On a rainy night, a raven perches silently on a streetlight post beside a desolate, crumbling factory. The relentless rain creates a melancholic rhythm, adding to the eerie atmosphere surrounding the abandoned building.
Inside one of the factory's derelict rooms, a wooden chair, worn and splintered, holds a man whose battered body reveals the cruelty inflicted upon him. His eyes, wide with terror, scan the dimly lit room. Before him stands a man with strikingly dual-colored eyes, a playful grin stretching across his face. The contrast between the cheerful demeanor and the bloodstained hands is jarring, amplifying the sense of impending dread.
The captive, struggling against his restraints, looks at the smiling figure with palpable fear and desperation. "Why? Please, just stop."
With an innocent smile that contrasts sharply with the gruesome reality, the man with the dual-colored eyes replies, "Yuu Ritsu, do you remember him?"
The captive's gaze falls to the floor as he murmurs, "The old man..." His voice trails off as he nods in resignation.
The man with the dual-colored eyes feigns a look of horror, his voice dripping with false sympathy. "You extorted an old man for money and threatened to kill his daughter? How utterly despicable. I'm a despicable man too, but not to that extent."
The target's face goes ashen as he locks eyes with the hero, fear evident in every trembling word. "L-Look... I'm sorry, okay? I can return the money to Yuu. Just... just let me go."
The hero remains silent, his expression contemplative. After a moment, he breaks into a thoughtful smile. "I have a brilliant idea. I'll call Hana and let her make the final decision in one minute."
The target gulps nervously, the weight of his predicament sinking in.
The target, drenched in sweat, sits motionless as a ringtone pierces the oppressive silence of the room. The sound of the phone's ring reverberates off the walls, creating a tense backdrop.
Moments later, a female voice with an icy tone emerges from the hero's phone. "Have you completed the task?"
With a tone that masks his underlying excitement, the hero responds cheerfully, "Hello Hana, I'm sorry, but this intimidating man would like to ask for your forgiveness."
He turns to the target, his face now serious and his eyes sharp. "You have 60 seconds."
The target's anxiety escalates as he stammers, "H-H-Hana, I'm Haido Haruki. I apologize for everything I've done. I know I don't deserve forgiveness, but please, show me some mercy."
The hero's smile widens, his expression chilling. "50 seconds."
The target's fear intensifies as Hana's voice crackles through the phone, filled with anger and barely suppressed tears. "Do you know what you did to my father? He was on the brink of death. You tried to take the only thing left to me. You exploited his weakness and threatened to kill me... H-Hana falls silent... I will not forgive you."
The hero's smile remains as the target's face contorts in terror. The hero's voice is cold and unyielding as he counts down: "10."
The target, now in full-blown panic, pleads desperately:
"Please!"
"9"
"Forgive me, I'm sorry."
"8"
"I can make it up to you, I swear. I can give you the money I took from your father."
"5"
"Stop this madman!"
"3"
"I don't want to die."
"2"
"Please stop."
"1"
The hero's gaze is icy as he places the phone down on the table next to him. With a smile that contrasts his earlier demeanor, he declares, "You failed to convince her."
The target, now overwhelmed with fear, cries out, "Please, I have a family. Let me go."
The hero sighs, an air of weariness in his voice. "Everyone tells me the same thing. Don't you get tired of that line?"
He reaches for a pocket knife on the table, his expression shifting to one of twisted amusement. "Are you ready?"
The target's panic escalates into wild, desperate screams. "I'll kill you if you touch me. Get that thing away from me! I'll kill you and your family. My gang will never let you get away with this—" He can't finish his threat as the hero swiftly cuts his throat, the hero's voice dripping with boredom. "Same old boring threats."
The hero snaps a photo of the lifeless body with his phone, sends it to Hana, and texts, "Task completed."
He moves to a barrel of gasoline, tipping it over the corpse and evidence. After dousing everything in fuel, he takes out a matchstick.
He ignites it and throws it onto the body before exiting the factory.
Twenty-five minutes later, the police arrive, responding to a fire report at the factory. Inside, amidst the chaos of officers and the smoldering ruin, the detective stands before the charred remains.
With a mysterious, knowing smile, she muses, "I wonder how long we'll keep playing this cat-and-mouse game, K?"