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Akuto was looking at Morlock. But he was seeing the video, and hearing the audio. He was receiving the same information Keena’s terminal was, but in an even clearer form. This was possible because he was able to control the weak mana signal at an even higher precision than the mechanical device. His body had adapted to the low mana environment. Or perhaps, the information he was receiving had put him into an extreme state of concentration.
“There’s no response from the Katsuura Command Center!”
“According to local reports everything in a 4 kilometer radius has been vaporized. The status of the defense forces is unknown!”
“Sis! Come in, sis!”
“The cause of the destruction is unknown. It may be an enemy weapon.”
The channels were full of different messages going back and forth. But there was only one thing he cared about.
“So the eldest daughter of the Hattori, the commander of the guards, is dead?” Akuto asked Morlock in a low, but surprisingly calm voice.
“H-How should I know...” Morlock was trying his best to do a mocking laugh, and failing utterly. His voice was breaking.
“I’m asking for your opinion. Do you think she’s alive? Or do you think she’s dead?” Akuto repeated himself.
“W-What do you care? Of course she’s dead! That thing burnt a whole city to ash. If anybody was alive, they’d have contacted someone by now.” Morlock said, unsure of why he was being asked this.
“So you think if she was there, she’s dead, then. So, what did you think about that?”
“W-Why are you asking me this? It’s got nothing to do with me. I didn’t do it. As far as I know, that’s a manifestation of the Faceless Power. I’m sure you’ve heard what that thing is. If it happened, it means the people of the Republic wanted it to happen. So it’s not my fault.”
Akuto was calm, but Morlock was starting to lose it. Akuto asked another question.
“I asked what you thought. Don’t worry about whether or not it’s your fault. You weren’t thinking about anything, is what you’re telling me. You really weren’t thinking about anything at all.”
“H-Have you gone crazy? So what? Nobody thinks about it. What do I think about a bunch of people dying? Who even cares?”
“No, I just wanted to ask the question. For some reason, I’ve got this thing about not killing people. No, what I don’t like is doing anything that affects others. You can call it cowardice if you like. I don’t care. But it means no matter how mad I am, I don’t feel like killing anyone.”
Akuto’s voice was completely calm. Either Morlock decided he knew what was coming next, or he simply couldn’t take the tension anymore, because he uncrossed his arms (he’d been crossing them to look tough) and readied himself for battle.
“Enough talk! You’re telling me you want to fight, right?”
Akuto silently shook his head.
“A fight? Maybe the old me would’ve felt that way. Don’t you get it? I’m trying to come up with a good enough reason to slaughter you.”
When he finished speaking, all the air around him changed. In the next moment, his face transformed into something different, something filled with madness and terror like no one had ever seen.