CA [170]: Intrigue

"Ugh, here we go again…"

A voice from behind prompted a weary sigh from Altair.

"Onii-chan, what's wrong?"

The silver-haired girl he was leading by the hand heard his sigh and asked with concern.

"It's nothing. Just some 'acquaintances' looking for me."

Altair gently patted her head.

"Wait here for a moment. I'll deal with this and be right back."

"Okay, Onii-chan."

The girl nodded obediently with a smile and stepped to the side.

After ensuring the sweet-voiced, silver-haired girl was safely waiting by the roadside, Altair turned to face the source of the voice. A blonde young man, much like himself, glared at him with open hostility, his expression practically screaming, I'm the villain!

This wasn't the first troublemaker Altair had encountered. While scouring Tokyo for Cursed Children, he'd run into all sorts, youths like these, meddling kids, middle-aged men, even police. They were all upset that he was taking the girls, interfering in various ways.

So, when he heard the voice, Altair knew what was coming: another "acquaintance" picking a fight.

He hadn't spared any of the previous troublemakers, dispatching them all with his lightsaber.

What amused him was that, after their deaths, the media and police blamed the Cursed Children, claiming they were responsible. It was absurd, but scapegoating Cursed Children had become routine.

The group before him was clearly here to stir trouble and meet the same fate.

Altair approached the three, his gaze cold as he eyed the blonde leader.

"Something you need?"

"Hey, kid, that girl's mine." Katsuta said, pointing at the girl with a sneer.

"Is that so?"

"If you know what's good for you, get lost and leave her to me."

"I see."

Altair glanced around, noting the lack of cameras. Privacy and property were sacred here, so the absence of surveillance was no surprise.

"Can you do me a favor?"

Altair extended his right hand.

"Huh? You begging me now?"

"Not quite. Just giving you a heads-up."

"What are you blabbering about? Get out of here, now!"

"Don't worry, I'll leave once I'm done."

Altair checked his surroundings again, confirming no one was around. With a swift motion of his right hand, a beam of light sliced through the air in a fan shape, instantly severing the necks of all three.

After the sound of bodies hitting the ground, Altair retracted his lightsaber.

"Alright, I'm done. See ya."

He returned to the girl, took her hand, and walked away.

"Onii-chan, is it really okay? I don't want to cause you trouble because of me."

Though blind, her hearing was sharp. She'd overheard the conversation and knew the men were after her, likely not for her singing. As a Cursed Child, she was all too aware of how most people treated her.

"It's fine. You don't need to worry. This kind of thing is no big deal to me."

Altair reassured her, then scooped her up into his arms.

"Ah!"

Startled by the sudden lift, the girl tensed. Altair held her as one would a child, noting how light she was due to chronic malnutrition. His Godslayer-enhanced strength made her feel weightless.

"Let's go pick up your sister. Then you'd better start singing your heart out for me, heh."

Altair teased, holding her close. The girl paused, then smiled.

"Thank you, Onii-chan."

That evening, Tokyo news reported that three young men had been killed downtown. Witnesses claimed a Cursed Child beggar had been at the scene but vanished after the murders. Police suspected the Cursed Child, noting the victims' heads were severed, a feat they deemed impossible for an ordinary person in such a short time, only achievable by a Cursed Child. The logic was airtight, or so they claimed.

But the authorities had bigger concerns than blaming Cursed Children.

Tokyo's top Civil Security companies had been summoned by Kikunojō Tendō in Seitenshi's name to discuss a major job, including the Tendō Civil Security Corporation, where Altair was affiliated.

A critical box had gone missing from a Tokyo research lab. Kikunojō Tendō informed Seitenshi, who promptly issued a commission to the companies to recover it.

However, during their meeting, an unexpected intruder stormed the conference room.

A man in a suit, wearing a smiling mask, burst in and went on a rampage. Using specialized equipment, he injured many attendees and killed a few outright.

The commission's nature shifted instantly. It was no longer just about finding the box, now, the Civil Security companies had to locate it before this masked man and secure it.

It became a race of speed and efficiency.

Altair, busy collecting girls across Tokyo, was unaware of this. After coaxing the silver-haired sisters, contracting them, and sending them to Gensokyo, he learned of the upheaval in Tokyo.

That night, he rushed to the Holy Residence, finding a distressed Seitenshi in her room.

"You look worried."

As before, Altair's sudden voice startled her.

"Mr. Altair!"

After the initial shock, Seitenshi's face lit up with relief.

"Why are you here?"

"I heard some news, so I came to check in. It's been a while, hasn't it?"

Aside from their initial agreement and his elimination of the guard team, Altair had been occupied developing suppressants and gathering girls, leaving Seitenshi to wonder if he'd misled her. His return now filled her with joy.

"Mr. Altair, I need your help with something. The Civil Security agents are capable, but compared to you, they're far outmatched."

"I know what you want. The Legacy of the Seven Stars, right?"

Altair crossed his arms, exuding confidence.

"Don't worry, I'll handle it. Even if the Zodiac shows up, I've got it covered. But there's something you need to know first."

"Please, tell me."

"This whole thing was orchestrated by Kikunojō Tendō. He hired that assassin."

"What…?"

Seitenshi froze, stunned.

Altair didn't elaborate. The old man's plan to hire an assassin to stir chaos, summon a monster capable of destroying Tokyo, and then defeat it to showcase Tokyo's strength was baffling to him.

Stepping onto the balcony, Altair gazed at the distant Monoliths. Beyond them lay a forest teeming with Gastrea, where a brutal battle was about to unfold.

The plot he knew so well was finally beginning.

***

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