The New Member

The chill of the netherworld was gone, replaced by the intense scorching sun of the Australian outback. They stood in the central part of the continent, an area notorious for its uninhabitable vastness, far from the coastal population centers. The parched landscape stretched out endlessly, cracked and dusty, looking as if it hadn't seen rain in months. A few resilient plants clung to life, and Kaito watched a snake slither lazily into the shade of a desiccated bush.

Kaito began to text Yumi. He had a lot to report: the successful acquisition of the classified documents and their unexpected adventure across Hell itself. He mentally calculated the time. It had been approximately a month since they had first entered the Hell Gate, yet from his internal timeframe, only five days had passed during their arduous journey through the netherworld. The flow of time is different between realm, it seemed.

A moment later, his phone buzzed. "I just got a reply from Y—" Kaito paused, correcting himself, "—The High Priestess. She's sent a vehicle for us to use."

Tamamo stretched languidly, her small form arching, then sighed with exaggerated relief. "Finally! I can't wait to go back home."

Kaito smiled at her words, a rare moment of shared sentiment. "What about our plan to visit the Vatican next, Tamamo? Remember, you were so keen on it."

Tamamo's earlier enthusiasm vanished. She wrinkled her nose. "Hmph. I no longer have the desire to do so. You can go by yourself. I've had enough 'adventure' for a while."

After their journey through, Kaito's trust in Tamamo had solidified, and he accepted her decision without argument. "Very well," he conceded. "I will go alone. Just please try not to cause too much trouble when you return home, alright?"

Tamamo tossed her head, her tails swaying. "I shall do whatever I please, human."

Eleanor asked, her suspicion returning. "Why is it that you're going to the Vatican?"

Kaito offered a vague, noncommittal shrug. "No reason in particular. Just... a personal interest."

Eleanor's gaze narrowed, clearly unconvinced, but she wisely decided not to pry further. She was, after all, indebted to them for helping her return to Earth. Her next question, however, held a more immediate urgency. "What will you do with me now? Surely, you wouldn't just let me return to the United States after all this?"

Kaito blinked, realizing he hadn't actually thought much further than getting back to Earth. He had, in fact, been planning to simply allow her to return home. Now that Eleanor brought it up, he was genuinely unsure. "I'll leave that to The High Priestess's decision," he replied honestly, pulling out his phone again. He quickly texted Yumi, explaining Eleanor's situation and her current predicament.

A few moments later, Yumi's reply came through: 'Let's just keep her around for now. They probably think she's dead, given the circumstances. Since you're going to the Vatican, let her come with you and keep a close watch over her. Make sure she doesn't escape.'

Kaito looked up at Eleanor. "The High Priestess has decided. The United States likely thinks you're dead after that incident, and we can't risk you simply walking back into that situation right now. So, for the time being, you'll be accompanying me, and I'll be keeping a close watch over you."

Eleanor's reaction was surprisingly muted. She simply nodded. "Very well."

"That was a rather half-hearted response," Kaito observed with a puzzled expression. "I expected more of a reaction, given what I just said."

Eleanor finally offered a small smile. "It would be next to impossible to escape your grasp, that much is clear. However, I know when to exploit an opportunity when I see one."

"As a result of my presumed death, I'm now freed from the watchful eyes of the Paranormal Department of the United States. It had been a long-term plan of mine to grant myself this freedom, but I certainly didn't expect it to happen so soon, or in such a... dramatic fashion." She paused, then added, "If it's allowed, I also wish to join your organization. The 'Association,' you call it?"

Kaito was taken aback. "What about your family, Eleanor? Your life back home?"

"I can easily contact my family through a hidden channel," she assured him with an unwavering gaze. "And I'm certain they would be thrilled to contribute to an organization of your apparent caliber."

"Let me ask The High Priestess for her decision on this," Kaito said, pulling out his phone for the third time. He quickly relayed Eleanor's request to Yumi.

Yumi's response was almost immediate: 'Sure, why not.'

Kaito typed back, a slight frown creasing his masked brow. 'Is that all? Is it really the right course of action?'

Yumi's next message was more expansive: 'I've read her profile. She seems like an intelligent person, and her actions align perfectly with her characteristic determination and ambition. She's also an S-Rank abilities user, a valuable asset. It would be highly beneficial for our organization to recruit someone of her caliber.'

Kaito lowered his phone, turning to Eleanor. "The High Priestess has accepted. You may join the Association, if you wish."

"Huh? That easily?" Eleanor's surprise was evident in her voice.

Kaito remembered Maria's seemingly effortless recruitment process. "Yeah," he confirmed with a slight shrug. "The Association is a rather accepting organization, especially for those with unique talents."

Eleanor offered her hand, her expression now genuinely grateful. "Thank you for accepting me. I look forward to working with you." She paused, a faint blush rising to her cheeks. "Although my introduction has been long overdue. I'm Eleanor Prescott."

Kaito reached up, removing his faceless mask. His own features, handsome and calm, were revealed as he shook Eleanor's hand. "I'm Kaito."

Just then, in the distance, a small dust cloud rose on the horizon, rapidly growing larger as a vehicle approached them. It was a self-driving jeep, its tires kicking up red dust as it sped across the flat landscape. It stopped precisely in front of them, its engine humming quietly. Tamamo was the first to enter, immediately scrambling into the driver's seat.

Kaito quickly moved her to the shotgun seat. "Tamamo, a kid driving would be a little too suspicious for a public road." he explained patiently. "Also, could you change Eleanor and my appearance? Wearing a faceless mask while driving is definitely going to draw unwanted attention."

Tamamo pouted but complied. She slapped a talisman onto Kaito's face, and then floated another towards Eleanor's. With a soft glow, their features subtly shifted, their hair colors and facial structures altering just enough to render them unrecognizable as themselves.

"Thank you," Kaito said, adjusting to his new face.

"Now, let's go already!" Tamamo demanded.

Kaito got into the driver's seat, put his foot on the gas pedal, and headed onto a nearby, dusty road, setting a direct course for the nearest airport.

The bustling airport in Australia was a stark contrast to the landscapes they had just traversed, be it the netherworld or the outback. After navigating though the security checks in their altered appearances with the help of Yumi. Kaito, Tamamo, and Eleanor found themselves in the departure lounge, awaiting their respective flights. Tamamo's ticket was for Japan, while Kaito and Eleanor were headed for Italy.

Kaito pulled a sleek, black card from his inventory and handed it to Tamamo. It was an Association-issued credit card, with what amounted to a near-unlimited spending limit. "Here," he said, holding it out. "Try not to destroy the local economy with this. And remember, it's not my money you're spending."

Tamamo's eyes widened, and she clutched the black card with both hands, holding it up as if it were a sacred artifact. Her mind was already clearly miles away, imagining all the treasures it could buy.

Kaito sighed, knowing his next words would likely fall on deaf ears. "Be careful out there, Tamamo. Try not to talk to suspicious strangers. Keep your disguise on at all times until you're safely back home. And," he added, "don't kill anyone."

Tamamo, already lost in a world of consumer fantasies, simply hummed in agreement, not listening to a single word.

"Well, our flight's here," Kaito said, turning to Eleanor as the boarding announcement for their Rome-bound plane echoed through the lounge. "Let's go, Eleanor."

Eleanor nodded and followed him. They boarded the airplane, settling into their designated economy seats. Soon the plane began its ascent, leaving Australian behind.

Once they were airborne and cruising smoothly, Eleanor turned to Kaito. "How did you come to join the Association, Kaito?"

Kaito leaned back in his seat. "Oh, it was mostly through chance, I suppose," he mused. "They had helped save someone who I now consider to be incredibly important to me, and joining was part of our agreement."

"Is that so," Eleanor replied.

"What about you, Eleanor? What made you decide to join us? Given what you said earlier, you seem to value your freedom greatly. Wouldn't joining the Association simply be putting on another set of chains after being freed from your prior ones?"

Eleanor looked out the window for a moment, watching the clouds drift by. "I suppose you could say that," she admitted. "However, your organization, from what I've seen, doesn't inherently seem like evil people. During our fight in Ohio, you clearly held back instead of mercilessly slaughtering us, despite the vast differences in our strength. There was no malice in your actions."

She continued, turning back to him. Her blue eyes gazed into his with an earnest look. "It's true that I deeply dislike being controlled. I was raised in a rather prestigious household, you see, with my entire life mapped out for me, with no real control over my own destiny. Upon being awakened as an S-Rank ability user, I genuinely thought that I would finally gain real power, enough to break free from all those chains. Only to find its magnitude tightening their hold, making me even more valuable, more controlled, now by the very system of the nation I belong to."

A wistful smile touched her lips. "But for once, these chains... they feel different. They feel looser, more like a choice than a prison. Perhaps my unexpected journey through Hell with you, and this strange turn of events, truly had a purpose after all."

"I'm glad to hear that, Eleanor," Kaito replied.

"I, too, have experienced that crushing feeling of helplessness despite possessing immense power at my disposal. It's a frustrating paradox, isn't it? The more capable you are, the more you realize the sheer weight of what you can't control."

"I managed to overcome it with the help of others, someone who, by all conventional standards, was a complete stranger to me. They simply... reached out. In turn, I also try to reach out to others, even complete strangers, to offer what help I can. If you ever find yourself needing assistance, no matter the situation, don't hesitate to reach out to me. I won't call myself a hero, but I feel that I'm reliable enough to be one."

Eleanor met his gaze, a faint, genuine smile touching her lips. "I will take your offer to heart, Kaito. Thank you."

Their conversation, a quiet moment of unexpected connection high above the Earth, was abruptly shattered. Simultaneously, from different parts of the economy cabin, multiple men stood up in unison. Each of them pulled out a firearm.

"This is a hijacking! Remain seated and keep your mouths shut if you don't want to be killed!"