Chapter 15
The cold, dimly lit streets of Yoshiwara stretched before me, the flickering lanterns casting long shadows against the uneven cobblestone. This district had a reputation—a place where the body of womans are nothing but tool to the point where even the children aren't safe .
I adjusted my jacket, my legs still weak but functional enough for me to walk. Every step echoed faintly, blending with the distant hum of voices and the occasional laughter spilling out from nearby establishments.
A group of men stumbled out of a bar ahead, their drunken chatter filling the air. One of them bumped into me, glaring for a moment before deciding I wasn't worth the effort.
I froze as I felt a hand on my shoulder. Turning my head, I saw the blonde-haired guy from the bus standing behind me.
"Can I help you?" I asked, brushing his hand off.
He answered pointed over his shoulder with his thumb at a restaurant. "Wanna grab something to eat?"
I narrowed my eyes slightly. Who was this guy, randomly inviting a stranger? And weren't we supposed to be on a mission?
"Your treat?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
He sighed, clearly not used to being the one inviting people. "Huff... my treat."
______
The restaurant buzzed with chatter and clinking dishes, the small space feeling even more cramped with the crowd. Luckily, we managed to find a table, even if it was ridiculously small. The blonde stranger ordered duck
I sat across from him, the silence stretching uncomfortably as I waited for him to speak. His expression was tense, and it was clear he was choosing his words carefully.
Finally, he sighed. "Excuse me for disturbing you. I'll keep this short to save time. The teacher assigned to us has disappeared. When I questioned the girl he was last seen with, she told me he left... with the target."
"Left with the target?" I repeated, narrowing my eyes. "Did they find out about us? Or... did the teacher betray us?"
"That's what I want to know," he replied, his tone clipped. "But here's the thing—he's not the only one. Seven other students are missing too. The others have already gathered arou—"
Bang!
The sharp crack of a gunshot tore through the air, silencing the restaurant's chatter. The sound came from outside, but that didn't bother me much. What truly irritated me was the waitress bringing over a plate of duck—burnt to a crisp.
---
"Ugh... s-someone save me," a bloodied man crawled into the restaurant, his clothes torn and soaked in red.
"What? Save you? Pfft, puahaha!" Another figure followed close behind, a cruel grin plastered on his face.
"P-please! If you let me go this once, I won't ever—"
"You should've thought about that before you started this fight." The pursuer stomped on the man's head with brutal force, the sickening crunch echoing in the stunned silence. Blood splattered across the floor as his victim lay motionless.
Turning to the terrified patrons frozen in their seats, he spread his arms theatrically. "For those of you who don't know me, let me save you the trouble. I'm the King's nephew—Shunsuke."
He stopped mid-sentence, narrowing his eyes at two men casually eating what looked like roasted duck, seemingly unfazed by his presence
"Who gave this inbred a gun?" the muscular one in a leather jacket muttered, barely looking up as he chewed on his food.
"Anyone can get a gun nowadays," the tall blond man replied, lazily wiping his mouth. "I once saw a kid on the street with one ,looked newer and better than whatever this so-called king's nephew is waving around."
Shunsuke's face turned red with rage, veins bulging on his head as he aimed the gun at Kasumi's head. "Fucking lunatics!"
Before he could pull the trigger, Kasumi's hand moved like a blur. A bone fragment shot forward, striking Shunsuke's chin with brutal precision. The impact shattered his jawbone as if it were paper, sending him crumpling to the ground unconscious.
Kasumi didn't bother glancing to see if they were gone, continuing to pick at his food, the clink of his chopsticks against the bowl echoing in the silence left behind.
"Just because your daddy bought you a gun doesn't mean you rule of the world, dumbass" he said.
The men, faces twisted in a mix of confusion and fear, looked at each other, hesitation creeping into their movements. Their bravado cracked. One by one, they turned on their heels and ran, the clatter of their retreating footsteps ringing through the alley.
Kasumi didn't even look up. He simply took another bite, savoring the taste.
Then everyone in the restaurant began clapping Kasumi smirked, his gaze shifting to the clapping crowd. "Heh... those clowns shouldn't cause a disturbance that affects the good folks" he muttered, clearly enjoying the attention.
But then his eyes widened in shock, the smile slipping from his face as he turned back to the table, there was nothing but a pile of bones, the remnants of whatever had been there moments ago.
"How can this be?!?" Kasumi whispered under his breath
The blonde guy across from him leaned back in his chair, completely at ease, as if nothing strange had just happened. He flicked a 500 yen coin onto the table with a lazy gesture. "Thanks for the meal," he said, then casually met Kasumi's gaze. "What?"
Kasumi's silence hung in the air, his mind still reeling. He didn't respond right away. Instead, he flicked a chopstick across the plate, watching it clatter against the dish. "Nothing."
The blonde, leaning back nonchalantly, gestured toward the man lying on the floor. "That guy was probably telling the truth," he said, his tone far too casual for the situation. "We're gonna be in big trouble if his men report this to the King."
"So what do you suggest we do ?? " I asked
He pushed himself to his feet, brushing off the dust from his back. "Simple. We regroup with the others and infiltrate the King's palace," he said, picking up the gun from the ground. " And Whatever happens... happens."
"Wouldn't it be wiser to just call for backup?" I asked getting up
"That's what I thought at first," he said glancing at me. "But considering the security measures, help would most likely come late. We're on our own for this one."