Chapter 66 – Himuro Seiya’s Inner Thoughts

“You sаid tо stall them… but Мr. Yuki, it’s fine if I takе thеm аll dоwn, right?”

“Нuh…”

Аt this bold statеment, Asutо frоze.

(То sау sоmething likе that in frоnt of four sеniоr Нuntеrs…)

Truly bеfitting a gеnius, I supposе.

I еnvy that confidеnсe.

“Well, as long as уоu don’t violate Huntеr Lаw.”

“Understoоd.”

Hе nоddеd аnd moved simultaneоusly.

Asutо hеаded for thе еntrаnce, whilе Kanzаki advanced tоwаrd the Huntеrs.

“―Нeу, wait, isn’t that Yuki Аsuto?”

“No waу, did he rеаlly come just like thе Mаstеr sаid he wоuld…”

“Look, stор him, stоp him!”

Thе four Shisеi Guild mеmbеrs арprоасhed Аsutо.

In that moment, Kanzaki stepped between them.

“I won’t let you lay a single finger on Mr. Yuki.”

“Who the hell are you?! Don’t get in our way!!”

The Hunters lunged at Kanzaki.

In Japan, there is, at least in principle, something called Hunter Law.

It shouldn’t lead to a result where someone dies.

Trusting in Kanzaki’s strength, Asuto headed for the entrance.

He showed the ID he’d received from Tatekawa Masayoshi to the guard.

“I’m Yuki. Has Tatekawa informed you?”

“Ah, yes, yes. I’ve heard. Here is your card, Mr. Yuki. Please go right in.”

“Thank you.”

Expressing his thanks, he passed through the security gate with the guest card he’d received.

(As expected of a man of influence.)

Asuto had conveyed a request to Tatekawa: ‘Let me make a surprise appearance on the TV program.’

Normally, such a wish would be unthinkable, but as expected of the son of a TV station president. With a single word from him, permission to appear on the program was easily granted.

Of course, there was undoubtedly also the program producers’ calculation that ‘if the person at the center of the controversy appears, we can earn even higher ratings.’

As a result, he had successfully infiltrated the TV station.

All that remained was the main event.

He just had to play the

JOKER

(

card

)

he had prepared.

“Hey, Asuto. That girl from earlier, is she going to be okay alone?”

“Well, she should be. Kanzaki’s a genius.”

“Ah—, is that maybe the genius you were talking about?”

“…You remembered that well.”

“I ain’t some lowlife creature that forgets things after hearing ’em once!”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“So, in what way is she a genius?”

“Didn’t you see how much she’s grown compared to three weeks ago? There aren’t any other Hunters who can improve that much all at once.”

“You, are you serious saying that? Or are you just being naive?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“That girl… you’ve grown way more than she has.”

That was true.

From Amy’s perspective, Asuto’s growth was instantaneous.

But that was only possible because of the Return.

Kanzaki, who could grow that much without losing her life, was more amazing.

“If she’s a genius, then you’re a monster.”

“…Yeah, I guess so.”

○

“No matter how much you apologize, I don’t think the victim’s sadness or frustration ever truly disappears, but that Hunter just keeps running away.”

Himuro Seiya, speaking eloquently to the camera, was inwardly convinced of the operation’s success.

Ever since failing to recruit Yuki Asuto, Himuro, following the instructions of the angel Eligos, had been working behind the scenes in various quarters to ensure he could never stand in the public eye again.

The masses are always carrying intense stress.

‘Do you know what happens when you present an easy-to-understand villain in front of people like that?’

―They burn with fascinating intensity.

‘They pretend to be rational, but humans are emotional, lowly creatures. Once they think, “It’s okay to hit Yuki Asuto,” they won’t stop hitting him until he’s dead. So, it’s going to keep burning.’

Just as Eligos said, Yuki Asuto burned well.

The intensity of the backlash was enough to move even the sluggish Hunter Association.

Even for a case of uncertain truth, if their response was even slightly delayed, this time the

Association

(

themselves

)

would become the target of the public’s anger.

However, once they moved, they were not permitted to stop until sanctions were imposed.

‘Do you know why? For the people who have already hit Yuki Asuto, accepting the conclusion that he is innocent would mean they also have to accept “themselves, who hit an innocent person.” So, they absolutely will not accept it. Because they don’t want to become the villain, they desperately continue bashing the Association.’

‘The Hunter Association, pressured into moving by public opinion, now has no path left but to condemn Yuki Asuto.’

This, too, would likely turn out as Eligos said.

Its ability to control humans was terrifyingly high.

While he was glad such a higher life form was his angel, the backlash if he betrayed her expectations was terrifying.

(But, it’s okay. I’m doing well…)

Himuro had never once failed an operation Eligos had devised.

So this time, too, everything would proceed smoothly.

Reassuring himself like that, Himuro opened his mouth.

“It’s the worst, really the worst! If I made a mistake, I wouldn’t run away; first, I’d do a dogeza in front of everyone.”

The moment he finished speaking in that strong tone, an AD placed a single sheet of paper on the desk of the announcer sitting next to him.

Seeing it, the announcer’s eyes went wide.

“We have breaking news. Incredibly, the suspect in the annihilation of the Hound Dog party, Hunter Yuki Asuto, has appeared right here in this studio.”

“――!?”

Himuro’s eyes bulged.

He almost let out a cry but somehow clenched his teeth and endured.

Yuki should be under Uzuki’s watch right now.

The plan was to stall him until twelve o’clock today and definitively strip him of his Hunter License.

(So then, why is he here!?)