Chapter 22
"Who's there?!"
The sound from behind made veteran officer Seiko Fuji instinctively raise her gun, keeping it trained on the flaming skeleton while darting a quick glance behind her.
What...?!
From within the thick mist emerged a figure holding an umbrella.
Even though the two were only a few meters apart, Seiko couldn't discern if the figure was male or female—or even human. Water circled around them, flowing endlessly and encasing the figure in swirling ripples that obscured their true form.
The figure didn't respond. Instead, they raised a hand and pointed toward a damaged fire hydrant knocked askew by the police cruiser.
With a grasping motion, a strange power twisted the metal.
Creak!
The hydrant split apart under the invisible force.
Boom!
In the next second, a jet of water erupted from the hydrant like a dragon breaking free from chains, soaring into the sky.
"A dragon..."
In Seiko's stunned eyes, she saw a long, sinuous figure with outstretched claws. The gushing water didn't fall or disperse under gravity but instead coalesced into the form of an Eastern dragon. It bared its fangs, whiskers flowing, water forming shimmering scales and claws that looked frighteningly real. Its head exuded both majesty and calm, all shrouded in white mist.
Where wind follows the tiger, clouds follow the dragon.
"Aaaahhh!"
The flaming skeleton screamed, its jaw snapping open wide enough to make Seiko's eardrums throb. It raised its arms, summoning fireballs the size of human heads.
Each fireball bore the tortured faces of people—men, women, children—seemingly tormented in flames. With disturbing eagerness, they hurled themselves toward the figure under the umbrella.
Go.
The figure under the umbrella pointed forward. The water dragon roared and charged, colliding with the flaming fireballs.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Explosions erupted as the dragon clashed violently with the fireballs. Steam billowed outward, and Seiko was forced to duck behind the police cruiser, shielding her head from the blast wave.
As the steam began to clear, she looked up.
The dragon was damaged but still intact. The fireballs had mostly vanished.
Was it a draw?
No.
Water can extinguish fire. As more water jetted from the hydrant, the dragon rapidly reformed.
"ROOOOAR!"
With a renewed roar, the water dragon surged toward the weakened flaming skeleton and coiled around it.
Quick victory.
The figure under the umbrella—Jun Kashida—channeled their yokai energy and clenched a hand in the skeleton's direction.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!"
The dragon constricted, seeking to crush and extinguish the skeleton. It writhed violently but couldn't break free. Surrounded by steam, the flames faded, its body dissolving.
It was over.
Where the flaming skeleton once floated, only a fingernail-sized shard of stone remained, suspended in the air.
Jun Kashida extended a finger, and water carried the shard to him.
Gripping it, he trembled—not from fear but exhilaration. This tiny fragment contained an overwhelming yokai presence.
The Killing Stone!
That was the mission assigned by the enigmatic figure known as White Reaper—to collect fragments of the Killing Stone.
No need for explanations. Jun already knew: these were remnants of a powerful demon, possibly even the key to its resurrection.
Even the underworld feared the one this stone came from—a being who crossed the seas.
Pocketing the shard, Jun prepared to leave.
"Stop!"
Seiko Fuji's voice rang out.
Jun turned his head slightly.
"I don't care who you are. You must stay and cooperate with the investigation!"
Seiko barked out the words she was trained to say. Deep down, she regretted it. She was unarmed, outmatched, and vulnerable.
Yet seeing the destruction around her, the bloodied body of her colleague, and the uniform on her back, she couldn't stay silent.
Jun didn't reply. He didn't even look at her directly. Instead, he stepped forward, the mist swirling around him like loyal retainers, and disappeared into the fog-choked street.
"What the hell am I even doing..."
Seiko let her arms fall, biting her lip.
"Is anyone there?! Someone's hurt!"
The cries from the mist snapped her back.
Rescue!
"Mai!"
She rushed behind the cruiser, opened the trunk, and pulled out a first-aid kit.
Dropping beside her injured colleague, she began emergency treatment.
Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo Metropolitan Police Headquarters.
As the largest municipal police force in the world, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department commands over 46,000 officers.
This massive force is the backbone of Tokyo's relatively stable public order. But recently, the authority of the MPD has faced serious challenges.
"Hello, this is Arakawa, Machiya...?"
"This is the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department."
"An earthquake? What? A massive black fish? Sir, calm down, take a deep breath."
"I am Inspector Seiko Fuji from Adachi District Precinct. Badge number XXXXXX!"
Amidst the flood of emergency calls, one came in with clear authority.
"There has been seismic damage at Machiya 6-chome in Arakawa Ward. We need immediate rescue teams. Over a dozen injured!"
"No, it's not a natural disaster."
"It was caused by a monster—a yokai."
"I am calm. My body camera is active. Send help. Now!"
Woooo! Woooo!
Police cars, ambulances, even armored vehicles screamed through the city toward Arakawa Ward.
Their flashing lights and reinforced frames cleared roads with ease. From civilians to company presidents, no one dared to get in their way.
Helicopters also took to the skies.
The massive response left many citizens wondering just what had happened to warrant such a mobilization.
But something moved even faster than those vehicles.
[Earthquake at the scene.]
[Shocking! Fish swimming on land?!]
[Flaming skeleton? We have pictures—real proof!]
[Mysterious fog engulfs Machiya 6-chome.]
Although the event was confined to a few streets in Arakawa's Machiya district, many had seen and filmed the massive black fish with a torii gate on its back swimming through the earth like water. They uploaded it online.
In the modern age, no one is without a phone. The first reaction to bizarre sights is always to record and post it—to Line, Facebook, YouTube.
But soon, all such content vanished from the web.
Even locals were left confused.
Immediately after, official announcements flooded every channel:
"A sudden earthquake struck Arakawa Ward. The government is actively responding. Please cooperate."
Armored vehicles blocked major roads. Sirens blared as emergency units descended on Machiya 6-chome.
What were they doing?
Only the elite units at the front knew.
Something supernatural had reappeared.
Adachi Ward, Homine High School.
"Huh?"
"Chiyoda Line is undergoing emergency maintenance..."
Tenyo Akira looked at the alert on her phone, puzzled.
"Seriously? That means we have to take a detour."
"Well, it's an old line built 50 years ago. These things happen," replied Souta Kiryuu calmly, with no guilt despite being partly responsible.
"Fifty years isn't that old!"
Akira protested, but with the line down, they had no choice.
"Tenyo, Nao, if it's too inconvenient, you can go home first," Souta offered. He had to pick up his sister, Sora, in Bunkyo Ward.
Akira, though, also had plans there. Her older sister, Kazuha Nagisa, always met her after school to help clean the shrine.
Given how serious the chauffeur was yesterday, Akira figured the young lady wouldn't be allowed out for a while.
As for Nao Iai...
"I'm fine, Souta."
She wasn't going to give up the chance to spend time with her childhood friend. Besides:
"I don't want to go home yet. You know why."
Ah, right...
Souta rubbed his chin. Nao's parents had been cold to each other for over a decade—their relationship so toxic it nearly turned violent years ago.
She had joined the swim team just to stay late and avoid them.
"Alright, let's go."
The three of them took a detour via the Nanboku Line to Bunkyo Ward, heading toward Ousakura Girls' School.
"Whoa, this is..."
As they arrived at the elite school, they saw luxury cars lined up. Drivers in black suits and gloves stood by silently.
Even helicopters came and went, picking up one rich girl after another.
"What is going on here?"
Akira looked around the quiet but tense scene, wondering if she was in the right place.
Souta shrugged.
"Who knows? Maybe they all have dinner plans."
"Akira!"
By the gate, the elegant Nagisa Kazuha approached swiftly and grabbed Akira's hand.
"Come with me. We're going to my house."
"Wait, what?!"
Even Akira was caught off guard.
"Would all three of you join me as guests?" the refined young lady asked, including Souta, Sora, and Nao.
"We shouldn't..."
"Then I—"
As Souta began to refuse, Akira reflexively followed.
"No!"
Nagisa looked panicked.
"Something's happening in Arakawa. Just come with me, please."
"W-Why..."
Akira turned to Souta, confused.
Understanding the real reason, Souta nodded.
"Then... thank you, Nagisa."
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