Chapter 258: The Truth of the Attack
The silver-white blade lightly pressed against the browned surface of the beef. With a slight turn of the wrist, the sharp edge effortlessly sliced through the thick steak. Pale oil, mixed with the meat’s juices and the sauce on top, released the unique savory aroma of the beef.
“You can try it, the steak here is very good.”
Picking up a piece of the cut steak and putting it into his mouth, the young boy’s every move and gesture were impeccable, like a young master from a noble family, exuding an elegant and gentle aura.
“Yes, Lord Kurokawa.”
Muttering an acknowledgment, Kazumi picked up the knife and fork from the table and began to enjoy the food in front of her.
Although the fragrant steak smelled delicious, Kazumi clearly didn’t have the appetite to enjoy such delicacies. Mechanically cutting the steak in front of her and putting it into her mouth, her attention was entirely focused on the elegant young man sitting opposite her.
The girl’s slightly formal address made Kurokawa Iori frown slightly, then quickly relax.
An excellent impersonator could play many different roles, and for Kurokawa Iori, who had reached the pinnacle of this path, the ability to perceive and converse about emotions was nothing more than a basic skill.
While some rhetoric and techniques, along with the appropriate release of goodwill, could quickly deepen the relationship between the two, Kurokawa Iori did not allow himself to do so.
In Kurokawa Iori’s heart, for this girl who could accept his existence, all those so-called techniques and rhetoric were an insult to his true inner self. What he desired was to obtain her entirely, with his most authentic self, born from genuine primal emotions.
“A feeling I’ve never had before…”
Silently experiencing the joy of finding a companion within his heart, enlightenment, and that indescribable tremor, Kurokawa Iori made no unnecessary movements. After putting a piece of steak into his mouth with his fork, he looked up at the surrounding walls.
The originally disgusting meat walls slowly receded. Only the pulsating, blood-vessel-like tissues protruding from the walls proved the activation of his ability.
Perhaps the girl could accept his peculiar existence, but from a human perspective, Kurokawa Iori did not believe that decorations filled with blood and flesh were suitable for dining. He himself didn’t care much, but for the sake of the girl in front of him, Kurokawa Iori chose to put in a little more effort to suppress the materialization of his abilities to the lowest extent.
“You are a student of Shikoku Gakuin, so you should have a good understanding of ‘[Dark]’. I’ll skip the overly general introductions. In short, it’s a place for ability users abandoned by society to find warmth, though most people in it are not very normal.”
Watching the girl nibble on the food on her plate, Kurokawa Iori nodded with satisfaction, picked up his drink, and took a sip before speaking.
“You should already know my designation, ‘[Shell]’. I am now fully in charge of the organization’s affairs in the Kyoto region and the majority of the organization’s resource supply. As for you, you will temporarily report directly to me. Your ability is somewhat special. That guy Sakuraba seems to need your help with some things.”
“I will obey Lord Kurokawa’s every command.”
Quickly lowering her head to pledge her loyalty, Kazumi’s heart was nevertheless churning like monstrous waves.
Without a doubt, the information revealed in Kurokawa Iori’s few short sentences was too much: the composition of the organization, his position within it, and his future arrangements.
Kazumi had always had some guesses about the organization’s personnel composition. The birth of ability users always had various peculiar characteristics, and perhaps it was acceptable in the current society where ability users were becoming mainstream.
However, in the past, infants with strange appearances were considered inauspicious signs. Not to mention the public opinion of the surrounding environment, even the parents of the children found it difficult to accept that their own flesh and blood could be such monsters.
Although society’s acceptance of abilities in newborns had greatly increased, and many parents made all sorts of efforts to have a child with hero potential, even so, “monsters” were still not within the acceptable range.
Fairness is a truly ironic word. People bestowed upon it the meaning of absolute justice, yet no one had ever truly fulfilled its intention.
It was like the attitude of the ignorant masses towards witches in the Middle Ages. People today could calmly and naturally treat ability users, but those who possessed abilities with various dark elements were never treated as normal ability users.
Perhaps a few lucky individuals received normal treatment, and even relied on their perseverance to overcome the negative effects of their abilities and embark on the path of a hero.
But that was just the survivor effect. In most cases, being influenced by the environment and their abilities, they ultimately embraced darkness completely.
Regarding ‘[Shell]’s position within the organization, it exceeded Kazumi’s original expectations.
Initially, in the girl’s estimation, her superior might have a higher position than her adoptive uncle, but he likely wouldn’t be a particularly powerful figure, perhaps responsible for new recruit onboarding.
But she hadn’t expected him to be the overall head of the organization in Kyoto!
Considering that this was Kyoto, the headquarters of the Heroes Association, and the place where a large portion of professional heroes lived and worked. Not only did the ‘[Dark]’ organization extend its reach here, but it could also directly touch the internal workings of Shikoku Junior High School, known as the cradle of heroes.
It was quite laughable that the student council president of Shikoku Junior High School was actually a monster in disguise. To be able to act in such a manner under the noses of so many heroes was, in itself, enough to elevate Kazumi’s perception of Kurokawa Iori’s strength to a very high level of alert.
As for her own arrangements, they were within reason. According to Masashi Sakuraba, her abilities were indeed related to ‘[Underworld]’, and Kazumi was still further organizing information on this aspect. However, the ‘[Soul Guidance]’ function of the ‘[Great Graveyard]’ gave the girl a sliver of unrealistic, wild fantasy. But all of this would only be evident once the territory truly developed, and then she could see if her ideas had any validity.
“That’s roughly the situation. However, if you have any other questions or needs, feel free to ask me directly.”
Kazumi appeared to be contemplating something thoughtfully. Kurokawa Iori, sitting opposite her, swayed his teacup and spoke.
“Can I ask anything?”
“Anything.”
Seeing the boy’s confident expression and his now gentle smile, the girl’s guard slightly lowered. At least for now, she considered herself part of this faction.
Putting down her knife and fork, the black-haired girl clasped her hands lightly on the edge of the table. She slowly raised her head, her dark, deep eyes looking earnestly at the fair-faced young man opposite her. Her light pink lips parted slightly, and beneath her cold words lay the most earnest and solemn of pronouncements.
“I want to know the truth of the attack that day, Lord Kurokawa.”
