Old and Cunning

Daishimaecho,

"The road's closed."

"What's going on? Why are there traffic restrictions everywhere in Tokyo lately?"

A few streets away from where the fog was gradually dispersing, complaints rose from the stopped traffic. But with the police fully armed, no one dared get out and make a scene. They were just venting.

On the sealed-off street, a family car sped along.

"It's over, it's over!"

The girl behind the wheel looked distraught.

"This is the manager's car. Does this count as stealing?"

"What you've done is a lot worse,"

Tanimura Wataru gasped from the passenger seat.

"You're already on the wanted list. Why did you come save me?"

"I, I..."

Just as the girl struggled to find an answer, Tanimura Wataru's pupils contracted.

"Stop!"

Screeech!

She instinctively slammed on the brakes.

The family car skidded across the empty street, leaving four black streaks.

Thump!

Kicking the car door open, Tanimura Wataru—who had recovered a little strength—jumped out, ran around to the other side, scooped up the girl as she got out, and hurried toward—

the sewer entrance at the roadside.

A few minutes later,

with sirens blaring,

a swarm of police cars raced over and completely surrounded the abandoned car and the sewer entrance.

Tokyo's sewers,

were home to countless rats, cats, turtles, and even crocodiles!

Abandoned pets had built a new "home" down here. The surface belonged to the terrifying two-legged beasts, and any of their companions who ventured out vanished without a trace.

Even animals knew how to avoid danger; they would never venture into the sunlight without good reason. But when two-legged beasts came down here—

A group of rats foraging in the wastewater suddenly raised their heads and turned around.

Their specialized eyesight let them see moving objects within ten meters in the dark, but no farther.

To detect enemies at a distance, rats had exceptionally sharp hearing and could hear high-frequency sounds that humans couldn't. So the moment they heard the footsteps of a "two-legged beast," they scattered in every direction.

Slap!

A boot came down hard in the wastewater. Before the splashing droplets had even spread, the boot pushed off with force.

Whoosh—

The "wind" howled past her ears. The girl curled up in Tanimura Wataru's arms.

The stench and smell of blood wormed into her nose. They sped through the darkness, and she could only squeeze her eyes shut and leave everything to Tanimura Wataru.

The thrill of possibly smashing into a wall and becoming a meat pancake the very next second was enough to make anyone stop thinking.

"Hey, wake up."

The girl had no idea when Tanimura Wataru had stopped. When she opened her eyes, she found herself in a... clinic?

"The doctor at this clinic is away on vacation. We'll borrow the place for a while. Cough, cough."

After setting the girl down, Tanimura Wataru swayed, nearly falling over.

"Your injuries..."

"There are tools over there. Please help me pull these steel needles out."

Sinking into a chair, Tanimura Wataru pointed at the clinic's medical kit. Quite a few steel needles were still stuck in his upper body.

"Huh? Oh, okay~~"

The girl hurriedly opened the medical kit, put on rubber gloves, and laid out forceps, iodine, gauze, and bandages. Holding a pair of scissors, she trembled all over.

"What should I do?"

"Start by cutting my clothes open."

After reverting from his transformed state, Tanimura Wataru was still wearing his tattered clothes. He had no choice but to stay conscious and direct the girl.

"Pull them straight out by hand. Don't hesitate. Use force—ah!"

"Disinfect them with iodine first, then cover them with gauze."

"Good job. Wrap it with a bandage."

Cold sweat ran down Tanimura Wataru's face, but he was just glad someone was tending to his wounds. The last time, he'd had to dig the bullets out himself.

Clink!

A bloodied steel needle hit the floor. The smell of blood made the girl grit her teeth as she mechanically repeated the process of pulling out needles, disinfecting the wounds, and bandaging them.

After more than half an hour of work, Tanimura Wataru emerged, wrapped in bandages from head to toe.

"In this state, I could still pass myself off as an 'Oni.'"

He smiled wryly, his body covered in cold sweat, and licked his lips.

"Could you get me a glass of water?"

"Sure. Just a moment."

The girl pulled off her rubber gloves. Without even wiping the sweat from her forehead, she hurried out.

There was a water dispenser in the clinic's outer room.

Now's my chance!

As she filled a glass, the girl took something from her pocket. A piece of candy?

No, of course it wasn't candy.

It was a "powerful, fast-acting sleeping pill" supplied by the government. Its purpose was simple: once she had completely gained Tanimura Wataru's trust, she was to give it to him or put it in his drink.

The expert who had given her the drug had sworn it was colorless, odorless, safe, and healthy. In short, according to the "plan," this was her chance.

Plop.

The drug disguised as candy dropped into the water. She gave it a little stir, and in the blink of an eye it dissolved without a trace.

But should she really do this?

At first, the girl had thought the man was simply a vicious criminal, so dangerous that even the government was helpless against him, and that she needed to use her "beauty trap" on him.

But after getting to know him, aside from his supernatural ability to transform into a "Dog Demon," Wataru was just a serious, dependable older boy next door.

You could even say he seemed scholarly when he wasn't transformed.

If Wataru fell into the government's hands, they would—

imprison him, experiment on him, dissect him!

That was the process everyone knew by heart. Any normal person would expect as much.

"Cough, cough. Is it ready yet?"

Tanimura Wataru's voice came from the clinic, bringing the girl back to her senses.

"Oh, coming."

As she carried the glass back, the girl kept her eyes on the floor, not daring to look at him.

"Here's your... water."

"Thanks."

The glass grew light in her hand as he took it.

Then—

Clatter!

The glass hit the floor, spilling water everywhere!

"This water..."

The girl trembled all over as Tanimura Wataru knocked the glass from her hand and raised his head.

"Someone put sleeping pills in it."

"I know,"

Tanimura Wataru replied calmly.

The girl's behavior just now had practically screamed, "I'm up to something."

"I'm actually with the government!"

The girl bit her lip, then summoned her courage once more.

"I know that too."

Tanimura Wataru lowered his eyes. He had already noticed something was off while she was treating his wounds.

By rights, the restaurant should have been cleared out by the time he fought the government. Besides, how could an ordinary girl possibly drive him out of an encirclement? It made no sense.

Could the Japanese government, which had nearly beaten him to death, really be incapable of dealing with an ordinary girl? Impossible. There was only one explanation—

"Our meeting, and everything that happened afterward, were all part of a government assignment!"

Now that she'd said it, the girl decided to stop hiding anything.

Just as Tanimura Wataru sighed to himself, a pair of hands settled on his shoulders.

"So you need to run."

?

"The government will find us soon. This place isn't safe."

"Get out of Tokyo. Better yet, leave the country."

"Go!"

The girl grabbed his wrist and turned to lead him outside. Tanimura Wataru rose instinctively, then froze.

"Wait. What about you?"

"Me?"

The girl took a deep breath.

"I failed the mission. I'll go back home, keep working part-time and studying, and get ready for college."

"I'm just a weak girl. It's only natural that I'd be found out by someone as extraordinary as you."

After revealing her secret, the girl gradually felt more at ease.

"Um... why don't you pretend to hit me?"

"Just don't hit me too hard~~"

As she spoke, she pulled the bandage-wrapped Tanimura Wataru toward the door.

"That's all. I'm not a criminal, after all. But you shouldn't go back to Tokyo. It's dangerous here.?!"

Creak—

The girl had just opened the clinic door and was in the middle of warning Tanimura Wataru when she froze.

"Well, fancy seeing you again."

A woman squatted across from the clinic, a cigarette between her lips. Bandages were wrapped around her arms and shoulders. She wore a tank top, with a police uniform draped crookedly over it, making her look like a delinquent. She raised her head.

"Chief Iori...!"

The girl froze, then instinctively spread her arms.

"Wataru, run!"

But the young man behind her, wrapped in bandages from head to toe, didn't move.

"Hahahaha~~"

The sight made Iori Ichika burst out laughing.

"Don't be nervous."

She stood and took a deep breath.

The half-smoked cigarette in her mouth instantly burned to ash.

Taking the cigarette butt from her lips, she flicked it away. The female chief exhaled a cloud of smoke and smiled at the two people in the clinic doorway.

"Tanimura Wataru, let's talk, shall we?"

"Hoshino, move aside."

?!

Hoshino stood there blankly as Tanimura Wataru walked past her.

He... had called her by name?

That was right. Tanimura Wataru had never called the girl named "Hoshino" by her name.

The reason was simple. Until now, she had been nothing more than a shadow of his younger sister in his mind. But now—

"Your agents are impressive. I'm no match for them."

Tanimura Wataru stepped outside and held out his hands.

"Go ahead. Put the cuffs on me."

?!

"Wait, Wataru! You don't have to—"

"Enough!"

Iori Ichika raised a hand, interrupting the "tragic romance" unfolding before her.

Snap!

She snapped her fingers.

A female police officer with a bob haircut jogged over and handed Iori Ichika the document envelope she was holding. As she left, she even picked up the cigarette butt from the ground and took it with her.

"This is the 'Imperial Amnesty Decree,' signed by the Emperor: all charges are dropped!"

Iori Ichika took a document bearing an exquisite chrysanthemum crest from the file folder.

"Tanimura Wataru, all your crimes have been completely wiped away."

"Accept this document, and you'll be a law-abiding citizen with no criminal record!"

"What?!"

Not only was Tanimura Wataru stunned,

but the girl, Hoshino, was stunned too.

Since ancient times, whenever a new emperor ascended the throne, a general amnesty was granted.

The island nation had the same tradition. When Emperor Naruhito ascended the throne five years ago, he announced an Imperial Amnesty Decree for 550,000 people all at once, causing an uproar across the country.

Why, you ask? Because plenty of wealthy people had barely warmed their seats in prison before they were released under the amnesty, free to keep breaking the law.

Besides these accession amnesties, the emperor also had the power to grant individual pardons: he could name a person and absolve them of all their crimes.

Clearly, the document in Iori Ichika's hands was an individual pardon personally signed by the emperor.

Its effect was equivalent to a presidential pardon in America!

"You're free."

"The police won't come after you anymore—"

Faced with the Imperial Amnesty Decree Iori Ichika held out, Tanimura Wataru reached for it instinctively.

Just like that, it was all wiped away?

The members of the Broken Tooth Gang, the American soldiers, and...

"That's wonderful, Wataru!"

Someone beside him wrapped their arms around his, and Tanimura Wataru turned to see the delighted girl. Happiness and relief filled her face, gradually replacing the face from his memories.

"Yeah. This is a good thing."

After speaking gently, he looked toward Iori Ichika, who was turning to leave.

"Wait,"

"Officer Iori."

"I'll go back with you."

The Imperial Amnesty Decree in his hand had certainly cleared his crimes, but Tanimura Wataru hadn't forgotten his daily limit of "reaping" one soul.

Besides, after glancing at Hoshino beside him again, he knew the best way to protect her was to join the government!

"You're more than welcome."

Iori Ichika turned around and opened her arms.

And with that, the "Collar" was in place!

"Good!"

"A great victory!"

"Tiger! Tiger! Tiger!"

In the Metropolitan Police Department's operations room, everyone involved in the plan jumped to their feet, cheering and pumping their fists!

Some even leaped onto the tables, swaying their hips and flinging their hats around. Their wild antics drew applause and cheers from everyone else.

Pushing up his rimless glasses, Director Takeya had to admit that his subordinate really knew what she was doing. As long as that girl, Hoshino, stayed out of trouble, Tanimura Wataru would become the government's most loyal hunting dog!

"That Ichika..."

If only she put that kind of thought into politics...

At the thought, Director Takeya couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk."

Crow, who had witnessed everything, couldn't help shaking his head in admiration.

"With this, the island nation has a deep bench of fighters, even if they're all just Genin."

That was just what he wanted!

His cheat required fighting to rapidly increase proficiency.

Without enough opponents, was he supposed to keep fighting himself?

"Come to think of it, technological weapons are actually pretty powerful."

The sniper rifle that policewoman used had forced Tanimura Wataru, a Genin, to dodge in a panic. Even Kishida Jun, a Chunin, had to defend himself carefully.

They were no less powerful than an ordinary Genin's Shuriken and Kunai, and barely needed any training to make someone combat-ready.

And that was before all the armor-piercing rounds, high-explosive shells, fuel-air bombs, or even the ultimate weapon: nuclear bombs.

Fortunately, nuclear bombs—whose power rivaled the Tailed Beast Bomb—weren't used lightly.

Next, it was time to develop some "hostile forces."

Crow landed atop a building. Countless sheets of paper scattered and reassembled into a figure dressed in a wide, old-fashioned hunting robe and wearing a towering black ceremonial hat.

Tomoe decorated his waist, and wooden sandals clad his feet. Without the hat, he would have stood only about four and a half feet tall. A white cloth hanging from the front of his hat concealed his face, with the black character "Three" standing out starkly against it.

As Akihi Yu's first "alias," he'd better go cause some trouble before everyone forgot about him.