Chapter 50

The bounty page for Hiro Nakiri specified that once he was captured he was to be directly a Youkai governmental office on the edge of Kyoto and I realized this place was basically a jail of some kind just on a higher end of sorts.

"Who is this that supposed to be?" A large guy was working at the front of the intake section and I quickly said it was Hiro and then got more into detail.

"This is Hiro Nakiri, he caused a lot of trouble that could blow back on the clans and the youkai, bringing a lot of drama" I spoke getting his attention and making him raise an eyebrow so I continued. "He captured dozens of Youkai from their homes, had them caged up, and did experiments on them, killing a lot of them. And also corrupting more than fifty normal humans using some kind of sacrificial ritual using the Youkai blood as fuel to give them super strength."

The guard's face twitched as he raised a hand and said bluntly. "This is far above my pay grade, let me call my higher-up." And I watched while shifting as Hiro whined as his broken limbs obviously were causing his unconscious form pain as I shifted him. But honestly, I wasn't exactly in the mood to make things comfortable with him.

And after a moment of using a phone, I heard something that made my lips curl as he said. "Yes, I understand... I will wait on hold while you transfer the call to the Guard Captain."

Then after another couple of minutes, he repeated the story to a guard captain and then he looked at me and Hiro before shifting and saying. "Oh yes sir, I will send the message to the bounty hunters." 

He put down the phone before taking a deep breath and said. "I have authorized the due payment to your bounty book that you can take at your leisure. But you are being offered half the previous bounty to act as a witness and explain the events you have seen as a neutral observer who isn't one of a Youkai or a member of the Principal Clans."

I raised an eyebrow as I knew this was getting troublesome, but getting paid half a million dollars for speaking and refusing, was looking a gift horse in the mouth. Especially when I was actually in rather desperate need of money due to wanting to build my faction headquarters.

So I nodded and while wrapping an arm around Mami's side I dropped Hiro onto the ground as a couple of large youkai with animal features on their bodies walked in to take him from a side room. I spoke to the intake officer. "Alright, so who do I go speak to?" I asked simply.

The intake officer nodded and said easily. "One of the governmental higher-ups at Yasaka's palace wishes to meet you there, please just head over to the main shrine, the guards already know to expect you two." He finished in obvious dismissal so I gave him a head dip in respect before walking out while Hiro screamed out as one of the youkai, 'accidentally' kicked him in the balls.

And Mami summed up my thoughts as she said softly. "The five principal clans aren't going to like hearing Hiro getting executed by Yasaka." 

I nodded taking a breath as I said under my breath. "Yeah... This could get messy honestly, as the Youkai are much stronger than the clans besides a few who have sacred gears and divine beasts augmenting their powers." I then squeezed Mami's side as I said wryly. "Just further proof that we need to gain more strength huh." I joked making her hum in agreement as we quickly made our way across the youkai side of Kyoto.

Yasaka's shrine was built into its mountain with a solitary staircase surrounded by powerful wards on the sides of the staircase and as we made our way up the staircase we were escorted by a couple of Tengu youkai who simply directed us to a side building of the massive shrine that Yasaka lived and had the Kyoto youkai affairs taken care of.

'Hmm, at least the tea is good.' I thought happily as I enjoyed a very nice sweet tea as Mami leaned against me while resting her eyes for a moment.

But as we relaxed for a good five or even ten minutes where I sent off a message to Sona telling her that the mission was a bit troublesome and that I needed to account to the youkai government for the events that happened. The door to this side meeting room slid open and I looked over expecting to see another bird-faced Tengu or something.

I was fucking as wrong as could be!

I stilled momentarily as bright blond hair met my eyes and then from looking at the many vivid blond and lighter yellow-tipped tails behind her, I refocused on her amber eyes that were staring at me with an unreadable look in her eyes.

After getting my mind back together I nudged Mami as I bowed my head slightly in her direction as I said respectfully. "Lady Yasaka, I didn't expect to speak to you about these events."

The nine-tailed kitsune whose power screamed danger to my senses gave a curt nod before she elegantly took a seat on the couch across from the one Mami and I were sitting in. And with her face showing no emotions she said slowly and clearly. "In these events, disregarding Hiro's politically sensitive nature as the backup heir to the Nakiri clan. I always get directly involved and account. For when more than a hundred humans or youkai have their lives irrefutably ruined or lost." 

Her face was cold as she let me digest those words before she spoke again with that same cold patience that I knew would mean blood would be flowing between Youkai and the Nakiri if not all five clans. "Now... From the start, please explain how you found Hiro, his capture, the state of the youkai you found in cages, and the... Abominations my men have already reported to being on the site." 

And so I explained. I first went over how Hiro had been recruiting from gang's either Yakuza or lesser delinquent gangs and had by using sacrificial blood and life force he had drained from the captured Youkai he made the humans into superhumans who were like bonfires who were going to burn out sooner rather than later as the lifeforce and blood infusion wore off.

Then I explained the state of the youkai first in the cages. "Honestly. The Youkai in the cages were fine besides being weak from having their blood and life force drained. But... None of the Youkai who weren't in a cage were alive." I explained before getting to the meat of the matter as I explained Hiro. "Hiro wasn't that combat inclined even with his Sacred Gear, he was clearly into the mix of science and magic as he twisted youkai's bodies and lives into being fused into human beings as the core which made those abominations you so aptly mention." 

Yasaka's stony face dipped into a nod with her folding her arms under her... Ginormous breasts and lifted them as she took a deep breath and spoke her own thoughts. "And after capturing Hiro, you directly brought him here?" At my nod, she raised a finger to stop me from saying anything as she continued.

"You may be unaware Jake Barriss... But Hiro also had a bounty to be returned to the Nakiri clan unharmed for five million dollars. And now, already you yourself have that five million dollar bounty on your head, to be taken and given to the Nakiri or Doumon Clans."

I stilled hearing I had a five million dollar bounty on my head which was the equivalent of an upper B rank bounty in terms of value, which meant that I was in the sweet spot for powerful people to try to make a quick buck... And a lot of desperate people trying to take my head for life life-changing amount of money and prestige.

After a moment I smiled as I said coldly as I said. "Well... That will be something especially when they do research and realize I am Sona Sitri's contracted Magician. Either way, I am not a slouch in combat so I appreciate the warning." I said with Yasaka smiling more naturally in turn as she said with something akin to teasing in her voice.

"Oh, you are so confident? You don't want me to press the clans to have the bounty retracted on you?"

I took a breath and said evenly. "Hiro Nakiri was a monster... Whether he is a monster in the shape of a man, a vampire, or any other race, I would deal with him regardless."

Mami then added on. "Do I have a bounty as well?" She asked almost amused and Yasaka's face twitched before she answered with a wry smile.

"No... Mami Tomoe was it?" At Mami's nod, Yasaka continued. "They didn't list anything about you actually as it was Jake dragging him across Kyoto in clear sight." 

With that Yasaka visibly steadied herself before she spoke respectfully. "Regardless Jake, I thank you on behalf of all those Youkai you saved. You helped remind them that not all humanity wants them dead and your swift actions have saved many lives as well."

And then Yasaka's voice tightened as she continued. "And yet, it is due to my thanks and appreciation of your talents that I must ask a favor of you Jake Barris, Hiro is not acting alone. He has ties to an old German group who used the foulest and darkest of magics during the Great War and who Japan used to be allied with..."

"I need someone very important to me, moved out of Kyoto. As several members of my court have been marked as being the ones to sell out the locations and homes of the youkai. That lived peacefully within humanity side of the world to Hiro and his ilk."

'Hmm? This should be fine.' I thought before nodding and asking. "How long would I be guarding them?" I asked while disregarding the thought about asking why she would entrust someone to me while knowing I had the clans going for me.

And in return Yasaka had an happy smile cross her face as she said gently. "I need you to watch over them just for this coming weekend while I am... Cleaning house, and then I will owe you a favor for this Jake Barriss. Now, please excuse me as I must be leaving as there is much to do and they will be here packed and ready to go in the next ten minutes."