Awakening

Among the audience, there were many that stubbornly refused to give up, but the people who felt the most depressed were Takeda and Yoshikawa.

“We’re that fellow’s friends, they’re not even giving us a little preferential treatment?” Takeda vigorously kicked the Karate club’s door, loudly protesting.

“Let’s smash their windows.” Yoshikawa picked up a stone as big as a tennis ball, without the others knowing where he picked it up from.

“Hey, if we use something that big we’ll get beaten to death. Go find a smaller one.” Takeda reasoned.

“I hope that Masashi can take on a hundred enemies otherwise there will be more clubs coming to bother him afterwards. Earlier we had an agreement, that in the future I would merely be a passer-by, don’t even try getting me into your trouble.” Shiraishi Akira leisurely said.

“Still we had best consider not smashing the windows or we’d soon be dead men. And if the stone we had thrown accidentally hit Masashi, it wouldn’t be good.” Yoshikawa casually threw the stone in his hand aside.

“You coward, the worst thing that could happen to us after breaking the windows would be that we would need to replace them.” Takeda angrily said.

Shiraishi Akira didn’t have time to deal with the rebellious duo’s conversation, right now he was more concerned about Masashi, hoping that he would come out without anything bad happening to him.

Different from the prior three clubs, which had only numbered slightly more than 35 people which was considerably less compared to the Karate club’s. After he seeing the scene when Masashi had beaten them up, which looked more exaggerated than Bruce Lee’s fighting scenes in the movies, he felt as if this guy had inhuman abilities. But this time the club causing him trouble was too big, so it was extremely worrying.

After waiting for nearly half an hour, the crowd outside began to leave. And only a few more than 10 students were anxiously waiting for the final results. They even recognized people like Tanigawa who were in the newspaper club, it seems like they wanted to get in the first-hand scoop on the situation.

It was worth mentioning that since the newspaper club wrote an article about Masashi’s accomplishments in causing casualties, which was composed of blood and tears just like a memoir, more people had read about ‘Gennai Masashi’ regarding the devil that crawled out from the very hells. But it was because of Masashi’s special contribution that the newspaper club that no one ever regarded, all of a sudden became popular, almost all their prints were sold out. And it must be said that the only person in the entire school who was grateful to Masashi was the president of the newspaper club.

After another half an hour passed, Tanigawa and Takeda started to get worried. Against the previous clubs, Masashi had only used 10 minutes before coming out. But this time it had actually dragged on for nearly an hour.....

“It looks like that fellow couldn’t come out unscathed this time. That piece of shit, I had also betted for him to win.” A student complained.

“I told you that guy wouldn’t have a good ending. You really were stupid enough to bet for him to win. Wasn’t the result obvious? The Karate club excluding the basketball club, is the biggest club in the school. That fellow is fierce but it’s still impossible for him to overthrow these many people.”

“What did you two pieces of shit say? Do you dare say it again and see what happens.” Takeda was an impulsive kind of person and without thinking he ran towards them.

“It’s none of your business, we’re not talking about you.” Seeing Takeda run towards them, as well as Yoshikawa slowly walking towards them, the two began to get scared.

“In short, you’re saying that you’re extremely unhappy with my friend.” Under the influence of Lei Yin who had beaten up three clubs, Takeda these days became obviously energetic.

Yoshikawa Jiro joined Takeda, making sound as he pressed his fingers one by one and then imitating the fighting stance in the Fist of North Star.

The two students were afraid to say anything, and hurriedly ran away.

Takeda feeling a little accomplished happily looked at the two who had fled.

“We can’t wait for him again, we need to go in and see what has happened.” Shiraishi Akira said with a deep voice.

The other two nodded, and went to the club door.

Knocking on the door, there were no reaction, while Yoshikawa found the discarded stone on the flowerbed.

“What do we do now? It isn’t good to smash the window.”

“Fool, don’t you watch movies? To open a locked door, the best solution is to break it open with a heavy object.”

“You’re the idiot, isn’t using your feet better?” With that, Takeda kicked the door.

And sure enough, the wooden door started to show signs of getting loose.

When Takeda had once again kicked the door, it suddenly opened. Opening the door, the three who were hoping that nothing had happened to Masashi were instead greeted by a person wearing a karate suit while a white belt was tied up on his waist, a member of the Karate club.

Seeing a member of the Karate club just after opening the door, the three’s complexion changed. It seems likely that there was an accident.

Takeda was the first to get upset, asking himself why they hadn’t stopped Masashi who had went inside alone. He thought that he was blinded by his self-confidence towards him.

“You three are Gennai-san’s friends? Our captain had asked you to go in.” Seeing the polite manner the of a member of the Karate club had towards them made them a little surprised.

The Karate club was the second largest club, the place where they practice were 1.5 times bigger than a basketball court. Moreover, inside there was also a small reception room as well as a restroom. The member of the Karate club had exactly taken them to the reception room.

Seeing that along the way, the members of the Karate club weren’t actually hurt in any way and were doing their usual punching and kicking exercise, had made it seemed like World War II didn’t happen.

What was this about, with Masashi’s strength, even if he had lost, he would have at least overthrown one person. Surely these guys had used despicable means to beat him. Takeda had now imagined Masashi’s end his heart was filled with intense grief.

Yoshikawa’s face also changed, although his relationship with Lei Yin was not as close as Takeda, but since the time they had met, he felt that the guy was really a very nice person to get along, even making him feel at ease.

Japan had a hierarchical system, even in university it was also so. Looking at the Karate club member gently knocking on the door, unsure if the Karate club captain and his staffs were inside.

“Please come in.” Takeda knew that voice, it was Soma Nagaichi. Thinking that the guy had done something Takeda was on fire.

It seemed like the karate club’s fund was really a lot, inside the reception room, there was a faux Italian style leathered sofa. The floor was spotless. On the oak-made coffee table, there was a white porcelain tea set. The staffs immediately greeting the guest.

Seeing Lei Yin leisurely sipping tea like he was a guest, Takeda and Yoshikawa’s jaw almost fell.

“Are you here for tea?” Seeing his friend’s safety, the rebellious youth was filled with a strong emotion of grief yet again.

“Why, can’t I have tea here?” Lei Yin asked.

“Weren’t you here to beat them up? Why are you comfortably sitting here enjoying a cup of tea?” Takeda asked with aggrieved appearance, worrying about this guy for so long and to think he was just enjoying an afternoon cup of tea. They felt deeply discontented.

“The fight had already finished, of course, I wanted to have a good rest. But since Soma Nagaichi invited me for a cup of tea, I stayed. If you weren’t arguing too much outside, I wouldn’t have wanted you to come in. After all, they had used their fund to buy the finest tea, and I was just a guest, so I was embarrassed to ask them to let you guys come in.” Lei Yin righteously said.

“Gennai-san....” Soma Nagaichi a little embarrassedly said.

“Rest assured, I won’t tell people that you were using your club’s money to buy the finest tea as well as the finest tea set.

Soma Nagaichi wryly smiled. He already knew that he shouldn’t say too much to this fellow.

“What’s the matter?” Seeing that the two who supposedly just had a life and death battle were now chatting like friends Takeda and Yoshikawa were bewildered.

After Soma Nagaichi greeted them the three sat down and each were given a cup of tea.

“Much thanks to Gennai-san for showing mercy, and not injuring many of our club’s members.” Soma Nagaichi said to Lei Yin, which was equivalent to tell the other three what had happened.

“The way people treats me, that’s how I treat them. Because you weren’t like the other three clubs, claiming that it’s just a contest, and then all rushing towards me. In contrast, you had sent members one by one in the competition, so I had regarded it as just comparing notes.” Lei Yin had a favorable impression of Soma Nagaichi.

“Although those people had said nothing good about Gennai-san our karate club isn’t like the other clubs confusing right and wrong. We, after closely investigating Gennai-san and having collected all evidence know that these people were just spreading rumors and causing trouble for you. However after looking at Gennai-san’s skill, as a martial artist, I had hoped to have a competition with you, if we had offended you, please forgive us. Seeing Gennai-san’s skillfulness, I Soma Nagaichi am sincerely convinced.”

“Come on, you’re just a student, for you to use such an old tone at such an age is inappropriate, while you do look older than your actual age, you’re not as serious as an uncle.” Lei Yin didn’t know how to digress in such a situation.

Takeda and Yoshikawa had an urge to roll their eyes, this guy really doesn’t deserve any sympathy.

“Well, it’s getting too late. We’ll be going.” Lei Yin stood up and stretched.

“Gennai-san, as thanks for your guidance, we the karate club will strive to clarify the truth for you. I hope you won’t refuse.” Soma Nagaichi followed up.

“It’s up to you, anyway, what they like to say to others is what they want them to believe. If it’s too much trouble, I’d advise you to leave it, I really don’t mind, at worst I’d just have to fight many of them again. Good, you don’t need to send us out.”

“I hope you’ll come back here with a few guests, the karate club welcomes you.” Soma Nagaichi opened the door of the reception room.

Seeing that Lei Yin and Takeda came out neatly, the newspaper club who were waiting at the entrance cheered. Tomorrow they’ll have another good headline: Godzilla swept the Karate Club away, who will try to save Teikyou University this time?

“What is wrong with them?” Lei Yin looked at the people who were strangely happy.

“Don’t know, too shock maybe.” Takeda speculated without minding them.

—

In the command room at the third floor of the police headquarters in Tokyo, a police officer in his early thirties was using a projector explaining the course of action to his other colleagues sitting around the table.

“The top brass have attached great importance to this case, in order not to cause public panic we are to solve this case as soon as possible. So, if you don’t have any other questions, please act according to the plan, the district police will also cooperate with us.” Watanabe Muramasa paused to say.

“I have a question.” Suddenly, a cool female voice rang in the dark room.

“Please ask, battalion adviser.”

“Why are all the policewoman in the district responsible for being the bait to make the criminal come out? According to the report, that blood-sucking freak doesn’t seem to have a tendency of attacking any sole females. Unless Watanabe-san of the National Police Agency still believes that women are more vulnerable to attacks and is more suitable for being the bait?”

The words of the policewoman had caused a lot of police officers to discuss among themselves. Some even showing an ambiguous smiles on their faces.

The expression on Watanabe Muramasa’s face appeared to be a little awkward, he coughed saying: “Battalion adviser, this is part of the plan, the top had also approved of this.”

“Is this the top’s thoughts or police Watanabe’s personal thoughts?” The Battalion adviser Eiko’s voice resounded once again.

Watanabe of the National Police Agency was against her, and in heart was irritated, when he was about to speak, suddenly, a man at the side spoke: “I believe that making lone female police officers carry out such a dangerous task shouldn’t be considered. Although there are other police officers in the peripheral ready to move and make the operation under control, but there is no guarantee that no accidents would happen, so I think that delegating a male police officer to take the bait would be quite better. I hope that the battalion adviser doesn’t think that I’m a sexist.” Ryoutaro Maeda said with a deep tone.

Although he had a small family background, he was still the most experienced in crime investigation, so other police officers don’t dare to ignore his opinion. And quickly, some of the police officers had also supported his suggestion.

“Since every one has objected to the plan, I will discuss it with the top again. As for other matters, does anyone have any questions?” Police Watanabe subconsciously looked in the direction where Battalion Adviser Eiko was sitting.

Fortunately, she didn’t bring up any other embarrassing questions making Police Watanabe relieved at heart.

After leaving the meeting room, Battalion advisor Eiko walked towards Ryoutaro Maeda and said: “Maeda-san, are you interested in drinking a cup of coffee with me?”

“I remember some people have said that rejecting a beautiful woman’s request is a crime. I am honored.” Maeda said with a smile.

“I didn’t know that Maeda-san knew how to crack jokes, it seems like your wife’s contribution was not small.” Eiko Kotoshi smiled.

“Eiko-san, do you have time to talk?” Police Watanabe came up and said.

“I’m sorry, I have an appointment with Maeda-san, maybe next time. Let’s go, Maeda-san.” Eiko Kotoshi revealed a cold expression.

Ryoutaro Maeda looked at Police Watanabe, and afterwards bowed following closely behind the female police officer.

Police Watanabe watched helplessly as she got farther away from him.

Outside the coffee shop, Eiko Kotoshi was absentmindedly stirring her steaming hot coffee.

“Maeda-san, what kind of person do you think about this time’s murderer?”

Maeda placed down his cup of coffee, “To be honest, this time’s murderer is a little strange.”

“Strange?” Eiko Kotoshi didn’t know how to react to what he had said.

“What I’m saying is contrary to being a professional police officer, but I think that this time’s psychotic killer isn’t so simple even I’m not sure if the killer is human or not.”

“Maeda-san, what you’re saying is very confusing.”

“You should have seen the forensic reports of several of the deceased, I believe you’re like me, and had a profound impression of the teeth marks as well as the claw marks on the deceased bodies. I also thought that the killer may have deliberately put on artificial teeth and sharp claws before committing the crime. But after seeing the bodies of several of the deceased, I started to doubt my own judgement. In particular, the emergence of the fourth casualty, had made my doubts increase. The deceased’s right thigh was broken as if the person himself held an enormous strength. How could an ordinary person twist a struggling adult man’s thigh into something like that?” Thinking about the forensic photos, Maeda temporarily lost his appetite to drink his coffee.

“You mean monsters really do exist?” Eiko Kotoshi felt something stirring in her mind from their discussion.

“We still don’t have any witnesses nor any image of the murderer, so can’t conclude so quickly. In any case, we’d better be careful when handling this case.”

“Thank you for Maeda-san’s reminder.” Eiko Kotoshi were one of the very few who appreciated Ryoutaro Maeda’s talents. She appreciated his solid principles as well as honest attitude. In addition to that she wouldn’t mind him becoming her boss, this point was very important.

“This maybe a bit offensive, but to be honest, you’re kind of like someone I know. No, you’re older than she is, but she’s kind of like you. I don’t mean that you look the same, but your temperament is very similar.” Maeda suddenly said something that had nothing to do with the case.

“Can you tell me who that is?”

“My stepdaughter, she’s called Kazumi, now in her first year in Teikyou University.”

“She should be my junior then.” Eiko Kotoshi smiled.