章 9: Revelations
(A/N: I'll keep this message short and sweet, enjoy the chapter! Don't forget to leave a comment or a review as well, all your feedback is well appreciated!)
----------
[2 Days Later]
[Narrator's POV]
It was a cacophonous symphony of police sirens and camera flashing lights, urgent conversations, and the hum of a restless city. The early morning cold breeze caused the crime scene tape to flutter, obstructing the entry to a seemingly mundane abandoned building that now demanded the attention of the entire nation.
News of the tragedy spread like a forest fire, with the media descending like a pack of hyenas on a fresh carcass. Their cameras captured every angle, every flicker of movement, grovelling for any piece of new information.
Detective Tsukauchi stood within the cornered-off area, his eyes scanning the reporters, camera crews, and curious onlookers who were all mushed together just beyond the yellow tape like a can of sardines.
Even as the early morning sun enlightened the area with its warm rays of light, the magnitude of what had transpired within the building seemed to cast a shadow on everything. The detective turned to face the entrance to the building. Though he was outside, he could feel the chilling dread of the air inside the building. The air was so thick he could almost grasp it.
"Detective, is it true that the victim was a Pro Hero?" one reporter shouted, doing her best to shove a microphone towards his way. Another camera crew closed in, their lenses trained on Tsukauchi, eager for any confirmation, any detail that could fuel the already frenzied speculation.
He didn't respond, his face locked to show only cold and serious professionalism as he made his way into the building, closing the doors behind him. The air was thick with the scent of damp concrete as the hum-buzz of a dim yellow light flickered from the ceiling, casting eerie shadows on the old walls.
Tsukauchi, wasting no time, descended to the basement where the body had been found. As he reached the bottom of the steps, the crime scene came into full view.
The forensics team moved with precision, their gloved hands carefully collecting water samples from around the room, which now felt more akin to a tomb. Accompanied with them were a handful of crime scene photographers scattered over the place, taking photos of every detail they saw.
Off to Tsukauchi's far right, he took note of a senior police officer talking to two kids, both no older than 19 years old, dressed like they were about to paint graffiti on walls. "Those two must have been the ones who made the call…" he muttered to himself, taking his hands out of the pockets of his tan trenchcoat.
And at the centre of it all, a cold metal chair sat bolted to the floor, its restraints still in place, but now hauntingly empty. His gaze then turned towards the clear glass container, now drained of water but still suffocating in its presence.
Masaki Mizushima, the hero known as Manual, was no more.
"What the fuck happened here?" Tsukauchi murmured under his breath, coiling one of his hands into a tight fist. "This is just like that previous case…" and he was right. The parallels were undeniable with the case a few weeks ago — another victim, another elaborate trap.
"Detective Tsukauchi," a voice called out behind him, pulling the man away from his thoughts and back to reality. He turned to see a junior officer, his face a pale white as he handed over a file. "Here are some of the initial reports we've gathered from the scene."
Tsukauchi nodded, flipping through the pages with a growing sense of sickness in his chest. A lingering thought crossed his mind that this certainly wouldn't be the last trap. But compared to before, the stakes were much higher.
Manual was not just a hero; he was a beacon of hope in his community, a symbol of what it meant to protect and serve. The detective's eyes narrowed as he took notice of a key detail outlined in one of the papers.
"Officer Miyagi," the detective spoke to the junior officer. "It's mentioned here that a citizen's dash camera caught footage of an unknown individual attacking Manual?" the junior officer nodded, elaborating on the finer details.
"Correct, Detective Tsukauchi," he started. "The citizen in question parked his car along one of Manual's common patrol routes. It was only about 25 minutes ago when news broke out that he checked his dash camera footage before contacting the police about his findings."
Tsukauchi crossed his arms as he asked the officer a follow-up question. "Can you get me that footage now?" Officer Miyagi immediately nodded. "Sir, yes sir!" the man gave a quick bow before leaving to get the detective the footage he wanted.
Detective Tsukauchi let his eyes wander for a brief moment before he found himself gravitating toward the centre of the room, where Manual's body had been found by those teenage boys.
'Sinister… nothing but sinister to its very essence…' was Detective Tsukauchi's only thoughts as he looked at the cold, calculated nature of the setup. Each part of the trap, from the gears to the hoses to the containers of water was intricate and methodical.
His eyes filled with sorrow as his fingers traced the edge of the drained glass container. He imagined what must have gone through Manual's mind as he faced his final moments — was it fear, regret, desperate hope that he could somehow escape?
"You didn't deserve this," the detective spoke under his breath, his lips almost quivering. From all the media he saw of the hero and the conversations he had with him, the detective could tell Manual was a very kind man.
No, he was more than that.
He brought laughter to the kids that were on the playground, he brought safety when he patrolled the streets, and he brought with himself a sense of inspiration that anyone could do what they wanted no matter the difficulty.
His contemplation was interrupted by the sounds of footsteps approaching. Officer Miyagi returned with a device in one hand, and a portable monitor in the other. His face was still pale, though his expression was more composed. "Detective," he called out. "I got the dash cam footage ready for you."
Tsukauchi nodded, stepping away from the remnants of the trap as Miyagi set up the monitor on a nearby table. The screen flickered to life, showing a slightly pixelated but clear enough view of the street.
Manual's recognizable figure patrolled the area, his posture relaxed but alert as he walked along the sidewalk. Then, a flash of movement — blurred and quick — appeared in the corner of the screen.
The figure was a blur, their features obscured by the angle of the camera and distance, but the attack was clear. The assailant moved with precision, striking Manual in the back with a weapon that gleamed momentarily in the faint light. Tsukauchi's sharp eyes caught the shape of the weapon — long, thin, and unmistakably a sword.
"Pause it there," he instructed, leaning in closer as Miyagi froze the frame. Tsukauchi studied the image intently. "The angle's bad, but there's no mistaking it — that's a sword." Officer Miyagi nodded. "It appears so, sir. But the assailant didn't kill Manual on the spot. Instead, it looks like they incapacitated him and then… well, the trap must've been set up afterward."
Tsukauchi's expression darkened. "This wasn't random. Whoever did this, wanted Manual alive for the trap."
The individual behind the creation of such a contraption wasn't just another thug with a vendetta — they had a purpose, a reason for putting Manual through such an ordeal. 'But why?' the detective thought to himself.
Something was missing here. There had to be a motive connected between the two traps, the detective was certain of it.
It was then that a voice called out from the other side of the room, drawing the detective's attention. Another officer approached, holding a tablet in his hands. "Detective, we've got something else. A playback of a message that was left for Manual in that old TV there. You might want to see this."
Tsukauchi took the tablet, his stomach twisting as he pressed play. The screen filled with static before clearing to reveal a mechanical puppet, its face grotesque and twisted, its eyes glowing with an unsettling light. The voice that followed was cold, robotic, and devoid of any emotion.
"Hello, Masaki Mizushima. I want to play a game."
The detective listened intently, his mind dissecting every word, every pause, every inflection. The message was carefully crafted, and tailored to Manual's history, his failures, and his regrets. It was a psychological assault as much as it was a physical one, designed to break the hero before the trap even began.
Detective Tsukauchi paused for a brief moment to talk to the officer who brought him the device. "The puppet mentioned the 'death of a misguided father,' is there any information on that?" the officer shrugged. "Not entirely sure off the top of my head. I'll get back to you with whatever information I can get."
Tsukauch nodded as the officer left before he listened to the rest of the video. As the message played on, Tsukauchi felt a chill run down his spine. This wasn't just a test — it was an execution, one that had been meticulously planned and carried out with a purpose that was still unclear. But one thing was certain: whoever was behind this had a specific moral code, one that guided their actions and dictated their choice of victims.
Tsukauchi's grip on the tablet tightened as the message ended, the screen fading to black. "This is different from the last trap," he muttered, more to himself than to anyone else. "The level of planning, the resources needed… this isn't just someone playing games. This is someone who believes they're delivering justice."
Miyagi, standing beside him, looked uneasy. "Do you think it's the same person behind both cases, sir?" "I'm certain of it," Tsukauchi replied, his voice firm. "And it's only going to get worse from here…"
The detective's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of hurried footsteps echoing through the basement. He turned to see another officer rushing towards him, his face flushed with urgency. "Detective Tsukauchi, we've just received a report from the autopsy lab. Ingenium is on his way there now, but they've requested that he wait until they've completed their work."
Tsukauchi sighed, rubbing his temples. "Of course, he is…" He knew that Manual's death would hit Ingenium hard — they were close, not just as colleagues but as friends. And now, with the autopsy in progress, Ingenium would be desperate for answers, for any clue that could help him understand why this had happened.
"Make sure he's aware that he needs to give the lab time to do their job," Tsukauchi instructed. "But keep an eye on him. He's not going to take this well."
The officer nodded and hurried off, leaving Tsukauchi alone with his thoughts once more. The detective glanced back at the remnants of the trap, a deep sense of dread settling in his chest.
The stakes were higher now, and things would undoubtedly get worse from here.
-------------------------
1 · Manual · Trending
Manual
Trending with #RIP, Heroes
5,462 Tweets
HeroFan88 @HeroFan88 · 3h
I can't believe Manual is really gone… Rest in peace, hero. You'll be missed. News article is linked below. #RIPManual #ProHeroes #JusticeForManual
9:55 AM · July 16, 2260 · Twitter Web App
512 Retweets 3.9k Likes
-------------------------
Pro Hero Manual Found Dead in Suspicious Circumstances
By Masayuki Jin
July 16, 2260
Early this morning, the Pro Hero Manual was found dead in an abandoned building in Tokyo. The discovery was made by two teenagers who stumbled upon the scene while exploring the area. The police have confirmed that Manual's death is being treated as suspicious, and a full investigation is currently underway.
Sources close to the investigation suggest that the circumstances surrounding his death are highly unusual, with some describing the scene as "disturbing" and "unlike anything they've ever encountered."
While authorities have not released specific details, it has been confirmed that Manual's body was found in what appears to be an elaborate trap, leading investigators to believe that his death was premeditated.
Manual, whose real name was Masaki Mizushima, was known for his dedication to protecting his community in Hosu City. He had built a reputation as a reliable and steadfast hero, often working closely with the local police to keep the streets safe. His Quirk, "Water Manipulation," allowed him to control water and use it in a variety of defensive and rescue situations, making him a valuable asset during emergencies.
Manual's death has sent shockwaves through the hero community and among citizens who admired his work. As a mid-tier Pro Hero, Manual may not have been one of the most famous heroes, but he was deeply respected by those who knew him. His calm, steady demeanor made him a favorite among citizens, and he was often seen as a beacon of hope in his community. The loss of such a figure has left many in mourning, with tributes pouring in from across the country.
The police have remained tight-lipped about the details of the ongoing investigation, but some sources have hinted that this could be the work of a calculated individual or group, given the intricacy of the trap found at the scene. There is growing speculation that this may not be an isolated incident, with concerns that other heroes could be targeted in the future.
As the story develops, the nation awaits further information on this tragic loss. The hero community is on high alert, and citizens are calling for swift justice for Manual. For now, all eyes are on the investigation as it unfolds.
© 2260 Japan Hero Reportings, a division
of Japan Daily Network, LLC
-------------------------
QuirkLover98 @QuirkLover98 · 30m
Replying to @HeroFan88
So messed up… I hope the cops catch whoever did this. Manual didn't deserve to die #RIPManual
10:25 AM · July 16, 2260 · Twitter for iPhone
321 Retweets 1.7k Likes
AnimeFanatic @AllMightForever · 10m
Replying to @HeroFan88
This is so sad. We need answers! Someone has to be held accountable for this! #JusticeForManual
9:25 AM · July 16, 2260 · Twitter Web App
108 Retweets 802 Likes
-------------------------
(A/N: Guys, did I cook? And also did you guys like the 'social media' reactions at the end? I remember doing this for my old fanfiction and thought it could work here. Anyhow, comment your thoughts below and don't forget to leave a review!)
週次パワーステータス
-- 推薦
ランキング 
-- 推薦
チケット