211. Kanji Sanda!

['Cloaked Shadow' Existance: Arc 10]

[Planet Earth - Umi Island - Umi City - Street- Tuesday, 11:30 a.m.]

"Hey! Tim. Whatcha looking at?" The expressed interested on Odina's face let out her question. "..... not much to be honest, I'm just watching some news on the phone, though, it really doesn't interest me much." "So. Then? Why are you looking at it?"

"Why? Even I could not tell, guess I'm just bored. But it does say there's been some outdoor activities near Umi City, but at the same time. It sees me through, brings out my curiosity - it's something about.... um....-" But before Tim could finish, Kanji smiled. "Oh! You must be talking about Duelist Licenses." In the moment, Tim became quite confused. "Since when do you need 'Licenses'?" It was Kanji, catching Odina and Tim off guard. "How. That's an easy question to answer. Since always." In realization, Tim figured. "Whoa! Wait! Hold on! Do you mean to tell me that I've been 'Dueling' illegally?!"

"That's the point here, yes." Explained Kanji, gigglish. "Oh crap! Oh crap! I don't know what to do! I don't know what to do!" As Tim began freaking out, Kanji let out a smirk face and came by. "Yeah. But don't worry. Nobody here did any of those licenses!" While Kanji made fun of Tim, he never realized, his unamusement. "You've gotta be joking!"

"That's exactly correct! The Dueling Licenses have just been brought a few weeks ago, it's the reason to when the people figured out about 'Spiritual Duelists', so from now on, if you wish to duel without any trouble, then you must complete the licenses, which I still see them, kind of weird. There is literally 7 steps to obtaining licenses, and only a few make it through." Explained Kanji, funny. ".....Seven steps? Do you have any ideas to which they are?"

"Yes, it's a test made of different activities, first I believe, it's a 100 kilometer run, secondly, it's a test of your coordination, third, cooking techniques, fourth, climbing a mountain, fifth, scouting the nature for surrounding Demons, sixth team cooperation hunting and final, dueling. And guess what, over thousands of people have decided to take on this challenge. From the day these licenses were created, government and the public association decided to let other people participate in this challenge to obtain these licenses, and to obtain them, they must score high in all of those seven tests."

"Your explanation was a bit short. But I get it. Though. Spiritual Duelists are only the ones who possess a high Spiritual Symbolism, and many of people do not." Tim spoke. "Well. When I spoke about Dueling Licenses, I never mentioned 'Spiritual Duelists'. Simple as that, though, they count under the same category - 'The Duelists' and 'The Spiritual Duelists'. So this means, me.... and every other who we know, has got to obtain these licenses, to continue their work. 'Sighs' all around, this is madness and work-hard." By sighing in a crowded city, Tim began thinking. "Ever since the event that was witnessed that month ago, many changes happened. Guess, this is now our living."

"Anyway, the 'Dueling Exam' will begin in three days, so for that, we should go warn the rest. But before we do that. Would you mind helping me go buy some groceries... Codey wanted them. For some kind of reason." Claimed Kanji. While the two of them constantly spoke, Odina wondered. "Why do you need help with buying groceries? One is enough."

"Simple, yet dumb question. I'm bored, so why not keep my company for a while, after all, I did help you in that 'EDT'!" By giving a wink, a sweat dripped down Tim's forehead. "So this is what you see as repayment? ..... ugh..... guess you caught a point there. Fineeee. Let's hurry up." Tim seemed to be rather annoyed. "Right! I knew you'd go with!" "Whatever! Hey. Odina, do you plan on-" But before Tim finished, Odina answered. "No, no! I've got to go find Thomas, I rather not see him alone for more than 1 hour. Buh-bye! See ya!" From a loud screech and giggle, Odina rushed down the street with dust flown behind.

"And... she's gone. Well, shall we go?" To agree with Kanji's question, Tim provoked a nod. "Great, then let's go 'buying'." Still to his rather annoyed feeling, Tim went with Kanji.

[Planet Earth - Umi Island - Umi City - Grocery Store - Tuesday, 11:40 a.m.]

The area before the grocery store was quite filled. "Hey! Let us in you bastards! We're wasting our time here, we've come to buy groceries, are you deaf!?" People seemed to have been complaining. "....What's this ruckus all about?" Quite unsure of the situation, with crossed arms, Tim believed that there was some misunderstanding. "Look. We're sorry. But we just can't let you in, there's a good reason for that!" Spoke a man, worried and trying to calm the citizens. "Oh shut up! What's this 'problem'? You could at least explain yourselves!" "We're very sorry! But we cannot, it's our own buisness and we prefer not to involve people like you." The man spoke. "Are you serious?! Every store has a reason to why people cannot go through, but of course. This one doesn't! Screw this shit. I'm not dealing with any of you assholes." Spoke man, and began evacuating. "They can be such dicks, literally. What a store this is." Soon, the crowd of people have been gone, Tim and Kanji however stepped closer. "Uh. Sorry to bother you. But what was all this about?" Kanji asked, quite curios. "Oh. Are you another customers to our store? Well.... we're sorry, but we cannot let you go in, there's been some probleematic issues with grocery disappearence. We prefer to keep this information to smaller groups of people."

"Missing of groceries? How come? Don't you get supplies every week?" Tim asked. "Well. Yes. We do. But... lately there hasn't been any supplies, we don't know what had happened, and on the other hand, groceries that we did save, went missing. And I could not tell more, to who had done it, or what had happened to them. I know, our buisness is a total mess right now. Well, is there anything else you need, my dear customers?"

"No supplies. And missing groceries. That sure is something that we'd expect. Is there any way we could help you?" Tim questioned. "Wha'? I mean.... there is really no need. It's our fault, so we do not wish to bother you with it." "But we want to help. In fact, I'd like this grocery store to be operative again. Furthermore, both of us are skilled duelists." Tim explained, when pointing at Kanji. "Do you mean to tell me that you've got the licenses?"

"Uh. Well.... about that. We only figured about these 'Dueling Licenses' today, besides, we've heard it's impossible to gain these licenses any sooner than in three days." Tim claimed. "Oh. Right. The internet has a bigger mistake. The 'Dueling Exam' will take place in around 2 weeks, there were some misunderstanding with the government. But not to worry, if you really wish to help, and if you really are skilled Duelists, then, we may let you help." Claimed the man, worried. "Sure, you just say it and we'll go do whatever you ask of us."

("....Heesh man... you really do love to help everyone you can.....") As Kanji was caught within his mind, the man explained. "Well. If it's so. Then, would you two first please go check on the Supply Building? It's on the 'Long Road' from Umi City, few kilometers away."

"The 'Long Road' huh? Sure, we'll go there immediately." "Whoa, whoa, whoa! How far exactly, as in kilometers?" Questioned Kanji. "It's 5000 meters, so 5 kilometers." From that moment, Kanji soon made unamused face as his eyes twitched. "5.... that's..... actually quite a lot..."

"Oh come on, you've run more than that, plus if you can't run 5 kilometers, how do you expect to run 100 for the Dueling Exam?" Tim asked, a bit annoyed. "Well, sorry. Jeeze! Whatever, we'll go right away. But who are we looking for?" Questioned Kanji.

"Obara Mikio. He is the head of the Supply Team, he is usually around there from 12 am to 6 pm." "Got it, we'll look for that guy, ask around, and see what the matter is. We'll report back to you as soon as possible. Well... see you and thank you for information!" Tim, Kanji, the two have both ran off through the street, heading for the 'Long Road' to hopefully come in contact with Obara Mikio.

[Planet Earth - Umi Island - Umi City - Street- Tuesday, 12:10 a.m.]

Finally, Tim and Kanji both stopped moving. "This is it, I think." Claimed Tim, who was standing with Kanji before the one building on this place. "A Supply Team? Sure looks kind of isolated, this is barely operative." Wondered Kanji. "Well. The watch did bring us here, so it must be. There are probably people inside, we should go check." Tim answered. "Oh come on, you always know what happens in horror movies at such places! How calm can you be?" But no answer given, the two of them walked for the door.

After trying the door, they noticed. "Well, this door sure won't budge." Tim moved the palm of the handle. "We could easily just break this door down-" But, before the idea would be done "No. Don't. I'm sure you're aware of why." Tim sighed. "Guess you're right. We shouldn't, who knows, there could be people working there and the door is just locked. Then again, not like I hear much inside. This is dumb from me, but we should sneak in, there could be some ideas-" Before Kanji gave this idea, Tim has already left behind the corner. "Hey! At least wait for me!" Kanji ran after Tim.

"And how can you be sure there will be an opening to go in? What if none of the windows is opened?" "There must be, after all. Working in there must be quite sweaty, so I'm sure they want some fresh air. And, like I said, there it is." While Tim noticed the opened window at the top, Kanji just felt unamusement within himself. "I should just never say a word."

Finally thw two of them jumped to the top of the window and landing at it, what they've witnessed was horrifying. A group of workers were killed on the floor and they were covered in blood, a pool of blood lied beneath them. "This smell! What the hell?!" Kanji was in force to hold his nose. "A bunch of killed workers? What the hell? Who would've done that and for what reason? They are just a bunch of helpful Supply Team." "I don't know Tim, but I'm sure these people were definetly slaughtered without any protection!" Kanji was a bit worried and still holding his nose. "We should investigate. maybe we can get some sort of ideas." Tim dropped down the window and avoided stepping in the blood. "You've gotta be joking, you're gonna check down there, what the hell?" "It's the only way - we won't find anything from watching up there, if you really do wish to stay up there, then let it be so. I want answers." Tim stepped close to a dead corpse. "Oh, who am I kidding! Fine!" Following Tim, Kanji and Tim began to search and Kanji came in contact with something - he noticed that the worker's faces were heavily melted and burnt. After Kanji almost barfed, he notified Tim.

"It almost looks identical to when my Akusei melted the left side of my face.... but, this looks as if somebody did it by their power...." Soon in that moment, Tim noticed something on the wall. By standing up he walked closer and came in view of a massive paper board. "What is this?" Kanji asked and came stepping besides Tim. "Seems like they weren't just making supplies, but they've been inventing some sort of pendant....." By moving his finger on the bloody board, Tim found the right title. "Arch Pendants?" What made him surprise, it was the simmilar pendant that he wore on his neck. "This pendant of yours? Do you think it was created by this company?" "That's one guess, but another guess is for Ayuka. She wears the same pendant as I, just blue colour." Tim claimed quite confused. "And not just that, the guy on this photo looks the same as the one we've looked at, and he wears a pendant as well, but yellow." Kanji added. "Do you think that whoever killed these people, was the want who is searching for pendants?" To his question, something was heard. Tim and Kanji immediately faced at the window, when a black cloak waved. "Hey! Wait!" In instant, both of them rushed after it, but as soon as the two of them exit through the window, the person seemed to have been gone.

"Man, this is getting weirder and weirded, first no groceries, no Supplies, Killed Company, then the pendants and now a guy, who jhas probably killed these men." Tim was a bit thoughtful on Kanji's added words. "Yeah, this is strange. We should really be going and remind the man at the grocery store."

[Planet Earth - Umi Island - Umi City - Grocery Store - Tuesday, 12:50 a.m.]

Everything that Tim and Kanji have witnessed was explained to the man at the grocery store. "They've been killed? But how? There hasn't been any problems called at other stores, so when did that happen then?"

"Well. To be honest. The blood is somewhat fresh, but people are on the floor as if they were living in lava, melted to their bones." At the words that Tim gave, the man became stressed. "This is no good, we need to call the police." However, Kanji and Tim stopped the man. "No, if the police goes there.... they would be killed, the person we saw was able to kill that company by itself, the guns and the weapons that police force would be incomprehensible and not useful. I believe the person was another 'Spiritual Duelist'. They disappeared immediately after exiting the window, and we were quick enough to still see an average human, escape."

"This is so horrible. How am I supposed to continue to run this store.... this is horrible...." The man was upset and stressed.

Tim and Kanji looked at each other. "Don't worry. We'll make sure to stop that person, but be aware, it will take a while." Tim explained.

The man became surprised but soon spoke. "Thank you so much....."

To be continued...