Encore 3 — Humanoid Imperi (II)

The next day, I prepared myself earlier and left the dorms at 7:30 am. I wanted to go to the faculty room and then relax in the cafeteria before homeroom.

The reason I'm going to the faculty room is so that I can give Ms Kin a mission I picked out.

I may not be the leader of our team, Team Synthesis, but if I let Yuichi pick a mission, he'll pick an S-ranked mission that we can't handle.

Of course, Ms Kin can decline the mission but Yuichi would pick nothing but S-ranked missions. It would be the same with Isla.

I arrived at the faculty room and opened the door.

It was empty.

Just in case, I looked around until I saw crimson-coloured hair in the corner. That's Ms Kin, for sure.

When I walked to the corner, I called out to her.

"Ms Ki--"

I stopped midway when I saw someone else with her. They both had their backs to me.

They seemed to be watching something.

I peeked between them.

On the laptop screen, it showed a desolate area. Buildings in ruin, fire cackling, people running and screaming alongside explosions.

This didn't seem like a movie.

['I--I was just in the shopping mall...']

A man spoke.

['B-but... When I came out, T-Tokyo was in this state. There are... fighter jets, flying past. Look, there's one there...']

The man panned the camera to a grey blur, followed by smoke.

['Though, whenever I see--ah--whenever I see one, the next moment, it--']

There was a boom and the fighter jet burst into multiple pieces.

['Like that... I'm telling you, it's the end of the world. It was over the moment we began coexisting with Streia.']

["Oh, there's still a human with composure left."]

Someone else came within view of the camera. A girl, as if floating down from the heavens, gently landed in front of the man.

The pattern of his breathing became faster as he tried running away.

["Oh no, you don't."]

For a second, the camera faced away but it faced the girl again. From the girl, black snakes emerged and looked to be holding the man.

This girl had pink tousled hair. Her eyes were covered with a black blindfold. Though her eyes were covered, it was like she was looking directly at me--no, perhaps even through my soul.

She wore a slightly revealing black and pink dress. The disturbing part was that she looked to be 16 or 17, just like me.

["Hm? I was wondering who you were talking to, but you're recording. Perfect. I'll leave you alive with the purpose of delivering this message."]

['W-what?!']

The girl cleared her throat and began talking.

["I am Ylna. What you humans would call a humanoid Imperi."]

She said.

["This message is for--oh, you humans call him Alpha, don't you? I have a message for Alpha."]

My heart skipped a beat as I peered at the girl's expression. She squinted her eyes and smirked; her expression looked extremely disturbing.

["You can come out of hiding. We haven't seen you since you went rogue and rained hellfire on Tokyo eight years ago. Well, that's exactly what I'm doing now."]

The girl, Ylna, laughed at herself.

"What is she saying?"

The woman standing next to Ms Kin muttered to herself.

What does that mean?

["I can't believe you killed her though... Anyway, hurry on back. God is becoming tired of your reluctant attitude. Hurry back and kill some more humans for us."]

Her expression straightened before the feed cut.

That was... a fruitful video.

"Tokyo's in disarray again."

The woman said.

"Another humanoid Imperi. We were lucky enough to experience Alpha in one decade and we have another humanoid who can wreak havoc."

Ms Kin bit her nail.

"From the sound of it, Alpha hasn't been killed."

She said, looking at the woman.

Upon hearing this, I shouted in anger.

"That's impossible! Alpha is definitely dead!"

The two turned, shocked to hear my voice.

The person on the left was an older woman with white hair and blue eyes. She was in a dress and had a cross piercing and necklace.

"Kazuya! Did you... see that?"

Ms Kin asked.

"Yeah."

I have a short reply.

"Young man, how are you so sure that Alpha is dead?" The older woman asked, looking at me with her sparkling blue eyes.

"Even the JSO couldn't confirm anything about Alpha and Reiko after they both disappeared."

"Principal Chigiri, he's--"

"Oh, that earring. Where did you get it from?"

The old woman, Principal Chigiri, seemed to be interested in my earring compared to my opinion on Alpha.

"It's my mother's."

She had one hand behind her and another on her chin.

"I knew a woman who had one exactly like that. What's your name, boy?"

"Kazuya Shiba."

"Shiba... You're not related to her then."

The principal seemed to come to her own decision.

"Now, how are you sure that Alpha is dead?"

"Principal Chigiri, he was just acting out of emotion. There's no need to take what he said seriously."

Ms Kin told her, most likely as an attempt to get me out of the spotlight.

"Sylus. I'll be the one who decides whether I should take what he says seriously or not."

When the principal glared at Ms Kin, she put her head down and replied immediately.

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Talk, boy."

It's my first time seeing Ms Kin being pressured like that. I better remember this, so I can tease her later.

"I was in Tokyo during the Ethereal Impact. I was conveniently near the place where Reiko Hinamachi and Alpha were fighting in the sky. I clearly remember Reiko Hinamachi piercing Alpha in the chest."

I remember it, but I can't visualise it in my head. It may sound contradictory but it's true. Or so, I think.

The elderly woman didn't seem to buy my explanation.

"This may be rude to ask but, since this is a serious claim, I need proof."

Seems like this person she knew was Reiko Hinamachi. Her hammering me for more and more information, whether it's true or not, is proof of that.

"Well..."

I slid some of my hair, on the right side of my head, behind my ear, revealing a scar.

"Oh my."

She exclaimed.

"I don't know if this is proof but... after the Ethereal Impact, I couldn't remember anything before that."