Although Asano Mori reeked of alcohol and looked completely out of it, something unexpected happened.
Almost the instant Asuka stepped through the courtyard gate, he jolted awake.
"Who the hell are you! Looking for trouble again! Get out!"
Staggering to his feet, the heavy stench of liquor clinging to him, Asano Mori roared in Asuka's direction.
But when he finally saw Asuka's calm, youthful face, he froze for a moment, then snapped hoarsely, "What are you staring at! Trying to steal something! Get the hell out!"
Asuka swept his gaze around expressionlessly and replied flatly, "Steal what? The straw mats?"
"You bastard..."
Seeing Asano Mori's anger about to explode, Asuka chose not to escalate things and stated his purpose bluntly.
"I heard that Asano Shigeru, who lived here, died under strange circumstances. I want to know what happened."
"Big brother..."
The moment the name Asano Shigeru was mentioned, Asano Mori's body swayed uncontrollably.
The next second, volcanic fury erupted. His eyes turned bloodshot.
"What the hell does it have to do with you! My brother's business isn't for you people to gossip about! Get out! All of you, get out!"
As he cursed, it was hard to tell whether he was sobering up or getting even drunker. Like a maddened boar, he charged at Asuka without a second thought.
Though reckless at first glance, Asuka could tell from his force application and trajectory that this man had training. His shoulders dipped, his center of gravity pressed forward, his footwork chaotic yet structured.
Even so, the openings were far too obvious.
Just as Asano Mori was about to slam into him, Asuka shifted slightly to the side and shot out his right hand like lightning, seizing Asano Mori's right wrist as it rose mid-charge.
With a sharp press, Asuka pinched the tendon at the wrist, drawing a cry of pain.
Before the numbing ache could spread, Asuka gave a casual tug. The world spun, and Asano Mori crashed onto his back in a sorry heap.
"You bastard! I'll kill you!"
Looking down at the coughing, struggling man, Asuka spoke again.
"Calm down. I'm not here to laugh at you. I'm here to help you find the person who killed him."
"Killed?!"
Whether it was the chill of the ground cooling his muddled head or Asuka's words striking home, Asano Mori stopped struggling and cursing. He eyed the young man warily, rubbing his wrist as he pushed himself up.
"...Come inside. We'll talk."
After piecing together Asano Mori's fragmented memories and paranoid suspicions, Asuka gradually clarified the situation surrounding the first victim, Asano Shigeru.
Asano Shigeru, male, thirty-seven, unmarried.
Originally a farmer in the town, he was introduced to work at a dyeing factory under the Sendai Dyeing and Weaving Company. Honest and dutiful, he had no family other than his younger brother, eleven years his junior.
Last month, Asano Shigeru returned to town in poor health, coughing frequently, with black threads even appearing in his phlegm.
Only later did Asano Mori learn that his brother's body had been ruined by chemical fuels and toxic dust at the factory. The factory took no responsibility and instead fired him for being unable to work.
While recovering, Asano Shigeru followed several outspoken coworkers in trying to unite and demand accountability from the boss.
But a few days ago, he contracted Shadow Disease and died at home.
After his death, Shadow Disease began to spread. The townspeople believed the Asano family had brought calamity upon them. They dug up his grave and frequently came to his former home to cause trouble.
Asano Mori had assumed Asuka was one of those people, which was why the conflict had started.
"What exactly are the symptoms of Shadow Disease? Do people die the moment their shadow disappears, or are there other signs?"
"I can't really explain it... It just felt like after my brother came back, his body kept getting worse. Then he got Shadow Disease, weakened more and more, until he couldn't even get out of bed... The next day, he was just..."
Unwilling to recall how his beloved brother died, Asano Mori clutched his head in anguish.
Their parents had passed away early. Asano Mori had been raised entirely by his brother.
It was also for his sake that his brother went to work in Sendai, using all the money he earned to pay for Asano Mori's military academy tuition, hoping he would amount to something.
But Asano Mori clashed with the academy's extreme ideology. He was ostracized by classmates and eventually expelled.
After returning home, he was bullied by local military cadets. He failed at small businesses and farming alike, ultimately becoming a listless wastrel.
Yet when it came to his brother, he felt nothing but guilt and grief. So when Asuka said Asano Shigeru had been murdered, Asano Mori wanted nothing more than to find the killer and tear them apart.
"I told him not to be stupid! How could those black-hearted bosses ever give him justice! We should've grabbed weapons and smashed that damn company! But he wouldn't listen!" Asano Mori downed another mouthful of liquor, his voice trembling.
"He kept saying that would make him no different from the bastards who bully others... Talking about rules... What good are rules! Rules got him killed! What use are they!"
Asuka cut off his tirade and asked, puzzled, "You said they were uniting. Was Asano Shigeru not the only worker injured on the job?"
"That's right. The dyeing company cut corners on worker protection to save costs. The government stood on their side too. Sick workers were left to die at home. Of course no one accepted that!"
"I heard that last year, in the nation of Lucia, worker-led uprisings broke out. Some of them even became generals and emperors. Those stories spread in the factory too. People wanted to band together and confront the boss, but then this happened..."
Coincidence? Asuka pondered.
Among the other victims in town, one had also been an injured worker who had labored in Sendai.
All the clues converged, the stories linking together, stretching toward the Sendai Dyeing and Weaving Company. A bold hypothesis formed in Asuka's mind.
Was this demon targeting Asano Shigeru and that other man? Was it connected to these workers? Were the others merely smokescreens or innocent collateral victims?
As for why it involved shadows...
Flesh, organs, bones. These were the sources of power for demons.
Perhaps Asano Shigeru's body had been too polluted to consume. So when the demon killed, it created what people called Shadow Disease to conceal the truth that his life force had been drained.
That might be it.
With his thoughts growing clearer, Asuka made his decision.
"You said your brother joined forces with others. Are there more villagers nearby who suffered work injuries?"
"...Yes!" Asano Mori suddenly looked up, searching his memory. "...It should be north, in Yamamoto... No, Marumori Village! There's a worker there who came back from Sendai with my brother!"
Asuka stood up. Asano Mori hurried to his feet as well.
"Where are you going? Marumori Village?"
"That's right." Asuka nodded, resting his hand on the hilt of his Nichirin Blade.
"If my guess is right, he'll appear there tonight."