Shirou's Deal with Namie Yagiri / Mikado and Shirou, Shoulder to Shoulder

Just then, her phone rang. She saw that the caller ID showed an unknown number, but fearing it might be an important call, she pressed the answer button.

"Moshi Moshi?"

"Excuse me, are you Ms. Yagiri Namie?"

The voice on the other end sounded very young, like that of a middle school boy.

"I am, and who are you?" Namie asked, frowning.

'I am Ryugamine Mikado.'

"!!!" Namie's eyes widened, his heart pounding faster. He was the one who ran away with "her," and also his younger brother's classmate. He never expected him to call while they were talking about him, and he couldn't understand how he got his number.

Ignoring the various questions swirling in Namie's mind, the male voice on the other end of the phone calmly said:

'Um, actually, there's a girl hiding here...'

After a brief silence, the male voice on the phone said something unbelievable.

There was not a trace of tension in that voice; it was as if they were inviting Namie to dinner.

'--How about we discuss a deal?'

Chapter 955 Shirou's Deal with Yagiri Namie

A black luxury sedan pulled up in front of Yagiri Pharmaceutical. The driver was a woman in professional attire; it was indeed Yagiri Namie. Regarding the deal mentioned on the phone, she had been asked to drive to Ikebukuro for a face-to-face meeting.

In short, Ikebukuro is the area radiating out from 'Ikebukuro Station'. Along with Shinjuku and Shibuya, it is known as one of Tokyo's three major commercial centers and is one of Tokyo's most bustling districts. There is an owl statue there because the word "bukuro" in Japanese sounds similar to "owl" (Fukuro), so the owl is Ikebukuro's mascot.

It is generally divided into the East Exit Area and the West Exit Area. The East Exit Area has department stores such as Seibu Department Store and Tokyu Hands, while the West Exit Area has Tobu Department Store and Owlpark Cafe.

Besides large shopping malls, there are all kinds of shops, including brand-name clothing, home appliances, anime merchandise, cosmetics, local specialties, and more. There are also various entertainment venues, and even shops with male escorts and hostesses.

This place is also famous for its restaurants and unique food shops. There are more than a dozen well-known ramen chains, as well as Turkish ice cream shops, Argentinian kebabs made with locally imported beef, and Chinese charcoal-fired copper hot pot. You can enjoy cuisines from all over the world here.

So at the same time, you can see all kinds of people in Japan here, from office workers and trendsetters to otaku, as well as small gangs gathering on the streets, Yakuza who collect protection money, and loan sharks who collect money—it encompasses everything and tolerates everything.

Here you'll find high school girls playing after school, young women sightseeing, and frivolous men trying to pick you up. Occasionally, you'll also see foreign tourists, mostly Chinese. The shops are all labeled in Chinese, and you can pay directly using Taobao or WeChat. A Chinese person here can use their mother tongue and move around freely, perhaps even experiencing a sense of disorientation as if they were still back in China.

Different styles of shops are located on different streets within the neighborhood, and you can choose whichever you like.

At this time in Ikebukuro, at the intersection of a main road, there are two famous buildings. These are the only two buildings in Ikebukuro that have obtained licenses to operate sex shops. They are red-light districts organized by building, with dozens of sex shops operating on both the upper and lower floors of each building. There are people outside the buildings who are responsible for soliciting customers, attracting crowds of people walking back and forth on the ground every night.

But at this moment, two incongruous people were standing there. They were neither young people who went out to drink and seek thrills, nor were they greasy uncles and aunties who went to brothels. One was a student in a uniform jacket, and the other was a woman in a business suit.

The woman in the business suit was none other than Yagiri Namie. She arrived at the agreed-upon location and saw a boy in a school uniform. She recognized him immediately as a student from the Raira Academy the same school as her younger brother.

Perhaps it was because the boy had arrived so early and waved to her so courteously before approaching her, but she surprisingly didn't feel any aversion. Of course, it might also be because the boy had a rather handsome smile.

"Good evening, Seiji sister." The boy ran over and greeted her with a smile.

Namie nodded, calmly observing the young man.

Yagiri Namie asked the boy in front of her:

"You must be Teito? You're much cuter than I imagined. Or is it that seemingly well-behaved children are the most dangerous these days?"

The woman's voice was calm and steady, and within that calmness, one could feel an unparalleled chill.

Her elite upbringing instilled in Namie a cold and aloof demeanor. She didn't lean on anything, but stood straight in front of the building, her mere presence like an iceberg, exuding an overly cold and unyielding aura.

The karaoke bartenders Wagyu club staff, as well as the men who enjoy flirting, didn't dare to approach her for a chat.

In contrast, the boy was wearing the uniform jacket of the Raira Academy, but he only exuded the aura of a handsome young man, which made the people in the host club feel threatened in their business, so naturally no one wanted to pay attention to him.

"No, I'm Shirou. You're even prettier than I imagined, sister," Shirou said with a refreshing smile.

"Isn't the Ryugamine Mikado? Why isn't he here?" the woman asked coldly.

"Hmm, Teito seems more suited to be the behind-the-scenes boss, so I came in his place. Can't I do it?" Shirou chuckled, pulling out his phone from the voice call and shaking it.

Between these two seemingly opposite yet equally out-of-place individuals, a tense atmosphere begins to emerge.

"Well, none of that matters. What kind of deal do you want to discuss with me?" Namie said calmly, but inwardly he felt uneasy. The other party had already called him here, so he probably knew at least 80% of what had happened. It seemed that the girl from last night had told this boy everything.

"It's simple! We already mentioned it on the phone, right... The person you're looking for is in our hands now," Shirou said with a smile.

Hearing Shirou say this, Namie looked at the handsome young man, but inwardly she sneered. "Since he knows everything, he still dares to talk to me about a deal? He's just a child, utterly foolish."

Designating this busy place for the transaction suggests they assume that we won't dare to act recklessly in such a crowded area.

However, Namie had already made arrangements. Nearby, there were more than a dozen loyal subordinates dressed in office worker uniforms, all carrying stun guns, ready to capture the boy and his gang and take them away at any time.

Meanwhile, in the alleyway beside the road, there were four vans carrying more than twenty people, who were security personnel from a subsidiary company. They had even hired a well-known thug who was said to have single-handedly overthrown a Yakuza organization.

No matter how many people this brat named Ryūnomine brought, she was confident she could suppress him. However, if the amount he demanded wasn't too outrageous, she was willing to agree. After all, once she got that girl back, she had plenty of ways to deal with this brat later.

"How many do you want?" Namie asked directly.

"No, we don't want the money," Shirou said, shaking his head.

"Then what do you want?" Namie asked the boy with surprise.

"We just want the truth!" Shirou said calmly, looking at the woman.

Hidden quietly in the shadows, Teito, wearing headphones and listening to the conversation through his phone's audio, nodded slightly.

Chapter 956 Teito and Shirou side by side

The surrounding crowd surged and moved, people coming and going in all directions. The once bustling street, however, exuded a chilling coldness around the woman, making people instinctively keep their distance from her.

"What do you want to say?" Namie asked in a low voice.

The surrounding air instantly shifted from the warmth of late spring to the snow-covered depths of winter. After a brief silence, Namie, with eyes that could freeze anyone who saw him, uttered a voice that could instill fear in anyone who heard him:

"What... what did you just say...?"

Shirou slowly stated his conclusion:

"Then please acknowledge the mistakes your younger brother, Yagiri Seiji, has made."

"--!!!" Namie's eyes widened.

"I want you to admit what your brother did to Akane Mika. Also, what you did to Mika classmate's body. Unfortunately, I only have factual evidence at hand, so to be frank—I hope you turn yourselves in."

Hidden in the shadows, Teito appeared calm, but his hands were sweating profusely. The killing intent emanating from his opponent surged instantly. Although he was hiding, he was almost crying with fear. He was grateful that Shirou was willing to take his place and face the enemy directly.

Shirou, as the representative, said, "We actually hope that you will turn yourselves in. If handled properly, the damage to the company should be minimized."

Before coming here for the appointment, Teito, Izaya Orihara, and Celty all took certain actions in order to resolve everything tonight.

Namie lowered her head, looking at the phone in Shirou's hand, and said in a deep voice, "What a pity... so that's what you were planning... Your goal isn't money at all. Your goal... is to destroy our research institute..."

"This is to relieve that 'head' lady's suffering... and since you've already barged into my house, this is the only way left to ensure my own safety. I think if you're willing to withdraw now, the company shouldn't go bankrupt," Teito thought to himself.

"Ah... what a pity... that kind of thing is fine with me no matter what. What happens to the company is none of my business." Namie revealed an expression that made it hard to tell whether he was crying or laughing.

"Eh?" When Teito heard this voice, he felt a sharp pain in his eardrums, as if they were about to be pierced, and he patiently waited for the other person to say the next sentence. He was under immense pressure, like a prisoner awaiting a death sentence, and his hair stood on end.

"Is it really because of love? I sense a powerful life force emanating from you. As expected of Seiji's older sister." Shirou asked the woman with some confusion. He still didn't quite understand what this intense emotion was all about, but Seiji was willing to go against the entire society for the sake of his destined one. And this older sister, while missing Seiji, was also displaying the same strong will.

"Yes! It is love!" Although Namie was no longer as calm as before, her voice had become even colder:

"Whether you want to destroy our company or ruin it is none of my business... But you shouldn't... get in my way! Anyone who gets in my way shouldn't live in this world."

Namie's answer was calm and even, but his voice was serious.

Teito finally understood. 'Is that so... so that's the kind of person she is. No wonder... she can do things that have nothing to do with the company's interests without a care. But... for this reason... just for her brother? She killed someone, and even used the corpse to create a 'personality' without permission, and now she even wants to kill those who accidentally got involved?'

Teito was almost crushed by Namie's unusual obsession with her younger brother, but anger spurred him on. He dropped his pretense, picked up his phone, and yelled into the other end, "... You've gone too far! For this reason, for your own self-gratification, you've caused Yagiri classmate to lose her good fortune."

'Is that so? Is that so? The person you cherish most is yourself. If something is done from the bottom of your heart, it's all for yourself, and for yourself, you can do anything!'

"What love are you talking about! Don't corrupt the children! You're just loving yourself! This woman! Seiji too! And that stalker Akane Mika! They're just loving the version of themselves that intensely loves others!"

People like her, who use others as excuses for their own selfishness, are absolutely infuriating! Especially when they use those excuses to make a mess of other people's lives! It makes me incredibly angry!

Anger slowly rose within the boy. He yearned for all things extraordinary, but it was a different story when he was treated unfairly.

Yes, it was his suggestion to do this, so there was no reason for Shirou to take his place and face the danger.

He was indeed weak; he couldn't run fast, he wasn't strong, and he would definitely lose a fight. As a man, he was completely unreliable. But he had to stand up for this infuriating woman!

"To be honest, people like you are a real pain for me!" Teito said into his phone.

"... You're about to die, and what else do you want to say? You're all grown up, and you've already done this kind of thing, and all you can say in the end is this? If this is all you're capable of, then shut your mouth and don't provoke me! I know you're nearby, right? Don't think you can escape! Once I catch your accomplice, I have plenty of ways to make him reveal your whereabouts! And your parents too!"

Namie scanned her surroundings with her icy gaze, as if it were freezing into an ice spike that would pierce through everything. She pretended to see the Teito and threatened him.

But this time! Teito didn't back down! He stepped forward! He walked out of the restaurant, which was less than twenty meters away. He could have easily hidden himself, left everything to Shirou, and stayed out of it, since he was only eavesdropping through the wall. But he had decided not to back down anymore, so he went outside and went to meet him.

"Yes, I'm good at saying nice things. But what's wrong with that? If you kill someone, you should reflect on your actions. Who is it that doesn't understand this principle that they should have known long ago?"

At this moment, Namie also saw Teito, staring intently at him and saying, "You've watched too many morning dramas, haven't you? Those stale and outdated happy endings have given you such a misunderstanding of the world!"

The two took another step forward, Namie voices filled with icy anger, but Teito did not back down.

As Teito walked forward, he spoke, then walked to Shirou's side. He looked at the red-haired youth beside him, stood shoulder to shoulder with him, and said earnestly:

"Emiya -kun... no, Shirou! I'm so sorry to have made you go on this adventure with me."

"Don't mention it, there's nothing wrong with it, we're friends, right?" Shirou gave Teito a thumbs up. He sensed a mad will in Yagiri Namie, but Teito was the same... no... perhaps even stronger, and still growing stronger.

Chapter 957 Shirou and Teito gather their companions

"First you hid like a mouse, and now you've come out on your own! What do you take this place... what do you think this city is? This is the real world! This isn't on TV or in a magazine. You're not some hero, so stop overestimating yourself!" Yagiri Namie asked the boy who had come out, arms crossed, looking down at him.

Teito stared unyieldingly at Yagiri Namie and said, "Yes, I want to appreciate beautiful things. I want the protagonist to have everything go smoothly, for the whole family to be happy and healthy, to understand and love each other, and to be willing to give everything to protect their loved ones."

No one is selfish, there are no conflicts or estrangements, and even this Issei development is what I love most. What's wrong with that?

"... In the real world, what's wrong with trying to achieve these things? I didn't say it was for others, because frankly, isn't it all about making myself happy? That's why I did it! Yes, these ideas are old-fashioned, but isn't being old-fashioned just a way of saying that everyone thinks the same way?"

"Besides! What you're having isn't love at all! It's just self-gratification disguised as love," Teito said decisively.

"What!" Yagiri Namie was completely enraged. To her, things like the company, work, and subordinates were all unimportant, but her love for her younger brother was something she would not tolerate anyone disrespecting.

Her gaze grew even colder, like that of a demon from hell. She had made up her mind to kill the two boys before her and use them as experimental subjects for a new drug, letting them suffer and die in agony from the side effects.

"Huh? Isn't that love?" Shirou asked in surprise. What exactly is true love? Is there something even more intense than that emotion?

"Absolutely not!" Teito answered decisively. He didn't want to compare his feelings for Sonohara with hers. No matter how fervent they were, they were ultimately deviant paths that strayed from the right path.

Namie loves Seiji, and she would do anything for Seiji, even kill Seiji's classmates.

Seiji loves Celty's face and would do anything for the one he loves! He doesn't care about anyone else, and he can even abandon his sister's Namie.

But what happens when that face grows old? Or what happens when that face grows tired of him? Love given unilaterally will only yield unilateral results in the end.

"Love, this is so hard to understand," Shirou said, exasperated. Wasn't it supposed to be love? Why has it turned out like this? Or is there actually many kinds of love? And are they so clearly distinct, with some people acknowledging it and others denying it?

What exactly is love?

Shirou was so lost in confusion that he didn't even notice the danger around him.

"You'll understand when you meet the person you truly love," Teito said.

Namie on the opposite side glared at them, the moment of explosion was approaching.

"It's almost time!" Teito's finger on the phone button tightened. Once he pressed this button, there would be no turning back. He would step into a territory he shouldn't have. This was a situation he had tried his best to avoid, but judging from the other party's condition, it was unavoidable.

There is absolutely no strength or wisdom to fight against an unreasonable opponent on one's own. However, there is no time to work hard now; one can only try to overcome this crisis in the present moment.

Having made up his mind, the Teito closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then pressed the send button as he opened his eyes.

Facing such a formidable enemy, one person is not enough, so I must win by sheer numbers!!!

"It's time to end this pointless farce. Even if you brought men, it doesn't matter. Yagiri Pharmaceutical can make as much confession agent as they need." Namie slowly raised her hand, signaling to her waiting subordinates nearby.

As she raised her hand to its highest point, a determined smile appeared on her face. "Wait, sister, Seiji. I will eliminate all your enemies."

At that moment, the drunkard pretending to be intoxicated and the office workers all headed in that direction. Her subordinates had already locked onto Teito, who had deliberately exposed himself. First, they used the drunkard and the thugs to pretend to cause trouble, then took advantage of the chaos to subdue the two kids, put them in the car, and drove off.

In the alley on the other side, the men in black, who were part of the rearguard, were talking to their subordinates.

"Hey, it's time to move in. It's just kidnapping two kids, right?"

"Wait... wait a minute. If that kid calls the police for help, we'll be in danger too..." someone said worriedly.

The man in black said in a deep voice, "It's too late to worry about that now. That woman has gone mad; she doesn't care about anything, not even the police. Just go ahead and do it, and if anything happens, just leave it all to that woman to clean up."

The man abandoned his retreating companion, shed his drunken disguise, and walked out of the alley. Then, when he took in his surroundings, he froze. He didn't see any police, but he witnessed something even stranger.

The man in black returned and asked his hesitant companion, "It's... past 11 p. m. now, isn't it?"

"Yes." The subordinate next to him glanced at his watch again, and only agreed after confirming once more.

The man in black nodded. Upon learning the current time, he had a bad feeling and said in a low voice: