Zabuza watched from the shadows as Akira, his eyes now more fish than human, reached out towards Tazuna and the tavern owner with webbed hands.

Just as his fingers were about to touch Tazuna's face, Kojiro spoke sharply. "Stop."

Akira froze, his hand inches from Tazuna's face. The bridge builder let out a shaky breath, relief and dread mixing in his eyes.

The missing-nin stepped forward, grinning like a cat that caught a mouse. "Not yet, Brother Akira. Our lambs here don't get what we're offering them."

He turned to the crowd, spreading his arms wide like he was on stage. "Brothers and sisters, these two have lost their way. But before we bring them back, let's remind them what they're leaving behind."

Then, he looked at the trembling tavern owner. "You mentioned your family earlier, didn't you? Your children?"

The tavern owner nodded, a tiny spark of hope flickering in his eyes. "Y-yes. Please, if you have any kindness—"

"Kindness?" Kojiro cut him off with a wave. "Oh, what we're offering is far superior. How about we play a little game? A chance for freedom, if you will."

The tavern owner's eyes got big. "Free? You... you'd let us go?"

Kojiro's laugh echoed through the factory. "Oh, not just you. Bring them in!"

A side door creaked open, and two cultists came in, dragging a woman and two children, a boy and a girl.

The tavern owner's face went white.

"Mina! Kai! Yuki!" he yelled, pulling at the ropes holding him. "Let them go! They've got nothing to do with this!"

Kojiro laughed again, cold and mean. "Nothing to do with this? They've got everything to do with this. They're your family, aren't they? And family should share in big moments like this."

He waved, and the cultists released their captives. The three newcomers stumbled forward, scared and confused.

Kojiro turned back to the tavern owner, his voice mockingly gentle. "See? We're not tearing your family apart. In fact, we're giving you a chance to be together forever."

The tavern owner's face twisted as he realized what Kojiro meant. "No... please, no. Not them. Do whatever you want to me, but let them go!"

"Now, here are the rules of our little game," Kojiro announced, ignoring his begging. "Your beloved family members will fight each other. The last one standing, along with you will walk free"

He snapped his fingers, and a cultist brought forward three knives.

"The tools for your freedom," Kojiro said. "Or your doom. It's all up to you."

Mina, the wife, looked at her husband with tears streaming down her face. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I love you all so much."

Before anyone could react, she grabbed one of the knives and killed herself.

"AAAAhhhh..."

The tavern owner's scream of pain echoed through the factory as Kai and Yuki stared in shock at their mom's body.

Yuki, her eyes wide and unfocused, slowly reached for another knife. "I... I don't want to die," she muttered, her voice barely audible.

Kai turned to her, his face full of disbelief. "Yuki, no. We can't—"

Stolen story; please report.

But his words were cut off as his big sister struck. Kai fell, his face showing betrayal and confusion.

Yuki stood there, knife in hand, a crazy laugh bubbling up from her throat. "Hihihihahaha... I did it," she said, her voice getting higher. "I'm free. We're free, Dad."

"We're free!"

She turned to the missing-nin, her eyes wild. "I won your game. Now let us go!"

Kojiro's smile got even bigger, looking almost inhuman. "Of course. I keep my word, after all. I promised freedom, and freedom you'll have."

Relief washed over Yuki's face, but it didn't last long. In a blur too fast to see, Kojiro moved.

Yuki blinked, confused. 'Why... why is everything sideways?' she thought. 'Dad? Why can I see... myself?'

Her headless fell to the ground as Kojiro held up her severed head for all to see.

"I freed you," he said, his voice mockingly serious. "Freed you from your sad, dirty life. To think you'd kill your own brother so easily."

"How wonderfully ugly."

He tossed the head aside like it was trash, turning back to the tavern owner and Tazuna. "You see, this is what humans are really like. Selfish, brutal, willing to throw everything away just to live a little longer."

The tavern owner stared at the bodies of his family, his mind struggling to process what had just happened. He had lost everything. His wife, his children, his whole world - gone in a flash.

He had nothing left to lose now. No reason to be afraid anymore.

With a sudden burst of energy, he yanked at his bonds. The ropes, weakened by his earlier struggles, finally gave way. Before anyone could react, he lunged for the knife that had fallen from his daughter's hand.

"You bastard!" he roared, charging at Kojiro with the knife raised high. "I'll kill you!"

Kojiro didn't move. He just stood there, a small smile playing on his lips as the tavern owner bore down on him.

The knife plunged into Kojiro's chest, right where his heart should be. The tavern owner pushed with all his might, driving the blade in to the hilt.

But Kojiro didn't flinch. He didn't even blink.

Slowly, almost lazily, he looked down at the knife protruding from his chest. "Is that all?" he asked, his voice filled with amusement.

The tavern owner stumbled back, his eyes wide with disbelief. "What... what are you?"

Kojiro reached up and casually pulled the knife out. There was no blood, no wound - just smooth, unbroken skin where the blade had entered.

"I am the herald of the Great Old Ones," he smirked. "Your puny weapons cannot harm me."

Realization dawned on the tavern owner's face. If he couldn't kill Kojiro, he'd deny him the satisfaction of turning him into one of those things.

He turned the knife on himself, ready to plunge it into his own heart. But before he could, strong hands grabbed him from behind. The cultists had finally reacted, disarming him and forcing him to his knees.

"Punish him!" one of the cultists shouted. "He dared to attack our lord!"

The crowd surged forward, angry faces all around. But Kojiro held up a hand, and they all stopped in their tracks.

"No," he called out. "He has shown us the depths of human desperation. For that, he deserves a special reward."

He gestured to one of his followers. "Bring me the sacred treasure."

A hush fell over the crowd as a cultist approached, carrying something shiny on a velvet cushion. As Kojiro picked it up, the dim light caught it, revealing a long golden crown with a complicated design.

"Look," Kojiro said, his voice full of respect, "the sacred treasure of the Deep. A crown fit for those who will serve in Cthulhu's court."

The tavern owner's eyes widened as he recognized it. It was the same crown he had bought from Tazuna, a deal that now seemed to have sealed his fate. "I didn't know... I swear I didn't know it was important!"

Kojiro's smile got wider, showing teeth that looked too sharp to be human. "Oh, but it is important. More important than you could ever imagine. And now, you'll have the honor of wearing it."

The tavern owner laughed, a hollow, broken sound. "Go ahead," he spat.

He had nothing left to lose, no reason to fear death. But as his eyes roamed the crowd in his final moments, he froze.

"Pochi? Kaisha?" he gasped, spotting the boatmen who had mysteriously disappeared earlier. They stood nearby, their faces blank and eyes unfocused.

Kojiro's gaze sharpened, noticing the flash of recognition. "Oh? You know these two, do you?" He gestured, and Pochi stepped forward mechanically.

"Pochi, isn't it?" his voice was deceptively gentle. "Tell me about your friend here."

Pochi's voice came out flat, devoid of emotion. "His name is Yato. He runs... ran... the tavern by the docks."

"Yato," Kojiro rolled the name on his tongue, savoring it. "And how long have you known our friend Yato?"

"Twenty years," Pochi replied. "We grew up together. I was best man at his wedding."

Each word was like a knife twisting in Yato's gut. The betrayal cut deeper than any physical wound Kojiro could inflict.

"You... you brought me here?" Yato's voice cracked.

Pochi's blank eyes met Yato's. For a moment, something flickered in their depths - regret?

Fear? But it was gone in an instant.

"Fascinating," Kojiro mused. "The bonds of friendship, shattered so easily. Doesn't it make you wonder, Yato? How fragile human connections truly are?"

Yato spat blood at Kojiro's feet. "Go to hell."

Kojiro just laughed. "We're already there."

He raised the crown. "Now, let's see how this fits, shall we?"