Chapter 47
Rescuing hostages, cracking down on illegal research—after that shaky footage was exposed, Public Security’s operation lasted for over a month. As Asuka Kazuya sat with his feet on his desk, brazenly playing video games, Superintendent Adachi finally snapped, slamming a pile of files on his head.
“Where’s Amuro?”
Asuka Kazuya clutched his head, his explanation innocent: “How would I know? How would I know where the noble Career Group is?”
Bingo made a serious mistake during a recent command. Even after taking remedial measures, everyone involved was punished. The organization was in a state of panic, and with Public Security’s relentless pursuit, and Calvados’s precedent, they now suspected everyone of being a mole.
Asuka Kazuya heard from Scotch that Gin recently purged a group of idiots in a fit of rage. He did it without prior authorization, and although the Boss didn’t pursue it, he also didn’t allow him to deal with the people on that list privately.
Apparently, there really was someone named Kurosawa Jin at the police academy graduation ceremony. Asuka Kazuya “borrowed” the ability user who prepared Kato’s information from the Special Abilities Division that day, meticulously fabricating Kurosawa Jin’s legend from beginning to end.
The other ability users in the Special Abilities Division became even more dissatisfied with him. Annoyed by their “this isn’t over” remarks, Asuka Kazuya simply turned off his phone.
Asuka Kazuya asked Bourbon why Gin hadn’t defected and created Organization 2.0 yet, with the organization in this state.
Bourbon looked at him speechlessly, saying please don’t give others new criminal ideas.
Asuka Kazuya thought for a moment, praising him and Scotch for their strong mentality, still arguing with Gin even in this situation, not afraid of being the next to be purged.
[Seriously,] Asuka Kazuya suggested, [you and Rye should join forces, the two of you together might be able to beat Gin.]
Bourbon’s eyes narrowed, immediately reacting upon hearing this: [What do you mean? After just a few words, your heart has already flown to the FBI?]
[…]
This statement was quite strange, but Bourbon, in his anger, didn’t seem to notice.
Didn’t you already know Rye wasn’t purely a criminal?! The FBI is also considered police! Do you love Japan that much?!
Essentially French himself, Asuka Kazuya didn’t understand, deciding not to get involved in their war.
“What ‘noble Career Group’?” Adachi Yuhei, upon hearing this, slammed another pile of files on his head. “Deal with the trouble you caused yourself. The higher-ups take this British delegation incident very seriously, write a self-criticism about carrying that little girl like luggage, and don’t write ‘it’s already good that I didn’t use her as a human shield’ this time.”
Asuka Kazuya: “…”
Asuka Kazuya snapped his pen in half, expressionless.
Officer Makino tried to suppress his laughter, sneaking over to ask him after Superintendent Adachi walked away: “What’s with that expression? Where’s your mafia-like older brother?”
“…What older brother? What did Chuuya bribe you with?” Asuka Kazuya turned his head, his expression unreadable upon hearing this. “As a righteous police officer, how dare you engage in shady dealings, Makino-senpai, hand over the dirty money.”
Officer Makino spread his hands, saying, “I don’t have any.”
“Amuro said he was also involved in the Theos incident before. I think his skills are quite good, why don’t you persuade him to join the Criminal Investigation Department?”
Asuka Kazuya firmly refused.
He couldn’t let Mori Ougai hear this, or it would become a vicious cycle, he didn’t want to be scolded by Matsuda and the others again.
Besides! Even as a human, Chuuya was only sixteen!
“Not playing with you anymore,”
Asuka Kazuya said, staring at his computer, actually pushing Officer Makino away.
“I haven’t finished my work yet, Superintendent Adachi said we only have two months to find that person’s address.”
Five days ago, Miyano Akemi escaped the Special Abilities Division’s surveillance on her own. She seemed to have been secretly contacting her sister, successfully taking Sherry from the base while everyone’s attention was on Public Security.
Asuka Kazuya’s comment on this was that Rye’s act was as deep as the Sea of Japan.
However, the undercover FBI investigator calmly shot himself a few times, saying that this was all the traitor Calvados’s doing.
The organization hated him even more now.
Asuka Kazuya was baffled, blamed for crimes he didn’t commit, and decided to join Bourbon in hating the cunning FBI.
“Then there are 29 days left,” Officer Makino quickly calculated, unable to understand the code on Asuka Kazuya’s screen.
Complex symbols and cute virtual pets combined, displaying a fragmented rationality.
“Don’t worry,” Makino Haruki said comfortingly, patting his shoulder. “Amuro and the others are also very capable, let’s wait until they send the intel back.”
No clues at all.
Asuka Kazuya’s ability was theoretically the most precise computer, but he learned too late, still not able to fully utilize it.
Asuka Kazuya was frustrated by this, taking a long detour on his way home from work, not returning to his apartment until midnight.
The lights were on. Nakahara Chuuya wasn’t wearing a jacket, seemingly having just returned from a mission, taking out a sandwich from the refrigerator.
“We’re so miserable, Chuuya,” Asuka Kazuya stared at his actions, sighing, “others have dinner after work, we only have sandwiches.”
Nakahara Chuuya thought for a moment, deciding to kidnap a chef tomorrow.
“Are you still analyzing that data?” Looking at the person lying on the sofa, Nakahara Chuuya emerged from the kitchen, his expression not betraying his dark thoughts from just now.
“You’re half out of the Special Abilities Division, what are you still doing at the MPD?”
Asuka Kazuya pondered: “If I’m not at the MPD, I’ll have nothing to do.”
Nakahara Chuuya actually wished he had nothing to do, so he could keep Asuka Kazuya by his side—this was his childhood dream, unfortunately, Asuka Kazuya himself wasn’t well-behaved, and it was dangerous to take him to Yokohama.
“What about you?” Asuka Kazuya looked at him walking over. “I thought they would detain you there, I was planning to rescue you in two hours.”
Although Nakahara Chuuya’s ability was strong, the Port Mafia still had many formidable ability users, not to mention Dazai Osamu—if he hadn’t made a deal with Verlaine, Verlaine would have eliminated Mori Ougai first.
After all, he could silently infiltrate the Port Mafia and even take the black hat Mori Ougai was keeping for him from the Boss’s office.
“There are some things only the Boss can do,”
Nakahara Chuuya’s voice was flat, glancing at the news on TV.
“His schemes can bring temporary peace to Yokohama. Even if I’m unwilling, I have to admit it.”
As for him privately helping Asuka Kazuya, Nakahara Chuuya also had a good reason.
He was there to pick up Dr. Shelley, and besides, Kazuya was his family, the mafia didn’t abandon family.
Nakahara Chuuya hadn’t thought of betraying the Port Mafia, but if he was forced to, he wouldn’t be able to control the situation.
Thinking of this, Nakahara Chuuya couldn’t help but glance at Asuka Kazuya, curled up on the sofa under a blanket.
…Escaping with this guy wasn’t a bad idea either.
That way, there would be no annoying Dazai or police. Nakahara Chuuya, on one hand, hoped he would make more friends, but on the other hand, he felt he spent too much time on his so-called friends.
Of course, this was the difference between Nakahara Chuuya and the Special Abilities Division. Even if he was annoyed, Nakahara Chuuya didn’t intend to target Amuro Tooru and the others, on the contrary, he was grateful that they had been taking care of Asuka Kazuya without his knowledge.
For the sake of this favor, if necessary, Nakahara Chuuya was also willing to help them deal with some of the organization’s matters.
“Don’t try to rescue me even if I’m detained,”
Nakahara Chuuya looked away, stating the facts.
“Tachihara and the others won’t accept being tricked. The Port Mafia’s current situation is complicated, Colonel won’t show you any mercy.”
Asuka Kazuya thought for a moment, vaguely remembering that Colonel was an ability user who could manipulate the ground.
“Don’t worry about that,”
Asuka Kazuya interrupted him, confident in this regard.
“Times have changed, I’ve become stronger.”
Verlaine sighed, reminding him in his mind: [That’s not what Chuuya meant.]
Asuka Kazuya was puzzled: Then what did he mean?
Verlaine was silent, not exposing his little brother’s thoughts.
Mafia members were proud beings, showing their strength to their loved ones, Nakahara Chuuya clearly wanted to handle everything himself.
Verlaine and Rimbaud exchanged glances, unable to ignore the possessive look Younger Brother No. 2 gave Younger Brother No. 1 just now, despite trying to convince themselves otherwise.
Rimbaud: [I told you something would happen.]
Verlaine: [You didn’t. You said this emotion wasn’t in Kazuya’s program, it would be good if he could realize it himself.]
Rimbaud: [You’re saying it’s Chuuya’s fault?]
Verlaine: [Chuuya is also my younger brother, I didn’t say that.]
These two, since being bound to the same world, would start bickering without warning. Asuka Kazuya couldn’t understand their conversation at all, deciding to ask Bourbon when he exchanged information with him tomorrow.
Asuka Kazuya yawned, listening to these familiar voices, not finding Verlaine and Rimbaud noisy, but rather falling asleep peacefully.
This was practically impossible for him before. Asuka Kazuya theoretically didn’t need sleep, which was why they chose him as an undercover agent.
But the young man’s breathing was even. Nakahara Chuuya stood there, watching him close his eyes.
[Worried about Kazuya-kun, then why don’t you become the Boss, Chuuya?]
After midnight, the TV had switched from news to music channels. Nakahara Chuuya looked at him for a long time, Dazai Osamu’s mocking words from today echoing in his ears.
If he remembered correctly, his reply at the time was [are you kidding me?].
Nakahara Chuuya’s emotions were unclear in the shadows. He watched Asuka Kazuya for a long time, not telling him that he had also remembered something.
[“Then let’s call him Chuuya.”]
[“Nakahara Chuuya—they won’t let me call him that, but this is the name I gave him.”]
Nakahara Chuuya was just a string of data back then.
Perhaps he really was picked up by him, or perhaps he subconsciously went looking for him—after so many years, Nakahara Chuuya couldn’t remember the details of the slums.
But one thing was certain.
There was someone Nakahara Chuuya wanted to see the moment he woke up.
So the answer wasn’t [are you kidding me?].
How to become the Boss.
Nakahara Chuuya was seriously considering this.
