Chapter 16A: Conference Between Slayer And Anomaly – Shiori Azusa

The three of us, Shiori-sempai, Akane, and I, decided to change the location to a local fast food restaurant so that we could talk. The burger in my hand looks like a classic example of all traditional fast food restaurants' promotion of food poisoning, not that this is stopping me from putting it into my glorious mouth. I get the feeling I'm going to regret this later, but I like burgers, so I can't help myself.

"Shiori-sempai, how is it that you know about Yuichi?" Akane questions our former Sempai.

"As I thought you know about it too, Akane-chan," Shiori-sempai replies whilst nodding her head to herself. "Regardless, Yuichi-kun I approached you to ask you about something." She skilfully avoids the question.

"What is it? It's my humble duty to answer my fans' questions," I say in a ten percent joking and ninety percent serious tone.

Shiori-sempai smiles at my comment. "The same as always." Sempai's smile suddenly changes into a more serious expression. "Vincent Redfern, does this name ring any bells?"

That bastard who wields the Soul Slayer, Muramasa-Masamune? Wait, if Shiori-sempai is asking about him, then does that mean!?

"Your face is telling me you've met him." Damn, Sempai is sharp.

"Shiori-sempai are you..." I begin.

"The owner of a Soul Slayer? Yes, I am," She readily replies.

Akane and I both stand up in shock. So Shiori-sempai is here to carry on what Vincent started!

"Sit down you two, I'm not here to pick unnecessary fights, but I do want answers." Shiori-sempai gestures for us to sit back down, we do as we're told. She then tells us, "Vincent is dead."

"Say what!?" I can't hide my shock, that bastard died. I can hardly say I'll miss the scum bag, but just how did it happen?

"So tell me what happened between the two of you." Shiori-sempai interrogates. This brings up memories of the past. She would often question me back when she was part of the disciplinary committee. I know from past experience I won't be able to fool her. I explain everything about my encounter with Vincent.

How he attempted to kill me, how he tried to kill Sakura, and about how I defeated him. I hid the fact that Ren became a Human Anomaly, someone as great as me cannot put his friend in danger by revealing his identity to a Slayer.

"So essentially, you defeated him, but you didn't kill him yourself?" Shiori-sempai summarises. I nod in confirmation.

"I thought that bastard was just licking his wounds, preparing another assault, I never knew he actually died," I explain.

"Well, truth is Yuichi-kun, Vincent's death is a trivial point to the church, it is what isn't accountable that's the problem." Shiori-sempai states. A person's death is trivial? I certainly hate Vincent, but even the very organisation he was a part of thinks little of him.

I'm hating these people more and more.

"So what are you going to do, Shiori-sempai? Are you going to try and kill me like Vincent did?" I make my voice sound tough. But it's nothing more than a front. I don't want to fight Sempai, but if she's the same as Vincent, will I have a choice? Alicia once told me that the church just sees Human Anomalies like any other Anomaly. There may have been a time when the two of us were friends, but is that time still now? Anomalies and Soul Slayers are natural enemies after all.

"Yuichi, Shiori-sempai." Akane looks at each of us in turn. I guess she's worried that a fight is going to break out.

"Haaaaah~" Shiori-sempai sighs, "Didn't I say that I wasn't here to pick a fight with you? I'm not an extremist like Vincent, nor am I so loyal to the church that I would kill one of my kouhai." I breathe a sigh of relief, I can tell that Shiori-sempai is telling me the truth. Come to think of it, if she truly did intend on killing me, she wouldn't have let me suspect her in the first place.

"Then what are you after?" Akane asks.

"I, along with one other person were dispatched to locate and retrieve Muramasa-Masamune. Officially speaking, that's our sole objective, dealing with Anomalies is secondary compared to this."

Muramasa-Masamune, that eerie blade Vincent carried that could supposedly sever anything, although it was unable to cut through my silver for some reason.

"But Yuichi-kun, the fact that you became a Human Anomaly was a huge shock, what happened?" Shiori-sempai asks.

"I was killed in a road accident when a truck hit me. I won back my life by cheating in my match against Alicia." I explain.

Just recalling that game is making me feel really hot. For some reason there's something appealing to me about the fact that I cheated in a game that decided whether I lived or died. As well as being able to watch Alicia stripping off clothes in agony and shock as I won every single round. Ren also did the same and cheated against Elizabeth, I sure wish that I was there when he took her on.

"Yuichi! A creepy smile is plastered all over your face." Akane points out in a spiteful voice.

"Hmm~" Sempai is showing a mischievous looking smile. "Don't run off Yuichi-kun, Akane-chan, I'm going to the toilet so come with me." Sempai orders as she gets out of her seat, Akane follows suit with a questioning look on her face.

Why is it that women have to go to the toilet in groups? I've always wondered this, but I still can't figure it out. You won't see me or Ren saying 'come on lets go take a piss together' to one another.

Well, now that they're both out of sight I feel like doing something childish. Sempai and I ordered the exact same drink, so whilst she's gone, I quickly pick up Sempai's drink and switch it's place with my own. You should feel honoured Sempai, this is the first time that the great Yuichi Shiro has initiated an indirect kiss with someone. Consider it your reward for putting your friends before your duty.

---

Chapter 16B: Conference Between Slayer And Anomaly – Sempai/Rival (Perspective: Akane)

"So you've fallen for Yuichi-kun too have you, Akane-chan?" Sempai immediately asks me once we close the door.

Cough cough! - She took me by complete surprise with that question. "What are you saying, Sempai!?"

"Your reaction just now was louder than any confession, Akane-chan," Sempai states as she wears a teasing smile on her face. "To think that you would fall for the very person you told me was the type you hated. I guess it's true that there is a thin line between love and hate."

"It's just that I found out that there's more to him than his narcissism and perversion." I can't lie to Sempai, she is too perceptive. If I try to tell her a lie she will see through it and I will only look more pitiful. Although it's embarrassing, my best choice of action against her is the truth.

"So, Akane-chan is my rival now is she?" Sempai confirms to herself. Wait, rival? Then that means that Sempai...

"You like Yuichi as well."

"Yep, which means I won't hand him over, not even to you Akane-chan." Sempai admits instantly with a smile.

"Sempai, just to let you know there are at least two others who like him. Including someone who he's engaged to." I explain, I doubt Sempai is aware of this.

"He has got at least four girls to fall for him? Way to go, Yuichi-kun," Sempai says in honest admiration. Her carefree nature is still with her.

"Um, Sempai, doesn't the fact that he's engaged sway you even a little?" I ask, how can she be so optimistic? The boy she's after is essentially unobtainable.

"Why? In the worst case scenario there is always NTR." Sempai says nonchalantly. I can feel my face burning up from her saying NTR.

"Aren't you Yuichi's natural enemy, how can you possibly be together?" That's right she's a Soul Slayer wielder, Yuichi is a Human Anomaly, the two are as incompatible as can be.

"Our romance can be like Romeo and Juliet!" Sempai retorts. Sempai, are you aware that Romeo and Juliet ended as a tragedy?

"Besides which," Sempai continues, "I'm only part of the church for my own agenda, I can quit any time I want." Sempai's last comment sounds like something that you would stereotypically hear from a chain smoker. But I feel that her words aren't empty, she's telling me the truth.

For what reason did Sempai take up a Soul Slayer?

"Well let's get back to Yuichi-kun, he's probably wondering what is taking us so long."

---

Chapter 16C: Conference Between Slayer And Anomaly – Shiori's Warning

The three of us have just finished our meal. Sempai drank her drink lovingly, I hope you liked every sip of it. I smile to myself in self respect.

"Yuichi-kun, I'm going to make this advice very simple. With another Slayer in this town other than me, you should lay low. Don't go hunting Anomalies or make yourself stand out," Sempai advises. But that's easier said than done, I sparkle brighter than the sun just by walking down the street, beauty cannot be hidden, hence neither can I.

"Unlike me, Gungnir-Mjölnir's wielder will not hesitate to kill you, and she's no pushover when it comes to combat. Hence, the best thing you can do is steer clear of her, she isn't able to recognise Human Anomalies on sight like I can. So as long as I keep quiet, and you don't do anything stupid, she won't notice you," Sempai explains.

"Gungnir-Mjölnir?" I whisper to myself, I best ask Alicia about this later. "Say Sempai, what is the name of your Soul Slayer? I'm really curious." I try to gather more intel.

"My Soul Slayer is called Voynich-Caduceus. It's different from pure power Soul Slayers like Muramasa-Masamune. The church mainly uses me for scouting rather than to fight Anomalies." Sempai takes out some sort of staff that is littered with paper. I thought she would hesitate to answer, but she told me so readily. I gaze deeply at Sempai's Soul Slayer it's nowhere near as intimidating as Muramasa-Masamune. Is this due to the difference between Soul Slayers? Or is it to do with their wielders?

"Anyway, I need to be off. So I'll see you later." Sempai gets out of her seat and begins making her way to the exit, before she reaches the door she turns around and faces me again.

"Yuichi-kun, relay everything I told you to Ren-kun. I'm already well aware that he too has become a Human Anomaly." Sempai already knew about that? "I may not want the two of you dead, but my partner definitely would, so please just do as I said. Oh, and one other thing, it's not that I didn't enjoy it, but you shouldn't be switching people's drinks with your own." She even realised that!? After telling me what she wanted to say, Sempai left as she waves at us with the back of her hand. She's not one to be underestimated.

"Yuichi, what is she talking about?" Akane asks whilst glaring at me like I'm some sort of criminal. I simply ignore her as I watch Sempai's back slowly disappear from my sight.

I get the feeling that a flag has just been raised for some sort of serious upcoming event. But no matter what happens, my beauty will always stand as gallant as always. The number one single 'All You Need Is Beauty' by the 'Stag Beatles' says it better than I ever could. Wait? Was that the name of the song? Oh, who cares?

"Na~, na~, na~, na na na, na na na, I'm beautiful." I sing a lyric of my personal theme tune to myself as I walk out of the restaurant with Akane.