Kazuki returned to the police station with an unyielding sense of purpose. The mystery that spanned two worlds was not one he could solve alone. The time had come to bring Yumi into the fold, despite his earlier reservations.
He walked briskly into his office, finding Yumi hunched over her desk, her gaze locked onto her computer screen.
"Yumi, we need to talk," he began, choosing his words carefully. "It's about this case. It's bigger than I thought. Bigger than anything I've ever worked on."
She looked up, her eyes meeting his with a mix of concern and curiosity. "I've sensed that for a while. What's going on, Kazuki?"
Taking a deep breath, he recounted his experiences—his secret access to Kage, the hooded figure, and how events in that parallel world were mysteriously linked to occurrences in Tokyo.
For a moment, Yumi looked stunned. Then, her investigative instincts kicked in. "Okay, this is a lot to process, but if you're saying that another world affects ours, I'll buy it. But what's the next step?"
"The next step," Kazuki said, "is to find out who else knows about Kage, starting with Hiroshi Tanaka. It's time to pay him a visit."
The drive to Hiroshi Tanaka's office was one of heightened anticipation. Kazuki couldn't help but sense that a critical juncture was approaching. Yumi, sitting beside him, seemed to be in a similar state of alertness.
"Have you ever confronted a suspect about something like this?" she asked, breaking the silence.
"Like a parallel world influencing ours? No, this is uncharted territory," he answered.
Finally, they arrived at a plush skyscraper that housed Tanaka's office. The reception area was luxurious but oddly impersonal, filled with modern art pieces that felt more like distractions than genuine expressions.
The receptionist eyed them skeptically but granted them entry after verifying their credentials. Soon they were seated across from Hiroshi Tanaka in his lavishly furnished office.
Tanaka was a man in his late 40s, donning an immaculate suit and a calculated smile. "To what do I owe this pleasure, detectives?"
"We have a few questions," Kazuki began cautiously. "Questions concerning recent events linked to a certain symbol. The Helix of Chaos, ring any bells?"
Tanaka's eyes flickered for a split second but regained composure almost immediately. "Sounds abstract. I can't say I'm familiar."
Just then, Kazuki's phone buzzed. It was a message from Takeshi: "Emergency at the precinct. Get back ASAP."
His instincts alarmed, Kazuki realized he had to go back. But he left Tanaka with a veiled warning, "Abstract or not, it's something we're taking seriously. And I'd advise you to do the same."
As he and Yumi rushed out, he couldn't shake off the idea that Tanaka knew more than he let on. The stakes were escalating, and the players were beginning to reveal themselves, willingly or otherwise.
Back at the police station, Kazuki and Yumi found Takeshi standing beside a tall corkboard covered in photographs, reports, and red string connecting various pieces of evidence.
"About time you two showed up," Takeshi barked, his voice tinged with a rare sense of urgency. "We've got a situation."
Kazuki eyed the board, immediately spotting an enlarged photo of the Helix of Chaos symbol. "This is about the cases we've been investigating, isn't it?"
"Exactly. Someone sent an anonymous tip linking all these incidents to a cult known for using that damn symbol. We've got to act now."
While Takeshi continued briefing them on the police action plan, Kazuki couldn't help but feel the weight of his secret. The cult, Kage, Hiroshi Tanaka—everything was intertwined in an intricate web, and he was at its core.
"Alright, we've got multiple leads to follow, and we're understaffed as it is," Takeshi was saying. "Kazuki, Yumi, I want you two to dig deeper into Tanaka and his associates. We need to know what they're involved in, and we need to know yesterday."
Kazuki nodded, "We're on it."
As they delved into the vast sea of information that made up Hiroshi Tanaka's life, they stumbled upon a peculiar detail. Tanaka was funding a private research institution that focused on 'Trans-Dimensional Studies.' It was a vague term, but it raised a red flag for Kazuki.
"We need to find out what this institution is studying, and who's behind it," he told Yumi.
"Could this be linked to Kage?" she asked.
"It might be. And it's a lead we can't afford to ignore."
While Yumi scoured the internet for any shred of information about the institution, Kazuki sat back in his chair, contemplating. He felt like he was standing on the edge of a precipice, looking down at an abyss that was both terrifying and alluring.
His phone buzzed, snapping him out of his thoughts. It was a message from an unknown number: "Stop digging if you know what's good for you."
Chills ran down his spine. This was no random threat; it was a targeted message, meant for him and him alone. Someone was watching, someone who knew about his secret investigations.
Kazuki typed out a message, questioning the sender's identity. But before he could hit send, another text appeared: "The mist is not forgiving."
His fingers froze above his phone. The message was similar to what the little girl in Kage had told him. This couldn't be a coincidence.
Taking a deep breath, he finally made up his mind. He would walk into the mist, face whatever—or whoever—was hiding there, and tear apart the veil of secrets that shrouded his life. It was the only way to restore the balance that had been so perilously disrupted.
As he looked up, he found Yumi staring at him. "What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Maybe I have," he replied cryptically. "Or maybe, I'm about to."