4-86: Serious Quarrel (3/6)

4-86: Serious Quarrel (3/6)

That was the first time Shinichi was seeing that face.

It was a face that he had never seen before despite how long hed known Takeshi.

An expression devoid of any color. A face that embodied the very concept of nothingness, where neither malice nor hatred existed. Nay, perhaps, it in fact contained all the emotions he had harbored when he lost his mother and his childhood friends.

Then again, perhaps it really was merely blank. But if so, then were his acts of vengeance and search merely meant to fill that emptiness? Even he, no, it was precisely because Shinichi was a dear friend that he was taken aback by that, and before he knew it, he had let go.

But you came back. And Daigo was fixed too! When I learned that, do you know how much I laughed? I even held my stomach and rolled around!

But then Takeshis face suddenly brightened, and Shinichi paled.

At the time, even Ein was taken aback, Takeshi said, as though he were reminiscing something funny.

But it wasnt wrong of him to do so. After all, to him, that was likely the funniest experience hes had recently.

However, to Shinichi, the smile he wore brought nothing but pain.

With this, everything will go back to normal. The world will become our toy! Lets mess the world up! If its the us right now, then we can definitely do it. We wont even let arbitrary criticisms pass!

His ramblings gradually grew even more twisted, transforming into something that was even tainted with madness. He reveled in it and indulged in a delusional world.

I mean its true right? Ever since, tragedies and comedies alike have always been at our whims!

That was a face Shinichi recognized all too well. A face that belonged to those madmen that hes faced and crushed countless times.

Enough!

Thats why he couldnt tolerate it. He clenched his limp hand in anger and mercilessly slammed it into Takeshi.

Hmm?

Shinichis fist sank into Takeshis face, but it did not distort. It was a feeble blow that even Ein did not think there was a need for him to interfere.

It was a punch that could not make even an untrained body stagger.

Though Takeshi was stunned nonetheless, and Shinichi yelled as though he were screaming at him.

No matter how much of a mess we make, aunt isnt coming back to scold us anymore!!

!

Whats the point of making a mess? What fun is there to it? It was as though Shinichi was saying that when he said those words, and Takeshi froze as though hed been caught off guard.

However, he soon twisted his lips and laughed again. The madness was gone. In its place was an expression of pure joy.

Ha, ha ha ha! Now, Im sure of it! You havent changed at all!The source of this content nov(el)bi((n))

Takeshi?

Youre exactly the same as I last remember. My best friend, a man that I can be proud of, a man that Ive always wanted to fight As expected, youre not like the rest!

If youre going that far, then what makes you think Ill let you leave this place?

The glare and that empty face that had caught countless criminals and evildoers until now were now pointed at Takeshi.

Did you really think Id come here unprepared even though we set a date?

But Takeshi just laughed it off as though he were used to it.

He had the upper hand when it came to restraining each other.

It was true that Shinichi had the strength to capture him here, and he had no way to resist normally.

But he knew where the Mask had been.

And unlike Shinichi, who was too busy, Takeshi had all the time to prepare for this reunion.

Thats why he had a way to prevent Shinichi from making a move.

But really, both Shinichi and Takeshi knew that it would come down to this.

Shinichi knew that he would have no choice but to stop Takeshi, and Takeshi knew that he would never stop.

Thats why this sort of conclusion was a given, and both parties had in fact considered how they could stop the other.

Shinichi came here last night to remove whatever mechanisms Takeshi might have set up.

In fact, he found bombs littered all over the place.

As for Takeshi, he knew that any object could become a weapon in Shinichis hands, even the gravestones themselves.

Thats why even those have been removed.

And thats why Shinichi couldnt maintain an apathetic face in front of his childhood friends fearless smile.

He was too sloppy. There was no way that he would have stopped at merely bombs and removing some objects.

The Takeshi he knew would prepare more traps than that.

He should have prepared threats too, yet Shinichi couldnt figure anything out.

Just to be safe, he kept an eye on him too, but by that point, preparations must have already completed, as Takeshi just spent his time idly with Ein.

That did little to reassure Shinichi. If anything, it made for an eerie sight.

Cold sweat trickled down him, as it seemed that he was already right in the middle of a trap he could not escape from.

Hey, Shinichi. What do you think this is?

Takeshi seemed to have read through him, for he suddenly took out something from the pocket of his suit.