Chapter 7: The Genius Hacker's Karma

After threatening his teacher, Shion felt victorious. He even proudly told his friends about his little "win." He felt free, and that no one could touch him. However, that freedom didn't last long. That afternoon, at school dismissal, Akari approached him at the gate.

"Shion," she called, her voice quiet but firm. "You should stop playing with fire."

Shion scoffed, his face showing a cocky expression. "What, Yumehara-chan? I will never give up until that man resigns from our class."

"Whatever," Akari replied, looking at him with genuine worry. "The most important thing is I've warned you. And Sensei has warned you too, right?"

"That's just his excuse for giving up," Shion retorted dismissively, then turned his back and walked away. He felt Akari didn't understand the magnitude of the game he was playing.

Dismissal time came. Shion walked leisurely towards his home, still feeling the euphoria of his confrontation with Arata. However, he began to feel something was off. He glanced back and saw two people dressed in all black walking behind him, maintaining a constant distance. Then, a black car with no license plate drove slowly, as if someone was watching him. Panic began to creep into his heart. He quickened his pace, trying to run, but it was too late.

Suddenly, from a narrow alley, two more unknown people emerged. They moved quickly, almost silently. Shion didn't even have time to scream. A handkerchief was pressed over his face, and he immediately passed out.

He woke up in a cold, dark room, lit only by a bare light bulb hanging above him. His hands were tied tightly to a metal chair. In front of him, dozens of television screens displayed complex codes and digital maps. On the other side of the room, a man in a neat suit and a blank face sat across from him, looking at him with a terrifyingly empty gaze.

"Who are you?" Shion asked, trying to maintain his arrogant tone. "I'm... I'm a student. You can't do this to me."

The man didn't answer. He just pressed a button, and the room was immediately filled with the sound of very loud metal music. The sound was so deafening it felt like every thought was shattering. Shion grimaced in pain.

"Name... Shion Kanzaki... Student... Age 21," the man said, his voice calm but audible amidst the noise. He then pressed another button, and the music stopped. "Tell me, who's paying you?"

"What... what do you mean?" Shion stammered, fear starting to replace his arrogance. "I'm not being paid by anyone. It... it was just a game between me and that annoying new teacher."

The man stood up, walking around Shion. "A game," he said in a flat tone. "A 21-year-old man who calls this a game? Do you know what you touched? You hacked archives that you should have never seen. You leaked state secrets. Thousands of lives could be lost because of your little 'game'."

"I... I just wanted to know about my teacher," Shion pleaded, his hands trembling. "I didn't mean any harm. It was just... to make him quit..."

The man laughed softly, a laugh devoid of emotion. "That excuse is common. Foreign agents use the same excuse. And we don't care about excuses. All we care about is who's the mastermind. And what else you're hiding." The man leaned in, his gaze piercing Shion. "The only way your 'game' doesn't end in a cold burial is to tell the truth. Who's paying you, Kanzaki?"

Shion could no longer answer. His mind felt blank. He realized, this was no game. This was true hell. And he had caught the attention of someone he should never have messed with.

The interrogator looked at his watch, then pressed a button on the intercom on the table. "Alright, it seems the other methods aren't making him honest. We'll have to prepare the truth serum," he said in a flat tone. Shion could only resign himself. However, he was shocked when the door to the room opened and two other agents came in, dragging a middle-aged woman. The woman was tied to a chair, her mouth was taped, and her eyes were wide with shock and fear.

Shion recognized the woman. His blood ran cold.

"MOM...!" he screamed, his voice cracking. "DAMN IT! I'M YOUR TARGET! I'M THE SECRET AGENT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR! PLEASE DON'T INVOLVE MY MOTHER!"

The scream made the interrogator smile slightly. "Oh, so you're finally being honest." He leaned forward. "ANSWER OUR QUESTION! WHO ARE YOU WORKING FOR AND WHAT COUNTRY PAID YOU?!"

Shion cried, tears streaming down his sweaty face. "NO! I TOLD YOU I JUST WANTED TO TAKE SOMEONE DOWN!"

His mother could only stare at him, tears flowing from her eyes. Her taped mouth could only make a choked sound.

"HE'S STILL NOT BEING HONEST," the interrogator said to his men. "FINE. THE LAST METHOD IS TO DROWN THE MOTHER IF HE STILL WON'T CONFESS."

His men got ready, pushing the chair where Shion's mother was tied. Shion's panic reached its peak. "WHY DO YOU KNOW ABOUT OPERATION THANATOS?" the interrogator asked, his voice sharp and piercing, repeating the words. "A STUDENT LIKE YOU SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON YOUR STUDIES. IT'S BEST TO BE QUIET RATHER THAN GET INTO TROUBLE."

Those last words reminded Shion of the warnings from Akari and Arata. They knew. They knew this was no game. And now, he had to pay an unimaginable price.

"ALRIGHT, NO OTHER OPTION! DROWN THE MOTHER! HE'S STILL NOT CONFESSING!"

"PLEASE! I BEG YOU! I'LL DO ANYTHING JUST DON'T KILL MY MOTHER! ARATA SENSEI! HELP ME! PLEASE! GOD, HELP ME AND MY MOTHER!"

There was no answer. No sound, except for Shion's increasingly hysterical cries, and the slow push of the chair moving away, towards the dark exit.