Higashino Makoto didn't push the door open or knock; he simply reached out and gently pushed it open.
The door hinges creaked softly as the door slowly opened inward.
The hall was brightly lit.
A dozen or so people stood in the hall, some wearing armor, some wearing leather armor, and some wearing gorgeous clothes.
They held weapons in their hands, their eyes warily fixed on the direction of the doorway.
Clearly, they knew someone was coming.
Higashino Makoto strode into the hall, with Illya following behind him.
"Good evening."
His voice was calm, as if he were greeting an acquaintance.
No one answered.
All eyes were on him.
A man with black hair and black eyes, wearing a dark robe, was not carrying any weapons.
A little girl with long, silver-white hair, a purple dress, and crimson eyes.
Deep inside the hall, six people sat behind a long table.
No, it was five people and one immortal.
A woman wearing purple eyeshadow and lipstick exuded an aura of decadence.
She had a stunning figure, and even sitting there, you could tell she had once been a prostitute.
Hilma Sygnas, head of the drug trafficking department.
A slender, thin man with a high-pitched voice is a homosexual.
Anpetif Korkodall, head of the slave trade department.
A tall, bald man covered in animal tattoos, with a cold, warrior-like gaze and bulging, well-developed muscles.
Zero, Minister of Security, leader of the Six Arms.
A middle-aged man dressed in splendid clothes is toying with a gold coin in his hand.
Noah Ziden, Minister of Gambling.
A figure dressed in a long black robe with the hood pulled low exuded an aura of death.
Davernoch, the Elder Lich, the Six Arms Undead King.
And a young man with red hair, wearing a shirt and vest embroidered with gold thread, holding a rapier with a rose-shaped hilt, exuding a rose-like fragrance.
Malmvist, Six Arms Thousand Killer.
Several other figures were standing in various parts of the hall.
A man with pale skin, a thin face, and eyes as sharp as a raptor.
Succulent, the Six Arms- Armed Demon.
A woman draped in thin silk and adorned with gold rings on her wrists and ankles.
Edström, Six Arms Dancing Scimitar.
A man dressed in coarse, black full-body armor, his face obscured.
Peshurian, Six Arms - Space Slash.
"Six Arms."
Higashino Makoto uttered the name in his heart, his tone flat.
"Everyone's here. I'm so lucky, it saves me the trouble of looking for them one by one."
Zero stood up, his tall figure casting a huge shadow in the candlelight.
He looked down at Higashino Makoto, his cold gaze carrying a hint of scrutiny.
"Who are you?"
Higashino Makoto.
Zero's pupils contracted slightly. The expressions of the others also changed.
It's not fear, it's vigilance.
This name has spread throughout the northwest corner of the continent in the past few months.
The savior of the Holy Kingdom. The terminator of the Elf King.
And now, he stands here, in their lair, before them.
What are you doing here?
Zero's voice was deep.
Higashino Makoto did not answer.
He simply looked at them, his dark eyes sweeping over each face.
"You have two choices. First, confess to all your crimes. Who was involved, who sheltered you, and who took money. Write down the names, and I'll give you a quick death."
He paused, his pupils filled with coldness and expectation.
"Second, I will break your limbs, heal them, then break them again. I will repeat this several times until you are willing to talk. Then, I will let you die."
The hall fell silent.
Hilma's fingers tapped lightly on the table, Anpetif's face turned pale, and the gold coin in Noah's hand stopped spinning.
Davernoch's black robe trembled slightly, and Malmvist's fingers tightened on the hilt of his sword.
Zero stared at Higashino Makoto for a long time.
Who do you think you are?
"Knowing who I am is enough."
Higashino Makoto strode forward.
"It seems you've chosen the second path."
His figure disappeared from the spot.
The next second, he appeared in front of Zero.
He reached out his right hand, grabbed Zero's right arm, and twisted it gently.
The sound of bones breaking was particularly jarring in the quiet hall, and Zero's right arm bent at an impossible angle.
His face turned deathly pale instantly, his lips parted, but before he could even scream, Higashino Makoto had already grabbed his left arm and twisted it again.
Click.
Zero's arms hung limply at his sides, like two broken tree branches.
His body was trembling, the veins on his forehead were bulging, and his teeth were grinding together.
But he didn't make a sound.
It's not that I don't want to, it's that I can't bring myself to say it.
Higashino Makoto's hand gripped his throat.
"The first one."
Higashino Makoto released his grip, Zero's body crashed heavily to the ground with a dull thud.
The hall erupted in chaos.
Malmvist was the first to rush forward, his rapier piercing towards Higashino Makoto's throat like a venomous snake.
The tip of the sword is coated with a deadly Venomous Poison made from a mixture of various toxins; even a slight scratch can kill within seconds.
Higashino Makoto did not dodge.
He reached out and pinched the tip of the sword between two fingers.
Malmvist's eyes widened; he tried to draw his sword, but the Unassailable.
He tried to let go and back away, but his hand seemed to be nailed to the ground and he couldn't let go.
"Your sword is good."
Higashino Makoto loosened his grip, then reached out and grabbed Malmvist's right arm, twisted it, and snapped it.
Left arm, twisted, snap.
Malmvist fell to the ground, lying next to Zero.
His face was contorted, his mouth agape, emitting a silent scream.
"The second one."
Succulent took a few steps back, forming hand seals in front of him, attempting to unleash an illusion.
But Higashino Makoto had already appeared in front of him, grabbed his right arm, and twisted it.
Click.
Left arm, twisted.
Click.
The third one.
Edström's six crescent-shaped swords flew out from her waist, spinning in the air as they slashed towards Higashino Makoto.
The blade gleamed with a cold light in the candlelight, possessing a beauty that was almost like a dance.
Higashino Makoto didn't look at the knives. He simply reached out and clenched his fist in mid-air.
The six crescent-shaped swords seemed to be held in mid-air by something, unable to move forward or backward.
Then, they fell to the ground with a crisp metallic clanging sound.
Edström turned to run, but Higashino Makoto was already behind her, grabbing her right arm and twisting it.
Click.
Left arm, twisted.
Click.
The fourth one.
Peshurian drew his Slashing Thread Sword and swung it at high speed.
The sword blade flashed through the air, drawing streaks of cold light like invisible threads, coiling towards Higashino Makoto. This was his signature technique—
"Space Slash".
An invisible blade, impossible to see, impossible to dodge.
Higashino Makoto reached out and grabbed at the air.
He grasped the invisible blade as if it were air, but Peshurian's body suddenly lurched forward.
His sword was seized.
"Interesting trick."
Higashino Makoto released his grip, grabbed Peshurian's right arm, and twisted it.
Snap. Left arm, twisted. Snap.
The fifth one.
Davernoch stood still, not because he didn't want to move, but because he dared not.
His black robe trembled slightly, and fear flickered in his red eyes beneath his hood. As an undead, he shouldn't have felt fear.
But at this moment, he was truly afraid.
Higashino Makoto walked up to him and looked down at him.
"Will you do it yourself, or should I do it?"
Davernoch paused for a moment.
"... I can do it myself."
He raised his right arm and twisted it forcefully. The sound of bones breaking came from his own arm.
He did not make a sound.
As an immortal being, he felt no pain.
But that feeling of "rupture" still made his soul tremble slightly.
"Left arm."
Davernoch raised his left arm and twisted it again.
The sixth one.