"Disperse immediately!"
Thump! Thump! Thump!
A rough voice shouted, followed by the sound of heavy boots striking the pavement.
A squad of law enforcers closed in around them, pistols and batons at the ready.
At the front was a large man with a round belly, drooping ears, and an air of self-importance.
Clearly, he was their leader.
He scanned the group with disdain before pointing a thick thumb at the nearby remains of the two men.
"In accordance with the law, that Cursed Child is under arrest for murder," he said gruffly. "Hand her over."
"I didn't kill anyone," Cai replied quietly but truthfully.
"If I say you did, then you did." The chief narrowed his eyes.
He had long despised the white-haired beggar who haunted this street.
He didn't know what had happened to those two men—but a scapegoat had conveniently presented herself.
No need for an investigation.
No need for paperwork.
Two birds, one stone.
Cai opened her mouth to protest, but Nanashi raised a hand to stop her.
Then, he stepped forward, his voice icy.
"I killed them."
"…Oh?"
The law enforcement chief hadn't expected that.
He'd noticed that this group didn't look ordinary—well-dressed, refined. Some were likely Initiators.
Originally, he had planned to arrest the girl, brand her a murderer, and eliminate a nuisance.
But now…
Someone had confessed.
He grinned maliciously. "I see. So the Cursed Child is a murderer—and you're her accomplices."
He had no intention of letting Cai go.
The look in his eyes made his true intent clear.
If you're determined to die… then I'll oblige.
"I can hear your thoughts clearly. It's disgusting."
It wasn't just the man before him. Even the law enforcers behind him—armed and ready—secretly wished Cai dead, cursing him as a monster in their hearts.
Nanashi didn't bother with further words. With a flick of his hand, he snapped his fingers casually.
In that instant, the chief law enforcer's eyes widened in confusion. He tried to shout an order to fire—but no words came out.
Then, with growing horror, he saw it.
His body—still upright—no longer had a head.
In a flash, more than a dozen headless bodies stood frozen in place. Their severed heads rolled across the ground like grotesque balls.
"We're leaving," Nanashi said calmly.
Without explanation, he scooped Cai into his arms and turned away.
Everyone was left stunned.
The scene was surreal. Dozens had just been killed, yet the surrounding passersby walked by as if nothing had happened. Some even stepped through the blood without reacting.
"An unknown ability, I guess," Lemuel muttered, surprisingly upbeat. She didn't believe Nanashi would kill the innocent.
"I couldn't see it either," Reinhard admitted. "It was as if the air itself sliced through them… but I don't understand how no one noticed."
"What a strange ability…" Kisara whispered, once again witnessing Nanashi's mysterious power.
"Brother Nanashi… is it really okay to do all this for me?" Cai asked softly.
Not only had Nanashi restored her sight—he had also killed the law enforcers on her behalf.
She was deeply moved.
For the first time in her life, someone had protected her.
For the first time, she saw the world bathed in light.
If there was a light in her heart, it would be Nanashi.
But now, worry began to creep in.
"…Won't I be a burden to you?"
"Don't worry," Nanashi replied with a warm smile. "Your brother is strong."
Red and Enju walked close beside him, exchanging smiles filled with joy.
Brother Nanashi was nothing like Rentaro. He always did what he said.
I'm so lucky… to have such a brother.
"Nanashi-kun," Shinobu asked, "what should we do next?"
Nanashi glanced at the others. "You're all strong. Go hunt the Gastrea. Don't forget your mission—the more you kill, the more points you earn."
"Okay!" Lemuel grinned. She couldn't wait.
She wasn't allowed to fire her guns freely in Lungmen. Doomsday missions were her favorite—they let her shoot without restraint.
Reinhard gave a tired smile. "Well, I suppose this is the only thing I can still do for this world."
He had already seen how twisted this world was.
The tragic fate of the Cursed Children. The deep-rooted hatred and prejudice in people's hearts.
And he—he couldn't change it.
He was just a knight with some leftover power.
Shinobu, Lemuel, and Reinhard departed together to hunt the Gastrea.
Nanashi had no concerns about their capabilities.
Shinobu wielded the power of the Poison-Poison Fruit.
Lemuel's gun creation ability made her a one-woman army.
And Reinhard… well, he was still Reinhard.
They'd have no trouble handling Proto-Gastrea.
Kisara, however—she'd only be a burden if she went.
So Nanashi brought her along to buy food instead, and to help find Cai's sister. Afterward, they returned to Kisara's residence.
Cai's sister was named Yun, a younger girl with white hair, bright eyes, and a cheerful nature despite her thin frame.
After hearing Cai's story, Yun immediately climbed onto Nanashi and clung to him happily, calling him "Big Brother."
Whether the Gastrea virus within them could be completely eliminated remained uncertain.
But Nanashi wasn't planning to cure it—not yet.
Because upon arriving in this world, he'd learned something important.
The Gastrea virus wasn't just a disease.
It was a form of energy.
Energy capable of inducing biological evolution.
But its direction was twisted—chaotic. It drove living beings mad.
Still, if it was energy, then he could control it.
When the time came—when the end arrived—he would deal with it.
"Kisara," Nanashi said, "please take care of Cai and the others."
"Where are you going, Brother?" Red asked anxiously, clutching his arm as if afraid the dream might end if he left.
Nanashi gently patted her head.
"Don't worry. I'm not going far. I just need to meet the ruler of this land—Seitenshi. We need to talk… about changing this world."
Seitenshi.
The ruler of the Tokyo District.
Enju had heard of her.
She trusted Nanashi's words completely and pounded her chest proudly. "Leave it to me, Brother Nanashi! I'll protect them!"
"Heh. I'll count on you, Enju," Nanashi replied with a smile.
He was just about to leave when Kisara suddenly spoke up.
"…What would it cost to have you kill Kikunojou Tendo?"
There was no hesitation in her eyes—only cold, sharp resolve.
She had seen what Nanashi could do. His methods were strange, unpredictable, and terrifyingly efficient.
She was certain.
If anyone could kill that man, it was Nanashi.
And for the sake of revenge, she would give everything.
Nanashi looked into her death-glazed eyes and replied coldly:
"If someone truly deserves to die… they'll die."
And with that—he left.
"…Damn it," Kisara muttered bitterly. "But what kind of person truly deserves to die?"
Tokyo District
In a conference room.
A group of people were engaged in an intense discussion.
"Your Holiness, I must disagree with the promulgation of the New Protocolonis Law."
"The Cursed Children are dangerous. They can mutate into Gastrea at any moment and become sources of infection. They must be strictly monitored—not granted rights."
"I agree. They should be kept under heavy supervision."
"Honestly, it would be easier to just send them outside the walls. Let them deal with the Gastrea themselves."
The room buzzed with conversation.
Most of the politicians opposed the law granting Cursed Children human rights. A few, more extreme, even suggested expelling them from the city.
These were high-ranking officials of the Tokyo Area.
They were gathered to discuss a new law proposed by Seitenshi herself.
At the head of the room, seated in a position of authority, was a girl dressed in white—with hair as pale as snow. She was Seitenshi.
Her brow was furrowed in displeasure.
As the others spoke, her thoughts drifted to Nanashi and his companions. Having to listen to these politicians' voices only added to her frustration.
An elderly man seated beside her glanced over, his gaze aged but piercing.
"Silence, please. Allow me to speak."
The room immediately quieted.
Everyone knew who he was.
Kikunojou Tendo.
Seitenshi's chief aide.
A man who had climbed to the highest political rank through cunning and skill.
Though Seitenshi was the one who issued laws, her youth and inexperience allowed others to challenge her decisions—so long as Kikunojou Tendo remained silent.
But none dared to oppose him.
He was seen not just as her assistant, but as the true pillar of political power in the Tokyo Area.
Seitenshi turned to look at him—the man she had placed her trust in.
She waited for his judgment.
"Granting rights to the Cursed Children reflects the compassion of the Holy Son of Heaven—a sovereign who truly cares for her people."
"I fully support the New Law on Protocolonis. It is timely, rational, and necessary."
A glimmer of hope returned to Seitenshi's eyes.
If Kikunojou Tendo said so, then the others would fall in line.
The room fell into a stunned hush. No one dared speak against him.
Then—
Bang bang bang!
A sudden knock echoed loudly from the conference room door.
A faint smile curved at the corner of Kikunojou's lips.
Someone scowled. "Do you not realize there's a meeting in progress? Who dares disturb—"
"An emergency, sir!" came a panicked voice from outside.
"Let him in," Kikunojou Tendo said calmly.
"Yes!"
The door opened and a young man entered, glasses glinting and his slanted bangs brushing across his face.
He offered a formal bow before glancing toward Seitenshi—his gaze betraying a flicker of something strange.
Then he straightened.
"The Legacy of the Seven Stars… has been stolen!"
"What?!"
Gasps erupted as nearly every official in the room leapt to their feet.
The Legacy of the Seven Stars was one of the Tokyo District's top secrets—an artifact recovered from the ruins of Nanahoshi Village after the war.
It served as a catalyst capable of summoning a Stage V Gastrea.
Even Seitenshi paled.
"Takuto Yasuwaki! Who took it?!"
Called by name, Takuto stiffened and bowed low, trembling.
"A man in a magician's tuxedo, a matching hat, and a mask with a painted smile. His identity is unknown."
"He was accompanied by a Cursed Child. He possesses an ability that reflects and repels bullets—we couldn't get close."
"Multiple law enforcers were killed… even several civilians who joined in protecting the artifact."
Seitenshi rose, her tone sharp and resolute. "I'm going to see it for myself."
The stolen artifact—the Legacy of the Seven Stars—was capable of destroying the entire Tokyo Area.
"Please allow me to ensure your safety!" Takuto offered urgently.
"Mm."
Seitenshi already had a suspicion of who the culprit was. She dismissed the meeting immediately and rushed to the scene.
Takuto followed eagerly at her side, barely able to contain his excitement.
At last… a chance to be closer to Seitenshi!
The vault of the Seven Stars Legacy.
It was chaos.
Corpses were strewn across the floor. Blood pooled beneath them. Bullet holes riddled the walls.
The thick metal doors had been torn apart, and the Legacy had vanished.
Seitenshi stood in silence, jaw clenched.
A crisis of unprecedented scale loomed over the Tokyo Area.
Elsewhere in the vault, a girl with light green and pale yellow hair stood alone before a fallen body.
She wore a somber-toned dress with long sleeves, tights, and neat shoes. Twin braids framed her cheeks.
Her eyes were clear, black and white—but carried a faint, cold detachment.
She stared down at the corpse before her.
"Your Promoter is dead?" came a soft voice.
"…Mm."
The question startled her into replying without thinking.
Her name was Kayo Senju—a Cursed Child, and an Initiator.
Her Promoter had been caught in the crossfire and killed by the masked man in the tuxedo.
Only after answering did she glance to the side.
A man was squatting next to her, watching silently.
But she didn't panic.
Her eyes flicked quickly to the others—law enforcers, medical staff, officers—all scurrying about the scene.
No one was looking at them.
It was as though… they didn't even exist.
Her mind raced through the possibilities.
"How are you doing this?"
She didn't ask who Nanashi was.
She already understood.
They were being ignored.
Completely.