Hajime woke up in the morning in a good mood.
The conversation he had yesterday with Kaede had helped lighten his heart.
Of course, things would never be the same between them, both boys knew that perfectly. The more vindictive side of Goto's stepson still wanted to make her pay, but the young [mage] wasn't bloodthirsty and cruel like his stepfather.
"(There is still this tension between us... and yet I am happy to have forgiven her... I feel lighter and freer now...)"
Hajime made a note to thank his little sister for what she had done. Then, as he got out of bed, a thought struck the silver-haired teenager.
"(What if Goto found out? He forced Kaede and the others to lie... he might not take the news well if the lie from that day came to light; it would really be a mess, especially if Kaori-chan found out... damn it! I need to be careful!)"
The bearer of the [Grimoire] had already decided that his choices would not be dictated by the fear he felt towards his stepfather.
But did Kaede have the same courage? Hajime had never told any of his friends what the true personality of the leader of the [Black Corps] was (even though they knew about the tensions and animosity between them).
For his best friend, the man was the one who forced her to lie under threat, to take revenge on his stepson; she didn't really know how dangerous it was getting close to Hajime.
"(I need to tell her... she must know the truth! But how far can I go without putting the group in danger? Damn it, if we were discovered it would be the end!... maybe I should discuss it with Fumio-sensei.)"
At the same time, Kuro, Cloe, and Kohaku's legal guardian was being updated on the results achieved by the other teams of [New Dawn] and from Yukihime herself.
"The data has been sent to all the groups' computers. Inform the kids. They better know about the big players now while they can. I want them prepared for what awaits them. And ask Hajime-kun for an analysis of Goto; his perspective will be useful to us."
"As you wish, Yukihime-sama."
Fumio hung up the phone and sighed slightly.
Things had been going well lately; the [mage] couldn't help but feel pleased. Perhaps they could begin to undermine their enemies a few years earlier than expected? Only time would tell.
*****
After school, the four kids arrived at the base for the informational meeting organized by Fumio.
"Today there will be no training, kids, I have many things to discuss."
The man reached Kohaku's computer station and began typing the code to access the research conducted by the members of his group.
"As you all know, [Fumetsu], our island and home, is divided into five districts: North, South, East, West, and where we are, the Center."
Kohaku, Hajime, Kuro, and Cloe listened carefully to the words of the adult [mage]. It was information they already knew, as it was common knowledge, but it was better to avoid distractions.
"Each district has its own division of [White Corps] and [Black Corps], which operate semi-independently and solve problems in their territories in their own ways. Although they are officially under the command of the two generals of the two organizations, who live here."
Typing on the keyboard, images of different people appeared.
"Let's put aside the [White Corps] for now, and focus on the [Black Corps]. The absolute leader of the group, and of the central district is Mokuro Goto, but we will talk about him at the end."
The computer displayed a map of the eastern part of the island and the profile of a 26-year-old boy, with dull yellow eyes, blond hair, and a bright smile.
"Apart from Goto, the other four leaders use code names to keep their real identities secret. He is Hikari, the highest authority in the eastern district. He is a [mage], and his power is based on light and fire. At first glance, he seems just like a young boy, with the appearance of a German and a bright smile, but in reality, he is an extremist fanatic of a cult."
Fumio carefully observed the faces of the four kids in front of him.
Just as he had imagined, their expressions ranged from anger to disgust to outright hatred.
"His 'faith' is based on the sun and ritual sacrifices, which he performs regularly."
"What a disgusting bastard!" (Kuro)
Ignoring Kuro's outburst, the 30-year-old continued, knowing he hadn't reached the worst part yet.
"Usually, during his 'rituals,' he burns his victims until they turn to dust and ash."
"Fumio-sensei... w-when he does it, are the people he burns... are they alive?" (Cloe)
"...........we don't have certain information, but we think so."
The expressions of disgust on the four kids deepened. If this was just one of the top four authorities of the [Black Corps], then what were the others like?
The teenagers couldn't believe they could be worse; unfortunately, they were grossly mistaken.
Fumio showed them the image of a 14-year-old girl, with pink eyes, blond hair, and a loli-like physique.
"Don't be fooled by her appearance, she is Kugutsu, 40 years old, but for unknown reasons, her body stopped growing when she was 14. She commands the southern district and is a serial killer."
"What?! Are you serious?!" (Kohaku)
"Unfortunately, yes. The exact number of her victims is unknown, but she has probably already surpassed four digits."
The kids were left speechless; first a fanatic who burned people alive, and now a serial killer with an innocent appearance? Hajime was the most shocked among them. He knew that Goto and those under him were corrupt, but the other districts had to deal with monsters masquerading as protectors?
"She is also a [mage]; from what we know, she uses cunning and deception in battle alongside her powers related to illusions."
Fumio sighed heavily after finishing his speech. The reason? Because now came the worst of the group. The first two were almost saints compared to what he had to talk about now.
On the computer screen appeared the face of another man. He seemed to be a contemporary of Hikari, but he was in complete physical opposition to him.
He had black hair and red eyes, with a twisted and creepy smile on his face. He had a disturbing tattoo on his neck and several piercings on his body.
"He is Muzan, from the western district, the worst part of the island. He is also a [mage], but we don't know what his power is. He is an expert torturer... who randomly picks people to satisfy his 'desires.'"
"That's horrible!" (Cloe)
"What a disgusting worm!" (Kuro)
"Oh my God, that's gross..." (Kohaku)
"My God! What an abominable monster!" (Hajime)
The four kids' teacher waited for them to calm down before continuing with the last one left.
It took several minutes before they stopped cursing and insulting Muzan. Fumio was glad he hadn't shown them the photos of the man's victims; he himself had felt like vomiting at the sight of the atrocities that monster had committed.
"This is the last one. The leader of the northern district. His name is Shogun."
The screen showed an image of a samurai wearing full armor, completely hiding his true appearance.
"We don't know what his face looks like. And there's no certainty about what his powers are; I can only tell you he is a very strong [esper]."
The four kids awaited with a certain anxiety and hesitation the moment Fumio would speak about the dark side of this man.
"He is...... a mysterious figure; in his district nothing important happens: there are no illegal laboratories, convenience murders, strange disappearances, or other crimes perpetrated by his [Black Corps] or by him. From our research, we have concluded that he is not corrupt."
"Couldn't he be hiding his crimes better than the others?" (Hajime)
"We thought of that. Yukihime-sama herself investigated for about two years but found nothing. We are not sure if he is aware of what his colleagues are doing."
"Well, at least one of them is decent." (Cloe)
The other three kids agreed with Cloe. Thinking it through, they all quickly understood why the northern part of [Fumetsu] was considered the safest part of the island: it was the only district not controlled by monsters.
"Now, let's return to Goto. I could tell you about what we discovered about him, but these are just theories or unconfirmed accounts, so it would be a waste of time."
"So it's that difficult to get close to him?" (Kohaku)
"Yes, Mokuro Goto, and those under him are extremely skilled and competent. None of our spies have been able to provide any worthwhile information without risking being caught. As I have always told you, the [Black Corps] would destroy us if they found out about us."
"Then are we done? If we don't know anything about him, what are we doing here? I'd like to go train!" (Kuro)
"Try to calm down... we're all shocked by what Fumio-sensei has told us, but there's no need to go off the rails like you." (Cloe)
Ignoring the conversation that the two Kusanagi brothers were having, Fumio began to observe Hajime carefully, who immediately noticed his gaze.
"Fortunately, luck has smiled upon us lately. We have here with us someone who spent many years with the 'real' Mokuro Goto, and can provide us with an analysis on him."
"What!? It's true that I know what that bastard is really like, but I'm not capable of..." (Hajime)
"Kamijo-san, I've seen your grades; you had excellent grades at your old school, one of the best on the island. You are intelligent enough and have spent enough time with Goto to have some useful information about him. I'd like you to think about it for a moment."
Goto's stepson opened his mouth to deny it, but then he realized the truth of his teacher's words. Perhaps he really was the only one who could have a comprehensive picture of who the leader of the [Black Corps] truly was.
Closing his eyes, the silver-haired boy tried to recall every moment he had spent with the person he hated most in the world.
"H-he........ is empty."
"What do you mean by 'empty,' Kamijo-san?" (Fumio)
"Spending time near him, I realized he is greedier than anyone else. That bastard wants money, power, glory, women, and much more, but every time he achieves his goal, as in the case of my mother, he tries to move on to the next target... I think this endless search of his stems from a desire to compensate for something he lacks."
"Hmmmm......... interesting, really interesting, go ahead."
The conversation became a two-way street, with Hajime and Fumio discussing while the other three group members watched attentively.
"He is a natural-born manipulator and actor. He can smile at a camera and pretend to be a spotless hero while plotting some method to achieve his goals."
"Yes, I could imagine that considering his position."
"Besides that, I believe he is a control freak... is he perhaps a bit paranoid?"
"When evaluating his words, don't stray from context."
"W-when he sent me to the hospital, I remember before trying to hit him I told him something like: 'Do you think you can do as you please forever?!' For a moment, I saw........ fear in his eyes, but I dismissed it as impossible; I couldn't have been a threat to him at the time."
"Hmmmmmm........"
The 30-year-old [mage] remained silent, contemplating the words of his student. Connecting the dots and considering the words of the [Grimoire]'s bearer, the man had a thought.
"It's a theory, but maybe he really sees you as a potential threat, at least subconsciously." (Fumio)
"But how?! I could never beat him in a fight!"
"No, you couldn't, but you, unlike all of his other enemies, have an advantage: Mokuro Kaori's love. The only person he cares about."
Goto's stepson froze at those words.
It was true that Kaori was the only person, besides himself, that Goto cared for. Thinking logically, Hajime was someone who could take away his daughter's love; all it took was to show her her father's true side.
"This would explain why he psychologically destroyed your mother; she could also have been a threat. Didn't your little sister love her father almost as much as he did?"
"Yes, that's right..."
"This could be a problem in the future. If our plans go well, Goto will be cornered....... a paranoid man with all that power in his hands would be worse than a detonated bomb."
Fumio did not add anything else, even though he had many thoughts in his mind. A part of him wondered if the leader of the [Black Corps] might have a mental breakdown under pressure, and if so, how would he react?
"(He might kill Kamijo-san out of fear or his daughter to prevent her from leaving him... Mokuro Goto, you are a dangerous man in many ways.)" (Fumio)
The 30-year-old ended the meeting shortly after; the man truly needed to talk to Yukihime. Perhaps they would need to change their long-term plans a bit.
"(Thank you, Kamijo-san, your analysis will truly be useful.)"