"Extraordinary being."
"Let's temporarily use that term."
Tasked by her superior to deliver an explanation, Ichika Iori wore a sour expression.
To be honest, she had no interest in dealing with these high-ranking officials. What she really wanted was to chase—no, pursue—the young man named Souta Kiryuu who had gained extraordinary power.
Ichika Iori had grown up in a family that ran a martial arts dojo. Practicing karate from a young age, she was unmatched among her peers. Violence had become a part of her life.
As she grew older, she realized the limitations of mere human strength and chose to enroll in the police academy. The reason was simple: firearms represented a higher form of violence—and she needed that power in her own hands.
"In this recent incident, the extraordinary being that appeared will be referred to as 'Mr. Three.'"
"So far, Mr. Three has demonstrated abilities such as appearing out of thin air, commanding 'evil spirits,' extracting 'souls,' and granting 'extraordinary power.'"
Cops were human too—they watched anime and read novels. Everyone who had seen the surveillance footage of the 'Zansha Group' incident could deduce a fair bit.
Not just the police—many of the high-level officials in the meeting room had also watched the footage. It wasn't hard to grasp the implications.
The concept of Hyakki Yagyō—the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons—was deeply rooted in Japanese folklore. The actions of Mr. Three bore a strong resemblance to an antagonist collecting souls for some grand, mysterious purpose.
While Ichika explained, the projector paused on a frame showing the transformed 'werewolf.'
"This man is named Souta Kiryuu, age 21, born in Adachi Ward."
She gave a brief background on him, making it clear to the officials that he had a mortal grudge against the Zansha Group.
"This footage is from three hours ago, taken at a restaurant in Ayase Town, 3rd District, one of the Zansha Group's properties—"
The screen displayed images of two corpses: one was Fukutani, a notorious thug with four gashes across his chest, clearly dead with his eyes wide open. The other was Shibukawa, whose head had been torn off along with part of his spine.
These gruesome photos made the officials' eyes gleam—not out of morbid interest, but because the state of the bodies was undeniable proof of supernatural strength.
"Please observe: the deepest chest wound on this corpse is a staggering five centimeters deep. Skin, muscle, bone, organs—all were cleanly and forcefully ripped apart."
"No known wild animal is capable of causing such wounds."
Not even the strongest lions or tigers.
Biologically, humans are considered large animals. While muscle density might be lower, bone density isn't negligible. Fukutani worked out regularly—his body wasn't made of rubber. While lions or tigers could easily kill him, leaving a wound like this exceeded any known biological limits.
And remember, big cats rely on their teeth to kill. Claws are mainly for immobilizing prey.
"Although there was no surveillance in that restaurant, we have good reason to believe the killer was none other than Souta Kiryuu, now empowered with extraordinary abilities."
This wasn't hard to deduce—after all, in the Zansha Building incident, Souta had undergone a 'werewolf transformation' after being tapped on the forehead by Mr. Three. Both Fukutani and Shibukawa had grudges against him. The motive and capability were as clear as day.
In fact, after watching the security footage, Ichika had rushed to Ayase Town, fully expecting to see a scene like this.
"At the same time, another team secured Souta Kiryuu's rental apartment."
"There, we found twisted furniture—likely evidence of him testing his powers—as well as his key and rent money left at the entrance."
"All this proves that despite acquiring supernatural power, Souta Kiryuu retains clear cognitive ability."
The footage froze on an image of a young man wearing a baseball cap, leaving the apartment with his face obscured.
Extraordinary powers!
The evidence was overwhelming, and the officials' hearts burned with excitement.
"Souta Kiryuu is a valuable citizen of our country."
"His actions, though criminal, are understandable."
The Chief Cabinet Secretary finally spoke, framing the official stance.
Since everyone in the meeting room was on the same side, he dared to speak so bluntly.
"If we approach him correctly, we may establish a cooperative relationship. It's possible to recruit him into a national agency to assist with our research."
"Director Takemasa, ensure Souta Kiryuu is protected. He is a critical asset to our nation. Nothing must happen to him!"
That's right. A man who had killed people now needed 'protection.'
As for the dozens of Zansha Group members who were dead? They were just low-life yakuza scum. Even if ordinary civilians had died—so what?
Everyone in this room was someone whose words could determine the fate of millions. Human life to them was just numbers on a spreadsheet.
What mattered was extraordinary power!
Something that once existed only in fantasy had appeared in reality. Initially met with disbelief, the second reaction of the officials was:
Ecstasy!
What do the ultra-wealthy desire most?
History has answered this countless times.
Elixirs of immortality, human sacrifices, massive tombs, alchemy, divine worship…
The people in this meeting room had inherited resources from their ancestors and clawed their way to the top. They possessed immense wealth and watched the world from above, witnessing the joys and sorrows of the masses—only to realize with each passing season that they, too, were mortal.
How could they accept that?
Whether ancient emperors with their 'immortality potions' or modern billionaires freezing their bodies—it's all a desperate bid to seize time.
Their gazes focused on the surveillance image of Mr. Three.
He was lifting a stone, absorbing the souls of Zansha Group members.
Terrifying as it was, to the eyes of these powerful men, it was a vision of hope.
Souls existed.
Which meant… maybe they could...
"We'll do our best. About the Self-Defense Forces—"
Director Takemasa of the Metropolitan Police picked up the conversation, turning to the Cabinet Secretary.
The SDF, while not very capable in combat, had gear purchased with real money—far superior to the police force's.
The ideal scenario would be inviting Souta Kiryuu in for a 'friendly chat' and maybe making contact with Mr. Three. But as a seasoned director, Takemasa understood the importance of preparing for the worst.
If a fight broke out, who knew if their gear would even be effective?
After all, their opponent was a supernatural being with unknown abilities. And Mr. Three might be completely immune to firearms.
The Zansha Group had proven that neither blades nor bullets could harm those female spirits—in fact, attacks only made them multiply.
Capturing a criminal was one thing. Capturing a supernatural entity was uncharted territory.
"I'll have the SDF support you," said the Cabinet Secretary with a nod.
"This matter is too important. I need to report it to the Prime Minister immediately."
"Also, keep this confidential. Chairman Tanabashi, make sure to coordinate with local police departments while maintaining strict secrecy."
Chairman Tanabashi of the National Public Safety Commission, responsible for countering terrorism, espionage, and extremist threats, was specifically named because many agents under his command were mixed-blood—with ties to the U.S.
If America caught wind of this, it wouldn't be surprising if the Marines parachuted into Adachi Ward.
That's exactly the kind of thing the U.S. would do!
"Understood!" Tanabashi replied, nodding heavily. He knew all too well how many of his subordinates had American-Japanese heritage.
———
"Yuu, do you know how to solve this problem?"
While Tokyo's armed forces were rallying toward Adachi Ward, Akiyama Yuu was enjoying the normalcy of high school life.
"Hmm… Sorry, I think I need a bit of time."
Faced with the class president Nao's open textbook, Yuu gave a vague answer after reading the question.
He honestly didn't know the answer. Even though he had finished high school in his previous life, most of that knowledge had long been forgotten. And this body's memories didn't seem to offer a solution either.
"Then—"
Nao casually sat down in front of Yuu.
"I'll teach you."