Rising Rays of the New Century: Tale of the Japanese Empire

A New Case

Metropolitan Police Department Interrogation Room

Kogasaki, who has turned himself in to the Metropolitan Police Department, is being interrogated by officers in the interrogation room. On the other side of the magic mirror, Superintendent Sakamoto is also present. Perhaps because evidence had already been gathered, Kogasaki readily admitted to making unauthorized copies of data and bringing weapons into the venue. When asked why he had acted so foolishly, he snickered and replied.

"Money, duh. I was told that if I sold the data, they would give me 400 million yen. Their weapons, too, I had smuggled in and concealed the day before the opening ceremony."

In exchange for the 400 million, Kogasaki sold the information and ID cards of the Touhou Denshi Communication to the Korean People's Revolutionary Army and also helped them bring weapons into the venue.

"You knew we would find out about this. Why did you do such a stupid thing!?"

"...I told you it was money."

Kogasaki did not even show any sign of remorse at the officer's questioning.

"Could it be... to pay for your son's medical treatment? You think that will make him happy!?"

There is a child named Tadato in Kogasaki's family who is hospitalized at the Midori University Hospital. Tadato was suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia and was undergoing treatment in the hospital. In this era, bone marrow transplantation is not limited to transplants from bone marrow donors, but the cost of treatment is naturally quite expensive.

"...You know nothing about that boy!"

"!!"

The moment the child was mentioned, Kogasaki's previously relaxed attitude changed drastically. The officer conducting the interrogation flinched. After a moment of silence, the officer asked him a question.

"Who is the client, by the way?"

The officer asked the name of the mastermind who had approached Kogasaki. He looked the officer straight in the eye and muttered.

"The counselor of the Korean embassy, Chang Wan-taek..."

"!!?"

The treacherous policeman Kogasaki spoke a shocking truth.

. . .

A certain place in the Midori University Hospital

That night, there were two figures moving suspiciously at the hospital where Kogasaki was detained. The location was filled with foliage, a blind spot for surveillance cameras, and one of the figures was running away from the other figure with a poor gait.

"W-wait! I did what I had to do because I was threatened! Please, help me! I'll pay you! It's none of your business to begin with—HUH!?"

When the man finally realized he was cornered and could not escape, he began to beg for his life. His right leg is in a cast. The name of this man was Danji Furuya, who had been yelling at the nurse in a wheelchair when Kogasaki was arrested.

"I know that he was paid by that Koroki. We are good friends. I can't forgive you just as he couldn't...!"

The other figure looked down at Furuya, who was slumped on the ground with his back against a tree, with eyes like a beast. Then, he swung his right arm wide. The human arm gradually transformed into a huge monster arm with sharp claws.

"Consider yourself lucky to be alive to this point...! But I knew you come here at night to smoke. Thanks for coming all the way to this blind spot and saving me the trouble of waiting to be discharged from the hospital... Goodbye!"