Chapter 68: I Have No Time Left
Chapter 68: I Have No Time Left
Kamikawa Takumi, the top combat member of the Countermeasures Department, carried the nickname “God’s Brush.”
At 26, his hobby was drawing comics.
He loved wearing Akheyan-patterned clothes and driving his anime-themed car. A figurine fanatic and collector of adult toys, his eccentricities were well-known.
So when he showed up at the villa wearing a T-shirt plastered with lewd facial expressions, nobody batted an eye.
Incidentally, every graphic on that shirt was drawn by Kamikawa Takumi himself.
“Everyone out.”
Arakawa Yamata shooed away his subordinates and others—the coming discussion wasn’t for outsiders’ ears.
Kanzaki Rin tried leaving with the group, but Arakawa Yamata stopped her.
Aoki Yusuke paused mid-step, lingering unnecessarily close to Kanzaki Rin.
Arakawa Yamata glared. Aoki Yusuke suddenly found the floor fascinating, studying imaginary ants.
Kamikawa Takumi waved cheerfully at each departing staffer, recalling every name and nickname even after brief encounters.
Once the room cleared, Kamikawa Takumi spread his arms and bounded toward Kanzaki Rin like an overeager puppy.
“Rin-chan! Your big bro missed you!”
Kanzaki Rin met him with a gut-punch that folded him double.
This idiot reminded her of another jerk—both radiating punchable energy.
The difference? Pummeling this one was safe. The other? Hazardous.
“Guh… Still violent as ever.” Kamikawa Takumi wheezed, clutching his stomach. “You’ll never marry at this rate. Good thing I’ll support you through my comics!”
Seeing Kanzaki Rin’s murderous glare, he hastily shoved milk tea and bread at her. “You skipped breakfast, right? Waited in line just for you!”
With two outsiders present, Kanzaki Rin gritted her teeth and accepted the peace offering.
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“Thanks, Takumi-bro. I’m starving too.”
Aoki Yusuke reached for the remaining snacks.
Kamikawa Takumi yanked them back, unwrapping the bread with his teeth. “Get your own.”
“Ahaha, figured I’d get nothing.” Aoki Yusuke scratched his head, smile strained.
As Kamikawa Takumi tried sidling toward Kanzaki Rin, Arakawa Yamata barked, “Kamikawa. Here. Now.”
Waving at Kanzaki Rin, Kamikawa Takumi whined, “We’ll talk later, Rin-chan! Don’t vanish!” He slurped his tea while approaching his boss. “What? I’m swamped.”
“Why ignore my calls?” Arakawa Yamata demanded.
“Was busy with Bamboo Studio’s new game!” Kamikawa Takumi spoke through mouthfuls of bread. “Demon Mom’s amazing—left me completely drained…”
“You—”
Arakawa Yamata massaged his temples. Useless to reprimand this clown—he might be the superior, but a dozen bureaucrats waited to steal his position.
Kamikawa Takumi was one of the three strongest fighters in the Countermeasures Department, rarer than national treasures. Everyone had to handle him with kid gloves.
Arakawa Yamata softened his tone: “I know you’re still upset about last time’s denied mission request, but it was for your own protection.”
Kamikawa Takumi grinned: “Who’s angry? Nobody wants to mess with those monsters. I’m too young to throw my life away.”
The old fox Arakawa Yamata saw through the young man’s sulking immediately.
When Blood Queen Isis descended upon Tokyo last time, Kamikawa had demanded to fight. But the Department ordered SAT operatives instead after risk assessment.
Three hundred elite SAT soldiers died just to “drive away” Isis.
They called it exorcism, but really they’d fed her three hundred sacrificial lambs until she got bored and left.
Kamikawa understood the logic – he just couldn’t accept being sidelined while comrades died needlessly. He could’ve lured Isis away safely, but the Department wouldn’t risk their precious aces.
Each of the three top fighters represented decades of investment. Losing one meant political heads would roll. SAT soldiers? Easily replaceable.
“Don’t take it personally. The Blood Queen’s the real enemy here.” Arakawa spoke like coaxing a moody child.
Truth was, the whole Department resented Isis. Why attack us when the Human Rights Coalition HQ sat right next door? Try them and see how fast they’d crush you!
Kamikawa knew Arakawa’s hands were tied. Department resolutions bound even higher-ups, and daily security crises already threatened what hair he had left.
“Rough life, old man.” Kamikawa yanked off Arakawa’s lush wig, rubbing the shiny Mediterranean beneath. “Hope I don’t end up like you. Want me to find hair-growing superpowers?”
“Show some respect!” Arakawa snatched back his hairpiece. Thank gods he’d dismissed the subordinates first.
His knife-sharp gaze suddenly turned to Aoki Yusuke and Kanzaki Rin.
Kanzaki stared at her phone. Aoki studied the ceiling chandelier. Neither seemed to notice the commotion.
Had Arakawa approached, he’d have seen Kanzaki’s new bald-spot photo and Aoki’s twitching lips as he hid his own phone.
“Why’d you call me?” Kamikawa drained his milk tea. “If it’s detective work, find someone else. Not being modest – I suck at it.”
“Not detective work.” Arakawa adjusted his wig. “Isis left bugs behind. Clean them up when you can.”
Meaning the vampires Isis created in Tokyo. Normally below an ace’s pay grade, but their failed ghost-hunting op and mole purge left them shorthanded.
Kamikawa could squash these fledgling bloodsuckers like ants.
“Busy!” Kamikawa shook his head violently. “Monitoring Uka’s monsters, gaming, maintaining order, catching up on anime, still hunting that escaped Great Tengu – no time to draw comics, let alone bug-hunt!”
Arakawa pressed: “This mass murder’s making waves. The Cabinet’s breathing down our necks. The Morishita family died on the second floor – the big shots feel unsafe.”
Kamikawa shrugged: “Get the other two aces! Why always me? You’ll make me bald! No time!”
“Be reasonable.” Arakawa sighed. One ace guarded Chiyoda’s royals, another protected Chuo’s elite. Only the newest ace (Kamikawa) got grunt work.
“Do me this favor.” Arakawa played his trump card. “There’s an upcoming superpower training session. I’ll put Kanzaki Rin forward.”
“You’d make such a shady deal?” Kamikawa widened his eyes. “At least throw in multiple sessions!”
“Two. Take it or leave it.”
“Fine. I’ll exterminate your bugs sometime.” Kamikawa wandered toward Kanzaki Rin.
“Don’t drag your feet!” Arakawa called after him.
As Kamikawa left with Kanzaki, Arakawa exited clutching his headache, leaving Aoki alone in the villa.
Instead of following, Aoki approached Morishita Yamato’s body bag. Unzipping it, he gazed at the dead man’s open eyes.
“I told you to delete the black market account.” Aoki gently closed the eyelids. “Rest. I’ll avenge you.”