Negotiations Collapse, Shimomura Izumi's Suggestion

Crisis Management Center.

The impact Sato had caused was far too severe. It was no longer something the Ajin Research Management Association could handle alone.

To that end, the island nation's government had specifically established the Crisis Management Center.

One of the center's directors was still Tozaki Yuu, the man who understood Ajin best.

At this moment, he sat before a computer, while everyone in the center's main hall wore tense expressions.

Because today, they were about to do something.

Negotiate!

As Sato's actions grew more and more excessive, and the damage he caused became increasingly severe,

yet he possessed overwhelming strength that was difficult to counter.

After holding countless meetings over the past few days, the island nation's government had finally decided to make concessions.

In truth, some of the higher-ups had become afraid as well.

Sato's existence had shattered their long-held arrogance.

They had truly experienced the sense of crisis that their lives could be taken at any moment.

"Get ready. The signal is about to connect!"

Tozaki Yuu, who was in charge of the negotiations, wore a solemn expression as he stared intently at the computer screen.

The next moment, against a dark, cold backdrop, Sato's face appeared before him, seeming to wear its ever-present smile.

"Tozaki, we meet again."

"Sato, we want to reconcile with you."

"At this moment? You're not joking, are you?"

"Listen to me first! After repeated discussions, we have made the following decision.

"We can meet your previous demand and designate either an uninhabited island in southern Kyushu or part of Hokkaido as a special autonomous region for Ajin!"

To force the island nation's authorities into making such a concession, Sato had already earned the right to go down in history.

Yet he showed no surprise at all and said without the slightest hesitation, "I refuse."

Even Tozaki Yuu was deeply surprised and unable to understand. He demanded angrily, "Why?!"

Sato smiled. "Whether it's Kyushu or Hokkaido, those backwater places... are you trying to fob me off like a beggar?

"Right now, you have no leverage to negotiate terms with me. You only need to obediently meet my demands."

Tozaki Yuu forcibly suppressed the fury in his heart. His fists clenched tightly, and his eyes were bloodshot.

Unfortunately, the circumstances were stronger than he was. He could only grit his teeth and ask, "What exactly do you want?!"

Sato completely ignored Tozaki Yuu's anger. He leaned closer to the camera, as though he could meet Tozaki Yuu's gaze through the screen.

"I want Tokyo."

The entire main hall of the Crisis Management Center fell silent enough to hear a pin drop.

Everyone stopped what they were doing in unspoken unison, some even holding their breath.

They stared in disbelief at the video displayed on the large screen overhead.

Sato seemed utterly unaware of how outrageous his demand was.

"Tozaki, go ahead and hold more meetings, keep discussing it. But during that time, my operations will not stop.

"Don't worry, though. While you are also on my assassination list, I thoughtfully placed you last."

"Impossible! We will never accept that condition!" Tozaki Yuu could no longer contain himself and slammed his palm onto the table.

"Sato, do you really think we have no way to deal with you? You've gone too far!"

A trace of coldness appeared in Sato's half-lidded eyes, while the curve of his lips carried a mocking sneer.

"I've gone too far? Did you, who treated Ajin as economic animals for experiments, ever imagine this day would come?"

He did not give Tozaki Yuu another chance to speak.

Sato suddenly returned to his smiling state, as if the chill he had revealed moments ago had never existed.

He waved a hand. "Good luck, Tozaki. I look forward to seeing you next time."

Smack!

The video ended, and the screen went dark.

Abandoned Factory.

This was Sato's Secret Base.

After hearing his negotiation with Tozaki Yuu, the people around him displayed all manner of reactions.

As Sato's loyal supporter, Tanaka Kouji would support whatever decision he made.

However, not all of those who had joined during the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare passenger plane attack felt the same way.

"Hey, hey! Have you lost your mind?! Kyushu and Hokkaido may be a little remote, but getting that much is already pretty good! And you want Tokyo? Even an idiot knows the government could never agree to that!"

Sure enough, as soon as Sato ended the video call, someone could no longer resist stepping forward to question him.

The others soon could not hold back either.

"Yeah! You had us kill people, and we went along with it. Those people were all murderers who persecuted Ajin.

"But now we've gotten results and forced the government to agree to reconcile. Why won't you stop?"

"You're joking. You have to be joking, right? If this keeps going, even if you have that kind of power, there's no way we can truly fight an entire country, is there?!"

"And Sato, you promised to teach us the true power of Ajin. But why are you still the only one with that kind of power? When are you going to teach us?!"

Sato merely watched the scene calmly.

Once everyone had finished voicing their doubts,

he said indifferently, "Who is willing to support me now?"

Tanaka had been standing beside him the whole time, so he did not even need to state his position.

Besides him, three others stepped forward.

"Me."

"Me too!"

"Hehe, count me in!"

The first was a delicate-looking man seated in a wheelchair.

His legs had been broken before he became an Ajin, so even after becoming one, dying and reviving, his legs still could not heal themselves.

His name was Okuzan Masumi.

He was also a computer genius.

The other two had both performed exceptionally well during the previous assassination operations.

One was named Takahashi Ryota, and the other was Utsumi Akihiko.

Four people remained who had not stated their positions, and they were the very four who had raised objections just now.

They were all waiting for Sato's explanation, but what Sato gave them was—Crackle!

An arc of electricity sprang from his fingertips and split into four in midair.

At a speed they had no hope of reacting to, it struck them directly in their bodies.

They instantly convulsed and collapsed, falling unconscious.

"My, my. What should we do next?"

Takahashi Ryota and Utsumi Akihiko were both startled by Sato's sudden attack.

Only Okuzan remained expressionless.

After hearing Sato's murmur, he said, "We can cut off their heads and lock them in gasoline barrels."

Sato gave him a surprised look.

"Such a cute face, yet such a ruthless heart. Still, that really is a good idea."

According to the rules of Ajin regeneration, once a body part was severed, if it was close enough, it would automatically move toward the body and reconnect when the Ajin died.

But if it was beyond the reconnection range, a new one would grow.

That included the head.

So, if they cut off the four men's heads and placed their bodies nearby, when they regenerated, their heads would try to reconnect with their bodies.

But because the heads were sealed inside gasoline barrels, the reconnection would fail endlessly, trapping them in a bugged state.

They would never be able to regenerate successfully.

Crisis Management Center.

Inside the office.

Tozaki Yuu was reviewing the research reports on Sato over and over again.

At that moment, Shimomura Izumi walked in.

"Tozaki."

"What is it?"

Shimomura Izumi pressed her lips together and said, "Don't worry. I'll definitely protect you!"

Clearly, she had also heard what Sato had said during the negotiations.

Tozaki Yuu was on his assassination list as well!

Yet Tozaki Yuu did not appreciate it at all. He said coldly, "Mastery over electromagnetic force is likely the second stage of an Ajin. At present, only Sato and Nagai Kei have been confirmed to possess it. In their second-stage state, their strength far exceeds that of ordinary Ajin. You would have no ability to resist him."

A trace of gloom flashed through Shimomura Izumi's eyes.

How could she not know that?

But she loved the man before her deeply. Even if it was impossible, she was willing to try!

Just then, Shimomura Izumi's eyes suddenly lit up, as though she had thought of something.

"Tozaki, you said only two people have reached the second stage. Maybe we can use the enemy's strengths against him!"

Tozaki Yuu was stunned as well.

He put down the report in his hand and looked at her. "You mean..."