The squirming shadow disappeared, and the chilly aura dissipated. Everything returned to normal.

This murderer was unexpectedly timid and did not have the tyranny nor madness he thought he would have.

That's right. Is.h.i.+kawa Kaito was clearheaded, and his answers to the questions were rational.

Since Is.h.i.+kawa Kaito seems like a normal person, it points to a large possibility that 'Sakura Yuuki' is still alive in this world. Moreover, this Sakura Yuuki is also extremely dangerous.

How can a woman who can drive a murderer like Is.h.i.+kawa Kaito around to take pleasure in his murders be someone good?

Could Sakura Yuuki really have revived?

Even after pondering for some time, Kitagawa Tera could not reach a conclusion.

As mentioned earlier, if Sakura Yuuki truly had extraordinary powers like Kitagawa Tera, she would not need to send someone like Is.h.i.+kawa Kaito to murder.

And there was another survivor in the fire ten years ago.

If he could find the survivor, he should be able to get to the truth of the matter.

All of the clues now pointed to the only survivor in Ha.s.san City ten years ago.

Furthermore…

The system notice came again.

'Mission chain in progress (Three)'

'There may be a hidden wild and brutal serial murderer in the city. He has superb skills and cunningness, and he is proficient in surgical operations. He has caused pain to countless women and is everywhere. It might be the little girl you are talking to or the police superintendent you trust. You are getting closer to the truth now but vaguely feel that things might not be as simple as you thought. Everything still seems to be shrouded in mystery…'

'Condition for Completion: Please find this deranged murderer. Catch him/her or… kill him/her.'

'Reward for Mission Completion: Spirit Dagger Kanesada'

He looked at the third part of the mission chain that popped up.

Kitagawa Tera frowned as he fell into deep thought. Arano Ryoko finally appeared breathlessly.

She really did not expect that Kitagawa Tera could chase after the psychopath so far.

"Kid, are you hurt?" Arano Ryoko asked even though she saw Kitagawa Tera standing by the roadside unharmed.

"No." Kitagawa Tera shook his head calmly and pointed at the fainted murderer on the ground. "Is.h.i.+kawa Kaito."

"Is.h.i.+kawa Kaito?" Arano Ryoko was mentally prepared, but she was still unable to suppress the surprise in her heart after hearing Kitagawa Tera's confirmation.

She looked at Kitagawa Tera's calm expression and could not help asking, "You dared to chase after him knowing he is a murderer?"

"He can't beat me. It's that simple." Kitagawa Tera did not boast about apprehending the culprit, and his tone was the same as usual.

This rascal!

Arano Ryoko had a sudden urge to smoke again.

But now was not the time for that. She could only quickly call the police station, explain the details, and ask them to swiftly get someone on the scene.

Arano Ryoko had truly received proper professional training. She was meticulous in her reporting and managed to summarize the situation with a few words.

"Remember to call an ambulance," Kitagawa Tera interrupted while listening. "I overdid it a little."

Overdid it? Holding suspicions, Arano Ryoko walked to Is.h.i.+kawa Kaito and felt all over his body. Broken ribs and the abnormal shape of the calf meant it wasn't spared.

Moreover, Is.h.i.+kawa Kaito screamed from time to time while unconscious, as though haunted by nightmares.

Arano Ryoko could not resist taunting him, "??? Who is the psychopath, you or him! Why do I feel like you'll become a tricky fellow to deal with if I leave you be."

"That's defamation, Superintendent Arano." Kitagawa Tera said righteously, "He's a burly fellow and launched an attack on me. Logically speaking, it should be legitimate self-defense."

"I don't care!" Arano Ryoko was caught between laughter and tears.

To be honest, it was the first time she encountered such a situation since being a police officer all these years.

A seemingly harmless student with a bat drove an atrocious murderer into a corner.

If it had not happened right before her eyes, she probably would not believe it.

Wouldn't this kid be pestered to death by the media if this were to get out?

t.i.tles such as 'The Nation's Hope' and 'The Empire's Protector' would be slapped upon this fierce sixteen-year-old high school student then… It might not be as exaggerated, but the media would definitely take the chance to hype it.

Furthermore, Arano Ryoko understood Kitagawa Tera's character.

He was the typical person with a quiet personality, and he would not get into the limelight unless necessary.

Compared to the waves in Arano Ryoko's mind, Kitagawa Tera remained very composed. He took out his phone and checked the time. He realized that the time on the screen had jumped to ten o'clock at night.

Kitagawa Eri should have reached home by now.

Kitagawa Tera did not intend to continue wasting time here, so he immediately said, "I won't need to give my statement tonight, right? Things were just like what Ryoko-san saw. This person jumped out and attacked me, and then I subdued him."

"I know! I know! Scram home!" Arano Ryoko pouted.

This kid wanted her to clean up this mess for him.

The problem was she could not do that.

After Kitagawa Tera left, Arano Ryoko's gaze landed on the still unconscious Is.h.i.+kawa Kaito. She could not help but mutter to herself, "If this is truly Is.h.i.+kawa Kaito, this kid really gained an advantage."

Is.h.i.+kawa Kaito stirred up such an uproar in that year, and arresting him now would mean that she owed Kitagawa Tera one.

After all, this would win back some of the trust from the public that the police had lost.

"Tsk." Arano Ryoko fumbled around her front chest and found the cigarette box after some time.

She knocked it with her palm and lit a lady's cigarette.

After a while, she suddenly laughed. "This rascal…"

…

Kitagawa Tera did not take too much time to return home.

He saw the incandescent light of his front pillar lamp after two or three minutes of walking.

Kitagawa Tera took out his keys to open the metal gate and then opened the door.

The scene at the door startled him slightly.

Kamiya Mirai was kneeling at the front door. She gave a joyous cry when she saw him. "Terkun!"

"… What are you doing at the front door?" Kitagawa Tera walked into the house while taking off his scarf.

The temperature had risen, but it was still very cold. No matter how he thought, kneeling on the cold wooden floor like this would not be good for her body.

Seeing Kamiya Mirai not replying to him, Kitagawa Tera frowned. "I'll make this clear. I won't deduct anything from the thirty-five thousand yen even if you catch a cold."

Er…

This sentence made Kamiya Mirai, who was going to throw herself excitedly on him, stop.

It took her a long time to regain her composure. She looked at Kitagawa Tera with sad eyes. "… I was worried that you'd be hurt chasing after that guy. How can Terkun say something like this…"

She was really speechless.

Do I look like someone who doesn't pay my debts?

Kamiya Mirai was such a little girl. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got.

She finally puckered her lips and wanted to continue, but suddenly a huge sneeze hit Kitagawa Tera's face.

"…" Kamiya Mirai.

"…" Kitagawa Tera.

Kitagawa Tera blinked.

Kamiya Mirai blinked as well.

They exchanged gazes.