Chapter 69 - The Reporter

Five in the afternoon arrives, and Kotone wakes up from a 10-hour long sleep.

Having stayed up the night before, and struggling to fall asleep after what she witnessed in Nikko earlier in the morning, made her very tired.

"Ugh… Thank goodness. No nightmares." She gladly notices and gets up from her futon.

As she descends the stairs to the first floor, she notices Fumio on the kitchen area, sitting on the floor by the dining table, staring intently at his laptop screen, his hands busy with the mouse and keyboard.

Kotone raises her brows.

"You look awfully aggressive for someone playing a video game." She assumes.

"I'm not so serious about video games anymore..." Fumio responds without thought.

"You're just waking up?" His hands stop and looks at Kotone.

"Yeah. I'm not like you and Kichirou-san." Kotone shrugs.

"But Gin-san's still passed-out, huh?" She then looks at the unconscious man on the living room floor.

"Uhuh…" Fumio takes his attention back to his computer.

*taptaptaptaptap*

"FUCK…" He curses out, almost yelling in frustration.

"What's wrong with you?" Kotone frowns as she joins Fumio in front of the laptop.

"What am I looking at?" She is confused, looking at the tabs and windows of an internet browser, quickly switching from Fumio's control.

"Ugh… Look." Fumio switches tabs to some social media pages.

"Here. These are my acquaintances." He provides context.

"Current servants of the Kumagai. None of them posted things about what happened this morning." He explains.

He then switches to the tab that contains his news alert about Nikko.

"And here. Every online article about Nikko since last week were erased." He explains.

"They're trying to cover it up?" Kotone asks.

"Yeah…" Fumio scratches his brows in irritation.

He then pulls out his phone and dials a number.

As the call attempts to connect, "Who're you calling?" Kotone asks in interest.

"My sister. OH…" Fumio then puts his finger to his lips and mouths 'Watch this', before putting his phone, in speaker mode, on the table.

"Hello Sayuri-san." Fumio greets.

[Fumio… This is unexpected.] Sayuri's professional comes out of the speaker phone.

Kotone, while having a lot of questions in her mind about the way the two siblings address each other, keeps her curiosity to herself.

"So. I heard something interesting happen in Nikko this morning." Fumio says.

Kotone's eyes widen, and she immediately taps the mute button on Fumio's phone.

"Are you crazy?! Why're you asking her?" Kotone exclaims in panic.

Fumio's eyes widen too. He just realizes how rash calling his sister is.

He is about to hang up when, [What have you heard?] the two hear Sayuri ask, her voice obviously colder than before.

Kotone looks at Fumio in worry.

Fumio on the other hand, with the help of a pump of his spiritual energy to his brain, comes up with something.

"Well. Someone saw Mr. Fool flying over the Kumagai compound. I thought it was just rumors, after all, why would an S-Class Superioris visit the Kumagai? Right?" Fumio asks.

[Right…] Sayuri interjects.

"But when I thought about it, out of all possible rumors, why that? Why do they have to involve Mr. Fool? And judging from your reaction… seems to be true?" Fumio says.

[It's great that you didn't flaunt your cleverness in the clan.] Fumio and Kotone hear Sayuri sigh.

[Yes. The rumors are true. But Mr. Fool didn't just visit the Kumagai Compound. He attacked it. Several Kumagai clansmen are injured.] Sayuri reports.

Fumio sees Kotone is about to exclaim, so he quickly seals her mouth with his hand.

"Why?... Why'd he attack them? I thought the Kumagai aren't that bad." Fumio asks, trying to calm himself down.

He too, just like Kotone, feels offended for Red.

[Word is, Mr. Fool was looking for something in the Kumagai's possession, and when he found it, he stole it.] Sayuri reports.

"Huh…" Fumio disguises his scorn with a sigh.

Kotone then takes off Fumio's hand off her mouth, finally calm, but still finding it hard not to defend Red.

"I find that hard to believe. What would subordinate clan have that an S-Class would want?" Fumio asks.

[You're too smart for your own good. I warn you to stop snooping around this matter.] Sayuri does not have the ability to lie, so she can only resort to what she knows.

"Isn't it a bit much to resort to threats? I'm just asking questions." Fumio scoffs.

[It's not a threat from me as a Sunada clansman. This is an advice from me as your sister. So, heed my advice, brother, or Gorou-sama will call for you again.]

This stumps Fumio and Kotone.

[Seems like you're considering it. Good.] Sayuri, not receiving an immediate response, is satisfied.

"Tell me one last thing then, sister. Do you think it's true? That Mr. Fool stole from the Kumagai?" Fumio asks.

[…] It is Sayuri this time who cannot come up with an answer.

[It's not.] She decides to go with the truth.

"I see. I won't look into it any further then." Fumio nods, satisfied that Sayuri is honest with him.

[That's good then. Is that all?] Sayuri asks.

"Yes. Oh. That's right. I wish you a happy birthday in advance."

[… Thank you…]

Fumio and Kotone can hear Sayuri stunned speechless.

[Well then.]

With that, Sayuri drops the call. 

"Damn." Fumio shakes his head.

Kotone has heard that Fumio never had a good relationship with his family, and that only his sister, which she now finds out is Sayuri, is the only one Fumio wants to maintain contact with. Seeing the two's interaction however, she feels sad. Especially if she compares her and Haruto's relationship to Fumio's relationship with Sayuri.

"S-so… How did they manage to hide something that huge?" Kotone does not want to pry at Fumio's family anymore.

"They're masters at it. And it helps that Kumagai compound is geographically isolated." Fumio explains.

"Huh. Then why don't you upload the video you shot?" Kotone thought that the reason why Red approved Fumio's idea of filming the trouble they made, is also to publicize it.

"I want to too, you know?" Fumio grumbles.

"Why don't you?" Kotone frowns.

"It's not like a human died."

"Boss took it." Fumio pouts.

"Well. I want to have a recognizable face to record it." Red suddenly appears out of nowhere, startling the two.

"Huh. I thought you'd be at the peak at this hour." Fumio is curious of Red's appearance in the house.

"Cloudy." Red shrugs as he joins them at the dining table.

He then takes out a set of expensive-looking three-piece suit from his storage ring and lays them on the table.

"You just gave me new clothes a month ago, boss." Fumio scratches his head, but realizes something.

"This is not my size."

"It's not yours." Red says as he snaps his fingers.

The two disciples are confused at the action, before they hear footsteps from upstairs. Soon, Gin joins them.

"So, uhh…" Gin wears a guilty face, not knowing what to say.

"Wanna pay for the peach you ate?" Red smirks.

"I don't have money." Gin sheepishly rubs his neck.

"The fruits in my garden are only for people with strong bodies." Red explains.

"You almost died from eating that peach by the way. You should thank your luck I found you." He adds, making Gin sweat cold.

"Anyways. I want you to do something for me." Red then hands the clothes to Gin.

"Whoah… these look nice." Gin is immediately distracted by the clothes.

"Yes." Red then pulls out a laptop from under the table, opens it, and faces its screen to Gin.

"IF you were the reporter, how would you report this footage?" Red then presses the spacebar.

<>

"Whoah… Something this big…" Gin cannot believe what he just watched.

"They covered it up, yes." Kotone confirms.

"Still. A real demon... And ... Mr. Fool, huh." Gin mutters as he looks at the grinning Mr. Fool in the video.

"Wait a minute…" he then realizes something.

"This looks like unedited footage." He then looks up at his three hosts.

He catches Fumio suppressing a proud smirk, and something lights up in his head.

"Y-y-y-you…" Gin points his fingers at Fumio.

"What?" Fumio gets worried at Gin's reaction.

"Who are you? No. Who are you all? It seems like you knew Mr. Fool was going to be there!" He accuses his hosts.

"Yeah. We did." Red admits.

Fumio and Kotone look at him, frowning, confused at why he just admitted their connection to Mr. Fool.

"Then the only way you can know is…" Gin starts formulating possibilities in his head, but the least possible he can think of, is what happens next.

"Is that I'm Mr. Fool, of course." Red then transforms to Mr. Fool.

Fumio and Kotone look at Red as if he had gone crazy.

"HUHhhH.g…" Gin faints and slams his head on the table.

"BOSS! WHY" "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Fumio and Kotone now express their shock at Red's actions.

"Relax. He won't say anything." Red assures them.

"What makes you so sure, boss?" Fumio asks.

"Well, I just am. Trust me on this." Red simply shrugs as they wait for Gin to wake up again.

Red, after examining the demon core earlier, and after accessing his spirit sense's abilities more, he suddenly came up with an idea.

Soul contract.

It is a common method used by cultivators who have activated their spirit senses and can access their soul bodies, to ensure that all parties honor a certain pledge or promise.

But because Gin is not a cultivator, and that Red has a soul that is infinitely more powerful, and infinitely bigger, it was easy for Red to enforce a one-sided contract on him.

Red could have made Gin his peon or minion if he wanted to by tying Gin's soul to his, but he had to consider one thing. He is not sure if the soul container of a mortal's soul essence like Gin's, will survive being tied to his huge and powerful soul. If Red ties Gin's soul to his, and Gin's soul essence container shatters, Gin will die.

"Disclosing our identities, or even this hill, will not even cross his mind." Red tells the two.

"How's that even possible?" Kotone frowns in skepticism.

"I'll tell you when you grow up." Red pats the top of Kotone's head.

Fumio snickers at Red treating Kotone like a little girl, while Kotone is annoyed at Red's very, very condescending tone.

<>

"Nice… Now that's the dignified Reporter Gin I've seen on TV." Red nods in approval after Gin comes back to the living room after changing to the three-piece suit.

"No. I feel fancy. Only news anchors wear something like this." Gin shakes his head. 

*CliCK*

Kotone snaps a picture too, impressed at how different Gin looks compared to earlier.

Gin, looking at the photo Kotone just took, is stunned.

"Wow… I look even better than the news anchor." Gin is impressed at how sharp he looks.

"Hey. Let me..." Red then stands and starts applying foundation to Gin's face.

While Kotone, Fumio, and Gin are stunned, they keep quiet as Red expertly uses things in a make-up kit that they are sure they did not see before.

Soon, the three see the almost finished result of Red's handiwork.

Gin's skin now looks unblemished, his skin glowing, and his facial features sharp.

"Daammnn… Haha." Fumio nods in approval.

"Boss. You can be a make-up artist too, huh…"

"Kichirou-san you…" Kotone narrows her eyes at Red.

"Yes, Kotone. I knew the quality of the make-up thingies I wasted during your training." Red admits as he does some finishing touches.

"Oh..." The heartbreak Kotone felt at every swipe of lipstick, foundation, or mascara on her gi, all comes back to her. 

"So… Gin." Red closes the make-up kit, done with his work.

"No turning back now. You will offend two clans after this. You will also stay wanted, though not legally, by them, out of revenge." He paints a picture on Gin's mind.

"I'm sure. This is the biggest story in my career so far, and the biggest story I will probably report on. It's worth ruining my future over it." Gin says with conviction.

Red feels that Gin is being sincere.

"You crazy bastard." Fumio gives Gin an admiring look.

"So. Ready?" He turns on the camera.

Gin picks up the microphone that Red stole from somewhere, looks at the camera, and nods.

"Ready."