Not a detective

Page 220

Before going there, he was still a little cautious, after all, he felt that his identity was still that of a half "fugitive", so he disguised himself.

For example, wearing a mask.

However, this only made the atmosphere more tense, and for some reason, there seemed to be an unusually large number of people around.

Although Asakawa Riku was only at the front desk and hadn't even gone upstairs, he saw many suspicious people coming downstairs, and the guy in the black trench coat was glancing at him out of the corner of his eye.

They seemed rather nervous.

However, Asakawa Riku wasn't there to start a war; he simply said politely:

"Please call Wu Yu Kui for me. I'm her friend, and I need to talk to her about something."

More than ten minutes later, Wuyu Kui came down from the elevator.

She wasn't wearing a uniform... So, did she dress up on purpose?

...

"...This happened three years ago, right? You shouldn't have forgotten. If I've given you the wrong details, please correct me."

Riku Asakawa recounted the truth behind "Nue no Natsu".

There were other customers in the coffee shop, but he didn't even bother to lower his voice; he simply spoke normally.

Such an absurd story, if others heard it, they would probably think it was a plot from a novel, so there's no need to hide it from them.

More than worrying about being overheard, he was actually more uneasy about... the awkwardness of talking about it face-to-face.

Especially since the person sitting opposite was one of the parties involved.

It was obvious that the moment she said those words, Kirisame almost spat out her milk tea. Her astonished eyes and frightened expression made her look just like a rabbit.

She seemed to want to run away at one point, fidgeting with her cup of milk tea and her fingers, her expression very complicated.

Despite the tense atmosphere, Asakawa Riku managed to finish what he had to say, including his reunion with Asukai Shi and their experiences in the mystery club.

"That's just the way it is."

it is finally over.

Then they fell into a long silence, looking at the ceiling and then at the floor, trying their best to avoid eye contact.

They looked just like two people who were invited to a blind date and didn't know what to do.

Finally, Riku Asakawa couldn't help but break the silence:

"Don't you have anything to say?"

"I...I always thought you were deliberately ignoring me."

Kirisame Aoi acted awkwardly, completely unlike her usual self. She trembled as she put on the mask Asakawa Riku had placed on the table, trying to hide the blush on her face.

Asakawa Riku sighed: "What I just said, I have amnesia. My memories were erased by some incomprehensible force... But you have indeed changed a lot."

This sentence is true.

Since awakening her past memories, she can clearly feel the difference when comparing herself to Kirisame.

This doesn't refer to differences in appearance. If you just look at the face, you can clearly recognize it as the same person: a high nose bridge, delicate features, and fair skin—everything is the same.

Both eighteen-year-old Kirisame Aoi and twenty-one-year-old Kirisame Aoi are absolute beauties, the kind without any flaws.

The only difference is their temperament.

The high school girl in my memory had ordinary long, flowing hair, especially her bangs which almost covered her eyes. She had a pale face and little spirit.

He was very introverted and reserved, afraid to speak loudly, and stammered, like a pink-haired guitarist who would play guitar in the closet.

Although it's unclear whether she was terrified by that incident, judging from the first-person perspective of Asukai Shi, that seems to be her personality at the time.

I wonder what he's been through all these years, that he's suddenly become so cheerful and handsome. It wouldn't be surprising if you thought an older sister had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

"...Have you become more beautiful?"

Two eyes slowly peek out from behind the mask, as if to probe.

Okay, at its core, it's still the same person.

"She has always been beautiful."

Asakawa Riku hesitated for a moment. He originally wanted to say seriously, "Now is not the time to talk about this," but suddenly felt that saying it would be too clumsy and a bit annoying.

Since you need something from someone, it's best to be polite.

Besides, this isn't a lie.

"That's great."

Kiri Aoi beamed with joy, then her expression instantly changed as she boldly removed her mask: "I thought you didn't like it, so I even grew some hair out, thinking that would remind you."

"This is fine." Asakawa Riku doesn't have a particular preference for long or short hair, after all, Chizuko-senpai also has short hair.

He retrieved his mask and put it back in his backpack; it was better not to display such a thing.

"However... what I'm more curious about is, since you remember what happened three years ago, why did you suddenly leave without saying goodbye back then?"

Orochi's Autumn: Chapter Three - Encounter

"At that time, I felt that you were protecting me, and I suddenly felt very sad."

"I was stupid and was deceived by others. If you hadn't appeared, I might have died by now. I was in despair for a while, but you pulled me out and brought me back to the light of day."

"In the end, I still need you to take care of my feelings... Asakawa, you are so kind that it makes me feel ashamed. I don't know what else I can do, so I made up my mind."

"I left Tokyo and returned to my hometown, Okayama Prefecture."

“Our family is a family of sword masters with a long history. We run a dojo, and every generation produces a sword saint-level figure. Before that, it was my grandfather, and before that, it was my mother.”

“The adults in my family said I had talent and wanted to train me to be the next head of the family. But when I was a child, I always felt that practicing swordsmanship was too hard. I was always covered in sweat and would be laughed at by other children. The daily training was also boring and tedious. My arms ached so much that I couldn’t hold a pen, which delayed my studies. So I would always deliberately be lazy and uncooperative, and whine and complain that I wanted to go to school in Tokyo.”

“My parents dote on me. After discussing it, they decided to let me pursue my own dreams for the future and not be bound by family traditions, so they sent me to Tokyo to study in high school.”

"But actually, I'm just a country girl who longs for Tokyo from TV and the internet. I only see the good side, always thinking that escaping my family will allow me to decide my future and not be bound by anything. I never thought that being alone would make me feel out of place. My strange accent, not knowing how to do makeup, these can all become reasons for not fitting in..."

"In short, I was unhappy at school in Tokyo and had no friends... This is the first time I've missed the feeling of home."

"That's probably why Nue... I mean, that woman was in disguise, and that's why she took advantage of the situation and believed her so easily."

"After experiencing that incident, I realized that only power is reliable. Without power, you can't do anything, not even protect yourself."

"So I returned to my hometown, apologized to my parents again, and expressed my willingness to start learning from scratch and begin practicing swordsmanship."

“I worked twice as hard and demanded more of myself than others because other disciples started training at five or six years old, while I started at eighteen. I was slower than others from the start, so I could only try my best to catch up. Others swung their knives a hundred times a day, while I swung them a thousand times. Apart from eating and sleeping, I was constantly reviewing my techniques and practicing to the point of madness.”

"Perhaps I am truly talented, or perhaps hard work pays off. With such pure willpower, I learned my family's swordsmanship in just one year and reached the point where I could teach it to everyone without permission."

“In the end, even my mother couldn’t beat me. In order to challenge stronger opponents and improve myself, I returned to Tokyo.”

"But this time it's not about enjoying high school life, it's about becoming stronger and meeting you with a completely new look... Asakawa, my goal is to catch up with you. Even when I'm practicing hard, just thinking about you gives me motivation. Your battles and strength back then told me that maybe if I work hard, I can become as cool and strong as you."

"I joined the Inspection Department because it's where I can challenge opponents with superpowers, and even all sorts of strange and monster-like beings. That's how I can continuously improve and enhance my swordsmanship."

"That's my story. I wanted to show you the me now, a different me, so that I could catch up with you a little."

...

"So that's it."

After listening to Kirisame Aoi's story, Asakawa Riku nodded with a sense of understanding.

He finally learned the unsolved truth: the motive behind Kirisame Aoi's escape and subsequent disappearance.

It's all just to "become stronger".

I was particularly moved when she told me about practicing swordsmanship in her hometown. I had never met anyone as dedicated and serious about martial arts as her. I felt a sense of closeness and familiarity with her in an instant.

Asakawa Riku sincerely admired him: "You've become really strong now. Your hard work and sweat have paid off."

True martial artists don't need to fight; a single glance is enough to tell that Wu Yu Kui's temperament and sharpness are enveloped in the omnipresent aura of sword energy.

On the surface, she appears to be just a beautiful woman, but in Asakawa Riku's eyes, she is an extraordinary sight, like a flawless warrior who can counterattack and move at any moment.

This is by no means just for show.

Especially that first time... no, it was more like their reunion, the moment he drew his sword out of thin air and slashed at her, that amazed him.

The introverted and withdrawn girl at that time has grown up to be so mature, and all of this has happened in just three years.

"of course."

Kirisame Aoi proudly raised her head, her chin practically pointing to the sky: "Maybe you can't even beat me now~"

The more you look at her, the more you realize that she is different from her cool, aloof, and alluring mature woman persona; she is actually quite simple and honest.

Asakawa Riku was displeased with these words. He had absolute confidence in his fists, a quality that reflected the pride of a martial artist.

"Just try and you will find out."

"offend."

The next second, the surrounding air seemed to freeze.

Seeing that Wu Yu Kui's expression suddenly turned cold, she suddenly sprang up, drew a non-existent sword, and slashed straight at him.

The speed was as fast as lightning, making it impossible to react. However, Riku Asakawa managed to break free in that impossible gap and dodge by turning his head.

His nose grazed the blade without sustaining any injury.

Both of their movements were performed in their imaginations, without any actual combat. They remained seated properly in the coffee shop, their battle almost like a "spiritual projection."

The two individuals' thought processes synchronized perfectly through subtle movements and intentions; this was a deductive mechanism of "pre-reading," a repeated clash of wits—

Then, in the next moment, he turned sideways and thrust out his palm, aiming straight for Wu Yukui's chest. The Cloud-Dispelling Palm pierced through with a thunderous roar.

Kirisame's eyes widened, seemingly not expecting this.

He actually learned... this...

Instinctively raising her hand, Kirisame couldn't tell if it was real or fake, and could only block. When she realized what was happening, she knew she had already lost.

"I……"

However, Asakawa Riku did not let her off easily.

He reached forward and grabbed Kirisame Aoi's arm. In her haste, she almost knocked over the milk tea cup in front of her, but Asakawa Riku saved her.

boom.

boom.

boom!

Within a mere two or three seconds, the two rapidly changed hand gestures, parrying and deflecting attacks, colliding repeatedly and producing a heavy clang, exchanging force repeatedly with only one hand.

The milk tea cup was passed back and forth between the two people's arms, constantly being passed on and off, a dazzling display.

In the end, Asakawa Riku's strength prevailed. He grabbed Kirisame Aoi's wrist and slammed her onto the table.

With a soft thud, the force was transmitted along the tabletop to the ground without causing any damage.

At the same time, the cup of milk tea landed perfectly, landing steadily without spilling a drop.

"I lost."

Kiri Aoi was stunned for a moment, then blankly admitted defeat.

Orochi's Autumn: Chapter Four - Request

"Hands-on combat isn't your forte. You should be allowed to fight with a real knife; that would be fair."

Asakawa Riku smiled and withdrew his hand with the air of a master.

Only he knew that there was a hint of sweat hidden behind that smile.

This brief "sparring" was partly an opportunity to exploit the information gap. Before coming here, he had practiced with Kiri Amane as his hypothetical opponent more than once, thus gaining a preliminary understanding and reaction to her swordsmanship and speed. On the other hand, Kiri Amane was completely unaware of his newly mastered "Imaginary Fist" and should have been caught off guard.

"How did you learn it so quickly...?" Sure enough, she gaped, "This is a family secret, outsiders can't learn it by stealing it..."

"It's not like you taught me; I figured it out myself. My family won't blame you."

Asakawa Riku used nonsense to coax and deceive this silly child.

The one who should actually be surprised is Kirisame Aoi, not himself. The most important point is—