Akane's voice cracked with raw desperation as she looked at me, her red eyes shimmering with fresh tears that soaked through the fabric of her black assassin mask. "Can't you just stop using your ability… please… I beg you…"
I reached out and gently held Akane's trembling hand, gazing deeply into her tear-filled eyes. The mask clung wetly to her skin, darkened by the streaks of her sorrow. For a long moment, I said nothing — I simply held her hand, letting the silence speak for the storm inside me.
Akane's expression twisted with pain. She suddenly pulled her hand back sharply, as if burned. "You… will not listen, right? Fine… good job, Jack…"
Her voice turned cold and heavy with resignation. "Hitomi, Tachibana…"
The door opened almost immediately. Hitomi, Tachibana, and Yuko stepped back into the room, their faces filled with worry. "Master…" they said almost in unison, bowing slightly.
