Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo.
In a bright office belonging to the Ministry of Environment's Countermeasures Division.
A black-haired woman with deep green, mist-like eyes sat in a wheelchair, gazing at the blue sky outside the window:
"I see, so you encountered SDS members?"
Behind her, Yomi Isayama and Noriyuki Izuna stood solemnly, bamboo sword sheathes strapped to their backs.
"My deepest apologies for failing to take over the Ghoul investigation."
Yomi Isayama stepped forward and bowed deeply to Ayame Jinguuji, Director of the Countermeasures Division.
Beside them, Noriyuki Izuna scratched his head and defended himself:
"Director, it's not that we didn't try our best. That SDS investigator was just too strong - practically a monster."
Ayame Jinguuji turned her wheelchair with a gentle smile.
"If even you call someone a monster, Noriyuki, they must truly be monstrous."
"I'm glad you understand, Director." Noriyuki seemed to misinterpret this as praise from the Director, his thoughts immediately wandering.
'Does the Director actually trust me that much? But I'm already with Yomi... This feels a bit inappropriate.'
"Idiot."
Yomi Isayama shot Noriyuki a glance, easily guessing his inappropriate thoughts without needing telepathy.
She wasn't stupid - the Director's meaning was clear:
If even a braggart like Noriyuki Izuna admitted someone was monstrously strong, then they must truly be a monster.
Otherwise, Noriyuki would have found some way to boast about his own abilities regardless.
Just then, Ayame turned her gaze to Yomi and asked with that same gentle smile:
"What do you think, Yomi?"
Yomi considered the question carefully before responding:
"Their illusion techniques have reached the level of physical manifestations - comparable to Nurarihyon, the Supreme Commander of the Nura Clan. Additionally, they possess some ability to inflict severe injuries instantly, though the activation conditions are unknown."
"And..."
Yomi hesitated briefly before continuing honestly:
"They also appear to be a diviner. When we first met, they told me I wouldn't live much longer... and warned Noriyuki to 'mind the slippery floor'."
"'Mind the slippery floor'?" Ayame's gaze shifted to Noriyuki.
"Er... no comment, Director." Noriyuki scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"Oh? So you did take a painful fall then."
Ayame covered her mouth with a light chuckle before her green eyes returned to Yomi.
"But saying you wouldn't live much longer... that aligns with what someone else mentioned."
"Who?" Yomi was startled - had someone else been divining her fate?
"Suzuka Dairenji - that prodigy from the Onmyou Agency."
Ayame spoke calmly:
"She visited the Ministry of Environment before your mission. Perhaps she saw you on the way. During our conversation, she mentioned I should avoid sending you on assignments in the near future."
Yomi fell silent at this. She'd heard of the Onmyou Agency's child prodigy.
A genius whose mastery of divination and shikigami control earned her a position among the Divine Generals, despite lacking combat prowess compared to her peers.
'If even she said such things...' Yomi genuinely began wondering if she was cursed.
Beside them, Noriyuki couldn't contain his concern:
"Director, if this prodigy from the Onmyou Agency came and said these things... does she have any way to help Yomi?"
After all, Yomi was his fiancée.
Who would reject a beautiful, powerful fiancée from a prestigious family, with such striking martial bearing?
Even if Yomi disliked physical contact with him, she hadn't refused joint missions because of their engagement, had she?
Having long regarded Yomi Isayama as his future wife, Noriyuki Izuna naturally didn't want her to die young.
"There is one," Ayame Jinguuji said with a smile.
Yomi Isayama looked up at this, her eyes lighting up.
Seizing the opportunity, Noriyuki Izuna pressed:
"Then Director..."
"A luck-changing talisman for 300 million yen."
Ayame Jinguuji touched her cheek, looking somewhat embarrassed as she said:
"When Miss Suzuka quoted this price, I didn't know how to bring it up with you all. It's such a relief that you asked first."
"Oh, and the talisman's effects supposedly only last six months."
At these words, both Yomi Isayama and Noriyuki Izuna fell silent.
'Sorry to bother you, we'll be leaving now!'
Though she wanted to say this, as it concerned her life, Yomi Isayama hesitated.
Meanwhile, Noriyuki Izuna was calculating his savings.
'Tsk... Between spirit beast rearing costs, technique preparation expenses, and last week's extravagant spending in Kabukicho...'
His current savings probably didn't even reach 20 million yen. Where would he find 300 million? And needing to pay it every six months at that.
'Guess the Isayama family will have to foot this bill...'
Seeing their distress, Ayame Jinguuji couldn't help but laugh:
"Alright, no need for such long faces."
She wheeled her chair to the desk, opened a drawer and produced two paper talismans:
"These are talismans Miss Suzuka left behind, giving me a half-price friends' discount."
"Since you've obtained intelligence about SDS's new member, well... This can conveniently be classified under intelligence procurement expenses."
"This..." Yomi Isayama stared at the talismans in surprise before protesting: "Director?"
"Remember - officially, we obtained that SDS member's intelligence from an information broker."
"But Director, even for SDS members, 300 million yen for procurement is absurdly high," Yomi Isayama frowned, objecting. "I should cover the talisman costs myself."
"Yomi, I think you're underestimating the significance of the information you brought back."
At this, Yomi Isayama fell silent.
Then Ayame Jinguuji continued lightly:
"With illusion techniques of that calibre, do you really think they'd be just another regular recruit in the SDS?"
"That SDS Supreme Chairwoman has always excelled at winning people over. Someone of that strength would naturally receive a position matching their status."
"From your description, their abilities might rival even the SDS Operations Department Director- 'Flame Demon' Tachibana."
"Do you really believe they'd be a regular member?"
"Director, are you suggesting..." Yomi Isayama's expression shifted dramatically: "He was an SDS department Director? How?"
What were the odds of encountering two SDS Directors on a single operation?
"This morning, the SDS announced internally the establishment of a new Hidden Management Department, headquartered in Japan."
Ayame Jinguuji offered no further explanation, simply gazing at the laptop on her desk.
Observing the young, handsome black-haired man on screen, she narrowed her eyes:
"It seems the threat posed by Ghouls may be far greater than we imagined."
The SDS always dealt with their enemies with the utmost vigilance.
The deployment of two executives for a single mission spoke volumes about their caution towards Ghouls.
"It seems there might be a major operation in a few days."
At Ayame Jinguuji's words, the expressions of both Noriyuki Izuna and Yomi Isayama turned unusually grave.
The mobilisation of two SDS executives to conduct a hazardous species investigation targeting Ghouls was an action that inevitably invited speculation.
"The Demon Slaying Order... perhaps?"
Yomi Isayama murmured to herself:
"The highest-level directive for inter-species warfare, jointly issued by the Five Great Nations."
Ayame Jinguuji didn't refute, only sighed:
"I hope it's not the highest-level Demon Slaying Order. Otherwise, Tokyo might be wiped clean off the Earth."
In the strategy room, everyone fell into prolonged silence.
Faced with such a major event, things like budget constraints or limited lifespan suddenly seemed trivial.
...
Natsume Residence, Adachi Ward, Tokyo.
"Big brother, have you heard?"
A silver-haired girl with waist-length hair and a voluptuous figure spoke indignantly to the ponytailed silver-haired man practising basic sword swings in the courtyard:
"That mission we were supposed to take got snatched by the SDS?"
"Damn it! If the SDS took the mission, we won't get the Metropolitan Police Department's bonus!"
"Maya!" Shin Natsume looked at his exasperating younger sister and sighed: "You're in high school now. Can't you behave properly?"
Continuing his sword swings, Shin scolded:
"Following me on missions secretly was bad enough, but now you're investigating mission progress on your own? Are you planning to stalk me next?"
Seeing her brother's anger, Maya Natsume—whose mature figure resembled a 28-year-old woman rather than a high school freshman—shrank back:
"...I am an inspector with the Metropolitan Police Department, after all. Isn't it reasonable to be involved in missions?"
"Should I bring up how you lied about your age to register as a martial artist with the police?"
Shin resisted the urge to roll his eyes, swinging his wooden sword fiercely:
"And those Metropolitan Police Department fools actually believed you're 18! Damn it!"
Maya blinked, glancing down at her impossibly curvaceous figure, her expression turning teasing:
"The officers at the Metropolitan Police Department have much better eyesight than you, big brother~"
"Tch!" Shin clicked his tongue angrily: "Regardless, you're banned from police missions. For the next month, focus on school."
Maya replied cheerfully: "If you say that, I might just find a boyfriend at school then~"
"Don't you dare!" Shin's eyes turned red: "I'll break the hands of anyone you date."
Grinning, Maya leaned on the courtyard walkway, cupping her chin as she watched Shin.
Seeing this, Shin sighed in resignation:
"I'll take you on the next mission. But no reckless behaviour. Obey orders, understand?"
"Got it~~ I'm off to the training hall then, bye~~"
Watching Maya's retreating figure disappear in a flash, Shin's mouth twitched before he sighed again, refocusing on his wooden sword.
"Even the SDS is involved? Looks like trouble's brewing again."
...
7:00 PM.
After dinner, Luo Shu was preparing to pick someone up from Anteiku when he froze at the sight beyond his windshield.
A green-haired girl lay motionless two meters away from his car, her condition unknown.
'Are people really pulling insurance scams in Tokyo these days?'
'Well, that's a new one.'