The old woman looked at Zeros
the way a retired general looks at a map before a final battle.
Her gaze slowly moved from his feet upward.
Heavy. Analytical. Unbiased.
Until it reached his face.
“Zero Model Reaper,” she said quietly.
“So this is what you became.”
Shiori blinked.
“Obaasan… you know him?”
The old woman nodded once. Sharp.
“Oh yes. He was created by my eldest son.
Hajime Kanzaki.
Your uncle.”
Zeros clenched his fists.
Metal whined under pressure.
“So it’s YOU…
Madam Hisayo Kanzaki.
Matriarch of the Kanzaki clan.“
Blindy didn’t understand the names.
Didn’t understand the context.
But something cold crawled down his spine.
Hisayo Kanzaki continued calmly:
“When Hajime brought me his ‘genius’ project…
I rejected it.
Said it was too dangerous.”
Her face didn’t move.
“But he disobeyed.
Betrayed the clan.
Went to Aelori…
And this is the result.
He paid for it with his life.”
A slight tilt of her head.
“Now the world walks with…
a NIHIL Reaper.
A walking apocalypse.”
Shiori lowered her gaze.
The old woman noticed.
Stepped closer.
Placed her hand on her granddaughter’s arm.
“Shiori-chan… you know how our family works.
Hajime and Nobuhiro are my blood. My sons…
But betrayal is punished.
Renzo understands that.
And he will not touch you or these two.”
A faint smile.
Only for her granddaughter.
“And I still have you.”
Blindy’s mouth opened again.
“Grandma—
no—hold on—
who the hell are you—?
Like—
who are you ACTUALLY—?!”
Hisayo ignored the question completely.
Like irrelevant noise.
Still looking at Zeros:
“But we created a safer version.”
She gestured toward Airi.
“Reaper Model One.”
Airi lifted the edge of her kimono slightly and bowed.
“Arē, arē…”
Her voice soft. Almost playful.
“Zerosu-onī-chan… I am your little sister. Hee-hee… [❤ω❤]”
Blindy almost passed out.
“W-W-WHAT—
WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON—?!”
Zeros didn’t blink.
Didn’t break eye contact with Hisayo.
“Listen.
I don’t belong to you.”
His voice colder than open space.
“Don’t even think about claiming me.
And if you try to take me back…
you all end up like your eldest son.And the younger one.”
Hisayo gave a quiet hum. Calm.
Like she just heard a weather forecast, not a threat from an apocalypse machine.
“Watashi wa furui ga… baka ja nai,” she said softly.
“We hired Fabio.
We were told he has a ‘gift.’
Besides dancing…
he could grant wishes.
One of the top fixers in the galaxy.”
Her tone shifted.
Flat. Almost accounting.
“So we asked him to eliminate the clan’s error.
Uchi no musuko… Nobuhiro.
The one who dared stain the Kanzaki name.”
She paused. Shiori lowered her head slightly.
“Obaachan…”
Hisayo raised her hand.
Gently touched her cheek with the back of it.
An old gesture.
Not comfort.
A reminder: Kanzaki always pays in full. With blood.
“But Fabio, it seems, hired mago-chan instead…
one of the top bounty hunters in this rotten place.”
A trace of dry cynicism slipped into her voice.
“Fate enjoys its little jokes.
Even gods avoid crossing Kanzaki…
but fate does not care.”
She turned fully toward Zeros.
Back straight.
Gaze solid like old steel.
“You did what we were supposed to do.
You restored the honor of the clan.
And protected… mago-chan.“
Her eyes remained calm.
Her voice steady, carrying the weight of someone who has survived too much.
“So we owe you.
And that debt… will be paid.”
A breath. Barely noticeable.
Like closing a very old book.
“Between us, there is no bond anymore.
No contract.
No blood.”
A slight bow. Almost invisible.
“You are a Reaper.
But remember this.
I am Hisayo Kanzaki.
I swear on my honor.
The Kanzaki clan will not hunt you.
I do not forget.
You are… free.”
Zeros tilted his head slightly.
The smallest acknowledgment.
“Then we understand each other.”
He turned to Shiori.
“If that’s why you called us…
WE’RE LEAVING.”
Blindy started waving his hands like he was trying to flag down the entire universe and force it to slow the hell down.
“W-WAIT—WAIT—WAIT—!
WHY IS EVERYONE RELATED—?!
I don’t—I DON’T understand ANYTHING—!”
Zeros didn’t slow down.
“Shut up, you rotten piece of shit.
WE’RE LEAVING.”
He grabbed Blindy by the collar and dragged him like a broken mop across a factory floor.
Blindy’s legs scraped helplessly along the deck.
He, choking on panic:
“W-w-wha—
what is happening—?!What—who—
Airi is your—
your WHAT—?!
Sister—?!And grandma—?!
SOMEBODY EXPLAIN—!”
Zeros didn’t answer.
He just increased thrust.