"Ginko is probably desperately looking for me right now..." Hakuto couldn't just walk out covered in blood.
And his clothes needed changing, so he activated his supercomputer mode and walked home step by step.
The house was still the same. The marks from the forced entry were still there, and it seemed like the place had been searched thoroughly.
Even the phone he had dropped on the floor was gone.
"The police, huh..." Through his supercomputer feedback, Hakuto saw everything that had happened in his house after he was taken.
The police had been there, but it was obvious at a glance that they were working with the researchers.
There was nothing he could do about it. If they dared to break in and abduct someone so brazenly, they must have had some backing.
But they had also paid the price for it. By now, they were probably on their way to reincarnation.
Speaking of which… Once time reverses, all those people he killed would come back to life.
Which meant, technically, he hadn't killed anyone.
"At least I won't be going to hell..." Hakuto mocked himself before deactivating his supercomputer mode and stepping into his room.
Fortunately, the police had only taken his phone and computer. His clothes remained untouched.
He grabbed a random set of clothes and headed to the bathroom.
"Phew... I doubt I can wash it off... I just hope Ginko won't be disgusted by me."
The stench of blood on him couldn't be washed away. At least, not in such a short time.
He considered using body wash and perfume to cover the scent, but when the fragrances mixed, they smelled incredibly odd.
Still, there was nothing he could do about it. Right now, he didn't care. All he wanted was to return to Ginko's side.
"So, it's already been three days since I was taken..." Hakuto was a little surprised. He hadn't expected to be unconscious for that long.
Even his supercomputer mode hadn't detected the passage of time.
Maybe it was because his mind had been focused on returning for the Master Match, so he subconsciously thought it was still the next day.
No… maybe it wasn't because of the match… but because of something even more important.
Inside the police station
"Apologies, Miss Sora. Regarding Mr. Shiratori's disappearance, we ask for your patience. We will do our best to investigate."
"It's already been three days..."
"Due to the surveillance cameras being damaged, the investigation may take some time. Please try not to worry."
"But..."
"We have a lot of work to do. Please do not interfere with our investigation, Miss Sorano."
Ginko didn't understand why the police had such an indifferent attitude.
She felt powerless.
She walked out of the police station, her weak figure appearing even more fragile under the sunlight.
Hakuto had no family.
No one else had even noticed his disappearance—Ginko only realized it because he failed to show up for the competition.
When she saw the forced entry marks on his front door, she felt all the strength drain from her body.
She couldn't even remember how she had called the police or how she had watched them collect evidence in Hakuto's home.
Now, she held his phone in her hands, not knowing where to go.
She had known Hakuto since she was very young.
Back then, she used to play shogi online. Because of her talent, she rarely lost.
That was when she first met Hakuto.
She played against him online—and for the first time, she was completely crushed.
She had wanted to request a rematch, but Hakuto flatly refused, leaving behind a message saying, "I don't take students."
What he didn't know was that Ginko wasn't the type to just talk big.
The very next day, she took a train by herself, traveling for several hours to find him using the virtual address from the game.
She still remembered his expression when he saw her—surprise mixed with a hint of excitement.
To this day, she didn't know why Hakuto had looked so excited at that moment.
But it didn't matter anymore.
From that day forward, their bond had begun.
Ginko would always seek Hakuto out for matches, no matter how far apart they lived.
Both of them were prodigies—one was the strongest female shogi player, and the other was the youngest Dragon King in history.
Ginko always believed that meeting Hakuto was a gift from the heavens.
But now, it seemed like that gift had expired.
It had been three days since he disappeared.
She had no idea who had taken him, or if she would ever see him again.
"How could he just disappear like that..." Ginko regretted it deeply. She regretted leaving that night when Hakuto had asked her to stay.
"I should have stayed… I should have stayed..."
She wished she had stayed. If she had, maybe Hakuto wouldn't have been taken.
Even if he had been, at least she could have been with him.
Since she first met Hakuto at the age of two, her entire life had revolved around him.
And now that her center was gone, she didn't know what to do.
"Today… I think I had a match or something…" A fleeting spark of light flashed in Ginko's eyes, but it quickly faded.
"Forget it… it doesn't matter…"
She crouched down on a bustling city street, watching the endless stream of people, lost in thought.
Hakuto was the youngest Dragon King in history.
And yet, not a single media outlet had reported his disappearance.
She didn't understand why. It was as if he had vanished into thin air.
Just then, her phone rang.
At first, she thought it was another call urging her to return for the match. It was already the third one.
But just as she was about to hang up, she noticed it was an unfamiliar number.
The moment she saw the number, her heart skipped a beat.
Without hesitation, she picked up, her voice trembling.
"Hello…?"
"Hey, Ginko…"
The familiar voice made her break down. Tears streamed uncontrollably down her face.
"I knew it… I just knew it…"
The moment she saw that unfamiliar number, she was certain—despite never having seen it before in her life.
Somehow, she just knew.
Her heart recognized him before her mind did.
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