Speculation was just speculation; Yuu Hoshiyama couldn't be a hundred percent certain that Kunio Kawazu would show his face. If Kiwako and Haru managed to get into a taxi and leave without the rat appearing, he would have to find another way to deal with the threat.
Fortunately, Kunio didn't disappoint.
About ten minutes later, Kunio emerged silently from the bushes near a corner of the hotel, clutching a sharpened kitchen knife. The darkening sky provided excellent cover, and with few people at the hotel entrance, he went unnoticed. He kept his footsteps light, creeping toward Kiwako and Haru as they waited for their ride.
His eyes gleamed with a murderous, frantic light. He had already resolved to have his revenge; his only dilemma now was whom to butcher first. Being an amateur, he knew a single strike might not be fatal, which gave the second girl a chance to scream or run. Ultimately, he decided to start with Haru—the one who had mocked his appearance.
Indeed, in the world of detectives and criminals, one shouldn't invite too much hatred, lest they be knifed by a fanatic on a random Tuesday.
When the distance closed to less than ten meters, Kunio's lips curled into a manic grin. But at that exact moment, a dull, muffled thwack broke the silence.
Suddenly, he felt a sharp, burning pain in his left chest.
His pace faltered. He looked down instinctively and saw a bloody hole where his heart should be. Bright red liquid was gushing out, soaking through his stolen uniform. As the blood drained, so did his strength and consciousness.
With his heart pierced by a bullet, Kunio died almost instantly. Even in death, his brain hadn't fully processed what happened; he was still riding the high of his impending revenge. When he hit the ground, that crazed smile remained on his face, though it was now twisted with a final expression of utter bewilderment.
Kunio thought he was invisible, but from the moment he stepped out of the shadows, Yuu's eyes had been locked onto him. The very blind spot Kunio had chosen to hide from the security cameras had become his own death trap.
Seeing the body fall, Yuu let out a quiet sigh of relief. If he hadn't eliminated the threat now, arranging things for Kiwako and Haru would have been a massive headache. Neither girl was "Contracted," meaning Yuu couldn't teleport to their side in an instant, and he couldn't play bodyguard twenty-four hours a day.
This incident served as a wake-up call. Yuu decided that in the future, he would implement regular training sessions to increase his women's combat potential. Having beautiful bodyguards was one thing, but it was better if they could protect themselves—at least enough to handle a common thug.
He watched the lifeless heap that was once Kunio Kawazu for a moment before turning and walking away from the scene without a word.
The weapon he had used was a miniature firearm disguised as a high-end fountain pen—a parting gift from his instructor on the training island. Hitomi Kujo had a similar one, though hers was disguised as a lipstick. Different shells, same core: specialized gear for emergency assassinations.
Such gadgets were common within the Organization. This pen-gun was a single-shot disposable weapon; once fired, the internal mechanism broke. It was designed for point-blank use, as the accuracy plummeted beyond ten meters. Yet, in the dim light at a distance of thirty meters, Yuu had achieved a perfect kill.
He had initially considered a headshot, but that would have been too messy. Besides, the pen-gun was difficult to aim. Aiming for the heart gave him a larger margin for error; even if he missed the vital organ, the impact would have incapacitated Kunio. Fortunately, his "Eyes of Truth" were flawless, providing a predictive line of fire that didn't deviate by a millimeter.
The sound of Kunio hitting the pavement soon caught Haru and Kiwako's attention. Upon discovering the corpse, their piercing screams filled the air, followed by the usual chaos of bystanders calling the police.
Yuu ignored the commotion. He found a trash can a few blocks away, wiped his fingerprints off the "fountain pen," and tossed it. As for the gunshot residue on his hands and clothes, a hot shower and a change of clothes back home would take care of that. By the time the police finished sealing the crime scene, he would be on a Shinkansen back to Tokyo.
Even if the police suspected him due to the earlier attempted murder, they would have zero physical evidence by the time they reached him. He hadn't expected to use the pen-gun so soon, but as the saying goes: When you carry a sharp blade, the urge to use it follows.
Initially, he thought about "protecting" the girls and killing Kunio in a struggle of self-defense. But that would involve police stations, courtrooms, and news headlines. It was too much trouble. He chose the most efficient, silent solution.
On the way back to Tokyo, Yuu received a call from Kiwako. She tearfully explained that Kunio had been shot dead and that they had to stay behind for a few days to assist the police as witnesses.
Yuu comforted her with a gentle, concerned voice, playing the role of the worried boyfriend perfectly while "curiously" asking about the investigation. As expected, the police had no leads. Naturally, their attention turned to the three people who had the most recent conflict with the deceased.
Haru and Kiwako were quickly cleared of suspicion. The police were now trying to track Yuu's whereabouts. Yuu didn't blink. The police had no evidence and no legal grounds to force him back for questioning. By the time they could even formally invite him for a statement, he would be home, having scrubbed every last trace of the night away.
He found he quite enjoyed this method of problem-solving. Simple, crude, but incredibly efficient.
Yuu arrived back at his apartment after 10:00 PM. He took a long, steaming bath, threw his clothes into the washer, and ate a late dinner prepared by Dr. Seimi Asai. After a brief "investigation" of the beautiful doctor's anatomy in the bedroom, he fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.
The next morning, he was indeed called in for questioning. After thirty minutes of providing a useless, perfectly consistent statement, Yuu strolled out of the precinct. The Izu police had traveled all the way to Tokyo just to talk to him, as they had no jurisdiction to hold him. They left looking miserable; their solve rate for the year was about to take a nose-dive.
Yuu didn't care about the Izu police. His mind was elsewhere. The rewards for this latest "Destiny Event" hadn't been great, and he found himself losing interest in Ayako Suzuki's upcoming invitation. But he had promised her. His moral compass was flexible, but he was a man of his word when it came to his own people.
"Wait... if I just make the class reunion disappear, wouldn't that prevent the 'Mountain Villa Bandaged Man' incident entirely?" Yuu wondered. "It would certainly avoid any messy surprises."
Deciding to test this theory, he called Ayako and asked to meet.
At noon, in a coffee shop in Ginza, Ayako Suzuki arrived right on time. Despite it being Sunday, she wore a sexy black-stockinged OL outfit—she was the type who treated work and leisure with the same intense focus.
"Yuu, what a surprise. What brings you to Ginza?" Ayako asked, taking a sip of her coffee.
"I found two promising candidates yesterday. They're university students. I've told them to transfer to Tokyo in a few days. I need you to handle the arrangements."
Ayako's perpetually squinted eyes opened slightly, revealing her beautiful irises. She teased, "You really are something, Yuu. Just a short vacation at the beach and you've already 'recruited' two more?"
Yuu shrugged. "They'll contact you in a few days. One is Kiwako Toda, the other is Haru Matsuzaki. I'm counting on you."