"These days, even monks have become arsonists."
"Now that's some martial spirit. Reminds me of the old Ikkō-ikki uprisings."
"What's so impressive about burning down people's homes? If that baldy's so capable, why doesn't he burn down the Imperial Palace?"
"Two million yen! That's as much as they'd offer for a murderer."
The tipsy customers in the izakaya slurred their way through the discussion, and it soon became the hottest topic in the place.
Uchiha Naruto's expression darkened as he watched the familiar monk's face on the television.
After the video from the apartment had been deleted, he had guessed that the Metropolitan Police Department might have imposed an information blackout because the incident involved supernatural powers. But he had never expected them to issue a warrant for Chiriku's arrest, let alone offer such a hefty reward.
What was going on? Shouldn't incidents involving the supernatural be investigated discreetly, in secret?
Or were the Japanese authorities really that hostile toward unaffiliated people with supernatural powers?
Just then, Uchiha Naruto's pan-fried dumplings were ready. The girl who brought them over wore her hair in braids, and the name tag on her chest read Ichihashi.
She wore thick, round, black-framed glasses that obscured her eyes and face. Over her red, wide-sleeved kimono was a white apron printed with the restaurant's name. A scarf covered her head, and two glossy black braids hung over her full chest.
The girl set the plate of dumplings on the table, then turned and left.
Uchiha Naruto crunched through his dumplings as he pondered the Japanese authorities' reasons for putting Chiriku on the wanted list.
He soon finished the dumplings, tapped the table, and called Ichihashi over.
"Another order of pan-fried dumplings." They tasted average, nothing special, but even a large serving of eight was only enough to take the edge off his hunger.
"One ginger pork and one beef tendon and radish soup. Rice, too."
"Four fried chicken skewers."
"A large curry rice and a glass of ice water."
On her fifth visit to Uchiha Naruto's table, the waitress could not help giving him a few extra looks, astonished by his appetite.
By seven, the izakaya's busiest time of day, a drunken, potbellied middle-aged man shuffled in wearing a brown sweater and slippers.
"Watanabe, bring me your most expensive-most expensive sashimi platter. Hic, and open a bottle of your most expensive booze, too." The drunk belched as he called loudly to the owner.
The regulars began teasing him.
"Yokoshima, judging by that look on your face, you must've won big at pachinko today."
"Just a little. A little." The drunk rubbed his index finger against his thumb in the classic money gesture, looking thoroughly pleased with himself.
The sashimi platter arrived shortly afterward. The drunk peered blearily at the braided Ichihashi and reached for her wrist. She reacted quickly enough to dodge, but he caught her sleeve.
"You're new here, aren't you, sweetheart? Didn't see you a couple days ago. Got a hot little body, too. Come have a drink with me. I'll give you some spending money..."
Clutching Ichihashi's sleeve, the drunk began spewing all sorts of obscenities. Even when the owner and other customers tried to stop him, he refused to let go.
Ichihashi remained expressionless. Cold light flashed across her thick lenses, and her aloof, keep-your-distance air began to turn dangerous.
"Honestly, you really do encounter every kind of scum out here. My dear trash of a customer, I think your breath could use some freshening up."
With lightning speed, Ichihashi pulled a can of pepper spray from her pocket and pressed the nozzle without hesitation, aiming straight at the drunk.
"It hurts! My eyes! Cough, cough, cough..."
"You little bitch!"
"Stop spraying... mercy..."
Ichihashi mercilessly emptied the entire can. The izakaya filled with choking fumes, and the other customers fled, unable to stand the fiercely irritating smell.
"Much better. Your mouth's all fresh and clean now."
With a cruel smile, she tossed the light, empty can onto the drunk, who had already passed out from choking. Ichihashi untied her apron, set it on the table, and bowed to the owner. "Thank you for looking after me these past two days. It seems this job has come to an end. This should be enough to cover your losses for tonight."
Then Ichihashi took a thick stack of Fukuzawa Yukichi banknotes from her wallet and placed it on the table before striding openly out of the restaurant, proud and imposing as a queen.
Standing by the entrance, Uchiha Naruto was also awed by the braided girl's decisiveness and ruthlessness.
He was somewhat curious about who she was, but it had nothing to do with him.
After leaving the izakaya, Uchiha Naruto wandered the streets as though patrolling his territory. Half an hour later, he reached the entrance to Nakano Park and decided to take a shortcut home through it.
The night breeze swept over the park's grass, sending ripples through it.
Nakano Park was beautiful by day, but at night, the shadows of the trees and the cries of unidentified little animals made it rather eerie.
Uchiha Naruto seemed entirely oblivious as he continued deeper into the park, intending to cross it on his way home.
An artificial lake lay at the center of Nakano Park.
A girl with long black hair hanging loose stepped barefoot onto the stone steps at the lake's edge, letting the water wash over her feet.
A pair of shoes, a pair of glasses, and a wallet lay on the shore.
Bathed in moonlight, the girl held up her skirt, exposing her smooth, snow-white calves as she kicked at the water and hummed cheerfully.
Uchiha Naruto spotted her from a distance, but continued forward without a shred of sensitivity to the mood. A twig snapped beneath his foot, the sound ringing especially clearly through the empty park.
The singing stopped abruptly.
"That sounded lovely. Why did you stop?"
Seemingly unconcerned by the embarrassed, angry, and wary look the girl directed at him, Uchiha Naruto spoke with a smile.
Ichihashi lowered her skirt to cover her calves, then quietly slipped one hand into her pocket. With the other, she pointed at the wallet beside her shoes and said calmly:
"Mr. Stalker, all the money I have is in that wallet over there. Help yourself."
"If possible, I'd prefer you not to take my shoes. Just thinking about someone doing all sorts of things to them makes me want to throw up. I might never dare wear shoes again." Ichihashi covered her mouth with one hand and dry-heaved a few times.
"Who would do that to your shoes?! And I'm not taking your money, either."
"You don't want money? So you really are after my body? I knew it. Who would leave a gemstone lying there to pick up grains of sand?"
Uchiha Naruto did not know whether to laugh or cry.
"Could you stop treating me like a criminal in the making? I just happened to be passing through the park."
"Mm-hmm, stalking certainly isn't a crime. But you just happened to be passing by? All the way from the izakaya to Nakano Park?"
Uchiha Naruto felt a little awkward. He really had just happened to be passing by.
But running into her twice in one night was quite a coincidence. He could hardly blame her for thinking he had bad intentions.
"Life is like chocolate. You never know what the next piece will taste like, and you can't predict who you'll meet around the next corner, either."
Ichihashi gave Uchiha Naruto a few amused looks, and her expression relaxed, though her tongue remained as sharp as ever.
"Your pickup lines are truly awful. If you need it, I could introduce you to a few places in Ginza. A frivolous, womanizing pretty boy like you would be very popular..."
"Aah!"
Before she could finish, the girl screamed, and her whole body plunged into the lake as though something had dragged her under.
Before you continue