Chapter-08 · EP-113

Episode 113: Tatsunori Susa (Part 2)

Early Saturday morning.

I, Tatsunori Susa, received a message from Yumi Kushinada and was in front of the boys' dormitory at Tokyo Dungeon Academy.

Last night, Yumi Kushinada contacted me.

"Captain Susa, it seems Shirou Ichinose will go to Shinjuku alone tomorrow morning. He's supposed to meet up with us in the afternoon, but—"

"Understood. I'll track his movements in the morning."

And this morning – I was waiting in front of the boys' dormitory for Ichinose.

Shirou Ichinose leaving before his friends must have a reason.

Perhaps he might be conducting a Rank 3 potion transaction.

If so, I couldn't miss this opportunity.

I stood a short distance away and activated my Physical Enhancement skill, which enhanced my vision.

The entrance of the Dungeon Academy dormitory, far in the distance, came into sharp focus.

My skill, "Physical Enhancement," could improve all physical abilities.

Its uses were not limited to combat.

By enhancing my vision, my dynamic visual acuity also increased, allowing me to see quite far.

By enhancing my hearing, I could pick up conversations and noises from a distance.

Unlike magical skills, this Physical Enhancement skill was not illegal to use in the city.

It was the perfect skill for tailing.

I spotted Shirou Ichinose leaving the dormitory and observed him from a distance.

A black-haired boy started walking alone.

His appearance matched the one I had confirmed beforehand. He looked like an ordinary high school student.

But –

Soon after he started walking, Ichinose stopped.

He looked around.

…What?

I was keeping a considerable distance, yet he was acting as if searching for me.

Could he have noticed the tail?

I broke out in a cold sweat.

Ichinose shouldn't have any special skills like Presence Detection. Could he really notice a tail from this distance so quickly?

Despite my unease, Ichinose soon started walking again.

Perhaps it was my imagination.

I decided to continue the tail with extra caution.

On the train, there were no particularly strange behaviors.

He sat normally, fiddling with his phone.

Maybe it was my imagination after all.

I pretended to read a newspaper at the end of the carriage, continuing my observation without directly looking.

But when we arrived at Shinjuku Station… Ichinose suddenly started acting strangely.

He started toward the West Exit, then turned back.

He started toward the East Exit, then turned back again.

He was wandering around as if it were his first time there.

It made tailing difficult.

Blending into the crowd, I nearly lost him several times.

Then, Ichinose suddenly ducked into a restroom.

I sat on a bench a short distance away and decided to wait.

He might come out soon. I couldn't rush.

Five minutes.

Ten minutes.

It was long.

Had he left through another exit?

But then, Ichinose came out of the restroom.

He looked around.

Clearly, he was searching for me.

Had he noticed me?

No doubt about it.

Shirou Ichinose was aware of my tail.

But how?

When had he noticed?

How had he detected me?

I was a professional. I had almost never been detected while tailing someone.

Yet, this boy—

Ichinose entered the Shinjuku Dungeon building.

I followed.

Ichinose got into the elevator alone.

After confirming the doors closed, I watched the floor indicator.

It went up – 1st floor, 2nd floor, 3rd floor.

It stopped on the 3rd floor.

Did he get off?

I enhanced my hearing and listened for sounds on the third floor.

The sound of doors opening.

But – no footsteps.

He didn't get off?

I focused on my hearing, listening even more closely.

The faint rustle of clothes inside the elevator.

Ichinose was still in the elevator!

It stopped on the 4th floor.

The sound of doors opening.

Again, no footsteps.

This time, the elevator began descending and stopped on the 2nd floor.

Then I heard footsteps. He was moving!

Did he get off?

No, wait.

I heard the sound of running down stairs.

Was he heading all the way to the 1st floor?

Strange behavior.

It was as if… he was trying to shake me off.

But that couldn't be. I hadn't shown myself even once. He shouldn't have noticed me.

Or had he?

I moved to a position hidden from the stairs and waited.

The sound of footsteps running down the stairs approached.

And then – Shirou Ichinose descended to the 1st floor.

He looked around and showed a relieved expression.

No doubt about it: Shirou Ichinose was aware of my tail, and now he thought he had finally lost me.

But when had he noticed?

Right after leaving the dormitory?

On the train?

Or even earlier?

Keeping my distance, I continued the tail.

Ichinose looked around and showed a relieved expression.

He thought he had finally lost me.

Keeping my distance, I continued the tail.

He left the dungeon building and seemed to be heading to the explorer market.

He entered a shop and looked at weapons.

He picked up a sword and talked with the clerk.

An ordinary shopping trip.

It wasn't a Rank 3 potion transaction.

But a big question remained in my mind.

Why had Shirou Ichinose noticed my tail?

When had he noticed? How?

And was he really just an ordinary high school student?

There was something about this boy — some secret.

I was certain of that.