However, Akai's psychological state remained firm. He frowned and turned his head slightly, suppressing the nausea churning in his chest, raised his hand to fire once more.
This was no time for leniency.
He grit his teeth, lunged upward, used one person's shoulder to brace himself as he kicked toward another person's head.
A bullet from seven hundred yards away struck the enemy's brain with precision once again—with two threats to contend with, the opponent had to keep an eye on Akai while remaining wary of that Sniper, which significantly relieved the pressure on Akai.
He pursed his lips and took the opportunity to fire a bullet into the heart of the man who was roaring because his Companion had died.
The last enemy had also fallen.
Akai looked at the seven corpses. Only an hour ago, they had been swaggering around, but an hour later, they lay on the ground, cold and bloody.
The black-haired youth's gaze was vacant, yet his mind thought with a cold, almost ruthless rationality: if he had been careless just now, he would likely be one of the corpses lying here.
And now, I am still alive.
Akai blinked, his green eyes clearing once more. He reached up to clutch his chest, but the movement pulled at the wound on his arm, causing him to gasp sharply.
As the pain surged, even someone with Akai's temperament couldn't help but contort his features; a searing heat rushed from his chest straight to his brain, reminding him that despite wearing a bulletproof vest, several of his ribs were still broken.
For a moment, he really wanted to just collapse on the ground and not move at all.
But a sense of crisis screamed at him, his reason reminded him to leave this place immediately—safety was only temporary; if he didn't hurry, someone would likely arrive very soon.
He moved with heavy breaths, his left fingers barely hooking the gun to prevent it from falling.
Now, is there anywhere nearby that is "safe"?
..
The disheveled youth struggled to push open the door.
He barely managed to steady himself; otherwise, the moment he pushed the door open, he likely would have collapsed as well.
Akai Shuichi leaned heavily against the wall at the rooftop entrance, supporting himself on one leg. His left thigh had seemingly been shot, aside from the pain, he could no longer feel the limb at all.
Gasping for breath, the pain in his chest steadily eroded his willpower. Akai Shuichi kept his eyes half-closed, his handsome features now covered in bloodstains—some belonging to others, some his own.
He could faintly smell a stench of blood on himself, he wasn't sure if it was an illusion, but Akai felt that breathing was becoming difficult. Strands of his black hair were matted together, the wound on his arm was still bleeding, dripping drop by drop from his right fingertips.
The moment the door opened, he saw that Gin had already stowed his Sniper Rifle and was standing at the edge of the rooftop, nonchalantly smoking a cigarette.
The Silver-haired youth turned at the sound, his cold and stern face remaining devoid of any emotion, his icy gaze looking down upon all struggles from a position of absolute detachment.
Sunlight spilled over him, Akai gazed at Gin's cold face against the light; he seemed to be shrouded in a layer of radiance, his silver hair shimmering with a cold luster.
Those green eyes remained clear and cold, yet Akai keenly sensed the storm brewing beneath the frozen depths.
He heard a suppressed laugh rumble in Gin's throat, his expression filled with an eager excitement, like a Lion King ready to strike, as if he could plunge his claws into an enemy's neck and snatch away their life at any moment.
He felt excited by the danger.
Coincidentally," Akai thought, "so do I.
The wind on the rooftop was strong, blowing the black hair from Akai's forehead as he watched Gin step toward him.
His black trench coat flapped loudly, billowing in the wind in a beautiful arc, like the pitch-black wings of a crow, signaling an ominous omen.
Akai seemed to see a ferocious gaze from destiny itself.
He walked toward him.
The angle of the light shifted, the phantom vanished in an instant.
The Silver-haired youth looked at him with a half-smile and tossed something his way.
Akai managed to take it, he opened his hand to take a look.
It was a magazine.
“Well done.” A rare compliment from the Silver-haired youth reached Akai's ears. He turned to look at Gin, but saw only his back.
Gin stopped in his tracks.
Akai tried his best to stay lucid; he heard Gin's low voice, which sounded like metal grinding against stone, hoarse and carrying a certain unique rhythm.
I'm going to deal with some tails. Stay here and wait for me.
Load the magazine. If any fish slip through the net, kill them.
Akai wondered if he was losing too much blood. Otherwise, how could he have heard Gin laughing?
Remember to save a bullet for yourself," that thick, husky voice carried a hint of amusement. "Though, I don't think you'll need it.
Gin turned to look at him, his voice lazy and deep.
The one with the great luck.
Akai thought to himself that he was actually smiling.
..
When he woke up again, he was in the Black Organization's Medical Department.
Akai forced his eyes open, for a moment, his mind went blank. The incandescent light on the ceiling was so bright it made his eyes ache.
And there was the familiar smell of disinfectant, too strong and somewhat pungent.
"You're finally awake," a cold female voice rang out.
She subconsciously tensed her muscles and looked up to see an unfamiliar Woman; her gray eyes were filled with a deathly stillness, making him feel a chill in her heart just by looking at them.
The Woman looked him up and down and said indifferently, "You're awake."
Her tone was as stiff as if she were saying, "Why aren't you dead yet?"
Akai decided to be carefree and not hold a grudge against him, otherwise, he would be the one dying of anger.
“How long have I been unconscious?” The black-haired youth's voice was still somewhat weak as he relaxed—the tension from just a moment ago seemed to have agitated his wound. Lying listlessly on the hospital bed, he stared at the white-painted ceiling, feeling as if he could hear his bodily functions restarting. Memories from before his unconsciousness surged into his mind bit by bit, making his head swim.
Five days. You've recovered reasonably well," the Woman said, her tone so unprofessional she would have certainly been reported if she were in a formal hospital. "When you were brought in, you looked like a doll that had been stabbed, beaten, thrown around.
"That exaggerated?" Akai raised an eyebrow.
A gunshot wound to the shoulder, several broken ribs, one almost pierced the lung—
No wonder I find it a bit difficult to breathe." As the female doctor's cold gaze swept over him, Akai quickly and tactfully added, "Please continue—
There is also a bullet wound in your thigh, various bruises and abrasions across your body, multiple fractures, excessive blood loss.
The Female doctor stated her injuries expressionlessly, before adding one last remark: "It really wasn't easy for you to hold on long enough for Gin to drag you over here."
"Gin dragged me over?" Akai Shuichi was flattered.
He really hadn't expected that—wait, has he been abused too much?
Female doctor.. Is that the point?
"Gin's way of doing things is truly—" the Woman couldn't help but sigh, then she reverted to her stiff expression.
He set the infusion equipment aside, then, without even a word of greeting, ruthlessly pricked Akai's arm.
Akai Shuichi once again remarked that if this doctor were in a regular hospital, she would certainly be reported.
The woman turned and left immediately after completing the mission, Akai struggled to prop himself up, calling out, "Wait—"
The Female doctor turned back expressionlessly, Akai could faintly see the words "Speak up quickly" written in her eyes.
Where is my gun?
Speak up if you have something to say" instantly turned into "Is that all?", as Akai felt an inexplicable look of contempt in the Female doctor's eyes. The Woman's cold voice rang out again: "It's still here. I'll return it to you when you are discharged.
Akai breathed a sigh of relief, his head sinking back into the soft pillow.
However, the Woman did not leave just like that.
You have a scratch on your left cheek; it's a shallow wound and has already scabbed over," the Female doctor asked, her voice lacking much curiosity. "Do you know how it happened?
“……” Akai paused. “It's nothing.”
He closed his eyes, a few seconds later, he heard the sound of a door closing.
The woman had already left.
Akai opened his eyes and pressed his left hand against his left cheek.
This wound isn't deep, but it is somewhat long, it still hurts a bit when touched.
That bullet could be said to have grazed his face; at a distance of nearly seven hundred yards, it was a mere hair's breadth away from being the difference between life and death.
Yet, as the "victim," he was not angry.
Perhaps it was because.. there was no killing intent.
Four bullets, aside from the first one, each precisely took out a person.
He didn't believe that the first shot was a mistake.
He had fired a shot directly like that. Should he praise his ability, or his overwhelming confidence?
Even so, having it happen like this while he was completely off guard was truly a terrifying experience.
Akai Shuichi's green eyes shimmered with a bright light.
If it could be said that he had walked a line between life and death during this mission, then that bullet was what caused him to brush past the Grim Reaper.
But he actually didn't feel afraid.
It's truly strange.
So tired.. Akai blinked. The infusion contained a sedative, making him feel somewhat drowsy.
The silver-haired youth's final smile inexplicably surfaced in his mind.
—But at least, my abilities were finally recognized, right?
-----------------------
Author's Note: (1) I remember this being a line from some spy movie, it should be "The Impostor," right?
Second update!
The bullet grazed his left cheek; Akai felt it was merely a warning, that this was only a small part of it.
As for the more important reason, I am sure everyone understands.
Gin stated that he generally doesn't hold grudges, truly.