The moment Rentaro entered, he saw Xiao Feng standing in front of Kisara's desk, and his footsteps stopped then his expression quickly darkened and his entire body became tense.
"You..." Rentaro's eyes narrowed as he remained standing near the doorway.
Xiao Feng turned his head and looked at him calmly, "Rentaro Satomi, I presume? I know who you are."
Although this was their first meeting, Xiao Feng immediately recognized him. After all, he hadn't watched the anime in his previous life for nothing.
Rentaro's eyes narrowed, "You know me?"
"I've heard your name."
That was naturally a lie, but there was no need to explain the truth.
Rentaro looked from Xiao Feng to Kisara before returning his gaze to the boy standing inside the office.
"I've heard about you as well. You're the one who destroyed the Tokyo branch of the IISO."
Ordinary civilians might not recognize Xiao Feng, but Civil Security officers had already received information about him.
Following the destruction of its branch, the IISO had announced that Xiao Feng was a dangerous criminal and placed a large bounty on his head.
Nearly every Promoter in the Tokyo Area had seen his picture.
"Yes, i am the one who destroyed IISO," Xiao Feng answered without the slightest trace of regret. "Those guys was treated the children inhumanely. They deserved it."
"You believe that justifies what you did?" Hearing Xiao Feng's words, anger burned in Rentaro's eyes.
"You attacked an institution inside the Tokyo Area and killed everyone who tried to stop you. Do you understand how much chaos you've caused?"
A trace of irritation flashed through Xiao Feng's eyes and he said in a cold tone, "Then what about the chaos caused by the IISO?"
"They imprisoned Cursed Children, experimented on them, treated them as disposable weapons and discarded them when they were no longer useful."
Xiao Feng stared directly at Rentaro, "Tell me, Rentaro Satomi. Was that justice?"
Rentaro fell silent. He couldn't defend the IISO's actions, nor could he deny that countless Cursed Children had suffered because of it.
"You're quick to condemn me because I used violence," Xiao Feng continued. "But where was that anger when those children were being tortured?"
Rentaro clenched his fists, "You don't know what I've done."
"Perhaps not," Xiao Feng replied. "But I know what you haven't done."
His words struck directly at the conflict hidden inside Rentaro's heart.
Rentaro claimed that he wanted to protect the Cursed Children, yet he continued serving a system that used them as weapons. Although he helped those he encountered, he had never possessed the power or determination to tear the rotten system apart.
Xiao Feng disliked that contradiction. In his eyes, good intentions were meaningless if someone lacked the courage to act upon them.
Of course, Rentaro couldn't be blamed for it because he didn't have the power of Xiao Feng and he couldn't directly destroy the system with force.
Rentaro opened his mouth, but he couldn't find an immediate response.
Before the confrontation could escalate, Kisara rose from her chair and stepped between them.
"That's enough. If the two of you want to debate justice, do it somewhere other than my workplace."
She looked at Xiao Feng first, "You wanted a tour, didn't you? Let's go."
She then turned toward Rentaro, "And unless you came here for something important, leave my office.
Rentaro looked at her in disbelief, "Kisara—"
He hadn't expected his childhood friend to dismiss him so harshly, especially while standing beside an outsider who could be considered a heinous terrorist. .
However, when he saw the cold seriousness in Kisara's eyes, he understood that she wasn't joking.
A sense of betrayal rose inside him.
The Kisara standing before him suddenly felt unfamiliar.
It reminded Rentaro of the cold determination she displayed whenever the subject of revenge was involved, the side of her that he had never been able to accept completely.
His fists tightened until his nails dug into his palms and he glared at Xiao Feng one final time before turning around.
Without saying another word, Rentaro left the office and closed the door heavily behind him.
Kisara released a tired sigh and picked up her coat, "You truly know how to cause trouble."
Xiao Feng couldn't tell whether she was speaking about him or Rentaro.
He chuckled and returned to his usual relaxed expression.
"I didn't come here to become friends with everyone, Kisara. I only want to see what's happening inside this city."
"And you don't have to be so guarded. I am not a murderous demons who kills without batting an eye just for am argument. Your relationship with your friend will get worse because of what you have done."
Kisara froze briefly but didn't respond. She wasn't surprised that Xiao Feng had understood the reason she intervened.
Kisara had personally witnessed him slaughter armed personnel as casually as one might crush insects. She knew exactly what could have happened if Rentaro had continued provoking him.
Xiao Feng might have spared Rentaro's life because of her, but severing one of his arms or legs wouldn't technically count as killing him.
By forcing Rentaro to leave, Kisara had protected him.
But judging from Xiao Feng's words, he didn't intend to do anything to Rentaro just because of that little bit of argument.
Looking at Xiao Feng, she felt she may have done something unnecessary.
Even so. Kisara didn't regret protecting Rentaro because she had grown up alongside Rentaro and he held an important place in her heart.
Though she very well understood that Xiao Feng's words weren't necessarily wrong. She knew Rentaro well. He might truly believe that she had wronged him or even feel betrayed.
Kisara sighed and pushed those concerns aside and placed her coat over her shoulders, "Let's go. Stop worrying about him. My time is extremely valuable, so I expect compensation for every second you waste."
Xiao Feng smiled and tapped the Space Ring on his finger, "Don't worry. I came prepared."
The brief confrontation with Rentaro didn't affect his mood.
As they left the office, Kisara glanced at him from the corner of her eye.
"I genuinely want to know what kind of person you are."
"Sometimes you're incredibly gentle, yet at other times you're frighteningly cruel. Which one is the real you?"
Xiao Feng didn't give her any answer because both were him. He could treat the people he cared about with endless patience and kindness, but he possessed no mercy for those who did evil or helped evil.
Kisara walked ahead with her usual confident stride, leading Xiao Feng through the crowded streets of the Tokyo Area.
The city appeared lively on the surface, but an almost invisible tension remained in the air.
Towering skyscrapers and luxurious commercial buildings stood in sharp contrast to the damaged structures and impoverished districts near the outskirts.
The disparity silently revealed the true condition of the city.
"The first thing you need to understand about the Tokyo Area, especially if you're investigating the Cursed Children, is that this city was built upon hypocrisy."
Kisara's voice contained unmistakable cynicism and disgust.
"The wealthy and powerful pretend that society has recovered. They enjoy their comfortable lives while the Cursed Children struggle to survive in the shadows."
Xiao Feng followed her gaze. Several children were huddled together inside a narrow alley. Their crimson eyes clearly revealed that they were Cursed Children.
Looking at the children, his expression darkened.
Such innocent children didn't deserve to suffer like this.
Rather than leaving them in the hands of humans who treated them as monsters, it would be better to bring them back to his base.
He took a step and walked into the alley.
Kisara looked at and curled up her lips then followed him.
At this moment. Several young girls were sitting together beside a damaged wall when one of them noticed the approaching adults and stood protectively in front of the younger children.
"Stay back, don't come closer. We haven't stolen anything." The girl warned but her voice trembled despite her attempt to appear brave.
Xiao Feng stopped moving and Kisara remained beside him without speaking.
The girl's first reaction hadn't been to ask for help. It had been to defend herself against an accusation that no one had made.
That alone revealed how people usually treated them.
Xiao Feng looked at the brave girl and said softly, "We're not here because you stole something."
The girl watched him cautiously, "Then why are you here?"
Xiao Feng smiled gently.
"To ask whether all of you would like a safe place to live."
...