THUD. A human head landed in the corridor, producing a faint sound.
In the silent night, the faint sound traveled through the crack in the door and into the dimly lit bedroom.
Realizing sothing was amiss, Yasuda Masao’s eyebrows furrowed slightly as he asked in a deep voice, "Who’s there?"
Haga Koui, in the corner, looked up with a trace of curiosity at the figure that had suddenly appeared outside the door.
The Japanese-style sliding door was pushed open.
Light from the corridor flooded the bedroom as a tall Western man stood in the doorway.
His golden, ear-length hair shimred with a golden luster in the light.
His skin was whiter than a woman’s, and his build was extraordinarily robust. His broad shoulders seed nearly as wide as car tires.
His sharp facial features and a sweep of his brown eyes made Haga Koui’s heart pound. A wave of shyness instinctively washed over her.
Yasuda Masao looked at the foreign man, his expression turning grim. It must be him. He said gravely, "Dio."
"That’s right. You’ve been looking for , haven’t you? Now, I’ve co to you myself to fulfill your dream~"
Aozawa’s voice was full of alluring charm. He wasn’t using Telekinesis or Hypnosis; he simply held the gun he had taken from the bodyguard, aiming it straight at Yasuda Masao’s head.
Yasuda Masao’s face showed no panic; he was quite calm. Years in politics have taught that only calmness can see through a crisis.
"Haha, you’ve passed. Just as I thought, you’re an outstanding man. I need soone as excellent as you to work for , Dio."
The wrinkles on Yasuda Masao’s face smoothed as he smiled, appearing amiable and kind. His voice was enticing. "I will give you vast wealth, a noble position, and countless won. Everything you can imagine, and even beyond your imagination—you’ll have it all. As long as you work for , the tropolitan Police Departnt will call off its pursuit imdiately. You’ll be able to live openly in the light from then on. You can kill whover you want, and no one will trouble you, nor will anyone dare to. I will solve everything for you."
Yasuda Masao offered what he believed were very generous terms. In my view, no one can refuse wealth, status, or won—especially a robust man like Dio. His needs in that area must far exceed others.
"That won’t do." Aozawa smiled, shaking his head as he stepped into the bedroom. He squatted beside Yasuda Masao and whispered, "The life of the distinguished Congressman Yasuda can’t be bought. It’s priceless."
The cold barrel of the gun pressed against his wrinkled cheek, seeming to drain the warmth from him.
Yasuda Masao could barely suppress the panic rising in his heart. He took a deep breath, clutching the quilt tightly. "Young man, I advise you to think this through. My identity and status are different. If you lay a hand on , the tropolitan Police Departnt will use all its resources to hunt you down. Even the CIA will co after you. Soon, you won’t have a place to hide in this country. You’re young; there’s no need to rush to your death."
"Are those your last words?" Aozawa moved the gun barrel to Yasuda Masao’s forehead.
Staring into those icy eyes, Yasuda Masao finally couldn’t hold back his panic. Sweat slowly beaded on his forehead.
I don’t understand. Why is Dio dissatisfied with the conditions I offered? Could soone have hired him to assassinate ?
Realizing this, Yasuda Masao said urgently, "Don’t listen to that person! I’m willing to pay double the price—no, triple, quadruple! I can transfer it to you imdiately!"
A smile touched Aozawa’s lips. "You’re mistaken. No one sent . I’m not interested in money, wealth, or status. I’m here for your life."
"Why?! What grudge do you have against ?" Yasuda Masao roared.
When he realized his prized power, wealth, and status were useless, he could no longer maintain his composure, panicking like an ordinary person.
"You—you can’t kill ! You can’t! If you kill , the governnt won’t let you get away with it! The tropolitan Police Departnt will hunt you relentlessly! Think about the consequences!"
"In this world, I kill whover I want."
Aozawa shoved the gun into his mouth, silencing him. He could only make whimpering sounds, his eyes pleading like a stray Puppy’s.
Using his X-ray Ability, Aozawa found a direct path to the brainstem and pulled the trigger.
BANG! The gunshot reverberated through the dim bedroom.
Yasuda Masao’s eyes shot wide, his face a mask of disbelief. I can’t believe I’m dying like this. But death never waits, regardless of one’s status.
Aozawa watched him fall, then glanced at Haga Koui in the corner.
"No, don’t kill ! I’ll do anything!"
Instead of cowering, she deliberately displayed her graceful figure, her eyes pleading pitifully.
This is how I survive with n. Haga Koui knew this well.
Aozawa had no intention of killing the witness. On the contrary, he wanted the whole world to know Dio had killed Yasuda Masao. He tossed the handgun aside and used Telekinesis to erase all his traces from it.
He walked towards the door, casually tearing a small piece from the paper of the sliding door. This would allow him to continue observing the scene later using Catalyst Induction and see who ca to handle the aftermath.
A weight lifted from Haga Koui’s heart. She was grateful to be alive, yet a sense of loss lingered.
She couldn’t quite understand her feelings as she watched Yasuda Masao, the man she had served and feared, lie dead. He died so easily at the hands of that blond man. My previous humility seems so ridiculous now.
Power isn’t a hundred percent guarantee of survival. At least, not against that man.
Thinking this, Haga Koui felt a sudden, uncontrollable urge. She crawled on all fours to the door and peered outside.
She could no longer see him.
Before entering, Aozawa had already used his Catalyst sensing ability to thoroughly map out the mansion’s layout. Where are the caras? Where are the people? What’s the fastest escape route? He knew it all.
His withdrawal was naturally swift and stealthy.
「...」
"Murder!" The scream shattered the silent night.
The mont Haga Koui realized the man had truly left, she scread.
The first to arrive were bodyguards hired by the Yasuda Family.
Seeing their colleague dead on the floor and Yasuda Masao dead in his bed, their faces turned pale.
"Quickly, notify the Eldest Young Master! Then have soone search the area and see if the killer is still nearby!"
"Okay," ca the flustered response. The new bodyguard was clearly not yet accustod to death.
Being a bodyguard for the wealthy should be a cushy job. Assassination attempts probably don’t happen even once in several years, or even a decade.
That’s what my predecessor told . But he’s cold now.
I can’t believe I’m so unlucky. I just started, and now this assassination. Even the two colleagues guarding outside were killed.
This job isn’t as easy as I imagined.
「...」
Soon, the Yasuda family, having received the news, hurried over.
Yasuda Masao had seven sons, six grandsons, and four granddaughters. His three daughters had been married into political alliances and did not live in the mansion.
Yasuda Fumio, the eldest son, saw the scene. The grief he had suppressed on the way there erupted as he cried out, "Father!"
Instantly, as if infected by his cry, all mbers of the Yasuda Family began to weep.
The youngest granddaughter hadn’t yet reacted when her mother pinched her waist hard, making her wail in pain.
The family wept together for a while. Then, Yasuda Fumio’s wife consoled him, "Darling, now is not the ti for grief. We must catch Father’s murderer!"
"That’s right, Big Brother. The Yasuda Family can only rely on you now," his younger brother added.
Wiping his tears, Yasuda Fumio said, "Alright. I will catch Father’s murderer." His red eyes, wide like those of an enraged black bear, fixed fiercely on Haga Koui in the corner. "You! Who killed Father?"
Her body trembled. She quickly said, "I heard Mr. Yasuda say the man’s na was Dio."
Hearing the na, Yasuda Fumio recalled the person the old man—Father—had recently wanted to deal with. He spoke sternly, "If it’s Dio, notify the special task force imdiately. Kuriko, you call the politicians connected to our family and inform them. Second Brother, you call Yoko and the others."
Yasuda Fumio began assigning tasks. To demonstrate his absolute right of succession, he had his wife contact the politicians, while his brothers were tasked with informing relatives.
No one objected. With Yasuda Masao dead, power naturally transferred to his eldest son, Yasuda Fumio. The outside world would also recognize only Yasuda Fumio as the Yasuda Family’s successor. Unless Yasuda Masao had previously designated a different heir, the eldest son was the rightful successor.
After Yasuda Fumio finished giving orders, the once-bustling bedroom quieted considerably. Only a few young children, two ard bodyguards on alert, and Haga Koui, still crouching in the corner, remained.
"Go get dressed properly," Yasuda Fumio gestured, not wanting her to remain in such attire. "You’ll need to describe the scene clearly to the special task force later."
So things are better left unsaid; no need to display them openly.
He turned, staring at the deceased Yasuda Masao. His red eyes no longer held any sadness, only joy.
The old bastard is finally dead. He left in such an unexpected way.
I really want to raise a glass to Dio.
Without him, it would have taken much longer to seize control of the Yasuda Family.
If it weren’t so easy to leave traces if I did it myself, I would have sent soone to kill the old bastard long ago.
Yasuda Fumio gazed at his father’s corpse, his heart swelling with increasing joy. He struggled to stop the corners of his mouth from turning up in a smile.
From now on, everything in the Yasuda Family is mine.
He clenched his fists, as if he could feel the very shape of supre power.
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