Forest of death

“TSUBAKI! GET YOUR ASS OFF THE FLOOR!” Ushino yelled as I depressingly stared at the ceiling.

Ever since this morning I had been completely out of it. I didn’t even have the will to get up off the floor after Ushino pelted me with chalk. Kuriyama glared down at me as she asked some students to drag me to the detention hall. I then spent the rest of the day, staring at the wall of the detention hall. When school got out, Himesaki arrived.

“Oh good, you’re in here. That makes things easier. Your Co-conspirator has been dealt with. As for your walkie talkie, you are to keep it on you at all times. Thanks to Akagame, its practically a second phone. It has spyware, internet access, and will even prevent you from coming within a 1 mile radius of Naname Hosen's address.  As for the job, Daichi Gorobana. You figure out the rest.”

I looked up the man in question.

“Anti-corruption, very kind, donates his salary to charity… This is a nice guy! Like hell I’m gonna kill him!”

“Is he really though?”

“Even if he’s embezzled some funds, he’s still a better human than you!”

“Oh, you think a crazed murderer is better than me?”

“What?”

“There’s an app on your walkie talkie that will take you to his dark web page. That should be all you need to see in order to kill him.”

                                                                           ...

I could not believe the horrific sight I was forced to witness. The site contained videos and images of Gorobana wielding knives and skinning people alive. He laughed like a psychopath, and would keep his victim's faces as souvenirs.

“Monster! He skins people alive just to steal their faces? I’ll kill that bastard for what he did to those people!”

“Good, you’re on your own for this one. Though you’re free to ask your collaborators for assistance.” Himesaki sneered as she left.

                                                                       ...

As I trudged out the gate, I received a call from Naname.

“NANAME!”

“Kazerou-kun? Why do you sound so sad?”

“HELL! That tyrant has been giving me hell all day! AH- I mean, are you OK?”

“Naname’s fine now. Naname should be coming back to school tomorrow.”

“I’m glad you’re feeling better.”

“Naname doesn’t really remember much. All Naname can recall is the cold rain, gunshots, and all that blood. Naname doesn’t know how Naname was even freed.”

“It’s OK. If you need support, I’ll come over-”

* Beebeebebebebebe*

My walkie talkie phone suddenly began emitting a weird noise.

“Extracurricular activities: Prohibited. Disobedience will result in: Punishment.”

"What's that noise?" Naname asked.

"Oh, those damn tyrants gave me something weird it-"

Suddenly my call with Naname was ended.

"Call blocking app: Activated," said the voice from the walkie talkie.

“Screw it, I’ll just go to her house,” I growled.

“Punishment: Photos will be leaked if perpetrator: sets foot in 1 mile radius to: Naname Hosen’s house. Or if perpetrator: breaks or loses walkie talkie phone.”

I was now starting to miss even Ramona. She may be just as bad, but at least she didn’t ban me from seeing Naname.

Suddenly, a black sedan pulled up. The window rolled down, and I was staring face to face with Ramona.

“Ramona! I- “

“You will refer to me as Madam or boss. In the back seat Zerou!” she ordered while pointing her gun at me.

I got in the back seat next to her as she glared angrily at me.

“Now then, would Miss Student council president care to talk? I know she can hear all this,” Ramona growled.

As if on que, Himesaki called my walkie talkie.

“So you are Ramona Panini huh? Care to explain what’s going on with your familia?” Himesaki sneered.

“No! It’s none of your concern.” Ramona retorted.

“Oh but it is. See this is going to be MY country, and I can’t have an Italian mafia roaming freely.”

“What makes you think you have any leverage?”

“I have Sakura.”

“Who?”

“Oh, so that’s how it is. Well you should know that I have footage of your little hitman in the act, and will ensure that Sakura, and all his friends and family go to prison with him.”

Ramona gripped the arm rest as she began to scowl.

“You will regret messing with me. What is your goal?"

"For today, I wish to rid this country of a murderer who skins people alive for their faces."

"It seems we do share some philosophy. Gorobana must be eliminated.”

“Oh, well that’s a surprise. Perhaps you are more sensible than I thought. Very well. I’ll leave the public SERVANT with you.”

“You WILL regret crossing with me.”

Ramona then turned to me and slapped me.

“I wanted to punch you, but that would’ve just knocked you out. You screwed up big time getting Sakura sidelined like that.”

“Huh, but I thought she was disposable to you.”

“You know nothing boy. Anyway, I’m taking you to deal with Gorobana. He needs to be taken out. Though, I doubt you can handle him alone. Perhaps, Miss Student council president can send some backup, considering she decided to push for this.”

We then arrived at our destination.

“I really do hope your “friend” sends backup. Otherwise, you’ll probably die. Well good luck Zerou.  Oh, and hide the rifle in a better place than under your porch. It was so painfully obvious, I’m surprised no one noticed it.”

“Huh! But the porch is fenced off in the back. How did you-”

“Where else would you put it? You can’t really drag it into your house now can you. Use your brain and think of a good spot. I’m not holding onto it anymore for you," Ramona sneered as she drove off.

Once she was gone, I heard a noise coming from my walkie-talkie.

“ NO you’re not getting any backup. Its just a crazy old man that murders people. You can handle that from a distance. Now get to it,” Himesaki ordered.

I groaned as I walked towards my destination, F-forest.

“What kind of idiot gives a political speech HERE!? Then again, I guess a forest of death is a fitting place for a psychopath like him.”

Gorobana was speaking from a small wooden platform deep within the forest. A small crowd of about 9 or 10 people were gathered before him. I got in position as Gorobana gave his speech.

“Life is valuable. You have value. Do not come to this place to end your life. I want to make this place a forest of life and happiness that’s why…”

It made me sick to my stomach to hear him talking so earnestly about life, considering what he did in secret.

Then to my shock, he asked everyone to leave in order for him to be alone in the wilderness. What unnerved me the most, was that all the time he was staring in my direction. When everyone had left, he spoke into the microphone.

“Well, take your best shot,” he said in a cold monotonous tone.

It was that moment that I knew, this was going to be a difficult job.

I fired a shot directly at his head, only for him to pull out a gun and parry the bullet with his own.

“You’re 100 years to early to try offing me with ballistics,” he growled.