Chapter 49: The Double Black

After the gift-giving event ended, the atmosphere in the bar became more relaxed. Colorful confetti and ribbons, not yet completely cleaned up, were scattered haphazardly on the dark pool table and wooden floor.

The members of the club naturally began their regular gathering activity—billiards. The air was filled with the sweet aroma of champagne and the crisp sound of billiard balls clashing, mingled with cheers for brilliant shots or groans of regret for missed ones.

The silly bird was dramatically gesturing about his recent high-speed car chase, while the PR person leaned elegantly against the pool table, sharing some trivial yet amusing gossip. The pianist occasionally chimed in with a few calm analyses, while the cold-blooded one and the doctor listened with smiles, occasionally joining the discussion. Chuuya Nakahara, amidst this familiar hustle and bustle, gripped his cue, facing everyone, but his gaze involuntarily drifted towards the door, his heart constantly on edge. He knew this balanced scene would soon be shattered.

Sure enough, when the heavy wooden door of the bar was pushed open again, causing the bell on the door to ring rapidly, a figure that was completely unfamiliar to everyone else stood there. The person was wearing a well-tailored black trench coat and sunglasses that covered most of his face.

"High-energy reaction source detected. Identification confirmed as [Araha-Toki] test subject—Nakahara Chuuya." The newcomer's voice was calm and even, carrying an inhuman quality. "Good afternoon, everyone. I am a special investigator from Europol, codename Adam."

Almost the instant the words left his mouth, the atmosphere in the bar shifted dramatically. The previous relaxed mood vanished instantly, replaced by a palpable killing intent. The five members of the Flag Society, like well-trained cheetahs, immediately went into battle mode. They attempted to attack the robot, but the result was predictably a failure. Adam's mechanical defenses were robust enough, and he showed no intention of attacking them. So the others calmed down again, willing to spend some time seeing what this inexplicable creature was up to.

"European police officers? What brings you to Yokohama?" the pianist asked in a deep voice, the threat in his tone unmistakable.

"Unauthorized entry into a private party is very impolite, Mr. Investigator." The public relations officer still wore a perfect smile, but his eyes were now as cold as ice.

Despite the hostility around him, Adam showed no sign of panic. He raised his hands in a harmless gesture and said, “Please remain calm. My only objective here is to confirm Mr. Nakahara Chuuya's safety and convey relevant information. Based on my core system's assessment, conflict with you is neither the best option nor my intention.” He paused, then continued, “I am carrying the highest level of friendly access, and… I personally believe that we can communicate through non-violent means.”

His sincere attitude, clear and logical speech, and his unusually human demeanor gradually eased the hostility of the Flag Society members. After all, they had seen plenty of strange people and things in Yokohama; an investigator who claimed to be a robot, while rare, wasn't entirely unacceptable. After a brief examination and Adam presenting partially encrypted electronic credentials, the tense atmosphere in the bar finally eased. While trust wasn't an option, at least for the time being, there was no need for immediate action.

When Chuuya first saw Adam, he knew the inevitable had finally arrived. He showed no sign of distress, simply observing the small confrontation and reconciliation unfold. However, Adam's highly sensitive senses still detected his overly calm, even subtly familiar, attitude towards Adam.

As the atmosphere eased slightly and everyone picked up their clubs again, trying to regain the relaxed feeling from before, Adam turned to Chuuya Nakahara and directly raised his question: "Mr. Chuuya, according to my micro-expression system analysis, the emotion you showed when you first saw me was not the same as the vigilance or curiosity of others, but a kind of relaxation similar to 'seeing an old friend'. But in my database records, this is our first formal meeting."

Chuuya Nakahara raised an eyebrow, unsurprised by Adam's keen observation. He neither admitted nor denied it, but simply turned and walked towards a relatively quiet corner of the bar, gesturing for Adam to follow. "Right," he said casually, his tone flat, "maybe we've met in a dream."

Chuuya Nakahara had never dreamed, but there was no need to explain this to a robot investigator he was "meeting for the first time."

To avoid the tragedy that might have occurred in his previous life due to prolonged communication with Adam, Chuuya Nakahara did not resist when Adam asked him to share some information privately. He first turned to his friends who were playing pool and briefly told them, "I'm going out for a bit, I'll be right back." Then he led Adam to the bar's entrance, deliberately standing in a position that would ensure their privacy while still keeping an eye on the door.

Inside the bar, watching Chuuya Nakahara and the strange robot investigator walk out, Ayano suddenly seemed to remember something and whispered to his companions, "Hey, don't you guys think... Chuuya's been acting a bit strange lately?"

His words immediately drew the attention of the others. Leng Xue put down his cue and looked at him: "What do you mean?"

“I mentioned it to you guys a while ago, didn’t I? One night, Chuuya suddenly came to my place. He didn’t say anything important, just looked around, asked some trivial questions, and then left.” Ado Bird recalled, “At the time, I felt like he had something on his mind. And just now, did you guys notice? When he saw the surprise we prepared, his expression was definitely not just one of being moved to tears.”

He couldn't quite describe his feelings. Although he didn't express himself clearly, the others understood what he meant, so no one questioned him.

Leng Xue nodded, adding, "The way he looked at us just now was strange too. Unlike usual, it had a... like he missed us." His words made the others chuckle, but upon reflection, it did seem like that feeling. Even though they hadn't seen each other for a while, Chuuya's expression made it seem like they hadn't seen each other for lifetimes.

The PR officer took an elegant sip of his drink, seemingly lost in thought. "And have you noticed? His attitude towards that robot investigator was far too calm. It was as if... he already knew he would come." He didn't suspect that Zhongye had any intention of colluding with foreign enemies, but he was wondering if the other party had recently encountered some difficulties but was too embarrassed to say so.

Everyone chimed in, piecing together the various subtle changes in Chuuya Nakahara's behavior recently. Finally, the pianist concluded, "It seems Chuuya has encountered some trouble, or is hiding something. Knowing his personality, he definitely won't tell us on his own."

"Then what do we do?" asked the silly bird.

“When he gets back, we’ll find an opportunity to ask him together.” The pianist’s gaze swept over his companions, and they all agreed. “Since we’re companions, if he can’t solve something on his own, we’ll work together to find a solution.”

With this in mind, they temporarily suppressed their doubts, picked up their cues again, and continued their billiards game without tacit agreement, waiting for Chuuya Nakahara to return, while also secretly keeping an eye on the movements at the door.

However, not long after, a slight sound came from the side door of the bar, which was usually used for moving goods. Everyone thought it was Chuuya returning and turned to look, only to see a completely unexpected figure.

Osamu Dazai.

He appeared there silently, as if emerging from the shadows. He was still wearing that oversized black trench coat, his hands in his pockets, his face bearing a lifeless, indifferent expression. His gaze swept across the bar, finally settling on the five members of the Flag Society, his amber eyes devoid of any emotion.

He ignored the obvious surprise and wariness on everyone's faces, and simply tapped the pool table next to him lightly with his knuckles, making a crisp "knock" sound, forcibly drawing all attention to himself.

“The leader has given the order.” His voice was steady, yet carried an undeniable authority, incongruous with his youthful appearance. “All members of the Flag Society, depart immediately for a secret escort mission. The objective is to safely escort an important figure back to headquarters from a designated location. Mission details and coordinates have been encrypted and sent to your personal email addresses.” He paused, his cold gaze sweeping across each person's face. “This mission will be under my full responsibility. Therefore, during the mission, you will need to follow my instructions.”

These words left the members of the Flag Association exchanging bewildered glances, their faces filled with confusion and incomprehension. It wasn't unusual for the leader to issue orders directly, but for Dazai Osamu to personally deliver them was quite extraordinary. Moreover, tasks of this nature usually only required encrypted communication; why bother him?

Just as everyone was filled with doubt, Dazai Osamu added as if casually, in his characteristic infuriating nonchalance: "Also, just a heads up. In a little while, you might receive a call from someone claiming to be the mission liaison."

He tilted his head slightly, a mocking smile curving his lips: "If even a counterfeit liaison of this caliber can't be identified... then that's just too incompetent. I'll have to wonder if the abilities of you so-called reserve officers are just exaggerated claims spread within the Port Mafia."

These almost provocative words instantly darkened the expressions of everyone in the Flag Association. Ado Bird couldn't help but want to retort, but the Pianist stopped him with a look. They all didn't understand the purpose of Dazai Osamu's inexplicable warning and his personal visit.

“Mr. Dazai,” the pianist asked calmly, “since the mission information has already been sent via email, why did you come in person to inform me?”

Dazai Osamu glanced at him, his eyes seeming to say, "You asked a stupid question." He replied perfunctorily, "These words are mainly for someone who isn't here." He was clearly referring to Nakahara Chuuya, who was currently outside the door. This vague explanation did not dispel everyone's doubts; instead, it added to the mystery.

Almost simultaneously, as he finished speaking, the phones of the five members of the Flag Society vibrated, indicating that new encrypted emails had been delivered. They each took out their phones, opened them, and confirmed the authenticity of the mission information Dazai had provided.

Seeing that no one raised any further objections, Dazai Osamu did not linger. Dazai appeared as suddenly as he had, and then disappeared just as suddenly. As his figure vanished from everyone's sight, Nakahara Chuuya happened to return to the gathering with Adam.

Seeing the puzzled expressions on everyone's faces, Zhongyuan Zhong couldn't help but ask curiously, "What's wrong? Did something just happen?"

The members of the Flag Association quickly exchanged glances. Considering the secret nature of the mission and Dazai Osamu's ambiguous words, they tacitly decided not to tell Chuuya about Dazai's visit for the time being. The pianist stepped forward and explained in as lighthearted a tone as possible, "It's nothing, we just received an urgent mission directly from the leader, requiring us to set off immediately."

"Now?" Chuuya paused for a moment, a slight alarm bell ringing in his mind, but then he suddenly remembered the plan that Dazai had told him earlier, and his emotions relaxed considerably.

"Yeah, the mission is a bit urgent." Ado Bird patted Chuuya on the shoulder, trying to dispel the somewhat somber atmosphere. "Sorry, Chuuya, the rest of the celebration will have to wait until we get back! We'll definitely make it up next time!"

"Yes, we'll have a good drink with you when we get back," the PR officer chimed in with a smile.

Chuuya Nakahara nodded: "...Alright, then be careful."

The five members of the Flag Club played two more timed rounds of billiards with Chuuya, barely managing to keep the party going. Then they grabbed their coats, said goodbye to Chuuya, and headed towards the black sedan parked at the door. The engine started, and the car quickly drove away from the [Old World] bar, disappearing into the traffic on the distant street.

The atmosphere in the car was much quieter than on the way there. Everyone was still processing the shock of Dazai Osamu's sudden appearance. Shortly after the car entered the main road, the PR officer's cell phone, which was placed to the side, rang. Since he was driving, Leng Xue, sitting in the passenger seat, naturally picked up the phone, pressed the answer button, and turned on the speakerphone so that everyone in the car could hear the conversation.

The call came from an unknown number. A calm, unreadable male voice said that their leader had assigned them an urgent, secret mission, and that he was the liaison for this mission. He also told them to wait for a vehicle to pick them up. He didn't ask about their location, but acted as if he already knew.

The information the guy on the phone revealed—information that only the liaison officer would know—grew his identity more credible. In the past, the members of the Flag Society would probably have stayed put as instructed and waited for the so-called liaison officer to arrive. Even if this guy was an imposter, it wouldn't matter; they were confident in their own abilities. Besides, there were five of them together, so they had even less to fear from the so-called enemy attack.

However, this situation was special. Before encountering this so-called liaison, they first met Dazai Osamu, known as the Ghost of the □□, who specifically warned them that they might encounter an imposter liaison. Moreover, the mission was issued very urgently; otherwise, Ayaka really wanted to meet this so-called liaison with his friends to see how confident he was in daring to provoke the □□'s flag-raising group.

As they drove onto the main road, they passed another black car, inside which was Verlaine, disguised. The privacy film on the windows prevented them from noticing each other's presence, and thus they brushed past the point where their fates intersected, and from that moment on, their lives, which seemed destined to end, were given a new lease on life.

...

Meanwhile, in the bar called "Old World," the room, which had just been filled with laughter and chatter, fell silent as the Flag Society members left, leaving only Chuuya Nakahara and Adam, along with empty wine glasses scattered on the table and pool balls strewn about.

Adam turned to Chuuya Nakahara, paused for a moment, and continued the topic he hadn't finished: "Mr. Chuuya, you haven't answered my question yet. Why did you look at me with the expression of seeing a friend when you first saw me?"

For Adam, this was their first meeting. Although Adam felt they could become friends, according to database information, it is difficult for humans to form deep friendships with people of a different race upon first meeting.

Chuuya Nakahara leaned against the pool table, picked up the half-finished glass of champagne, and gently swirled it. He pondered for a moment, and finally gave an answer that nearly overloaded Adam's processor: "Because, your future self told me that we would be friends."

"Huh?" The little robot made a puzzled sound. It was about to say something about time-related superpowers when Chuuya Nakahara stopped it, saying that he would tell it if there was a chance. At this moment, the guests they were going to meet had already parked their cars outside.

He put down his glass, took a deep breath, straightened his collar which was slightly disheveled from the previous activity, and then strode towards the bar entrance. Adam followed closely behind, his combat module already quietly activated and ready for action.

When Chuuya Nakahara opened the door, he saw Verlaine, who was younger than he remembered. Verlaine's expression was cold and hard, but his eyes softened when he looked at Chuuya.

He listened to Verlaine's voice introducing himself, while Adam beside him exclaimed in surprise, saying things like, "This is the King of Assassins, Verlaine! Be careful!" But Verlaine didn't even glance at Adam; his gaze never left Chuuya. He told Chuuya that he wasn't human; his consciousness was merely controlled by an artificial equation, only given a human appearance and emotions.

Even as Verlaine spoke these words denying Chuuya Nakahara's identity, his expression never faltered. He had already arrived at his own answer to the question of whether he was human or not through the long passage of time and his experiences. Whether he was human or not was no longer important; he could feel his own joys and sorrows, and he could build deep bonds with people—that was enough.

So, when Verlaine finished his statement and finally offered to take him away, Chuuya slowly shook his head. He raised his head, looked directly into Verlaine's clear, iris-colored eyes, and said in a firm voice, "Brother, I know what you're saying."

The word "brother" caused Verlaine's pupils to contract in shock, and for the first time, a crack appeared in his usually cold and hard expression. He seemed completely unprepared for Chuuya to address him like that, nor for Chuuya's calm reaction.

“However,” Chuuya Nakahara continued, his tone leaving no room for negotiation, “I will not leave here with you to go to any other country. However, you can choose to stay and live here with me.”

Verlaine seemed not to understand the meaning behind Chuuya's words, or rather, he refused to comprehend them. He shook his head slightly, his golden hair swaying, and said in a worried tone, "No, Chuuya, you must come with me. The people here will only deceive you and use you. They fear your power, yet they want to possess it for themselves. They bind you with false emotions, making you mistakenly believe you belong here. But only by leaving can you gain true freedom!"

“I won’t leave.” Chuuya Nakahara sighed, his answer unchanged. He even took a small step forward, closing the distance with Verlaine. “But you can stay with me.”

"Don't you understand?!" Verlaine's voice suddenly rose, filled with almost painful anger. "You and I are the same kind of people, so why are you so attached to these false bonds?"

"I understand. Only by killing everyone who might be deceiving or binding you can you break free from this cage and gain true freedom and happiness!"

To Verlaine's obsessive and extreme ideas, Chuuya Nakahara's answer was simply: "No."

Thus, a major battle was about to erupt. Verlaine decided to use force to take Chuuya away from the country.

Verlaine vanished from his spot and reappeared in front of Chuuya Nakahara in the next instant. His swung hand carried the force to tear through the air, aiming straight for Chuuya's neck. But Chuuya Nakahara seemed to have anticipated this. He leaned back at an almost impossible angle, dodging the blow, while simultaneously sweeping his right leg towards Verlaine's lower body.

Chuuya Nakahara's fist hurtled toward Verlaine's face, but just as Verlaine reached out to grab it, the force of his fist shifted, heading instead toward Verlaine's abdomen. His fighting experience was far richer than before. Although a small part of his life had been taken up by the comfortable five years of living in another world, he had never given up his habit of training in combat, even in that other world.

Verlaine had initially approached his fight with Chuuya with the mindset of playing child's play, seeing Chuuya as nothing more than a minor who posed no threat. Even if he managed to send Chuuya flying against the wall, it was merely because he hadn't used his full strength; his primary goal was to subdue Chuuya with overwhelming power. However, after a few rounds, his expression gradually changed.

Chuuya Nakahara's fighting skills were far more sophisticated than he had imagined. Every dodge and counterattack was perfectly timed, as if honed through countless life-or-death battles. The collision of their fists and legs produced a dull thud. A straight punch that seemed to have been blocked suddenly changed direction at the last moment before bouncing off, his elbow slamming into Verlaine's ribs, forcing the latter to take a half step back to dissipate the force.

"Bang!" Verlaine's body was propelled backward by a tremendous force, slamming against the bar's exterior wall, bricks and stones falling in a shower. He brushed non-existent dust off his trench coat, and his gaze towards Chuuya Nakahara finally became completely serious. "I take back what I said before, Chuuya. You're much more interesting than I imagined...."

The ensuing battle intensified. Neither held back, their fists and feet clashing, the force of the blows sending dust and gravel flying. Chuuya Nakahara hadn't fought with such exhilaration in a long time. Verlaine, the renowned assassin king, possessed unparalleled fighting skills and unfathomable strength. Chuuya himself, in the future, was already a figure feared by all. Although his current youthful body limited his use of his supernatural abilities, his superior fighting skills and battle awareness allowed him to hold his own against Verlaine.

During this time, Adam attempted to intervene in the battle several times, using his mechanical arm and built-in weapons to launch sneak attacks and try to help Chuuya Nakahara subdue Verlaine. However, the absolute difference in strength rendered his efforts futile. Verlaine didn't even turn around; with a casual wave of his hand, a terrifying gravitational field, like an invisible giant hand, slammed Adam into the wall not far away. His body parts showed signs of damage; if he moved rashly, he would only be crushed under the building debris, essentially offering no further assistance in the battle. The systems installed in his body analyzed solutions for him, but they were eliminated one by one due to a lack of practicality.

When Verlaine realized that he couldn't subdue Nakahara Chuuya in a short time using physical skills, and that dragging it out would likely cause unnecessary trouble, he decided to stop holding back.

He leaped backward a distance, raising his hand as darkness began to condense in his palm, forming a gravity energy blast.

"Chuuya, don't you understand? The power we possess is inherently incompatible with this world." He hissed, hurling the black ball at Chuuya. "Clinging to your human identity will only keep you living in lies and self-deception forever!"

Chuuya Nakahara's pupils contracted slightly as he also activated his gravity ability, attempting to deflect the incoming black sphere. However, just as he had feared, this body's control over its ability was far less in tune with his future self. A barely perceptible delay appeared in the output of his gravity ability, and it was this slight difference that prevented him from completely avoiding the impact of the black sphere. His body was thrown back by the aftershocks of the explosion, rolling several times on the ground before barely coming to a stop. He felt a sweet taste in his throat, and a trace of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

Verlaine watched him struggle to his feet and sighed softly. He believed that the reason Nakahara Chuuya was so stubborn was ultimately because deep down he still firmly believed he was "human." Therefore, perhaps only by letting him personally experience that inhuman power would he awaken to the truth.

With this thought in mind, Verlaine walked step by step toward Nakahara Chuuya, who was kneeling on the ground, panting, and decided to forcefully open the "door" that could unleash the true power belonging to Arahabaki. So he reached out and slowly pressed his hand against Nakahara Chuuya's forehead.

"Let me help you recognize your true self, Chuuya."

Due to the impact and the significant loss of energy, Chuuya Nakahara was unable to break free from Verlaine's subsequent gravitational bindings. He watched the approaching hand, his heart filled with anxiety, yet he still tried to make a final effort with words: "Verlaine, stop! It's not what you think! I..."

Just as Verlaine's fingers were about to touch Chuuya's forehead, the phone suddenly rang from his pocket.

The extremely untimely ringing made Verlaine pause abruptly. He frowned slightly, seemingly annoyed by the sudden interruption. But when he glanced at the caller ID on the screen, the cold expression on his face instantly crumbled.

The person closest to him, Chuuya, could see the subtle changes in his expression. He knew that this stubborn guy had probably seen something important that he hadn't expected. He couldn't even continue with his plan against him anymore, and hurriedly said, "Chuuya, I have more important things to deal with right now. But I will come again. I hope that by then, you can think it through and make the right choice—leave here with me."

After saying that, he released his hand that was restraining Nakahara Chuuya, and with a flick of his body, he instantly disappeared from the spot, leaving at an astonishing speed.

Adam, who was originally hanging on the wall, was preparing to launch a sneak attack with his mechanical arm. However, after discovering that the Assassin King had left for unknown reasons, he abandoned his plan and continued to try to take himself down from the wall.

When Chuuya Nakahara was forced to kneel on one knee due to exhaustion, he looked quite disheveled. His face and clothes were covered in dust and scrapes from the battle, the wounds were bleeding, and his coat was tattered from the intense fighting. But at this moment, he felt a strange sense of relief. He knew what the mission to get the Flag Society to leave was, after all, it was the result of his discussion with Osamu Dazai, so his safety was somewhat guaranteed. And that crucial phone call from Verlaine just now… although he didn't know the reason yet, it was most likely Dazai's doing.

He had been privately investigating matters concerning [N] and trying to find a possible peaceful solution to the conflict with Verlaine. However, these actions somewhat violated Mori Ōgai's order to "wait and see," so he didn't seek help from anyone. However, just as his investigation stalled due to a lack of leads, an anonymous email account sent him crucial intelligence, helping him advance his investigation. He knew almost without guessing who was behind this.

Just as Chuuya was still kneeling on one knee recovering his strength, a familiar voice, in a lazy tone, suddenly rang out from behind him: "Hey, Chuuya, why are you in such a sorry state? Have you been beaten down to the point where you can't stand up?"

Dazai Osamu suddenly appeared out of nowhere. He circled around Chuuya, who was kneeling on the ground, as if admiring something interesting, his gaze lingering on the scars on Chuuya's face and the dirt on his body.

Upon hearing that annoying voice, Chuuya Nakahara's somewhat scattered consciousness refocused. Without even looking up, he retorted in a hoarse voice filled with anger, "Shut up, Dazai! Stop spouting nonsense. I'm just temporarily exhausted!"

He braced himself on his knees with both hands and used his waist to try to stand up in one go. However, the overexertion of his muscles caused waves of soreness and weakness, making his movements difficult and preventing him from succeeding for a long time.

Just then, a hand wrapped in white bandages suddenly appeared in front of him, its long, slender fingers outstretched. It was clearly an obvious gesture, an attempt to pull him up.

Chuuya Nakahara paused. He stared at the hand for a few seconds, ignoring Dazai Osamu's annoying chatter in his ear, and without much hesitation, reached out and grabbed the hand. He used some force, making their palms clasp together, with a hint of venting.

When he felt the sudden force of the hand falling on him, Dazai also fell silent, like a bird being pecked. With a silent exertion, he made Chuuya stand up from the ground.