Now that the decision had been made, Amano Hiro did not waste any time.
He found Eto and got straight to the point without a single unnecessary word. "We're going to deal with the Washuu Clan. Are you coming?"
Those outrageously arrogant words made Eto freeze for a moment. Then a terrifying gleam burst from her eyes. "You're serious?!"
Amano Hiro answered decisively, "More real than gold."
"I'm in!" Eto agreed almost without hesitation.
She had long harbored this thought. In the past, she had lacked the strength and could only endure it.
Now, with Amano Hiro here, the thing she had dreamed of doing could finally happen.
"When do we move?" Eto asked quickly, barely able to suppress her excitement.
"The sooner the better. We leave now," Amano Hiro decided without hesitation.
He glanced at the time. It was perfect. The corners of his lips curved slightly. "Timing is just right. Night has just fallen. A dark night with high winds. Perfect for killing and burning."
Eto grinned eagerly. "Just what I wanted!"
The three of them stepped into the rattling elevator again, the one that sounded like it might fall apart at any moment.
Listening to the harsh metallic grinding, Amano Hiro frowned. "Seriously, aren't you going to fix this broken elevator? Or just replace it?"
Eto waved her hand carelessly with a grin. "As long as it runs, it's fine. Don't be so demanding."
Amano Hiro rolled his eyes but did not bother arguing further.
They quickly reached the rooftop of the abandoned factory. The night wind howled, whipping their clothes.
Amano Hiro naturally wrapped an arm around Rize's slender waist. With a thought, a massive pair of ferocious blood-red wings burst open behind him with a heavy rush of air, stirring up dust across the rooftop.
He bent his knees slightly, about to launch into the sky, when Eto suddenly shouted urgently from the side.
"Hey, hey, hey! Wait! Wait a second, Hiro!"
Amano Hiro paused and turned to her in confusion. "What now?"
Eto clasped her hands in front of her chest and widened her eyes, putting on a pitiful expression. Her voice even carried a deliberately sweet tone.
"You... you haven't brought me along yet."
Amano Hiro's mouth twitched. "You can fly. Just follow us."
"That's not the same!" Eto argued seriously, even analyzing the situation. "Sure, I can fly. But how can my speed compare to yours?
We're doing a surprise attack. It's all about speed and efficiency.
If we get separated, wouldn't that delay things? It's safer to move together, right?"
After saying that, she deliberately blinked her innocent-looking eyes.
Rize, who was being held in Amano Hiro's arms, could not help but laugh softly. She patted his chest gently and said in a soft voice, "Hiro, since Eto-san has said so, just bring her along. She looks so pitiful."
Even Rize had spoken, and there was not the slightest hint of jealousy. What else could Amano Hiro say?
"Fine." He replied helplessly and reached out.
But instead of holding Eto by the waist like he did with Rize, he grabbed her directly by the back of her clothes and waistband.
The crimson Carnage extended instantly from his hand, wrapping around her like sturdy ropes.
In the next second, Eto was lifted off the ground as casually as a suitcase.
"...Huh?"
Eto was stunned, suspended in midair, her brain momentarily unable to process what was happening. This was completely different from the "moving together" she had imagined.
Where was the elegant carry? This was clearly the posture for transporting cargo.
Shouldn't he be holding her by the waist like Rize? What was with this chicken-lifting grip?
Before she could protest, Amano Hiro's wings beat fiercely.
A powerful burst of air exploded outward, and the three figures shot into the sky like cannonballs, disappearing into the dark night, leaving only dust slowly dispersing below.
The intense acceleration pressed against them. Rize leaned securely in Amano Hiro's arms, while Eto flailed in the rushing airflow like a kite.
As they sped through the night, the fierce wind tore at Eto's voice, but her protest still reached Amano Hiro's ears.
"Amano Hiro! Your favoritism is way too obvious! Why does Rize get carried, and I get hauled around like luggage? I protest!"
Amid the roaring wind, Amano Hiro's deep and clear voice cut through precisely.
"Protest denied."
He even paused deliberately before adding the line that nearly choked Eto.
"You want to know why? Simple."
"I. Am. Pure. Love."
The reason was invincible, brazen and shameless.
Rize, held steadily in his arms, was stunned for a moment when she heard that unexpected answer. Then she buried her face against his neck and burst into laughter, the tension of the mission lightened by her joy.
Soon, under Rize's precise guidance, the three figures cut through the night sky at extreme speed. Before long, a vast complex of ancient residences appeared at the edge of their vision.
Located in a remote area of the 1st Ward, it was completely different from the bustling city center of Tokyo.
Rows of traditional houses were built along the mountainside, their curved eaves silent in the darkness like a slumbering beast, exuding an old and solemn aura isolated from modernity.
Dense forests surrounded the estate. The night wind rustled through the trees, making the place quiet and secluded.
"I have to say," Amano Hiro hovered in the air, looking down at the eerily tranquil estate below, his tone tinged with cold mockery, "for a bunch of creatures who hide from the light, the Washuu Clan picked a good location."
Eto swayed slightly in his grip and responded eagerly, her voice filled with destructive excitement. "Nice scenery. Perfect for their burial ground."
A cold smile curved Amano Hiro's lips. In his night-owl eyes, killing intent surged sharply.
"No matter how good the scenery is, it's useless," he said in a low voice like a death sentence. "After tonight, only ruins will remain."
The moment his words fell, a fierce light flashed in his eyes. Without the slightest hesitation, his aura erupted violently.
Like a dark-red meteor falling from the heavens, he tore through the night sky with a shrill roar and crashed straight toward the most magnificent and heavily guarded main residence at the center of the estate.