Chapter 15 :Chimera

Nobubaki woke up to the faint glow of the sunrise filtering through the ornate window screens. The scent of incense lingered in the air, but a distant murmur of voices caught his attention. He stretched, adjusted his loose-fitting tunic, and quietly made his way down the corridor toward the voices.

Peering around a corner, he found Takumi, Li Ming, Zhen, and Elara in a heated discussion. None of them seemed to notice him.

"You're out of your mind," Li Ming hissed, her arms crossed, her tone sharp and resolute. "Dragging a child like Nobubaki into this mess is reckless, even for you, Takumi."

Takumi leaned casually against the wall, his expression unreadable. "That 'child' is special," he said calmly. "There's something about him that I can't quite put into words. And I have the perfect role for him in all of this."

Elara scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Special? That spoiled brat? He's immature and incompetent. He has no idea what he's getting himself into. You're throwing a toddler into a lion's den."

"I'm standing right here, you know," Nobubaki said, stepping into the room. His voice startled them, and they all turned to face him.

Takumi smirked. "Ah, finally awake. Perfect timing."

Nobubaki crossed his arms, his expression a mixture of annoyance and curiosity. "What's this 'role' you've got in mind for me, Takumi?"

Takumi's smirk widened as he straightened up. "I'm sending you to the belly of the beast."

Li Ming's face darkened. "You can't be serious," she said, her voice low and trembling with anger. "Do you even remember what happened the last time we tried that? It's suicide."

Zhen's eyes narrowed, his usual calm demeanor giving way to visible tension. "Do you really think it's wise to send someone like him there? He doesn't know what he's walking into."

Nobubaki frowned, glancing between them. "Can someone tell me what the hell you're all talking about?"

Zhen exhaled deeply, his gaze meeting Nobubaki's. "Takumi wants to send you to a place where these devils are born—a school for raising heroes. Or at least, that's what they want you to believe."

"A school for raising heroes?" Nobubaki repeated, confused.

Li Ming stepped forward, her tone urgent. "It's not what you think. That school is a breeding ground for corruption, training heroes to be puppets for the ones in power. They mold them into tools, not saviors. And once you're in, getting out is nearly impossible."

Nobubaki processed the information in silence, his mind racing. "So… you want me to go undercover? To expose them?"

"Exactly," Takumi said, his voice steady. "You'll blend in, find out what's happening behind those walls, and bring it all to light. You're the perfect candidate. They won't suspect someone like you."

Li Ming shook her head furiously. "No. I won't allow it. It's too dangerous. Do you even realize what you're asking of him? He's just a kid!"

Takumi's gaze softened slightly as he turned to her. " If we don't act now, those kids of yours won't have a future to look forward to."

Elara interjected, her tone cold. "Even so, sending him in alone is reckless. At least let him prepare. He's not ready for what's waiting for him in that place."

"I'm standing right here!" Nobubaki snapped, his frustration bubbling over. "Stop talking about me like I'm not in the room. If this school is as dangerous as you're saying, I'll go but Why me?"

Takumi stepped closer to him, his expression serious for the first time. "Because you're not like the others, Nobubaki. You've got a fire in you—a spark that makes you unpredictable. That school thrives on control, and someone like you? You'll break their system from the inside out."

Nobubaki stared at him, unsure of how to respond. The weight of Takumi's words pressed heavily on his shoulders, and a part of him couldn't shake the feeling that Takumi was right.

Li Ming, however, wasn't convinced. "This isn't just about Nobubaki. This is about you, Takumi. You're using him to clean up the mess you started."

Takumi's jaw tightened, but he didn't deny it. "Maybe I am. But if this works, it won't just be my mess that gets cleaned up. It'll be all of ours."

The room fell silent, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. Finally, Zhen spoke, his voice low and measured. "There's no stopping the madman now ."

Takumi nodded slowly, turning back to Nobubaki. "I will brief you up on things. But understand this—once you step into that school, there's no turning back."

Nobubaki clenched his fists, his resolve hardening. "I'll do it," he said firmly. "If it means exposing the truth and stopping these people, then I'll do whatever it takes."

Li Ming closed her eyes, exhaling deeply. "You're making a mistake," she whispered, her voice filled with sorrow.

Alexei stumbled into the room, his heavy boots echoing off the walls as the group turned to look at him. His disheveled hair and slightly flushed face told them he'd been drinking again. He leaned against the doorway, his sharp gaze sweeping over everyone before settling on Takumi.

"This is crazy. You're crazy, Takumi," Alexei said, slurring slightly but still coherent. "But are you sure? Are you really sure you want to walk that path again?"

Takumi raised an eyebrow but didn't respond, letting Alexei continue.

"The darkness that consumed you," Alexei went on, his voice dipping into something somber, "and the flames that pushed you—it burned us all before. And this time..." He paused, waving a hand dramatically, "This time, it's going to burn us to dust."

He muttered something in Russian, too low for anyone to catch, then staggered toward the couch and collapsed onto it. "Be careful, Takumi," he mumbled before his eyes fluttered shut.

The room was silent for a beat. Then Zhen scoffed. "He's drunk again."

Elara rolled her eyes. "Classic Alexei."

Nobubaki sat on a nearby chair, staring at Takumi, his mind whirling. After the room settled, he finally spoke up. "Takumi, I need to know... everything about all this" z He and Takumi talked till night.

Later that evening, after the tension had somewhat settled, Nobubaki found himself pacing again. He overheard Zhen and Li Ming speaking in Mandarin. He couldn't understand their words, but the heated tones made it clear they were arguing.

Suddenly, Elara bumped into him. "It's not good manners to eavesdrop," she said with a sly smile.

"I wasn't eavesdropping," Nobubaki replied, annoyed. "And I have a name, you know."

Elara smirked. "Sure, Nobubaki. Anyway, if you must know, they're arguing about who should go and who should stay. Tomorrow, we're leaving for Japan."

As the night dragged on, Li Ming finally stepped forward. "I'll go with Takumi and the rest," she said, her voice steady. "Zhen will stay."

Later, she found Nobubaki sitting alone, staring at his hands. She approached him, her tone more curious than confrontational. "Hey, what's your melic, anyway?"

Nobubaki glanced up, looking puzzled. "I… don't actually know," he admitted.

Li Ming raised an eyebrow. "You don't know? What about your green hair? Did you always have that?"

Nobubaki shook his head. "No. That happened after the explosion."

Li Ming froze. "Explosion? What explosion?"

Takumi, who had been nearby, stepped in to answer. He explained everything—the incident at the museum, the missile, and the strange circumstances that followed.

Li Ming's face darkened as the pieces clicked together. "That missile… Did it have the name 'Chimera' on it?"

Takumi thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, it did."

Li Ming exhaled sharply. "So it finally fired."

"What do you mean?" Nobubaki asked, his interest piqued.

"You remember Doctor Rin, right?" Li Ming began.

Takumi's expression soured. "That crazy scientist? Yeah, I remember him."

"He wasn't just crazy," Li Ming continued. "He was dangerous. He claimed he'd create something that could destroy supes—a weapon he called 'Chimera.' He even said it could wipe out an entire nation. But when the missile didn't fire, he became a laughingstock. Everyone dismissed him as a fraud. But now..." She trailed off, staring at Nobubaki.

Takumi grinned. "You've figured it out, haven't you?"

Li Ming nodded grimly. "Nobubaki doesn't just have a melic. That explosion didn't just change him—it fused Chimera into him. He's walking around with something that could destroy everything inside him. And you knew that, didn't you, Takumi?"

Takumi's grin widened. "Guilty as charged."

Li Ming shook her head in disbelief. "So that's why you're sending him to that school. You're one twisted guy, Takumi."

The night stretched on, but Nobubaki couldn't sleep. He lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, his mind racing. *What is Chimera, really? What does it mean for me? Am I dangerous to everyone around me?* These thoughts swirled in his head, refusing to settle. The weight of the revelation pressed heavily on his chest, making him feel like he could barely breathe.

Morning came, and the first rays of sunlight seeped into the room. The house buzzed with activity as the group began packing for their departure. Nobubaki dragged himself out of bed, bleary-eyed but determined to face whatever lay ahead.

In the courtyard, Li Ming's children clung to her, sobbing uncontrollably. She knelt down, holding them close one last time. Her voice was steady, but her eyes betrayed the pain she felt leaving them behind.

"You have to be strong for me, okay?" she said softly, brushing their tears away. "I'll come back, I promise."

The maids stood by, bowing respectfully as they said their goodbyes to their mistress. "Safe travels, Lady Li Ming," one of them said, her voice trembling.

Li Ming gave them a faint smile before rising and turning to the vehicle. She hesitated for a moment, glancing back at her children one last time, then steeled herself and got inside.

The rest of the group was already in the vehicle, their faces set with determination—or in Alexei's case, mild irritation as he sipped from a flask. Nobubaki climbed in silently, taking a seat near the window. He stared out at the mansion as they pulled away, the children's cries fading into the distance.

As the vehicle rumbled down the road, Nobubaki clenched his fists, his gaze fixed ahead. Whatever awaited him at the hero school, whatever Chimera truly was, he resolved to face it. This was his path now.

And there was no turning back.