Monster

Outside was Noguchi Yuji. Hearing the response, he gestured to Odagiri, and soon, everyone began to evacuate in succession.

"Give me five minutes." This was a blatant trap by Noguchi Yuji, a gamble that Sato Tomomi cared more about her husband, even if he was nothing more than a corpse.

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

"Mrs. Sato, we have placed Mr. Sato at the entrance." With that, he led his men in a rapid retreat.

Sato Tomomi walked out of the office and slowly approached the corpse covered by a white sheet. She pulled back the fabric, revealing that familiar face.

"Gafeng. I'm sorry."

Her rage dissipated completely. The parasite could only provide a burst of stimulation for a short time, and as the Super Strength lost its host compatibility, the power in her body rapidly faded, but she no longer cared in the slightest.

Hm? This feeling... a new ability?! Shiraishi Wataru, who was recording the impact of the host's personality on the experiment, sensed a new mutation ability forming within Sato Tomomi's body, constantly feeding back to him.

Regeneration.

The cells on the wounds of Sato Tomomi's body seemed to be in motion; bruises shifted in color to match her skin tone, and blood-stained granulation tissue wriggled as it restored itself to its original state.

She kissed Sato Gafeng's remains, a tear sliding down her cheek.

Downstairs, having ensured everyone had cleared the police station, Noguchi Yuji nodded to the Chief. The latter, with a complex expression, picked up a detonator, sighed, and pressed it firmly.

A deafening boom shook the air!

Massive amounts of glass shattered.

Fire trucks, called in advance, arrived with sirens wailing. Two SAT Units stood ready, waiting for the fire hoses to clear the way; if there were no fire, they would charge in to confirm the target's death.

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

Regeneration did not increase defensive power; it only enhanced endurance and recovery. It still couldn't withstand C4.

He had let the parasite dissolve automatically a few seconds early. Even with an explosion this close, even if it hadn't dissolved, it was unlikely they could confirm whether it was a bug or the culprit behind it all.

Shiraishi Wataru didn't lose out. After all, he wouldn't feel heartache over a stone thrown to test the path, even if he couldn't retrieve it.

Besides, this stone had already performed far beyond his expectations.

The most important gain, naturally, was adding another ability to his repertoire.

The secondary gain was discovering that the Metropolitan Police Department of this Otherworld Tokyo seemed to have no specific countermeasures for enemies that defied scientific understanding, treating them much like conventional anti-terrorism or anti-insurgency operations.

This at least indicated that even if the supernatural existed in this world, it was extremely low-profile and had not yet impacted the authorities.

Next, he would have the organization go dormant to see if any other factions besides the Metropolitan Police Department would be drawn into the investigation.

Of course, given the organization's previous activity, most members could not be hidden; Nakai Hayato might already be on a watch list.

It didn't matter. Quality was better than quantity. He could have Nakai Hayato move underground and recruit members willing to abandon everything to work for the organization. He wouldn't be stingy about bestowing "superpowers" upon them.

Having made his decision, he manipulated the Ninth Guardian to transmit the orders using the agreed-upon method of contact.

He told all members that being captured wasn't the end, but once they betrayed the faith, the power gained from the Holy Son Pill would be completely nullified, and those who hadn't taken it would lose their chance at receiving the blessing forever.

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

Everyone except Noguchi Yuji.

All clues pointed to that mysterious organization, which meant that as long as it existed, there was a possibility of another "Sato Tomomi" being cultivated.

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

Next, he needed to start with Sato Tomomi's interpersonal relationships and bank transfer accounts to find the organization, then round up the main members based on the data.

And that inexplicable lawyer—if it weren't for him, Sato Tomomi wouldn't have spiraled into a rampage.

Though anger filled his chest, he couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart at the thought of such monsters being mass-produced.

Yet, he would never have guessed that the mastermind behind it all was actually a NEET who appeared to have no interest in the world.

"This is Noguchi Yuji, the most capable officer in our Criminal Investigation Department, and the one who first encountered the case and discovered the anomalies. Yuji, this is Major William." At the temporary office of the Metropolitan Police Department, the Chief of the Criminal Investigation Department, looking unwell, brought in a foreigner and a woman to introduce to the busy Noguchi Yuji. "Starting today, Major William will lead a team to join the June 6th Major Case Investigation Team. The higher-ups require us to ensure information sharing and seamless cooperation."

"Hello, Mr. Noguchi Yuji. I am Tristan William. Please take care of me." Major William wore a warm smile, and although his Japanese still had an accent, he was clearly able to communicate fluently.

"Hello." Noguchi Yuji wasn't too surprised; America's intervention was only a matter of time, though it had come much faster than expected. The upper echelons were nothing but a giant sieve.

How could the country ever improve when it was filled with such vermin!

"And this lady, you should know her: the 'Iron Lady' of the General Affairs Division, Kuroki Niizumi. In the future, if you need assistance from the General Affairs Division, you can contact them through Ms. Kuroki."

"We've met. Please take care of me." Noguchi Yuji nodded. Although it was well known that the Criminal Investigation Department and the Public Security Department were at odds, both sides were well aware of the capable individuals within the other.

"The higher-ups attach great importance to this matter. I hope the three of you can work together." Chief Odagiri spoke in bureaucratic platitudes, patting Noguchi Yuji on the arm. "In short, the investigation team will be led by you. Of course, you must also fully consider the opinions of Mr. William and Ms. Kuroki to solve the case as soon as possible. I will arrange for someone else to act as deputy for the First Division's matters; you focus on the task at hand."

"Yes."

Chief Odagiri left after giving his instructions; he had a mountain of work to deal with and had to report face-to-face to various high-ranking officials. To avoid being thrown out as a scapegoat, he needed significant leverage. Thus, emphasizing the strength of the monster was essential; he had to make the higher-ups understand that this was not a failure of strategy, and not only should he not be punished, but because he had engaged and fought the monster, he was the most experienced candidate to handle it.

Noguchi Yuji glanced at the two people in front of him.

"The two of you, the enemy we are facing is very special. I hope you can cast aside your old perspectives and perceptions and reconstruct a new understanding based on the clues we have."

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

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