Chapter 76
[Circular Darkness]
In the room we were brought to, we were given the ‘Association’ membership card . Since there’ll be various problems if we register our name with the same code name of Anonymous, we registered with the name Shin and Yomi respectively .
Since we were introduced by Hitsugiya, it seems that we were given a preferential treatment . Thus, Yoiyami-san and I were able to complete the membership registration very smoothly .
According to what I’ve heard, Hitsugiya is one of the founders of the ‘Association’ . I have some doubts about Hitsugiya, who was a founder but only active as a freelancer, but I understand that we were able to join smoothly like this was thanks to him .
Then, after receiving an explanation about the Association’s system from the receptionist, Yoiyami-san and I were guided to another reception room .
When we entered the room we were guided to, seemingly have finished her role, the receptionist bowed out of the room . Afterward, a man enters the room the through the door opposite of the entrance of the room .
The man who came in looked like a hawk .
The man sat down in the sofa around a table .
I thought he is like a hawk because his swept back brown hair and the outline of his protruding eyebrows are impressive . His body build is also good . He wore a black jacket with a raised collar and tight brown jeans .
Perhaps he is just over 40 years old . He looks younger than Yoiyami-san .
After looking over me and Yoiyami-san alternatively with his sharp eyes that seemed could pierce through a wall, the man said,
“Well, sit down . ”
While leaning deeply on the sofa, he pointed at the sofa across the wooden table with one hand .
“Your acquaintance?”
I utter a voice that only Yoiyami-san can hear . That guy won’t notice that I was speaking because my mouth was hidden with a muffler .
Without replying to my question, Yoiyami-san sat on the sofa . Seeing that, I also sit next to him .
Then, the man who sat in front of us spoke .
“I’m Sakasegawa, the chairman here . ”
The chairman, huh . Does he have a business with us?
Or is it because we were introduced by Hitsugiya, he wants to have a little talk with us?
Sakasegawa continues,
“Being a chairman, I have to understand the members to some extent . Even if you were introduced by Hitsugiya, I can’t let completely unknown people freely come in and out of here . ”
Hitsugiya didn’t tell us anything about this situation .
And he doesn’t seem to recognize Yoiyami-san .
People who have lived in the underworld for a long time should usually know the face of Yoiyami-san, whose infamy once spread in the underworld .
So, Sakasegawa probably knows about Yoiyami-san, but the reason he doesn’t realize that the man sitting in front of him is Yoiyami-san is probably because Yoiyami-san has gotten old and his appearance has changed considerably .
Hitsugiya and Desuko-san both said that Yoiyami-san has gotten old when they saw him . I was also surprised the first time I met him because he looks older than I expected .
He doesn’t have that many wrinkles on his face . But his skin is bad and he got dark circles under his eyes . His black eyes are always half-closed . His whiting black hair has completely lost its luster, and I feel bad to say this but I didn’t get the feeling of living person from him . Should I say he looked lifeless?
However, I also got the feeling that he was originally has a well-ordered face .
“Haven’t you heard from Hitsugiya?” Yoiyami-san said with his usual tone .
“I have, but I want to confirm with my own eyes what kind of people you guys are . First of all, you there, show your face,” Sakasegawa pointed at me and said .
It’s bad . I want to avoid exposing my bare face, but what should I do?
When I was thinking, Yoiyami-san said,
“Sorry but, please let this guy off . ”
“…Ha? What rights do you bastard has to deci—”
“My name is Yoiyami . ”
When Yoiyami-san interrupted Sakasegawa’s words and said so, Sakasegawa closed his mouth and stared at Yoiyami-san’s face seriously .
In order to prevent my bare face from getting exposed, Yoiyami-san deliberately give his name, huh . Even though he said he didn’t want to use his name .
I turned my gaze to Yoiyami-san, but he was still looking straight at Sakasegawa .
Sakasegawa opened his mouth after a while,
“Don’t you know that there are names in this industry that you can’t use to impersonate?”
I put on my guard at the words that was mixed with killing intent . From the killing intent, he seems to be considerably skilled .
“I can’t count how many people have been erased by impersonating to be the retired Yoiyami . ”
I haven’t heard of that from Yoiyami-san himself .
Sakasegawa’s words continue,
“I’ve seen him a few times a long time ago, and he was a like a killing machine . He imposingly walked around the downtown without hiding his killing intent, y’know . ”
“…”
“I admit your disguising skill, but Yoiyami is not a lifeless old man…like you!”
Sakasegawa suddenly stab a knife into the hand of Yoiyami-san that was on the table .
The knife stabs Yoiyami-san’s hand and pierces into the wooden table .
Seeing that, I reflexively stood up and tried to take out my pocket knife, but I was once again stopped by Yoiyami-san’s gaze .
When I looked at him, although he was stabbed with a knife, Yoiyami-san didn’t quiver . He didn’t even raise his eyebrow .
The blood of Yoiyami-san spread on the table .
Doesn’t that hurt…?
While holding the grip of the knife, Sakasegawa stared at Yoiyami-san .
I felt that the surrounding ‘black’ was wriggling .
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“It sure is a rough welcome . ”
Saying that, Yoiyami-san turned his eyes to Sakasegawa . After Sakasegawa slowly pulled out the knife, ‘black’ gathered at Yoiyami-san’s wound and stopped the blood from flowing out .
Sakasegawa widened his eyes a little and said,
“…Pardon me . ”
“Shin, take off your hood and muffler . ”
Shin, it’s my current name .
Being told so, I take off my hood and muffler obediently .
I wanted to avoid exposing my bare face, but I followed Yoiyami-san’s instructions .
“So, can you pretend not to know? We have some circumstances, see . ”
“ahh…”
Sakasegawa nodded, so I wrapped the muffler and put on the hood again .
“Do you need anything else?” Yoiyami-san stands up and said so . While sitting, Sakasegawa pointed at Yoiyami-san’s hand .
“I want to treat your wound . ”
“No, please stop . It may not be enough, but let’s regard it as a proof of trust . ”
Sakasegawa nodded greatly to the words that seemed to be half-threatening .
When he saw that, Yoiyami-san turned on his heels and headed for the exit . I followed afterwards .
I left the room and chased after Yoiyami-san who was walking ahead .
Apart from the elevator we used earlier, there is an elevator on this floor to go to the meeting place on the upper floor, and we are heading there .
If we went upstairs with the elevator we used earlier, we wouldn’t be able to enter the meeting place .
“If this was the case, wouldn’t we still be able to join without Hitsugiya’s introduction?”
I said while following Yoiyami-san’s quick steps .
In the end, we used Yoiyami-san’s name, so I felt that we would be able to join the ‘Association’ even without Hitsugiya’s help .
“…That’s the case if it were only me . In order get you in, we need the recommendation of Hitsugiya . We also have to proof our ability . ”
“I see . But he had seen my face . ”
“It’s not like he took a picture of you . He only had to look at your face… Moreover, he’s the only one who saw it, so there’s no problem . ”
“Well, that’s true, but… Is that wound okay?”
“Ahh . ”
While talking, we get into the elevator and then I press the button to the next floor upstairs .
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The elevator started to move and stopped immediately .
Then the door opened, and a slightly stylish sight jumped into my view .
It is a dim lounge-like space that is completely different from the bright lower floor . The windows are closed with black curtains, and only a few overhead lightings illuminate the room . Piano jazz was playing as the BGM .
Those who drink alcohol at the counter, those who make a fool of themselves around the bar table, those who get excited at poker, each of their attention were concentrated on the elevator that opened for a moment .
Yoiyami-san stepped out of the elevator and proceeded proudly without minding them . I followed after him and looked around with just my eyes .
There are various people .
A serious office worker in a suit, a child of elementary school age, a hungry middle-aged man, an old man dressed like a vagrant, and a delinquent in school uniform with his head dyed blond .
It’s a little amusing to think that everyone here is a killer .
The killers seemed to know that Yoiyami-san and I were newcomer, and I heard them talking in whispers .
I think this ability which can accurately distinguish sounds even in such a space where the voices of various people are mixed in is really amazing .
Yoiyami-san is heading to a large display with a list of requests .
As explained by the receptionist, after leaving the elevator, we can see the display on the right .
The target’s name, difficulty level, and reward are briefly displayed on the list, and they are lined up in a row on the display .
The killers are making money by completing these requests . The difficulty setting was almost the same as Anonymous .
The details of the request can be confirmed from the computers lined up on both sides of the display . You cannot log into the computer unless you used a member’s card .
After selecting the request you want to receive, click the ‘Accept Order’ button . You can receive the request just like that .
Most of the rewards are paid in advance, but if the request is not completed, it must be refunded . And, of course, if you take the money and run away…needless to say, huh .
Requests may be duplicated, but in that case, the ‘Association’ is supposed to discuss in advance whether the reward will be evenly distributed or whether the person who killed the target will take the total reward . Except for comrades, there is no much merit in doing it with a stranger, and it seems that it is a breach of manner to duplicate it later .
Well, I don’t care about such details .
I watched Yoiyami-san staring at the display from behind .
When I was doing so, someone approached me from behind and grabbed my shoulder .
Looking back, there stood an about 30 years old fat man .
“Are you a newcomer? I’m Zunguri . ”
“Don’t touch me . ”
I swept away the hand of the man who called himself Zunguri and turned toward Yoiyami-san .
There is a reason why I took such an attitude .
According to what I understood from listening to the conversations of the surrounding people, it seems that it is a custom to pick on newcomers when they come in . That’s why this fat man came .
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But unfortunately, I didn’t have time to play along with that .
“You sure have a bad attitude . Or rather, I know that you’re trying to accept a request, but when you come here, you have to say hello to Gotou-san first, you know?”
If killers gathered, they would be such a group of thugs, huh .
While thinking about such a thing, I look around once . There sure are some people who don’t seem to be interested at all .
I hope that there are only a few such minions .
“Go say hello to Gotou-san . ” Zunguri went around in front of Yoiyami-san this time and said so .
“Okay . Where is he?” Yoiyami-san asks Zunguri .
I thought it was fine to ignore it though, but it seems that Yoiyami-san has an idea .
“Over there . ”
There was a bar counter at the place where Zunguri pointed at . Using that counter as his backrest, a man is looking this way .
It was a bald middle-aged man with a good body build .
“Is that Gotou?”
“Yeah . ”
“In other words, he is the strongest and most powerful person here, right?”
“That is…” Zunguri faltered .
Seeing that, Yoiyami-san immediately said,
“He’s not? Then there’s no need for me to say hello to him . ” That meant that he will only say hello to the strongest guy, huh .
While thinking about such a thing, I watched Zunguri, who can’t answer back, and smirked .
However, looking at the scene, Gotou, who was completely still, stood up and headed for us .
When Gotou arrived here, he kicked Zunguri away and stared at Yoiyami-san .
“You sure are a cheeky newcomer . ”
“…You better stop doing this kind of thing . It makes people think that this is a low-level organization . ”
I actually thought so . Even though the equipments and system are good, but if the members are bad, it is futile .
“I’m watching out for foolish newcomers y’know . In order to make sure the quality of the ‘Association’ isn’t compromised . ”
You’re just picking on the newcomers, right? – so I thought, but I wouldn’t say it .
“You guys seems capable, so I’ll let this slide . I’ll not forgive you if you do the job poorly though . ”
“Is that so?”
Yoiyami-san closes his eyes, get around Gotou, and walks to the computer .
I glanced at Gotou’s face and then walked after Yoiyami-san .
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