---

  One day later:

  Haruto called the Rank-2 officer again, having successfully gathered the information.

  (Rank-2) - "Tell me everything you know!"

  Haruto began recounting the details.

  "Twelve years ago, villagers intended to sacrifice a 4-year-old boy in their rituals. However, the temple monk intervened, unwilling to harm the villagers. To protect both the boy and the village, the monk made a difficult decision. He told the villagers, 'When this boy turns 13, I will sacrifice myself instead.' The villagers believed the boy to be a demon, a powerful one who even manipulated the monk. That's why they called him 'Shouten-doji'. Before he died, the monk instructed the villagers never to reveal to Shouten-doji the truth about his sacrifice."

  (Rank-2) - "I'm coming there. When you hear panic, come to the temple!"

  Time passed, and after one day:

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  Shouten-doji continued guarding the temple. A middle-aged man entered.

  "Oh, that crazy monk built a nice temple!"

  (Shouten-doji) - "Another yakuza?"

  The girls hid behind a pillar. The middle-aged man, tall and wearing sunglasses, faced Shouten-doji.

  (Shouten-doji) - "Hey, middle-aged dude. Leave this place before I kill you!"

  The man replied, "Why should I leave? This temple is very dear to me!"

  Without hesitation, Shouten-doji attacked, but the man dodged. Shouten-doji attempted a 360° tornado kick, but the man blocked it.

  The man said, "You're misunderstanding! I'm not your enemy!"

  (Shouten-doji) - "Huh?"

  After a few moments, they sat inside the temple.

  The man introduced himself as Nagami.

  (Nagami) - "Why did you attack me?"

  (Shouten-doji) - "Because I didn't know you and thought you were Yamazaki!"

  (Nagami) - "Well, I am... but not your enemy. Let me reintroduce myself. I'm Nagami, an old friend of the monk. I assume you're his disciple. Why didn't I see you at the monk's funeral?"

  (Shouten-doji) - "I don't have permission to leave this temple."

  (Nagami) - "So, you don't know the truth?"

  (Shouten-doji) - "The truth?"

  (Nagami) - "I believe you deserve to know. The villagers killed the monk."

  While listening, Shouten-doji felt neither sadness nor guilt. His mind went blank.

  Shouten-doji created a false reality where he believed himself to be a demon. He had deduced the truth long ago but had suppressed it to live peacefully. Now, his mind held nothing back.

  The human mind is truly fascinating.

  Shouten-doji's fabricated scenario had a purpose: revenge. Do you understand? What does a demon do to humans?

  Yes, he kills them.

  Shouten-doji stood up and ran toward the village chief's wife. He grabbed her face and slammed her into a pillar, breaking it. Without pause, he punched the daughter and then killed both of them. But he didn't stop there; he slaughtered the entire village. Eventually, the yakuza managed to recruit him. In just three years, he rose to the top rank, Rank-0, within the yakuza gang. He descended fully into darkness.

  Vincenzo was the one who helped him emerge from that darkness. Vincenzo renamed him Jonas.

  -