"There's one thing I don't understand—how did you know about me?" Masashi asked, as he had only ever shared this information with Maeda Ryutaro, making it unlikely that anyone else would know.
"I don't really need to answer that," Maruo replied, adjusting his glasses, "but since the ritual can't start until midnight, I suppose I can give you this as a parting gift.
Actually, I didn't know about you at first. But I have a very capable younger brother who often hacks into various systems. One day, he accidentally accessed the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's servers and found a report about me. It mentioned an officer named Maeda, who had devised the entire ambush plan on his own.
From that report, my brother found another one that Maeda wrote to his superior. It explained that the killer—me—was likely conducting blood sacrifices, and that this was the theory of a young person he knew. Maeda then researched this theory, found evidence, and developed the ambush plan from there.
The young person in the report was you, Gennai Masashi. Am I right?"
"You investigated Officer Maeda?"
"Indeed. After over a month of investigation, I found that the only young person he frequently interacted with was you. So, I knew you were the one I was looking for."
"I see. So, you decided to bring me here as well, drugging our meals so you could both take revenge and gather your offerings. Quite the efficient strategy. If I'd known dinner was this costly, I wouldn't have come no matter what." Masashi muttered, cursing Maeda inwardly. Damn it—why did he have to mention me? Now I'm like cattle, set to be sacrificed.
"What did I do to deserve this? I don't want to die, I don't want to die…" Shizuko broke down crying after hearing their conversation.
"I don't want to die, let me go, please, somebody help!" her boyfriend screamed, while the others joined in, crying and shouting.
"The time is almost here. I need to start preparing, so if you'll excuse me, Gennai," Maruo said, his tone eerily friendly. His calm demeanor made Masashi even more certain of his twisted nature.
As the others continued to sob and scream, Maruo lit twelve candles around the large circular symbol on the floor, positioning each one at an hour mark.
Next, he picked up a small black pouch from the ground, pulled out a handful of bright orange sand, and sprinkled it over the design.
Finally, he lit an incense burner nearby, filling the room with a faint, pleasant scent. Masashi recognized the smell instantly—the incense was made from dried Datura flower petals. Although beautiful, Datura is extremely toxic and grows in India. Insects die immediately upon contact with it, and prolonged inhalation can cause hallucinations, eventually leading to death.
Fortunately, Maruo hadn't used much of it, and the room was large enough that it wouldn't be fatal, but it could still have serious effects on everyone.
It seemed this was just a part of the ritual setup rather than an attempt to kill them with poison.
"All right, everyone, the ritual is about to begin. I hope you all enjoy yourselves," Maruo said, smiling as he turned off the lights. The room dimmed, leaving only the twelve flickering candles on the floor.
"No, please, no…"
"I beg you, let me go, I don't want to die…"
"You monster, you'll get what's coming to you! Let me go, someone help, please!"
"Please, if you let me go, I'll do anything you want. Didn't you say I was pretty? I'll serve you well," Shizuko sobbed, pleading with Maruo.
"Don't worry, sweetheart, it won't hurt much," Maruo murmured, gently stroking her hair.
"No, please, let me go! I don't want to die—just spare me, I beg you…" Shizuko's hope hadn't yet died.
"I already told you, every single person is necessary. Once the ritual is complete, you'll all become a part of me, so in a way, you'll be with me forever. But to ensure the ritual goes smoothly, I'll need to quiet you all for a bit." Maruo kissed her lightly on the head before taking out a towel and tying it over her mouth.
Once he'd finished, he began tying towels over everyone else's mouths one by one.