Chapter 117: Serial Killer

John Gacy.

If you enjoy horror and suspense works, you might be familiar with him.

Even if not, if you know this nickname, you can think of one or two incidents he caused, or the works and characters for which he himself was the model.

"Killer Clown, Killer Clown."

In the world of Sora, there are 30 celebrities keen on charitable activities; they are called Model Citizens, they are friendly and popular, especially when they dress up as clowns at parties, and I have killed more than—Serial Killer, Serial Killer is famous, and if a clown appears in a horror-suspense work, you can almost 100% assume this person is the model.

The reason he became a person who commits such crimes is because he was abused in the past by his father in the form of repeated denial of his personality and violence, and in fact, the Leader is 20 years old this year, and the youngest is only 9 years old. There is no room for sympathy for the old man.

I was told my name is the same as that person's, but the person I was told about had a strange, comical, eerie, ugly smile, like makeup that should be wiped off, he said happily.

"Hehe... that's what they say."

Seeing John with a twisted, joyful smile, Sora said with his usual deadpan eyes.

"Not you, but others with the same name. If you are satisfied with just copying it, then fill your pride with good deeds."

After saying something about splashing water on the other person to cool them down, John's face twitched with dissatisfaction again. Even if he twitched, he would still smile.

While laughing, he gently spread his right hand holding the gun and spoke loudly, as if to indicate something.

The left hand hidden behind his back, I still cannot see it.

"A second brew? Isn't this a mistake on the trump card?

I don't know which little killer the 'John Gacy' you know is, but you are the one who put me together with him..."

"I don't know how many people I've killed, and I don't want to know, but if you hide the corpses in the basement, it's the same thing. There is nothing original, and there is no bullshit.

Or do you think you wouldn't be noticed? Didn't you see why I had to hide my nose and mouth just now?"

However, John's disgusting boasting was cut off halfway by Sora's words, and Sora's words remained indifferent.

I couldn't help but tell Sora why she was so pale, because she was always pale.

"This is a slum, and it was originally a gas excavation site; it seems it wasn't noticed, but the smell is terrible."

John glared at Sora, who seemed to be saying, "How can you not even understand this?"

John was not afraid of Sora because there was no direct combat ability in his powers; he used his powers to induce others to kill him, but he dirtied his own hands. No, I thought it was because I didn't think I had the courage to do so, because I underestimated John.

Although he is a Nen-user, the first bullet was fired with his bare hands, but seeing the other party unharmed, John was also relieved, so it appeared.

Judging from the bloody scars on Sora, it was obvious that he had not yet reached a state where he could be taken seriously, so I judged that the defense was almost a coincidence, something I couldn't handle because I had been vigilant from the beginning.

I don't know if John killed Atalante with his powers or if she just fainted, but he packed up much faster than expected, and he found his whereabouts and rushed over. I was very impatient, but I still thought I could do something for the seriously injured opponent.

I thought the reason I came here alone without bandages was because my friends were also targeted by John, and I wasn't calm enough. The right conditions to go all out.

He didn't realize that the gap in their powers was so large that even if he couldn't show his seriousness, there would be no problem.

And he also didn't realize that the reason Sora came here without any treatment was because he was crazy.

So John felt humiliated and annoyed by Sora's attitude and words, but at the same time felt confused and afraid because he didn't understand.

He didn't know.

Why are there so many corpses in this house? I'm worried about producing poison gas? Although to the same Psychic, he was covered in scars, he wasn't afraid or scared, but that didn't mean his emotions were smeared with anger; he couldn't understand what was there, but he used bravado to cover up the fear brought about by this lack of understanding.

"... Hahaha... As expected, I've been numbed by that smell, so it's a blind spot! After all, the guts of a pro are amazing!

But! If you don't realize this, you will be disqualified as a professional!?"

Saying this, he pulled out his left hand hidden behind his back and gave it a sharp tug.

The thick rope held in his left hand, without any timing or signal, was pulled by the connection on the rope, and he fell spectacularly, but John ignored it and forcibly dragged him out.

Tied up with a thick rope and gagged, exhausted by fear and despair, he could no longer cry, his inorganic eyes like a doll, about the same age as Gon or Killua... I think he is a boy. A child dragged out from the depths of the dark house like an object.

He might be a stray child from the slums.

If a child from an ordinary family were kidnapped, there would be a search warrant, so Atalante, who had already made up her mind to build a mountain of corpses and a river of blood to protect that child, could not have been unaware of such an incident. There is no doubt that they would find it in the process of investigating this matter and would do their best to solve it.

Rather than clothes, the boy's attire could only be described as rags, almost naked. However, part of the reason Sora thought the child's gender was male was that the room was dark, and the part he couldn't see clearly was minimal.

A bigger reason is that it is hard to find a decent patch of skin, because the exposed skin is covered in scars even more vivid than the current Sora.

The bruises caused by contusions were the worst kind, and the scars from whipping and the like were too painful, like flesh that had burst and burned.

And those torturous acts of violence extended not only to the body but also to the face, so that not only was the original model almost unrecognizable, but even the hair was sparse.

Such a John, without a doubt, had always thought that John Gacy was the original John, this twisted, rotting, crazy clown; at least as far as Sora knew, he really had no combat power, he didn't attack ordinary people, and he didn't use torture for a long time when killing his opponents. He said with deadpan eyes.

"You really are a small sample."

Sora didn't even look with sympathy at this boy who had become John's worst, worst toy; Sora just denied everything about John in a bored way.

"Do you think I'll be scared if you show me this kind of thing? Do you think I'll throw a tantrum?

At first, because of your powers, you had few casualties, so I thought you were an interesting criminal, fuel-efficient and patient, but when I heard Jack's story, your evaluation was nothing more than a small object among small objects. I understand. So, this embarrassing development was envisioned a long time ago. Don't expect a reaction one by one, it's troublesome."

Sora took a step forward while speaking in a hoarse voice.

Facing Sora's footsteps, he couldn't even maintain his twitching smile, and the blood on John's face flowed down, and he struck back at Sora again.

However, the bullet was easily repelled by Sora's injured hand. It was no coincidence that he blocked the first strike, nor was it because he was focused that he barely managed to do it.

Not just ordinary people, but actually for a Nen-user, John was shown a feat considered superhuman, making his complexion even worse.

"Don't come!! If you come, I'll take this guy's head..."

"You don't know, if I blow it away, won't my hesitation disappear even more?"

However, Sora pointed out that the threat was meaningless before he could say it, and then he was cut off.

"The reason a hostage is valuable is precisely because it is still alive. If I kill that child, I will kill you without hesitation; I'm just giving you space.

Or rather, if I show you the greatest chance to kill that child, you won't even have time to run away or counterattack, is that okay?"

The toy that John carried with him as a trump card to harass Sora was almost useless. Sharp.

"Instead of using that child as a hostage, instead of relying on a pistol, why don't you use your powers against me?"

If you say it with a smile, John can understand. I understand it's a provocation.

However, unable to understand this point, he was even more afraid and retreated a few steps.

I cannot understand.

What an indifferent proposal, spoken in a voice lacking the passion and emotion that could be called provocation.

I do not understand the psychology of this woman before me who suggests firing the worst Magic Bullet, which is more unstoppable than a Bullet.

"Make me despair, Killer."

The Serial Killer Sora slowly approached him, showing off more anomalies in front of the anomaly. Step by step, we got closer.

Sora stared at it with those eyes devoid of meaning and value, and opened his mouth to speak.

I will tell you carefully why I am so pale.

"... Jack let his guard down the moment he thought of Atalante's reprimand during the day and dispelled the 'feeling' on Abaki. Needless to say, I was able to correctly guess the identity of the culprit because I was wary of you," she was completely relieved that Abaki was fine.

"So, for the sake of Abaki, I tried not to spoil him, not to the point of magnifying my specific emotions to a level where they wouldn't lose control. You are a worthless small-timer, but because you are a small-timer, I acknowledge you as a big game; your bad taste stands out."

Deciding to look for something of value and meaning, Sora suppressed his burning anger and immediately threw John into the furthest, deepest "death" within Direct Death, dragging him out; he closed the distance while concealing his wish to save the hostage child. Example.

In order to completely destroy and kill the stage created by this annoying Killer Clown, he denied everything.

"Wanting to deepen feelings for Abaki is not just frustration and trouble. This is nothing more than the pleasure of guarding this place before the main course."

Didn't you set it with a 'certain word' to activate the feeling that enhances those emotions? Giving Abaki and Jack the greatest despair.

... So Jack was docile and handed over his head without any resistance.

"It was precisely because I let my guard down that it triggered. There was no problem with Abaki. So, in order not to give you the despair you wanted, that child simply accepted being killed by Abaki."

Jack told me.

John was still at his house and had not fled this town. There is, but most importantly, in order to minimize the loss of control of Abaki's own intense emotions, I did not want to include unnecessary information, so as the story went on, Jack himself was barely able to take action, and Sora felt deeply sorry for the meaning Atalante saw.

"You don't have enough patience to satisfy two or three cases a year. You are an idiot who thinks you will be fine without any guarantee or reason."

A long time ago, you escalated to the point where you ended. Not satisfied with harassing children who go unnoticed, like children in the slums who are ignored after they leave, he began to dabble with children who have parents.

... Even if you do nothing, you cannot be satisfied with accelerating the end of a parent-child relationship that might happen one day."

Jack thought the "Nen" hanging on Abaki had completely fallen off. Perhaps unlike before, a certain word was the Switch to activate the ability, so unless the Switch was pressed, it was in a state close to a "Shadow".

This is why Jack did not realize it, because he was relieved that it was already fine, and also because he wanted to appease Abaki, fearing the worst-case scenario and the guilt of hurting Jack.

So Jack smiled and told his mother as much as he could.

"Mom, I love you," she said.

Abaki and Jack loved each other deeply, and it is hard to imagine this would trigger a terrible pleasure.

This is why the crazy emotions were strengthened and amplified to a point where fangs should not have been bared.

"... Don't you have the same 'feeling' for the victims Atalante found?"

When a child uses "I love you" to express love for their parents, when I feel incomparably happy and loved because of that kindness, the anxiety born from being loved... the fear of losing my beloved child, and the feeling of losing a loved one. "Lose it. Before it is taken away, I would rather do it myself."... Usually, you wouldn't even notice the madness born from this kind of thing, raising subtle emotions to the maximum, driving "parents crazy, and handing over the child. You made me hang."

Thus, Abaki had no choice but to pinch his neck and apologize to Jack while crying, her face full of fear and wrinkled.

This is true, but it is absolutely not true. If the anxiety caused by loving my child, and the madness caused by this anxiety that is too subtle to be true, are amplified in an instant to the point where reason evaporates in an instant. The ability to resist only after growing up.

Emotions were strengthened to the point where even the thought of resisting was erased.

So Abaki, because she loved Jack, because she was incomparably happy with her feelings for Jack, and because she did not want to lose him, she could only cry and apologize while being swallowed by madness.

And because Jack knew everything the moment Abaki's hand touched his neck, he simply offered his head, his life.

I don't know what effect it would have on those children who are still in the Dead Nen, but even if they accepted Abaki's madness leading to their second death, what would they do? Without resentment and despair, I gave everything, hoping my mom would feel at ease.

The hand wrapped around the neck, the face twitching in terror, and the continuous tears proved that they already had everything they wanted.

Jack was fine with this.

I was wary of John from the beginning, so I wasn't trapped "just in case," and even if I was, I knew everything, so I don't think my mom betrayed me. It's fine because it didn't.

But this is Jack's story, and he knows everything.

"And the children, for no reason, were betrayed at the worst moment, so they must surely feel despair and hatred."

If you apply "Nen" that amplifies hatred and despair to that child, then even if you do nothing afterwards, when the ability activates, the Shoko will open, the aura will amplify, and they will awaken as a genius. However, the parents are also in a state where their pores are open because the same Malice is too strong, so in nine out of ten cases, the child can only lose to the parents and die. Using the energy of the dead as Material, a spirit of revenge against the parents is produced.

No wonder, seven people were born with Dead Nen capable of Physical Interference."

I don't know how far I calculated, but if my understanding of "Nen" is only what Abaki taught me, it might not have been something I created on purpose, but a product of chance. Abaki only learned about the spirits of the dead after meeting Jack, so John might not have known of the existence of such things at all in the beginning.

However, with an extremely hateful purpose, deliberately letting loving parents and children hurt and kill each other, the result was cultivating parents into anxiety, fear, and madness, and cultivating children into hatred and despair. Despair began to appear... I just continued, because it was interesting.

Saying what he had noticed, Sora took another step toward John.

The closer Sora got, the more John shrank back and fled, but he didn't realize that in a few more steps his back would hit the Wall, and he was already at a dead end.

Without any intention of letting him escape, Sora continued his words. To John, he gave his all.

"The reason the target is a parent who 'definitely has abuse or is strongly suspected of being abused' might be because this matter is out of self-protection, but what you want to see more is the abused parent. Because I want to trample on the bond between a child who believes in parental love and a parent who truly loves their child, even if they abuse him in the most cruel and despicable way."

Your prey should be more and more people who are suffering from your worst emotional enhancement. Seven victims in three years is not because you are patient or cautious, but because you are the only parent who truly loves their children.

Abaki and Jack were the targets, but that person knew you were Nen, so it doesn't matter if you are jealous of Jack or shut up.

Having already escalated, you who can no longer be stopped were blinded by the fact that not only the 7 pairs of parents and children, but even the victims of this house did not know, and escalated further.

I don't want to break up a family that is about to break, but I want to destroy the harmonious bond between parent and child, so I happened to appear in front of you, aiming at the Abaki who believed in you, you didn't doubt me, right?"

As I spoke, I remembered how "John Wayne Gacy" in my world was physically and emotionally abused by his father, and even though he denied his existence, he loved him.

Perhaps it was because this boy of the same name had a similar family environment that he became so twisted and rotten.

Perhaps the worst way to destroy the connection between parent and child is to be jealous of those who get what they want.

I thought so, but I only thought so.

I have no sympathy. With nowhere to put it, she put her thoughts in the least used corner of her head and lowered the hand protecting her respiratory system from the stench.

Exposing his entire face, without fear, without anger, without mockery, and not even condescension, a bored, pale-faced Killer Clown Killer Clown said:

"I already know all your performances, everything is as I imagined, the unexpected parts are just products of chance. Nature is the worst, but everything is the worst because you are a small-timer."

Others' despair is the worst stage, and the audience's impression of John is spitting out words that make him meaningless and worthless.

Even Sora himself does not truly understand the meaning of this scene. But I do not want to show my anger, hatred, and discomfort in front of this guy.

Because he wants to see other people's emotions—anger, sadness, despair—and precisely because this is a stage that has casually accumulated so many deaths, Sora will surely discover the meaning of this stage.

Deciding not to show despair, Sora announces the end of the action.

"Boring, you."

Continuing to perform the stage created by John Wayne Gacy, 'Killer Clown Killer Clown', and everything he himself likes to watch, denying that I tried my best.

"Shut up!!"

Listening to Sora's words, impressions, and declarations, John is driven to a Kabedon, throwing away the pistol in his hand.

I squeeze out as much Aura as possible, shooting it out from my palms with all my might.

The mass of Qi, as large as Sora's torso, is physically sufficient to deal with melee Bullet, but of course, for better or worse, this twisted, rotting clown only shoots straight and simple melee Bullet, there is no reason to release it.

Even if overwhelmed by Sora's madness, bewildered by an anomaly greater than himself, John can still pour all his power into that breath because of the bewilderment.

Enhance emotions.

The greatest fear, anxiety, and despair.

Even if you have absolutely no such feelings for John, even if you hadn't realized it while you were alive, somewhere, somewhere, your fear and anxiety about something will destroy your heart; it is a Container. In order to amplify it as much as possible, and also to further strengthen the despair generated by that amplified emotion and destroy it, I shot it.

John did not notice.

This is exactly the scenario Sora envisioned.

He does not know that he has long been pulled down from the position of protagonist, screenwriter, and director; the stage he sees and the play he is acting in are no longer the scenes he painted.

"You say you know everything, don't you?"

The shot breath, Nen Bullet, along with the words spat out by the azure gaze, and the flash of the right hand, are all slashed and erased.

If he had "Ken" his arms like he did when rebounding Bullet, John would still be saved.

In a light "Wrap" state, let alone "Ken", Sora uses a slight movement that could even drive away annoying bugs to cut off John's Aura with all his might.

John's torn Aura disappears the moment it is touched. It is not something with substance; it is an Enhancer of things without substance, such as emotions, so if you are not good at it, you cannot get rid of it, just like you can expose your heart as a type of Aura instead of wearing it on your body like armor from an ordinary person. It has been studied in Abaki and Atalante.

When John's Aura touches the opponent's Aura, it becomes contaminated, and certain emotions are enhanced, causing one to lose oneself.

It should be, it should be, but John's Aura is no longer Life Energy; it just melts.

Decrement. Death.

Sora is unwavering.

He has a pair of beautiful eyes, possessing a heavenly beauty, yet he is bored, judging the other party as "worthless."

No fear, no anxiety, no despair.

Instead, push.

"It's over now, John Wayne Gacy. If your cheesy games and play are to continue, you will only feel despair yourself."

Announcing the end. Pointing out that it is already a dead end.

"Shut up!"

But John still refuses to accept the ending. Refusal.

John pushes the boy he is holding toward Sora.

Sure enough, Sora cannot ignore it; since coming to this house, for the first time, Sora is not mocking, displeased, or pale-faced.

Taking this opportunity, John escapes to the back of the house.

You could say he hasn't given up, but this is not an active move. Rather than struggling, it is better to escape reality.

He continues his frustrating struggle, saying that if he dies, it will be fine.

"Hahaha! Despair, I told you to let me go!

Do you still think that is the only toy still alive!?"

While speaking, he laughs crazily, shouting like a loser.

While declaring that there is another child hit by his rotting desires, he once again tempers his own Aura.

Before, I shot out as much Aura as possible, so the power is unknown, but even so, I recalled the torture I had accumulated before, I came up with enough Aura to shock him to death, and then squeezed it out again.

Facing the toys that have been pushed together with the victims so far and tied up with handcuffs and thick ropes..., to the door of the basement disguised as an ordinary underground storage room, trying to hit the floor with momentum. Raising the collected arms.

"So you say you know everything!"

Sora shouts loudly while holding the pushed-away teenager, without impatience or remorse, showing the freshness of this place full of stench and Malice.

"Now!! Ah rice field a um hoof!!"

Even without Sora's call, it was as if she had sensed it, and let go.

Just as she spoke, a Spirit Arrow shot out from under the ground, smashing through the floor door that served as the basement entrance.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Atalante's Spirit Arrow struck John's arms before he could release his Aura, as well as the floor.

He had already used up most of his Aura against Sora, and although he was an Enhancer, his special and perverse ability to enhance emotions rather than his physical body backfired; despite being wrapped in Aura, it was ineffective. It was useless as armor, and John's hands were blown apart up to the elbows.

And amidst the shattered floor, Atalante, who had covered her face from the nose down with a handkerchief, swayed like a Ghost, emitting a gloomy aura.

In many respects, this was a rather terrifying scene, but Sora laughed to himself as he untied the child he was holding and spoke to Atalante.

"Ahahahaha! Atalante, great timing!!"

"Shut up, you idiot!! I'm in the worst mood!!"

"But thanks to Atalante, I stopped that idiot from letting out one last fart!"

"That makes me happy, of course, but do you know!? The feeling of holding on until your signal, only to see the thing I most wanted to save surrounded by rotting corpses!!"

"Yes!

For some reason, Sora laughed at a strange moment, while Atalante was angry at Sora for abandoning John, who had lost his arms to Atalante, so there was not a hint of tension, and the atmosphere was surprisingly relaxed.

The relaxed atmosphere left the children in Sora's arms and the three children hiding behind Atalante dumbfounded.

... The physical torture and mental torture made her emotions grow stronger, made her unable to numb her own fear and despair, the children who should have regained the feeling of "confusion."

It is not just because we saw the person who oppressed us killed, but because of the warmth of those who did not abandon us, who embraced us, because I know the warmth of tears.

Because I understand from the temperature that these people, even if they do not stifle their own emotions, will not hurt themselves.

This is why that temperature slightly but surely evokes a cold feeling.

However, the awakening feeling was immediately frozen by the "fear" of ice.

"You... you... how are you here!?"

"Since when... why... you... killing each other... why... here... you... what... then..."

Both of his arms were blown off by Atalante's aura, and John twisted his body, unable to even control his wounds to stop the bleeding; he did not understand why Atalante had stayed in the basement for so long, covered in blood, tears, and snot, I asked while...

Hearing this question, the children became terrified again, their whole bodies stiffened, and Atalante held the children to protect them from John, but only glared at him with murderous eyes, not answering the question.

However, Sora answered calmly.

"From the beginning, Atalante had completely disappeared, the dead were still alive in your house, very likely to become your hostages, to kill me at the last minute. I was acting alone to see if anyone was missing, and to take precautions and protect them."

"Well, in other words, I am the bait to attract your attention."

Sora did not know what the point was in regarding this man's actions as "boring" and excluding him.

I know this is nothing more than Sora's self-satisfaction.

However, I deliberately spoke this way, and suppressing the anger of wanting to kill him now is also worth it.

Slowly, slowly, making it look boring, even though it is Extreme, binding it with fear so as not to cause despair, but without giving it any room to maneuver, focusing entirely on oneself, making it look like "Absolute." Even if the murdered Atalante broke into the house to look for it, he did not notice.

If I can buy a certain amount of time, if I can buy at least a certain amount of time, Atalante will enter this house without knowing it. Even if I can't find the room where the victims are hiding, if I really want to do the last terrible thing, I will go there, so if I know, both Sora and Atalante have long-range attacks. It is a rather sloppy plan that can be stopped anyway, but Atalante brilliantly discovered where the children were being held and successfully carried out a surprise attack.

It's just that this is an extremely simple matter that cannot be called a strategy or a plan, but John, confused by the severe pain, cannot understand it.

The reason I cannot understand is not just because of the severe pain.

"Why... why kill each other... you are cooperating!?"

"Why are you alive? Why, why... why should I maximize your hatred... you... you... ignore Jack's words and try to kill Abaki... talk about your comrades. Even if you try to kill me without asking!! Why... why why..."

In John's view, although he could not believe that the other half who should have been killing each other was still alive and safe, it was also too late for the two people who were killing each other to trust and cooperate with each other. Atalante yelled, not understanding that her feelings for Atalante were not only resolved, but she also did not seem to regret the recklessness she caused.

At this time, Atalante made the half of her face not covered by the handkerchief look terrifying because of its beauty, and glared at John even more.

That face was exactly the same as when I saw Abaki strangling Jack.

But Atalante did not attack. I told him to spit it out while clenching his hand until it bled.

"... Indeed, I tried to kill your victim Abaki in front of Jack, as well as Jack's mother who saved Jack."

"Abaki is the perfect victim, but I am not. Even if he was strengthened and amplified by you, it is not because he wanted to kill you that he wanted to kill you, but his obsession drove you to have to kill him, even if you didn't want to kill him. This is my unmistakable intention, my intention is that I tried to kill Abaki in the middle of the night by calling him a 'Demon'.... This is my true intention."

Of course, I didn't even consider what Jack, who wanted to save Abaki, really wanted, just wanting to impose self-righteous things on Jack.

Even thinking about it now, I was selfish and did the worst thing I could think of, but that was my own fault."

Atalante accepted John's excuse for setting aside all sins.

This was never my true intention, but I cannot throw it away.

From the moment I first met Abaki, I knew Abaki was not bad, but even if I couldn't guarantee that I could provide such selfless service, my selfish true intention was to hurt my children for whatever reason. I cannot forgive the existence of parents in my mouth.

It is not a sense of justice, not even the self-righteousness I think of as a parent, but the selfishness of a child who wants to have such a parent, I was just looking forward to such a thing.

If it were a young child, this expectation would be tolerable, but Atalante no longer allows such expectations, I refuse to be an adult and continue to hope that I am still a child.

Therefore, Sora's words at that time should be criticized.

Sora had no reason to apologize. Not to get rid of the feelings for Atalante, just saying that even if said directly from the front, it would be of no use.

It is natural that Jack does not allow this.

After all, Atalante still holds a grudge against the Hunter, who undoubtedly saved her at the risk of his life out of good intentions.

I can't help but hate the Hunter wildcat who killed my mother, even though I think it's natural that I don't understand.

This is why Atalante is here now.

I feel like I am about to be crushed by self-loathing because of what I have done, my selfish, ugly, and stupid true intentions. Knowing the possibility of doing so, even if he really saw it, he did not "He bent his knees, tore off the handkerchief covering his face, hid the children behind his back, and stood in front of them." I said, looking at John.

I will turn to John and tell him why I am here.

"I am the culprit. I am the one who committed the crime. I am the one who has not been forgiven."

... But that girl relies on me. In order to save Abaki, to prevent other victims, to save the current victims, that child, please stand up... because they said so! Jack said, so I am here now.

Because she tried to forgive me for doing the most unforgivable thing, because she thought I was also a victim, because she tried to forgive me... that is why I am that girl. I must be a forgiving person so that they can forgive me!!"

Given Jack's guidance and the despair of denying Atalante's actions and wishes, I was shocked and fainted for less than 5 minutes.

Just when I thought Sora handed Atalante to Jack, he handed it over and immediately said: "Get up!" Obviously, he handed it to Jack because it was difficult to hit him while holding it.

Of course, seeing Jack again after waking up was like torture for Atalante at that time, Atalante could only say "I'm sorry" for a moment, but that endless apology was soon stopped physically by Sora's headbutt when asked to "listen to me."

Atalante did not complain about being hit so much, but hid in her shell with guilt, self-loathing, and despair, not even realizing that she had seriously injured Sora, but stood up. The child who should have made her despair.

Jack said.

He was very sorry, and one could see at a glance that he felt a sense of guilt toward Atalante, not hatred, and he begged Atalante to do something that should have been unforgivable to those children, just like John.

"Please. Mom, help us."

He asked me.

This is the reason.

This is the only reason why Atalante had no choice but to stand up, look forward, not give up, and move forward.

A salvation that can be satisfied, discovered, and survived by being sober.

"Trampling on the salvation of those children is my ugly fact, but my sincerity started with wanting to save them... I have no time to blame myself, sit down and look down with regret, there is no such thing!!"

I am here to fulfill the wish of that child who relies on me, who should not be able to forgive me.

That is... unforgivable, because even a guilty fool like me is allowed... because this is the privilege of an adult."

Atalante's face was almost streaming with tears, as if feeling proud of herself, she made a powerful declaration, then turned and smiled at Sora.

"Right?" Sora answered with a smile, as if seeking agreement.

"Yes," he said with a smile, affirming her and his own privilege, and replied that he was realizing it.

"Atalante, cool!"

The child dreamed of being able to exercise that privilege correctly, actually wanting to cry, to complain, to rely on others, to be pampered, yet still gritted his teeth, stood, looked forward, and was looked down upon. He jokingly affirmed that it was a symbolic future.

These words made Atalante cry even harder, but somehow, he still held back the welling tears and turned to face John Wayne Gacy again.

"It's all over, John Wayne Gacy. So stop rampaging and losing so much blood, it's annoying."

I turned around, unable to bring myself to look down on John, who was writhing in extreme agony, writhing in pain.

To be honest, I am not satisfied with just blowing off my arms; I want to kill him now, but even if I kill someone who wouldn't regret it even if he went to trial, Atalante would not be able to bear the unpleasant emotions on his shoulders. I have no intention of killing him, because if I treat him as a dead person, that would be the worst.

But of course, I didn't want to give Atalante treatment. All she did was offer some Suggestion.

Of course, John didn't hear that Suggestion, nor did he hear it.

Perhaps because he was bleeding too heavily and no longer had the strength to toss and turn, John knelt and hugged his arms, which had lost their elbows, sobbing and crying in pain.

Sora watched John like this, took out some Treatment Gems and handed them to Atalante, then placed the remaining gems between his fingers to show her, declaring to her.

"I will stop the bleeding. You don't want to touch him anyway, do you?"

"……Ah. Sorry."

"You've seen the most disgusting things in the basement, so it's flat."

I would be sad if I died here, but I couldn't bear to treat her to keep her alive, and not just Atalante, perhaps Sora as well.

This is why Atalante apologized to Sora, but Sora quoted something he didn't show because he wanted to do so, and stole the guilt from Atalante.

Atalante didn't realize that doing such a thing would make him feel even more guilty, so Atalante sighed because it was too stupid to point out, and handed the gems Sora gave him to the parts of the child's body that were particularly severely injured, down and healing.

"No... no... hurts... hurts... I don't want to die..."

How can you say such things now? Responding to the sound of heartbreaking sobs.

"You don't want to die?"

The cute voice that sounded like a bell was not Sora's.

Involuntarily, Atalante looked back forcefully at the familiar girl's voice.

Unexpectedly, Sora also rolled his eyes and stopped.

I stopped, just watching.

A cute girl in a white dress around 10 years old.

Jack was there.

Sora, Atalante, the victimized children, and John, who was sobbing on the ground, just stared at Jack, who was standing beside John and looking down at him.

No one asked Jack, "Why are you here?" or "When?"

In the ordinary Atalante, if Jack approached John, regardless of her identity or John's injuries, she would shout "Stay away from her! It's dangerous!!", but she just rolled her eyes and said nothing. Nothing.

To that extent, no one could understand to the point of being overwhelmed.

Even less understandable is that Jack came, even less understandable is how he suddenly came, and I cannot understand Jack looking down at John, who can be said to be his mortal enemy, with a gentle smile full of affection.

Jack didn't seem to care at all that everyone was paying attention to him, his ice-blue eyes looked down at John gently, and he tilted his head again to ask.

"You don't want to die? Do you want to live?"

They asked John in a gentle voice, just like a mother asking a child who had fallen, "Can you walk?"

To this question, John's thoughts were disrupted by the intense pain and the fact that his arms had been blown apart, and he answered too frankly.

"I don't want to die."

Speaking his initial wish.

Without a doubt, filled with his pain and fear of the coming death, John didn't even realize that Jack was smiling at him for no reason.

From the beginning, he hadn't noticed anything.

Jack thought Abaki taught him "Nen" just like himself, and he was a child with more talent than Abaki.

Unexpectedly, the Nen Ability itself was the Dead's Nen.

"……Yes."

So I don't know.

What kind of ending my answer to Jack's question would lead to, the meaning of the smiling face of the little Madonna full of compassion, and the following words—

"Then oh mother distinction..."

John, the children, and Atalante didn't know.

I couldn't understand a single word of Jack's.

Only Sora could do it. No, even Sora was just a premonition at this time.

However, because she was closest to "death," she was more sensitive to "death," sniffed, and continued to run away. Twitching her face in horror, she jumped about two meters away from Jack in one breath, keeping her distance.

"——Annunciation Jack the Ripper."

Fluctuating at the same time.

At the same time as Sora's movement and Jack's muttering, Jack's figure flashed away like heat haze.

Atalante, paralyzed by Sora's movements and Jack's incredible smile and words, came back to her senses and shouted: "Jack!!" shouted.

Shouting and reaching out.

Although he had lost his arms and his will to fight, although Jack himself was Undead Nen, he was still a Nen Ability user who could not be let down.

No, anyway, it was impossible for Atalante to do anything to the child next to the murderer.

Even if it was Jack, not John, his appearance and behavior were strange, and the atmosphere was also very disturbing.

Therefore, very late, Atalante reached out and pulled Jack away from John.

"!? You can't, Atalante!!"

However, just as I reached out to run, I was stopped by Sora from behind.

"!? What are you doing!? Let go!!"

Sora's actions made hot blood surge into his head again; Atalante roared at him in the same way he did when electrified by John, and tried to separate Sora's arm from his neck and torso, but Sora was even stronger than when he jumped down. With Atalante's Hotel.

He did not let go, shouting at the bewildered child beside him.

"Don't look at me either!! Close your eyes and cover your ears!!"

"What the fuck are you saying..."

As expected, Atalante was interrupted by his own words and actions, asking, but before he could finish all his questions, the answer came out.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"

A scream rang out.

A man's scream.

This was not a scream of fear or shock.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, I'm sorry, forgive me, stop!!!"

A burst of intense pain and a scream for mercy rang out simultaneously, along with the sound of scraping, crushing, and stirring.

The room, which should have been filled with the foul stench of the basement victims, was filled with an even thicker smell of blood.

"...... Th-this... what is this? What on earth... what happened..."

Atalante and the children who had been warned not to look immediately turned their eyes toward the source of the screaming, all the children standing frozen with wide eyes, and Atalante asked with trembling lips.

I could imagine what was happening from the screams, the sounds, and the smell of blood, but I didn't know what was happening.

Because that was the scream, the sound, the smell, at the edge of the room where John and Jack should have been a few seconds ago, covered in white mist.

It was like there was an invisible Wall or something; the mist would never disperse, but it would never disappear, like a cloud in the room.

At some point, the screaming stopped abruptly.

But the sound did not stop.

"...... Atalante. Innocence and kindness are different."

Sora said while holding Atalante's back, rather than strangling it.

Although Sora's voice felt distant, Atalante vaguely felt he could hear it clearly.

The gurgling sound of scraping things forcefully greatly diminished, replaced by the soft, mushy sound of stirring things with water, while the color of the mist gradually changed.

From white to red, the red became closer to black, and as the color of the mist turned reddish-black, the cloud-like mist became smaller.

When the mist became the size of a volleyball, it spat what was inside onto the floor.

"That child was not tainted, so even if many people merged Together, they could create a completely unified personality."

But people are human because they have both good and bad. It is wrong to ask that child to be human when there are no impurities.

...... That child's state is about the same as a fairy."

Although he could hear Sora's voice, Atalante did not know what he was saying.

Understanding nothing, Atalante could only watch.

Biga biga biga!! And the sound of water and wet things being pounded.

The four children saw the mist spray onto the floor and fainted on the ground.

Although the children fell, Atalante did nothing. I could do nothing.

However, I looked at Sora's arm with a pale face, the arm that stopped me, and my trembling hand gripped it tightly.

In the large amount of fresh blood, fragments of ears, claws, and scalp floated like they were swimming.

Sora spoke to Atalante, who was speechless at the remains of John being hacked, stirred, and squeezed alive, and the mist gradually turned into a human shape.

"That kid... they probably didn't mean anything, this isn't revenge."

Because those children weren't born, they just wanted to live... so no matter who they were, I couldn't leave them alone.

"I don't want to die" and "I want to live" cannot be abandoned.

...... But those children were never born. They had no choice but to do this because they were born from their mother's womb through death, and most of them were... miscarried children. This is all I know.

It's not like we want to recruit them to join us. I just tried to fulfill a wish, if you don't want to die, if you want to live, 【garbled text】 I did it.

I just didn't know what to do, I couldn't do it. And in order for those children to 'be mothers', I had no choice!

Those children only lived in the womb, and it was precisely because they died that they came out... and because they died without a trace of stain, they grasped the life of 'Jack', so they could only do this.

By cutting and stirring those objects that wish "I don't want to die," just like we ourselves are still alive, and squeezing everything that makes them human out along with the body. We will filter the soul aura, make it as pure as ours... and then put it into its womb."

Having said so much, Sora raised his head.

Raise your face, and smile with a face that looks like it's about to cry.

From the mist, she turned back into the appearance of a young girl... Jack, with an extremely mature, lonely smile, affectionately stroked her lower abdomen and said the answer he had come up with.

"That is... the ability of you, the Dead Spirit known as 'Jack', is it not?"