25: Sublimation

"Hey, Yoko, look at this video!"

"Huh? What are you doing at a graveyard—this, this is too much!"

"Don't you know? This is the grave of Ito Seigo's parents, that arsonist!"

"He did—"

Beside the food island in the cafeteria, two women chatted about online gossip as they usually did, completely unaware that someone not far behind them had heard their words and fallen into a state of shock.

Flames erupted with a sudden roar!

With a thunderous boom, before the customers in the cafeteria could even react, a powerful wave of fire and heat swept through everyone, shattering the glass and raining crystal shards down upon the pedestrians below.

The scene instantly descended into chaos and ruin. Almost everyone was injured; those severely affected were blown off their feet and knocked unconscious, while most others suffered minor wounds and couldn't help but cry out in pain.

If one were to trace the path of destruction back to the epicenter of the explosion, they would find the ground scorched black, with dark, petal-shaped patterns radiating outward.

The perpetrator was, naturally, Ito Seigo. That he hadn't unleashed a pillar of fire reaching the sky was already the result of his strenuous restraint.

He snatched a car on the road, and as luck would have it, there was a phone on the dashboard still running navigation.

He immediately drove toward the cemetery where his parents were buried. The further he drove, the gloomier his expression became.

He soon reached his destination. He took the phone down and searched for the video he had just seen, discovering that the user had posted an update. It was a retort to those criticizing him, in which he also brazenly revealed his own address, telling them—Ito Seigo in particular—to come and take revenge if he had the guts. He was waiting.

Noting the address, he tossed the phone aside.

He entered the cemetery as if no one were around. There were few people inside, and Ito quickly found his parents' headstone. However, an old man was currently kneeling on one knee before the grave, using a cloth to scrub away the dirt and stains with great effort.

Ito stood before the headstone, silently watching the old man clean it.

"It was my lack of care that disturbed you."

"I don't understand the anger of those people. If you want to blame someone, blame this old man for not watching over this place properly."

"Judging by our ages, I am older than you, so I will take the liberty of calling you my younger brother and sister."

"When I go down there one day, I will apologize to you in person."

Ito did not disturb the old man. He simply stood guard by the headstone for a few minutes before driving away.

At a certain hotel.

Ikuta was scrolling through Twitter, watching the trend take off, and a smile spread across his face.

"Maybe it won't be long before I go viral. Right, that guy mentioned digging up the urn—why didn't I think of that? A missed opportunity. What if someone beats me to it? Still, that old man is a nuisance, tsk."

His parents had died in the Kamizakura Apartment fire, but because they hadn't purchased commercial insurance, the compensation he could receive was certainly meager. Furthermore, the house had been burned down, and whether it could be renovated was a question in itself, so he was in desperate need of money.

His relationship with his parents hadn't been great, but he was still saddened by their accidental death. However, he wasn't so heartbroken that he would go as far as desecrating the graves of a suspect's parents. He had only done it because he'd heard someone mention it in passing. Since he was a content creator, he felt he might go viral, so he gritted his teeth and did it!

Sure enough, the video caused a sensation shortly after it was posted.

Even though there were insults, as long as he displayed extreme grief, he could occupy the moral high ground. Anyone who criticized him was just empathizing with a criminal—perhaps even a potential arsonist themselves. With this wave of sentiment, he should be able to suppress most of the negative voices.

He pondered his next move. Several companies had already contacted him, but he felt it wasn't the best time yet. If he could actually bait Ito Seigo out, that would be the real headline! "Filial Son Outwits Arsonist!" All of Japan would be moved by him!

He would need to keep them moved for at least three days, then announce the formation of a victims' advocacy group to call for the death penalty, fight for higher compensation for everyone, and protest the authorities' failure to nip such arsonists in the bud—keeping the momentum going sustainably.

Just as he was lost in his fantasies about the future, someone tapped him on the shoulder, pulling him back from his daydreams.

"I'm busy," he dismissed, not looking back.

But the next second, he froze.

He was the only one in this room, wasn't he?

He turned his head slowly, only to see a terrifying face wearing a terrifying smile.

"I'm here."

"Ah—"

Ikuta was pulled into a tight embrace. Ito's body ignited with orange flames, just like a gas stove in a kitchen; with a turn of the dial, it roared into a magnificent blaze!

Amidst his incomprehension and struggle, Ikuta's wails and screams gradually faded into silence, turning into charred remains that fell away piece by piece.

Ring, ring, ring!

The fire alarm blared throughout the hotel. The water from the sprinklers sprayed for a long time, but it couldn't stop the fire from spreading through the room.

Amidst the chaos and commotion, Ito patted the dust off his body and left without looking back.

Walking along the roadside, he looked up at the sky, spread his arms, and took a deep breath. He felt as though he had undergone a cataclysmic change; his entire philosophy had been sublimated.

How laughable that he had only just woken up. Possessing this power, he should not be bound by worldly constraints. Why shouldn't taking swift vengeance be a form of heroism?

Why must one sacrifice oneself to fulfill others to be called a hero?

Mom, Dad, I will continue to live well in this world. From today on, I will no longer feel regret. If there is to be regret, it will be others who feel it.

"The medicine that makes others regret—so that's what it meant. I finally understand it all. It's truly fitting."

At a store nearby, the television behind the display window was playing the latest news, and a face appeared that surprised Ito.

"After careful consideration, our entire family feels we should step forward. Even if we might be subject to everyone's condemnation, we accept it. We want to say to the public in advance: 'Hontou ni sumimasen!'"

"We had long discovered Ito Seigo's antisocial tendencies, but our family remained silent because we feared the public would think us ungrateful and feared Ito's retaliation."

"But we never imagined that our silence would end up making us accomplices!"

"Since the Kamizakura Apartment incident, we haven't spent a single second without being tormented, as if we could see countless departed souls cursing our spirits. Even Ayako has to see a psychiatrist every day!"

"But today, we will no longer back down! We publicly declare that we are severing all ties with Ito Seigo. We will not provide him with any help, as some netizens have suggested; on the contrary, we will actively assist the police to ensure this villain is brought to justice as soon as possible."

Ito Seigo revealed a smile.

He felt not a shred of anger, only an infinite and pure sense of delight.

How wonderful, another excuse to kill someone.

Hm? Why would he need an excuse to kill?

Isn't it something he can do whenever he pleases?

Sigh, why are there always so many self-righteous idiots in this world?

It's not as if he were Homelander.

Ito Seigo placed his hand on the television screen.

"Ayako, big brother is coming to play with you."