! Are you done talking yet? I've been waiting forever!" My voice rang out, cutting off their conversation.

"Watano, stop! This isn't the path of true justice!"

"Is that so, Shido? And what about what you're doing? Do you think capturing those monsters will make everything safe? How naive." I responded, my voice dripping with disdain and sarcasm.

"But you can't just kill people like that. It's wrong."

"Kill people? You're killing me with laughter. Do those Spirits even deserve to be called people?"

"But have you ever asked how many people they've killed with their spacequakes?"

"That… I know they didn't do it on purpose!"

"SHUT UP! WHAT DO YOU KNOW? HAVE YOU EVER WITNESSED IT LIKE I HAVE?"

I glared at Shido after he spoke those words. Our eyes met, and I could see him trying to stay strong, but the trembling in his gaze betrayed his deep-seated fear.

"Shido, if you want to play the hero and protect everyone with that foolish method of yours, go ahead. But don't forget, I'll still be out here, hunting down every last one of those Spirits, and then I'll move on to the other evils in this world."

With that, I turned away, my eyes filled with contempt. "But not today. Enjoy what little time you have left. Oh, and I'm still waiting for some good news from your friends in AST."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Hey, where do you think you're going?"

I stopped, not bothering to look back as I left a cold, echoing message behind: "I'll do what needs to be done, whatever it takes for <Bloody Justice>. As for you, prepare yourselves. Because <The Merciless> won't stop until every last bit of evil is wiped out."

With that, a surge of dark spiritual energy enveloped me, shrouding my body. In an instant, I vanished from the scene, leaving behind a heavy, silent atmosphere and a growing sense of unease in those who remained.

---

The meeting was still ongoing, but my mind kept drifting back to that moment last night when everything happened so suddenly. After unleashing the final strike, "PAVERSCHLEV", I could feel the spiritual energy within me begin to drain bit by bit. This weakening was like a silent warning about my own limits, which is why I decided to leave the scene immediately after delivering my last words to Shido and the others. It wasn't a retreat out of fear but a calculated decision to preserve myself and better understand this terrifying power for the bloody battles to come.

As I expected, the moment I teleported back to my quarters on the island, my body was instantly drained, as if all my life force had been sucked dry after consuming such a vast amount of spiritual energy. Every muscle felt like lead, fatigue seeping into every fiber of my being, draining me of every ounce of strength. My breath was labored, each inhale as if the air around me had thickened and become difficult to draw in.

But that didn't bother me. I knew this power was never truly meant for a human body, like a blazing fire that could scorch everything it touched. But I didn't care about the price to be paid. The only thing that mattered was that this power allowed me to stand on equal footing with the Spirits—those beings that humanity could only look upon with fear of their absolute power. With this strength, even at a great cost, I could finally achieve what I had always longed for.

Now, the final piece for <The Merciless>'s ultimate power was in place. The sensation of absolute power surged within me, like a storm impossible to control. This, this very moment, was what I truly craved—a power that could crush everything, a power that made me the arbiter, no longer fearing or hesitating before any force.

As I sat quietly in the meeting, my mind was consumed with thoughts.

"We've been discussing the possibility of cooperating with <The Merciless> for the past few minutes," Captain Kasukabe's voice cut through, pulling me back to reality.

"But as I've made clear before, I don't think working with him is a good idea."

"But Captain," another AST member spoke up, "He has power we can't deny. If we could control and use that power, we could better deal with the Spirits and protect civilians."

"I understand that," Kasukabe replied, her tone firm. "But he's still a Spirit. Working with him is like handling a double-edged sword!"

As she spoke, she seemed to notice I had been lost in thought for a while, her eyes narrowing as she looked at me, her expression more serious than usual.

"Watano, do you have anything to say? About cooperating with the Spirit who calls himself <The Merciless>?"

I felt a surge of conflicting emotions within me. Having stood on the battlefield and witnessed the brutal reality of the Spirits, I understood Kasukabe's concerns. But at the same time, I knew that the power of <The Merciless> could be the key to defeating them.

"Captain, I have a personal opinion," I spoke up suddenly, drawing everyone's attention in the room. "I think… even though we can't fully trust the Spirit calling himself <The Merciless>, his power is undeniable. Instead of rejecting him outright, we could show him some goodwill first, then decide to cooperate with him later."

A tense silence filled the room. Everyone seemed to be processing their thoughts, while Kasukabe continued to stare at me, her expression unchanged. The silence dragged on, making the atmosphere increasingly stifling.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Captain Kasukabe turned to glance at the other members of the team. But before she could say anything, opposing opinions began to emerge, each person with their own views on whether or not to trust and collaborate with <The Merciless>.

The meeting grew more intense as members began to argue more fiercely. One side feared betrayal, while the other saw great potential in harnessing his power. Sharp words and harsh tones echoed throughout the room, with neither side willing to back down.

"Alright, enough! Everyone, settle down! Today's meeting is over. Ultimately, the final decision will be made by the base's higher-ups, so arguing here is pointless."

Seeing that the debate was unlikely to reach any conclusion, Captain Kasukabe decided to end the meeting. She announced that she would consider everyone's opinions and make a decision after careful thought. The members left the room, each with their own concerns.

Suddenly, I heard the Captain call my name. "Watano! Come with me for a moment."

I stopped, turning back to look at her. "Yes, Captain. What is it?"

Captain Kasukabe didn't answer immediately, just gestured for me to follow. I walked after her, curiosity and anxiety mixing in my chest. As we headed toward her office, we continued to talk about the meeting.

"Earlier in the meeting," the Captain began, her voice lower than usual, "your opinion about <The Merciless>… was quite unexpected. I didn't think you'd have such thoughts."

"I'm sorry for being so reckless! I just blurted it out, Captain."

"Oh, don't worry about it. I'm not blaming you for thinking that way."

"I have to admit, it's not necessarily a bad option, but…"

"But what, Captain?"

The Captain stopped in front of her office door, turning to face me.

"I'm starting to suspect that Spirit might be one of our AST members."

Her words froze me in place, a cold shiver running down my spine. Despite the shock, I forced myself to stay calm, not letting any unease show. "What do you mean? He's one of our team members?"

She shook her head slowly. "I'm not entirely sure of what I saw, but the suit he was wearing before donning his Spirit armor looked a lot like our Cr-unit equipment."

"No… that can't be possible!"

"It sounds unbelievable, I know, but the more I review the footage, the more convinced I am."

"If what you said is true, then the members who weren't present at that time are likely to be <The Merciless>?"

"I'm afraid so."

"If that's the case, then Origami and I are also among them."

"There were also other members who weren't present at the assembly due to being assigned elsewhere, but I trust you and Origami aren't him."

"How do you know I'm not or Origami isn't? What if I really am <The Merciless>? Wouldn't you be in danger?"

"If you were the real one, I'd already be dead by now. As you know, there aren't any cameras here."

"If <The Merciless> is truly an AST member, then everything we know, every plan we've made, might have already been monitored by him. We need to be extremely cautious, not only in our decisions but also in handling internal information."

"You're absolutely right. This is an extremely serious matter, but we must not let anything slip outside."

I felt the weight of the captain's warning.

"So, what do you think we should do now?"

"We will have to conduct a discreet internal investigation. But we mustn't show any signs that we suspect him to be a member of our team. This must be done with utmost discretion and precision, or we might lose the only advantage we have."

I looked at Captain Kasukabe, sensing the determination and leadership in every word she spoke. "Captain, I truly admire you," I said softly.

"You always know how to stay calm and make the right decisions in the toughest situations. I'm lucky to be working under your command."

The captain turned around, smiling warmly. "Thank you, Watano. I'm also proud of your growth and abilities. We'll solve this together."

"Captain, there's something I want to ask you."

"What is it?" she asked while turning to look for the tape about <The Merciless> from the other day.

I quietly drew a Glock 19 from behind my waist, the familiar coldness of the metal merging with the cold thoughts in my mind. My expression didn't change as I slowly wiped the silencer, each movement precise and careful, as if preparing for a long-predestined ritual.

"What do you think about the old weapons, like the Glock 19, for example?"

"What a strange question, Watano. Of course, those weapons are no longer suitable with the emergence of spirits. They aren't capable of piercing spirit armor."

As Captain Kasukabe continued answering, I attached the silencer to the gun, completing the final step of preparation.

"But against humans, it's still a 'nightmare,' isn't it?"

"Of course, humans can never be as strong as spirits."

I raised the gun, aiming it directly at her back, and calmly spoke.

"But… I am."

Captain Kasukabe turned around, her eyes widening in shock as she looked straight at the gun in my hand. "Watano… what are you doing?"

I remained calm, with no hesitation in my voice. "You were right to suspect <The Merciless> is in our AST team. But there was one thing you got wrong… because..."

"I am <The Merciless>."

Horror appeared on Captain Kasukabe's face. Her eyes widened, unable to believe what I had just said. "No… it can't be… Watano, you…"

I held the gun firmly, my eyes cold as ice. "If only you had chosen my path, then maybe… But in the future, you'll also side with Ratatoskr, so sooner or later, I'd have to deal with you."

Captain Kasukabe was choked with emotion, her eyes reflecting pain and disappointment. "Watano… why…?"

She didn't have time to say anything more because at that moment, I pulled the trigger. The sound of the gunshot was soft, like a final period marking the end of everything. Captain Kasukabe collapsed to the floor, her eyes filled with pain and betrayal, staring at me until the light slowly faded from them.

I stood there, unshaken, looking down at her lifeless body lying in a pool of blood. There was no regret in my heart, only a sense of relief that everything had been kept hidden.

Then, a small laugh escaped my lips, starting as a smirk but soon turning into a sinister laugh that echoed through the silent room. A sense of triumph welled up inside me—not only because I had eliminated the only person who suspected me, but also because I knew that this would forever conceal the secret of <The Merciless>.

"Now, no one besides Shido and Ratatoskr can uncover the truth,"

"But they will never utter a word, HAHAHA… Because that's Shido, that's Ratatoskr, that's how foolish they are…"

"With Captain Kasukabe's death, all suspicion from the members will vanish, and it will help me rise to the position of AST captain with my outstanding achievements, especially with Sergeant Origami temporarily expelled."

"All internal information about the spirits and the authority to command AST members and equipment will now be in my hands."

"With the power and authority I now possess, this will be a significant step forward for <Bloody Justice>. A new era will begin, and I will be the one to write its history," I thought to myself as I stepped out of the room, ready for the 'bright future' I had envisioned.