In the deathly silent conference room, even a pin drop could be heard.
Suddenly, a low chuckle broke the heavy air.
"Heh. Hehehe. Hehehehe."
The laughter came from the head seat, from Washuu Tsuneyoshi, who had remained silent all this time.
At first, it was only a few suppressed breaths forced out from deep in his throat.
But soon, the laughter grew louder, clearer, more continuous, even carrying a trace of... pleasure.
His shoulders trembled slightly as he laughed. On that face which usually commanded awe without anger, there now truly appeared a faint curve that seemed almost delighted.
Indeed, the ancients had not deceived him. When a person reaches the extreme of rage,
they do not necessarily roar out of control, but instead may uncontrollably laugh. Though he was not human.
Yet to everyone present, that laughter was more terrifying than any furious outburst.
While Washuu Tsuneyoshi teetered on the brink of losing control in the headquarters basement due to overwhelming rage, Amano Hiro and the other two had already quietly returned to the Aogiri Tree base.
Passing through the dim corridors that twisted like a maze, Eto pushed open the door to the residence hall and paused slightly.
Only a single dim wall lamp was lit inside, its hazy light outlining a figure seated silently on the sofa. It was Tatara.
He sat upright like a sculpture. His usual expressionless face appeared even more unreadable in the shadows.
A trace of understanding flashed through Eto's eyes. Then her lips curved into her usual playful smile as she greeted lightly,
"Oh my, Tatara-san, you're still awake this late?"
Hearing her voice, Tatara turned his head. The dim yellow light traced the sharp lines of his face.
His deep eyes revealed no emotion. He did not respond to her casual greeting.
Instead, he went straight to the point, his voice steady. "Where did you go?"
Eto seemed to have prepared her answer long ago. She waved her hand casually, even with a hint of boasting about an adventure.
"Ah, nothing major. Just paid the Washuu Clan a surprise visit."
Her tone shifted as she patted her chest with mock lingering fear. "Oh my, it was really dangerous this time. We almost didn't make it back."
Tatara's gaze lingered on her face for a moment. His eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly. Silence followed.
That brief pause seemed to make the air grow heavier.
"Next time," he finally said again, his voice still calm but carrying undeniable resolve, "do not do something so dangerous again."
Eto immediately beamed with a bright smile and replied obediently, "Okay, okay, I know, Tatara-san."
Her crisp response echoed faintly in the slightly empty hall. As for how much sincerity it held, perhaps only she knew.
Tatara did not pursue the matter further. He slowly rose to his feet and calmly left behind a sentence. "I'm going to rest. You should rest early too."
Eto paused slightly before answering, "Mm, okay."
She watched his departing figure thoughtfully.
......
In the following days, Amano Hiro rarely made trouble and stayed within the Aogiri Tree base to recuperate.
The seemingly severe injuries from that night had actually healed completely that very same evening thanks to his abnormal regenerative ability.
The so-called recuperation was more about laziness and enjoying inseparable exercise time with Rize.
However, the underground environment that never saw daylight made him increasingly restless, as if he were a rat hiding in a burrow.
I need to find a place above ground as soon as possible. The thought grew stronger in his mind.
That day, after finishing an intense session of exercise, Amano Hiro leaned against the headboard while Rize nestled at his side.
Ding.
His phone notification chimed crisply.
He picked it up and saw a message from Touka.
The new shop renovations are all finished. We're opening tomorrow. Amano-niisan, will you come take a look?
His fingers tapped quickly in reply.
Sure. I'll definitely be there tomorrow.
"What is it, Hiro?" Rize asked lazily, her voice carrying a slightly husky allure.
Amano Hiro leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her smooth forehead.
"The new Anteiku café opens tomorrow. Let's go take a look. And while we're there, we'll ask the manager to help find a new place for us above ground."
At the mention of finding a new house, Rize's eyes immediately lit up and she agreed happily. "Mm. Living underground really does feel a bit stifling."
Putting down the phone, Amano Hiro slipped back under the covers and pulled the warm, soft body beside him into his arms, but his thoughts drifted to tomorrow.
Let's bring Eto along too. It's time for father and daughter to meet and clear up some misunderstandings.
Then he began calculating their side's strength. Yoshimura the manager at SSS rank. The One-Eyed Owl Eto at SSS rank. Tatara at SS plus. Kamishiro Matasaka at SS plus. Rize at SSS. Himself beyond standard. And Arima Kishou, the pinnacle among humans and a master actor.
Such a luxurious lineup required careful planning on how to uproot the Washuu Clan completely and take over the CCG in the process.
As he thought about it, he remembered the sinister figure lurking in the shadows. Furuta Nimura.
Was that guy currently in the Clowns organization, or had he already infiltrated the CCG? He could not quite recall the exact timeline, but that did not diminish his killing intent.
Setting aside the debt from his previous schemes against Rize, the fact that he was Rize's childhood friend alone was enough for him to deserve death a hundred times over.
And that chaos-loving Clowns organization, those troublemakers who enjoyed stirring things up from behind the scenes, would have to be cleaned up when the opportunity arose.
As night deepened, the steady breathing of Rize in his arms signaled she had fallen asleep. Amano Hiro set an alarm and drifted off as well.
Early the next morning, he woke before the alarm rang. Perhaps with matters weighing on his mind, he had not slept deeply.
After a simple wash, he saw that Rize was still asleep and chose not to wake her yet, intending to speak with Eto first.
As soon as he entered the hall, he was slightly surprised to find Eto already seated on the sofa.
More unusually, she was not wrapped in bandages as usual. She wore simple casual clothes and held a cup of coffee in both hands, taking small sips.
Hearing his footsteps, Eto turned and gave him a bright smile. "Morning, Hiro."
"Morning." Amano Hiro sat on the sofa opposite her. His gaze rested on her face with a hint of scrutiny, but he did not speak immediately.
Eto grew slightly uncomfortable under his stare. She raised a hand to touch her cheek and teased in her usual tone.
"What's wrong, Hiro? Staring at me like that. Did you finally notice my charm and fall for me?"