"That… That was quicker than I thought."
I stared at the pile of boxes, each labeled with everything I'd requested just two days ago.
"He works fast when the pay's good." Kaito replied over the phone.
I hummed, shifting the phone to my other ear.
"What's with the extra equipment? I don't recall asking for that."
Flipping over a label, I found a mixer—high end, industrial.
"Wasn't sure if you needed it or not, but better to have too much than not enough." he said.
Another hum from me as I unboxed the supplies, placing them carefully around my secluded work area.
"Did you find out if the Shimizu girl on my team is related to your wife?"
Silence.
I started inspecting the ingredients, checking for any damage during shipping. Kaito eventually spoke, his voice quieter.
"...Still not sure. My wife died before she could give birth... but I need you to get me a blood sample. I need to confirm it—whether or not she's my baby girl, no matter how small the chance."
I went silent, chewing the inside of my cheek in thought. It would be easy enough to get Rin's blood and send it, but…
"What'll you do if she is your daughter?"
A heavy sigh.
"I don't know yet... Just get me the sample. I'll figure it out from there."
With that, the call ended. I turned to the remaining packages, organizing everything with mechanical focus.
'The next few days are going to be busy.'
-
The pot filled with absinthe rested atop a portable stove, gently heated just below its boiling point. Moving carefully, I took the sticky tobacco resin and scraped it into the pot. The slow stirring began—thick oily streaks bleeding into the absinthe, turning it into a greasy sludge.
Next were the belladonna leaves. Oval shaped, green and dangerously potent. I crushed them in my hand and tossed them into the mix, giving another stir.
Then came the mushrooms—Amanita Muscaria. I removed the caps, crushed them, and dropped them in. The stems were set aside for now.
Finally, I reached for one of the last lethal ingredients, black mamba venom. The amber liquid shimmered ominously under the light. I paused, then uncapped the jar and poured it slowly into the mix, stirring as it thickened into a dark maroon mass.
'Just like I remember—fucking rancid.'
The smell hit like a sewer pipe bursting.
I turned my gaze to a small vial sitting to the left—filled with a strange dark red and black liquid.
"I doubt they even realized this was in my stuff..."
Shrugging, I uncorked it and poured it into the pot. The mixture turned darker, now bordering on pure black.
"Now to let this sit and simmer while I make sure everything's ready."
Groaning, I stood and stretched, joints cracking, before stepping out of the area.
-
It was working.
In fact, his plan was working so well that he now had an actual rough estimate of how many people would be showing up in a few nights.
'Fuck.'
The papers in his hand crumpled as he clenched them, his other hand steadying the bag of explosives.
'Over seven hundred? Why the hell did Mizuki wait so damn long?!'
I had only joked it might be close to a thousand—an exaggeration. There was no way the Elders and Leaders running Kumamoto wouldn't know about this.
"Fuck my life."
I moved across the rooftops, heading toward one of the entrances where I planned to plant this set of explosives. With so many more people showing up than I'd accounted for, my strategy had to change. Now, it wasn't just about hitting them hard—it was about making sure they couldn't get out.
Sure, I knew some might try to break through the walls. But when you're in the middle of plotting a coup, the last thing you want is chaos at your back. They'd be forced to deal with the immediate problem—me—head-on.
Sighing, I reached the target location, placing and priming the explosives with practiced precision. I double checked the manual, ensured everything was rigged properly then made my way back to the secluded area where the brew simmered. As I moved, a drop of rain hit my face—followed by the low rumble of thunder in the distance.
'Fucking hate rain.'
Groaning, I took care to keep my footing on the slick rooftops, hopping from one to the next until I made it back to the brewing area—only to find the burner off.
'Did someone…'
I dropped down silently, senses alert, ears sharp. But after a moment, I sighed.
Just the gas had run out.
"Time to meditate and get this shit going."
The last time I'd taken the brew in my old life, it took twelve hours to fully settle into my system. I'd already filled out the paperwork saying I was stepping away from the team, handed it to one of the higher ups and had it signed off by Renard.
I frowned at the thought of the blonde man, but shook it away. Sitting down cross legged, I took hold of the still-hot pot.
"Here's to a good time."
~Pico POV~ (image)
Years ago Tamotsu had cheated on him—so he proved that, despite his small stature and timid nature, he could still make decisions.
'Though I guess… not planning a way to hide the body was a slight error~'
Shivering, he rubbed his sore backside from what he and Daigo had done earlier, mind drifting to how Daigo had entered both his life and… him.
"He really is like his nickname~"
He ignored the glances of disgust from those around him. They wouldn't understand. They couldn't. Not what he and Daigo had.
"You're quite tall."
Blinking, the voice pulled me out of my daydreams. I looked down to see a young boy with black hair and cold grey eyes.
'Cute~'
Bending down to meet his height, I tilted my head with a smile.
"My~ Thank you for the compliment~"
I patted his head, finding it adorable how my hand dwarfed it.
"You'll be as tall and strong as me when you're older~"
I had trained until I puked, especially after Daigo took care of Tamotsu's body. I wanted to stand shoulder to shoulder with that man.
"Probably."
I let out a light laugh—only for it to cut off into a wet, hacking cough.
"W-what…?"
Looking down, I saw the boy's blade buried in my gut.
'When did he…?'
My eyes rolled back—not in pleasure this time.
"D…D-Daigo…" I choked out, voice wet and weak, collapsing onto the cold ground.
The last thing I saw were those grey eyes, colder than winter and the words that made me wish I had been just a little bit stronger:
"You'll see him soon."
Death embraced me.