I said you are all war criminals

Pushing open the heavy glass door of the game store, a distinct odor of sweat, cigarette smoke, and cheap perfume hit him. Rintaro frowned slightly, but then relaxed. It's been so long since I last smelled this.

The shop was dimly lit, the air thick with the cacophony of electronic sounds. Several young people huddled around a racing game console, shouting and yelling as the screen flashed with exaggerated lights and shadows. In the corner, a gray-haired old man was intently playing Tetris, mumbling to himself.

Rintaro's eyes swept across the rows of old arcade machines, finally stopping at a machine called "Metal Slug." A nostalgic smile played on his face; this was his favorite during his school days.

He walked over to the machine and inserted a coin. The familiar opening music played, and a pixelated image appeared on the screen. Rentaro gripped the joystick, his fingers deftly manipulating the virtual character, which began to jump and shoot.

"Da da da da da..."

The crisp sound of gunfire echoed in the dim game room, and Rentaro seemed to have returned to his carefree youth.

Nowadays, arcades have become increasingly rare. They've been replaced by more convenient PCs and home consoles. Their high-definition graphics, realistic sound effects, and comfortable gaming environment are all things arcades can't match.

However, Rintaro himself still prefers the atmosphere of this arcade. There is the smell of sweat, cigarettes, and noisy electronic sounds. Even when playing a single-player game, it feels like playing with everyone.

...Nowadays, Rintaro actually doesn't have much time to go to the game hall.

He's no longer the same person he was in 2010, the idle college student who accidentally created a time machine. Now he works with his assistant, Professor Makise Kurisu, to advance the Amadeus project.

…Kurisu must be worried about me after I suddenly disappeared for three or four days.

Rintaro inserted the coin again and started the next game.

The roar of gunfire, explosions, and the crisp clink of coins dropping into the machine brought Okabe Ryotaro back to the Akihabara of his memories. Although the game's graphics were still pixelated and crude, and the controls weren't as smooth as the latest titles, the familiar feel and rhythm gave him a strange sense of security.

After a few levels, the score on the screen jumped higher and higher, but Rintaro felt a dryness in his throat. He licked his lips and decided to buy a bottle of Dr. Pepper first. He stood up, walked away from the machine, and on his way to the counter, he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure.

It's Shiina Tachibana.

The girl, who always tried to be strong and not cry, was now standing at the entrance of the arcade, her back to the noisy crowd. Her petite figure looked a little lonely. Her face was grim, not as lively as usual, and her hands were twisted together nervously, as if she was anxiously waiting for something.

Rintaro and Riki weren't very familiar with each other. Aside from occasionally seeing the girl burning incense at Mayuri's grave, they hadn't really spoken much... but no matter what, she was Mayuri's relative.

"Lixi?"

Rentaro walked over to her, his tone tinged with concern, "What's wrong with you? You don't look well."

Shiina Riki turned around suddenly, and when she found that the person coming was Rintaro, her eyes widened in surprise.

"Uh... are you okay?"

Rintaro was a little embarrassed by her reaction, "I just...seemed like you weren't feeling well."

As soon as Li Xi opened his mouth, he spoke in his usual arrogant tone, "...I'm fine. It has nothing to do with you."

Rentaro was a little overwhelmed. At his age, he was not good at dealing with children.

He was about to explain when a clear voice came from behind him: "Mr. Okabe, sorry for the wait!"

Rintaro turned around and saw Nagasaki Suyo walking towards him quickly.

This girl I met a few days ago, and now Rintaro... can be considered as companions.

"Ah, Shigaraki, you're here."

Rentaro breathed a sigh of relief.

Seeing Nagasaki Suyo appear, Shiina Riki's face suddenly changed, and her already pale face became even more uneasy. She bit her lower lip, her eyes flickering between Rintaro and Suyo, then turned and ran out of the game hall, her petite figure quickly disappearing into the bustling streets of Akihabara.

What happened?

Rentaro subconsciously took a step forward, wanting to catch up and ask what was going on. Li Xi's unusual behavior made him feel uneasy, and he always felt that something was going to happen.

"Mr. Okabe."

Su Shi's voice called him.

Rintaro paused and turned to look at Suze. The girl was dressed simply in a T-shirt and jeans, looking even more refined and capable than the last time they met. She seemed to have noticed Riki's presence, her delicate brows furrowing slightly before quickly relaxing.

"Is it okay now?"

Sushi asked.

Her gaze also followed Riki again, but when she said this, Su Shi withdrew her gaze back and faced Rentaro.

Rintaro sighed, his eyes fixed on the flickering pixels on the game screen, his mind racing. He knew that once something started, there was no turning back.

"It's almost time."

He whispered, then snapped his fingers softly.

then.

On this sunny afternoon, about 20,000 people died in Tokyo at the same time.

cause of death.

Hang.

53

Chapter 53: Hanging One.

The hustle and bustle of Akihabara was left behind, Shiina Riki's breathing became rapid, and his heart was pounding in his chest.

She hadn't expected to run into Okabe Rintaro here, and even less so, Nagasaki Suyo. The simultaneous presence of these two people made her feel indescribably irritated.

Okabe Rintaro, a friend of her late cousin, a middle-aged man she considered to be somewhat eccentric; Nagasaki Suyo, a member of Crychic and also in a new band... No, there weren't any new bands. At least not until the lights came back on.

Li Xi shook her head vigorously, trying to get rid of these messy thoughts. Now is not the time to think about these things, she has more important things to do.

After passing through the crowded crowd, Lixi finally arrived at the square under the Radio Hall.

Under the huge yellow sign of "World Radio Hall Akihabara", Li Xi saw the person who asked him to "come over".

...It's Mingpiao Qiuren.

Riki walked up to Narumiya Akito and tried to act nonchalant, "I'm here."

Mingpiao Akito put his hands in his pockets, his eyes sharp as if he could see through her, completely different from how he was three days ago.

"Shiina Ritsuki, your current status is basically equivalent to that of a fugitive."

"what?"

Li Xi immediately choked back.

If you ask Shiina Ritsuki whether he is afraid of Akito who "might be a policeman", then Ritsuki is definitely afraid. However, when he heard the other party's sarcastic words, Ritsuki subconsciously retorted.

"Stop pretending."

Akito's tone was cold, "What does the mass death incident in the hospital three days ago have to do with you? Where is Chihaya Aine?"

The barrage of questions was overwhelming. But after all, these accusations had nothing to do with her, so Lixi quickly calmed down and retorted, "Mingpiao, you took my cursed beads. How could an ordinary high school girl kill so many people? Are you suspecting that I used some supernatural power?"

Qiu Ren stared at her, his eyes full of suspicion. "The curse beads are indeed with me, but that doesn't mean you don't have other methods... Can't you transform into a monster like that?"

"...Kamen Rider transforms? That's also the power of the cursed beads."

Li Xi's voice softened, "Can't you do it?"

"Hmm... So that transformation was the power of the cursed beads?"

Akito was clearly surprised. "This is truly unexpected. I thought the curse bead's only ability was [Curse Kill]. So, that mechanical monster also transformed using the curse bead..."

"Yes, that's Xiangzi."

Li Xi looked away.

By now, she has accepted the fact...it was all Xiangzi's fault.

"It was Xiangzi who attacked the hospital. She told me so herself. Those people...probably died because of me."

Mingpiao Akito was not moved by Li Xi's words. He just frowned slightly, as if thinking about something.

After a while, he asked, his tone a little softer, "Where is Chihaya Aine?"

"Surveillance footage from three days ago showed her taking a pistol from the hospital's security room."

Akito then said, "This is dangerous."

Hearing this, Li Xi couldn't help laughing.

"Come on, we're talking about a curse that can instantly kill 20,000 people, and you're telling me a pistol is dangerous? Isn't that a bit..."

"Curses can kill, and guns can kill too."

Akito interrupted her, his tone still calm, "And considering the efficiency, the gun might be even more dangerous."

Li Xi was speechless for a moment. She didn't expect Qiu Ren to say such a thing.

In her opinion, the power of the cursed beads and that of an ordinary pistol are completely on two different orders of magnitude and there is no comparison at all.

However, what Akito said seemed to make sense.

"...According to what you said, I still violated the gun laws?"

Li Xi talked about a topic that suddenly became realistic.

Akito pondered for a moment. "Theoretically, the curse beads, like a pistol, are high-risk items. Perhaps they could be considered a criminal in the act of possessing a dangerous item."

Qiu Ren continued, "Speaking of which. Shiina Ritsuki, those residual souls in your curse beads... were they obtained by killing other curse masters?"

Li Xi was stunned for a moment, then sneered, "What, Officer Mingpiao, are you going to charge me with murder?"

"It depends."

Akito's face was expressionless.

Li Xi felt uncomfortable being looked at by him. He subconsciously crossed his arms and said in a provocative tone, "Are you here to arrest me?"

As soon as Qiu Ren opened his mouth, he suddenly rushed towards Li Xi - what, want to fight? Li Xi subconsciously took a defensive stance, but found that Qiu Ren and he passed by each other.

"hold onto!"

Li Xi turned around and saw Qiu Ren "lifting" a girl wearing a Gothic Lolita skirt.

Doing this on the street is already weird.

Even stranger was the girl's reaction.

The girl's feet left the ground, and her body rose uncontrollably. Even more terrifying, a dark red mark quickly appeared on her fair neck, growing deeper and clearer as she rose. It wasn't caused by a rope or any visible object; it was as if an invisible hand was tightly gripping her throat.

The girl began to struggle, her hands clawing at the air, as if grasping at a lifeline. Her delicate makeup was contorted in agony, her lips parted, but no sound escaped. Only a hoarse whimper squeezed from the depths of her throat, as hopeless and powerless as a dying animal.

Qiu Ren stood at the girl's feet and tried his best to "lift her up".

Obviously, he wanted to prevent the girl from having to use her neck to fight gravity...but the current situation didn't seem to be explainable by physics.

"This is useless. We need to make that thing on her neck disappear! She'll still die if we keep going like this!"

Riki shouted at Akito.

Akito gritted his teeth, sweat beads on his forehead. His face flushed red, and veins bulged in his arms, as if he were lifting a mountain. He roared, "Think of a way! You must know something!"

Li Xi looked at the girl's neck. The mark was getting deeper and deeper, as if it would break her neck in the next second.

It’s easy to find a way to say them one by one!

Li Xi is not a sorcerer, and she has no idea how to deal with such a situation.

"In theory, this thing should also be the curse of the curse bead, right?"

Li Xi muttered to himself, his eyes fixed on the strangle marks on the girl's neck. "So, the reason I can't see it now is that I'm no longer a curse master?"

So, what will be different for Mingpiao Akito, who is still the "curse master"?

No, to go one step further, if I transform into Kamen Rider—

"Ming Gou!"

Li Xi yelled, "Where are the curse beads on you? Let me transform!"

54

Chapter 54: Hanging Part 2.

"Rider—Kick!"

Li Xi landed hard.

After transforming into Kamen Rider Cry once again, she caught with her naked eyes the rope that was wrapped around the Gothic girl's neck and reached the sky.

She acted decisively and used her most powerful move, cutting the rope with a sharp kick.