The Destruction of the World by Fire

by Shiden Kanzaki

  Looking at Tina holding her stance soundlessly with her eyes closed, Yuzuki revealed her annoyance for the first time. “I see… Then don’t blame me if you get hurt.” Yuzuki’s voice turned cold, and she bent her knees, storing up as much spring as she could. She was filled with a thirst for blood.

  Yuzuki kicked off the ceiling with an explosive sound that made the building tremble. A cannon fast–drop attack using the physical strength of an Initiator with the addition of the acceleration of gravity was heading straight for Tina.

  Instantly, Tina opened a piercing eye and waved the black glove on her right hand. She stuck her left forefinger and middle finger into the metal rings on the glove on her right hand and pulled hard, and threads of some kind came out.

  Piano strings? Rentaro wondered.

  Tina used her teeth and fingers to form something like a cat’s cradle with the piano strings that had been stored in her glove and met Yuzuki’s attack. Yuzuki and Tina clashed, and the floor exploded. The spectators screamed as the ground shook with a tremor so severe it made even standing dangerous. Rentaro immediately covered his face, but pieces of the floor and shock waves hit his body, making him gasp for breath.

  After the intense ringing in his ears stopped, he opened his eyes a little and saw a thick cloud of dust swirling around. Where was Tina? Where was Yuzuki? Rentaro wiped his sweaty palms on his pants and held his breath as he watched the center of the explosion attentively. Finally, the dust settled, and the two girls were revealed. Rentaro was left spellbound by the sight that was before him.

  Tina was on the bottom, and her neck was held down by Yuzuki’s hand, ready to strike. If Yuzuki pushed just a little more, she could probably break Tina’s neck. However, the outcome of the match was determined by the almost cruel difference in their abilities.

  Layers of piano strings were wrapped around that hand of Yuzuki’s that pinned down Tina; she couldn’t move even a single finger. In addition, the piano strings were wrapped around both her arms and legs, and even her neck, until she was caught in her own threads and hung like a marionette. It was hard to describe the strange sight of a girl who had the Spider Factor inside her caught in a web of string.

  Tina had fixed the positions of the beginning and end of the string with her left hand and her teeth, and if she pulled the string with her teeth, then Yuzuki’s head would likely fall off in a second. Yuzuki was frozen like a statue with both eyes open wide. No, she was not even allowed to close her eyes. Just a few millimeters in front of her eyeballs were Tina’s fingers.

  Tina made a “scissors” shape with her freed right hand and placed them right at Yuzuki’s two eyeballs. Of course, if Tina pushed even a little with her fingers, there was no reason for Yuzuki’s eyeballs to remain unharmed.

  Not just Rentaro, but Tamaki and all the other spectators were spellbound. No one had considered that Tina would be able to win from behind, so their brains couldn’t process what had happened from the time the ground exploded to when the match was decided.

  Only Shenfield spun with joy at its master’s victory, and eventually retreated under the hem of Tina’s dress.

  Tina slowly removed her fingers from in front of Yuzuki’s eyes and released the strings. After watching them writhe on the ground like the cord of a vacuum cleaner as they rewound themselves, Tina finally stood up, removed the glove, and returned it to her pocket.

  While considering this show of force, Rentaro thought back on the many techniques Tina Sprout had shown him. The piano strings in her glove were definitely a weapon used for assassinations. He had seen it in an old film before: The target enters a bathroom stall, and the assassin drops the string from the stall next to it, wraps it around the target’s throat, and strangles the target using the basics of a shoulder throw. It was a cruel technique, but it was still more elegant than poking out someone’s eyeballs.

  Rentaro could not help but feel the depth and darkness of the gap that stretched between him and Tina. Tina was clearly made of something different from the others in the Tendo CSA. Too, she was not limited to just the Tendo Martial Arts that Rentaro and Kisara studied; she could be said to have trained her mind in the spirit of everything and anything that could be called martial arts. She was probably the most extreme example of the Shaolin Kung Fu teaching that said, “Justice is helpless without power, and power without justice is violence.” Yet, no matter what part of martial arts one looked at, biting or poking out someone’s eyes fell under the category of evil and abusive.

  However, Tina the former assassin was probably never asked to do anything other than destroy a human body in the most efficient way possible. Just imagining how she wandered through the underground society where killing and betrayal ran rampant made Rentaro’s chest hurt. Tina probably never knew what it felt like to have fun as a girl, or be happy.

  Rentaro remembered again how Sumire Muroto had said, “Those with ranks under a hundred have sold their souls to the devil. It’s no exaggeration to call them monsters.” If I’m aiming to be in the top ranks, then I’ll have to fight against guys like this, huh…? Thinking that, Rentaro’s consciousness returned to the gym.

  He looked on pityingly at Yuzuki’s back as she lay on the ground with both hands on the floor, her confidence shattered, showing no sign of trying to stand up.

  “Please stand up, Yuzuki.” It was Tina.

  Yuzuki looked for a while at Tina’s outstretched hand but finally shook her head in self-derision. “You’re strong, aren’t you? Having someone like me in your adjuvant will only cause you problems.”

  This time, it was Tina’s turn to smile as she shook her head. “That is not true. I was formerly ranked 98th. For you to have me cornered to that point is something I think you can be proud of. You were much stronger than I imagined, Yuzuki.”

  “Ni…ninety-eighth?!” Yuzuki’s eyes were open so wide they looked like they would burst.

  Looking at Yuzuki, Tina stretched out her hand again, stronger this time, and smiled prettily. “I ask you as well, Miss Yuzuki Katagiri: Please join Big Brother’s adjuvant.”

  Yuzuki looked down for a moment but finally grasped Tina’s hand firmly and stood up. Then, unexpectedly, Yuzuki was overcome with emotion and hugged Tina’s head, all smiles. “I love you, Tina! You were superstrong and supercool! Marry me!”

  Embarrassed and baffled, Tina flapped her arms. She probably wasn’t used to someone expressing affection so straightforward and openly.

  Next to Rentaro, Tamaki was watching the scene intently, dumbfounded. “Yuzuki can’t make friends at school because she doesn’t want anyone to see her eyes. But look at how happy she looks…”

  Rentaro’s mouth started to smile spontaneously. “Then, we pass?”

  Tamaki returned to himself suddenly, then finally gave a big nod and stretched out his right hand. “Very admirable, Rentaro Satomi. We, the Katagiri Civil Security Agency, are at your service.”

  “I’m counting on you.” Rentaro grasped Tamaki’s hand and shook it hard. When their eyes met, they both smiled wryly, a little embarrassed. There was a clap, and when Rentaro turned his head to look, one of the spectators was clapping his hands for the brave fight of the civil officers. Another person followed suit, and then another, until even those who hated them and discriminated against them seemed to be worn down by the persistence of their fellows, and came to clap as well. The sound swelled until the applause seemed to wrap the gym in a never-ending thunder.

  6

  The hot sunlight faded and night fell, but thick, damp air still wrapped around them. They passed by the receptionist at the university hospital and walked down the halls that smelled of medicine. Wearily, Rentaro looked next to him. “Sorry, Tina, I’m sure you’re tired, but just be patient for a little longer.”

  “It’s fine. I’m just happy I can be with you, Big Brother.” Tina looked down once before raising her face again. “I thought I needed to meet Dr. Muroto soon, anyway. I was nervous meeting her alone, so having you with me
is reassuring.”

  “You know about Doc?”

  “Yes, I heard about her from the Professor.” “The Professor” was probably Tina’s former Promoter, Ain Rand. Tina was originally paired with him. However, when she failed her mission, he readily abandoned her. Ever since then, there was no sign of Rand contacting Tina, but Rentaro wondered how Tina felt about that. Because of the subject matter, it was hard to find the right time to bring it up, but he would be lying if he said he wasn’t curious.

  “I have heard that she is no exception to the geniuses who are eccentric and hard to deal with,” said Tina.

  “It’s nothing that simple, you know.”

  “Huh?”

  Passing by the demon monuments meant to keep people away, they carefully made their way down the damp, moldy stairs, careful not to miss a step. Its ominous atmosphere, like that of a haunted house, made unease creep up on Tina until she clung to Rentaro’s clothes. But before long, the sound of his shoes on the green ceramic floor tile echoed around the basement chamber. The uncertain light of the bare lightbulb hanging from the ceiling lit the room only dimly. Scattered all over a table was a collection of gory horror movies, and on the shelves were Gastrea fetuses in formaldehyde. Complicated numerical equations covered the blackboard on the far side. Rentaro could see morgue drawers on the walls to the left and right.

  Looking around the messy expanse, Rentaro did not find Sumire. It was so quiet his ears strained, and the only sound was the slight hum of the incandescent lightbulb. And there was the peaceful smell of death, too. “Hey, Doc, where are you?” Rentaro called out.

  There was a slick sound, and then a ghost wearing a white lab coat appeared from the darkness behind Tina, already bending over her.

  “Eeeeeeek!” Tina’s piercing screech sounded like that of a strange bird; she ran behind Rentaro’s back with lightning speed.

  “B-big Brother. Wh-wh…! Wh-wh…! What is that?!”

  “That’s Doc. But—” Rentaro followed Tina’s pointed finger and folded his arms.

  Sumire was lying on the tiles after being shaken off by Tina and stayed there, twitching on the ground, showing no sign of getting up. Eventually, the woman turned a feeble expression on Rentaro and said, her voice cracking, “Do you…have something to eat, Rentaro?”

  “Food?” Rentaro echoed lightly. But then a lightbulb went off in his head, and he slapped Tina’s back.

  When they had left the Katagiri Civil Security Agency, Tina had already become fast friends with Yuzuki, and Yuzuki had given her a parting gift for it. Tina looked at Rentaro uncertainly, then took out the dried persimmons from the daypack on her back, fearfully walked forward and put them down, then hastily retreated.

  Sumire snatched up the packet without looking at what was inside, then turned her back to them as she gulped it down greedily. Over the sound of the wrapper ripping, she complained, “What, dried persimmons?” and clicked her tongue without a trace of remorse.

  Tina looked on in disbelief at Sumire, then shifted her gaze to Rentaro. “This is one of the greatest minds in the world?”

  “Um……… Yeah, well.” Rentaro found himself unable to reply immediately.

  When Sumire finally returned to her senses, she stood with a shout, spreading her arms benevolently as she walked toward them. “Oh my, you saved me. My gratitude, Rentaro. I almost died.”

  “What happened?”

  “Well, my stockpile of food ran out, and I was going to ask you to buy some more, but then I realized that I had lost my cell phone. It’s a sad story.”

  “To collapse with hunger is something Kisara would do.”

  Sumire waved her hand in front of her face. “Please don’t put me in the same group as that pauper. I have more money than I know what to do with. I just don’t go outside.”

  “You come out of the basement for Enju’s regular checkups.”

  “Oh yeah, that. I offer incense and prostrate myself, then sit in lotus position and meditate for twenty-four hours while reading the Koran before I can finally go outside for half a day.”

  Rentaro was utterly stunned and highly disgusted. “Do you really hate going outside that much?”

  “Of course. Think about it carefully. Outside is a world that stinks with the smell of gaudy women’s perfume mixed with the smell of old men’s body odor. That’s not something you can just endure. It makes me want to turn all the people other than myself into dust.”

  “Am I included in that?”

  “Just looking at your unfortunate face makes me depressed, so I immediately want you to turn to dust and I pray for it every three hours, but my prayers aren’t getting answered.”

  It was then that Sumire seemed to notice Tina and raised her eyebrows. She leaned over and put her face close to Tina’s, only to stand up and gaze sadly at Rentaro. “Rentaro… You finally did it, huh? I’m going to tell you this at least—You’ll be in the slammer for a long time.”

  “I didn’t kidnap her!”

  “And she’s a blond little girl, huh? Have you been playing so many adult games that you’ve gone off the deep end?”

  “That’s you!”

  Tina looked stiff as she took a step forward. “My name is Tina Sprout, Dr. Muroto. I have heard a lot about you from the Professor.”

  “Oh, so you’re the one who was with Ain… What did that idiot say about me?”

  Tina hesitated a little and stole a glance at Rentaro. “He called you the biggest pervert of all time.”

  “Hmph, the next time you see him, tell him this: Then you are the most stubborn person in the world.”

  “So you and Ain Rand didn’t get along after all, Doc?” said Rentaro.

  Sumire laughed and spread her arms. “Of course not. We’re such good friends that the minute I see his face, it makes me want to spit on it.”

  It appeared to be an extremely dangerous relationship.

  “Oh, I forgot to introduce myself, huh, Tina? I’m Sumire. I know it’s sudden, but I love you. I want us to love each other in the dissecting room.”

  Tina looked at Rentaro, on the verge of tears. “Big Brother, what is wrong with this person?”

  Rentaro shook his head. “Doc doesn’t care if a corpse is male or female. She’ll take anything.”

  “What?!”

  Rentaro looked at Sumire exasperatedly. “Doc, someday, you’ll turn into a murderer just to procure a corpse.”

  “Oh, I didn’t think of that possibility. Thanks. What? I want to see your suffering face, so I’ll do that to Enju or Kisara first.” She laughed maniacally.

  “When you say it, it doesn’t sound like a joke, so stop it!”

  “Why don’t I wear a jacket made of human skin and dance around?”

  “I’m telling you, that’s scary! Are you really a doctor?”

  “Of course. I’ve read the Hippocratic oath, too. ‘First, I will abstain from fraud and corruption and abstain from doing harm to others. Second, even if asked and permissible, I will abstain from using medicine or conducting surgery to commit a crime.’ See?”

  Rentaro was silent.

  “In the first place, if I wanted to make a quick buck, I could just do the opposite of what that says. In that sense, it is a valuable document.”

  Sumire stopped talking for a moment and smiled, looking at Tina. “By the way, Tina, has he teased you in a strange way? Like in a sexual way?”

  Tina looked back angrily. “Big Brother would not do such a thing.”

  “Oh? What do you think you know about Rentaro here? He’s groped young girls’ bottoms in passing a hundred times. He’s snuck into an elementary school and stolen stool and urine tests a thousand times. He’s the level of pervert that the Vatican wonders if he’s possessed by a demon, and they should either send an exorcist or worry over him every day.

  “You should look in an English-Japanese dictionary. Next to the borrowed word tsunami is the word satomi. The definition should be ‘an uncommonly advanced political deviant.’ Speak
ing of grandmaster class perv, Satomi, he’s kind of famous around the world, and it’s said that for his supreme pervertedness, within thirty minutes of his death, he will be made into a saint as a real dynasty warrior of the yokozuna class.”

  Tina paled and looked at Rentaro, stepping backward and shaking her head softly. “I had no idea you were such an important person. I have been very rude to you up until now…”

  Why was Tina being so polite now?

  “Hey, wait a minute, Doc! Stop messing around!” Why are you so passionate about obliterating my standing in society?

  Sumire seemed satisfied after thoroughly making a fool of Rentaro and guffawed loudly, going to the cupboard and starting to make coffee as usual. Over the sound of the electric mill grinding, she urged them to sit, proclaiming, “You guys sit over there somewhere.”

  Rentaro and Tina took a hard look at the equation that had overflowed from the board onto the wall as they sat down on the stools.

  “Doc, what’s this?” Rentaro asked.

  “A Millennium Prize problem called the Twin Prime Conjecture. It seemed interesting, so I tried solving it. I sent it to the International Congress of Mathematicians. If it’s correct, I’ll get some pocket money from this, too.”

  “Really? I don’t really get it, but it’s pretty amazing.”

  “Not really.” Just then, Sumire looked as if some realization had come to her and she glanced at Rentaro. “Oh yeah, I almost forgot—just yesterday or the day before, Shoma came to visit me.”

  Reflexively, Rentaro pushed his seat back with a screech and stood up. “He did?! Why? What’s he doing these days, anyway?”

  “Now, now, calm down. Here, have some coffee.”

  The scent of coffee from the heat-resistant table drew him reluctantly back down.

  “He was actually looking for you, but after I said you weren’t here, he left without hearing what I had to say. He still doesn’t talk much—or listen to what people have to say. He hasn’t changed.”