Gō
Faced with a move he had no way to counter, Mui sank into utter despair.
His gaze shifted to the Box of Ultimate Bliss, then slowly returned to Sōji. Madness and a desperate flicker of hope warred in his eyes.
"I'll submit to you if I must. My son... he..." His voice was so hoarse the words were barely audible.
"I can open the Box of Ultimate Bliss and rescue your son."
Sōji smiled and snapped his fingers. The black shadow that had spread over half of Mui's body gradually withdrew into the shadows.
Once Mui realized he could move again, he became more cooperative. "You really can?"
"Of course!"
Sōji nodded slightly. "But I can't promise your son will still recognize you."
Mui frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Exactly what I said. A monster has grown inside the Box of Ultimate Bliss, and your son became its vessel. Once he gets out, you'll probably be the first person he attacks."
"Besides, I think you know better than I do what you did to your son."
Mui no longer cared about any of that. "I just want my son alive!"
"That can be done. But first, we need to get a few things straight. You'll remain the warden, but the prison will be reformed. Prisoners will no longer be used as sacrifices. Everything will follow the International Prison Regulations."
"And Ryūzetsu will take over daily affairs as deputy warden. The two of you will be responsible for maintaining order among the rogue ninja."
As he spoke, Sōji pointed to Ryūzetsu, who stood behind him.
Only then did Mui's gaze finally settle on her.
His expression shifted several times—from surprise to anger to the humiliation of being deceived—before all of it gave way to a weariness beyond words.
"I never