#19 Metamorphosis (2/3)

[Yurea Vayne]

My footsteps resounded in the silence.

The interior of the building was dark without lights and sound. I shook off my taut nerves and pushed forward.

This place’s like an office of sorts. No, it is an office. Everyone’s off work already, it seems. The more I walked, the more unnerving it felt. I shouldn’t be here, I was reminded of that constantly.

Yet somehow, rational thinking wasn’t the one moving my feet.

Still, it’s really dark here. There’s some strange smell too. No, it’s a familiar one.

Just as I was about to turn on the flashlight from my smartphone, I recalled what the two butler girls said.

I'm responsible for myself past the door.

Which means... it's best to move discreetly. He is probably around here somewhere, aahh-

…I felt my feet tripping up on something as I walked into a narrow hallway. As I regained my balance in the middle, I looked down...

...To find a man unmoving face-down on the floor.

"-A-ahh..." I held down my scream.

Now that I look more closely in the dark, several other men in black were lying down, unconscious in puddles of viscous liquid.

The faint smell of iron wafted into the air as soon as I took notice of it.

...Then all of these people were…

—BANG— "!!"

A loud gunshot flinched me out of rumination. It’s… that way!

I held down my urge to throw up… eh, I feel strangely fine. Calming my breathing down slightly, I thought for a moment.

I need to leave now…

…No, I’ll see this through.

Even though every step brought me closer to danger. I walked forward, slowly but surely. At this point, it would be right to call someone like me a thrill seeker, even though this was a first for me too. But well, to put it bluntly, maybe I’m just ‘suicidal’. A disregard for self-preservation followed me with every action I took consciously.

Really, I don’t feel like myself today.

…Like myself…

After I turn this corner... the gunshot came from that hallway... Ah.

In that brief moment where my eyes had absorbed the scene before me, my heart began to race. It palpated within that returning silence, greeted only by the occasional labored puffs of two men before me. Hiding away from their sights but just enough to catch a front row seat, I considered the two.

Red eyes, gothic-cross earring, and that highlighted fringe that covers one part of his face. No doubt about it, that's the nameless, mysterious delinquent who saved me just this afternoon.

As to who the other person was... I gasped in the midst of comprehension.

That grey-haired person wearing a tuxedo and opaque sunglasses... was pointing a revolver at him. Light smoke could be seen coated around the muzzle.

Assassin? What is going on?

This must surely be... the underworld. They were in the midst of something, I shouldn't have seen this!

This wasn't a part of the world that I live in. I should leave while I have the chance.

Trouble is... trouble is surely...

I clutched my heart painfully.

It was throbbing strongly, as if trying to ground my feet and bear witness to everything that was about to happen.

No... it wants me to do something about this.

Something within me was trying to push past... break open...

Yes, it's not as if I was completely powerless here.

I'll call the police! Firearms are illegal, right? They'll get here in no time... not.

With all the time taken to explain, it might be already too late.

In that case...

I took out the name card I'd received, and dialed.

"Hello, this is the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department."

"...Hello, is this Minoshita-san? You told me to call you if I needed help."

"Hm...? ...Aahh... Yurea-chan, was it?"

"...Please come back to the street where you dropped me off. There is someone who's fired a gun in a building there."

"Eh, a gun—"

—BANG!

As if on queue, another gunshot was fired.

The assassin had fired off another shot in his direction.

"Kuh!"

"!!!" I held back a scream. Blood trickled down the floor, as the nameless delinquent smiled ferociously towards his assailant.

"Now... you're down to one."

At that declaration. With that hard-edged look that seems to declare that he is unwilling to give an inch. That unwavering demeanour had apparently made his opponent flinch as well.

"Y-You monster!"

Another shot. This time it missed. Delinquent ducked and leapt forward, starting a close-quarter fight.

He swung a right, which was a feint to cover a full kick to the assassin's flank. The assassin read it accordingly and blocked it. But that kick gained ground as the delinquent used that momentum to turn it into another roundhouse kick. The assassin blocked that too and attempted a grab at his leg, only to feel a punch coming towards his face.

The assassin leapt backwards, and thus creating distance again.

...amazing.

"Hey!!!"

It was then, that I realized someone was shouting repeatedly over the phone. I quickly responded.

"Are you alright?! Please hide somewhere safe! While you're doing that, tell us your exact location! We're turning around the car as we speak!" The voice on the phone became firmer.

Ignoring the advice, I remained hidden behind the corner and conveyed my current predicament to the female officer while observing the situation.

As I'd just relayed all the information, the connection suddenly cut.

I looked at my phone, and realized that signal was lost.

"...You're good, just as the rumors say." The assassin eyed him through his shades, as he moved his hands behind his back.

"[The Outlaw], as they call you. An outsider who's been attacking the underworld indiscriminately... Why are you doing this?!" He yelled out, seemingly in indignation.

"...To clean up filth. ...I'll kill anyone who stops me."

That look on his face...

I see, the delinquent... no, the Outlaw must have had a tragic past. He's... a killer.

A murderer.

"Heh." The assassin chuckled.

"But you know, this city... ...doesn't need a janitor!!!"

Two daggers flew towards the delinquent, who dodged them quickly.

But one of them grazed his left cheek.

"Good attempt, but... ...!!!"

The thought came to me just as I watched him suddenly lose his strength and stumble to the ground.

Poison! A fast-acting one at that! Or could it be some sort of tranquilizer?!

"It's over now!"

The gap was closed with a quick step, and the assassin stabbed forward with the poisoned knife.

But the Outlaw smiled in that moment.

"Yeah."

Blood spurted everywhere.

"It's over."

The assassin's head was cleanly cut off.

A set of female butlers entered my view.

The swords they held were stained with a thin line of blood from the slash.

"Grey, we've cleared the building." The two girls whom I'd met at the entrance earlier, had returned to his side.

"And? Did you two find the money?"

The duo shook their heads.

"I see... We're returning empty-handed huh."

My heart beat faster with adrenaline as I listened in.

They are the ones behind all this killing? ...For... money?

Then assassin-san was... ...

Eh...? The Outlaw. Grey. He's... He's...

In the middle of that pressure, I was about to come to an understanding when he, Grey spoke again.

"And the one who's been let in, how about you show yourself."

"...!!!"

I was called out.

He knew.

Of course he knew. Those girls worked for him, and they let me in.

I could tell, it was only for a simple reason.

"...Oh...? You came out rather obediently~" He smirked.

"I'm sorry, but I can't have any witnesses."

Grey raised his finger, and pointed at me who'd shakily appeared before his eyes.

"Get her."

With those chilling words as the trigger, the two girls approached me with their blades.

Towards me, who felt like the words stuck in my throat would be able to change this somehow.

If I just—

"—How about you stop there, demon."

Before I could speak again, someone had appeared in between us.

How many times does that make it already? I've been interrupted one too many times today.

"Who are you!" Raising caution, one of the butler girls yelled out.

This person seemed to be of a similar age, wearing a set of what I could only describe as white tech-wear. Lifting his hoodie revealed his brown, spiky hair. His gaze with those sapphire blue eyes were directed towards the one he calls 'Demon'.

"I am..."

The girls didn't give him time to speak, and rushed forward with their long serrated blades, but were repelled just barely with a steel pole he was wielding. This new person... he's trying to protect me huh.

"Tch... I don't want to hurt women. So stop this."

Grey, who had been observing the situation at the back frowned.

"Why?"

"Why... you say."

The guy in white outfit glanced at the decapitated corpse on the floor, and frowned.

"I can't let you do as you please any further, I'll stop you right here, demon."

Thump.

Again. He said it.

...Demon this, demon that.

I stared at this newcomer with dead eyes.

"Don't worry miss, I'll stop him here."

Thump. Thump.

Acting as if you know everything.

"I'll pride my reputation on this. As the silent protector of this city, I will guarantee your safety! Miss, please go ahead and escape!"

Escape? I took a step closer towards this person.

"What are you doing, you have to leave now before it gets dangerous!"

Dangerous...

As the boy turned to regard me, his eyes opened wide in shock at my face.

...You don't understand a thing at all, huh.

My heart which had been beating this strongly since just now, had finally reached its answer.

And when it did, the cocoon cast in the confines of my own, narrow mind began to crack.

I see now.

"You're the one who is dangerous."

With a penknife in my hands, I sharply...

...slashed at the boy's throat.