4th Reikon Squad

"Oi, where are we going?" urged Ryoka since he was dragged into a car and was going to an unknown location.

"Just wait and see," sighed Asahi.

On May 14, an emergency session was convened in the National Diet Building, where most government meetings occur. Government officials and awakeners were summoned to participate in the meeting.

Due to certain circumstances, the meeting was held in secrecy and not disclosed to the public. A limited number of members from the House of Chancellors were called to attend.

The short notice for the meeting was due to an event that unfolded a few days before. The word 'event' might not even fit; it is a tragedy.

But before that, let's turn back the time by a bit...

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3 hours before the summon;

"Pardon for the intrusion," a middle-aged man entered Ryoka's ward. He was a man full of muscles. Adding to the spice, he could sense that this man had a handful of mana stored in.

The man gave a warm smile, "Hello, Ryoka. I'm Asahi, Responder's Director General."

Ryoka budged himself for a second. Why is this figure here?

Asahi laughed, "Loose yourself, young man. I'm not here to give you a mouthful. Just checking on my fellow members," he smiled and stretched out his hand to shake Ryoka's.

Ryoka sat and formed a handshake with Japan's awakened figure, "I'm very grateful that you chose to visit me, really," he chuckled awkwardly.

"Oh, it's nothing special. I had always done this all the time. After all, our agency wasn't that big," he scoffed. He took a seat next to Ryoka's bed.

"So, what brings?" he straightforwardly asked.

Asahi sighed heartily, "Oh nothing, I just came to check on you and perhaps hear your side of the story."

Ryoka nodded, "I see. Well, I'm doing fairly well. If that's what you want, sure," he closed his eyes to remember the sequences.

Before long, both of them diverse themself in the memoir of Sacrificial Catastrophe Incident. Ryoka tried not to miss a part until...

"...the Reikon told-" Ryoka paused, he just slipped his tongue. He realized he almost let out a crucial giveaway; You can't communicate with Reikons. Yet, I can.

And I almost gave that info away...

Ryoka tried not to let his guard down and planned his words carefully without hinting about his ability. Despite the censorship, he managed to tell Asahi about the sequences. Asahi shut his eyes for a few minutes.

He stood up, "Can you walk now?"

Ryoka puzzled, "Yeah, I can pretty much run now-"

Asahi dragged him out of the bed and took him outside the hospital. Then, shoved Ryoka to his car and drove him away from the hospital to a certain location.

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That brings us back to where they were, in a car driven with such speed by Asahi, going to the National Diet Building.

Ryoka glared at Asahi, "Director, why did you drag me here?"

Asahi laughed it off, "Don't call me Director, Asahi's fine. Anyway, you had contributed almost entirely to neutralizing the Reikon. Let yourself earn some credits."

Ryoka sighed, "I don't need any. I dislike it anyway, it'll hold me off," he stretched his body since he'd been glued to bed almost for a day.

Asahi pat his back, "Come on, the meeting's going to start soon."

Wait, a meeting? Well, you should've informed me first.

They went to the grand building of Japan which symbolized both power and authority. This is where the bottom of Japan's rule and power took shape into what it is now.

They were presented with a staircase coated with a red carpet that had expanded through. They went up and they saw many rooms decorated with ethereal architecture.

Asahi smirked at Ryoka, "This is the third time I've been here, yet I still ought to stop getting awed by what's in here."

Ryoka laughed, "Yes, it would take many visits to finally adapt. Anyway, where are we going?"

"Committee Room Number 43," he gave a short reply. Then, he stopped walking, "Sorry."

"What is it?"

"This is the wrong building."

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Asahi knocked before entering the room. The door slowly swung open, as if inviting them both inside.

The meeting room was quite spacious, featuring an oval-shaped table with a hollow area in the centre. Surrounding the table were neatly arranged chairs, each equipped with a microphone. It resembled the setting often seen on TV during important meetings with influential people.

Ryoka recognized the figures who had already arrived ahead of them. Members of the ministry and influential military officials were seated, and engaged in small group conversations.

Initially, they bowed to Asahi and quickly averted their gazes from Ryoka, treating him as if he were an outsider. Well, they aren't wrong.

"Sit next to me, it's usually empty," Asahi said as he took his place at the table.

Ryoka took his seat quietly but that wouldn't him slip either way; the participants were glaring at him. He felt a cold breeze pass by.

One of them spoke out loud, "Asahi, who's this boy you brought? You can't just drag an outsider into a meeting like this."

Asahi smiled and gave a hearty reply, "You know who am I, right?"

The man clicked his tongue, "Yeah, yeah. Just don't let this brat be the rat."

Asahi smirked, "It rhymes! Yes, I won't let him be a rat."

As they were having small conversations, the door once again swung open. This time, a man equipped with two bodyguards in front and behind entered the building without a word. In unison, everyone stood up and gave a bow to the man.

Oh right, he's the prime minister.

The prime minister gestured for them to sit down. "Now, shall we start?"

"Yeah," said some of them.

A man stood up he later learned that he was the minister of defence, "If you allow me, I will start the meeting. As all of us know, Japan just got hit with a heavy calamity a few days ago and thousands of our beloved people died in tragedy. As expected, it was caused by the Reikons. In the end, 3968 civilians died on the scene."

He sat down politely and then gestured to Asahi to tap him in, he smiled and stood up, "Four Responders were patched in to neutralize the Reikon. Before that, they picked up this child to make a team of five."

Wait a minute, did he just call me a child?

"By the time they engaged the Reikon, the damages were uncalled for. The battle lasted for 4 hours but they managed to take the Reikon out. However, that battle might as well just be a battle between the Reikon and Ryoka," he gestured to him.

He stood up and gave a bow, then sat again to give way to Asahi.

BAM! A man slammed the table with his fist, "Why the hell did you not join the battle? You could've lessen the damage," the man yelled.

"Why, you asked? I have a simple answer to this question; I can't."

"Huh?"

The room's atmosphere started to tense up. Some of the participants started to mumble to each other.

"I am confident I can't defeat it."

"Wha-"

"Sorry, let me piece back my words; in Japan, it's only Ryoka who could beat that awful thing."

"But, you're the strongest-"

"Wrong, I am only the Director of Reikon Responder. That doesn't imply anything about me being the strongest."

"That's a ruse in your division," he laughed.

Ryoka just looked down since he just become the subject of an argument in the national meeting room.

"Laugh all you want, you will stop when he was renowned as an elite awakener."

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"That was some hell of a meeting," sighed Ryoka as he threw himself to the bed.

After the argument died out, they had a few more small discussions and the meeting ended. Between the times, Ryoka can't help but just avert his gaze from the figures participating.

Before leaving, Asahi told him that he earned himself a day off. It startled Ryoka since he had no idea what to do. It's too sudden to be announced.

Since a few days ago, a thought had lingered in his mind. He switched on his phone and opened the weather app. His eyes were fixated on a report, "Full moon in 2 days."

At the same time, a voice from the memory passes by, "The moon— it will mark the nick of time for the amassed calamity."

"Hmm- Two more days..." he whispered to himself before heading to slumber.