Confidence and Detection

Fifty years after the Day of Ascension

December 1st, 2050

Shibuya Peak

“Con the con artist.”

That was the directive Rei Tsukihara received from his boss following the urgent request of assistance from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police.

Of course, the Ninomiya Investigation Agency was not a front for scamming people out of their money, nor was it a company that specialized in dealing with fraudulent criminals. They were but a humble office at the edge of Shinjuku Skyline focused on gathering information, locating missing persons, catching unfaithful spouses, or if they were lucky, searching for lost heirlooms to rich clients who paid extremely well.

They were, in the simplest of terms, an honest-to-goodness Detective Agency.

Unfortunately for Rei, the wizened old chief of that agency was far from simple, honest, or good. And he was merely an assistant.

“Are you seeing this, Rei? Our target finally showed up!” Chief Ninomiya’s voice echoed from the small transceiver sitting on the table.

Rei watched from the window of his hotel room as three vans stopped in front of the building across the street. Several men and women in suits came out of the vehicles, while a man in a garish purple outfit arrived on a limousine.

“I see him alright,” Rei said. “He’s practically screaming with that jacket. Should I have worn purple?”

“You’re fine,” the chief replied. “As long as you have the card, the dealer doesn’t care. Do try your best to look like an asshole, though. This guy’s got a mean face.”

“You should’ve been the one to do it then, boss.”

“Funny! But you know why I can’t.”

Oh, Rei knew why. Out of anyone in the agency, all three people in it, he was the only one that matched.

Rei looked at the pale reflection of his face on the window and adjusted his yellow tie, the only color in his otherwise all-black outfit. That, and the pair of ivory wings embroidered on the back of his jacket, marking him as an exalt. A pretentious title with a theatrical symbol, but just about anybody who awakened to the ascension’s gift was required to wear the mark.

Even at a time like this.

“Mean face,” Rei whispered to himself. “Intimidating.”

Rei was average looking by most people’s standards, but he was proud of how bright his eyes can get at the right angle. He ruffled his black hair and grinned menacingly.

“The police will have a field day when they hear about what you schemed this time,” Rei said. “Maybe they’ll finally cut our agency off for good.”

The chief snorted through the receiver. “We’re too damned useful,” he replied. “As long as they get their intel, it doesn’t really matter if we pull a con or two. Plus, its more interesting this way.”

Not simple, honest or good. At least the police paid alright.

“Time’s up, Rei. I need to get into position. If Airi gets footage of the deal through the security cameras, I’ll give if you a higher bonus depending on how well you perform.”

“You’ve never given me a bonus.”

“True.”

The communication ended with a deliberate cut from the other side.

Rei sighed, then gave one last glance not at his reflection, nor the building across the street, but the moonless sky above Shibuya Peak. The chromatic clouds were thick that night, shimmering in a brighter sheen of unending bronze.

Surely a good sign for success.

*

The elevator chime echoed overhead as it reached the forty-seventh floor of Stargaze Hotel. The doors opened and immediately, Rei was greeted by the indulgent luxury of the elite. Velvety red carpet, pendant lights the shape of stars, paintings of old Tokyo before the ascension. It was as if the hotel had a second reception at its highest floor leading to a large set of doors guarded by a pair of men in black suits.

Unlike most other establishments, Stargaze Hotel didn’t have a penthouse suite or a rooftop pool, but rather a large ballroom reserved for the most lavish of parties.

Tonight, however, its sole purpose was to hold a meeting between two people: the dealer, Shinozuka, and the buyer, Maxim.

The product in question? A miracle drug that coaxed aethereal power to manifest in regular people.

In the past fifty years, several scientists, organizations, even whole governments have studied the phenomenon that changed the world. In all that time, none have been successful in finding the answer. Nobody knows why seven circles around the world lifted from the earth and rose like mountains. Or why some people residing in them developed special powers and abilities—the exalted.

Despite this, many claim they’ve unlocked the secret. Many even say they have the knowledge to make those already with power ascend to their highest form and grow wings that could reach heaven. Many were, unfortunately, wrong.

Tonight was yet another example. A secret drug, a secret deal.

The police dealt with these fake scientists and shamans all the time. So much in fact that they’d hire private investigators to assist them. And none as ambitious or as eccentric as the Ninomiya Investigation Agency.

“Card.”

The guardsmen in front of the ballroom doors stood with blank stoicism against Rei. He could sense aether in one of them.

Rei produced a forged invitation card and handed it over with casual ease. In it was the name ‘Maxim’, the person he was impersonating. The real one was somewhere in the building across the hotel, dressed in all his purple glory. By now the man must be negotiating with the chief, currently posing as the dealer ‘Shinozuka’.

The plan was simple: have either side reveal the extensive network of scammers behind this operation. The police only asked for a piece of the pie, but the chief wanted to deliver the whole damned catering.

The guards inspected the card, then moved aside to open the doors.

“Welcome, Mr. Maxim,” they said. “We’ve been waiting for you.”

Rei gave a quick nod, doing his best to look mildly irritated. Nothing said ‘asshole’ than thinking the world moved at your pace. He stepped inside the ballroom and immediately his façade fell short.

The room was massive, probably the length and width of the entire hotel. The lights were turned off save for a grand chandelier in the middle, while the curtains around the room were drawn open to show a panoramic view of the city.

Shibuya was second only to Shinjuku in terms of elevation, but it was high enough that it still gave a mountaintop perspective of the ascended city. Skyscrapers and buildings aligned the slope like floating staircases, while the lower wards dazzled like an ocean of stars. The hotel might not live up to its namesake, given the shroud of bronze that covered the sky, but it nevertheless delivered a similar promise.

The sound of the doors closing echoed behind Rei.

So far so good.

That was, until he came across not one but two dealers waiting in the middle of the ballroom. They sat beneath the chandelier with a single metal suitcase standing between them.

The one on the left was a man in a grey suit. He was probably in his late fifties, hunched over and scrawny, with short black hair, large eyes and a thin mustache. He nervously tapped on his right leg with his index finger, as if impatiently waiting for the deal to happen. That or he was about to soil himself. Shinozuka’s description from the chief’s file was perfect to the tee.

The one on the right was a beautiful woman in her twenties, heart-shaped face, full lips, long black hair tousled with finesse. She wore a blood-red dress that hugged her curves, clearly worn to be provocative. More striking however, was the eyepatch over her right eye, while her left smiled with curiosity.

Who was this woman? Another bodyguard? That wasn’t in the deal.

The two stood up to level with Rei as he walked closer, carefully eyeing him up and down.

“You must be Maxim,” the man said. Shinozuka. His voice was as jittery as his hands. “You look younger than I thought… but no matter. We’ve been waiting for some time now.”

“Apologies,” Rei said with a straight face. “I had to make sure everything was clear with my boss before I go through with the deal.”

Under normal circumstances, they’d shake hands, bow, and ramble on pleasantries. But it was obvious everybody had their guard up.

“Well then, Mister Shinozuka.” Rei looked from the man to the woman. “And..?”

The woman’s smile deepened.

“And friend. Seeing as we’re slightly behind schedule, mind if we head straight to business?”

“That would be best,” Shinozuka agreed as he sat back down. “We already have the deal solidified last we spoke over the internet. The details should remain the same. The sooner we finish this, the better.”

“Perfect,” Rei echoed. He went over to fetch a chair and placed it in front of the two dealers, making sure they saw the wings stitched at the back of his jacket. He sat on his chair and gestured to the suitcase. “Let’s start with the product, then.”

Shinozuka glanced at the person next to him, then hunched down to open the suitcase. He took out a metallic attaché case inside and placed it atop his lap. The moment he opened that one, a familiar light suddenly filled the room, far outshining the chandelier above them.

“Behold the fruit of our scientific endeavor,” Shinozuka exclaimed. The light came from a translucent sphere no larger than an apple. Inside it was a smoky substance of a striking bronze color. But more than that, Rei could feel the tingling sensation of aether.

Is that chromatic cloud?

Rei couldn’t help but look past the glass wall of the ballroom and compare it to the sky outside.

No way did this man procure a sample from above the stratosphere. No person in the history of the world had been able to fly up there at night. Not in the last fifty years.

Rei composed himself. This had to be a fake. “A piece of cloud?” he said, sounding slightly amused. “Not much of a drug, is it?”

“It’s not a thing to be ingested, no,” Shinozuka replied with a roll of his eyes. “And this isn’t a ‘piece of cloud’. When this sphere is opened, the aether inside will disperse into the air and attach to the closest host, enveloping their body. From there the transformation will occur.”

“Exaltation,” Rei said.

“Correct,” Shinozuka confirmed.

The chromatic clouds—named after the nebulous array of colors given by its bronze sheen—had a close signature to aether, but far more condensed and volatile. It appeared the same night the world changed and people first gained abilities. The connection was still theoretical but obvious.

This sample on the other hand was clearly aether. Rei knew the power like the back of his hand. The woman in red for example, was exalted. Though she hid it well, the power still stirred deep in her chest.

“We’ve included a strict set of instructions on how to properly use this product,” Shinozuka explained. “As long as you follow them, there shouldn’t—”

“I don’t suppose you can explain how this is possible,” Rei interjected. “How did you manage to trap aether inside the sphere? Why does it look like the cloud?”

Shinozuka’s eyes flashed for a hot second. “This question wasn’t part of the deal, Mister Maxim! The secret is ours to keep. You will buy this sample, and then we will contact you on how you can obtain more of it.”

Rei threw his hands up as if to yield.

“But if you must know” Shinozuka continued, “we didn’t trap anything. This sample wasn’t procured from the night sky but developed in our laboratories.”

Rei raised an eyebrow at that.

“It is not easy to make,” Shinozuka added. “Of course, you can expect the price to go up after this initial product. You know how this works.”

Oh, Rei knew how it worked. This ‘sample’ was it. No contact will come from the dealer because the product wasn’t real to begin with. Wanting more money was bait because the product’s fifty-million-yen price tag was already too much for what was effectively a prop. Shinozuka will simply vanish as if he never existed.

It was clever, but any detective worth their salt could smell the scam a mile away. Fortunately for these clowns, the chief had bigger fish to catch.

Rei crossed his arms, then leaned back on his chair. “Out of curiosity, Mister Shinozuka, how many other buyers are you selling this product to?”

“Excuse me?” Shinozuka looked taken aback. “I’m sorry, but that’s none of your business.”

“Perhaps…” Rei whispered. “But you see, the people I represent are already aware of others having interest in this product. Let’s just say… they’re interested in getting ahead of everyone else.”

“Then you will have to wait like everyone else!” Shinozuka snapped, pointing a shaky finger at Rei. “If you offer the right price, then maybe we can sell you our entire stock!”

Rei sighed long and hard. “See, there’s our problem right there.”

“What problem? We ironed out the details two nights ago. This was a done deal!”

“It is. But my bosses are worried about the consequences of this product getting out there in the public. It would be troublesome if just about anybody could become exalted. There’s a reason only a select few awaken the power.”

Shinozuka froze. Good. The consequences of such a powerful product would upend the order established in the city. Not that it would happen for real, but it did help make Rei’s issue a lot more convincing.

“Now, you said something about the ‘right price,” Rei continued, a hand over his chin. “How about another five-hundred-million yen if you divulge all other buyers you’ve sold this product to?”

“Another five hundred million?” Shinozuka’s eyes bulged in shock.

“Five hundred and fifty million,” Rei corrected. “For the product and the information.”

“Just for our buyers’ names?”

Rei took out his phone, then showed his fake account with the total amount displayed in big numbers. “I imagine your other clients already paid you the same way I’m about to. Who cares what happens to them after this? You have a high bidder guaranteeing you more sales right here.”

Based on their research, Maxim was only one of potentially eight businessmen who fell for Shinozuka’s story. Chief Ninomiya already got two names figured out, but the other five had been good at keeping their tracks hidden.

Shinozuka licked his lips nervously. The man was about to get free money right here. If he was going to vanish far from Tokyo Sky anyway, why not give up the other idiots he scammed? He could fake the names, sure, but likely not out of thin air.

“Well, I…” Shinozuka stammered. “I, uh… I suppose I could give you… names… if that’s all you want. You’re not going to hurt them, are you?”

“The most they’ll get is a few stern words, Mister Shinozuka.” Rei shrugged theatrically. “They might not be so keen to do any sort of purchasing afterwards, but what do you think? Will they pay more than we do?”

Rei dangled his phone.

Shinozuka gulped, then his eyes darted to the side as if seriously considering it.

This was going far easier than Rei thought. Once they got a hold of the names, they could easily track down other dealers, potentially ones not even involved with Shinozuka.

The chief hadn’t fully laid out his plan to Rei, but he knew the old man was cooking something massive with the police’s first division. This might even lead to the biggest arrest in Tokyo Sky’s history.

“I’ll do it,” Shinozuka declared. “You can guarantee the money?”

Rei nodded. Airi already had the fake transfer ready to go with a single text message from him.

Shinozuka fumbled for his phone in his jacket pocket, ready to spill.

But that’s when the woman next to him, the one whose gaze never once left Rei… burst into a fit of laughter. Her voice filled the empty space of the ballroom, echoing as if all of Shibuya could hear it.

“Maxim,” the woman said with a tone eager to bite. “Oh, Maxim, Maxim, Maxim. How would this information be useful to you?”

Rei cleared his throat. “The people I represent want monopoly on the market and control of the product. Simple as that.”

“But you don’t even know if it works,” the woman countered.

Was this a test?

It was clear in the deal Maxim made with Shinozuka over the internet. The product was too ‘dangerous’ to test in a public setting, but Maxim agreed to it anyway, thinking it was worth it. Of course, that was simply part of the scam, but—

“Most people would at least try to see the product tested regardless of what was agreed upon,” the woman remarked. “Out of all the buyers we had this week, you were the first who didn’t even bother. And with a ridiculous price at that. You asked how the product came to be, but you didn’t seem interested in its potency.”

“I simply know my limits,” Rei replied. “I—”

“Oh, but you’re exalted, aren’t you?” the woman tilted her head slightly. “Why walk around with the mark on your back? Is it pride?”

In Maxim’s case, yes. It was the reason Rei was asked to fill this role.

“It’s the law,” Rei replied honestly. “Sometimes its easier for liars to play by the rules and shield themselves with as much truth as they can show. It gives their target something to believe.”

“Wise words.” The woman nodded as if surprised, then looked at the sphere held carefully by a worried Shinozuka. “Would that apply to this thing as well?”

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, please.” The woman rolled her eye. “You know it’s a fake.”

It was Rei’s turn to be surprised. So did Shinozuka for that matter.

“W-What are you saying?” Shinozuka stammered. “T-This wasn’t what we agreed on! You said you were here in case things went wrong with the—”

The woman placed a hand on Shinozuka’s shoulder. “Calm yourself. Things already went wrong the moment this man walked into the ballroom. He isn’t Maxim.”

Rei stood up, feigning offense. Deep down he shivered.

“What?” Shinozuka said, turning to face Rei. “Who—what’s going on here?”

“Well, mister pretender?” the woman asked. “Do you think it’s possible for this product to be real? I’m sure an exalt like you can feel it.” She tapped the sphere with her index finger, shaking the jolts of electricity inside. “That’s aether. So. Did we bring you a product that has actual aether… or is it simply a truth shielding a lie?”

Who was this woman?

Rei started to sweat. Was this a bluff? Could he get himself out of this? What about the con?

“Times up,” the woman said. “The answer is yes and no.”

In one quick motion, the woman’s hand went behind her back and produced a thin knife. She spun the blade once, then deftly slammed it hard on the sphere. The glass cracked, and its bronze smoke leaked.

“How about a demonstration?”

Shinozuka screamed. His eyes went wide in horror as he tried to throw the sphere and its case on the ground.

Rei instinctively jumped backwards. The woman did as well.

“What’s happening?” Rei shouted, trying his best to remain in character. “This wasn’t part of the deal! Isn’t this dangerous?”

Just as Shinozuka described earlier, the smoke attached to the nearest host—himself. It surrounded his body as if it had a life of its own, coating every inch of him from head to toe, until eventually, Shinozuka’s horrified expression froze in place, his eyes wide open… glowing a golden sheen.

That part Rei had seen before.

Any person living inside the seven circles of ascension have a chance to become exalted, no matter who they were or what point of life they found themselves in. It was a random, indiscriminate choice made by whoever it was that changed the world.

At least, it was supposed to be.

“Are you okay, Shinozuka?” Rei shouted, then he turned to the woman. “He’s not exalted, is he?”

“Not before this,” the woman answered. “He is ascending, though. I’m sure you know, the first time is so overwhelming that it knocks a person unconscious for a few days.”

So why was Shinozuka still standing with his eyes open?

“Unfortunately,” the woman continued, “they never figured out how to temper the aether once its inside the host’s body.”

What did that—

The doors opened behind Rei as the guardsmen from earlier barged into the ballroom, curious about the commotion.

“I will deal with those two,” the woman said. “I want to see how well you fare against Shinozuka.”

“Fare—what?”

The woman flashed a smile and winked at him—in the only way a person with an eye patch could. “They always went berserk after their bodies fill with aether… and he’s staring straight at you. Good luck.”

Rei turned back to Shinozuka. The fog had completely disappeared, but the man remained looking very conscious.

What the hell did she mean by going berserk?

Shinozuka’s body convulsed, then twisted unnaturally as if he was wrung dry. Then he sprang towards Rei, lunging headfirst.

Rei summoned his own aether. It coursed from his heart, warm like the sun, and filled his legs with strength. He leapt sideways to dodge the attack with speed no human could dare attempt.

Shinozuka barely missed him, then crashed hard on one of the tables around the ballroom.

“Ack—dammit!” Rei yelped. “What the hell!”

In the distance near the entryway, the woman in red walked towards the guardsmen with her arms raised to the sides. She summoned her own aether and channeled it directly into her hands, lighting them aflame.

Ah, crap. She’s serious about this!

A massive spike of aether rumbled where Shinozuka landed. It was as if lightning struck. The man got up, his eyes now ladened with bronze instead of gold. He watched the red woman with great interest, then, as if to imitate her, raised his right hand and… fire sprouted.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” Rei whispered in shock.

No exalt can learn to control aether that fast. Right? Then again, Shinozuka’s body was practically bursting to the seams with power. As if he could barely contain it. In fact, his skin cracked and leaked out bronze smoke.

Their eyes met.

Crap. Crap. Crap!

Shinozuka slung the fire he manifested towards Rei like a child throwing his first ever snowball.

Rei coated his entire body with an aether shield, then dodged the attack. It was easy enough to do until he saw a volley of suns in his direction, accompanied by a cackle of laughter from the madman. Shinozuka had gone insane.

“Whoa—wait!” Rei shouted. “I don’t want to fight!”

Rei danced around the ballroom, dodging fireballs left and right. Perfect. Just, perfect. When a fireball hit him directly in the shoulder, and another in the leg, cracking his shield and singing part of his jacket, he knew he wouldn’t last long.

His eyes searched the ballroom for an exit other than the front door, then dove behind the nearest table to hide.

He fumbled at his jacket and took out his phone. New plan. Call Airi. Call the police. Forget conning the con artist. The drug was real. Dammit, Airi, answer your damn—

The sound of whirling fire stopped.

Then Shinozuka slammed into the table behind Rei in a thunderous clap, smashing it into bits. He dropped his phone and it tumbled across the floor. When it came to a stop, it made a beeping sound, followed by a quiet voice. “Rei? What’s going on? Why did—”

Rei caught an aether-packed jab from Shinozuka with his bare hand, pushed him back, then countered with a roundhouse kick. He felt it connect on the man’s rib cage.

Shinozuka stumbled backwards. It seemed like he still hadn’t figured out how to shield himself with densely packed aether. Not that he should be able to.

The man emitted a large fume of bronze smoke, then stood up straight, arms and shoulders fully covered in fire.

Rei summoned aether into his right hand and formed a short object similar to a hunting dagger. It was transparent, but its shape was maintained by a faint golden glow.

“Look, I don’t know if you can hear me, but—”

Shinozuka screamed, then hurled malevolent chunks of fire at him.

With aether-enhanced speed, Rei dodged as much as he could, but when the rain of fire turned into a literal flamethrower, Rei used his newly formed blade to slice through his enemy’s aether like a sharp knife on paper. It split the flames apart that it redirected into the ceiling and floor in a thunderous boom.

It had been a while since Rei used this neat little trick of his. The chief once compared his blade to a plastic ruler. It hurt when it struck, and it could probably cut skin if pushed hard enough, but it was otherwise a weak, blunt weapon against a physical enemy. Against aether, however, it was surgical.

“Interesting weapon you have there!” he heard the woman shout, followed by series of explosions. She was igniting aether bombs against the exalted guard who conjured large, transparent shields.

“This isn’t funny!” Rei shouted back. “What the hell are we doing here?”

When Rei sliced through another of Shinozuka’s flames, the madman grew wildly irritated as if his toy was broken. His body twitched erratically, and his aether grew even more intense. He pumped power into his arms and legs and—

Shinozuka disappeared.

Before Rei could react, a crimson blur smashed into him. He managed to block with both arms, but his shield could barely withstand the weight of his enemy’s aether. He flew backwards out of sheer force like a puppet with his strings cut loose.

“Rei? Can you hear me? What’s happening?”

It was Airi’s voice.

Rei blinked repeatedly, shaking his head. He landed close to his phone.

“Airi?” he called out.

“Rei? What’s going on?”

“Airi, the plan is a bust! The drug is real and I might—”

A lump of fire the size of a chair came flying in his direction. Rei ducked, then saw Shinozuka coming in hot. There were tears in his eyes.

Rei blocked a couple of wild hooks, then countered with an uppercut to his enemy’s stomach. Shinozuka reeled back in pain.

“I might actually die out here, Airi!” Rei shouted. “Call the police! Send help!”

Shinozuka staggered backwards, then his entire upper body burst aflame, leaving only his bronze eyes as the only recognizable part that moved. It didn’t seem like it was on purpose. The man’s body simply couldn’t handle the aether put into it, so he was expending as much of it as he could.

Exalts were powerful, but part of the reason they haven’t fully taken over the world was their limited supply of aether. Much like stamina, it eventually ran out, unlike the world’s steady supply of weapons and ammunition.

If this drug could provide this much aether… Rei shuddered at the thought of it actually working.

Rei raised his fists in a fighting stance. He technically knew how to fight, but only in the ordinary, human way. His aether pool was below average to make any significant difference.

Still, he could try something. Aether only worked in conjunction with the exalt’s mind.

Which meant he needed to knock his enemy unconscious.

Alright, focus, Rei. You didn’t come here to dance, but you know how to handle exalts stronger than you. They always are. You just need to buy time for Airi to get backup.

Shinozuka dashed in his direction, his crimson fists swinging like pistons.

Rei dodged the first jab, then the second, third, fourth. He blocked the fifth, then pushed Shinozuka back.

Focus. You can see it.

Shinozuka was completely unrecognizable with all the fire and bronze smoke surrounding his body. Still, the movement of his aether was clear to Rei’s—

A fist smashed into Rei’s face.

Rei staggered back, his shield completely broken. He barely dodged Shinozuka’s second hook. On the third punch, Rei caught his enemy’s fist with his left hand. He raised it up, exposing Shinozuka’s chest wide open.

It didn’t matter if it was done artificially, aether always started from the heart. Rei summoned his aether blade on his right hand, eyed his target, then sliced through it in one fluid motion.

Rei’s weapon was originally developed to disrupt his own flow of aether, but it worked on others just as well.

Shinozuka’s erratic and unstable power was cut from the source, extinguishing his fire temporarily. The man’s body still smoked, but Rei didn’t bother to wait. He dismissed his blade, then repeatedly punched Shinozuka in the face, coating every inch of his knuckles with aether.

Each blow reverberated across the empty space of the ballroom, until finally, on the seventh hit, Shinozuka fell to the ground with a loud thud.

Stillness followed.

Rei breathed heavily. That was probably the most real fighting he’d done in a very long time. He simply wasn’t built for it.

Rei’s blade could only cut the flow of aether for a few seconds, but it was enough time for him to knock Shinozuka out. Bronze smoke continued to leak out of the man’s skin, but his rampant aether was still for the moment.

“Just what kind of people are you after, chief?” Rei muttered under his breath. “I still can’t believe the product is real…”

Rei stared at Shinozuka. Who was he really? How did he make the drug work? Was there more of it?

Rei could find out if he wanted to. He still had one other ability left in his sleeve. His real power.

The exalted manifested their aether the same way at first. Everybody could strengthen their muscles, put up a coat for defense, or mold aether into simple objects. But from there, they branched out into different specialties. Most choose brute strength. It was simple. Others expanded aether into their minds unlocking the ability to control the elements or construct objects far more impressive than a small blade. A few could even do things like heal injuries or control objects from a great distance.

But Rei’s aether manifested differently. It was the reason he couldn’t do more than be quick, put on a shield, or make a tiny disruptive blade. Instead of his mind or body, the vast majority of his aether went directly into his eyes. It wasn’t something Rei did consciously, but it allowed him a very unique power: the ability to peer into a person’s life. To see all that a person was and will be.

“Well, damn… That sounds like the perfect ability for my line of work.” Chief Ninomiya’s words echoed in his head.

Rei looked up. The woman stood before the unconscious guardsmen. It was probably his only chance to use his ability.

Rei looked back at the unconscious Shinozuka… and activated his real power.

In an instant, a sudden influx of images flooded Rei’s mind. Shinozuka’s childhood growing up alone. His time in school. Working as a scientist. A woman he loved. Failure. Failure. Failure. His dismissal from work. And then he… Failure. It was too much. The vision moved too fast. Rei couldn’t keep up. An offer. A new laboratory outside the city. Too much. He can’t. The vision blurred. It spat a thousand images, until ultimately, it jumped to the very end. A big explosion of fire in a familiar ballroom. Shinozuka’s death.

Rei blinked as he regained his sight. He staggered, his mind a complete mess.

“Dammit,” Rei cursed under his breath. “Damned useless ability.”

There wasn’t a single clue about the drug or Shinozuka’s contacts.

Rei could never make his vision focus on one aspect of a person’s life. It was always everything until his mind couldn’t handle anymore that it skipped to the finish line.

Which… happened to be a few seconds from now.

At the very least, the vision gave Rei a hint of what’s to come next. A terrible, fiery death.

As if on cue, Shinozuka’s eyes opened. They were almost back to normal, but then his aether burst aflame and coated his entire body with fire, growing larger and larger. His body rejected aether with every bit of his being. Exactly like the end of Rei’s vision.

Rei spun on his heels, gathered what aether he had left into his legs, then ran away as fast as he could.

Looking outside the ballroom, the chromatic clouds finally thinned above Shibuya Peak. So much for his good omen. And like always, every time he used his ability to peer into people’s lives, his eyes could also see it.

The moon.

The pale white rock that everyone claimed to have disappeared fifty years ago. The one relegated to myth, to the point conspiracy theorists say it never even existed.

Rei ran for his life following its direction.

And then whiteness.

The explosion of aether from Shinozuka’s body was so loud and powerful it shattered the glass walls of the ballroom into pieces. Rei barely held himself down with his power, but eventually he was pushed out of the building like a leaf in the middle of a raging river.

Rei shouldn’t have agreed to play this stupid con. Case after case, the chief’s eccentricities always led to the most extreme situations. He always thought one day it’d lead to his own demise, and that day happened to be today.

Or so he thought.

A hand grabbed the back of Rei’s jacket before he could fall off the building, then yanked him back in.

Rei tumbled across the ballroom floor like a rag doll, tasting dirt. When he came to a stop, he caught sight of bronze particles dispersed in the air.

“Don’t worry, this aether can only be absorbed once,” a voice said. “Seems like Shinozuka wasn’t compatible after all.”

Footsteps.

A figure eventually came to a stop next to Rei, her silhouette highlighted by the incandescence of the clouds outside.

The woman turned left and right with a hand over her nose, as if to survey the explosion. “All that’s left of him is ash,” she said. “Terrible way to go.”

“Why… did you… betray him…” Rei managed to ask.

“Shinozuka?” the woman looked down at Rei. “I was never on his side. I’ve been observing him for the past three weeks, biding my time. Then lo and behold, you appeared.”

Me?

“Rei, was it? I heard on the phone.”

Airi. Chief. Surely, they’d know what happened by now. All of Shibuya Peak should’ve heard what happened by now.

The woman crouched down, and Rei could see more of her beautiful face. Not the worst thing to see in the end.

“Did you know you were the third person we made a deal with today? Shinozuka is a nervous wreck, but he is one greedy, greedy man. You really had him going with that five hundred million offer.”

Sucks for him it was fake.

“I said everything went wrong the moment you walked into the room,” the woman said, tapping Rei’s cheek with her right hand, “but I was speaking purely for Shinozuka’s sake. As far as I’m personally concerned, it was when things finally went right.”

Rei frowned in confusion.

“You, my dear, are my objective.”

“What… objective?”

The woman chuckled softly.

“Detect the detective.”