Chapter 186 Fate
Tall and slender figure, dark green long hair, and heterochromatic vertical pupils that couldn’t help but attract attention. Standing before the two was a handsome long-haired man, holding a mobile phone that displayed something like a map, smiling at the young boy and girl in front of him.
“Ah, the second teaching building, you go straight ahead, turn right when you see a fountain, the first building with orange and yellow stripes is the second teaching building.”
Looking at the stranger in front of him, Sato Shinichi quickly chimed in, pointing forward and giving directions.
“Oh, thank you, you’ve been a great help.”
The long-haired man looked in the direction Sato Shinichi pointed, compared it with the information on his phone, nodded, and turned to thank the boy next to him.
“It’s nothing, it’s nothing, but if I may be so bold, may I ask if you are here to…”
The other party’s sincere thanks made Sato Shinichi a little embarrassed, but seeing the school uniform that was clearly different from his own, the boy thought for a moment before finally asking.
“Ah, sorry for not informing you beforehand. I am a student representative from Nagoya High School, and I am here to your school this time for matters of academic exchange.”
Hearing the boy’s question, the long-haired man seemed to wake up from a dream and took out a student ID from his pocket, handing it to Sato Shinichi, and explained.
“Sato Sakuraba…”
Looking at the student ID clearly stating Nagoya High School, Sato Shinichi unconsciously read out the name, but soon realized that such a thing was impolite, so he quickly straightened up, scratching the back of his head, and said.
“Hello, Sato-kun, my name is Sato Shinichi, and this is my girlfriend, Kazumi Shimizu. If you need any more help, please just tell us.”
The boy’s honest remark caused Kazumi beside him to give him a resentful look, but she wasn’t too interested in butting into such foolishly helpful incidents. Instead, her jet-black eyes looked with interest at the long-haired man who exuded a strangely familiar aura.
“No need, thank you for your help today, Sato-kun.”
Masashi Sakuraba narrowed his eyes and nodded slightly in thanks for Sato Shinichi’s help. His light yellow vertical pupil on the right imperceptibly enlarged when he glanced at Kazumi beside the boy, but he quickly regained his composure and said goodbye to the two.
“They’re from Nagoya. I heard the ramen there is delicious. Want to go together next time?”
Watching Masashi Sakuraba’s retreating back, Sato Shinichi didn’t find anything strange. After all, as some of the best high schools in the country, it was normal for students from neighboring cities to come for further studies.
Thinking of the famous ramen in Nagoya, the boy asked the girl beside him with anticipation, but unfortunately, Kazumi seemed not to have heard him, standing still in place without replying.
“Kazumi?”
It was then that Sato Shinichi noticed something was wrong with his girlfriend. Although the girl always looked at him with disdain, she would always gently reply to him no matter how boring he spoke.
“Hmm. What’s wrong?”
As if hearing Sato Shinichi’s call, the girl looked up as if waking from a dream and asked Sato Shinichi beside her.
“You suddenly stopped in place just now. Are you feeling unwell?”
“No, I was just thinking about something.”
Sato Shinichi’s concerned words pulled Kazumi out of her thoughts. She turned and took a deep look in the direction Masashi Sakuraba had left, then pulled her gaze back and looked towards the teaching building not far away.
“Let’s go to the classroom.”
……
On the fifth floor of the second teaching building, the long-haired man in a brown uniform came up from the stairwell. He glanced at the words “Student Council” written on the innermost room, put his mobile phone into his pocket, walked to the door, and knocked a few times.
“Please come in.”
A warm and gentle voice came from the room, and this familiar voice brought a faint smile to Masashi Sakuraba’s face. He pushed the door open and went in.
In the simple and rustic office, the handsome and elegant man in glasses was sitting at the desk drinking coffee. Not far away, there was a cup of steaming coffee, as if the host had prepared it for the arriving guest long ago.
“Long time no see, Kurokawa.”
Masashi Sakuraba walked straight to the chair by the table and sat down gracefully, picked up his coffee, took a sip, and spoke to the man in glasses in front of him.
“Yes, it seems you are in good condition now? Has that thing been suppressed?”
Kurokawa Iori nodded, reached into the drawer under the table, took out a small box, and threw it directly.
“No, I’m just forcibly suppressing it for the convenience of activities. True resolution still requires other things.”
Masashi Sakuraba raised his hand to catch the box thrown by the other party. Purple energy condensed in his palm, crushing the brocade box into pieces, revealing a section of a finger bone. With that section of pale purple finger bone, like ice, it melted directly into Masashi Sakuraba’s palm.
Purple energy flashed in Masashi Sakuraba’s eyes. He put down his coffee and replied.
“Yes, does the situation over there help you?”
Kurokawa Iori continued to ask. After all, being able to make his old friend give up suppressing the thing inside and come out of seclusion indicated that the changes must have been useful to him.
“It should be. I felt the aura of [Underworld] nearby, but it’s already protected by a bunch of disgusting psychics. I might need your help to draw them away.”
“If fighting breaks out in Kyoto, those heroes will be a big problem.”
Casually picking up the information on the side of the table and flipping through it, Masashi Sakuraba looked at Kurokawa Iori and replied.
“Yes, you will give me a time for the operation, and I will arrange for a new subordinate to help you, as practice. Her abilities should be quite compatible with yours.”
Kurokawa Iori nodded again. Whether for personal reasons or for the development of the organization’s strength, helping his friend and organization executive [Poisonous Snake] recover their original strength was something he cared about.
“Oh, is that the lunatic who killed everyone else on the first day?”
Even Masashi Sakuraba, who usually didn’t pay much attention to organizational matters, had heard about this subordinate recruited by Kurokawa Iori. After all, killing all the other同期 during the entrance test was unprecedented in many years.
“Yes, a very good kid.”
Hearing his words, Kurokawa Iori showed a faint smile and replied.
“It’s rare for you to praise a newcomer. Are you sure she’s okay? My abilities are still suppressed, and I can’t protect her if there’s a conflict.”
Looking at Kurokawa Iori’s genuine smile with disbelief, Masashi Sakuraba rubbed his eyes in disbelief. After all, as a friend for many years, Kurokawa Iori wouldn’t pretend his emotions like he did in front of others. Therefore, he was truly smiling out of happiness.
“It’s fine, I’ll be there too. If a large number of heroes are drawn in, I will cover you.”
“Thanks… Kurokawa.”
Hearing his friend’s promise, a long-lost sense of emotion flashed in Masashi Sakuraba’s heart, and even his stiff half of his cheek showed a slight expression.
After all, he had been troubled by this damn thing for a long time. Although it didn’t cost him his life, his strength was greatly affected, and he hadn’t participated in organizational activities for a long time.
He thought that in this case, he might even lose his executive qualification, and his friend was willing to help him even in such a situation, and even take the initiative to help him when he was not in good condition.
“There’s no need to thank me for our relationship. If you really want to thank me… kill someone for me.”
A perfectly appropriate smile appeared on his warm face, but the boy’s words were exceptionally cold. He took out a prepared document from the folder on the side and handed it over.
“Oh, is there someone you can’t deal with yourself?”
Making a strange sound from his mouth, Masashi Sakuraba took the document and began to read it. It was rare for someone with such terrifying abilities to need help.
“No, he’s just a civilian. The incident with Kirie caused quite a stir, and Shikoku has been investigating people in schools recently. I don’t dare to act rashly. If I’m exposed, all my previous arrangements will be in vain, so your abilities are most suitable for this kind of thing.”
Picking up the coffee, Kurokawa Iori leaned back in the soft chair, explaining to his friend. Otherwise, dealing with a civilian who didn’t even have any abilities would only expose his identity as [Skin] in the worst case.
“I understand. How about the Heartbreak Curse? Unless a psychic is present, those ignorant heroes won’t be able to see anything.”
Instantly understanding his friend’s meaning, Masashi Sakuraba made a gesture and smiled cruelly. As Kurokawa Iori said, with his abilities, killing a civilian silently was simpler than eating and drinking.
But soon, his heterochromatic eyes, devoid of any emotion, briefly scanned the paper in his hand. The distinctive golden hair and sunny smile instantly entered his field of vision.
Masashi Sakuraba was stunned for a moment, but then his already flamboyant smile became even more exaggerated, shaking his head with interest.
“What a coincidence…”
