Final Chapter - Stratagem, Evernight

  The sun has hidden past the horizon, and we were left with a thick fog running through the streets of Misult City. The streetlamps illuminated the misty environs, and the large building in front of us was highlighted with emanating light. As I looked around my surroundings, I knew that everything would come to a close tonight, one way or another.

  May 26th – tonight was going to be the end of MC-13, once and for all. And those were no lies I told myself to keep me sane, but a true fact. Having Debrief by my side, ready to deliver justice with his own hands, was one of the signs that hinted to the final outcome. Both of us carefully observed the structure of the Detective Precinct Department, where the two sisters are located.

  I learned of the facts from Debrief – what happened while I was still at the museum was that Sylphie came back here and released her sister, Lori. They would’ve been able to walk out with almost no resistance, as they all considered her as a detective still. However, Debrief’s keen eyes noticed that Sylphie had no need to escort the prisoner anywhere else, nor did he authorize it. What occurred next was an armed conflict that he barely managed to come out alive from. That resulted in the two sisters fortifying themselves in the research wing of the DPD, and that is where they remained since. An hour has passed since that realization was made, that Sylphie Moore is a person that doesn’t exist.

  It was up to me and Debrief to clean up this mess once and for all. I was thinking about how to go about this, as I have never dealt with a hostage situation before. While I thought, I meekly followed the young director, who strategized with various heads of the police that were stationed around the area. I haven’t been paying much attention to his affairs, as I believed that he would disclose to me only things of importance.

  “Detective Capleaf.”

  “Yes, Debrief?”

  “I have made a decision with the police. They will not interfere with our operation, and instead, they will surround any and all exits. It will be up to us to push through their defenses.”

  “Wait, all of them? Isn’t that a bit much?”

  The situation required the attention of at least fifty police officers, and Debrief intended to not use any of them. It was a bizarre decision, and one that I questioned deeply.

  Debrief explained. “Indeed – I wish to end this case with my own hands, and I do not believe that there is any great risk in doing this.”

  “God, so you just want to throw yourself in there and hack away at everything around you until there is only red mist?” I joked, showing how obscene this idea is.

  “Not exactly, you are coming with me.”

  When he told me he wanted me to be the strategist, I didn’t expect him to drag me to the front lines as if I was any regular pawn. But alas – Debrief didn’t value lives as much as I did, it seems. That was only made more apparent with the saber on his hip. It seems that he truly didn’t care about the hostages, nor did he care about me. Debrief just wanted to get things done, and to him, the ends justify the means.

  “I just hope that you know what you are doing,” I sighed.

  He smiled back. “We will succeed. As for the collateral damage, it will be scant.”

  Looking at the detective in front of me, it is almost impossible to believe that he possesses the mindset of a detective. More accurately, he resembles more of a pretentious hero whose actions seem to benefit none. His priority should be saving the trapped scientists, and not waving around a sharp stick to satisfy his urges. Of course, I relinquished my status as Head Detective to receive this chance – I was in no position to oppose him. I knew that I would never get used to Debrief’s methods and regime, but I had no clue as to how morally deficient he is.

  “Then, we shall set off,” he declared.

  “To the bitter end…” I claimed.

  We walked the perimeter to the more favorable entrance, which was located on the side of the complex. During the short walk, Debrief noticed my lack of participation, and clearly commented on it.

  “You seem distanced, Detective Capleaf.”

  “Yeah, a lot of things have gone wrong recently.”

  “That is not what I mean. You are not the man you used to be. You changed, somewhat.”

  I looked at him quizzically in response, not knowing if he commented on it in a negative or positive way.

  “You seem… different, as if the old self of you vanished.”

  “Yeah, yeah. Leave that for later, will you?”

  With the entrance in front of us, we stood side by side like brothers in arms, ready to fight until an end is met. The air is cold, cold enough to send shivers down my spine. What is waiting for us behind that door is a pair of two killers who perpetuated the happenings of MC-13 for many years, and it was our duty to finally put an end to it.

  I posed a question to Debrief. “After this is over, what will you do with me?”

  He glanced in my direction. “You are a detective, are you not? There is always crime on the loose.”

  “Heh, you bastard,” I smirked.

  It was almost comical to realize that Detective Debrief was only a threat to the egotistical version of me, because it only threatened that part, and not my being. With him being satisfied, there is no need for him to stand in my way. We both understood that. We may not like each other, but we know when to put our differences aside and work together on a common cause.

  Silently, we headed inside the chambers of the DPD. They seemed much less inviting, assuming that they were inviting in the first place. Our movements were cautious, as there could be danger behind any corner. Our exact mission was to eliminate the culprits. Yes, eliminating them is what Debrief wants. He will be the judge, jury, and executioner in one.

  We were located a floor below the lab area where the scientists were held. It was in our best interests to head in that direction and face the danger head on. I knew the layout of the DPD very well, and I devised a path that would lead us there without any unexpected problems. From the entrance where we came from, we headed right, down the evidence section. A faint thought crossed over my mind that the sisters could’ve tampered with evidence. However, that worry faded away, as it was replaced with a realization instead. The case file of MC-13 and all of my findings have been compromised by Sylphie. Under such circumstances, we would be unable to properly hold a trial for those two, and this predicament made me understand Debrief’s thinking. Truthfully, this is no longer a pair of dubious criminals we were dealing with, but city-wide threats that don’t hesitate to kill on sight. They were armed, and nothing stood between them and the opportunity to kill.

  The halls were eerily quiet. No one was around, contrasting the buzzing flow of detective coming and going in this particular wing. We pressed on further and further, until we came to a halt. Before us was a barricade, and in front of it were two dead officers. Battle occurred here – that was my first thought. Their bodies were mangled by bullets and were beyond saving. It was a sign that our goal was hiding nearby. And to our surprise, we did not have to wait long, as a readied firearm aimed our way.

  We immediately jumped behind the cover comprising of couches and tables, sheltering us from the flow of rapid-fire shots. There was no hesitation or consideration in that attack, just pure, unfiltered malice. Luckily, neither of us were hit, but we were forced into an undesirable position. Getting up now would lead to getting showered in a hail of bullets. As soon as the gunfire stopped, and our breathing resumed to normal, we thought of a plan.

  “Detective Capleaf, that weapon is a submachine gun that can hold thirty-two bullets in its magazine. Listen carefully for thirty-two fired chambers, and close the gap immediately.”

  His quick thinking amazed me – not to mention that something so brazen would never even cross my mind. In the span of a few seconds, he noticed the type of the gun, and reacted promptly to counter the suppressive fire we were held under. As crazy as the idea was, it was preferrable to being turned into a pin cushion, and so obliged to the plan.

  I peeked over the cover to figure out who is shooting at us and from where. I only had a little over a second before the barrage resumed. Even though it was brief, it was undoubtedly the Face, now masked again. Regardless, I listened to the shots. They were loud, and happened at such a fast rate that I couldn’t discern thirty-two individual shots. However, Debrief clearly didn’t have that problem, and as soon as the firing stopped, he jumped over the cover and headed towards his opponent.

  He moved in a very nimble manner, hopping over toppled furniture and weaving from side to side. In the span of a few seconds, he traversed the distance between him and the Face, allowing him to intercept her at close-range. And that is exactly what he did. Once he was within reach, he drew the long saber from its scabbard and, in one fleeting swing, he made an attempt to take her life.

  I ran behind him as soon as my reaction time allowed it, and after a few moments, I caught up with them. The scene before me was surprising – the Face was kneeling a few paces away from Debrief, and her weapon was knocked from her hands a far enough distance away to consider her disarmed. It was a magnificent strategy devised by the Genius Detective, whose title I finally started to respect. Less than thirty seconds have passed since the first rain of bullets, and the scene that I am witnessing now. I clearly saw nothing superhuman, and therefore, Debrief must have swung his sword not at her, but at her firearm instead.

  I drew my own gun from my holster, and aimed right at the Face. However, Debrief gestured to me with his hand to not take the shot. He didn’t even look at me while doing it, but he somehow knew that I was about to do just that. One thing that I also noticed – he made that signal with his right hand, which hinted at the fact that his sword-hand was the left one. Debrief was a left-handed swordsman – something rarely seen in history, and especially now.

  I remember once reading a book about swordsmanship in the Dark Ages. A particular passage dedicated to left-handedness was also present, and it contained some valuable information that I thought I would never apply in the real world. In the world of duelists, it was common for most fighters to be right-handed, and therefore they were used to fighting an opponent of the same configuration as them. It worked perfectly that way – swords in the right hand, and shields in the left. When one swung from the right, the other’s shield in the left blocked. However, this rule doesn’t apply to left-handed fighters. Their swords are in the left hand, and a right-handed fighter has to deal with a rare and scarce type of opponent.

  That exact thing is happening right now. Lori Seishi, a right-handed Purging Nail wielder, versus Detective Debrief, an elegant left-handed saber wielder. That is why he signaled me to not interfere – he recognized the weapon she had on her, and wants her to draw it. Not only does he want to prove himself to the world that he is the best, but also to his opponent, too. He wants to best her in traditional swordplay, undeniably confirming his authority over her. As for the Face, nail in hand, she accepted the challenge gleefully.

  The last time she challenged someone from the DPD, she lost by a hair. Faust was a formidable foe for her, whose main strength was her driving force and determination. However, Debrief is different – he is a man who cares not for the life of the other, and will not hesitate to cut them down. Also, Debrief had the advantage of reach with his absurdly long sword, which I noticed now is clearly longer than an average sidearm. Compared to the Purging Nail, it ghastly outperforms the limited range of the nail.

  And so, they got to it. The Face dashed towards him, attempting the same stabbing-to-the-face maneuver as she always did it. However, Debrief took that into consideration, and simply stepped to the side of it. While he was actively dodging the stab, he was already winding up his swing right under her own attack. The obvious move would be to duck under the swing, and that is what she did.

  I noticed how Debrief operates in the heat of combat – mind games. He thinks more than he acts, and it reflects on his performance. His moves are calculated and seemingly obvious, but there is a nasty trick to them. Just as he provided the opportunity to duck, he also took it away by following up with a swing from below in one successive motion. The speed behind the attack allowed the tip of the blade to graze the ground and still retain a majority of the speed, slicing into the Face’s lower thigh.

  I was used to Faust’s subtle taunting by letting the opponent withdraw from the clash. It took me by surprise when the swordmaster relentlessly continued to attack, not letting even a moment’s worth of time to let her retreat. The Face herself was taken aback, as she let herself take another blow from up top, which she only narrowly blocked with her nail, still grazing some of her clothes.

  Only then did Debrief stop. The Face was breathing heavily, trying to regain her composure – she knew she was outclassed. Her leg tendons were seemingly torn, as her movements lost the swiftness they had. However, one thing all three of us knew is that there will be no further encounters, and that this is the last chance at victory. Just as quickly as she was overwhelmed with attacks, she also resolved her internal conflicts, and assumed a battle-ready stance.

  Debrief demonstrated his battle prowess in only a few swings of his blade. Even so, he still wished to prove himself to my not just with his moves, but with also his words.

  “Detective Capleaf, you seem to not understand my principles.”

  The Face immediately took her opportunity to attack between his words. But to her dismay, he was already ready to block her attack. And to rub the salt in the wound, he kept talking despite her efforts.

  “Combat is not a test of physical prowess.”

  Debrief drove the clash higher, leaving the shorter Face to assume a defensive position instead. Just like that, he had proven the possession of the ‘physical’ advantage. However, immediately afterwards, he also proved his ‘mental’ advantage. The whole movement and counter served to distract her, leaving her whole underside exposed to attacks. And that is exactly what Debrief took advantage of – he stepped slightly forward to the side, allowing him to build enough momentum with a twisting motion of his whole body to perform a sweeping kick that knocked the Face down to the floor.

  “It is a test of superiority. To prove whether one or another is above the other.”

  The Face shuffled away from the much more adept Debrief, seemingly afraid of him. The mask no longer hid her emotions as well as it did before, as I could clearly see the fright in her eyes. She was losing, and that loss would bring the end of their whole reason to live.

  “In the face of lawbreakers – remain vigilant, remain convicted. Make sure that your only enemies are them, and not yourself.”

  He was easily winning, allowing him to lecture me as he pleased. It was downright disrespectful to the Face, who had now gotten back up to her feet. With a much more fearsome opponent, she doesn’t seem that threatening as she did before. However, that did not mean that she is harmless. She is the one who brought me that scar on my face, and she was determined to do the same to Debrief.

  She sprinted towards her opponent, eyes ablaze with fury, willing to make his head split with a single attack. In comparison, Debrief stood calm and collected, not even assuming a stance, or anything of that sort.

  “That is why, Detective Capleaf…”

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  He was completely oblivious to her impending attack, not even reacting to it in any way. Or that is what he wanted her to think. At blitzing speed, he turned back towards her and closed the distance with a single step, allowing him to perform a long slash from below, completely splitting his opposition in half from her hip to her shoulder diagonally.

  It was a gnarly scene as the two halves of her body separated, revealing all the innards and bodily fluids escaping from her body. The upwards motion of the swing also made it that some of the blood shot upward, creating a slight rain of viscera above him as it descended. I watched the top half fall from the bottom, which still stood for a moment before also falling down. It was the most brutal sight I have ever witnessed, and it came from the actions of a fellow detective.

  “That is why I am better than you.”

  I was quite disgusted, and was even inclined to puke at the sight of the bisected corpse that he just made. In a single moment, he robbed Lori of her life, and it quickly vanished. There was no reaction from her, and she died instantly. The swing undoubtedly cut her liver, lungs, and heart at once. No one would survive from that. The only thing that was left of her were the two halves, leaking blood, innards, and digestion.

  “Jesus Christ,” I shrieked.

  Just like that, Lori Seishi, the taciturn executioner of MC-13’s murders, was vanquished with ease – by none other than Detective Debrief, the Genius Detective. And his words were of utmost truth, nothing he said was wrong, and with that, I am finally willing to admit his superiority. He is much more deserving of the Best Detective title than me, and I am okay with that.

  I never felt like I was the best. Just everyone around me called me that until it spiraled out of control, and it became part of my personality. I knew I was better, but not the best. It was not long until everyone assumed that I thought the same as them, and I was referred to as a pretentious bastard. However, now it is time to reverse this, and pass on the title to someone more appropriate – to Debrief, who is adored by the crowds.

  Not leaving a moment to spare, we moved on from the bloody battleground. I only had a moment to quickly glance back at the mangled corpse Debrief left behind, and pondered. These two sisters – they are criminals all the same. Nonetheless, I saw the logic behind it – Sylphie Seishi was appointed as detective three years ago in order to find the successor to the Flawless. Even before that, Lori Seishi must have become the hand of the Flawless, the one to commit the murders on his behalf. With how young both of them were, it is possible to say that they were started with this in their teenage years, or maybe even earlier than that. In short, I felt sorry for them to some extent. They may have caused tremendous amounts of harm, but they know nothing of the world, only what the Flawless showed them. He himself wanted no part in the cycle of slaughter, yet he succumbed to his mania and turned into a murderer.

  Debrief himself paid no mind to the backstories of the three, maybe because he never learnt all of it, or maybe because he felt no sympathy for criminals. Both of us continued past, venturing into the research block where I picked up Faust’s contribution to MC-13 for the first time. A horrible sight appeared around us – all of the scientists in their chambers were either dead, or heavily wounded. Splatters of blood were present on the glass windows, and corpses were strewn all across the research desks and floor. It appears that we were too late to act on behalf of the hostages, and there is no chance at saving them anymore. Debrief paid no mind to it, showing just how emotionless and detached he can be. I made a note to myself to not get distracted by the sea of violence around me, and pressed on further.

  “Sylphie must be in the main research hall,” I informed Debrief.

  “Then, this is where you take care of your own demons. Here – “

  As I glanced to my side, I saw Debrief offering me his gun, fully loaded.

  “I have no use for it. It is better for you to have.”

  I accepted his offering while considering the facts. Truthfully, he does not need a pistol – he does more than enough with just a blade in his hand, and his skills with it have proven to be more than effective. I grabbed it from his hand, and continued down the corridor. I was tasked with conquering the rest of the case, and also my personal enemy, with my own two hands.

  What was going to happen next? I was going to encounter Sylphie in the next room, and combat would ensue. No, that is unlikely – she has never demonstrated any fighting capabilities. She may be armed, but I never saw her use the gun. Additionally, she may realize that Lori has fallen, and might retreat in response. There is no telling what will await us in that room, behind that sliding glass door. Ah, of course – we’ll be able to see inside, providing insight to what will be ahead. I remember Faust’s workplace clearly, and I can say that there is only one place that would allow Sylphie to retreat – the fire exit.

  We came around the corner and came face to face with our destination. The door was shattered and broken into, leaving us with free and unopposed entry. Debrief signaled to me that he will refrain from going inside head-on with an unspoken ‘Good luck’, as he would be at a disadvantage with his lack of ranged weaponry, and I continued towards the door. I then snuck to the side, peeking from behind the corner to see inside the room. I deduced that there is no one inside, which pointed to my actual theory of the fire exit affixed to the outside of the building. However, it is not as simple as walking down the stairs and leaving. That escape route has been destroyed for a long time, and it was never repaired. The only way those stairs go is up – to the roof of the DPD.

  There was no telling if Sylphie knew of that, and was running into a dead end, but it was certainly the way she headed, as one of the windows was wide open. I readied my pistol and went to the window, cautiously peeking around to see for anyone. The place was deathly silent, and Faust’s team was nowhere to be found. I was uncertain if they were caught in the attacks in the earlier zones, or if they managed to escape unscathed. Either way, there was no time to look for them, and I climbed through the window. My comrade has fully committed to staying behind, leaving the rest up to me. I then carefully treaded up the metal staircase, each step quieter and more cautious as I went up.

  There were no more surprises. I was going to cross Sylphie, and that would be the end of it. I kept that in mind as I traversed the vertical staircase. I kept in mind everything that I learned during the investigation, and never forgot those words.

  The question posed by Faust – the choice between Progression and Stagnation. Despite all the hardship, I chose to progress, leaving my old self behind.

  The threats I encountered due to my nature – my opposition only detested that myself that was known for being better than them. Despite their envious actions, I chose to improve, leaving my old self behind.

  The eye-opening speech of Sylphie Seishi – perfection was something I never understood, and that reprimand allowed me to finally grasp the true essence of my purpose as a detective. Despite the crushing truth enclosing on me, I chose to adapt, leaving my old self behind.

  The rivalry between Debrief and I – rarely was it friendly, and only now I understood the true meaning behind it. The new director was only an enemy because I stood in his goals. In the end, he triumphed over me, and I chose to accept that loss, leaving my old self behind.

  During the investigation that lasted nearly a month, I finally understood myself. I accepted my flaws and reflected on them. I figured out my nature and became one with it. Even though I should not be saying this as a detective, I am under the impression that the person I was chasing was truly myself. Not the Flawless, not Sylphie, it was me – the person who weighed me down the most. In order to make everything converge at this point, to put all of our strengths in one, I had to cast my old self aside.

  I am not perfect, nor am I the best. I am merely a detective, a cog in the machine designed to catch criminals. It took me that long to accept that, to accept that I was ordinary. However, it was necessary in order to solve MC-13, the first SS-tier case. Understandably, it lived up to its title – no one would have been capable of solving it without directly involving themselves into its current. This case is akin to raging river, throwing you around in a single direction. Your only goal is to cling onto something and hope you hold on long enough to climb out. That is why, now understanding my spirits, I have a presence of my own – a presence of unachieved latent capacity, the name and title of the Flawed.

  I was never Flawless – it is only right that I call myself the Flawed.

  The stairs have reached their conclusion at the very top of the building. The mist below has completely hidden the ground from my sight, making it seem as if the building was engulfed by it. The rooftop consisted of two parts – a lower level with a vacant helipad, and a slightly elevated part with an in-use helipad. What I saw before myself was similar to a nested bird, attempting to flap its wings. Sylphie Seishi was manning the helicopter, ready to set off any second. The rotors were in full swing, and takeoff was possible as soon as she willed it so. I had to hurry, and fast.

  With my entire body, I began moving at rapid pace towards the helicopter. My gun was still in my hands, ready to counter any moves she would attempt. I was also working with limited options, as I only had six rounds in my pistol. I kept sprinting, reaching to the base of the second helipad. There were two things I needed to accomplish – removing her means of escape, or killing her. I did not want to outright shoot at her, and so I chose to aim at the tail rotor. Shooting it dead would make escape impossible. And so, with a plan in mind, I quickly-

  Shit! I’ve been hit in my shoulder – I forgot that she was still armed not with a pistol, but a whole submachine gun. Without hesitation, she unloaded at least a dozen bullets into my general direction, forcing me to roll behind a vent shaft that protruded from the building. No, this was no time to contemplate further actions. I had to act, and then think.

  I ran from my cover, this time being ready to return fire in case she tried it again. She may not seem like it, but she was the one under pressure here more than I was. Sylphie has to manage flying a helicopter, while also keeping me from advancing. No matter how one looks at this situation, I am the one with an advantage here. The searing pain in my shoulder is nothing compared to what I’ve been through. The Purging Nail hurt a lot more than a feeble bullet.

  Closely afterwards, I saw the gun poke out from the window of the helicopter, and the black-haired mastermind holding it. However, she did not intend to fire it this time. In fact, she threw it straight at me. It was a blow that I nearly got hit by straight in the head, but I managed to block it with my hand. Unfortunately, that action still cost me some time, and the next thing I saw was the helicopter lifting off the ground. The rotational force of the propeller grew stronger, pushing me back and creating large gusts of wind. It was becoming increasingly difficult to reach her, and the fact that I only had mere seconds to do so did not make it easier.

  And so, with all of the speed I could muster, I dashed towards the helicopter, and with a jumping leap, I grabbed for the landing skid. I managed to get a firm hold on it with one of my hands, and I held the gun in the other. I had to think quick, because being in such a position would render me incapable of advancing. Next, I shot twice – both shots aimed straight at where the fuel tank should be. I was unable to confirm whether or not the shot landed where I wanted it to land, but I still pressed onwards.

  Before I knew it, I was several tens of meters above ground, and that altitude quickly rose as Sylphie tried to ascend. I could tell that she was fighting with the controls, and that she had never flown a helicopter before. Despite that, she still managed to take off – a feat most people couldn’t accomplish. I was hanging on, trying to keep my grip intact despite the gravitational force pulling me down. The situation started to get out of hand, and I fired two more shots at the cockpit – one shattered the window, and the other burst the lock open. That show of marksmanship allowed me to see her fully, operating the machine with a significant degree of malice on her face.

  Yes, out of all the people that would try to stop you, it is me – the one you thought you utterly broke is now holding you down, keeping you from escaping. Sylphie, you were never the Flawless I was chasing, I was sure of that. Even though you may have perpetuated in his sick desires, you never encapsuled his identity. When I saw that decrepit man in front of me, I understood it all. MC-13 as a whole – it was never a case about finding the culprit. It was about understanding. The understanding of the ones trapped in their circumstances, and the acknowledgement of the true goal. I realized that treating it like a normal case would yield no results very early on, but only now did I actually grasp the weight of my words. More than it is a crime case, it is a puzzle – a riddle about finding out what is actually going on. That dilemma I solved, I solved it despite everything that was against me. What was left to do now was to stop you, Sylphie Seishi.

  I fired yet another shot, this time aiming straight at her, the pilot of the helicopter, and successfully striking her arm. She shrieked and jolted in pain, making her temporarily unable to operate the vehicle. She let go of one of the levers because of that, forcing the helicopter to rapidly turn in one direction at tremendous speeds. It was nearly enough to shake me off, but I used my second hand to strengthen my hold. I had to put away the pistol for that, however, and I was less defended.

  I wasn’t going to let go no matter what. I was going to hold onto this helicopter until my final breath draws. As long as my arms moved, I was going to hold tight. As long as my heart kept beating, I was going to fight. I have already injured you – it is only a matter of time until you provide me with an opportunity to deliver the next shot.

  She clearly struggled to direct the vehicle as a result of her injury, and both of us continued to drift into a random direction. We were considerably far from the precinct now, and she had no intention of stopping anytime soon. She was going to haul me all the way to the end of the world.

  My earlier shot of the fuel tank has also proven to be effective, as her controls seemed to stop completely from functioning. A puncture on the fuel tank has rendered it empty, and only now did it finally yield rewards.

  I pulled myself up with what little stamina I still had, and attained a preferrable position where I stood on the skids, and held onto the back door handle. All that I needed to do now was deliver the final blow. I used my other hand to draw the gun once again, and I paced step by step to the front. Sylphie tried to control the helicopter, but to no avail. We were headed at extremely high speeds in directions that she had no agency over, because the helicopter was out of fuel by now. It was not contributing to my already failing grip in the slightest.

  Once I was within range, I pointed the firearm straight at her. Her eyes were filled with horror as she realized that her long quest is about to end right here and now – by being shot several hundreds of meters in the air.

  Wait. This is suicide. I won’t survive this if I kill her now. Dammit! My self-preservation instincts kicked in at the worst possible moment. If I just had a tinge of bravery to risk my life, the trigger would have already been pulled. No matter, this was still salvageable – I just needed to get her to come down, one way or another.

  “Get this thing down, now!”

  I yelled at her through the whistling wind, attempting to get her to ground us. The gun I am pointing at her served not to end her life, but to save mine. As long as I don’t have to sacrifice myself, I won’t resort to that.

  I saw her pull various levers and buttons, trying anything that could help in landing this thing. Eventually, I lost my patience and pulled the pitch control, which quickly tipped the whole construct downwards. We were now descending at rapid speeds – colliding with the ground now would result in certain death. Jumping off is not an option, either, as the propeller blades would rip me asunder. However, there was no undoing this, and we were headed straight on a collision course with a highway. It was inevitable, and I had to think of something. Then, it happened.

  A large crash occurred, stopping the airborne battle, and subsequently, a blazing ball of fire erupted around the helicopter. My ears went numb, and so did my whole body. I couldn’t feel a thing, but I remember trying to get further away from the front to negate the force of the impact. My vision was incredibly blurry, only allowing me to see the burning wreck. One thing I deduced – I survived. But to what extent? As I slowly regained my senses, the pain settled in. It was unbearable pain in several parts of my body, rendering me almost unable to move, and I was laid flat on the ground. The debris of the wreckage narrowly missed me, but a few cinders and flames caught me, burning me in the process.

  Everything became silent. The sound of the spinning rotor stopped, and instead got replaced by the sound of burning chunks of steel and plastic. Along with that, a familiar sound came back to me. The bells rang wilder than ever before, each one sounding almost twice every second in a disorderly harmony. I could only lie there and listen to the sounds of the church that has once again appeared in front of me. Was I about to die? Did the injuries cause something fatal? There is no chance – I still had a mission to finish. No, as long as there is my task, dying is not something I wish for.

  I looked around, trying to see if the criminal I was chasing survived. I was unsure of if it was her or not, but I saw someone clutching a deep gash on their side, stumbling away from the road. I groaned in pain and agony, not letting her escape. I won’t let any criminals escape from me, not even her. Despite my overbearing injuries I still couldn’t recognize, I got back up to my feet. However, calling it standing is an overstatement. My legs were barely functioning, and my trousers were severely torn, revealing a bloody mess under them. Regardless, I forced them to work despite the injuries, and I took steps one by one to follow the criminal.

  Each move was more painful than the last, and I saw them going over the railing into some kind of slight forest. No, she was getting away – no chance I was letting that happen. I accelerated my incredibly slow movement and went in the same direction that she did. I hopped over the railing, but it was more of a stumble than a hop. What unfolded after that was a quick tumble as I realized that the path after that descended downwards. Once again, I was on the ground, but the evildoer before me still kept on going away from me.

  The bells kept ringing, stunning me with every ring. There was also another sound that got louder and louder as I staggered towards them – the sound of rushing water. Was there a river nearby? No matter, I had a mission to accomplish, and distractions would lead me astray.

  I walked and walked, until the sounds of the rushing water overpowered the bells. The forest part of the journey ended, and before me stood a large descent with a raging river down at the bottom. That lawbreaker was facing the water, standing on some kind of rock outcropping right before the descent.

  Stop right there, I told to myself. You will not be getting away as long as I breathe. You have run out of places to run to, and it is time to give up. My own voice failed to make a single sound, and my thoughts were the only means to express what I wanted to say. This was it, the moment of justice.

  My senses started recovering once more, and the situation became clearer. Before me was Sylphie Seishi, the mastermind of MC-13 that I came to understand, and also the daughter of the Flawless, the man I pursued for so long. She was covered in blood, and her clothes were significantly torn. A large gash was present on her side, making it look as if a chunk of her was missing. Her breathing was unsteady and collapsing, her eyes unfocused and drenched in blood pouring from a soft wound on her forehead. She looked around, seemingly confused as to what to do. I didn’t know what she was thinking, but it seemed as if she was contemplating jumping into the river.

  I still had one more bullet left. I could put an end to this with my own hands, or I could let her decide on her own. There is no chance that she will live, given her injuries. Shooting her now would only bring unnecessary harm to someone who is otherwise already dead. However, after all of this, would I be in the wrong to do this myself?

  The only things that offered even a hint of a response were the bells – ringing and ringing as if there was no question in the first place. My real vision collided with the false sight of the church I kept seeing with every ring, and my sight became cloudy. It seems that I had no more time left to decide.

  And so, I made my decision. After so much toil and peril caused by the events of MC-13, I decided to hold the perpetrators accountable for their actions. With that decided, I prepared to unleash my verdict.

  “Thank you, Seishi.”

  Then came silence. And along with that silence came peace. It was peaceful. I watched the events transpiring in front of me, and listened to a faint splash from the river a few moments later.