"Finally, some fresh air," Kasumi muttered as he stepped out of Yoshiwara's underground. Sunlight hit his eyes, momentarily blinding him. The little girl still resting in his shoulder
'That crack in the wall saved me,' he thought, turning to look at it. But as he examined it more closely, a realization crept in.
'Now that I think about it... this doesn't look like a crack. It feels like a sword slash.'
' was it from that geezer ? '
"Took you long enough," a voice came from behind.
Kasumi turned his head to see Shishiba leaning against a tree, Makie's weapon resting on his shoulder.
Kasumi shrugged. "Well, I wasn't fighting a prostitute like you."
"Fair enough," shishiba said, stepping forward with a casual gait. "Let me have a look at her."
"No," Kasumi said flatly. "I don't trust you."
Shishiba remained expressionless, silently watching him.
Kasumi scratched his head. "Do you think I'm an idiot? You took that girl's weapon and left her to die. You're with those maniacs I saw earlier."
Shishiba exhaled through his nose. "Kasumi... you realize that by doing this, you'll be considered a traitor for siding with the enemy, right?"
"If refusing to kill a little girl makes me a traitor, then I was never on your side to begin with," Kasumi said, his voice unwavering.
"I see..." Shishiba muttered.
In a blur, he vanished, reappearing behind Kasumi with his spear thrusting straight for the girl's head.
He's fast! Kasumi's eyes widened as he twisted his body, catching the spear mid-air.
Shishiba anticipated the move, immediately striking with his second spear, aiming straight for Kasumi's face.
Crack!
Kasumi bit down on the spear's tip, snapping it with sheer force.
Shishiba yanked back the other end, nearly slicing Kasumi's left palm in half, before jumping back to create distance. "Think about this, Kasumi... You're in no condition to fight, let alone protect someone."
Kasumi didn't respond. His gaze remained locked on the little girl, his eyes widening.
Shishiba exhaled, tossing the broken spear aside. "I see... she's already dead."
"Want me to give you a ride?" he asked, his tone almost casual.
Kasumi didn't look away. "She's still alive... I'm taking her to a doctor. She'll be fine."
Shishiba studied him for a moment, then shrugged. "...Suit yourself," he said, turning to walk away.
Ring ring ring
Kasumi's phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, expecting a message, only to see a picture from Rion. She was wearing bizarre cult-like robes, while in the background, Sakamoto stood completely naked.
Another message followed:
"Rate our fit from 1 to 10."
Ring.
A second text popped up.
"My fit*."
"..."
____________
Inside a spacious office filled with ornate furniture, a white-haired man sat with his legs crossed, eyes closed in silent contemplation.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
The sharp sound echoed through the room.
"..."
No response.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
"Come in."
The door opened, revealing a suited man who immediately bowed. "Mister Asaki, I'm here to inform—"
"Did I tell you to start talking?" Asaki cut in, not even bothering to look at him.
"My apologies, sir, it's just that—"
"What's your name?"
"Katsura, sir. It's an honor to be in your presence." He bowed again, stiff with formality.
Asaki finally opened his eyes, resting his chin on his hand. "Tell me, Kaoru."
"Uh?" Katsura blinked in confusion. "Ah, sir, it's Katsura."
"Whatever. Why are you here?"
Katsura swallowed. "I'm here to inform you that the individual known as Yanagi was killed today. His head was fou—"
"Shhh," Asaki interrupted, waving a hand. "Not interested. Do you know who did it?"
"As far as we know, only three survived. One of them is mister Yotsumura's student, and he's the most likely culprit. He has the necessary skill to eliminate Yanagi."
"Mhmm," Asaki mused, tapping his fingers against the chair. "I'll have to go praise him later."
"What about the other two?"
"Both are in critical condition—"
"Alright, so nothing interesting. Get out." Asaki dismissed him with a flick of his wrist.
"Yes, sir." Katsura bowed before swiftly exiting.
With a sigh, Asaki leaned forward, grabbing the phone from his desk
"How can I help you, Mr. Asaki?" a girl's voice came from the other line.
"Oh, hello. I know this isn't usually my field, but I have reason to believe that a man named Katsura is after something... and I think he plans to kill the chairman."
"Uh… are you sure about that, Mr. Asaki?"
"Yeah... Oh, no! He's pulling a knife—hurry up!" he shouted, slamming the phone down.
With a satisfied grin, he turned toward the window, gazing outside. Everything was going smoothly… just as he planned.