Makima was in her room, her gaze fixed on her right index finger, the same one she had used to pierce her head when testing the limits of her technique. It was becoming more complex and powerful with each use, as if her control over it expanded every time, revealing layers that had previously been unknown to her. "Why am I discovering all this now?" she thought, feeling a strange and frustrating fascination. Perhaps these were flaws in the very laws of the world or mere whims of a technique that, according to Tengen, had only had one user before her. A user who, from what he said, had done practically nothing significant with it. Just sharing lineage with someone like that was embarrassing.
She sighed, pulling her finger away from her face, and looked over at Rika, who was changing after her bath. Makima decided it was a good time to inform her about her plan.
"Rika," she began, her voice calm yet firm. "I need you to understand the magnitude of what I'm about to do. I'll control the prime minister, but not entirely. A partial control will be enough; with that, I can ensure he won't resist or try to break the agreement. Everything will appear genuine, yet the pact will be tilted in my favor."
Rika paused, buttoning her blouse, and looked at her with a hint of respect and admiration, but also some concern. "What kind of threat will you make so he won't dare resist?"
Makima gave a cold smile. "It will be clear enough: if he tries to resist or reveals what's happening to anyone, all the common citizens of Japan will die. This pact will be unbreakable and will be the key to my security... and my immortality."
Rika shuddered. "Makima... immortal?" she thought, unable to suppress a tremor running through her body. "Will her lady's wish be fulfilled then?" she wondered, deciding to speak. "So, if you succeed... what will you do next? You'll practically be unstoppable. No one, nor anything, will stand in your way."
Makima smiled, as one looks at a naive child. Her expression was soft, but her eyes held a spark of cunning. "Rika," she said calmly, "look, no one is truly unstoppable or invincible. A way will always be found to end anyone who claims to be such. History is full of examples."
Rika nodded, understanding the logic in her words, though a lingering unease remained deep down.
"And as for what follows after..." Makima continued, pausing thoughtfully. "Let's say I'll fulfill the deal I made. I'll help the sorcerers." She paused, and a subtle smile played on her lips. "More or less."
It was a Saturday morning when the black car stopped in front of an imposing building in central Tokyo. The skyscrapers reflected the first rays of light as Rika sighed, arms crossed. "Yesterday, we left Tokyo, and now we're back... It makes no sense," she complained, casting a sidelong glance at Makima, who remained impassive.
Naoya accompanied them, knowing that, officially, the meeting was his. After all, he was the son of the president of one of the Zenin family's most powerful companies. However, it was Makima who insisted on handling the meeting, something that didn't bother Naoya too much. As long as his sister followed her own paths and didn't interfere directly in matters he cared about, he wouldn't pay too much attention.
They entered the building, crossing a lobby full of marble and gleaming columns. A receptionist, with an almost mechanical smile, attended to them as they reached the counter.
"Do you have a meeting with the prime minister?" the woman asked, her nimble fingers navigating a screen on her desk.
Naoya nodded, providing the details with an air of sufficiency. After a brief wait, they were instructed to sit until called. Minutes passed quickly until the prime minister's assistant appeared to guide them.
In front of the office door, Makima stopped and looked at her older brother. "Wait outside," she ordered, her voice soft yet authoritative. Naoya didn't question her decision. He knew that, even though the meeting bore his name, the real reason they were there was because of Makima's interests. He was just a piece in her plan, and he accepted it without complaint.
"My sister probably swapped animals for people," he thought, recalling the disappearance of the vagrant the previous day. "As long as she doesn't cause too much trouble, it's all fine," he concluded, shrugging and leaning against the wall to wait.
Meanwhile, Makima and Rika crossed the office door. Inside, a short, slightly bald man sat behind a large dark wooden desk, reviewing documents with a concentrated air. The typical stereotype of a Japanese bureaucrat, Rika thought as her eyes scanned the room.
Makima and Rika stepped firmly toward him, and the prime minister stopped reviewing documents when he noticed their steps. When he looked up, he was stunned to see two formally dressed teenage girls.
"Since when does the government allow minors in?" he muttered, not hiding his confusion. Aloud, he added, "I was expecting someone from the Zenin family, the son of one of the company presidents, not... this."
Makima maintained a polite, almost sweet smile. "My name is Makima Zenin. Today I have a meeting with you," she said softly.
The prime minister frowned, obvious distrust on his face. "And Naoya? This is not the place for a girl. Where is he?"
"My brother preferred to leave this meeting to me," Makima replied, keeping her composure.
The prime minister sighed, leaning back in his chair and casting them a hard look. "Alright, what is it that you want? My time is valuable."
Makima looked at him calmly. "First, I want to know how much you know about the world of sorcery."
The man let out a short, incredulous laugh. "Sorcery? Miss, I'm too busy to waste time on childish games. If you have nothing serious to say, this meeting is over."
Makima sighed, as if she had expected that response. She raised her finger at him and coldly murmured, "Bang."
The wall behind the prime minister exploded into pieces, filling the office with dust and fragments. The man trembled and quickly turned to see the devastation behind him, his face growing paler by the second. When he looked back at Makima, who maintained her calm smile, he couldn't help but tense up.
"Well, now that we have your attention, let's move on to serious matters," she said, her tone unyielding.
The prime minister tried to compose himself, though his breathing was unsteady. "What do you want?" he asked, attempting to maintain his authority.
Makima took a step forward, observing him without blinking. "I want us to establish a pact. From today on, every attack or attempt to harm me will be absorbed by a random Japanese citizen. Any injury or blow directed at me will be suffered by someone else."
The prime minister looked at her in horror. "You endanger my people? You have no right to demand this. I won't do it," he replied, trying to hide the tremor in his voice.
Makima smiled, her expression hardening. "This isn't a request. It's the reality you'll have to accept. I could destroy every inch of this building if I wanted to. But you can prevent that... if you cooperate with me," she said, with the confidence of someone who already knows the outcome of the negotiation.
The man swallowed hard, feeling the sweat run down his temple. "And if I refuse..." he managed to say before Makima interrupted him, pointing at him again with her finger.
"I don't think you want the next 'bang' aimed straight at your head," she murmured, with terrifying coldness.
The prime minister froze, unable to move a single muscle as Makima's threat settled over him. Finally, he nodded slowly, defeated and out of options. "Alright... I accept," he said with a broken voice.
Makima smiled, satisfied. "I knew you'd understand. Now, let's proceed to seal the pact." Raising her hand, when he extended his trembling hand, Makima stopped him for a moment, looking at him with a chilling severity.
"If you tell anyone about this pact," she whispered, her voice soft but unyielding, "all the common citizens of Japan will die... including you and your family."
The prime minister nodded, swallowing as the threat etched itself into every nerve. With that final warning, their hands joined, and the instant their palms met, Makima's eyes gleamed, showing that her technique sealed the deal.
Before leaving, Makima gave him one last look. "As long as you follow the rules and stay in your place, you'll have nothing to worry about," she said in her usual venomous tone. Then she left the office with Rika, leaving the prime minister alone, paralyzed by fear and guilt.
Rika followed her, perplexed, unable to process what she had just witnessed. "Was it that easy?" she wondered, not knowing if her mistress's mastery of the technique was so absolute that the prime minister barely resisted... or if, perhaps, the man lacked something down there to stand up to her. She smiled to herself at the thought.
As they walked toward the exit, Naoya crossed their path, looking at them with curiosity and slight impatience. "Is it done?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
Makima simply nodded, and before continuing toward the door, she looked at the prime minister's assistant, who watched the scene cautiously. "Have someone fix the wall," she said as if it were an everyday task.
Without waiting for a response, they left the building, their footsteps resonating on the marble floor like the silent rhythm of a war drum.