Escaping from this dilapidated temple wasn't actually that complicated.
Shinichi had been preparing for this for a full two years. In those two years, he had secretly saved up sixty yen.
With this money, Shinichi was confident he could escape from Matsudaira County within two hours.
Getting rid of Obei saburo was also simple.
The man was a complete drunkard.
As long as Shinichi pretended to have a "bountiful harvest" one day, Obei saburo, upon receiving a handful of coins, would definitely be so happy that he'd drink all night at the tavern.
That's just the kind of person he was. One night was enough time for Shinichi to catch the last carriage leaving Matsudaira County.
In fact, Shinichi had been working towards this all along, until this day.
****
It was a quiet evening.
Obei saburo, who hadn't had much income for several days, wore a gloomy face.
Due to his bad mood, he had even viciously kicked a child leg until it broke yesterday, to the point where now none of the children in the dilapidated temple dared to breathe loudly.
Shinichi had been waiting for such an opportunity for a long time.
Tomorrow!
Just tomorrow, as long as he brought out ten yen tomorrow, it would definitely excite Obei saburo. Having not drunk for several days, he surely wouldn't be able to resist.
Tomorrow! It would be tomorrow that he could leave this hell!
Oh right! He also had to take Toshihiro with him.
This angel-like child shouldn't have his life ruined in this beggar's den.
While Shinichi was calculating, a thin child suddenly rushed into the dilapidated temple, excitedly shouting to Obei saburo.
"Sir! Sir! Good news! There's a wealthy person wearing a Western suit walking alone on the road, all alone!"
Hearing this, Obei saburo impending rage instantly dissipated, replaced by a delighted smile.
What did he hear? Wearing a Western suit? In the current state of affairs, in this period of Japan, Western suits had become synonymous with wealth.
Moreover, those wearing Western suits were generally rich people who considered themselves cultured by foreign influences. They were more arrogant than traditional rich people, but also more generous.
Obei saburo seemed to see handfuls of coins and even banknotes waving at him.
He was skilled at exploiting the arrogant yet generous psychology of those rich people, and he was confident in squeezing money out of those adults' hands using the orphans under his control.
"Toshihiro! Come here! It's up to you in a bit!" Obei saburo shouted. Toshihiro, who was next to Shinichi, immediately jumped up.
"Coming!"
"Big brother Shinichi! There's a rich person in a Western suit! Maybe I can beg for some good food we've never eaten before! Wait for me, big brother Shinichi! I'll bring it back to share with you!"
Toshihiro little face was beaming with a happy smile, but Shinichi's heart felt no joy at all.
How could this happen!
Such an incident occurring now!
Damn it!
The plan would have to be postponed again!
Thinking of this, Shinichi quickly slipped out of the dilapidated temple quietly.
At this time, the excited Obei saburo didn't even notice Shinichi small movements, as he hurriedly led what he considered his useful money tree to find that rich person in the Western suit.
After hiding the yen he had taken out back in its place and glancing at Maru-ni little nest along the way, Shinichi then set off on the path back to the dilapidated temple.
Actually, he could have run away alone now.
In fact, Shinichi had long been confident in escaping from here by himself, if he hadn't met Toshihiro.
Walking step by step on the dirt path under the clear moonlight, Shinichi, still silently calculating, suddenly paused.
The smell of blood, a faint scent of blood suddenly wafted into his nostrils.
How could there be the smell of blood here? How could it be?
Shinichi footsteps gradually quickened, the smell of blood lingering in his nose grew stronger and more nauseating.
Splash!
In a daze, Shinichi stepped into a small pit filled with viscous liquid. He looked down, and under the moonlight, the dark red liquid emitted a strong stench.
Plop!
A shadow suddenly floated up from the small pit.
It was... a head!
A child head, only half of it remaining, its unfocused eyes staring blankly at the sky.
Thud!
Shinichi fell on his backside, his heart pounding violently in his chest, his eyes wide with terror. He knew this child, one of the orphans in their group.
How did he end up with only half a head?
Was the blood in the pit his?
Toshiro!
Suddenly, Shinichi stood up, as if remembering something, and ran frantically towards the dilapidated temple.
****
Hah! Hah hah!
Strange sounds emerged from Obei saburo throat.
His eyes were now completely red, a long sharp barbed whip pierced through his stomach and protruded from his mouth, hot blood gushing out wildly.
Following the bone whip, a slender figure stood silently in front of the ruined temple.
An immaculate and elegant white suit, a black tie pure and beautiful, slightly curled black hair smooth and impeccable.
Under the moonlight, that somewhat pale face bore stunningly beautiful features that could be called bewitching.
Most captivating were those crimson eyes, exuding unparalleled nobility and... cruelty.
"Foolish humans, even the lowest of humans, how dare you offend me? Filthy, vile, the blood flowing in your veins makes me feel the most primitive disgust." The man spoke softly, but his words sent chills down one's spine.
"Yet such lowly creatures as you can freely live under the sun, it's simply an insult, you lowly worms!" As he spoke, the man suddenly became agitated, the barbed whip connected to his arm suddenly lashed out.
Rip!!
Obei saburo robust body was instantly torn into a rain of blood, but strangely, not a single drop of the bloody rain fell on the man body.
At this moment, in front of the ruined temple, countless shattered flesh and blood were everywhere. Mutilated limbs, internal organs of various colors, completely crushed heads, had turned this dilapidated temple into a veritable hell.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
The sound of a heartbeat rang clearly in Shinichi ears.
He watched as the man in the suit tore Obei saburo to pieces, and saw the hellish scene in front of the ruined temple. He seemed to be under a petrification spell, his entire body unable to move due to fear.
From that man, he felt an unprecedented and terrifying pressure.
"Hmm? There's more?"
The crimson eyes turned slightly.
In the next second, before Shinichi could react, a tremendous force hit him.
Almost instantly, Shinichi appeared in front of the man.
Crack!
Bones seemed to break. Shinichi face contorted in agony as he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. The barbed whip wrapped around his waist had crushed it.
"How filthy, pitiful, and weak. Human, what kind of look is that in your eyes? What do I see? Besides fear, are you actually hating me? Haha, interesting. You're the first among these lowly insects who dares to show hatred towards me. How dare you? How dare you look at me Muzan Kibutsuji with such eyes?" The man called Muzan spoke calmly and coldly.
But at this moment, besides the intense pain in his waist, Shinichi heart was filled only with grief and anger.
By the door of the ruined temple, that half-remaining body, the cute little face no longer showed its usual cheerfulness and liveliness, only endless fear.
"Toshihiro... cough, ugh..." Blood flooded Shinichi throat, making him emit unintelligible sounds. T
he man called Muzan seemed to become interested, as if he wanted to hear what Shinichi was saying.
The bone whip writhed, pulling Shinichi body closer to Muzan.
"The final wail of a lowly insect? Interesting." Muzan lips slowly curved into a smile, revealing sharp fangs.
But in the next second, Shinichi, whom he regarded as an insect, suddenly lashed out.
Rip!
Muzan was stunned.
The terrifying pupils in his crimson eyes instantly narrowed.
Boom! Crack crack!
A sudden invisible pressure crushed everything around him into powder.
"Blood, I'm..... bleeding?"
A tiny drop of blood slowly trickled down Muzan face.