Priorities

*Mayu Shinohara's POV*

//July 16, 2040//Monday//

After I said those words, the attention of everyone inside was on me, and some of them are giving me glares that showed fear, and resentment.

*SLAM*

One of the Japanese executives reacted violently to what I said. He stood up from his seat when he slammed the table and yelled.

"MAYU SHINOHARA!"

"STOP IT!"

Prime Minister Kamiyama yelled back at the Japanese executive because of his response to what I just said. The executive calmed down, and sat on the chair again.

Everyone, even the foreigners, was bothered by what I just said since bringing back that horrible incident from the past is taboo to us because that case has already been solved.

"Shinohara, are you implying that the one behind the sudden disappearance of Saitei University is the leader that led the Ruination of Kanagawa?" The Prime Minister asked.

"Yes sir."

"I think what you said is impossible in the first place, Shinohara."

Yuriko-san was finding some info on the company's laptop about the Ruination of Kanagawa, and a video showed up on the projector screen of what happened during the incident.

The video shows a man holding a gun who was walking slowly through the sea of flames at the Kanagawa prefecture.

"Freeze! State your name at once!"

Because of how suspicious the man is, the soldiers pointed their guns at him without hesitation because of how dreadful the situation was.

"I-I… Akihiko Nakajima… is the one behind all of this…"

"We are giving you one last warning! Stop walking at once or we will open fire!"

"I can't take this anymore… I just wanted to wreak havoc to dominate Japan… B-But I didn't expect that the whole world would fight back against me when the situation is in our favor…"

Akihiko Nakajima pointed the gun he was holding on to on his chin and smiled at the soldiers who were pointing their guns at him.

"I give up… I'm sorry…"

*BANG*

The video ended with Akihiko Nakajima ending his own life in front of the soldiers.

"To those who don't know the full story about how the Ruination of Kanagawa ended, as you can see in the video from earlier, when Akihiko Nakajima, a CEO from a big company here in Japan learned that forces around the globe wanted to support us with this incident, he took his own life, and this incident suddenly came to an end as well."

Yuriko-san showed new information on the projector screen where Akihiko Nakajima's info is displayed, then continued talking.

"Akihiko is known to be a greedy individual who wanted more power while his reputation was rising dramatically in this country. Him being the one behind the Ruination of Kanagawa made sense because of his personality, and the sudden turn of events when he committed suicide."

"Sudden turn of events?" One of the foreigners asked.

"Some of the Soldiers who Akihiko called as Knights started committing suicide as well after his death. The four insanely strong individuals called the Nobles who were with Akihiko all the time also went missing, and nothing was heard about them ever since."

Yuriko-san ended the presentation and looked at me with a slight irritation on her face.

"So if you are saying that the one behind the disappearance of Saitei University is the same as the one who led the Ruination of Kanagawa, then that is impossible." Yuriko-san said.

"That's right! There is no way that Akihiko is the one behind this because he is dead!"

Everyone agreed with Yuriko-san's defense, especially the Japanese people who were aware of the terrible experience that the country felt when this incident happened in the past.

But…

"AKIHIKO NAKAJIMA IS NOT THE ONE BEHIND THE RUINATION OF KANAGAWA! THAT FUCKER IS STILL ALIVE! YOU MUST BELIEVE IN ME!!!"

Those words… When I confronted Kei Machida, who is Japan's Greatest Detective about that incident, I was terrified of him. His eyes were full of resentment towards the person who did it. No one believed him at all. The government officials turned a blind eye to what Machida is trying to tell them because they said that it was futile to open the case again if it has been solved already.

I didn't believe Machida at first either. But witnessing his perseverance in finding a clue about the leader of the Ruination of Kanagawa for the past few years I have been working with him, I am convinced that what he is saying is true.

The one behind the Ruination of Kanagawa is still alive, and that person might be related to the disappearance of Saitei University.

"But what if Akihiko Nakajima is not the leader in the first place?"

The composure of the people around me faded away after I talked back to the topic that is supposed to be finished because of what Yuriko-san said earlier.

"You're an annoying brat you know?" The foreigner asked.

"Shinohara, how many times do we need to drill to that fucking brain of yours that Akihiko Nakajima is the one behind that incident, and it made sense because of the things that happened after his suicide!" One of the executives replied to me with displeasure.

"But I have an explanation to support the thing that I just said earlier."

This explanation that I am going to tell them came from Machida who pushed himself to the limits into finding the real culprit behind the Ruination of Kanagawa.

"The one behind the Ruination of Kanagawa is known to be a wise, powerful, smart, and charismatic individual who led lots of people in the past. These same characteristics can be compared to Akihiko Nakajima. But there is one characteristic of the leader that contradicts what Akihiko Nakajima did to his own life."

"And that is?" The Prime Minister asked.

"The characteristic that the leader has that Akihiko Nakajima didn't show that time when he took his own life, was persistence."

The commotion that everyone was causing ended, and they went quiet. They looked serious after the things that I said, and everyone immediately listened to me.

"This looks interesting. Please continue." The foreigner replied.

"There were rumors as to why the leader has a lot of forces under their command. That person was also known to be extremely manipulative who can control someone's mind with ease. Think about it, if Akihiko really was the person behind the Ruination of Kanagawa, shouldn't he take the alliance of different countries as an advantage for him to recruit more forces to his side? If he can even put the rumored four nobles who were insanely strong and had the power of 1,000 soldiers under his command, wouldn't that be the same for some soldiers from outside the country? Why would he end his life like that if his manpower is on par with the soldiers around the world?"

Everyone started thinking and realizing things about what I just said. What the people here are doing is exactly the same as what I did when Machida explained this theory to me.

The doubt if what we believe in for a long time is true.

I also kept on thinking, what if that is really the case? But Machida said something that made it more convincing and made me believe that what he is saying is true.

"What if somebody else ordered Akihiko to confess that he is the one behind the Ruination of Kanagawa, and made him take his own life, for the sake of preparing for something even worse? What if the disappearance of Saitei University was one of the plans that the true leader had in mind to continue their unfinished business in the past?"

Everyone didn't respond to what I just said, and that created an uncomfortable atmosphere around us. No, it's not that they don't have anything to say about what I just said, it's because they didn't want to accept a harsh possibility that can cause the destruction of our country.

"I will end the meeting here. Please continue the investigation regarding the disappearance of Saitei University. You are all dismissed."

"Yes Sir…"

When the Prime Minister told them to leave, all of them went outside immediately like they wanted to avoid the topic that I just brought to them. I stayed inside the conference hall with the Prime Minister and asked him why he ended the meeting with everyone.

"Prime Minister, Why didn't you let the conversation continue?"

I kind of felt what Machida has been experiencing for the past few years when he worked here in the government.

He loathed the government officials and the higher-ups who are related to the government.

Nobody wanted to listen to that possibility, and it made him decide that he will just work on his own while using the government for his own benefit.

"What I just said earlier are just Machida's words that he has been holding on to for many years for the sake of finding the true culprit behind the Ruination of Kanagawa. Why can't you of all people believe the things he is saying about this incident?"

The Prime Minister is the one who recruited the two of us when we are still kids. He treated me, and Machida like his own children.

But every time Machida brings this topic to the Prime Minister, just like everyone else, he tries to ignore this ugly truth as well.

"Shinohara, what do you think will happen if people think that the true culprit behind that incident is still alive, and Akihiko Nakajima was not the real culprit?"

"It will cause panic, and people will be frightened because of that possibility."

"Exactly."

"But Sir-."

The Prime Minister stood from his seat and observed the area on the window outside us where civilians are seen walking around.

"The people are my priority, Shinohara. If I let them think the worst kind of things because of some rumors or speculations that came from one person. Then it is better to not entertain that topic without concrete evidence."

"Prime Minister, You're underestimating what Machida can do."

I stood up from my seat as well and faced Prime Minister Kamiyama with a slight annoyance because of his reply.

"The Greatest Detective here in Japan is the one who said that, and he even gave a convincing explanation that supports his theory. You don't want to believe him because your people are the top priority for you? Then let me ask you this, Prime Minister Kamiyama."

*SLAM*

I bumped the table with my hand, and that caught the attention of the Prime Minister

"If what Machida is saying is true, and that the true leader of the Ruination of Kanagawa is still alive, and could be the one who made Saitei University disappear, wouldn't that give more despair, and suffering to these people if yours in the future if the situation gets worse?"

"Shinohara-."

I wore my earphones then walked away, and opened the door to get out of the room. But before I went outside, I faced the Prime Minister for the last time.

"I apologize for saying something rude to you, Prime Minister."

I left the conference hall, leaving the Prime Minister inside that room all alone, and went to my laboratory.

I realized that even if you did everything to show someone the worst possibilities that will come, people will pick the most peaceful picture that they had in mind, and will disregard the harsh reality that can happen in the future.

I think I can now understand how you feel towards the government, Machida. Prevention is better than cure, am I right? Maybe that is what you want to tell these people about your theory about that incident that started 11 years ago that caused the death of your family.

After experiencing what you feel every time you confront these people, I realize that maybe you are right. I am probably just a mere mutt that follows what the government wants.

I entered my laboratory, sat on my chair then observed the vicinity of every prefecture in Japan. I removed my earphones and focused on my computer screen as soon as I noticed another criminal on the loose then contacted the Special Assault Team immediately.

"Commander, do you need any backup?"

"Shinohara, right on time. Please tell us an alternative way in pursuing the criminal who is trying to escape while we are pursuing them on the road. They are using their weapons to fight back against us. We need your assistance."

"Roger that."

I wonder where you are right now, Machida? You were right back then. There is something suspicious at Saitei University, and now the university is missing, and so are you. What could you be doing there I wonder?

I will continue to do my best here in Japan while you are not around to pursue criminals just like what we used to do for these past years.

Knowing you, you might be investigating the place non-stop to find out why all of you suddenly disappeared, and the reason why you were nowhere to be found. You might also be finding clues about the mastermind behind this.

But if there is a possibility that the one who did this incident is the same person who is behind the Ruination of Kanagawa, I hope you will not do anything wild that will risk your life. I can't do anything for you right now, but I hope that you are fine.

Please don't die, Kei Machida.

******** TO BE CONTINUED ********