《K – Case Files of Blue》 Side Story And a sidestory to K Case Files of Blue. The Secret Story behind ¡°Archive E¡± Founding by Miyazawa Tatsuki There was a gloom-inducing disparity between the men¡¯s and women¡¯s dormitories of Scepter 4. The women¡¯s dorm was all glittery, well-furnished and complete with slylish interior design. In contrast, the men¡¯s dormitory was miserably run-down, doors and windows rarely fit into their frames the way they were supposed to, so drafts blew everywhere, and even weird vermins weren¡¯t an unusual sight. For that reason, a group of volunteers, with Enomoto as the ringleader, took action and, cleaning a prefabricated hangar found on the premises of Scepter 4 and originally used as a simple storeroom, collected donations, bought cus.h.i.+ons, a sofa, a TV and installed audiovisual and other equipment there, turning it into a s.p.a.ce for rest and relaxation. They were satisfied with the result and, to make the s.p.a.ce even more comfortable, also brought racks for storing beer and cup ramen, a pot for boiling water and other small things, and started gathering there on their off-duty days to hang out and have fun, like watching movies on each other¡¯s recommendations. Since Scepter 4 also had female members, working in divisions such as general affairs and accounting, the men extended their invitation to that relaxation s.p.a.ce to them, as well. The female staff memebers were very happy to get it, bringing in little hand-made foodstuffs like cookies. Till that point, the men and the women were on very amiable terms, but the crisis had erupted when the women started bringing in various little knickknacks. As cute stuffed toys, potpourri, women¡¯s magazines, aroma diffusers and whatnot overran the s.p.a.ce, the hosts and the guests began to change places, and soon it became problematic for the men to watch even slightly erotic videos there, with Enomoto and the other young male members getting pretty much driven out of that haven entirely in the end. Awas.h.i.+ma Seri smiled with a strained smile, Yos.h.i.+no Yayoi looked embarra.s.sed, making it clear that such things were a breach of public morals, and the atmosphere turned into that of disapproval. That¡¯s when the young male troops, most bitter about it, made a decision: ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll go into hiding then!¡± This was what became the reason behind the founding of ¡°archive E¡±. Volume 1 Prologue So, here we go. The prologue is sort of weird and about Munakata¡¯s stalker rather than Scepter 4, but it¡¯s sort of necessary, I suppose, and it¡¯ll get better after that. Case Files of Blue by Miyazawa Tatsuki The Existence of ¡°¡ª¡± In grade school, he was a child who almost entirely lacked presence. It was a frequent occurrence for his name to be forgotten when teachers took attendance. Even during a school trip, the cla.s.s bus left without him, and only 2 hours later his homeroom teacher showed up to pick him up, apologizing profusely. He wasn¡¯t depressed or anything - he just sat on a bench and gazed at the sky, figuring it would work out somehow anyway. With a smile, he said as much to the teacher, but, despite being relieved that he took the situation in a stride, the teacher was worried. In middle school, he was a member of the basketball club, but never once had he played in matches. He fatally lacked height and reflexes for it. The potbelly that would become his characteristic trait in his later years already started to form back at that time. In high school, he joined the shogi club and also belonged to the library committee; when the time came, he simply retired without leaving any significant achievements in either of those occupations. It wasn¡¯t like he chose them of his own volition anyway, he just happened to be invited to one and put in charge of the other, but never once had he actively tried to do something because he wanted to himself. So, in regards to school life, his status was that of a completely ordinary and inconspicuous boy who, despite being young, looked more like a middle-aged man. As to choosing a college, his homeroom teacher, after taking a look at his academic ability test results, named one for him, saying, ¡°You should be able to get into this one,¡± and so, he successfully pa.s.sed entrance exams into that college which he put as his first choice on the school questionnaire. As to the department, he chose economics, like his parents wanted him. For club activities, he settled on joining the drama society because they were the first ones to call out to him on the first day of the freshman orientation. During that period, in his life a very important event worthy of special mention occurred. What triggered it was his meeting with the woman who would later become his wife at the drama society. She was a beauty widely renown among the society - no, not only among the society, but also at her department and even throughout the whole college. She had chiseled features and cla.s.sic black hair, her stature was slim and elegant, and her demeanor graceful. She was nominated for Miss Campus pageant many times, but she declined to partic.i.p.ate every single time, shyly and modestly but firmly. Naturally, many men approached her on the pretext of a persuasion attempt, but she always turned down their advances adamantly. He was charmed by her at first sight. As if struck by lightning, they say, and at that moment, for him, it was, indeed, that way: his whole body was violently trembling and spasming. All of a sudden, he experienced the pain and the throbbing of falling in love magnified hundredfold. Needless to say, it was his first love. His neural pathways got saturated instantly, causing him to feel agitation so intense that it felt like his nerves were burning off. Various hormones, released from the pituitary gland in large quant.i.ties, flooded his system. And, in that instance, from the medical viewpoint, a small miracle had occurred. His ability to understand things awoke. Most people undergo that kind of emotional growth spurt in the period starting from kindergarten and through grade school. For him, however, it occurred instantly by means of love at first sight, leading to him cognizing his own self, that of others and the composition of society at the age of 20. Late blooming that occurred almost too late. He was a kind of ¡°abnormality¡±, or changing the wording, a ¡°genius¡±. As a result, his self, inactive and vague till now, started to shape up actively, giving him an individuality for the first time since birth. And his first wish was to marry that girl. Not to just casually date her. He wanted her everything. It wasn¡¯t unlike how a frog, living at the bottom of a well, would try to obtain the beautiful moon floating in the sky. But that particular frog chose to crawl out of its well for starters. He started by reading all and every possible kind of books. Then, he gathered all the information about the girl in question he could and thoroughly a.n.a.lyzed it. Next, he pondered. He explored every conceivable approach that would allow him to obtain her, to the point where he even got a fever from all the growth he¡¯d been doing. First, he looked at himself from the objective point of view, immediately realizing that he was saddled with a heavy handicap, social values wise: a protruding belly, short stature, unattractive facial features. He didn¡¯t feel particularly dejected, however. After all, his goal wasn¡¯t to be liked by all of the female kind. He only needed to get that one girl to like him. If she was the type to attach grave importance to a man¡¯s appearance, then he probably would¡¯ve found himself at a loss. No, in that case, he would have probably saved up some money to undergo the whole body plastic surgery. Luckily for him, she wasn¡¯t obsessed with looks. If anything, it appeared that she wasn¡¯t very good at dealing with men who had clean-cut features. So he gave up on his outward appearance and instead adopted the tactics of improving his inner world. He learned that she played piano as a hobby and, after undergoing superhumanly intensive training for half a year, he mastered guitar enough to play in ensemble. Having found out who her favorite novelists were, he researched writers with similar style, bought and read all their works he could lay his hands on, and started lending her their books. She joined the drama society because she aspired to be a playwright herself, so he attended a drama workshop and learned the drama theory in order to become a director who could make the most of her scripts. Monstrous tenacity and tough mental strength. Exceptional focus. Fearsome intelligence. Impressive stamina allowing him to go three days without sleep. Sociability polished to refinement. Conversational skills honed to art. Smart clothes to make the best of his looks, always impeccably fresh and clean. The way to carry himself, amiable and this short of funny. Quick perception and intuition. Amiable personality. He acquired all the above in just a 2 year time. Before long, he built up a network of personal connections and was popular among guys and girls alike, becoming the society¡¯s head director and chairperson. All of that for the sake of one woman. By the time, the distance between him and her shrank enough for them to have little outings for fun together. And one day, he learned about a deep trauma a.s.sociated with men that she had suffered. About a certain incident, which was the reason why she had flatly turned down every man who approached her. He embraced everything about her, and she, too, entrusted her heart to him. By no means was it an easy path, but his pa.s.sion, his skills, his soul and, above all, his immense love for her made it possible. ? Soon, the two graduated from their university and made their relations.h.i.+p official nearly at the same time. After the marriage, he lost his goal in life. He became listless and spent his days as a stay-at-home husband. She found a job and worked, making him not much better than a pimp. His days of staring into s.p.a.ce after finis.h.i.+ng general ch.o.r.es around the house continued. Only when she returned from work, he would allow himself a smile. It was as if he was back in his childhood days, left behind and sitting on a bench after the teacher had skipped his name during the roll-call. In all honestly, having a househusband wasn¡¯t all that easy, but she was very patient, keeping a close eye on her unemployed husband. Waiting for the moment when one day, his exceptional talents would surge like a wave again. She was confident that such day would definitely come. The second awakening did happen. What triggered it was an interview with a multimillionaire, published in a certain business magazine: a frank tale of his success, of its fruits and influence it had on his way of living. In the middle of reading it at the book store, he couldn¡¯t stop himself from shaking, feeling like life force was beginning to overflow from each and every cell of his body again. I want to be like that, too, he thought. I want to live in luxury. And I want to give my wife all the luxury of the world, too. I want to eat delicious food, and give my wife the chance to eat it. I want to sample various drinks, and be able to buy them for my wife, too. I want to partake in all the pleasures the world has to offer and give them to my wife as well. He had spent all the money he had on him on the business magazines and, when he returned home, he declared to his wife, ¡°I think I¡¯ll try to become a billionaire.¡± The wife nodded with a gentle smile. ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t doubt you can become one.¡± What he set as his goal was stock investing. On the same day, he found a hard but well paid job and, making use of his extraordinary stamina, started tirelessly working, saving up his earnings. His impatience and crazy, obsessive streak roused, he started working not only a day job but also took up a part time night one. He found it all too much fun so he couldn¡¯t help himself. The joy of having a goal in life! He was going on 3 hours of sleep and never felt better. A second sooner. He wanted to have enough funds to start investing even a second sooner. At the same time, he studied all and every investment theory he could find, in books, on the internet, at investor seminars he attended. He had saved up the sum of 1 million yen that he had set as the minimum for himself in no time at all. And so, he engaged in day trading, and¡ª ¡ªended up completely broke in less than 2 weeks. Due to a default taking place in a certain small country of South America, his bank account that had just grown to 3 million yen shrank to almost zero. For the whole of that day, he just sat vacantly, shocked. Then, in the evening, he burst out laughing and, starting that night, went back to working like crazy. He saved up a million yen faster than last time. He was impatient. It just was so much fun. He had the wife he loved so much by his side and the reckless goal to work towards. Physical fatigue was nothing. Three times he went through the same ordeal. His earnings reached as high as 10 million, only to plummet to nearly zero again. But each time it had happened he obtained something in return, be it caution, craftiness or calculatingness. 3 years later, his bank account had finally crossed the landmark of 100 million yen. 5 years after that, he had a billion. 10 years after, it was 5 billion. Social standing wise, he found himself being the focus of questions about how to become rich. He ate what he wanted and when he wanted it, went where he wanted when he felt like it, and his family, that had grown to 4 people over the years, could afford any luxury they could possibly wish for. Only, with education and the future of the two children his wife gave him in mind, he kept their lifestyle rather simple and modest and far from luxurious. He had predicted that their life could still take a turn or two for the worse. And, as he had expected, he had lost his goal in life again. This time it was much worse. He stopped all his commerce activity and only started at the sky out the window of his apartment on the top floor of an ultra high cla.s.s condo complex. The reason was simple. He simply got bored of it all. He had visited all kinds of places with his wife and kids, tasted all kinds of gourmet food. He had bought splendid clothes, high cla.s.s furniture and quite a few expensive cars were lined up in his garage; he had villas in Hawaii and Karuizawa, and on top of that, a cruiser and even a small private jet. But he didn¡¯t enjoy any of it. Or, to be precise, he did at first, but soon found himself a.s.sailed by the feeling of emptiness. High expectations brought severe, intense disappointment. His mind was p.r.o.ne to activity swings dozens of times more extreme than those of an ordinary person, and all those years it maintained susceptibility unimaginable for normal human. The disposition that could be called characteristic of a madman or, alternatively, a genius. So his mind had succ.u.mbed to stagnation, sinking into depression, until half a year later he found a new life goal for himself. The trigger was a news program covering a large-scale earthquake that occurred abroad. As he, now only a sh.e.l.l of his former self leading the life of apathy, watched volunteers risk their lives in order to provide rescue and relief, he had experienced the third soul quivering in his life. Money alone can¡¯t make life worth living, he thought with all seriousness and purity of a child. Once he had finished watching the news program, he immediately went to his wife and declared, ¡°I think I¡¯ll try to become the world¡¯s biggest philanthropist.¡± His wife looked fondly at him and nodded deeply. ¡°I think it¡¯s a good idea. I¡¯m sure you can become one.¡± From that moment on, he started taking action again. It was trial and error for him. He had gathered people and was betrayed by them, but pressed on, little by little gathering similar-minded comrades, hard to come across, under his flag, and soon enough people from different corners of the world came to trust him. He kept giving money, and his funds started to run dry, so he sold his condo, cruiser, cars, villas and sunk all his money into charity. Through that, he had recognized that in order to continue with his philanthropic work, possessing a certain degree of wealth was necessary, so he earned a fortune again, although not as big as it was when he was actively engaged in money-making and, establis.h.i.+ng his own organization, went on to broaden his network. Meanwhile his wife, wisely choosing to keep her distance from her husband¡¯s affairs, reared their two children in a house built in one of the suburbs. When her husband happened to drop by, she listened to him talking about his work progress with attention and smile on her face. In ten years, he was acknowledged as the world¡¯s leading philanthropist. But that resulted in him experiencing the feeling of hitting the dead end all over again. The reason was simple: his organization became too big. Naturally, there was only so much he, alone, could do, so he was continuously bringing up a great number of universal NPOs that could provide all kinds of humanitarian aid. He put them all on track to success, but it was for that precise reason that those charities needed the specific individual that was ¡°him¡± less and less as the time went by. He had achieved great success as a philanthropist, but for him as a person, the excitement his work brought him now became only a far cry from what he had felt back when he only started. Though he didn¡¯t succ.u.mb to gloom and depression this time, if only because he had recognized the social significance and a good response his work had earned him, but still, he no longer felt like it was worth it. And so, he had arrived to the point in his life where he had moderate wealth, now adult children and a beloved wife by his side. This was where he decided to retire from all the active social work, and reading and talking strolls became things he lived for these days. His life had become significantly different from what it was previously, marked with burning zeal on the verge of madness, but the peace, too, wasn¡¯t all that bad, he had discovered. With those thoughts, his mind had begun to calm down, but, as fate would have it, shortly thereafter, he had experienced an astounding chance encounter for the fourth time in his life. It was when he and his wife got dragged into a crime super power holders known as ¡°strains¡± were committing in the inner urban area. A man who had appeared at the scene completely enthralled him. He was tall and slender, with intelligent features, and the light of a sharp will dwelling in his eyes behind the gla.s.ses. Wielding an overwhelming power, the man had subjugated the place in no time at all. The man¡¯s dignified bearing with a high held head and straight back was so beautiful that it sent s.h.i.+vers running throughout his entire body. The man was the king wearing the blue uniform, Munakata Reis.h.i.+. A few days after the incident, having thoroughly investigated everything about strains and kings, he said to his wife, ends of his sentences coming out jumbled from too much excitement, ¡°I¡¯ve decided.¡± His entire body was overflowing with energy again after such a long while. ¡°I think I¡¯ll try to become what they call a king.¡± His wife answered affectionately, softly and dubiously, ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sure you can become one.¡± Volume 1 Chapter 2 Part1 Case Files of Blue by Miyazawa Tatsuki The Exceedingly Pure Usurper When a crime was committed by supernatural power holders such as strains in the area of Tokyo Metropolis, Scepter 4 was dispatched in accordance with the following mechanism. First, ordinary people, who had witnessed the crime or had been dragged into it, dialed 110 - the police emergency number. The call went to the National Police Agency Communications and Command Center at Tsubakimon, where the police officer in charge heard the details out, and only in case he determined that strains had been involved, the call was sent to Scepter 4. When it was, simultaneously, the police station in the district on the territory of which the incident had taken place was notified, and the personnel of the station, starting with the station chief, were obliged to provide cooperation to Scepter 4 asap. As it went, the command authority was to be transferred from the police to Scepter 4 only when the head of the Special Phenomenon Regulation Office within the Enforcement Division of the Security Bureau with the National Police Agency had recognized the offense as strain-related, but in practice, the police ceded the command right of the crime scene, coming under Scepter 4¡¯s orders, without waiting for that notification. To be specific, what the police were doing after that was cordoning off the area, performing traffic control and, depending on the circ.u.mstances, providing information to the Scepter 4 troops obtained through questioning and other means. Furthermore, upon receiving a call from the police, Scepter 4 was to dispatch its troops with the Special Ops squad as their core, but, depending on the scale of a given incident, there existed the 4 level gravity gradation scale, ranging from Type I deployment when only 1 smallest unit consisting of 2 troops was dispatched to Type IV deployment when Munakata Reis.h.i.+ himself headed to the scene. On that day, the notification Scepter 4 had received from the National Police Agency was cla.s.sified as Type II deployment and the troops on duty were dispatched. Four members - Akiyama, Benzai, Fuse and Enomoto - took one of Scepter 4¡¯s special vehicles and proceeded to the scene. The case allegedly involved 3 perpetrators recognized as strains that were jumping from one building to another, partly destroying them and severing power cables; there was also unconfirmed intel saying that the three were under the influence of stimulants, so when the members got to the scene, all of them, save for Akiyama, were understandably tense. However¡­ ¡°What is this?¡± Bafflement was evident on Akiyama¡¯s face. ¡°¡­¡± The other members, too, were clearly stunned. The sight that opened to their stares included three unconscious tied men. A single sheet of paper was placed in front of them, with a rock used as a paperweight so that it wouldn¡¯t get blown away by the wind. The message written in large inked letters read: ¡°These 3 ruffians were using socially destructive drugs and causing disturbance in the city for their own pleasure, so we captured them. Take this warning to heart. You are an unnecessary existence.¡± Having read the note slowly and thoroughly, Akiyama turned to his comrades with confusion written all over his face. ¡°Say¡­¡± He obviously didn¡¯t expect things to take this kind of turn. ¡°What does this mean?¡± Benzai, Fuse and Enomoto all simultaneously shook their heads. But¡­ It was only the beginning. ? Scepter 4 was an agency for suppressing crimes caused by strains, apprehending strains involved and keeping them in custody. Since Scepter 4¡¯s targets were super power holders who often possessed strength and stamina far exceeding what was considered normal for mankind, the agency¡¯s scope of activities was extremely wide-raging. However, all its duties could be divided into big parts and cla.s.sified further into 3 big categories. The first category was what took place earlier: dispatching upon receiving the notification from the police and dealing with unexpected incidents caused by strains that could not be foreseen. Another category was routine management work consisting of tasks like getting in touch with strains registered with the Family Register Division of the Legal Affairs Bureau at regular intervals and interviewing them. And the last category included the so called gray zone cases where it was difficult to say for sure if an offense was committed by strains or normal people; Scepter 4 cooperated with the police for investigation of such cases. This was the most troublesome job, and, unlike with cases where strains were explicitly involved, the police, otherwise favorably predisposed, weren¡¯t happy about Scepter 4¡¯s interference. In a sense, it was only a natural reaction. Normal criminal investigations were the police¡¯s turf and out of Scepter 4¡¯s jurisdiction to intervene. For that reason, it became an established practice for Scepter 4 to sent one or two its troops to the investigation headquarters as consultants at the stage where strain involvement was only suspected. On that day, Kamo and Doumyouji had been sent to a local police station where the investigation HQ of a certain murder case had been set up. When they had arrived to the station, the reception they got from the station chief and the on-site detectives was polite but tangibly cold; Kamo met it with unfailing politeness. Not letting it interfere with his own conclusions on the matter, he proceeded to obtain the necessary information pertaining to the investigation. Doumyouji, meanwhile, leafed through some PR brochures found at the police station, resting his chin on his hand and looking bored. Suddenly, the door to the investigation room was kicked open and a newbie detective burst in. ¡°You won¡¯t believe this! The perp has been found!¡± The inspector reprimanded the rookie coolly and told him to speak in order. This was what the detective shared. A call had placed, but not with the 110 police emergency line. An unknown had called the general affairs section of the police station in question directly, and a young-sounding male voice informed, ¡°We¡¯ve caught the culprit you¡¯re looking for, so come and tow him away.¡± Two patrol officers, half in doubt, headed to the back alley indicated by the caller and found there an unconscious man, securely tied with chains. He really was the man that the investigators were looking for as the suspect in the case. Moreover, as the two policemen approached him, the man came to and, producing sharp bladed objects from his limbs, tried to put up violent resistance. With this, very little doubt remained regarding him being a strain; furthermore, it became impossible to subdue him without putting the officers¡¯ lives in danger, so the scene was in an uproar. The inspector listened to the story in disbelief, but immediately requested that Kamo and Doumyouji, present at the station, dispatch to deal with the situation. The two agreed readily, although the looks they gave to each other said: ¡®Just what on earth is going on?¡¯ ''No idea.¡¯ The culprit was apprehended through the efforts of Kamo and Doumyouji and 3 hours later started giving confessional statements in regards to the murder case¡­ ? For some reason, an unidentified person or persons were set on beating Scepter 4 to the punch in execution of its primary functions, so after that, a series of strange occurrences where cases had been settled before Scepter 4 could interfere, continued. The motives and the means of the mysterious person or group remained unknown, and the members of Scepter 4 were extremely confused; many of them were also angry, feeling that the interference was a blow to their honor. The frontrunner of the discontented clique was, predictably, the Lieutenant of Scepter 4, Awas.h.i.+ma Seri. She came to Munakata¡¯s office to deliver reports and demanded, ¡°This is, beyond a shadow of doubt, a provocation and a challenge to us as Scepter 4! Captain, please order for prompt countermeasures to be taken!¡± She slammed the palms of her hands on the table, interposed between her and Munakata, and leaned in closer to him. When she did, her enormous b.r.e.a.s.t.s predictably jiggled. Sparing the sight a glance completely devoid of lewdness and smiling all the while, Munakata s.h.i.+fted his gaze up to Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s face. Sitting in a chair with his legs crossed, he replied with an air of composure, ¡°Awas.h.i.+ma-kun, I see you are being quite emotional. Before deciding on anything, I would like to have a little more information at my disposal first, if possible.¡± ¡°Then I apologize, sir,¡± Awas.h.i.+ma made her apologies with a face that plainly said that she wasn¡¯t sorry in the least, and rightened her posture, standing stiff as a ramrod with her arms folded at the waist. Without sparing the reports another glance, she started explaining the particulars of the recent incidents herself. ¡°Hm. I see¡­¡± Munakata looked pensive, putting a hand to his chin. Awas.h.i.+ma spoke as if pressing him for an answer, ¡°To crown it all, the unknowns used our pa.s.s and even performed our regular duties.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± ¡°That is, they openly forged our pa.s.s and counterfeited our uniform. I think the situation is very grave.¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± This time, Munakata elongated his ¡°m¡±. Then he said, ¡°It looks like there is an excellently ordered and systematized organization behind it. By the way, Awas.h.i.+ma-kun¡­¡± His smile was still firmly in place. ¡°Sir?¡± Awas.h.i.+ma fired off on a reflex, but Munakata¡¯s next statement was answering a question with a question. ¡°What kind of actual harm does the present situation cause, specifically?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Awas.h.i.+ma instinctively stiffened. Then, clearly perplexed, asked, ¡°Um, sir, I¡¯m afraid I fail to understand¡­¡± ¡°Let me rephrase it then. Those enigmatic persons. Since it is hardly possible to do what they do una.s.sisted, I a.s.sume it is an organization; so what is the problem with them trying to preserve public order in our stead, exactly?¡± He smoothly and easily said something that left Awas.h.i.+ma speechless. ¡°They are protecting this country¡¯s peace and justice, which is a splendid aspiration, in my opinion, especially considering that thanks to them, our burden was reduced. Could you maybe try and treat it as a temporary addition of many new troops who are a little too eager to do their job?¡± This time, Awas.h.i.+ma was lost for words thoroughly and completely. The person in front of her¡­ the Blue King, Munakata Reis.h.i.+, was basically saying that as long as the job was getting done, it didn¡¯t matter one bit just who was getting it done. Awas.h.i.+ma felt giddy. She wanted to give him a lecture about their honor as Scepter 4, about their pride as the ones wearing swords, and about many other things, but gulped down her protests. After all, the one who was the personification of it all was currently sitting before Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s very own eyes with an air of nonchalance. ''This person¡­ he really¡­!¡¯ Sometimes, she found herself almost cursing Munakata¡¯s extraordinary broad-mindedness - or, put in other words, his complete lack of restrains. ¡°¡ªIndeed.¡± Awas.h.i.+ma turned her head and took a stab at a hole in Munakata¡¯s logic. The hole he must have been aware of. ¡°But I believe that even if we disregard things like our honor, there still remain a few issues. What needs to be mentioned first of all, is that the process via which the operations were performed remains completely unknown. For instance, even if on the surface the proceedings seem to be going smoothly, as long as we are not aware of the unknowns¡¯ command structure or communication lines, it is too risky to make use of them.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Munakata gave her a complacent smile. ¡°True indeed. To us, such an organization with the personnel and person in charge unknown is like a vehicle with no way to perform maintenance on it; it makes predicting when a breakdown or an incident occurs impossible.¡± ¡°There is another point of concern. We cannot confirm if the unknowns¡¯ motivations for taking action are virtuous. The possibility of them infringing on part of our duties with the intention to later misuse it for their own gains and throw the county into chaos is not negligible.¡± Awas.h.i.+ma looked at Munakata with a slightly chilly stare. ¡°Naturally, I would think that you have already been long since aware of these arguments, Captain.¡± ¡°Mm, hm.¡± There was a short pause in Munakata¡¯s humming this time. As Awas.h.i.+ma expected, he didn¡¯t deny it. ¡°Awas.h.i.+ma-kun. You are absolutely right. But, despite that, in regards to those men - I am not excluding the possibility of that organization being comprised solely of women, but for now I will provisionally refer to them as men - I do not find it likely for them to have a sudden change in att.i.tude and start disrupting the country¡¯s order.¡± Before Awas.h.i.+ma could ask him why exactly he didn¡¯t find it likely, he answered, ¡°My reason being that they keep sending us a certain message.¡± ¡°Message?¡± Awas.h.i.+ma knitted her brows. But this time Munakata didn¡¯t reply to her, continuing as if he was talking to himself. ¡°What is bothering me is not the danger they might present but how I should answer to the message they are sending,¡± he murmured, joined his hands and looked up at her. His eyes behind the gla.s.ses gleamed with thoughtfulness. Awas.h.i.+ma, feeling anxious, was about to throw more questions at him, but in that moment the speakerphone on Munakata¡¯s desk came alive and Enomoto¡¯s fl.u.s.tered voice flowed out of it. ¡°Captain, sir, excuse me! Could we request that you urgently come to the data processing office please, if possible?¡± Munakata smoothly extended his arm and pressed the connect b.u.t.ton with a finger. ¡°Munakata listening. Did something happen?¡± ¡°At the moment, we are receiving a video call from the man who introduced himself as the ringleader behind the recent cases! He requests to speak directly with you, sir! Please respond, sir!¡± Enomoto answered in a voice this short of shrieking. Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s eyes widened. Munakata, a cold smile playing on his lips, only muttered, ¡°I see. So they contacted me first. Quite the self-confidence they have, huh.¡± ? ¡°Is the call being recorded? Did you identify the source?¡± Voice hushed, Awas.h.i.+ma fired off her questions at Enomoto in rapid succession. Enomoto, working his keyboard with energy, replied, following her suit and m.u.f.fling his voice as well, ¡°The recording started automatically when the call came in. I¡¯m working on determining the location.¡± Since Fus.h.i.+mi Saruhiko had left on a business trip, information processing became mostly Enomoto¡¯s job. At the moment, in the data processing office six Scepter 4 members gathered: Akiyama, Benzai, Kamo, Doumyouji, Enomoto and Awas.h.i.+ma. They all wore the same expression on their faces - one of worry. In contrast to them, standing in the center of the room was the person who was radiating the oppressive grandeur of winter, like he always did - Munakata Reis.h.i.+. In front of him, there was a big screen, and on it¡­ ¡°¡ªOhh, it¡¯s such a pleasure to meet you, Munakata-kun.¡± ¡­the wire puller behind it all was showing himself boldly and with no reservations. He acted as if he was calling a close cla.s.smate - completely unguarded and overly familiar. He looked like your average person found anywhere, but at the same time was very distinctive. He seemed to be in his 50s. All in all, he was an unimpressive looking shorty. To the observer, he appeared as a slow-wit with short limbs and belly sticking out to give him the resemblance to a penguin. His features weren¡¯t exactly unpleasant but were definitely flat, and not even the most extreme of kiss-ups would describe him as a handsome man. ¡°We can finally talk face to face like this. I¡¯m so happy.¡± But there was one feature that set him apart. His eyes. They were filled with the light of purity and sincerity that people lost as they grew older. Those bright eyes, as if made of deep black obsidian polished to a s.h.i.+ne, were the only thing about his appearance that could be called beautiful. The sunny look of a 3 year old child paired up with the misshapen body of a middle-aged man. Such a combination looked grotesque, producing a mixture of inexplicable magnetism, appeal and charm. Akiyama and the rest of the troops stared at the man with bated breath. ¡°I see,¡± Munakata started, then abruptly said something utterly shocking. ¡°So it was you who sent me that ardent love letter.¡± ¡°Fufu.¡± The bald man on the screen snickered happily. ¡°So you have read it. Thank you.¡± He jumped with joy like a little kid. ¡°I was absolutely mesmerized by your beauty when I first laid my eyes on you. My feelings surged uncontrollably, and I ended up sending you that letter. Forgive me that rudeness.¡± ¡°Captain?¡± ¡°Beautiful?¡± ¡°First laid his eyes on the Captain¡­? What the heck!¡± ¡°When I first met the Captain, "weird¡± was my only impression.¡° Due to the shock they had just received, the normally disciplined troops couldn¡¯t help exchanging whispered impressions. Munakata didn¡¯t seem to mind it one bit, but Awas.h.i.+ma did, scolding the members in a carefully hushed voice, "Quiet!¡± Then, with a stiff expression, she went back to staring down the man on the screen, perhaps because she took the man¡¯s words at face value and was now suspecting him in h.o.m.os.e.xual preferences. Seeing that, Munakata whispered quietly to Awas.h.i.+ma standing by his side so that only she could hear, ¡°¡­Not to worry. It is only a metaphor. The connotation of his words is unlikely to go beyond the extent of his having been charmed by my talent or ability.¡± Awas.h.i.+ma blushed a little. Raising his voice to the normal volume, Munakata remarked, ¡°Indeed, that was not very polite of you, and your manners are a little lacking. Even if you are my senior, if you are going to profess your love for me, I would like you to properly give me your name first!¡± ¡°Kounomura Zenichi.¡± Not missing a beat, the man did as asked and broke into a huge grin. Since he had identified himself so ready, the Scepter 4 troops were taken by surprise momentarily, but a few seconds later they already were busy cross-checking the name using their PDAs or PC, only for their shock to worsen as they did. The name the man gave did exist, moreover, with the name came the man¡¯s face shot and all the personal history which they all found in no time and with no trouble at all. There was no need to search any special database. Any ordinary search engine could find the man¡¯s full profile for them to examine all they wanted. For as it was, the man who approached Munakata Reis.h.i.+, Kounomura Zenichi, was a celebrity. ¡°I see.¡± Munakata smiled with a composed smile. ¡°No wonder you looked familiar. I have seen your pictures and interviews on the pages of business magazines.¡± A multimillionaire and a world-famous philanthropist. Munakata wasn¡¯t the only one who had heard of him. Four other Scepter 4 members recognized him and couldn¡¯t help commenting in whispers. ¡°Hey, is it really him, in person?¡± ¡°He was in Newsweek¡¯s "top 100 world prominent figures¡±, placing third among the j.a.panese celebrities. a.s.suming that this is really him, he¡¯s a seriously big name of the world¡¯s scale. ¡° Only Doumyouji was clueless, "Eh? Who? No, seriously, who¡¯s he?¡± but the others ignored him. Munakata said slowly, ¡°I am a.s.suming that it was you or a group spearheaded by you standing behind the recent attempts to usurp our duties, would that be correct?¡± Cutting the preamble, he got straight to the point. All the present held their breaths. What would Kounomura Zenichi reply to that? ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right,¡± said man confirmed readily. Throwing out his plump chest, he added, ¡°I¡¯m the mastermind behind all the incidents. We¡¯re going to perform all your work in your place.¡± The Scepter 4 members were abuzz. About that time, Fuse and Hidaka came into the data processing office. Hearing the details from the other members, they were now looking stunned. Munakata, on the other hand, only narrowed his eyes in amus.e.m.e.nt. ¡°I see. Thank you for the honest answer. Still, though young and inexperienced may I be, would you perhaps be so kind as to tell me your reason? Why would a successful and all-around accomplished person such as yourself engage in paramilitary make-believe at this time?¡± ¡°Paramilitary make-believe?¡± Kounomura inclined his head questioningly. ¡°Are you people calling your work "make-believe¡±? Isn¡¯t it carrying humility too far?¡° ¡±¡ªI believe I called that what you are doing, not our work.¡° But sarcasm of Munakata¡¯s correction and smile he had accompanied it with was lost on Kounomura. "Oh, that¡¯s what you mean. Reality begs to differ though. We¡¯re clearly far better at it than you guys and we can protect this country¡¯s justice more efficiently. If you insist on labeling what we do as "make-believe¡±, that makes you guys sham champions of justice, no?¡° Awas.h.i.+ma was speechless. Needless to say, that statement was enough to set the feelings of every member of Scepter 4 aflame. The glares of hostility, fierce opposition and hate focused on the monitor. Kounomura waved his hands, as if fl.u.s.tered, "Ah, no, don¡¯t misunderstand, don¡¯t misunderstand. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m degrading you guys. I do think that you¡¯re doing a great job. I¡¯m just saying that we can do an even better job, is all. Come on, Munakata-kun,¡± Kounomura, the possessor of those almost abnormally pure and direct eyes, said. ¡°You do understand it, do you? The message I sent, that is.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Munakata didn¡¯t utter a single word in reply to Kounomura¡¯s question, only silently adjusted his gla.s.ses with his index finger. ¡°You see, Munakata-kun,¡± Kounomura kept chatting happily, ¡°from the first time I saw you, I became your captive. And when I did, I had this thought: I, too want to try and become a king like you.¡± Those words floored everyone present. This man, Kounomura Zenichi, actually considered being a ¡°king¡± to be a tangible, realistically reachable status. Like a child dreaming of opening a shop that would sell flowers, cakes and future. ¡°The difficult part is that to become a king you¡¯ve got to be chosen by the thing called the Dresden Slate apparently, right?¡± ¡°Where did you learn of that name?¡± Munakata¡¯s tone was cold, but Kounomura only grinned, ¡°I just did a little research. It¡¯s not like that thing is an absolute secret, right? So it¡¯s pretty easy to find out about it if you really want to. I also investigated a bit on my own about the Dresden Slate¡¯s special qualities. Using several investigative agencies, that is,¡± he said boldly and like it was nothing. Before she knew it, Awas.h.i.+ma was gripping the edge of a table. She had a bad feeling about this. ''This man might be the type of an enemy we¡¯ve never faced before.¡¯ Amidst the growing disquietude hanging in the air, Kounomura went on, with his eyes still sparkling like those of a boy, ¡°Sadly, I wasn¡¯t able to find out the criteria based on which one is chosen as a king. So I thought: if I take over your duties, replace your organization with my own, replace you in everything, the impartial Dresden Slate just might choose me¡­¡± Terrifying innocence with not a shred of malice. ¡°¡­as the new Blue King in your place.¡± ¡°Screw you!¡± somebody cried out in a stifled voice, expressing the honest opinion shared by all the Scepter 4 members currently gathered in the room. But they also knew, sensed the barely discernible trace of fear tinging that voice. They were losing the mental battle - losing it to the strange aura, showing the signs of being monstrous, that this stubby unattractive 50+ man exuded. ¡°¡­¡± Among all of them, only Munakata Reis.h.i.+ was completely unfazed, being his usual self. Dropping his shoulders, he smiled with a wry smile. ¡°I would like to apologize for having to crush the hopes of such a wiser and more life-experienced senior as yourself, but that is impossible.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± Kounomura appeared to be genuinely wondering. ¡°You have been chosen by the Dresden Slate and you¡¯re taking that as the baseline, but I¡¯m different. Even if right now I¡¯m not a king, I know that eventually I can become one.¡± He was grinning broadly. ¡°Not once in my life have I failed to accomplish what I wished for from the bottom of my heart.¡± At that moment Enomoto reported to Awas.h.i.+ma in a whisper, ¡°I have located the source!¡± and, surprised himself, immediately elaborated, ¡°Cairo¡­? It¡¯s Cairo, in Egypt!¡± Awas.h.i.+ma gave a small tongue click. She was hoping to find out the place and dispatch some of the members there to detain this unexpected personage. But the place he was calling from was completely outside of her expectations, throwing a wrench in her plans. Meanwhile, Munakata, who had to hear this exchange, without the slightest change in his countenance, continued the conversation, ¡°I am saying that it is impossible for you because it is the question of ability. I am sorry to say, but you cannot replace me. Would you like to try and target the other kings, perhaps?¡± Upon a closer consideration, that suggestion was quite outrageous, in and of itself, all the more since it came from one of the seven kings chosen by the Slate. But¡­ ¡°No,¡± Kounomura shook his head immediately. ¡°It¡¯s you I¡¯m fond of.¡± Munakata smiled wryly and let out a sigh. ¡°In that case¡­¡± he started, but Kounomura was faster, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve decided. I¡¯ll make you say uncle in the not-so-distant future.¡± ¡°Hoo,¡± Munakata intoned, highly interested. Kounomura clapped his hands together, grinning widely, ¡°You will say to me, "I acknowledge my defeat, Kounomura-san, and beg your forgiveness¡±. And when you do, the Slate will abandon you and choose me, I feel.¡° Munakata looked momentarily stunned at that. It wasn¡¯t clear, however, what amazed him: Kounomura¡¯s out-of-line proclamation or his bottomless childishness to declare such a thing on the other party without even realizing that it was a challenge. "Very well. I shall entertain you. However¡­¡± Munakata¡¯s eyes behind the gla.s.ses glinted. ¡°I shall also make sure that you are punished for this act. Without fail.¡± ¡°Sounds good to me!¡± Kounomura¡¯s whole face lit up in a grin. ¡°It won¡¯t be fun otherwise. Alright then, in place of war declaration, how about I show you this?¡± Lips lifting up in a grin again, of a slightly different kind than before this time, Kounomura snapped his fingers. In that instant, the video-feed was interrupted, and pictures started flas.h.i.+ng, one approximately every 3 seconds. All of them were candid shots of the Scepter 4 members. Benzai, yawning from fatigue en route to a crime scene. Kamo, in his uniform and watery eyed from looking at his child¡¯s photo. Doumyouji, buying sweets and snacking on them when he was supposed to be on the clock, with cream left on his cheeks. Enomoto, in civilian clothes, choosing an obscene magazine with an impossibly serious face in a second hand bookstore. Awas.h.i.+ma performing a daring roundhouse kick upon apprehending an escaping suspect, except she was off duty at the time, so her skirt rode up very high, exposing her blue underwear for all to see. ¡°Wh-What is this?!¡± Awas.h.i.+ma, beet red from embarra.s.sment, shrieked. ¡°Do something about it, quick!¡± The Scepter 4 troops were stricken with panic. Hidaka chasing a big breasted girl on the sidewalk with his eyes while riding the official vehicle, then taking a picture of her secretly and sighing in grief. ¡°Fufu,¡± Kounomura, now voice-only, spoke up from behind the pictures. ¡°What delightful comrades you have. Well then, see you later.¡± The slideshow continued, but the contact with Kounomura was apparently cut off. Munakata smiled. ¡°What a strange person.¡± Clapping his hands together once, he added mirthfully, ¡°¡ªWell, let us see what he has got, shall we?¡± Then, he turned on his heels and walked out of the data processing office which was still immersed in panic. Nothing about his att.i.tude differed from what was ordinary for him. ? A few days later Hidaka Akira called Fus.h.i.+mi Saruhiko, who was currently in America. The sound coming through his PDA¡¯s speaker was flawlessly clear so the business Hidaka had called Fus.h.i.+mi about, namely doc.u.ments check, was wrapped up in no time. ¡°Fus.h.i.+mi-san,¡± Hidaka tried to restart the conversation. ¡°There is something I¡¯d like to report¡­¡± With this, he gave Fus.h.i.+mi a summary of what had happened the other day. Fus.h.i.+mi didn¡¯t interrupt, but once Hidaka was finished, he said curtly, ¡°I already know the gist of it.¡± ''Guess I should¡¯ve known,¡¯ Hidaka thought. Originally, Fus.h.i.+mi was part of the intelligence division. So even if he was on a business trip, it was only to be expected that he had already been aware of the incident big enough to cause an uproar in Scepter 4. ''Does this mean he gets in touch with Lieutenant Awas.h.i.+ma at fixed intervals? Come to think of it¡­¡¯ Hidaka suddenly wondered, ¡°Why is he in America in the first place?¡± Just then, Fus.h.i.+mi, who was keeping silent, abruptly spoke up. ¡°There is something I don¡¯t get from the data alone though. So I want your opinion.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, of course!¡± Fus.h.i.+mi proceeded to ask him a few relevant questions that hit their mark precisely. While providing his honest replies, in his heart, Hidaka felt admiration for him. ''This person really is very smart.¡¯ When Munakata had promoted Fus.h.i.+mi to his current position, there were quite a few who felt opposed to the decision on the grounds that Fus.h.i.+mi was too young. But Fus.h.i.+mi made everybody acknowledge his right for the position by displaying how sharp and skilled he was. He was still a minor. But presently he was Scepter 4¡¯s third-in-command. ''It¡¯s a fact that very young people held top positions in turbulent times like the Warring States period or the closing days of Edo era¡­¡¯ But in this case, this kind of personnel appointment was possible probably precisely because Scepter 4 under Munakata¡¯s control was still a young organization, itself. Besides, Fus.h.i.+mi wasn¡¯t just your ordinary boy. He was a convert that came from another clan. To Hidaka, both Munakata, who so nonchalantly appointed such a guy to a responsible post, and Fus.h.i.+mi himself, who, despite generally showing his displeasure without holding back, performed one difficult task after another, were equally incredible. Also, it needed to be mentioned that officer cla.s.s members like Akiyama and Benzai accepting the situation as a matter of course played a big role. The two were former members of the National Defense force, and they would never sell short someone just because he was younger than them. Skills and the order of the organization was what mattered to them. That was why the att.i.tude of Akiyama and Benzai, among others, mattered a great deal, influencing how Scepter 4 in general and the Special Ops squad in particular came to regard Fus.h.i.+mi. ¡°Hey,¡± Fus.h.i.+mi called out to Hidaka from the other end of the line after a pause. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Lieutenant Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s underwear.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°And also the dirty mag Enomoto was choosing.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Hidaka was confused by these unexpected utterances. Fus.h.i.+mi, perhaps feeling somewhat uncomfortable with the subject, sounded especially curt, ¡°Did you see the two things I just mentioned clearly?¡± ''What is he even saying?¡¯ was Hidaka¡¯s first frank reaction. But then he changed his mind. After all, it was very smart Fus.h.i.+mi Saruhiko who was asking him that. Which meant it was important, no doubt. ¡°Umm¡­¡± He pulled at the thread of his memories, unraveling them. ¡°Yes, I saw both of those things clearly,¡± he affirmed decisively, wondering inside what he was even saying. ¡°¡ªI see,¡± Fus.h.i.+mi replied. ¡°Um, Fus.h.i.+mi-san¡­?¡± Hidaka tried, wanting to know already the purpose of all these questions. Fus.h.i.+mi chuckled. ¡°You don¡¯t get it? Among all those peeping pics of the Scepter 4 members, only Lieutenant Awas.h.i.+ma and Enomoto¡¯s were taken when they were off-duty, right?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Hidaka made a noise of recognition. ¡°When we¡¯re on the clock, it¡¯s possible to set up a stakeout near the site of an incident by arriving before us and then snap peeping shots of us using a telephoto lens. But Lieutenant Awas.h.i.+ma and Enomoto¡¯s were off-duty shots, like I said. To boot, the shots had decent enough definition for the juicy parts to be perfectly distinguishable as if they were directed. Which means we¡¯re dealing with one of the two possibilities,¡± Fus.h.i.+mi proceeded to explain in a well-reasoned manner. ¡°The first possibility is they¡¯re taking pics of us with a telephoto lens and stuff all the time, regardless of if we¡¯re in or out of the uniform. But this isn¡¯t very likely. After all, this implies that they have someone tailing each of us and snapping pics; finding qualified enough personnel in such numbers is hard, and it¡¯s also easy to spot and expose them. Neither Lieutenant nor Enomoto are nearly dense enough not to realize that they¡¯re being followed around the clock and taken pictures of.¡± He paused for a second before moving onto his conclusion. ¡°The above leaves only the second possibility, namely remote photographing via spy cameras.¡± ¡°I see!¡± Hidaka smacked his knee in sudden realization. Fus.h.i.+mi continued, ¡°Hidaka, a.n.a.lyze all the pics, determine the shooting angle and the circ.u.mstances of each shot, then go the places where they had been taken at and check the area thoroughly.¡± ¡°R-Right!¡± ¡°Maybe you can still find some small leftover clues there.¡± He let a cynical chuckle slip. ¡°Oh well, that dude seems like a smart guy, so the chances are pretty low. After that, well, just try doing what I suggested if you can, I guess.¡± ¡°I will definitely do it!¡± That earned Hidaka another cold chuckle. ¡°¡ªYeah, do your best,¡± was all Fus.h.i.+mi said before hanging up. Hidaka clenched his fist and muttered, ¡°I need to inform the Captain asap.¡± He sprang up to his feet excitedly. ? But, unfortunately for Hidaka, at about the same time Awas.h.i.+ma was in Munakata¡¯s office reporting her findings on what Hidaka was only going to investigate. ¡°Hm, I see. As expected, no clue to allow us to close in on that man was left.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid so,¡± Awas.h.i.+ma confirmed, standing before Munakata and operating her tablet. ¡°The total number of images sent is 18. All of them are pictures of the Special Ops squad. To be precise, among them there are 3 pictures of me, Doumyouji, Enomoto each, 2 of Hidaka, Gotou and Fuse, and 1 of Benzai, Kamo and Akiyama.¡± ¡°What a pity. There is none of myself, apparently.¡± Munakata leaned his elbows on the table and elegantly rested his chin on his laced fingers. ¡°Awas.h.i.+ma-kun. I would like to hear your opinion on this matter: do you sense any arbitrary significance in the varying number of pictures for the troops?¡± Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s finger froze in the middle of flicking the tablet¡¯s screen as she took her time to think. After a pause, she shook her head and replied flatly, ¡°No, sir. I think that, perhaps, it was determined simply by how many pictures of each member worth sending those people were able to take.¡± Munakata smiled. ¡°Yes, that is right. I think so, too. In other words, some people had given them many more opportunities for taking funny pictures of themselves then the others, it would seem.¡± Awas.h.i.+ma flushed a little. The total of 3 such pictures of her were taken. It was the same number as for the most extreme oddb.a.l.l.s even among the Special Ops, Doumyouji and Enomoto. ''Do I have that many c.h.i.n.ks in my armor¡­?¡¯ she asked herself bitterly even as she resumed her report. ¡°By the filming location, we have 14 outdoor shots and 4 indoors ones. The outdoor locations are places like roads and parks. As to the indoor locations, 3 pictures show the HQ premises and 1 the interior of a second hand bookstore.¡± ¡°A second hand bookstore¡­ that would be where Enomoto-kun was selecting a magazine, if I am not mistaken. I would certainly like to discuss that sort of hobby with him sometime.¡± ¡°As I was saying,¡± Awas.h.i.+ma cut Munakata off forcibly, ignoring his remark with all her might, ¡°there are only 2 pictures of the members in civilian clothes - of myself and Enomoto,¡± Awas.h.i.+ma said by way of a conclusion. ¡°Also, about the circ.u.mstances of the shots that you specifically indicated, Captain¡­¡± Munakata¡¯s eyes behind the gla.s.ses glinted. ¡°¡ªWhat did you find out?¡± It looked like this was the part Munakata was waiting for. Awas.h.i.+ma cleared her throat and, following his suit and hardening her her expression, reported, ¡°4 pictures were taken via manned utilization of an ultra telephoto lens. I have confirmed that with the exception of those 4, all the other shots were made via unattended cameras.¡± ¡°You are certain of it, I presume?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. These are the official results of the technical research inst.i.tute¡¯s scientific expert appraisal. Would you like to take a look at the list of camera models used for each picture and the other details pertaining to the circ.u.mstances they were taken in, sir?¡± Munakata shook his head. ¡°No, that is not necessary. Make the list a shared file later and leave it for me, that would suffice. What about the unattended cameras?¡± ¡°As you have surmised, sir, for most part they were the small type used for surveillance and spy recording, also called camouflage cameras.¡± ¡°¡ªSo we do have security camera footage among those pictures.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Awas.h.i.+ma nodded deeply. ¡°The picture of Enomoto at the second hand bookstore is precisely that. It appears that the bookstore suffered damage from rare books being shoplifted so they installed high definition surveillance cameras there. Naturally, the footage from them is saved to the built-in hard disk.¡± Munakata slowly closed his eyes and took a breath. ¡°Which got hacked, I a.s.sume?¡± ¡°Correct, sir,¡± Awas.h.i.+ma confirmed again. ¡°Pictures taken with a manned telephoto lens, footage recorded by concealed camouflage cameras in the important areas of the city and footage obtained through hacking of security cameras. All in all, they have employed at least 3 distinctly different ways to take those photos.¡± Munakata smiled thinly and wryly. ¡°Those pictures are, indeed, embarra.s.sing to us, but at the same time the very fact of their existence does not make much sense. Arranging for such a meticulous setup and investing so much time and efforts just to take a few peeping pictures is ridiculous. I simply fail to get a concrete grasp on our opponent¡¯s real intentions.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Munakata got up unhurriedly and went to stand by the window in silence. Awas.h.i.+ma flicked her tablet again, ¡°Ah, one more thing, sir. We apparently arrived after all the camouflage cameras had been retrieved. Not a trace of them remained at the a.s.sumed filming sites.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± Munakata had probably expected that much. Not making a move to express his opinion, he stared out the window at the scenery outside. ¡°Also,¡± Awas.h.i.+ma tried to be as concise as possible, ¡°at present, no evidence of secret filming has been found in the headquarters , but, to be on the safe side, we are conducting a search for camouflaged cameras and taking preventive measures against any suspicious person without exception.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Suddenly, Munakata turned to her and opened his mouth as if wanting to give some orders. ¡°What is it, sir?¡± Awas.h.i.+ma asked in puzzlement. ¡°Nothing.¡± Munakata frowned. ¡°¡ªIt is just that something feels slightly off to me¡­¡± Touching a hand to his forehead, he pondered for a short while, but¡­ ¡°No, must be my imagination. Awas.h.i.+ma-kun. Those countermeasures are correct. Please continue, I am counting on you.¡± He smiled pleasantly. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Awas.h.i.+ma bowed to him and left the office. Once her back disappeared behind the door, Munakata turned his attention back to the view outside the window. ¡°¡ªSo this is another one of your messages, huh, Kounomura-san,¡± he murmured. Volume 1 Chapter 2 Part2 Case Files of Blue by Miyazawa Tatsuki ? On Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s orders, the members of Scepter 4 who were not busy with work, conducted a search inside the HQ. The search was thorough, from bas.e.m.e.nts to lofts. At first the members were confused, but when Awas.h.i.+ma specified the reason for such a measure, they got motivated and did an exhaustive search in every building. If even a single peeping picture taken inside the HQ showed up, they would have to admit to the opponent that their security was full of holes. Moreover, also, many were afraid to even imagine all the shameful pictures that could be snapped in the dorms which were a private s.p.a.ce. So the free troops split into groups and went through all the places, starting with the main building, then the south and the west ones, the dojo, the garage and finally the dorms for the troops, with a fine tooth comb. Among the partic.i.p.ating members were not only those of the Special Ops squad, that became the direct targets of that kind of filming, but also office workers like Yos.h.i.+no. The one to take command of the search parties was Enomoto Tatsuya who was knowledgeable about this kind of devices. He gave all the directions regarding the search process, summed up the general cla.s.sification of camouflage cameras for the members, narrowed down the locations where such cameras could be installed, provided necessary explanations, even touching upon the psychology of peeping toms who used this kind of cameras. Hearing such fine particulars and accurate comments from him, Hidaka gingerly ventured, ¡°¡ªUmm, Eno¡­ You don¡¯t really have any kind of actual experience in this, do you, I hope?¡± ¡°Fufun,¡± Enomoto snickered disturbingly. ¡°I have knowledge in the area and the equipment, but I have yet to apply it to practice, because that sort of thing doesn¡¯t really arouse my interest all that much, I¡¯m afraid.¡± Together with relief, Hidaka felt a smidge of uneasiness at those words. Following Enomoto¡¯s instructions, Hidaka was mainly in charge of the back yard search. The inside of the buildings had already been checked thoroughly and not a single suspicious gadget had been found anywhere. No matter how ingenious the opponents might have been, it seemed impossible for them to slip through the nets of Enomoto¡¯s manically thorough check. At the moment, Hidaka was only looking around the outdoor s.p.a.ce near the back yard just to make double sure they didn¡¯t overlook anything. Installing cameras at a place like this that rarely even saw people wasn¡¯t going to pay off anyway. ¡®So in the end, Fus.h.i.+mi-san knew that the Captain and the Lieutenant had already been making their move.¡¯ Suddenly, Hidaka froze. In the underbush, there was a cardboard box. Hidaka¡¯s heart did a flip in his chest. The place where the box was left didn¡¯t follow the principles of hidden camera installation that Enomoto had explained to him, but there could be no doubt that it was a suspicious object. Hidaka drew closer slowly and cautiously and, picking up a stick lying on the ground, moved the cap off of the box, opening it. ¡°Hn!¡± he realized something, leaned in closer to the box with disbelief all over his face and took out one of the items out of it. He had already concluded that the contents weren¡¯t explosives. They couldn¡¯t be. ¡°¡ªEh? But how?¡± Something close to a groan slipped out of him. Because what the box contained was¡­ ¡°How could this be carried all the way here, all of places¡­?¡± he lamented, covering his mouth with a hand. The things inside couldn¡¯t be mistaken. They were ¡°archive E¡± taken out of the ¡°library¡± that Enomoto and Fuse managed - that is, obscene magazines. Hidaka opened a page and reunited with the girl he had given up all hope of seeing again. ¡°No mistake then,¡± he whispered with something akin to a moan. ? Later, Hidaka contacted Enomoto and Fuse, and they came to collect ¡°archive E¡±. They handled it quickly but with utmost care and reverence as if it was a gold bar or a work of art. Although neither of them seemed to have any idea of how ¡°archive E¡± could turn up at a place like the back yard, for the moment they were apparently very relieved to recover the precious magazine collection bought on shared investments. The search hadn¡¯t discovered any hidden cameras but found the dirty magazines instead. Only Hidaka couldn¡¯t help feeling slightly ill at ease, fidgeting that maybe they needed to report it to somebody, so he tried suggesting they do to the two indirectly, but¡­ ¡°¡ªAnd what do you wanna say? "We lost some dirty mags, but safely found them, so no worries¡±? Thank you but I¡¯ll pa.s.s, personally. If we reported to Lieutenant Awas.h.i.+ma, for starters, we¡¯d be in for a shouting session, you can bet on it.¡° "He¡¯s right. What if it involves some unavoidable circ.u.mstances of one of the "library members¡±. We can¡¯t be so careless.¡° Enomoto and Fuse both were unanimously against the idea. Furthermore, Enomoto declared that he was going to raise the security level of "archive E¡± management, so even Hidaka had to stop with the further argument. After all, he didn¡¯t exactly want to make the existence of the ¡°library¡± public because of something that didn¡¯t even look significant. Later on that day, after the search had been finished, all the partic.i.p.ants stood in rows in front of Awas.h.i.+ma as Enomoto reported the results. ¡°No hidden cameras or other suspicious gadgets for illegal information gathering have been found on the premises of Scepter 4. I guarantee it!¡± ¡°¡ªI see.¡± Awas.h.i.+ma looked somewhat relieved. Enomoto ventured a suggestion, ¡°If I may, I would like to propose we install surveillance cameras of our own. We will be able to detect it faster if any suspicious persons trespa.s.s on the territory, and use the footage as evidence.¡± After considering his suggestion for a short while, Awas.h.i.+ma shook her head. ¡°No. We won¡¯t do that. Our opponents apparently have a hacker who can hack into surveillance camera systems.¡± Enomoto¡¯s countenance betrayed his disappointment, if only a little. It basically read, ¡°If I¡¯m the one in charge of the system, I won¡¯t let anything so unsightly happen.¡± Seeing his expression and grasping the meaning behind it, Awas.h.i.+ma gave him a wry smile. ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m doubting your skills, it¡¯s just a precaution to be on the safe side.¡± ¡°¡ªSometimes it¡¯s better to have human witnesses,¡± Gotou, standing next to Hidaka, remarked in a whisper. ¡°A camera itself can¡¯t notice abnormalities about someone or sense that something is off about them. What can notice such things without fail is¡­¡± Gotou pointed to his own eyes. ¡°¡­these. Human eyes only.¡± He was telling this to Hidaka, but Awas.h.i.+ma, p.r.i.c.king up her ears, heard him too. She nodded like Gotou¡¯s opinion was in complete consort with her own. ¡°Nice observation, Gotou.¡± Gotou smiled slightly. Awas.h.i.+ma, looking everyone in the face, raised her voice. ¡°Kounomura Zenichi¡¯s goal for approaching us is exceedingly baffling. At the moment, we hardly have any information on his methods or his subordinates. You can¡¯t let your guard down, even if we found no cameras inside the HQ buildings,¡± she warned the gathered members again before dismissing them. As she did, her PDA rung. The caller was displayed as Munakata Reis.h.i.+. Awas.h.i.+ma answered the call promptly. ¡°Awas.h.i.+ma listening, sir.¡± ¡°Awas.h.i.+ma-kun,¡± Munakata said in his usual detached tone. ¡°Please gather troops for an emergency dispatch after consulting with Akiyama-kun.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s voice was audibly high-pitched. The members, who were leaving the grounds, p.r.i.c.ked up their ears, wondering what was going on. Being aware that she had become the focus of the troops¡¯ attention, Awas.h.i.+ma asked for a clarification, ¡°¡ªWhat does that mean, sir? Did something happen?¡± ¡°Oh, nothing much.¡± Munakata chuckled lightly. ¡°I simply had an idea that might allow us to catch Kounomura-s.h.i.+ by the tail. We shall test if they really have the skills and strength that they have been boasting of or not.¡± Munakata then proceeded to explain the particulars of his plan to Awas.h.i.+ma. 5 minutes later, Awas.h.i.+ma started giving out orders to the members left on the grounds in a resolute voice, thinking all the while, ''This is the Captain for you, regardless what he might have said previously.¡¯ ? It was past midnight, and it started to rain, threads of rain looking like someone was pulling on them. Having bought late-night snack, Doumyouji, in civilian clothes, made his way to a room in a certain apartment building. Patting his shoulders off water droplets, he asked in a bright, jaunty voice one wouldn¡¯t expect to hear in this dim, gloomy room. ¡°Hiya. I¡¯ve bought what you requested, Lieutenant, Kamo. Any changes in the situation?¡± ¡°¡ªOh, Doumyouji. Much appreciated. No changes so far,¡± Awas.h.i.+ma answered in place of Kamo who, with a pair of binoculars in his hands, was steadily observing a certain room of an old apartment complex across the street. Taking the plastic shopping bag from the nearest convenience store that Doumyouji held out to her, Awas.h.i.+ma took her turn to ask Doumyouji, ¡°I hope you were careful on your way back?¡± Inside the bag, she found foodstuffs, tea and sweets. Her eyes lingered on ¡°Parfait with plenty of anko!¡± and she earnestly complimented Doumyouji in her mind for being a perceptive man when it counted. She positively beamed like no one ever knew she could. She really was looking forward to this parfait because it was a new article she had yet to sample. ¡°Nooo wooorries.¡± Doumyouji grinned, showing his pearly whites as he took off his coat and plopped on the tatami floor with his legs crossed. ¡°I made sure no one was watching when I entered the building. Perfect stealth, I guarantee you. That aside, Kamo. I know it¡¯s still a bit early to switch lookouts, but wanna switch anyway? You¡¯ve had a lot to deal with yesterday and look a bit tired.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kamo threw a glance back at Doumyouji, then looked at his wrist.w.a.tch and nodded. ¡°Thanks, Doumyouji. I think I¡¯ll take you up on that.¡± Like Doumyouji pointed out, Kamo did indeed look somewhat weary. Sighing a little, Kamo handed the binoculars to Doumyouji and went to look through the bag with snacks that Awas.h.i.+ma left on the floor. His eyes lingered on the convenience store sus.h.i.+ for a few moments as his face showed somewhat mixed feelings. But for various reasons and as a former chef, he pa.s.sed on that. Then his gaze s.h.i.+fted to rice b.a.l.l.s, from them to strawberry jelly, to chocolate until finally settling on ¡°Parfait with plenty of anko!¡± as he extended his hand to take it. Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s face fell. But Kamo didn¡¯t notice it, prying the plastic lid open with a dry click. Originally, he specialized in j.a.panese cuisine and was quite fond of pleasantly sweet anko beans (provided that the quant.i.ty was reasonable). Gazing outside the window through the binoculars, Doumyouji asked, ¡°So, uh, your wife didn¡¯t let you see your daughter yesterday again?¡± Kamo visibly tensed at this direct and severe blow. But since the question was asked so bluntly, there was no need to drag this out, so he was able to recover quickly. ¡°¡ªWell, yeah,¡± Kamo replied with a self-derisive smile as he carried the spoon to his mouth. Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s eyes became a perfect circle. ¡°Once things turn sour, everything becomes very complicated. Especially in the relations.h.i.+p between former spouses,¡± Kamo said, drowning himself in anko. Now that he was eating it, he had realized that his body did crave some sugar. ¡°It¡¯s good. Really good,¡± he finally commented. ¡°Hmmm,¡± Doumyouji expressed wonderingly. ¡°I¡¯ve never been married myself, but you look mature to me, and you¡¯re holding it together just fine, have a proper job and everything. Why did your wife even divorce you?¡± Abruptly, someone whispered in a dark, dark voice, ¡°¡ªActually, I think I understand her a little.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Kamo¡¯s head turned to look back at Awas.h.i.+ma. For some reason, she refused to look at him, staring at the ceiling that obviously had nothing to do with the matter. Her face was absolutely unreadable. What was it? Even though she was sitting in a very neat and proper seiza, it felt like blue flames of fury were rising off of her otherwise very feminine body. ¡°U-Um, Lieutenant¡­?¡± Kamo tried nervously, but Doumyouji¡¯s sharp and alert call interrupted him, ¡°Lieutenant! Kamo!¡± making both Awas.h.i.+ma and Kamo instantly switch back to work mode and jump to the window. Doumyouji held out the binoculars to Awas.h.i.+ma, but even without them she could see the reason for the alert clearly. ¡°Who is that?¡± a groan escaped Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s mouth as she pulled up the curtain. Kamo was already contacting Akiyama¡¯s group who were on standby nearby via his PDA. A bright vermillion parasol. Clattering of geta that could be heard even here. A bald giant in a priest¡¯s garb was slowly walking along the dimly-lit street under the drizzling rain, approaching the apartment they were staking out. ? The plan wasn¡¯t all that elaborate. If Kounomura and his followers were apprehending culprits who possessed strain powers in place of Scepter 4, then Scepter 4 just needed to use a strain whose whereabouts they had already been aware of as a bait and wait until the opponents showed themselves. Simple as that. That was what Munakata had explained to Awas.h.i.+ma. ¡°There is no need for an ambush more elaborate than this. Our opponents are bound to reveal themselves in any case.¡± When Awas.h.i.+ma asked him why, he gave the following answer, ¡°Kounomura-san declared that his people can do our job better than us. That is why they cannot afford to make any exception. Extreme case scenario, they would still have to come and capture the strain even if there would be a crowd of us, in full uniform, around him.¡± But still, even if Munakata made it sound so easy, it was out of question to set up this trap in the open. After all, if they did, the strain they were using as the bait would notice Scepter 4¡¯s presence and simply escape. For that reason, Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s group was staking out the strain¡¯s place from an apartment in the building across the street, Akiyama¡¯s group was standing by in an apartment in the same building, while Hidaka¡¯s group was lying in wait in a nearby alleyway. ''To think that they¡¯d really show themselves so brazenly and openly, just like the Captain predicted!¡¯ Awas.h.i.+ma thought to herself in surprise as she took the lead and sprinted out of the building. Although it couldn¡¯t be completely ruled out that the bald giant of a man in the priest¡¯s robe was someone unrelated to the matter, at this point that was a possibility they didn¡¯t need to concern themselves with anymore. For the man, when he pa.s.sed under the gazes of Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s team, had looked up and flashed them a grin. He had already been well aware of their presence. Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s hand on the saber tightened. With her taking the point, Kamo following and Doumyouji bringing up the rear, they burst out of the building and stormed into the one across the street like a bullet. By that time, loud sounds of destruction, with screams mixed in, could already be heard from inside the building. Racing up the stairs, Awas.h.i.+ma unsheathed her saber. ¡°Awas.h.i.+ma, emergency draw!¡± Kamo and Doumyouji behind her followed suit. Three blades flashed blue in the dark confines of the cheap wooden structure, moving fast and resembling will-o¡¯-the-wisps. The site of the disturbance was located on the third floor. There, they immediately saw the strange looking bald man from before. He was in the hallway, standing at his full height with one hand held up. The hand was closed around the neck of a lanky young guy, who was flailing his limbs and screaming shrilly, but the big man wasn¡¯t budging an inch. On his lips, a bold smile played. Hoisted up by the giant like a prankster kid was the strain, who was the target of this time¡¯s surveillance efforts. Awas.h.i.+ma only knew that the strain was a petty thief with the ability to emit shockwaves from his palms which he used to destroy house doors or windows when no one was home and to steal valuables. Credit for cooperating with the police in uncovering his existence and establis.h.i.+ng his whereabouts but letting him remain at large for Scepter 4¡¯s purposes all went to the Akiyama and Benzai duo. They negotiated with the landlord of this apartment complex and stood by in a vacant room on the third floor almost around the clock. Right now, Akiyama and Benzai blocked one end of the hallway while Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s group was coming from the other end, trapping the bald giant and the young strain in between them. Like Awas.h.i.+ma and her group, they were already holding their drawn swords ready, but with the hallway being narrow and the strain in the way, they couldn¡¯t charge in carelessly. ¡°I¡¯m warning you: let the hostage go!¡± Awas.h.i.+ma shouted. ¡°You¡¯re completely surrounded. Cease your resistance and surrender!¡± ¡°Hostage?¡± The giant of a man raised his brows and threw a sharp glance Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s way. ¡°Surrender? Quit saying nonsense!¡± he roared. ¡°I¡¯m not so cowardly as to take hostages, nor am I being cornered by you nearly enough to surrender!¡± His voice was throaty and powerful, perfectly matching his appearance. At that instance¡­ ¡°You d.a.m.n¡­!¡± The strain the man was holding up cried out, red faced. ¡°Cut it the f.u.c.k out already, d.a.m.n geezer!¡± Putting his hands on the giant¡¯s skull, he yelled, ¡°Die!¡± Awas.h.i.+ma and the others gave a start of shock. The youth¡¯s power was to produce shockwaves from his palms. As a strain, he wasn¡¯t much of a threat, but still, his ability had enough destructive force to blow metal doors off their hinges. If applied to the head directly, there was no way a human being wouldn¡¯t die from it. ¡°Don¡¯t¨C!¡± Before Awas.h.i.+ma had the time to jump forward, a white flash blew out, engulfing the whole of the giant¡¯s head. ¡°Ugh!¡± The light was much more blinding than Awas.h.i.+ma had expected, so she had to stop and put up both her hands in front of her face for protection. Akiyama and Benzai shouted something. ¡°Gufufufufu.¡± As the light unspread, the breath of all the present Scepter 4 members caught in their throats. Not the slightest change was seen in the giant before them, who was now laughing arrogantly. He was still holding up the youth in the air with one hand. To be precise, traces of light burns could be glimpsed on the temporal regions of his skull where the youth pushed his hands against, but there were no signs that it dealt the giant any damage. What astounding hardiness. ''This man must be a strain himself or something along the same lines¡­¡¯ Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s thought processes recovered quickly. ¡°My head is a bit special, you see.¡± The giant slapped himself on the forehead a couple of times with his free hand. Then he lowered the shaking wide-eyed strain to his eye level, said, ¡°Fix your att.i.tude and try again,¡± and jabbed him in Adam¡¯s apple with his thick index finger. With just that, the youth fainted, the whites of his eyes showing as they rolled back into his head. The giant carefully sat the unconscious strain down against the wall and then turned to the Scepter 4 members, glaring at them. ¡°Now then. This person won¡¯t get in the way anymore. So have at me. All at once, of course.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Awas.h.i.+ma and the others couldn¡¯t help being demoralized. That was when Hidaka, Fuse and Gotou came rus.h.i.+ng to the scene. Awas.h.i.+ma, sensing their approach with her back, challenged their opponent in a carrying voice. ¡°Let me confirm something first. Are you one of Kounomura Zenichi¡¯s henchmen who¡¯s here to interfere with our duties?¡± ¡°¡­When asking somebody¡¯s name, it¡¯s only proper to give them your own first, you know, but well, you people are too easy to recognize even when you¡¯re wearing civilian clothes, Scepter 4. And you¡­¡± he was looking at Awas.h.i.+ma in clear amus.e.m.e.nt, ¡°¡­Awas.h.i.+ma Seri, right? The woman clinging to that scrawny greenhorn Munakata Reis.h.i.+, no?¡± ¡°Unmh.¡± Awas.h.i.+ma scowled. ¡°I know all about you and your backgrounds from Zenichi. So fine, I suppose I¡¯ll give you my name, as well. I¡¯m Nakamura Gouoku. About a decade ago I met Zenichi and happened to like his style and eccentricity, so I¡¯ve been cooperating with him ever since.¡± Then the man, who introduced himself as Gouoku, slowly p.r.o.nounced a row of digits, perplexing Awas.h.i.+ma. Kamo leaned in and whispered into her ear, ¡°The numbers he just gave us is his Citizen ID, I think. He is telling us his personal history. Let¡¯s look it up later.¡± Awas.h.i.+ma nodded. ¡°¡ªNakamura Gouoku.¡± She started in a hushed tone. ¡°We will now¡­¡± Communicating with Akiyama and Benzai with her eyes only, she finished, ¡°¡­arrest you for obstruction of Scepter 4¡¯s duties!¡± She kicked off of the ground nimbly, instantly charging ahead. At the same time, Akiyama and Benzai drew closer to Gouoku, intending to trap him with the pincer movement. They had been training together for a long time and could understand each other¡¯s intention without words. ¡°Hmph!¡± Gouoku grinned fearlessly. Then he turned his bulk around and with speed unimaginable for his size, dashed in the direction of Akiyama and Benzai. In a certain sense, it was a foreseeable move. Before one is trapped from both sides in the pincer attack, one needs to break through one of the flanks by smas.h.i.+ng the enemy. For anyone more or less experienced in fighting, it was a natural choice. On Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s side, there were 5 people, but on the opposite flank, only Akiyama and Benzai. So the man obviously intended to make use of the unequal numbers. Awas.h.i.+ma shouted, ¡°Hidaka! Fuse! Secure the unconscious strain!¡± ¡°Yes, ma''am!¡± They answered the same instance from behind Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s back. With this, Awas.h.i.+ma, Doumyouji and Kamo from one side and Akiyama and Benzai from the other were going to encircle the giant. Just when Awas.h.i.+ma thought that¡­ ¡°Ha!¡± ¡°Heya!¡± Despite the narrow hallway, the two on the other end took the flawless fighting stances and swung their swords, Akiyama from the above and Benzai, bending a little so that he and Akiyama wouldn¡¯t get in each other¡¯s way, from the side. Their blades were being brought down on rus.h.i.+ng Gouoku, and watching the scene, not even Awas.h.i.+ma thought there was any room to evade them. But Gouoku only smirked broadly. He didn¡¯t even try to evade. ¡°Hmphuum!¡± Instead he strained bodily. Akiyama, Benzai and also Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s group bugged their eyes. The man¡¯s body took on a copper-tanned metallic s.h.i.+ne and repelled the two sabers with ease: upon the contact they made a clinking sound as if a rock was. .h.i.t with a metal bat. Akiyama, pain visible on his face, took a step back, while Benzai dropped his saber with a groan, holding his suddenly numb right hand with his left. ¡°Guwahahahahaha!¡± Gouoku wasted no time. Seizing Akiyama by the scruff of his neck, he hoisted him above his head with no apparent effort and quite literally threw him in the direction of Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s group. Next, he grabbed an armful of Benzai and launched him at the others, too, like he was a kitten. For a second, it left all the present speechless. Akiyama and Benzai were also too paralyzed with shock to even attempt to do anything mid-flight. The man¡¯s herculean strength was so absurd that it was hard to believe it was real. Before long, Akiyama, on his trajectory down, dragged Doumyouji and Kamo down with him and all three flopped onto the floor in a screaming heap. Benzai, though, was able to avoid Akiyama¡¯s fate. Just when he was about to crash into Awas.h.i.+ma, she caught him. Kneeling down on one knee like she was going to receive a powerful throw in the game of dodgeball, she managed to catch Benzai grabbing him with both her arms even though he was larger than her, demonstrating unbelievable for such a slender frame physical strength of her own. ¡°Hoo.¡± The corners of Gouoku¡¯s mouth lifted in an amused grin. ¡°A king¡¯s right hand person is nothing to sneeze at even if she¡¯s a woman, I see.¡± ¡°E-Erm, Lieutenant¡­¡± Benzai, currently curled up in Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s arms and held in a princess carry, tried to express his grat.i.tude. ¡°Thank you for your help.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Awas.h.i.+ma answered like the galant prince and put Benzai down. Benzai was clearly uncomfortable. Next to him, Akiyama, Doumyouji and Kamo managed to untangle themselves somehow with welps of pain and got up. Awas.h.i.+ma, taking a fighting stance again with her saber at the ready, inquired, ¡°Nakamura Gouoku! That immense power and hardness of yours. It¡¯s already obvious, but I still want to confirm it with you: you¡¯re a strain, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Gouoku honestly nodded. ¡°It looks like I possess the adamantine body.¡± To show it off, he struck poses bodybuilders would, tensing his arms, flexing his muscles, making his abdominals stick out and demonstrating his back. With each pose, Gouoku¡¯s whole body glinted metallic. ¡°¡ªWhat¡¯s with these ridiculous poses?¡± Awas.h.i.+ma asked with displeasure. ¡°I was a bodybuilder when I was young, you see. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because of that or not, but when I do poses like Abdominal&Thigh and Double Bicep, my body gets even stronger and harder, it seems,¡± Gouoku laughed heartily. ¡°Don¡¯t ask why. I only became a strain half a year ago, so I don¡¯t know any detailed stuff. ¡± ''Half a year?¡¯ When she heard that, something bothered Awas.h.i.+ma. But before she could try and put her finger on it, Gouoku addressed her, ¡°So what do you choose, Awas.h.i.+ma? Will you hand that youngster over to me peacefully or should I take him from you the hard way after beating up all of you?¡± He grinned. ¡°C''mon, c''mon, which will it be?¡± Awas.h.i.+ma took a soft breath, ¡°It¡¯s easy. We¡¯ll beat you up and get Kounomura Zenichi¡¯s whereabouts out of you. Does this answer your question?¡± She gazed at Gouoku sternly. ¡°I like that!¡± He did a pose that looked intimidating, with both his arms up and his clenched fists turned sideways above his head. Awas.h.i.+ma pointed the tip of her sword up at him. ¡°Bring it!¡± ¡°Here I come!¡± Awas.h.i.+ma and Gouoku charged at one another at the same time. Their furious duel lasted for about 10 minutes. Volume 1 Chapter 2 Part3 Case Files of Blue by Miyazawa Tatsuki ? ¡°¡­So, what was the result?¡± Munakata, seated behind his desk in his office in Scepter 4 HQ and not taking his eyes away from the puzzle in front of him, asked Akiyama. Akiyama reported with seeming embarra.s.sment coloring his voice, ¡°Um¡­ in the end, the apartment building collapsed, sir.¡± It was said hesitantly, as if to check how Munakata would react first. As he feared, Munakata¡¯s fingers, fiddling with a puzzle piece, froze abruptly. But, only 2-3 seconds later, Munakata expressed, ¡°Oh. How grand scaled.¡± It was absolutely impossible to gauge what he was thinking by the smile that appeared on his lips as he resumed putting puzzle pieces to their rightful places. Akiyama, in a cold sweat, thought to himself, ¡®I¡¯d have much preferred to be scolded openly though¡­¡¯ Not only had they let Gouoku, who was the target of this operation, escape, they had also caused extensive damage in the process that could and should have been avoided. The only positive result they had achieved was securing the custody of the repeat petty thief strain. But that, being part of their regular work, wasn¡¯t much of an achievement at all and even went without saying. In all honesty, this kind of result, considering that it was brought by combined efforts of the Special Ops squad, was the same as a failure. It wasn¡¯t even clear if Munakata was angry at how it turned out or really thought nothing of it. ''Come to think of it, this person has never reprimanded me in the true sense of the word¡­¡¯ To Akiyama, as a former member of the National Defense Force, the sort of coolness Munakata displayed and his indifferent reactions that made grasping what he felt very difficult were making him feel ill at ease. Beatings he had taken from merciless instructors back in his trainee days were nothing compared to this. ¡°And what happened to Awas.h.i.+ma-kun?¡± Munakata asked his next question, taking puzzle pieces one after another with quick and smooth finger movements. Akiyama gave an immediate answer, ¡°Since Lieutenant had quite a few bruises, she headed to the hospital once the operation was over. Lieutenant herself said that it wasn¡¯t a big deal, but since she also took a hit to the head, we found it necessary she go to the hospital for a check.¡± ¡°Hoo. To injure Awas.h.i.+ma-kun to that extent¡­¡± Munakata said in a slightly lowered tone. ¡°Akiyama-kun. Please describe the confrontation development to the best of your ability.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Akiyama did as ordered. Basically, it was a disorganized battle in a confined s.p.a.ce. With Awas.h.i.+ma as the core of their offensive, Akiyama, Benzai, Doumyouji and Kamo launched an incessant and fierce onslaught on Gouoku. Hidaka and Fuse, meanwhile, with the help of Gotou who was standing by outside, evacuated all the residents and transported the unconscious strain. Luckily, except for the strain youth, there were only 2 other tenants in the building, so evacuation went without a hitch, and no civilians were injured. For all that the fight between Gouoku and Scepter 4 was 1 vs 5, it was far from one-sided and even becoming progressively more fierce, eventually reaching the point where a wall was blown up and a support beam destroyed. As a result, the already cheap and not very st.u.r.dy structure gave way, collapsing and dragging all the fighters, both Scepter 4 and Gouoku, along with it. Gouoku was rampaging, throwing his bulk around with agility unbelievable for his size. The only one who could go toe to toe with him in battle was Awas.h.i.+ma. Moreover, in the confined s.p.a.ce their numbers and the length of their weapon, saber, turned to their disadvantage as they were all constantly in each other¡¯s way. They might have stood a better chance at arresting Gouoku if Awas.h.i.+ma had been the only one to fight him. ¡°Still, no matter how strong Awas.h.i.+ma-kun and that personage, Nakamura Gouoku, were, they would not be able to destroy the whole apartment building with just the two of them, would they?¡± ¡°Sir.¡± After hesitating for a moment, Akiyama stumbled out, ¡°About that¡­ it is, uh¡­¡± ¡°It is alright, Akiyama-kun. It is not like I intend to put you through questioning. I only want you to report what happened truthfully, nothing more.¡± ¡°Understood, sir. Then¡­¡± Akiyama cleared his throat shortly and reported, ¡°In the end, Doumyouji grew impatient and unleashed several powerful attacks in succession, and that was probably what became the last straw. They damaged the support beams of the building, and, uh¡­¡± ¡°Hoo.¡± Munakata¡¯s hand froze mid-motion again. Akiyama braced himself. But upon a closer look, it appeared that the reason wasn¡¯t because Munakata was bothered by the story but because he had simply completed his puzzle. Folding his arms, he admired his handiwork with fond satisfaction. Akiyama dared a look at it as well. It really was Munakata¡¯s puzzle, quite literally. For there he was, Munakata Reis.h.i.+, looking at the world from the puzzle with a false whole face smile. Akiyama had heard the rumors. That there hardly could be found a jigsaw puzzle anymore that could satisfy the needs of the puzzle loving Munakata, so he made his own puzzles to entertain himself. Apparently, he was fine with any picture on his puzzles at all. As far as Akiyama knew, he had already gone through clear blue sky with no other hues mixed in, a toilet wall, a shot of the Special Ops squad members working up a sweat in the dojo, cicadas and a banknote. Pictures he took were made into puzzles via exclusive puzzle cutting machines. So apparently, he was just as undemanding about the picture as always, using a selfie for this time¡¯s puzzle. Akiyama glanced at the wallclock. ''7a.m. Has this person pulled an all-nighter waiting for the report¡­?¡¯ He hardly ever slept or even just rested. But at the same time, he was engaging in something as incomprehensible as playing with puzzles. ''He really is a very odd person.¡¯ Abruptly, Munakata stood up. ¡°Well, I have grasped the gist of it. So good job, Akiyama-kun.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Akiyama made a surprised face hearing the words that were outside of his predictions. Thinking he misheard them, he asked for a confirmation. ¡°Excuse me, but what did you just say, sir?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Now Munakata was the one confused. ¡°Why, I thanked you for the job well done. Did I say something strange?¡± ¡°Erm, but¡­¡± Akiyama started awkwardly. ¡°We let Nakamura Gouoku escape and caused heavy damage to a civilian building. So naturally, I was prepared to receive a well deserved reprimand.¡± ¡°Aah.¡± Munakata offered him a little smile. ¡°Is that so. Well, indeed.¡± His countenance became sterner, ¡°I am not about to praise you for damaging the apartment building. Naturally, it is collective responsibility and I shall have all of you reflect on your actions, and Doumyouji-kun in particular, for being the frequent source of this kind of damage, I shall have him write a letter of apology for every hundred thousand of damage claims.¡± Doumyouji had a lot of writing to do then; Akiyama turned pale in the face as he thought just how much. ''That¡¯ll be like 200 letters of apology, no?¡¯ Suddenly, Munakata smiled. ¡°But you know, Akiyama-kun, despite the damage, there were no casualties and no one was injured. And what is more, you have fulfilled your duties, have you not? You have arrested the strain thief, after all.¡± Huh, Akiyama thought. ¡°You have accomplished what you were supposed to. In which case, both Kounomura Zenichi and Nakamura Gouoku are nothing more than a little vexation. What is to be prioritized is justice. Or am I wrong?¡± ¡°You are¡­ not, sir.¡± It came out almost as a groan, but it was the best Akiyama could manage. Until now, deep down he thought that first and foremost, they needed to do something about that Kounomura Zenichi who was challenging them. Because he was undermining their foundations somehow, Akiyama felt. That¡¯s why they just couldn¡¯t afford to ignore him; as to the strain youth, he didn¡¯t give him more thought than that he was to be their bait. And it wasn¡¯t just him: it was safe to a.s.sume that all of the Special Ops members, starting with Awas.h.i.+ma, didn¡¯t view the strain as anything more than that. That strain was just a petty thief, to them. But Munakata¡¯s view was different. He continued to focus on the fundamental basis and principles, not shaken in the least by Kounomura¡¯s group that was opposing them. ''As expected, this person¡­¡¯ Munakata unhurriedly walked past Akiyama, and Akiyama, on a sudden impulse, called out to him, making him pause in his tracks. ¡°E-Excuse me, Captain, but where are you going this early, sir?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Munakata¡¯s smile didn¡¯t waver. ¡°To take measures in regards to the collapsed building. Since the amount of damage is substantial, certain necessary arrangements need to be done. Also, I will try to visit Awas.h.i.+ma-kun in the hospital if I can make time for it.¡± He gave Akiyama a light clap on the shoulder. ¡°Akiyama-kun. Creating the environment where you can do your work without worrying about anything else or holding back is my job. So now leave it to me and get some rest, okay?¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Akiyama jumped to attention on a reflex. And thought that Kounomura Zenichi would not win against this person, their king, Munakata Reis.h.i.+. There was no way he ever could, not in the greatness nor in the wits and resourcefulness, Akiyama thought with pa.s.sion. Munakata nodded to him once casually and went straight out of the room. ? It was unclear just what kind of measures Munakata had taken, but all the necessary paperwork in relation to the collapsed apartment building was being handled quickly and smoothly. Doumyouji, on the verge of tears, completed the required 200 letters of apology; Awas.h.i.+ma left the hospital the next day, in good health. She didn¡¯t have any serious injuries to begin with, so she was well and in high spirits and only sincerely regretting her failure to capture Gouoku. On the same day, having obtained the permission from Munakata, she took some people and started the mission to uncover Gouoku and Kounomura¡¯s whereabouts. Speaking of, now that Scepter 4 took the initiative, Kounomura stopped his attempts to usurp their work altogether. Opinions on how to interpret his sudden silence split even within the Special Ops squad, so in the end, most members settled on one of two predominant viewpoints with equal number of supporters, namely: ¡°even if we failed to capture their giant, they did run into our ambush, so now they had to become cautious¡± and ¡°no, they¡¯re just taking their time to set up something nasty for us next¡±. Kamo, currently sitting in the driver¡¯s seat of an official car taken to drive Munakata to certain government agencies, was of the middle opinion. ¡°¡­Kamo-kun. Did you find out Nakamura Gouoku-s.h.i.+¡¯s background?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. The digits he told us really turned out to be his Citizen ID Number.¡± Citizen ID Number was a combination of 10 digits and 3 alphabet letters for managing taxes and social security all at once that could be a.s.signed to every j.a.panese citizen over the age of 20 if they wished so. Only, although getting this ID endure that all the government office related procedures were quick and smooth, many refused to request their Citizen ID Number for reasons of privacy protection, since acquiring that Number meant all the personal information imaginable could be accessed through it alone. That was why, by estimates, only a little more than 60% of the eligible population had received their Citizen ID Numbers. All the Scepter 4 members, being public servants, had it. ¡°I must say you are impressive, Kamo-kun. Did you instantly memorize the number the man told you even though you heard it only once?¡± Kamo, with embarra.s.sment showing, replied, ¡°¡­In my previous line of work, memorization skills were rather necessary.¡± ¡°¡­¡± After a split second consideration, Munakata had figured what Kamo meant. ¡°I see. Working as a chef required a good memory indeed.¡± ¡°That is right, sir. You had to remember what and when you served to several customers at once, at any time.¡± ¡°I see, I see,¡± Munakata said, eyes squinting up in a smile. ¡°I would like to enjoy your sus.h.i.+ sometime again.¡± ¡°You only need to order, sir, and I¡¯ll be happy to serve it to you any time.¡± Munakata gave him a broad smile, and Kamo couldn¡¯t help breaking into a smile of his own in reply. ¡°Let us return to the subject at hand though, that is, Nakamura Gouoku-s.h.i.+.¡± A serious expression returned to Munakata¡¯s face. ¡°Am I right to a.s.sume that we now know his personal history in its entirety, including his academic background, work experiences, criminal record, health insurance and his tax payer history, through his Citizen ID Number?¡± Kamo nodded in reply to Munakata¡¯s question, ¡°Yes, sir. We have all the data on him that were registered at the National Police Agency and Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. Based on them, it can be said that Nakamura Gouoku is an exemplary citizen. Not only does he not have a criminal record, he even rescued a pregnant woman that fell on the train platform when he was in high school, and when he was a college student, he chanced upon a convenience store robbery and subdued the culprit, which earned him a warm grat.i.tude and recognition from the local police station.¡± ¡°Hoo.¡± ¡°Once he came of age, he became a faultless tax payer. Having succeeded his father as the chief priest of a temple, he applied his knowledge of Buddhism to practice, writing how-to books and giving seminars. He also organizes live music performances and ghost story events on his temple¡¯s grounds, gaining considerable profits. He met Kounomura through their shared volunteer activities, it seems.¡± ¡°¡ªWait a second.¡± Pressing his index finger to his forehead, Munakata asked, ¡°Was all that information registered to his Citizen ID Number? It could not be, now could it?¡± ¡°No, it couldn¡¯t, sir.¡± Kamo glanced at Munakata, sitting in the pa.s.senger seat. His superior wore a puzzled face, which was exceedingly rare for him. For a short while ,Kamo hesitated about how to explain it to him, in the end deciding to just say everything frankly. ¡°You see, Nakamura Gouoku keeps a blog, sir. Frank records on nearly every significant event of his life, including his meeting with Kounomura, can be found there.¡± ¡°¡ªA blog, huh.¡± Even Munakata appeared to be genuinely surprised. ¡°Yes, sir. It¡¯s t.i.tled "The tedious diary of the macho chief priest¡±. It came up right away when I tried searching his name.¡° Munakata was silent. Kamo continued, feeling somewhat guilty, "Of course, with all the information about him in the open like that, I took Fuse and Hidaka and together, we hurried to pay the temple a visit¡­¡± He bowed his head apologetically. ¡°But we were too late and I sincerely apologize for that. When we got there, the culprit had already transferred all the regular duties to his disciples and disappeared without informing anyone of where.¡± Munakata opened his mouth, only to close it again. ¡°Hm.¡± Putting a hand to his chin, he looked to be deep in thought. That was when his PDA rang. Munakata answered without delay. ¡°Yes, Munakata listening.¡± ¡°Captain. There is something I must report to you, sir,¡± came Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s voice. Kamo, despite having sharp ears, could barely hear her. She sounded like she was angry but trying to suppress it. ¡°Yes, what is it?¡± Munakata was unwaveringly cool. As if to override his calm, Awas.h.i.+ma immediately continued, ¡°Kounomura contacted us again.¡± ¡°Hohoo.¡± Munakata must have foreseen something like that happening but still apparently found it interesting. ¡°In what shape? Did he send us more pictures?¡± ¡°No, a postcard this time. A picture postcard sent to the address of Scepter 4 heardquarters.¡± Now that definitely sounded like she was really angry. Munakata, on the other hand, appeared to not quite grasp what was said to him. ¡°A picture postcard?¡± he asked in uncharacteristic confusion. ¡°Yes, sir. The postmark reads Honolulu, Hawaii. The picture postcard itself is a typical card for tourists, depicting Diamond Head.¡± ¡°And what is written in that postcard?¡± ¡°The message is not a long one, so I will read it out loud for you, sir, if you don¡¯t mind. "I¡¯m in Hawaii right now. I¡¯ll return to j.a.pan shortly, and once I¡¯m back, I¡¯ll go for your throne for real¡±,¡° Awas.h.i.+ma read dejectedly. "Postscript. I will send some Hawaiian chocolate with macadamia nuts to your HQ separately from this postcard, so eat them together with your troops, they¡¯re delicious.¡± End of the message.¡° The content left no doubt that Munakata and Scepter 4 were being taken very lightly. Kamo, listening to the conversation next to Munakata, was on pins and needles. He could easily imagine why Awas.h.i.+ma, who deeply respected their king, would be so vehemently mad. What Kamo himself was more worried about was not the enemy¡¯s hostile intentions but Munakata¡¯s reaction. To check it, he chanced to look at Munakata out of the corner of his eye. Even Munakata¡¯s composure could crack a little exposing his displeasure when he was being mocked quite like that, Kamo thought, but, surprisingly, found no traces of it. The Blue King was lost in thought. "Captain. What do we do? What steps should we take?¡± Awas.h.i.+ma pressed him for an answer. ¡°Let us see¡­¡± Munakata expressed absentmindedly. ¡°First, find out all you can about the place that sold that card; also, collect fingerprints left on it¡­¡± he started but suddenly stopped in some sort of surprised realization. Then he abruptly grinned, laughing, ¡°Hahahaha. I see, I see. I am being quite silly, myself. Fingerprints? There can be no doubt that we would find them. Kounomura-s.h.i.+¡¯s, of course. After all, he does not even try to hide anything. Awas.h.i.+ma-kun,¡± Munakata addressed Awas.h.i.+ma in an instantly changed tone. ¡°There is no need to do anything in regards to Kounomura Zenichi-s.h.i.+. As to the postcard, simply leave it on my table. Oh, and when the chocolate arrives, let us sample it all together. I shall partake, too.¡± ¡°C-Captain¡­?¡± Awas.h.i.+ma managed in a completely confused voice. Munakata took pity on her and explained gently. ¡°Awas.h.i.+ma-kun. Please listen to my words carefully. Just like he stated, Kounomura-s.h.i.+ will not attempt anything until he is back to this country. As such, it is meaningless to do anything in regards to his case, nor can we do anything at the moment, really. Do I have your understanding?¡± ¡°But¡­!¡± Awas.h.i.+ma still wanted to protest, but Munakata cut her off, not giving her room to object, ¡°Awas.h.i.+ma-kun. When Kounomura-s.h.i.+ contacted us the first time, he did it from Egypt¡¯s Cairo, am I right? But why would he get in touch with us while being on the other side of the globe?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Awas.h.i.+ma couldn¡¯t provide an answer, Kamo could tell. If Kamo was the one asked that kind of question, he would be hard pressed to give an answer, too, he was sure. In the first place, why did Kounomura bother to declare his desire to drag the crown of the Blue King off Munakata¡¯s head and put it on his own instead? The idea just didn¡¯t look well thought out nor carrying logical sense. As to the whole deal with video-calling from abroad, Kamo thought it was just a whim of a money-bag or some kind of flaunting performance. But Munakata promptly refuted that way of thinking. ¡°That was Kounomura-s.h.i.+¡¯s message.¡± ¡°Message?¡± Still driving, Kamo found himself blurting out before he had the chance to check himself. Munakata turned to Kamo and smiled. Switching his PDA to loud speaker mode so that both Kamo and Awas.h.i.+ma could hear him, he started explaining his conclusions to them slowly. ¡°I would like your attention, Awas.h.i.+ma-kun, and yours, too, Kamo-kun. Kounomura-s.h.i.+ proclaimed a certain thing from the start, did he not? That he believes that the Dresden Slate might choose him if he defeats me. And he has been acting under that premise the whole time, by exposing the limits of my organization, Scepter 4.¡± ¡°The limits?¡± ¡°The limits?¡± Kamo and Awas.h.i.+ma inquired in unison. Munakata¡¯s smile seemed to widen as he continued the explanation. ¡°Awas.h.i.+ma-kun. Here is the main question. For argument¡¯s sake, let us a.s.sume that Kounomura-s.h.i.+ really was or is in Cairo and Hawaii, just like the hints he has left for us suggest. Do you think we have the authority to arrest him there?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Awas.h.i.+ma sank into silence. Munakata glanced at Kamo, and Kamo, after a second of deliberation, gingerly answered, ¡°No, we do not. The police could request Interpol¡¯s cooperation, probably, but we, Scepter 4, at present have yet to establish any business link-up with any international organization. And we would simply lack any legal basis to arrest Kounomura in any foreign country even if we went there ourselves.¡± ¡°Correct.¡± Munakata nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Kounomura-s.h.i.+ pointed a certain thing out with his whereabouts. Namely, that at present, Scepter 4¡¯s scope of activity has limits. I have no intention to put us down for this, but it is a fact that Scepter 4¡¯s jurisdiction is restricted to the territory of the country of j.a.pan. Therefore, if a criminal escaped overseas, we would have no legal means to apprehend them. This is the weakness that Kounomura-s.h.i.+ pointed out to us with clarity by his own whereabouts.¡± Neither Awas.h.i.+ma nor Kamo could find anything to object to that. Munakata quietly gave his additional orders. ¡°Awas.h.i.+ma-kun. What I said does not mean that we have to hold back in regards to Nakamura Gouoku who is in this country. Him, we need to take in custody on the charge of undisputed interference with execution of our duties. So for the time being, put the matter with Kounomura-s.h.i.+ on hold and concentrate on capturing Nakamura Gouoku instead with no efforts spared.¡± ¡°¡­¡± After a brief pause, Awas.h.i.+ma seemed to have succeeded in throwing her doubts away, ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Perhaps, she found her determination to first to the job at hand before worrying about something that could not be accomplished right away. She proclaimed her resolve in a vigorous tone, ¡°In the next couple of days, I will find Nakamura Gouoku, put a rope on his neck and drag him before you, sir!¡± ¡°How very reliable. Thank you, Awas.h.i.+ma-kun,¡± Munakata replied softly and Awas.h.i.+ma, reiterating her commitment, hang up. With a little sigh, Munakata switched off his PDA. Then he turned to Kamo again, looking amused for some reason, and said, ¡°Kounomura-s.h.i.+ is sending quite a number of messages, actually. And himself and his follower Nakamura Gouoku revealing their detailed social background to us is one of them.¡± ¡°What does that mean, sir?¡± ¡°There is one common principle in every message he sends. Namely, they all expose some kind of structural defect in Scepter 4. He eloquently points them out one by one not with words but with actions.¡± ¡°¡ªMy apologies, Captain, but I don¡¯t think I follow¡­¡± In reply to puzzled Kamo, Munakata said crisply, ¡°Then, Kamo-kun, please consider this. Let us a.s.sume that there is a group that attempts to usurp our job as Scepter 4. In this case, to whom should we appeal with damage claims?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°Officially, at the moment, Scepter 4 is functioning within the framework of the j.a.panese law. But in reality¡­¡± Munakata chuckled. ¡°In reality, we are, as we ourselves say, unique¡­ To put it simply, we are a group of super powered individuals. The group that is outside the const.i.tutional government as well as common sense and general knowledge. But that is only natural, since our job is to control and manage those who have been empowered by the Dresden Slate, which is impossible to accomplish with normal human abilities. If I were to simplify to the limit, we are like Superman or Batman. So my question is¡­¡± Munakata was gazing at Kamo¡¯s profile. ¡°¡­if champions of justice like Superman and Batman were to have their super hero job hijacked, just to whom on earth could they turn to cry about it?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Kamo-kun. I would like you to understand one thing: Kounomura-s.h.i.+ has yet to commit a criminal act that would go against the public morals. All he is doing so far is trying to usurp our job. We can charge him with obstruction of justice just barely, and that, too, is only possible because of the Gold King¡¯s influence that built us into the system of j.a.panese law somehowr. But how much of help his power can be when it comes to making us appealing to society¡¯s perception of public order and morals¡­¡± Munakata paused before stating his conclusion, ¡°¡­that, I have my doubts about.¡± Raising a finger, he continued, ¡°Let us return to the Batman and Superman example again, only this time we are Superman and they are Batman. One day, suddenly, Batman came and hijacked Superman¡¯s duty. Question: would members of society critisize it? No, they would not. As long as their safety is protected, it matters not by whom. It may sound hurtful, but this is plain facts. We need to be more criticizing towards ourselves.¡± Although there were muddy parts for Kamo, he couldn¡¯t help but agree in general to what Munakata said. He was made to realize anew that they were not part of this country¡¯s Slate system. ¡°I understand. We cannot use Kounomura and Nakamura¡¯s actions against them by making them public, and appealing to society to take our side. Is that what Kounomura is letting us know, sir?¡± ¡°Yes, precisely.¡± Munakata nodded, then showed a wry smile. ¡°He really is an unpleasant personage. It appears he has a good grasp on what we can do and what we cannot, as well as what is within our reach and what is beyond it.¡± ¡°Captain,¡± Kamo spoke up. ¡°There has to be something that could be done to counter Kounomura, anyway, no, sir? Presently, he is outside j.a.pan, but couldn¡¯t we arrest him at the national border the moment he enters the country?¡± At that, Munakata showed an impish grin, ¡°Kamo-kun. This is a secret between us, okay? Secretly, I cannot help finding the idea of fighting him after he is back in j.a.pan appealing. It might be rude to my elder, but I would like to engage him and mop the floor with him to my heart¡¯s content. But, even putting my t.i.tle of the Blue King aside, as the head of Scepter 4, I cannot give into this impulse.¡± ¡°¡­Haah.¡± Kamo¡¯s voice was strangely dark. ¡°I do not expect him to use common ways to return to the country either.¡± Munakata sounded oddly amused. Kamo threw a glance his way, ¡°Captain, excuse me, but I think I¡¯ve changed my mind and¡ª!¡± But Munakata cut him off gently but firmly, ¡°No, Kamo-kun.¡± ¡°But!¡± ¡°This is something I have decided for myself from the start. You have your important personal circ.u.mstances. In my opinion, moral obligations are to be fulfilled. That is why I ask you to get plenty of proper rest this time.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kamo seemed to be hesitating for a while, until, ¡°Yes, sir. Thank you very much, sir,¡± he said bowing his head. Munakata gave a deep nod. A few days after that, Kamo disappeared from Scepter 4. When the others heard that he had taken a paid vacation, they were very surprised. Volume 1 Chapter 3 Part1 Case Files of Blue by Miyazawa Tatsuki The Head of the Blue Uniformed Organization In hindsight, a great majority of Scepter 4 learned about Kounomura Zenichi¡¯s return to the country the moment he crossed the border. And not only the members of Scepter 4. A good portion of the general j.a.panese population also obtained that information. After all, Kounomura Zenichi¡¯s return to his home country was¡ª ¡ªreported in the news nation-wide. James D Sevr was a face well-known across the world. He was 43 years old. While being enrolled in the Ma.s.sachusetts Inst.i.tute of Technology, he launched a social network service, ¡°Coin Toss¡±, which turned him in one of the most prominent wealthy people in the USA. He was a man living the American Dream. The catalyst due to which presently he held the position of CEO of his corporation, named ¡°Coin Toss¡±, was rooted in an anecdotal story: young Sever couldn¡¯t decide whether he should continue studying his major, biotechnology, or devote himself to starting his own business, so he tossed a coin to decide his future. The ¡°Coin Toss¡± system, developed by him, had built-in information search, video uploading and online shopping capabilities; according to him, what gave him the idea for it was the concept of self-reproducing life, that was why Sevr, despite giving up on succeeding as a researcher, generously sponsored promising young talents in that area. His visit to j.a.pan wasn¡¯t an exception as he came here in relation to that sphere of his activities, namely to give a lecture on biotechnology in Tokyo; from their side, a group of j.a.panese researchers hoped in the earnest to befriend him while he was in the country. It was exceedingly rare for Sevr to leave America, and it was his first time visiting j.a.pan. The ma.s.s media made quite a big deal out of it, and, as it turned out, Kounomura Zenichi was nonchalantly catching a ride on Sevr¡¯s private jet. Not even attempting to hide, he walked by Sevr¡¯s side as they left Narita Airport. Kounomura talked to Sevr about something in awkward English, and Sevr, rumored to be normally hard to please, was smiling and clapping Kounomura on the shoulder restlessly. The swarm of reporters at the airport were surprised at first, but since Kounomura was another celebrity in his own right, they didn¡¯t waste time in investigating, and before long, Sevr¡¯s arrival was reported in the news with an added bonus of the discovery that he and Kounomura could be called close friends, with their families also being on very warm friendly terms. The official gist of it was that Sevr¡¯s friend Kounomura came back to his homeland on Sevr¡¯s private plane. From the airport, the two went to a hotel of the highest cla.s.s j.a.pan had to offer on the same limousine. Most j.a.panese citizens, upon hearing the whole story, thought nothing of it, and only the troops of Scepter 4 were furious. ¡°d.a.m.n it!¡± Fuse Daiki, in the privacy of his room in Scepter 4¡¯s dorm, punched his pillow hard. Enomoto, who was watching the TV with him, also wore a troubled face. ¡°f.u.c.king with us like that!¡± His s.h.i.+ft was over and now Fuse, already in plain clothes, was blowing off his immense frustration. His frank, rough att.i.tude and artless appearance often caused people to misunderstand him, but when it came to his duties, he was an earnest and all-around excellent member of Scepter 4 who valued teamwork. Even when he was off the clock, he would practice in the dojo alone until late at night and would re-read the materials of a case he was investigating before going to bed. But he never shouted about it. If anything, he even tried to hide how much efforts he was actually putting into his job. When Fus.h.i.+mi Saruhiko first joined the squad, he was one of the Special Ops members who weren¡¯t happy about it. He used to say, ¡°Huh? A teenage brat? Not to mention, a Red clan defector¡­ Us aside, but him standing above Akiyama-san and Benzai-san? That¡¯s just too much, no?¡± However, since the focal points of this argument, Akiyama and Benzai, accepted Fus.h.i.+mi without resistance, it didn¡¯t become a big issue. That said, it didn¡¯t mean that Fuse was more snooty or narrow-minded than the other troops. If anything, were Scepter 4 an ordinary agency, Fuse¡¯s viewpoint would be prevalent within it. But Scepter 4, and especially the Special Ops squad, wasn¡¯t your ordinary company nor government office. Their boss wasn¡¯t just a director nor a president; he was a king possessing absolute power. For that reason, it was possible for Fus.h.i.+mi to be appointed to the essential position of the third-in-command, right below Awas.h.i.+ma. And of course, in the end, Fuse had to accept that personnel selection. In the first place, his motive to express that kind of opinion was his genuine care for his comrades, starting with Akiyama. Fuse¡¯s roommate, Enomoto, was aware of those feelings that Fuse didn¡¯t usually put into words. Right now, Fuse was so enraged because Scepter 4, the place where he belonged, was very important to him. He regarded what Kounomura Zenichi was doing as a challenge issued to all of them. ¡°Getting all c.o.c.ky on us, the b.a.s.t.a.r.d!¡± Not being able to subdue his anger, Fuse turned off the TV. Enomoto said with a sigh, ¡°Agreed. He¡¯s toying with us as he pleases.¡± ¡°¡ªYou think so too?¡± ¡°Uh-huh. Using the Captain¡¯s words, it¡¯s another one of his "messages¡±, probably. He¡¯s rubbing our limits to our faces with his actions. And indeed¡­¡° Emonoto frowned in frustration himself, ¡±¡­we can¡¯t just dispatch there when everything is being made so public. We still don¡¯t have the legal basis nor evidence against that individual, Kounomura Zenichi, to arrest him, and especially not now when he¡¯s the focus of the media¡¯s gazes. I don¡¯t know if they¡¯re really friends or not, but the location of the hotel James D Sevr is staying at is a tightly guarded secret. If we try anything reckless, it will turn into an international problem.¡° Fuse clicked his tongue. "So all we can do is just sit on our hands and watch?¡± ¡°Well, basically, yes, I guess.¡± Just when Enomoto dropped his shoulders with a dejected sigh, concluding that this was the only option available to mature people, really, there was a knock on the door. ¡°Enomoto-kun, Fuse-kun, are you there?¡± Enomoto and Fuse stared at each other for a second, then both jumped on a reflex. ¡°Yes, we are, sir!¡± ¡°Please come in, Captain.¡± The voice belonged to their superior, the Blue King, Munakata Reis.h.i.+. ¡°Pardon my intrustion,¡± said person offered as he entered their room. Except, he wasn¡¯t in the familiar uniform they got used to seeing him in. What he was decked out in was a well-tailored navy blue suit. ¡°¡­Captain?¡± ¡°Sir, your clothes, umm¡­¡± Bewilderment was evident in both of the room¡¯s tenants¡¯ voices. Munakata gave them a little smile, ¡°Oya, I took out my one good suit, out of character though it may be for me¡­ is it ill-fitting?¡± Both Enomoto and Fuse vehemently shook their heads in unison . ¡°Oh no! It¡¯s not, sir!¡± ¡°It suits you very much, sir!¡± Indeed, the tall Munakata in the suit looked quite stunning. Long legs and moderately muscular physique made for a perfect figure that could put to shame your run-of-the-mill male model. Only, the two were lost as to the reason to which they owned the pleasure of laying their eyes on their superior in a suit at the moment. Was he going to attend some sort of party? ¡°Nothing to it. I simply felt like going for a drink,¡± Munakata said with a smile that definitely was on the mischievous side. ¡°And I would like to ask the two of you to accompany me.¡± Enomoto and Fuse still had trouble catching on, blinking in confusion. ¡°We are going to hotel OOO. I heard their bar is very good.¡± The name he provided was the name of the high cla.s.s hotel Kounomura was staying at together with Sevr. ¡°Ah,¡± Enomoto, who was relatively quick on the uptake, made a noise of realization. Fuse was still as lost as ever. Enomoto then spoke up in rapid fire, ¡°Err, Captain, sir. Are you sure that you are OK with us accompanying you to such a place?¡± ¡°I am.¡± ¡°Um, sir, did you know that the hotel you mentioned is where Kounomura Zenichi, who is challenging us, is currently staying at?¡± ¡°Oya.¡± The surprised face Munakata made couldn¡¯t be any more shamelessly false. ¡°Is that so? I had no slightest idea.¡± ¡°¡ªI see now.¡± Fuse had finally started to catch on to this game as well. In between snickers, Emonoto managed, ¡°So, sir, if, say, we were to unexpectedly run into Kounomura Zenichi in that hotel by pure accident, what would you like us to do?¡± ¡°Let us see¡­¡± Munakata paused, feigning ignorance with such dedication that it could send some in a fit of anger, telling him to cut it out already. ¡°Well, in the unlikely event that you would¡­ if, speaking purely hypothetically of course, after having a few drinks, we happened to get lost on our way home and ended up in Kounomura-s.h.i.+¡¯s room where we came face to face with him, just what would we do in that case, hmmm? Well, since there hardly would be helping it, we should have him accompany us to HQ, I suppose?¡± ¡°Ahh, I see, sir. There is no helping it if we¡¯re drunk. But is it going to be OK? Without a warrant.¡± ¡°Weeell. He, too, has no regard for rules as he is picking a fight with us. So if we happened to catch him, he would not bring up uncouth things like legal basis, I imagine. After all, he is the world renown Kounomura-s.h.i.+, so I have hope that he would be mature about admitting his defeat.¡± ¡°I see. We¡¯re going to take advantage of the confusion, then.¡± ¡°Oya, Enomoto-kun. Please do remember that I spoke of a purely hypothetical scenario.¡± ¡°Oh, indeed, how could I forget, sir.¡± Enomoto¡¯s throat vibrated with suppressed chuckles. ¡°¡ªWhat do you say, Fuse-kun? A little relaxation would not hurt once in a while.¡± Munakata peered into Fuse¡¯s face with eyes deeply tinged with sparkles of laughter. Fuse¡¯s tightly clasped fists shook as he answered in a tone, overflowing with spirit, ¡°I will gladly accompany you, sir! I had this craving to go for a drink even before you offered, sir! Please give me 3 minutes to get ready, sir!¡± Munakata broke into a grin. ? Shortly after, the three headed to hotel OOO. Surprisingly, Munakata didn¡¯t mention anything about it to anyone in Scepter 4. Officially, Munakata took a day off, but in reality he went to a bar for a drink, asking Enomoto and Fuse accompany him. His implicit goal was to confront Kounomura, and the two he took with him were weighted with big responsibility. It was understandable that Enomoto and Fuse were slightly nervous. To make things even harder on them, when they got there, the bar of hotel OOO turned out to be even more high cla.s.s than they had expected: the furnis.h.i.+ngs looked gorgeous, the bartender impressively dignified, the bottles lined up on the shelves expensive and the customers seated at the counter elegantly dressed. The atmosphere, mixing in all of that, easily overwhelmed the two, making them shrivel up even more. Munakata must have sensed their mood, because he addressed them in an unusually friendly and casual tone, ¡°There is a first for everything, and this is no different. So you two do not need to be so humble. Simply enjoy the drink.¡± Neither Enomoto nor Fuse had experience in choosing a suitable drink, but with Munakata¡¯s advice, the order had been made: dry martini for Fuse, China blue for Enomoto and scotch on the rocks for Munakata. The three of them touched their gla.s.ses lightly in a toast and started a quiet conversation. ¡°I must say, this is really delicious,¡± Enomoto commented, holding up his China blue to the light carefully. ¡°This is my first time drinking it.¡± ¡°¡ªCaptain, do you come to these kinds of places often?¡± Enomoto asked, carrying his c.o.c.ktail gla.s.s to his lips in a clumsy gesture. Munakata gave the ice cubes in his gla.s.s a light shake, making them rattle quietly, and smiled. ¡°Hardly. I can¡¯t afford to come to such expensive bars on my paycheck. Usually, I go to cheaper places.¡± Despite that, everything about him fit this high cla.s.s place all too well. The visitors around them, advanced in years and with dignified well-built frames, couldn¡¯t hope to outdo him. This person really was incredible, Enomoto and Fuse thought in unison. The two young troops, so awkward in the beginning, were finally able to relax, perhaps not least due to the help of the alcohol in a few gla.s.ses of c.o.c.ktail they had consumed. Nervousness gave place to elation. After all, the Munakata Reis.h.i.+ took them to a high cla.s.s bar they would never, in the life of their, have the chance to visit if he wasn¡¯t well-disposed to them. Moreover, even if this was an unofficial mission, Munakata Reis.h.i.+ himself asked them to partic.i.p.ate in his plan. There was no way they, as the chosen clansmen of the king, weren¡¯t happy about it. ¡°Captain,¡± Fuse asked in an abrupt manner, likely to hide his embarra.s.sment. ¡°Why did you choose us for this mission, sir?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Well, I mean, both Lieutenant and Akiyama-san were still in HQ. So why us?¡± Munakata tossed a glance Fuse¡¯s way. ¡°Well¡­¡± He showed a smile. ¡°Because the two of you seem the naughtiest. You have apt.i.tude for missions that do not conform to legal formalities. So in that sense, I found you two the most suitable.¡± Enomoto¡¯s shoulders shook as he stifled his laughter. Fuse¡¯s lips lifted up in a wry smile. ¡°I suppose so. Making Lieutenant or Akiyama-san do this sort of gray zone missions doesn¡¯t look like a good idea. Having shady attendants like us works better, indeed.¡± ¡°Yes, I am counting on you two.¡± Munakata looked at the two with affectionate eyes. Emptying his gla.s.s in one gulp, he announced, ¡°¡ªWell then, shall we go?¡± and stood up. Their bill had already been taken care of. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Enomoto and Fuse replied quickly with no trace of drunkenness and followed suit. ? It was shockingly easy to reach the suite James D Sever was staying in. A special elevator with restricted access was the only way to get to hotel OOO¡¯s suite; the elevator itself could only be operated via card keys issued only to the guests of the hotel. It was made so that even ordinary guests staying at the hotel could not go to the top floor where the suite was situated¡­ But Munakata checked in and took a room on the same floor as Sevr. Enomoto and Fuse were both very surprised at that. Once Munakata was done with the check-in procedure at the special reception desk reserved for VIPs only, he took the card key and, looking as casual as ever, got into the elevator. In reply to the nonplussed gazes the two young troops following him were giving him, he clarified, ¡°I made a reservation before coming here today.¡± He said it as if it was nothing. ¡°¡­Um, can reservations for a suite in a high profile hotel with very strict rules such as this be made that easily?¡± To Enomoto¡¯s question, Munakata replied, ¡°No, I expect it would be impossible normally. But there is a certain big name politician who is closely connected to this hotel, so I found out his weakness and blackma¡ª Ahem,¡± he cut himself off with a cough, ¡°I mean, imposed on his cordial friends.h.i.+p. That person was accommodating enough to make a reservation in my name. Oh, but the costs are all on me, of course. If I made him pay for me, our relations.h.i.+p would become too cozy for my liking, and above all, it would make that person very miserable - it seems he had already used quite a lot of money recently to hush up a scandal.¡± Munakata chuckled. Emonoto opened his mouth, intending to ask more questions, but before he could, Fuse put a hand on Enomoto¡¯s shoulder and shook his head silently. Better let the sleeping dog lie, his eyes a.s.serted with conviction. Enomoto, fright on his face, nodded. Munakata, who was watching their wordless exchange in the elevator¡¯s mirror, smiled. And so, without running into any trouble on the way, the three had arrived to the guest room Sevr was staying at. Complete lack of security was disappointing: not a single guard stood before the doors. ¡°¡­¡± Munakata¡¯s expression underwent a subtle change. He murmured something under his breath very quietly, but Enomoto and Fuse weren¡¯t able to catch what exactly. To the two¡¯s surprise, the next thing Munakata did was to grab the door k.n.o.b and try to open the door. It was an abrupt action, with no preamble whatsoever. The door, however, and perhaps naturally, was locked. Munakata closed his eyes briefly. A pale blue light, sparkling clearly like a star somewhere with thin air, came to life in Munakata¡¯s hand. A moment later, Munakata turned the door k.n.o.b again, hardly putting any visible strength into the action, but, unlike previously, this time the door opened without resistance. Fuse and Enomoto bugged their eyes. They had no idea that the Blue King¡¯s power could be used for unlocking doors like that. Munakata smiled at them. ¡°I simply s.h.i.+fted this door¡¯s vector of "order¡± a little.¡° Giving this explanation, he stepped inside the suite. "Please allow me to proceed beyond this point alone. I shall be counting on you two to keep watch.¡± With this, he started walking along the corridor in a straight line. Enomoto and Fuse saluted to him in synch. ? The corridor led to a big room of about 30 tatami mats[*]. The interior decor, complete with elegant furnis.h.i.+ngs, was well-balanced. On the sofa, set up in the middle of the room, a Caucasian man sat heavily, stretching out his legs. He was baby-faced but with well-groomed mustache. His mode of dress was casual: jeans, a black s.h.i.+rt and worn-out snickers. Despite that, there was a strange solemnity about the man. There weren¡¯t too many people who would look so accustomed and comfortable in the suite of an ultra high cla.s.s hotel. An ordinary person wouldn¡¯t be able to even come to this kind of place to begin with, and even if, somehow or other, they ended up staying here, they wouldn¡¯t be comfortable in this interior. After all, all about this suite was too big and too posh. The man before Munakata, though, was not only lounging there relaxedly, apparently feeling completely at home, he also managed to dominate this fancy place. The dignity raising off him made the observer believe that this hotel¡¯s suite and everything in it were order-made specially for him, as his aura wordlessly let the rude intruder, Munakata, know just who was this room¡¯s master. All the same despite his careless clothes that were more appropriate for a hamburger joint of a fast food chain. ¡°So¡­¡± the man spoke up in English with a southern accent. ¡°¡­you are Reis.h.i.+ Munakata, I take it?¡± His drawl was languid, but his eyes gleamed with interest. He got up unhurriedly. ¡°Yes, I am.¡± Putting a hand to his chest, Munakata bowed with utmost respect. ¡°I a.s.sume I have the pleasure of Mr. James D Sevr¡¯s company? My deepest apologies for bothering you when you were relaxing,¡± he offered an apology in traditional flawless Queen¡¯s English. Sevr didn¡¯t look surprised about Munakata calling him by the name, he didn¡¯t so much as raised a brow at Munakata¡¯s sudden intrusion. With an air of calm composure, he asked, ¡°Oh, did you study in England?¡± ¡°Yes, I did, for a short period of time,¡± Munakata articulated crisply. ¡°I see. Zenichi is a good guy, but his p.r.o.nunciation is atrocious. I get terrible headaches only after an hour of talking to him. I¡¯m glad you dropped by, Mister Munakata.¡± ¡°Mr. Sevr,¡± cutting to the chase, Munakata inquired, ¡°I would like to know if Mr.Kounomura is here?¡± Sevr gave a laugh. ¡°I think you already know the answer to that, no? Zenichi¡¯s not here, he beat a hasty retreat like a badger sensing a hunter.¡± ¡°As I suspected, then.¡± Munakata showed a wry smile, dropping his shoulders. ¡°Good grief, what a good nose that person has. Perhaps, I should have come straight to this room without stopping to have a few drinks at the bar first. Or was that scenario well within that person¡¯s calculations, too, with him running away from me even in that case?¡± ¡°Yeah, looks like it.¡± Sevr didn¡¯t attempt to deny it. ¡°Zenichi described 11 ways to escape from here to me. Among them was one that would allow him to escape even if you showed up with a whole squad of your subordinates to raid this room. In addition to that, I came up with 3 last resorts of my own. Mister Munakata, I think you know it already, but let me say it anyway: you¡¯re up against a "monster¡±, you know?¡° Munakata nodded silently. Neither of the two asked anything to verify the situation. Munakata had realized that he would not find Kounomura in this hotel and that Sevr must have heard all the circ.u.mstances from Kounomura the moment he saw Sevr calmly lounging in his room - no, even before that, when they hadn¡¯t run into any security in front of the suite. Sevr, on his part, had figured from Munakata¡¯s att.i.tude that he had already caught on to what was going on. One glance was enough for the two of them to see through each other and recognize each other¡¯s insight ability, far superior to that of ordinary people. Both were silent for a short while, only exchanging polite intellectual gazes. Then Sevr slowly narrowed his eyes. ¡±¡ªBut, Mister Munakata, this outcome was well within your expectations, wasn¡¯t it? Did you really hope to catch Zenichi here? Wouldn¡¯t you be disappointed to actually find him still dillydallying here?¡° ¡±¡­¡° Munakata took a moment to think, then shook his head. "No, I would not. I would be fine with either outcome. To be completely honest, I simply wanted to meet Mr. Kounomura in person. For you see, he is the person who called me to express his love. That is why I wanted to get to know him, too.¡± He smiled. ¡°Well then, allow me to apologize once more for disturbing you. Now, if you will excuse me.¡± Munakata bowed again and turned on his heels. ¡°Hold on,¡± Serv spoke up. ¡°Leaving like that is so heartless of you, don¡¯t you think? Keep me company for a bit longer.¡± Munakata stopped and turned back around. ¡°Why, I am not sure if I can be good enough "company¡± for you, sir.¡° "You know, Mister Munakata, I¡¯m very jealous of you right now.¡± ¡°Jealous?¡± ¡°Yes! Of course I am! You took my friend, Zenichi, from me!¡± Despite Sevr coming across languid, the look in his eyes, that were currently laughing, was peculiar and projecting some sort of strange energy. ¡°You see, normally, I¡¯m a homebody who dislikes leaving his country. But this time I had a compelling duty to fulfill, especially seeing that this is the country Zenichi lives in, so I came here, all the way to j.a.pan, hoping to make use of this chance to renew our old friends.h.i.+p with Zenichi. But as it turned out, Zenichi is far more ecstatic over the game of tag with you than the opportunity to have nice and long heart-to-heart talks with me. Not to mention and as humiliating as it is for me, he used me as a convenient fool to ensure his safe return to the country. So what I¡¯m feeling, Mister Munakata, as painful as it is for me to admit it, is jealousy.¡± He took a bottle of bourbon from the side table and poured himself a gla.s.s. ¡°How about one for you, too?¡± he offered. ¡°Thank you, but I will pa.s.s,¡± Munakata declined. ¡°Is that so. It¡¯s cheap stuff, but I like it.¡± He swirled the amber-colored liquid in his gla.s.s and paused. ¡°Some time ago, I found a picture of my ancestor in the attic of my parents¡¯ house taken about the time when he only migrated to Alabama. Upon a closer look, I noticed that the grandfather of my grandfather was drinking bourbon of the same brand. That discovery made me really happy, Mister Munakata. I realized that it¡¯s not a coincidence that I prefer this brand of bourbon, my choice reflects my family¡¯s tastes and traditions. Once again I saw for myself with clarity that I was chosen - by fate, by G.o.d and by my fatherland.¡± ¡°¡­¡± There was a miniscule change in Munakata¡¯s expression. ¡°Don¡¯t hold back, Mister Munakata,¡± Sevr¡¯s lips curved in a jeering smile as he caught on. ¡°"This guy sure loves to exaggerate.¡± This is what you want to say, no?¡° ¡±¡ªCrudely put, yes, that is correct.¡° Sevr chuckled. "Can¡¯t you see it? There are hints everywhere that the world is held together by invisible strings. Can¡¯t you hear it? The ceaseless whispers of divine revelations in the flapping of angels¡¯ wings. Can¡¯t you feel it? Once you climb the stairway of your soul, all coincidences become inevitability.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Munakata didn¡¯t answer to those questions. Instead, he asked one of his own, ¡°Mr. Sevr, may I ask you something?¡± Sevr held bourbon in his mouth, then shrugged his shoulders in an exaggerated gesture, like a true American. ¡°Go ahead. Your questions are more than welcome.¡± ¡°I will then, thank you. I heard you tossed a coin to decide your future career and the fact is even perpetualized in the name of your company. But why let a coin decide?¡± ¡°Is it so strange?¡± ¡°I imagine,¡± Munakata smiled, ¡°very few make life impacting decisions the way you did.¡± ¡°My choice was simple, Mister Munakata. I just thought that whichever outcome the coin would indicate would be the best for me. In other words¡­¡± Sevr¡¯s eyes glistened with slimy l.u.s.ter of a Southern American swamp. ¡°¡­I was sure that the world would give me the best it could offer, regardless. It was only inevitable because I¡¯m a person, chosen by this world itself. Are you different, Mister Munakata? Zenichi told me about you; as a king chosen by the Dresden Slate, don¡¯t you have the same belief?¡± ¡°¡ªI wonder.¡± For a short while, Munakata was lost in thought. Whether it was just his hubris talking, or true confidence stemming from him knowing himself thoroughly, the answer he gave was this, ¡°While I am conceited enough to consider myself someone surpa.s.sing most people, I cannot say that I am very interested in that subject, and I have not given it much thought until now. I apologize for failing to live up to your expectations in that regard.¡± He said it lightly and easily. The light left Sevr¡¯s eyes the same instance. He let out a deep sigh. ¡°I see. It doesn¡¯t look like you¡¯re trying to be modest or being sarcastic, so it must be your honest opinion. Fine then, Mister Munakata. I¡¯ve heard all I wanted to hear, I think. You can leave now.¡± ¡°¡ªIf you will excuse me then,¡± Munakata said with a smile, not showing any sign that Sevr¡¯s abrupt remark dampened his spirit any. For a second time, he turned to leave. But Sevr spoke up, ¡°Mister Munakata. Let me give you a word of warning. Zenichi is a chosen man, by G.o.d, by the world, by history, by the country, more so than myself. You¡¯re up against a "monster¡± chosen by fate itself.¡° There was some real worry in his words, and he added, "I want you to know that Zenichi is one of the very few people in the world that I fear. When he¡¯s concentrating, riding the momentum of his interest, he¡¯s no longer human; he becomes¡­¡± he made a pause, ¡°¡­a disaster. He asked me to relay these words to you: "I¡¯ll take everything from you¡±.¡° Munakata stopped in his tracks, glanced at Sevr over his shoulder and said, "Thank you for the warning.¡± Facing dead ahead, he walked out, taking his leave. That last remark was said with a refined smile and in a very amused tone. Only after Munakata¡¯s back disappeared out of sight, Sevr dropped his shoulders, picked up his gla.s.s and muttered with a strained smile, ¡°Looks like I¡¯m really ¡ª actually jealous of those two, huh?¡± T/N: [*] 30 tatami mats = 50 square meters (or 60 square yards) Also, Munakata¡¯s Queen¡¯s English in my rendition might not be ¡°Queen¡¯s¡± at all, although I tried, because any proper English I might have had once upon a time has long since been destroyed by the internetXD Volume 1 Chapter 3 Part2 Case Files of Blue by Miyazawa Tatsuki ? Under the blue of the cloudless sky, Fus.h.i.+mi Saruhiko grimaced from the dull headache. There were several reasons for his head hurting. The first one was this relentless downpouring sunlight. Then there were the white roof and walls of the fancy residence that reflected the d.a.m.n sunlight all too well. The swimming pool, sparkling irritatingly, and the lawn around it, emerald greed to annoyance and maintained in unspeakably stupid perfection, were forcibly imprinting themselves onto Fus.h.i.+mi¡¯s eyes. To top it off, there was also the smoke raising off of the barbeque grill. But the worst of all were the Americans, dressed lightly in clothing with short sleeves, shorts and sandals. A group of them was standing a little further away around a round table with a beer bottle in one hand, chatting. ¡°And then I said to my wife that what I¡¯m eating is just peanut b.u.t.ter.¡± Before coming to this country, Fus.h.i.+mi never really believed that Americans who would tell a joke with that corny the punchline could be actually found. But now he was here and saw for himself that they did, indeed, exist. Both the speaker and his listeners burst out laughing loudly, ¡°Hahahahaha!¡± ¡®It¡¯s beyond me how they could find anything funny about that.¡¯ He took a gulp of one of very few drinks in this county that was both safe to drink and conforming to his tastes - namely, water in a pet bottle. In application to j.a.pan, the chat he just heard would probably be equal to an old man from Kansai trying to tell a killing story in appropriately overblown Kansai dialect. ''Well, I¡¯m not a fan of either anyway.¡¯ The same applied to this country¡¯s foodstuffs. Beverages were either too sweet or too carbonated. Food was too bland tasting, too oily and just generally too much when it came to the size of helpings. If possible, Fus.h.i.+mi just wanted to eat something light in the quiet peace of his hotel room. This was what a meal was supposed to be, to Fus.h.i.+mi. Absolutely not this stuffing of one¡¯s face with tasteless beef and potato while being directly exposed to ultra-violet rays. The thought made him sigh for the umpteenth time. ''Home party, huh. I shouldn¡¯t have come.¡¯ He was invited by the person who had been taking care of him since he had come to this country, and he couldn¡¯t find it in himself to refuse. ''Is there some way to get out of here¡­?¡¯ Turning over the idea in his mind, he was suddenly reminded of the Red clan¡¯s Totsuka Tatara. If that person, so oddly good at befriending people, was here, he would already be among them and cracking an American joke or two right about now, all despite hardly speaking any English. ''That¡¯s not something I can copy.¡¯ Excellent language ability and communication skills were two entirely different things, after all, and Fus.h.i.+mi knew it all too well. Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted. ¡°Hey, Saruhiko. Are you having fun?¡± A well-built mustached man walked up to him. He wore slacks with suspenders, a gold necklace on his neck and three thick rings on his fingers. His head was mostly bald, and his movements were very brisk and energetic. A tall beautiful woman with cocoa skin and absolutely killer body was by his side. The man was the person in whose case Fus.h.i.+mi was being, Matthew D Zorba, the head of the FBI National Public Security Department, and the woman by his side was Linda, his wife. ¡°Ah yes, I am,¡± Fus.h.i.+mi nodded. The couple were the hosts of this party. ¡°It¡¯s a lot of fun. All the guests are enjoyable persons,¡± he paid lip service where he was expected to, except his tone was dry and he didn¡¯t even attempt to smile. Matthew came closer, ¡°Gahaha! Is that so, great to hear that! You¡¯re overworking yourself, you know; you looked so pale these last few days.¡± He clapped Fus.h.i.+mi on the shoulder with a hairy hand a few times, not really bothering to cut back on his strength. Fus.h.i.+mi thought that the man was off the mark. The reason for his bad shape wasn¡¯t work. In terms of simple workload during working hours, it was a breather because he wasn¡¯t doing even half of what he normally did back in j.a.pan. So it was almost like a leave to Fus.h.i.+mi. If he hadn¡¯t had to consume food and keep company to overly cheerful people, that is. If only he was left to his own devices in his hotel room, just playing games and not having to see anyone at least for a day, he would be back in shape. As things were, though, the FBI¡¯s bigwig, who was a police investigator in the past, with the exceptionally sharp mind and no less outstanding proactiveness, seemed completely incapable to even imagine that introverts did exist. The man obstinately believed that anyone could rejuvenated, you just needed to expose them to the sun, talk to them by the hour and feed them a lot. ¡°Come on, make sure you eat plenty, Saruhiko.¡± Despite looking like a model, Linda had an oddly prominent meddlesome old hen streak about her, and right now she was presenting Fus.h.i.+mi with a plate full of meat and potato. ¡°¡ªThank you.¡± Fus.h.i.+mi gave her a very constrained smile, barely managing to suppress the urge to click his tongue at her, as he held out his hand to take the plate. But just then, the PDA in his pocket rang and he immediately opted to take that instead. It was from Hidaka. ¡°¡­¡± Fus.h.i.+mi sent a glance to Matthew. ¡°Work?¡± Matthew¡¯s eyes took on a sharp tinge. ¡°Then don¡¯t mind us and answer that, Saruhiko. If you don¡¯t want anyone to hear you, go in the direction of the summer house. I often do that myself.¡± That was the man who made his way up all on his own for you, he really caught on quick. Fus.h.i.+mi gave him a small nod and left the poolside. Linda was watching him go with regret; Fus.h.i.+mi himself, on the other hand, was very relieved at having avoided to consume all that sizable ma.s.s of meat and potato that made him feel sick just from looking at it. As per Matthew¡¯s advice, he went to the summer house further away from the pool, operating his PDA as he walked and praising Hidaka in his heart, uncharacteristically for him. ¡°Fus.h.i.+mi listening.¡± ¡°Ah, Fus.h.i.+mi-san? I¡¯m calling because a terrible incident happened here in j.a.pan.¡± A minute later, Fus.h.i.+mi did something even more uncharacteristic of him. ¡°What? Akiyama? Arrested?¡± he exclaimed loudly and in real confusion. He wouldn¡¯t been quite so shocked if Akiyama just got arrested. What he couldn¡¯t believe the most was the next part¡­ ¡°On the molestation charges, you say¡­?¡± The grand news of Akiyama Himori, a key member of the Special Ops squad, having been arrested had reached even Fus.h.i.+mi Saruhiko across the ocean. ? Allegedly, Akiyama was suspected in groping a high school girl¡¯s a.s.s when riding a train. She turned around, caught him by the hand and accused him of molesting her, the promptly arrived station attendants escorted him to their office and called the police. Of course, Akiyama adamantly denied the accusations, but since there were a lot of witnesses, he was taken to the police station and detained. During the interrogation, Akiyama demanded a lawyer, that lawyer got in touch with Awas.h.i.+ma, and that was how the whole of Scepter 4 learned about Akiyama¡¯s predicament. As a result, Doumyouji, Enomoto, Fuse, Hidaka and Gotou ended up gathering in the dining hall, exchanging uncomfortable glances. Presently, Benzai and Kamo were absent, and Munakata and Awas.h.i.+ma were busy coming up with relief measures. ¡°No matter how you look at it, it¡¯s just stupid,¡± Fuse declared suddenly, perhaps because he couldn¡¯t endure the silence any longer. ¡°There¡¯s just no way Akiyama-san would do something like that.¡± With that one remark he flatly rejected the murky suspicions that no one dared to put into words but that were weighting down on everyone¡¯s mind nonetheless. Evidently rea.s.sured by his a.s.sertion, Hidaka backed him up fervently, ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right! It¡¯s so awful!¡± ¡°It¡¯s out of question. Just no way, seriously!¡± Enomoto slammed the palms of his hands on the table in indignation, and Gotou nodded, slowly and deeply. But among them, there was one person who, clueless about reading the atmosphere, did voice the suspicions. ¡°But well, the victim girl says he did, you know? Why, I wonder? What¡¯s in it for her?¡± That person was Doumyouji. The atmosphere reigning the dining hall was better described as the shared desire to unify all the present¡¯s feelings on the matter by denying the accusations against Akiyama first and foremost, no matter what evidence was found against him or what testimonies the witnesses gave. Only, Doumyouji wasn¡¯t one to take roundabout ways around the pressing issue, just going ahead and expressing his own feelings on the matter - and this was precisely what made him Doumyouji. It wasn¡¯t like he doubted Akiyama. He just expressed what he thought from a perspective that literally had nothing to do with how confident in Akiyama he was. The others, though, were clearly startled. Hidaka tried gingerly, ¡°¡­Could it be that the girl just mistook him for the actual molester?¡± ¡°Yeah, that must be it!¡± Fuse immediately jumped at the suggestion. ¡°The real culprit was probably standing nearby. Akiyama-san can be surprisingly slow sometimes, after all.¡± ¡°But what about the witnesses then?¡± Doumyouji pointed out without any malice whatsoever. ¡°There are several of them, allegedly. The school girl aside since she had her back to the molester when he groped her, but is it possible for all those around to make a mistake like that?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Hidaka and Gotou exchanged looks in silence. In their eyes anxiety and perplexity could be read. Just then, Enomoto, who seemed to have thought up of something, broke the silence with a cheerfully sounding exclamation, ¡°I know! Akiyama-san must have been set up!¡± ¡°Set up?¡± Hidaka asked, not quite understanding what Enomoto meant. ¡°Oh come on! There are plenty of such cases! Bad women accuse innocent men of molesting them to extort money from the unlucky guys.¡± ¡°¡­¡± That got Fuse and Hidaka thinking. Enomoto continued, as if trying to convince them, ¡°Girls these days can be scary, despite being young, you know?¡± It also sounded like he was pressing them to come to an agreement and unite under this hypothesis. Fuse and Hidaka put on forced smiles. ¡°I see¡­ so that¡¯s how it went.¡± ¡°Yeah, I agree! Akiyama-san was set up. What a nasty high school girl.¡± But cold water was poured on them again, and the one to pour it was, again, Doumyouji. ¡°¡­No, that¡¯s not possible, I think? As I¡¯ve just pointed out, she has a few witnesses, and it¡¯s quite a bit of a stretch to consider them all her accomplices, don¡¯t you think?¡± All the present shared one thought, ''Enough already, Doumyouji-san!¡¯ All of them believed that it was almost impossible for Akiyama to be guilty. But, although the insecurity of that off-chance ¡°almost¡± turning out to be the truth was shared by all, none of them could quite voice it. ¡°I still don¡¯t think he¡¯s guilty,¡± Gotou remarked vacantly in an undertone. Doumyouji folded his arms, ¡°Hmmm.¡± And this was when Enomoto suddenly exclaimed, ¡°Ah, right! I forgot to mention something!¡± Feeling his comrades¡¯ surprised looks on himself, he explained, ¡°You see, once before, I asked Akiyama-san what type of girl he prefers. And Akiyama-san answered that he likes older women.¡± ¡°Ah, I heard something along the same lines, too,¡± Hidaka commented. ¡°Benzai-san tried to tease Akiyama-san by wondering jokingly if Akiyama-san would go for a MILF, and Akiyama-san only smiled cryptically, not denying it.¡± ¡°Now that you mentioned, true. Akiyama-san totally looks like the type to have hots for MILFs,¡± Fuse indulged in wishful speculations. The atmosphere was beginning to s.h.i.+ft. Not even Doumyouji found anything to object to that argument. Enomoto felt inspired, ¡°So let¡¯s a.s.sume - simply for argument¡¯s sake, nothing more - that Akiyama-san really did want to molest someone. But with what we know about him, it¡¯s hard to believe that he would choose a high school girl for that!¡± ¡°I see. True, I guess. If he¡¯s into older and attractive married women, he wouldn¡¯t choose a high school girl as his target,¡± Fuse decided Akiyama¡¯s s.e.xual preferences for him on a unilateral basis. Hidaka agreed with him again, deadly serious, ¡°That¡¯s right. You can¡¯t change at the drop of a hat what type of girl you like best.¡± ¡°Guys.¡± Enomoto surveyed all the present. ¡°No matter what circ.u.mstantial evidence might show up, let¡¯s have unshakeable faith in Akiyama-san¡¯s fetishes!¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± the closely knit members of Scepter 4¡¯s Special Ops squad responded strongly. Gotou, sipping his tea, commented, ¡°It¡¯s good to be so young.¡± While the others were getting fired up, swearing to support Akiyama no matter what, only Doumyouji c.o.c.ked his head in doubt, his arms still folded across his chest. ¡°Hmmm. I can¡¯t help wondering¡­ How exactly did they pull off framing Akiyama?¡± Perhaps, among all the present in the dining hall, he was the only one to believe in Akiyama unquestioningly and with no doubt. ? ¡°Well. How embarra.s.sing of Akiyama-kun. Did the stress from living in the dormitory get to him that much?¡± ¡°Captain.¡± Under Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s stern glare, Munakata ducked his head. ¡°It was just a joke. I have no doubt that Akiyama-kun was framed.¡± Awas.h.i.+ma gave a p.r.o.nounced nod in agreement. ¡°I¡¯m of the same opinion, sir.¡± ¡°The question is¡­¡± Munakata took his usual pose, leaning an elbow on his desk and resting his chin on his palm, then continued, ¡°¡­by whom. I wish it was as simple as the case of a bad girl aiming to get settlement money out of him.¡± ¡°¡ªDo you mean there is a possibility of it being Kounomura Zenichi¡¯s trap now that he¡¯s back in the country, sir?¡± Awas.h.i.+ma frowned. ¡°Then the question is what good is it to frame Akiyama as a molester.¡± Munakata sat up, gesturing, ¡°That is right. And that, I have trouble interpreting, because only a person with a fondness for pranks would set up such a trap. Awas.h.i.+ma-kun. Why did Akiyama ride a train to begin with?¡± ¡°¡­He was tailing Kounomura Zenichi¡¯s former secretary who was acting suspicious. I was the one to order him to on the possibility that the secretary might get in touch with Kounomura somewhere. That is why Akiyama wore civilian clothes when the police arrested him.¡± ¡°I see. So that secretary must have been somewhere close-by at the time, huh.¡± Munakata touched a hand to his forehead. ¡°Well, in that case it is safe to a.s.sume that it, indeed, was a trap by Kounomura-s.h.i.+. What interests me about it though is just what tricks exactly he employed to set it up¡­ Awas.h.i.+ma-kun, I would like you to work together with Akiyama-kun¡¯s lawyer and clarify what happened on that train as quick as possible.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Awas.h.i.+ma gave a clipped response, and, hurrying to start gathering the requested information, left the office. Munakata breathed out a little sigh. ¡°It looks like Kounomura-s.h.i.+ really went on the offensive just like he had declared. But still, this kind of start, huh?¡± This was said in half-amazement and with a crooked smile. Munakata left his seat with another ¡°good grief¡± murmured under his breath, but then¡­ ¡°Captain!¡± Awas.h.i.+ma, looking panicked, rushed back into the office, forgetting to even knock, which was highly unusual for her. In her hand she was gripping a PDA. With a pale face, she forced out stumblingly, ¡°Trouble, sir. A-Akiyama¡­ Akiyama was¡­¡± ¡°Awas.h.i.+ma-kun, "Munakata addressed her with an air of composure. "I do not know what happened, but first, please calm down. Start with taking a deep breath. Better?¡± Awas.h.i.+ma seemed to come to her senses with a start. A blush creeped up her cheeks under Munakata¡¯s gaze, and she cleared her throat. ¡°I-I beg your pardon, sir. I failed to keep my calm.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± he chuckled. ¡°Every person has such moments.¡± Lowering his voice he finally asked the main question, ¡°So, just what on earth happened?¡± Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s expression stiffened as she replied, showing Munakata her PDA, ¡°Sir, Akiyama¡¯s case made it to the news.¡± When Munakata took a closer look at the screen, he found the page of a certain tabloid¡¯s network service there. The sensational headline read: ¡°A government secret agent, one of the so called "Blues¡± arrested for molestation?!¡° Munakata stared at the screen for good 5 seconds before muttering, "Hoo.¡± Even he looked surprised by what he saw. Volume 1 Chapter 4 Part1 Case Files of Blue by Miyazawa Tatsuki The Proud Public Servants Akiyama was waiting for his lawyer in the interview room. It was only half a day since he had been detained, but Akiyama¡¯s countenance bore visible traces of haggardness. His eyes sunk in somewhat and there were signs of 5-o''clock shadow on his face. In his high school days, Akiyama was a member of a kendo club known nation-wide for its rigorous training, and after he had graduated from high school, he tempered his mind and body thoroughly in the national defense force. Beneath the serious and handsome exterior, the iron heart dwelt that wouldn¡¯t be perturbed by the unexpected. Even if Akiyama were to face a wild beast baring its fangs at him or a criminal with a knife, he wouldn¡¯t freeze in fear. He had no problem bearing physical pain and suffering for as long as it took for it to subdue. But all of his training proved completely meaningless when it came to his current situation. ¡®I, a member of Scepter 4 that¡¯s supposed to uphold order and justice, got arrested¡­ and on molestation charges, at that!¡¯ Guilt was what wasted Akiyama so much. Of course, he knew that he was innocent. Everything was 100% false accusations, and he had a vague feeling that he had been set up. The question was how exactly¡­ ''d.a.m.n¡­¡¯ There was something that had him restless with worry. To what extend would his comrades believe in his innocence? Munakata and Awas.h.i.+ma aside, he had this feeling that the members of the Special Ops might be making some pretty absurd statements right about now. ¡°Haa,¡± he let out yet another sigh. There was one thing he knew for sure, though. His partner, Benzai Yuujirou, would believe in him no matter what. They¡¯d known each other for a long time now. They had survived through life-threatening situations together. Even after spending one¡¯s whole life on the search, not everyone could find a person they could trust with their lives and be trusted in return. But Akiyama had such person - Benzai. To Akiyama, Benzai really was everything you could ask of a partner. They had spent a very long time together, from the national defense force to Scepter 4. They were thoroughly familiar with each other¡¯s habits and ways of thinking. They could trust each other. ''He¡­¡¯ Akiyama mulled. ''He will believe in me and will do what needs to be done.¡¯ Benzai knew Akiyama¡¯s desires and wishes. Miraculously, thinking about his partner solidified Akiyama¡¯s resolve. For now, there was only one thing he needed to do. And that was to clear his name of false charges no matter what. In order to do that, he would need¡­ A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. His lawyer seemed to have arrived. Akiyama rose to greet him, ¡°Please come in.¡± For now, he would start with discussing his situation with the law expert, he thought. ? Meanwhile, Akiyama¡¯s partner, Benzai, was packing his things in their room in Scepter 4¡¯s dorm. After a knock for the sake of politeness on the door that Benzai left wide open, Hidaka¡¯s voice came, ¡°Excuse me, Benzai-san?¡± ¡°Hm? What is it, Hidaka?¡± Benzai responded, putting a towel and toiletries into his travel bag with a brisk motion. ¡°Um,¡± Hidaka started shyly, ¡°I thought if you need help with anything, I could help.¡± Benzai was scheduled to go to Hokkaido. Although such occurrences were rare, a strain escapee from Tokyo was sighted in Kus.h.i.+ro, Hokkaido, and Benzai was going there to confirm it. In this kind of cases, usually, Akiyama and Benzai were dispatched to deal with it as the Special Ops representatives. But right now, Benzai¡¯s partner couldn¡¯t very well go anywhere, having his freedom restrained. For that reason, for a while, Benzai would have to deal with those cases on his own. ¡°Oh?¡± Benzai turned to Hidaka and gave him a smile. ¡°Are you being considerate because Akiyama¡¯s not here at the moment?¡± ¡°Well, yes, maybe.¡± The reason that was to blame for Akiyama¡¯s absence made even Hidaka strangely hesitant in his wordings. Benzai, possibly seeing through Hidaka¡¯s doubts, a.s.serted, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Akiyama is 100% not guilty.¡± At first, Hidaka was visibly surprised, but only a moment later he was already hopefully asking, ¡°R-Really, Benzai-san?¡± If it was none other than Benzai, who was saying that, Benzai, who knew Akiyama the longest, then Hidaka felt he could trust his words above everything. But then Benzai continued with a deadly serious face, ¡°Of course he¡¯s innocent. After all, he¡¯s a hardcore MILF lover.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°If he wanted to molest someone, there is no way it would be a high school girl, right? Don¡¯t you agree?¡± Only after seeing Benzai chuckle Hidakafigured that he was being teased. ¡°B-Benzai-san!¡± Benzai let out an abrupt sigh, gazing at Hidaka. ¡°Hidaka. Akiyama is not someone to ever do something like that. Isn¡¯t knowing that enough? Or do the relations.h.i.+p between all of us as the members of the Special Ops not enough for you and you want some other proof?¡± It was said in a low and calm voice, but it did convey surging anger nonetheless. Hidaka immediately strengthened himself. ¡°O-Of course not! It¡¯s more than enough. You¡¯re absolutely right. I agree with you thoroughly!¡± He had a feeling that he had rudely insulted Benzai somehow. But strangely enough, when Akiyama¡¯s innocence was a.s.serted to his face like that, he felt like his own doubts got cleared away. Benzai smiled with a cool smile again. ¡°I¡¯m glad you understand, Hidaka. And now that you do, I have a favor I need to ask of you.¡± ¡°Yes, what is it, Benzai-san? As long as it¡¯s something I can do, I¡¯ll do anything!¡± Hidaka exclaimed readily. ¡°If, by any chance, Akiyama¡¯s detention drags out, could you give that to him?¡± Benzai pointed to Akiyama¡¯s bed. On it, a small backpack sat. ¡°I packed up a few necessities for him like some clothes and toiletries. With that, he shouldn¡¯t be too inconvenienced for another month.¡± ¡°!¡± Hidaka was clearly surprised. So Benzai prepared some necessities for Akiyama even as he was packing for his own official trip? Seeing Hidaka¡¯s reaction, Benzai only shrugged his shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. We were on the national defense force previously, as you know, and there, you had to pack your things in 10 minutes flat, no matter what remote place you were getting sent to, or you¡¯d get shouted at by the instructor.¡± ¡°¡ªI see.¡± That made Hidaka realize something all over again: they may have been equally members of the Special Ops squad now, all serving under Munakata Reis.h.i.+, but Akiyama and Benzai were clearly different from him, Enomoto, Fuse and the others as far as skills and preparedness was concerned. ''We¡¯re really no match for them; we gotta do our best and catch up to them, then,¡¯ Hidaka thought to himself, as he asked out loud, ¡°Should I go deliver that bag right now?¡± ¡°¡ªNo,¡± Benzai answered after a brief consideration. ¡°Let it sit here for a while and deliver it after the situation with Akiyama gets clear.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Also, if possible, could you put chocolate or little something like that in there, too? He tends to crave sweet things when he¡¯s tired.¡± ¡°I will!¡± Hidaka immediately a.s.sured him. ¡°I happened to keep a few in reserve in my room! I¡¯ll go get it right away!¡± With this, Hidaka scurried out the room. Benzai smiled, watching him rush, then resumed packing. He knew beyond doubt what he needed to do right now. That was also what Akiyama wanted him to do the most at the moment. Meaning¡­ ¡­to smoothly fulfill his professional duties as a member of Scepter 4. What Akiyama, being a somewhat awkward man with a strong sense of responsibility, was concerned about the most was not his reputation or his fate. He was worried that his absence might impede Scepter 4¡¯s work. Only that. Akiyama was the essential core of the Special Ops squad, both when it came to abilities and to spirit. ''For being such a capable guy, he sure has weak defense.¡¯ Benzai smiled bitterly. Until now it was Benzai, even more composed than Akiyama himself and able to see the whole picture, who covered for that weakness of his partner. Even if no one else could understand Akiyama, as his partner, Benzai had to know his intentions. And when Akiyama¡¯s innocence was proven and he was back to the squad, Benzai would have to be the one to say to him lightly, ¡°Oh well, we had no trouble at all during your absence.¡± For that, he needed to come back from the trip as fast as possible and fill the hole left by Akiyama. Resolved, Benzai finished packing and left the room, having no way of knowing that his plans were not meant to be. ? ¡°¡­What? Alright. I see. It can¡¯t be helped then. I ask you to deal with that next. Uh-huh. You don¡¯t have to worry about things on our end. We¡¯ll deal with them.¡± Awas.h.i.+ma hung up and, turning to Munakata seated in the driver¡¯s seat, reported, ¡°Two more strain suspects were sighted in Miyagi and Okinawa, and Benzai will go there after finis.h.i.+ng his current mission.¡± At that moment, her PDA rang again. Awas.h.i.+ma answered the call. ¡°Awas.h.i.+ma listening. Mn-hm. Mn-hm¡­ And then? Okay. What? Again? I see. No, we still have to send someone. Good job, but this will be your next task. Mn-hm. Don¡¯t worry about Akiyama, we¡¯re taking measures. Okay, got it. I¡¯m counting on you.¡± She hung up, immediately turning to Munakata once more, ¡°More cases reported in Kouchi and f.u.kuoka.¡± Making a sour face, she added, ¡°He will deal with them once he¡¯s finished with the previous ones.¡± Munakata¡¯s lips curved in a wry smile. ¡°So they keep causing incidents here and there, huh. What is it now? Benzai-kun will have to go from Miyagi to Okinawa to Kouchi to f.u.kuoka? By now, tt looks more like a suguroku using the whole of j.a.pan as the board than anything.¡± ¡°Well, I sent the ordinary troops to different regions, but it looks like they are not able to contain the situation unless someone of the Benzai cla.s.s gives directions on the scene personally.¡± ¡°Well, yes, I would expect that much.¡± ¡°Captain. All this¡­¡± Awas.h.i.+ma stared at Munakata. Turning the steering wheel to make a left turn, he responded, ¡°Yes, all this is being caused by the Kounomura group, there hardly can be any doubt about it anymore. I do know know the full particulars of how they managed to set up something so grand-scale, but their intention seems to be to lure our troops away from the capital by causing strain-related accidents all over the country.¡± He c.o.c.ked his head to the side slightly, ¡°It could be that the string of those cases is a plan targeting Benzai-kun specifically, the same way as the false molestation accusations targeted Akiyama-kun.¡± Taken aback, Awas.h.i.+ma stared at Munakata. Seeing her reaction, Munakata nodded gravely. ¡°It goes to show just how well they know our people¡¯s peculiar traits and personality. Akiyama-kun is an excellent person in every aspect, be it his personal history, his personality or his ability, and he is the core of the Special Operations squad. And Benzai-kun, despite being content to play the role of his a.s.sistant sometimes, depending on the situation, can also be a capable leader in his own right. Kounomura-s.h.i.+ proclaimed that he will take everything from me, and surprisingly, this may be what he meant by that.¡± Awas.h.i.+ma wore a conflicted look on her face. ¡°¡­¡± Her position was different from that of the Special Ops squad. First and foremost, she was Munakata¡¯s aide. Despite fully realizing the fact, she couldn¡¯t help feeling hurt. ''Could it be that Kounomura has a higher regard for Akiyama and Benzai than for me? Does he think that they are more useful to the Captain than I am?¡¯ She wanted to think that wasn¡¯t the case. She was still a higher ranking member even in the hierarchy of the Blue clan¡ª but as she gazed at Munakata in the driver¡¯s seat, her confidence began to dwindle. Usually, whenever Munakata needed to go somewhere, Akiyama or Benzai, or, depending on circ.u.mstances, Hidaka or Enomoto served as his drivers. But today Munakawa was operating the car himself. The reason was simple: driving wasn¡¯t Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s forte. It wasn¡¯t that she was downright awful at it. But her sense of direction wasn¡¯t all that good and she had some problems with parking. Hence, Munakata took the steering wheel all too smoothly. ¡°¡­¡± Munakata must have seen through Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s inner turmoil, because he smiled and said, ¡°For that reason, Awas.h.i.+ma-kun, I¡¯m afraid you will have to shoulder Akiyama-kun and Benzai-kun¡¯s burden for the moment. I will be relying on you for that.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s cheeks got dusted pink, but she gave her clear answer almost immediately, ¡°Yes, sir. You can count on me, Captain.¡± She wasn¡¯t a child, so she understood that Munakata had guessed what she was thinking and thrown some soothing words her way. That left her feeling a bit embarra.s.sed but also pleased at the same time. Her face clearing, she thought, ''That¡¯s right. There is only one thing I need to do, and that is, to do my job thoroughly. If I start worrying about irrelevant things now, I will only end up playing into Kounomura¡¯s hands.¡¯ Watching with rea.s.sured approval Awas.h.i.+ma overcoming her mental disturbance, Munakata said, ¡°a.s.suming that Kounomura-s.h.i.+ is behind this, the problem that arises is that such incidents will continue.¡± Awas.h.i.+ma nodded, agreeing with her superior. Both of them foresaw that this was not an end but only a beginning. ? Although Munakata was forced on the defensive, it wasn¡¯t like he sat idly. He did attempt to seach for Kounomura, who was now in the country and hiding somewhere. But that endeavor, unusually for sharp and talented Munakata, had run into some tough waters. The reason was simple: Munakata had no means at his disposal that he could put to effective use. First of all, Scepter 4 that he commanded was an organization for controlling and policing strains and strain-related crimes. Know-hows and techniques on how to search, manage, and, depending on the situation, battle and suppress strains had been acc.u.mulated starting with the rule of the previous Blue King, Habari Jin, but Scepter 4 hardly had any equipment, experience and simply personnel for effectively tracking down unremarkable ordinary people. It wouldn¡¯t be much of a problem in, for example, America that, in addition to the police, also had information gathering agencies like the FBI and CIA, but in this country the police was the main and biggest organ capable of search and investigation. And Munakata, as the head of Scepter 4, had yet to acquire justifiable legal basis or gray zone connections that would allow him to make that police machine work for him for anything other than countering strain-related crimes. If only Munakata had become the Blue King two years prior, the story would likely have been different. But as things stood now, although Munakata did have outstanding attributes going for him, his career as a king was way too short, and he simply had no time to gain social and personal clout to allow him to have an influence on anything except for Scepter 4. He only could grant or gain favors that were beyond his organization¡¯s duties from the very few politicians and businessmen whom he got acquainted with in the course of his work. That was why when there arose the need to find Kounomura, Munakata chose to turn to private detective agencies. He selected a few reputed detective agencies and search services that had their own networks all across the country, and placed a search request for Kounomura Zenichi with them, spending quite a sizable portion of the budget on their fees. Objectively speaking, the manhunt pros from the detective agencies did quite a fine job but in the end, failed to find any information on Kounomura Zenichi¡¯s whereabouts. ? ¡°Awas.h.i.+ma-kun. Awas.h.i.+ma-kun.¡± Feeling someone shake her by the shoulder gently, Awas.h.i.+ma awoke with a start. Still half-asleep, she surveyed her surroundings dazedly, and, realizing that it was her king who had woken her up, jumped to her feet, face beat-red. So it appeared that she fell asleep in the data processing office while dealing with a few remaining things, demanding her attention. She wasn¡¯t aware of it, but there was a very visible imprint of her sleeve¡¯s furnish left on her cheek. ¡°M-My apologies, Captain!¡± She quickly apologized, bowing. ¡°Oh, no need to worry about it.¡± Munakata waved a careless hand. ¡°It is already two in the morning. It is only natural for the human body to crave sleep at this time. There is nothing wrong with it. So please put your work on hold and return to the dormitory. Everybody else already did.¡± Just like Munakata said, the s.p.a.cious data processing office was empty save for Awas.h.i.+ma. The room¡¯s lighting was controlled via human presence sensors, so at the moment only the lights around her and Munakata, standing before her, were dimly illuminating the area. ¡°But¡­¡± Awas.h.i.+ma objected weakly. She hadn¡¯t finished what she planned to finish today. There were still two doc.u.ments she needed to check and one she had to draw up. With Fus.h.i.+mi, Akiyama and Benzai all absent, almost all the matters that required a certain degree of advanced judgement ended up on Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s plate. Munakata let out a little sigh. ¡°Awas.h.i.+ma-kun. I often repeat that I do not approve of working outside of working hours unless at the time of emergency. Do you remember why?¡± ¡°¡ªYes, I do, sir.¡± Awas.h.i.+ma didn¡¯t make him wait for her answer. ¡°Because we would not be in our best condition if emergency did occur.¡± ¡°Yes, that is correct.¡± Munakata nodded. ¡°Taking breaks and resting the body, as well as enjoying spare time and giving food to the mind is essential for people in our line of work. Even a machine will break if it tries to carry a load exceeding its maximum permitted weight limit, nothing to say of human beings. So I recommend - or rather, I shall make it a demand - to think in the long-term perspective and find ways to finish your work within the appropriate hours. Besides¡­¡± Munakata showed a tiny smile. ¡°¡­at the time of real emergency, I will work you quite hard, I¡¯m afraid.¡± ¡°¡­Of course, sir.¡± Awas.h.i.+ma was thinking Munakata¡¯s words over for a while, and then, ¡°I understand, sir. I will comply with your demand. But I would like to make a request, too.¡± ¡°Yes, what is it?¡± ¡°While I¡¯m resting, I would like to ask you, sir¡ª¡± Awas.h.i.+ma finally found her courage to express what she had wanted to for a while now, but as luck had it, her PDA rang at that moment, interrupting her. Awas.h.i.+ma had no choice but to take it out. But seeing the caller¡¯s name had her freeze momentarily. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Oya? Is something wrong?¡± Munakata addressed her. ¡°I do not mind you answering it. It may be important. I will wait here, so please do not mind me and answer.¡± Awas.h.i.+ma still hesitated. But now that she had Munakata¡¯s explicit permission, ignoring the call would look very strange. That person called her at 2 a.m. in the morning. It had to be about something important. So Awas.h.i.+ma cautiously pressed the connect b.u.t.ton. The caller was Kusanagi Izumo, the second-in-command of the Red clan, Homura. ¡°Ahh, h.e.l.lo, Seri-chan? Sorry for the late night call, but there is something I want to ask of you,¡± came Kusanagi¡¯s voice speaking in Kansai dialect with his usual intonations that could be very well described as frivolous. Awas.h.i.+ma frowned. His voice sounded strange. Although it seemed to be more of a technical issue than something being wrong with Kusanagi. ¡°¡ªWhere are you now?¡± Awas.h.i.+ma asked, and Kusanagi cheerfully elaborated, ¡°Oh, so you noticed? I¡¯m currently in Las Vegas.¡± ¡°Huh? Las¡­Vegas¡­?¡± Hearing Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s fl.u.s.tered tone made Munakata suspicious. Trying to gain control of her voice, Awas.h.i.+ma asked, ¡°Why are you in Las Vegas?¡± ¡°Ah well, things happened. The Homura guys are here with me, too.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you a detailed explanation when I¡¯m back in j.a.pan. That aside, I really do need that favor, you know.¡± At that moment Awas.h.i.+ma heard a voice saying Kusanagi¡¯s name, ¡°Izumo,¡± somewhere on the background. The voice definitely belonged to a young woman. Kusanagi panicked. ¡°Oh d.a.m.n! What do you think you¡¯re wearing?! ¡ªSeri-chan, don¡¯t hang up.¡± For a while, Awas.h.i.+ma didn¡¯t hear anything as he probably pressed a hand to the microphone, and then, at last, ¡°Sorry, sorry. Things settled down just now finally.¡± ¡°¡ªWell, you¡¯re apparently in the middle of something and very busy from the sound of it. If you don¡¯t have any business with me, I¡¯m hanging up?¡± Awas.h.i.+ma informed him icily. Kusanagi was clearly fl.u.s.tered, ¡°It¡¯s not what you think! It¡¯s absolutely not, I¡¯m telling you! Oh well, okay, I¡¯ll just state my request then.¡± It was a strange request. Kusanagi told her a name and asked her to check if that person was a strain or not. Awas.h.i.+ma hesitated¡ª However, she was indebted to Kusanagi in relation to a certain incident that happened in s.h.i.+zume town. Besides, Kusanagi¡¯s request wasn¡¯t much trouble to fulfill. If nothing, a simple search of Scepter 4¡¯s database would reveal in no time if the person Kusanagi named was registered as a strain or not. Awas.h.i.+ma, all too aware of Munakata¡¯s gaze on herself, answered, ¡°Alright, let me think about it.¡± Inside, she had already made up her mind to help him, but deliberately chose to word her response the way she did. ¡°I¡¯ll mail you the result when and if possible.¡± She was pretty sure that Kusanagi caught on to the implications of her wording. His voice sounded brighter. ¡°Ohh, I see. You¡¯re a big help, Seri-chan. You can expect a souvenir or two!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need them,¡± Awas.h.i.+ma snorted a little in reply. ¡°With this, we call it square.¡± Once before, Awas.h.i.+ma received information from Kusanagi on a strain hiding on the territory of s.h.i.+zume town. This time, she would give him the information he requested. All their mutual debts would be settled after this. It wasn¡¯t like they were friends or anything. It was just that being in contact with the well informed and smart second-in-command of the Red clan could make performing her professional duties smoother, nothing more than that. In the first place, it was hard to figure out when Kusanagi was serious and when not, with him making sultry suggestions to her whenever he saw the chance. ¡°Oh come on, don¡¯t be so cold. It¡¯s late night where you are now, right? Were you sleeping? How about socializing with me a bit and having a chat that only two adults can have?¡± Awas.h.i.+ma always ignored all such propositions, figuring that they were his way of making pleasantries. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? If you have no other business with me, I¡¯m hanging up. I¡¯m making the Captain wait as it is.¡± ¡°Huh? The Captain?¡± There was a pause. ¡°The Captain as in¡­ the Blue King, Munakata Reis.h.i.+?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Our King. Don¡¯t speak of him without honorifics.¡± ¡°¡ªHmmph.¡± For some reason, Kusanagi gave a m.u.f.fled chuckle. ¡°Is that so. See ya then.¡± He ended the conversation surprisingly fast, hanging up on her before she could. Awas.h.i.+ma, head inclined slightly to the side in puzzlement over his change of att.i.tude, pocketed her PDA. ¡°Awas.h.i.+ma-kun,¡± Munakata started unhurriedly. ¡°My apologies, but from what I heard of the conversation, the person on the other end was Kusanagi Izumo, of the Red clan, Homura, was it not?¡± ¡°That is correct, sir.¡± Awas.h.i.+ma wasn¡¯t apologetic. ¡°Since you recommended it before, sir, I decided to follow your suit and get acquainted with an information provider. That man is rather shrewd but quite useful. Ah, needless to say, I will carefully investigate the information he requested before sending it to him as my end of the deal. There is nothing that would cross the boundaries of the give-and-take relations.h.i.+p, I a.s.sure you.¡± ¡°No, no, I trust you to handle that at your discretion. Having a pipeline to the Red clan is extremely useful, after all¡­ but I do not recall hearing the circ.u.mstances of you forging an amicable connection with him yet?¡± ¡°Huh? Well, it was mostly by change. Trouble I was dealing with provided the opportunity to have a talk.¡± ¡°As I recall, when we had a run-in with the Red clan, he was your opponent, correct?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. And I certainly didn¡¯t expect to form this sort of connection with him at the time. Only, when I tried talking to him, it turned out that among the impulsive Red clan, he was someone quite smart and capable of objectivity, so after thinking over our mutual benefits, we each concluded that there was no real need for us to antagonize.¡± ¡°Hm, mph,¡± Munakata intoned with a m.u.f.fled chuckle. And why did that chuckle reminded her of Kusanagi¡¯s earlier one? The similarity gave Awas.h.i.+ma a jittery feeling. The two of them were supposed to be very different types of people. As a matter of fact, she didn¡¯t know Munakata, let alone Kusanagi all that long. But she had a feeling that she had seen each of them smirk in a very similar way before. Kusanagi smirked like that when he learned that Scepter 4¡¯s second-in-command was a woman who, nevertheless, was strong enough to go toe to toe with him in a fight. And Munakata showed such smirk when he first laid his eyes on the most complex puzzle he had seen to date. At those times the two of them chuckled in the same way as now, she was sure. ''I don¡¯t know why, but I feel I better not advertise the fact that Kusanagi Izumo is my informant so openly from now on,¡¯ Awas.h.i.+ma thought to herself, not being able to grasp the exact reason why. ¡°In any case, I shall leave that matter to your judgement. And now, please make haste and go rest,¡± Munakata said to her and left the data processing room. ¡°¡ªYes, sir.¡± But what Awas.h.i.+ma actually wanted to say was something else. ¡°Please get some rest yourself, sir.¡± As far as Awas.h.i.+ma was aware, Munakata denied himself rest even more than she did. But his back emanated something so unshakeable and resolute that Awas.h.i.+ma couldn¡¯t find her voice to say those words aloud to the last. And that made her feel lonely hopelessness. ? In the gray of morning that day, Fuse Daiki was moving across the water surface in a fis.h.i.+ng boat. It was a small boat capable of accommodating up to 6 persons, with a 70 horse-power engine. Before joining Scepter 4, in the period when Fuse had no goal and didn¡¯t know what to do with his life, he took up fis.h.i.+ng and even obtained a second grade permit for small s.h.i.+p operation. For something that he got after a 3 day training camp where he mostly just hung out with his pals, it was a convenient acquisition allowing for a high degree of freedom on the water. Needless to say, the boat he was currently steering wasn¡¯t his; he borrowed it at a boat rental shop for 15,000 yen a day. Fuse hoped it would be cla.s.sified as work-related expenses. After having started working at Scepter 4, he didn¡¯t have a lot of chances to put his permit to use, but now that he was riding a boat across the water surface that was starting to take on a scarlet hue, holding the steering wheel in his hands after a long while and feeling the salty breeze and splashes of slightly salty sea water hit his entire body, his mood was getting better by the minute. His head, heavy with lack of sleep, was clearing. He would need to do some preparations and go fis.h.i.+ng some time, he thought. Inviting Enomoto, Hidaka and Gotou along sounded like fun, too. Hidaka and Gotou aside, Enomoto, being the indoor species he was, would probably complain about seasickness and feeding and whatnot, but it would also be quite amuzing. Although, if he did invite them, they would have to have their fis.h.i.+ng outing somewhere on the outskirts of Tokyo Bay, not in a remote place like this. The sea in Touhoku region Fuse was currently sailing across was just too far away. It went without saying that Fuse didn¡¯t come here to fish. Determined to locate Kounomura¡¯s whereabouts, after much effort he found himself in this place, driving a boat, alone. In front of him, at a distance barely within visible range, there was another boat. And on that boat was the person whom Fuse came chasing after all the way from Tokyo, Kondou Kouhei. Until 3 years ago, he had worked as Kounomura¡¯s private secretary, and at the moment was suspected in maintaining some sort of contact with his former employer. Kounomura¡¯s inhuman energy allowed him to engage in various social activities, and as a result he acquired an extensive network of personal connections, but it was Kondou who knew Kounomura¡¯s most private part and served him personally. There were exceptionally talented people by Kounomura¡¯s side, like a prodigy who graduated from Harward Law School at the top of his cla.s.s or a genius who had a triple doctor¡¯s degree in math, law and history; unlike them, the only talents that Kondou had going for him was his honest work att.i.tude and ability to keep secrets. Despite that, Kounomura trusted him with things like picking up the members of his family, organizing important private family events and even managing all of his living expenses. Those around Kounomura found it highly strange, but Kounomura himself only told them, while laughing, ¡°It¡¯s hard to grasp it from just his appearance, but that person¡¯s honesty and loyalty are such that no talent or degree can ever hope to compare. If need be, I don¡¯t mind entrusting my very life to him.¡± Presently, Kondou was the curator of a museum, specializing in old ukiyoe and folk art articles that he had a pa.s.sion for. Although it was called a museum, it was a small establishment, with only 2 curators - Kondou and one other person - that was built by Kounomura when he retired from his activities as a sort of severance payment to his most trusted confidant. Kondou worked as that place¡¯s curator the same way he worked for Kounomura - with honesty and faithfulness. Building a museum just for Kondou went to show just how much Kounomura trusted him. Aws.h.i.+ma suspected Kondou in presently a.s.sisting Kounomura and had Akiyama spy on him. And when Akiyama was tailing said Kondou as the man left his home to go to his workplace in the museum, he was dragged into the false molestation accusation scandal during the commute. Needless to say, Fuse believed that Akiyama got caught into the enemy¡¯s trap and was framed, and it looked like Awas.h.i.+ma, who gave Akiyama the order, and Munakata, after receiving the report on Akiyama¡¯s situation, were both of the same opinion. However, there was no conclusive proof. So Fuse volunteered to take over Akiyama¡¯s task. Munakata called Fuse to his office to specifically warn him. ¡°Kounomura-s.h.i.+ possesses an extraordinarily elaborate intelligence. Even if he really is getting help from Kondou, catching him in the act would be exceedingly difficult. It is also probable that you may get caught in dire straits in the process yourself, like Akiyama-kun. If that happens, I will go there in person, so first of all, make sure to keep in frequent touch with Awas.h.i.+ma-kun.¡± Bearing the warning in mind, Fuse had been carefully tailing Kondou around the clock until now. If Kondou really was maintaing contact with Kounomura and he was able to prove it, the situation would be well on its way to getting resolved, even if he ended up set up like Akiyama in the process. But the more Fuse followed Kondou, the more unsure of this way of thinking he became. The reason for his doubts was simple: Kondou didn¡¯t look like a person who would play part in setting up such elaborate traps. Although he just barely hit his fifties, his head was completely bald, his built feeble and expression fearful and not what you would call reliable. Fuse, of course, was well aware that appearances didn¡¯t always reflect one¡¯s soul and personality, but in Kondou¡¯s case, his exterior and interior seemed to be aligned rather perfectly. In that respect, he was in a marked contrast with Kounomura, in whose unattractive appearance boundless overflowing energy and intelligence could be clearly felt regardless. The other day, during his commute to work when Kondou stepped on a foot of a middle schooler and got yelled at, he visibly cowered with fright. ''If all of that was an act, then he has all the chances to become an Academy Awards winner. It just might be that he really has nothing to do with Kounomura anymore¡­¡¯ Kondou¡¯s scope of activity was restricted to commutes between his house and the museum, and there were no signs whatsoever that he had noticed Fuse tailing him. This was the conclusion Fuse came after a few days of such investigation. However, yesterday, Kondou made his first big move. Fuse braced himself, but in the end it turned out that Kondou¡¯s whole family was just going to visit their family house by car. Fuse got Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s authorization and rented out a car to follow them. And so, the Kondous arrived to their family house in a certain prefecture of Touhoku region, with nothing much happening on the way, and the next morning, Kondou went out to the nearest seaside, carrying a complete set of fis.h.i.+ng gear with him. Fuse knew that fis.h.i.+ng was among Kondou¡¯s few hobbies. This morning, too, Kondou went out wearing an unusually lively face, had a fisherman acquaintance give him a ride in his boat, and they set off somewhere by sea. At that stage, most of Fuse¡¯s suspicions had already been dispelled, but, just to be on the safe side in case Kondou was going to contact Kounomura somewhere on the water, Fuse did follow him. To his credit, Fuse figured that Kondou was going to his home town to fish, so he had arranged for a boat for himself just in case yesterday. Till now, Fuse¡¯s surveillance mission was going smoothly, and the only thing that bothered him was the remoteness of the location that made it impossible to get in regular contact with Awas.h.i.+ma. Fuse did send her mail just before arriving to Kondou¡¯s home town, so she probably was aware of his whereabouts. The other boat, with Kondou in it, ran at full speed across the sea for about 20 minutes and arrived to a tiny uninhabited island. Kondou, with armfuls of a cooler-box, finis.h.i.+ng rod and other fis.h.i.+ng supplies, was dropped off at the island, and the boat turned to head back. Fuse steered his boat to hit the opposite sh.o.r.e of the island so that Kondou wouldn¡¯t notice him and, going round along the coastline, decided to observe Kondou from a rock providing an overlooking view of him. Fuse had already surmised that Kondou must have been a frequent visitor on this island. The man kept fis.h.i.+ng, obviously well familiar with the process, until noon. As was expected, nothing was changing during that whole time, save for him pulling up his catch occasionally, and soon, overcoming boredom became a hard challenge for Fuse. It would have been a different story if he was fis.h.i.+ng himself, but watching for hours on end someone else fish was anguish like no other. It was no wonder that by the time the boat from earlier came back to pick up Kondou, Fuse hardly paid any attention. Kondou got on, bringing 54 fish he caught with him, and the boat pulled out. It was at this time that Fuse concluded with certainty: there was nothing suspicious about Kondou¡¯s behavior. The fish he caught would likely be served at today¡¯s supper when he and his family all gathered at the table. Intending to go back to the mainland as well now, Fuse traced back the route he used to come here, to the place where he moored his boat. And when he reached it, he suddenly realized. There was no sign of the boat anywhere. ? About two days later, Awas.h.i.+ma stood in Munakata¡¯s office with a grave expression on her face. With a heavy heart, she was preparing to deliver a distressing report: all contact with Akiyama¡¯s successor, Fuse, had been lost. It was safe to a.s.sume that he had run into some kind of trouble, likely falling for some kind of Kounomura¡¯s ploy. At this point in time, however, Awas.h.i.+ma had no idea for what ploy exactly. In other words, all she could report to Munakata was that all contact with Fuse had been lost, and that was it. She was sure that Munakata would just respond with an amused ¡°Hoo¡±, not blaming Awas.h.i.+ma in any way. But for Awas.h.i.+ma, that was the precise thing that was enough to send her into a depression. ''Somehow, lately, nothing goes as it¡¯s supposed to. If all of it is part of Kounomura¡¯s plan, then he really is a scary man.¡¯ ¡°Captain,¡± she opened her mouth, finding her resolve, ¡°I have an important report to make.¡± But at this precise moment, Doumyouji and Enomoto burst into the office, trying to outshout each other. ¡°Trouble, Captain!¡± ¡°No, trouble on my end is worse!¡± Doumyouji held a tablet in one hand, while Enomoto had his cheeks smeared with something like soot. Awas.h.i.+ma lifted her brows. ¡°This is the Captain¡¯s office! Knock before entering, insolents!¡± But Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s reprimand fell on completely deaf ears, as the two kept pus.h.i.+ng and shoving at each other in the doorway, trying to become the one to push ahead first. It appeared that they both came to deliver important reports to the Captain, running into each other before the door to his office where they started fighting over who would go in first. ¡°Captain! Please listen to my report first!¡± ¡°No, Doumyouji-san! My report is more urgent, so please allow me!¡± Doumyouji aside, for Enomoto it was highly unusual to be so impatient. Moreover, Doumyouji was once his superior, so he must have had a very good reason for trying to push forward so aggressively at Doumyouji¡¯s expense. Watching them, Munakata said with something akin to approval, ¡°Another galore of reports today, eh,¡± and leaned his chin on his joined hands. ¡°Let me ask this first. Do any of the reports the three of you are here to deliver involve matters of someone¡¯s life and death or imminent physical harm, where every second counts?¡± Doumyouji shook his head immediately, Awas.h.i.+ma and Enomoto also did after some moments of hesitation. ¡°I see,¡± Munakata seemed satisfied. ¡°In that case,¡± he started, ¡°Awas.h.i.+ma-kun has the priority, both in order of arrival and in rank; so Doumyouji-kun, Enomoto-kun, please wait for your turn,¡± he made the decision. ¡°Sir!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Scepter 4 was a quasi-police organization, no matter how lax the atmosphere within it seemed. So the same instance, both Doumyouji and Enomoto clasped their hands behind their backs and stood at attention. Awas.h.i.+ma also knew the situation. Understanding from the two¡¯s behavior the urgency of their reports, she decided to get done with her own as quickly as possible. Except when the two heard what she had to say, both of them muttered under their breaths: ¡°And that¡¯s it?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s what it was about?¡± They seemed to voice those opinions without thinking. Awas.h.i.+ma sent a glare their way. ¡°Ah, no, that¡¯s not what I meant! I swear, Lieutenant!¡± ¡°I apologize. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m not worried about Fuse, it¡¯s just that my matter requires taking more immediate measures,¡± Enomoto gave her a long-winded explanation, and at the same time Doumyouji turned to him, ¡°I¡¯m saying I¡¯m going next, Enomoto!¡± ¡°Captain!¡± This time Enomoto sent a beseeching look to the Captain, requesting his decision. ¡°Doumyouji-kun shall go first¡ª¡± Munakata raised his hand and pointed to Doumyouji, much like a sumo match referee. ¡°Yay!¡± Doumyouji struck a little triumphant pose. ¡°But why, Captain?!¡± Enomoto was almost screeching now. In a serious tone, Munakata answered, ¡°Because Doumyouji-kun was half a step ahead of you when entering my office. I can see from your state that your matter really is urgent, but let us follow the rules and speak in turn. That is what an organization is. As such, Doumyouji-kun, deliver your report in the fastest way you can think of.¡± ¡°Sure, sir! My report is simple. Here!¡± With this, Doumyouji shoved the tablet he was holding before Munakata¡¯s eyes. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Munakata, highly unusually for himself, let a groan slip. ¡°I am surprised, I admit.¡± ¡°If I may.¡± Seeing Munakata like this, Awas.h.i.+ma and after her Enomoto, chanced a look at the tablet¡¯s screen, and both promptly became speechless. Doumyouji, feeling slight satisfaction from the shock his report gave to the other three, explained, ¡°We¡¯re being flooded with questions about this case from all kinds of ma.s.s media, and our phones are getting pretty much white-hot from all the non-stop calling. See? Trouble, like I said, no?¡± ¡°This case¡± that Doumyouji mentioned was an article in a weekly magazine that was currently displayed on the screen of his tablet. The headline, in humunguous letters, read, ¡°Extremely embarra.s.sing escapades of public servants,¡± and under it, the target to be pilloried was the recent case where Doumyouji destroyed the appartment building. ¡°The so called "Blues¡± are the modern untouchable, with their budget that needs no deliberations or approvals, and state of art facilities and equipment.¡° Simply put, the article denounced the non-transparency of Scepter 4 as an organization, its radical investigation activity and extralegal organizational management. "In addition, it looks like we¡¯re getting sued on several cases.¡± At his words, Munakata, Awas.h.i.+ma and Enomoto, who were peering at the screen, all simultaneously raised their heads with an expression on their faces that clearly read as ¡°What did you just say¡­?¡± But Doumyouji didn¡¯t notice those dangerous signs and went on, ¡°I happened to overhear that presently, contents-certified mail is being delivered to the general affairs department one after another and they¡¯re rus.h.i.+ng the confirmation check. Mostly we¡¯re being sued for things like damages during search and breaking and entering. I¡¯m thinking you should be getting a report from general affairs any minute now, Captain.¡± ¡°Captain,¡± Awas.h.i.+ma called out to Munakata in a razor-sharp tone. Munakata gave a heavy nod. ¡°No mistake. Kounomura-s.h.i.+ and his machinations must behind all of that.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s him, after all!¡± Doumyouji exclaimed and his voice sounded just a touch delightful. ¡°So, Captain, what do we do?¡± He gazed at Munakata with sparkling eyes. In them was absolute trust, or rather unguarded innocence. In all honesty, Scepter 4 being exposed in a weekly magazine as well as getting sued was, in big part, Doumyouji¡¯s fault, but all of that conveniently slipped that natural airhead¡¯s notice. He firmly believed with innocence of a chick waiting for his parent bird that Munakata would pull off something magnificent and get them out of the mess. ¡°¡­¡± Munakata was deep in thought for a while. Then, he raised his head slowly. ¡°¡­Doumyouji-kun. We need to talk.¡± Munakata smiled. And that smile evoked a reaction from Doumyouji he had never shown before: as if being stabbed at with a sharp j.a.panese sword, he bended backward and tried to make a run for it. As a swordsman, he had a highly developed ultra refined danger avoidance ability. And that instinct rang the alarm at him, ''The way he¡¯s smiling spells tons of danger!¡¯ However, before Munakata could give Doumyouji an order, Enomoto came to his senses and called attention to himself, ¡°Um, excuse me, Captain!¡± As if just remembering about his existence, Munakata remarked, ¡°Ah, right. Your matter was also urgent. Well, report, then.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. A little while ago, Scepter 4¡¯s system fell under a cyber attack. We managed to counter it somehow, but an abnormality was detected in the electical equipment throughout all the facilites.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Awas.h.i.+ma and Munakata¡¯s expressions turned grim. ¡°It is like I said. For the time being, I went under the floor to take a look, but it¡¯s outside my area of expertise, so I¡¯d like to request a qualified engineer to handle this. I¡¯m afraid that at this rate, the whole electrical system might¡ª¡± It happened in that exact moment. All the lights in Munakata¡¯s office went out. ¡°¡ªsuffer a blackout, is what I wanted to say, but it appears it is too late now,¡± Enomoto finished in a sad sounding voice. Doumyouji and Awas.h.i.+ma had already sprung into action. ¡°Doumyouji! Prepare emergency lights!¡± ¡°Yes, ma''am!¡± Noises of energetic running-about followed. ¡°Good grief,¡± Munakata murmured in the pitch black dark so quietly that no one heard it. ¡°Kounomura-san is really going all out on many levels, no holds barred.¡± Volume 1 Chapter 4 Part2 Case Files of Blue by Miyazawa Tatsuki ? On that night, Hidaka followed the wishes of his tired flesh and returned to Scepter 4¡¯s dorm. Because of the attack the other day targeting electrical equipment, Scepter 4 still had no electricity on its premises. Of course, it meant that once the night fell, all the buildings were plunged in darkness. In addition to general power lines provided by a power company, Scepter 4 was equipped with a gas turbine installed in the bas.e.m.e.nt and solar panels on the roof, specifically for emergencies. But the whole electricity distribution grid was managed by the computer system, which, for reasons unknown, had crashed. Presently, Enomoto, in conjunction with external engineers, was investing his every effort into repairs as the leader of the counteraction group. However, so far, the situation was dire, with the cause of the failure still undetermined. As a result, after dusk, Scepter 4 members equipped themselves with flashlights and candlesticks and loitered around the HQ like ghosts. Hidaka, too, took a lamp, prepared at the entrance and, together with the spot of light his lamp provided, started advancing along the pitch dark hallway. It was drizzling outside the windows, and the whole atmosphere felt more like he was on a ruins exploration trip than on his way home. Moreover, the dining hall was presently closed, so come late night, everyone had to arrange meals for themselves on their own. ¡°Haa, I¡¯m so hungry¡­¡± He rushed out of the HQ in the morning and hardly had anything to eat ever since. ¡°If you¡¯re OK with cup ramen, I can share some with you.¡± A voice that seemed to be coming from the ground resounded just in front of him, and a light appeared at the same time. ¡°Whoa!¡± Hidaka shrieked reflexively. Gotou, with a candle in hand, suddenly revealed himself standing in the hallway. ¡°Welcome back, Hidaka,¡± he said. ¡°¡ªTh-Thanks, Gotti,¡± Hidaka answered after a pause that was necessary for him to calm his wildly beating heart, because frankly, Gotou gave him quite the scare. ? ¡°¡­How do you like it? Yummy?¡± Gotou, one elbow on the table, was watching intently Hidaka slurping the noodles with intense concentration. ¡°Yup.¡± It was only commonplace cup ramen that could be bought in any convenience store, prepared by simply pouring water, boiled on the alcohol lamp that Gotou happened to have, into it, but right now, to Hidaka, it tasted so delicious that it even bothered him a little. ¡°It¡¯s so yummy I can cry.¡± ¡°Umn-humn.¡± Gotou nodded with satisfaction. ¡°I also have some tea, Hidaka.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± With a slurping sound, Hidaka drained the last drops of the ramen soup and caught his breath. ¡°Ahh, I¡¯m alive again.¡± He took a few gulps out of the bottled tea Gotou handed him, and his earlier gloomy mood gave place to contented happiness. He had a sudden thought that he was a really simple creature by nature. Or maybe human beings in general weren¡¯t very complicated. Lately, Hidaka could sleep much even at night, so now that his stomach was full, he suddenly felt very drowsy. ¡°You sure have it rough. You¡¯ve been on your feet since morning, no?¡± Gotou asked, eyeing Hidaka. ¡°Desperately working with a pale face I¡¯ve never seen on him before,¡± Gotou replied. Presently, Doumyouji was single-handedly in charge of ma.s.s media and lawsuit countermeasures in his new capacity as the freshly appointed ¡°PR officer¡±. Everyone was in mute shock at this kind of personnel selection. Doumyouji, with his airheadedness and messy nature, was literally the most unfit person for the job. Media countersteps required meticulous forethought; cautiousness and special knowledge was also indispensable for making decisions in that area. And Doumyouji was known for not being able to even write his own reports right. The order left most members in deep puzzlement, and among them, there were even those who started worrying if maybe Munakata was getting desperate. ¡°I wonder if the Captain meant it as punishment for Doumyouji-san?¡± Hidaka voiced the thought that had been bugging him for a while. ¡°True. I don¡¯t think the Captain would do something like that simply to be mean.¡± Although he wasn¡¯t completely sure that the possibility of that was cold hard zero, Hidaka had faith in Munakata, in his own way. ¡°Well, Doumyouji-san aside, what about Kamo-san? I wonder what is he doing right now?¡± At these times of a great crisis for Scepter 4 as an organization, the reliable and talented Kamo hadn¡¯t been seen on the premises for a while now. He was a man with impressive ability and strong sense of responsibility. Though it wasn¡¯t very clear how much of rea.s.surance his presence would have provided had he actually been here¡ª ¡°Well, according to Lieutenant Awas.h.i.+ma, he had some sort of unavoidable circ.u.mstances he had to attend to, something like that.¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± Taking another gulp out of the pet bottle, Hidaka c.o.c.ked his head to the side. ¡°Just what on earth could it be?¡± Since Kamo¡¯s background was unique, he must have had quite a few peculiar ¡°somethings¡± to take care of. With this thought, Hidaka reached his bed and, flopping down on it, stretched out. He was so drowsy he could fall asleep this very moment. Seeing him lie down, Gotou stood up. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m off then.¡± ¡°Huh? Didn¡¯t I tell you? In addition to regular work, Lieutenant gave me the task of searching for Kounomura¡¯s whereabouts.¡± In this emergency situation, saying that Awas.h.i.+ma, Gotou and Hidaka were pretty much the only group within Scepter 4 that continued to operate normally wouldn¡¯t be very far from the truth. ¡°I-I heard about that.¡± Hidaka knew, of course. ¡°R-Right. Good luck.¡± But Hidaka couldn¡¯t bring himself to say what he really wanted to. Gotou was going to work at the expense of his own sleeping hours. So Hidaka just couldn¡¯t possibly up and ask him shamelessly to please stay in the room until Hidaka himself fell asleep. ¡°OK, I¡¯m off then, Hidaka.¡± Gotou was about to leave, but suddenly stopped in the doorway and said with a completely serious face, ¡°Hidaka, since you¡¯re tired, I recommend you not look at that statue directly.¡± With this, he left the room. Hidaka, left alone in the room, grimaced at those cryptic words. Surveying their room, he confirmed again how full of bizarre things it was: a mask with something like a bird¡¯s beak in the center of it, weird books and alb.u.ms, ethnic musical instruments you would only normally see in a museum, music boxes, old cameras, tools for waterpipe tobacco smoking, suggestive India-ink paintings¡­ All of the above was kept by Gotou as a hobby. And all those things were illuminated by the unsteadily swaying candlelight, casting thick black shadows across the room. The object Gotou mentioned in his warning was a huge wood-carved statue that sat imposingly right in the middle of all those weird items. Hidaka remembered Gotou saying that it was an object of wors.h.i.+p in Papua New Guinea or maybe in New Caledonia. It had its arms folded and tongue stuck out and dripping with saliva. Among all the weird things, it was that statue that Hidaka found the most eerie. ¡°Eeek!¡± he screamed without realizing, because as he stared at the idol, it seemed to begin staring back at him. Covering his head, he burrowed under the blankets and tried to forget everything and just sleep. The reason why lately Hidaka had been suffering from lack of sleep was fear: he couldn¡¯t sleep at night because of it. Hihi. Hihi. Hidaka thought he heard a child snickering, so he hurriedly covered his ears with his hands. He was simply hearing things because of his exhaustion, he thought to himself - wanted to think. It wasn¡¯t the first time this happened, and not only in this room. Just a little while ago, (he thought) he saw will-o¡¯-the-wisps floating in the empty dining hall, and before that, he kept hearing sounds of water splas.h.i.+ng coming from a definitely unoccupied toilet. To Hidaka, it felt like all of Scepter 4 turned into one giant cursed spot. ¡®Gotti, please come back asap!¡¯ This was Hidaka¡¯s only wish at the moment. ? At about the same time, Awas.h.i.+ma stood at high alert in an abandoned building under the moonlight coming through broken windows. She knew that it was a trap, but psyched herself up regardless. Naturally, she wasn¡¯t going to let her guard down. In Scepter 4, she didn¡¯t stand above a former soldier Akiyama and a dojo heir Doumyouji Andy simply because she had more power as a clansman. Actually, those two¡¯s abilities were such that they both could probably outdo her in fencing and martial arts. All this started when she, having finished paying visits to the ministries, rode a taxi on her was back to the dorms. When they were pa.s.sing through the shopping district, she suddenly spotted an all too familiar back. Eyes growing wide, she pressed her face to the gla.s.s of the taxi¡¯s window, then shouted to the driver, ¡°Sorry, but stop the car please!¡± She only faced that man once, but there was no way she could ever forget that extremely conspicuous, grotesque-looking bald giant of a man in an ink black priest¡¯s robe - Nakamura Gouoku, Kounomura Zenichi¡¯s helper. Leisurely strolling along the night street, he disappeared in a back alley. Pa.s.sing a banknote to the surprised driver with a ¡°Keep the change¡±, Awas.h.i.+ma opened the door and jumped out of the car. Feeling frustration welling up inside, she raced after Nakamura, diving into the alley he entered earlier. He was nowhere to be seen. She rounded the corner, and just when she thought with bitterness that she had lost Gouoku, his giant frame flashed, as if surfacing from the sea of people, turning a corner a little further down the road. Awas.h.i.+ma broke into a sprint again. But when she, out of breath, reached that corner, Gouoku was nowhere to be seen again. Twisting her head around, she caught a glimpse of him as he was just about to disappear in the pa.s.sage between two buildings. Awas.h.i.+ma resumed the chase. After that, Nakamura Gouoku continued to flash at the very edges of her vision. There he was, under a neon sign, then next to a red paper lantern of a pub, easily weaving his way through the drunkenly staggering mob, appearing and disappearing like a mirage. By that time, Awas.h.i.+ma had already figured, ''He¡¯s leading me somewhere, inviting me to follow him. As the crowds around her thinned more and more, that suspicion transformed into certainty. When Gouoku had disappeared in the bowels of an abandoned building, she made up her mind. ''He¡¯s trying to lure me into a trap alright, but on the other hand, this is my chance.¡¯ The first floor lobby was empty, all of the furniture and equipment having been long since taken away. Awas.h.i.+ma unsheathed her saber quietly. She had already sensed the presence of her opponent. And sure enough, the bald man abruptly stepped out of the dark. He was smiling with an amused smile. ¡°You sure got guts. Too bad that you¡¯re a woman.¡± It really was none other than Nakamura Gouoku. Awas.h.i.+ma didn¡¯t mince her word when replying, ¡°And you¡¯re not much as a person if you let yourself get tied with gender bias like this. Courage has nothing to do with whether you¡¯re a man or a woman. Don¡¯t you know something even that basic?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not happy to get such compliments from someone with misguided values.¡± Awas.h.i.+ma didn¡¯t just keep up the conversation. All the while, she was carefully probing all around her for the signs of Gouoku¡¯s accomplices lying in ambush. One more, still in hiding. When she was finished, she asked, ¡°¡ªBy the way, what is this about?¡± She brought her saber up to position. ¡°A challenge to a revenge match?¡± Awas.h.i.+ma took the stance with one leg bend in front, the other extended behind her, and raised her saber, like a baseball player their bat. Her saber was pointing cleanly at Nakamura Gouoku because the other person she had sensed hiding in the area was just an ordinary civilian with no skills to conceal his presence and apparently not thirsty for her blood. Basing her conclusion on that, Awas.h.i.+ma interpreted Nakamura Gouoku¡¯s luring her here as him challenging her to a one-on-one fight. Of course, they weren¡¯t old friends or anything, so Awas.h.i.+ma couldn¡¯t be sure, but that sinful monk seemed like a man who loved the beauty of formalities. So he wanted their fight to be what is called a duel. ¡°I accept, then.¡± Awas.h.i.+ma couldn¡¯t picture herself lose to this man in a one on one confrontation. ¡°I was really getting fed up with all your striking our weak points. Oh well, now I just need to arrest you and make you spill Kounomura Zenichi¡¯s whereabouts.¡± Awas.h.i.+ma frowned. ¡°¡ªWhat do you mean? What on earth¡­¡± ¡°I won¡¯t be the one to fight you. Also, making me own up about Zenichi¡¯s whereabouts is meaningless.¡± At that moment, a person separated from a pillar¡¯s shadow and came into light. ¡°Good afternoon. Ah, no, it¡¯s good evening by now? Awas.h.i.+ma Seri-san, the right hand person of the Blue King, Munakata Reis.h.i.+. I wanted to meet you.¡± ¡°As you see, the person whose whereabouts you wanted me to spill is right here!¡± Gouoku roared with a broad grin. Awas.h.i.+ma was left speechless. The tip of her saber drooped down without her realizing it. Although she only saw him on the screen of a monitor, the man who stood there was, unmistakably, Kounomura Zenichi in person. Even Munakata had yet to meet him directly. Among all the Scepter 4, Awas.h.i.+ma was the first and only one to face the mastermind of the recent string of incidents like this. Kounomura waved his short hands. ¡°Weeeell, I¡¯m so glad. You¡¯re a beauty, just like I imagined. And dignified. I can sense that you¡¯re also intelligent. What conviction and will! Wonderful!¡± He was rapid-talking on and on in a high pitched voice. The more Awas.h.i.+ma stared at him, the more strange-looking he seemed to her. He really was very short, especially now, standing next to giant Gouoku. His belly was conspicuously protruding, his hair was thin¡­ If a penguin was to be anthropomorphized, the endresult would be this man, no doubt. He was an unappealing human lump no matter how one looked at him, save for one detail - his black l.u.s.trous eyes, alit with odd vitality. Awas.h.i.+ma had never met someone - someone who was not a child - with eyes that clear. They had a mysterious power to enthrall and she would be their captive if she continued to carelessly gaze into them like this, she realized. Kounomura, meanwhile, kept chatting, paying all sorts of compliments to Awas.h.i.+ma, until finally he said, ¡°And that¡¯s why, Awas.h.i.+ma-san, I¡¯d like you to stay on as my Lieutenant when I become the Blue King.¡± Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s shoulders jolted. She finally came back to her senses. This man was Munakata Reis.h.i.+¡¯s enemy. Obsessed with a wild delusion, he tried to collapse Scepter 4 and usurp their king¡¯s throne. Him not being malicious didn¡¯t make all of that OK. ¡°Please allow me to ask one question,¡± Awas.h.i.+ma addressed Kounomura with politeness, honoring his background and social standing. ¡°Are you really serious about trying to subst.i.tute the Blue King?¡± ¡°And that¡¯s why he¡¯s so wicked,¡± Gouoku, standing next to Kounomura, smiled wryly. ¡°He really is serious, don¡¯t even doubt. A thousand times more serious than a normal person can ever be.¡± Awas.h.i.+ma had also realized it somehow. It¡¯s because Kounomura was like that, more sincere than anyone and endlessly pure, that countless people adored and helped him, and that was why he was able to acc.u.mulate his wast wealth and gain international fame. He even was able to become an outstanding philanthropist. However¡­ Awas.h.i.+ma Seri had only one king - Munakata Reis.h.i.+, and no one else. ¡°I shall take your offer not as an invitation but as an insult. Please make no mistake: once I have beaten Nakamura Gouoku, who is standing next to you right now, I will also arrest you.¡± The point of Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s sword rose up again, her eyes burning. ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Kounomura smiled. ¡°Nothing less from Awas.h.i.+ma-san.¡± She felt irritation at his wording. ¡°Please don¡¯t be mad,¡± Kounomura soothed her, as if reading her mind. ¡°When I approached you, it actually came as a relief to you, no?¡± ¡°I¡¯m right, aren¡¯t I? After all, our ploys were taking out the Scepter 4 members one after another, starting with Akiyama-san and Benzai-san, and only you were seemingly neglected as a potential target. That made you doubt yourself that maybe you¡¯re not being regarded as a useful person to Munakata Reis.h.i.+, no?¡± Awas.h.i.+ma wanted to scream at him to shut up, but rode out the impulse. Yes, Kounomura¡¯s words nailed part of the truth. But Awas.h.i.+ma wasn¡¯t simplistic enough to fall for his provocation so easily. She smiled with a delicate smile. ¡°No, you are wrong,¡± she said, shaking her head. Awas.h.i.+ma elaborated, ¡°I delt with it without hard feelings.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re ignorant enough to shut your eyes to my existence when you¡¯re trying to corner the Captain, then you¡¯re not someone worthy to get angry at. I don¡¯t overestimate my abilities, but I don¡¯t underevaluate them either. Had you kept ignoring me, you would have learned that the hard way.¡± ¡°Though a losing battle it is bound to be for you, you are the man who dared to challenge the Captain. It is only natural to a.s.sume that you should have enough wits to set up that kind of ploy.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t. After all¡­¡± Awas.h.i.+ma gave him a smile. ¡°¡­you personally bothered to come greet me here. Which means that in a sense, you regard me quite highly, doesn¡¯t it?¡± In Kounomura¡¯s eyes delight sparkled. ¡°Splendid!¡± He exclaimed. ¡°That¡¯s a king¡¯s right hand person for you. To challenge me to a verbal battle! Alright, I get it. How about this then? We will fight here, you and me, one on one.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Kounomura continued, tossing a glance at very surprised Awas.h.i.+ma, ¡°If you win, I will let you arrest me. Of course, I will also prostrate myself before Munakata-san and apologize for not knowing my place. If I win, though, I will have you come with us to our base. How does this sound to you?¡± ¡°Yup, one on one!¡± Kounomura reaffirmed wholeheartedly with innocence of a child. Awas.h.i.+ma, still highly bewildered, ventured a questioning look at Nakamura Gouoku. Gouoku gave her another wry smile. ¡°Yes, Zenichi is serious. He really is planning to fight you one on one. Needless to say, I won¡¯t intervene in any way. I swear on the name of Buddha.¡± Awas.h.i.+ma was still suspicious. ¡°Of course, if Zenichi loses, I will apologize together with him. That, I promise you on the name of Buddha, too.¡± ¡°¡ªAre you both making light of me?¡± Awas.h.i.+ma asked with head-on honesty. From Kounomura¡¯s looks, not only was it hard to imagine him fight, she doubted he was even capable of moving that body of his properly. And he wasn¡¯t a clansman or strain, much less a king. An aging man with below average physical ability, without any special powers was challenging Scepter 4¡¯s second-in-command; this went straight past reckless and well into the ridiculous territory. Kounomura probably sensed her mood as he added quickly and fl.u.s.teredly, ¡°Ah, but I will be using all kinds of weapons and traps, of course? I think it will be a fair enough handicap, don¡¯t you agree?¡± Awas.h.i.+ma took her time to think. ¡°Of course. Only¡­¡± Even with that handicap, the power gap between them still looked too big. That¡¯s how potent a power Awas.h.i.+ma obtained by becoming Munakata¡¯s clansman. She knew it from first hand experience. But in the next moment, Awas.h.i.+ma reconsidered that. Her opponent was a remarkable world-famous man, Kounomura Zenichi. If anything, it could be that that kind of power gap was indispensable when going up against him. Awas.h.i.+ma cautiously asked, ¡°I agree to your conditions. When do we start the fight?¡± ¡°Right this moment,¡± Kounomura grinned. The same instance Awas.h.i.+ma kicked the ground, closing the distance between herself and Kounomura and raising her saber overhead in preparation for a big swing. Once the two of them expressed their mutual consent, all reason and desire to go easy on her opponent disappeared. Even if she were to seriously injure Kounomura, she was somehow strangely convinced that neither Gouoku nor Kounomura himself would pin the blame on her. Unfortunately for her though, Kounomura foresaw her move. Producing something like a hand grenade from his pocket with movements that could not be called practiced by any stretch of imagination, he slammed it against the floor with everything he was worth. ¡°Urgh!¡± Flas.h.i.+ng light and smoke surged out of the thing. Awas.h.i.+ma was on high alert, but it still made her recoil a little. She had to hold her both hands out to protect her face. When the smoke cleared and she could see again, she noticed Kounomura heavily climbing a spiral staircase connecting the first and the second floors. Awas.h.i.+ma tossed a quick glance in Nakamura Gouoku¡¯s direction. ¡°¡­¡± He only shrugged his shoulders, and she interpreted it as his declaration that this had nothing to do with him and he had no slightest intention to get involved. Awas.h.i.+ma smirked faintly. ¡°How whimsical.¡± Then she sped up again, fully intending to capture Kounomura. ? After that, mysterious developments didn¡¯t stop. Awas.h.i.+ma continued chasing Kounomura, but every time she cornered him, Kounomura managed to give her the slip. On the second floor a bunch of fireworks suddenly boomed at her, making her falter for a moment, which Kounomura used to make his getaway. Just when she thought she had him cornered in a small dead end room, part of the ceiling came crumbling down and obscured her vision. After an hour, she was this close to almost catching Kounomura by the neck, but the floor under her feet gave way and Kounomura still managed to escape. For all intents and purposes, it was a fact that Kounomura, a clearly underexercising man who couldn¡¯t even run decently, was evading the pursuit by Scepter 4¡¯s much superior Lieutenant whom everybody admired and feared. Awas.h.i.+ma began to understand something, subsequently becoming terrified. Namely that Kounomura had foreseen her every move. That was the only way to explain this highly abnormal state of affairs. It wasn¡¯t much of a stretch to a.s.sume that Kounomura could only run around like this because he saw through everything about her, from her speed limit to the length of her stride and possibly from her thoughts to her pulse rate even. That terrified her. If he really had predicted everything she would do, then this entire building had probably been reconstructed just for the sake of making it into an anti-Awas.h.i.+ma territory. All the traps in it had been set up specifically with her in mind. ''Is he really going that far?!¡¯ Aws.h.i.+ma screamed in her mind. Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s mood, as she chased that little man, who was running while panting heavily and noisily, was growing grim. She felt like she would never catch Kounomura, who looked like he had already used up all his stamina, no matter how long and how far she would chase him. But if she gave into that feeling of hopelessness here, not even Gotou and Hidaka would be able to keep functioning as Scepter 4¡¯s fighting power anymore. And that would leave Munakata Reis.h.i.+ stark naked. She couldn¡¯t let that happen. She forced herself to cheer up. Running up the skeleton of a stairway, she dived into a corridor that was missing part of its floor at full speed, saber held in hand. It was very possible that luring her to this place, with no one knowing where she was, and toying with her like this was all according to that man¡¯s plan. And it went beyond the realm of human deeds. Kounomura Zenichi might have truly been the devil incarnate, then. Still, Awas.h.i.+ma kept avoiding the traps with the help of her stamina, reflexes, intelligence and tactics sense, closing in on her opponent¡¯s castle keep. She found a fixed correlation between Kounomura¡¯s movements and the traps¡¯ locations. And that, in itself, could be another one of Kounomura¡¯s traps. However, it was certain that she was slowly but surely driving him into a corner. Of that, she was sure. So Awas.h.i.+ma gambled on that. And she finally succeeded in cornering her opponent in a certain room. Swinging her saber wide, she closed the distance between him and her in an instance. ¡°With this!¡± she yelled, about to land a blow on the man¡¯s neck. The man turned around calmly. Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s eyes widened with shock. ¡°How?!¡± She was almost screaming.¡°Why are you here?!¡± She didn¡¯t expect this person to be her opponent. All her thinking processes froze, and of course, she put every effort into stopping her hand that was already bringing down the saber on her opponent. At that moment, said opponent gave her a twisted smile. And at the same time, the floor under her feet collapsed. A pitfall. ''d.a.m.n!¡¯ she thought, but it was a second too late. Awas.h.i.+ma fell down to the first floor, and at the same instance gas jetted out with a hiss from all the four walls around her. As it filled the s.p.a.ce around her, Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s consciousness started to slowly fade. Before everything went black, she thought she heard them say, ¡°Awas.h.i.+ma-san.¡± The words sounded kind. ¡°As per our agreement, I¡¯m taking you with me.¡± Awas.h.i.+ma gritted her teeth, etching a single resolution into her memory: she would get back at them, no matter what. ? All contact had been lost even with Awas.h.i.+ma now. Akiyama was under arrest, Benzai was sent on a voyage all across j.a.pan, Kamo was absent due to unavoidable circ.u.mstances. Doumyouji was in dire straits trying to do the job he was unfamiliar with of dealing with the media, and Fuse was MIA. Gotou, besides his normal duties, also was tasked with pursuing Kounomura, working almost around the clock, and Hidaka, in addition to his day work, was troubled by bizarre night phenomena and mostly going on next to no sleep at all. But even among them, the most frantic and desperate was probably Enomoto Tatsuya, who tried to single-handedly fix Scepter 4¡¯s collapsed infrastructure. ¡°Why? Why did it turn out like this?¡± he lamented, violently tapping on his computer¡¯s touchpad in his desperate attempt to locate the error in the system. But so far, his efforts went unrewarded. The more he looked, the worse it was getting, and he felt more and more like he was falling into the abyss. His cheeks were haggard, and his hair was unkempt. On his table, convenience store bento boxes and empty energy drink cans were piled up in a mountain. He didn¡¯t have time to spare to even go to the bathroom anymore, holding it in. There was only one wish he had left, ¡°Ahhh, if only that person was here¡­¡± The man who was snippy, tending to do things on his own, lacking the spirit of cooperation and strangely scary, but at the same capable of doing a job better than anyone else. And right now, Enomoto was sincerely praying for that young man to come back, not knowing yet that his wish would be granted in the not-so-distant future. Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part1 I warned about the pace of a dead snail with this, didn¡¯t I. The last part is one of my most favorite Munakata scenes, btw, Case Files of Blue 2 by Miyazawa Tatsuki The Dependable Returnee Just Back from Abroad Akiyama Himori was being detained on molestation charges. Benzai Yuujirou was on a business trip, forced to deal with numerous outbreaks of strain cases throughout j.a.pan. Kamo Ryuuhou was on a special leave due to reasons. Doumyouji Andy was handling something as unfamiliar to him as legal relations.h.i.+p and countermeasures against the ma.s.s media. Enomoto Tatsuya was in the middle of desperately trying to deal with the aftermath of a cyber attack on Scepter 4. Fuse Daiki was missing after all contact with him had been lost. And now, even Awas.h.i.+ma Seri, Munakata Reis.h.i.+¡¯s right hand woman, also went missing. Hidaka, one of the few still fully functional members, headed to the Captain¡¯s office to report his progress on the missions. Looking through the report Hidaka compiled, Munakata commented with a light if wry smile, ¡°Thank you. But how ironic. I never imagined that there would come a day when we would be missing so many of the special operations squad members.¡± ¡°True, sir.¡± When Hidaka answered, he looked like he could burst into tears any moment. ¡°I can¡¯t make heads nor tails of what¡¯s going on.¡± There was a reason why he looked so miserable. Presently, due to Kounomura¡¯s actions, the fighting strength of the Special Ops squad was reduced in half; furthermore, due to a cyber attack, the Scepter 4 HQ intranet was pretty much out of service; and, to top it all off, even electric power facilities were down. To make the report he had just submitted, Hidaka had go to an Internet cafe to use their computer and print it out on their printer. There could be no efficiency to speak of if even such a trifle task took so much time and trouble to complete. And yet, surprisingly, despite Scepter 4 being in such lamentable condition, their work was being done as usual. Of course, not by Scepter 4 but by someone else. ¡°It has got to be Kounomura and his people, correct, sir?¡± Hidaka couldn¡¯t help asking. ¡°I can think of no one else, so yes,¡± Munakata answered in his usual calm manner. Earlier, Kounomura declared that he would steal Scepter 4¡¯s work from them, and in fact, he and his people really had been arbitrary capturing strains who had committed crimes. For a short while, due to Scepter 4¡¯s precautions, it stopped, but those unauthorized vigilante activities appeared to have reopened now. Furthermore, since this time Scepter 4 fatally lacked the personnel, they couldn¡¯t hope to investigate the opponents¡¯ deeds properly. Gotou did search for Kounomura and his group in the intervals between executing his regular duties, but he alone was simply not enough, and there was nothing that could have been done about it. ¡°¡­¡± Touching a hand to his chin, Munakata seemed to be absorbed in thought. Hidaka, expression of a deer caught in the headlights never leaving his face, just stared at his commanding officer. If he was honest, Scepter 4¡¯s situation at the moment was such that their organization was practically going down without a fight. Or, to put it more precisely, saying that currently in the battle of wits and resourcefulness between Kounomura and Munakata Munakata was being left in the dust was not much of an exaggeration. Most of his key subordinates were in a situation where they couldn¡¯t work with any efficiency, and his HQ fell into a state where nearly every system malfunctioned. But still, despite all of that, Hidaka believed in Munakata. He thought that there had to be a reason why his superior contented himself with being so helpless. He prayed that this situation where seemingly nothing could be done about it was some kind of camouflage, and his king already had some plan to capture Kounomura in motion. But¡­ ¡°¡­¡± As he gazed at Munakata, lost so deep in thought, Hidaka couldn¡¯t help feeling uneasy. That was his first time seeing Munakata think so long and hard in front of his subordinates. And somehow, to Hidaka¡¯s eyes, Munakata even looked slightly bewildered by this whole situation. That¡¯s why Hidaka hesitantly tried to speak up. ¡°U-Um¡­ The situation with Awas.h.i.+ma-san raises worries¡­ and with Fuse, too,¡± he finally mumbled out the most obvious thing. And perhaps, when he mentioned raising worries, he was talking mostly about himself. But just then, Munakata fixed Hidaka with his gaze and mysteriously smiled. ¡°It is alright, Hidaka-kun. There is nothing to worry about with Awas.h.i.+ma-kun or Fuse-kun,¡± he said with unwavering certainty. ¡°No.¡± Munakata shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Unfortunately, I have no slightest idea where they might be. However, the disappearance of Awas.h.i.+ma-kun and Fuse-kun is Kounomura-s.h.i.+¡¯s doing. In which case, I have no doubt that he had exercised maximum consideration to the two¡¯s safety when taking them captive.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Hidaka was making a face that clearly showed that he didn¡¯t understand, and Munakata elaborated, ¡°Do you not understand? Kounomura-s.h.i.+¡¯s goal is to surpa.s.s me and make me yield to him. In simple terms, to make me say, "I lose¡±. For that purpose, guaranteeing the safety of the two is absolutely indispensable. For argument¡¯s sake, let us a.s.sume that something happened to the two¡¯s body or mind. Do you think I would ever acknowledge it as his win over me?¡° After thinking for a while, Hidaka shook his head. "No, you would never acknowledge it as his win, sir, I think.¡± What Munakata would do though would be to make sure that fitting retribution befell those guilty of harming his people, Hidaka was certain. ¡°The same notion can be seen in their actions this time, odd at a glance. They are trying to reduce our fighting potential as much as they can, and at the same time are striving to maintain public order.¡± Hidaka started to understand what it mean, a little. ¡°I see. Kounomura¡¯s objective is not to attack or hurt you, Captain.¡± ¡°That is correct. His objective is to show me the ability gap between he and myself. To make me see how much smarter, more skilful and instrumental he is at protecting "justice¡±. Fufu, putting aside how successful, if at all, his attempt is proving so far, he is quite a schemer. He was a philanthropist originally, so he must have estimated even the effect my falling from power would have on the country and is now being meticulous in making sure he does not trouble anyone with his actions.¡° Hidaka¡¯s expression betrayed his mixed feelings. ¡±¡­Captain, aren¡¯t you¡­¡° What he was going to say was his honest opinion. "Aren¡¯t you being rather well-disposed towards Kounomura? Or maybe not so much well-disposed as more like having strange trust in your adversary?¡± ¡°¡­Is that how it looks to you?¡± Munakata replied, seemingly in wonder. Such an answer, in turn, left Hidaka bewildered. ¡°Yes, it does, sir. Am I wrong?¡± ¡°I see.¡± Munakata¡¯s shoulders shook as he chuckled. ¡°That is how it looks, huh. Well, what do I do now. Being well-disposed towards the man who tries to drag me down is quite a scandal.¡± Hidaka didn¡¯t know what to think. Munakata Reis.h.i.+ certainly was in a category of his own when it came to the difficulty of figuring him out. ¡®Except he has the same air about him as always. I¡¯m worried sick, but the Captain is still the Captain, so I¡¯m sure it¡¯s going to be fine.¡¯ Alas, Minakata¡¯s next words blew off the relief and security Hidaka was feeling. ¡°In addition, although I do not have a confirmation of Fuse-kun¡¯s status, I heard from Awas.h.i.+ma-kun herself that she is unharmed,¡± Munakata divulged like it was nothing. It took some time for Hidaka to process his words. ¡°Eh? Huh?¡± Involuntarily, he stared at Munakata in quite a rude way. An unvoiced wonder of just what this person was saying was painted all over his features. ¡°Oya, did I not tell you?¡± Munakata asked innocently. ¡°An incoming call was made to my PDA 3 hours after Awas.h.i.+ma-kun¡¯s capture. When I answered it, it was Kounomura-s.h.i.+ on the other end of the line, and he informed me that he had captured my Lieutenant and then put her on, letting me speak with her for a short while.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Hidaka ma.s.saged his temples, like he was having a particularly nasty headache. ¡°¡­What did Awas.h.i.+ma-san say, sir?¡± he finally managed to squeeze out. Munakata made an attempt to recall, ¡°Hmm, she was mostly apologizing. For suffering such an embarra.s.sing defeat, in her own words. When I asked if she required a.s.sistance, she replied with a firm negative, a.s.suring me that she had the full intention to escape on her own. I said that if that was the case, then I would be looking forward to her attempt and hung up.¡± Hidaka didn¡¯t even try to close his gaping mouth anymore. In his mind, a voice was screaming in an endless loop, ''This is crazy! This person is crazy!¡¯ He supposed Awas.h.i.+ma Seri was being her usual charming self in refusing help, but Munakata Reis.h.i.+, having so readily accepted her refusal, was even more messed up in the head! Hidaka literally felt giddy without any exaggeration. From too much shock his head swam, making him dizzy. Munakata only smiled wryly. ¡°Hidaka-kun, please do not make such a face. I have made such a decision not without some thinking, I a.s.sure you. Besides, it is really OK.¡± He paused for a while. ¡°Very soon, Scepter 4 will be reinforced with a very reliable person coming back to us.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Just when Hidaka made a surprised noise, there was a knock on the door. Munakata smiled. ¡°Speaking of the devil. Please come in, Fus.h.i.+mi-kun.¡± The door opened with a slight creak to let Fus.h.i.+mi Saruhiko with a paper lantern in hand through. He wore a plainly anguished expression on his face. ¡°For the love of, since when we¡¯ve turned into a haunted house?¡± His question was only natural. Rows of candles swaying their yellow flame unsteadily were currently found in the Captain¡¯s office here and there. ¡°Oh but this is quite charming in its own way. But setting that aside, did you bring me souvenirs, Fus.h.i.+mi-kun?¡± Munakata sing-songed unruffled, and Fus.h.i.+mi, gazing at him with chilly eyes, sighed. ¡°How could I forget when you were demanding them the whole time with such persistence.¡± Seemingly surrendering, if only because he had no choice, Fus.h.i.+mi rummaged through the paper bag he brought with him. Munakata nodded a few times. ¡°Since it was an official business trip made on public funds, it is only natural to bring your superior a souvenir or two,¡± he shamelessly opined. ¡°Ohh,¡± Munakata made an excited noise as he spread it out in front of him. It was of gaudy pink color and had the ''Amerika¡¯ writing on the front and ''Sumo Wrestler¡¯ on the back; it was in such a bad taste that one had to wonder just where an article like that could possibly be even bought. It had to be Fus.h.i.+mi¡¯s chosen form of hara.s.sment, Hidaka was sure. ¡°What a tasteful T-s.h.i.+rt. I have a few s.h.i.+rts with a similar pattern, I will give you one as a return present.¡± Munakata gave him a smile. ¡°What about the other souvenir I looked forward to?¡± ¡°Not that,¡± Munakata denied without a moment¡¯s delay. ¡°I¡¯m talking about Kounomura-s.h.i.+¡¯s case. Knowing you, you have a.n.a.lyzed it to a certain extent, even while being in America, have you not?¡± ¡°You have a few hypotheses regarding where his base of operations might be and who his supporters are. Am I wrong?¡± Fus.h.i.+mi eyed the floor, and only his lips curved up in a smirk at that. When he raised his head again, his face was already wiped clean off any expression once more. ¡°¡­A few things did occur to me as I was sorting out the available information,¡± he affirmed Munakata¡¯s guess unhurriedly. ¡°Hm?¡± Fus.h.i.+mi looked askance. Munakata took a candlestick from the desk and stood up. ¡°Well then, Fus.h.i.+mi-kun. For a while, I shall entrust coming up with countermeasures against Kounomura-s.h.i.+ to you.¡± Fus.h.i.+mi shrugged his shoulders a little. Munakata interpreted the gesture as Fus.h.i.+mi accepting his order and grinned on his way to the office¡¯s exit. Seeing him head to the door, Hidaka came to his senses and panicked, calling out to him, ¡°Captain! Where are you going, sir?!¡± ¡°Offense? Towards whom? Who are you going to see, sir?¡± Munakata smiled smoothly. ¡°The person who is this country¡¯s backbone controlling everything on the ground, the Gold King, Kokujouji Daikaku.¡± Hidaka was lost for words. Munakata simply raised a hand in a farewell. ¡°Hidaka-kun, I expect you to act as Fus.h.i.+mi-kun¡¯s support for a while.¡± With that, he left the office. Fus.h.i.+mi scowled as he stared at his Captain¡¯s retreating back, ¡°¡­¡± ? ¡°¡­Um, Fus.h.i.+mi-san. What did the Captain even mean by that?¡± Hidaka turned to warily look at Fus.h.i.+mi once the door closed, hiding Munakata¡¯s form from the view for good. ¡°B-But going straight to the Gold King?¡± Hidaka was clearly fl.u.s.tered. Fus.h.i.+mi¡¯s face took on a more serious expression. ¡°That aside, there¡¯s something I want to ask you about the Captain. Has he been like that the entire time?¡± he asked, eyes impossibly sharp. ¡°¡­In what way, in your eyes?¡± ¡°Tch,¡± Fus.h.i.+mi clicked his tongue quietly. ¡°That¡¯s not like him.¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying that he¡¯s being pathetic. No matter who his opponent may be, that guy¡¯s just ¡®human¡¯, right? Yet this time, he keeps getting pummeled one-sidedly. A king like him,¡± Fus.h.i.+mi said it as if spitting out. ¡°¡­Fus.h.i.+mi-san,¡± Hidaka tried to reproach, but he himself was feeling something that simply didn¡¯t let him completely disagree with Fus.h.i.+mi¡¯s words. It wasn¡¯t like Munakata was in despair or anything. It was just that lately Hidaka could sense something like chagrin or vexation in Munakata, and the fact couldn¡¯t be denied. ¡°Well, whatever. Hidaka, let¡¯s go to the data processing room now. We¡¯re going to investigate strains that might be involved with Kounomura.¡± ¡°Are you an idiot?¡± Fus.h.i.+mi sighed. ¡°Why do you think I came back from America? The laptop computer I had with me is obviously unaffected. And of course, I store all general data at an external drive from the start. The battery¡¯s full and will last us a while.¡± Hidaka¡¯s face instantly brightened as the realization hit. ¡°C''mon, let get started already. I¡¯m jetlagged as h.e.l.l and sleepy.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Hidaka chased after Fus.h.i.+mi, who had already turned around and started walking away. About 3 hours later, they achieved certain results. Since they had to work through the night, they both got a little hungry, and Fus.h.i.+mi opened some confections he brought from America, as a late-night snack subst.i.tute. It was candy of jellybean texture, only in the shape of stars and venomous bright yellow and red in color. Taste-testing one, Hidaka couldn¡¯t help his surprise. ¡°What is this? Looking at these hideous colors and shape I thought it wasn¡¯t going to taste any good, but it¡¯s actually really yummy!¡± He snorted and narrowed his eyes. It was just the taste he liked best, if he was completely honest. ? Try to picture the country known as j.a.pan. There is Hokkaido, there is Honshu, there is s.h.i.+koku, there is Kyushu and there is Okinawa. There are a few views on where the center of such a country is. Some might regard the city that the j.a.panese Standard Time Meridian crosses as the center in question, others call the old capital, Kyoto, which happens to be located in just about the geographical focal point of the country, its center. However, the majority thinks of Tokyo as the heart of the country for political, economical and historical reasons. Almost all major administrative organs of the country are located there, as well as the emba.s.sies of many other nations and the representatives of the key players of the global financial and business world. That is the capital of the whole country. Alright, then how about the center of said Tokyo? Where is it? Is it the National Diet Building? The Prime Minister¡¯s residence? No. Hardly anyone mentioned it publicly, but all the citizens knew exactly where it was. The Mihas.h.i.+ra Tower. That tall majestic building spearing the heaven was the mainstay of the country, and the elderly man living on the highest floor was the absolute sovereign. Munakata Reis.h.i.+ stood not far from the front entrance, having arrived to request a meeting with said sovereign, the Gold King, Kokujouji Daikaku. From where he stood, it was impossible to even glimpse the top floor even if he were to throw his head back as painfully far as it went. It was past 10 in the evening already, yet brilliant golden light still radiated from the tower¡¯s windows here and there. The lower floors of the building housed a number of companies working under the umbrella of Kokujouji Dakaku¡¯s conglomerate corporation. Normally, this particular building never slept. Munakata Reis.h.i.+ glanced towards the upper floors and went straight to the front entrance. With a gait void of hesitation, he pa.s.sed through the gate and headed to the general reception desk. Even at this hour it was still being manned by at least 3 employees. ¡°Sir, what can we help you with?¡± The receptionists turned to him wearing practiced token business smiles and immediately stiffened. Munakata showed a composed smile of his own, ¡°I have come seeking an audience with His Excellency. Please inform him,¡± he calmly said. ¡°Y-yes, sir.¡± These people worked the front desk of the Mihas.h.i.+ra Tower. They may have been young, but they wouldn¡¯t be there if they didn¡¯t know Munakata Reis.h.i.+¡¯s face or didn¡¯t recognize Scepter 4¡¯s uniform on sight. Before long, one of them ventured a question, ¡°U-Um, sir, do you have an appointment?¡± ¡°No, I do not.¡± Such a reply was almost a wonder in and of itself, for this man came here late at night and demanded to let him see this country¡¯s most influential person without so much as an advance notice. After a quick urgent discussion among themselves, the receptionists made a call from the phone installed in the reception booth. 5 minutes later a middle-aged man dressed in a well-tailored suit appeared at the booth to escort Munakata. Invited by that man, as quiet and inconspicuous as a shadow, Munakata was led inside to board an elevator. The elevator started moving, smoothly gliding up. On the third floor it stopped and three muscular men, apparently Security Police, boarded it, but Munakata didn¡¯t bat an eye, as calm as ever. On the upper floors, Munakata, prompted by his guide, changed elevators once. As he walked down a corridor after disembarking, at some point, both his guide and the SPs vanished smoothly and naturally, replaced by men in masks and strange uniforms resembling old ceremonial j.a.panese court clothes, and Munakata found himself surrounded on all sides by them. They were the Usagi, the clansmen belonging to Kokujouji Daikaku¡¯s clan, Tokijikuin or Timeless Palace, and the ones who, on behalf of Kokujouji, quickly and secretly dealt with all kinds of matters pertaining to super powers that the Dresden Slate, enshrined in the deepest part of the tower, gave birth to on the territory of the country. How highly capable each of them was was amply evident through their skill and secrecy when performing their duties. Kokujouji Daikaku was the first king to awaken in this country, and compared to the other clans¡¯ clansmen, his followers had been in business for that much longer and boasted exceptional super powers. Five of such Usagi were currently walking around Munakata. None of them tried to talk to Munakata, nor did they even look at him. Facing strictly forward, they smiled with only their lips. The reception office the Usagi¡¯s silent guidance eventually brought Munakata to was a Western-style room with tastefully arranged antique furniture. At this point, they, too, disappeared as silently and inconspicuously as they had appeared earlier, leaving a single new Usagi in front of Munakata. ¡°Thank you for you gracious visit, sir Blue King.¡± The Usagi¡¯s voice was deep and husky. He bowed deeply, bending so low that his forehead almost touched his knees. Munakata knew this particular Usagi. He was the oldest and most trusted servant of Kokujouji. Needless to say that, although Munakata had met him before, he didn¡¯t know his real name or his face. He could only recognize him from his elderly voice and solemn and dignified manners, for all the Usagi had cast themselves away as individuals. ¡°Please make yourself at home.¡± With a gesture full of respect, the Usagi pointed to a velvet sofa, but Munakata shook his head at the offer. ¡°No thanks. I shall remain standing until His Excellency shows himself. Please pay me no mind.¡± After what took a while, the Usagi finally informed him, ¡°¡­His Excellency cannot grant you the desired audience.¡± ¡°I shall relay His Excellency¡¯s exact words to you, sir: "It¡¯s late, so I¡¯m retiring for the day. It¡¯s an unG.o.dly hour, and it¡¯s taking a toll on my old bones.¡¯¡± ¡°¡­Sir Blue King,¡± there was a hint of reproach in the Usagi¡¯s tone. ¡°You have had enough opportunities to make an appointment in advance. Did it not occur to you, sir, that a sudden visit like yours may be impolite towards His Excellency?¡± ¡°No,¡± the Usagi shook his head. ¡°I am talking about common social etiquette, sir. And surely you, the Blue King, should understand it, should you not?¡± ¡°¡­¡± For a while, Munakata Reis.h.i.+ was silent. ¡°My impoliteness is only a payback for the treatment I myself have received.¡± The Usagi tilted his head to the side. ¡°I¡¯m asking why His Excellency took Kounomura Zen''ichi under his patronage,¡± Munakata continued pointedly. ¡°I¡¯m sure you understand what I¡¯m talking about. After all, it is your clan that is dealing with the supernatural ability-related incidents that occur in the entire country, making sure that none of them go public.¡± The Usagi didn¡¯t say anything, his head remained c.o.c.ked to the side. Munakata¡¯s voice took on an even sharper edge. ¡°Alright then, shall I put it in no uncertain terms for you? Although it was only a tabloid paper, why was Doumyouji-kun¡¯s case reported in it at all? And why did Akiyama-kun¡¯s incident make it to front pages? This country¡¯s information media is under your clan¡¯s full control. A leak is only possible if your clan purposefully allows it to happen. So just why did you make an exception this time? What is your objective?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The Usagi kept his silence for a long while. ¡°My deepest apologies, but the likes of me cannot possibly comprehend what sir Blue King is saying. Unfortunately, I have no slightest idea, sir.¡± ¡°¡­Fine then.¡± For once, Munakata¡¯s tone turned legitimately icy. ¡°I shall question His Excellency in person.¡± ¡°Will not see me, you say? Then I shall go see him myself. If necessary¡­¡± He smiled and put a hand on the handle of his saber. ¡°¡­by force.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The Usagi linked his arms behind his back and uttered emotionlessly, ¡°I apologize for having angered sir Blue King. I cannot disobey His Excellency¡¯s command. And I do not wish to leave sir Blue King displeased so. In which case¡­¡± He didn¡¯t so much as twitch. ¡°¡­I have no choice but to be cut down. Please feel free to, sir.¡± Really, it was all too likely that not even a groan of pain would escape him were he to be cut down here. ¡°I dislike that kind of blind loyalty,¡± Munakata commented with disdain. ¡°¡­¡± Munakata let out a very deep sigh. ¡°It is the wisdom of age, isn¡¯t it. You seem to know very well all the tricks how to make me lose my will.¡± ¡°¡­Please relay a message to His Excellency for me. Tell him to be moderate when playing favorites. Otherwise¡­¡± Munakata was about to say something but cut himself off mid-sentence. Showing a slightly weary smile, he put the matter to rest, ¡°I shall make myself scarce for today. My apologies for causing a disturbance.¡± With that, he headed to the room¡¯s exit without further ado. The Usagi remained bent in a bow long after the king¡¯s form disappeared out of sight. Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part2 Slowly but surely¡­ Case Files of Blue 2 by Miyazawa Tatsuki ? ¡°¡­Did he leave?¡± Kokujouji Daikaku asked slowly, drinking tea in a tea room not far from the top floor of Mihas.h.i.+ra Tower. ¡°I see.¡± The elder presented quite a wondrous sight. His clothes were lordly, his hair and mustache was snow white, and the gaze of his eyes was way too sharp for an old man. Kokujouji was this country¡¯s absolute ruler, and even his physique, being larger than average, testified to it, but he still fit into the small j.a.panese-style room easily. The Usagi by his side was not exactly of small stature either, and normally you would expect a third party, were such present there, to feel oppressed in that cramped room, but in reality, it turned out to be the opposite and the two¡¯s presence made an outsider perceive the room much bigger than it actually was. Perhaps, such an effect was created due to the sheer grandeur of Kokujouji Daikaku¡¯s breath of mind and appearance. ¡°¡­Your Excellency,¡± the Usagi addressed his king after a lengthy silence. ¡°May I humbly ask you a question, sir?¡± ¡°The Blue King was generous enough to back off and leave out of consideration for the honor of someone like me who forsook his name, his face and his individuality. That is why, despite being an Usagi, I found myself somewhat concerned with the situation.¡± ¡°Thank you, sir. Your Excellency, what are your reasons for the orders you gave us concerning the matter the Blue King brought up?¡± That was a question as direct as direct got. All the suppositions Minakata Reis.h.i.+ had voiced earlier were correct. Following Kokujouji Daikaku¡¯s instructions, the Usagi intentionally let a certain amount of the information they would normally regulate and suppress leak. The incidents with Akiyama and Doumyouji may have been only minor, but they only saw publicity in the first place because such was the will of Kokujouji Daikaku. The Usagi knew better than anyone that the anger of the Blue King Munakata Reis.h.i.+ was righteous and fully founded. Only, the Usagi unconditionally believed his master despite that. He was certain that said master would not do it without a reason. Even when his orders were hard to understand, there must have been far sight and deep design behind them, always. Toying with a tea utensil in his hand, Kokujouji finally uttered, ¡°One reason.¡± It was only with this particular Usagi that he could afford to be that frank and direct in his answer. ¡°I owed Kounomura Zen''ichi a favor.¡± Kokujouji nodded silently. The crisis erupted with an investment bank of a certain major country going under, and j.a.pan was among the countries heavily affected by it, but through unofficial a.s.sistance from Kounomura Zen''ichi a great number of banks and corporations had been saved. His clout and connections with relevant ministries and top players of the financial world were substantial, and they were getting only stronger. ¡°I admit that when he personally contacted me, I had a thought that he had what it took to be a king.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The Usagi waited for Kokujouji¡¯s next words. Because that alone could not be the reason. No one would argue about how much Kounomura Zen''ichi contributed to the country¡¯s well-being. However, it was unthinkable for the man known as Kokujouji Daikaku to allow himself to condone what could only be called biased actions based solely on that. Kokujouji continued with a question of his own, ¡°What did you think of Munakata?¡± The Usagi found it hard to answer. ¡°You have my permission to speak your mind frankly.¡± ¡°Kuku.¡± Unusual for him, Kokujouji Daikaku let out a chuckle. Watching him, the Usagi recalled his talk with Munakata earlier. At the end of it, the king decided against finis.h.i.+ng his sentence. But the Usagi had his guesses about what the Blue King had omitted: was the Gold King testing his mettle? he wanted to ask, the Usagi was sure. The Usagi himself, too, suspected that that might have been the case. Timeless Palace and Scepter 4 shared one obvious common feature, and that was the fact that they prioritized this country¡¯s public order above anything. Among the 7 kings, only the Gold and Blue kings shared this view and intention. The differences were that Scepter 4¡¯s work was more of public and official nature, while Timeless Palace handled things more clandestinely, as well as the fact that formal standings wise, Timeless Palace was ranked just a little higher than Scepter 4. So what if this elaborate method was Kokujouji Daikaku¡¯s preferred test to see for himself the ability of the newest rookie King who was to work under him? Except Kokujouji, as if seeing through the Usagi¡¯s speculation, said in a tone overflowing with dignity, ¡°Not even I understand a tenth of the Dresden Slate¡¯s true nature.¡± He paused to take a sip of his green tea. ¡°I don¡¯t know if the Slate can uninstall a king and reselect another one to take his place. In which case¡­¡± Kokujouji¡¯s eyes took on a sharp glint, ¡°¡­everything will be weighted against one another - both when it comes to fate and when it comes to kings.¡± The Usagi bowed silently. He sensed that asking any more questions would be overstepping his boundaries. ¡®What if¡­¡¯ he thought to himself. What if one of his master¡¯s many expectations in regards to the treatment of this case involved the King of the Beginning, the Silver King who was still flying across the sky, looking down at the world beneath from high above. The Gold King Kokujouji Daikaku never ceased his attempts to get to know more about the Slate. For the sake of his friend and a dead woman. So there was a possibility that this case was the groundwork for that. ¡°¡­I¡¯ve been drinking only tea lately. I wouldn¡¯t mind having some coffee tomorrow,¡± Kokujouji suddenly said. ¡°As you wish, sir. I shall order it brewed for you tomorrow.¡± The Usagi gave another deep bow. For he had made a promise with himself to follow the Gold King to the ends of Earth. ? Fus.h.i.+mi Saruhiko got going full throttle starting the next day. His peculiarity lay in the astounding contrast between his tendency to snidely protest or ignore whatever was requested of him, demonstrating his lacking manners for all to see, and the extraordinary speed and efficiency of his work when you did get him started. From the time when Fus.h.i.+mi Saruhiko got a.s.signed to the Special ops squad, the troops never made a secret of how much they condemned his att.i.tude and his tendency to address his King as simply ¡°you¡± with hardly any politeness or respect to speak of. At first, the list of those who reacted relatively negatively to Fus.h.i.+mi wasn¡¯t limited only to Fuse; even Akiyama and Benzai couldn¡¯t help the slightly displeased amazed expressions that twisted their features from time to time. In a sense, such a reaction was probably only natural, seeing that the att.i.tude Fus.h.i.+mi took towards Munakata Reis.h.i.+, whom they served for a rather long time, was rather rude. It was only to be expected that they interpreted such an att.i.tude as Fus.h.i.+mi taking the whole of the Blue clan led by the Blue King for fools. Gradually, however, Fus.h.i.+mi had managed to earn the acknowledgement from the other clansmen, including all of the special ops members, thanks to two factors. The first one was that Fus.h.i.+mi had demonstrated before their own eyes his overwhelming data processing and practical work ability. He worked almost twice as much as an ordinary person would and produced four-five times more results. Seeing that, everyone in Scepter 4, an organization that tended to respect performance and ability more than social status or age, had acknowledged Fus.h.i.+mi before long. The second factor had to do with why the younger members had accepted him. It was because Fus.h.i.+mi Saruhiko treated everyone equally. No matter what subordinate or senior - even if it was his own superior - or an outsider he was dealing with, he said the same words to them and acted in the exact same way towards them. It was all too likely that even if he met the most influential person on Earth, he would talk to them in his usual slightly fed-up and bored way. In that sense, it was safe to say that such an approach struck people as rational and commendable. This time, too, in his habitual and very Fus.h.i.+mi-esque manner, Fus.h.i.+mi had arrived to certain conclusions. That¡¯s what he said to Hidaka the night before: ¡°What we need to rack our brains about first is the scale of Kounomura¡¯s organization, don¡¯t you think?¡± That was the start of it as he had deduced certain things from there. ¡°Everyone¡¯s falling for Kounomura Zen''ichi¡¯s bluff way too easily,¡± he continued. ¡°He may be a celebrity with one h.e.l.l of a smart head on his shoulders, but he¡¯s no ghost or G.o.d. Just a human without any special abilities. So first, make sure you remember this at all times.¡± Hidaka nodded vigorously at Fus.h.i.+mi¡¯s words. It made sense that perhaps they all unconsciously fell for the false image Kounomura was projecting, allowing themselves to be manipulated. It was like Fus.h.i.+mi said: there was no denying that overestimating Kounomura had led to them losing sight of what their opponent actually was in reality. And that in itself was probably a psychological trap set up by Kounomura. ¡°If you look at what¡¯s going on in a calm and rational manner,¡± Fus.h.i.+mi went on, ¡°you¡¯ll see that all what they¡¯ve been doing up until now can be broken down only in two big types. The first one is them imitating Scepter 4¡¯s work. And the second one is their disruptive activities against Scepter 4. See? Under no circ.u.mstances they depart from these two categories. And that¡¯s gotta be because Kounomura so decided for himself, in that little activity policy plan of his.¡± Fus.h.i.+mi emphasized his point, calling Hidaka¡¯s special attention to it. ¡°I don¡¯t have to spell it out for you that these two types of their activities are what can give us necessary clues to grab Kounomura, currently in hiding, by the tail, do I?¡± Fus.h.i.+mi smiled thinly. ¡°To bring Kounomura down, for now we¡¯ll exclude the first type from our investigation scope,¡± he declared with conviction. To Hidaka¡¯s subsequent question of ¡°Why?¡± he replied, ¡°According to the testimony of the criminals they¡¯ve apprehended, Kounomura¡¯s forces include a special a.s.sault unit made up of more than 20 trained strains, and he has them handle that sort of missions. To put it bluntly, right now we simply lack resources to deal with them, see?¡± Hidaka couldn¡¯t deny that painful truth. Fus.h.i.+mi wasn¡¯t finished though, ¡°So what that leaves us with is their disruptive activities against Scepter 4 - well, let¡¯s just call it what it is, that is, hara.s.sing us. Said hara.s.sing activities provide quite a few hints.¡± ¡°What hints?¡± Hidaka expression showed incomprehension. From where he stood, his coworkers had been put out of commission one after another before he knew it, and when it dawned on the rest of them, it was already too late, with the situation coming to a stalemate. To make it even worse, even his own boss, Munakata, showed signs of not being himself. To his eyes, that particular fact almost fell into the domain of primitive ''curse spells¡¯ or ''black magic¡¯ rather than being a tactical result. It was as if Kounomura¡¯s magic had been cast on the whole Scepter 4. Fus.h.i.+mi let out a small sigh. ¡°Like I said, Kounomura is leading you all by the nose. What he¡¯s pulling off here is a creative mix of deception and bluff. One thing though. He did his homework thoroughly, and his research on us is flawless.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, research. I admit that he¡¯s sharp and shrewd like no other. He likely can accurately read all of our special ops squad¡¯s members like an open book, predicting with ease our psychological state and actions we¡¯d take. He just wouldn¡¯t be able to corner us like he has if he couldn¡¯t do that, simple as that. So here¡¯s a question for you. How did he get his hands on the ma.s.sive amount of data that allowed him to a.n.a.lyze us so thoroughly? Since when has he been in contact with us? Was he that close to us as to have the opportunity to get to know us so intimately? No, he wasn¡¯t, was he.¡± Hidaka stayed silent. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m saying that you don¡¯t think enough,¡± Fus.h.i.+mi informed him with a cold look. ¡°Use your head. He may be an intellectual monster alright, but even a monster can¡¯t do an a.n.a.lysis if he doesn¡¯t have the necessary data for it, naturally?¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Hidaka¡¯s head snapped up. ¡°Could it be¡­?¡± Fus.h.i.+mi nodded. ¡°Yeah, bullseye. He has just the right guy for that kind of job. That is, one of his followers must be a strain that can read a person¡¯s mind under certain conditions.¡± ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not like he¡¯s breaking the rules here, now is he? You guys have just been a.s.suming things and seeing Kounomura through the filter of your own illusions. That¡¯s how he¡¯s made such progress in the first place. With a strain that can see inside a person¡¯s mind at his disposal, he started out by doing a thorough a.n.a.lysis on each of us. That¡¯s why we so guilelessly fell into his trap.¡± After a pause, Hidaka finally whispered, ¡°¡­I see,¡± although it sounded closer to a moan than anything. Things had started to add up to him. Fus.h.i.+mi sighed and took out a stack of paper. ¡°And this is what we have on it. It¡¯s the investigation report on strains with that kind of ability and their family lines that I¡¯ve compiled and printed out in advance. Using this and the info I have on my laptop as our clues, we¡¯ll get going for real tomorrow.¡± ¡°Fus.h.i.+mi-san!¡± Hidaka¡¯s eyes shone impossibly bright. And he was dangerously close to jumping Fus.h.i.+mi and hugging the dear life out of him. How great it was to have this person back! Fus.h.i.+mi only let out a grievous sigh, the longest yet, and shook his head. He had a lot on his plate to take care of. ? What Fus.h.i.+mi Saruhiko did first was to formulate several conditions and narrow down the list of suspects to 20 names. Then, after a preliminary examination of each on several points, he managed to narrow it down to only 4 people. Investigating them further, including tailing them, yielded results and left him with a sole possible candidate. All of that didn¡¯t take him even a full day - his detective ability was that great. Since time was not something he had in spades, the next step Fus.h.i.+mi took was putting the target under thorough surveillance, that is, he moved on to a full-blown stakeout. Having skimmed through the target¡¯s profile once, Fus.h.i.+mi had memorized it perfectly. Male. 21 years old. Born in Tokyo. Father is a securities salesman, mother is a piano teacher. After graduating from high school, the suspect enrolled in university with the goal to become a photographer but dropped out. Presently works as a part-timer, attending a vocational photography school. Left the parents¡¯ home and lives in a shared house. Fus.h.i.+mi kept watching this young man via the state-of-art tech as well as good old spying, running a thorough a.n.a.lysis of his life. As a result¡­ he got incredibly exhausted. The everyday life of that guy, named Marumoto Keiji, seriously got on his nerves. That Marumoto lived with 3 more young men and 3 young women in what¡¯s known as a shared house. Their residence was a freestanding remodeled house, white and stylish. In addition to 8 rooms, it had a restroom, a bathroom, a recreational room and a living room. The furnis.h.i.+ngs looked like they belonged in a holiday house by the beach. The beams were left exposed, and from them hang a hammock, sh.e.l.ls of a.s.sorted colors decorated the shelves. On the wall, a corkboard was put up, with some of the memorable photos sporting silly comments in fluorescent pen. The recreational room had a billiards table and a darts board illuminated by decorative lighting. Further in the back, a slightly dated gumball machine and a mini fridge filled with cola could be found. The walls were plastered with old Hollywood movie posters and styled to resemble those of an old-fas.h.i.+oned American house. Such was the s.p.a.ce Marumoto Keiji lived in, spending his life in that shared house. In the morning of the day Fus.h.i.+mi dedicated to spying on him, he seemed to have a day off, as he drank a smoothie he had made himself by throwing banana, apple and green and yellow vegetables into the mixer and did some easy yoga on a yoga mat. After that, he climbed into his hammock and started reading a book. It was a small book, a collection of landscape photos with poetry slapped on. Before long, the other residents got out of bed and showed up. Even though they lived in a shared house, they all looked impeccably fas.h.i.+onable. A model in the making, a future professional surfer, an actress wannabe¡­ One prominent point this dwelling¡¯s residents had in common was that they all were still n.o.bodies. They were fellow dream chasers that pursued said dreams together, sometimes encouraging each other, other times competing, still other times clas.h.i.+ng. On that day, a lot had transpired in that house. One of the guys and one of the girls who liked each other had chosen not to pursue that love and to stay friends for the sake of their dreams. They gave each other a hug, shed a few tears and broke up. One of their friends who had been wandering the world for half a year had come back. Tanned and a little st.u.r.dier than before, he said, ¡°I¡¯m back,¡± and the girl aspiring to be an artist that was chilling in the living room handed him a gla.s.s of mojito as she smiled at him, ¡°Welcome back. Have you found what you were searching for?¡± she asked. ¡°Good for you.¡± The girl casually saluted to him with two fingers. Fus.h.i.+mi felt a distinct pang of irritation. ''These people¡­¡¯ In a room of an apartment building across the street from the residence his target lived in where he was being in the middle of his stakeout, Fus.h.i.+mi found himself tapping his foot restlessly. ''Do they live like that every friggin day?¡¯ By the minute, all that was happening in that house looked progressively more melodramatic, bittersweet and complete with ridiculous amounts of glitter. In fact, Fus.h.i.+mi was willing to bet that these people¡¯s brains were ridiculously glittery, too. ''They¡¯re so¡­¡¯ Fus.h.i.+mi couldn¡¯t help scratching his head. His skin was crawling, so he had to. Their lifestyle, thought patterns, speech - everything evoked a strong rejection in Fus.h.i.+mi. ''They¡¯re so unbelievably and revoltingly disgusting!¡¯ Indeed, these were people that were the exact opposite of what Fus.h.i.+mi Saruhiko was. So much that they gave him allergic hives. If he had to watch them for more than 2 days, his body just might not hold. Fus.h.i.+mi was seriously getting worried about his health, but luckily for him, he had managed to confirm Marumoto¡¯s true colors surprisingly fast. The event that made it possible took place during a barbecue party to celebrate the return of the aforementioned resident of the house after his wanderings. Marumoto, busy snapping pictures of his gently smiling friends, some with a jug of foreign beer, others with a c.o.c.ktail in hand, suddenly pointed his camera straight at the spot from where Fus.h.i.+mi was watching them. It went without saying that Fus.h.i.+mi was very careful about hiding that he was staking them out. And yet, without any hesitation whatsoever Marumoto focused his camera on the window of the room Fus.h.i.+mi was in and clicked the shutter a few times. ¡¯!¡¯ Fus.h.i.+mi, watching him in binoculars, got startled, and Marumoto made a show of pointing a finger at him and said with his lips only, ¡°Bang!¡± topping it off with a wink. Then he went back to his friends like nothing had happened. ''That f.u.c.ker!¡¯ Fus.h.i.+mi¡¯s mouth twisted into a crooked sneer. ¡¯¡­¡°I know you¡¯re there¡±, is that it, huh? I say bring it!¡¯ His irritation got much worse, to the point where it felt almost refres.h.i.+ng. ? Late at night on the same day, Matsumoto Keiji casually walked out of the shared house with a camera in hand. The excuse he told his friends was, ¡°I want to take a few picture of the night city.¡± He walked, taking deserted backstreets with no hesitation. And there, Fus.h.i.+mi Saruhiko in full uniform blocked his way, looking so natural about it as if he was waiting for someone he had a prior arrangement about meeting with. Marumoto Keiji didn¡¯t look surprised in the slightest. Fus.h.i.+mi, standing in the spot of white light from a street light, smirked faintly, ¡°¡­I see. I guess I wasn¡¯t wrong about you being a mind reader.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Marumoto Keiji stared at Fus.h.i.+mi with a troubled smile. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not like I read in your mind that this would happen. It¡¯s just that you had that air about you that said come on out already. And so I did, because you know, a man has to rise up to that kind of challenge.¡± A certain thought had occurred to Fus.h.i.+mi again. This guy¡¯s strangely regular features, a nicely done stylish crew cut, chic clothes and that tone of voice that made no secret of how full of himself he was¡­ Fus.h.i.+mi loathed anything and everything about the guy with pa.s.sion. ¡°I don¡¯t plan to have a long chitchat with you, punk. Admit the following. You are Kounomura Zenichi¡¯s lackey and a strain who can read minds. On Kounomura¡¯s orders, you¡¯ve been snooping around to provide the data allowing to a.n.a.lyze what actions the Scepter 4 troops would take. Do you admit to it?¡± ¡°¡­Which means you admit to what I listed?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t give a d.a.m.n about your convoluted monologues sounding like poorly written J-Pop lyrics. Answer only in yes or no. Are you Kounomura¡¯s lackey?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Fus.h.i.+mi gave up, in more senses than one. Establis.h.i.+ng communication with this guy was absolutely impossible. ¡°I¡¯ll just have to beat you up first and then haul your a.s.s where I need it.¡± He drew his saber. Matsumoto grinned and suddenly pointed the camera at Fus.h.i.+mi. Click, the camera¡¯s shutter released. The quick bright flash made Fus.h.i.+mi grimace. Marumoto was carefree as ever, ¡°Sorry, buddy. This is my ability. Like you¡¯ve guessed, I can read minds when I click the camera¡¯s shutter. And¡­¡± He closed his eyes. ¡°Uh-huh. See, when I do this, I can get the picture pretty accurately. I see. So you got into a big fight with your very precious friend.¡± His eyes opened again. ¡°Okay! I know! I¡¯ll tell you how to patch things up with your friend!¡± ''I¡¯m gonna kill this f.u.c.ker,¡¯ Fus.h.i.+mi thought. Kicking the ground, he was about to take a swing with his saber. ¡°Whoa! Whoa!¡± Marumoto clicked the camera¡¯s shutter again. A flash much brighter than before flared. ¡°Ugh!¡± That light was easily comparable to the effect of a stun grenade specially designed to steal a person¡¯s ability to move, and it made even Fus.h.i.+mi freeze. ¡°c.r.a.p!¡± He swung his sword blindly but hit nothing. ¡°Sorry,¡± Marumoto¡¯s voice, strangely soft yet serious, came from a good distance away. ¡°I knew via my ability that you would do that. So I came prepared.¡± The sound of an engine roaring to life reverberated throughout the neighborhood. By the time Fus.h.i.+mi was finally able to see again, all that came into view was Marumoto¡¯s rapidly disappearing back as he rode a bike in the distance. ¡°!¡± Fus.h.i.+mi punched the nearest wall, then took a deep long breath. And that was all it took for him to regain control. Sheathing his saber, he fished out his PDA and called Munakata. Munakata didn¡¯t answer, so Fus.h.i.+mi left him a voice message, reporting what had happened in detail. ¡°As such, I will now be in pursuit of the target. Regards,¡± he finished. ¡°Tch,¡± clicking his tongue once, he slouched and started walking unhurriedly. Needless to say, Fus.h.i.+mi was well aware that he was being baited. To make Fus.h.i.+mi bite, Marumoto was intentionally making himself stand out as he ran away. However, there was also no doubt that this presented a valuable clue. As loathe as he was to admit it, Fus.h.i.+mi hadn¡¯t exactly been given the choice to ignore the runaway and let him escape. So he decided that when he found Marumoto, he first would sock him a good one and only then arrest him. Volume 2 Prologue Don¡¯t expect speed with this. I¡¯m gonna be slow and lazy af. Case Files of Blue 2 by Miyazawa Tatsuki Those who Forgot Time It was a small eating house that she took over, left to her by her grandfather. It was located in a low lying part of town, squeezed between two business districts, and its yellowing wooden fences and narrow stone-paved alleys still preserved the feeling of the good old days, making for a scenery where time itself came to a halt. If one took a stroll around those parts at leisure, one would find basins with water-lilies in which killfish swam lively among the water plants, lush willows with their many weeping branches, shrines with small bodhisattvas in red bibs, and whatnot else. On the whole, it was a tidy and well-ordered district. The small eatery, leading a quiet low-key existence, fit into the scenery of the district extremely well. If one wasn¡¯t careful about observing one¡¯s surroundings, the modest signboard with the name of the eatery, ¡°Chuubairo¡± [T/N: ¡°Noon plum¡±], would go unnoticed. If one were to open the lattice door adorned with a greenish brown curtain, the counter of plain wood and a small seating area with raised tatami flooring would come into view. The eatery offered menu that was mostly Kyoto cuisine based, learned by her grandfather at home, then sublimated into a more local-flavored brand during her father¡¯s time, with only select seasonal ingredients and j.a.panese sake bought directly from the brewers. They had a worker in the eatery, and her father, well known to those in the know to be a harsh teacher, praised him for his skills, which was impressive. The young man was a live-in worker, so for the duration of his training, she ended up living in the same s.p.a.ce as him. At the time, she was a girl who just started going through p.u.b.erty, so it was awkward and embarra.s.sing at first. But the worker had a rational yet gentle disposition, and before long she threw off her reserve and came to idolize the ¡°onii-chan¡±. When she thought back to that time now, she found that the feeling for him she was filled with at the time was close to the yearning of first love. However, ever since the man left the joint, their relations.h.i.+p grew distant, to the level of no more than New Year¡¯s postcard exchange. According to the rumors, the man married and, despite his youth, managed the joint his father left to him and made it quite prosperous. Having received her message, the man came immediately. The fact that the ¡°onii-chan¡±, an artless young man with close-cropped hair she once knew, was now a smart-looking fully functional member of society with slicked back hair had come as a surprise to her. Not wasting time, she explained her situation. ¡°I see. Thanks for telling me. I¡¯ll do something about it, so leave it to me,¡± the man rea.s.sured her as he took over. Upon reunion, she learned that he had divorced his wife and relinquished his rights on his joint, and was now a government worker. She couldn¡¯t hide her surprise at that turnover change of profession, especially considering how wholeheartedly devoted to the path of cooking she knew him to be in the past. ¡°Stuff happened.¡± When the ¡°onii-chan¡± said it with a gloomy smile, it really hit her that he had changed. He was now a fully grown, emotionally mature man who had been through a lot in life. The very next day, he promptly put those adult skills of his to use, settling the predicaments she found herself in one after another. First, he thoroughly investigated the accurate state of her debts and, confirming that the interest rate was more than the max interest rates specified by law, referred her to a lawyer. When the hoodlum, having learned that she had started to take countermeasures against them, came to her eatery to threaten her again, he drove them away, all on his own. The punks¡¯ threats didn¡¯t even make him blink an eye, and when the leader of those racketeers got enraged and tried to punch him, the man had them beaten at their own game in no time at all. To be exact, he effortlessly evaded the punch, tripped the attacker up and, as the punk started to fall forward, immobilized his arms. With the ability difference having been made that clear, it was plain for everyone to see that even if the hoodlum, relying on the advantage of their numbers, still tried to resort to violence, they would only end up easily fought off. The racketeers scrambled to escape. Having witnessed the transformation the ¡°onii-chan¡± from her past had apparently undergone in the time she hadn¡¯t seen him, her eyes went wide as saucers. ¡°In my current line of work, I have to fight a lot, as unexpected as it might seem,¡± was all the man revealed with a wry smile. Before long, the lawyer determined that the joint surety contract had no legal force, which meant that no reimburs.e.m.e.nt was required. She was saved from h.e.l.l. But there still was a grave problem on her hands that needed to be settled. Now that her father had pa.s.sed away, the eatery had no proper chef. She could hold out somehow if was just providing simple meals, but it was impossible for her to make dishes that could satisfy the refined and selective palate of the regular customers. If her joint had no chef of a level comparable to her father¡¯s, the customers wouldn¡¯t return, and closing the eatery would be the only way left to her. That¡¯s why she tried to implore the man again, ¡°Please¡±. She knew she was being selfish. ¡°Please come back, at least temporary, only for the time needed to find another good chef!¡± Naturally, the man appeared to be troubled at the request, but still replied to her desperate entreaty, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll consult with my superior and see how it flies.¡± And the next day, he smiled at her, but with mixed feelings all over his face, ¡°I got his permission. He granted me two weeks of paid leave. He said that if it is a request by a family that took care of me in the past, I must return the favor. And now I don¡¯t really know if I should be happy to work under a superior that¡¯s so understanding, or lament the poor quality of my work that I have been granted a leave so easily.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really sorry.¡± She really was, bowing her head to him. ¡°I will start searching for someone who can cook immediately.¡± Except at the same time, she was exhilarated and couldn¡¯t do anything about the feeling. She was relieved that she had the chance to protect the eatery that her grandfather had founded, but at the same time, she was aware that her joy also stemmed from the fact that she would be able to stay with the man for just a little while longer. ¡°I haven¡¯t been cooking professionally for a while though. I¡¯m worried about the quality of my cooking¡­¡± the man expressed. But he was someone whose skills were real and had been recognized by her father in the past, so the very next day, when the curtain had been hung at the eatery entrance to show that it was open, one of the regular customers that dropped by commented, ¡°What a surprise. This tastes exactly like your late old man¡¯s cooking did.¡± The man had managed to faithfully reproduce the characteristic flavor the eatery was known for until now. ¡°It¡¯s probably because I was worked really hard here. My body still remembers it,¡± the man said delightedly. The eatery got busy as a while had pa.s.sed, but even a prosperous joint had to have at least one off-day a week. On such a day when they didn¡¯t hang the sign curtain at the entrance, the man, showing the bentos he was already making, smiled slightly, ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, how about the three of us go have a picnic at a park?¡± ¡°The three¡± of them referred to the man himself, her and her little son. When she was in high school, she fell in love with her homeroom teacher and dated him for a while. No, she probably was the only one who thought they were dating. The correct descriptor would be that he just played her and used her. She got pregnant, but the teacher, who had a wife and kids, spewing nothing but selfish excuses, ran away for the responsibility. She dropped out of school, determined to give birth to the baby and raise it alone. Even since, she had been living quietly and inconspicuously, hiding herself from society. And her usually strict and curt father protected her and the child during that time. Until recently, her baby, her father and their eatery were the entirety of her world. But her father that had been protecting her all this time, had died, and the man that appeared before her in her time of crisis and great confusion, had become the brilliant sun to her and her little son. Just like the man suggested, the three of them went to a park and played under the sunlight. The child gamboled, shouting joyfully. Watching him made her incredibly happy. That was probably the first time since dropping out of school when she thought that she was glad to have been born into this world. And maybe the first time when she was able to think that giving birth to her child was for the better. When she saw her little child laughing happily while sitting in the man¡¯s lap, tears welled up in the corners of her eyes without her intention. She quickly dashed the tears away with a finger so that no one would see her cry. The man would leave eventually. He would go back to his previous workplace. She ought to not be any sort of burden to him when that time came. She ought to see him off earnestly and with a firm heart. She would employ a new chef and see the man off with a smile on her face. That was her way of drawing the line and taking responsibility for her mistakes. But still, the feelings she kept hidden acc.u.mulated and blossomed like a flower giving off a gentle scent. On a certain night, they had to find a compromise about who would bathe first, she or the man who had just finished cleaning and preparing for tomorrow. She said, ¡°I need to bathe the child, so it will take time. That¡¯s why please go first.¡± ¡°Alright, I will go first. But let the boy go with me; you need to take time for yourself for a change, too.¡± When he said that with a smile, she ended up grabbing his hand and squeezing it tightly before she could stop herself. That thoughtfulness made her happy, and that smile made her heart ache. She was taken aback at herself, and the man looked like he was touched, too. But just at the moment when the distance between the two shortened, his PDA blazoned with an incoming, spoiling the mood boorishly. Awkwardly, the man stepped away from her and answered the call, ¡°Kamo listening. Ah, it¡¯s you, Hidaka.¡± That was the name of the caller, apparently. For a short while, Kamo Ryuuhou listened to the caller¡¯s voice in silence, but then abruptly exclaimed loudly, ¡°What?! Awas.h.i.+ma-san has disappeared?!¡± Just then, she had understood that the time of parting was near. And that made her feel all the more acutely just how much she didn¡¯t want to part with this man. Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part1 The next part of Scepter 4¡äs (mis)adventures. Case Files of Blue 2 by Miyazawa Tatsuki The Demonic Swordsman and the Cheerful Returnee from America At Scepter 4¡¯s HQ, there dwelt the Demonic Swordsman named Zenjou Gouki. A servant of the previous Blue King, Habari Jin, who slew his king. A rational man of principle and the only member of the previous Scepter 4 to continue to be in active service in the current one, on insistence of Munakata Reis.h.i.+. A powerful warrior with a long military track record who was at the ground zero of a Damocles Down and lived to tell. Despite the aforementioned incident costing him an arm, he still remained an expert when it came to fencing. At present though, despite his personal history, he had a do-nothing job as an office clerk in the File room dedicated mostly to past data that he was tasked with sorting and arranging. Such was one of the conditions Zenjou set for returning to duty as a member of Munakata¡¯s Scepter 4. That is, Zenjou deemed it unacceptable for himself to become a pillar of support for the reborn Scepter 4. That decision was both for his own good and for the good of the organization. Only, ironically, ever since the Kounomura incident had happened, Zenjou, who one couldn¡¯t really call busy usually, suddenly found himself swamped with work. Due to the Kounomura faction¡¯s hacking into Scepter 4¡¯s system and bringing it down, the paper doc.u.ments that Zenjou was in charge of managing were now in hot demand. So today, again, Zenjou was on his way to Munakata¡¯s office, holding bulky folders with his hand to his chest again. Despite having his only hand already preoccupied, he deftly managed to knock on the door. ¡°Please come in.¡± Since he got permission, he drew back his wrist and opened the door. Munakata sat at his desk, head lowered as he was writing something. ¡°Oya,¡± he said with a small smile when he saw Zenjou. ¡°It is you. I would have opened the door for you if only you said something.¡± With that, Munakata rose and crossed to Zenjou, accepting the stack of papers from him. ¡°I apologize for troubling you to come all the way here. Ah, yes, this is what I wanted. The register of all the strains in the Tokyo suburbs.¡± Zenjou stared at Munakata unmovingly. ¡°¡­Is something wrong?¡± Munakata lifted his gaze from the papers he was looking through when he sensed Zenjou¡¯s stare. Zenjou reported in a vacant tone, ¡°It looks like the flow of sewer water is starting to reverse. Also, there is alcohol detected in our water supply. It is unknown how it got there, but apparently, some j.a.panese sake is mixed in with the water. Needless to say, it is likely the work of the people currently picking a fight with you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zenjou was lost as to how he should interpret the expression that crossed Munakata¡¯s face then. Munakata¡¯s mouth twisted and for a fleeting moment, he looked like he was about to burst into laughter. The next moment though saw him frowning, his face becoming pensive. ¡®Just what on earth could he be feeling right now, I wonder?¡¯ Frankly speaking, at the moment Munakata had been backed into a corner like never before. Rather than effective sabotage tactics, the trouble with water and sewer services felt a lot more like shameless mockery. Petty humans playing the great Blue King Munakata Reis.h.i.+ for a fool, to be exact. And the person in question seemed just a little bit annoyed, as well as fed up with his situation. But what he seemed even more than that was¡­ ''Bewildered, is what he is,¡¯ Zenjou sensed intuitively. For a short while, Munakata was deep in thought. After a pause, he showed a smile to Zenjou. ¡°I thank you for reporting. I shall do something about it.¡± Zenjou gave a deep bow and left the room. Regarding this matter, Munakata didn¡¯t at all need him for more than managing the File room. Even though Scepter 4 was falling apart, Munakata himself held it together just fine. In which case, all Zenjou needed to do was to carry out his original duty. And he would take this chance to ascertain a few things. Thinking that, Zenjou returned to his workplace. It could be that the fact of Munakata holding it together all too well was what was making this whole situation especially troublesome, and excluding Kounomura Zen''ichi, the only one aware of it at the present stage was this solitary man. Munakata Reis.h.i.+ himself not realizing that little thing was proving his undoing. ? Awas.h.i.+ma Seri was very honestly impressed and shocked. All because the s.p.a.ce she was currently in, reproduced her own room almost perfectly. The bed, the desk, the wardrobe - all the furniture she used in the dorm was the same. ''Which means they did a thorough investigation of my personal room.¡¯ Awas.h.i.+ma clicked her tongue to express her discontent, Fus.h.i.+mi-style. Together with discomfort, the feeling of impatience rose within her. Just what kind of means did they use for this? So long as she didn¡¯t know the exact ways the opponents operated in, even the seemingly well familiar s.p.a.ce of her own room felt eerie to her. Just then, a voice came. ¡°Ah, apologies, Awas.h.i.+ma-jou, but could I trouble you to make these screens transparent?¡± Awas.h.i.+ma lifted her head. ¡°Mmn. See the control panel of the air conditioner? Next to it, there is a red switch. I need you to click it off.¡± Awas.h.i.+ma followed the voice¡¯s instructions and turned off the switch found on the wall. The instance she did, all the 4 walls amazingly became transparent. Awas.h.i.+ma had already tried a few things, so she wasn¡¯t too surprised but still had to admit that this technology was impressive. Simply put, the room she was currently in was a transparent jail cell. The place where she was held was something like an enormous warehouse. And in the center of it, there was a clear cube about the size of Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s dorm room, confining Awas.h.i.+ma within it and stealing her freedom. Furthermore, the cube with the transparent walls and ceiling was illuminated by numerous floodlight projectors installed on the floor of the warehouse. From the side, Awas.h.i.+ma and the s.p.a.ce she resided in looked like they were floating amidst the dark room, like a stageset in some play. A look around revealed that the s.p.a.ce was furnished with a bathroom and a toilet. Both of which were completely see-through at the moment though. ¡°Rest a.s.sured. The switch that makes it transparent is only installed on your side. So your privacy is fully protected,¡± said the huge bald-headed man in the priest¡¯s garb standing outside her cage. As if anyone would believe a guarantee of her privacy protection given by the people who, on top of kidnapping her, recreated her private room in minute details like a through-and-through obsessive stalker. ¡°Alright. Sorry to make you take care of me,¡± Awas.h.i.+ma said with dignity and folded her arms. Since her transparent cell was installed on an elevated pedestal, she now could look down on the big man she would normally have to look up at when talking. Said big man, Nakamura Gouoku, chuckled as he stroked his beard with one hand. ¡°I gotta say I¡¯m impressed.¡± ¡°By how you didn¡¯t make a single complain and even declaired that you¡¯ll do something about your situation yourself earlier when Zen''ichi called the Blue King.¡± ¡°Not happening,¡± Gouoku grinned. ¡°This cage was specially manufactured by Zen''ichi¡¯s research team. It¡¯s made in a way that not even a gorilla¡¯s power would be enough to break it. And even if you somehow managed to get out of it, there¡¯s me and the strain team standing guard close by, we¡¯d just reign you in, is all. You do realize that Zen''ichi researched all about you there is to research, yes?¡± Awas.h.i.+ma got taken captive after doing one-on-one battle with none other than that Kounomura Zen''ichi in the first place. Her defeat at the hands of an aging man possessing no supernatural abilities whatsoever was truly humiliating, and she had no choice but to give credit to his devilish insight ability where it was due. Going by the fact that Kounomura had succeeded in confining her here, it was safe to a.s.sume that his anti-Awas.h.i.+ma measures were perfectly thorough. Awas.h.i.+ma let out a little sigh. ¡°Looks like I will need some thinking time. I¡¯m sorry, but this is where we¡¯ll stop for today.¡± ¡°About how to escape from here.¡± With those words, Awas.h.i.+ma clicked the switch back into its original position. The same instance the walls regained color before her very eyes. When looking at them now, she could only see the walls of her own room. Truly impressive technology. And then Awas.h.i.+ma felt exhaustion bearing down on her. Dropping her shoulders, she let out a long heavy sigh. From the outside, the voice came again. ¡°Oh well, knock yourself out if you want, but my business with you is not over yet. Awas.h.i.+ma Seri, I have a message for you from Zen''ichi. He said that the Blue King¡¯s capitulation is only a matter of time now.¡± ¡°You should understand it yourself, to a degree at least, right? That the guy has already fallen pray to Zenichi¡¯s numerous tricks¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah, there is. To switch on the sound isolation, turn the k.n.o.b next to the transparency switch.¡± Not waiting for Gouoku to finish, Awas.h.i.+ma did just that. With frightening ease, Gouoku¡¯s voice got cut off, her no longer hearing it. And this time, unable to bear it any longer, Awas.h.i.+ma dropped onto the bed. It seemed she had acc.u.mulated a lot of fatigue from all the twists and turns she had been through. She needed time. Enough time to think and to recuperate. Awas.h.i.+ma pulled the pillow towards herself, buried a cheek in it and shut her eyes, deciding to get some sleep first and then thoroughly examine her situation and her options. She had understood Munakata¡¯s implicit message. If one changed their perspective, being taken captive by the enemy meant she was deep behind enemy lines, in the center of the enemy domain. By conceding not to rescue Awas.h.i.+ma, Munakata relayed his wish for her to gather information on the enemy here. The two¡¯s mutual trust was strong enough for this much to be communicated without having to say anything. The thought of Munakata possibly letting the likes of Kounomura overwhelm him didn¡¯t even cross Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s mind. Like on the day when she first met him, she was sure that he was simply calmly waiting for the right moment to launch his counterattack. What Awas.h.i.+ma needed to do was getting ready to support him the best she could when that time came. Just like on that day. At last, a soft smile curved Awas.h.i.+ma¡¯s lips. Munakata Reis.h.i.+ was especially strong in a crisis, and she was the only one who knew that from experience. With that thought, she quietly fell into a fitful sleep. ? It was not an exaggeration to say that at the moment, in the battle of two outstandingly talented individuals, Munakata Reis.h.i.+ and Kounomura Zen''ichi, Munakata Reis.h.i.+ was being utterly beaten. As per his declaration, Kounokura did drive Munakata¡¯s special ops into a corner, putting them out of commission one after another and successfully taking over their regular duties, while Scepter 4 as an organization was going through a data crisis, having to deal with their electrical system¡¯s abnormal behavior, and at the moment, also with their sewage water trouble that reversed its flow. Such a situation could be safely called improbable. No matter how overflowing with intelligence Kounomura was, at the end of the day he was only a man past his middle age who had no supernatural powers whatsoever. Munakata Reis.h.i.+, on the other hand, was supposed to be the Blue King tasked with protecting order. As such, the present sorry state of affairs could be described as quite inexcusable. Some were indignant about Munakata¡¯s spineless att.i.tude regarding this matter, others found themselves questioning the uncharacteristic behavior he displayed lately, still others were under the impression that this was some kind of elaborate deception game he played, believing that for some reason, which had to be undoubtedly good, he needed to appear with his back against the wall. Reality was different though. Munakata really was a loss, although in a sense different from ordinary people¡¯s understanding of the word. Something was definitely amiss inside him, but he couldn¡¯t pinpoint what exactly. To Munakata, who was used to outstripping others with ease regardless of what situation he was put in since childhood, this experience was something he didn¡¯t have to deal with often, if at all. Munakata didn¡¯t have the penchant for overestimating his ability, but he didn¡¯t underestimate himself either. He always kept his eyes on the realistic image of ''Munakata Reis.h.i.+¡¯. And from his realistic self-estimates, for someone like him to be having such a hard time was much too unnatural. ''Is this another black magic spell that Kounomura-s.h.i.+ has cast on me?¡¯ Munakata¡¯s lips curved into a wry smile as he walked down the hall leading to the File room. ''But how?¡¯ While he was at it, there were a few other things that baffled him. For example, Kounomura¡¯s troops. Munakata had arrived to the pretty much same conclusion as Fus.h.i.+mi, only faster. And by a.n.a.lyzing the strains under Kounomura¡¯s command, he was hoping to grasp the full picture of his opponent¡¯s organization. As of now, the Kounomura faction had begun to usurp Scepter 4¡¯s work openly. Going by the eyewitness testimony from the ones Kounomura¡¯s strains had apprehended, it could be surmised that the Kounomura faction had no less than 20 skilled strains. Only, no matter how hard he searched, he couldn¡¯t find strains that could fit the description as its members. ''King powers? Don¡¯t tell me that Kounomura-s.h.i.+ has become a king and the ones he commands are actually his clansmen?¡¯ Now, that thought had Munakata shake his head resolutely. ''No, cannot be. Impossible no matter how you look at it. Kounomura-s.h.i.+ is using strains to accomplish the work. That premise is axiomatic. When they disabled our servers, they must have also erased records on the strains working with them.¡¯ His brows furrowed. ''No, something¡¯s not quite right. Something feels off.¡¯ He let out a sigh. In any case, he should take another look at the paper-medium data they had stored, he decided. When he arrived to the File room, he knocked on the door once. ¡°Ah, yes, please come in.¡± A voice that came from behind the door was soft-spoken and very different from the one this room¡¯s king, Zenjou Gouki, had. Munakata found himself momentarily puzzled before he opened the door. ¡°Ah,¡± came from inside the room. The young man sitting at the table and apparently looking through the bundle of papers smiled awkwardly when he saw who the visitor was. ¡°Um, good day?¡± While the young man did look sheepish, strangely enough he didn¡¯t appear apologetic. He wasn¡¯t a Scepter 4 member. To begin with, he didn¡¯t even wear a uniform. His hair looked silky and chestnut-colored, and his features were quite graceful. He smiled an amiable, gentle smile. ¡°You¡­¡± Munakata recalled him immediately. ¡°Totsuka Tatara-kun, if I¡¯m not mistaken? From Homura.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Munakata fixed him with a stare, to show that he was waiting for an explanation to be provided to him. ¡°Flew back to j.a.pan?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°I found him standing at the empty reception desk. I decided to talk to him, and after hearing him out, I concluded that a look through the doc.u.ments was required, so I brought him here at my own discretion,¡± another voice came from behind Munakata suddenly, announcing the return of the king of this room, Zenjou Gouki. ¡°Was it erroneous judgement on my part, sir?¡± Zenjou was expressionlessly observing Munakata. After a pause, Munakata chuckled slightly, ¡°Fufu. It is not an everyday occurrence for you to trust someone this much, Zenjou-san. I have no objections, on my part. You are the one in charge here. It is perfectly within your authority and scope of your professional duties to let an outsider read the materials stored in this room. I simply found it somewhat amusing that the outsider in question is Homura¡¯s Totsuka-kun.¡± Munakata sent Totsuka an amiable look. ¡°So, did you find what you were looking for?¡± ¡°That is good to hear. How is Suoh doing? Is he well?¡± Munakata asked polite stock questions. ¡°King?¡± Totsuka c.o.c.ked his head a little. ¡°Well¡­ At present, his life is being targeted both by the American government and an insanely strong a.s.sa.s.sin the likes of which we¡¯ve never seen before, but other than that, yes, I suppose he¡¯s well. Business as usual.¡± Munakata¡¯s smile turned quirky, ¡°Good grief. Not a boring minute with that man, huh.¡± ¡°True,¡± Totsuka grinned back. ¡° That¡¯s for sure. Well then, if you will excuse me, I will now take my leave. Zenjou-san, I will take these copies with me, okay?¡± Zenjou only nodded wordlessly. ¡°Zenjou-san, Munakata-san, thank you for your a.s.sistance.¡± Totsuka bowed his head. And then suddenly added, ¡°Munakata-san.¡± ¡°You look like you¡¯re having fun. Did something good happen?¡± Munakata was lost for words. But it seemed Totsuka hadn¡¯t expected a reply in the first place as he tossed a goodbye with a clear smile on his face and closed the door behind him. Munakata stroked his chin. ¡°Having fun? I am?¡± he uttered questioningly, evidently talking to himself rather than to Zenjou. Said Zenjou, having already taken his seat and, not wasting a moment, resumed his scrutinizing of the papers, smiled. ? ¡°¡­Munakata Reis.h.i.+ seems to be mightily confused,¡± remarked Nakamura Gouoku from the pa.s.senger seat. ¡°Such is ''love¡¯,¡± answered Kounomura Zen¡¯ichi in a carefree manner from the driver¡¯s seat. The ringleaders of the Kounomura faction, who had succeeded in toying with Munakata Reis.h.i.+ and confusing Scepter 4 with detailed calculation and ingenious plans, were currently driving a car at leisure through the shopping district. To be exact, it wasn¡¯t just some ordinary car either. It was a so called advertising van that had a big illuminated advertising panel installed in the rear. The advertis.e.m.e.nt was that of a pub that provided an adults-geared show, and it had three girls in mini-skirts winking from the ad panel. Only a little while ago, Kounomura was relaxing in the VIP room of a teahouse with maids, rolling around and reading manga, and the day before, he was hanging out with some homeless. The day before that, he was staying at a certain statesman¡¯s house, enjoying some highest grade wine, and still earlier, he was taking a nap in a camper-van. He had been changing his whereabouts every day. But he wasn¡¯t simply running from place to place haphazardly. Having thoroughly a.n.a.lyzed Scepter 4¡¯s search algorithms, he moved to those locations because he was confident that he wouldn¡¯t be found in those places at those times. Even if someone from Scepter 4 happened to pa.s.s by him right now, they wouldn¡¯t believe that Kounomura Zen''ichi, who they had been desperately searching all over, could possibly drive an utterly conspicuous car such as the adverting van in plain daylight. By creating and exploiting to the fullest blind spots in people¡¯s field of vision, Kounomura Zen''ichi could lazily swim among them like he was an invisible man. ''When I became a strain, I obtained herculean strength unimaginable for a normal human body,¡¯ Gouoku pondered. ''But this man can turn himself invisible, as if he¡¯s using a super power, with just his brains and insight.¡¯ Suddenly, Gouoku felt sorry for Munakata. ''Zen''ichi wants to be a king, and if he really does become one, just what kind of monster will he be? Munakata Reis.h.i.+¡¯s the same as possessed right now. By this devil of a man.¡¯ Nakamura Gouoku and Kounomura Zen''ichi were friends. They spent many nights drinking together, and just as many talking the night away. There were no debts or loans between the two. It was just that one day, Kounomura came to Gouoku¡¯s temple and said, ''I want to become a king. Gouoku, will you help me out with that?¡¯ And when he did, Gouoku grinned and replied, ''Sounds fun. Tell me more about it.¡¯ And on the same day, he started the procedure of handing over the temple to the younger generation, thinking that he didn¡¯t really mind losing his social standing and status if it didn¡¯t work out. Kounomura Zen''ichi said he wanted to do it and requested his help. There was nothing in this world that could please Gouoku more. Even if Kounomura told him to save the world together or, on the contrary, suggested they should conquer it, his answer would still be the same. With Kounomura Zen''ichi, his mood would be so good in any case that a side-splitting laugh would feel truly hearty. That was what Gouoku firmly believed in. And up until the moment, none of his expectations were betrayed. Taking on Munakata Reis.h.i.+ and Scepter 4 was proving truly worth it. ''Well, I¡¯m probably possessed myself, too, by this devil of a man.¡¯ Gouoku flashed a lopsided smile and stole a glance at his companion. ¡°Ah, no good,¡± said devil mumbled under his breath as he operated the steering wheel. ¡°The car in front of the car in front of us is jutting out into the wrong lane a little.¡± His movements looked clumsy, but in contract to them, he kept his driving safe and steady. His legs were short, so he had to use a special make seat as he did. ¡°What¡¯s Marumoto¡¯s situation?¡± Gouoku wondered about one of their comrades. ¡°Fus.h.i.+mi Saruhiko is someone you¡¯re most cautious of, if memory serves? He¡¯s the reason why you chose the time when he went abroad on a business trip to launch your attack on Scepter 4, right?¡± Gouoku asked. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Kounomura replied cheerfully. ¡°A sharp and able person like him and Munakata-kun working together is undesirable for our side. That¡¯s why we¡¯re having Marumoto-kun draw him away for us.¡± As a matter of course, the fact that Marumoto would naturally trigger Fus.h.i.+mi¡¯s irritation was in Kounomura¡¯s ''forecast¡¯. Like Fus.h.i.+mi had suspected, most of Kounomura¡¯s divine insight and battle plan was based on the data of the Scepter 4 members¡¯ psychology obtained through Marumoto Keiji¡¯s super ability. Although the person himself didn¡¯t seem to be fully aware, Marumoto Keiji was a rare and talented mind reading strain. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t have stood a chance if not for him.¡± ¡°But of course,¡± Kounomura, too, showed his pearly whites. ¡°I¡¯m really grateful to him. It¡¯s because he¡¯s doing us this great favor of being our core behind the scene that we can just narrowly prevail over the Blue King.¡± ¡°Hmm. Still, with this, I a.s.sume we¡¯re done testing the depth of that youngster Minakata¡¯s potential, aren¡¯t we? His defeat is only a matter of time now, right?¡± For a while, Kounomura didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°¡­Who knows?¡± His head turned. ¡°We have no positive proof of that yet. But it was much easier than I had expected, I have to say.¡± Gouoku tossed a glance at Kounomura. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You look down?¡± ¡°Do I?¡± Kounomura let out a little yawn. ¡°I¡¯m not down¡­ or am I?¡± Kounomura wasn¡¯t his usual energetic self, so chatty that it left his company dumbfounded more often than not. He looked rather exhausted, and his eyes appeared drowsy. He let out another yawn, a big one this time. All things considered, Gouoku could guess the reason for Kounomura¡¯s listlessness, but¡­ ¡°¡­¡± He chose not to leave it unvoiced, just folded his arms and, grinning widely, said, ¡°Hey, down or not, make sure you drive us safely, okay?¡± He was pretty serious about that, too. Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part2 The next part of the novel, featuring Munakata¡¯s family. Case Files of Blue 2 by Miyazawa Tatsuki ? On that day, Munakata Reis.h.i.+ had done a nearly unimaginable amount of work with utmost efficiency and maximum energy and, after sowing some hope among his men, left Scepter 4. Munakata, always having an air of composure about him even when he went to visit the ruler of all things on the ground, Kokujouji Daikaku, was now walking with a hurried gait, glancing at his wrist.w.a.tch worriedly and painting the picture of a terribly busy man. For he had an appointment he absolutely could not be late to. ¡°Well now. I hope she will like it.¡± Nearby, there was a present he bought in a short break between his demanding work - an adorable plush teddy bear wrapped in pink wrapping paper. It was Munakata Ume¡¯s birthday, and as her uncle, Munakata Reis.h.i.+ was invited to her birthday party. Last year, due to an emergency matter coming up, Munakata wasn¡¯t able to make it to his niece¡¯s birthday party which had hurt her feelings deeply. So half a year ago he had promised her that this year he would be there without fail. As far as Munakata was concerned, he wanted to keep his promise no matter what. Strangely enough, for him, the little girl¡¯s birthday party and the Great Cause of protecting the country had about equal weight. Neither was less important than the other. That¡¯s why he chose to head home even at the time of what could very well be called a crisis. The moment the door opened, he was ardently welcomed. ¡°Uncle, you really came!¡± Umi was overjoyed as she popped up first. Umi¡¯s younger brother, Kai, approached Munakata timidly and clutched at his sleeve. Although later, next Munakata¡¯s mother, then his father and finally his older brother Tais.h.i.+ with his sister-in-law appeared and gave Munakata Reis.h.i.+ a warm welcome as well. In this house, he was neither a shrewd government official nor the Blue King chosen by the Dresden Slate and possessing supernatural powers. He was just a person, Munakata Reis.h.i.+, a second son of the Munakata family. ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late.¡± Hurriedly done with his greetings, he was pulled into the house where they all sat down around the tea table, and the feast began. The table was tightly packed with croquettes and meat and potato stew that Mrs Munakata whipped up, roast beef and minestrone that Tais.h.i.+¡¯s wife made, beer and authentic j.a.panese sake that Tais.h.i.+ bought, a chocolate cake that the children had picked and sas.h.i.+mi out of mackerel that Munakata Sr caught - a popular commoners¡¯ menu, maybe lacking in cla.s.s and consistence, but overflowing with warmth. ¡°Congratulations, Umi!¡± the present toasted, the adults with beer and sake, the children with juice. They talked about everything that happened to Umi at her school, about the swimming pool Kai had recently started attending, Tais.h.i.+ brought up a professional baseball discussion, his wife demonstrated embroidery she was into lately, and the senior Munakatas brought a pamphlet about Izu where they planned to go for their end-of-year trip. When they were done eating, games started - Oth.e.l.lo, cards and other typical party games. All the members of the Munakata family were spirited and doing well. After that, they sang the birthday song, cut the cake, and the children ate the cake in utter happiness, smearing their faces in the process. Full and happy, the children started nodding off, and the older brother¡¯s wife took them to take a bath. With them gone, the living room suddenly became very quiet. Quiet clicking of tableware as Mrs Munakata washed it and the rustling of running water were the only sounds filling the room. Munakata Sr, taciturn by nature, took out the shogi board and, holding a book in one hand, begun solving shogi problems. On the TV, its volume muted to be only background noise, a news story about a large-scale typhoon closing in on j.a.pan ran. Tais.h.i.+ was idly lying on the tatami with his hands behind his head. ¡°What a feast we had today!¡± He looked up at the ceiling happily. Munakata sat in seiza, quietly sipping tea. ¡°Gotta thank you¡± Tais.h.i.+ suddenly added, ¡°for coming, despite being busy.¡± Munakata shook his head to that. ¡°Oh, there is no need. I had fun, too. And I¡¯m glad the birthday girl seemed to like my present.¡± ¡°Indeed. I shall see what I can do.¡± The wandering conversation continued, with Tais.h.i.+ mostly being the one to do the talking and Munakata only replying from time to tim. But it wasn¡¯t like Munakata was being reserved or something of the sort. Time flowed slowly and relaxedly. It was a curious relations.h.i.+p, to say the least. Munakata Tais.h.i.+ made a living with landscape gardening, had a family of his own, spent his free time watching TV and sometimes going to pac.h.i.n.ko, took his children to the local park to play on Sundays, and liked fis.h.i.+ng as a hobby. Once a month, he played gra.s.s-lot baseball with his old friends. He was much better at manual labor than at mental work, he hardly read any books and wasn¡¯t really interested in what was going on in the world around, being the type of wholesome man who could smile, showing his pearly whites, when his close people were healthy and smiled themselves. Munakata Reis.h.i.+, on the other hand, was completely and utterly different - not just from Tais.h.i.+ but from anyone else in the Munakata family. From his father, his mother, his brother, his brother¡¯s wife, his niece and his nephew. None of the family had ever written a report on Confucius and Spinoza as a grade schooler, taken the first place in mock exams countrywide for many years in a row or served as the student council president from starting elementary school to graduating from university. Munakata Reis.h.i.+ was a superior being from the day he was born. He outstripped those around in intelligence, physical ability, character and culture. Everyone who he ever came across were under the impression that he had to be a son of a very distinguished family. And when they learned about the actual environment he was raised in, they all couldn¡¯t help but being puzzled and amazed how someone like him could be born to an ordinary family like that. His father was a taciturn man taking pride in his work, with shogi and occasional fis.h.i.+ng trip being his hobbies. His mother and sister-in-law, although both women of virtue and good cooks, didn¡¯t go in any area past what is considered ordinary and average, and the children they produced, although were quite cute, for now displayed absolutely no ability out of common. In the Munakata family, only Munakata Reis.h.i.+ was an exception. A child, who insisted on not speaking casually even with his parents and brother, was much too out of place for the family of a mediocre craftsman from the low-lying part of Tokyo. Truth be told, Munakata¡¯s parents must have had quite a bit of trouble deciding how to treat a child prodigy so unlike the rest of them. But it was somewhat different for Munakata¡¯s older brother Tais.h.i.+. Being unruffled and unfussy about the small stuff, from their childhood years on, he kept treating Munakata Reis.h.i.+ in a way that could be seen either as largehearted or insensitive. While their personalities and nature couldn¡¯t have been more different, the two always remained siblings that got along just fine. Munakata held respect for his cheerful and honest brother who had not a prodigious bone in his body. ¡°Ah, speaking of,¡± Tais.h.i.+ asked, following the flow of the conversation, ¡°how¡¯s your work lately?¡± Tais.h.i.+ only knew that his little brother was the ¡®boss¡¯ of ''a place that was something like the police¡¯. Being content with only the roughest and broadest idea of things was something that was in Tais.h.i.+¡¯s nature. Munakata took a pause to ponder before answering, ¡°Well, not very well, I have to say.¡± Munakata let out a chuckle. ¡°Indeed. I¡¯m afraid I made an enemy of a troublesome person. He is even more resourceful than myself, so I¡¯m having a little bit of a hard time.¡± Tais.h.i.+ abruptly got up and crossed his legs. ¡°For real? You mean to say someone smarter than you actually exists?¡± he asked bluntly. "So what? Are you being cornered?¡± Munakata simply nodded, without pretense, embarra.s.sment, self-derision or eagerness. ¡°Whooa~,¡± Tais.h.i.+ elongated, stunned. ¡°That gotta be a first, eh,¡± he remarked, seemingly very impressed. ¡°At least the first from what I know.¡± ¡°No.¡± A shogi piece touched the board with a nostalgic click. ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± the two¡¯s father, Munakata Jirou, murmured quietly. This time, it wasn¡¯t just Tais.h.i.+ who was surprised by their usually taciturn father¡¯s remark, but Reis.h.i.+ as well as he gazed at Jirou. For a while, Jirou only stared down at the shogi board, his back to his sons and seemingly oblivious to the gazes they fixed him with. ¡°You know, with that subst.i.tute teacher that was in charge of Reis.h.i.+¡¯s cla.s.s for a short while back in 5th grade when their homeroom teacher got injured in a traffic accident."Not changing his cross-legged position, he turned his head to the brothers. "What was his name, again?¡± ¡°¡­Right.¡± Munakata recalled immediately. ¡°It was Kasuga-sensei.¡± ¡°Oh, right, that¡¯s right.¡± Jirou¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°The only teacher Reis.h.i.+ couldn¡¯t get 100 points from on tests.¡± Inside Munakata, a spark suddenly flew, and his eyes glinted mysteriously behind his gla.s.ses. In a voice, that had the slightest of quivers in it, he asked as he got up, ¡°Father, brother, would it be alright with you if I wnet to my room for a while? An idea regarding my work has struck me.¡± Slight surprise crossed the features of Munakata Sr, but he simply nodded, ¡°Mn-hm,¡± and turned to his shogi board without saying anything else. Tais.h.i.+ lied back down on the tatami, asking with interest, ¡°What, Reis.h.i.+, something about that guy you mentioned?¡± ¡°Yes, correct. I just might have the chance to kick his behind,¡± Munakata provided an explanation for his brother, using the simplest and most understandable words he could find. Tais.h.i.+ burst out laughing. ¡°Good to hear,¡± was his reply. ? ¡°What I¡¯m doing is actually very simple,¡± Kounomura said after they had finished the driving the advertising van job and relocated to a members-only bar in Nanakamado. They were in a deluxe room where only a handful of VIPs from even among the members of this closed establishment were allowed to enter. The sofas, the tables and all the other furnis.h.i.+ngs were stunningly extravagant and posh, but what drew the eye was the masterpiece works of a certain famous maestro. If they were put up for auction, there was no way the price offered would drop lower than a hundred million at worst. In this room, there were 2 such gems that by all rights should have been in possession of an art museum. Like the regular customer he was, Kounomura came in front of the gla.s.s case where expensive Western liquors were on display, and casually took out a bottle of aged whiskey, pouring it into gla.s.ses - for himself and for Gouoku. He took a sip, held it in his mouth, then lied down on the floor on the fur spread on it. ''As usual, this man looks so out of place in this kind of furnis.h.i.+ngs,¡¯ Nakamura Gouoku thought. ''Just the other day he was sprawling on mats by the riverbed, slurping up some cheap plum shochu, and frankly, that place fit him perfectly, and certainly a lot more than this one. Though the same could be said about me.¡¯ A penguin-like shortie of a man and a balded giant in a place where only the cream of the crop could get in certainly was a sight to behold. What¡¯s more, Gouoku was in his priest¡¯s garb while Kounomura had yet to change out of the fatigues he drove the van in just a short while ago. It was pretty amazing how none of the reception staff so much as batted an eye as they took the two such guests to the back rooms. Gouoku took a gulp of straight liquor out of his whiskey gla.s.s - his palm easily wrapping around the thing in its entirety - and chuckled a little. The fact that both of them were completely out of place here still stood unchanged though. If anything, it was probably Munakata Reis.h.i.+, with his gorgeous looks and commanding presence, who would fit right in. ¡°Mn? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Kounomura asked. ¡°Erm? What was it I was saying, again?¡± Kounomura asked back slowly and drowsily. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Ah well, it¡¯s actually pretty simple. You could say it¡¯s ''love¡¯, I guess? It penetrates the perception gap between the sense of self, of others and of the world. Umm~m.¡± Gouoku patiently waited. If he kept waiting, his prodigious friend would eventually give him an explanation in words simple enough even for him to understand. ¡°Well, let¡¯s see. The reason why Munakata-kun is so confused this time is because in a sense he¡¯s too smart for his own good.¡± ¡°Gouoku. When you¡¯re so smart that you have no equal, you end up seeing through everything like an open book and forgetting that you yourself, too, are part of this world, as well an influence on it. Well, maybe not exactly forgetting but never even realizing it. Perhaps, picturing yourself on top of a big mountain would be an adequate epithet.¡± Kounomura slowly rose and put the bottle on the table. ¡°Munakata-kun is currently here.¡± He indicated the top of the bottle. ¡°And those around him, people and circ.u.mstances alike, are this.¡± He placed a gla.s.s next to the bottle. ¡°In his case, he basically has a bird-eye view of all kinds of life¡¯s problems, and he can easily solve any problem by moving it in whatever direction is required or switching something with something else.¡± The gla.s.s was placed it in different spots in sequence. ¡°As it keeps on going, curiously enough, a gap born between himself and his surroundings comes into existence,¡± Kounomura went on, his voice having notes of sadness in it. ¡°Misunderstanding becomes commonplace, leading to creation of an idol molded to people¡¯s wishes and expectations without his consent. Those around start to a.s.sume things, abandoning all attempts to actually understand and starting to pretty much deificate him instead. All because he is much too capable and outstanding. And yes, he is capable, but there is not a single soul who understands him, and it doesn¡¯t cross anyone¡¯s mind to even attempt to anymore. Munakata Reis.h.i.+ is a genius beyond anyone¡¯s reach. This conviction prevents people from thinking on the matter further.¡± ¡°No, no.¡± Kounomura flashed his pearly whites. ¡°I can¡¯t hold a candle to Munakata-kun. He¡¯s the real authentic elite here. I¡¯m just barely keeping up with him in this compet.i.tion by making use of all the years I¡¯ve lived, nothing more.¡± Kounomura took out another bottle out of the gla.s.s case and placed it next to the one that was already on the table. The two were of about the same height. ¡°That said, it¡¯s still probably a first to him, chancing upon someone of his own cla.s.s who is actually trying to a.n.a.lyze him. And it¡¯s due to that unfamiliar experience that the thinking processes of even a genius like Munakata-kun automatically slow down, like a heated swimming pool becoming lukewarm, and the boundary line between himself and those around him becomes blurred. So what I¡¯m doing is simply preventing him from doing his best. Simple as that.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be helped, Gouoku,¡± Kounomura laughed at Gouoku¡¯s teasing. ¡°So, in short, it¡¯s because Munakata never met his equal that he¡¯s now falling for your tricks, or something?¡± Kounomura shook his head. ¡°Not quite. Like I said earlier, the point here is that Munakata-kun is too smart for his own good. Let¡¯s use the chess a.n.a.logy, shall we? He¡¯s an impossibly excellent player. He can win in virtually any position, at any point of the game, just after one look at the board, and that¡¯s precisely what he¡¯s been doing repeatedly. That¡¯s why he¡¯s accidentally forgotten that he, too, is one of the factors composing the world, one of the elements that determine strategy and tactics. One of the p.a.w.ns on the board called fate.¡± ¡°Putting this into even simpler terms, until now he was a chess player who never moved the p.a.w.n that he himself is. No one ever presented enough threat for him to, so he naturally leaves himself out of his calculations and predictions. ¡­No, it¡¯s not quite that he leaves himself out, he¡¯s just lacking in self-awareness a little, I guess.¡± He grinned. ¡°But that¡¯s enough for me.¡± Kounomura really was a terrifying man, Gouoku reaffirmed once again. Said Kounomura yawned. ¡°Everyone stopped trying to seriously figure him out. They don¡¯t see Munakata-kun¡¯s typical thinking patterns, habits and tendencies even though everyone naturally has them, no exceptions. But I¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Because I have ''love¡¯ for him. I didn¡¯t treat Munakata-kun as an unreachable genius or a monster, I simply tried my absolute best to get to know him thoroughly. And then I made use of the tiny c.h.i.n.ks in his armor that I had painstakingly searched for and found. That¡¯s all there is to it,¡± Kounomura simply said, but even Gouoku was well aware just how uncommon and outstanding the ability to do that was. Yes, it really was Munakata¡¯s disastrous misfortune to become possessed by this man. Under Gouoku¡¯s gaze, Kounomura let out another small yawn and sprawled listlessly on the fur of Russian sable. ¡°So how is it? Do you feel you can usurp the throne of the Blue King with this plan of yours?¡± Gouoku changed his question. Kounomura was silent for a while. ¡°Hmmm. Dunno. Like I¡¯ve told you many times before, the nature of the Dresden Slate is too mysterious. After all, even the brilliant Gold King, ruling all things on the ground, Kokujouji Daikaku spent half a century on researching that thing and is still hardly even closer to figuring it out than he was in the beginning.¡± ¡°Beats me. Maybe he regards us as nothing more than an experiment to advance his research of the Slate. Or maybe it¡¯s his way of testing Munakata-kun. Or¡­¡± Kounomura paused. ¡°The fact that you became a strain proves that the Slate is responsive to human will to a certain extent. But beyond that, I have no idea.¡± ¡°So even you can¡¯t figure out the inhuman Slate, although you could the human Munakata Reis.h.i.+, huh.¡± Kounomura didn¡¯t reply. He lay curled in on himself. Gouoku¡¯s shoulders shook with laughter. Now he could see clearly the reason why Kounomura was so unmotivated. ¡°You¡¯re such a greedy man, as always. You¡¯re gunning for the throne of the Blue King, yet get dejected when the Blue King¡¯s not resisting your ususrpation attempt hard enough,¡± he accused in a teasing manner. ¡°You¡¯re mistaken,¡± Kounomura denied Gouoku¡¯s words, but not hard enough for it to sound convincing. ¡°Hey, Zen''ichi. Tell me something. What exactly Munakata Reis.h.i.+ can do to turn the tables on us in the current situation?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Kounomura replied in a quiet sleepy voice. ¡°Since we¡¯re striking at the structural flaw that we found in Munakata Reis.h.i.+ as a human being here, he could just remember his own existence - recall who exactly he is. Or¡­¡± But that what all Kounomura said, a peaceful sleeper¡¯s breathing being the only sound escaping him now. Gouoku chuckled and took another gulp of his drink. He wouldn¡¯t mind drinking in the company of the man named Munakata Reis.h.i.+ together with Kounomura Zen''ichi someday, he thought. ? It felt like he was drunk, or maybe delirious with fever. But Munakata pushed forward, s.h.i.+vering only slightly. Ascending the wooden stairs, he headed to the room he used to use as his own. After Munakata became independent and left, his parents kept the room as it was, so he could use it to stay at on the extremely rare occasions when he came to visit them. It was a straw-matted room, of the size about 6 tatami mats. Out of furniture, it only had a bed, a desk and bookcases. The ma.s.sive amounts of books from when Munakata indiscriminately during his being a student were mostly gone, but certain materials and alb.u.ms were still lined up in a strict orderly fas.h.i.+on on the shelves. Out of them, Munakata took out his grade school graduation alb.u.m and opened it. The memories revived with ease. ¡°Kasuga-sensei.¡± Munakata¡¯s brain was fast pursuing several concurrent trains of thought at once. If the process inside his cranium was to be visualized, it would probably look like a mult.i.tude of multicolored lights flas.h.i.+ng all the time. The past data stored in the memory field were retrieved, a.s.signed meaning through reasoning and interpretation, linked with the next piece of information and given the unity of a whole. At the moment, Munakata was engaged in ultra-fast computing of frightening speed magnitudes. That influenced the part of his brain that controlled his body, so he was currently reeling. Or, putting it in layman¡¯s terms, he could also be said to be concentrating extremely hard. ''You are an exceedingly capable child, Reis.h.i.+-kun. No, maybe I should call you too capable for your own good?¡¯ his teacher, about to retire, said once with a wide smile. Munakata¡¯s brain reconstructed the details of the appearance of the teacher in question without any problem. His features were like a visual illusion picture meant to form a human face even when turned upside down. He wasn¡¯t particularly fat, but the vertex part was prominently rising, some straight completely white hair looking like fuzz still left on his head above his ears. His nose was bulbous, and behind the Lloyd gla.s.ses, his eyes smiled with kindness. Like a professor from an old school manga, as one of Munakata¡¯s cla.s.smates described him once. Next, Munakata recalled the teacher¡¯s personal background. From the sc.r.a.pes of rumors, Munakata¡¯s own investigation and what Kasuga-sensei told them about himself, it was a rather eccentric history for a grade school teacher. From it, it followed that Kasuga-sensei earned a PhD in political science in the USA, got a job with the UN as a member of an arbitration committee for disputed territories and worked there for almost 10 years until suffering severe injuries to his right leg. Reluctantly, he had to resign. He had job offers from several business corporations and research inst.i.tutes, but he declined them all, becoming a teacher for a public elementary school instead. ¡°I¡¯m sure where life is concerned, you won¡¯t get anything less than 100 points, now or in the future,¡± Kasuga-sensei predicted with the same wide smile. He really was a strange teacher who would cut a lesson short and take the kids to go watch bugs and flowers outside or would recite poetry non-stop for an hour. But it was during that teacher¡¯s tenure that Munakata had received anything less than full marks twice: 95 the first time and 98 the second. To Munakata, that was completely outside his expectations. Perfection. That was the undeniable nature inherent of the human named Munakata Reis.h.i.+, even if he was only alive for a little more than 10 years at the time. On the day when their regular homeroom teacher came back, which simultaneously meant the end of Kasuga-sensei¡¯s short subst.i.tution, Munakata Reis.h.i.+, whose features were still those of a young child, knocked on the door of the faculty office with the intention to directly ask Kasuga-sensei the question that needed to be asked, in the boy¡¯s opinion. Kasuga-sensei welcomed him with a smile on his face. Munakata¡¯s question was straightforward and clear. ''Sensei, please explain why I did not get the full marks on your test?¡¯ Let¡¯s just say that in addition to the question not at all being what a young child would ask, it was also somewhat arrogant and warranting the need for some guidance, from the educational perspective. An ordinary teacher would get angry at that. But Kasuga-sensei only burst out laughing, looking like he really did find it very funny. ''It¡¯s only natural that you would come throw this question at me. I¡¯m happy you did, Reis.h.i.+-kun. But it¡¯s only just as natural in a sense that you could not get full marks on that test.¡¯ He giggled like a prankster kid. ''After all, I designed that test specifically for you. Through observing you, I drew up all the questions in a way designed to lead you astray and guide you to make a mistake. All of them were a trap custom-made specially for you, Reis.h.i.+-kun.¡¯ He was not shy about what he¡¯d done in the least. At the time, Munakata was lost and bewildered. ''But sensei, is that not an inappropriate manner of conduct for an educator?¡¯ Clearly, this man¡¯s att.i.tude as a teacher was supposed to be the opposite. ''Even if you managed to stike me down, in essence the test would lose its meaning as an educational testing tool, would it not?¡¯ ''Hahahaha!¡¯ In response to that reproving statement, Kasuga-sensei laughed loudly. ''This too is an educational method, Reis.h.i.+-kun. Make sure you remember it,¡¯ he said and patted Munakata¡¯s head. In all honesty, at that point of time what his teacher was talking about was beyond comprehension even to the prodigious Munakata Reis.h.i.+. Only, Munakata Reis.h.i.+ still made sure to store those words in innermost depths of his heart. Because he had a hunch he should. Because he felt what his teacher taught him might change something in him unnoticed. ''I love you very much, you know.¡¯ The instance those words of Kasuga-sensei¡¯s came to mind, a spark flashed in Munakata¡¯s brain. Pieces connected, instantly falling in place and unraveling the mystery of the events that until then seemed inexplicable. The riddle stopped being a riddle, becoming nothing more than its real structure instead. At the same time, the exceedingly simple swindling scheme Kounomura Zen''ichi was running was laid bare before Munakata in pretty much its entirety. It only took mere 20 seconds for all of the above to happen. But even Munakata Reis.h.i.+ ended up dizzy and unsteady from concentrating and thinking as hard as was humanly possible. Beads of sweat dripped from his brow, and his breathing was rough. That¡¯s how intense a thinking process was required. In addition, at mostly the same instance, Munakata noticed the key that could break down his current predicament. He had understood that for besting Kounomura he absolutely needed to recall who he, himself, was. And once he realized that necessity, coming up with a solution was easy. Munakata Reis.h.i.+¡¯s obvious reason d''etre. He got up, straightened his back and said a single phrase then. ¡°I see. I remember now.¡± Pus.h.i.+ng up at the bridge of his gla.s.ses with a finger, he whispered with grace and elegance, ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m a king.¡± A flash of a smile that tugged at his lips was that of the Guardian of Order, of the Fourth and the Blue King Munakata Reis.h.i.+, most clever and most young. ? Driving his car at high speed, Munakata Reis.h.i.+ hurried back to the HQ. He didn¡¯t plan to stay overnight at his parents¡¯ home, but even with that taken ino account, he left the family gathering a little earlier than expected. He stayed just long enough to say good night to his niece and nephew before they went to bed. ¡°Uncle, will you visit again?¡± the two children asked, rubbing their eyes sleepily. ¡°Of course I will,¡± Munakata smiled and placed a gentle hand on the two¡¯s heads. His brother who came out to see him off wrapped a hand around Munakata¡¯s shoulders as he grinned, ¡°Say, Reis.h.i.+. I made a baseball team with friends, but we don¡¯t have enough people. So¡­ are you free next Sunday?¡± ¡°Great, I¡¯m counting on you then. Let¡¯s form a sibling battery while we¡¯re at it, ''kay? You¡¯ll be the pitcher, and I¡¯ll be the catcher. The other way is fine, too. Yeah, now I can¡¯t wait!¡± Tais.h.i.+ remained Tais.h.i.+ no matter what. Unusually enough, Munakata Sr appeared in the entranceway to see his younger son off, too. It was anyone¡¯s guess what exactly the taciturn craftsman Jirou figured, but he clapped the younger Munakata on the arm and said, ¡°Nm. Do your best.¡± With that he slowly returned to the hallway. Munakata bowed deeply to his father¡¯s back. He sensed that his father constantly lived with the feeling of confusion when it came to him. And if he was honest, he knew that neither his parents nor his brother could ever gain a thorough understanding of who and what he was. He wasn¡¯t disappointed by it or resigned to it, he simply acknowledged it as a fact. At the same time, never once had he doubted the love they offered him. ''A kite has bred a hawk,¡¯ was what those around kept saying, and both Munakata¡¯s father and mother thought so too. But still, the kite loved the hawk. And they did too, in their own clumsy way, but sincerely and unhesitatingly. That¡¯s why Munakata could always return to their household as their second son Reis.h.i.+, without the need to be cautious or anxious. Before awakening as a king, Munakata Reis.h.i.+ lived his life without truly knowing who he was. His overly superior intelligence, his insight allowing him to foresee every manner of matter, his prodigious physical capabilities and talents¡­ no matter what he did, he did it so well that he ended up eclipsing others as if it was only natural. What was a challenge to ordinary people, to Munakata was like walking a straight flat road, coming as natural as breathing. Not even an obstacle preventing him from seeing dozens of meters ahead. He was someone who surpa.s.sed in a heartbeat others¡¯ long and painstaking hard work with just his natural talent. What would it even lead to if someone so superior and reality-defying tried to lead a school life among your average people? The answer was, exclusion from the collective under the guise of admiration, and alienation from the ma.s.s with no even sense of jealousy involved. Because Munakata-kun was special. Because Munakata-kun was abnormal. How many times did he have those words, full of understanding on the surface but essentially ruthless and intolerant if you dug deeper, thrown at him? His superior intelligence let him see through the pretense of respect veiling people¡¯s wish to distance themselves from him, and the Munakata Reis.h.i.+ of the past allowed it, resulting in his all-encompa.s.sing loneliness. No matter how much he wished it, no one could stand equal to him. No one could see what he saw even if they looked at the same thing. Before becoming king, Munakata Reis.h.i.+ was always lonely. Munakata operated his PDA via voice input as he drove. During his intense brain storming earlier, he exposed most of Kounomura¡¯s scheme, but there still remained a few unclear points. To figure them out, he absolutely needed capable people who could conduct field operation in his stead. The line connected. Using a hands-free set, Munakata inquired, ¡°Ah, Fus.h.i.+mi-kun?¡± As he said the name of the person he was calling, a thought flashed in his head that maybe he head-hunted this person for his organization because he projected parts of his own past on the way the young man lived at the time. Needless to say, their personalities and environment was nothing alike, and unlike himself, Fus.h.i.+mi had a friend he could confide in, but still, the way the two of them felt out of place and alienated by those around them due to how outstandingly capable they were was very similar. ¡¯¡ªWhat is it?¡¯ The voice on the other end of the line was openly annoyed despite its owner talking to his direct superior. Munakata¡¯s lips curved up in a smile. ¡°I have something to ask of you.¡± He then explained the contents of his request, keeping it short. Since the order was almost too concise, a normal person would likely fail to see what exactly Munakata wanted to achieve by giving it. But Fus.h.i.+mi was not normal. ¡¯¡ªUnderstood,¡¯ he answered back after a 2 second silence, sounding like he had grasped Munakata¡¯s goal behind the directive in full. The line went dead almost immediately after. ''He really is capable, extraordinarily so,¡¯ Munakata thought to himself from the bottom of his heart. Afterwards, until arriving to the HQ, as he was driving, Munakata mulled over the topic of the gra.s.s-lot baseball game his brother invited him to. He was even humming to himself, an occurrence almost unheard-of for him. Munakata knew he was in an uplifted mood. His drive and motivation were back. Volume 2 Chapter 3 Part1 You probably forgot about this already, but still. Case Files of Blue 2 by Miyazawa Tatsuki The Awakened King Hidaka Akira, drenched in cold sweat while lying in bed, buried himself along with his head under a blanket. ¡°This again.¡± He was on the verge of miserably bawling. As one of the few still capable of working troops of Scepter 4 that was currently suffering from severe manpower shortage, he had made his best effort, worked himself into boneless exhaustion and then returned to the dorm where the electricity had yet to be restored. But soon after he stretched out on the bed in his room, he heard it. ¡°Hih. Hihih,¡± a quiet voice snickered. He tried to fearfully stick out his head from under the blanket. ¡°Eek!¡± The flame of the candle left by the bed swayed yellow, revealing the shadow of a small silhouette moving on the wall. It couldn¡¯t possibly be a mouse or a c.o.c.kroach. The size was like that of a little girl. Awash with panic, Hidaka hurriedly retracted his head back under the blanket like a turtle. ¡®Boo hoo hoo¡¯. Now came the sobbing of a girl from somewhere around the legs of the bed. Or so it seemed to Hidaka. When he blocked his hearing by pressing his hands to his ears tightly, he felt someone shake him persistently by the shoulder. Or at least he thought he felt it. ''Hey? You can hear me, can¡¯t you? Come on, don¡¯t ignore me. Are you listening?¡¯ Hinaka was rapidly chanting Buddhist prayers and verses from the Bible. He memorized those only recently, and by pressing necessity, interspersing them with frantic self-persuasion, ¡°This is an auditory hallucination! Just an auditory hallucination!¡± Except, all of it was useless. And it¡¯d been going on for a few days now. Once the night fell, he would hear the rustling of restless footsteps, the sounds of out-of-tune music playing, and the smell of raw flesh would attack his nostrils. Every night was like a grand festival of haunting and supernatural phenomena, filled with eerie shapes and ominous forms. To make it worse, no matter how much he prayed, scattered salt, burned incense or put up talismans, it showed no signs of abating. All because his workload increased beyond limit, and he was dead-tired. Because a number of his fellow clansmen disappeared, and he felt unyielding pressure bearing down on him on so many levels. That¡¯s how he chose to explain his visual and auditory hallucinations and tried to make himself believe in that explanation, except his valiant attempt miserably failed. Hidaka kept seeing and hearing strange things all too clearly, and he couldn¡¯t do anything about it, no matter how he tried. ¡°Uugh¡­¡± If this continued on top of his acc.u.mulating fatigue, he really might crack. And for a reason like seeing ghosts, too. For Hidaka, that kind of reason was just too much, so he couldn¡¯t bring himself to tell someone what was going on with him. ''Maybe I¡¯m really ought to find a medium and have them perform an exorcism.¡¯ For the record, Hidaka tried sleeping in places other than his own room, but the supernatural phenomena followed him there, forcing himself to conclude that he himself was being haunted. ''But how do I even find a medium to place a request with them?¡¯ At the very least, until now Hidaka¡¯s life was the kind where he didn¡¯t have to deal with that sort of stuff. It was probably his imagination, but the giggling and crying was gradually getting louder, with what sounded a man¡¯s voice now added to the chorus. His bed was now positively rattling, too, and the raw-stinking draft was filling the s.p.a.ce. This haunting was much more blunt and outspoken than your typical haunted house, now. ''I can¡¯t take it anymore. Someone, save me!¡¯ Tears welled up in Hidaka¡¯s eyes. It was then that a knock on the door came. ¡°Hidakkun, can I come in?¡± With these words, the door opened, letting dazzling light stream into the room. Hidaka sat up on his bed, taken aback. By the door, there stood Munakata Reis.h.i.+. The blinding white radiance was spilling from the headlight he had mounted on his head. Upon a closer look, he appeared to be shouldering something resembling a backpack. Momentarily, Hidaka was overcome with the thought of how cool he looked, timely appearing out of the darkness like some superstar at a live concert, but he quickly changed his mind. Munakata looked clearly weird. Hidaka just found himself overwhelmed with his bearing, that¡¯s how mysteriously impactful Munakata was. ¡°Oh, this?¡± Munakata spoke up in reply to Hidaka¡¯s dazed gaze. ¡°I thought it could come in handy, so I borrowed it from the supply department,¡± he explained what no one asked, and then added, ¡°I shall be absent from the headquarters for a while, so until my return, please follow Fus.h.i.+mi-kun¡¯s instructions. I¡¯m counting on you, Hidakkun.¡± ¡°Ah, right, understood, sir,¡± Hidaka confirmed, still flabbergasted. ¡°Understood, but, uhh, ''absent¡¯, sir? Where are going?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m planning to settle a few things.¡± Munakata¡¯s eyes narrowed and he smiled softly, ¡°I¡¯m going to collect the special operation squad members scattered here and there. I shall see you later.¡± With that, he raise a hand in parting and turned around. The door closed behind him with a click. He truly came and went like a hurricane, leaving Hidaka confused and struggling to make sense of his superior¡¯s behavior in his wake. There was only one thing that Hidaka knew for sure: the haunting and supernatural phenomena suddenly stopped, their presence, filled with so much negativity, purged and dispelled as if blown away by the gust of a gale. ¡°What the heck, our Captain is actually more potent against evil spirits than any talisman, huh¡­¡± Hidaka mumbled, relief, hope, irony and exhaustion all catching up with him at the same time and making him plop down on the bed listlessly. Closing his eyes, for the time being, he decided to get some much needed shuteye until Fus.h.i.+mi contacted him. For some reason, he had a hunch that right now nice uninterrupted sleep was finally within his reach. ? Fuse Daiki could only grit his teeth at his present circ.u.mstances, overcome with anger and irritation to the point where those feelings were all but on the verge of spilling right out of him. ¡°d.a.m.n it!¡± He threw a pebble at the rippling surface of the sea from the cliff he stood on with all his might. ¡°d.a.m.n it all!¡± This wasn¡¯t a first or even second expletive he resorted to in the past hours. Only, every time he cursed the world and himself, he was a.s.saulted with the feeling of futility beyond comparison. And he really was helpless. His PDA was useless, and no matter how loud he screamed, his voice wouldn¡¯t reach anywhere with human habitation. Although this was far from being a deserted island in distant seas, crossing a sea like the one surrounding the island by swimming and safely making it to land was clearly beyond human ability. The issue wasn¡¯t as simple as just the distance: waters in this area were ruled by a series of complex tidal currents. Even if Fuse put on something with buoyancy and jumped into the sea, he would either drown, swallowed by turbulent waves, or get swept by the currents into the open ocean, unable to do anything. If he were an amateur in what concerned the sea, he might have taken the option to ''swim¡¯. Fuse, however, was rather experienced in sea fis.h.i.+ng, and for that reason, he had intimate knowledge of how terrifying the sea could be, as well as familiarity with the areas of the ocean where it was possible to swim and where it wasn¡¯t. It was all too likely that even that knowledge of his was part of Kounomura Zen''ichi¡¯s calculations when he set up this trap. Still, the cause for Fuse¡¯s unquenchable anger didn¡¯t lie only in his easily falling into the enemy¡¯s trap and being left strangled on an inhabited island. It was how perfectly set up this island was what was so aggravating. When Fuse first went to explore the island, trying to maybe find a way to get off it, he discovered a number of boxes concealed in the shade of a rock. What he found inside the st.u.r.dy wooden crates and cooler boxes ranged from the bare necessities vital for preservation of life such as food, water, clothing and a portable cooking stove, to things to make life more comfortable, like a tent, a sleeping bag and a folding chair, to daily necessities for personal grooming, including a change of underwear, a toothbrush and some toothpaste, a shaver and shaving cream, to luxury grocery items such as beer, shochu, snacks and sweets (all of the above was kindly provided in the brands that were Fuse¡¯s favorite). Among his findings, there was also a portable toilet camouflaged as rock surface. However, the discovery of a player packed full of digital manga and movies and a portable game console near the summit of the deserted island was the last straw that made his blood boil at how overly meticulous and entirely excessive the care extended to him was. Having fallen into the enemy trap, Fuse was prepared to pay for his mistake and accept a degree of cruelty that naturally came with it. He was prepared to survive on muddy water and sea fish. Yet, on this island there was a spot clearly prepared by human hands with a sign ''Best for putting up a tent¡¯. As far as Fuse was concerned, all that was nothing but pure humiliation. It was basically no different from coming to an island for an extended vacation. That¡¯s why, after some time had pa.s.sed, Fuse took his chances with a certain gamble. Reworking the tent, he st.i.tched it in a balloon shape so that the air could be ama.s.sed in it; then he added there a cooler-box with some decent buoyancy, waited for the right moment and jumped into the sea. He could read the tidal currents to an extent. By no means did he do it out of desperation. Nevertheless, with the night falling, but still no signs of sh.o.r.e in sight even as his stamina was close to depletion and his vision was getting blurry, he couldn¡¯t help the thought, ''Maybe I was too naive in my a.s.sumptions, after all.¡¯ ¡°d.a.m.n it all!!!¡± He let out a scream of regret, but more than that, of frustration. Hand hitting the water surface with emotion, he ended up swallowing a bit of the water. It was at that time that he heard the sound of an engine in the distance and a voice, ¡°He~ey.¡± Putting his remaining strength into lifting his head up, he saw a boat with multiple brightly s.h.i.+ning photospheres installed on its hull, breaking through the wave crests and heading to where he was. ''A boat for squid fis.h.i.+ng?¡¯ Standing on the bow of it with a headlight on was none other than¡­ ''C-Captain?¡¯ Arms folded across his chest and one foot raised and planted on the bow, Munakata looked down at Fuse floating in the sea with a smile as he informed his clansman, ¡°I came to collect you, Fuse-kun.¡± After a while of gapping and staring up at his boss, ¡°Fuh¡±, Fuse¡¯s features twisted and, ¡°Fuhahahahahah!¡± he roared with laughter. ¡°You sure took your time, Captain,¡± affecting an exaggerated glare, he finally said after a good hearty laugh. Munakata smiled back brightly. ? ¡°¡­But how did you know where to find me, sir?¡± Fuse asked, wiping his soaked body with a thick towel prepared on the fis.h.i.+ng boat. Munakata still stood on the bow with one foot hiked up and stared straight ahead at the night sea, possibly quite liking it there. Like this, the boat looked surreal, like an illusionary s.h.i.+p of light provided for the king to cross the Milky Way against the backdrop of the sky that was starry for as far as the eye could see. In reality, the boat was just an ordinary squid fis.h.i.+ng boat. And it wasn¡¯t even big: turning around was all it took to see in abundant detail the form of the boat¡¯s captain, Yamatsan, in the deckhouse gripping the steering wheel while chewing on some gum. ¡°Fuse-kun,¡± Munakata addressed his subordinate loud enough for his voice not to be drowned out by the purr of the engine and the slapping of the waves. ¡°Why did you venture out into the sea?¡± Munakata continued without turning his head. ¡°Knowing you, I cannot imagine you did it rashly without any prospects of victory. Am I right?¡± Fuse¡¯s hand with the towel paused, and his expression turned serious. ¡°¡­I did it hoping to draw out the person who must be monitoring me.¡± ¡°Fuse-kun.¡± Munakata abruptly turned his head, a whole face smile overtaking his features. Stepping lightly off the bow, he placed his both hands on Fuse¡¯s shoulders and squeezed. ¡°It was the right choice. Your plan was extremely reasonable.¡± Fuse felt a little relieved to hear that. It proved his a.s.sumptions weren¡¯t wrong. ¡°I did not get a chance make landfall on that island, but I¡¯m sure it was packed full of all kinds of safety nets, was it not?¡± Fuse nodded, looking sour. ¡°It was indeed. To the point of making me sick.¡± Munakata chuckled lightly. ¡°Then my train of thought must have taken almost the same path as yours. Here is what I thought: Kounomurs.h.i.+ had succeeded in isolating Fuse Daiki, but he also must have exercised maximum consideration towards his safety and well-being. That¡¯s why I stopped looking for you and instead followed the setup of the ring of that safety net, in particular, transportation routes of the goods meant to support your survival, as well as things like presence or lack of surveillance cameras, monitoring personnel and others. And here we are.¡± Munakata gestured, opening his arms. ¡°I was able to locate the place where you were held in a natural progression, the same way as if you paint all but a circle on the drawing paper black, the remaining part will naturally be highlighted as white.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Munakata addressed Fuse again, ¡°this is what you thought: if you deliberately exposed yourself to danger, the people who are monitoring you would appear.¡± Fuse silently nodded. Munakata smiled. ¡°And you were right. Even if I did not come to your aid, you would simply capture them and escape from here regardless.¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Fuse looked away, seemingly a little bashful. ¡°But it made me happy to see you come for me in person, Captain.¡± Munakata stared at Fuse for a short while, then spoke up. ¡°Fuse-kun. I know you must be a little tired, but there is a place I¡¯d like to have you accompany me to without delay.¡± Fuse stared back at Munakata in puzzlement. Munakata made himself crystal clear then. ¡°I¡¯m going to crush Kounomurs.h.i.+. And for that, I need your help - no, not only your help, but every Scepter 4 member¡¯s. Can I ask that of you?¡± In lieu of reply, Fuse stood at attention, snapping a salute. Munakata didn¡¯t have to ask. He just needed to order, and it would be done. That¡¯s what Fuse tried to convey with his whole body. Although he was soaked to the bone, his posture was br.i.m.m.i.n.g with youthful energy and spirit. Munakata gave a p.r.o.nounced nod of satisfaction. ? Benzai Yuujirou drank instant coffee at the police station located on a desolate street facing the Sea of Okhotsk. It was 11 o''clock in the evening. His chase after a criminal who kept committing theft via his ability of phasing through objects led Benzai to this town on the farthest ends of the country. The strain thief was identified as Tamada Genji, 46, unemployed. Tamada was originally from these lands, so he knew the locality well. He also made his getaway via a 4 wheel drive vehicle. Benzai had already confirmed that the perpetrator was hiding on the outskirts of this town. The problem was that said outskirts weren¡¯t anything remotely urban; it was a vast sprawling wilderness like you¡¯d expect of a town out in the boonies. It was unclear whether Tamada was hiding in the long abandoned dilapidated houses or sleeping in his car, but if luck decided to be especially flighty, the manhunt scope could be as large as the size of the whole Tokyo area. It was no wonder that even the patient and tenacious Benzai was fed up with the situation. In this town where it would take years upon years to record even a hundred criminal offenses, local police officers felt for Benzai. ¡°This is going to take a while. We¡¯ll help you out, but still.¡± At the moment, Benzai was conducting his investigation under the aegis of the police. When it came to drug control and regulation, cases of an investigator with the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare being temporarily transferred, or a joint investigation conducted were not unheard of, and Benzai requested the local police for cooperation in approximately the same form. Thanks to his having to lead a life of flying all over the j.a.pan lately, fatigue was slowly but surely building in his body. And there was a ton of things he worried about. The first concern was what was going on with Scepter 4 at the moment. After Awas.h.i.+ma went missing, Benzai¡¯s supply of information got virtually cut off. The next concern was about his partner, Akiyama, and what became of his case. But that was something that couldn¡¯t be helped, no matter how much he worried, except when he thought about how the diligent and serious Akiyama felt when faced with those scandalous accusations, he longed to finish up all his work as quickly as possible and go back to support Akiyama however he could. Although Benzai received a message from Munakata informing him that his superior commissioned an excellent attorney to defend Akiyama, he believed that there still was something he could do for his friend. But, as if to laugh at Benzai¡¯s impatience, the thief, Tamada, persistently stayed lying in hiding in the Hokkaido¡¯s wilderness like a wild animal. Benzai didn¡¯t really like this train of thought, but the charges on the offenses Tamada raked up were only tens of thousands yen at most, so Benzai really wished this petty criminal stopped giving him such a hard time and got caught already. The way Tamata kept making his getaway was like that of a seasoned offender who committed a very serious crime. ¡°Ahh.¡± Benzai let out yet another sigh and put the coffee to his lips. ¡°¡­I can¡¯t be like that. Work is work.¡± In the past, a detective he worked a joint investigation with once told him that no case was too small or too big. And Benzai wholeheartedly agreed. He took the cup to a small sink, rinsed it under running water and put it on a dish drainer. ¡°Thank you for the coffee,¡± he murmured quietly, and the officer on duty who sat on a nearby folding pipe chair reading a newspaper called out to him. ¡°What? Are you going somewhere again?¡± The man wore sandals on his bare feet, his dark hair was streaked with gray, and his face was plowed with wrinkles, but the expression on it was that of kindhearted person. ¡°Yes, I am,¡± Benzai smiled. He planned to comb the town¡¯s outskirts with a fine-toothed comb once again in hopes of maybe finding some lead. ¡°You sure have it rough. But there¡¯s barely any street lighting in these parts, so take my advice and better do it tomorrow.¡± The concerned warning was barely out of the police officer¡¯s mouth when it happened. ¡°!¡± ¡°Wh-what?¡± Both Benzai and the officer threw their heads back. The s.p.a.ce in front of the police station was suddenly flooded with glaring light that came together with a roar. Unlike the local police officer, bewildered into motionless stupor at the unusual happening, Benzai pulled himself together in no time. ''It¡¯s a helo! And that helo is¡­¡¯ It was a helicopter used for Scepter 4¡¯s operations. Benzai promptly threw the door that at the moment weighted twice its weight open and slipped through, running down to the parking lot. Both hands at his face s.h.i.+elding it from the gusts of wind, he gazed up. He wasn¡¯t wrong: the familiar-looking helicopter was about to land. ¡°Hey! What is it? What¡¯s going on?¡± The ageing officer ran up to Benzai after his slow start. Under the two¡¯s gazes, the helicopter touched the ground without an accident, and the hatch opened. Out of there a person Benzai least expected to see appeared. ¡°Benzai-san!¡± It was Fuse Daiki. ¡°We caught him!¡± he shouted. Indeed, the person Fuse was holding next to him was none other than the thief in question, Tamada Genji. He was handcuffed, pointedly looking away and seemingly sulking. That alone was already astounding, but, to Benzai¡¯s compounding shock¡­ ¡°Benzai-kun.¡± ¡­Munakata Reis.h.i.+ in person appeared from behind Fuse. Smiling, he informed Benzai, ¡°Now, please pack your bags. We¡¯re going back.¡± For once, unusually for him, Benzai couldn¡¯t muster an answer, gaping was all he managed. On his head, Munakata wore a headlight that emitted a strong beam of light. ¡°Are they your colleagues?¡± The police officer next to Benzai asked, still struggling with amazement. ¡°They sure know how to make a flashy entrance.¡± Benzai couldn¡¯t reply, but on the inside he agreed with the man wholeheartedly. Making a quick job of packing his things, he jumped into the helicopter with Munakata and Fuse already on board. With the hatch door closed behind him, the rotor started smoothly spinning, and, having gained enough liftoff power, the helicopter took off. In the air, it swiveled its nose, making a big turn, and set course south. Benzai glanced at the ground beneath and saw the ageing police officer at the parking lot waving his hands with all his might. In the blink of an eye, the town beneath became tiny as the helicopter now smoothly flew in the sky above the wilderness as if sliding across it. It was only then that Benzai could gather his thoughts enough to start asking questions. ¡°So,¡± he started out with a short preface, ¡°what exactly is going on, Captain?¡± Munakata, arms folded across his chest, was busy observing the view outside the window. He still wore the headlight, possibly having gotten too attached to it to take it off, although he did have the sense to turn it off. His gaze was focused on a point somewhere far off in the distance. Benzai had a ton of questions to ask him. First of all, why was Munakata even here? And why was Fuse? How come did they even join up and work together? But the most obvious question was, how did they manage to catch the elusive Tamada on the run? Said Tamada sat, keeping his head dejectedly low, apparently resigned to his fate, and only kept mumbling weakly, ¡°That¡¯s foul play, seriously. Why, geez.¡± Fuse, who sat next to Tamada and kept an eye on him, noticed Benzai¡¯s gaze and showed a strained smile, his face reading ''I understand your feelings completely¡¯. ¡°Benzai-kun,¡± Munakata, who was silent until now, suddenly spoke up. Benzai s.h.i.+fted his eyes to look at him and found that his superior was no longer gazing out the window, instead staring straight at him. ¡°What do you think of this?¡± ¡°And by this you mean what exactly, sir?¡± ¡°Anything that you might have noticed, no matter how small. You have flown all around the country. Would you mind sharing with me everything that you thought and everything that occurred to you during that period?¡± Actually, Benzai himself wished for the particulars of the situation to be shared with him first, but his superior officer¡¯s order coupled with utter seriousness of Munakata¡¯s face left Benzai overwhelmed and caving. ¡°Please let me think a moment, sir.¡± Benzai started sifting though his memories. As a matter of fact, concerning that question, he had already had a few things figured out. By no means was he blessed with genius insight or outstanding thinking ability, but he was careful enough not to overlook small details and tenacious enough to meticulously inspect them. Contrary to his calm and collected visage, he chose to build his career in the army, and after having acc.u.mulated experience as a member of the special operations squad, he was now an enthusiastic investigator. ¡°Frankly speaking, sir, at first, I was confused. In all likelihood, you already know this fact without me telling, Captain, but until now, statistically speaking, the strain crimes were mostly concentrated within the radius of 100km with the Dresden Slate in the center. If I¡¯m not mistaken, this fact is attributed to the nature of the Slate, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It is indeed,¡± Munakata nodded. ¡°It is also believed that for kings, similarly to the case with strains, there is a relation between the probability of their awakening and distance from the Slate. Except a few exceedingly rare instances, all the kings and strains are confirmed to awake to their powers within the boarders of the Kanto region and its outskirts.¡± He smiled a slightly ironic smile. ¡°It should be fairly obvious, but trouble occurs where there are those who cause it. For that reason, Scepter 4 is almost permanently stationed in the capital where there are kings, their clans and strains. We, the guardians of law and order, are there because that¡¯s where people who upset law and order are concentrated.¡± ¡°But this time,¡± Benzai took over Munakata¡¯s train of thought, ¡°strain-related incidents occured repeatedly in other regions of the country simultaneously. And this is exceedingly unusual in and of itself, in my opinion.¡± Munakata gazed at Benzai with gentle eyes. To Benzai, it proved that his thinking wasn¡¯t wrong, so he went on, his voice sounding a little more confident. ¡°As I flew all across j.a.pan, I noticed one more aspect concerning these crimes: it¡¯s the fact that the strain perpetrators¡¯ motives are all over the place. They each went to a different area, but it¡¯s not like they were trying to pull off something really wicked. Although there are those among them who committed theft and mild violence, their main objectives were very varied, including fleeing from Scepter 4, visiting a mother¡¯s grave and even having a cla.s.s reunion with old friends.¡± ¡°Hm? Wait? Isn¡¯t that weird?¡± Fuse suddenly forced his way into the conversation. ¡°Wasn¡¯t Benzai-san needed at the scene because they¡¯d committed some kind of crime?¡± ¡°It seems like the reports mixed facts with misinformation, I take it,¡± Munakata said slowly. ¡°It is true that strains that committed crimes scattered across different regions. Witness testimonies were also real to a certain extent. However, there was someone who added bias to the information and made it so that Scepter 4 had to be mobilized. I believe that¡¯s what happened.¡± Both Fuse and Benzai understood who that someone was without Munakata having to spell out his name. Kounomura Zen''ichi, obviously. There was no one else who would attempt, much less succeed, in doing something like that. ¡°That¡¯s where 2 big questions arose,¡± Benzai went back to the topic. ¡°The first one is, how did he identify the strains that committed an offense? And the other one is, how did he make them take action of their own volition? Tamada,¡± Benzai suddenly called Tamada¡¯s name. ¡°Why did you leave the capital and run here? Did someone order you to? Or were you, perhaps, threatened into it?¡± Tamada lifted his head and stared at Benzai. ¡°Heeh.¡± He wrinkled his nose at the root, and faced the other way. That made Benzai remember that Tamada was a man with strong antisocial tendencies. That is, the gesture probably meant to convey that he had no slightest intention to tell anything to ''the authorities¡¯ dogs¡¯. ¡°¡­¡± In that case, getting this man to take action he wanted him to take should have been difficult even for someone like Kounomura. Or did Kounomura just pay him handsomely? ¡°Benzai-kun, I thank you for sharing your thoughts and findings with me. I¡¯m glad I got to hear it.¡± Arms still folded across his chest, Munakata shut his eyes for a few seconds, then opened them again and smiled. Benzai gave him a small bow. He had no idea how useful, if at all, his opinion was to Munakata, but at the very least he got to express the questions and concerns that were on his mind at the moment. Now Munakata would share his information with him, he expected. Benzai really wanted to know how they managed to catch Tamada. ¡°Well, putting it in simple terms¡­¡± Munakata replied smoothly. ¡°I have found an answer to the two questions you mentioned, and that is precisely why myself and Fuse-kun were able to apprehend Tamads.h.i.+.¡± Benzai felt a slight s.h.i.+ver run through him. The way Munakata phrased that was nonchalant, but the contents were loaded with immense implications. Munakata then laid out his reasoning without rush. Needless to say that Benzai, Fuse and even the strain criminal Tamada listened to his every word with utmost attention. ? Munakata Reis.h.i.+¡¯s intention to gather back together the special operations squad members incapacitated one way or another due to Kounomura¡¯s scheming, was taking shape and forming one big current. At the time Munakata was laying out the core of it in the sky above Hokkaido¡¯s wilderness, there was one member of the special operation squad that could only weep, complain and grumble. ¡°Whyyy?!¡± It was Doumyouji Andy, half-forced by Munakata to come up with the media countermeasures and deal with issues concerning the lawsuits. According to the role distribution within the organization, it would be the job for the public relations section and the legal department. Lately, at times Doumyouji had to be a public relations officer coming up with a response to the press concerning Akiyama¡¯s molestation charges and Scepter 4¡¯s property damage reports, and at other times a law work liaison handling legal post-factual measures together with the attorney Munakata had commissioned. Both of those fields were Doumyouji¡¯s major weak points. ¡°Uugh.¡± Still, he tried his d.a.m.nest at those unfamiliar areas. ¡°Uuuugh!¡± In appearance, he somehow managed when it came to talking to the press or consulting with the attorney. Whether it was effective or not aside, talking itself was by no means Doumyouji¡¯s weakness, and the attorney was extremely capable, so by deciding to do what that man said for now Doumyouji somehow managed to keep up the appearances. The real problem was the time when he had to draw up and sort doc.u.ments in the middle of the night all by himself like he was doing at the moment. Paperwork was something Doumyouji hated with pa.s.sion. To him, the necessity to draw up such doc.u.ments was utterly inexplicable. He knew that keeping records was essential, but in his view, it was summed up with ''it¡¯s fine as long as I remember, so why bother¡¯. When he claimed it out loud once, lips pursed, he got scolded. Partly, such a view was due to his genius-level ability to effortlessly grasp the essence of things through his intuition alone without the need to share words and definitions, but most of those around him usually chalked it up as him being a moron. It was the same with Munakata¡¯s latest order in regards to Doumyouji, the young troop¡¯s position change was perceived as punishment. Of course, Doumyouji himself thought of it the same way, his stress building up like that of an elementary schoolboy ordered to take a dictation test as a detention until finally reaching its peak and making him arrive to a decision unbecoming of an adult member of society. ''Alright! Time to get the h.e.l.l ou¡ª err, I mean, to take a break!¡¯ Once this conclusion had been reached, he acted quickly. A flashlight in hand, he was heading towards the exit from the data processing room with soft and stealthy footsteps of a thief. ''Let¡¯s sleep! Oh, and play a little. With Kuro.¡¯ Heart racing in thrill of antic.i.p.ation, he had only one last step to take for his getaway to succeed when the door suddenly opened. ¡°Gueh!¡± a cackle much like that of a strangled goose escaped Doumyouji. The one standing in the doorway was none other than his natural enemy, Fus.h.i.+mi Saruhiko. In one hand the newcomer held a lantern shaped electric torch. Illuminated by the bluish-white light, he looked positively like a ghost. Frankly, considering the circ.u.mstances, Doumyouji got really scared. ¡°Uwhoa! Aeeh? Aeeh?¡± In his panic, Doumyouji started dancing a strange dance. Fus.h.i.+mi let out a sigh and ordered cooly, ¡°Speak j.a.panese, Doumyouji.¡± ¡°Ah, erm. Uhmm. Fus.h.i.+mi-san, weren¡¯t you in America?¡± ¡°I came back.¡± The expression the man in question wore on his face silently but eloquently informed that he had to because all the others proved so unreliable. Fus.h.i.+mi threw a quick glance at the desk Doumyouji worked at earlier. Half-heartedly started paperwork was scattered all across the top of the desk, illuminated by candlesticks. ¡°Heheh.¡± Doumyouji ducked his head, unapologetic in the slightest, scratching the back of it. Fus.h.i.+mi let out another sigh. ¡°How should I put it¡­ as expected, I guess? Oh well, whatever.¡± Expression smoothing out, he added, ¡°I¡¯ll help you out.¡± Doumyouji¡¯s countenance reflected his surprise. Fus.h.i.+mi was already heading towards the desk. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. Lots of things need to be done. You, too, come here and get to¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Fus.h.i.+mi-san!¡± Doumyouji interrupted him with a clap of his joined together hands and an out of the blue apology. Then, turning with a swift and practiced movement, ¡°But I¡¯m at my limit!¡± he shouted and ran out of the room at a speed that could only be described as lightning. For a while, Fus.h.i.+mi just stood there in mute amazement. Not even a sharp man like him could foresee this kind of development. Until finally¡­ ¡°That f.u.c.ker!!!¡± Unearthing the part of himself from his Homura days, Fus.h.i.+mi turned on his heel, dead set on catching Doumyouji, and gave chase. Volume 2 Chapter 3 Part3 I¡¯ve finally remembered about this one, hooray! Case Files of Blue 2 by Miyazawa Tatsuki ? The headquarters brimmed with activity. When Akiyama and Benzai were walking along the hallway, briskly marching ordinary troops pa.s.sed them by. They had been sent to different regions on Benzai¡¯s orders, and now, as the respective situations in them were finding their resolution, the operatives, too, had started to come back one by one. ¡°¡­The Coin Toss theory, huh. Its power certainly is fearsome,¡± murmured Akiyama, and Benzai nodded. ¡°Not only was it used to scatter all those strains across different regions, but the false charges against you were apprently fabricated via its application, as well.¡± Akiyama¡¯s face turned miserable. ¡°But why did they have to choose to falsely accuse me of molesting, of all things? I¡¯m sure there were plenty of other methods if they wanted to put me out of c omission.¡± If he absolutely had to be entrapped by the enemy, he would have much preferred to be abandoned on an uninhabited island like Fuse, or sent on a trip through various regions unable to return like Benzai - those kinds of pretexts, in any case. Sure, his innocence had been proven and he was able to come back, but there was no small chance that he would¡¯ve been finished socially had something gone slightly wrong. That¡¯s what he¡¯d become firmly convinced of after hearing about everyone else¡¯s respective situations from Benzai. ¡°Captain said Kounomura was going to make the truth come to light eventually in any case though, but¡­¡± Akiyama nodded to Benzai¡¯s words. Strangely enough, he could believe it. Kounomura had no wish to make anyone miserable through his actions, Akiyama was sure. And their adversary had definitely made sure to prepare more than a few safety nets to that end. ¡°Well,¡± said Benzai calmly, ¡°it¡¯s just probably that he thought that against a guy who is too serious for his own good like you, this kind of ploy would be the most effective, you know?¡± Akiyama¡¯s expression turned bitter. Indeed, even if it was no more than a ploy, he had to admit that Kounomura had succeeded with flying colors. His approach had really proven exceptionally effective. ¡°And there¡¯s another thing.¡± Benzai gazed at Akiyama¡¯s profile. ¡°As a result of catching the real culprit, the girl who handed you over to the police has come forward saying she wants to apologize to you for mistaking you for a groper. What will you do?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Akiyama was in thought for a while, before replying: ¡°There is no need. That girl is just another victim. And since I doubted the authenticity of her claim about groping to begin with, I still have a lot to learn, myself. The reason for what had happened was my inept.i.tude, and that girl is not to blame for anything.¡± That att.i.tude, manifesting in him being able to declare such a thing without batting an eye, could be seen as truly manly, but at the same time it could also be called bigoted. Either way, it was just like Akiyama. Benzai found himself smiling at that. Akiyama continued. ¡°Besides, no matter what people said, I knew no one at Scepter 4 doubted my innocence. And that¡¯s more than enough, I¡¯d say, no, Benzai?¡± ¡°Yeah. Yeah, you¡¯re right.¡± Benzai looked away. For some reason, he felt sorry for Akiyama that it was hard to look him in the eye. ¡°Hm? What¡¯s wrong, Benzai?¡± But before Akiyama could press him about it, there came a welcome interruption in the form of the bright voice of an office clerk Yos.h.i.+no Yayoi who stood in front of the Captain¡¯s office. ¡°Oh, Akiyamsan! It¡¯s so great that the false charges against you have been dropped! Congratulations!¡± ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± Akiyama smiled. With that, Akiyama and Benzai accompanied by Yos.h.i.+no all pushed through the open door to Munakata¡¯s office. Inside, there already were the members of the special ops squad, including Fus.h.i.+mi, Fuse, Doumyouji, Enomoto and Hidaka, along with some ordinary troops, people from accounting, general affairs, and even Zenjou Gouki from the archive room, which was a rare sight. The Captain¡¯s normally fairly s.p.a.cious office was now packed with people in blue uniforms. And in the center of that ma.s.s, Munakata Reis.h.i.+ himself was seated. Chin on his joined hands, he was smiling with a composed smile. When Akiyama and his companions who¡¯d just made it through the door caught his attention, he announced, ¡°¡­With this, we have more or less everyone essential present. I apologize for my recent absence.¡± He rose. ¡°Also,¡± looking at Akiyama, he smiled, ¡°Welcome back, Akiyamkun.¡± Akiyama gave his king a sincere bow. ¡°I apologize for causing you trouble, sir.¡± Munakata dismissed him with a wave of his hand. ¡°No need. You are not to blame. The blame is mostly on myself, for letting myself to be led astray with Kounomurs.h.i.+¡¯s illusions.¡± He strode forward to stand in front of his table and cast an eye around to take in all the present. ¡°That, however, is no longer an issue. Ladies and gentlemen,¡± joining his hands behind his back, Munakata declared, ¡°from this moment onward, Scepter 4 will work towards arresting Kounomurs.h.i.+. We¡¯re going to teach that good sir who has been amusing himself with games entirely unbecoming of his age and status a lesson. No objection, I trust?¡± Noises of approval filled the room. Among the agreeing faces, there was one that didn¡¯t look enthusiastic about it in the slightest, and that was Fus.h.i.+mi¡¯s, who then raised his hand. ¡°¡­So, Captain, I take it you¡¯ve figured out where Kounomura is hiding right now?¡± ¡°No, I have not yet,¡± Munakata confessed flatly. ¡°But,¡± he continued, ¡°in another 24 hours I will because I have extracted enough source information from the routes you had brought me.¡± ¡®Oh, that,¡¯ Fus.h.i.+mi nodded, seemingly satisfied, but the rest could only feel perplexion at that reply. Munakata beamed. ¡°First, let me explain certain things. To trap us, Kounomurs.h.i.+ used a strain who could read people¡¯s minds and through him, thoroughly a.n.a.lyzed our psychology. Isn¡¯t that right, Fus.h.i.+mi-kun?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± In contrast to his usual fed-up face, Fus.h.i.+mi¡¯s report that followed was exhaustively accurate. ¡°Marumoto Keiji, 21, an aspiring photographer and a strain with the ability to read minds through the lens of his camera. Although my efforts to that end are temporarily suspended at the moment, I¡¯m pursuing him - that sickening s.h.i.+t-eating a.s.swipe!¡± he must have recalled something unpleasant because he slammed the fist of one hand on the palm of his other with a resounding bang. Munakata, utterly unperturbed by Fus.h.i.+mi¡¯s outburst, thanked him for the information. ¡°Thank you, Fus.h.i.+mi-kun. A strain capable of reading minds. Although lacking an immediate offensive ability, he proves quite a ha.s.sle when antagonized.¡± Fus.h.i.+mi clicked his tongue especially loudly at that and turned away. ¡°Fus.h.i.+mi-san looks royally p.i.s.sed off, no?¡± ¡°Did something happen between him and that strain, I wonder?¡± Enomoto and Fuse whispered between themselves, but when Fus.h.i.+mi glared daggers at them, they held their tongues. Meanwhile, Munakata continued. ¡°That Marumoto character is not the only such opponent. Kounomurs.h.i.+ had employed even more astonis.h.i.+ng means to acc.u.mulate the psychological data on us and cause malfunctions in our headquarters¡¯ systems. I a.s.sume you have already heard about it. He had dispatched a strain with a perception manipulation ability to infiltrate us and had him masquerade as Gotou-kun.¡± A turmoil rose among the present. Someone who they thought was their collegue was, in fact, a brazen impostor. They couldn¡¯t hide how shocking it still felt. ¡°Captain.¡± Fuse raised his hand. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then where was the real Gotou all this time? Is he okay?¡± The last sentence sounded tinged with worry. Munakata slowly s.h.i.+fted his gaze from Fuse to Hidaka. ¡°Hidakkun. As I recall, you are currently in change of that man¡¯s interrogation, are you not? Does he know anything about Gotou-kun?¡± ¡°Uh, well¡­¡± Being the focus of everyone¡¯s attention made Hidaka feel a little uncomfortable, but he braved on, ¡°Yes, he speculates that Gotou might be held prisoner in the same facility as Lieutenant Awas.h.i.+ma. He also stated that measures had been taken to ensure Gotou¡¯s safety.¡± Fuse nodded. ¡°Well, yeah, considering how they¡¯ve been going about it until now, it must be true. It was the same when I was stranded on that deserted island, too¡­ But still¡­ That freak was among us for quite a long time now, yes? Yet we all were none the wiser¡­ d.a.m.n!¡± His voice dripped with self-condemnation and frustration. Munakata¡¯s next utterance was put in no uncertain terms. ¡°That is exactly what is so terrifying about strains with perception manipulation abilities. They influence and confuse the brain directly. If you know about the existence of such a strain around you, you might have a chance to break the illusion, but when you don¡¯t, you lack any means to resist from the start.¡± ¡°Umm, may I add something, sir?¡± Hidaka spoke up after raising his hand. ¡°It¡¯s something else that guy said. Apparently, he¡¯d avoided running into you as best as he could because there was a high chance you¡¯d discover his ident.i.ty. Supposing he still had to see you, it was only allowed after the situation was under Kounomura¡¯s tight control, as per his plan.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Munakata stroked his chin. ¡°How prudent of him.¡± ¡°Also, as to why Gotou was chosen as the target for the switch on Kounomura¡¯s orders. According to Kounomura¡¯s comprehensive a.n.a.lysis of the special ops squad, among all the members Gotou was the one most likely to notice tiny changes, that¡¯s why it was him that guy¡¯d switched with.¡± ¡°Hmph, reasonable judgement.¡± Hidaka¡¯s words made Munakata smile. Many of the troops gathered there nodded in agreement. Indeed, it rang true. Gotou Ren was a strange guy, to be sure, but he also had a certain keenness and discerning sensitivity about him. A sort of intuitive something that went beyond Akiyama¡¯s dependability or Fus.h.i.+mi¡¯s brilliant brains. ¡°Still, we¡¯ve got to give credit where it¡¯s due for the job well done. To think that someone would actually succeed in impersonating a member of the special ops squad right in the middle of Scepter 4¡­ Naturally, it was only possible due to the extensive research on us done beforehand, but the person who managed to pull off something as nigh impossible as this must be quite capable in his own right regardless.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. It seems he¡¯s a former police officer himself. That said, there are a few things he turned out to be surprisingly careless about.¡± Having said all that, Hidaka suddenly remembered himself and fell silent. He had noticed he had touched upon a mildly offensive topic, but was left no route to backpedal and just pretend nothing had happened. All the gazes were focused on him now, and what¡¯s more, Munakata himself looked highly interested, even leaning forward a little. ¡°Erm, well, to explain¡­ you see, we manage something called "Archive E¡± jointly¡­¡° Enomoto squeezed his head between the hands he put on his cheeks, his face silently but eloquently begging Hidaka to stop, though it really couldn¡¯t be helped. After all, it had to do with the case in question. They had a duty to provide all the information they could. "He apparently misunderstood, thinking "Archive E¡± is some sort of treasure-chest of cla.s.sified doc.u.ments, so he raided the storage site to steal it.¡° In the end, having learned that that abbreviation stood for something as trivial as "erotic¡±, he flew into rage and disposed of it right in the back yard. That was the cause behind the mysterious disappearance of the erotic book archive that everyone pitched in to collect. Now that the truth was out in the open, it really was quite silly. For that reason, half of those who happened to be present to hear it wore fed-up expressions on their faces, while the other half snickered despite themselves. In particular, Yos.h.i.+no Yayoi¡¯s half-lidded coldly-looking eyes bore into Hidaka. Who, in turn, was so ashamed he wished for a hole to crawl into. The other members with a connection to ¡°Archive E¡± were no better, all looking quite uncomfortable, too. ¡°Hidakkun.¡± Munakata suddenly called out to his subordinate with a serious face. ¡°Y-yes, sir?¡± Hidaka was stiff as a board. ¡°Show me that archive of yours some time.¡± Raising his thumb up, Munakata showed his pearly white in a grin. ¡°Certainly, sir! Any time!¡± responded Hidaka eagerly. What a blessing it was to have an understanding superior. It took Zenjou casually clearing his throat to put the discussion that went off on a tangent, back on track. Munakata resumed his explanation. ¡°In short, thanks to the spy in question and the aspiring photographer in the person of Marumoto-kun, intelligence on us was gathered and our activities disrupted, while Kounomurs.h.i.+ a.n.a.lyzed our actions, set traps and nearly paralyzed our work. It¡¯s said the world is big, but I suspect this personage might be the only one on the whole globe who could manage a feat of this magnitude.¡± He nodded to himself. ¡°However, like I said a minute ago, now it¡¯s our turn. The day after tomorrow we¡¯re going to raid the place where this good sir is hiding and apprehend him. And then lecture him with all sternness not to do anything like this ever again.¡± Under the bombardment of everyone¡¯s gazes, Munakata added: ¡°Well, in truth, finding the legal basis for punis.h.i.+ng Kounomurs.h.i.+ presents a slight problem. However, judging from that good sir¡¯s personality, I believe defeating him at his own game should prove enough to dissuade him from interfering with us ever again. With that in mind, I would like you to get ready, ladies and gentlemen.¡± ¡°Captain, sir, may I ask a question?¡± It was Enomoto who timidly raised his hand. ¡°We¡¯ve been searching high and low all this time, trying to locate Kounomura. Despite that, we couldn¡¯t find a single clue to his whereabouts. So my question is, how are you going to pin it down, sir?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s easy.¡± Munakata declared nonchalantly. ¡°We shall simply do what he did and apply the Coin Toss theory, too.¡± That caused a buzz of agitation to run through the crowd. Fus.h.i.+mi folded his arms and shut his eyes. ¡°I pulled a few strings and borrowed a super computer that¡¯s currently in the process of a.n.a.lyzing Kounomurs.h.i.+¡¯s activity. We are lucky that he is a celebrity. There is a veritable mountain of data on him in newspapers and magazines that could serve as clues, and there are also an archive of our contacts with him to date. With all of that as the base, we will have an answer in 24 hours.¡± Most of the present stood there in blank amazement. ¡°Excuse me, sir,¡± said Benzai. ¡°This is something I¡¯ve asked before, but it still bothers me. Captain, when exactly did you have an opportunity to familiarize yourself with that theory in detail? I would think the particulars are top secret business information for the Coin Toss company¡­¡± Munakata shook his head slightly. ¡°As a matter of fact, that theory is so complex that even experts in life science mathematics and chaos theory find it difficult to comprehend, so it is out of question for a layman like myself to achieve an understanding of it. Only¡­¡± he paused, ¡°I have commissioned an experimental program that applies it solely in the field of pinning down a person¡¯s whereabouts.¡± ¡°Commissioned? Whom, sir?¡± Akiyama tilted his head to the side a little. ¡°America. At present, the FBI is researching and developing an a.n.a.lytical program applying the Coin Toss theory that¡¯s limited strictly to criminal investigation. For that reason, technically it¡¯s not the same "Coin Toss¡± as Kounomurs.h.i.+ used.¡° "Oh!¡± Akiyama exclaimed before he could check himself and whirled to Fus.h.i.+mi. Fus.h.i.+mi stood there with an unruffled air and firmly shut eyes. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Munakata said. ¡°It was one of the gifts that Fus.h.i.+mi-kun brought back from his business trip, short though it was.¡± Fus.h.i.+mi opened his eyes and let out a sigh. ¡°You gotta take into account that I had to supply them with all sorts of intelligence in return, so it¡¯s not really a gift. Besides, the case in point aside, this theory ain¡¯t really ready for practical application yet.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that, Fus.h.i.+mi-san?¡± It was Munakata who answered Akiyama¡¯s question in Fus.h.i.+mi¡¯s place. ¡°To start off, terrible cost-effectiveness is the most glaring issue. Obviously, there exist very few supercomputers that could perform such an a.n.a.lysis, nevermind that running it takes a whole day and costs 10 million yen. What¡¯s more, trouble pertaining to collecting enough data for such an a.n.a.lysis to even become possible is nothing to make light of. With the above in mind, the tried and tested approach of simply a.s.sembling enough man power to handle the task is a better and faster alternative. This time it¡¯s a viable option only because we¡¯re dealing with a personage as unique as Kounomurs.h.i.+, and because the expenses allotted to us in order to catch him are almost unrestricted.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Akiyama nodded deeply. But Benzai posed yet another question. ¡°But you did manage to catch Tamada, didn¡¯t you, sir?¡± ¡°As the officer who was in pursuit of him, I a.s.sume you already know it, but by nature, he¡¯s an anarchist and an aspiring artist. You may not tell it at a glance, but he has revealed quite a bit of information about himself through his blog, publications in fanzines, poetry anthologies and such. Furthermore, he had received psychological counseling several times during the reign of the previous Blue King. There are not many criminals with a track record like that though, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡± ¡°No, I suppose not,¡± Benzai replied thoughtfully. Speaking of, said Tamada, perhaps having embraced Munakata¡¯s mysterious aura, swore to turn over a new leaf after serving his prison time. Apparently, once he got out, in order to get employment at Scepter 4, he was intent on sitting for their exam. ¡°So in short, we¡¯re finally gonna do battle with them, right?¡± Doumyouji chimed in loudly. The reason why he¡¯d kept silent until then was due the lack of sleep he¡¯d been suffering from lately. ¡°Alright! Can¡¯t wait!¡± For some time now, he¡¯d been forced to do work that contributed greatly toward building his frustrations. And now, at last, his moment to s.h.i.+ne was coming. ¡°But is it really okay?¡± Akiyama wondered worriedly. ¡°The opponents have a task force consisting of a fair number of strains, no doubt. And one of them in particular, that man named Nakamura Gouki, is apparently skilled enough for even Lieutenant to have a hard time in a fight against him. Naturally, if you make your appearance, Captain, we¡¯re not likely to have much unforeseen trouble to worry about, but in case it does come down to, say, street fighting, some collateral damage might be unavoidable.¡± ¡°Oh, that shouldn¡¯t be an issue,¡± Munakata denied resolutely. ¡°I¡¯m quite positive Kounomurs.h.i.+ only surrounded himself with strains that could be deemed combat-ready troops, like Nakamura Gouki.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± came the collective noise of puzzlement. Even Fus.h.i.+mi frowned his brows, dubious. ¡°What do you mean, Captain?¡± asked Akiyama playing the crowd¡¯s representative. ¡°Well,¡± Munakata started, ¡°allow me to ask you a question in return. Akiyamkun. What makes you think Kounomurs.h.i.+ has a strain task force at his disposal?¡± ¡°Uh, well¡­¡± Akiyama momentarily stopped to think. ¡°Seeing as they took over our duties, even if it was only temporary, they must have a number of people to¡ª¡± ¡°That was only deception.¡± Not waiting for Akiyama to finish, Munakata interrupted him. ¡°We fell under a certain preconception. Since we are well aware that the job we do on a regular basis is by no means easy, we tend to think that in order for someone else to accomplish it, they¡¯d have to have about the same number of equally skilled people. But as it turns out, that is not necessarily true.¡± In a sense, it was a statement that utterly denied the very essence of Scepter 4¡¯s work. And it was no wonder that those who¡¯d heard it couldn¡¯t help being doubtful in its wake. Even Zenjou stared at Munakata in astonishment, like he was seeing him for the first time. Munakata waved his hand cheerfully. ¡°Oh no, please don¡¯t get the wrong idea. I did not mean to disparage our work, I a.s.sure you. What I¡¯m saying is the issue to consider is the underhandedness of some of those on the side of justice.¡± For the majority of the present, those words didn¡¯t hit home, but the expressions of Fus.h.i.+mi and Zenjou changed to reflect their understanding, the same as if they¡¯d have said ¡°Oh¡± or ¡°I see¡±. Munakata went on. ¡°What in our job is of the utmost importance, in your opinion? Let¡¯s see¡­¡± Without warning, he pointed at Doumyouji. ¡°What do you think, Doumyouji-kun?¡± ¡°Erm, the most important part of our job, huh?¡± Doumyouji looked troubled. ¡°Aw, shucks. Hmm, what might it be? Maybe upholding justice?¡± ¡°And what is necessary for that end? On what do we spend the bigger part of our time and effort?¡± ¡°We, uh, maintain public order, catch bad guys¡­ and ummm, sow the good, I guess?¡± At that vague answer, those around couldn¡¯t help wry smiles raising on their lips along with a warm feeling in their chests, while Munakata shook his head in no uncertain way. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. Unfortunately, you are wrong.¡± In reply to the baffled looks on his subordinates¡¯ faces, Munakata elaborated. ¡°The hardest part of our work, requiring the most effort, is to deal with each and every thing in a law-abiding way. This is what unfailingly presents a challenge to us.¡± Akiyama¡¯s mouth formed an ¡°Ah¡± when he heard that. ¡°¡­I see. That¡¯s what it¡¯s about,¡± he was heard muttering under his breath. Munakata continued his explanation. ¡°In other words, if we were to set out to catch wrongdoers, foregoing the formalities and simply doing what it takes to get the job done, like Superman or Batman, there wouldn¡¯t a need for a large scale organization like ours to start with. Coordinating with the police, finding a working balance with the court, negotiating with local residents - it is on those tasks that we spend most of our time, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡± Doumyouji was still making a face that said he didn¡¯t get it. ¡°When Superman or Batman handle a case, they don¡¯t bother going to the courthouse to complete the official procedure, neither do they work on a loan to the police. They don¡¯t have to obtain a formal approval from anyone or calculate their exact expenses and fulfill corresponding paperwork. You never see them drawing up reports that have to be submitted to the superior or filing doc.u.ments pertaining to an investigation, do you?¡± With Munakata¡¯s elaboration, Doumyouji¡¯s face brightened. Seeing as he always endured h.e.l.lish suffering when it came to his paperwork, to him, that explained everything. ¡°If I were to put it as bluntly as I can,¡± Munakata added, ¡°simply catching criminals by using illegal means like Kounomurs.h.i.+ did, such as hacking security cameras or obtaining intelligence through spies, is not really a job especially difficult to do. And that is why I said what I did earlier: from our perspective, the heroes of justice are quite underhanded.¡± ¡°But, in that case,¡± Fuse sounded very frustrated, ¡°wouldn¡¯t guys like them always have an edge on us when it comes to accomplis.h.i.+ng something? Making us who earnestly jump through the hoops look like fools?¡± Munakata didn¡¯t wait for him to finish, talking over him. ¡°We have the greater cause to defend. They don¡¯t. That¡¯s the difference, Fuse-kun.¡± His tone was soft, but at the heart of it was steel-like strength. ¡°And that is precisely why I always say whenever the occasions arises that "our cause is pure¡±. Isn¡¯t that right, Fuse-kun?¡° Fuse was in thought for some time. "Indeed. That¡¯s right. We and them have different goals. Now I see,¡± he murmured soon after as if letting the thought sink in deeply into his being. Munakata gazed at Fuse warmly for a while, then stated, ¡°Everything was but an illusion cast by the schemer extraordinaire Kounomurs.h.i.+. Having only a small number of allies makes it easy for him to transfer hideouts, while also minimizing the risk of an information leak. As an added bonus, it certainly helped confuse us and lead us astray. Meanwhile, the actual work was done by Nakamura Gouki and but a few of our adevrsary¡¯s most trusted confidants, I a.s.sume.¡± ¡°But Captain,¡± Hidaka voiced, ¡°the strains that¡¯ve been captured all attest it was multiple people that did it?¡± Munakata¡¯s answer was immediate. ¡°And what is the ability of the person you are presently in charge of questioning?¡± After a moment of vacant silence, Hidaka¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°I see!¡± Munakata nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. He made the number of captors appear more than it actually was - every time when a crime committing strain was seized, at that. As a result it looked like there was a whole multi-person force moving at the scene. Let me reiterate: what they were doing looked the same as our work only on the surface, and that is the sole reason why it was even possible. Everything was no more than an illusion created with figurative smoke and mirrors.¡± For a while, everyone present seemed to be absorbed in his or her own pensive thoughts on the issue. Watching them with a smile, Munakata commented. ¡°Eventually, we will pin down where our adversaries are hiding. And every false image they have shown us will also come to light.¡± When he continued it was with glee that almost gave one the creeps. ¡°It¡¯s finally time to put our opponents in checkmate. Kounomurs.h.i.+ is already as good as stark-naked before us.¡± It was then that Zenjou, who kept his silence until now, raised his only hand. ¡°There is one thing that bothers me though.¡± ¡°What might it be, Zenjou-san?¡± Munakata inquired, unperturbed as ever even at something as uncommon as Zenjou speaking up. ¡°At present, we still have several missing people, starting with Awas.h.i.+ma Seri, who have yet to come back. And I think we can¡¯t disregard the possibility of them being used as hostages come the worst case scenario.¡± His words made Munakata fall silent for a while - for the first time today. But then, the Blue King declared: ¡°¡­I believe Awas.h.i.+mkun and the others will be back with us soon enough, each having overcome their respective obstacles.¡± Zenjou¡¯s eyes narrowed sharply. ¡°All according to your plan, that included, then?¡± Munakata shook his head slowly. ¡°No, it is not,¡± he said pensively. ¡°If I had to find a word for it,¡± he smiled, ¡°it would probably be ''faith¡¯.¡± ? About 2 days before Scepter 4¡¯s meeting took place, Gotou Ren, whose place the impostor had taken to infiltrate Scepter 4, was on the sea more than 600km away from j.a.pan. Next to him, a bullet ricocheted with a metallic ching. ¡°[email protected]#$%^&*(!¡± Next, yells in a language he couldn¡¯t quite determine could be heard. Which, in turn, was followed by demands to surrender in some broken j.a.panese with English mixed in. ¡°Anata no, okasan, naitemasu.¡± //T/N: equivalent to something like ¡°Ur mama cry¡± Gotou sighted, muttering in a light tone, ¡°My, my, what a pickle.¡± English wasn¡¯t his forte. Due to the fact, he bet on body language as his chosen means to make his resistance apparent. He stuck his head out a little from the catwalk. ¡°Hey. Me, go back, j.a.pan. Don¡¯t jama s.h.i.+naide!¡± //T/N: ¡°Don¡¯t stand in my way¡± With that, he hoisted one middle finger up high in the air. A moment later, he got a response. ¡°FU*K!¡± It was accompanied by the sweeping fire from a machine gun. Gotou panicked, getting on all fours and crawling to hide behind an iron pole. There, he grumbled again in a voice, still lacking any urgency, seemingly oblivious to what unmistakably was a provocation on his part, ¡°My, my, that¡¯s why quick tempered foreigners are such a pain.¡± Presently, he was aboard an enormous s.h.i.+p, the Nefert.i.ti. The overall length of it was 175 meters, with the width being 25 meters. The total displacement tonnage measured at 8900 tons. The highest speed it could achieve clocked at 23 knots, with its crew counting 130 members. It was an imposing military transport vessel capable of transporting 2 helicopters, 30 large trucks and 25 tanks. Its owner was a private military company called ''SPT¡¯ - a multinational enterprise that, among other fields, also engaged in paramilitary activities regulated by a treaty signed in Toronto by 24 countries. A so called Mars-Mercury agreement was enacted between the USA and the EU and designed to keep j.a.pan¡¯s economic growth in check. To counter that, in the last 20 years or so, international laws had been developed allowing active operation for a number of private paramilitary companies, with j.a.pan playing a central role. And this was what Kounomura Zen''ichi resorted to when booking the vessel in question and its crew for the period of 1 month as a private individual. The mission he gave the crew was to reliably keep Gotou Ren away from j.a.pan. He¡¯d certainly gone out of his way to arrange for a military s.h.i.+p just to keep Gotou under house arrest and strict supervision, and then, to be doubly sure, even make said s.h.i.+p put a considerable amount of distance between itself and the mainland j.a.pan. All of which exhaustively proved the utter importance Kounomura attached to Gotou Ren¡¯s custody as one of the keys for the success of his plan. Incidentally, said Gotou Ren was currently on the run from the armed guard units after having broken out of the prison designed exclusively for him by escaping through a door 1 meter thick and locked with an electromagnetic lock that required multiple pa.s.swords and a fingerprint of the supervisor to open. At first, his jailers were quite amicable, but after Gotou punched their platoon leader¡¯s lights out, blew up sewer pipes, made three or so of them take a plunge into a septic tank, and two more wallow in wheat flour, their rage had reached the boiling point. Calmly carrying out such acts with a disinterested air about him was what it meant to be Gotou Ren. The way he went about his breakout was also unusual. For about 2 weeks, he did nothing at all. He seemed perfectly content to just sleep, play smart phone games on the phone supplied to him as a present or paint pictures in isolation, making even his jailers question themselves with concern if he¡¯d even understood his current situation. Still, they had directions from Kounomura to let him spend his time as pleasantly as possible under the circ.u.mstances. Only, Gotou wasn¡¯t doing all of the above without a reason. Those drowsy eyes of his kept meticulously watching and observing. And, having found a blind spot, a momentary opening in his guards¡¯ defenses, he attacked it and freed himself. And right now, he wasn¡¯t just randomly angering his guards. He used their reactions to deduce where on this s.h.i.+p were the most crucial areas. In the process of running around from his pursuers, he¡¯d arrived at the s.h.i.+p¡¯s vast hold. ¡°Huh?¡± With his pursuers closing in on him from behind, Gotou leisurely inclined his head. ¡°This is strange. I thought this should be the engine room or something equally important.¡± He ran while compiling a map of the s.h.i.+p in his head, but it seemed he went wrong somewhere. ¡°Mn, I still have a lot to improve on, I guess.¡± Not sounding especially regretful, Gotou approached a strange cube placed isolatedly in the middle of the hold. He found himself oddly curious about it. ¡°¡­I wonder what is this?¡± It was then¡­ ¡°Haaaah!¡± ¡­that a tremendously loud scream had issued from inside the construct, making Gotou instinctively take a step back. He had a feeling he might have heard that voice somewhere before. ¡°HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!¡± This time the war cry managed to pack even more fierceness; cracks, one after another, started running across the surface of the cube as a result, and then¡­ ¡°Phew, finally it breaks.¡± ¡­Awas.h.i.+ma slipped out of it, twisting her body to fit in through a slender crack. For some reason, she was dressed in a scarlet dress. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± For a while, Awas.h.i.+ma and Gotou simply stared at one another. ¡°Why are here, Gotou?!¡± Awas.h.i.+ma broke the silence first. ¡°¡­I could ask you the same, ma''am. No, actually, I¡¯m more interested in asking you why you¡¯re decked out like that. Lieutenant, are you getting ready for a wedding or what?¡± ¡°D-Don¡¯t be absurd! It¡¯s just this was the only piece of clothing provided to me.¡± Both of them looked mightily confused, but the moment their ears caught the sound of Gotou¡¯s pursuers¡¯ footsteps from the pa.s.sage he¡¯d taken to get here, the two donned composed faces. Gotou briefly outlined his circ.u.mstances to Awas.h.i.+ma. In short, having taken him prisoner, the chances were the s.h.i.+p was now a long ways off from j.a.pan. Awas.h.i.+ma was quick to get a grasp on the situation, and even quicker to make a decision. ¡°Understood,¡± she said as if it was the most trivial thing in the world. ¡°Let¡¯s commandeer this s.h.i.+p.¡± That took even Gotou by slight surprise. ¡°¡­We¡¯d be up against more than 50 armed soldiers though?¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Awas.h.i.+ma smiled charmingly, working on rolling up the sleeves and shortening the hem of her dress to make it easy to move in. ¡°Does that really count as ''many¡¯? You and I are both the Blue King¡¯s clansmen, don¡¯t forget.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Gotou had found his resolve. Smiling without a trace of tension, he added, ¡°Seems like an appropriate number in that case.¡± ¡°True.¡± Awas.h.i.+ma fixed her gaze on the entrance from which the soldiers were likely to appear. ¡°We¡¯ve got to go back to the Captain¡¯s side as quickly as possible, and to that end, every second counts. I have no doubt he¡¯s waiting for our return even as we speak.¡± Gotou nodded in agreement, cracking his fingers. It was 4 hours later that the s.h.i.+p made a sharp U-turn and started heading back to the far away j.a.pan it had previously departed from.