Chapter 609: Clash of Ideals, Naive Sato Shin’ichi
“When I say this, it means you really have a problem.”
Turning to look at Takeru Kamikami, who had a serious expression, Kazumi could hardly believe what she heard. This wasn’t something a friend would say; it was words a righteous hero would say to a member of an evil opposing villain organization?
Moreover, her abilities and appearance didn’t seem like she could be redeemed.
“Are you serious? That’s not a funny joke.”
Takeru Kamikami’s heaven-defying move successfully attracted Kazumi’s attention. The girl stopped her departure and turned to face Kimokado.
With a slight smile, Kazumi completely turned around and looked up at the tall man whose head was half a head taller than hers, responding emotionlessly.
“Because your way of doing things is different from the enemy villains I’ve encountered. And your combat ability is also very strong. Why do you have to choose to join that evil organization? I don’t think you’re that kind of person.”
“And…”
Sato Zhenyi stroked his blood-stained blond hair, his gaze was uncomfortably frank, as if he had figured something out. He picked up the opened onigiri wrapper in his hand, dangled it in front of the other person a few times, and continued.
“You’ve definitely seen my background, haven’t you? Isn’t it more comfortable to be a dignified professional hero than to hide every day?”
Takeru Kamikami’s words plunged Kazumi into a brief silence.
Her fingers under the black robe unconsciously fiddled, she glanced down at the onigiri wrapper being dangled. It was the most ordinary plastic wrapper of cod flavor that came with the bento, still bearing his bloodstains.
Finally, she shook her head, tilting her head slightly, and pointed behind Takeru Kamikami at the busy Hades City.
“Do you think someone with my abilities has a chance to be dignified?”
Sato Zhenyi followed her pointed direction and looked back. Hades City was shrouded in a dark blue light under the setting sun. Ghouls were transporting bone remains, and ice elemental daggers condensed strange patterns on the city walls.
The entire city exuded a chilling death aura.
The young boy remained silent for a moment, then immediately looked up at Kimokado, his dark blue eyes flickering with seriousness.
“My master once said that the quality of an ability doesn’t determine the quality of a person; what matters is the person who uses that ability!”
Takeru Kamikami’s incredibly naive words left Kazumi momentarily speechless. As expected of someone inherited from a top hero, he was truly idealistic to the point of being laughable.
“Is this why there are no heroes with Dark-type abilities among the ranked heroes? Have you been in the workplace for too long, have you forgotten the most basic description in Hero Ability Studies?”
Her lips curled into a mocking sneer.
If this world was as beautiful as Takeru Kamikami said, why would she risk her “Shimizu Kazumi” identity being exposed to patrol the underworld?
She could only say that his environment determined his childish view, which had a bit of a “not eating meat while living in luxury” flavor.
“Humph…”
Sato Zhenyi subconsciously wanted to refute her point, but the images flashing through his mind instantly convinced him.
The words of the person in the black robe in front of him were not wrong. Because of his master Binye Si, Sato Zhenyi had been exposed to various professional heroes since he was young. But, upon careful consideration, it was true that above the ranks of the Heroes Association, there wasn’t a single hero with a Dark-type ability.
“The description of abilities and personality in Hero Ability Studies has already sealed our fate. Don’t you think the Association and the police would tolerate someone with an unstable personality and mentality becoming a professional hero in the public eye?”
Sato Zhenyi’s fists clenched unconsciously. The content of Kimokado’s words was clearer than anyone else’s, but perhaps because of a too busy life and a peaceful and serene living environment, the young boy had never seriously considered this issue.
“But…”
His voice lowered, “There will always be a way… The current Association hasn’t developed to that stage yet…”
“A way?”
Kazumi sneered, her black robe billowing without wind.
“Like how your Association treated the Blood Cult? Imprisoned him in a special cell for three years, and finally forced him to self-destruct?”
What Kazumi said was an incident that was not too secret within the Dark Organization. The leader of a Dark Organization squad named the Blood Cult had developed feelings for a female combatant from a Hero Agency and finally decided to abandon his Dark Organization identity and join the Heroes Association, wanting to live a life in the open.
The young man’s head shot up. “That was an accident! The real situation wasn’t like that!”
As a professional hero with some authority within the Association, Sato Zhenyi had indeed heard of past incidents. According to his understanding, an accident had indeed occurred, leading to the death of the organization member who had joined the Heroes Association.
“Even if it was an accident, were the imprisonment, research, and rejection all accidents? Wasn’t the discrimination and special treatment he received due to his identity as a former Dark Organization member also an accident?”
Kazumi’s voice remained emotionless, as if stating a cold hard fact.
“So, don’t judge my choice with your naive hero theories. Your identity guarantees that you’ve never come into contact with the people at the very bottom. In this world, some people are destined to live in the shadows.”
The young man shook his head, as if deeming it not worth his time to engage in such a naive conversation.
The information reaching her ears also informed Kazumi that Kimokado had already opened the passage to the Land of Woven Winds. The girl lingered no longer. The green light in front of her reopened, and Kazumi walked towards Kimokado.
Let’s go. There was no need to continue this meaningless conversation.
“Kimokado! What if I could change all of this?”
Sato Zhenyi’s shout echoed again, but this time Kimokado did not stop. Her entire body merged into the green energy of Kimokado, and the head covered by the black robe slightly tilted, forming a mocking tone.
“You should honestly remain your shining great hero.”
Kimokado’s voice came leisurely. The familiar address caused the young man to momentarily daze, but the thick mockery in her tone made Sato Zhenyi’s already clenched fists tighten again, emitting the “creak” of skin friction.
…
In the desolate sealed land.
Sato Zhenyi emerged from Kimokado, bathed in the death energy emitted from it. The green energy covering his body was instantly absorbed into his body. In front of the young man, there was no figure, only a solitary crack connecting to the space, and a slowly closing green portal.
Little Black inside his body, after completing this final mission, leaped within Sato Zhenyi’s reborn body, drawing a perfect parabola into Kimokado. The portal, which was previously closing slowly, accelerated its closing speed at this moment.
“Wait… I’ll see you next time.”
The young man subconsciously raised his hand as if trying to grasp something, but as soon as he raised it, it naturally fell, and the words he spoke were unknowingly cut off halfway.
The other end of the portal seemed to have heard the sound from this side. The closing process stopped for a moment, and then it accelerated and disappeared into this barren space, leaving behind only the last words scattered in the air.
“Next time we meet, we’ll be enemies.”
