The time of waiting.
As if a horde of spiders were crawling, darkness seeped in from all directions, with even the light of the streetlamps failing to reach certain areas, creating a peculiar eeriness. The thick clouds obscured the moon, and the landscape hanging from treetops began to blur into darkness and melt away.
The red-tinged scenery turned blue, while the blue-painted scenery turned red.
And finally, pitch black.
At that moment, when everything transformed into darkness, a presence revealed itself.
Rustle.
A figure emerged with the sound of leaves brushing against one another—it was a man.
A man clad in a tailored suit that revealed his slender physique.
He wore a warm-colored tie in shades of red, and to add a touch of flair, a watch adorned his wrist. Of course, it wasn’t an expensive timepiece; it was a cheap plastic watch easily found at the market.
Rustle.
The man continued to appear, parting the leaves as he slowly unveiled himself from the darkness before the men.
The unique texture of the new suit caught the eyes, along with the polished shoes gleaming that had been scrubbed to perfection. Finally, as he read the numbers on the cheap digital watch glimmering in the darkness, he took notice of strange patterns drawn on his red tie.
And then, the mask he wore to hide his face came into view.
“Ha…”
Even mercenaries, whose courage was strong enough not to be easily startled, were taken aback by the bizarre appearance.
Where the man’s head should have been, there was a grotesque mask.
What should I call that? How should I express that?
It looked like a mask made by tearing off the facial skin of sinners tormented in hell, slicing it into pieces, and haphazardly piecing it back together, didn’t it?
If a serial killer were to peel off someone’s face and stretch it out, then reattach it to form a mask, wouldn’t it resemble something like that?
The man’s mask was bizarre and horrific.
‘What a dreadful mask.’
If one were to tear off the face of an evil spirit and wear it, it might end up looking like that.
“Nice to meet you, everyone.”
Additionally, the terror wasn’t limited to just the mask.
When the fully revealed man opened his mouth, a sound that could tear through the ears filled the air.
It sounded like a cacophony of tortured screams transformed into musical tones, generating terrible noises that imitated human voices.
It resembled speech yet was closer to noise.
The mere act of listening sent chills down the spine and raised goosebumps.
“I believe you all know who I am.”
“…Of course.”
The men seated on the tatami rice mats nodded in response to the question.
Given that he had appeared at the designated time, dressed in the pre-informed attire, and bore marks indicating he was their employer, how could they not know?
The employer.
The man wearing that bizarre mask was their employer.
“Are you ready to head to Juliet Point?”
“Of course.”
“Then… let’s go.”
The employer’s appearance was grotesque.
Not only was that strange mask and horrendous voice unsettling, but there was also an absence of human presence about him.
Even though he stood right next to them, it felt as if a mannequin were beside them, with an odd rustling sound replacing his breath. Although he seemed to emit warmth, there was a disquieting sense that it was a different kind of property than a human’s body heat.
This must be what it feels like to have a yokai pretending to be human beside you.
‘If it weren’t for the job, I’d never want to be close to such a human.’
‘The aura is downright dreadful. Even a cannibal who kidnaps people, slaughters them, and eats them doesn’t give off this sort of vibe.’
‘I hear Japan is famous for robots. Have they developed cyborgs or something?’
The mercenaries felt a chill run down their spines from their employer and sharpened their senses.
Even as they walked with their employer behind them, they focused intently on his presence, believing that the employer was on their side, yet a strange feeling made them tense as if a knife might stab their backs any moment.
“Hmm.”
Did he catch onto the mercenaries’ unease?
With a low voice directed towards them from behind, the employer spoke.
“Don’t worry. I’m the one who hired you, and I want you to perform well. Although I may assist you, I will not hinder you.”
On the surface, his words sounded like reassurance to alleviate the mercenaries’ concerns about having an employer who seemed devoid of fighting prowess accompanying them on the operation.
However, hidden within was the implication, ‘I have no intention of betraying you.’
Despite feeling a strange discomfort about their employer, the mercenaries decided to trust his words.
For now, they didn’t have the impression that he would betray them based on his words and actions.
He lacked the typical sense of employers who treat mercenaries as expendable, intending to hunt them down like hunting dogs after a mission.
Such people often hide away in safe places rather than accompany operations.
Considering the risks of the operation and the potential of being struck by an indiscriminate attack, sending mercenaries to guarantee one’s own safety was essentially placing their own security in their hands.
If they thought about that, at least this undefined employer provided the mercenaries with the minimal assurance that ‘I have no intention of betraying you.’
Setting aside the unsettling nature of the employer himself.
‘Well… it should be fine…’
The mercenaries forged ahead with an optimistic mindset.
Forward, forward.
Pushing through the darkness ahead.
How long had they walked like this?
Before them finally appeared their destination.
As the employer referred to it, Juliet Point (J Point).
The actual name was “Osaka Prefecture Folklore Research Institute.”
It was said to be an institute operated by folklore scholars with the support of the government and local authorities, researching the folklore of Osaka… or so it appeared.
On the surface, at least.
But in actuality, it was somewhat different.
Researching folklore?
That’s not a wrong statement.
After all, they did conduct research and periodically published papers.
But that was merely a disguise to conceal the true nature.
The Osaka Prefecture Folklore Research Institute was far from just a place for studying folklore; it was closer to a military facility established for the study of divine objects and magic.
Or perhaps it might be more accurate to say it had significance surpassing that of a military facility.
Japan, which lacked an army, was desperately trying to cling to a constitution, seeking armed forces.
Using various contents and campaigns, Japan had worked to create a positive perception of capable individuals and advertised that those who became capable would gain wealth and honor, thus guiding talented individuals to become capable. Actively supporting onmyoji and allocating more grants to departments related to magic and sorcery to cultivate talent was also part of their strategy.
And Japan’s tactical maneuvering bore fruit.
With the might and strength of capable warriors, Japan became one of the top countries globally, and while the onmyoji had a critical drawback of being powerful only within Japan, it had turned into quite a useful military force.
Considering that most shamans from other countries prioritize their own goals and engage in all sorts of bizarre behavior, the onmyoji, calmly entering government institutions and working for the government, were almost like angels.
And this research institute before their eyes was established due to such government policies.
The divine objects and magic of the Osaka region.
And a secret research facility set up to study the magic and divine objects plundered during World War II.
Even now, active research was ongoing within this institute.
To militarize the divine objects and magic.
Or to use them according to the whims of power holders.
Well… that’s not an unusual occurrence.
It wasn’t uncommon for power holders to study divine objects and magic.
While considerable costs had to be paid, methods to utilize sorcery could serve as lifesaving measures in urgent situations.
If one could survive by sacrificing limbs or organs in a situation where death seemed imminent, wouldn’t that be a worthwhile trade-off?
Moreover, divine objects were similar.
Unlike artifacts, divine objects operate with different mechanisms, and depending on their use, they could cast curses on adversaries, save one’s life, or bring luck at critical moments. Sometimes they could even heal illnesses and gain health.
Of course, the chances of experiencing such positive effects were rather slim, and most would exhibit terrifying powers or demand horrendous costs…
Well, isn’t research about seeking jewels amidst countless stones?
For that reason, power holders from various countries were diligently researching divine objects, in search of those that could be beneficial to themselves.
Right now.
In this moment as well.
However… this trend was quite displeasing to someone.
“This isn’t a building I particularly like.”
The employer trailing behind the mercenaries gazed at the building with dissatisfaction.
A building perfectly designed to harmonize with the surrounding scenery.
“And the security seems rather tight as well.”
A modern structure that retained Japan’s charm.
A massive building that visually resembled a work of art blending into the surrounding landscape.
“It’s fine. I can break through that level of security easily.”
The mercenary and the employer conversed in front of the building.
“With EMPs and bombs, can’t we breach it?”
“Is that so?”
Their conversation was far too ominous.
“Then let’s go.”
