Chapter 58: Chapter 58

Jin’s POV
   It has been peaceful these past few days. No spirits came out in droves to try and murder the local populace. No youkais appeared and somehow caused harm. There was a case where a vampire was brutally eaten but that was it. On a very side note, it was decided that the barbecue party will be postponed until further notice due to the ghost problem.

   Jin won’t be fooled, however. He could tell that this is a calm before the storm moment. He just doesn’t know what kind of storm is coming.

   This morning, Jin received another call from Sergeant Wakaba.

   “There were a trio of, well, let’s just call them civilians, who got severely injured. According to them, a girl who’s wearing a Hanya mask attacked them with a large sledgehammer.” she reported.

   “Did those three do something to upset someone and got on their nerves?” he asked.

   “They admitted that they were extorting money from an old lady.”

   “So, she was just being a Hero of Justice or something?”

   “I can overlook it if all she did was rough them up a bit. However, the arm of one of them was broken, and another lost half of his teeth. The third one is in a comatose from receiving a heavy impact to the head. This is more than just saving a helpless citizen. There’s also that sledgehammer.”

   “Pardon me but, why are you telling me all this? It sounds like a vigilante who went on a rampage, and it’s not part of my jurisdiction.”

   “Actually, I wasn’t really done with my story yet. The two, ahem, civilians who were still conscious also told me that before she started her attack, she brought out a small scale out of nowhere. Then, a small orb appeared on each side of the scale, one black and one white. As they watch, the side with the black orb tilted all the way down. That’s when she said “Judgment shall be passed”. Before they could do anything, the got bound by chains that also appeared out of nowhere. Since they couldn’t move one bit, they were just sitting ducks for her sledgehammer’s blows.”

   “Ah, now that’s more like it.”

   “Do you think she’s from Ifezan?”

   “I won’t deny that possibility. Then again, she could also be a local. I guess we need to catch her in order to find out.”

   A few more days go by, and her vigilante work is getting more and more well-known. There are no deaths so far, and the one who had it the worst was the guy whom Sergeant Wakaba mentioned that ended up in a comatose. Everyone else got broken bones and limbs, losing a few teeth and/or other injuries for committing crimes like theft, robbery, and being a pain in public places. The public is loving her even though the punishments she gave out are a bit too much. According to the survey a news network conducted, her approval rate is 83%. Compared to that, Silver Wolf’s is only 19%.

   “This new masked hero is doing a much better work than Silver Wolf! The government should hire her to protect us and get rid of Silver Wolf!” the news anchor said passionately while facing the camera.

   “Does that mean that you’ll lose your job soon?” Nyri asked.

   Jin only grunted at that.

   “I doubt that even the weakling PM will be this easily pressured into firing me just because someone more popular showed up. Still, there’s a possibility that I might get fired.”

   “Why are you being so nonchalant about it? If you’re out of a job, that means you can’t afford to get me lots of food!”

   “Not my problem.”

   “Grr…”

   Then again, he didn’t receive any calls regarding his job, so he guess that he gets to keep it for now. Furthermore, the police aren’t approving of the things that Hanya Mask (temporary) are doing.

   “She was not given the green light to punish those who broke the law, and she will never be given one for taking the laws into her own hands without asking for permission first. As such, she will be treated as a criminal just like those she judged.” Captain Yamasaki said in an interview.

   “But, she’s helping out in her own ways!” a news reporter argues.

   “Granted, we do agree with that. However, she has already caused grievous bodily on several individuals. We can forgive a few cuts and bruises, but not broken bones, and certainly not causing a comatose. Furthermore, she has not come to us and reveal her true intentions of doing all these. As such, we cannot trust her.”

   “What about Silver Wolf, then?”

   “He’s different. He has revealed his true identity to us, he has offered his service to us, and most importantly he has not harm a single civilian until now. I would say that these are more than enough proofs to argue that he’s on our side.”

   “Still-”

   Click!

   The interview got boring, so Jin switched to another channel where they’re broadcasting another news about a random company.

   “Do you have something that you want to eat in particular tonight?” Jin asks Nyri as he gets up fro the sofa so that he could prepare dinner.

   “Not really. You know I’m not very choosy.”

   “True.”

   As he’s preparing dinner, he begins to contemplate the events of these past few days. Neither Tengu nor evil version of Fox Lady are defeated, and now both of them can’t be found. To make things worse, there’s a random mask-wearing vigilante out there who’s causing problems. Will this ever end?

   “Say, your family name is Minase, right?” Nyri asks all of a sudden.

   “Yeah. What about it?”

   She didn’t answer, so Jin looks up from his cooking. She’s pointing at the television, and the screen shows the scenery of the same company as just now.

   Wait a minute.

   “Did I just hear them mention Minase Corporation just now?” he asks just to make sure.

   “Sure did.”

   Sure enough, the camera cuts to his father Minase Takeji next. Jin has to stop cooking and take multiple deep breaths in order to calm himself. If he didn’t, he would have either smashed the induction cooker that he’s using right now, or the television, or the entire apartment in a fit of rage for seeing literally the number one person he hates in all the worlds that might or might not exist. Once he’s sure that he’s calm, he looks at the screen once more.

   It has been almost two years since Jin last saw his father. The years were neither kind nor harsh to the man since he still pretty much looks the same. A bit too similar to Jin for his liking. He dreads that he’s going to look like his father when he got older.

   He has to say, he didn’t miss his father at all. Father or no, he still hates every fiber of his being. All the unhappy memories were dug up from the deepest part of his mind all at one, and he had to calm himself down once more.

   Calm down. Just because you can murder him it doesn’t mean that you should. It’s not worth it…

   “Congratulations on the expansion of your empire, Chairman Minase.” an unseen reporter is telling his father in the interview.

   Now that Jin looks at the heading, it reads, “Minase Corporation absorbs three more companies this morning. CEO vows to dominate the entire Tokyo area by the end of this week”.

   “Thank you. That said, anyone could have done it, though-” his father answers.

   Ugh, there he goes again with his smug, condescending expression and tone. He’s saying something modest, but the way he looks and sounds sure isn’t convincing anyone. And he’s going to mention Waseda next.

   “-studying at Waseda University was the best choice of my life.”

   Called it.

   “That said, this has caused quite a lot of unemployment. Will it not affect your conscience?” the reporter asks.

   “Hardly. This is how the world works. The weak will get devoured by the strong. That’s all there is to it. If you’re not happy with it, you can try to climb up from the depths of hell and pull me down from my throne. That’s how I was constantly treated when I was younger, so the others can’t complain about it.”

   Wow, just wow. So it’s okay to ruin others’ lives just because you yourself was treated the same?

   Still, something about his father seems…different. Jin couldn’t exactly put it into words, however, so he decides to leave it at that. Besides, what if he’s different? He made it very clear that Jin isn’t part of his family.

   “Your pops is a busy man.”

   Jin focuses on his cooking again since the food is slowly getting burnt.

   “Doesn’t have anything to do with me.”

   “Do you want me to change the channel?”

   “Please do.”

   Nyri obliges and uses the remote to change the channel. Now the screen is showing the Ueno zoo and its new inhabitants: a pair of pandas which arrived all the way from China. The unseen narrator mentions that the government has spent millions so that the pandas could thoroughly enjoy their stay here.

   “Why do people spent so much money on a pair of bears that don’t do anything?” Nyri asks.

   “Your guess is as good as mine. A lot of their people are suffering, and still they import those lazy good-for-nothings to be spoiled. And from China, of all places.”

   He pauses.

   “Speaking of an animal that doesn’t do a thing, my house has one too. One of these days, I have to deal with her once and for all.”

   “You won’t. that’s what you always said, but you never do it.”

   “Hence the one of these days.”

   Still, Jin admits that the pandas are cute. Seeing them going on with their daily lives healed him a little and made him forget about the disgusting man he just saw at the television.

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   After they’re done eating their dinner, Jin does the usual washing and drying of the dishes. Once he’s done, he gets ready to head outside. For this sole purpose, he bought a mask and a baseball cap so that it’s harder for him to be recognized.

   “Heading out again?” Nyri asks.

   “Yup. Just in case those ghosts show up again. I need to patrol for that girl who wears the mask too.”

   “Just don’t stay out too late. I might need to eat midnight snack again.”

   “There’s some instant noodles inside one of the cabinets.”

   “But they won’t be enough to make me full!” she protests.

   He merely shrugs.

   “Too bad. If you don’t want to starve, it’s either you go back to the Vault, learn on how to cook, or wait for me to come back.”

   While grumbling inaudibly, she gets up from the sofa in order to turn on the game console that Jin just bought the other day.

   It’s true that Jin could just send his clone outside while the original is being all cosy inside his apartment. However, he doesn’t want to take the risk in case a really strong ghost or youkai appeared. He’s also unclear as to the Hanya Mask’s true strength. Best to be cautious.

   Not five minutes later, he’s already regretting his decision on going out. It’s just the beginning of November, and yet people are already starting to hang up their Christmas decorations. He hates Christmas. He was never invited to a Christmas party, and he definitely doesn’t have a girlfriend to spend the day with. He just wish something would happen that day so that it’s somehow canceled.

   His walk brought him to the outskirt of the city. There are less people here, and crimes tend to happen around here. Jin might end up witness a crime happening which would attract Hanya Mask, or he himself might get mugged. Only time could tell.

   And then Jin saw him. A drunken male office worker who’s wobbling around and barely able to walk. That guy will be a good target for muggers. Or maybe the mugger will target Jin. Either way works so long as Hanya Mask appears.

   The middle-aged man with a rescinding hairline soon walks to a tree and faces it. As Jin is wondering what he’s doing, he hears the sound of zippers being opened. Next, he hears the sound of him urinating. The man is whistling in a light-hearted way as he’s doing his business.

   She appeared right after he pulled up his zippers. Jin has to give her credit. She was so stealthy he barely noticed her arriving. The office worker, on the other hand, didn’t notice her until he turned to her direction. He was so frightened at the sight of her that he fells to the ground buttocks first.

   “W-What do you want with me?” he asks with a frightened tone.

   Instead of answering, she reaches out her right hand, and an old school scale made of some shiny metal appears. There’s a sphere the size of a lime on both sides of the scales, one black and one white. As all of them watch, the side with the black sphere tilts slightly downwards. When Jin said slightly, he meant that the scale barely moved. Hanya Mask was quiet for a moment before she starts speaking.

   “Next time, go do your business in a toilet. And remember to wash your hands the first chance you get!” she tells the man sternly.

   “Yes, I’ll remember that for the rest of my life! And I’ll definitely wash my hands right after this!” the man promises like his life depends on it.

   Satisfied, she gestures at him to buzz off. He quickly gets up and leaves the place. Hanya Mask is about to leave as well, but Jin is not going to let her do that. He quickly deploy his fully armored clone and makes it appear in front of her.

   She got all stiff the moment she saw the clone. While she’s being distracted, Jin leaves the place quietly. His plan is to hide inside a toilet or something until something happens which needs him to deal with personally.

   “I was hoping that you’d show up.” she tells the clone with a tone that implies she’s spitting out the words.

   “Why? You want my autograph or something?”

   “You know what you did!”

   Jin makes the clone tilts its head.

   “What exactly did I do?”

   “You refused to help others without being paid!”

   “Hey, a man has to earn his living. I ain’t running a charity, you know?”

   Strange. Jin is sure that he had this conversation somewhere.

   “You had been terrorizing the people of Japan for all this while!”

   “Not true. Didn’t you see the survey? 19% of the interviewed folks think that I’m doing a good job, and those are just the interviewed ones.”

   “They were brainwashed by you!”

   “Where’s your proof in that?”

   Naturally, she couldn’t offer any.

   “Enough! It’s time for your judgment!”

   The scale appears in her hand once again. This time, it moved quite a lot. The side with the white sphere, that is. Hanya Mask stares at the scale. Jin is pretty sure that she looks absolutely dumbfounded behind her mask.

   “That’s impossible…” she mutters.

   “There. Now you can’t say that I’m a menace or something.”

   “Silence! I’m the one who’s going to decide that!”

   She tosses her scale aside, and a sledgehammer appears on her hand next. She swings it towards the clone and intend to bash its head off. Unfortunately for her, the clone itself is more than enough to subdue her. In fact, she’s so weak that the clone doesn’t even need to cast Strengthen on itself to block the blow.

   “Under normal circumstances, I would have iced you and hand you over to the police. The only reason I’m not doing that immediately is because you’re not as ruthless as I thought you were.” Jin tells her through the mouth of the clone. “So I’ll give you one last chance. Do you want to do this the easy way or the hard way?”

   “Do your worst!” she shouts.

   “Fair enough. You asked for it.”

   The clone contains her within a huge block of ice, sledgehammer and all. Once she’s taken care of, Jin calls Sergeant Wakaba.

   “Good evening, Sergeant Wakaba. I’ve caught the girl who’s wearing the Hanya mask.” he tells her.

   “Already? Well done.”

   A pause.

   “You didn’t hurt her too badly, did you?”

   “You wound me, sergeant. You know I would never hurt a fly. All I did was turn her into a huge popsicle.”

   “In that case, please bring her to the police station. I’, coming over right now.”

   “Understood.”

   Just to be safe, Jin brought Hanya Mask to the police station personally. The police officers who were stationed there were so used to seeing him they didn’t even bat an eyelid when he arrived, even though he was carrying a block of ice with a human inside it. It can’t fit through the door that leads inside one of the interrogation room, so Jin has to be content by just putting it near the reception counter.

   Jin had to wait a while until Sergeant Wakaba arrives. It’s not like he has anything better to do, and the ice is not going to melt unless he wills it, so no harm done. Eventually, arrives she did.

   “Sorry for being late, Silver Wolf.” she says to him the moment she arrives.

   “No worries.”

   She looks at the block of ice.

   “So, she’s the one?” she asks him.

   “Sure is. She used her powers right in front of my eyes, so there’s no mistake.”

   “Well, I guess we should question her. Can you thaw her?”

   “Right away.”

   He faces the ice block, but didn’t melt it immediately.

   “Now, I made it so that you could hear me while you’re in there, so listen carefully since I’ll only say this once. I’m going to defrost you right now. After you’re free, it’s probably wise if you don’t try anything stupid. You have been warned.” he tells Hanya Mask.

   Once he’s done with the warning, he proceeds to thaw the ice. The entire block disappears without a trace, and Hanya Mask can move again. Even through her mask, Jin could feel her hostile glare. After three quiet seconds, she put away her sledgehammer.

   “Mask off, please.” he requests.

   She did as she was told. When those near them saw her true identity, majority of them let out a small gasp. Jin recognizes her too, but didn’t react in any way in case it might blow off his cover.

   Turns out Date Jr. is Hanya Mask. Wow.

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