L.A.A., the World's Greatest Detective, is a justice bringer detective, solving case after case effortlessly. Their name has influenced the world from north to south, solving cases daily without breaking a sweat. To the point L.A.A. even once claimed to have solved two cases in a single day without any difficulty in a broadcast to a group of hackers
They are the nightmare of every criminal and the hope of justice, with their influence reaching governments, CEOs, religious leaders, mayors, and criminal organizations alike. Their unparalleled intellect has allowed them to solve cases deemed "impossible" or "unsolvable." In L.A.A.'s eyes, nothing is impossible when operating at the peak of one's potential.
Countries from around the globe have sought their help, indirectly requesting L.A.A. to solve numerous unsolvable cases. They accept, fly to the country, and resolve the issue without any trouble, drawing the admiration and respect of governments everywhere.
In 2013, the world narrowly avoided disaster after L.A.A. indirectly solved a case in Russia known as "The Bombing of Moscow." Although Russia never officially called upon L.A.A., they appeared uninvited and provided the solution. Russian officials stated that if the case had been misunderstood, the consequences could have sparked a world war. Thanks to L.A.A., we dodged a bullet. Their influence also extended to Japan's legal system, affecting court rulings and preventing low-level offenders from being imprisoned until sufficient evidence is found.
Today, L.A.A.'s identity remains anonymous, operating from the headquarters of the "Private Police Investigation" task force, which L.A.A. founded as a shield for their true identity. Theories suggest that their anonymity is a defense against potential threats from criminals. This explains their use of a voice changer and the display of their name instead of their face during a criminal broadcast.
L.A.A. has become a symbol of justice in the modern age, contributing to a 31.7% drop in Japan's crime ra-
I turned of the TV with the remote in my hand and glanced outside. The night was dark, and the rain was coming down hard, drumming against the window.
"... Oh man! It's like they're just repeating the same thing they always do," I muttered, stretching my arms as I stood up from the couch.
Andrew… He's definitely a precious friend, but also a complete mystery. Even though we've been best friends for over a year now, I still don't know much about his past.
It's strange. With how he knows everything about me, every little detail, and yet, I know almost nothing about him. When I think about it too hard..., it's actually a bit scary to be honest...
I remember when I first sensed something different about him. He was 16 at the time, barely a month into our friendship, and out of nowhere, he grabbed my arm. There was a seriousness or something in his voice tone I had never heard before...
"Can you help me run away.., Ayaka?..."
He was crouching like a prince before me, looking so vulnerable, so different from the confident and composed Andrew I knew.
That moment was the start of everything, what led me to where I am today. And yet, all this time later, I still don't know the full story behind him.
Back then, I was, and still am, a novel writer working on a book called 'The Writer's Bl0CK' with my mutual friend, Azatot Asami... Who is the second writer of the book next to me
Azatot has the same last name as mine, but we're not related by blood. Which It's funny with how close we've always been, though. He's more like a brother than anything...
Azatot's a quiet person, introverted to the extreme, really. He's 20 now, and while he doesn't socialize much, when he does get forced into it, he's… well, a 'monster' at it.
Not in a bad way, but in a way that's hard to describe, is like he basically know everything about how to socialize and make the person interested even though with the reputation he getting.
He wears this eerie, eldritch mask to hide his face, which only adds to the mystique. People started calling him "The Ugly Monster" because of that mask, and it affected him more than anyone realized.
They didn't understand that it wasn't about his looks, it was his writing, his art. His work is dark if I combined mine with him, otherworldly, and that's what scared them, as well as his mask.
But still, the name stuck.
Every day I feel a burning anger inside me when I hear people say things like that. They don't know the real Azatot that I know!
They only see the mask and assume the worst, even though people in this age and back then will say the only thing that matter is personality and moral of the individual, they're consciousness would betray that idea and instead look at the appearance of the individual first.
And yet, neither Andrew nor Azatot has ever seen that side of me, the part of me that seethes with fury. I've always shown them my cheerful, energetic self, and that's not fake, it's who I am.
But for those people who insult Azatot, who don't see the beauty of his soul behind that mask, it's hard to keep the wrath inside.
Even worse, Azatot just endures it. Like it's his duty as a man to take it all without complaint. I know he thinks that if he shows any weakness, society will reject him, judge him for not being 'strong enough' ...
It breaks my heart. I only wish he'd confide in me more, the way I confide in him. But he never speaks about it. He never says anything...
And I've never even seen his face.
Andrew, too, is a puzzle I've yet to solve. A brilliant mind, a friend I cherish, but still someone who keeps his distance emotionally. It's like he's always thinking ten steps ahead of everyone, but never revealing the full plan to anyone unless needed.
He's protective, kindA, strategic, but there's always that lingering question, who is he really running from? What's his past that he's so determined to hide?...
I've come to accept that Andrew will never let me pry in, but I can't help but wonder.
Where did he come from? What drives him? And will I ever get to truly understand the person behind the mask he wears, the way I hope to one day understand Azatot?
I sighed, pulling myself out of my thoughts. The rain outside had only grown heavier, casting long shadows across the room.
There was a certain calm in the storm, a stillness that contrasted the storm of thoughts in my head. Life was full of unanswered questions, but as long as I had my friends, I could live with the mysteries.
_______________________________________
8:30 PM
The piercing shriek of my alarm filled the room, jolting me out of the fragile sleep I had drifted into. My eyes fluttered open, slowly adjusting to the dim light filtering through the heavy curtains.
I groaned, my muscles protesting as I stretched, realizing with a start that I had forgotten something important. Oh yeah... I have to pick a case today. How could I have missed it?
I rubbed my eyes and glanced at the clock: 8:30 PM. The events of yesterday's entrance ceremony flashed through my mind, a whirlwind of introductions, expectations, and pressure.
In the chaos, the idea of L.A.A solving a case every single days had slipped my mind entirely. I muttered under my breath, still half-asleep, when Ayaka's voice cut through my daze.
"Andrew!" Her tone was sharp, impatient. I could hear the urgency in her footsteps as she approached. "You missed solving a case today! We were supposed to finish one!"
"Yeah, yeah, I know..." I mumbled, trying to shake off the lethargy. "Just give me the computer, and I'll-"
Before I could finish my sentence, I felt the chair beneath me tilt as Ayaka forcibly straightened it. Her pouted face hovered over me, a mixture of frustration and determination etched in her expression.
"Huh?" I blinked, my foggy brain struggling to catch up.... Or is it?
"Andrew..." she sighed, hands on her hips, her voice dropping to a softer, more serious tone.
"This one's different. It's not just a case we can solve from here, none of the scouts reported back since you forget to solve a single case today. We need to go to the crime scene ourselves. Now."
I sat up straight, glancing at her with a and tired narrowed eyes. Two eyes that have stayed awaked for over 50+ hours..
I have promised to show the government that I will be forced to solve a case or more everyday inorder to decrease the crime rate and show that I am still alive by vanishing evil.
With the scouts that Ayaka mentioned being the assistance that bring back everything at a case to me in the headquarters, and where I continue to work on solving the case on my computer, I don't like the outside.
Life seem so lively but yet, no one is real, as we are all being controlled without a free will.
I am scared of the outside cause of that, and myself as well.
"You know..." I began, running a hand through her hair as I see sweat from her head and red on her cheek,
"you probably think I'm going to say no because of my L.A.A identity, but... I've already got a strategy to not make anyone there know that I am L.A.A...,"
The faint smirk that touched her lips told me she expected nothing less. Without further protest, I stood up, the weight of responsibility settling over me as I quickly headed to the bathroom to wash up.
The cold water against my skin snapped me fully awake, and I changed into the clothes Ayaka had picked out for me in the mall yesterday.
She always had a keen eye for practicality, something comfortable, yet suitable for fieldwork. That's the reason why I choose her to be my assistant...
The elevator ride down felt unnaturally slow, the hum of the machinery vibrating beneath my feet as I mentally reviewed the details of the case.
Ayaka hadn't given me much to go on yet, but the fact that she wanted us to physically go to the scene meant it was significant enough.
Outside, the night greeted me with a steady downpour. The rain had been relentless since the afternoon, turning the city into a glittering, hazy mess of lights reflected in puddles.
I unfurled my umbrella and stepped out onto the street, the cool air biting at my skin, sharp and crisp after the stuffy confines of the building.
I stood under the awning, watching the rain for a moment before I heard the familiar sound of Ayaka's boots tapping against the pavement.
She emerged from the lobby, looking just as she had the day before in her brown fabric hoodie and shorts.
Despite the downpour, she seemed unbothered by the rain, her general-like peak cap shielding her face from the worst of it.
Her steps were brisk and confident as she approached, and I held the umbrella higher to cover her as she joined me on the sidewalk as I saw her face showing a bright red for some reason.
Together, we made our way toward the crime scene, walking in sync as we always did. The sound of the rain mixed with the distant hum of the city, creating a quiet, almost serene atmosphere despite the tension hanging between us.
As we passed Amon, he gave us a brief wave, his smile visible even in the dim streetlight. I returned the gesture absentmindedly, my thoughts already drifting back to the case.
"So, what's the deal with this one?" I asked, breaking the silence as we crossed the street.
I glanced at Ayaka "You could've told me the details before we left, you know."
Ayaka didn't respond immediately. Instead, she shot me a glance, a smirk playing on her lips as she closed her eyes for a moment, as if savoring some inside joke, and that's when I knew.
This case was going to be something interesting.
We arrived at the crime scene, pulling our umbrellas closed as we stepped under the protective overhang. The steady rhythm of the rain echoed in the quiet market.
The scene ahead was grim, police officers milling about, some taking notes, others keeping bystanders away.
I immediately scanned the area, my mind automatically cataloging the details within a blink. Four officers present, a body lying wet on the ground near a set of shelves, and a blood-soaked rope leading up to the roof, which was broken, letting the rain pour directly onto the victim. Scrawled on the wall behind the body, in what looked like thick black blood, was a crude goat symbol encircled on the wall.
"Hey, are you two the detectives for this case?" one of the officers called out, his tone skeptical as he eyed Ayaka and me.
Ayaka's yellow star-like eyes flicked to mine, a subtle reminder of my promise earlier, to keep my identity as L.A.A concealed. I kept my face impassive, giving a slight nod in her direction.
"I'm the assistant. She's the detective," I responded like a cool person but Ayaka didn't see that as what I am thought of, stepping back to let Ayaka take the lead.
"HUH!?-" I could feel her tension spike momentarily before she quickly masked it with a calm demeanor. She exhaled, taking control of the situation.
"Ah, miss detective," the officer continued, clearly doubting Ayaka.
"Can I see your license before we proceed?-"
Without hesitation, Ayaka sidestepped the question, swiftly moving past the officer and approaching the crime scene with purpose. Her sudden movement caught the officer off-guard.
"Huh!?-" The officer stammered, trying to maintain control.
Ayaka turned to him, flashing a quick smile. "Cases like this don't wait for formalities. Besides, the public cares more about the crime than who solves it!"
She point at the officer as she crouched beside the victim's body, her brown peaked cap shielding her from the rain dripping through the roof.
As Ayaka examined the scene, she began connecting the elements of the crime, her eyes tracing over the rope marks on the victim's hands and the symbol on the wall.
I watched from a distance, curious to see how she would handle the deduction. For someone as observant as Ayaka, I could already tell she was piecing together a theory fast in less then ten second.
I approached the police officer who asked Ayaka for her detective license and handed him both of ours.
Fortunately, I had already created fake IDs for us, labeling her as the lead detective and myself as her assistant.
I made these about two months ago when I first gained access to a computer from the HQ, adapting quickly to the software and honing my skills, I created these license that is printed with how a official government detective license should look like.
Anticipating that I might need a strategy to keep my identity as L.A.A. hidden, I prepared these licenses for situations where we'd need to be on a crime scene in person.
If any of these officers happened to be the killer, which I highly doubt, they would likely target Ayaka, assuming she's the main detective based on her ID.
Of course, though... it's not going to be that simple...
_
"Let me guess," I thought to myself. "The circle of blood, the symbolism... she'll probably deduce something ritualistic or staged for shock value."
"Hmm..." she murmured, tapping her chin. After a moment, she stood up and addressed the officers.
"This isn't just a murder. Whoever did this wants us to think it's part of some cult ritual. The goat symbol? It's a distraction, meant to confuse us."
The officers shifted uncomfortably as they listened. Ayaka continued, gesturing to the rope marks on the victim's wrists.
The officers shifted uncomfortably as they listened. Ayaka continued, gesturing to the rope marks on the victim's wrists.
"This man was tied up!, probably hung from the ceiling using that rope. But something went wrong. The roof broke under his weight, causing him to fall and hit the ground!. That's why the body is wet, the rain poured in through the damaged roof!."
One of the officers frowned, stepping closer to the body. "You think the killer planned to hang him and then draw that symbol to stage a ritual?..."
Ayaka nodded confidently.
"Exactly. But the killer panicked when the roof collapsed, plus a futhur prove on how the ceiling broke is the body weight, if you clearly look at the tile, there is a small crack from the body but not the ceiling since it would be too small for something such as a ceiling debris to crack it. The rains ruined their plans, so they hurriedly tried to stage the scene before fleeing."
The officer scratched his chin, visibly impressed. "That makes actually sense... but do you think this was personal?..., Or just some random act?..."
Ayaka glanced at me briefly before answering. "I'd say both. The killer wanted to make a statement, but there's something more here. This wasn't random. The goat symbol, the ropes and basically everything..."
The officers nodded in agreement, and Ayaka's deduction seemed to settle over the group like a blanket of certainty.
She had spun a logical, well-crafted explanation, one that would impress even the best detectives.
But I knew better.
Her deduction, while impressive on the surface, was too convenient, too straightforward. Before Ayaka even finish her deduction halfway through those ten second, I already finished my own deduction on how this crime scene work...
Through sharp observation, I already know that Ayaka would be wrong, despite how logical it was from my perspective...
I stepped forward, catching her eye. "Your deduction was impressive Ayaka," I said quietly, just for her to hear, "but it's wrong..."
Ayaka's brow furrowed, and the officers turned their attention to me, sensing a shift in the atmosphere.
"This killer is far smarter than we're giving them credit for," I continued, walking toward the body. "The broken roof wasn't an accident. It was part of their plan..."
I crouched down, running my fingers lightly over the victim's hand. "Notice the way the rope marks are inconsistent? They aren't from a single drop, they're layered, suggesting the victim was repeatedly lifted and dropped, creating the illusion of a struggle by the culprit."
The officers blinked in confusion, while Ayaka's eyes widened as she processed my words.
"And the bloodly goat symbol?" I stood up, pointing to the messy, hastily drawn lines. "It's too sloppy for someone who supposedly planned a ritual. This was staged, yes..., but not in the way you think. The killer knew exactly what they were doing. They wanted us to believe this was a panicked, amateur mistake. But it wasn't..."
I paused, letting the weight of my deduction sink in.
"The victim wasn't meant to be found right away. The rain was a tool to delay the decomposition, to buy time. The killer didn't flee because of a mistake. They left when they knew the rain would wash away any useful evidence. This whole thing was a carefully timed setup which further prove the evidence of the killer smartness to predict the weather."
"We could also that this symbol was to mock us since they will know that we are not going to find them with this much evidence and especially leaving the evidence of them being smarter even after predicting the rain to wash the evidence... This was all planned by them..."
Ayaka's face shifted, a mix of admiration and confusion playing across her features. "So... what are you saying basically Andrew? This wasn't a ritualistic killing at all?..."
I shook my head. "No. This was a psychological game. The killer wants us to chase a false lead while they prepare for their next move by mocking us. They're several steps ahead, and we're only beginning to catch up."
Ayaka's deduction, though skillful, had been based on the surface clues. But this killer was playing on a deeper level, one that required seeing beyond the obvious. Even though I didn't try my hardest at that deduction, I know that I would have to cracked this case myself instead.
It was now 9:00 PM. I should've been asleep by now, but instead, I found myself solving yet another case with Ayaka. Not only because of the government contract but also to manage my relationship with her. This was all part of my strategy, keep her close, make her more eager to work with me on these cases...
Ayaka,is actually a university student, would eventually seek a more conventional job, perhaps in an office. She was someone practical, a person without the kind of ambition that would lead her into a dangerous field like mine, but that's precisely what I needed to change.
With a challenging case like this, I could sense that solving it sparked a new excitement in her. Her analytical mind thrived on puzzles, even though she wasn't fully aware of how far ahead my level of deduction was compared to hers.
She wouldn't be able to realize that everything was meticulously planned on my part, considering she didn't have the evidence to suspect it. All she had was her psychoanalysis of me, and that wouldn't be enough to uncover the depth of my true intentions.
In the end, after Ayaka's deduction and my corrections, I decided to take the case and solve it fully later. After all, no mystery is truly unsolvable, it will just wait for the right mind to crack it.
As both Ayaka and I headed back to headquarters, I thought about the day's events. She held onto my arm, huddling close beneath my umbrella as we walked through the rain.
Her warmth was comforting as I see a bit of red on her face, but I couldn't help but feel detached. My thoughts were elsewhere, on the bigger picture, on my long-term plans.
How much longer? I wondered. How much longer until I could finally escape the belief that gnawed at the back of my mind...
that everyone, no matter how smart, would lose in the end. I manipulated pawns pieces like Ayaka to move through life, knowing full well that the game was rigged.
We were all playing a part, and honesty had no place in this world. In this game, where lies and strategies reigned, no honest person ever won.