Encore 72 — The Pink String of Love (I)

{Kazuya's POV:}

October came by fairly quickly after the incident at Wonderland. We've travelled Japan quite a bit since then. Currently, we're in Shibuya. More like, I'm in Shibuya with Mei and Myraliana.

"Elizabeth and Kaito are investigating the Godslayer. We should do our part here and get help for ourselves."

Mei said.

"The Godslayer, huh... The weapon that'll help us reach our goal."

I muttered.

Myraliana looked back at me as we arrived at a crossing.

"Don't tell me you already forgot what the Godslayer can do?"

"Of course not!"

Why would I? It's the most important part for us since we don't have the power to kill gods yet. If we're ever pursued, we can use it. That's if we're able to procure it.

"The Godslayer is a weapon that was supposedly sealed by a fallen god. It's a lance standing around two metres tall. It does what it is named to do. Kill gods."

I explained to Myraliana.

As we heard a repetitive beep, we began to cross the road.

"Some part of me wants to think that the lance is called Longinus. It would be very ironic."

Mei said.

She does read a lot of novels. Mei likes poetic stuff like that. Wait, is it poetic?

"Longinus is a spear, not a lance, Mei."

"I know, Myra. I just find it interesting thinking about what could be."

What could be...

Suddenly, I remembered something. The memory was blurry. It was something that I remembered once before.

It was about... what was it again?

The future. The future is a ball of yarn and each string is a possible future. I can choose what string I want—what ideal future I want if I'm strong enough.

"With enough power, you can get your desired future..."

I whispered.

The only problem with the memory is that the man's face is censored. It may sound strange but his voice sounded fairly deep, yet also soothing. If I heard it again, I would be able to recognise it.

"Oh right, we're going to meet Kaito's friend, right?"

Myraliana asked.

"Seems like you're the forgetful one."

I replied.

"Yeah, we are. He's staying in a hotel near Shibuya Station. This one."

We stopped before a hotel building.

"I was going to say that they're are a couple around here but it's the largest one. I feel like everyone around us has a lot of money."

I have around ¥350,000 left from the million that woman, Eris. We also received money from Kanata-san as a thank-you gift.

We're not exactly rich since we have to spend the money on hotels, food, clothing and travel fares that we split among five people.

"Have you heard the bounty on us?"

Mei asked as we walked into the hotel reception.

"Bounty? That's the first I've heard of it."

"Isn't that exciting?"

Myraliana grinned while putting her hands on the back of her head.

"We have to be more wary of our actions then. Were talking about this while walking through a hotel reception."

I mentioned.

"It's fine. It's strange though. They put a bounty on our group 'Longinus,' but they don't have our names or appearance. I saw it while looking at the JMF official website."

That is strange. Why withhold information that could put us in peril?

"Hello, customers. Would like to rent some rooms?"

"No, we're here to visit someone."

We reached the reception desk. The receptionist grabbed the phone beside her.

"Who would you like me to call for you?"

"Room 89. A man named Furuya Nishimura."

She dialled the number and called.

After a few seconds...

"Ah, hello, this is the hotel reception. Is this Nishimura-san? Yes, you have a few guests. Hm, who?"

She turned to us while blocking the phone with her hand.

"What is your name, sir?"

"Kaito Hasegawa."

"Uhm, a Kaito Hasegawa-san would like to visit you... Okay, I'll tell him and his group to come up."

Putting down the phone, she smiled at us.

"Please make your way upstairs."

We entered the elevator and went to the ninth floor of the hotel.

With a ring, the doors opened and we turned left and walked down the corridor to Room 89. I knocked on the door.

"Ah, coming!"

He wasn't ready despite knowing we were coming.

Light leaked into the corridor as the room opened. It was light of all different colours.

"Ah! I forgot to turn that off!"

The man shouted.

The man holding was door was around the same height as me. He has pale skin and wears glasses. He's skinny too—probably anemic.

"Ahem, you're Furuya Nishimura, right? The same one who's friends with Kaito?"

I was making sure. He isn't the type of person that I had in mind.

He smiled at me.

"Yes, I am—mmph!"

"Eh?"

Blood started to leak out of Nishimura's noise. He was having a nosebleed. From the heat? No, we're in autumn now.

No, no! That doesn't matter right now! What the hell is this?! He's bleeding a little too much for a casual nosebleed!

"Are you okay?"

Mei asked.

A pool of blood formed at Nishimura's feet.

"I'm fine, don't worry about it. It's just my anemic condition. Please, come in."

We entered his hotel room. Nishimura led us to the living room, sitting us down before serving us tea. He sat on the sofa opposite us, connecting himself to a needle that provided him blood.

Looks like it is something that happens often. I can't imagine randomly losing gallons of blood on a daily.

"We were told that you could help us."

Mei got straight to the point.

"Well, that would depend on what you need help with."

"What we need is... no, more like disguises and false personas."

"I could do that, but what for?"

"In a week, there's going to be a meeting of Japanese noble families. The Six Great Noble Families aren't going to be there but that's just better for us. Our goal is to strike down someone who we believe to be evil."

Nishimura leaned back.

"Nishimura,"

I started.

"Do you hate the gods?"

"The gods? Honestly, I've never thought about that. Since you work with Kaito, I'm sure you all do."

I nodded at his assumption.

"There's a noble family head who supports the existence of Imperi. Saito Eiji, an old, cunning dog."

Nishimura perked up, recognising the name.

"Oh yeah, I see him in the news a lot. Apparently, he even has Whiteclaw pets which are not tamed. Whenever they try to bite him, he beats it down."

"The Eiji Family are known to being pacifists and kinder to nature but that man..."

I breathed in.

"...Saito Eiji is not like his family. He openly praises the existence of Imperi. He smiles upon the deaths of thousands, if not, millions who have died to Imperi ever since the Grand Impact."

I could feel the blood in my body boiling as I explained to Nishimura.

I'm not an idealist. I'm a logical person, however, even a logical person could tell that Saito Eiji was internally evil.

The news interviews leave no other scarring impression like that one.

‹Kazuya.›

February materialised with a somber expression. She did not speak a word. The Zodiac stared at the door.

Her small figure pointed at it.

‹Something is there...›

As February spoke, we all dropped into silence. Myraliana summoned Ascalon and Mei took a knife out.

Someone's eavesdropping on us. Us dropping silent is suspicious. Either the eavesdropper attacks first or us.

"Yamata no Orochi."

We could hear someone speak from outside the door.

Hold on, this voice... Shit!

I jumped up from the sofa.

⟨The Singularity, [Sacred Lightning Lv.2], is selected.⟩

⟨The effect duration is one hour.⟩

Hastily, I created a web of lightning from the wall to the balcony window. I condensed the mana in those webs as much as possible to make them sturdy.

Two seconds after the voice spoke, sable snakes rushed into the room. Thanks to the web I put up, they backed away, some already tased.

"Hm... Someone managed to block my snakes?"

"Shit... I knew it was her."

"You know this person, Kazuya?"

Myraliana asked.

"Well, yeah. I don't exactly remember but we seem to have some history."

A girl walked out from around the corner. She had rose-tousled hair and golden eyes. Wearing her trademark kimono with gold flowers.

Once she laid eyes on me, a large smile appeared on her face.

"Aha! It's been too long, hasn't it, Kazu?!"

It was Ylna, the other humanoid Imperi. The one codenamed Ouroboros.