Chapter 671
Doctor Arach raised an eyebrow and picked up a piece of cake that Shirou had brought, then started eating it without permission.
"Long time no see, Shirou- chan... It's been three or four years, hasn't it? You've grown up."
I never imagined you'd get involved with the Tohno Family just to get close to me. I'm so happy, Doctor!
"Huh...?"
Tohno Akiha's eyes widened.
Does Brother Shirou know Doctor Arach?
The woman spoke as if she could read the girl's mind.
"Yes, Akiha- chan. If you ask me what my relationship is with Shirou- chan... it's that he killed me once."
Doctor Arach stroked his lower abdomen with his left hand and his neck with his right.
Here? There's another place here?
Her womb was pierced without any mercy, and then her head was cut off, leaving her utterly dead?
This person is far more monstrous than he appears; be careful of him, Akiha ~
Shirou: "Arach... let's talk outside."
Arach, "You're not serious, are you?"
Shirou: "It's just catching up. Given our relationship, it shouldn't be a problem, Neko?"
"..."
Doctor Arach laughed, Shirou laughed too.
Tohno SHIKI and Shiki Tohno frightened to speak, and even the usually dignified head of the family, Tohno Makihisa, was pinned to his chair, his face deathly pale.
The two went outside to an open space away from the mansion.
As the name suggests, it was just a reminiscing session.
At least a third of the vast forest on the Tohno Family's private land disappeared from satellite maps on this day.
By the time Akiha arrived, Shirou and Neko Arach's "reminiscing" had already ended.
Shirou stood there.
Not as a corpse, but standing on one's own two feet, guided by one's own will.
As for the other side, Doctor Arach is no longer human.
Her current appearance reminded Akiha of Arachne, the spider monster from Greek Mythology.
Doctor Arach now appears even larger than the Tohno Family mansion—except that at least half of that enormous body has disappeared.
There is no doubt that Shirou was responsible for this outcome.
Shirou's attack blew half of Doctor Arach's body, along with the forest, away.
"Impossible... How could this happen... You monster..."
Despite his own monstrous appearance, which deviates from humanity, Doctor Arach refers to Shirou possesses a human form, as a monster.
"He's clearly human, yet he sold his body to the Moon King...!"
Hearing her say that, Shirou tilted his head slightly.
"I sold myself to Crimson Moon, why would you think that?"
You've got it backwards, Neko... I am Crimson Moon's master."
"..."
The thing that used to belong to Doctor Arach showed an expression of disbelief, and then the remaining half of its body began to disintegrate.
Shirou stared intently as Doctor Arach's body crumbled, until it finally dissipated without leaving a trace.
"We probably won't see each other again for at least two hundred years. You should really reflect on your actions."
It was only then that he noticed the girl who had run out of the mansion.
"Akiha?"
"Shirou... brother..."
The girl realized she was witnessing something extraordinary.
Did Brother Shirou kill someone?
But... was that really human? What's going on with Doctor Arach?
Her mind was a mess, and she wanted to say something, but Shirou patted her head.
"Listen to me, Akiha... today is probably the last time we'll see each other here."
"... Why?"
The girl's mouth was half open, her expression blank.
The topic unfolded too suddenly.
Tohno Akiha suddenly remembered what Doctor Arach had said in the restaurant, "Shirou only got involved with the Tohno Family to see her."
So... now that Doctor Arach has been defeated, does that mean Brother Shirou won't be coming back?
"Why...?" she asked, her voice trembling.
"SHIKI and Shiki are learning very quickly. Your brothers can now control their respective bloodlines. I have nothing more to teach them."
Shirou looked into Akiha's eyes and said:
"I've already discussed this with your father, Akiha. This is something we'd only say here..."
Your father, due to his Inversion Impulse, probably doesn't have many years left to live, and he himself is well aware of this.
When that time comes, you will be chosen as the next head of the Tohno Family.
So, my continued presence by your side will only hinder your growth; in fact, you've become very dependent on me now.
This absolutely cannot continue; you must grow into a girl who can stand on her own two feet.
"..."
Tohno Akiha's mind went completely blank.
Being suddenly told this at your eighth birthday party would leave anyone bewildered.
Shirou bent down and grabbed Tohno Akiha's shoulder.
"Listen carefully, Akiha... You possess innate talent and power that surpasses that of your father and brother."
Only Akiha can inherit the Tohno Family —this is Tohno Makihisa's idea, but I personally think so too.
So keep going! Don't be discouraged even if I'm no longer here.
Akiha, you shall inherit the Tohno Family; you shall end the Tohno tragedy.
As long as you grow into an outstanding lady, we will meet again someday.
"This is a promise between you and me."
Shirou, talking to himself like this, extended his little finger toward the girl.
"..."
Tohno Akiha desperately wanted to hug Shirou's waist, crying and begging him not to leave.
But Akiha couldn't do that.
She now understood that Brother Shirou's reluctance to take her as a disciple wasn't because he had no expectations of her, but quite the opposite.
He had higher expectations for himself than his older brothers.
Just knowing this was enough to satisfy Tohno Akiha.
She bit her lip, held back her tears, and hooked her little finger around Shirou's outstretched hand.
"I will grow into a lady who will impress Brother Shirou!"
The girl said defiantly.
A month passed after that.
In order to groom Akiha as the next head of the family, Tohno Makihisa revealed the family's secret to his daughter.
Rumors that have been circulating within the Tohno Family for a long time-
Every generation of the Tohno Family dies young.
The bizarre curse that no one could live to a ripe old age—whether they died in an accident, by suicide, or from illness—was initially thought by Akiha to be just a horrifying rumor.
However, the father stated that it was indeed real, a curse passed down through generations in the family called "Inversion Impulse".
The Tohno Family's ancestors had Non-human blood mixed in, so all family members harbor "demons" within them.
The Tohno Family members were also divided into those with strong blood ties and those with weak blood ties.
People with very light blood can live as ordinary people without any problems, but people with very heavy blood cannot live as human beings.
Those with strong Tono blood are bound to possess special powers from birth.
Some have bodies that are difficult to kill, while others can move objects without being touched.
Some use their teeth to extract blood from others.
People from the Tohno Family, with their strong blood ties, gradually lose their rationality.
Then, most of the Tohno Family members, having lost their rationality, transformed into crazed demons.
Therefore, the head of the Tohno Family had the responsibility to punish any member of the clan who committed such a crime.
Of Tohno Makihisa's two biological children, SHIKI and Akiha, SHIKI is the one with the strongest blood ties.
Fortunately, he received Shirou's tutelage at a very young age and has become able to control his bloodline.
As for the daughter's Akiha —she has a lighter-colored blood.
Although the blood is not thick, Tohno Akiha's blood traces back to ancient Origin.
In other words, they are atavistic individuals like the demon god Kishima Kouma, possessing the potential to become "Red Crimson Vermilion".
That's why Akiha was chosen as Tono's next head.
With overwhelming power and perfect control, her abilities are simply too outstanding.
Although Tohno Akiha was initially shocked by the inside story of the Tohno Family, she quickly accepted reality.
But what her father said next left eight-year-old Akiha speechless.
"What... does this mean, Father?"
Didn't you understand? I asked if you planned to go to Shirou's place.
"Yes, I heard you. That's why I asked you what kind of wind was blowing today, Father."
"Shirou, wasn't he the one you kicked out?"
Akiha firmly believed that her father's slander had separated her from Shirou, and therefore resented Tohno Makihisa.
"Hmph."
As he sipped a bottle of fine red wine worth tens of millions of yen, Tohno Makihisa swayed his shoulders with a cheerful air.
Tohno Akiha glared at him and asked again, "What is your purpose, Father?"
"Shirou Amamiya - He now claims to have stopped killing and wants to live a peaceful life as an ordinary person."
But the talent he possesses, and the mystery surrounding him, are not things that can be easily given up.
He... Shirou Amamiya is—without a doubt—a born genius, the greatest masterpiece of humankind that transcends this era.
Even the demonic energy mixed in with the ancestors of Tono is incomparable to this."
Gurgle.
Tohno Makihisa of his drink and continued.
"We, Tono, have maintained our prosperity since ancient times by interbreeding with non-human beings."
It is precisely because of the actions of these evil and heretical sects that they have suffered karmic retribution... and have fallen into this miserable state of madness and self-destruction.