Everything was as Eishi had predicted. The New Tokyo Shelter's officials, being divided into two factions, could not maintain tight control over their lower forces. It wasn't just that.
The higher-ups are sorely aware of this matter, but they cannot do anything about it. The Zaibatsu faction's constriction was one thing. The main problem came from their lack of trustable manpower.
Without them, they cannot establish authority.
Without authority, they cannot establish order.
"Sir! W-we came across something important."
Inside the Prime Minister Hall's highest-level meeting room, several people sat around the table. The assistant who barged in wore a set of long-sleeves and a police vest. He hastily handed over a set of documents to the current Prime Minister, Shinzou Motoi. His somewhat murky eyes and deep eyebags showed the extreme stress he had been under in the last twenty days.
When he had skimmed the document, he gave a knowing nod before heaving a sigh. He faced his trusted delegates and officers—two of which are high-school students—and spoke:
"It has been confirmed. The esper who killed everyone in the General Inspections Office is Hiraoka Eishi."
Silence became prominent.
Japan's efforts in rebuilding its communication network led to a terrifying discovery. Out of its twelve major cities and dozens of smaller cities, only 40% responded. Out of this 40%, only 20% are government officials, with the rest being a mix of esper groups and military forces who chose to ignore the Prime Minister's authority.
Yokohama was a part of that 20%. Souichiro shared the events of Yokohama's eventual rise as well as the core person who kickstarted it all.
Hiraoka Eishi.
Investigations show he is a 'high-school' student. When they dug deeper, they found he was actually the one behind Japan's richest man. Though they found his lack of networks strange, the trillions of Yens he possessed were real.
They tracked his recent purchases. More than 60% of Japan's current basic supply chain was acquired under him. Grocery stores, pharmacies, hardware stores, he had bought all of their shares and took control of their companies.
Had it not been for his lack of networks, he might as well have acquired an international logistics chain consisting of supermarkets and the likes.
Everything they found out about it made his high-schooler identity completely overlooked. They viewed him as a man of immeasurable depths, one who had most likely predicted the descent of the apocalypse faster than the official channel did.
Whatever means he possessed, the resources he held, and the strength he exhibited, it is something they cannot clash as of now. The shelter is in a huge mess and infighting is happening. If someone as volatile as a strong esper is added into a mix, Motoi only sees a dark future headed towards this city… no, this country.
Under such a depressing atmosphere, the Prime Minister broke the silence.
"Hikigaya-san, do you think he can be reasoned with?"
Everyone turned to look at one of the two high-schoolers in the room. Their identities and ages made it disproportionate and odd, yet the adults showed no signs of disrespect.
Having his name mentioned by the Prime Minister, Hachiman subconsciously straightened his back. He recalled his brief meeting with Eishi.
"He did not kill indiscriminately. The ones he did mostly belonged outside the team we were assigned with."
He keenly noticed the 'death rates' surrounding Eishi. Not everyone in the General Inspections Office was killed. Similarly, not everyone in that hundred-man-team was killed. The majority belonged to the esper teams and government officials won over by the Zaibatsu's side.
Just look at Nobuyuki. They all knew he was a 'pawn' arranged by the Zaibatsu to undermine the government's authority.
Meaning to say…
"I will have to ask you to arrange a meeting with him. The Third ReconnaissanceTeam will be sent with you."
Pushed at the brink of despair, Motoi locked in and forgo all of his previous worries.
"Fu…Amane-san. Does your talent work on him? I want you to ask about his location, interests, and some of his personality."
The other high-schooler inside this meeting room was called out. Like Hachiman, Amane possessed a terrifying auxiliary talent—Omniscient Brain. Its function was simple:
He asks a question and the 'Omniscient Brain' answers them.
From the esper classifications—which they hadn't publicized until now—to the government's side barely resisting the Zaibatsu faction's supplies and manpower, a huge part is contributed by Amane.
If it wasn't for his prior conflict with the Fujimiya Zaibatsu, they wouldn't have acquired his help.
Amane remained silent for a moment, grasping the 'cost' his question would have. To his shock, asking that question would deplete his genetic energy and render him unconscious for several days!
The last time he encountered this was prior to the zergs' red comets. He asked about the specific day they would 'attack', which left him unconscious throughout the entire insect swarm ordeal.
Hearing Amane's words silenced everyone inside the room. The oppressive feeling one person gave him was something the Zaibatsus could never compare to.
"I will have to trouble you."
After bowing towards Amane, he left these words:
"Our main priority is establishing contact and cooperation with Hiraoka Eishi. We must prevent the other factions from committing harm."
""Yes!""
*****
Masato had just returned from the meeting with his faction. Generally, the shelter is divided into two. The Zaibatsu's influence, however, had already seeped into the government's side.
Though nothing was leaked out from the Prime Minister's Hall, watching their subsequent movements gave the Zaibatsu faction a chance to predict their next moves.
Unfortunately, they do not have the broken 'Omniscient Brain' nor any proper contacts in Yokohama. Souichiro's reclamation of official power, coupled with his second-order esper wife, prevented the establishment of large rogue esper forces who would cooperate with the Zaibatsu.
This led to them lacking intelligence about Eishi as well as his terrifying deeds.
The others Masato and the others received were to keep an eye on their 'posts'. They are to inform the higher-ups about the Third Reconnaissance Team's movements. Naturally, there are also esper groups designated to follow them.
He went home, satisfied of the new batch of evolution fruits given to him, when a terrified man ran straight to him.
"Oono-san! It's bad! An esper went straight to the twelfth floor!"
"What did you say?!"
His violent, sadistic tendencies flared up.
Marina is the meal he had been preparing for weeks. She is to be his best toy waiting to be broken. She is Masato's reverse scale; anyone who dared have any thoughts with her died in his hands.
His face reddened and veins popping, he sprinted straight to the twelfth floor. His physique as a first-order esper made it easy to ascend twelve floors in a matter of minutes.
Bam-!
Bam-!
Consecutive thuds resounded in the anti-theft door.
"Marina! Are you there?!"
Just as Masato was about to bang on the door, it opened on its own. A young man several centimeters above him, with a well-built physique, appeared in his sights. The invisible sense of intimidation emanating from him made Masato take a step back. The gap in 'life level' was there, not to mention Eishi's ten-fold increase of temperament.
"W-who are you?!"
Flames already sparked in his palms as he spoke. Masato never cared whether Eishi would answer. His main goal is to take him down in one go!
The flames had just left his palms when his vision shifted.
Bam-!
With one slap to the chest, he was sent flying across the hallway. Everyone who followed Masato saw their 'leader' beaten black and blue. His chest caved in slightly, his mouth spewing out blood.
"Kkuk..!"
From his optimal to near-death state, it only took a single blow.
Shivers were sent down their spine as they collectively stared at Eishi who stared in front of the opened door.
"Hiraoka-san..!"
Marina only reacted when Masato was sent flying. Her tense heart loosened as she looked at Eishi in relief. She was worried he would be implicated by her—killed at worst.
Seeing him come out unscathed—invincible, even—made her feel relieved… and hot. She blankly stared at Eishi, growing more and more charmed by this charismatic and handsome man. The budding sense of security she felt alongside him made her fall to this extent.
"Marina-san. I ask you to finish him off."
He handed over an ordinary M9A3 to her grasp. Feeling its cold and metallic feel, Marina froze.
"Remember what I taught you earlier."
"...Mhm."
Eishi took so long in this place purely to push Marina to 'develop'. This is a necessary process for everyone living in this apocalypse. Kill or be killed. Have the stronger fist to ensure one's safety and ideology.
Despite her hesitation, Marina's heart was burdened with Eishi's excessive help. If she cannot even tie her knot, how would she talk about repaying this huge favor?
Most importantly, Eishi talked about Airi's situation after her mealtime. Hearing her younger sister being capable enough to take down dozens of zombies and hostile espers left her with no other excuses.
Marina knew full well the feeling of living in fear and anxiety. Not having her life in her hands is the most despairing thing one could experience.
Step-by-step, he came with her as they reached the dying Masato. Marina shakily pointed the pistol to him. His eyes widened as she attempted to plead with her, only to fail due to the severe pain coming from his broken ribs.
"Ma—"
Bang-!
It was a direct shot to his chest. It did not kill him, aggravating his already severe injury.
Seeing Masato still breathing, Marina's courage exploded.
Bang-!
Bang-!
Bang-!
….
Soon, the entire magazine was emptied out. A pool of blood seeped to the floor. Masato stared at her wide-eyed, his heart no longer breathing.
"E-eek..!"
Everyone in the stairwell scrambled to run downstairs. He did not see any orange lights on them. Perhaps they are intimidated by his power that they lost any shred of resistance. Perhaps they wanted to drive Masato to his death. Eishi did not care. The orange lights speak for themselves.
Since it hasn't shown on them, he was willing to give them a chance.
'Since I am done here…'
He looked at the closed door nearby. A bright green light came from the inside. Seeing it move occasionally, Eishi is sure it is a living being. He then looked at Marina, who showed the same luminosity as it.
'A triple S confidante…'
Eishi is not one to pass on this opportunity.
"Is someone living here?" He asked.
"A high school student. I met her several times when going outside…"
"He didn't come knocking here? Strange…"
He roughly knew Masato's perverseness. Not touching Marina and waiting for her to break down completely is only something a sadistic fuck would do.
As for the resident behind this door, Eishi did not think about how they survived. All he cares about is that it worked.
'Should I barge in? But…'
Eishi did not proceed with this impulsive thought. Instead, he took out a small notebook, wrote something, and placed it beneath the anti-theft door.
He knocked on it several times and said:
"I know somebody's inside. I left a note beneath the door. Whatever that comes next is all up to you."
Marina was confused until she was gently tugged by him.
"Let's go."
"M-mhm…"
*****
Shiina Chizuru.
A high school student. She is an exemplary class monitor, placing consistently at the top three in terms of their entire school's academics. Her greatest secret is her admiration towards one of her teachers. His kindness made it difficult for Chizuru to look away from him.
Moments before the blood rain, she had discovered that her teacher was caught in a fraud allegation. Her school's missing funds go through his hands as its selected financial officer-slash-treasurer.
She had heard it from one of her friends who caught wind of the issue from the faculty room. Chizuru was planning to help her teacher when the apocalypse struck. She had just woken up when zombies spawned out of nowhere.
She was rather fortunate to have a habit of buying a month's worth of food. Living away from her parents taught her to manage her time responsibly.
That was how she avoided the dangers during the first twenty days of the apocalypse. She pretended nobody lived inside her flat. Coupled with the fact that Masato placed the entire twelfth floor in a blockade, it made it nigh-impossible for others to find her.
Now, it was different.
Someone found her.
Chizuru wasn't unaware of espers. She had seen information about them prior to her phone's shutdown. She surmised the man who knocked at her door is one of them.
'What should I do..?'