A man and a woman in casual clothing of a simple t-shirt and jeans walk into the Hero Association hospital. The man, wearing simple sunglasses, pushes the glasses up his forehead and walks to the reception counter.
The man with gelled brown hair and sharp eyes is an agent from the Hero Association, Hiroto Takezuki. The slim woman beside him with a sling bag over her shoulder is Kaede Mina, Hiroto's business partner.
The nurse behind the counter glanced up and turns her attention to him.
"Hello, we are from the Hero Association," Hiroto says, slipping a card out of his wallet and placing it on the counter.
The nurse takes the card and checks it. She nods and returns the card. Hiroto retrieves it before heading for the elevator with Kaede.
They reach a corridor of rooms and stop before a door labelled "4A-O".
*knock knock*
"We are from the Hero Association." Says Hiroto after knocking on the door.
"...Yes." A voice comes from within.
The door slides open to reveal Kaito in a hospital gown. He lies under the blanket as he stares at the ceiling.
"Mr Kaito. Hello, how was your day?"
"..."
...
Hiroto throws a glance at Kaede and she takes over, Hiroto walks to the door.
Kaede smiles at Kaito and sits beside his bed. "Don't worry, we will only be asking a few questions about someone you might know. We won't be prying into your condition. I am Kaede Mina." She says.
Kaito nods.
Kaede opens the sling bag and pulls out a picture of a delinquent pointing a middle finger. It's Youta, Ayato's first victim.
"He had gone missing about a month ago. Do you know anything about this?" Kaede asks.
Kaito shakes his head. "No..."
Kaede nods. "What was your relationship with him? And when was the last time you saw him?"
A throbbing pain spike in his chest when the virus reacted to the question. Kaito immediately deduced that this had something to do with Ayato, maybe he could use this chance to ask for help.
However...the pain reaffirmed Ayato's warning that he could see and hear everything that happened; Kaito's life is practically in Ayato's hands.
...
"Mr Kaito?" Says Kaede.
"He was my friend in school. The last time I saw him was during the Math period before break time."
"Did he say anything that might indicate his location or motive?"
Kaito recalled that Youta said he was going to bring the "punching bag" to school. He starts to sweat and gulps. The lady might have already interviewed Kaito's subordinate. If Kaito's testimonial is different from theirs, Kaito would be suspected.
"Youta said that he was going to...see someone." Says Kaito.
Kaede nods and stands up. "Thank you. We will keep everything that happened stay within these four walls." She says with a bright smile before leaving with Hiroto.
Hiroto slam the door shut and throws a glance at Kaede. "So?"
"He is suspicious." Says Kaede. "He is telling the truth but vaguely as if he was filtering something."
...
As both agents walk away from Kaito's room, Hiroto continues their conversation. "Not only Youta but the people with him all went missing in a single day with no trace whatsoever after entering that neighbourhood. Curse the government, how could they not set up cameras to cover blind spots?"
"What's done is done." Says Kaede. "Anyways, we only have one more person to interview."
Kaede swipes out her phone to access a document. On the left side of the document is a picture of Ayato.
---------------------------
Four days after the letter came, an escort will arrive at my residence to bring me to the Hero Academy early in the morning. I will be staying at the dormitory while I am enrolled so bringing and packing my baggage of daily necessities is a must. Ayaka took the day off to bid me farewell.
"Be sure to come back during the holidays!" Ayaka says with a smile at our apartment door. Her smile subsides a little before she adds "Don't forget about what I said."
I nod. One middle-aged man shows up, he wears a brown coat and long jeans. Around his neck is a strap connected to a lanyard with a yellow card on it, it verifies him as part of the Hero Association. Is he a lecturer in the Hero Education branch?
Nonetheless, the man is glaring at me. Ayaka is aware but simply returns the scowl.
"Are you Ayato Kizuma?" The man asks.
"Yes."
"I am Rai Utsumo, an instructor at Chitose Hero Academy. I will bring you to the facility." He says. Without waiting for me, he walks ahead.
I carry the huge black baggage behind me and walk after Rai, waving goodbye to Ayaka.
"Tch, why do I have to waste my time escorting F-Tier trash? The academy has way too many F-Tier." Rai mumbles far away, oblivious that I can hear.
I follow Rai to his car, he opens the boot and allows me to put my baggage inside. Afterwards, I get into the car and he starts driving.
The streetlights are still operating as the sky is a mix of darkness with gradual yellow-orange rising from the horizon.
I yawn.
Should I rest a little?
Closing my eyes, I take a short nap.
=====================
"Hey, wake up." Says Rai, poking my shoulder.
...
The car stopped outside a large overhead circular building.
I alight the car and take my baggage out of the boot.
"Follow me," Rai says.
We walk through the front door into the facility. Rai swipes a card out of his coat pocket and show it to the security guard stationed at the entrance.
They check it and nods, allowing us to enter.
Afterwards, I follow Rai through a long hallway into an elevator. Riding down the elevator, a new world came into sight.
"The hero city..." I mumble.
Beneath the crust of the earth is another city underground.