Chapter 265: Every Creature Has Its Own Way
The night was deep and dark.
The concession that had been brightly lit just hours before was now plunged into darkness, its bustling streets completely deserted.
Only the traffic lights continued to change colors in solitude.
It was as if everything had fallen into a deep slumber.
Yet in this profound silence, numerous figures lingered before a warehouse on Harbor Street.
There were men and women among them, dressed in various attires as if they came from all walks of life, with only one common trait—
they were all Elevens and Honorary Britannians, the despised dregs of society.
Gathered together, they seemed to be waiting for something.
The distant streetlights were the only source of illumination, their faint glow casting shadows on the figures as the sound of waves crashing against the cliffs echoed from ahead.
When the clock struck midnight, a door at the corner of the warehouse suddenly swung open, and a Britannian emerged from within.
"It's time. Get inside," the man said, his tone as if he were herding livestock.
"Ah, thank you, thank you..."
Seeing the door open, someone eagerly tried to rush in but was met with a swift kick to the stomach from the man guarding the entrance, sending them sprawling backward.
"Who said you could just barge in? Don't you know the rules?!"
"Yes, yes... I understand, I understand..."
The beaten man showed no resentment. Instead, he scrambled to his feet with a servile smile, carefully handing over the money he had prepared in advance as if making an offering.
He looked utterly devoid of dignity, as pitiful as a stray dog.
Only after counting the money did the man step aside to clear the entrance.
"Go on in."
"Thank you... thank you..."
After the first person entered, the others followed the same procedure.
They handed over their prepared money and filed into the warehouse one by one.
Of course, there were those who couldn't produce the money. They knelt on the ground, weeping and clutching the man's legs, pleading and begging.
Some even tried to force their way in.
But without exception, they were all beaten severely by the man's subordinates and driven away.
Those who caused too much trouble were simply killed on the spot and thrown into the sea to feed the fish.
"What pitiful creatures..."
Perched atop the warehouse stood a beautiful girl, quietly observing the chaotic scene below.
Her gem-like, brilliant azure eyes held a calm expression, while the cool sea breeze from the ocean lifted her flowing golden hair, making it shimmer in the dark night.
This was a secret smuggling port near the coast, where all contraband flowing into Tokyo was unloaded.
And those who had just entered the warehouse were, without a doubt, people craving the new drug, REFRAIN.
"Well, it's only natural. Seeking advantage and avoiding harm is an instinct of all living beings. When there's no escape, compromise is inevitable, and they choose to lose themselves in illusory fantasies."
The speaker was Mahiro.
He stood beside Alpha, his silver hair—disguised through the "Parade"—flowing naturally in the wind as he watched the scene below with detached indifference.
Behind him and Alpha stood several dark figures.
Some standing, some crouching.
These were the Seven Shadows of Shadow Garden, plus Nu and Beatrix as Omega—essentially all the combat-oriented executives of Shadow Garden had gathered.
"Lord Mahiro, all preparations are complete. Shall we commence the operation?"
"Is that so... How many have been mobilized this time?"
"Including us Seven Shadows, seventy-six in total," Beta answered respectfully.
Yet this answer made Mahiro's brow furrow slightly. The perceptive Beta immediately noticed and bowed her head.
"My apologies, Lord Mahiro. This time..."
"Still too many. Just like last time."
"Eh?"
Beta let out a foolish-sounding gasp.
"It's merely eliminating a group of drug smugglers. Why such a large-scale operation? Bringing just you few would be sufficient. As for cleanup... naturally, those Britannia folks will handle it."
Mahiro spoke calmly.
Behind them stretched a vast, dark mass of figures—all summoned by Beta.
Truthfully, this wasn't entirely Beta's fault. In her understanding, Mahiro's operations always required grand scale and ceremony.
Otherwise, how could it match his status?
And since Mahiro had never really commented on this matter before, Beta had gradually formed the habit over time.
"Well... no matter. Since everyone is already here, let's make this quick. By the time dawn breaks, everything shall reach its conclusion."
"Yes! All for Lord Shadow!!!"
The girls behind them shouted in unison, even Beta couldn't help but excitedly join the chorus.
Their voices were powerful enough to pierce the night sky, serving simultaneously as their battle cry—
Mahiro leaped down from the warehouse rooftop, instantly vanishing into the night.
Witnessing such dashing movements, Beta's body trembled with excitement, and that dignified, powerful silhouette nearly made her faint.
Hurriedly pulling out a notebook from between her breasts, her pen tip scratching across the paper with rustling sounds, Beta rapidly recorded everything she witnessed.
Just like a war correspondent.
No one knew exactly when Beta had developed this habit—she was utterly devoted to documenting everything about Mahiro.
Even in her room, it was covered with personal sketches of Mahiro and all his recorded quotes. Writing Mahiro's biography before bed had become her irreplaceable life's pleasure.
"Beta, we're moving out."
"Yes, Lady Alpha!"
After finishing her notes within seconds, Beta stuffed the notebook back between her breasts and hurried to follow Alpha.
This operation was straightforward.
The numbered members would form an encirclement around the entire warehouse district to prevent any escapes.
The Seven Shadows would have Delta, serving as the war weapon, take the main assault role, with Epsilon and Beatrix providing support.
Gamma would serve as overall commander, while Beta would be field commander.
As for Alpha, she was responsible for staying by Mahiro's side.
"Hmm... What kind of monster is this! Help!!!!"
A sea of blood.
Inside the warehouse, muzzle flashes and screams erupted continuously.
Several Britannians and ELEVEN engaged in smuggling operations were frantically pulling the triggers of their submachine guns toward the shadows across from them.
They didn't know what it was, nor could they comprehend what was happening.
They only knew that an impassioned shout had come from outside the warehouse, and then within seconds, a pitch-black shadow tore through the wall and burst inside.
The bullets they fired did indeed hit the shadow.
But bizarrely, all those bullets stopped mid-air, as if embedded in an invisible wall.
Then, with a squirming motion, they were crushed into a single lump of yellowish metal!
Immediately after, dark bladed claws struck from a distance.
Four more people became victims beneath the sharp claws.
"You... what exactly are you? What do you want? Money? I'll give you all my money, just spare me... have mercy..."
The smuggling ringleader had collapsed in terror, begging for his life with his back to the dark shadow.
The next second, the shadow slowly turned its head.
And smiled.
"Eeeek——!!!!"
Though its face was almost completely covered by a mask, the ferocious grin clearly transmitted through the face covering.
"...!"
Rip-
The man was instantly torn to shreds by Delta's claws, his blood repainting the floor and walls.
Meanwhile, those desperate to purchase Refrain were now scattering in panic.
"Mahiro-sama, shall we eliminate these people as well?"
Alpha, who was strolling casually through the warehouse with Mahiro, sought his opinion.
But Mahiro tilted his head curiously:
"Why kill them? Ultimately they're just victims. Though they can't control themselves, wanting to lose themselves in dreams, that doesn't deserve death."
"I understand."
Alpha nodded, then vanished into the shadows along one side.
Since they were sparing these ELEVEN, she naturally needed to inform their subordinates to avoid making basic mistakes.
Just then, while wandering, Mahiro suddenly noticed a figure that caught his attention.
A woman.
Her clothing was somewhat different from the others—though wearing a relatively traditional maid uniform, her attire was much cleaner and neater than everyone else's.
Probably a servant from some wealthy household.
What drew his gaze was mainly her facial features, which bore some resemblance to Kallen's.
"Quite interesting..."
Mahiro murmured to himself, watching as the woman retreated to a corner, curling up while tightly clutching the Refrain she had just purchased.
Trying to hide there to escape this sudden nightmare.
Truth be told, though he said they should spare these victims, if any got accidentally caught in the crossfire, he wouldn't feel any particular pity, nor would he blame Delta.
Not to mention Delta's personality being what it is—when she goes berserk, collateral damage is inevitable. Even Beatrix, the former War Goddess, couldn't stop her and would instead get brutally beaten up.
The most likely outcome would probably be the complete demolition of this warehouse.
And this woman happened to be positioned in the most dangerous location.
"Fine, I'll help you out."
With a sigh, the woman suddenly felt the wall she was leaning against disappear, causing her to fall backward uncontrollably.
"Huh?"
Seeing the clear night sky outside, the woman blinked in surprise.
But the next second, the screams coming from the warehouse left her no time to ponder the reason. She immediately stood up and fled into the distance.
She even remembered to clutch the box tightly in her arms.
As if it were more important than her own life—because only that box could let her reminisce about the past and prolong the time she could spend with her daughter.
Even if it was all illusory.
Meanwhile, Mahiro followed slowly behind.
The numbered agents lurking in the surroundings initially wanted to capture her, but upon seeing Mahiro's raised hand signal from behind, they quickly retreated back into the darkness.
And so, he followed her all the way.
Eventually, he watched the maid escape into a villa compound.
A vast open space surrounded by walls, with gardens meticulously maintained by dedicated servants.
The three-story Western-style building in the courtyard appeared to have over fifty rooms, so magnificent it almost rivaled the mansion of the Alria family from the Akame ga Kill world.
Of course, even within the settlement, very few people could live in such villas.
Those permitted to reside in such villas represented only a small fraction even among Britannians.
In this area, only one family possessed such architecture—the Stadtfeld family, one of the empire's prestigious houses comparable to the Asplund family.
Which was Kallen's current home.
"This is getting interesting."
Gazing at the brightly lit building and hearing the faint sounds of scolding and reprimands coming from within, Mahiro gently stroked his chin.
He never expected that what started as a mission to eliminate drug smugglers would lead him to accidentally encounter Kallen's birth mother.
He suddenly felt he might share some common topics with Kallen.
The next day.
"We now bring you an urgent news report about last night's..."
The LCD television was broadcasting morning news, naturally covering the bloody battle at the dockside warehouse district.
Thirty-two deaths, zero injured.
Additionally, 350 cases of the contraband REFRAIN were seized.
This marked the largest contraband smuggling case since Britannia began governing Area Eleven.
However, credit wasn't given to Shadow Garden—all the credit went to the most active group, the Black Knights.
When Lelouch learned about this, he was completely bewildered, immediately thinking of Yotsuba Mahiro.
But when he went to seek answers, he was informed that Mahiro had gone out.
Equally confused was Kallen Kōzuki.
Because her mother had been scolded for unknown reasons again last night, putting her in a terrible mood, she decided to skip school and go out to clear her head.
But when she heard the news, she froze in place.
The Black Knights had just uncovered the REFRAIN case and planned to take action in the next couple of days—how could someone have beaten them to it?
And the credit was even attributed to them.
Was someone imitating their operations?
While pondering this, Kallen wandered aimlessly through the streets.
This was an area concentrated with large shopping centers within the settlement.
Pedestrians on the street were dressed elegantly and wore cheerful expressions. The trendy shops lining the broad avenue were filled with young people, who treated them as perfect dating spots.
Just then, a voice disrupted her thoughts.
"Say something if you dare, you ELEVEN!"
A vicious voice came from behind, and Kallen instinctively turned around.
"Apologize now, apologize!"
"Hahaha... Aren't ELEVEN experts at kneeling to admit their mistakes? Or how about seppuku? Show us!"
By the roadside of the commercial street, several Britannian youths had gathered, kicking and punching a young man.
Yet no one around dared to step in and stop them.
The ELEVEN present sadly turned their faces away, as if afraid they might suffer the same treatment next.
Other Britannians watched with amusement or curiosity. Even if some felt sympathy, they chose not to stand up and defend the young man.
After all, the one being beaten was just an ELEVEN.
"ELEVEN..."
Kallen seemed to chew on the derogatory term, her expression gradually twisting with rage, blue eyes burning with fiery anger.
In an instant, her body tensed up, fists clenched tightly.
Just as she prepared to stride toward the scene of violence and teach those people a lesson, someone suddenly placed a hand on her shoulder.
"!"
Kallen whirled around to find a young man in casual clothes holding her back.
He appeared slightly slender but had a handsome face with delicate features.
Yet that face was all too familiar to her...
"Mahiro... sensei?!"
Wearing his familiar smile, Mahiro gently shook his head at Kallen, signaling her not to go over.
Why?!
Current Kallen could say she clearly understood Yotsuba Mahiro's identity—during that night's questioning, Mahiro had given her the answer.
He wasn't just a teacher at the private Ashford Academy, nor merely the legendary Royal Tutor, but also the master of the Shadow Garden, the force resisting Britannia—
Shadow!
He was among the few who didn't discriminate against the Japanese.
So why now?
Why stop her? Surely he, of all people, should understand her!
"Mice have their paths, snakes their ways—you can't help him."
Having restrained Kallen, Mahiro spoke to her calmly.
But this composure only made Kallen feel even more infuriated.
The cards were already completely on the table between them—she was Kallen Kōzuki of the Black Knights, while he was Shadow, someone even more formidable who didn't even regard the Knights of Rounds as worthy of attention.
How could she possibly be unable to help this person!
Though she understood that exposing herself here for the sake of such a person would be more loss than gain, still...
"But even so, I can't just stand by and watch..."
Kallen clenched her fists, suppressing her anger as she retorted.
"I understand why you're angry, but have you taken a close look at the clothes of the person being beaten?"
"Huh...?"
Kallen glanced toward the commotion and immediately noticed the apron worn by the young man being kicked—embroidered with the fixed logo of a hot dog shop.
Beside him stood a mobile food stall.
It was clear that he was a Japanese—or more precisely, an Honorary Britannian from Area Eleven—permitted to work within the settlement.
Mahiro continued in a tone devoid of emotion, "Suppose you really step in to help that person and drive those bullies away. What happens afterward? Will this young man still be able to continue working here? Will he face retaliation? You might help him temporarily, but can you protect him for a lifetime?"
This series of questions left Kallen speechless.
Indeed, she hadn't considered these points earlier. Even if she chased those people away, it seemed ultimately futile.
However...
A different thought suddenly crossed Kallen's mind.
Kill them.
But the moment this idea surfaced, Mahiro saw right through her.
"You were just thinking about killing them, weren't you? That is indeed one solution—if you can't solve the problem, eliminate those causing it. It's a valid approach to problem-solving.
But then what? Would no one else bully this young man? Could you possibly kill every single Britannian?
In that case, it would be more convenient to just kill the young man himself, since all these problems arise because of him.
Ultimately, that guy voluntarily chose to become a slave of Britannia. Since he chose to live on his knees like a rat, he should abide by the way of rats."