Hell Train (1)
I wasn't sure if it was because Ari was simple-minded or Sua was just that capable, but the two of them had gotten close.
"Ari, over there."
"Yeah."
Nom nom. Ari followed behind Sua, munching on the crepe Sua had bought her.
Hmm. 'Guess they're just hitting it off...?'
What the heck. I'm not the type with a ton of friends myself, so I wouldn't know, but doesn't it usually take time for people to warm up to each other when they first meet? Or at least some kind of trigger event? But you two got buddy-buddy way too fast.
"Sua's not plotting something weird, is she?"
"I don't think so. She's just following your orders to the letter, right?"
But isn't that dangerous in its own way? Where the hell did she sell her sense of self??
Ari getting attached just because someone bought her food was one thing, but Sua ditching her ego at my slightest word was even more worrying.
Separate from my concerns, though, the two were handling their jobs perfectly. Ari cast her perception-lowering ability, and Sua did the sleuthing to gather intel. All I had to do was watch.
"Unni, wanna hit up a cafe? I'll keep an eye on Ari."
"Yeah..."
With nothing else to do, I ended up at a cafe. Along with Lisa, my other deadweight teammate who was just along for the ride.
"Lady Mayuri, the usual honey bread and Americano, right?"
"Yeah, sounds good."
"I'll order then. Go ahead and grab a seat."
Lisa had gotten pretty adapted to human society—she handled things smoothly without me even asking anymore. Come to think of it, the Carnival Chef was a monster friendly to humans. And Lisa was picking up social skills too. She might be ready to go independent soon.
"Lisa, you ever think about living on your own?"
"Pardon?"
"You can't stick with me forever."
"Why not?"
"Why...? Well..."
Everyone wants to live their own life eventually. Humans have the freedom to chase their dreams. And to enjoy that freedom, you gotta break free from any chains first, right?
That's what I said, but...
"Never crossed my mind."
"...I, I see. Maybe think about it going forward?"
"Is there any need?"
Her eyes turned a bit cold, so I dropped it. Who am I? Cowardly Mayuri. You don't piss off someone with a kitchen knife.
Lisa's independence talk could wait...
Come to think of it, it had been summer when we dealt with Magical Girl's Birth. Summer had flown by in the blink of an eye, and it was edging into fall by the calendar. But the weather was still kinda hot.
That's why that guy's behavior stood out. Wearing a coat in this heat? Anyone would peg him as suspicious.
"Sua, that's our guy?"
"Definitely, detective."
Sua nodded.
"Detective assistant Watson doesn't mix up people. Gotta be thorough so you don't ditch me, yep."
"I'm not ditching you..."
"Yay, detective. I'll be with you forever."
Forever's a bit heavy, though. Maybe it was her way of easing the tension—a joke. Yeah, let's call it a joke. Please don't mean it seriously.
With those thoughts, we held our breath, watching the man stroll down the street in the distance. Black coat hid his features, but he matched the data from Deputy Park Jong-cheol pretty closely.
"Assassin Squad member..."
I muttered without thinking.
The High Sea Church's special forces, the Assassin Squad. Made up entirely of "non-humans." Their danger was obvious from the monsters we'd faced so far. Even human-friendly ones caused anomalies that hurt people in the end. Just existing made them risky.
But the Assassin Squad had clear malice. Total headaches.
"Unni, he's a wanted man, right? We really chasing him...? Isn't this too dangerous?"
"We have to."
Wanted guys like him used Muksi Saengmyeongche to hide their location. We'd found him thanks to our own—barely, using assistant Watson's killer intel skills.
Flip side: miss him here, and there might be no next chance.
'I already contacted the Foundation...'
Special forces meant they'd send matching firepower, but it'd take time. We had to stall till then.
Chasing Assassin Squad wasn't appealing, but we'd prepped for this.
"Ari, hold the carrier tight."
"Yeah."
Ari nodded, gripping the big suitcase—one I could maybe fit in if I sacrificed some bones. Not super heavy, but not light either. Ari had some strength—not Lisa-level, but she handled it easy.
I checked my shadow too.
-Wriggle.
The two Muksi Saengmyeongche from Woorim Group. One was Turtle Soup of the Twentieth Sea—gone now, merged with Sua. The other: Fun Shadow Swap.
As the name implied, it parasitized shadows. I'd planted it in mine as backup.
We'd done all we could. Time to move.
"Ari."
"Yeah."
Weeeeeng—
Fly buzz filled the air, sticking to passersby's necks. Me, Ari, Lisa, Nao, Sua. Five cute girls moving together, but no one noticed.
Ari's perception-lowering shone in tails. She'd been mostly mukbangs lately, but our little fly queen was MVP today. Kept us on track without losing him.
"Detective, I think we're made."
Sua looked bummed.
"Detective assistant Watson's tailing isn't perfect. Stalking's a crime, but I should've learned for you... Sorry, detective. Don't ditch me..."
"Not ditching you, jeez. And I figured we'd get spotted."
Not your average special forces for nothing. Knew he had skills. As long as we didn't lose him.
Worst case, clash—but Lisa'd handle it.
The man headed into emptier alleys, then stopped dead.
"Come on out. I'd like to talk first."
His voice felt off—alien—but polite.
I signaled Lisa and Nao. Lisa nodded, stepping out first; Nao followed.
"I'm Assassin Squad #24 from the High Sea Church. No name, really. Might've had one once, but forgotten. And you?"
"......"
"Wanted a name for your last road. If not, oh well."
He shrugged, pulled a dagger, and slit his throat.
Eh?
"A gift and blessing from me. Hope you overcome the end times."
Smiling, he collapsed.
What? Actually dead?
Not just me—everyone tensed. Lisa checked if he was really gone. Nao gasped. Ari stayed blank but narrowed her eyes.
"Detective."
Sua grabbed my hand—maybe sensing something.
Then—
Screeech of metal wheels on rails. Steady clack-clack rhythm shaking the floor. Gentle vibrations, shifting subtly with speed.
"Huh?"
I looked around. We'd chased into an alley...
What the hell?
"Detective, detective."
Sua called from beside me. I was sitting. She gripped my sleeve next to me. Ari and Nao opposite. Lisa across the aisle.
All of us baffled.
"Anomaly hit, detective."
Sua said.
"...Anomaly?"
"Yep. Big trouble."
Her tone reminded me of first meeting Watson.
Then the announcement blared.
Aa, this is the Hell Train departing from Hell bound for the living world. No life activities permitted until arrival at the final stop, the living world. Please enjoy your train ride with that in mind.
"...We got played."
I sighed. He'd stored the anomaly in his body. Suicide released it. We were closest—sucked right in.
Hell Train, though.
Entity Name:Hell Train
Estimated Management Rank:Devastation (Rubedo) (Threat Level 5)
Hostility:Slightly Hostile
Boarding the Hell Train puts you on the boundary between life and death. It stops at multiple stations, all deemed "Hell," before reaching the final stop: the living world.
Reach the end for survival. Get off midway? Death. To reboard, earn "taxi fare" at that station.
Reboard after disembarking once? Even if you reach the living world, no return to original body—treated as reincarnation.
* Caution: No guarantee of human reincarnation.
"Detective, remember what Watson said?"
"What?"
"Detective assistant Watson will be with you forever, yep."
Sua glanced around the train.
"We're really together forever now, detective. Short life, but yep."
"......"
"Even in death, together. Afterlife too. Reborn? Watson's your assistant again, yep."
"I wanna live, so cut it there?"
"Yep, Watson wants to live too. With you."
And you'd surviving makes Watson happier, she added. This yandere assistant won't leave me even in death? Scarier than the Hell Train.
Anyway,
"This was bad-end route ghost story stuff."
Why here? I sighed.