Chapter 24: Truth and sin

Night had fallen, casting an eerie quiet over the city. Aoki returned to the Yehime Society, now bathed in the shadows of the surrounding buildings. He stood silently on the rooftop of a nearby structure, his sharp eyes taking in the scene below. The Society's exterior, with its gray roof, white walls, and the few cherry trees in the corner, seemed innocuous at a glance. It bore the tranquil facade of any upscale establishment. Yet Aoki sensed something far more sinister beneath its placid surface.

"It's time to go in and take a closer look," he murmured to himself, fixing his gaze on a second-floor window.

In an instant, his figure vanished into the night. Reappearing inside, he found himself in an elegantly appointed room. The walls were adorned with exquisite paintings and calligraphy, while an incense burner on a nearby table emitted a faint, calming fragrance. The room's refined ambiance was lost on Aoki, who moved with purpose and urgency. His search through the rooms yielded nothing of note, leaving him momentarily frustrated.

"Another wasted trip?" he thought, a frown creasing his face. "But something feels off."

As he pondered, voices and the heavy sound of footsteps interrupted his thoughts. He melded seamlessly into the shadows just as a group entered the room.

Leading the group was a corpulent man, his body so rotund he resembled a walking sphere. Flanking him were two equally rotund middle-aged men. Behind them, a contingent of a dozen bodyguards spread out, securing all exits and entrances.

With a soft click, a wall decorated with a cherry blossom pattern split open, revealing a hidden passage. The men entered the passage in single file, moving with a sense of urgency. As the wall closed behind them, Aoki's sharp eyes caught a glimpse of the secret within.

"No wonder something felt wrong," Aoki whispered to himself. "There's more space inside than what's visible from the outside."

He slipped into the passage unnoticed, even as the bodyguards continued their vigilant watch. Moving silently, Aoki followed the corridor, which led deeper into the building. At its end, two guards stood sentry, blocking further progress.

Calculating his approach, Aoki knew he had to act swiftly. He considered his options. He could attempt to bypass them stealthily, but the risks were high. Deciding on a direct approach, he braced himself. If he failed, he was ready to accept the consequences.

Aoki emerged from the shadows, making his way past the guards in a swift, fluid motion. The corridor opened into a lavishly decorated chamber, its opulence surprising him. The ceiling's crystal chandeliers cast a soft, warm light, illuminating the room's grand decor.

"This isn't the dark secret lair I expected," Aoki thought, bewildered by the disparity between the lavish interior and the sinister activities he suspected.

Moving on, he continued to explore, using his "space shuttle" ability to slip through the building unnoticed. His journey eventually led him to a starkly different part of the Society. Here, the lights were dim, the rooms small and oppressive.

"Is this a prison?" he wondered, noting the narrow cells lining the corridor. Each door was solid, with only small, shuttered openings.

Footsteps approached, and Aoki retreated into the shadows once more. Three women appeared: a stern middle-aged woman leading two younger girls, both bound by ropes around their necks. The girls' disheveled appearance and the fear in their eyes struck a chord with Aoki.

He recognized one of the girls. Despite her haggard state, her soft features and slim figure were unmistakable. She looked just like the woman in the photograph that Keisuke Akiyama had shown him.

"Could this be Mizuno Taeko?" he thought, recalling the rumors of her abduction by a demon. "But why is she here?"

The stern woman pushed the girls into a cell. "Study hard tomorrow, or you'll face severe punishment!" she barked before slamming the door shut.

Once the woman's footsteps faded, Mizuno Taeko crumpled to the floor, her face a mask of despair.

A sudden, soft noise startled her. She turned and saw Aoki standing in the shadows. He moved quickly, covering her mouth gently with his hand and motioning for silence.

"Shh!" he whispered.

Her wide, frightened eyes gradually softened with recognition. She nodded slightly, indicating her understanding. Aoki released her and stepped back, his expression serious.

"Are you Mizuno Taeko?" he asked quietly.

She nodded again, studying him with a mix of curiosity and confusion. "Yes, I am. Who are you?"

"There's no time for that now," Aoki replied, his voice low and urgent. "Tell me, where is this place? Have you been here since you were taken?"

Taeko nodded, her voice trembling as she spoke. "I woke up here after being knocked out. There are many women like me. Some disappear after being taken away, others are tortured. They force us to learn how to serve men, to become obedient slaves. Those who resist are punished severely. I saw two girls strangled to death for defiance."

{A/N: I hope MC kil*s them}

Aoki listened, his resolve hardening with each word. "Stay here," he instructed. "I'll come back for you."

Before she could respond, Aoki vanished again, leaving Taeko alone in the oppressive darkness. She sat back, hugging her knees, hoping that his promise wasn't just a cruel trick of her mind.

As Aoki moved deeper into the building, the air grew hotter, and a foul, burning odor assaulted his senses. He followed the smell to a large room dominated by a massive furnace. White flames flickered inside it, sending waves of heat throughout the space.

Nearby, a cart held the naked, battered bodies of three women. Their lifeless faces were etched with expressions of terror and pain. Two masked men approached the cart, preparing to dispose of the bodies.

"How many this week?" one asked casually.

"Mind your own business," the other snapped back. "Why care? There's no shortage of women here."

The first man shrugged. "It just seems like a waste, is all."

"Shut up and do your job."

As they lifted one of the bodies, ready to feed it to the flames, Aoki acted. In a blur of motion, he appeared beside them. With a swift strike, their heads separated from their bodies, falling to the ground with a sickening thud.

Aoki stood over the headless corpses, his voice a cold whisper. "You deserve this."

For the first time, Aoki had taken a life, but he felt no remorse, only a burning resolve. This place was a cesspool of human depravity, and he would cleanse it.

He covered the bodies with a cloth and left the room. Outside, two guards armed with long swords approached, their faces hardening with recognition and alarm. They moved to draw their weapons, but Aoki was faster. He became a shadow, slipping between them. As he passed, their bodies collapsed, heads severed cleanly.

Aoki moved through the building, his path marked by the blood of the guilty. Headless bodies lay strewn in his wake, silent testimony to his lethal efficiency. He spared none who participated in the atrocities here. This was no place for mercy.

He reached a grand palace room, its opulent decor in stark contrast to the horrors he had witnessed. Inside, dozens of young girls in revealing, ornate costumes—barely more than erotic rags—served three corpulent, naked men.

Aoki pushed the door open, his eyes narrowing with cold fury as they settled on the men.

One of them, Fujita, scowled at the interruption. "What are you doing here? Get out!"

Aoki moved with blinding speed. In an instant, the two men beside Fujita became headless corpses. Fujita recoiled in shock, falling back as he tried to escape. Aoki was on him before he could move, his voice low and deadly.

"Wait! We can talk this out!" Fujita stammered, fear contorting his features.

"You don't deserve an easy death," Aoki replied coldly.

With a swift kick, Fujita's head was separated from his body, his lifeless form crumpling to the ground.

Aoki turned to the terrified girls, their faces a mixture of fear, hope, and confusion. "Stay here. I'll be back."

Leaving the palace, Aoki continued his grim work, ensuring that every participant in this nightmarish place met their end.

A half hour later, Aoki gathered the freed captives in the palace's main hall. He looked around at the young faces, some as young as ten, none older than twenty. Over two hundred girls, traumatized and broken, but now free.

"You are free," Aoki said simply, his voice carrying a note of quiet authority. "Go. Leave this place."

As he vanished into the night, the girls stood in stunned silence. Then, as if a dam had burst, they surged toward the exit, running toward their newfound freedom.

Mizuno Taeko, covered in blood and dirt, ran with them. Her heart pounded not with fear, but with a wild, desperate hope. As she emerged into the open air and saw the stars, tears blurred her vision. She was free.

Aoki watched from the rooftop as the girls poured out, their cries and laughter mingling in a cacophony of relief and joy. He sighed and flew away.

Some time Humans are scarier than demon.