"Brother, you are amazing!" she said.

"Brother, I admire you!" she said.

"I want to be more like you!" she said.

No, Lily, you are wrong. I'm incompetent. I'm just trash. Or else how could I be unable to see through your pretense? How could I didn't notice all the pain you felt inside? How couldn't I see the suffering behind your smiling face?

I don't deserve your admiration. Don't deserve your kind words, nor your warm smile.

Why I never even tried to find out how are you doing at school? Not from your words, but by visiting it and seeing for myself.

Why you never told me about your hardships? I'm so untrustworthy? Why you kept everything to yourself?

I firmly hold my favorite baseball bat in my hands. Sorry, old friend. But the games are over. Sorry, my friend. I'll make you taste the blood.

Why is the police so useless? Is it because of the lack of a suicide note? Because the culprits are underage? Or maybe because one of the bullies' father is a big shot? Doesn't matter. I don't give a fuck.

Should I accept her loss and move on? Just accept the fact that monsters who made her kill herself will live on as if nothing happened?

"Ahahahah..."

Finding their hang out spot wasn't hard, really. One of the abandoned buildings not too far from the middle school they attend. Isn't exactly the place "kids" should be so late in the evening.

"No rush, no rush."

The building isn't small, so I assume it would take me some time to find them.

What kind of atrocities they did to my Lily? I talked to their classmates. My sister became a victim because she tried to defend a girl and a boy from being bullied. It seems very much like her. She always was kind, courageous, and her sense of justice is strong. But she is just a little girl, what can she do against a group of devils?

Calling her words is nothing. She will bear it. But how could horny teenagers ignore such a beautiful flower? Yes, sexual harassment.

I don't know all the details, I don't want to, I don't need to. Was she actually raped by them? Doesn't matter. They will die even if they didn't.

"Brother, you are so strong! Will you protect me from bad guys?"

"Yes, of course! I will always protect you!"

How long time passed since I said this lie? She was nine, I was thirteen, so it was five years ago. Sorry, Lily. I really am. But it's alright. Everyone responsible would be punished. Including this incompetent brother of yours.

"P-please, stop it!"

Pleading voice of the young girl. It seems I'm at my destination.

"Hey, shut up, slut! You already not a virgin, right? I know it, your stupid boyfriend already told pretty much everyone how lucky he was to get laid, hahaha. What, you think he is better than us? Whaddya think, boys?"

"You will forget about his little dick very fast! Be our girl, or else..."

"Hey, hold her, you two!"

"L-let go of me, I beg you! Y-you promised to tell me with whom he cheated, I don't want to cheat on him!"

"Are you stupid? It was a lie. Well, like it or not, but from today onward, you are our toy. After all, we lost our old one after using her just once! What an unfortunate incident, haha."

"No!!!"

Hearing this exchange, I felt that my determination became as strong as ever. This isn't human.

Thud!

It seems the door is closed from the inside. Well, no big deal. It is just some wood, after all.

"Who is it!"

Instead of answering, I just kicked the door again. And again. And again.

Thud!

Oops. It was more fragile than I expected.

"You! Aren't you are this bitch's brother? What the fuck are you doing here?"

Oh, it seems the trash just talked to me. Am I hallucinating? Nah, never mind.

"Hello, boys. How are you doing? Sorry for interrupting the fun, I wouldn't take too much of your time, really."

I said cheerfully. I guess my smirk should be really creepy right now, as their expressions were somehow wary. Five boys in total, from what I know, three of them are fourteen, one is fifteen, and the leader is sixteen.

"What, you come here to fight or something? You think this bat will help you, dude?"

Was his name Bill? The leader asked me as if amused. It seems I'm underestimated, alright. The best hitter in our city's junior baseball team isn't the most intimidating guy, eh?

"Help me!"

A girl who seems to be in her mid-teens still restricted by two younger dudes. They all were Lily's classmates, right?

"Looking for a fight? No, no. Why should I fight some underage brats? We will just play baseball, alright?"

It would be troublesome if the girl would be hurt because of me. So, let's make them lose their guard for now.

"Have you heard him, boys? The big bro wants to play with us, hahaha!"

Other than the leader, the rest of the gang doesn't seem to be so carefree, though. The two who didn't hold a girl seems to be in search of some kind of weapon, a stick, or something. It seems I shouldn't waste much time. The leader is the first. Then the two holding a girl should be knocked out before they think of something stupid.

"Billy, right? Do you know what time it is?"

The moment he tried to answer, I moved as fast as I could. All the time we talked, I got closer and closer to him, so now we were just two meters apart. In a moment, my bat already approached his head.

"Shit!"

I guess he tried to stall for time with the conversation, but I just waited until they lost their guard. And they did. Billy blocked my bat with his hand - good reflexes, but it wasn't a nice idea. I guess his arm is broken, and it isn't like it took me much time to hit you again, you know!

"The answer is - it is the time to get punished, boys!"

This asshole sure is aggressive - instead of retreating, he tries to kick me! He isn't very bright, I guess. After dodging the kick, I hit him again - this time, the bat grazed his head, and the boy fell on the ground. Let's get read of the other pest before finishing him off.

"Ha!"

One of the boys has a wood stick, the other is luckier - there is a metal stick in his hands. It could be dangerous. I'm not engaging those two, approaching the girl and her captors, instead.

Boys try to use her as a shield, obviously afraid of a scary guy with a bloody bat.

"Hey, I'll let you two go if you free the girl, ok?"

There are two armed brats behind me, and the leader could get up at any moment, so I don't have the time to waste. After they heard the offer, those two hesitated for a moment, and it was enough for the girl to bite one fellow's hand and to kick the other one's balls.

"Run."

I guess even without me telling her she would do it. It wasn't for naught that I decided to do the deed today, at least one girl was saved from misery.

The two armed boys probably knew that if they tried to stop her, they would be open to my attack, so a girl successfully left a scene.

"Let's have some fun, kids?"

I'm now surrounded by four people, two of them with weapons (even if lame). Just because those guys are underage doesn't mean they are small and weak though, at least two of them are as tall as me, and the leader who is yet to stand up is almost one head taller. The most significant difference is our weapons and skill level.

"Let's attack him all at once!"

It seems they aren't stupid. Too bad, but the terrain of this room is rather messy. I jump over the sofa and avoid encirclement while striking one of the weaponless boys with my bat. One down.

It seems someone decided that it is better to run. But too late. Showing me your back isn't smart, and the lad learned it with his body after being hit in the back of his head. Only two guys with sticks left.

The most dangerous of them - the one with the metal stick, decided to go all out. Unfortunately, the other boy hesitated, and so I only need to deal with one opponent at a time.

The strike was horizontal and aimed at my arm. I guess brat assumed that if I lose the weapon fight would be over. And he is right, honestly, without my bat, I have no chance against two of them. This is why my action was rather simple - I just did the same thing as he did. The result was a terrible pain in my right hand. And his own being broken. I endure. This pain is nothing, right, Lily?

"Hehehe. I'm ambidextrous. My left hand is still alright, you know?"

So, I changed my grip, and a second later, only one opponent left.

"P-please! Let me go! I... I never touched Lily! It was Bill! Everything was his idea! I... I wanted to help her, I really did! Please, believe me!"

It seems the guy knows that there is no escape from me. Does he think that his crying face would make me waver? What I'll just believe him, forgive him, let him go?

"I see... so you aren't like them. It is right, you seem to be a nice person. What is your name?"

I asked him calmly.

"Leo...I'm Leo Seagull. C-can I go?"

What a stupid question?

"I see, you are Leo. What a nice name. It would be good if you are telling the truth. It would mean that you'll go to Heaven instead of Hell and then will be able to apologize to Lily on behalf of your friends. Please tell her that I'm sorry as well. Goodbye, Leo."

"Ahhh!!!"

It seems my words were able to touch his heart. He threw his stick in my face while trying to run away from here. Nice try, Leo, nice try. Too bad, you aren't accurate enough, so the wooden stick hit the wall instead of me. Too bad, what showing me your back helped me more than helped you.

And so, each of my adversaries sprawling on the floor before me. Some still moving a little bit. Others seem to lose their consciousness completely. Well, it doesn't matter. I should finish things quickly, in case the girl bringing people here or calling the cops.

Let's start with the most hateful guy. He seems to be unconscious. Or is he just pretending to make a surprise attack?

I approached Billy slowly, but surely. I was ready to immediately answer if he moves, but he did nothing. Still wary, I took a swing of my bat and successfully landed a weak hit on his back. Nothing happened.

Okay, let's start then! But when I was just ready for another, more powerful, swing, the body moved quickly. We were too close, so I was unable to dodge, and it wouldn't be convenient to use my weapon. When Bill tackled me, I hit him with my knee a few times and then finished him off with my bat.

"You piece of shit, just die!"

It really made me angry, so I didn't stop after the first strike, I hit his body again and again and again until my old baseball friend became utterly crimson.

Can you see it, Lily? No one who ever hurts you will go unpunished. No one.

My emotions are boiling, my breath is heavy. I look at the bloody mess before me - something that was "human" just a while ago. I just don't feel like I just killed someone. I just don't. My work isn't over, not yet.

Suddenly, something strange caught my attention. There is blood. Not only on my bat, not only on my hands but also on my torso. And it doesn't stop flowing. I checked my body - sure enough, a wound. It isn't too deep, but it seems that aorta was damaged. I look around and see something shiny lying not far from the bloody mess I just did. A knife.

"Hahaha, it seems my punishment was delivered faster than I thought."

Sorry, mom. Sorry, dad. Well, at least you still have older sis.

In the first place, my purpose of going here wasn't just revenge. I want to punish not only those little monsters but another person responsible for Lily's death. I wanted to punish myself. By being caught, by spending time in prison, by ruining my future. I know it is unfair to my parents, to my family. I know it very well. But I can't just live with this burden of losing her, of being incompetent. If I die, so be it. But, before that... I should finish my business before I lose consciousness. I should hurry.

Adrenaline and overexcitement made me completely ignore the pain of being stabbed and bleeding to death. Unlike Bill, the rest were finished off in a less bloody, but more effective way. I didn't have time to do it properly, however breaking their necks and Adam's apples was good enough, I guess.

I just sit there, in blood, surrounded by corpses. How long it was since I was stabbed? My head is heavy, I'm about to lose my consciousness. To never be awake again.

"Lily... It seems I'll go to meet you soon."

Isn't it stupid thought, though? Look around you. Look what you did. Do you really think that Heaven will accept you?

"I assume that instead of Lily, I'll meet those bastards again."

Though is it really a sin? To bring justice with my own hands? Is it a sin to punish evil? Can't you really kill monsters without becoming one himself? If the answer is no, then so be it. To protect that I love. I will become a sinner. To avenge that I lost. I will become a monster. I wouldn't regret that I did, I wouldn't ask for forgiveness.

Those were my last thoughts before the void consumed my consciousness. And then, I was sent to Hell.