Chapter 25 There is Nothing Scarier than a Person who has Nothing to Lose

The man’s analytical thoughts about hidden weapons and government secrets were abruptly interrupted. A new sensation brushed against his unique magical perception—not power, but potential. A deep darkness, not ancient like his own, but freshly born, growing with every heartbeat.

He set his teacup down with a soft click. A genuine, pleasant surprise flickered within him.

"Oh? What do we have here? I sense someone with a truly exquisite darkness in their heart. Could it be? A fellow villain is nearby?"

His gaze swept the street, it led him to a young girl with golden drill hairstyles, exiting the very agency he had been observing. 

"Or... one in the making. Ahhh, it must be her. The despair is... delicious. Not the simple anger of a thwarted child, but the absolute, world-ending void of true betrayal and abandonment. The highest quality. Hmmm... A soul shattered like this, with such innate power... with the right shove, she could be grown into a truly magnificent villain. A masterpiece of misery. It's always good to have disposable pawns. And this one... she would do nicely."

He placed a few coins on the table to cover his tea.

"It would not hurt to go and give her my greetings. To offer a hand to someone who is about to lose its way."

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Mirai sat on her bed, swallowed by a blanket, knees drawn to her chest. She was watching the news report about the Leviathan; she was using the moving images and droning voices as a shield against the screaming silence in her head.

A darkness deeper than the room's shadows formed in the room, from it stepped the man in the black raincoat. He looked around, taking in the expensive furnishings, the tasteful decor.

"Well, well. What a fine place. I did not expect a soul carrying such exquisite darkness to be so... well-off."

Mirai didn't even look at him. Her hollow gaze remained fixed on the TV screen, where a meteorologist was now pointing at a weather map. The presence of a stranger in her living room was just another piece of the world's overwhelming noise. It didn't matter.

The man's gaze fell upon a framed photograph on a side table. He picked it up. It showed a younger, smiling Kenji, a beautiful woman, and a beaming six-year-old Mirai with tiny, perfect drills in her hair. A picture from a life that no longer existed.

"Ahhhh... what a surprise. You must be the Number One's daughter. I should have guessed. And here I thought you were just some nobody with a fascinatingly broken spirit."

 He placed the photo back with care.

 "Oh well. It does not change the fact that you carry a truly magnificent darkness in you."

He turned.

Mirai was standing right in front of him. She had moved without a sound. Her eyes were twin pools of absolute emptiness.

"If you have beef with my father, he lives a few blocks that way," she pointed a finger vaguely toward the window, "He works there, lives there, and sleeps there. Or what? Are you under the impression that if you kidnap his daughter, he'll fall into your traps or some crap? Don't even bother. He doesn't care. You have a better shot at getting his attention by just showing up at his agency than by getting involved with me."

"Oh, no, no, my dear. You misunderstand. I am not some low-life thug. I am a villain. I have some class. Please, do not compare me to those filthy cowards who resort to such crude leverage."

He took a half-step closer.

"No. I came here to offer you a hand. To invite you to join me. To be a villain." 

He spread his hands slightly.

 "No more rules. Do what you want. Take what you want. Answer to no one..."

A slow smile spread beneath the shadow of his hat.

"...Well, of course, except for me. Well? What do you say."

 The hollow look in her eyes didn’t change. Instead, a soft, broken sound escaped her lips. It was the sound of someone who had hit rock bottom, only to find someone offering to sell them a shovel.

“Ah-ha, how low I fell. Even the villains take pity on me now. Look buddy, I’m not interested. And first of all, do you really think I’m that stupid? You just show up, uninvited, spout a few dramatic lines, and I’m supposed to forget everything and join you? To ignore the world and follow you like a mindless fool? Get out of here. It would seem villains have it good if they have time for such nonsense. Don’t you have a world to conquer or something? And by the looks of it, you seem like a guy who isn’t used to people refusing your offers. So, I’ll repeat it again, clearly. I am not interested. And I will not be.”

The man let out a long, theatrical sigh.

“It saddens my heart to hear you say that. I truly thought I was onto something here. I really did. As they say, a diamond in the rough. But I guess I was wrong. Even I can slip sometimes, it would seem. No matter. It was just a whim of mine. A small pastime. But now that we have spoken, I’m afraid I cannot let you live. You know how it is. The whole ‘no leaving witnesses’ thing. I’m sure you understand, me being a villain and all.”

A ball of pure, devouring darkness began to coil around his gloved hand. But the man hesitated.

"Hmmm... We are in a big, populated complex. An energy signature of this magnitude will attract a lot of attention. This would be... inconvenient. If pro wizards start sniffing around so soon after my last appearance..."

A vibrant green glow suddenly emanated from the cast on Mirai’s arm. With a sharp crack, she clenched her fist and flexed, and the plaster exploded outwards in a cloud of white dust. Before the man could react, her hand shot forward and grabbed the sphere of darkness in his palm.

The contained void lashed out violently, tendrils of shadow whipping around her arm, struggling against her grip as she forcibly destabilized it. Her hollow eyes were gone, replaced by a terrifying, manic glow.

“What’s the matter, villain? Didn’t you say you’d kill me? Don’t tell me you’re scared to finish what you started?” A wide, unnerving smile split her face. 

“Hey, hey, villain-san~! Let me tell you what’s scarier than your threat... it’s a person who has nothing to lose~!”

The man was, for a moment, almost impressed. The sheer, reckless will to seize raw, hostile magic was not a common trait.

“Oh my. Impressive. It’s such a shame you will die. Such potential, and untapped power. But no one to use it. Truly a shame.”

He began to channel more energy.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

"OOOIIIIIIIIII!!! OSANAI! GREATO HEATOBURSTO-SAMA IS HERE! OPEN THE DOOR OR I’LL BLOW IT OPEN! WE NEED TO TALK!"

The shout from the hallway was so loud it made the walls vibrate. It was followed immediately by a quieter, secondary voice.

“Please, Enji-kun, not so loud! You’ll scare Mirai-chan’s neighbors!”

He looked at Mirai.

“Ahhh. You have guests at the door. This makes things… difficult. Oh well, it matters not. You live or die. The outcome is largely the same to me.” 

He gave a dismissive flick of his hand, and the volatile sphere of darkness simply winked out of existence, its terrifying energy dissipating into nothing. 

“Blowing the whole complex would attract far too much attention. And I’m sure your dear old Dad would be here in a matter of seconds—he is known for his speed, if nothing else.”

He took a graceful step backward, and the shadows in the corner of the room swelled to meet him, swirling into a silent, dark void.

He offered a final, casual wave of his gloved hand.

“Ta-ta, my dear. It would seem you get to live another day.”

And with that, he melted into the void, which sealed shut behind him, leaving no trace of his presence. The only sound left was Enji’s insistent pounding and Shota’s pleading whispers from the other side of the door.