"Hojo's murder wasn't just an ordinary death; it was a brutal murder," the local policeman said.
Everyone tensed; it was a jaw-dropping announcement. Manabu's heart pumped; his thoughts went cold. Prime suspect? Mion? It was an overwhelming situation.
Everyone had visible tension on their faces. Fear was evident, especially on Leon's face. He had his head pressed over his left arm and under his right arm, facing down and sweating. After the announcement, the classroom erupted into gasps and whispers; some even started to argue on behalf of Mion. Manabu couldn't understand anything. Mion was fine just a week ago; what had happened? Even in Taiju and Mai's section, the same news was delivered, leaving everyone in disbelief.
The officer continued, "Last night—around 8–9 PM—Mr. Hojo Tetsuya was brutally murdered at his own residence. He was struck with an axe more than twenty times—ten blows to the face and various other parts of his body. The suspect allegedly carried the axe inside a violin case. Her fingerprints were found on the weapon, indicating she acted without gloves."
Leon looked up at the papers the officer was holding. The officer provided more details, "An old man who lives in the neighborhood visited his house for coffee but found the front door unlocked. Upon entering, he saw blood dripping from the second floor; the stench of blood filled the place with horror. He immediately contacted the police. We discovered the body around 9:30 PM. As of now, the culprit is missing, and we've been actively searching for her since last night."
Manabu stood up abruptly. "Are you sure it's Mion? She's not the kind of person who would do something like this! Why would she kill the principal? She had absolutely no reason!"
The other students agreed and started arguing with the officer, defending Mion. But the officer slammed his hand on the desk and ordered silence. He looked at Manabu with annoyance but then took a deep breath, composing himself.
"As I mentioned, she is our prime suspect based on the evidence, but that doesn't mean she's guilty. She could be the perpetrator or merely involved. We cannot conclude anything until we find her. So, did anyone know where she might be?"
The officer truly believed that Mion had committed those crimes, which was why he spoke so firmly. He thought her friends might know something to lead the case to her doorstep. But no one spoke. The weight of the accusation hung heavily in the air. The officer looked at Manabu and repeated the question, but there was no response. Manabu didn't know anything clearly. Leon was haunted by terror, his face visibly pale. He looked at Kenzo, who was standing outside, but he didn't seem happy. Leon couldn't maintain eye contact with him because of shame. After all, it was his fault that she had taken those steps. He should have overseen her mental condition, but he hadn't considered other possibilities. It was his fault.
Before leaving, the officer issued a warning: "Fine. If any of you have or obtain any information related to Mion or this case, contact our department immediately. Do not attempt to interfere with the investigation; otherwise, you might face severe consequences."
They left, but the atmosphere in the room remained uneasy. Teachers from other classes gathered in Section A, concerned about Mion. Mai and Taiju peeked in for a while. Manabu clenched his teeth. It's all fucking bullshit. She has no reason for this. Taiju tried to calm him. Manabu's mind was in turmoil. What the hell! Ever since Christmas, what is going on!
He pressed his head, struggling to bear the mental pressure. Mion being accused of murder sounded bizarre to him.
Leon, standing across from him, looked pale, as if his eyes had witnessed something horrific. After school, as students left the building, Manabu remained seated at his bench, staring blankly at the desk. Taiju and Mai approached him, but Manabu dismissed their concern, saying he'd be fine. He grabbed his stuff, put it in his bag, and walked away. Outside the classroom, Leon was waiting for everyone to leave. As soon as the coast was clear, he pulled Manabu aside. "Meet me at the school's backyard," he whispered urgently.
Confused, Manabu followed him to a secluded area behind the school, away from prying eyes. "Manabu," Leon said, his voice low but firm, "I know where Mion is."
Manabu's eyes widened. "What?! You know?" He turned and demanded, "Why didn't you tell me earlier? Where is she?"
Leon hushed him. They walked deeper into the backyard, where Leon slung his bag over a tree branch, rummaged through it, and pulled out an envelope. "Before you ask anything, look at this first."
He handed the envelope to Manabu, who snatched it, his fingers trembling as he pulled out a stack of photographs. His breath caught in his throat. "These… These are Mion's pictures," he said as he looked up toward Leon.
Leon took a deep breath before giving his explanation. "Yesterday, around 5 PM, I was at a shop to buy a camera I'd been saving up for. I even borrowed some money from my dad to buy it. You may not know this, but I love taking pictures of insects and nature. When I left the store, I ran into Mion."
Manabu listened intently.
"She barely glanced at me and just said, 'Hello, so sorry! I'm in a rush, bye!' Then she left." Leon's eyes darkened. "I thought she was busy, so without saying anything, I followed her…"
Manabu's expression shifted. "Wait, why did you follow her? Were you suspicious of something?" he asked cautiously.
Leon scratched the back of his head, looking embarrassed. "Look, buddy, nothing personal. I know she's your girl, but… ever since she hugged me on her birthday, I started to like her too. I thought maybe I'd get to know her address. That's why…"
Manabu didn't press further. He could sense the awkwardness in Leon's voice.
Leon cleared his throat and continued. "She stopped by this house…" He pointed at one of the pictures and handed it to Manabu. "Check the nameplate."
Manabu's eyes scanned the image, and his blood ran cold. The plate read: Hojo Tetsuya. "What the hell…? That's not her house. I know where she lives. This is Hojo's residence…"
His voice trailed off as realization dawned upon him.
Leon nodded grimly. "Exactly. I was confused too when I saw the nameplate. But then I saw Mr. Hojo standing on his balcony, smoking."
Leon used his camera's zoom and observed someone standing on the second floor. Hojo was there, smoking on his balcony while Leon took the pictures.
Leon felt chills run through his entire body. His instincts screamed at him. He had an idea why she might be there, but he tried to convince himself that Mion wouldn't do something so insane.
Mion, meanwhile, disappeared. Leon looked around from a distance and noticed the door was slightly open. Suddenly, the house went dark—she had switched off the house's power connection, which could not be done without necessary tools.
"She had the key to Hojo's residence," Leon whispered, his throat dry. She unlocked the door silently and slowly entered the house. At the same time, Hojo vanished from his balcony. Manabu stared at the pictures in his hands, his fingers trembling slightly. His mind raced. "How did she get those keys? What is going on?!"
Leon swallowed hard. "I was so scared… I was so stoned—What should I do?! What should I do?! Then I summoned some courage and followed her inside… without making a sound. I was scared, but… I needed to know what was going on. Even though I knew…" Leon whispered, his voice shaking. "I was praying she wouldn't do what I was thinking. Even after what Hojo did—Mion could never do it, could she?" His breathing grew heavy. " And then… I heard it. Ascream."
Manabu flipped to the last picture in the envelope. His stomach churned. Mion stood in the middle of the room, an axe raised high, her face twisted with grim determination.
Hojo Tetsuya was covered in blood. His arm was severed, torn flesh and splintered bone jutting from the stump. The axe had cleaved through his face, leaving a deep, ragged wound that split skin and muscle. His throat was nearly bisected, blood gushing from his neck, exposing his windpipe and the torn remains of his esophagus. His jaw hung loose, partially detached, his tongue protruding through a gaping hole beneath it. Blood pooled beneath him, thickening the air with the metallic stench of death. The image was so horrifying that Manabu nearly retched. He quickly pressed a hand over his mouth, forcing himself to stay composed. She kept swinging the axe. Over and over and over again.
"I couldn't move. My whole body froze," Leon said, his voice shaking. "At that moment, I made a huge mistake. I didn't realize my camera was on auto-flash mode. When I mistakenly clicked picture… the flash caught her eyes."
Manabu's heart nearly stopped. "She saw you?"
Leon nodded shakily. "Maybe… But before she could react, I managed to get away. I ran like hell and hid in an alley for hours before I dared to go home. I was crying while looking at those pictures, blaming myself…"
What have I done?
After two hours, Leon finally gathered the courage to return home. But Manabu wasn't satisfied. He needed to know why she did it.
Leon realized he had yet to tell Manabu everything—about the night he met Mion after the murder.
He explained everything. What Mion had told him. Hojo's history. Mion's rage.
"Hojo was the killer of Naomi and Futaba—he did injustice to them, to her. Maybe that's why she killed him."
Manabu's fists clenched as the realization hit him. Everything had been happening right under their noses. "This is your fault, Leon," Manabu growled, angerflashing in his eyes.
Leon flinched. He knew it was true.
Manabu's expression twisted in frustration. "That is exactly why she did this—she killed Naomi's killer. She served justice. But now everything is out of hand."
But Leon denied it. "That's not true. We still have a chance to save her. I know where she is."
Manabu's eyes widened. He grabbed Leon's shoulders, gripping them tightly. "Where is she?! Tell me!" Manabu repeated his demands.
Leon, comforting him, placed his hands on Manabu's arms and said, "You gotta stay calm. I know I made mistakes, but this time, we will get through this. Don't worry!"
Manabu slowly released him, running a hand through his hair in frustration. He took a deep breath and asked, "If you knew everything already, why didn't you tell thepolice?"
Leon immediately shook his head. "No—No! Manabu, we can't tell the police. Think about it—Mion is already a suspect. If we tell them her hiding spot, she'll be guilty of Hojo's murder. And if we prove that my father is actually Mr. Santa, Mion will ge—"
Leon suddenly froze, his face turning pale.
Manabu's eyes narrowed. "Leon, what did you just say?"
Leon looked like he wanted to disappear. Manabu had clearly heard it, but he didn't want to push Leon too hard. He was already used to these sudden, insane turns of events.
"Keep going," Manabu ordered.
Leon hesitated but then sighed heavily. "While I was on my way home, I was debating whether to tell Kenzo or not. Mion had committed a murder. She was going to be imprisoned. I needed his help."
Leon regretted not listening to Kenzo earlier. But then—he saw her.
Mion. Walking straight into his house.
"My heart almost stopped. Did she see me? Is she here to kill me? But then I realized… my dad was home alone."
Leon rushed to stop her, but as he stepped inside, he froze. He heard voices..Pressing his ear against the door, he listened intently. Mion's voice was strained. "I killed him. Now what should I do?"
Leon's blood ran cold. According to Leon, Daima had calm tone. "Did anyone see you?"
"Probably not," Mion replied hesitantly.
Daima let out a long sigh. Then, in a composed voice, he instructed her.
"Change your clothes and get ready. You'll need to stay hidden for a few weeks. Until I say otherwise, you're not going anywhere. There's food arranged for you at the hospital."
Leon's heart pounded against his ribs. His father was involved in this, which explains how she got the keys.
Mion was approaching the door. Leon moved quickly, creeping upstairs to his room before she could see him. His mind refused to accept what he had just heard. His father wasn't just aware of Mion's actions—he was helping her. Leon turned toward his room door, his eyes drifting to something unusual. The storeroom door was open. Leon's stomach twisted into knots. That door was never left open. His dad always kept the keys. But last night—it was open. Slowly, heart hammering, he stepped forward. With a deep breath, he peeked inside. His blood ran dry.
Manabu watched as Leon pulled out his phone, his face drained of color.
"See for yourself," Leon said, his voice hollow. On the screen were pictures.
Inside the storeroom—a long black coat. Numerous photos of victims. A picture of Manabu and his friends—including Mion. Sharp weapons, neatly arranged. And on the table—the very gifts and toys found at the Santa crime scenes. Manabu's breath hitched. His entire body went rigid.
Leon looked at him, his voice a broken whisper. "My father is Mr. Santa."
Leon was sobbing, his hands trembling as he covered his face to hold his tears. Manabu placed a firm hand on his shoulder to comfort him and promised, "Leon, it's gonna be okay. Mion will be alright."
Leon wiped his tears and looked at Manabu. Manabu's gaze was fixed on him as he said, "Leon, we have to save Mion. If we don't, your dad might kill her—she knows everything about him."
Leon nodded. Then suddenly, Manabu jumped to the point and asked, "Where? Where did he take her?" Leon bit his fingernails while narrating what he witnessed yesterday night. He had returned to his room after discovering those truths; it was terrifying. But then he heard the door closing, and after a few moments, he rushed downstairs and found they were already gone. Running back to his room, he quickly looked out his window and saw them walking southward. He wondered what would happen next; he wasn't desperate to know, but for Mion's sake, he had to follow unwillingly. He was sure Mion was being framed, and her going missing would only make her look guilty. "I was sick of these damn games. I had made up my mind and followed them to uncover everything about what my dad was plotting."
Leon scrolled through his phone gallery and showed Manabu a series of pictures, which captured the route to the place Mion had been taken. "Both stopped by an abandoned hospital of five floors and went inside. That's all I could manage. I didn't have the courage to go inside, risking getting caught, but I saw my father come out alone, which suggests Mion is still inside."
Manabu studied the pictures closely and saved them to his phone. After a brief silence and thought, he made a sudden decision. "We'll go to the hospital tonight," he said.Leon exhaled in relief. "I was thinking the same thing."
It was a reckless move for Manabu, but they couldn't waste time—things could spiral out of control. The longer Mion stayed missing, the more complicated the situation might get. Her life was in danger, so their first priority was to save her. "We'll meet at the hospital at 2 AM. Until then, no calls or messages; we might get tapped or overheard."
Leon agreed, though he looked nervous. Manabu patted his shoulder and assured him again, "Everything will be alright."
Leon knew that already. They parted ways. However, unbeknownst to them, Taiju had overheard everything from the second-floor corridor, hidden behind the wall. Without a word, he quietly left the school.
Around 1:36 AM, Manabu left his house, heading to the location—a war-abandoned hospital.Meanwhile, Leon had mixed his father's food with diazepam, ensuring he would be unconscious for at least eight hours. He packed two flashlights, his camera, and a bottle of water before stepping out into the night.After school, Manabu had gone to Mion's apartment instead of heading home. Her apartment was still locked. He tried to open it but failed. She lived on the eighth floor of an apartment building. Standing outside the door, he gazed at the city view, piecing together the puzzle: "Mion killed Hojo, Hojo was the copycat, in short, Naomi and Futaba's killer. And Daima is Mr. Santa. Daima manipulated Mion into killing Hojo, making her the prime suspect in the official case. If Daima is proven to be Mr. Santa, Mion will be guilty of both Hojo's murder and the Santa case. Mion's doomed."
He had many questions unresolved: "Mion had a clear reason to kill Hojo, but why did Daima help her? According to Leon, Mion already had the key to Hojo's house. Did Daima give it to her? She even switched off the house's power. How? And what about the violin case she carried?"
His eyes fell on a distant music shop. He rushed over and asked the shopkeeper about Mion. The lady smiled and said, "A few days ago, she bought a violin case only to conceal the axe. Mion is a sweet girl. That day, I remember, she told me she loves playing the violin and had one."
That answered one of his questions. He checked the time and left.By 2 AM, Manabu reached the hospital, a little far from where he lived. Leon was already waiting outside, holding his flashlight and carrying his camera to capture anything important, just in case. They stepped inside cautiously.
The place was pitch-dark, their footsteps echoing through the eerie silence. Built in 1806, this hospital had become a ruin after the Feropian War of Independence ended 32 years ago, its decline cemented in the years following 1870 as Feropia rebuilt. Broken glass, rusted beds, and decayed equipment littered the place. They searched the entire first floor, but Mion was nowhere to be found. One by one, they checked the floors. The first, second, and third floors were empty, littered with shattered windows, splintered beds, and warped medical tools, remnants of the war-abandoned hospital's decay.
On the fourth floor, Leon started checking rooms while Manabu whispered, "We should split. I'll check the top floor. If we stay together, it'll take too long."
Manabu ascended the stairs, cautiously walking down the dark hallway.
"Mion," he called in a low voice. Moments later, he found her lying unconscious on the floor in a room. "Mion!" He rushed to her, noticing a water bottle and some dry food beside her. Just as he was about to lift her, a sudden blow struck his ankle, sending sharp pain through his leg. He fell with a grunt, his flashlight rolling away into the darkness. He gasped, trembling in pain as he stared at the figure before him. "Daima?!" It was indeed Daima, smirking, his eyes glinting with amusement.
"How are you, Manabu? You came all the way here to save Mion?"
Before Manabu could react, a sharp kick struck his chest, sending him stumbling backward. Numbness spread through his arm, leaving him barely able to move. He managed to press against the wall. Daima's voice was unnervingly calm. "I knew you'd figure it out. Mion came to me asking for help, but the keys were all I could manage. And Leon, his funny little schemes against me have brought him doom."
Manabu's chest tightened with fear. "Where is Leon? What did you do?—"Daima gave an unaffected smile.
"Leon is alright. No need to worry about him. But I'll finish him soon, or he might be troublesome."Manabu struggled to rise, but Daima pulled out a gun and aimed it at him. "I thought you were smarter, but Leon chose the wrong comrade for his plan to trap me. Killing you won't change anything."
Manabu's voice, rawwithpain, pressed on: "Why do you kill people? Is it because they're criminals? Or just for your sick pleasure?"
Daima chuckled casually. "There's no answer to the question; it could be just pleasure. I'm being me. Criminals are exciting targets. If a few die, no one cares. Tell me, Manabu, didn't you ever think I was unjust? Even though I killed criminals? Did anyone see them as human? The police barely tried to catch me. But what happens when justice gets caught? People go crazy, right? If there were no law, no one would commit crimes."
Fury surged through Manabu. He lunged at Daima, aiming a punch at his stomach. But Daima barely flinched, retaliating with a devastating blow to Manabu's chest. The force was overwhelming, like a sledgehammer. His ribs screamed as he gasped, vision blurring. He fell to his knees, wheezing, his mind screaming, NO! NO! NO!
Daima turned his gun toward Mion. Manabu's body refused to respond. He could only watch in helpless horror as Daima's finger hovered over the trigger. "You helped a lot. Addio, Mion."
Suddenly, a swift kick knocked Daima's hand aside, sending the gun skidding across the floor with a loud clang. Manabu gasped. "Taiju?" Taiju knelt beside him, gripping his arm tightly. "What's up, buddy? Try not to speak; breathe slowly. I'll handle the rest," he said, his voice calm and concerned.Manabu nodded weakly, struggling to control his breathing.Mai was there too, dragged along by Taiju despite her protests. She'd sensed danger.
Daima's eyes sharpened, unfazed. He stepped back and said, "I wonder if you followed your friend just to save him by sacrificing your own life, Taiju. It would've been smarter to stay out. Curiosity kills the cat, you know?"
Taiju was nervous but confidently mocked. "La curiosità attira il gatto e qualcun altro lo uccide," he said, holding up his phone, connected to the police. Daima's eyebrows raised slightly, but he wasn't terrified.
Taiju looked at Manabu. "I overheard your conversation after school," he said. "I knew you two couldn't handle this alone, so I followed you. And guess what? The police heard everything. I kept the call active the whole time, Mr. Santa Claus. Your game's over."
Kenzo, listening through the multi-line connection, was in complete shock. He couldn't believe what was happening. What is Daima up to?
Daima didn't care. He was simply annoyed by the business he had to settle. "I doubt the police will arrive in time to find your corpses. The nearest station is twenty-seven minutes away, and it won't take me that long to kill mere insects like you. I'll decorate this place with your blood and eat your flesh in satisfaction."
Taiju tightened his fists. "Underestimate me, and you'll face your greatest loss."In an instant, Daima hurled a knife at Taiju. But Taiju dodged skillfully—That was close. The fight erupted. Taiju ducked low, landing a powerful punch under Daima's armpit, hitting a nerve. Daima staggered but retaliated with a crushing blow aimed at Taiju's chest. Taiju barely evaded. Fists flew, each strike more brutal than the last. Taiju fought with agility, but Daima's strength was overwhelming. Every punch felt like his bones would snap. Despite the pain, Taiju stood his ground.
Manabu, dazed, spotted a knife on the ground. Summoning every ounce of strength, he grabbed it and aimed for Daima's leg. But Daima was quicker, catching Manabu's hand and twisting it cruelly. Daima smirked and aimed a punch at Manabu's face, but Taiju intercepted, grabbing Daima's wrist and twisting it sharply. Daima grunted, his grip faltering. Seizing the opportunity, Daima lunged for the gun.
"Fuck!" Taiju rushed toward Mai and Mion, shielding them just as Daima fired. Five bullets tore through the wall, narrowly missing them. Manabu gritted his teeth, desperately trying to wrestle the gun from Daima, but Daima was too strong. His grip was unbreakable, and Manabu felt his bones straining. Daima's finger tightened on the trigger, aiming at Manabu's chest. Panic flooded his mind—No! Not now! Not like this!
A gunshot echoed. Blood splattered. Taiju's eyes widened.
"Manabu!" he shouted, scrambling to his feet, heart pounding. Mai ran toward him. Everything froze.Within the depths of unconsciousness, Mion drifted through darkness. Fragments flickered in her mind:
'Why won't you tell Kenzo?'
'It's for the better, trust me.'
'This is dry food and water for two weeks.'
'Leon, I'll be alright, don't worry about me.'
She had fallen asleep after eating the food, laced with something. She'd been unconscious for nearly twenty hours without eating. Slowly, she stirred, her eyes fluttering open to a familiar voice. "Mion!"
Her vision cleared, and she found herself on Mai's lap.
"Mai…?" she whispered. Then her gaze shifted. She saw Manabu and Taiju fighting Daima, with Taiju now dominating. Daima lunged for the gun, firing wildly. Manabu rushed to stop him, while Taiju shielded Mai and Mion, dodging bullets. But then Mion's eyes landed on something strange. Her breath caught. A shadowy figure stood in the doorway, cloaked in darkness. Her head was dizzy. "Who… is there?"
A gunshot echoed, and a flash revealed the figure's face. Mion's lips parted in disbelief. "Leon?"
Leon, having searched the fourth floor, had followed the fight's sounds to the top floor. He stood still, recording everything with his camera, an eerie, unsettling smile on his lips. His pitch-black eyes held a darkness that sent shivers down her spine.
"What is going on?" Mion murmured.