Editing Mushi Uta:Volume 6 Chapter 3 (section)

==3.00 Inuko Part 4==

The sky was blue.

The pleasantly warm weather indicated the end of winter. 

Lying sprawled on top of the hard asphalt, Inuko basked in the sunlight as if savoring every second of it. The raincoat hanging from the hockey stick inserted into the drain hole raised a clattering sound as it blew by the wind.

"I refuse."

With an onigiri bought at a convenience store in her left hand and a cellphone in her right hand, Inuko raised a nonchalant voice. Since she was moving her mouth while eating, the person on other side of the phone was apparently unable to hear her replies well.

"Like I said, I refuse. Telling me to come back to Central Headquarters immediately is no joke. I still have things to do here. Since I've already handed the report to the branch here, it should be quickly passed along to the Headquarters."

"The situation is urgent. The branch had been attacked by Shinpu, and other than the branch director there are also plenty of members who are still unconscious—this sort of thing had never happened before. It is natural for the Headquarters to receive the detailed report instead of the branch that had lost most of its functions."  

The one on the other side of the phone spoke in a mild tone. Even through the phone Inuko felt like she could see that chaining smile that stripped the will of anyone in front of it.

Shinpu had not been recorded by the surveillance cameras installed in the assaulted branch. Most of the picture was covered by large amounts of miasma. Meaning that once again it had been only Inuko to confirm Shinpu's existence. 

"That's quite odd of you to say, vice-director Miguruma-dono."

Inuko answered, completely calm. Having finished eating her onigiri, she now fumbled around inside a plastic bag for a new sandwich.

Shinpu had attacked the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau—

Ordinarily it should have been a major incident that would shake the branches in the entire country.

However, Central Headquarters decided putting everything on hold until after hearing about it directly from Inuko. There was probably also the reason of avoiding confusion, but it just meant that it was that much unbelievably shocking. 

"During Valentine's Day… The proposal of acting branch director Goroumaru to change the chain of command had been accepted and should have come into effect. The authority of the Central Headquarters, until now of the highest priority, was to become second to the local branch. And in the case their branch director is absent then the authority to issue commands should go to the acting Director or to the assistant. This means that they have yet to lose their functions as a branch."

"The Assistant had said she would respect the opinion of Central Headquarters. So perhaps I should head over there to receive your report?"

''This is no joke—''

Inuko muttered in her heart. Right now that branch had been blockaded by a unit sent from Central Headquarters under the pretext of a high state of alert. If she went there she would obviously be taken into custody.

The Central Headquarters' forcible way of doing things wasn't anything new, but this time it was especially abnormal. Inuko knew that they were going to thoroughly interrogate anyone they thought had come in contact with Shinpu. 

As she grew silent, the vice-director of Central Headquarters, Miguruma Yaeko, spoke in a gentle voice.

"Asagi. You are my important and beloved subordinate. I am worried for you after coming in contact with Shinpu. You might be under the influence of his mental pollution, so we should conduct a thorough checkup."

"It wasn't contact. I annihilated him. How's that strange corpse's investigation going along?"

"The autopsy results seem to indicate there is no other conclusion except that it was simply a decomposed body. You are the only one to insist that Shinpu had inhabited it and that you had annihilated it. There were no other witnesses, right?"

Being asked this, Inuko fell silent.

She had reported about the presence of Shinpu and her annihilation of him—nothing more. She hadn't revealed that during this she had spoken with Shinpu and heard disquieting information about the Central Headquarters. She was also yet to report about her "discovery" known as Shiohara Shachito.

"However, I do believe the testimony of my beloved subordinate. ''Because'' I believe you I find it to be essential that you inform me of this directly." 

"I will send you the written report again. I'm thinking about staying in this city for a while to make sure Shinpu doesn't appear again."

"How strange. Were you not supposed to have annihilated Shinpu? Is there still any need to stay alert regarding him?"

Being asked this by a kind tone, Inuko frowned.

''Oops—''

Yaeko's chaining smile grabbed Inuko's heart through the phone call.

"That's… I just have a bad feeling. I'm just not confident that—"

"There was nothing of the sort in your report."

"So I'm saying that I'll send it again."

"Please leave caution to the members sent there. If the need arises we will dispatch further reinforcements from Central Headquarters. This is an order, Asagi, got it?"

Inuko's hand carrying the sandwich to her mouth stopped.

The tranquil scenery of lunch was wrapped in tension.

She thought desperately of an excuse to let her settle this without being called back to Central Headquarters. She sorted out information that would be good to expose and things that she must never say.

"…There's actually another thing that caught my interest."

"Please tell me about it."

"I've discovered an excellent Mushitsuki and am currently monitoring him. As I see it, he is blessed with unparalleled talent as a combatant. At present I'm testing—"

"About what Rank you expect him to be?"

"Rank 3 or 2… no, if I focus on my current training program, I think that it's not impossible for him to be even above that."

She said in a subdued voice.

This was a kind of gamble.

Yaeko seemed to be thinking for a while.

"Understood, Asagi. I permit you to carry out your mission on site."

Inuko sank into silence only for a second, then responded in acknowledgement. 

"The time limit will be… you know, right? Just so you will not make any foolish moves that shorten your own life."

Inuko felt around for the lollipops in her pocket over the raincoat.

These were order-made candies that only the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau knew how to make. Although she had been given the freedom to journey by herself, her constant need for these lollipops was the same as having a collar.

All of the candies supposed to have been supplied to her at the local branch were smashed to pieces during Shinpu's attack.

Yaeko would probably not hand her any candies until she returned to Central Headquarters. Meaning that if she didn't come back until her reserve lollipops ran out, Inuko would—

"…"

She bit her lips.

She could no longer turn back—

"I would like to ask you another thing."

Miguruma Yaeko's voice stayed so kind that it gave her the chills.

"Do you really have no idea as to why Shinpu would attack the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau?"

''—Thou should consider it a warning… as well as revenge''.

The words Shinpu had left behind floated to her mind.

"I have no clue. Just trying to annihilate him took everything I had."

She replied, making her voice sound as carefree as she could.

Whether or not she noticed the turbulence in Inuko's heart, there was not even the slightest of changes to Yaeko's reply.

"I see, understood. —I look forward to the birth of an excellent combatant. Do your best to meet the expectations of my love, Asagi."

Leaving these words behind, Yaeko hanged up.

"If I don't live up to them I'll be killed… You should just say this clearly, vice-director-dono."

Dropping the cellphone, Inuko made a deep sigh. Now that she finished her conversation with that woman with the chaining smile, she could finally feel the taste of the sandwich she had been eating expand in her mouth.

"She seems to be convinced I've obtained some kind of information from Shinpu, huh. …So I finally seem to be in danger."

Finishing her meal, Inuko put a lollipop inside her mouth.

The Central Headquarters began being cautious of Inuko.

''As I thought they're hiding something big about Shinpu—''

They were probably trying to recall Inuko back because of the possibility she had found out the secret. Both their blockade of the local branch as well as sealing up the flow of information seemed to be for that purpose. She didn't know what methods they would use to make her speak up once she came back.

Although she had barely avoided the summons, she ended up carrying a huge bomb.

Since she had revealed the existence of that raw ore, if Inuko failed in raising the strongest warrior—there was no doubt she would receive a suitable punishment.

"Quite the difficult situation. I'm practically completely cornered."

If they knew she had grasped the secret, she would probably be erased.

And it was the same if she failed raising a warrior.

On the other hand, even if she ran away, as long as Inuko had no candies her fate was as clear as day.

However—she didn't give in to despair just yet.

"There's something I simply have to do, no matter how."

Inuko had been sleeping on top of Horanto High School's roof.

By looking down she could see the school cafeteria. Inside this building, isolated and separate from the campus, the figures of a boy and a girl eating together could be seen.

They were Shiohara Shachito and Masaki Rio.

Due to the wounds Shachito had received in his fight against Shinpu a few days ago, his face and arms were covered by compresses. Meanwhile Rio was desperately trying to shake off Shachito's hands.

''—Ah, I feel so healed. You're even giving your best efforts to eat your udon, Rio-chan, huh?''

''—Please stop trying to pat my head! I can't eat like this!''

Inuko had no intention of eavesdropping, but since she had acquired the skill to read lips during her training she understood their conversation.

"…I had no other way but telling them about you."

While watching this peaceful scene, Inuko squinted.

She had broken her promise with Shachito.

As long as he became strong during her stay in Holland city, she wouldn't report him to the SEPB. That was her promise, yet she couldn't think of any other excuse for her to stay there.

By her fight with Shinpu Inuko became convinced.

Her lifespan as a warrior was already running out. If she lost her ability to fight she would also lose her raison d'être. The weakness gnawing into her mind and body would eventually rob her of her very life.

On the other hand, she could feel the birth of a new warrior. 

"Shachito. You'll become strong. I will make you strong."

Shiohara Shachito.

Inuko had miscalculated his growth to a surprising extent.

Shachito's talent surpassed her expectations. She hadn't imagined he could grow so much in so short of a time.

And most importantly, he had what Inuko lacked—he was favored by battle. Judging from his personality, he was obviously trying to escape from fighting. And yet as he still ended up coming in contact with Shinpu and fighting him seriously, it was obvious.

Inuko had always been left behind for important battles.

But Shachito was different. No matter how much he wanted to escape from fighting, the battlefield desired him.

He possessed the only thing that Inuko, master of all possible battle techniques, lacked—

How long it had been ever since she felt envy toward anyone related to battle?

"This is my final mission. I'll definitely raise you to be the strongest there is."

Even Shachito, who had been perplexed at first, was slowly growing past his desire to run away from battle.

He currently seemed to be unable to control his "nearly broken" self that appeared during battle. But even that could be said to be going according to Inuko's plan.

Since his true nature rose to the surface once, it would become increasingly easier for Shachito to make the switch inside him.

The more a warrior fought the more he became battle-drunk.

It was an important period of time.

Inuko had to make him indulge in battles by her own hands.

"…"

Shachito was making a friendly chat with his usual, carefree smile. He was enjoying his peaceful daily life from the bottom of his heart. For him, who was destined to become a warrior, it was an unneeded emotion.

Inuko had only two tests remaining for him.

In order to lead him to success in them, these peaceful days were unneeded.

Inuko's line of sight focused on the girl in front of Shachito's eyes.

Masaki Rio.

She had apparently been eating lunch with Shachito for the past few days. To Inuko it seemed like their relationship was gradually deepening.

"…That girl's in the way."

Shishidou Inuko's "aptitude exam".

The target was Shiohara Shachito.

—Start.