"I-I really don't know where the humans are." Takeshi saw Akari narrow her eyes and quickly explained.
"But I swear, we didn't hurt them. It was only a joke." Shunji stared at him fiercely when he realized it was his fault.
"We? Who are 'we'? Him?" Akari said, pointing at the full demon in front of her.
"No, he didn't know. It was just another friend and me. He said it was only a joke. I lured them here, and then Naoki scared them a bit, but they all were released." Akari smiled mockingly.
"Sure?" At first, he wanted to say yes, but Akari's gaze gave him a strange feeling. Finally, he clenched his teeth and nodded.
"If you're sure nothing happened, then you wouldn't have any problem taking me to see your other friend, right?" He nodded. Akari slightly loosened her spell of restriction on him and said to him.
"You lead the way, and you will come with me." Akari addressed the full demon that she didn't dare leave him here without her supervision.
Takeshi led them to the farthest part of the barrier. In fact, this was the first time Takeshi came to this part of the mountain because no one wanted to stay near here. That's why Naoki always came to his house, but he had never gone to Naoki's.
When Akari saw that they were walking farther and farther away, she asked.
"Why is your friend's house so far away?" Takeshi seemed ashamed and told her.
"I don't know. Everyone said it was because of my brother...." Takeshi realized he had said something wrong and immediately remained silent.
"Oh, that's on you? What happened?" Shunji didn't want to answer, but he noticed those idiots had probably done something bad, so he didn't remain silent and answered.
"I didn't like his family members, so I exiled them. He is the only one I allowed to continue living here because he was just a child, but since I didn't like seeing him, I ordered him to stay away." What a curious situation, Akari thought. It almost seemed like the perfect place to commit murder.
Akari didn't ask any more questions, and the stifling silence stretched on until they reached a small cave at the edge of the barrier.
Takeshi knocked on the door, saying. "Naoki, it's me, Takeshi. Open the door." Inside was silent. When Akari looked at the door, she furrowed her brow. Shunji did the same.
"Naoki? Hello? Aren't you home?" Takeshi said.
Akari walked toward him, and he quickly moved backward, saying.
"I didn't do anything." Akari didn't pay attention to him. She drew her sword and cut the door. Or rather, she cut the barrier that was on the door.
Akari kicked the door open, and her face turned cold when she saw the scene inside.
The cursed energy hit her face the moment she opened the door. She saw that the cave was full of blood and bones, most of which belonged to humans. Akari could also feel the resentment of their souls filling the place, indicating that they had died in agony. Akari gripped her sword tightly. She was furious.
She turned to look at them both and asked coldly.
"Is this what you meant when you said they were released?" Takeshi's face was pale and incredulous, while Shunji frowned and looked angry, but Akari didn't care. It took a lot of effort not to beat them to death on the spot.
"It's better that you think carefully about what you're going to tell me. Otherwise, I will kill you all."
Takeshi backed away in fear. Just when the scene between them was tense, a voice from outside said.
"Eh? Takeshi, Shunji. Why are you here?" Akari fixed her gaze on the person who was speaking. He seemed even weaker and more harmless than Takeshi, with only a tenth of the demonic power inside him.
But as soon as Akari saw him, her eyes turned cold. No matter how hard he tried to hide it, he couldn't conceal the repulsive aura that surrounded him. The moment he appeared, Akari knew he was the culprit.
"Mmm? Is that a human?" Akari saw the fleeting contempt and disgust pass through his eyes before he spoke. Without saying a word, she attacked him. That man was very dangerous. She could sense it. He must die.
Seeing that his disguise was broken, he didn't bother to hide anymore. He laughed contemptuously at Akari and confidently swung his hand to stop her attack.
"A worm like you dares to confront me?" Akari laughed.
"Yes, look at your arm." Naoki hadn't noticed because he hadn't been hit, but his right arm, which he had used to try to stop the attack, had been shattered.
That's when he started bleeding. He grabbed his shoulder in pain, saying.
"Bitch!" Akari hadn't held back from the start. It was simply the barrier of his body that protected him, which is why she only destroyed his arm.
With the barrier broken, Naoki could no longer hide the smell of blood and cursed energy emanating from his body, causing Shunji to look at him with anger.
"Naoki, how could you dare to do something like that?" Naoki chuckled.
"Why not? They're like cockroaches. No matter how many you kill, more will always appear. What does it matter if I kill a few? There's no need to feel pity for something like that. We demons will always be superior to humans. You are the only pure being among us. Have you forgotten that, Shunji?"
"That's stupid! Who cares about that crap?! You're insane." Shunji shouted at him.
"How dare you say that?! Do you know how much I wish I didn't have that repugnant human essence haunting my being?!" Naoki's eyes were bloodshot as he answered.
"I hate humans. They are sickening." He murmured.
"Naoki, but still, if you hate them, you shouldn't do that to them. They were innocent..." Takeshi said.
Naoki's eyes turned toward him, looking at him with incredible hatred and malice.
"What do you know?! Shut up, idiot!" Akari was surprised. Takeshi said they were friends, but Naoki clearly thought of him as an enemy.
"If it weren't for this bitch's intervention, I would have killed you already! You were supposed to be next!" Takeshi turned pale. He couldn't believe these were the thoughts of someone he had called his friend for many years.
Akari took an arrow and shot it at his head. She didn't have the patience to keep listening to the reasons of a crazy bastard.