Chapter 159

In a street crammed with people . Since it was a holiday – students, families, working salarymen and many more other people were filling the street . Shibata and Yanagi watched that active street while thinking of something else .

"Listen, we're going to move just as planned . "

"I know, I know . "

Shibata replied to Yanagi's serious warning in a carefree attitude . He wasn't acting like someone who is about to execute an important plan, but Yanagi didn't mind his reply and remained to gaze at the street . The street was full of people on this holiday, which was a good thing for their plan . Yanagi analyzed the situation with a calm mind before he clenched his fist and lifted his sight to the sky .

We finally... finally made it until here...

His gaze was harboring a sense of hatred as his expression gradually became serious . The direction of that gaze leads to a skyscraper standing in the middle of the city . The person they were looking for was inside that building . The President of the Organisation where they were imprisoned .

"It has already been 15 years..."

Yanagi muttered in a low voice .

15 years... I waited 15 years for this revenge...

He then restrained his hatred that was boiling inside him and calmed down by inhaling a deep breath and lifting his glasses with his finger . From the day he got into that accident and lost his family, he discovered his ability . He can teleport to anywhere he wants as long as he knows the place . At first, he couldn't control it since he had no clue how to use it, but slowly throughout the time, he grew accustomed to it . Once he left the hospital, he was sent to an orphanage as he didn't have any close family and spent every day there searching for his parents . Despite being told that they died, he didn't give up and continued to search for them . One day, a strange man appeared in front of him .

"From the day onward, I will be your father . I know that you have many things to say about that, but I hope we can live happily together . "

That was the first step he made into hell . Surely, Yanagi didn't accept that person as his father . He refused him immediately and he spent the rest of his day as usual . The next day however, he woke up in an unknown room . He had no idea on how he got in it, but he guessed that something was happening .

The entire room was dyed in white, except for a single part . It was a window showing some strange people wearing white coats on the other side . Yanagi wanted to leave as soon as possible, but at that point, his will was no longer meaningful . He started going through cruel experiments without even getting an explanation .

The memories of what happened to him from that day on were something that Yanagi wished to erase from his mind .

"Stop! Let me go!!"

"I'm tired . I can't..."

"It hurts!! It hurts!! It hurts!! It hurts!!!"

He went through a period of pain and agony that felt as if it were eternal . He cried and screamed until he dried his eyes out and didn't receive the chance to give up . He had to forcibly undergo several inhumane experiments and was injected by powerful medicines to improve his abilities . Every single day, he straddled the line between life and death and his days ended with his mental demolished .

"Help me... Save me... . Please..."

His cry for help didn't reach anyone as he went through the same pain day after the other . No matter how much time passed; how many years passed, nobody came to save him .

"Why do I have to suffer like this..."

"Who made me suffer like this..."

Eventually, his mind began searching for answers instead of crying for help . He reached the answer for his first question almost instantly, as that person appeared again in front of his eyes while he was undergoing the torture called training . When he was crawling on the floor with his consciousness almost gone, he noticed a man wearing a suit standing among the white coats . He immediately recalled the few days he spent before suddenly finding himself in this room .

"I see... It's because of this guy..."

It was at that moment when he finally found a target into which he can direct his hatred .

Too bad that you weren't in the building when we escaped . But that's fine . Everything will end today .

.

Yanagi raised his composed face up after he immersed into his past memories for a brief moment .

"I'm excited . I did play with many things recently, but none of the toys were excited me like this . I just can't wait!"

Shibata trembled from the excitement while standing next to Yanagi . He wasn't this wicked up from the day he was born . Both of them were roommates in the building they were held captive . They slept under the same roof and went through the same experiments . Shibata's mental condition couldn't bear with the torture he had to undergo every day and thus, his psycho character was born . Yanagi feels more sympathetic towards Shibata instead of feeling disgusted when he sees him acting like that .

"Let's move . We've got so much to do . "

"Sure!"

Shibata nonchalantly replied to Yanagi and they both dived into the cramped street .

"By the way, Keisuke . "

"What?"

"What are we going to do about that guy? He left without clearing his intention . "

Shibata asked a question that suddenly popped into his mind . He was meaning Yato by 'that guy . ' Yanagi stayed quiet for a short while before he answered . Both of them sensed the intimidating ambiance he was emanating through the man they were using to contact him .

He is a dangerous one . We shouldn't get involved with him .

Both of them have never felt such an intimidating aura in their lives . Yanagi was assuming that Yato only has a teleportation skill, but it turned out that it may not be exactly the case . He is not someone with whom they could deal on their own .

"I'm not sure if he is going to get in our way, but it's better to not get involved with him . "

"What if he tried to stop us?"

"I have a plan for that case . "

He knew well that he can't win against Yato, but that doesn't mean he should give up on his revenge . He was prepared to kill the President even if he were to get killed by Yato after that . With that certain resolve in his mind, Yanagi moved to the first step of his plan .

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"So this the company of that President . "

I spoke to Meru while standing before a certain building .

"Yes . He is on the upper floor, working on this holiday, Desu . "

He must be a hardworking fellow to work on a holiday . After listening to Meru's response, I activated my[Space – Time Magic (Extra Large)]and searched inside the building . I didn't perceive anything of unusual there . Those two should be aiming at this place for sure . I came to check if anything happened yet, but it turned out that they are still not here . Apparently, if our assumption were wrong from the start, then we will just do something about it at that time . While thinking about what to do, I shifted my eyes down and looked at my surroundings .

"But still, there are too many people... No?"

The street I was looking at was full of students, families and even salarymen . I noticed it since the time I got on the train . Something is definitely off with this large crowd . I had a hard making my way inside to arrive here .

"This place is near the train station, so it's normal for it to be cramped, Desu . And besides, we are almost in the center of the city, so it would be conversely strange if it weren't cramped, Desu . "

Meru explained in response to my complaint . Well, the station is indeed close to the building . It's large enough that I can clearly see it from here .

"I'm just not good with these type of cramped places..."

I feel like I'm about to get engulfed by the crowd of people at any time . Maybe I will go back home...

"Hey, Meru . "

"Yes?"

"Can you surveil the President of the Organisation?"

"I can do that only if there is a camera near him . "

That's obvious .

"Then I guess you can observe him while he is inside the building . "

"Yes, I can, Desu . "

"Okay . let's go back . "

After finding out that the President was safe, I immediately headed to the station . I have no clue on when that Shibata and Yanagi will arrive and Meru has the entire building under her observation . Moreover, I can't spend my precious holiday inside this crowd .

"Meru, don't lose sight on him . Keep observing the building and immediately report to me if anything happens . "

"Understood, Desu . "

Meru replied to my order in a cheerful voice and I walked to the station with swift steps . I want to go sleep in my room as soon as possible . That was the only thought I had in mind before I noticed a suspicious person standing in the sidewall of the station .

Who's that?

It was a woman who was walking unsteadily while leaning against the wall . I couldn't see her face since she was looking downwards, though I instantly knew who she was .

"Huh, Saya?"

I hurriedly walked to her and called her name .

"Hey, Saya . are you okay?"

"U-Um, Yato-kun?"

After hearing my calling voice, Saya lifted her head and replied in a trembling tone .

What happened to her?

Her face was completely pale and her legs were trembling like a newborn cat . The moment she saw me, she leaned in my direction as if she ran out of energy .

"Eh? W-Wait! Saya?! What happened?"

"T-Too many people..."

I got a little impatient and asked her while raising my voice . She then started explaining with a trembling tone .

"The train was too cramped... There were too many men and... I got absorbed in inside... and almost crushed... I felt like as if I were about to die..."

Her words were broken but I managed to get a general idea of what happened to her . The train was too cramped and she had to jump into the crowd to get inside it . In other words, she went over her capacity by entering a train crammed with men .

Well, at least she didn't faint there...

"You did well, Saya . For now, don't move until you recover . I will stay by your side until you feel alright . "

"T-Thanks..."

I gently placed her near the wall and stood next to her until she recovered . I have no other option but to postpone my plan of sleeping in my room . Especially when I heard her muttering 'station is scary... station is scary...' repeatedly . I couldn't leave her alone in that condition .

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"Are you fine now?"

"S-Somewhat... Yes..."

After a short while, waiting for Saya to calm down, I noticed that her face looked slightly better . She wasn't in her best condition, but she should be alright now .

"So, why did you do something as reckless? I'm sure that you knew what will happen to you if you got on that train . "

"Don't be harsh on me..."

She got a little sullen from hearing my unreserved way of speech, but all that I said was true . Her acts could only be described as reckless . As she realized that I wasn't intending to comfort her, she spoke the reason for her reckless actions while gazing at me with awkward eyes .

"I was asked by mom to go on an errand here . She told me to get used to this kind of places even though I told her that I can't..."

"So you had no choice but to come here . "

Saya nodded silently to my amazed conclusion . How can I say this... I don't know how to praise her courage for challenging herself this much...

"I'm impressed you made it until here..."

"I'm impressed by myself too..."

It's nearly a miracle for her to arrive here on her own . An awkward mood floated between us after that conversation .

"What about you, Yato-kun? What are you doing here?"

Saya changed the topic by asking me that question . I couldn't answer her instantly since I didn't prepare an excuse .

"I just have some business here..."

Before realizing it, I had already said a random excuse and made Saya reveal a displeased face . She probably noticed that I was trying to dodge her question .

"You're being like that all the time recently, Yato-kun . "

Those words that concealed her discontent towards me made me realize what I did . I ended up reflexively avoiding her question . I totally forgot my promise with Lina yesterday .

"Well, um... I will tell you . "

I guess I need to talk to her about it . I don't want her to worry about me for nothing again .

"—— And that's what happened . "

"So skill holders do exist after all..."

She looked surprised to hear that skill holders do actually exist .

"You don't get any peaceful time, do you?"

But the thing that surprised her the most was the fact that I got involved in the situation .

"Don't say it, please . I don't want to admit it, honestly . "

That's the one and only thing I don't want to hear from her as someone who adores tranquilness . Saya laughed when she saw me making a face of someone wanting to escape reality . She had finally become cheerful again .

"But I'm relieved . "

"Hm?"

"You should be fine even if you get involved in this minor situation . "

Saya declared with a broad smile on her face .

"Why do you think so?"

"You're strong, after all . I saw you fighting against stronger beings . That's why you should be fine this time . "

She knows me quite well, huh...

I guess she doesn't like being left out without knowing anything about my situation . I froze in my place for a short moment while gazing at the smile she was directing at me .

"Yato-kun?"

Saya tilted her head when she noticed my freezing and called me . I instantly replied with 'nothing . ' and averted my eyes . That was close . I can't believe that my heart skipped a beat by that .

Really, airheads are scary .

"What about your errand?"

"Ah, right! I need to go . "

Right when she recalled what she came for all the way here, Saya parted with me while waving her hand . I waved my hand as well and watched her off walking away, before she suddenly halted her steps .

"What is it?"

Calling her again when she stiffened in her place, Saya rigidly turned around as her lips twitched .

"I don't think I can make it inside this crowd..."

Apparently, she wants to cross the street that was brimming with people . I should have expected that much from her . I bet she would have looked cool if she continued walking off without asking for my help this time .

I just can't leave her alone, I guess...

A bitter smile reached my face as I watched her frozen in her place . However, the next moment...

"Hello everyone! Good day!!"

I heard a familiar voice resounding in the street . Everyone walking in the area stopped in their place and looked in the direction of the voice .

"It's him..."

I turned to the same direction and looked at Shibata in the monitor of the station .

"I'd like your attention please . "

Asking everyone to look at him, Shibata widened his eyes . I instantly grasped what he was about to do from now on .

Saya is in danger .

"Saya! Don't look at him!"

I promptly covered her eyes with both of my hands and ignored her confused questions . The next moment, everyone in the area stopped moving like robots that stopped functioning . The noisy and bustling street became quiet in the blink of an eye .

"AHAHA!! It worked!!"

Shibata laughed in a loud voice and turned off the monitor . Everything happened in a mere few seconds .

"This turned into a bigger problem than I've thought..."

I muttered to myself while looking around me . This situation was completely out of my scope of prediction . I heard Meru's calling me in a panicking voice .

"All the monitors in this area had the same video and everyone who watched it got hypnotized, Desu!"

"Seriously?"

I used my[Space – Time Magic (Extra Large)]to check the area and confirmed that everyone there was standing still in their place . It felt like I got into a movie scene .

What are they planning to do by controlling everyone?

I tried to guess their plan while looking out for any unpredictable occurrence . The situation is getting more troublesome than what I was expecting .

I let out a heavy sigh and started to contemplate a plan .

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Bonus

Forgetting .

"Ah, I feel like I'm not showing up recently... At this rate, everyone else will forget about me too~" ← Rouga .

......

"Ah, Chief!"

"... . Ah, uum, oh, Rouga . "

"Did you just forget about me Chief!?"