Café LycoReco.
Mizuki Nakahara cradled the landline phone between her shoulder and ear while holding a freshly printed report:
"We've received word from Itō City in Shizuoka Prefecture about an abnormal Abyss Descent incident involving a Shrine faction with close ties to the Onmyou Agency."
"Apparently, one of the Twelve Divine Generals has gone missing, which is why the matter was escalated to us."
Over in Akihabara, Luo Shu's eyelid twitched as he took the call at the Hidden Management Department: "This seems serious, but what does it have to do with me? Why report it to my department?"
Mizuki replied with remarkable calm:
"Because the Director is already boarding a plane to Hong Kong, she instructed us to contact you directly for a solution."
"Oh, before leaving, the Director also said you're the number one in Japan and she'd have to listen to you from now on. Did you two have a fight recently?"
"..."
Luo Shu was utterly speechless at these words. What nonsense was this?
"If a Divine General from the Onmyou Agency has gone missing, is it appropriate for us to intervene?"
Hearing Luo Shu's question, Mizuki Nakahara replied over the phone:
"The Metropolitan Police Department issued the assistance request. They seem to want a piece of the pie in this unusually prolonged Abyss Descent incident and plan to intervene under our banner, since the SDS has the privilege to involve itself in all Abyss incidents in Japan."
"Of course, Director Tachibana's intention is also to use the Metropolitan Police Department's name to meddle in the Onmyou Agency's affairs. It's mutual buck-passing, after all."
In simple terms, the Onmyou Agency discovered a gold mine beneath their turf, and the Metropolitan Police Department wanted to leverage the SDS's mining rights to interfere in the Onmyou Agency's business.
Meanwhile, the SDS was using the Metropolitan Police Department's invitation as moral cover to legitimately claim a hefty share of the gold mine's profits.
The SDS and the Metropolitan Police Department were essentially partners in crime. If these two succeeded, it would create a world where only the Onmyou Agency suffered.
Realising this, Luo Shu recalled Lacus's earlier advice and suddenly had an epiphany:
"Did Chisato and Takina obtain something from the Research Department?"
Hearing this, Mizuki Nakahara sounded surprised:
"Oh, that? They did each bring back a silver metal case today, but they didn't explain what was inside."
'So that's it. Testing the Demon God's performance in Abyss conditions as well? That was quick work from Verde...'
Luo Shu knew exactly what was in those metal cases and also guessed why Kirika Tachibana had Mizuki report the matter to him.
Was this to let him observe the Demon God's capabilities and reassure him about the Familia's purchase?
After a moment's silence, Luo Shu asked:
"What's the Metropolitan Police Department's plan?"
Mizuki glanced at the documents and replied:
"They want to assemble at 5:30 pm and take a helicopter directly to Itō City."
Luo Shu scoffed at this. "How impatient."
"The pressure must be mounting over at the Metropolitan Police Department lately."
Though never openly acknowledged, the more abnormal an Abyss Descent, the higher the grade of treasures it yielded.
This was an unspoken rule among major covert organisations.
Hence, upon discovering the Onmyou Agency's extremely abnormal Abyss Descent phenomenon, the Metropolitan Police Department acted so hastily—even willing to drag the SDS along—to get involved.
After all, Divine Generals were the Onmyou Agency's flagship figures.
Losing one during exploration was a massive blow. The Onmyou Agency's director was probably beside himself with worry by now.
Under these circumstances, the Metropolitan Police Department's interference would undoubtedly provoke the Onmyou Agency, hence their desire to rope in the SDS.
Coincidentally, Luo Shu was indeed keen to test the Demon God's mettle.
"I understand. Send me the relevant information. I'll be at the rendezvous point by 5:30."
With a beep, Luo Shu ended the call, then addressed the empty room:
"Kurumi, mind sending a few clones with me?"
Hearing this, a deliberately drawn-out voice echoed from the vacant space:
"Sure~!"
Receiving the response, Luo Shu stood up, took his suit jacket from the nearby coat rack, and said while dressing:
"Looks like Kisara and the others will have to manage dinner on their own tonight."
With that thought, Luo Shu relayed the situation through the Divine Pantheon's system channel before quickly heading downstairs and driving off.
Meanwhile, in the waiting room next to Luo Shu's office, Kisara—who had been playing Old Maid with Yukino Yukinoshita and Eriri—suddenly looked up and locked eyes with Utaha, who had also turned her gaze. The two exchanged glances for a moment before simultaneously breaking into resigned smiles...
At that moment, Eriri drew a card from Yukino's hand. Upon seeing the Joker, her face darkened instantly:
"No way! Why is it me again?!"
'So the second card from the left was the Joker after all.' X3
Kisara, Utaha, and Yukino exchanged glances before smiling in unison.
...
Inside a black Hummer parked beside a helicopter.
One of the Bujin-shū members, Fumonshichi—a blond delinquent-looking man who was actually only 18—puffed on a cigarette as he addressed his silver-haired comrade, Shin Natsume:
"Never thought we'd be working with those SDS folks this time. Heard they've got plenty of beauties in their ranks. Maybe I'll get lucky, eh?"
Shin remained unfazed, as if long accustomed to his companion's antics. He shook a cigarette from his pack, lit it with a lighter, exhaled a cloud of smoke, and said flatly:
"Fumonshichi, unless you fancy being riddled with bullets by those madwomen, I suggest behaving yourself later."
"If you're after a fling, Kabukichō would suit you better."
"I'd love to, but this mission doesn't leave time for Kabukichō, does it?"
Fumonshichi leaned against the car window, smoking while gazing at the airfield outside.
This was the Metropolitan Police Department's internal helipad, usually housing 14 police helicopters. The open space made it easy to spot all incoming vehicles.
"Speaking of which, Shin, did your sister Maya really not throw a fit about you going on this operation?"
The moment these words left his mouth, Fumonshichi felt a murderous aura.
Beside him, Shin's face twisted into a demonic visage:
"Fumonshichi, if you so much as lay a finger on Maya, I'll kill you!"
"Relax, if you don't want me as your brother-in-law, I won't push it."
Fumonshichi scratched his head, then added with a peculiar tone:
"But you know how sensitive I am to qi. That qi signature curled up in the boot... You sure it's not little Maya?"
Shin froze, his cigarette tumbling onto the seat.
Just as he was about to check, Fumonshichi sighed while watching an approaching black vehicle:
"Too late now. SDS is here."