Dammit, dammit, dammit, dammit DAMMIT! Rewind of the day: waking up with bruised, covering said bruises with makeup, making money, moving my homeless net to gather info, sacrifice useful connections, time and defenseless facadé to help a bloody cat lunatic!

That sounded about right, except it wasn't right at all, months of effort blown in an instant for information that might even be useless. WHAT ELSE COULD GO WRONG AT THIS POINT!

"Nijito-chan, are we going to keep running much longer, it's hot and I'm tired"

Of course a cry-baby! That sure was going to brighten up my day.

"If you didn't carry a coat made of cats you wouldn't Amakura"
I replied to the gray-haired homeless who was running behind me.

Okay maybe running was an exaggeration, more like limping behind me, dammit he was around twenty in my book, how could he be so out of shape, was this the effect vodka had on people?
"Please let's take a break in a cafe"
"I'm not going to waste, money on you after, I made a mess with those two assholes to save you"
"Woo, that's some harsh language for a six years old"
"I'm seven and a half, and you know that cat freak"
"It's Neko nya-nya lover we talked about this. Really what's wrong with you kiddo?"
"WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME!? FUCKING EVERYTHING! You know how much have you costed me?"
"No?"
"And do you want to know why I bothered helping you?"
"Because we're friends"
"...what?"
"Yes we are, you love petting my friends and I love the help you give me in exchange of some trivial information"
Said the homeless with a weird grin on his face.

I didn't know why but it struck me. Not many people called me friend these days... no, actually none had ever called me friend without having been first deceived.

"... we are just using each other"
I replied while my roundish cheeks blushed.
"We're not friends"

Oi, oi, oi, oi, why was I embarrassed?
No, I wasn't embarrassed I was happy.
Happy? Dammit, that's way beyond pathetic!

"Well, call us as you like kiddo, but for the past months you've been the closest thing I have had to a friend so... let's go to a cafe to celebrate our bound!"

Ah, so that's where he wanted to go... asshole, and I was even listening to him. I swear, I was just going to get my info and then bye! We weren't going to any cafe not even if-

"And I'm paying"

"Okay let's go, I want a Coca-cola"

I know, my resolve could use some work, but I needed a break and I would have never, ever said no to free food. Kicking ass and taking names was hard you know... plus I couldn't feel my legs anymore.

"See kiddo this is a nice place, no thugs, no garbage and oddly enough no people"
"The people all ran away when they smelled you"
I said opening the menù.

Seriously no Coca-cola? What kind of place was this?

At first sight, it looked like a very simple cafe, without any peculiar trait. Maybe it was a bit larger than the other places in the area but, that was it... no secret room with old ladies playing mahjong, no drug dealers... it was so quiet in comparison to the places I usually frequented it made me uneasy.

"Why did you bring me here specifically, Amakura?"
I thought staring towards a window where a couple of fur balls were lying and lazily basking in the sun.

Wow, Amakura's cats had followed him even here, how much were they trained?

"Shi-zu-ka-chan! The usual please"
Cried Amakura, letting his cheerful voice spread throughout the cafe.

For a second I wondered who was he talking to since there was nobody around, but then.
"Wah!"
A high pitched scream tore the silence followed by the roar of metal pots falling on the floor.

...

...

...

"Ehm... is she okay?"
I asked after no further sounds had arrived from the kitchen.

"Give her a minute"
Replied Amakura with nonchalance playing with his ring.

...I have to admit it, I was awfully tempted to go empty the cash register, there was none around and let all those sweet money sitting alone seemed a waste. Unfortunately, before I could steel myself a black-haired high-schooler wearing a blue apron burst out from the kitchen door screaming.

"YOU!?"
She said moving an empty coffee like a flail while a messy ponytail on her nape dance around.
"Why the hell are you here?"

"Uh, Amakura is really a regular in this place? Well that explains why I can find a Cola or at least why I feel so uneasy"
I thought peaking towards the waitress as she grabbed the collar of my informer.

No place where this cat freak went could be normal.

"Two weeks, you disappeared for two weeks, have you any idea of the consequences"
Hissed the girl, Shizuka, moving her face dangerously close to Amakura's.

To be fair I was very puzzled by those two, they obviously knew each other well, but I couldn't understand if they were lovers or something along those lines... it was frustrating, usually, I could judge the situation I was in a couple seconds, however in these last few hours I had been totally lost. I didn't know what was happening around me and I just felt incredibly helpless. seriously the only thing I had picked up since entering this cafe was that the girl, Shizuka had one hell of a nose, resisting being so close with Amakura and all.

"Shizuka the kid, there's a kid here, don't bite off my nose"
Yelped Amakura trying to push his head as far as possible from the girl.

"You're abducting kids now? I'm calling the police!"
Cried the girl.

"No! At best he is the one that abducted me!"
Pleaded the homeless throwing his body against the teen to stop her.

What the hell was this idiot trying to do, rat me out? Oh no, he was playing with the wrong kid.

I immediately prepared my most childish voice and hiding my mouth behind the menu I asked.
"Sir are the candies you promised me arriving?"

None tried to put me in trouble before facing HELL!
Betrayal flashed inside Amakura's eyes, but it was rapidly followed by an incredible amount of fear. It took me a second to understand that, that freak's terror was caused by an ominous aura that had started to coat Shizuka girl fist... And I would really like to say it was a figurate speech, but there was truly a weird miasma appearing around that her hand.

A shiver jolted down my spine, along with a weird nostalgia that took over me. I didn't even need to think I knew what was happening: I was in front of a magus.

"YOU SCUM!"
Cried Shizuka ready to lower her fist on my... friend.

What had I done? What I said was supposed to be a joke!

"Why it escalated to a skull-crushing session so fast?"
I thought while a sphere of panic formed in my throat.

Just to be clear, my panic did not arrive because I felt guilty, Amakura got it coming for trying to drag me in a weird conversation. I was scared because I would have bet that Shizuka was a muscle-idiot that after having first beat the living shit out of Amakura and would have come to me because I saw too much!

I knew that type of woman... it was the same type that showed up at the supermarket at 6 AM on the day of the eggs 50% off and took my spot. KATARA YOU BITCH I'LL HAVE REVENGE ONE DAY!

Was I saying something important? Oh, yes. Magical punches and shit.

Looking at the long-haired girl pull back her mystical fist I felt the urge to scream, I was very scared and I seriously had to stop her. Still fear wouldn't abandon me, I just wanted to run away and cry, escape from this place and just return to do whatever I was doing, yet I blocked my muscles and restrained myself... that would have only been a waste of precious oxygen and energies.

If I ran away I would probably end up regretting it if I screamed nothing was going to change... the only thing I could do right now was come up with a better solution.

"Think! Nijito think!"
I told myself pushing my brain past its limit in the last seconds I had.

Suddenly I felt like my mind had split in two and the amount of thoughts that I could process had doubled.
Almost as if my head now hosted two brains able to talk to each other.

"Who is the foe? Shizuka something, she is between 17 and 20.
How much of a threat is she? A girl of her age can't land a knock-out blow with only raw strength, and even though it looks like she knows how to punch, she had barely room to charge her punch, she'd be lucky to break a nose. Threat low.
What about the magecraft she is using, how much of a threat is that? I don't know. If it was a strength multiplier the result could be deadly, also if it was just an enchantment separate from the original power of the fist. It doesn't seem to increase the punch speed so if she attacks me after brutalizing Amakura I might be able to dodge a couple blows. Total threat uncalculable.
So, what is the strategy? Throw the first thing under my hands at her to stop her punch and beg for forgiveness? Really? Hey, I'm too tired to run away and if I left Amakura here God knows what could he tell about me! Doesn't sound much like a strategy to me, plus how long will it take? AH! I have no time to argue with myself! 1 second at best, 2 at worst, break a leg, screw you"

Jolting my hand backward, I screamed.
"STOOOOPPPPP"
While preparing to throw the first object in hand range, a.k.a. the menu.

The sudden noise distracted the girl and gave me just enough time to push all my weight on the improvised projectile. The menu flew out of my hand like one of those shurikens I had seen on television and... it missed.

"Uh, that wasn't supposed to happen"
I thought freezing completely as the menu flew a couple of embarrassing centimeters above the fist.

Seeing all my determination go to waste in such a shameful fashion a bolt of humiliation spread across my cheeks, oh God I bet I was looking ridiculous, I was going to be beaten into a pulp while being laughed at! If I was going to get beaten at least I wanted some respect dammit!

The only positive thing that followed my pathetic display, was that both the teen and Amakura had completely stopped and they were currently focusing all their attention on me. Okay maybe if I had just shouted from the beginning I could have resolved this situation without making fool of myself.

"...if I say something cool now are they going to believe I missed Shizuka on purpose?"
I thought while trying to stop my blood from filling my cheeks.
"Probably not, but it is a worth try"

Gulping down my shame, I puffed out my chest, increased the intensity of my stare, and spit out the manliest line I could come up with.
"You won't-akrah"
However, before I could say anything concrete something hit my head and I got knocked out.

"Shizuka-chan... what did you do to the kid? He was up and now he is down... oh and he is bleeding too"
"I- I did nothing everything happened so fast, he was there, and-and now he has fallen on the ground"
"I can see that muscle-head-idiot-chan but... Why did you use magecraft!? There was a bloody kid in front of you, how were you going to do later? You don't even know any memory spells"
"Ah, he said you were-"
"I'm not a pedophile and sure, some humans are cute but ehw, never, I'm not into bestiality"
"...sorry, what do we do?"
"Ehm...bring him some ice? And probably your wallet... I'm pretty sure he is gonna get you fired if you don't bribe him"
"Yes sure and- WHAT? He is just a kid, can't I bribe him with some gummy bears or something"
"Believe me he is a kid, but I wouldn't be surprised if he was the spawn of some demon"
"The spawn of a demon? Have you ever took care of the Yukinoshita and Hayama kids for more than a day?"
"What do you think was the second reason why I escaped from that place?"
"A cat in heat?"
"Ah, ah, ah, funny if said from the girl that won't get laid until she is thirty"
"I- wait seriously?"
"Who knows?"
"Oi, what's supposed to mean-"
"He is bleeding on the moquette"
"AHHHHH! I need a rag!"
"Bring also your wallet"
"I won't get paid until this weekend"
"Then you'll get fired, what's this the fifth job that doesn't last more than two weeks?"
"Screw you!"
"Maybe you can bribe him by letting him fold your boobs"
"What am I? A prostitute?
"Don't be scandalized he is one of your... 2 maybe 3 candidate husband"
"Yeah sure, I totally believe you're serious Amakura... just wait there, I'm coming with the stuff to clean up and treat the kid"

"...just wait there bla bla bla. You'll see what happens when you ignore the prediction of a youkai"

My heeehehehead! God everything above the nose was hurting like crazy. What happened?

"Kiddo? Kid? If you're awake say anything"

Eh? Who was making noise? Amakura? Yeah, it was that damn alcoholic, what did he want? Today wasn't his goods exchange day.

"Amakura, he is not responding"

Nice... there was someone else speaking, ugh why couldn't people just shut up when I was resting... wait how came that I was resting... I never rested.

"Nah he is awake, he just needs external stimuli, quick kiss him"
"Like hell!"
"Fine no head start for you enjoy your loneliness"
"Shut up!"
"No really do CPR he has passed out for an hour now, we need to do something"

"A WHAT!"
I cried shooting my eyes open.

An hour? An hour! That destroyed all my plans! I had contacts to meet, goods to deliver plus I also had to search in the hides of Nanasa and Kyota, the two homeless of my net that had disappeared after making contact with the orange letters I was following.
An hour lost was terrible.

"Kid are you okay?"
Asked the Shizuka moving her face close to mine.
"Do you remember what happened to you"

*Inhale

Okay, one problem at the time. Before I was too embarrassed to notice it, but the enchantment the girl used had been condensing the air around her fist or something similar. When I distracted her the air managed to expand and sent the menu back on my forehead.
Better play dumb for now.

*exhale

"Mmm, ehm what? Who are you?"
I asked bringing out my most clueless face. I was still unsure which approach would have been the best in this case.

Was I supposed to be an armless child or a ruthless mastermind to get what I wanted?

"I'm Shizuka Hiratsuka, an old friend of Amakura I work here"
Replied the girl with an uneasy expression.

Was she seriously thinking that being Amakura's friend was something to tell to calm me down? The fact she was acquainted with him made me even warier.
Still, since Amakura looked fine and she looked very guilty and sorry, maybe the situation wasn't as bad as I thought. Shizuka was a threat but she didn't act actively dangerous... and that was better than nothing.

"Uh sorry"
I groaned holding my head.
"The last thing I remember was that I wanted to order a coca-cola with ice, but there wasn't on the menù and... did someone hit me?"
I asked trying to see what was going to be her reaction.

"I-Ehm, well, you see, I'm sorry!"
She immediately bowed deeply before me.

Wait, was it really this easy? Nah it couldn't be.

"Okay, no problem One-san... but still, can I have a coffee?"
I said squaring the girl.

She was averagely tall, had long black hair and her body was fairly attractive, it would probably make me do a fair bit of cash if caught on camera without clothes. Her face was... nice I guess, but her make-up was messy and she had tried too hard to cover a couple of pimples on her forehead.
Once gotten out from puberty she was probably going to be extremely beautiful.

"Ehm, a coffee you say? Aren't you too young?"
Shizuka said making a complex face.

"None is too young for coffee One-chan, but maybe I'm too young to get hit by a waitress and not say anything to the owner of the place"
I replied smiling coldly.

Now, usually, I wouldn't have deliberately provoked a person that could turn me into dust with her bare hands, but I had concluded that asserting superiority was the best way to manipulate this girl. She was probably the kind of person that gets easily depressed and lose control of the situation.

"You little shit"
She grunted with a confused smile plastered on her face.

"I'm still waiting, Hiratsuka-san, one coffee with a lot of milk and sugar"

"As you wish..."

"Nikita"
I lied coming up with a random fake name.

"As you wish BRAT! Amakura you get the usual right"
Shizuka cried snatching away the blood-stained menu from my hand and moving out.

Now that was rude. I wasn't a brat... stupid magical waitress, I was a full-fledged child-worker that paid bills I was more an adult than her!
Sinking in my seat I hold my head and began fuming. Today had been a mess and it was barely lunchtime, what did I do to stir up so many troubles!? Admittedly it was a stupid question I could have easily answered by thinking for two seconds, however, Amakura so kindly started to loudly drink a glass of milk, which spared work to my neurons.

"Amakura"
I said trying to keep my voice as musical as possible.
"Yes, kiddo"
"I have some fucking things to ask you"
Why do you ask? Because it was the only way I could use to avoid jumping on this idiot's throat and make him spit the truth.

"I won't answer to that foul mouth of yours, ask more kindly"
He fumbled ignoring the killing intent I was releasing from each and every pore.

... motherfucker

"Don't stab him Nijito, don't stab him, it would be a real mess if you tried to stab him here, there are no potential witnesses, but so much blood and finger-prints would be difficult to erase"
I told myself making a conscious effort not to reach the knife hidden in my pocket.

Amakura was probably the most difficult homeless of my net to deal with. First of all, he was crazy, but that's kind of default for everyone in my net so ... okay, the first point wasn't that important... ehm. Second of all, he was crazier than most of my guys, he was loud, overly cheerful, draw a lot of attention with all the cats following him around, wore jewelry even though he lives on the street, and most importantly I couldn't read him. In normal conditions, the last factor would have been a deal-breaker if I couldn't read a person I couldn't control him or her and if I didn't have control, well we weren't in business, oddly enough Amakura was an exception, he was controllable but not understandable, much like a pet. You can't get what passes through a dog's mind but the moment you fill their bowl with the food they'll come wiggling their tails.
A bottle of vodka and cat food was enough to have his loyalty, however, I had always believed Amakura saw all the world around him as some sort of game. All the money he made performing with his cats on the streets was usually wasted in the purchase of useless stuff or directly given away. It seemed like he could stop being homeless the moment he wanted to.

He was probably just some rich guy that had escaped from home, but I kept him around because he was good at gathering information.

"Amakura-san"
I started gulping down my murderous intent.
"I'd like to ask you a few questions, is that fine?"

"Yes, I know Nikita-Kun, terrible alias by the way, and in fact, I led you to this to answer them... and make sure you don't investigate further"
The Cat lover replied losing his trade-mark cheerfulness.

Don't stab him, don't stab him, don't stab him for making you waste even more time- Wait, what?

Suddenly I felt the need to run away.
My eyes saw Amakura sitting in front of me as nothing had happened, but all my other senses were in overdrive as if I had been standing in front of a beast of some sort.

"What do you m-mean?"
I asked contracting all my muscles while breathing slowly.

"You want to ask me the incident don't you?"
He said with a sweet voice that made my head spin.

"Yes"
I immediately responded before I could even think to move my mouth.

My body didn't feel like my own anymore, wrists, ankles, shoulders, knees all turned into jelly, I couldn't move a muscle. I was a puppet before its puppeteer.

"For starters, what do you know kiddo?"
Asked Amakura using again that same sweet voice.

Don't speak, don't speak, don't speak! I kept telling myself to lock up my mouth and don't say another word, but it was hard. My tongue had stopped to belong to me, it had become a river that furiously fought to get out from my mouth, it desired to talk, to tell everything I knew.

"Dammit!"
I thought while tightening my fist until my nails started to pierce through the palm skin.
A pulsing pain evenly spread throughout my forearms and suddenly I felt that my arms were again under my control.

I didn't waste time, with that spark of control I had obtained I threw my right-hand forwards and slid the left one inside the pocket where I kept my knife. The plan was simple: take away Amakura's equilibrium and stab his dominant arm. Hopefully, he would have lost his concentration on whatever he was doing, however.

"What do you know kiddo?"

Amakura spoke again this time moving his hands as if he was pulling invisible strings.
My neck twisted, my right arm slammed on the table and my body went out of my control once more.

"Aaahhh, the incident of a couple of days ago, the news said it was a traffic light failure, but you had moved away from there right after and warned all the guys that there was something bigger going on... and... and"
I groaned struggling to control my mouth.

I was again under Amakura's control and had possibly wasted my only chance to escape. Impulsive, impulsive, impulsive I had been far too impulsive, I saw the first opening and followed it like an idiot, I had to make his guard first!

Gritting my teeth I tried to remain silent and to avoid saying anything else. A wrong word and what remained of my innocent child facade could be blown up. "I can't give up no matter" was what I thought, but as Amakura's grip on my body kept getting stronger and stronger I realized an endurance contest wasn't a great idea. I needed a diversion.

"Geez, kiddo your mind is complex, challenging to capture, but your will is starting to waver, don't worry it's normal for a six years old"
Said Amakura in an obvious attempt to provoke me.

I was seven and a half! And he knew how much I hated people that said otherwise. I could feel it in my bones the moment I had opened my mouth to rebuke at him I would have lost my concentration... and at that point game over.

My guts twisted I was at my limit, I needed a diversion anything to make Amakura lose his focus and reduce the control he had over me. And at the moment I had only an idea.

"I know that in the area of the incident... the Yukinoshita conglomerate is making suspicious moves"

Speaking with a pained voice I spit out a dozen words, my last gamble.
Amakura had asked me to tell him everything I knew, however, the last part was something I had only theorized without concrete proofs. On paper, the incident that made Amakura abandon his area had been a traffic light failure, still, standing to the news I had obtained today a bunch of people had just fainted together. It sounded like magical stuff and I knew only an active group of Magi in Chiba.
I believed so much the Yukinoshitas were involved in this situation, I had managed to fool Amakura's spell.

So the possible scenarios were two: I was right and he got surprised by that, or I was wrong and he laughed at my pathetic completist theory.

"How do you know?"

Judging from his expression the first.

An electric impulse jolted across my body as Amakura's confusion made his grip on me loosen up. I knew I wouldn't have had another occasion to carry out my plan so without hesitation, I secured my left hand around the knife in my pocket and stabbed my leg through the pants.

I know, I know, self-harm is stupid, I had stabbed myself with a dirty knife and got one hundred different diseases in a second, I'm really sorry I couldn't come up with a better solution, but at the moment I couldn't nor fight, nor flee, nor stale.

Amakura would have just reinforced his weird mental, magical or whatever attack on me if I had tried the same strategy as before, escaping was also out of the question and I wouldn't have been able to passively endure much longer.

I only saw one way out: hurt myself to slip out that cat freak control and go through this interrogatory without making him notice.

It sounded relatively straight forward, but believe me it hurt like hell, and if it wasn't that I had been groaning for the last five minutes I would have been immediately discovered.

"Ahhgg!"
I cried as the cold blade made its way through my warm flesh.

"Kid, how do you know!?"
Cried Amakura looking visibly worried.

"Well, that is new, he can also make these expressions"
I thought surprised as Amakura's mental grip returned to annoy me.

Thanks to my knife... and the pain it caused me, I was able to ignore most of the cat freak power, but I had to start speaking before he decided to use even more energy.

"Two-san has started to mobilize his entire net to follow some orange letters with red wax seals..."
I started being careful to keep the attention on my most fearable persona.

"Dammit those idiots, I told them to also use cellphones or faxes or anything, but they insisted on using only very traceable letters, that put bystanders in the middle of this shit"
Cursed Amakura almost forgetting I was in front of him.

"So it's not just there..."
I gasped having a sudden epiphany.

"What else?"
Asked the man while two big drops of sweat poured down his forehead.

"Ghhaaa!"
I groaned in pain slightly turning the knife blade as Amakura had yet again increased the mental pressure on me.
"Two-san... Two-san believed they were using letters because all the suspicious work they are conducting is happening underground, like close to your original patrol zone... where sewers maintenance works are currently taking place, but... apparently that's wrong, there is more"
I said laying out what I had just understood, thanks Amakura and your big mouth.

"Ah goddammit, my big mouth"
Cried the homeless pulling his own hair.

Hey, don't insult your mouth I just thanked it.

"How did he find out about them?"
Amakura asked with an anxious tone.

"I don't know, probably some thugs that carried a letter bumped into him"
I replied while my body was slowly growing numb.

My left kept trembling as I turned a little the blade in my flesh, the cat freak's previous attacks had drained me of a lot of stamina, I felt sleepy and even though I knew my knife was perfect to stimulate my brain back in function... I was scared of hurting myself too much.

What if I hit a nerve, an artery, or worse... okay I don't think there could be anything worse than those two things, but really pain aside, feeling a foreign object within my body was terrifying and the blood slowly soaking my pocket really unpleasant.

"For how long has he known about the letters?"
Said Amakura proceeding with another question.

"The first hints he got arrived around six months ago"
I answered with honesty.

Keep going with, I don't know-s, or only partially correct answers wouldn't have gone well in the long run, to be fair I felt restless Amakura had the habit to run his mouth, which could be very nice or very bad for me. On one hand, I gained data on the other he might say too much and put me in a very unpleasant situation.

"Why did he start to move now?"
"He got a lead"
"Do you know which is it?"
The homeless whispered with a voice so different from the usual one I didn't recognize him anymore.

No
"Yes"
I said as my mouth moved in the opposite way I ordered.

Suddenly I felt like every cell of my body had suddenly pushed inside ice-cold water.
"This wasn't supposed to happen, I was in control until two seconds ago, what's wrong with me"
I thought gripping firmly the handle of my knife and carving up, even more, my leg.

My leg muscles were set aflame as I desperately tried to understand why I had screwed up. Until now I had lied my way perfectly and...

"No, wait, I didn't lie"
I realized as Amakura's eyes began shining of yellow.

A wave of power overwhelmed me, my senses were barely able to remain active and I knew that without the blade stuck in my leg I would have become a puppet.

Feeling despair grow wider and wider inside my chest, I focused completely on the single concept that had made me able to last this long.

"Does Two have any of those letters?"

All this time I thought had been free to say what I wanted, but that was wrong in one way or another truth, or what I considered as such, had always come out from my mouth.

"KID, does Two have any of those letters?"

Unconsciously or not I had not spoken of anything fake, the only lie I that had managed to pass through the spell was an information Amakura couldn't imagine, a factor he couldn't know about and that had made him ask all the wrong questions.

Two is me
But at the same time
He doesn't exist

And this idea was the only loophole I had left.

"No, he doesn't have any"
I said feeling like lighting had just run down my spine.

The cat freak power passed through me without working properly, I didn't resist it I just let it flow away.

Until now, using my own will or pain I had strictly opposed against the Amakura's magic, however, the only result I got, had been making it stagnate within my body and screw me up in an important moment... it hurt my pride but, I wasn't strong enough to use this method, challenging face to face magecraft with my sheer guts sounded cool, but it was too much... for me, it was too much. My pride, my conviction that I'd be able to win had defeated me two times in the last 10 minutes... and I'm not even mentioning my failure with the flying menu.
I hoped to win a battle I'd be lucky to conclude in a draw.

Fighting to fool Amakura with a complete lie was beyond me, was beyond my strength, I could only reinforce what he believed was true.

The homeless kept asking me about Two. But Two wasn't a real individual, it was just a dummy I created so that newspapers would actually deal with me. He was a lie people told themselves more than lie I told people.

They believed in his existence because it was easier for them to imagine a grown-up plan all my moves, instead of acknowledging I did everything alone.

I was managing to elude Amakura's spell because any answer I gave about Two wouldn't be nor true nor false, but just imaginary... a weird combination of the two.

Until Two was the subject of the question, the blade in my leg still gave me enough lucidity to play with the truth and what I believed as such, however, if Amakura questioned me directly I couldn't resist.

"Then what is his lead, kid"
Asked Amakura with an impatient voice.

"His lead is K, Mochi and Bakkin group"
I said playing rhythmically with the knife handle.
I kept torturing myself sending small pain bolts across my body, it was just enough to buy myself the time to choose my words properly while still letting the magic out of my body.

"Who?"
Said the homeless regaining for a second his usual glee.
"The guys that tried to rob you"
"Do they know something about me?"
"No you're just too showy for a homeless, they just wanted to mess with you"
"I see, how could they be a lead?"

Okay now I had to be careful, force Amakura where I wanted.

"One of them got involved in the letter business, they could be used to find bigger fishes"
"Could? Why the past sense"
"Because..."

Calm down, calm down, this wasn't about how I beat up Bakkin and jeopardized any possibility of obtaining more news from him, it was something more recent.

"Because I came to help you"
I said freeing all the pain I had gulped down until now.
Tears started to flow, and at that moment I promised myself to learn how to cry at command, I definitely didn't want to stab myself every time I needed some extra drama.

"My job was to get close to them and now... now I screwed up"

Was I trying to guilt-trip Amakura? Yes.

"I won't be able to get info from them and"

Was I sorry? Definitely no!

"And now Two-san, God I don't know what he will do"
Peaking through the tears I checked Amakura's expression, was he feeling sorry?

"I... you"
Gasped Amakura while his eyes stopped to glow.

Hesitation! Perfect! He felt guilty! Now to calm down his cheap conscience might just give me some sort of warning and let me go. All the adults I had met thus far had been just like this, they followed morals that only served their self-satisfaction, they decided what was good and what was wrong seemingly with a strong resolve, however, they were always ready to review their beliefs once they found themselves on the wrong side of the coin.

They couldn't accept to be the bad guys of their own story, they couldn't accept themselves as villains and so to escape from every sense of responsibility they acted as cheap self-absorbed heroes, thinking one good action could redeem them, they didn't even say "sorry", because that would be the same as acknowledging their ugliness.

I saw it happen with cheating husbands, cheating wives, dishonest workers, and even with myself...
People unable to accept their guilt, justify their actions by branding them as necessities and if they go back on their steps the only thing that awaits them is pain.

I couldn't remember clearly how I felt the other day... how I had almost broken down when I started to feel sorry for the kindness I received from those voice actresses and how I repaid it with betrayal.

However, I knew how I had reacted, I knew how ugly was human nature and how fragile self-worth could be. If using my strength had not been enough to deal with Amakura's power, then employing my weakness to bring him down to my level was the only card I had left. I was going to make Amakura my same pain, the same humiliation!.

"So now let me go freak! Reject your actions and let me go to escape responsibilities"
I thought while trembling from the frustration, I was scared, angry, hurt and most of all I couldn't take it anymore! Just what had I done to deserve this!

Not knowing anymore for which reason my tears kept flowing I did the worst thing possible: let my anguish compromise my thoughts, I was at my breaking point if my guilt move didn't work out well... I was done for.
Wit indescribable anticipation I started into Amakura's eyes oping to see any signs of shame, fear, of anything that would have disturbed him enough to let me go.
My gray eyes and his light ones met, I expected him to avoid direct contact, but his eyes stood still and then he said.
"Kid... I'm sorry"

He was what now?

"I didn't know"
Amakura continued lifting a lot of mental pressure.

Finally, I was able to lift my face and torso from the table, damn I felt so stiff.

"Okay, okay, that's weird he accepted he is guilty, I didn't expect that, but I'm still in the game"
I thought regaining a bit of sanity after the burden on my brain had gotten extremely lighter.

He wasn't following the script I had imagined, but the plot progression was mostly the same.

"..well, what did you expect Amakura? That I spent my days in dirty alleys for fun? Please I have to get by"
I chuckled darkly feeling my face wet and itchy from my salty tears.

"..."
Amakura stood silent studying my long and dirty hair, the slightly tight clothes, and my deep eye-bags.

"What? One of your cats got your tongue?"
I asked trying to sound playful, but my voice just came out as a low grunt.

"How much?"
Then asked the cat freak.

"How much what?"
"How much do you make, by working for Two"
"Zero"
I said not sure if I would have been able to completely lie off the question even after the strength of the spell had been decreased.

If I ended up spilling the true numbers now a whole lot of unpleasant questions could have araised so I had to interpret his words differently.

"All the money I make are burnt up in my parents' debt and living expenses, tens of thousands of yen every month"
Technically all I said was true, but Amakura was probably imagining I made about one-fifth of what I actually earned with my photos.

"Here"
Said Amakura removing his trade-mark ring from his pinky.

He made the jewel slid across the table and it arrived in front of me. My eyes went back and forth between the object and the homeless.

"What is this? Compensation for my troubles? I know it's the most precious thing you got Amakura, but I won't find anyone that will honestly value this thing and buy it from me"
I said holding the small ring in my hand.

It had a bulky silver structure, a vine pattern in relier that ran through the whole ring, and formed a nest on top of it where a deep green stone was set. I had no idea about which kind of jewel it could be, but it almost seemed alive and I was half-sure it was magical.

"That's my pawn, keep it with you and when you'll meet Two I'll make sure nothing bad happens to you kid... then I'll claim back the ring and pay for the troubles I caused. But Kiddo, you won't never, ever follow the orange letters again"
Amakura said in a dead-quiet voice.

The situation was taking more and more unexpected turns, did Amakura care about me? No no no I was definitely reading something wrong here. He wanted to reach Two and pull out his mind games with my fictional persona, maybe the ring was a tracker, but given my knowledge of mage-craft, it could have been anything really.

"AH! I can't understand this stuff, the ring is incredibly precious for Amakura and that's true. Everything else is just suppositions of mine"
I thought while the wheels of my brain had started to burn.
"Damn focus on the thing you can understand Nijito, money, money is familiar, money is understandable"

"Pay for the troubles? How muc-"
"5.000.000"
"Holy sh... and how would you get so much cash at once?"
I said struggling to remain calm.

Oh damn, oh damn, so much cash was going to stack me from six months at least!

"I have several offshore bank accounts"

Plausible, but still too good to be true.

"Why would you give me all this money, can't you just use these mind tricks of yours to make me forget what happened today or... I don't know, what's the catch"
I asked feeling a trap I couldn't identify.

"Kid, we are friends and I'm not a super-villain"
Whispered Amakura with an odd calm in his voice.

"You got powers and can screw with other people's minds"
I said try to understand his real motives.

I couldn't believe this was kindness, none was kind without ulterior motives, and until I knew those motives I wasn't going to accept anything! Guilt was dwelling inside Amakura's eyes, but it was very different from anything I had ever seen, the cat freak wasn't regretting his choices, I knew he would not change a single action if he was given another chance. There was no insecurity inside him, just a bitter resolve, almost like he was feeling guilty not for his actions, but for the fact, I got caught up in something bigger than myself.

"Sure, I have certain skills, but unlike you, I have a very inflexible moral-code"
Smiled the young man while several of the cats outside started to meow.
"And that was my cue, I have to go, tell Shizuka-chan to put everything on my bill"
He said completely lifting his mental attack.

"Gha!"
I gasped feeling a stream of air go down my throat.

It took me a second to realize how deeply I had been breathing until now and even more to feel and how fast my heart was beating in my chest.
"Something doesn't seem right"
I thought while my hot blood began to slowly drip down the chair, I felt like I had been running for an hour, why was that bloody waitress taking so long.

This couldn't be the end, this was too much of a happy ending, Amakura wasn't trying to... I don't know, erase my memories, threaten me, do anything I could imagine. He was just standing up, cleaning off the dust from his dirty clothes with a far too classy gesture and walking away.

"Again keep the ring safe with you kid, when the times are right I'll repay for all the troubles... and... no well, I'm really sorry you got involved in this shit"
The cat freak whispered moving past me.

*Drip.

A blood drop hit the floor.

"Stop!"
I said still stuck on my chair.
"Why?"

Amakura stopped his feet one step away from the door.
"Why what? I thought I gave you all the answers you wanted"

"I'm not a super-villain isn't an answer..."

"Mou, how picky are you kid? can't you just let me walk away and be happy with the result of our friendly discussion?"

"...of which result are you talking about, how can I trust your ring won't blow up in my face or... or I don't know! I don't know! I DON'T KNOW! I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON AND HOW DO YOU WANT TO USE ME!"
I cried letting my tiredness and fear get the best of me.

"Damn... your mind is far more scarred than I imagined, no wonder you were so tough to read"
Sighed Amakura with a stare of pity.
"You don't trust what you can't comprehend... plus you're deliberately ignoring part of the answer I told you, we're friends, I don't want to hurt you"

"Stop with this crap! Friends, friends! I barely know you and you don't know me! You live like you're playing a game that you can quit at any moment! I don't get to just switch off the console and escape, I have an objective and I will turn an entire city in an ocean of flames if it could help me to move a single step forward!"
I cried turning the knife in my leg one last time. This had to be an illusion, I must have gotten completely hypnotized without noticing.

My vision blurred from the pain while blood kept flowing.

*Drip, drip, drip.

"... Really? You really have something so important to chase? Would you really hurt so many people for one goal? Do you really think you can't escape?"
Amakura slowly whispered walking back.

"Shut up! This is an illusion isn't it!"
I said gritting my teeth.

"So young, so broken, I pity you, child, you were brought on a difficult road, but you don't possess enough resolve to reach the end of this path, nor enough to abandon it and you're not able to trust anyone besides yourself... no, maybe you watch your back even from your own shadow"
Said the man speaking more to the arie than to me.
"Do you want an answer that satisfies your ears? Okay kiddo, I can see souls or at least catch a glimpse of them and you are the first person I ever met that is completely enveloped by darkness and light, your turmoil intrigues me and it drew me to you from the first time I saw you. You can say you've been a fun game for me, our paths crossed when I had nothing do and none to be, getting dragged in your net filled my boring days and that's why I'm thankful to you kid and consider you a friend of some sort.
If you can't understand why I'm not wiping out your memory now, I'll spell it for you... destiny has its hands on you and if I try to pull you away from them they will just grab onto you again. Giving you a warning you won't forget seems much wiser to make you watch your steps and order you not to get close to the letters"

"...I don't have the resolve?"
I asked feeling a chill run down my spine.
"I don't have the resolve?! You have no idea of the thing I had to do to arrive this far!"

"AND YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT LIES FURTHER DOWN! I didn't have the strength to go through it and nor do you"

"Don't even try to underestimate me!"
I shouted full of anger without ever regretting more in my life my words.

"Oh yes? Okay I won't"
Hissed Amakura bending his back like a feline.
"What's that blood?"

And then a storm of energy completely shut-down my head.

"So, you're an idiot. Do you know that?"
Said a face that looked exactly like mine.

I twisted my head around expecting to find my desert surrounding me. However, there was nothing, and with nothing I mean really nothing just blanc emptiness, exception made for a single mirror with a few cracks in a corner where my reflection was looking at me with scorn.

In a moment I immediately recognized who or better what I was currently staring at.
"Shut up brain, we are in a tight spot right now!"
I cried literally shouting at myself.

"And thanks to who!?"
Rebuck the mirror.

"You?"
"Technically yes"
"And Amakura, it is definitely Amakura's fault"
"Yeah but we made the greatest mistake of all"
"Not to trust him?"
"Hell no, are frigging dumb? Who right in their mind would give that freak any trust!"
"So what?"
"Not paying attention at the time! What made us wary was the sudden effort we felt and the fact that the lousy waitress was nowhere to be seen"
"So... Oh God"
I said as the mirror projected a wall-clock that had been behind Amakura for all the interrogation.

"Yeah, the mental attack speed up our time perception"
Sighed my reflection returning to its original spot.

"Dammit! We kept stabbing our leg but the blood started to drip out on the chair on only after about ten minutes, that would be impossible!"
I said while very logical points I'd been ignoring until now started to come up.

"Fatigued breath and increased heart rate was the consequence to me trying to keep up with the cognitive acceleration"

wait

"When did you learn that, cognitive, word?"
I asked letting my childish side take-over
"I think some commercial about energy drinks"

Cool, cognitive, cognitive, cognitive, it sure made me sound smart

"I see so what do we do now?"
"Wait? He caught us off guard nothing much we can do from here"
Shrugged my mental image

"Yeah, on this note where is here?"
"You don't know, I don't know. But it is sure different from our desert"
"Nobody is born here"
I said putting my hand on the mirror while my reflection did the same.
"Nobody dies in here"

It was weird how reassuring were the words of my own subconscious. The desert I had somewhere within my soul was the soft reboot button of my very being, once pressed I was gone, just a fragment in the mind of the new Nijito that was going to take my place.
"Sad how much is lost just to move forward"
Said my other-self looking at the cracks in the corner of the mirror.

"What do you mean?"
I asked unable to understand what was behind his words.

"Let me ask you a question... what's our sister's name?"

"Damn I thought you were serious for a moment, her name is..."
I froze, I couldn't answer such a simple question.
"Her name is..."
I knew her I had to know it.
"She was the third so Yo-something, hem Cho, Ko, Jo, Co..."
I couldn't remember.

"Did you really never thought about which was the price for each of our deaths? You forget that's what you pay with each and every death. All the memories before our birth are bland and the further we got back in time the fewer emotions are found. Nijito's life is a book that has each chapter written by a different author... one big mess of a story. That will hardly have a happy ending"

"The only thing that really sticks is just the final desire of each Nijito... there is no way out uh"
"Original wanted to be loved, Approval desired to know why he was left alone and why he had to become someone he hated, that's why we're bound to this lost cause"
"We could just escape, leave behind this life and start a new one, it would be hard, but not impossible, and yet we can't... I can't find the strength to do it, the wills of the two that came before me..."
"Chain you to a life that's never been yours"

"Well... this sucks"
I chuckled dryly

3 or 4 more deaths in a short time span would have completely erased whatever form of reason form the final Nijito, that poor thing would only become a machine devoted to desires he won't be able to understand.

"If our greatest desire ended up being, being free, would something change?"
Asked the reflection caressing its throat.

"I'm not eager to know, I'll leave as long as I can. This brings me to the next question... Do you hear anything?"
I asked touching my ears.

"I'm you, of course, I'm hearing... it sounds like a very long S"
*sssssssssssss
"More than long... it seems slow"

...
"Ohhhhh" "Ohhhh"
"GET SOMETHING TO WRITE ON" "GET SOMETHING TO WRITE ON"

"So kiddo, what's that blood?"
"A red liquid Amakura"
"I can see that... are you really under my control?"
"Yes"
"Would ever you lie to me?"
"Yes"
"THEN HOW CAN I BE SURE YOU'RE UNDER MY CONTROL!?"
"Yes"
"AAAHHHHH! You're even more troublesome in this state before I could at least see if there was something you wanted to hide! What are you hiding, kid?"
"I have a knife in my leg to hurt myself and diminish the effect of your power"
"Is that all? What else do you keep for yourself kiddo?"
"...I'm..."
"..Impressive, even in this state your very soul objects me"
"I'm, hiding..."
"Keep going"
"I'm hiding a message in my backpack"
"What kind of message"
"An orange letter"
"GOD! FUCKING FINALLY! Why did it take so long to get any result! I'm getting why there will be between you and Shizuka! You're two stubborn fucks!"

"Okay, the last few letters were, u, k, and s, reading everything we got what does come out?"
"Mmmmmhhh... dammit..is getting the letter!"
"He is getting the letter!"
"He is getting the letter!"
"Shit, how's our cover"
"Still good, he didn't make any question regarding Two, and I'm don't think we will be confined in our subconscious much longer, he must have spent a ton of energies to hypnotize us this powerfully"
"Do we jump and stab the second we return?"
"I love how you know me"

READY
SET
GO!

Do you know what's the funny thing about plans? The more you work on them the more spectacularly they back-fire when they fail, however even sporadic actions disguised as plans cave have pretty terrible results the moment they fail.

The moment I woke up from the hypnosis I immediately grabbed my knife and jumped out of my chair. I couldn't even see properly, my eyes were just filled by stains of color, the only thing that could give me a direction was the single orange thingy in my field of view.
My feet smashed against the floor I put in them all my strength and... unfortunately, I realized it wasn't that much.

My injury started to burn the moment I began to move, my shoes slipped on the floor and I just squashed my face close to my backpack.

Definitely a backfired plan.

"Holy shit, how do you still have so many energies?"

"Give... me... back... the... letter"
I said coughing out each word.

"Yes how I forget... despair, that would do the trick"
Sighed Amakura with unnaturally yellow eyes and a few whiskers that had popped on his nose.

At this point, I didn't even know if my mind was playing some trick to my eyes, I threw forward my arm begging.
"Stop"
However, before I could do anything else Amakura had disappeared.

"Oh my God what happened here?!"
The waitress Shizuka arrived, just a few seconds after, probably alarmed by all the noise I had made.
"And where in the bloody hell and heaven is Amakura it took me forever to put together his damn drink!"

"...he went away..."
I whispered with hate.

"What?"

" I SAID HE WENT AWAY"

"Don't scream brat and... you're bleeding, I-I have to call an ambulance-"
"No ambulance!"
"But you're bleeding"
"Dear GOD WHAT A DEEP INSIGHT! Did all your brain went down to your tits or blood scares you this much!"
"The second one"
"...Jesus, then close your eyes and get me some napkins and a first aid kit"

For being such a loud, violent and obnoxious girl Shizuka was quite efficient once pointed in the right direction, without saying one word she put the closed sign on the entrance door, brought napkins and the first aid kit, plus the coffee I ordered before.

Did I already say she remained silent the whole time? Yes? Well, I'm gonna repeat it because it relieved me that much. Right now any spoken words were going to make me remember the past minutes burst into tears... again. I had gotten away, I had almost fooled Amakura and the ruined everything.
The frustration was building in my gut like some sort of acid reflux. It might as well have been that from all the stress I had built up.

"So, what happened, kid?"
The teen asked trying to focus only on my face and avoid the blood on the floor.

"None of your business, keep quiet and I will forget how you knocked me out"
I said staring at the two disinfectants in the first aid-kit.

One was some alcohol-based liquid, so it would have burned a lot, and the other was oxygenated water, which, in my opinion, hurt less. However, since oxygenated water did all those suspicious bubbles I wasn't too sure if it was safe. My wound was pretty deep and foam building up inside it might have inflamed all the surrounding flesh.

Eventually, I chose the alcohol-based thingy and let me tell you it burnt, it really freaking burnt.

After spending God knows how long to clean my wound I lied on the blood-stained floor mentally dried up but all that pain.

"Geez, this was almost worse than the knife part"
I whispered catching my breath.

I had to sew my leg but I was far too tired. I needed to rest, but what time was it?

14:24

Dammit, I was late for my deliveries.
"Hey, do you have a phone in here?"
I asked turning my face towards Shizuka who had been cleaning the same empty cup for ten minutes before while staring at god knows what.

"The landline doesn't work but I have my cellphone"
She replied without paying much attention.

"Give it to me"
"Oka- wait no! I only have 200 minutes on this thing and I'm not handing it to you just like that!"
"Please it's important"
"No, can't do"
"Dammit I'll give you whatever you want"
"Oh Yes? Then tell me what the hell happened between you and Amakura"
"Ugh...FINE! Now give me the phone"
"Hold your horses, how can I be sure you won't just run off after using my precious baby"

I stared at her blankly, closed my eyes a couple of times, and then sighed.

"Bitch..."
I knew I shouldn't say that certain word but I just couldn't help myself.
"Have you seen my leg? Forget the off! I can't run to begin with!"

"Ah, yes sorry"
Said embarrassed Shizuka tossing the phone.

I caught it with trembling hands and in no time started to dial several numbers I had learned by heart.
First I called the various publishers I had to meet and called off any appointment, then I began to contact all the shops that were close to the various homeless of my net. I asked all the various clerks to deliver a simple and seemingly harmless message to my employees: "Happy birthday"

Otherwise known as "I'm calling a wide-scale meeting under the west bridge tomorrow spread the voice".

To be fair, I'd have never expected to reach this point. Grouping all my men in one place definitely a pretty suspicious move, but I was that desperate.

"So have you done yet?"
Asked Shizuka staring at her phone with teary eyes.

"Yes, yes, do all teenagers whine like you?"
I replied tossing back the device.

Incredibly, she almost missed the catch, the phone bounced on her hand and she had to dive forward to save it.
Her whole body slammed on the ground, she looked like a whale jumping on a beach.

"Do all kids annoy me as much as you do?"
Asked the girl looking towards my face from the floor.

"Who knows. Unfortunately, I'm not a standard model so I can't really answer"

Two minutes later we were sitting in a corner of the cafe while the blood-stained floor seemed to look at me.

"So go ahead, you held your part of the deal now is my turn"
I said tearing down a piece of my shirt to bandage my wound after I improvised a surgical sew.

I had to get that cut checked out, but Shizuka was a priority at the moment, leaving her alone would have surely come back to bite me one of these days.

Unfortunately, the teen was having problems to formulate any kind of question.
"Easier said than done, have you any idea of what's going through my mind right now?"
She asked with wide eyes.

"Oh no! I forgot tomorrow's homework I have acne and don't know how to use make-up"
I said making a high pitched voice.

"You shitty brat... I don't have any homework for tomorrow I- Oh God. MATH!"
Shizuka yelped assuming a pale color.

To be fair that was the only point I expected her to ignore... Gosh now I was sad for her, someone had to give some self-extime to this girl.

"Nee-san focus!"
I said massaging my nose.
"We are not going to reschedule, to fit your agenda"

"Brat I'm hating you soooo much right now"
"The filing is mutual waitress-chan. With that out of the way are you finally ready to start! Not to make you hurry, but I need to get my leg checked out!"
"UGH! FINE! What were you doing with Amakura?"
"I helped him to get away from some thugs this morning"
"And...?"
"And I had to ask him a few things about the traffic incident that happened a couple of days ago"
I admitted too tired to come up with a new excuse.

Shizuka did not like what I had just said. Her fist tightens up, her stare got more serious and her voice way quieter.
"Why?"
She said with a tone that gave me chills.

"My boss wants information, He pays me to find who knows what he desires"
I replied trying to play it cool.

"You're just a kid... why do you need money? Don't you have school to worry about?"
"... I told you, I'm not a standard model. I can't really answer"
I sighed avoiding eye contact.

It wasn't a real answer but, anyone with bare minimum social skill could have guessed it was a conversation to avoid.

"What does that even mean?"

Unfortunately, this girl was bloody clueless!

"It means I have to deal with things more important than school! Heck, I don't even go to schoooooooooouulll..."
"WHAT!?"
"Shouldn't have said that, shouldn't have said that"
I sucked my lips while Shizuka's face got closer to mine.

This day had gone way beyond wrong.

SOMEWHERE ELSE IN CHIBA

"Mister Yukinoshita, your guests have arrived"
Said a young secretary opening the door of a dark and grim office.

"Finally..."
Exhaled a tired man with deep eye-bags, he hadn't sleep properly in a month.
"Let them in"

"Right away s-. Sir they already let themselves in"
Yelped the woman finding a sharp blade on her neck.

Her assailant was just a teenager, a seventeen years old boy with eyes devoid of any kind of light.

"Well well, I see that the Skull is taking in new recruits, its good that to see that such an ancient sect returning to grow"
Chuckled the tired man snapping his fingers and forming a small blizzard behind his chair.

Wind and ice shards started roaming all over the place while a black-coated figure danced around the office dodging all glacial blades. His movements were fluid like water and his dark clothing made the obscure man merge with the shadows of the room.

*SHHHHIIINNNNNN
A crystal sound echoed in the room as a back knife appeared beside the ice magus.

The wind stopped.

"I believe this is the first time we meet in person Kori Yukinoshita"
Said the dark-figure reaching the side of its pupil and of the secretary.

"Indeed Yaqut al-Hamawi, tell me was the travel of your liking?"
"It was too easy my apprentices learned almost nothing"
Said the man discarding his black hood, revealing a brownish face covered by a white skull tattoo that was gradually disappearing.

"So... touristic class next time?"
Asked Yukinoshita raising an eyebrow.

"I said it was easy, not that we're animals"
"So we'll stick to business class?"
"Yes please"
"Let me put that on a memo"

"Sir, I wouldn't be unpolite, but I still have a blade on my throat"
Said the secretary sweating profusely from her forehead.

"Al-Hamawi-san would you mind?"
"Soichiro rest"

Hearing those two words the teen lowered his knife, acting like a trained dog.

"He is well disciplined. I wish my eldest daughter was more tamed"
Nodded Yukinoshita.

"He is the most promising pupils of the eight that arrived with me, He might be able to reach the place I never managed to see"
Smiled Yaqut touching his forehead with two fingers.
"If he completely abandons his worldly connection he might become the next old man of the mountain. But enough with the chit-chat you paid for our services... so who needs the eternal sleep"

"As you know I have quite a big project going on here, that has required the partnership of several... colleagues of mine, unfortunately, our visions have begun to differ, I desire you escort the families of my most loyal allies into my principal building by this evening, and then eliminate any nuisance"

"How many targets?"
"21 magi to crush and six families to escort: Yuigahama, Hikigaya, Hatari, Isshiki, Hiratsuka, and the most important, the spawn of the blacksmith Muramasa the Hayama. If anything happens to them discard all family members exception made for the eldest son, Tetsu he is vital for my operation. If he dies you won't see a dime"

"Understood, anything else we should know?"

"There is a pesky cat roaming around the city, he is a spirit, an artificial enchanted Nekopata named Amakura. he was born by the condensation of the energy of a hundred cat spirits or so. The contract he made with my family doesn't allow him to escape from the city, but he is quite skilled when it comes to hiding. His one hundred brothers and sisters walk around the city as completely normal cats acting as his eyes and ears"

"It seems quite a tenacious pet, does this precious kitten need to be put asleep?"

"No, I need you to find him and bring me the ring he carries... he will defend it with his teeth and nails as it is a direct connection to his life force. Virtually he is armless he is just able to perform some suggestion magic and these days he disguises himself as this human"
Said Yukinoshita exposing a picture.

"Your command is my wish"

I'M NOT DEAD! SOMEHOW GOT CLOSE BUT NOT TODAY UNIVERSE. HERE IS A CHAPTER OF THE LEAST LIKED CHARACTER BUT I NEEDED FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER THE LONER AND I THINK I WILL GO ON WITH SHORTER BUT MORE FREQUENT UPDATES. STILL I'M NOT WITH SCHEDULING SO... SORRY IN ADVANCE

HAPPY SUMMER EVERYONE AND OREGAIRU S3 IS FINALLY OUT HELL YEAH