บท 57: Chapter 93&94
Chapter 93: The Finale of the Performance
"The main body has captured the target. It's time for us to start our mission."
"Yes!"
Beneath the Yokohama TV Tower, ten identical clones emerged from the shadows, led by Clone No. 1. Upon receiving the message that the main body had captured John, this small team was ready to begin their assigned task: taking over the TV station.
The ten identical clones walked into the building, stunning everyone inside. Even the guards at the entrance forgot to stop them.
"Bang! Bang, bang, bang!"
Clone No. 1 raised a flintlock pistol, firing it into the air as a signal, and shouted, "Please cooperate with our actions, or bear the consequences."
Shaken by the gunfire, panic began to spread among the crowd, and many tried to escape. But the other nine clones quickly secured the area, bringing all the staff under control.
The guards, holding nothing more than plastic batons, reconsidered their monthly salary and, deciding it wasn't worth it, surrendered.
It took less than five minutes from the clones' entrance to total control. Not a single person escaped the TV station.
Some tried to call the police, but Yokohama was already in chaos. With the clones' appearance creating widespread fear, local thugs seized the opportunity to loot, which overwhelmed the police with calls, making it nearly impossible to get through to the police headquarters.
Clone No. 1 approached a bald, middle-aged man and asked, "Are you the station director?"
Trying to remain calm, the man replied, "Yes, I am. I need to tell you that breaking into a TV station without permission is illegal, and you'd better—"
Before he could finish, the muzzle of a flintlock gun was pressed against his forehead.
"Enough nonsense. I say what you do. Can you manage that?"
"Y-yes…"
"Good. Even I want to avoid unnecessary casualties."
Holstering the flintlock, Clone No. 1 commanded, "Prepare a broadcast area for us. We're going live."
"Live? You?"
"Didn't you hear what I said?"
The station director was silenced by her cold gaze. Directed by him, the staff quickly set up the equipment used for live news broadcasts and interrupted the cartoon playing on the local TV channel.
The staff worked swiftly; they had no choice, with nine armed nightmare clones watching their every move.
Realizing they were likely caught up in some supernatural conflict, the staff, as ordinary people, had no hope of resistance and chose to obey for their own safety.
Soon, the cameras, channels, lights, and all the live broadcast equipment were ready.
"Three, two, one, go."
With the director's countdown, Yokohama's local channel, the commercial screens in the shopping district, and the projection ads on the Shinkansen all screens controlled by Yokohama TV suddenly went dark, replaced by the image of Clone No. 1. People fleeing on the streets, anxiously heading home on trains, or anxiously waiting at home all looked at the screen displaying a charming young woman.
Her smile was elegant and alluring, even more photogenic than most celebrities. But instead of fascination, she invoked deep fear.
Almost every citizen in Yokohama, from various sources, had seen the face of the one responsible for this chaos.
"Good afternoon, everyone.
"I apologize for taking up your time, but I have something very important to announce. I hope everyone who can see me will stop what they're doing and listen carefully.
"My name is Tokisaki Kurumi, a Spirit with the ability to manipulate time. My goal is to return to the past, but achieving this requires a vast amount of time, far more than I can gather alone.
"So, I would like to ask for your help.
"Shortly, you may experience dizziness, nausea, nervousness, or drowsiness, but please don't worry; these are merely symptoms as I begin absorbing your lifespans. Many of you may die as your time runs out, and for that, I apologize sincerely.
"However, if I succeed in altering the past, the timeline will change, and everything happening now will cease to exist.
"So, citizens of Yokohama, I hope we meet again in a new world."
---
Meanwhile, at Yokohama Forest Park.
While Clone No. 1 carried out her mission at the TV station, the real Tokisaki Kurumi was busy with her own task. She gazed with excitement at the throne of intertwined grape vines forming before her.
Finally, she had reached this stage.
Since her arrival in this world as Tokisaki Kurumi, everything she had done all the roles she played and efforts she made had been in preparation for this moment. Whether it was joining Yokohama's three major organizations, stalling for the Union's assignments, or inciting chaos in the city, her ultimate goal was the throne before her.
With the grafting ability of the "Wrathful Grape," the influence range of Kurumi's "City of Devouring Time" would cover all of Yokohama. Clone No. 1's mission was to seize control of the TV tower and inform the citizens of Yokohama, planting seeds of fear ahead of time.
Now, with everything set, it was time to engulf the entire city in terror.
When the vine throne was complete, Kurumi, suppressing her excitement, slowly stepped onto it. As she sat down, thinner vines extended from the armrests and back, wrapping around her and piercing into her skin. The grafting was complete.
"Miss Tokisaki, I can feel your presence through my ability," John, who had surrendered after a brutal defeat, nervously confirmed their agreement. "As promised, I help you complete your plan, and then you'll let me leave safely, right?"
With the grapevine grafted onto her, Kurumi's life was now in John's hands. If he desired, he could kill this terrifying and mysterious woman with a single thought. Yet, he had no intention of double-crossing her. He was just a hired gun for the Union, without any loyalty to his superiors, only working for money. Now that the Union was practically defunct, with even its leader Fitzgerald captured and imprisoned in the shadow realm, he had no reason to risk his life for it.
Furthermore, if he even thought of betraying her, the clones watching him would not hesitate to shoot.
"Yes, I promise you can leave safely once everything is over," Kurumi nodded slowly.
"Alright, I suppose I have no choice but to trust you," John sighed. "I'm ready on my end too. My grapes are grafted to most large plants in the city. Once you activate your ability, they'll spread it throughout Yokohama."
"Excellent."
Kurumi closed her eyes and murmured, "Then let the final act begin."
In an instant, the crimson City of Devouring Time expanded outward from her as the center. The plants grafted with John's vines across Yokohama simultaneously spread the same field. Within seconds, the entire city was blanketed in crimson.
For everyone remaining in the city, their view was filled with this dizzying, maddening crimson, and the seeds of fear took root and began to grow. Yokohama had plunged into total chaos.
"The final stage is set."
Though she lowered her head, feeling the pain and weakness from the grafting process, Kurumi's lips curled in anticipation.
"Defenders of Yokohama, do your utmost and dance with me."
Chapter 94: Ogai Mori – Time to Show True Skill
Watching Kurumi's clone on the massive screen, Dazai's face turned grave.
He was certain the Kurumi at the TV station was a clone, and that the real one was hiding somewhere, preparing for her final move. After all, the last piece of Kurumi's puzzle John, an ability user from the Assembly was now in her hands.
After Dazai's group managed to shake off Fitzgerald and fifty clones, Fitzgerald, who was initially supposed to form an alliance with Kurumi, called them unexpectedly, revealing John's location.
As it turned out, once they ditched Fitzgerald, the clones immediately turned against him.
However, Dazai and the others had no time to turn back to help Fitzgerald; instead, they rushed to Yokohama's port, hoping to secure John before Kurumi could get to him.
Unfortunately, they arrived too late.
By the time they reached the scene, both John and Anne had vanished, leaving only a massive octopus like creature slipping into the sea as it sank beneath the waves.
Now, all the remaining ability users from the three main organizations had gathered, unsure of what to do next.
Yes, all those who could still act had assembled. To stop Kurumi's wicked plan, the usually incompatible factions united, rallying twenty powerful ability users together a historic sight, like five fingers finally clenched into a single fist.
Yet, no one had the heart to appreciate the moment.
"Sakaguchi, can you locate Nightmare?" Fukuzawa asked with a frown.
"No," Sakaguchi Ango answered, embarrassed. "The Special Abilities Division is giving it everything, but the countless clones are blocking us at every step, and we've found no clues."
"The Detective Agency then can't you use your deduction skills?" Chuuya turned to Edogawa Ranpo.
"Give me something to work with!" Ranpo responded, frustrated. "My ability is Ultra Deduction, not fortune telling or prophecy."
"So we're basically helpless, huh?" Atsushi paced anxiously, tugging his hair in frustration.
"Yokohama's too big, and Nightmare is constantly moving," said Kunikida, frowning. "Finding her current location is nearly impossible."
"Miss Tokisaki seems to favor her underling. Maybe we can get something out of that girl named Kyouka," Mori suggested.
"No way," Ozaki dismissed the idea with a wave of her hand. "Precisely because she likes Kyouka, she wouldn't tell her anything."
"What about the government?" Chuuya glared at Sakaguchi. "Are they planning to do nothing?"
"Come on," Ranpo sneered. "Nightmare's an undeniable Transcender. With a powerhouse like her in Japan, the government would rather curry favor. Forget a city's destruction if sacrificing half of Japan would please her, they'd probably do it."
"Though it's uncomfortable for me to say it, Ranpo's right," Ango bit his lip in frustration. "The government desperately wants its own Transcender, so they won't send anyone to support Yokohama. We're on our own."
"Do you two have any way of tracking down the real body?" Fukuzawa asked, looking serious.
"No," Bandage-san replied.
"Apologies, we're powerless," Eye Patch-san added regretfully.
"Well, looks like Atsushi wasn't entirely wrong. We're basically helpless."
Dazai shrugged, his blunt remark drawing many annoyed glances.
Almost every ability user in Yokohama was gathered there. Yet after so much discussion, no one had come up with a workable plan. Though Dazai's words were irritating, everyone couldn't help but agree a little.
Without external help, they might truly be unable to save Yokohama this time. Though they were united, ready to sacrifice themselves for the city, they couldn't even locate the enemy.
They'd tried capturing Nightmare's clones to interrogate them, but those shadows were hard to catch. Even if they managed to grab one, the clone would instantly self-destruct.
Watching Nightmare's clone broadcasting to Yokohama's citizens, the fervor among Yokohama's three major groups began to cool, turning to despair.
They were, perhaps, just a pack of losers.
"Then, people of Yokohama, let us meet again in the new world."
This was Nightmare's parting remark before the broadcast abruptly cut off, leaving the screen pitch black.
In the next moment, a harsh, scarlet glow enveloped the entire city.
"It's starting."
This thought surfaced in everyone's minds.
Nightmare's plan was about to begin. And it would likely end swiftly.
Meanwhile, the city's guardians could only wait helplessly for impending doom.
The first to fall were the elderly. Already weakened, they couldn't resist the effects of Nightmare's "City of Devouring Time."
Next were the children, their undeveloped minds succumbing quickly.
The rest of the citizens began to feel adverse effects, fighting off drowsiness in terror, fearing that if they fell asleep, they'd never wake up.
Fear filled every scarlet tinged corner. People wept, screamed, and shouted in despair. Some huddled together to spend their final moments in each other's company, while others sat alone, numb, awaiting the end. Some prayed for salvation.
Hearing the citizens' desperate voices, Dazai's team grew more and more somber.
"Wait a minute."
Just as despair took hold, Ranpo suddenly sprang up, an idea lighting up his face. "I thought of a way to locate Nightmare!"
"Really?"
"As expected of Ranpo!"
"Time's short, so hurry!"
Under their prodding, Ranpo quickly explained, "Mori, your ability Vita Sexualis creates a femal looking ability entity, with customizable appearance, clothing, measurements right?"
"Yes." Mori nodded slowly, and as he realized Ranpo's idea, his eyes widened. "You're suggesting… I make Elise look like Tokisaki Kurumi, pass her off as a clone, and have her mingle with the real clones to locate Nightmare?"
"Precisely. I think it could work."
"Ordinarily, I'd never agree to this." Mori grimaced. "But if sacrificing Elise means saving Yokohama, I have no choice."
"We can just change 'Tokisaki Kurumi' back to 'Elise' afterward," Dazai smirked.
"But I can't bear to be apart from Elise for even a second!"
"Just do it, you Lolicon! Time's running out!"
"Yes, yes…" Mori sighed, and with a thought, a small, blonde girl appeared before him. However, this time, Elise's eyes held none of her usual liveliness, looking more like a true doll.
"Now, let's see…how to craft Miss Tokisaki…"
Standing before Elise, Mori began transforming her bit by bit.
"Height: 160 cm, weight: 40 kg, black hair, styled with one long and one short ponytail. Right eye red, left eye gold with a Roman clock pattern. Outfit: black and red off-shoulder gown, weapons: a pair of old-fashioned flintlock pistols. Measurements…88-55-60?"
As Mori adjusted the specifications, the petite blonde gradually transformed into a bewitching young woman.
Once he had the base model, Mori refined the appearance. Bit by bit, he brought the doll closer to Tokisaki Kurumi's likeness.
After only a few minutes, a near-perfect replica of Kurumi stood before him, indistinguishable from the original save for some slight differences hidden under her gown.
"Snap."
With a snap of his fingers, the lifeless doll came alive. But this time, her name was not Elise but Tokisaki Kurumi.
"Mori-san." Doll-Kurumi smiled seductively, identical to the real Kurumi's smile.
"Hello, Miss Nightmare."
With a sigh of relief, Mori gave this newly crafted doll her first command.
"Well then, begin your first mission."
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