The Red Hand

Chapter 284 – Akagi’s Mind Games.

At Akagi's behest Amakusa explained everything to her father. From how she was summoned to another world, hailed as Hero, to what was ultimately the task thrust before her. It was clearly uncomfortable for Amakusa to explain what she'd done during the years she'd been missing, and Akagi found it amusing to watch her squirm. Toji to his credit didn't interrupt his daughter once during her explanation, merely nodding along as she told him her story, and once she was finished he shook his head. Not in anger, but sadness.

"Shiroe... You went through so much... so far away from me..." Toji finally spoke, sorrow enveloping each of his words. "As your father, I'm overjoyed to find you alive and well. I want to smile, something I haven't done in so many years... but..." Her story left him unable to be happy with her return.

{I'm... I failed you...} (Toji)

"I mean, even a parent is going to struggle to justify her actions." Akagi chuckled as she held her Kiseru between her lips. "The pet contributed to much slaughter and destruction, and even if it was at the behest of Gods, that does not absolve her of guilt." The Demon was more annoyed with the Heroes than truly angry. She acknowledged that it would be hard for mortals to go against the will of the Gods. However, she also believed that ignorance, willful or otherwise was no defense to the atrocities they committed.

{Using Earth law as the foundation, Amakusa basically took somebody else's word that a group of people was planning mass murder and went along with a plan to kill said group in some kind of preemptive strike. I'm no lawyer, but I'm pretty sure that my little pet wouldn't be able to just tee-hee-pero her way out of that situation by blaming the Gods... Though... I wonder how many people would acquit her on the fact that Gods were the ones giving the order in question? Just another reason why haughty Gods like this irritate me...} (Akagi)

"You talk like you aren't some kind of monster. By definition aren't you even worse than me?" Amakusa glared at the Demon, figuring that it was massive hypocritical for Akagi to say criticize her. "I've heard about what you've done over these last few years. You became an assassin, killed people for money, and then proceeded to play with people's lives as if they were nothing but toys since you returned from that game!" She figured that Akagi had no right to criticize her due to her past actions. “So where do you get off casting judgment on me?!?”

{You are a psychopathic monster that exists to burn worlds to the ground! You have no right to call me out no matter how much I deserve it!} (Amakusa)

"Worse than you?" Akagi hummed as she thought about her claim. "Perhaps, but if nothing else, my actions have resulted in far fewer deaths than you." She shrugged. "My assassinations numbered in the hundreds or thousands depending on how you count each kill. As for deaths since I awoke from FWO? Those numbers are a great deal lower than one would expect for a being like me, and as Kana can attest to, I've generally refrained from killing." The highest body count came from her slaughter of Camp Katsura, and even still she'd let most of the base's personnel survive.

"I mean, not as much as I would like, but yeah..." Kana sighed, not wanting to get into it. "Onee-chan has mostly killed people that did some pretty messed up things themselves."

{Though not always...} (Kana)

"Even if you directly killed fewer people, you still took innocent lives knowing full well that what you were doing was wrong!" Amakusa didn't want to acknowledge that Akagi had any moral high ground. "My... My actions resulted in an order of magnitude more deaths... and I admit that I was foolishly swept up in the Gods' plans due to my own stupid fucking ego... But at least I thought the blood spilled would be for the greater good!" She figure that her heart being in the right place at least put her a step above Akagi.

"Ah yes, the greater good." Akagi rolled her eyes at such a stupidly cliché idea. "Insert comment about the road to hell being paved with good intentions and all that jazz, blah, blah, blah." She mocked her with a hand gesture. "Listen, I'm not going to get into a pissing contest over which one of us is more evil and terrible because, frankly, I don't fucking care. You are the pet, and I am the master. It doesn't matter what I do or if I'm being hypocritical by calling you out, and do you know why?" She let out a slightly unnerving laugh. "Because I can do whatever I want." Akagi poked Amakusa in the cheek, which caused the girl to to flinch. "As I told a certain religious man, I've already given enough kindness to this world by not enslaving its people or burning it to the fucking ground. So asking me to be some paragon of virtue is truly the height of arrogance."

{Why can't people understand something so simple?} (Akagi)

"So you think that just because you have all that power, that you can do whatever you want?" Amakusa swatted away Akagi's hand, glaring at her.

"Yes." Akagi laughed. "Laws and rules mean nothing if there is nobody to enforce them, and in my case, there exists no mechanism to bring me to justice or enforce external will upon me.” The only thing that could even try would be another Demon Lord, but Akagi figured that even then she could probably manage. “Thus, I can do whatever I want, however I want, whenever I want. And all you can do is grumble about how it's not fair, pet." She smiled as Kana slapped her forehead. "Your problem was not necessarily in your actions. It was that you were not strong enough to prevent others from bringing you to heel for what you did." Akagi pat her on the head, eliciting a groan from the pet. "By attacking my world and intending to slaughter that which belongs to me, you gave me reason to enforce my will upon you where I otherwise didn't care to.” The Demon was planning on ignoring Enoris as long as it stayed in its own lane, but that ship had sailed. “So, just think of me as the highest order of law enforcement, and what I say goes around these parts!" She laughed.

{Onee-chan...} (Kana)

"Hence why I insisted on taking you down." Amakusa huffed. "You're too dangerous too be left alive."

"Only if people give me a reason to be~" Akagi said with a slightly sing-songy tone of voice. "But that's neither here nor there at the moment." Once she was done with Amakusa, Akagi turned to Toji. "Your daughter has committed heinous crimes against countless innocent people, and came to this world with the express goal of killing those who are under my protection. I hope you can understand that I will not simply pardon her for those crimes, even if the Gods and not her are the ones I'm really after."

{This is far to big to just sweep under the rug, and I don't exactly want to either.} (Akagi)

"I understand. Then would you be willing to take my life in exchange for hers?" Toji bowed, his words shocking Amakusa, who freaked out. “My daughter's failures are my own, so please take my life in atonement for her sins.”

{Huh? Neat.} (Akagi)

"WHAT?!? Dad, no!" Amakusa panicked, fearing that she was about to lose the last member of the family that she cared for. "This is my responsibility, not yours!"

{NO!} (Amakusa)

"You would give your own life in exchange for your daughter's safety?" Akagi looked at him without showing any change in expression.

"As a parent, it is my duty to protect my children. I couldn't do that when I lost Fumiko, but if I can do that now... Then yes." Toji continued to bow.

"Hmmmmm. How interesting." Akagi gave a sidelong glance at Shima, who looked down in embarrassment.

"Dad, please, no!" Amakusa continued to panic. "This is my responsibility! You don't need to die because of what I did!"

{Am... Am I really going to...} (Amakusa)

"Would you be willing to die by your own child's hand as a requirement for such a pardon?" Akagi asked, cracking a small smile that unnerved Kana.

{Onee-chan... really?} (Kana)

"WHAT?!?" Amakusa screamed at the top of her lungs. "I WILL NOT KILL MY FATHER! NEVER!"

"Pet, would you kill your father if I asked?" Akagi asked with a massive smirk on her lips.

"Of course, master! Would you like it to be slow and painful, or quick and painless? I would gladly end my father's life if it was at your request!" Amakusa said happily as her eyes changed color. "NO!" She shook her head violently as she regained control over herself. "Stop controlling me! Get out of my head!"

"Pet, draw your blade." Akagi ordered Amakusa to put her blade to the back of her father's neck, which she did while screaming in protest.

"PLEASE NO!" Amakusa tried to stop herself, but Akagi's control was absolute and there was no resisting her commands. "TAKE MY LIFE INSTEAD! PLEASE! DON'T MAKE ME KILL DAD!"

{NO PLEASE!} (Amakusa)

"You who killed countless parents during your little crusade have no right to ask for mercy." Akagi said coldly. "Cut off his head."

{NO!} Amakusa's body moved of its own accord, and Amakusa watched in horror as she brought her blade down, severing her father's head from his neck.

*SLICE*

"NO!" Amakusa screamed in horror. "YOU BASTARD! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!"

"Shiroe, calm down!" Toji's voice snapped her out of her near-total breakdown.

"Dad?" Amakusa found herself sitting on the mat next to Akagi, her father looking up at her from the bowing position, confused. "What just? I... just... you..."

{But... I just...} (Amakusa)

"Did you enjoy yourself, pet?" Akagi chuckled as she flicked Amakusa on the side of the head.

"Onee-chan, what just happened?" Kana was confused. From her perspective, Akagi had asked Amakusa if she would kill her father, only to start freaking out after she was compelled to admit that she would. "Did you do something to her?"

{She definitely did...} (Kana)

"You... You made me... I killed Dad... I felt it... all of it..." Amakusa started to twitch. "The happiness from fulfilling your orders, the joy... I..." She clutched her sides as she freaked out further.

{I... Killing Dad... I... It felt... Good to obey...} (Amakusa)

"I just had my little pet here experience killing her father." Akagi laughed. "Before we came in here, I implanted a suggestion in her mind that would activate upon being asked if she would kill her father.” She explained what happened. “I made her imagine a scenario where I forced her to kill him, and it played out in her mind in all its horrible glory."

"That's..." Kana was a bit unnerved by such a thing.

{I guess it is better than actually making her do it but...} (Kana)

"So getting past that, to answer your question, Toji, I'm afraid that your life will not be sufficient to satisfy the Spirits and their desire for blood." Akagi pat the still twitching Amakusa on the back, breaking the Samurai girl out of her mental collapse with her power. "Not to mention that your daughter is a very fun pet, and I won't be giving her up that easily."

"I... I see..." Toji didn't really know what to say after hearing about what Akagi just did. "You are truly a cruel person, aren't you?" His words seemed to slip out subconsciously.

"To those deserving of it, yes." Akagi smiled as she took a hit from her Kiseru. "I won't deny that I might be taking a bit of my personal irritation out on your daughter." She shrugged. "Her actions indirectly caused the whole FWO incident, and I find myself caring for those who went through such an ordeal. Even I don't really get why, considering I killed so many myself, but I guess feelings aren't always logical." She gave a wry smile.

{Perhaps it comes down to my love of games? FWO was suppose to be just a fun experience and in the end it was ruined by violence and death. I have no idea... But I just can't shake this irritation... But it really doesn't matter. Its how I feel, and thinking about the why won't do me any good.} (Akagi)

"If you will not allow me to take my daughter's place, then I implore you to allow her to work to right her many wrongs." Toji bowed again. "Please..."

"Dad..." Amakusa didn't like seeing him effectively beg on her behalf.

Akagi laughed at his display of humility. "You see, Shima. This is how a parent is supposed to act." She looked at the woman who was trying to appear small. "He was willing to give his life to protect his child, and the most important thing in his life was his family. I feel like you could learn a lot from him, but that's just my opinion." Her words were laced with disdain and Shima could see the fires of anger burning in Akagi's eyes as she glanced at her.

"I..." Shima found herself lost for words, and was also slightly afraid.

"Save it." Akagi brushed her off. "I don't want to hear you prattle on anyway."

"As... As much as I detest you..." Amakusa clicked her tongue in irritation. "I do want to help make things right..." She couldn't stand Akagi's attitude, and what she'd just experienced only made her hate the Demon even further, but she truly did want to work toward fixing things.

"Even if, in the end, the Spirits still wish to put you to death?" Akagi asked.

"I don't expect to be forgiven for what I did, so once this is all over, I'll willingly submit myself to whatever punishment they have for me..." Amakusa said. "Just...

"Good." Akagi interrupted her. "Then I'll be putting you to good use, and don't forget your promise." She had a lot planned for the pet.

{For I'll be making sure to put you to good use. I may have gotten a bit carried away with my stunt just now, but that doesn't mean that I don't intend to inflict more punishment on you, pet.} (Akagi)

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