"74: The Metropolitan Police Department’s Meeting"

"The situation at the scene was just as I've described."

Inside a dimly lit conference room in the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, Ryoko Yakushiji stood in front of a projection screen, presenting details of the Sharron incident to the assembled high-ranking officials.

Displayed on the screen behind her was a blue Ferrari, license plate Shinagawa 5999, crashed into the highway guardrail. It was Ryoko Yakushiji's own vehicle. But now, the once-luxurious sports car was in ruins—the hood had completely split open, one of the tires had flown off, and the twisted chassis made several officials frown.

In the video, several investigators wearing gloves and masks could be seen gathering samples from the wrecked vehicle.

"So, you're telling me that this 'pure' Sharron simply vanished while driving at high speed toward Chiba? She just disappeared from the moving car?" The question came from Kirika Tachibana, seated at the lower-right end of the conference table.

As a Superintendent, Kirika naturally qualified to attend this kind of meeting. In fact, she was also one of the report's contributors. But due to her seniority, unlike Ryoko Yakushiji, she didn't need to be the one presenting.

At this moment, Kirika studied Ryoko's expressionless face with amused eyes, as though watching a clown perform.

Aside from Kirika, fifteen other senior officers from the Metropolitan Police Department were listening to Ryoko's report. After all, this was a major incident involving the use of mortar fire within the metropolitan area. If not for the tightened media controls in recent years, the story would've hit the morning papers by tomorrow.

Although Ryoko came from a zaibatsu family, granting her status on par with those present, she still held the lowest official rank in the room. And given how things had unfolded today, her confidence was clearly shaken. Her usual firmness had given way to a more restrained tone.

"Based on surveillance footage from the highway, it appears that Sharron managed to instantly disappear through some unknown means, thereby escaping our pursuit."

"A terrorist vanishing from a speeding car, with no trace even on surveillance? That's the explanation you're offering us, Inspector Yakushiji?"

The sharp accusation came from an elderly officer with snow-white hair seated in the main position at the far end. His expression was cold, and he made no attempt to hide the criticism in his tone.

"Yes, Director Itou," Ryoko replied.

Upon hearing this, Director Itou slammed his hand down on the table with a loud thud and shouted, "How am I supposed to explain this nonsense to the Cabinet? To the Prime Minister?"

"You expect me to tell them that an enemy managed to capture one of my subordinates, escape using a hostage, and then vanish into thin air while surrounded by our personnel? That she disappeared mysteriously on the highway and now we don't even have a shadow of her left to show?! Is that what I'm supposed to say to the Prime Minister and the public?! Huh?! Answer me!"

Ryoko's face turned pale under the pressure of his outburst, but she maintained composure and said coldly, "JACES will give you an explanation, Director Itou."

She bowed at a full ninety degrees and added respectfully, "Please grant us a little more time."

Director Itou, who had been shouting moments ago, suddenly leaned back in his chair with a strangely calm demeanor. "And how much more time do you need?"

"We will give you a definitive answer by March 22," Ryoko responded with certainty.

It was currently March 17—meaning she had given herself only five days. But everyone present understood what that date truly signified.

"Very well. I look forward to your final answer," Director Itou replied, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "March 22, the day the Senate finalizes the national budget, correct? My, my... looks like JACES will be taking a major financial hit in the police equipment category. I wonder whose pockets that saved tax money might end up in."

This remark didn't cause much reaction among the attendees—only a few glanced toward Kirika Tachibana, confirming that she had indeed spoken, before quickly looking away in silence.

Director Itou also glanced at Kirika briefly but dismissed her as irrelevant and turned his attention back to Ryoko.

"What exactly is the background of this terrorist named Sharron?"

"Yes, sir." Ryoko nodded and continued her report. "The target is a senior officer in the European secret organization known as the Demon Hunters. Initial intel categorized her as a close-combat specialist, but during this operation, she demonstrated firearms skills that far exceed what we'd call humanly possible."

She clicked a button on the remote in her pocket, and the projection changed to a grainy surveillance video. In the footage, a figure in a nun's habit with blonde hair raised her rifle and fired several shots skyward—each shot triggering a dramatic explosion of light in the sky.

"As shown, this is the moment Sharron used a rifle to successfully detonate mortar rounds mid-air," Ryoko explained.

"A rifle triggered mortar shells? Is that detail in the written report?" several stunned officials began flipping through their documents.

Kirika, resting her cheek on one hand, clicked her tongue and muttered, "So none of you even read the report beforehand, huh?"

One of the police superintendents suddenly exclaimed, "She used our standard-issue Type 20 assault rifle?! And she hit all 43 mortar rounds? Is that one of those mage abilities?"

"We strongly suspect it's a unique ability possessed by Sharron herself," Ryoko replied, then switched the projection again.

This time, it was a shaky handheld video—clearly taken from a body cam worn by one of the Special Response Team officers during the operation.

The footage showed Sharron weaving between bullets with minimal movement and charging forward at an almost imperceptible speed. She knocked down an officer with a sudden lunge—so fast it had to be played in slow motion to be understood.

"Holy hell!" gasped one of the officials as Sharron's hand rapidly enlarged in the lens.

"This footage, captured as a member of the special team was taken down, has been passed to our analysts," Ryoko explained. "A full breakdown of her combat capabilities will be delivered to your desks by tomorrow."

"A monster who can dodge bullets at close range?" muttered Osaka HQ Chief Heizou Hattori with a troubled look, burying his face in his hand. "Even mortars couldn't take her down... Clearly, this is beyond the capability of the police force. Has anyone tested anti-tank weapons?"

"Not yet," Ryoko replied, then turned slightly to glance at Kirika. "However, according to Superintendent Tachibana's report, Sharron is known to possess a special Abyssal Artifact. It's been shown in Europe to be immune to anti-tank weaponry."

"You were involved in the operation too, Superintendent Tachibana?"

Chief Hattori looked at her with surprise—he seemed shocked that even her well-funded division couldn't handle Sharron.

Kirika calmly clipped her nails with a nail clipper and replied, "What's with that look? My team faced Sharron twice. The first encounter was unexpected, but we managed to injure her. The second time, we surrounded her, pushed her into a corner, and inflicted serious wounds. If it hadn't been for a certain someone swooping in at the last moment to steal the credit, it would've been over."

"And you're blaming me for that?" Ryoko asked.

"So, SDS does have a way of dealing with threats like her? That's a relief. At least we don't have to beg the Onmyoji Bureau for help," Chief Hattori said.

But the moment he spoke, he seemed to realize his mistake. He quickly looked at Director Itou—who was already calmly staring back at him.

Hattori cursed inwardly. Seriously? You'd rather let us fall short than swallow your pride and ask the Onmyoji Bureau for support?

Still, because Director Itou was his superior, Hattori forced a cough and said, "If that's the case, why didn't you cooperate more closely with Inspector Yakushiji to take her down together, Superintendent Tachibana?"

"Ah, sorry," Kirika said while trimming her nails. "At the time, the Abyssal Artifact we had—specifically prepared to counter Sharron—had run out of usable time. So, I had no choice but to follow Inspector Yakushiji's orders and retreat."

Then, without skipping a beat, she added with a mischievous smile, "You know, that artifact requires someone with a very high social standing to wield it due to its side effects. So next time Sharron shows up, why don't some of you, as paragons of justice, come help me out?"

"Don't worry—your sacrifice will be remembered by the people."

Several officials visibly paled at her remark. Everyone in that room knew that high-grade Abyssal Artifacts came with deadly side effects. Kirika was basically asking them to die in her place.

So, after that suggestion, the room fell into complete silence. Some of them even followed the example of Diet members and began pretending to doze off.

Old people have limited energy, after all. Staying up late is just not feasible anymore, Kirika mused.

She wasn't surprised by their feigned deafness. With a knowing smile, she continued, "Although we failed to capture Sharron this time, I think we've all learned the most effective way to handle these dangerous individuals, haven't we?"

At her pointed remark, Director Itou's face darkened as he thought of the report Ryoko had just delivered. He said sternly, "Superintendent Tachibana, prepare a proposal for handling such special threats. I'll present it to the Cabinet for funding."

Then he turned to Ryoko, whose expression stiffened as she immediately understood what he meant. After a brief silence, she nodded.

Seeing that the budget burden would fall on Ryoko's backers, Director Itou had no more complaints. He looked to Kirika again. "If funding is no longer an issue, can SDS guarantee the elimination of these foreign threats?"

"Of course," Kirika replied confidently, without a shred of hesitation.

"Good," Director Itou said as he rose from his seat. "Everyone, the meeting is adjourned."

With that, he left the room. The other superintendents and police directors soon followed.

Kirika remained seated, watching them leave. When Chief Hattori passed by her, she called out, "Chief Hattori, free for a drink after work~?"

His face twitched as though he'd just seen the Grim Reaper and he quickened his pace out of the room.

"My, running off like that? What, afraid I'll kill you or something?" Kirika rested her chin on her palm and turned her gaze to Ryoko, who was still packing up documents at the podium.

"Well, Ryoko-chan, how are you feeling right now?"

Ryoko glanced at her coldly without a word.

Seeing her like this, Kirika smirked. "Don't give me that look. Look, you ruined my perfect takedown, and I'm not even mad. So why are you mad? Doesn't that seem a bit unfair?"

"Cut the act," Ryoko replied, tapping her stack of documents against the table to neaten them. "With the power Sharron showed at the end, even if your people had burst into the room, they would've just gotten slaughtered."

"And yet, you had the nerve to publicly promise you could deal with someone like her?" she added, sneering.

"Ahahaha, well, you know how it is with budget requests. Gotta talk big first, right?" Kirika laughed. "I even toned it down a lot, believe it or not."

She looked at Ryoko again, narrowing her eyes. "And you, knowing all that, still didn't expose me? Looks like you really were shaken this time."

"Need help? Your mental state doesn't look so great. I've got a pretty handsome subordinate. Want me to send him to give you a massage (hypnosis)?"

"This has nothing to do with you," Ryoko said coldly, clutching her documents under one arm. "I didn't call you out because I didn't feel the need to stop you from digging your own grave."

Then, she let out a quiet chuckle. "Actually, this might not be a bad outcome. You and that pink-haired princess can keep clinging to your naive dream of world peace and drown in it together."

With that, Ryoko turned and walked out of the meeting room, her high heels clicking and fading with distance.

Kirika watched the open door and rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Beyond our limits, huh? I'm not so sure about that…"

She smirked, lips curling with playful amusement.