Even with the most notorious traits of the world's underworld collected to perfection, Kaizen didn't return to the hotel immediately.
Instead, he wandered the streets until the evening, taking in the bustling life around him.
Finally, as the sky darkened, he brought Sally to a charming restaurant for dinner.
After their meal, they returned to the hotel.
Kaizen booked a suite with two rooms—one for himself and the other for Sally.
"Get some rest. Tomorrow morning, we'll head home," Kaizen said as they reached their rooms.
"Alright," Sally replied with a glimmer of excitement.
Once inside his room, Kaizen locked the doors and windows before sitting on the bed. A crystal ball lay before him, glowing faintly with a mysterious light.
The progress bar etched into its surface had reached 100%.
"Let's begin."
As soon as Kaizen gave the command, he felt his aura surge into the crystal ball, flowing at an incredible rate.
It was the same phenomenon he'd experienced before.
The crystal ball began to shift colors, its brilliance intensifying.
Suddenly, a booming sound echoed in his mind. Kaizen's consciousness was pulled into a strange space, and hazy figures appeared before him.
A young man dressed in black with piercing eyes.
A stoic girl with short orange hair.
A calm, middle-aged man with a beard.
An ancient, withered old man.
And a red-haired girl wielding a sharp blade.
Each figure stepped into the crystal ball before the space shattered.
Kaizen's consciousness snapped back to reality.
With a single thought, a figure materialized before him.
At the same time, information surged into his mind:
"Akutagawa Ryunosuke! A character from the world of Bungo Stray Dogs. His ability: Rashomon."
Kaizen reviewed the data.
Akutagawa Ryunosuke—a mad dog born in the slums. Hardened by a painful past, he became infamous as a ruthless gang enforcer. After his partner's death, he was recruited by Dazai Osamu. Even after Dazai left the gang, Akutagawa remained a key figure.
"Rashomon is versatile," Kaizen mused.
(T/N: The author wrote something obscure about his abilities, so I just took the info from Wiki.)
Akutagawa's ability Rashōmon transforms his overcoat into a dark monster capable of slicing through anything, even space itself. He can also use his ability with other clothing.
The figure before him matched the description perfectly: pale skin, a long black cloak, short black hair, and a white scarf around his neck. His expression was as cold as ice.
"It's a good addition," Kaizen muttered, dismissing Akutagawa with a thought.
He evaluated his current resources: Altan for intelligence gathering, Killer Queen for precise destructive power, and now Akutagawa for mid-range combat.
Each complemented the others.
The next morning, Kaizen and Sally made their way to the airship terminal. Their destination: Heavens Arena.
Altan had already secured tickets for them.
"Kaizen, what's my home like?" Sally asked as they boarded the airship.
Kaizen hesitated briefly before replying.
"Actually, Sally, you don't have a home."
"What?" Sally stopped mid-step, her eyes wide with confusion.
"You see, after I rescued you, we became friends and started traveling together. We've moved from city to city without settling down," Kaizen explained.
He continued, fabricating details to make the story convincing.
"When we reached Heavens Arena, I became a fighter there. After making it to the 200th floor, I was assigned a luxury suite, where I stayed with some friends—Nina and Shizuku."
"You didn't fight because you were scared of combat, but you lived nearby and supported us. Maybe seeing them again will help you remember your past."
Sally listened quietly, her expression a mix of doubt and hope.
"Thank you, Kaizen. You've always been so kind to me," she said earnestly.
Kaizen offered her a small smile, hiding his unease about the lie.
Three days later, the airship landed.
"We're here," Kaizen announced, pointing to the towering Heavens Arena. "That's where we used to live."
Sally gazed at the colossal structure, nodding slowly.
Inside the Arena, Nina's phone buzzed.
"Is it Kaizen?" Shizuku asked, peeking over Nina's shoulder.
Nina smiled. "Yeah, Kaizen's coming back."
However, as she read the message, her expression turned slightly odd.
Kaizen had mentioned Sally in the message, noting that she was a new teammate but had memory issues. He conveniently left out details and fabricated an elaborate backstory.
Nina raised an eyebrow but said nothing, silently preparing to meet their "new recruit."
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