The Justice I Never Expected Has Increased 36

? Views, Released on January 12, 2025

Chapter 36

Things weren’t going as planned. Mori Ougai was slightly troubled, but he also felt that it wasn’t irreversible.

“You knew those two children knew each other, didn’t you?”

This was a secret conversation.

In the Port Mafia’s top-floor room, Kindled Taneda’s face appeared on the floating screen. He fanned himself, seeing Mori Ougai’s innocent expression, and smiled innocently as well.

“Mori-kakka, you should also realize that Kazuya-kun isn’t easily controlled, let alone with the trouble of [No Longer Human].”

“Oh my,” Mori Ougai rested his chin on his hand, his lips curving upon hearing this. “I should be the one saying that. Did you anticipate that he would make friends when you sent Kazuya-kun on a mission?”

“Kazuya-kun has many friends,” Kindled Taneda closed his eyes. “He basically makes friends every time he goes undercover—one-sidedly, though. But this is the first time he’s been so nosy.”

“Oh,” Mori Ougai blinked. “So that means he doesn’t listen to you either.”

A tense atmosphere filled the air. As the leader of the Special Abilities Division, Kindled Taneda chuckled, not angered by Mori Ougai’s words.

Instead, he calmly threw the problem back to Mori Ougai with just one sentence.

“The method of ensuring loyalty by severing someone’s bonds won’t work, at least not while Kazuya-kun is alive.”

Disobeying orders, privately helping Nakahara Chuuya investigate his past—the Flags’ actions were undoubtedly a betrayal in Mori Ougai’s eyes.

Unlike before, Mori Ougai didn’t need to deal with the Flags personally. Because Verlaine, the Transcendentalist, had come to Japan. To bring Nakahara Chuuya back overseas, he would destroy everything that made Nakahara Chuuya want to stay here, at any cost.

Including the Flags.

They were the friends Nakahara Chuuya had made since joining the mafia.

“What a troublesome outcome,”

Understanding Kindled Taneda’s words, Mori Ougai complained theatrically.

“Can’t you just have Kazuya-kun end his mission early and confine him for a year before releasing him?”

Kindled Taneda: “If I could do that, I wouldn’t have had him hang up on me three times.”

Mori Ougai: “Shouldn’t you have anticipated it after the second call?”

Kindled Taneda: “You seem very experienced, raising children must be hard, right?”

Mori Ougai: “Certainly not as difficult as your methods, at least I wouldn’t draw several tubes of blood from Dazai every day for research.”

“That’s for Kazuya-kun’s health, after all, it would be troublesome for all of us if we don’t develop the antidote soon.”

The two cunning individuals exchanged words, both knowing that it wouldn’t be good to provoke the other.

Although he didn’t know how much of Asuka Kazuya’s memory had returned, Kindled Taneda guessed that if something happened to Nakahara Chuuya’s friend, Asuka Kazuya would definitely disobey orders and use his ability.

“Then let’s do as we discussed before,” Mori Ougai tilted his head, suggesting thoughtfully. “Verlaine-kun has already arrived in Japan, Kazuya-kun has indeed spent too much time with those police officers.”

“One more thing,”

Kindled Taneda nodded, standing up before reaching an agreement.

“Although Ango is an excellent member of ours, he occasionally disobeys orders and writes to that child.”

“Don’t let Ango know about this plan.”

Matsuda Jinpei was smoking.

The sudden information shocked his long-held perception. Before this, he had only thought of Asuka Kazuya as a somewhat talented junior who needed guidance.

“I haven’t seen Matsumoto-senpai for a long time indeed,”

Hagiwara Kenji lowered his eyes, looking at the pebbles rolling under his feet.

“I remember he even taught us shooting at the police academy before. The class president asked us about his whereabouts a while ago, seems to be investigating this matter too.”

“Since Matsumoto-senpai’s death can’t be revealed yet, it’s understandable that the class president doesn’t know.”

“The body?”

“There are people who specialize in handling bodies,” Amuro Tooru said casually, glancing at Asuka Kazuya in the distance, who was busy comparing statements with Scotch. “We need to see the person alive or the body dead, it would easily arouse suspicion if we don’t return the body.”

Matsuda Jinpei couldn’t help but click his tongue.

“Then why suddenly send him to the Metropolitan Police Department?”

“…Sorry, I can’t answer that.”

Amuro Tooru ignored Matsuda Jinpei’s question, casually opening the refrigerator: “Coffee or tea?”

Matsuda Jinpei: “Anything else?”

Amuro Tooru: “…”

Everything else had been given to the neighbor’s kid by Asuka Kazuya, who forbade him from drinking cola.

Amuro Tooru closed the refrigerator door speechlessly: “It’s a long story.”

Ultimately, he didn’t want to involve Matsuda Jinpei and Hagiwara Kenji, but these two were the type to get to the bottom of things and might even secretly investigate on their own.

“So the older brother who always bullied him was a lie?” Matsuda Jinpei raised his hand, taking the coffee Amuro Tooru threw him. “Then what’s with that man carrying a rifle? Also undercover?”

“Rifle?”

“Hair about this long, wearing a knitted hat.”

“…How did you even meet him?” Annoyed just thinking about Rye, Amuro Tooru recalled their argument at the base entrance a few days ago, ruthlessly denying Matsuda’s words. “He’s very dangerous, not a good person, stay away from him next time you see him.”

Matsuda Jinpei opened the can with one hand, raising an eyebrow at Amuro Tooru’s actions: “Your lives are quite colorful.”

This statement was quite sarcastic, and Amuro Tooru had no room to refute, only saying, “Thanks to Kazuya, no one has a sense of urgency.”

“What did the Metropolitan Police Department say?” He walked over, mentioning the accident a few days ago. “This guy probably needs a few more days of rest before he can go back, Kazami said it was suppressed by someone and hasn’t been reported upwards.”

“Ah…” Matsuda Jinpei took a sip of coffee, not elaborating on this matter. “It’s roughly connected to your current mission, Superintendent Adachi is quite persistent, he probably won’t give up until he sees him in person.”

“Sorry,” Hagiwara Kenji said, “although it’s not good to interrupt you, I have a question to ask.”

“It wasn’t a pre-existing condition.” Under Hagiwara Kenji’s shocked gaze, Amuro Tooru answered his question directly. “It has nothing to do with you, this time it’s because he was attacked, his situation is special, he was dragged to training before his injuries healed.”

Amuro Tooru didn’t elaborate further.

Things like research, it was useless to talk about it anyway.

With Miyano Akemi missing, he currently had no chance to see Miyano Shiho. Amuro Tooru had tried sneaking into the research base, but Rye and Curaçao were guarding the core area, and several attempts ended in failure.

“So the stories little Kato told before weren’t completely fabricated.” Hagiwara Kenji’s expression was serious. “He’s only a few years old, this might leave lasting effects in a couple of years, I was wondering why his hand was bandaged the first time I saw him, and it’s still bandaged now.”

“What kind of organization would send him undercover? Your Public Security?”

Amuro Tooru: “…”

The existence of the Special Abilities Division was a secret. Amuro Tooru didn’t tell them about ability users, only saying that the bomb was Asuka Kazuya’s doing. After meeting Asuka Kazuya, Amuro Tooru felt that his storytelling abilities were getting better and better. He used to have to rack his brains to write reports for Gin, but now he just made things up.

“…Is Public Security’s reputation that bad?” Amuro Tooru said faintly.

“It’s not a matter of reputation,” Hagiwara Kenji frowned, quickly grasping the key point. “He should be in high school at his age, so what little Kato said about studying abroad was also a lie, right? He was on undercover missions while abroad? What kind of inhumane person would send a child on undercover missions?”

Without proper guidance or social skills training, waking up in an unfamiliar environment every day, anyone would be driven insane.

After saying that, Hagiwara Kenji took a deep breath.

“Sorry,” he said, “I’m not angry at you, Zero, are you still hiding something? I just don’t understand, why does such a dangerous mission have to be him?”

Amuro Tooru didn’t speak, his gaze shifting back to Asuka Kazuya in the distance.

100% profit, 0% loss, if there was someone in this world who couldn’t die, Amuro Tooru would theoretically make a similar choice.

Sacrificing a small number of people for the greater good was absolutely correct in the eyes of Public Security.

But it was hard not to be biased when this small number of people became your friend.

Forget about Hagiwara Kenji, even Amuro Tooru himself couldn’t understand.

“Let’s stop here,” Amuro Tooru said flatly. “If you pursue this further, you’ll also be in danger.”

Matsuda Jinpei: “As if there’s anything we’re afraid of.”

“…That’s why I avoided contacting you before.” Amuro Tooru walked past him speechlessly. “And I told him to be careful, you two should also take care of yourselves.”

No leadership qualities at all.

Everyone Amuro Tooru knew was like this, scolding others when they charged into battle, and once they reflected on themselves, they would charge into battle themselves.

Could it be that there was a problem with the police academy’s admission process? Why else was there no one easy to handle in the entire class?

Amuro Tooru sighed helplessly, hearing the conversation between Asuka Kazuya and Scotch in the distance.

“Have you reflected, Scotch?”

“…Yes.”

“What did you reflect on?”

“…That I’m breathing?”

Scotch gave his childhood friend a pleading look for the nth time, but the latter returned a helpless look.

Unlike what Matsuda and the others guessed, Scotch, aka Morofushi Hiromitsu, wasn’t good at dealing with Asuka Kazuya. He thought he was being abstract when he almost drowned last time. After being retaliated against a few times, Scotch simply gave up struggling and let him be.

What should he reflect on?

Eating hot pot with Calvados during the last sniping mission?

Being abstract required talent, and Scotch didn’t have it.

“So you haven’t reflected at all!” Seeing Scotch give up, Asuka Kazuya replied angrily. “Like, when did you find out I was undercover? The day after I told Bourbon?”

“It’s better for undercover agents not to know each other’s identities.” Scotch said after a few seconds of silence, expressing his thoughts. “It’s not that I don’t trust you, it’s our rule.”

“…Then why did you tell Amuro Tooru?”

“Zero and I have known each other since we were young.”

“I even suspected he was a double agent.” Asuka Kazuya gave him an accusing look. “You trust others too easily, Scotch, even if you knew each other since childhood, what if he betrays you now?”

Amuro Tooru thought Morofushi Hiromitsu would firmly reply, “Zero isn’t that kind of person,” but his friend closed his eyes and said, “You’re right, I should reflect.”

…Were you even faster at going with the flow than him before? Don’t give up, Hiro! This would make him think you’re easy to bully!

Amuro Tooru’s lips twitched, unable to help but interrupt their conversation.

“Who taught you to sow discord?” Amuro Tooru said. “Speaking of which, why don’t you suspect that Dazai Osamu? And that Nakahara Chuuya? Didn’t you say you can’t remember many things?”

Hearing unfamiliar names, Matsuda Jinpei and Hagiwara Kenji perked up their ears.

However, Asuka Kazuya crossed his arms, only saying profoundly: “Children shouldn’t interrupt when adults are talking, I’m correcting Scotch’s thinking.”

Matsuda Jinpei: “…”

Amuro Tooru: “…”

Who’s the adult here?!

These two looked like they wanted to lift Asuka Kazuya up by his feet and see what they could pour out of his brain.

“Since you’re an adult, tell everyone your plan.” Amuro Tooru said, one hand on Asuka Kazuya’s shoulder, as if to prevent him from escaping. “I heard that Rum has recently lost the Boss’s trust? What’s your next plan, to make Gin lose the Boss’s trust too?”

The golden-haired officer leaned closer as he spoke, deliberately using a tone Matsuda and the others couldn’t hear.

“That doesn’t seem very realistic, Calvados, do you know why the Boss reduced my workload and specifically asked me to pick you up from Gin?”

Although he usually leaned in close when talking to others, Asuka Kazuya still felt that the atmosphere wasn’t right.

He leaned back, creating some distance between himself and Bourbon.

“…Why?”

Amuro Tooru smiled, saying enticingly: “See, you’re scared by this much, and you call yourself an adult. Children shouldn’t interrupt when adults are talking, Kazuya-kun, I’m returning this sentence to you.”

…He was so annoying.

After so many missions, this was the first time Asuka Kazuya had met someone as annoying as Dazai Osamu.

Amuro Tooru straightened up, seemingly in a good mood: “But what I just said is also true. They’re probably worried about losing control of you, thinking that if we establish a special relationship, as long as I’m in the organization, I can be a double insurance to control you.”

Asuka Kazuya: “…”

Asuka Kazuya: “Then what are you so happy about?”

“Hey, Scotch, control him, he seems to have gone crazy, you saw it, it has nothing to do with me this time.”

Amuro Tooru moved his fingers, pressing down Asuka Kazuya’s pointing hand, his tone relaxed: “Because this can also be used, no one is more familiar with these tricks than me.”

Asuka Kazuya’s brain short-circuited.

“What do you mean?”

“It means that even if you want to talk to Sherry, the person watching you doesn’t have to be Gin.” Amuro Tooru said, “After all, since your ‘Weakness Discussion Conference’ last time, no one besides me dares to be alone with you.”

Asuka Kazuya understood.

He sighed: “You’re so evil, Bourbon.”

“Then what about Curaçao and the others?”

“Just find a reason to send them away.” Amuro Tooru stared at him. “Or do you want them to stay? Did Rye trick you into betraying us again?”

Asuka Kazuya choked: “Rye, he actually…”

“Stop making excuses for him,” Amuro Tooru interrupted him seriously. “I’m discussing the plan with you, it has nothing to do with him.”

Asuka Kazuya glanced at the helpless Scotch beside him, mouthing, “What’s their deal?”

Scotch shrugged, saying that Rye saw the book he confiscated last time and said in front of Bourbon that the FBI was at least more useful than the Japanese Public Security, comparing their case clearance rates to their systems, then from their systems to the US military bases in Japan.

[Ultimately, it’s because Japan’s Self-Defense Force and police are too weak.]

Asuka Kazuya understood, the damage of this sentence was equivalent to what Dazai said in front of him before…

Hmm? What did he say?

Asuka Kazuya frowned, rubbing his slightly aching ears.

[2383 lines]

[Your mission is to remember these 2383 lines of data]

[…]

[Riot! Riot! Activating emergency procedures!…&%* (…Why can’t I interfere with consciousness?! Who told him about Verlaine?!]

[Rimbaud killed Verlaine! Get a grip!]

A violent explosion.

But the sound didn’t come from his ears, it was more like it came from deep within his brain.

People in white coats stood in the distance, looking at him fearfully through the glass door.

“What’s wrong?”

Asuka Kazuya woke up from this memory, looking up to see Amuro Tooru touching his forehead.

“You have a fever again? …You can’t take any more medicine.”

To his left was Scotch, making up reasons with Matsuda Jinpei about why he always suddenly had fevers, to his right was Hagiwara Kenji, suggesting he go back to his room to rest and giving Amuro Tooru a questioning look.

Asuka Kazuya suddenly felt a bit dazed.

He remembered something from long before, outside the slums—he was sitting by the river, and someone touched his head.

It was a man with long black hair, and the young man with long golden hair beside him lowered his eyes, taking out a gift box from his suit pocket.

[You scared him.]

[He didn’t say he was scared.]

[Be quiet, we should be on a mission at this time.]

[…Didn’t you insist on coming back?]

The man with long black hair sighed, taking the gift box from the young man beside him and putting it in his hand.

Asuka Kazuya couldn’t see their faces, only hearing someone call out “Rimbaud.”

[Did you argue with the researchers again? Don’t sneak out next time.]

[No, that’s not what I wanted to say…]

The shadow wiped his cheek with a handkerchief, then picked him up with one hand and held him in his arms.