Chapter 649 The Reason
“What organization?”
Kazumi’s pupils rapidly contracted. The wine glass in her hand almost slipped, and the orange soda in it sloshed violently. Bubbles surged madly, much like her current chaotic thoughts.
Fujikawa Iori took a sip of whiskey, mimicking the group. The mottled light reflecting off his glasses revealed a wriggling mass on the ceiling. “I was just saying ‘if’…” He paused, then raised his eyes. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips, moving up and down. His calm tone carried a hint of unsettling tranquility, making one’s blood run cold.
“But it’s almost there.”
The room fell into a deathly silence. Only the sticky sound of the flesh wall squirming echoed in their ears. Kazumi felt an extreme dizziness.
“Mr. Fujikawa, what do you mean by that?”
Fujikawa Iori leaned back against the flesh wall, his hands resting lightly on his knees, looking elegant and leisurely. He met Kazumi’s confused gaze, his lips curving slightly. “I thought… you already knew. After all, this is our shared endeavor.”
He looked at the stiff expression on Kazumi’s face and, instead of explaining, changed the subject. “Miss, what is the ‘Ace’? That sinful entity that has lurked in the shadows for hundreds of years. There’s the ‘Heroes Association’, which can openly oppose it with a once-powerful organization. And in the shadows, there’s the ‘Rebel Army’ attempting to disrupt the entire war. This city, this land, is the battlefield where these three forces are locked in fierce competition. And with Miss Fujikawa’s intelligence, you should understand very well that neither the Heroes Association nor the Rebel Army is a monolithic entity, right?”
Kazumi was at a loss for words. She understood perfectly what Fujikawa Iori was saying. However, she didn’t know what it meant coming from his lips. A chill crept into her heart. The three keywords Fujikawa Iori mentioned were too strange. It wasn’t just the “Heroes Association” or the “Rebel Army.” The most crucial was “Ace.” After all, only the high-ranking members within the organization knew of the “Ace’s” existence! Could it be that this Fujikawa Iori, whom she had personally supported for the past few years, was the “Ace” who had been silently watching her from the shadows, whispering in her ear countless times?
“That… Ace, is also a member of the organization, cultivated by us, a most loyal follower… How could this be…” Kazumi couldn’t figure it out. Her face paled as if she had realized something. “Mr. Fujikawa, when… when did you become the Ace?”
Fujikawa Iori smiled, a candid smile. “I have never submitted to the Ace.” He lightly tapped his knees, his eyes revealing a meaning that Kazumi couldn’t understand at all. “Since a few years ago, I have been constantly trying to break free from my restraints. I pretended to be bewitched, pretended to be sinking, just so I could escape your control one day.”
Fujikawa Iori stopped speaking at this point. He gently pushed his glasses up his nose and continued in a calm tone. “For the past few years, I have been trying to break free from your control and seek true freedom. But unfortunately, I failed. Your eyes… are too sharp.”
Fujikawa Iori sighed, as if regretting something. “However, none of that matters now. Because soon, I will possess absolute freedom.”
Fujikawa Iori watched Kazumi’s reaction, his eyes as gentle as if they could drip water, filled with a heart-wrenching possessiveness. “Moreover, I have no intention of killing you. After all, you are a very outstanding woman. I like you very much. I like your wisdom, I like your schemes, I like your beauty. And I like even more the look of despair you show when I control you.”
He reached out and gently pinched Kazumi’s chin. The force was neither heavy nor light, but it carried an unyielding will. Kazumi couldn’t move, her pupils dilated in terror. She looked at Fujikawa Iori and realized at this moment that this man was an out-and-out monster, disguised as a human, who had been lurking by her side for so long.
“Fujikawa Iori,” Kazumi gritted out his name through clenched teeth. She tried to calm herself. “Who is the ‘Ace’ you speak of?”
Fujikawa Iori chuckled softly. He raised his hand and wiped the mist from his glasses, his eyes filled with an indescribable madness. “You really want to know? Good.” He looked at Kazumi, a madness and excitement in his gaze, as if he was about to reveal his greatest secret. “I can tell you. In reality, you have always treated him as your most loyal pawn. And he himself believes he has always treated you as a pawn, enjoying it immensely. He has always believed that one day, he will break free from your control and become the ‘Ace’ who reigns above you. But in reality, guess… who the real ‘Ace’ is.”
As Fujikawa Iori spoke, his gaze suddenly sharpened. “Guess… who is truly my ‘Ace’?!” He released Kazumi’s chin, stood up, and put his hands in his pockets. He paced the room like a madman, muttering under his breath as if reciting a spell: “This city should have been destroyed long ago. Heroes Association, Rebel Army… everything you do is meaningless. There is no such thing as justice or evil in this world. Because, in this world, there is only despair and destruction!”
Fujikawa Iori stood before Kazumi, as if speaking to her, or perhaps to himself. “The ‘Ace’ you speak of never existed. Because… I am the only Ace of this city! I am the inescapable destiny for everyone!”
Fujikawa Iori’s voice grew louder and more frenzied. He suddenly stopped, his eyes bloodshot, like a ferocious beast ready to pounce. The killing intent in his eyes seemed to want to devour Kazumi. This was his true nature! At this moment, Kazumi understood. Fujikawa Iori was no longer the Fujikawa Iori she knew. He was a demon she had personally discovered, wearing human skin! Her face turned ashen, and sweat beaded on her forehead. Due to fear, she began to involuntarily release unpleasant bodily fluids beneath her. Fear, like poison, instantly robbed Kazumi of all her strength. She looked at Fujikawa Iori, her lips trembling, unable to utter a word.
Fujikawa Iori looked at Kazumi’s appearance and showed a sinister smile. “Can’t figure it out? Don’t understand? It’s okay. You’ll understand soon.” He walked to Kazumi’s side and placed his hand on her shoulder, patting it gently like lovers. Kazumi flinched as if electrocuted. Fujikawa Iori, however, seemed unaffected by her trembling. He leaned his head close to her ear and whispered a sentence. “We can finally fight side by side.”
This sentence was the last straw that broke Kazumi’s spirit. She could no longer bear it. She screamed, her voice filled with despair, terror, and rage, like a fledgling bird with its wings broken. She struggled frantically, trying to escape Fujikawa Iori’s grasp, but found her body as if fixed to the chair, unable to move. Fujikawa Iori, however, acted as if nothing had happened. He gently hugged her and whispered in her ear with a smile, “You shouldn’t doubt a genius.”
Kazumi’s body went limp, as if all her strength had been drained away. She leaned into Fujikawa Iori’s embrace. Blood-red liquid streamed from her eyes, drop by drop, staining her clothes. “Fujikawa Iori… you… you won’t succeed!” she shouted with all her might, her last words. Fujikawa Iori smiled, a very gentle smile. “Yes. It will happen. It definitely will.” He looked at Kazumi, his gaze filled with pity, as if looking at a beloved about to die. He leaned down and gently kissed Kazumi’s forehead. “Farewell, my beautiful ‘Master’.”
He took a remote control from his pocket and pressed the red button. “BOOM!” With a loud noise, the entire room trembled. The flesh walls in the room seemed to come alive, writhing madly. Tentacles on the flesh walls waved in the air like frantic demons. Fujikawa Iori pulled Kazumi to stand in the center of the room, looking at the scene before him with an almost pathological satisfaction. He gently stroked Kazumi, as if comforting a frightened puppy. “Don’t be afraid, Kazumi. This is our new world.”
Kazumi, however, seemed not to have heard Fujikawa Iori’s words, her eyes fixed straight ahead. Her body trembled violently. Her mouth was open, but she could not make a sound. Fujikawa Iori looked at Kazumi’s appearance, his brow furrowing slightly as if regretting something. He shook his head and then looked towards the exit of the room. “It’s time.” He pulled Kazumi and walked towards the exit.
Outside the room, there was silence. Fujikawa Iori pushed open the door and led Kazumi out. He looked up at the sky. The sky was a bloody red. The city was in ruins. The air was filled with a strong smell of blood, mixed with the burnt odor of flesh, forming a nauseating stench. Fujikawa Iori took a deep breath, seemingly enjoying the smell. A dazed expression appeared on his face. “This is the world I wanted.”
Kazumi, however, seemed stunned, her eyes hollowly staring at everything before her. Fujikawa Iori looked at Kazumi, a gentle smile appearing on his face. He gently pulled Kazumi into his arms and lowered his head, whispering in her ear, “From now on, neither the Heroes Association nor the Rebel Army will exist. In this world, only we remain.”
Kazumi’s body trembled as if she had just reacted. She looked up abruptly, a look of desperate rage in her eyes. “Fujikawa Iori! You madman!” She tried to break free from Fujikawa Iori’s embrace, but found her body as if bound by chains, unable to move. Fujikawa Iori smiled, a very gentle smile. “Don’t get excited, Kazumi. You’ll adapt soon.” He released Kazumi and gently stroked her cheek.
Just then. “RUMBLE!” A deafening roar came from afar. Fujikawa Iori turned his head abruptly, looking in the direction of the sound. The gentle smile on his face vanished instantly, replaced by an angry expression. “They’re here already?” He raised his hand and gently pushed up his glasses, his eyes revealing a dangerous glint. “It seems… I still underestimated you.” He looked into the distance, was silent for a few seconds, then turned and looked at Kazumi. “Kazumi. Wait for me here for a moment. I’ll be right back.”
As Fujikawa Iori turned away. Kazumi suddenly looked up, a complex look in her eyes. She watched Fujikawa Iori’s retreating back, her lips parting slightly, as if wanting to say something, but she held back. Fujikawa Iori’s figure quickly disappeared into the ruins. Kazumi then seemed to wake from a nightmare, gasping violently, like a drowning person desperately grabbing a life-saving straw. She looked in the direction Fujikawa Iori had left, her eyes filled with an indescribable emotion. “Fujikawa Iori… what… what exactly are you trying to do…” She lowered her head, looking at her own hands, her eyes filled with despair and pain. “Could this… be your true purpose?”
Just then. A blurry black shadow appeared in her sight. The black shadow approached rapidly and then stopped in front of her. Kazumi suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with caution as she looked at the black shadow before her. The black shadow, however, let out a voice she was familiar with. “Miss Kazumi.” Kazumi’s body trembled, and she looked at the black shadow in disbelief. “You… you are…” The black shadow removed the hat from its head, revealing a familiar face. It was the “Ace”! Kazumi’s pupils contracted sharply! “Ace! You… you’re not…”
The “Ace” smiled, a very gentle smile. “Who am I not? Miss Kazumi. Did you think Fujikawa Iori… was the ‘Ace’?” He shook his head slightly, as if sighing at Kazumi’s foolishness. “I am the true ‘Ace’. I am your most loyal pawn, your most capable assistant. I have always been by your side, resolving problems for you.” He looked at Kazumi, his eyes filled with a playful glint. “The reason you’ve always believed Fujikawa Iori to be the ‘Ace’ is simply because… he could satisfy all your fantasies about the ‘Ace’.” Kazumi’s face turned pale. “You… you mean…”
The “Ace” shook his head again, interrupting Kazumi. “No. I haven’t said anything. I just want to tell you… we must leave here as soon as possible.” He reached out his hand, intending to help Kazumi up. Kazumi, however, cautiously dodged. “What exactly do you want to do?” The “Ace” smiled, a look of helplessness on his face. “Miss Kazumi. Right now, you still have your final trump card. You should understand… only I can help you defeat Fujikawa Iori.” He looked at Kazumi, his tone full of temptation. Kazumi’s gaze flickered back and forth between the “Ace” and the direction Fujikawa Iori had left. She took a deep breath, a hint of determination in her eyes. “Okay. I’ll go with you.” She reached out her hand and placed it on the “Ace’s” hand. The “Ace” smiled, a very happy smile. “A wise choice, Miss Kazumi.” He took Kazumi’s hand and they quickly disappeared into the ruins.
And in the distance, the roaring sound grew louder and louder!
“RUMBLE!”
Heaven and earth trembled! As if the entire world was utterly destroyed at this moment!
—
Fujikawa Iori stood amidst the ruins, looking at the colossal figure that appeared before him with an expression of disdain. “Heroes Association. Such persistent pests.” Before him stood a giant mecha, dozens of meters tall. The entire mecha exuded a metallic luster, with a huge drill-like weapon on its arm. Inside the cockpit sat a man in a hero’s combat suit. The man looked at Fujikawa Iori, his eyes filled with anger. “Fujikawa Iori! You madman! What exactly are you trying to do!”
Fujikawa Iori smiled, a very gentle smile. “What am I doing? Of course… destroying this world.” He looked at the man, his eyes filled with contempt. “Do you think you can stop me with your piece of junk? Don’t be ridiculous.” He slowly raised his hand, then forcefully brought it down! “BOOM!” A powerful force erupted from his body, surging towards the mecha! “CRACK!” The mecha, as if struck by an invisible force, instantly contorted and deformed, then crashed to the ground!
The man jumped out of the cockpit as the mecha fell. He looked at Fujikawa Iori, his eyes filled with shock and fear. “Who… who exactly are you!”
Fujikawa Iori smiled, a very gentle smile. “Who am I? I’ve already said it. I am the only Ace of this world!” He walked step by step towards the man, his eyes full of amusement. Kazuki looked at Fujikawa Iori, his body trembling violently. He never expected that the man before him possessed such immense power. Fujikawa Iori reached the man and gently patted his shoulder. “Don’t be afraid. You’ll be free soon.” He suddenly raised his hand and pressed it down hard on the man’s chest! “BANG!” A muffled sound. The man’s body, as if struck by a giant hammer, instantly exploded into a mass of bloody mist!
Fujikawa Iori looked at the bloody mist before him, a look of disgust on his face. He blew lightly, and the mist was scattered by the wind. “Pathetic.” He turned and looked into the distance, his eyes filled with anticipation. “Next. Who will it be?”
Just then. From the distant ruins, a man in a white combat suit emerged. The man was tall, with a stern face and resolute eyes filled with determination. He looked at Fujikawa Iori, his eyes filled with anger. “Fujikawa Iori! You traitor!”
Fujikawa Iori smiled, a very happy smile. “Traitor? No. I am merely a person seeking freedom.” He looked at the man, his eyes full of playfulness. “The ‘Brain’ of the ‘Rebel Army’.” He sized up the man from head to toe, then shook his head. “You’re slower than I expected.”
The man looked at Fujikawa Iori, his eyes filled with vigilance. He knew that the man before him was no longer the Fujikawa Iori he knew. Fujikawa Iori raised his hand and lightly pointed at the man. “Do you know? I’ve always wondered. The ‘Brain’ of the ‘Rebel Army’ should be a very intelligent person. But now it seems… I was wrong.” He shook his head, his tone filled with disappointment. “You’re too arrogant. Do you think you, alone, can stop me?”
The man looked at Fujikawa Iori, his eyes filled with determination. “I am not alone. Behind me are all the members of the ‘Rebel Army’. We will not let you succeed!”
Fujikawa Iori smiled, a mocking smile. “The ‘Rebel Army’? A rabble. Do you think your meager strength can change this world?” He shook his head, his tone filled with disdain. “This world has never been changed by strength alone. This world needs… destruction!” He suddenly raised his hand and attacked the man! The man’s expression changed, and he reacted instantly. He quickly retreated, and at the same time, dozens of small metal spheres flew from his waist. The metal spheres exploded in the air, forming a sturdy metal barrier in front of Fujikawa Iori. “BOOM!” Fujikawa Iori’s power collided fiercely with the metal barrier! The metal barrier instantly distorted and deformed, then exploded! The man, struck by the shockwave, was sent flying backward, crashing heavily into the ruins.
“Cough, cough, cough!” The man coughed violently and climbed out of the ruins. He looked at Fujikawa Iori, his eyes filled with gravity. “Your… your power, how can it be…” Fujikawa Iori smiled, a proud smile. “Surprised? My ‘Power’. This is the power of ‘Ace’.” He reached out and gently gripped the man’s neck, lifting him up. The man’s feet left the ground, and he struggled violently in mid-air. His face turned red. “Fujikawa Iori… let me go!” Fujikawa Iori looked at the man, his eyes filled with cruelty. “Let you go? Do you think that’s possible?” He suddenly tightened his grip, and the man’s neck snapped with a crisp sound! The man’s body went limp instantly, his eyes filled with unwillingness. Fujikawa Iori casually threw the man’s corpse to the ground and lightly clapped his hands. “Uninteresting.” He turned and looked into the distance, his eyes filled with anticipation. “Anyone else? Come out together.”
Just then. From the distant ruins, two more figures emerged. Both were in hero uniforms, members of the Heroes Association. They looked at Fujikawa Iori, their eyes filled with anger and fear. Fujikawa Iori smiled, a mocking smile. “Heroes Association… you have quite a few people.” He looked at the two, his eyes filled with contempt. “However… you are all just trash.” After saying that, he suddenly raised his hand and attacked the two! The two men’s expressions changed, and they reacted instantly. They quickly retreated, trying to dodge Fujikawa Iori’s attack. However, Fujikawa Iori’s speed far exceeded their imagination. “BOOM!” Two powerful forces collided in the air! The air was torn apart, letting out a deafening roar! The bodies of the two men, as if struck by a giant hammer, were instantly sent flying backward, crashing heavily into the ruins. They let out two screams, and then there was silence. Fujikawa Iori looked at the two destroyed individuals, a look of disappointment on his face. “So weak.” He shook his head and turned to look into the distance. “‘Ace’. You should appear now.” As soon as he finished speaking.
From the distant ruins, a man in a black trench coat emerged. The man wore a mask, his face obscured, but his eyes exuded a chilling coldness. He was the “Ace”! Fujikawa Iori smiled, a very happy smile. “Are you finally willing to appear?” He looked at the “Ace”, his eyes filled with provocation. The “Ace” did not speak, merely looking at Fujikawa Iori quietly. Fujikawa Iori looked at the “Ace”, his eyes full of playfulness. “Do you think you, alone, can stop me?” The “Ace” finally spoke, his voice hoarse, with a metallic quality. “I am not alone.” As soon as he finished speaking. Behind him, dozens of men in black trench coats emerged. They all wore masks, members of the “Rebel Army”! Fujikawa Iori’s expression changed, his eyes filled with vigilance. “The ‘Rebel Army’?” He never expected the members of the “Rebel Army” to appear here. The “Ace” smiled, a mocking smile. “Do you think all the members of the ‘Rebel Army’ are dead?” He shook his head, his tone filled with disdain. “Fujikawa Iori. You are too arrogant.” He suddenly raised his hand and pointed at Fujikawa Iori. “Members of the ‘Rebel Army’! Listen to my command! Kill this traitor!” As soon as he finished speaking. Dozens of “Rebel Army” members simultaneously attacked Fujikawa Iori! Fujikawa Iori’s expression sank, his eyes filled with cruelty. “Since you wish to die. Then, I shall oblige you!” He suddenly raised his hand and attacked the “Rebel Army” members! A world-shattering battle erupted in the ruins!
—
Kazumi quickly left the battlefield with the “Ace.” They navigated through the ruins and soon arrived at a hidden underground passage. The “Ace” pushed open the door to the underground passage and pulled Kazumi inside. The underground passage was pitch black, with only faint light shining in from the end of the passage. Kazumi looked at the scene before her, her eyes filled with terror. “Where… where is this?” The “Ace” did not speak, only pulled her and walked forward quickly. Soon, they arrived at the end of the passage. At the end of the passage was a huge underground space. The space was brightly lit and filled with people. These people were all wearing black trench coats and masks, clearly members of the “Rebel Army”! The “Rebel Army” members saw the “Ace” and Kazumi and bowed in unison. “President!” The “Ace” nodded, then looked at Kazumi. “Miss Kazumi. This is the command center of the ‘Rebel Army’.” Kazumi’s eyes were filled with shock. She never expected the command center of the “Rebel Army” to be here. “You… you knew long ago that Fujikawa Iori would betray the Heroes Association?” The “Ace” smiled, a gentle smile. “Of course. I told you long ago. Fujikawa Iori is an extremely dangerous man. He does not belong to any organization.” He looked at Kazumi, his eyes filled with seriousness. “Miss Kazumi. You are safe now. You should understand… we are your true allies.” Kazumi looked at the “Ace”, her eyes filled with complex emotions. She took a deep breath and then asked, “What… what exactly do you want to do?” The “Ace” smiled, a mysterious smile. “What do I want to do? Of course… change this world.” He looked at Kazumi, his eyes filled with anticipation. “Miss Kazumi. Are you willing to… change this world with me?” Kazumi looked at the “Ace”, her eyes filled with hesitation. She didn’t know if she could trust this man. However, she now had no other choice. She took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay. I’ll go with you.” The “Ace” smiled, a very happy smile. “A wise choice, Miss Kazumi.” He took Kazumi’s hand and led her towards the “Rebel Army” members. “Come. Let us welcome this new world together!” His voice echoed through the underground space, full of seductive power. Kazumi’s eyes, however, instantly turned cold. She looked at the “Ace”, her eyes filled with caution. She knew. There was no one in this world she could trust. She was merely using the “Ace’s” power to deal with Fujikawa Iori. Once Fujikawa Iori was defeated. She would immediately eliminate the “Ace”! She wanted to become the only… ruler of this world! Her gaze became firm. She knew that the battle she was about to face would be even more brutal! But she was ready for everything!
