Chapter 75: The Little Vigilante and the Thief

The next day.

Salomé was leaving school, humming a catchy song, her bouncing steps keeping rhythm with her joy for life. She gently swung her bag from side to side, the evening sun caressing her hair.

Arriving at the corner of a familiar alley, she stopped abruptly. On her left, she recognized a small stand she knew well.

She squinted with a curious smile, then approached:

— Hey, Mrs. Yuna? Are you here?

No answer.

Intrigued, she leaned a little closer to the counter, glanced around the stand. Everything seemed locked… except one thing.

— Looks like she's not here… The door is closed but the window is open. That's dangerous… If a thief tries to…

She didn't have time to finish.

A gray van suddenly parked a few meters away, kicking up a cloud of dust in the warm air.

Salomé turned her head toward the vehicle, surprised… and lit up recognizing the figure getting out.

— Mrs. Yuna!!

— Salomé! the woman called out with a warm smile.

Salomé ran to her and hugged her without restraint.

— Did you come to buy something from me? Yuna asked, laughing.

— Yes! But you weren't here earlier.

— I'm here now…

A burly man got out on the driver's side of the truck, placing his hands on his hips:

— You're going to have to unload your stuff, ma'am.

Salomé blinked:

— Stuff?

— Oh yes, I did some shopping, Yuna replied with a wink. Will you help me carry all this?

— Yes, I'm coming!

The young girl hurried to lend a hand. Together, they carried crates filled with provisions, utensils, and spices, then reorganized the stand.

Quickly, the business came back to life. Customers returned, the smell of hot broths floated in the air. Salomé, seated on a stool, savored her dish with a big smile.

— Hmmm… So good as always!

Then, between sips, she said:

— Mrs. Yuna, you know, you should avoid leaving your window open when you're not here…

— Huh? It was open? the cook replied, blinking. I was sure I had closed it. Tssk… guess old age is starting to play tricks on me…

Salomé burst out laughing:

— Haha! You're so funny!

A customer stood up silently after finishing his dish. He walked calmly toward the exit.

Yuna immediately called after him, alarmed:

— Hey, sir! You haven't paid!

The man turned slowly. His eyes glowed with a supernatural red.

— I don't pay… sorry.

And he resumed his walk, unfazed.

Yuna stood frozen for a few seconds, her jaw trembling.

— Poor me… she murmured to Salomé. I'm really going to need guards here… For people like that… my life could be in danger.

Salomé looked at her with concern.

— He's leaving… Are you really going to let him go with your money?

— I… I can't do anything to him, Yuna replied, returning to the kitchen, shoulders slumped. Even a complaint, what's the point? I don't even know who that guy is. Never seen him here before… Anyway. I'll cook, it'll take my mind off things.

Salomé got up quietly.

— I'll be back in a moment, Mrs. Yuna.

— Where are you going? You better not follow him, huh? she called out, turning abruptly.

— No, no, I'm not following him, I promise!

But her gaze was already turned toward the alley where the man had disappeared.

And something in her eyes said she hadn't told the whole truth.

Salomé followed the man at a distance, weaving between passersby and building shadows. She kept her steps quiet, her breath calm. Her eyes never left him for a second. The man walked with a nonchalant pace, as if he had nothing to fear, back slightly hunched, hands in his pockets.

He stopped in front of an empty alley. Salomé immediately hid behind a trash bin, heart pounding.

But as she silently watched…

— Kid, I know you've been watching me all this time.

The voice was icy, calm. The man hadn't even turned around. Salomé jumped, frozen.

A tense silence settled. Then, realizing she had been spotted, she slowly stepped out of her hiding place.

The man finally turned. Red glowing eyes, mocking smile on his lips. He studied her for a moment.

— For a kid, you've got guts following me like that. You don't even know who I am. What do you want?

— You're a thief, Salomé answered without hesitation. You ate at Mrs. Yuna's stand earlier, and you left without paying. I came to get her money back.

Yuki stared at her for a moment. Then, without answering, he shrugged and turned away.

— I don't have time to play with a kid. Go play with your dolls and leave me alone.

He started walking again. Salomé, fists clenched, glanced at the ground, saw a small stone, picked it up and… threw it!

The projectile flew weakly through the air before hitting the man's skull with a small thock. Ridiculous, almost comical. The stone bounced on the ground.

Yuki stopped dead. He turned slowly, eyes narrowed.

— I won't let you go until you've paid, Salomé said boldly. Mrs. Yuna is a lady with a big heart. You have no right to do that to her.

Yuki walked toward her, his face twisted with an annoyed smile.

— You, little brat… I think you want me to spank you. Wait, you'll get it.

He reached out to grab her. But Salomé jumped aside, dodging nimbly, and tried to strike him.

— YOU WILL PAY, YES!

Yuki raised his arm and blocked the attack. But immediately, he grimaced, surprised by the impact. He stepped back slightly and looked at his forearm, a red mark appearing.

— What was that…?

He raised his eyes to Salomé, wary.

— Who exactly are you? How old are you, kid?

— That's none of your business, she said sharply. You're just a dishonest man.

Yuki lowered his head, then raised a murderous look.

— Tss… Fine. I guess we'll speed things up. I'm Yuki. Yuki Chimatsuri. And now… I'm going to kill you.

Salomé took a step back, a chill running down her spine.

(A Chimatsuri? That name… The clan of atomic manipulation. They can disintegrate limbs with a snap of the fingers. I absolutely have to avoid his attacks, or… it's over.)

— Watch out, kid!

Yuki charged at her.

Salomé leapt back just in time to avoid the first blow. A violent wave sliced the air where she had stood a second before. The ground sizzled briefly, pebbles melting into dust.

(Just as I feared… he manipulates atoms. He doesn't even need to touch me directly.)

Yuki charged again. Salomé rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding a sweep that could have wiped her ribs off the floor of reality. The air vibrated around every movement of the man. Every gesture, even slight, could be fatal.

She didn't fight back. Impossible. Not under these conditions.

He was fast. His strikes were sharp, precise, and each carried an invisible threat—a microscopic disintegration.

Salomé breathed fast, her boots scraping the dust, her eyes searching for an opening. Nothing. Too risky.

— WHAT ARE YOU DOING, DANCING?! Yuki shouted, blindly striking in front of him, his nervous gestures causing invisible impacts that shattered the stone.

Salomé dodged again, slipped under his arm, slid on the ground to avoid a burst, jumped up trembling.

— Is that… all you've got? You're just… a dishonest man… who… REFUSES TO PAY FOR HIS MEAL!

Yuki froze for a moment, mouth open.

— Excuse me?!

He brought his fist down toward her. She dodged again, passed behind him.

— A SOUP, TWO SKEWERS, AND AN APPLE PIE! YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR IT, YES OR NO?

— BUT I TOLD YOU I'M GOING TO KILL YOU, DAMN IT!

Yuki spun, arms spread, unleashing a blast of heat. Salomé jumped back.

— And kill a child?! For STOLEN food?! You're pathetic! A thief without honor, without pride, without…

— I'M NOT A THIEF, I'M A CULINARY ESCAPE ARTIST!

— A scoundrel, yes! GIVE BACK MRS. YUNA'S MONEY!

Yuki let out a yell, charged at her like a furious bull, his fist aimed at her head.

— I'M GOING TO SMASH YOUR HEAD!

Salomé rolled, then started running circles around him.

— Thieeeeeeeeef!

— I'M NOT A THIEF, I'M A… TEMPORARY CUSTOMER!

— GIVE BACK THE MONEY, IMPOSTER!

Yuki stopped abruptly, arms hanging. He was panting, face red, a vein throbbing on his forehead.

— Fine… you're PISSING ME OFF!!!

He shoved his hands into his hair.

— I should be smoking right now! Sleeping somewhere! And instead, I'm chased by a girl possessed by the spirit of divine accounting over a damn soup! ARE YOU CRAZY OR WHAT?!

Salomé also stopped, hands on her hips.

— And you, you have no dignity. You don't steal from a kind lady. So either you pay, or I keep going until tomorrow. I'm patient, very patient.

A silence.

Then Yuki sighed. Long and deep. He raised his arms to the sky.

— Okay… Okay! You win. I'll… give her back her money. And you leave me alone after, got it?!

Salomé crossed her arms, proud.

— I accept… Mr. Repentant Thief.

— …You know what? You're even scarier than an exorcist.