He had scouted Junpei who he suspected to be a human who freed himself from the parasite's control like himself. It was Junpei's seething hatred of the parasites that leaked out while he was fighting in the battle royale that made Hikaru suspect him. He had failed to recruit him as Junpei denied it.
However, Hikaru wasn't bothered. He was patient and found something that could bring Junpei to his side. They were all weaker than him, but they would suffice if they only acted as a shield or fodder. It was also a good idea as he believed that there were more liberated humans elsewhere and he didn't want to make enemies of that faction.
For now, he should act as an ally of the human forces as the Architects planned to take over Earth and he probably would be disposed of. Either way, he won't be free to fulfil his dreams of destroying the world.
That was Hikaru's logic in sparing Hiromi but more pressingly he had an emotional reason. Countless memories flooded his mind, even with two brains or perhaps it's because he had them, multiple images overlapped Hiromi.
As if he was in a VR simulation, the scene before him changed to another scene in his memories. Countless images and sounds of his victims begging before him. Standing, kneeling or sometimes laying on the floor in front of him.
"Please spare me!" A promising university student pleaded.
"No! NO! stop! I'll pay youhh! I have lots of moneh at my bank!" Bribed the accountant of a big company.
"Don't kill me, don't kill me!" Begged a widow of three children.
"Please, let me go..." The old man said pitifully.
"I have a wife and kids! Don't do this!" A pig squealed.
"Hm? Did you forget I killed them already?"
"I, ah, no, no no no, I mean, I have other children!"
"..."
*Plorkk!*
*Thud*
***
"Ah, Hikaru, spare me!" Hidekazu pleaded. Hikaru stood before him with two spiked tentacles raised in the air from Hikaru's back like the stingers of a scorpion.
"Spare you!" Hikaru cried in unaltered tones. "Did you spare me after my mother died? Did you spare my father when—" Hidekazu opened a drawer at his side and took out a smuggled revolver. He pointed it at -
*Thwump!*
Hikaru's left tentacle crippled Hidekazu's right arm holding the gun and his right tentacle punched a hole in his chest. His heart was pinned on Hikaru's spike on the other side of him. Hikaru decided against his usual routine and didn't absorb Hidekazu. Instead, he let his body fall to the floor.
Hidekazu was Hikaru's previous landlord of an apartment they lived in when his mother, Hikari was still alive. After she died, he had risen the rent to high numbers and caused his Father, Hayato to stress out as if his wife's death wasn't enough. Hikaru remembered the times when his father argued with the landlord before finally kneeling to him and said
***
"Hikaru... can we... we need to-"
13-year-old Hikaru shushed Hayato by putting a finger on his lip.
"Let's move into a new home, dad."
Seeing Hikaru's smile brought tears to Hayato's eyes. His son was so young to go through such a devastating event yet he was so mature. It seemed that Hikaru understood the delicate situation and took a load off his father. Unable to keep a straight face, Hayato pulled Hikaru in and hugged in tightly.
'Hikari, thank you for leaving me a gift.'
He was grateful to his beloved wife for blessing him with such a wonderful son that any father could ask for. He vowed to protect his poor son's innocence; the only light left of his life.
***
Hikaru wasn't angry at what Hidekazu did because he didn't suffer after his mother died nor did he stress about the rent. They moved to this house after getting a loan to pay for it. His father delved into his work to pay for everything. Hayato worked harder but it didn't make his life more difficult, it was easier to be distracted. Hikaru still slept well, still ate well and still studied well. There was no hardship.
However, he felt disgusted that Hidekazu raised the rent after his mother died. It seemed that he was fond of Hikari and wanted to kick them out because she was dead. It made no sense to go against the wishes of someone you liked, even if they were dead. To Hikaru, Hidekazu was no better than a murderer and ought to be killed.
Since Hikaru rejected Hidekazu's body. He didn't know about his secrets, which were worthless to him anyway. If Hidekazu was absorbed, Hikaru would see in his memories that the young landlord in his late 20s used to be best friends with Hikari.
Hidekazu was Hikari's classmate in year 7. He had quickly fallen in love with her kind and pure personality. Then he had heard about how she fell in love with Hayato, who was in his 20s. He was jealous and furious at this pedophile even though 13 was the legal age, it was still frowned upon. Even more so when she got pregnant and left school.
When he met Hikari years later, she had found his apartment. Knowing how difficult it was for her to raise a kid and leave her parents, he made the rent lower than anyone else's. After she had died, he blamed Hayato for everything and tried to kick them out by raising the rent to unreasonable amounts.
Hikaru looked back at his pathetic father, he was also disgusted at how weak and foolish the man was. He only killed his mother. How could his father let go of himself like that? It's been two years but the man doesn't have any strategy or regimen on fixing his life. He also pitied his father... Something he never did before.
***
Hikaru was silent for a while. Hiromi lifted her head to sneak a peek and saw that he had a wrathful look on his face. Hikaru noticed Hiromi.
"Uh!" Hiromi squeaked.
She quickly lowered her head like a servant. It was rude to look directly at the emperor without permission in days of the past.
Hikaru realised his expression and calmed himself.
"I'll spare you." Hikaru declared.