The Missing Girl and the Head / Shirou and the Search Team

"Hehe, that's quite a powerful greeting, Shizuka-chan." Oriya, clutching his injured spot, got up from the ground and smiled.

Because it was a cylinder, the point of impact wasn't a sharp corner, so although the impact was loud, the actual damage wasn't too severe. Putting everything else aside, he was determined to kill the guy opposite him!

"Didn't I tell you not to come to Ikebukuro again? My dear brother, Izaya!"

"Shizuka-chan, isn't your workplace in the west entrance?" However, Izaya's smile vanished for the first time, and he pulled a small knife from his pocket.

"I was fired from that shop a long time ago! And didn't I warn you not to call me that? Izaya~ I've reminded you so many times, haven't I? I have a name, Shizuo Heiwajima ~!"

The blond bartender, barely suppressing his rage, spoke in a low voice, veins bulging on his face.

The Teito's eyes revealed a "fear" far beyond mere apprehension; only an indescribable, instinctive terror gripped the boy's body.

He had heard of Shizuo Heiwajima before; he was someone Masaomi had mentioned before, someone you absolutely must not make an enemy of in Ikebukuro.

Alongside this is the premise of being a "gangster," so the man in front of them is basically an ordinary person, probably...

Anri, who had been in an Anri, gasped when she saw Izaya draw a small, gleaming silver knife. Teito held his breath, using gestures to urge the girl to "run away!"

The girl leaned against the wall, nodding repeatedly, then grabbed her schoolbag and ran off like the wind. When Teito ran with her to the main road, he glanced back.

When he turned around, he heard Shizuo's angry roar coming from the alley he had fled from, and a crowd that had begun to gather at the entrance to watch the spectacle.

"Wow... Izaya 'Izaya get bullied this time too." Shirou exclaimed. This was the most powerful being he had ever seen in the city. Judging by his aura, even a bear on a mountain would be weaker. The man didn't do anything intentionally; he just stood there, exuding a domineering aura that could devour people. Shirou understood; this was probably the being that Teito and Anri had mentioned before, someone who could solve everything with violence.

"Shirou! Don't stand there, run!" Teito and Anri grabbed Shirou and ran away from the trouble before the two men started fighting.

Anyone living in Japan who sees this type of person would not want to have anything to do with them.

Shizuo Heiwajima is the strongest character in Ikebukuro. If he just had a fierce-looking face, that would be one thing, but he doesn't look particularly special at all. If he dyed his hair back to black and wore ordinary clothes, he would probably just be mistaken for an ordinary young man on the street. However, he is actually an easily angered bull with superhuman muscle strength, making him someone you don't know how to get along with.

Izaya Orihara, is an information broker who makes a living as a hobby. Those connected to him include not only detective work commissioned by him, but also third-rate magazine publishers, gang members, fraud organizations, and violent gangs composed of delinquents.

"You're such a nuisance, Shizuo. Are you still angry with me for framing you as a scapegoat?" Izaya said in a low voice, taking a step forward and rushing towards Shizuo.

He knew that if he were hit once, he would probably end up in the hospital, but if he created distance, he would lose his way of dealing with the idiot. This muscle-bound idiot wouldn't be killed by either a truck or a bullet; instead, it would only grow stronger.

"Lin--ye--jun. I-want--slaughter--you--oh-oh-oh-oh!" came from afar, a deep and powerful voice, like the cry of some kind of ferocious beast.

Then came a loud crash as something heavy fell from the sky, echoing throughout Shibuya!

Shirou, Teito, and Anri looked up because they saw another vending machine flying into the air, tracing an arc towards the man in the black coat.

A vending machine, which in some ways symbolizes good public safety, was being used as a weapon by a blond man dressed as a bartender and wearing sunglasses, who was lifting it up and smashing it around.

"Hahaha!" On the other side, Izaya Orihara moved as nimbly as a ninja, leaping and bounding to dodge the vending machine. He pulled out a butterfly knife, twirling it in the air, looking for an opportunity to strike the blond bartender.

"Wait... wait... for me." Ryugamine Mikado, after running out of the alley and some distance from the accident scene, could no longer hold on and gasped for breath. In his all-out sprint, he was almost left behind by Shirou and Anri. He could manage Shirou, but he couldn't even outrun the girl Anri. He once again realized the inadequacy of his physical abilities, which was simply appalling.

"It's okay, we've run far enough." Anri had calmed down by now.

Although loud noises continued to erupt from the fighting area, attracting a group of people to approach that direction.

"Speaking of which... Sonohara- kun, why were you being harassed by those people?" Teito asked the girl after his breathing had calmed down a bit.

"Ah, shall we go to that restaurant and sit down to talk? Yes, let's go to that famous Lucia Sushi Restaurant," Shirou said, inviting the two who had run away.

"Huh?" Anri said to Teito in surprise.

"Let's go, let's go, it's on me. Lately, when I go out with the girls, everyone says they don't want me to pay anymore. Some even wanted to treat me to a meal, but for some reason, the other girls got angry when they found out, and we almost got into a fight. So we decided it's better to split the bill when we go out, so I didn't even spend all the allowance I got that day." Shirou pulled Shirou and Anri along and headed straight for their destination.

"I don't think pocket money should be something you have to spend all of in one day," Ryugamine Mikado remarked. He had come to Tokyo alone and was renting an apartment, which cost him a lot of money, so he was always careful to be frugal.

"Huh? Isn't it supposed to be given out on the same day, and you can't go home until you've spent it all?" Shirou was taken aback and looked at the two of them in confusion.

Anri nodded in agreement, feeling that this student must be some kind of pampered young master from somewhere, which explained his naiveté.

Chapter 945 The Missing Girl and the Head

This is Ikebukuro, the most bustling commercial street in Toyota Tokyo. After crossing the busy avenue, the three of them arrived at a sushi restaurant run by Russians. There, a Russian man who was over 2.2 meters tall was often seen soliciting customers.

"Yo, Simon." Shirou greeted the black man, already quite familiar with the entire Ikebukuro thanks to his dates with the girls.

"Oh, isn't this Shirou? Want some sushi? It's really good," the burly black man greeted Shirou.

"Okay, it's your shop then. Please give us a quiet seat." Shirou said smoothly.

"Yes, welcome! Three guests, please follow me," Simon said with a smile.

In this sushi restaurant in Tokyo, Japan, run by Russians, the three of them sat down in a tatami-style booth.

Shirou took the order and said, "First, a three-person Matryoshka sushi, then a sashimi platter, and drinks. What would you like to drink? We have alcohol, ice cream, and soda too!"

"Okay, I also recommend the cheese sushi, mapo sushi, and fried chicken sushi," Simon said in his strange, foreign-accented Japanese.

"Well..." Teito and Anri exchanged a glance, and then obediently ordered, because they were too enthusiastic to refuse.

After Simon served the food, the girl with glasses finally explained why she had been harassed.

In fact, it was she who approached those girls because she was looking for someone. Her good friend, who was in the same class as her, hadn't come to school or gone home for some reason.

Sonohara Anri hesitated for a moment before looking up at her two classmates and saying, "I'm actually looking for someone. Her name is Akane Mika, and that girl is actually a stalker..."

"Pfft..." Teito almost spat out the drink he had just inhaled, and asked in surprise, "That... that? The Mika you're talking about—is it Akane Mika from our class?"

Anri nodded and said, "Yes... it's her. Mika classmate has been absent these past few days, hasn't he? Actually, she hasn't been home since the day before the opening ceremony."

"... What? Shouldn't we call the police? It's dangerous for you to keep looking for her like this, Sonohara. Even if you find her, the outcome might be worse." Teito said, his eyes wide.

Anri gently shook her head and explained, "She didn't disappear, because I received messages from her, and her family did too. The messages were things like, 'I went out of town to relax and heal, don't worry,' and 'Which station are you at now?'..."

"Anri- chan is so kind, so considerate of others," Shirou remarked.

"No... I don't know if I can be considered Mika classmate's good friend. I'm very introverted and clumsy, so I've always followed behind Mika classmate... but I haven't been able to help him at all," Anri said softly, feeling that making such a decision might be somewhat rude to him.

"I think you're mistaken, Anri- chan. Since you've been able to stay together for so many years, you must be friends. The fact that you're genuinely worried about her is proof of that," Shirou said with a hearty laugh.

"Is...is that so?" Anri said.

"That's how it is, Anri- chan." Shirou nodded.

"Anni... Anri --?!!!" Teito, standing to the side, was shocked by Shirou's unreserved attitude, but he was also particularly envious of Shirou's ability to call a girl that.

"Huh?" Shirou and Anri looked at Teito in surprise.

Teito blushed instantly, lowered his head slightly, and whispered, "No! No! I meant I wish I could call Sonohara- san Anri- san or something..."

"Ah!" Anri realized the problem only then, blushing and lowering her head.

"We're friends, right? It's only natural to address each other like that. Aren't we friends?" Shirou paused for a moment, then looked at the two of them with a slightly hurt expression and asked sincerely.

"No... if you don't mind..." Anri couldn't bear to refuse Shirou's pleading eyes, so she whispered.

"Really? That's great!" Shirou gave a friendly smile, like the boy next door.

The warm and inviting light stunned Teito and Anri, and it took them a while to react.

"No wonder he's a natural male host..." Teito and Anri whispered in admiration.

"Hmm?" Shirou looked at the two of them in confusion.

"No, it's nothing." The two of them had come to understand Shirou's personality to some extent. He was like a wild child who had suddenly appeared in a big city. They decided not to be surprised by Shirou's strange behavior anymore.

"Since we're friends, let's help you with what you asked for, Anri- chan! Let's go find that stalker Akane Mika. I think we can become friends with her too," Shirou said.

"Yes, I'll help too." Teito had just stuffed a Matryoshka sushi into his mouth when he heard this, and he nodded repeatedly in agreement. It was the first time he had heard Shirou speak so aptly.

Anri looked at the two of them apologetically, waving her hands to refuse, saying, "No, I'm really sorry to trouble you. Besides, this was something I did on my own initiative, and Mika classmate isn't really missing."

"In that case, I also have something I'm looking for. How about we cooperate?" Shirou looked at Anri, hesitated for a moment, but didn't take her hand. He just smiled brightly and said.

"Yes, I'll help too, um... Sonohara- kun!" Ryugamine Mikado also chimed in.

"Thank you... Shirou, Ryūgamine-kun, I understand! Please help me!" Sonohara Anri nodded and said.

"Yes, let's work together!" Teito replied loudly.

"You're welcome. I really wanted to help; my benefactor who took me in is looking for something," Shirou said.

"Shirou-kun, what are you looking for?" Anri asked, hoping to reciprocate the favor.

"It's a girl's head, and it's still alive," Shirou said with a light laugh.

He knew that Celty had come to this big city because she had lost her head, and was now working while searching for news about it. If he could help Celty find her head, she and Shinra would definitely be very happy.

"Achoo!!!" Meanwhile, in the other apartment, someone was busy preparing French steak and aerating red wine.

Chapter 946 Shirou and the Search Team

"Eh?! Eh?! Eh?!" The two were startled; don't say something so frightening with such a relaxed expression.

At that moment, the stall door opened, and Simon, who had brought the food, spoke:

"That means, when you're enjoying delicious sushi, don't think about horror or gory movies!"

"Come on, let's order some more delicious food. This is the funding we've raised!"

"Oh, right, Simon, if you see the stalker girl and her head, remember to let us know," Shirou said.

"Shirou-kun!!!" Sonohara Anri cried out anxiously.

"Oh, I don't know, Shirou. Being a stalker and a headhunter aren't good things! They're dangerous!" Simon looked somewhat troubled.

"Huh? Isn't being a stalker a good thing?" Shirou asked, puzzled.

At this moment, Teito burst into laughter and shouted, "Hahaha! Shirou-kun is so funny! I'm dying of laughter!"

"Oh, it was just a joke. I don't really understand Japanese humor. Please enjoy your meal." Simon nodded, gave a dry laugh, and left the cubicle.

"Really, don't just say things like that." Teito sighed to Shirou after watching the other person leave.

"Huh? You can't tell?" Shirou asked doubtfully. After all, Simon is an expert in this field. Cutting off other people's heads should be commonplace for a former mercenary.

"Yes, that's really disrespectful to Mika classmate and her family." Anri said nervously, forgetting her embarrassment. It was like the other person's parents didn't want to publicize their daughter's running away from home, but you took it upon yourself to post missing person notices all over the city.

"But..." Shirou still chose to respect their wishes, nodding in agreement, "I understand. Since you put it that way, then I won't say anything more."

It would be so much easier if we asked these people for help. For example, Izaya is a private detective with a wide network of connections, Shinra has influence in the underworld, and Celty travels around every day and meets many people.

But even if he's alone, he can wander around in other people's dreams and maybe discover something.

"Alright, alright, speaking of which Shirou-kun, the benefactor you mentioned, wouldn't it be the Headless Knight?" Teito thought of something and then asked.

"Oh right, so you know Celty, Teito?" Shirou replied with a smile.

"Miss Celty?" Sonohara Anri asked, somewhat puzzled.

"It's that guy who always drives around the neighborhood on a black motorcycle. I live with her, you know. And there's Shinra, he's a shady doctor," Shirou said.

"Ah, I think I've seen her before." Sonohara Anri nodded. She remembered her; the image of the female knight riding a red-glowing motorcycle at night, wielding a black sword, cutting through the knives of several thugs as easily as slicing tofu, appeared in her mind.

"I see... That explains it." Teito nodded, somewhat understanding why Shirou behaved so differently from others. However, if he were living with someone as unique as the Headless Knight, this seemed like the most normal behavior. Could it be that Shirou isn't an ordinary person either?

"Hmm?" Shirou met Teito's gaze in a friendly manner.

"No, it's nothing." Teito waved his hand.

After finishing their meal, the three discussed it for a long time before realizing it was already quite late, so they quickly got up to pay the bill. Although no one really cared about them, especially Anri and Teito, who lived alone in their rented apartment, no one would know if they stayed out all night.

The three walked outside. More than an hour had passed since the commotion caused by Izaya and Shizuo's fight. It seemed that Izaya had failed to injure Shizuo and had fled Ikebukuro, ending the incident. The streets returned to normal, just as noisy and bustling as usual.

"That's all for tonight, we'll say goodbye now."

"Okay, see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow."

A black motorcycle roared past on the highway, transforming into a red beam of light that slithered like a long snake. No other vehicle could catch up with her. Even the traffic police in Tokyo couldn't do anything about her, because no one could keep up with her at all.

The black motorcycle weaved into the alley and stopped at an office building. The female rider took off her helmet, revealing a beautiful foreign girl with a golden ponytail that cascaded down her back. Her delicate and pretty face still carried a hint of heroism between her brows and eyes. Yes, she was none other than everyone's Artoria Altera.

She arrived at a detective agency specializing in intelligence gathering.

"What's wrong?" Artoria asked, looking at Izaya who was applying an ice pack.

"No, I just fought a monster." Izaya recalled the unpleasant incident, his expression turning fierce, but he quickly composed himself and smiled as he spoke.

"Really? How's the person I asked you to find coming along?" Artoria asked.

"Ah, the red-haired boy you're looking for? Age unknown, could be an elementary school student, a high school student, or a young adult. The range is too wide, there's still no news." Izaya said, shrugging at the blonde girl.

"Is that so?" The blonde girl frowned unhappily, then turned and left.

"Oh, right, I have something I'd like to ask you to do for me." Izaya pulled out a document and said with a smile.

As payment for helping Artoria find her, he also had the right to have the blonde girl do his work, ostensibly for mutual benefit. He had previously escaped some gangsters' pursuit thanks to the blonde girl.

"I understand. This is the last time. I won't help you with anything until I get news of Shirou." Artoria grabbed the file, left those words, and turned to leave.