Chapter 10: The culprits?!!

After Nemuri and Shino left Kai's room, they went to a small private room in the hospital, where Shino answered the call with a serious expression on her face.

[This is Tsuragamae Kenji. Mandalay?]

[Yes, it's me, Tsuragamae-san. What news do you have?]

 [Well, we have important updates regarding the case, but it's complicated to discuss over the phone. It's better in person. I'll contact Midnight right away to meet at my office.]

 [That's not necessary, Tsuragamae-san. I'm with her right now. We can leave immediately.]

 [That's perfect. I'll be waiting for you.]

After ending the call, Nemuri and Shino left the hospital with serious expressions. Sometime later, they arrived at Kenji's office, which had a simple, organized, and efficient look, with very little decoration aside from a couple of shelves that neatly held files, law books, and references.

However, a shelf dedicated to all kinds of hero memorabilia stood out in the room, along with a corkboard on the wall with information about current cases, with photos and related notes connected by threads of different colors.

Seeing them arrive, Kenji stood up to greet them and pointed to a pair of simple yet elegant chairs in front of his desk, with high backs and padded leather upholstery for support. He then offered them tea, which they politely declined.

"Tsuragamae-san, what are the important news you mentioned?" Nemuri asked quickly as she sat in the chair, showing a bit of anxiety.

"Well, we believe we have found the 'remains' of Iron Palm."

Kenji's serious and calm words caused Nemuri and Shino to open their eyes wide in surprise, with Mandalay exclaiming in shock.

"So quickly?!!"

Meanwhile, Nemuri couldn't contain her tears and began to cry silently. Although she knew it was most likely that Jiro-san was no longer in this world, hearing the confirmation was more painful than she expected.

Seeing Nemuri's state, Shino hugged her and rubbed her shoulders, trying to comfort her, while Kenji handed her a box of tissues, and they all remained silent, with the only sound being Midnight's soft sobs.

"…"

After a while, Nemuri managed to control herself a bit, though her red and swollen eyes and the tissue she held to her mouth gave her a desolate and sad appearance. Nevertheless, she gathered the courage to ask.

"…How did you manage to find him?"

"Well, since the incident occurred, we've been combing the area for clues, although with little success. It was only thanks to Kai-kun's testimony that we were able to focus the search and immediately obtained some results."

Kenji responded in a serious and professional tone, to which Nemuri remained silent before asking in a broken voice that revealed her sadness and fear of the possible answer. After all, she was present when Kai recounted what had happened.

 "…In what condition was he?"

"Well, let's say that Kai-kun was right about how his father was the last time he saw him, so not in very good condition. It's even difficult to recognize him, but after the results of the preliminary analyses, combined with Kai-kun's testimony, we can be more or less certain it's him."

"…'Inflated,' correct? But was it due to an enemy attack? I don't recall ever hearing something like that about Iron Palm."

While Shino asked with a grave expression, fearing that there might be a villain with such a horrific ability on the loose, Nemuri couldn't hold back her tears, imagining the terrible state and the immense suffering Jiro must have endured.

"We still don't have a concrete idea either; we're looking into options."

After Kenji responded, Nemuri held back her tears and commented with a broken voice.

"I remember Jiro-san occasionally saying that his warrior's farewell would be with a 'boom'... at the time, I thought he was speaking metaphorically, but... could it be more literal and refer to a technique?..."

"It's an interesting theory. It could be a way of using his quirk. After all, it allowed him to harden himself despite being called [Force Control]. If that's the case, there should be traces pointing to it, especially in his medical records. We need to review them."

Kenji's canine eyes gleamed with the information shared by Nemuri, as he commented and jotted down notes in his small notebook.

"Yes, it's very possible he got injured at some point due to such a dangerous technique," Shino added thoughtfully.

"Exactly, but the remains of Iron Palm are not the only thing we found. We also found more 'remains.'"

"The culprits?!!" x2

Both Shino and Nemuri exclaimed simultaneously, the former filled with surprise and the latter with overwhelming hatred and a terrible thirst for revenge, something the other two present decided to ignore for the moment.

"That's what we think too. The problem is that they are in a much worse state, making them completely unrecognizable. So, complex and intensive analyses will be needed on them, although I already have some suspects."

"WHO ARE THEY?!!!"

Nemuri stood up from her chair, filled with hatred and with a murderous look on her delicate face, giving the impression that she would go on a hunt the moment she found out.

"Calm down, Midnight!!" Shino quickly replied loudly as she stood up to restrain Nemuri, who turned to look at her while shouting in anger.

"HOW DO YOU EXPECT ME TO CALM DOWN AFTER WHAT THOSE BASTARDS DID?!!!"

"I understand perfectly, but you are a professional heroine. You can't let yourself be driven by anger, much less take justice into your own hands."

Shino's words caused Nemuri to stop, while an unpleasant and frustrated expression formed on her face. She then sat back down and remained silent, with her head down and her fists clenched.

"Midnight, I understand this is a very difficult time for you, but you can't lose your focus. If you follow that path, you'll end up leaving Kai-kun to his fate. Is that what you want?"

While Shino looked at Midnight with concern, Kenji spoke in a serious and formal tone, which immediately caused Nemuri to raise her head with a somewhat complicated look. After a moment of reflection, she let out a tired sigh.

"... I'm sorry for my outburst, and you're right. Now more than ever, I must keep a clear mind. Kai-kun depends on me now; I can't afford to make such a mistake."

"Don't worry, just don't forget it. Your life is no longer just yours; you have someone who depends on you." After a small sigh of relief, Shino commented with a small smile on her face.

"Yes, you're right…"

"Well, it's a relief that you can still stay centered, Midnight. I also have to apologize; at this moment, I can't give more details about the case. Not because I doubt you, but because if my suspicions are correct, this is a bigger and more complicated case."

With a calmer Nemuri, Kenji commented with a dark expression and a serious tone, which made Nemuri ask with a mix of confusion and curiosity.

"What do you mean?"

"There could be political hands involved in this case."

Kenji's response put an expression full of surprise on Nemuri's beautiful tear-stained face, and she quickly asked.

"Are you sure? Why would a politician want to attack Jiro-san? I never heard of him having problems with any."

"That's precisely why I don't dare to speak until I confirm my suspicions, as something like this has dangerous and very controversial implications. Additionally, I suspect things are a bit more complicated than an assassination attempt by someone higher up."

Kenji's comment was met with serious expressions from both Nemuri and Shino, who quickly commented.

"Indeed, this whole situation is getting more complicated with each new discovery. But let me offer my help, and from Wild Wild Pussycats, we will be vigilant and provide all the necessary assistance if needed."

"You can also count on me, for whatever is needed."

"I appreciate your cooperation, and I will continue investigating the case and try to keep you informed of any updates."

After a polite farewell, Nemuri and Shino left Kenji's office and decided to go to a nearby café they knew well, to have a meal in a private place that would allow them to talk in a more relaxed and private manner.

The café had an elegant and classic look, with brown wooden floors and minimalist black chairs and tables. At the back, there was a finely finished wooden counter that matched the floor, with various desserts and utensils for preparing coffee.

Nemuri and Shino entered the café accompanied by the sound of a small bell on the door, then greeted a man in his 50s, wearing an elegant black waiter's suit, silver-framed glasses, and carefully combed white hair, who was behind the counter.

"Oh, if it isn't Nemuri-san and Shino-san, what a pleasure to see you here."

"Toshiaki-san, how have you been?"

Shino asked with a small smile on her face, to which the man replied courteously.

"Same as always, busy and happy to share my passion with people."

"Toshiaki-san, I really envy your mindset; I wish I could say something similar." With a somewhat nostalgic smile, Nemuri commented softly.

"Hahaha, after aging so much, it's not that difficult, Nemuri-san," the man responded warmly with a small, elegant smile.

"If you say so. By the way, Toshiaki-san, is the private room available?"

"Of course, please go ahead."

"Thank you very much. And the usual for us, Toshiaki-san."

Opening the door to the private room revealed an intimate and cozy space with soft and relaxing lighting, provided by a modern floor lamp and several recessed lights in the ceiling that cast a gentle glow on the cream-colored walls.

The light, polished wooden floors complemented the simple and elegant ambiance of the room, while a wooden table with a light oak finish, surrounded by four cushioned chairs covered in beige linen fabric, occupied the center of the room, giving it an air of elegance and sophistication.

"I still find it hard to fully grasp the implications of Tsuragamae-san's suspicions."

As she sat in her chair, Shino commented, still a bit incredulous about what she had just heard. Nemuri, who had wiped away all traces of tears from her face, responded in a similar tone.

"Yes, even I find it hard to believe. I don't recall Jiro-san having problems with people higher up."

"Originally, I thought the same, but reflecting on Tsuragamae-san's words, I remembered something that I initially dismissed due to its seemingly impossible implications. But this whole situation makes me less sure now."

"What do you mean?" With a surprised expression, Nemuri quickly asked.

"Do you remember Kai-kun's description of the attackers?"

"Yes, several dressed in black with white masks with horns, and one had a white coat and blue hair, right?"

"Exactly, and I know of a villain who fits that description very well."

"What?!!"

Nemuri exclaimed in surprise, standing up and approaching Shino to grab her by the shoulders and ask.

"Who is it?!!"

"Calm down, it's just a guess. Besides, if you want me to speak, you have to promise to keep quiet and do nothing about it, as you could alert those involved." Shino gently pushed Nemuri aside while responding calmly.

While Nemuri took several deep breaths as she walked around the room, trying to keep her emotions under control, Shino picked up her coffee from the table, which they had brought from the counter, and started drinking elegantly and leisurely, giving Midnight the time she needed to gather her thoughts.

After a few minutes, Nemuri finally managed to calm down, so she sat back in her seat. After sipping a bit of her coffee, she looked Shino directly in the eyes and spoke in a firm tone.

"You're right, I got carried away again. But I promise on the memory of Jiro-san and Alisa-san that I will keep the information secret."

"I knew you could overcome it, and to keep you from being in suspense, I can tell you that the villain I'm referring to is known as BioBlast."

"BioBlast? That sounds familiar… wait!" After pondering the name for a moment, Nemuri looked at Shino with disbelief and continued, "Wasn't that the target of Jiro-san's last raid? But that shouldn't be possible, he was captured and sent to Tartarus… ohh."

As a look of realization crossed Nemuri's face, Shino nodded with a grave expression and commented.

"Exactly. That's why the implications of this case are so significant. After all, once inside Tartarus, it should be impossible to get out. So, either the villain somehow managed to escape without alerting anyone, which is unlikely, or he was never there in the first place."

"So that's why the political intervention…" Nemuri let out her voice full of surprise and a bit of anger, almost like a sigh.

"Exactly."

"This is getting quite complicated…"

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An extra chapter as a thank you to Jonathan Bailey for joining my Patreon. Thank you very much for your support.