Togawa Fuuki was never an easily angered person.
This was not only due to the excellent upbringing from his original family and the ascetic atmosphere of the seminary, but also because from birth, he possessed a detached nature, adept at analyzing and handling matters with reason and logic.
After awakening his Stand, White Snake, and gaining the ability to read others' memories, he became even more proficient at analyzing information and manipulating situations, further solidifying his belief in the power of reason and logic.
Even after witnessing the immense power of fate and realizing the myriad inexplicable connections in the unseen, Fuuki, while maintaining reverence for it, still attempted to delve into theology to grasp this great power.
His counterpart in another world was also like this; as soon as he shed the shell of a clergyman, his desire to explore the true nature of [Truth] for all his life, in the face of every enigma he encountered, would be revealed.
But at this very moment, a long-unfelt agitation, almost like anger, flared up in Togawa Fuuki's heart.
"The Chief Administrator's memory disc playback is complete. Among the worthwhile samples, this was the last one."
"How was it?" Fuuki, seated at the long table, asked calmly.
"No suspicious points. The beginning and end of the Doll Room incident were like a clever coincidence."
"Hmph, absurd…"
The tall, slender figure of White Snake appeared especially eerie in the dim light, and the [corpses] lying haphazardly under the table made this basement resemble a sinister execution chamber.
There were many hidden rooms in the Togawa Residence, but only this one appealed to Togawa Fuuki — this secret room, located underground, was not built for meetings or hiding, but to cover up some unspeakable [darkness].
Multiple layers of soundproofing, exquisitely falsified architectural blueprints, an entrance sufficient to evade professional searches… A brutal [interrogation] had just concluded in this secluded secret room.
Unlike his usual method of obtaining information by implanting commands, Togawa Fuuki, with his grown abilities, no longer needed such gentle means.
After seeing Togawa Sakiko and Wakaba Mutsumi safely back to their bedrooms, Togawa Fuuki's pre-set plan was initiated ahead of schedule.
He quickly restrained the obviously problematic butler, forcefully extracted his memory disc regardless of the toll, and implanted commands that would completely obey [Togawa Fuuki.] Immediately afterwards, he turned his attention to the most powerful person in the residence, the current head of the Togawa Family — Togawa Sadaharu.
What expression would that old man, who had only recently experienced the pain of losing his daughter, show upon hearing that his only granddaughter had been in an accident?
Fuuki had no time to consider these things. As the butler "eloquently" recounted the entire incident to the gray-haired old man, White Snake's ability had already been activated.
Family Head Sadaharu, who had overseen the Togawa Group for decades, upon hearing that his heir had narrowly escaped misfortune, his weathered face still struggled to conceal his agitated emotions. That moment of losing composure burst forth from beneath his calm facade like cracking ice.
And it was precisely at this moment that the mental tremor created a [gap], allowing White Snake to easily invade his soul. The disc representing [memory] and [spirit] gradually popped out from his aged forehead.
Togawa Sadaharu was not a Stand User, and that [Spirit Disc] confirmed this.
Although this was also within Fuuki's expectations, it's always better to be safe than sorry — one must be sufficiently cautious with individuals in high positions within a giant conglomerate. Therefore, Fuuki chose to invade rather than directly extract.
After quickly reviewing his memories, Fuuki used his status as Family Head to swiftly summon key personnel from the residence to a meeting in the hall directly below the study.
That hall had already been structured into a trap by White Snake. The moment several managers holding key positions in the residence entered the room, they fell into the illusion that they feared most. This fear stemmed not only from their inherent psychological weaknesses but also from their reverence for the Togawa Family Head.
Under this dual pressure, the individuals numbly followed White Snake, which had transformed into Togawa Sadaharu, into the basement, which resembled a beast's maw.
As the specially reinforced blast door slammed shut, this soul-piercing interrogation began.
Fuuki continuously pushed White Snake's mental invasion ability to its limit, expending a large amount of mental energy to inflict extreme suffering on the consciousness of those individuals.
A memory disc completely records everything a person sees and hears, but Fuuki wanted more than that.
He wanted to eliminate the uncertainty beyond [memory] — that elusive shadow hidden deep within everyone's heart, constantly changing with time and action.
Human hearts are fickle; even if one can deduce their behavioral patterns, one cannot predict a split-second decision.
The world is unpredictable; even if one glimpses the future through fragments, one cannot guard against unforeseen calamities outside the established course.
The heart-wrenching sensations completely exposed the [gaps] in the administrators' minds, allowing Fuuki to invade and manipulate them at will.
But as he gradually gained control over their inner thoughts, the agitation on Fuuki's brow did not lessen in the slightest.
[Coincidence] and [Accident] — this was the final answer derived from multiple analyses of the unexpected incident in the Doll Room.
The general affairs officer's vague communication of arrangements, the butler's distraction when receiving information, the internal affairs officer's accidental touch while moving equipment, and the unstable communication signals within the residence… A large number of coincidences converged, causing that old antique machine, which was already lacking maintenance, to remain in the Doll Room, and then coincidentally malfunction and go berserk the moment Togawa Sakiko touched it.
"Ridiculous."
Fuuki simply did not believe this was a pure accident; rather, someone intended to frame the heir of the Togawa Family.
After reviewing Togawa Sadaharu's memories, he gained a deeper understanding of the Togawa Family's current situation.
The highly regarded Togawa Mizuho died early. Although Togawa Kiyotsugu seemed to have found his footing, his lack of experience and ability made him vulnerable to his opponents' schemes. Togawa Sakiko, though gifted in learning, had not yet been exposed to family affairs. At present, it was no exaggeration to say that Family Head Togawa Sadaharu was struggling within the family.
If he hadn't anticipated the decline of the main family years ago and cultivated many of his trusted confidants within various family businesses, the situation would be even more severe now.
The branch families were all waiting to see the main family fall, like a pack of hyenas trailing an old wolf, balding and toothless, still protecting its cubs.
From a probabilistic perspective, a colossal power like the Togawa Group could not be completely unaware of the existence of Stand Users. If someone from a branch family wanted to use this power to test the main family, then Togawa Fuuki, as the adopted son intentionally groomed by the main family, would undoubtedly become their target.
This was only his second day at the Togawa Family.
Fuuki felt like a musician who had suddenly stepped onto the stage, barely finishing playing a score, only for the rest of the band to abruptly start a difficult piece he had never heard before.
Unable to vent the agitation in his heart, Fuuki jumped off the table, roughly grabbed the suspicious butler, and violently reinserted the disc into his tear-streaked face.
"Only you are particularly strange," Fuuki said, looking coldly at the butler who was gradually regaining his memories, enunciating each word.
"As the butler of the Togawa Family, your quality and ability should be excellent…"
"Even if there are shortcomings, there should be no flaws in loyalty whatsoever!"
"In your behavior just now, I saw no loyalty attempting to protect your master! Even if all other matters can be excused with coincidence, then how do you explain your fundamental betrayal?!"
Upon hearing this, the butler's already pained face twisted even more, and the fluctuations within him caused his body to tremble violently, as if the very meaning of his existence was being shaken.
"Ah… that's not it… I…"
"Kaaahhh…"
The butler's expression gradually became inhuman, and a harsh noise like rusty gears emanated from his hoarse voice.
As if a nerve in his brain suddenly snapped, the butler stopped struggling like a broken puppet, his body collapsing limply.
"Tch, I thought someone like you would have a trick up your sleeve, but you're just a weak commoner." Fuuki felt a sudden lack of interest upon seeing the other party's incompetence.
Just as he was preparing to leave and reorganize the chaotic situation, an unexpected change occurred.
The unconscious butler suddenly extended his stiff hands, gripping Fuuki's arm tightly.
A ghastly smile of white teeth split across his contorted face, and metallic white light reflected in his dull pupils.
A bizarre aura rose from behind him, lifting this broken puppet once more, controlling him to mechanically open and close his bared-toothed mouth.
"What's wrong with [coincidence] and [accident]~"
"It's precisely because of [uncertainty] that everything begins to pulsate~"
A non-human voice echoed through the secret room as the butler's mouth opened and closed.
"White Snake!"
White Snake, which had been on guard by his side, immediately struck, its poised blade instantly severing both of the butler's arms!
Blood, mixed with the smell of rust, sprayed out. Fuuki shook off the severed arms and quickly retreated.
However, the moment the arms detached, something was pulled away with them.
Fuuki looked closely, and what had fallen from him was the disc he had just acquired today!
The Stand disc of Ride the Lighting!
And that disc rolled across the pool of blood on the ground, landing precisely next to the limp butler!
"Look, [coincidence] has happened again~"
The mocking voice sounded again. A stark white phantom emerged from behind the dismembered butler, reached out, picked up the memory disc, and gently inserted it into the butler's brain.
With a crisp click, another surge of deep blue electric light suddenly leaped around his shattered body.
The situation was irreversibly spiraling out of control.
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