Twenty-six

Suju Akira had no time to ponder what Saruhiko Fushimi was thinking; his current anxiety was focused on how to resolve this singularity.

Upon becoming a King, a vast influx of information—the "memory" of the Dresden Slate—flooded his consciousness. This knowledge granted him an understanding of the "common sense" of this world, including the power systems of Kings, Clans, Strain, ability users, and singularities.

To crush a singularity, one must either use brute force to destroy it or collide it with another, comparable singularity. With two Kings present, even if they could not instantly destroy "The Dragon," they could slowly deplete its power. This was undoubtedly the safer method, but they lacked the luxury of time. Suju Akira had not forgotten that a weapon capable of obliterating all of Yokohama was currently hurtling toward them.

The materialization of his soul granted him the strength of an army, but he lacked the ability to unleash a massive, instantaneous burst of power. Moreover, having just become a King, he still needed to explore his own attributes to master them. Although his stat panel was etched into his mind, he had yet to figure out how to put it into practice.

"You don't need to worry about that," Saruhiko Fushimi said, sensing Suju Akira's apprehension. He adjusted his glasses and cast a pointed look toward the sky. "Yokohama’s true trump card has yet to be played."

Suju Akira glanced over. Fushimi wore a smile. "The reason Scepter 4 came to Yokohama was not because of Tatsuhiko Shibusawa. The Captain only appeared on the battlefield to ensure you could successfully resonate with the Slate."

"Before Scepter 4 arrived, someone discovered your presence in Yokohama and intended to intervene. Upon learning this, the Captain chose to come to Yokohama to prevent any accidents."

If he could align this wild card with Scepter 4, it would be ideal. In their current situation, Scepter 4 desperately needed a new force for cooperation. Tatsuhiko Shibusawa’s appearance was purely accidental; Reisi Munakata had not expected that someone in the upper echelons would actually facilitate the return of the "White Kirin."

The battle between the spirits and the ability-bodies was nearing its end, and as the ability-bodies vanished, the power of "The Dragon" gradually waned.

"It seems I have quite a few people watching me," Suju Akira chuckled. He wasn't angry, merely struck by the irony that he had managed to live the life of an ordinary person, coming and going as he pleased, while being targeted by multiple factions simultaneously.

He could guess how much effort Reisi Munakata had invested in this, and he naturally intended to repay the favor. As for how and when—that was a matter for negotiation.

Rubbing his temples, Suju Akira felt a twinge of vexation. Thanks to the previous Colorless King, many high-ranking officials likely harbored a "once bitten, twice shy" attitude toward him.

As an individual granted immense power, even a King would attract those seeking to control him for their own ends. To avoid becoming someone else’s weapon, one had to develop their own clan and strength. Currently, he stood alone; holding the title of King only served to prevent some from acting too brazenly.

Since Reisi Munakata had extended goodwill and sought cooperation, Suju Akira did not mind standing by his side. So far, he didn't dislike Munakata's character. As for the King who had been monitoring and attempting to control him from the shadows, he would eventually root them out.

His gaze flickered to the still-unconscious Ryuta Sanman. He considered himself good-tempered, but he was certainly no coward who would let others trample on him without retaliating.

Saruhiko Fushimi nodded in approval. "Exactly. I suspect some are already beginning to move." A new King meant the emergence of a new Clan.

Not to mention, becoming a clansman was an enticing prospect. Not only would one's mental and physical faculties be enhanced, but one would also gain power from the King—a force in no way inferior to supernatural abilities. Most importantly, a Clan was immune to certain supernatural effects; even now, the members of the Blue Clan could still use their powers after stepping into the Draconic Room.

This was merely the benefit for an ordinary person. If an ability user became a clansman, it was akin to gaining a second ability, with the potential for their original power to be further developed. Because of various reasons, the clans of previous Kings had consisted primarily of ordinary people. But now, with this new Colorless King situated in Yokohama—a city rife with ability users—it was hard to say who his clansmen would be.

In Fushimi’s view, Taneda Santōka, the director of the Special Ability Department, would never let such an opportunity slip. This was the King they had longed for, one with a sense of belonging to Yokohama. They would be fools to miss this chance to court the new King and stabilize his presence in the city.

Suju Akira didn't know the intricacies of Yokohama’s government, but that didn't matter; there would be others to help him understand.

Glancing at his phone, Saruhiko Fushimi sheathed his sword. "The Captain wishes to meet with you. What is your decision?" Suju Akira did not refuse. Fushimi instructed two Blue Clan members to handle the aftermath and led Suju Akira toward the center of the battlefield.

Judging by his previous background, this new Colorless King was not skilled in melee combat; he would likely lack individual combat prowess in the future. Adjusting his glasses, Fushimi quietly collected intelligence on Suju Akira, which would eventually become leverage for negotiations between Scepter 4 and the Colorless King.

Beneath the Meursault prison, Reisi Munakata looked at the figure emerging from the heavy fog and offered a faint smile. "Dazai-kun, it has been a long time. I trust you have been well."

Osamu Dazai’s face was pale, and his pristine white suit was stained with red. The wound in that area clearly indicated he had been backstabbed.

"Indeed, it has been a long time. It seems you have no intention of using your secret weapon after all." Dazai smiled pleasantly, his voice gentle and low, appearing perfectly approachable. However, the dark, hollow,鸢-colored eyes served as a reminder to Munakata of the young man’s past deeds.

Munakata closed his eyes noncommittally. "It is best if Nakahara-kun is not exposed unless absolutely necessary." Beneath his lenses, his deep blue eyes met Dazai’s with a gentle gaze. "To this day, many still remember the birth of the Assassin King."

That single, understated sentence wiped the smile from Dazai’s face. Chūya Nakahara’s origin was a bomb that could detonate at any moment.

Living in Yokohama, Dazai’s access to European intelligence was far inferior to that of Munakata, a high-ranking government official. Even at the height of his most reckless days, the intelligence network he could access was limited to that of the Port Mafia.

"However, I am curious: who helped you complete the final step?" Munakata did not overlook the red mark on Dazai’s face. In the original plan, Dazai was to infiltrate Shibusawa’s side as an inside agent, and Nakahara was responsible for finishing the job and slaying the dragon. Nakahara was supposed to rescue Dazai, Dazai’s "No Longer Human" would negate Nakahara’s ability, and everything would end.

Now, Nakahara had not entered the fray; he was responsible for holding off "The Dragon" and, incidentally, awakening the Colorless King, leaving him no time to rescue Dazai. Thus, Dazai’s appearance here spoke volumes.

"It was me. Do you have a problem with that?" A clear, impatient voice rang out as another figure emerged from the mist.

A handsome youth in a loose beige trench coat tilted his chin at Munakata. "Although you helped my boyfriend gain power, stay away from him in the future."

Tomie looked at the tall, handsome Munakata with eyes full of hostility. Though he prided himself on having beauty unmatched in the world, one that no one could refuse, he would remain in this youthful form forever. He would never grow up, nor would he age. They said men would always love eighteen-year-olds, but Tomie, having suffered repeated setbacks in front of Suju Akira, couldn't help but wonder: what if Suju Akira preferred the mature type?

"And you, stay away from my boyfriend too."

Dazai: ...Please, keep your obsessive love away from me. Thank you.