Wounds X Rest

Asdrerd woke up.

He was in a hospital room.

As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw a blue-haired girl with glasses, sitting by his bed.

He could not see Mysha and thought of several possibilities.

'Maybe she was offended because I killed two innocents? What will happen if she reported me? ...No, the possibilities are few; they would not have put only one person to watch over me.'

'From the fatigue of my body, I would say that at least one day has passed. From the sun outside, I can understand that it is early morning or afternoon. As a result, she should be with Iceburg to work on the ship project.'

As he continued to think about different possibilities, the girl next to him started talking.

"Hi, Naked Angel. I am here to ask you some questions about the case." The girl was the captain of CP EX1.

"First, shouldn't you introduce yourself? I cannot reveal information to outsiders." Asdrerd asked, to find out the girl's identity.

"You are right. Sorry for being rude. I am Lunaska from CP EX1."

After saying that, the girl put her hand forward and said, "I grabbed your identity, I hope you don't mind."

(Author Note: Lunaska is a name I used in female characters in MMO.)

'Did she find out I'm the Color Criminal?'

In his mind, he was worried. If someone to the navy were to find out his secret, he could not have done anything.

He was not wondering about the CP EX1, because he knew that the Navy would create an organization only for the Color Criminal.

Reading the moment of anxiety exposed by the boy, Lunaska pulled her hand back and smiled.

"Do not worry. I will not reveal your identity to anyone. Neither that of Criminal of Colors nor that of the painter Spered.

Hearing the girl reveal the identities, he prepared to attack, to defend his dream.

Feeling a murderous intent from the boy, Lunaska tried to calm him.

"Wait! Use your head. I thought you were smarter..."

Understanding the girl's words, Asdrerd lay down on the bed and thought.

'This girl did not report and presented herself to talk to me. She must have something in her mind...'

"Finally we understand each other; I begin to tell you what happened."

The girl began to tell the events since she had reached the city.

She told him that she had informed the five elders that Asdrerd was not the color criminal, but an old acquaintance and that he would soon have to call to convince them.

She even revealed to him about the CP EX1 group and its members.

There were seven members and it seemed that the number of colors present under their eyes indicates the status within the group.

Each of the members had a useful power to discover and catch the Color Criminal.

Shortly after the girl finished explaining, Asdrerd asked her, "Why didn't you reveal my identities to the five elders? Above all, why are you giving me all this information?"

Asdrerd was not stupid. He had above-average intelligence but was unable to understand Lunaska's goal.

It could be said that Asdrerd was able to pull 65% of the potential out of his brain.

Mysha instead owed her intelligence to her vast knowledge. Obtained thanks to the study and reading of over a thousand years. Like Asdrerd, she also had above-average intelligence, but when she thought, she could bring out 75% of her brain's potential.

Unlike them, Lunaska was average in intelligence. However, she always managed to think 100% of her potential.

"Simple, I can answer both of your questions with one answer." The girl said, before putting her hand forward.

"To grab the money!"

Asdrerd put a hand on his chin to reflect and thought it was not a valid excuse.

"I understand, but you could make more money by selling me. Right?"

Lunaska nodded and smiled.

"Then you're not so stupid... money is the main reason, I'm not lying. However, it is also true that I want something else."

"Something else?" Asdrerd asked.

"The government pays us to investigate, so by handing you over today, I could make a lot of money. However, the salary for this mission will outweigh the reward for completing it."

The girl went from a smile to an expressionless face.

"Also, once the color criminal is caught, our group will stop existing, and I can't allow that..."

"What would you say?" Asdrerd was not worried or curious; he wanted to know more things to defend himself from the girl who knew his secrets.

"I wish I could travel with my group. I don't want to leave them right now. I care about them and although five of us could go back to everyday life after the mission, Zark and Loppy will have to go back to being guinea pigs."

Lunaska spoke without emotion, as she looked straight into Asdrerd's eyes.

"The experiments huh?" As if to avoid the girl's gaze, Asdrerd looked down.

"I see you know a something." She smiled seeing Asdrerd look away.

"As a result, you didn't hand me over for money and to be able to travel and protect your companions?" Asdrerd asked for confirmation.

"Exact. Obviously, other objectives arise from these objectives. I need the money for a much more important goal." Lunaska was purposely revealing information. She wanted to gain the trust of the Color Criminal.

"I understand... and what can I do for you?" Feeling that the girl was specifically revealing so much, Asdrerd asked what she wanted in return for her silence.

"Would you like to join the group? It will be easier for you to deceive the government. All you have to do is create golems from time to time and tell us your position." Lunaska asked before she noticed an uncertain look on Asdrerd.

Asdrerd did not want to travel with them. He wanted to create his own way and not walk on the one built by others.

As if she had sensed the boy's thought, Lunaska tried to calm him.

"Don't worry; you won't have to travel with us. The dream is more important than anything else. Right?"

"The dream huh?" Asdrerd stared at the void as he was thinking about his dream.

"Exactly, I would do everything for my dream too. As I explained earlier, the two dead were horrible people... but you didn't recognize them. You killed them without doing it on purpose. Was it a risk that you had already taken to pursue your dream, right?"

She asked just for confirmation, even if she believed that such a thing had happened she wasn't sure. However, she knew that talking about the dream with Asdrerd was the quickest way to convince him.

"..." Asdrerd was surprised.

"Looks like I have..." Lunaska said before interrupting her sentence. She put her hand forward and shouted, "🅶🆁🅰🆂🅿🅴🅳!"

Asdrerd was frightened by the girl's intelligence in front of him, but he was also happy. Hiding everything from everyone was not an easy thing. Having someone to talk to freely could come in handy.

"You know, you're the first person I can talk to so freely."

"How did you discover my identities?" He asked, to try to understand how the girl was acting during her investigations.

"Ooooooh, don't you understand? Then you are not that smart... "She said, before continuing, "It is quite simple-

The door swung open and a girl with silver hair entered.

Mysha had just learned about Asdrerd's awakening.

Mysha came up sadly.

"Sorry if I doubted you. You just wanted to protect your dream. Right?"

Mysha was referring to the protection of all the children in the world.

"Exact! To pursue my dream I am willing to do anything." Asdrerd thought of his dream of creating an artistic and peaceful kingdom.

"Why did not you tell me?" (Of the two wanted people.)

"I thought you would interfere. I made a big mess." Asdrerd knew that Mysha was a kind-hearted girl. He could never have exposed his plan.

"It's true, but you did it for a noble cause!" (Save the kids.)

'Hm? Is she starting to appreciate art?' Asdrerd thought.

"𝗛𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗵𝗮 𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗵𝗮!" Lunaska who was sitting nearby started laughing.

"Hm?" Hearing the sudden laugh, Asdrerd and Mysha turned to face her.

Lunaska was laughing because she understood the misunderstanding between the two and was unable to hold back.

"Sorry, I haven't laughed so much for a long time." Wiping her eyes, Lunaska said, "Asdrerd, it's time to inform the five elders."

"But after that you have to rest properly. The doctor said you had several internal bleeding and passed out from mental fatigue." Mysha informed Asdrerd of his injuries.

"Yes, I'm fine. Go back to the ship project, I don't want to extend the period of its construction even further." Asdrerd did not want to extend his stay here.

"Mh, then I'll go. Focus on your recover!" Mysha left, thinking that Asdrerd did not want to worry her.

Asdrerd called and spoke to the five elders.

He used the idea of Lunaska. An excuse that the two were once friends. Due to a different opinion, they had separated and had never received news until the day it all started.

"I understand. Tell us his name." The voice belonging to the elderly man with the cap came out of the snail.

"I know it might be hard to believe, but I don't know his name. Even though we were friends, we never exchanged personal information."

Having nothing in mind, Asdrerd could only use this excuse.

"No, it's normal!" The Cap said, thinking of the 4 elders beside him.

"From today we accept you as a member of CP EX1 and all suspicions against you will be lifted." The voice announced.

After a few seconds of silence, he started talking again.

"However, because of the contract, you will not be able to leave the Shichibukai."

"I wasn't going to do it anyway," Asdrerd replied.

"Mh!" The Cap ending the call.

"..."

"They trust your words a lot eh?" Asdrerd turned to Lunaska after hearing the old man's words.

"From today you will be my ally, you will have the same status to mine. The group is destined to have only seven members, but you are an exception. You won't have to have these colors under your eye."

The girl said pointing to the signs under her eye.

After that, she gave him a way to contact her.

She turned and with her back turned towards Asdrerd said, "Your dream of painting the world is fantastic, I hope you will succeed."

Shortly afterward, she left the room.

"She understood everything eh?"

"Unlike Mysha that I can blackmail, Lunaska has a way to keep myself at bay." Asdrerd was not happy with the situation.

"Somehow I have to find a weak point."

He had to; he could not leave even the slightest chance that his identities will surface.

"I need to understand what she needs money for."

Lying and with his eyes closed, he began to think about all the conversation, hoping to find some information.

---

Outside the hospital, Lunaska was talking to Den Den Mushi with a person.

"Hi sister, it's me. Our plan can proceed. I found the Color Criminal."

"..."

"Ah yes, I have other news that could make you happy. I found the painter Spered."

"..."

"Hahaha, I haven't seen you so happy in years, sister."

"Cough Cough" A cough was heard on the other side of the call.

"Rest, sooner or later I'll bring you Spered."

"..."

"Yes, I love you too."

"..."

"Bye…"

"Thinking about it, Mysha could help her... after all, they say she has a vast knowledge..."

**

Next Chapter: Tournament