The night over Daimon Island grows darker with each passing minute. Outside a massive apartment complex, Yuto stands still, his vigilante suit blending with the shadows. His fists clench as fury boils inside him. He climbs the stairs and stops in front of a door labeled 4921. The door is cracked open.

Yuto slowly pushes it the rest of the way and steps inside. The air feels stale, and the light reveals a man slouched in the room with messy brown hair, lifeless black eyes, and an unkempt beard. He sits at a table in the middle of the living room.

“I’ve been waiting for you. Madam told me you were coming.” The man says in a calm, cold voice.

“Kairo Arasaki?”

“Yeah, that’s me.”

“I was under the impression you quit working for Madam.”

“Yeah, doesn’t mean she can’t talk to me though. Well, I’m here, just like you wanted. But what exactly was it that you wanted anyway? To kill me?”

“If I have to.”

“Oh I see, you must’ve come here expecting a fight then. But I’m done fighting, I haven't done it in years. And I don’t want to have to today.”

“Why?”

“Because, I want out of that life. I was forced into it as a kid, had no money, no nothing. Only way for me to even consider living was for me to start killing. So I did, and made a living doing it. But I’m not that desperate anymore, I know the things I’ve done are wrong. I’ve… Killed lots of people who didn’t deserve to die.”

“Yeah, you have.”

“Like I said, I know this isn’t what you were expecting. You expected a fight.” He gestures to the chair across from him. “Come, sit down.”

“Do you think what you’re doing will make up for all the people you’ve killed?”

“Of course not, I’m not stupid. I’m not trying to atone or any bs like that. I just don’t want to kill anymore.”

“Why don’t you turn yourself in?”

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

“Heh, I still want to live my life. And I only recently started actually living life like how I was supposed to. I’m not going to prison, sorry if you had any plans on taking me there.”

“What is this? You set up this meeting for a reason didn’t you?”

“Yeah, I was hoping that after a talk you’d let me go. I’ve done bad things in the past, but that's over with now. I don’t want to fight you if I don’t have to.”

“Do you know all the trouble I went through to find you? And you think a sad story will stop me?”

“Well, let me just summarize it then. When I was a kid my parents both got sick from malnourishment and died. I was all by myself on an island full of demons.”

“You’re not the only person who’s been through something like that. What makes you special.”

“What makes me special is what also made my life the way it is. I eventually discovered I could control weapons without touching them. A rare power that was later named weapon control. Sadly, that discovery led to the underworld finding me. I ended up having to come to a decision, either to join the underworld and make enough money to survive and more, or stay where I was and soon end up like my parents.”

“And you chose to be a killer?”

“Put yourself in my shoes, I didn’t have a choice. While I regret killing, I don’t regret my choice. Am I still the demon you think I am? I’m no longer Kairo Arasaki the underworld hitman and madam’s prodigy. I’m just… Kairo Arasaki. That’s it.”

“What’s the point?”

“There wasn’t any point, I’m just hoping you can sympathize with me.”

Yuto stares into Kairo’s cold eyes, angered by Kairo's attempt to be the victim. Yuto's rage boils, his body ready to explode with anger. Those words of regret only served to fuel his anger to the boiling point.

“I don’t, and I’m still taking you down.”

“That’s a shame.”

"Suddenly, a gunshot booms as Yuto stumbles backward, clutching his gut!" Under the table, a hidden holster had been strapped with a loaded gun. Kairo gets up and heads to the door while Yuto writhes in agony.

"Yuto? YUTO WHAT HAPPENED!" Shunji shouts through the mic.

“Sorry, but I’m not going to jail, I only recently got the chance to live my life. I’m not giving that up without a fight. And I also don’t plan on dying in case that’s what you were planning. You’ll never find me again.”

Kairo walks out the door as Yuto attempts to muster the strength to get up. Suddenly, flashes of Yuto’s parents along with their deaths play in Yuto’s head. An unfathomable amount of rage surges through Yuto giving him the strength to get up.

Kairo walks through the apartment's parking lot and heads for his car. Suddenly, Yuto leaps through the air and lands right behind Yuto. Surprised, Kairo quickly turns around, his face in complete shock.

“H-how the hell?” Kairo says flabbergasted.

Yuto clenches his fist so tight he starts bleeding within his gloves.

“I was hoping you’d fight back, this makes things easier.” Yuto says, completely overtaken by rage.