Chapter 116: Making You Face Reality
Less than a minute ago, inside the military building.
"Vahlin."
Otonashi Chiya had finally called out the last name on his "Death List."
The man named Vahlin had long since turned deathly pale. Knowing his end was inevitable, he had transitioned from agonizing despair to a state of hollow numbness. Chiya decided there was no further need to torture the man and gave him a quick end. With a flicker of movement, he slit Vahlin's throat.
As Vahlin slumped to the floor, Chiya gave his blade a sharp flick, sending the blood clinging to the steel splashing onto the ground. He then turned his gaze toward the surviving high-ranking officials.
The group trembled, terrified by the look in his eyes; they were certain the "Reaper" was about to turn his blade on them next.
"You were not my targets this time. However, I have one condition: I want to see the contents of your contract with the Japanese Cabinet," Chiya said calmly.
His tone remained cold, but the killing intent had vanished.
"Yes—yes! Of course! No problem!" the officials stammered, nodding repeatedly.
While the contract between their military and the Japanese Cabinet was supposed to be a top-secret document, who cared about secrets when their lives were on the line? They immediately produced a thick folder containing the contract.
One man, showing decent composure despite his fear, walked forward to hand the documents to Chiya personally. Given what had just transpired, even having the courage to approach Chiya was an impressive feat.
"Thank you," Chiya said.
His sudden politeness actually startled the man. It took a moment for the official to register that Chiya was actually thanking him.
"You just finished a massacre and now you're thanking people? Do you have a split personality?" The long-silent Berserk Devil suddenly spoke up.
Finding himself mocked again, Chiya realized this devil only ever appeared to provide snarky commentary.
"I only killed those who plotted against me. I have no quarrel with the others, so why shouldn't I say thanks?" Chiya retorted mentally.
"Still, you were swayed by anger this time. I thought you were completely immune to the influence of rage," the Berserk Devil noted. She had waited until now to speak because she hadn't wanted to interrupt his work.
"Revenge is perfectly normal. I'm not so magnanimous that I'd let myself be treated like a soft target for others to trample on," Chiya replied dismissively. His Mangekyo Sharingan could absorb external rage, but that didn't mean he was incapable of feeling anger himself.
While bickering with the Berserk Devil, Chiya flipped through the contract to see its contents. Since the document was extensive, he skimmed past the meaningless fluff and focused on the crucial points.
After a quick scan, he discovered that this wasn't just a set of "bully terms" imposed by the Soviet military on the Japanese Cabinet; the Japanese Cabinet had actually "sold" him out.
Specifically, the Japanese Cabinet only cared that he represented Japan's glory in the Soviet Union. They requested that the Soviet military give him ample opportunities to showcase his power and ensure maximum media coverage. So far, no problem. However, the later sections involved clauses regarding "Hybrids."
The existence of Hybrids was a secret kept from the general public—much like the truth about the Gun Devil—but high-level officials across all nations were well aware of them.
Not to mention the Japanese Cabinet—in the original story, even Kishibe knew about the Hybrids.
The contract stipulated a three-year "protection period" for Otonashi Chiya. After those three years, the Soviet military would be free to subject him to Hybrid experimentation...
In short, the Japanese Cabinet acted purely for its own gain, treating him entirely as a tool to be utilized. This was no different from "selling" him. However, the Soviet military had "torn up" the contract early. Upon seeing that his strength was too immense and perceiving it as a threat, they moved against him prematurely. They likely feared he might suddenly flee back to Japan during those three years, which would significantly bolster the Cabinet's power.
Since the power gap between the Soviet Union and Japan was vast, it was a bully treaty from the start; even though the Soviets had actively breached it, the Japanese Cabinet wouldn't dare utter a word of protest.
"Your rage is fluctuating again. You want to kill more people, don't you?" the Berserk Devil spoke up.
Because she resided within Chiya's body and was the Berserk Devil herself, she could instantly detect even the slightest ripple in his anger. The two largest fluctuations she had felt so far were toward the military high command and now this contract. She assumed Chiya was about to go on another massacre like today's.
"Yeah," Chiya didn't deny it. "When the opportunity arises, I'll deal with those guys in the Cabinet as well."
He already disliked the Cabinet, but he generally didn't kill indiscriminately unless someone provoked him first. If it had been a standard international cooperation—like the kind Kishibe and Quanxi were involved in—he wouldn't have minded much. But the Japanese Cabinet had "sold" him without hesitation, fully knowing the Soviets intended to turn him into a Hybrid. That was something he could not tolerate.
After reading the contract, Chiya placed it back on the table in its entirety. He turned and left; he had killed everyone he intended to kill, and there was no reason to stay.
Up until this moment, the surviving officials hadn't dared to breathe heavily, their bodies stiff with terror. They watched as the masked man, who resembled the "God of Death," walked a few steps and suddenly vanished without a trace. The momentary distortion in space was difficult for an ordinary person to notice without looking very closely.
It was a long time before they dared to even consider if the "Reaper" had truly left.
"Is... is he gone...?" someone finally whispered.
The others still didn't dare speak; Chiya's methods had utterly broken their spirits. After another long while, they finally relaxed their tense bodies, their hearts sinking back into their chests as they slumped into their seats, overwhelmed with relief. Having just walked back from the gates of hell, they were simply grateful to be alive.
Using the Kamui dimension, Chiya teleported directly to the side of Reze and Shingetsu. As for the corpses of the five Hybrids, he planned to deal with them later.
Upon appearing, he saw Reze in a standoff with someone. The middle-aged man in the military uniform looked like he possessed some actual skill.
"I have finished what I came here to do. Are you certain you want to continue throwing your lives away?" Chiya said to the group of Devil Hunters.
"Quick! A few of you get inside and check the situation! The rest of you, follow me and intercept these three intruders—don't let them escape!" Victor seemed stubborn to a fault; even knowing his opponents were nearly invincible, he remained obstinate.
Chiya was somewhat speechless, though he respected Victor's indomitable spirit.
"Having the courage to challenge me is impressive. However... that is the only thing I can praise you for. Now, I shall make you face reality."
The moment he finished speaking, the Third Form Susanoo roared into existence! A cyan giant, dozens of meters tall, looked down upon the group of Devil Hunters, who now appeared as small as ants.