Monster

Outside was Noguchi Yuji. Hearing the reply, he gestured to Odagiri, and everyone began filing out.

"Wait for me five minutes." Noguchi Yuji was making a calculated gamble, betting that Sato Tomomi cared more about her husband—even if all that remained of him was a corpse.

In less than five minutes, Sato Gafeng's body was brought upstairs.

"Mrs. Sato, we've placed Mr. Sato by the door." After saying that, he quickly led his people away.

Sato Tomomi walked out of the office and slowly approached the body covered by a white sheet. She lifted it, revealing the familiar face beneath.

"Gafeng. I'm sorry."

Her anger vanished completely. The Parasite could only stimulate her once in a short period, so Super Strength lost its compatibility, and the strength in her body rapidly faded. But she no longer cared in the slightest.

"Hm? This feeling... A new ability?!" Shiraishi Wataru had been recording how the host's personality affected the experiment when he sensed a new mutative ability forming inside Sato Tomomi, its feedback reaching him continuously.

[Regeneration]

The cells in the wounds on Sato Tomomi's body seemed to move. Her bruises changed color until they matched her skin, while the bloody gashes wriggled and healed as if they'd never been there.

She kissed Sato Gafeng's body, tears sliding down her cheeks.

Downstairs, Noguchi Yuji had confirmed that everyone had evacuated the police station. He nodded to the department chief, who picked up a detonator with a complicated expression, sighed, and pressed it firmly.

A deafening boom rang out!

A great deal of glass shattered from the shock.

Fire engines, called in from a distance ahead of time, arrived with sirens blaring. Two SAT Units stood at the ready, waiting to blast the building with fire hoses. If there was no fire, they would rush in and confirm the target's death.

Shiraishi Wataru had already confirmed Sato Tomomi's death before they did.

Regeneration didn't increase defense; it only improved endurance and recovery. It still couldn't withstand C4.

He had ordered the Parasite to dissolve itself a few seconds earlier. But with an explosion this close, even if it hadn't dissolved, no one would have been able to tell whether it was a bug or the real culprit.

Shiraishi Wataru had nothing to lose. Even if he couldn't retrieve all the stones he tossed out to test the waters, he wouldn't mind.

Besides, this stone had already proved far more useful than he'd expected.

Most importantly, it had given him another ability.

Less importantly, he'd discovered that the Metropolitan Police Department in this Otherworld Tokyo didn't seem to have any special measures for dealing with enemies beyond the limits of scientific understanding. Their response was much like an ordinary counterterrorism operation.

This at least suggested that even if the supernatural existed in this world, it was extremely discreet and had no influence on the authorities.

Next, he'd have the company lie low and see whether anyone besides the Metropolitan Police Department began investigating.

Of course, given the company's past activities, most of its members wouldn't be able to hide. Nakai Hayato might already be on a watchlist.

It didn't matter. A force was better small and elite than large and unwieldy. Nakai Hayato could go underground, recruit members willing to give up everything and work tirelessly for the company, and Shiraishi Wataru wouldn't begrudge granting them "superpowers."

Once he'd made up his mind, he had the Ninth Guardian pass along the orders using their agreed-upon method of communication.

He also told all the members that getting caught was nothing to fear. But if they betrayed the faith, members who had taken the Holy Son Pill and gained holy power would lose their strength entirely, while those who hadn't taken it would forever lose the chance to receive the blessing.

While Shiraishi Wataru was busy, the Metropolitan Police Department also confirmed Sato Tomomi's death. Despite their heavy losses, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Everyone except Noguchi Yuji.

All the clues pointed to that mysterious company. As long as it existed, it could produce another "Sato Tomomi."

At his insistence, Chief Odagiri urgently requested records of various group activities from the Public Security General Affairs Division.

Next, he would investigate Sato Tomomi's personal connections and bank transfers to find the company. Then, using the records, he'd round up all its key members.

And there was that inexplicable lawyer. If not for him, Sato Tomomi wouldn't have gone berserk.

Though anger filled his chest, a chill still crept through him. What if these monsters could be mass-produced?

But he would never have guessed that the mastermind behind it all was a NEET who seemed entirely uninterested in the world.

"This is Noguchi Yuji, the most capable member of our Criminal Investigation Department. He was also the first to handle the case and notice something was wrong. Yuji, this is... Major William." At the Metropolitan Police Department's temporary office, the department chief, looking displeased, brought over a foreigner and a woman and introduced them to the busy Noguchi Yuji. "Starting today, Major William and his people will join the June 6th Major Case Investigation Team. Our superiors expect us to share information and work seamlessly together."

"Hello, Mr. Noguchi Yuji. I'm Tristan William. It's a pleasure to work with you." Major William wore a warm smile. His Japanese still had an accent, but he was clearly fluent enough to communicate with ease.

"Hello." Noguchi Yuji wasn't surprised. America's involvement had been inevitable. It had simply come far too quickly. The higher-ups were practically a sieve.

How could the country ever improve with those vermin in charge?

"And this is someone you should know: the 'Iron Lady' of the General Affairs Division, Kuroki Niizumi. If you need the General Affairs Division's help, you can contact them through Ms. Kuroki."

"We've met. I look forward to working with you." Noguchi Yuji nodded. Everyone knew the Criminal Investigation Department and the Public Security Department didn't get along, but both sides were familiar with the capable people in the other department.

"The higher-ups are taking this incident very seriously. I hope the three of you can work together." Chief Odagiri delivered a few lines of official-sounding remarks, then patted Noguchi Yuji on the arm. "In any case, you'll lead the investigation, though you should also give due consideration to Mr. William and Ms. Kuroki's opinions. Solve the case as soon as possible. I'll have someone else cover your duties in Division One, so you can focus on what's at hand."

"Yes, sir."

After giving his instructions, Odagiri left. He had a mountain of matters to deal with, including in-person briefings for one senior official after another. To avoid being made the scapegoat, he needed leverage. That made it essential to emphasize how powerful the monster was and ensure the higher-ups understood that the failure hadn't been his fault. Not only should they refrain from punishing him, they should recognize that his firsthand experience fighting the monster made him the best person to handle the case.

Noguchi Yuji glanced at the two people before him.

"We're dealing with a very unusual enemy. I hope you can set aside your old assumptions and beliefs and build a new understanding based on the clues we have."

"All the video footage has been organized. I suggest you and your people watch it carefully first."

"Only then will you understand what a monster is."