Lucifer: The Bloody Christmas Arc

A few hours later— they reached the airport. They left the ambulance, but at first sight, they were shocked. It wasn't quite as they expected. This was a private airport in a restricted area. A car was waiting for them. The morning was cloudy. On the spot, an old man pushed Taiju from behind and told them to hop inside the car. They didn't resist since the old man had a gun. They got in, along with the old man, who immediately locked the doors. Meanwhile, Manabu and the others noticed a few people inside the garage carrying a dead body. They threw it into the ambulance and locked the gate. Their reaction was nothing but disbelief. The old man introduced himself as the owner of the place. "This whole area is mine—only mine," he said. He kept talking as he took out a cigarette and lit it, starting to smoke inside the car.

Manabu and the others remained silent. The old man, growing bored, suddenly yelled at them, "Don't ya have a fucking tongue? Or do you need my help pulling your little tongue out?!" His voice was rough and aggressive. Suddenly, a loud ringtone interrupted the tension. The old man answered the call and put it on speaker. It was Leon. "Have they arrived yet?" Leon asked. The old man grinned and responded, "Don't you worry, boss! They're all with me. I promise, no fucking messin' around!" Mai, unable to handle the smoke, started coughing. Leon immediately realized and warned the old man, "You're smoking, aren't you?" The old man quickly rolled down all the windows and threw out the cigarette. Leon's voice carried a sharp edge. "If you smoke again—whether I'm there or not—you'll regret it."

The old man immediately apologized, and the call ended. He let out a loud laugh and turned to the group. "Don't worry Kids! Boss is just concerned about me! You know, kid, Boss always scolds me whenever I smoke or drink, but sometimes, he dopes me home too. He's got some pure ideology. That's why he never smokes. Well, you're friends of his—you must know better!" The old man laughed again. After a few minutes, they arrived at the runway. A lavish private airplane stood on the track. The old man unlocked the doors and told them to get inside the plane. Before stepping away, he lit another cigarette, claiming it was his last one for the day. Manabu and Mion sat together, while Taiju and Mai took the opposite seats. They looked around; the interior was luxurious—far beyond anything they had ever seen. The seats were unbelievably comfortable, and the air smelled expensive, like wealth itself.

Taiju glanced outside. The old man waved at him. Moments later, a car arrived. Manabu and the others watched as the old man threw away his cigarette, not even finishing it. He waved toward the car. The vehicle stopped, and Leon stepped out, accompanied by two others. The old man shook hands with Leon and hugged him, patting his back. Leon whispered something to him. The old man pointed at the plane—perhaps at them. Finally, Leon walked toward the plane and stepped inside, dressed in a sharp formal suit, exuding an aura of authority. He sat right across from Manabu and Mion. The old man also got into the plane and opened the pilot's door. A black cat rushed out and jumped onto Leon's lap, curling up comfortably. The door closed. Leon stroked the cat's fur and said casually, "Moon—our pilot's cat. Cute, isn't she?" But Manabu wasn't amused at all. He stared daggers at Leon and demanded answers. "Now talk. Who are you? Why did you do all this? What the hell do you want? And who is Kami?"

Leon, overwhelmed by the barrage of questions, sighed. "Buddy, relax. We've got plenty of time, you know. I'll explain everything—but one by one."

The plane began taxiing down the runway and took off. They all leaned back in their seats. Leon glanced at their clothes and commented, "Your clothes are a total mess. I got new outfits for you in the next room. Go change." But they all refused. They wanted answers. Leon sighed again and finally began explaining the truth. "First, let me assure you—the Santa case has nothing to do with you guys. It's just a personal matter. A task, perhaps. You all are an entirely different matter. And Mion, I'm sorry about Naomi, but I promise—I didn't plan it. It was Daima. "But his words didn't make sense to any of them. "That's a lie!" Mion snapped. "You and Daima planned it together!". Leon raised a finger to silence her. He wasn't finished yet. "Around October, I came to Feropia for a major task. One of my missions was to bring Manabu to Kami. I was sent to eliminate criminals. But I'm afraid I'm not allowed to tell you more about that. Daima wasn't actually my partner in this plan. He is a serial killer—and the smartest enemy I've ever faced. With Kenzo's help, I convinced Daima that I was just like him. We planned to begin a serial killing spree, claiming our motive was to create ultimate fear inside criminals and people. I suggested we start with criminals. At first, he didn't object. But after some time, he must have realized I was onto something. That's when Daima made his move."

Back then, on 25th December—Leon was supposed to meet Daima. He had been keeping an eye on Manabu and Mion without their realization. But then he got a call. Daima called him to another location, right in front of DSH Children's Park. Leon had no idea what was about to happen. When he arrived, he saw two dead bodies. It was Naomi and her father. Everything happened so suddenly. Leon was in shock. "Why did you do this?" he asked.

Daima smirked. "Because I couldn't handle my urges." He turned to Leon and added, "Someone saw me doing this, and he escaped. I couldn't see his face either." Leon stared at him, frozen. Daima was lying. He had done it intentionally. Leon immediately realized Daima was up to something. Then Daima walked closer to Leon and whispered, "You have to do something—and fast. Or we're going to get arrested, right, Leon?" Leon didn't answer. He just stared into Daima's eyes. Daima was amused by his reaction. Leon then looked down at the bodies—and noticed Naomi was still breathing. He knelt beside her, checking. She was still alive. He immediately called Kenzo. But she couldn't make it. Now, they were in a mess. Who had seen them? They were trapped. Daima was enjoying the tension. Leon continued, "Until then, reading Daima had become impossible. So I decided to set my main task aside for the time being and focus on Manabu. Fortunately, the first day I joined the school, Kenzo got a call. It was Hojo.

Hojo told him everything—about that night. He provided our information to Kenzo. Kenzo made sure that Hojo stayed quiet for a while. He assured him, 'If they find out you saw them, they might kill you. And since we don't have enough proof against them, stay quiet and play it cool. I hope you understand, Mr. Hojo.'" Leon's plan was cruel but nessasery. He framed Hojo. Manipulated Mion. Used Manabu. Orchestrated deaths. All to execute his perfect plan. Mion's tears fell. She realized the person she had trusted the most had only used her.

"As I realized those two were your closest, I began getting close to you. But you were so paranoid and isolated—you wouldn't even talk. So I had to take some major steps. I celebrated your birthday, reminded you of Naomi every day, became your friend, gained your trust…and the biggest lie of all—Hojo's so-called intentions. I framed him, digging up his past, twisting it until you believed he was guilty. I brainwashed you, Mion."

Mion's eyes widened as his words settled in, each word striking her like a dagger. Hojo had long since let go of his revenge—"But he saw something he shouldn't have. That's why He had to die." Tears welled in Mion's eyes. She pressed her face with her palm. The person she had trusted the most had used her like a pawn in his elaborate game. She was never his friend—just a tool, a necessary step in his twisted plan.

"Manipulating you to kill Hojo was enough to convince Daima that I was on his side. While he enjoyed the thrill, I played my move. Your actions, Mion—your proof of murder—became my leverage. I used you and Daima to close the case and take Manabu with me."

Mion's breath hitched. She finally understood. Leon had been orchestrating everything from the shadows, watching, manipulating. Even the moment she killed Hojo—Leon had been there, right behind her, taking pictures. When she was finished, Leon put his hand on her shoulders to console. She burst out screaming, crying in pain. Leon used her image to deceive Manabu, to drag him into this nightmare. And when Manabu murdered Daima, Leon recorded it all, solidifying his control over them. Taiju and Manabu sat in stunned silence, their expressions darkening as the realization sank in. Leon gave a casual wave, his voice light as if discussing something trivial. "I know, I know. I must sound insane or evil to you, but trust me, my goal was simple. Don't worry, Mion. I'm sorry for hurting you. But I had no choice." He leaned back and said, "A sacrifice was necessary. Forget Naomi. Move on."

Mion's fingers curled into fists. The mere sight of Leon now filled her with rage. Because of him, Naomi was dead. Because of him, her father was gone. He had framed Hojo—an innocent man—to erase his own sins. And worst of all, she had been the one to kill him, unknowingly silencing the only witness who could have brought Naomi justice."A sacrifice?" she muttered, her voice shaking. "What do you think human lives are?" Her expression twisted in fury. "You monster! You'd do anything for your own benefit."

Leon met her glare, unfazed. If anything, he looked a little annoyed."A monster? Don't be ridiculous. None of this was my fault." He pointed his finger at Taiju and Mai. "I never planned to bring two of you here—just Manabu. But Taiju overheard our conversation, and then he also dragged Mai into this mess. Was that my doing?" He scoffed. "I expected things to spiral, sure. I knew Daima wouldn't go down without a fight. I knew things could get from south to west. But don't act like I'm the only one to blame. And since they are in this mess by their own will, I can't let them go. If necessary, I will kill them too."

Manabu remained silent, his expression unreadable. There were too many questions racing through his mind, but he knew Leon wouldn't answer them all.

Leon had used a carefully crafted strategy of his own (a psychological trap). He had framed events in a way that manipulated their emotions, feeding Mion a twisted tale of justice and vengeance to push her into killing Hojo. And with Manabu, he had done the same, using pictures of Mion's crime to convince him that going to the police was pointless. He had left them with only the choices he wanted them to take. This was 'The Leon Strategy.' A method so precise it blurred the line between truth and lies, making the false seem real. 'When people are uncertain about a situation, they would rather accept the false reality rather than live in uncertainty.' People fear of uncertainty is their weakness, and Leon had weaponized that fear, shaping their perspectives to fit his will. He wasn't just playing them—he was writing their fates.

Gently stroking the cat in his lap, Leon sighed, feigning exhaustion. "I've been explaining for hours. I'm tired now." He gave a lazy smile. "Any more questions?" Manabu finally spoke. "No. We've gotten all the answers we needed." His gaze locked onto Leon's. "And now I understand—you kidnapped us for someone named Kami. Nothing personal." Leon had expected anger, maybe even a desperate outburst, but Manabu seemed eerily calm. That wasn't expected. He wanted to justify himself, but he glanced at the two figures seated at the edge of the plane—silent enforcers, always keeping an eye on him. He wasn't as free as he made himself seem. Mion's fists trembled at her sides, her red-rimmed eyes filled with unspoken rage. Taiju and Mai glared at him, their expressions a mix of fury and disbelief. But Manabu… Manabu seemed different. — Then, suddenly, Manabu said it. "But Naomi's death was your fault." Leon looked down; everything seems as he expected; things are gonna get even worse. "You manipulated Mion," Manabu was still calm unlike others. "And you did extreme things to Mion. That's what makes this personal." Leon exhaled slowly. As he realizes he made new enemies. But in the moment a voice whispers to him—

'Head and tail, right and wrong, good and evil, win and loss, peace and war—they're two sides of the same coin.'

He glanced at them once more. Mion, Taiju, Mai… and Manabu. They were no longer just collateral damage—they were now his personal problem. And if Kami found out, things would only get worse.

'Once the coin is tossed, it's a bet.'

Leon watched Manabu with an almost amused expression, but deep down, he understood—this wasn't over. Not even close. But Leon just cannot give up on his goal. No matter what the reason.

'Either you win or lose, live or die; it doesn't matter. But—You must never compromise.'