Major Mirai’s tone was gentle. It didn’t seem as if she was trying to pressure Kaguya to resign.
“This is the front line, after all. There’s no reason to put a scientist like you in danger. Plus, I’m sure you had projects of your own that you were working on.”
“You’re right; I did,” Kaguya huffed from the passenger seat, folding her arms.
She had very important work—and not much time left to do it. Kaguya was trying to find a way to turn heroes back into humans. She didn’t have time to fool around with some random combat unit. Least of all one with an oaf like Azuma as its captain.
But this was also an opportunity. Kaguya had begun to see things in a different light.
“Major, this transfer will be to my benefit as well.”
Kaguya was staring off into space. As she spoke, she almost looked as if she was remembering something that happened long ago.
“There’s still so much we don’t know about heroes, and there aren’t many opportunities for someone like me to see them up close and personal. Besides, from what I understand, Charon is no ordinary unit. I’ll be in the perfect environment to conduct experim—to observe heroes directly.”
“I see. In that case— Hold on. Were you about to say ‘experiments’?”
“Maybe I was, maybe I wasn’t.”
She was.
“Either way, I’m not adverse to this transfer. As for the captain—I doubt we’ll ever see eye to eye on things. But I’d still like to see heroes from up close, for a change.”
Major Mirai cocked her head in confusion. “I thought your family had been killed by heroes, as well…”
“Yes? And?”
Kaguya’s parents were murdered by a hero while Kaguya was still young. But why was Major Mirai bringing that up now? This time it was Kaguya’s turn to be puzzled.
Mirai smiled and rolled her eyes. “It takes all sorts, I guess. So you don’t hate the heroes, then?”
“Hate them—no… Not really, I guess.”
An image flashed in Kaguya’s mind. Something she had seen, long ago.
A voice, so full of sorrow and despair—and his back. After he had changed into a grotesque monster.
Kaguya shook her head as if to chase away the memories. “Either way, at some point just exterminating heroes isn’t going to be enough. After all, if merely one hero shows up that’s beyond our ability to handle, it could bring this whole house of cards crashing down. In my opinion, ‘fighting’ the heroes also means finding a different approach before that happens.”
“I see…”
For some reason, a smile played across Major Mirai’s lips. She adjusted her grip on the steering wheel. “I’ve got to hand it to the director. I’m starting to think she might have been onto something with this transfer, after all.”
“Huh? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Just that it looks like things are about to get interesting.” The major smacked the steering wheel with both hands, as if to change focus. “All right, then. Let’s get moving while the day’s still young!”
“O-okay…”
Kaguya grimaced as Mirai stepped on the gas. Kaguya lurched backward into her seat—
“…W-wait, Major, not so fas— AIIEEEE!!”
Somewhere in Chiba, most of the Tactical Infantry Branch’s barracks had been constructed in vacant lands left behind by the hero’s attack. The barracks assigned to the Tactical Infantry Branch Special Ops Squad—Charon—was located in the area formerly known as Funabashi City.
Burned and scorched. Melted. Sunken and destroyed. It was a town where vegetation no longer grew. The area had remained unchanged ever since the incident six years ago, when tens of thousands of residents were killed in a powerful rampage. There were no plans, as of yet, for reconstruction.
A car came to a stop at one of these deserted street corners.
But only Kaguya got out. Mirai remained inside the vehicle.
With one hand still resting on the steering wheel, she poked the other out the driver’s side window and pointed toward the barracks.
“It’s the very first door on that building. The next time we talk will probably be via the comms. I’ll see you later!”
“Ah—right. Thank you.”
The engine reverberated noisily as the car drove away. Kaguya turned to gaze up at the building before her. The Charon barracks was a modern, three-story building originally designed with a focus on mobility and livability.
It looked as if it had once been an apartment building. There was one main entrance—a fancy glass door. It seemed a little excessive for a bunker for teens.
The northern regions of Chiba had become an inhabitable wasteland. The Funabashi area was in comparatively better shape. There was enough water and air for people to survive, a sufficient communications infrastructure, and still enough of a power supply to support a few dozen soldiers.
Kaguya considered her new circumstances as she pushed open the surprisingly heavy door. The building’s exterior was in excellent shape, but the neighborhood obviously didn’t have much to offer for the few dozen people stuck living there.
“I wonder what the other members of Charon will be like…”
Charon—an elite unit dedicated to eradicating heroes—was composed of survivors from the disaster that occurred six years ago.
All members of the squad were highly capable fighters, specially trained in taking down heroes. They were also the only the Bureau soldiers fortunate enough to be able to utilize the Bureau’s special weaponry correctly.
“Come to think of it, I’ve already met two members. That girl Sakura and that cretin of a captain…” Kaguya grew angry as she remembered the pompous jerk she had met the day before. “Tsk… Some people have no respect.”
During the car ride, Mirai mentioned that Charon’s briefing room was located on the third floor.
The third floor had been converted into one large room with a single door. Unfortunately, there didn’t appear to be an intercom she could use to call up. Since no one came down to greet her, she was forced to head up to the third floor by herself.
Kaguya began to wonder if she should have called ahead. The only number she had so far, though, was Sakura’s.
“Well…I’m here now. Someone must have mentioned that I was coming.”
Kaguya knocked twice. A moment later, she heard footsteps approaching.
She tried to straighten up. Moments like this were always the most nerve-racking.
The door opened with a click—but it was neither Azuma nor Sakura who answered.
The girl was gorgeous, with beautiful waist-length hair and catlike vermilion eyes. She looked surprised to see Kaguya.
“Uh… Technical Lieutenant Kaguya Shinohara?” the girl said.
“Y-yes. My name is Kaguya Shinohara. I’ve been assigned here as of today. It’s nice to—”
“That was today?” The girl sounded annoyed. “I completely forgot about that. My bad.”
“You…forgot?”
The girl’s behavior wasn’t very soldierly. If anything, she seemed more like a self-obsessed teenybopper.
Kaguya furrowed her brow slightly. This girl was just rude.
“Um… Is this really Charon headquarters?” Kaguya asked. “The transfer was official. Someone should have told you I was coming today.”
“Yeah, well, no one told me anything. I really don’t wanna deal with this right now. Just come back later with Azuma, ’kay?”
“Later…?” First Azuma, and now this brat… “Now, you listen to me—”
“Lieutenant Kaguya Shinohara?”
From behind, a quiet voice suddenly startled Kaguya.
She turned around and spotted a familiar face. It was Captain Yuuri Azuma, whom she had met yesterday.
He had icy silver hair and eyes like condensed dusk. His skin, meanwhile, was an unhealthy shade of pale, as if he might drop dead at any moment.
Azuma glared at Kaguya as if she was the last thing he wanted to deal with at that moment.
“So nice of you to grace us with your presence. You must have very strange tastes, though, to come all this way from Technical…”
“You flatter me, Captain…”
“That wasn’t a compliment. I talked to people at Technical; I know about your research.” Captain Azuma narrowed his eyes. “In addition to your normal work, I hear you’ve got a pet project. What was it again—the Revival Project?”
Kaguya’s eyes widened. The captain was able to learn all that in a single night? She was impressed.
“Let’s get one thing straight. Yes, I know that heroes used to be human. But that’s just it: used to be. I don’t want to hear any nonsense about turning them back.” Something about Azuma’s expression seemed troubled. “Heroes and humans can never find common ground. There’s no common ground between the living and the dead.”
“That’s why it’s called revival, Captain. That’s my mission—to restore the dead to life.”
“No need to get so bent out of shape. You do things your way—I don’t care. I’m not going to bother policing your thoughts.”
If there was one thing Kaguya hated, it was being forced to waste her time on trivial matters.
“Excellent. You keep your distance, and I’ll keep mine, Captain.”
“Fine… Just as long as you understand.”
Azuma glanced around uncomfortably as if he didn’t know what to do next. It was obvious that he hadn’t been expecting her to react in that way.
“I’m sorry, Captain. Were you…trying to be snide just now? People always tell me I’m bad at reading between the lines.”
“Don’t act like you don’t know…”
Captain Azuma glared at Kaguya. The air between them crackled with tension.
“Technical Lieutenant Kaguya!” a voice suddenly called from behind.
Turning around, Kaguya noticed a young woman with short pink hair. It was Sakura, smiling uncomfortably.
“I’m sorry about Azuma. He’s always like this. Don’t mind him.”
“Oh…”
I’ll just have to be the bigger person while I’m here, thought Kaguya.
After all, what more did she expect from a bunch of soldiers? This wouldn’t be the last time someone got on her nerves. She couldn’t go around losing her cool every single time.
Kaguya smiled and extended her right hand for a handshake. “We may come from different backgrounds, but at the end of the day we’re both on the same side. Let’s try to put our differences aside and work together, Captain Az—”
Azuma snorted. “Hmph.”
His expression bordered on contempt. Kaguya’s smile froze. Her eyes began to distort into a perfect mask of scorn and loathing.
Azuma didn’t seem to notice. He spoke arrogantly over his shoulder as he turned away. “I suppose I can humor you if it really means that much to you. Just try to fit in, okay, Lieutenant?”
Azuma ignored Kaguya’s extended hand, walking off without a second glance back.
“…” Kaguya seethed quietly, her forced smile still plastered across her face.
“Um, Lieutenant… Are you okay?” Sakura asked.
“Tell me…!”
Sakura jumped in surprise at the suppressed rage in Kaguya’s voice.
“What does Captain Azuma—no, Captain Asshole—hate more than anything in this world? I need to know…!”
This new nickname prompted the others in the room to begin whispering among themselves.