#k seven srories
GROUND ZERO, FRAGMENTS (Novel / In progress)
*Chapter 01
*Chapter 02
* Chapter 03
* Chapter 04
* Chapter 05
* Chapter 06
* Chapter 07
* Chapter 08
* Chapter 09
* Chapter 10
* Chapter 11
* Chapter 12
Note: This story will be released on the 10th of every month in Japan.
K - ONE YEAR LATER
CHAPTER 2: THE ABSENCE OF THE KING (BY TATSUO MIYAZAWA)
Translation: Naru-kun
Raws: Ridia
A year has passed since then.
Reisi Munakata disappeared from “Scepter 4” and almost two months have passed.
For the members, except for a few executives, it was a completely overwhelming event, like a mist in the blue sky.
One morning, in front of the members who were summoned, Munakata said in the same simple tone as always.
“I’ll be out of here for a while. After that, Awashima-kun will take over as acting director. Fushimi-kun will be deputy general manager. I hope you continue to serve in their roles.”
The content was so sudden that the place fell silent.
Awashima and Fushimi standing to Munakata’s left and right had worried faces and sulky expressions. Finally, Akira Hidaka, a person with common sense, raised his hand and asked.
“Does that mean you’re taking a vacation?”
At that question, Munakata just smiled.
“Yes. In a sense, that is correct.”
The members looked at each other.
Although the director is strong as steel, he has consumed some paid vacations for reasons such as his niece’s birthday party and the university synchronization party.
What was the point of declaring a break now?
“So how long will you rest, Captain?”
This time, Daiki Fuse asked with a relatively calm demeanor. Munakata kept his mouth open.
“That’s right. At least a month or more. Half a year or maybe a year.”
Shock ran through all the members. There was a crack.
Munakata stood silently.
“Reason!”
It was Andy Domyoji who made a strong voice. He raises his hand to the front.
“What’s the reason?! It doesn’t matter how long it is!”
Everyone thought it was a break of about 10 days, from a week to a long time. Currently, “Scepter 4” is in charge of their duties by appointing a few former Strain to increase their strength.
Although the Slate has disappeared, their responsibilities have not diminished at all. Under such circumstances, it could no longer be an ordinary situation for the head of the organization to be absent for such a long period of time.
Munakata replied in a low voice.
“Framework.”
“Eh?”
Munakata responded to Domyoji.
“I’m thinking of removing the frame.”
Domyoji opened his mouth and everyone else looked confused.
They just didn’t understand the meaning.
What was the Captain saying?
Wrapped in such a sign, Awashima’s embarrassed expression and Fushimi’s grumpy face grew stronger and stronger.
At that point, Himori Akiyama and Yujiro Benzai looked at each other slightly. Like Awashima and Fushimi, the two of them had been talking to Munakata about this matter for quite some time.
Akiyama confirmed on behalf of the two.
“Captain.”
“What’s going on?”
“You can come back one day, right?”
“……”
There was a gap for a moment. Eventually…
“That’s how it is.”
Munakata closed his eyes and answered.
“I want to do that.”
Everyone in attendance felt that there was no clear conviction in Munakata’s words, and the place calmed down as if he had touched water.
That was what happened two months ago.
Then one day, Munakata disappeared. They didn’t know where he went or what he was doing.
However, due to careful transfer of work and division of labor by business class, the “Scepter 4” role continued to operate without being significantly affected.
Fushimi, on the other hand…
“Is it a journey to find yourself?”
Although he was ironic with his boss, he took the initiative to make up for Munakata’s absence.
However, the agitation at work was minimal, but the feeling of each member was not.
Some felt uncomfortable and others were angry.
Awashima was trying to answer questions from various members, such as:
“Why did the Captain disappear?” or, “What the hell is he doing now?”
Of course, Awashima was properly convinced and supported Munakata. She believed that he understood Munakata’s intent and purpose.
However, she did not know how to convey it to others.
In short, Munakata’s reason for leaving was no doubt “a journey to find himself”, as Fushimi mentioned.
However, the fate and future of this country may depend on the “journey to find oneself”. Fushimi knew this too, so he followed Munakata’s decision, even though he complained.
Awashima, on the other hand…
“The director has a deep thought. We will continue to protect the cause as "Scepter 4” so that he can return at any time.“
That’s what she said to inspire everyone and fulfilled her duties as interim director.
Actually, there was a mountain of things to do. Though the Slate’s influence has waned, Strain’s crimes have not gone away.
Negotiations with the public authority and supervision of the members. She went places she hadn’t been before. She realized the greatness of the man named Reisi Munakata once again. Still, there were talented men like Fushimi, Akiyama, and Benzai as Awashima’s assistants.
It was not painful to do the hard work every day due to the skill of the staff.
Just one point.
It was a small event, but there was an event that made Awashima very upset.
Namely…
She gained weight.
++++++++++
There was no doubt that Awashima got on a scale every morning to manage her physical condition. There were fluctuations in the numbers that had not changed in the last three years.
The rate of increase was a few percent, but it was a terrible situation.
At first she thought it was temporary, but there was no sign of the increased numbers slowing down at all.
What was the reason?
Was it due to changes in functions or increased stress?
It was not unthinkable, but Awashima herself immediately denied that possibility. She said it herself, but it wasn’t that smooth. There was nothing wrong with that amount of work.
Awashima thought about the athletic club, so she decided to tighten her body right away.
She went to the "Scepter 4” dojo, she took a bamboo sword and sweated with the members during training. Since she meant it, Zenjo was there as a teacher.
“That’s a good lunge. You’ve put your weight back on your foot.”
She was praised, but…
(What’s wrong with this person? Rubbing? Or rather, did I get fat enough to understand Zenjo-san?)
In Awashima’s mind, such an idea seemed paranoid. She did the best she could for about two weeks, but the results were not very good. She had gained a bit of weight.
At that stage, Awashima was beginning to feel a bit impatient.
She reviewed her life in various ways. She especially examines her eating habits.
Awashima has been a frequent drive-thru since she was a student. She adhered to her parents’ teaching that diet is important for physical and mental health, and she tried to get a good balance of nutrients like protein, fat, vitamins, and carbohydrates.
One night, Awashima remembered her day. First, she got up at 6 o'clock. After light exercise, she ate brown rice, vegetable soup, pickled bran with bacon, and egg in the dining room attached to “Scepter 4’s” bedroom.
After that, she went to work and bought Cobb salad and tomato juice at a convenience store around 1:00 p.m.
She returned to the bedroom at 7:00 p.m. and ate corn and brown rice stew. A small amount of meaty potatoes and Chinese-style noodles. She roughly calculated the calories in her head, but she didn’t think there was a fat factor.
Awashima took a shower, put on a bathrobe, and returned to the living room with a towel around her head, then pondered various things.
She didn’t feel like there was a catch somewhere.
“Hmm.”
It was the only time in a day that she could feel relieved.
She got a good bean paste, so she enjoys freezing it a bit to make anko ice cream with a crunchy texture.
Awashima thought as she poked the huge bean paste ice cream into the bowl with a spoon.
Where is the calorie well?
Although she was restraining herself every day.
And at that moment, Awashima’s brain finally reached the answer. Her face was tight.
“Maybe…”
She brings a spoon full of red bean paste in front of her and looks at it.
“Is this the cause?”
It was a cruel truth.
Anko has calories.
That’s pretty good too.
Awashima completely forgot about the fact that even elementary school students can understand it.
For Awashima, red bean paste was air and water. It was a necessary item to be ingested as a matter of course, and she was unaware that it contained such impurities as calories.
When she was still little, she ate an anko rice cake made at her parents’ Japanese sweet shop and opened her eyes to the delight. Since then, she had been flattening a large amount of red bean paste. The Anko was always with her when something was difficult and when she was happy. The Anko was a friend, a healing and a life.
Namely…
That had calories!
What an unreasonable act!
Awashima suffered for almost a day, and her feelings for a diet exceeded her desire for red bean paste, and she decided to give up red bean paste for a while.
The daughter of a long-established Japanese sweet shop, she boiled red bean paste and brought it to school with her lunch when she was a student. Currently, she continues to consume more than 100 kg of red bean paste each year. One day, her mother said with a sigh.
“In your body, surely bean paste flows instead of blood.”
Awashima, an elite of that genuine bean paste, rejected the bean paste, so the reaction was intense.
Her head and shoulders weighed more than they were, she didn’t feel well, and the whole world looked confused.
Fortunately, the situation still hadn’t hampered her work, but she was afraid of making some serious mistakes.
Anko?
Was it because of her weight?
One night, when Awashima, who was suffering from withdrawal, finished her work, she headed to the HOMRA Bar. When she noticed, she rang the doorbell and entered the store, but she was probably subconsciously trying to quench her thirst for red bean paste with alcohol.
“Oh, Seri-chan. It’s been a long time.”
Kusanagi, who was cleaning a glass on the counter, recognized Awashima and smiled.
Recently, they hadn’t seen each other much because she had been busy with work, but sometimes as a place to gather information, sometimes completely private, Awashima visited this bar regularly.
After the final battle with the Green clan, the Red clan and the Blue clan did not have any particular conflict on the front or the back.
There’s also a part where the clan members were able to talk to each other due to the experience of establishing a joint front, and probably the important thing is that Reisi Munakata and Anna Kushina aren’t in a relationship where they bump into each other in the first place.
Both sides now have a sense of polite distance that draws a line. Between them, Kusanagi and Awashima continued in contact in a slightly special standing position.
Kusanagi is serious and sometimes asks Awashima out on a date with a tone that she doesn’t know if it’s serious or joking. Awashima also handled it well, and in some cases offered serious consultation.
They were the number two of each clan, they were the owner and guest of the bar, and they still had a relationship that they couldn’t express themselves.
So, Awashima knew immediately.
“Kusanagi-kun. Are you a bit tired?”
She asked as she sat down on the stool in front of the counter.
“Yes.”
Kusanagi smiled bitterly.
“Do you have a perspective, Seri-chan?”
“What happened?”
Awashima asked carefully. Kusanagi hesitated for a moment. So he looked a bit shy.
“No, it’s not a big deal. I’m trying to quit smoking.”
Awashima was slightly surprised.
It was a strange situation.
It didn’t seem possible that Kusanagi wanted to leave something like “his favorite thing”.
“It’s funny. A good-aged adult acting like this… You may think it’s just a cigarette, but after you quit, you get a weird feeling.”
“No.”
Awashima responded with a voice that killed her emotions.
“Yes, I understand.”
Actually, she wanted to tell Kusanagi everything. That she was having bean paste withdrawal for a reason. However, that mysterious relationship with Kusanagi prevented her from saying so. Awashima clenched her fist tightly.
Kusanagi felt strange for a moment seeing Awashima’s situation, but immediately asked cheerfully.
“Then what are you going to want? Somehow, Seri-chan, I felt that you would come today, so I bought anko right now.”
Awashima bit her lips hard.
What a cruel temptation!
She really wanted to scream.
“Anything! Anything with red bean paste!”
However, Awashima, a strong-willed adult woman, replied:
“I’m not feeling like that today, so can I have a regular martini?”
Was it just a little?
It was completely self-controlled, except the ending wobbled just a bit.
Kusanagi had round eyes.
“Yes.”
What’s the matter? Is it bad for your body?
He believed that she wanted to hear that. However, Kusanagi immediately swallowed the word.
“I understand.”
He smiled kindly.
Maybe he guessed the reason why Awashima didn’t order red bean paste momentarily.
And not at all, pretending not to know or notice, he silently began to make the cocktail.
Kusanagi’s side was a bit hateful and a relief.
Before long, Awashima drank the translucent liquid in the cocktail glass placed in front of her in almost a breath.
After all, that day, there were no customers at the bar, and Awashima spent time with Kusanagi one on one. It was a gloomy and strange space where the master and the client had few words and alternately sighed.
It was the moment when Awashima paid the bill and tried to leave the store at the right time.
Anna Kushina, the “Red King”, walked up to Awashima and looked into her face.
“Ah, "Red King”.“
Awashima nodded, but Anna was looking at Awashima with a frown that she was worried about.
By the way, she was behaving strangely earlier. The footsteps gently descended from the second floor, but as soon as she saw Awashima, she turned around, turned right, and went back.
She was wondering if she avoided her because of the heavy atmosphere with Kusanagi.
"What’s going on?”
Awashima got suspicious and asked:
“Seri.”
Anna said in a slightly scared voice.
“Did you go to a strange place recently?”
“Eh?”
Anna said like a tongue twister.
“You’d better go to the shrine. As soon as possible.”
She could leave it as it was. No, she was running away.
Awashima opened her mouth and stiffened her back.
Kusanagi, who couldn’t hear the exchange between the two, was sighing again at the counter.
Awashima knows that Anna Kushina has a special power.
What did that mean?
If she were to take the words at face value, Awashima would now be in a state where purification is necessary, meaning “something is possessed”.
Could it be true?
Anna shook her head with a frightening face, no, to be exact, she was looking at the back of her face.
Actually, she didn’t even remember.
In the last two months she visited an abandoned house where about three people died and a forest famous as a psychic place, depending on the circumstances of her performance.
It is true that after she went there, they took her away in the middle of the night.
She felt a strange signal when she was taking a shower.
Above all, her weight began to increase.
Fear in various ways began to dominate Awashima’s head. But where should she go, what would the purification look like?
It was when she was thinking about it in the “Scepter 4” break room with so much trouble.
“Oh, Lieutenant, can we come in?”
A member called out with a loud voice. Looking at them, Goto and Hidaka stood up.
“What happened?”
There was still time on her original shift. Was it also a query?
“What happened?”
The worrying thing was that Goto was holding something like a strange machine.
The basic shape was a cylinder, but many colorful wire-like lines were twisted on the metallic surface. Should she call it a cutting edge object?
Also, a meter-like thing was embedded in the center, and it rotated all the time.
“What’s that?”
Awashima frowned and asked.
“Oh.”
Hidaka made a voice that seemed to be in trouble. Goto answered categorically.
“It’s a ghost detector.”
“Eh?”
Awashima made a harsh voice. Hidaka inserted the explanation as if he was in a hurry.
“No, sorry. Actually, Gotti… I was in Goto’s room with two people, but all of a sudden this started working without permission.”
Goto explained at his own pace.
“This is a device that detects and tracks spirits. I bought it at an antique shop in Shizume.”
“So, if you follow the direction this machine is pointing…”
Hidaka looked at them with a complicated line of sight. Awashima was convinced.
“I was there.”
The two replied with the same voice, “Yes.” Awashima thought. She knew well that Goto was collecting mystery show goods and hidden goods.
It was suspicious no matter how she looked at it, and it smelled like dust.
Nevertheless…
(Maybe it really has some power?)
She casually touched the protruding wire-like tip.
At that moment…
A shock that made static electricity hundreds of times stronger with a ridiculous noise that could not be described as bachin, tomo, or zuban pierced through Awashima’s body.
“Lieutenant?!”
“Now I’m acting as director!”
Hidaka and Goto hurriedly approached Awashima. At the end of the reflection on the retina, Awashima’s consciousness cut off.
Since the conclusion, Awashima had been crushed for about 10 seconds. Awashima got up after checking on Hidaka and Goto, who were worried and apologized.
From that moment on, she felt as refreshed and lightened as she had never felt before.
After that, she asked her GP to see her just in case, but there was no problem.
Awashima had a premonition.
After work, she came home and got on the scale. And the feeling of relief, joy and omnipotence when she reviewed the result was indescribable.
Her weight was completely restored.
Awashima dropped to the ground, hopped on her toes, and did a pirouette. She then went straight to the fridge, took out the red bean paste that had been sitting in for a long time and enjoyed it to the fullest.
It was so delicious that tears came to her eyes.
Honestly, she wasn’t sure what happened. Awashima was obsessed with something, and she weighed more by that. And, as a result, she was exorcised by touching Goto’s spirit detector.
She could imagine that, but the facts were not very important to Awashima.
The important thing is that her body had been restored to eat red bean paste again.
By the way, it seems that the ghost detector on Goto was destroyed by that impact.
Awashima generously offered compensation, and instead she made Goto afraid.
And one night when she was visiting the HOMRA bar, as soon as she sat down at the counter,
“Kusanagi-kun. A Martini with Anko. Anko. Twice as usual!”
She declares that. Kusanagi was still trying to quit smoking, with a face that didn’t have much courage.
“Haha, Seri-chan. I think you’re fine today.”
Hearing that, Awashima clearly laughed.
“Yes. I am very happy to eat what I love to my heart’s content.”
Kusanagi smiled a bitter smile and closed his eyes.
It will continue in Chapter 3, “Kusanagi’s Smoking Cessation and the Days of Homura”.
RED CASE FILES: HOMRA IN LAS VEGAS
CHAPTER 4: TROUBLE IN LAS VEGAS
Translation: Naru-kun
Raws: Ridia
Danny Buckman, a contract merchant at the Maroon Hotel, didn’t really understand the relationship between the two at first.
In front of Danny was a red-haired young man and a white-haired girl. The young man looked at the spinning roulette boringly, and the girl waits for the moment when the ball falls with shining eyes. They looked like a father with his daughter, a brother and a sister, but it was rare to see that the children were excited about that.
“Mikoto.”
When the girl raised her voice at him, the young man named Mikoto looked at her politely.
“Do you want to do it, Anna?”
Anna nodded and Mikoto casually handed the chips to Anna. Danny was surprised at the exchange of Japanese.
“Start gambling.”
With Danny’s phrase, customers began to bet as they wanted. Anna took the chips she received and looked seriously at the betting area.
“Turning.”
When Danny spoke again, the roulette wheel began to spin.
Strictly speaking, it is illegal for children to gamble, even in Las Vegas. However, entertainment wouldn’t be possible if he cared about that kind of game. Danny tolerated it, tossing the ball into the roulette wheel, smiling at Anna, who had a black chip before he spun the roulette wheel.
In front of Anna, who joined her hands in prayer, the ball swirled around the board.
When Danny took aim, it landed on the black box.
“……!”
With a bright expression on her face, Anna stretched out and looked at the roulette wheel. She then turned her gaze from it to Mikoto who was next to her.
“Mikoto. Got it!”
“Hmm… Oh, that’s right.”
Anna showed no offensive pretense at Mikoto’s response, which seemed uncomfortable. Assuming this was the relationship between the two, Danny handed the increased tokens back to Anna and winked at her.
“Congratulations, young lady.”
Speaking in English, Anna blinked amazingly. Then, like a child, she smiled.
“Thank you.”
Danny smiled.
However, the service went as far as that. As a contract dealer, he would work properly from now on. The dealer’s job is to put the ball into the selected pocket, and the real joy of roulette is guessing which pocket the dealer intends to put it into. It will be a long time before the Japanese lady gets there.
“Start gambling.”
Danny stated again with a smile on his face.
Thirty minutes later, Danny’s expression froze and his complexion began to pale.
The chips were stacked in front of Anna, and he couldn’t even recognize their appearance. She has bet six times since then, and Anna has hit everything. She started with twice the colors red and black, then three times the dozen, then six times the line, seven times the first five, and nine times the corner.
At that point, she had already made over $2,000.
He didn’t know what was going on.
It couldn’t have been possible.
Anna didn’t seem to understand even the rules of roulette. A girl this good beat astronomical odds and punched his pockets, as if she could see Danny’s heart.
Sweat oozed from the hand holding the ball, and the aim was about to be shaken. Danny stated again, being careful not to shake his voice.
“Well, start betting.”
However, the surrounding guests were not moving, they were observing Anna’s behavior. It was just about riding a girl’s horse. They wanted to shout that they were not proud as players, but when you win, you win, that was also the rule of the game.
Everyone at the table was looking at Anna. The exception would be Mikoto, the young man sitting next to her. He continued to smoke, his expression not changing at the increasing number of chips. It didn’t seem like it was an unexpected victory. It was creepy, unlike the deadpan Japanese who heard the story.
Anna’s hands moved silently on the table where no one moved.
She bet all the chips on black.
“Turning.”
The roulette wheel began to spin. Customers began to mill around and place tokens in black spots or the like. Danny was looking at him, feeling a cold sweat on his back.
“The bet is off.”
The rotation of the ball began to slow down. They all watched him with a sigh.
No. At that time, there were still exceptions.
Mikoto and Anna. Mikoto silently stared at the black area where Anna placed the bet. And Anna wasn’t looking at the ball, but at Danny.
When Danny realized that, the ball fell into a locker.
Red 16.
The place was filled with mourning. Only the young man and the girl in front of him did not speak. Despite losing all the chips, the girl silently smiled, looked at Danny and tilted her head.
“Come on, Mikoto.”
“Yes.”
The two of them stood together and left the table as they were, showing no regret or displeasure. Looking at her back in a daze, Danny suddenly had an idea.
Until now, Anna was hitting his pocket. As if she knew in advance.
So it’s not possible that she lost on purpose?
The girl in the end was compassionate. He didn’t think that was mysteriously humiliating. Until the next bet began, Danny stared at the strange Japanese duo.
++++++++++
“It was good?”
As she walked through the bustle of the casino floor, Anna looked at Suoh who said that out of the blue.
Maybe Anna thought so. Mikoto was aware that Anna would intentionally lose at that point.
“Yes.”
Anna nodded and began to talk about her thoughts and feelings.
“It was fun at first, but then I started knowing which box to put in. I could see where that person was pointing.”
Probably, she activated the sentient ability like Strain. Even if she couldn’t see the future, she could still see where the person in front of her was paying attention.
If you win in a fair game, no problem. But that trafficker is a normal person, albeit with skill. In Anna’s sense, using different abilities against such opponents is cheating.
“Because he is cunning.”
That was the case.
Suoh laughed and stroked Anna’s hair. For some reason, she was happy and proud of the feel of his warm palm. Anna also loosened her mouth.
A stinging sensation stabbed at her skin.
Anna stopped and looked around her.
The casino floor was filled with light and sound. The sound of the ball spinning around the roulette wheel, the lightning of the slot machine shooting out of the hit, the cheers and shouts of the tourists who were delighted with them, in the midst of the hustle and bustle, Anna felt a rough touch. She felt as if the grainy black paper was gently caressing her cheeks. She remembered it.
Malice and hostility.
“Mikoto.”
Suoh was moving before the warning. He gently nudged Anna’s body, moving between her and the poker table.
At that time, the men in black had already surrounded Suoh.
“Client. Excuse me?”
Anna did not understand the meaning of English. However, the feelings they had were passed on. The harsh hostility was growing stronger.
Before them, Suoh…
“Thanks.”
While he laughed a little, he said it in Japanese.
The men in black looked at each other’s faces for a moment. Then, with the precision of a machine, they took one step at a time. The tourists around him sensed signs of trouble and began to move away.
“In this way…”
One of the men in black grabbed Suoh’s arm. Anna looked at Suoh anxiously. Of course, she wasn’t worried about Suoh. She was worried about the safety of the other party.
Suoh looked at Anna,
“I can’t cheat.”
The next moment, Suoh’s fist sank into the face of the man in black.
“You!”
Another man in black changed his blood phase and grabbed Suoh. Suoh laughed lightly, took his arm and kicked his epigastrium. He jumped onto the back of a man in agony and slammed his heel into the last remaining brain.
“Shit!”
From between the slot machines, from the back of the poker table, more men in black appeared, and in the blink of an eye, Suoh was surrounded. Suoh laughed invincibly in front of a swarm of enemies.
“Go with Totsuka.”
That was all he said to Anna, and he jumped into the herd.
The big fight had begun.
Slot machines collapsed, the table flipped, chips, blood splatters, and the bodies of the men in black flew through the air. The tourists screamed, disturbed the calculation and fled. Suoh was in the thick of the fight, but he happily shook his fist at him or received a fist. Anna leaned over, snuck into Blackjack’s pedestal, climbed out the other side, and sighed.
She heard a familiar voice.
“Ah. Hey, you’re flashy, King.”
Anna looked at the owner of the voice and her expression suddenly relaxed.
“Tatara. Can you stop Mikoto?”
Totsuka made a flap with his hand and, while watching Suoh madly, he shook his head with a “Hmm.”
“Isn’t it impossible? It feels like the other side is poking around. Did you notice it even with a grudge?”
“No.”
“That’s right. Who are those people in the first place? They don’t feel like security guards, maybe they’re yakuza.”
Anna didn’t know why those men in black had called them or where they were going to take them. Yet only the gritty black hostility told Anna of the danger. Not because they did anything, but from the beginning they had intended to attack Suoh.
And even now…
“Tatara!”
The tone became louder than before because the surrounding hostility gradually reduced the siege. Looking around, there were several people approaching them, mixed in with the fleeing tourists.
They were not men in black. Anna intuitively understood that they were their favorites. The sword-eating light that inhabited their eyes looked only at Anna. From the beginning, they were their target!
The enemy had already escaped from the human wave and started to go straight towards Anna and the others. Totsuka smiled softly at Anna, who clung to herself.
“It’s okay, Anna.”
At the same time, Anna remembered various familiar signs around her.
“Because everyone is there.”
“Oh!”
Kicking a fallen slot machine and jumping up, several red glows flashed.
The group of enemies was suddenly hit and kicked without being able to react properly. Meanwhile, the red glow grew even stronger. One of them, a young man in a woolen hat, knocked over several enemies with a mop and smiled at Totsuka.
“Hey, Totsuka-san! You’re doing something that looks like fun! Isn’t the bee that left us injured?”
Totsuka shook his head with a bitter smile.
“It’s the result of rock, paper, scissors, so God is not free enough to hit each other.”
“It’s not that, it’s a matter of feeling!”
Yata held a mop as he struck an enemy sneaking up from behind with his rear fist. Around that, Kamamoto, Bando, Chitose, and Eric, the “Homura” members who should have gone to Japan, gathered one after another.
Anna rolled her eyes and asked.
“Why is everyone here?”
They all responded with fearless laughter.
“I’ve been working part time! I had a lot of problems!”
“I went to Mexico, I walked in the desert, it was very hard…”
“I almost dried up… because of Yata…!”
In the second half, he was close to a grudge clause, but looking back, Yata screamed.
“Shut up! You’re supposed to know the language more than anything else! We came all the way to America, they don’t seem ruthless!”
“Aaaah!”
Yata pushed his fist up. Glowing chandeliers, red carpets, roulette wheels, poker stalls and slot machines rolling over them, in a strange landscape, the fist with a red aura was terrifyingly familiar.
“No Blood! No Bone! No Ash!!”
Yata raised his voice at the same time. A group of fists that jutted out in response turned into an even larger aura. Surrounded by them, Anna smiled a little.
++++++++++
A couple of men and women were in the VIP lounge overlooking the casino floor of the Maroon Hotel.
Standing in front of tempered glass, watching the hustle and bustle going on in the world below. The man, who stroked his white suit, his red shirt and his hair back, pierced the glass and stuck it to his forehead, looking at the scene.
The man’s name is Koushi Mizuchi.
There were three eyes on his face.
“Uh, oh, Jane? Is something wrong?”
A blonde woman with her arms crossed beside him, Jane, turned her suspicious gaze on him.
“What are you talking about?”
“It’s not decided? It’s "Homura”. We invited the “Red King” to the party, right? I didn’t want to invite everyone.“
The three eyes were constantly moving, looking at each of the "Homura” members.
“Misaki Yata. Rikio Kamamoto. Saburota Bando. After all, there are those I don’t remember calling. This is strange, Jane. Whose fault is it?”
Jane turned her heels unpleasantly back. Sitting on a Venetian couch, she poured wine into a glass.
“There’s nothing wrong with that area, Mizuchi. When they got to Japan, they tried to get caught in the net.”
One of Mizuchi’s eyes twitched and turned to Jane.
“Oh, after all, isn’t it strange? Then why are they here? Why didn’t they get caught in the net?”
“From what I see, they immigrated illegally.”
“Hmm…”
Mizuchi’s pupil grew as made a mechanical noise. Jane pursed her lips and pointed at Mizuchi.
“Stop doing that.”
“What’s that?”
“Don’t look at me with those eyes. It’s disturbing.”
Mizuchi’s eyes moved and turned forward again. Keeping the conflict under his eyes in full view.
“That’s rude. I was making sure you weren’t lying. Your pulse and temperature will tell me if you’re lying.”
Jane gave a creepy look at Mizuchi who shook his shoulders.
Mizuchi’s eyes and part of his brain were replaced by machines.
The connection between the optic nerve and the eye of the camera was Mizuchi’s ability to enable technology that was not feasible even with cutting-edge cybernetics. His “talent” drawn by Daikaku Kokujoji, the “Golden King”, was specialized in healing and regeneration. With a power that Jane and her colleagues couldn’t understand, Mizuchi replaced his eyes with a machine, allowing him to “see” light of all wavelengths.
At first glance, Mizuchi’s head was covered with glasses. But, in fact, it was Mizuchi’s new “skin”, which had been replaced by fiber-reinforced plastic. Three rails ran over the skin, and each rail was equipped with a freely moving camera eye. Mizuchi besides being a talented scientist, was the third monster to have undergone a transformation by using that technique on himself.
Mizuchi muttered with his face pressed against the tempered glass.
“Well, it can’t be helped. Besides, I thought they’d be here soon.”
“What?”
Jane was disappointed, and one of Mizuchi’s eyes turned to her again.
“I’m a criminal who belonged to "Tokijikuin”, right? Kokujoji Daikaku shouldn’t have thrown me away. I thought it would take some time to chase him down. It was unexpected that they came so early.“
"Uh, "Tokijikuin” was the one who brought them to this country?“
"With a cover of diplomatic immunity, he could bring several people while hiding his identity. In other words, we are already being chased by "Tokijikuin”. Huhhhhhhh!“
That sounded funny to him, Mizuchi shrugged his shoulders and laughed. Jane looked at him and took a sip of wine.
"Oops. Looks like they’re going to run away.”
Jane stood up and walked to the edge of the tempered glass as she held the glass.
On the casino floor, “Homura” was bonded and trying to cut through the attacking men in black. On the other side of the main entrance, they were all running towards the entrance side at once. The men in black were trying to chase them down, but it was clearly depressing from there. In fact, they were just gangsters hired for money, not the intelligence department. It was part of the calculation to run if they were hit.
“I’m going to move the inn. They noticed that this hotel is under our control.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Yes and no. "Tokijikuin” will be looking for me. They could enter this room right now.“
Jane looked out of the room with stern eyes. The fighters were stationed outside. He was a member who had military service experience and it could be said that he was a veteran, but it was doubtful how much he could fight against a talented person.
Mizuchi and Jane turned their heels almost at the same time and started heading towards the exit. As they walk side by side, Mizuchi said happily.
"In other words, it’s okay to run away while being chased. Let’s escape via the rooftop helipad. There’s also a date with "him”.“
"What about "Homura”? Will you leave them alone?“
"I have enough data, but I can’t let it go. The clansmen have arrived, so let’s welcome them. That’s right.”
Mizuchi declared this happily, as he pushed the door open and held out his arms to welcome them.
“Alright, let’s do the "Glass Hopper II” output! It’s a memorable battle royale of the beloved child we created! I’m sure you can get a lot of valuable data!“
++++++++++
They ran across the casino floor, kicked the "STAFF ONLY” sign, and “Homura” proceeded as one.
No staff member tried to stop the group of Asians running in the backyard of the hotel. They leaned against the wall with scared faces and looked at them in a holdup position. As expected, Totsuka had to put his hands together and say the words “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” every time he passed a staff member.
As the back door opened, the warm spirit of the night caressed Totsuka’s cheeks. Two trucks of the exact same type were parked nearby. Totsuka was familiar to one of the drivers.
“No, Fushimi. Thanks for your hard work!”
Fushimi sent a “get on fast” gesture with a face that seemed to have bitten a bitter worm. Totsuka climbed into the backseat of the truck with Anna’s hand pulling. Yata, Kamamoto, and Bando followed them, and the other members boarded the other car.
Two vans started to run at the same time.
“What about Mikoto? Didn’t he come?”
Anna looked around her and posed a question. Totsuka shrugged and replied.
“He’s King, don’t worry. Just in case, Kusanagi-san is there too. I’ll contact them later and they’ll join us.”
“Damn it, I don’t like it. Did we win? Why do we have to run, Totsuka-san!”
Yata sitting next to Anna got angry. His combative eyes were on the Maroon Hotel, which he was driving away from. Totsuka calms him down with an “Okay.”
“You can’t bother other customers, right? And there’s no point in defeating them. Maybe he’s a thug who knows nothing about "him”.“
"Exactly.”
And, an unknown face suddenly protruded from the passenger seat. A mask-like smile was pasted on the seventy-three-parted hairstyle. Yata suddenly withdrew.
“What?! Who is this guy?!”
“Oh, sorry. You were late, here you go.”
Yata eerily received the business card with both hands and read it out loud.
“Special diplomat, Hitoshi Tanaka…? Are you an official? Why are you in such a place?”
“It’s a job. Actually, it was our request to cooperate with Saruhiko Fushimi. I’d like to ask everyone to cooperate in capturing Koushi Mizuchi.”
The air inside the car suddenly became tense.
Koushi Mizuchi. It was the first time Anna had heard that name.
Anna held her breath and widened her eyes, looking at Tanaka seriously. Mizuchi’s name was nothing but an abominable past for her. She should never have wanted to hear the name of a man who stole from her parents and tried to harm her aunt.
“Anna…”
Totsuka took Anna’s hand and tried to say something so as not to worry her. However, Anna stared at Tanaka’s face and collapsed.
“It’s okay.”
She just said that.
Tanaka’s smile changed slightly at that situation. An inhuman smile like a mask seemed to have a faint warmth.
“I told Kusanagi-san and Totsuka-san, but I haven’t told you yet. I’ll explain it to you in detail, so it will take some time.”
Tanaka then started talking about the story so far. Mizuchi’s escape. The involvement of foreign intelligence agencies. As “Tokijikuin” and “Scepter 4” are working together to capture Mizuchi, and “Homura” is involved in it.
It was Yata who got angry when he heard the story to the end.
“Well, it’s the fault of those idiots and the others! They shouldn’t let such a bad guy get away so easily!”
Tanaka bowed deeply with a smile on his face.
“You’re right. I’m sorry. Regarding this situation, all faults are from "Tokijikuin”.“
"Oh…”
Yata is weak when they apologize head-on. He couldn’t continue any longer, and even turned around, muttering something. Fushimi in the driver’s seat clicked his tongue in irritation.
“It’s no use saying that now. The question is, what should we do from now on?”
“Uh, it’s loud! I know, that’s all!”
“So? What kind of plan do you have, Tanaka-san?”
Totsuka asked in a clear voice, not breaking his soft demeanor. If the responsibility was beyond, they would probably think about what to do, and whether or not they would deal with it was another question.
Tanaka nodded and looked around “Homura” in the car.
“The most effective plan is to make everyone leave the country immediately. With a special machine of "Tokijikuin”, it is possible to return to Japan undetected by the intelligence agency there.“
Yata, Kamamoto, Bando, Totsuka and Anna. The facial expressions of all the members signaled "no”.
Perhaps he already knew. Tanaka looked at Fushimi in the driver’s seat and continued his words.
“If they’re not going to leave this city, they’ll have to move somewhere else first, because the Maroon Hotel is probably breathing in the enemy. My colleagues are currently looking for a hotel. Mizuchi is unlikely to get caught in the net.”
“Well then, what about our hotel?”
It was Bando who raised his hand and said that. Kamamoto nodded.
“It’s a pyramid, but there are quite a few customers, it’s close to here, isn’t it good for hiding?”
“Pyramid. Oh, there? I see.”
Tanaka put his hand to his chin and started to think of something.
“I was thinking of a different location for the base, but that hotel may be suitable. There are many tourists and there are various access methods. There is no harm in hiding or escaping. Hmm.”
Tanaka looked at Fushimi. Before being told anything, Fushimi had started inputting the destination into the navigation system installed in the van. Tanaka turned his gaze to the passenger side door and gave some instructions to the parallel truck.
At that moment, Anna raised her face.
She kneeling on the seat, looking at the road that flowed past the window beyond the backseat. Totsuka asked about the situation.
“Anna? What’s wrong?”
“I can hear footsteps.”
“Steps…?”
You couldn’t hear that sound in a speeding car. Totsuka looked back, as did Anna. The night view of Las Vegas blended into the darkness behind it as flowed by.
Zushin.
He hears such a sound from somewhere.
“What’s that?!”
Bando was the first to discover it. He looked at it, pressing his head against the rear window. The people in the car all looked at him at once.
The sound of screaming was heard again.
The appearance of “it” was reflected in the rear glass for a moment. In Totsuka’s eyes, it looked like a steel ostrich with a terrifyingly short neck. An armored box-shaped torso with armor and two elongated legs extending from it. The knee joint bent the other way flexed with a mechanical sound, and the next moment it jumped out of sight.
“Step on the gas, Fushimi!”
Totsuka cried out due to an almost instinctive sense of crisis. Fushimi stepped on the accelerator with all his might without saying anything. The sudden increase in speed pushed everyone’s body against the seat.
A steel ostrich passed through the place where the van was until a moment ago.
Totsuka confirmed with horror that there was a huge crack in the asphalt. If they were trampled on, that van would be scrapped in an instant.
A red scanning light illuminated the ostrich’s steel body. The ostrich began to sprint down the road at high speed, turning it towards them in the blink of an eye. At last, Totsuka learned the identity of the short neck that grew from his torso.
A long cannon mounted on the fuselage: the laser pointer stopped and was placed on Totsuka’s forehead through the glass.
