"The announcer recoiled in fear, his balance faltering as he landed awkwardly on his hips. Trembling, he stammered, 'What are you doing?'
Tatsuki exuded an eerie aura and flashed a wide, unsettling grin. 'Oh, don't be afraid,' he reassured, 'there's nothing malevolent at play here.'
The announcer's fear was palpable; his voice quivered with terror as he retorted, 'With that menacing smile of yours, how can I believe you?'
Sai Ken, with a curious and overexcited demeanor, approached Tatsuki. 'Hey there, buddy,' he exclaimed, 'oye, boy you planning some crazy staink? Tell me all bout it.'
Tatsuki regarded Sai Ken, his gaze fixed. 'Haven't you grown out of that habit yet?' he sighed.
Sai Ken appeared taken aback, realizing that Tatsuki wasn't surprised by his inherent nature. In a hushed tone, he asked, 'You already knew about it, didn't you?'"
Tatsuki nodded, his expression nostalgic. "Indeed, that habit of yours originated in your childhood, didn't it? I even know how you picked it up. You read a book called 'The Art of Delinquency,' and it fascinated you so much that you started imitating the characters in it. You managed to outgrow most of those habits, but whenever you get overly excited, your second nature re-emerges."
Sai Ken, feigning shock, asked, "Come on, just tell me, how much do you want?"
Tatsuki, wearing a stoic expression, questioned, "Are you really trying to bribe me into silence?"
Sai Ken persisted, "Yes, so what? Just name your price."
Tatsuki glanced towards the announcer, a hint of disgust in his eyes. "Even if you manage to silence me, there's one more person we need to deal with."
Both Sai Ken and Tatsuki turned their menacing gazes toward the terrified announcer.
The scared announcer promptly turned tail and shouted, "I saw nothing!"
Tatsuki sighed and glanced at Sai Ken, a look of disdain in his eyes. "You've frightened the poor soul."
Sai Ken, with a bemused grin, retorted, "Kid, ever heard of irony?"
Tatsuki swiftly pointed towards his knees and responded, "Yes, I have them right here with me."
Sai Ken chuckled, shaking his head. "Brat, you're far too cunning for someone so young."
Sai Ken pressed on, asking, "So, tell me, young one, what amount of riches will ensure your silence forever?"
Tatsuki adopted a serious expression. "Huh? Do I look like someone who'd be swayed by a vast fortune?"
Sai Ken's demeanor remained confident. "Yes, even I would consider trading you for a substantial sum. So, don't refuse riches. Just tell me what you need, and I'll do my best to provide it, anything to keep trouble away from my position."
Tatsuki couldn't help but think that the old man was always so obsessed with his mayoral seat because, without it, his daughter and son would be left vulnerable. He sighed and decided to take the initiative without further delay.
Tatsuki held out his hand, saying, "Pervy gramp, take a look at my hand, will you?"
Sai Ken inclined his neck to get a better look at Tatsuki's hand. His eyes widened when he saw that Tatsuki's right hand was ablaze. Panicking, Sai Ken shouted, "It's burning!"
Sai Ken instinctively reached for Tatsuki's hand to extinguish the flames, but Tatsuki pulled his hand away and cautioned, "Don't touch it, just watch... it's time."
Tatsuki stumbled to the center of the broken stage, flames dancing in his hands. He proudly announced, "Ta-dah, I present to you the 'Burning Flare Mic.'"
A curious crowd began to gather, drawn by the spectacle, to see what kind of mischief Tatsuki was up to this time.
Aiko was the first to inquire, asking, "And just what is that bizarre magic supposed to do?"
Shinji joined in, saying, "Yes, brother, tell us. I'm afraid I've never heard the term 'mic' before."
Tatsuki, with an air of elegance, replied, "It would be better if I showed you."
With a gentle flick of his finger, Tatsuki ignited the "Burning Flare Mic," and a sudden burst of flame erupted, creating a deafening noise. Startled, everyone quickly covered their ears in response to the unexpected cacophony.
"Tinggggghhhhh..."
Aiko, still confused, inquired, "What was that awful sound?"
Tatsuki tensed up a bit as he explained, "Well, that was just supposed to be a custom before starting to speak."
Sai Ken, still bewildered, asked, "Brat, what sort of awful custom is that?"
Tatsuki sighed and replied, "Say that to all schools back on Earth."
Shinji, with a sparkle in his eyes, questioned, "Brother, then what are you doing?"
Tatsuki pulled the "Burning Flare Mic" a bit closer to his mouth and exhaled slowly. He then spoke, and everyone could hear him, "Just a moment ago, it served the purpose of amplifying my voice. So, every two minutes, there will be a flare of flame that produces waves carrying my voice to distant places. The distance it can reach depends upon the quality of the mic."
Shinji, sweating heavily, asked, "Brother, just how far is your voice going?"
Tatsuki ignored Shinji's question and continued, "Your faces tell me that you don't believe a single word I just said."
Sai Ken interjected, "Like anyone would believe that. If something like that existed, we would have heard of it a long time ago."
Tatsuki's expression turned annoyed, and he replied, "Pervy gramp, you can believe what you want. I couldn't care less. Despite that, whatever I'm speaking now is currently being heard by people all over Aurus City."
In the commercial district, people were asking each other, "What's going on? Whose voice is this?" In the residential district, people were panicking at the thought of an invasion or coup by terrorists.
At the examination place, Sai Ken remarked, "Yeah, right. All you're doing is creating new drama every few moments, and getting heard by everyone in Aurus City might not be that far from reality."
Tatsuki ignored Sai Ken and turned his attention towards Aiko. He began to speak into the mic with elegance.
Tatsuki said, "I don't know what happened to turn you into this person. You were always so kind and cheerful, and it pains my heart to see that you no longer smile as you used to."
Aiko scowled, clearly perplexed. She asked, "What are you talking about?"
Tatsuki continued, "I don't give a damn about gods or the lives of the citizens of Aurus City, but I do value your life more than anything. In this realm, there's no concept of a girlfriend, only fiancee and wife. I'll take the responsibility of leaving you alone for such a long time."
Sai Ken, filled with anger, exclaimed, "No, brat, don't say it."
Sai Ken rushed towards Tatsuki to stop him from speaking any further. However, Tatsuki swiftly dodged to the left and leaped right in front of Aiko.
Perplexed and caught off guard, Aiko stuttered, "Wha... What are you?"
Tatsuki spoke with a warm smile, "Please, let me be your significant one—the reason for your smile. If it's difficult for you to understand, I'll explain until there are no words left. If it's hard to be vulnerable, I'll be the unbreakable wall through which nobody can see your weakened side. So, let all of this allow you to be mine again, for I have loved you across ages, times, and realms."
Aiko, flustered beyond words, instinctively ran away on the spot.
Tatsuki thought to himself, "She ran away again... Why does she do that every time we meet?"
Sai Ken grabbed Tatsuki, clenching his collar, and exclaimed, "Brat, do you know what you've done?"
Tatsuki simply stared into Sai Ken's eyes as Sai Ken's grip loosened, and he sat down with his hands on his head, a gesture of despair.
Sai Ken spoke, "Everything is over now. Nothing will remain. He will kill all of us, and it's all your fault."