Endless arguments

"Could that red-eyed man whose eyes turn red be a monster in disguise?"

"So far, we haven't found any monsters capable of taking human form. Most monsters have bizarre shapes; even humanoid ones are rare. Humans can't become monsters, and monsters can't become humans. The evidence we have isn't enough to overturn those two rules."

"Could their superhuman abilities have suddenly awakened, just like the monsters'?"

The officers of the Fourth Investigation Division and the Fifth Division let their imaginations run wild as they speculated and debated the origins of the superhumans.

The Metropolitan Police Department had three hypotheses about the origins of supernatural beings. The ancient theory held that supernatural beings had existed since antiquity, hiding in the shadows for thousands of years, and had only been discovered by humans after 2007. Naturally, that hypothesis had soon been disproved.

Another was the otherworld theory, which proposed that they had crossed over from another realm or a parallel world, but that hypothesis had also fallen out of favor.

The prevailing explanation was now the awakening theory. All the evidence indicated that monsters and evil spirits had come into being in this country after Heisei 19, awakening supernatural abilities for some unknown reason. It was an upheaval unlike anything seen in two thousand years.

Yet these two human superhumans had clearly been born before Heisei 19. The red-eyed man looked around twenty, to say nothing of the monk named Chiriku. Even allowing for a mature face that made him look older, he had to be at least thirty.

Even if these two were ordinary humans whose superpowers had suddenly awakened, where had they lived before, and what were their names? It should have been impossible for the Metropolitan Police Department's investigation to uncover no trace of them.

Humans couldn't simply appear in this world out of nowhere. Wherever someone went, they left a trace. How could two humans, the monk and the red-eyed man, appear in modern society without leaving a single trace?

"Quiet, quiet!"

The Superintendent General rapped on the table, finally silencing the noisy discussion. He planted both hands on the table and said gravely:

"You're all this country's elite when it comes to handling supernatural incidents. You also know that supernatural beings haven't existed since ancient times. They only appeared in Japan fifteen years ago. We'd never discovered a human superhuman before, yet two appeared last week alone. The implications of this are more serious than anything we've faced before."

The Superintendent General swept his gaze across the room like a teacher looking for someone to answer a question. Every officer his eyes landed on instinctively lowered their head, unwilling to meet his gaze.

"The Expert Group is using the available information to build profiles of these two human superhumans and assess their origins, motives, abilities, dangerousness, and psychological states. But our most important task right now is still to find them. Fourth Investigation Division, Fifth Division of the Public Security Bureau-it's been days. Have you made any progress?"

That was asking far too much.

Section Chief Akagi and Section Chief Mori of the Public Security Bureau's Fifth Division both looked troubled. Ever since obtaining facial images of the first man, the monk Chiriku, and the second, the red-eyed man, they had been comparing them against their databases without a single match.

They had even issued a wanted notice for the monk and appealed to the public for information, but had received no worthwhile leads.

These two human superhumans seemed to have appeared out of thin air.

With cameras multiplying by the day and big data covering the entire country, the state could track a citizen's entire life, from birth to death. Even illegal immigrants couldn't set foot in this island nation without leaving some trace.

"Section Chief Mori, your Fifth Division of the Public Security Bureau was among the first to reach the scene. Do you really have no leads?"

Pinned beneath the Superintendent General's withering stare, Section Chief Mori steeled himself and stood.

"The two survivors at the scene, one man and one woman, are still under the Fifth Division's protection. We've questioned them and examined their personal connections, but found no links to the red-eyed man."

"Our only option is to appeal to the public for more information. I recommend adding the red-eyed man to the wanted list and issuing nationwide notices for him and Chiriku. We might turn up a lead that way," the dark-complexioned Section Chief Mori declared firmly.

"Section Chief Mori, wouldn't that be ill-advised?" Uchiha Senmon spoke up abruptly.

"Uchiha, what's that supposed to mean? Who gave you permission to speak?"

Section Chief Mori shot him a hostile look.

"Superintendent General, please allow me to speak."

Uchiha Senmon rose and bowed to the Superintendent General.

The head of the Criminal Affairs Department whispered a few words to the Superintendent General, who nodded slightly and said:

"So you're Superintendent Uchiha. I've heard your name as well. Go ahead."

"The existence of supernatural beings is still strictly classified and hasn't been disclosed to the public. This red-eyed man has already shown his face on a livestream. Based on the stream's viewership at the time, more than three hundred thousand people saw him. If we add him to the wanted list now, what will viewers who remember him think? I'm afraid it would undermine the Metropolitan Police Department's efforts to maintain secrecy."

Uchiha Senmon spoke in a clear, carrying voice.

"What's more, I believe offering rewards for information leading to their capture may accomplish very little! Both Chiriku in his monk's robes and the red-eyed man in his Red Cloud Black Robe were extremely conspicuous. If they intended to conceal their identities, they wouldn't have dressed that way. Clearly, they don't believe our Metropolitan Police Department can find anything that will expose them. And considering the strange ability both superhumans used to vanish from the scene, something akin to instantaneous disappearance, would our wanted notices really achieve anything?"

Section Chief Mori said disapprovingly:

"Uchiha, that's nothing more than your personal opinion. It's hardly convincing!"

Uchiha Senmon met Section Chief Mori's gaze without fear, then lowered his head slightly.

"These are admittedly only my preliminary thoughts. I opposed putting the monk on the wanted list from the beginning. Nothing he did violated the law. He even helped us eliminate an evil spirit, which suggests goodwill toward humanity. Taking such a hard line now may send the wrong message-that we're hostile to superhumans. That would hinder any effort to cooperate with them."

"That monk may have helped us this time, but who can guarantee he'll do the right thing next time? Everyone saw that his power could easily burn down a house. If a superhuman like that suddenly went on a rampage in a major city, how much damage would this country suffer? We need to find these superhumans and bring them under control as soon as possible. That's what it means to take responsibility for national security and our citizens' lives!"

Section Chief Mori sneered, pointing at Uchiha Senmon as he said bluntly:

"The second human superhuman, the red-eyed man, brazenly assaulted police officers and attacked a Metropolitan Police Department helicopter. We have ample reason to believe these superhumans are antisocial elements who refuse to submit to lawful authority! We should take an even harder line against thugs like these to make them cooperate and turn themselves in. Even if we do cooperate, our Public... our Metropolitan Police Department should take the lead and command them."

With every heated reference to "antisocial elements" and "thugs," Section Chief Mori displayed an uncompromising stance, entirely in keeping with the Fifth Division's usual approach.

To him, superhumans beyond the state's control were a destabilizing force in society.

The blond foreign man listening from the head table watched Section Chief Mori with satisfaction and approval.

Uchiha Senmon frowned, then addressed the Superintendent General in an even voice:

"Superintendent General, the data from recent years shows that supernatural incidents are becoming more frequent every year. Although our Metropolitan Police Department still has the resources to keep citizens safe, at this rate of increase, our manpower will sooner or later be stretched too thin. I believe we should unite every force we can. We should show these newly emerged human superhumans as much goodwill and sincerity as possible and seek their cooperation."

"That's appeasement! Superintendent Uchiha's thinking is far too naive! Are these superhumans really on humanity's side? We can't even be certain they're human."

Section Chief Mori retorted scornfully.

The Superintendent General, silver-haired at the temples, watched the two men arguing fiercely, his brow furrowed. He gave a light cough.

"Enough. Stop arguing. This is disgraceful. Superintendent Uchiha, Section Chief Mori, you each have your own insights. Submit written reports afterward."

The Superintendent General turned to Senior Superintendent Akagi and said:

"Senior Superintendent Akagi, Officer Kanbara, the first person to make contact with a superhuman, belongs to your Fourth Investigation Division. Have him stand and speak."

"Officer Kanbara, you were the first to encounter a human superhuman. What was your overall impression of the monk named Chiriku?"

Yuuji Kanbara stood, sweat covering his brow. He swallowed with difficulty before stammering:

"S-Superintendent General, Master Chiriku was certainly a good man. After laying the evil spirit to rest, he was worried the flames might harm innocent people and withdrew them of his own accord."

"Then do you think our Metropolitan Police Department could establish a cooperative relationship with this monk?"

"We... should be able to. Master Chiriku seemed quite easy to talk to..."

Even Yuuji Kanbara himself had no idea how much confidence he could place in those words.

The Superintendent General closed his eyes and considered for several dozen seconds before finally making his decision.

"The wanted notice has been out for several days without producing any leads anyway, so withdraw it for now. Don't issue one for the red-eyed man yet, either. Of course, we mustn't ease up on the search for the superhumans. That must continue. The Prime Minister and the Cabinet are watching this matter closely. You need to produce results as soon as possible."

"Superintendent General..."

Displeasure flickered across Section Chief Mori's face as he looked to the blond, blue-eyed foreign man for support.

The blond foreign man, who had listened throughout, shook his head at him without saying a word.

Section Chief Mori gritted his teeth and said nothing more.

"We suspended inspections of Tokyo's temples and shrines three years ago, but now it appears necessary to conduct another thorough sweep. The Fourth Investigation Division will handle that task..."

The meeting continued.