Chapter: 96. This Is Not a Request (3k4) (14/46
Time rewinds slightly.
In the ward where Kanade is.
Zhenai, having completed all her physical examinations, is temporarily asked by the nurse to leave the ward.
As the nurse finishes the examination and leaves the room.
The spacious space is left with only Kanade alone.
Just when Kanade intends to lie down again to rest properly.
His keen senses suddenly pick up a faint sound of footsteps approaching from a distance.
And as the footsteps come closer, a feeling of vigilance gradually arises within Kanade.
This feeling reminds him of facing the Azure Dragon last night.
It was a reaction in the face of a powerful magical fluctuation or authority.
Just as Kanade holds his breath and focuses his attention on the ward’s only door.
The figure that appears is beyond Kanade’s expectations.
It is a girl with black hair wearing a white uniform. Her small stature makes the uniform appear exceedingly loose; the long hem even drags on the floor. The tuft of hair on top of her head is particularly noticeable, rhythmically swaying with her steps.
The other party’s cute appearance does not make Kanade lose his vigilance.
If anything, her large ruby-like eyes make Kanade feel uneasy.
But before Kanade can speak to her, another figure follows closely behind.
Even with Kanade’s beast-like instincts, he did not sense his presence.
Following the black-haired girl is a tall man in the same white uniform, with a fit physique and gray hair combined with aqua-blue eyes—an undeniable handsome man.
However, Kanade’s first attention is drawn to the badge pinned to his collar.
A crescent-shaped moon.
That is the emblem of “Tsuki no Gakuin” (Moon Academy).
“Hello, Mr. Tsukimi Kanade. I am Kurokawa Akiji from Tsuki no Gakuin, the head investigator responsible for the post-incident investigation, and this is my contracted beast—”
“—Mimi is Mimi!” exclaimed the black-haired girl, raising her arms high and looking very pleased.
“Hello, you two.”
Seeing their friendly attitude without hostility and the credentials they present, Kanade also nodded in greeting.
At the same time, he thinks, “Did they finally come?”
After the battle last night, Kanade has been wondering when the Special District SEMA or the three major academies would approach him.
As the key existence involved in this incident, not only did he witness the enemies from various forces, but he also faced them head-on with his awakened abilities.
Undoubtedly, he would attract the attention of Special District SEMA and the three major academies.
…..
Instead of getting straight to the point, Kurokawa engaged Kanade in small talk.
During this time, he kept observing Kanade’s emotions and reactions with his own eyes.
Having learned about this “new protagonist” from Reina.
Kurokawa, unable to hold back, decided to meet him personally, wanting to understand what kind of person he truly was.
And the first impression he got was not bad; he did not seem like the big pervert mentioned in the reports.
In fact, he could not sense even a hint of anything related to the “protagonist” in Kanade, making it hard to imagine that this seemingly ordinary boy had repelled the End and saved Ark Academy last night.
There was no overwhelming pressure or concealed feeling that left people anxious.
After some small talk, Kurokawa felt that the boy in front of him was an exceedingly ordinary youth, somewhat introverted but kind-hearted and gentle. If placed in a crowd, he would disappear instantly.
If it were not for the special magical fluctuation Kurokawa sensed through Miderashi from this boy, he might have thought he had the wrong person.
—Could such an ordinary boy be the new protagonist?
With this question in mind, Kurokawa skillfully guided the topic to what happened last night—
“Mr. Tsukimi Kanade, do you remember what happened last night, before and after your awakening?” Kurokawa moved a chair to sit in front of Kanade’s bed, adopting a friendly and equal posture for communication.
But Kanade showed a troubled expression in response to this question.
It was not that he did not want to cooperate, but too many things happened last night, and he did not know where to start.
Kurokawa seemed to understand Kanade’s thoughts and asked a more specific question:
“Let me rephrase the question. Do you have any impression of the name ‘Nanjou Akane’?”
“Yes, the repeat student from Ark Academy…” Kanade nodded.
“Very good. And what about the term ‘End’?” Kurokawa said this while deliberately slowing down his speech, as if to avoid Kanade misunderstanding, and also to carefully observe Kanade’s subtle reactions upon hearing the term.
However, Kanade’s next reaction made Kurokawa’s expectations falter.
“End? What do you mean?” Kanade responded honestly; he really did not know what Kurokawa was referring to.
Seeing this scene, Kurokawa slightly showed a thoughtful expression, seemingly tangled over whether to explain the existence of the End to the boy in front of him.
Normally, information about the End must be kept strictly confidential and prohibited from being disclosed to ordinary ability users.
But considering that Kanade might be the “new protagonist” and the significant role his abilities play, even if he didn’t explain it now, he would likely be approached by Special District SEMA or the other academies in the future.
“The End is a very special fantasy monster.”
“A fantasy monster? Is it related to last night’s incident?” Kanade immediately reacted.
“Exactly. Based on the traces at the scene, when you last faced Nanjou Akane, the End was present within her body?”
“Within her body? Are you saying that this being called the End is some kind of monster that parasitically inhabits a human’s body?”
“No, rather than saying it’s parasitic, it’s more accurate to say it takes over, and it’s not just within the body; it acts upon the soul.” Kurokawa interlocked his hands, calmly narrating.
But the meaning behind his words caused unease in Kanade.
—A fantasy monster that takes over souls?
He recalled that Shikanagi was kneeling in front of Nanjou at that time. If the End was indeed in her body then, could it be that Shikanagi was influenced by it?
“Could it be that after coming into contact with the End, one suddenly becomes younger?”
Kanade’s question made Kurokawa realize that he was referring to the black-haired girl found at the scene with him—Hoshimiya Nagin.
She was also a victim of the perverted “loli” incident he was dealing with.
“Sure enough, she was one of the contact persons with the End at that time?” Kurokawa silently thought while shaking his head at Kanade’s statement.
“Not quite. Regarding the juvenile incident occurring in the academy, investigations have confirmed that it is caused by the power of some authority and is unrelated to the End.”
“Then—what about this influence—” Kanade’s reaction was somewhat agitated regarding Nagin.
“This matter shouldn’t cause worry because, according to the latest news, someone has drawn conclusions about this power.”
“The juvenile state will gradually dissipate over time, but the recovery time varies from person to person. Some have already returned to their original appearance from last night to this morning, while others only grew about a year older.” Kurokawa explained.
“Growing a year older?” However, some of the words made Kanade uneasy.
“Yes, based on observations, this power will cause the affected individuals to slowly grow older over time until they revert to their original form. Moreover, no side effects have been found from this power, so there’s no need to worry.”
Kurokawa’s implication was clear.
The concern should be the End, not the juvenile phenomenon.
Kanade understood the other party’s meaning and cooperatively steered the topic back:
“What are the consequences of the End’s influence?”
“Unfortunately, I cannot disclose any information about that part yet, but there is one thing I hope you can answer first.” As Kurokawa said this, he took out a sheet of paper and a pen, handing them to Kanade.
Kanade recognized that the paper depicted a map of Ark Academy and the surrounding sea area.
“Could you please draw your route of movement from last night on the paper based on your memory, Mr. Tsukimi Kanade?”
“My route of movement?”
“Yes, it refers to the places you visited after your awakening. This is crucial for the upcoming conclusions.”
Hearing this, Kanade was puzzled but still sketched out his approximate route on the map, relying on his vague memory.
And as Kurokawa watched the red lines glide across the white paper, coloring familiar areas on the map, excitement involuntarily appeared on his face.
After Kanade finished drawing.
Kurokawa reached a conclusion.
He took the paper and pen from Kanade’s hand and, under Kanade’s puzzled gaze, began to explain:
“The places where the End once descended will retain remnants of its power at the scene.”
“These remnants can cause local people to become mentally disordered and their souls to be tainted to some degree.”
“But, Mr. Tsukimi Kanade, the ability you’ve awakened seems to have the power to erase all remnants of the End’s influence.” Kurokawa said, pointing to the places marked with red lines on the map. “The places you’ve passed include the locations where the End descended, yet we found no remnants of the End there; instead, we discovered the End’s power in places you did not go.”
“Mr. Tsukimi Kanade, your ability can help us resolve the most troublesome issue of End pollution.”
With the answer, Kurokawa stood up, satisfied.
“We will carefully eliminate any locations and individuals possibly influenced by the End next. I hope Mr. Tsukimi Kanade can assist us in clearing the End’s influence, and now please rest well.”
After Kurokawa finished speaking, he turned to leave.
The black-haired girl with a tuft of hair skipped ahead.
Just as Kurokawa was about to step out the door, Kanade, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up:
“….. I can assist you in eliminating the End’s influence, but you must halt the investigation into Hoshimiya Nagin.”
Kurokawa was taken aback, stopping in his tracks.
As someone who had come into close contact with the End, Kurokawa naturally could not abandon the investigation into her—rather, he would seriously and carefully investigate any anomalies that may have arisen in her.
So he replied without looking back:
“I’m sorry, Mr. Tsukimi Kanade. For safety’s sake, we cannot agree to your request.”
“This is not a request; it’s a deal.” Kanade slowly raised his head, his cold and sharp gaze fixed on Kurokawa’s back.
Kurokawa’s hair stood on edge, as if something was targeting him, a primal fear surged from deep within, causing even Miderashi, who was walking ahead, to suddenly turn around with a guarded expression in his eyes.
Kurokawa felt that if he said even one “no” at this moment, he would be torn to shreds in the next second.
What kind of honest and ordinary boy is this?
He is simply a beast in human skin.
Kanade’s ability would undoubtedly play a crucial role in this incident.
Moreover, considering he might be the new protagonist, weighing the pros and cons, Kurokawa finally nodded.
“Alright, I agree.”
“Thank you.”
With Kurokawa’s response, the chilling aura surrounding Kanade instantly dissipated.
It was as if he returned to being that harmless and honest boy once again.
Kanade also knew how rude and unreasonable his previous statement was, but he did not regret it.
He had made up his mind.
As long as he could ensure Nagi’s safety, he would do anything.
This girl, Hoshimiya Nagin, was everything to him in this world.
