Chapter 28: Determination to Prove Oneself
Akai Shuichi forced himself to ignore the whispers, casting his gaze toward the silver screen where advertisements were playing.
In his mind, however, the figure of his ex-girlfriend flashed past unexpectedly.
If it were Jodie, at this moment she would probably laughingly tease the naivety of those girls' guesses, then turn those bright eyes to look at him, waiting for his response. They would share popcorn like any ordinary couple, their fingers gently touching in the dim light...
No, now was not the time to think about such things.
"What's wrong, Moroboshi-kun?" A deep male voice rang out suddenly beside his ear, causing that brief touch of nostalgia to cool down instantly. "You look like you're feeling a bit lonely."
Akai Shuichi felt a slight chill in his heart.
"This guy's powers of observation are sharp indeed."
He shook his head, offering a quick explanation: "It's just that I rarely watch movies normally, so I'm not really used to this kind of setting."
"Is that so?" Gojo Satoru picked up a piece of popcorn, popped it into his mouth, and chewed slowly: "Well, you can watch them more often in the future."
"Movies are sometimes like a microcosm of life, you know. Joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness all condensed into a brief two hours—don't you think that's pretty interesting?"
Just as Akai Shuichi was about to chime in with something, the lights in the screening hall went out completely, leaving only the bright screen illuminated.
Gojo Satoru placed an index finger in front of his lips, making a "shh" gesture.
"It's starting."
Akai Shuichi said no more, focusing his attention on watching the movie.
Not only to avoid missing any hints related to the "test," but also because the story itself was sensitive enough.
As he watched the undercover detective in the film move step by step within the drug cartel, skillfully maneuvering among enemies and secretly passing information to companions, he conducted an objective evaluation in his mind.
"Tight plot, well-handled pacing. The actors' performances are solid too, especially the multi-layered struggle when facing moral dilemmas."
"Though certain plot points lack logic—an undercover's cover identity in real life probably wouldn't last three days... still, as an entertainment piece, it's easily above average."
Halfway through the movie, Akai Shuichi glanced sideways without drawing attention, stealing a look at the man beside him.
The black blindfold still covered his eyes tightly, casting a matte texture under the shifting lights of the screen. He showed no sign of removing it, nor any movement of discomfort or adjustment, as if that special material had zero effect on his vision.
To passersby unaware of the truth, they would probably think this guy came to the cinema purely to catch up on sleep.
After all, for a regular person, there was no way to see any image clearly through that.
For an ability user, however, any anomaly seemed to become unremarkable.
"By the way, Caesar's power... what type is it actually?"
The FBI's file tracking on this high-ranking executive had lasted for years. Whether in Mexico or within the US, there had been several engagements—both open and covert—even costing the heavy injuries of several A-grade ability users. Yet specific descriptions of Caesar's "special ability" remained vague to this day. Some believed it involved high-temperature explosions, because spots where he appeared often turned to scorched earth; some speculated it was a visual-type ability, since he never showed his true face; on top of that, there were even wilder guesses like space jumping and mind control.
Yet all deductions lacked decisive evidence—those who had truly seen Caesar use his ability were either corpses unable to speak, or had fallen completely unconscious without even getting the chance to see the process clearly.
Akai Shuichi pulled his thoughts back quickly, shifting his focus back to the screen.
When all was said and done, he didn't belong to that strange and mysterious world. Analyses regarding energy forms, range, and activation conditions of special abilities were for specialized internal FBI teams to headache over.
What he needed to do was maintain his cover, win trust, gain recognition, and then... penetrate into the core.
On screen now, the movie reached a pivotal turning point.
To gain the drug lord's complete trust, the undercover detective was forced to personally shoot and kill his wife and young child, who knew his true identity.
The moment the gunshot echoed, a suppressed gasp rose through the theater.
In the end, the drug cartel was finally dismantled, yet the detective could no longer return to a normal life. On a bleak rainy night, sitting in his empty apartment, he aimed a gun at his head before a family photo and took his own life.
It was, quite literally, a tragedy through and through.
When the lights came back on, many audience members were still immersed in the emotions, with sporadic sobs rising here and there.
"That hit way too hard... why make the main character suffer like that!"
"That's reality, my friend! You think being undercover is a walk in the park?"
"I paid for a ticket to relax, not to get depressed! Director, come out here, I promise I won't beat you to death!"
Gojo Satoru finished the very last piece of popcorn, stretching lazily with satisfaction, forming a stark contrast with the heavy or sad atmosphere around the other viewers.
"It's over, let's go."
Akai Shuichi followed him out of the screening hall in silence, analyzing every detail in his head that might have been overlooked during the viewing.
Caesar hadn't spoken a single word related to the "test" throughout the entire film, nor had he given any loaded hints.
Could it really be... just simply watching a movie?
"You barely ate anything earlier, you must be hungry, right?" Gojo Satoru turned to him naturally, adding: "Well, even though most of your tub of popcorn ended up in my stomach~ snacks like that really can't fill your belly after all."
He pointed toward a ramen shop next to the cinema: "How about grabbing a bite together?"
Akai Shuichi couldn't refuse the offer.
"Sure."
...
Inside, the shop was fairly spacious, with neat rows of natural wood tables and chairs. The rich aroma of tonkotsu broth floated through the air, and the warm yellow lights made the space feel exceptionally cozy.
Gojo Satoru was about to walk toward the counter, but Akai Shuichi spoke up first: "Please take a seat, Mr. Eshima. I'll order for us."
Gojo Satoru didn't decline either, taking a seat by the window as it suited him.
"Thanks then~ I'll have the signature tonkotsu ramen, extra chashu, and two soft-boiled eggs."
"Got it."
Akai Shuichi turned toward the counter, exchanged a few words with the staff, pulled out his wallet, and paid the bill.
At the same time, he didn't forget to use his peripheral vision to observe the other patrons in the shop.
An old man sat alone by the bar counter reading a newspaper; a college couple chatted away in a corner; and most eye-catching of all was a family of three at another table.
The husband was clumsily imitating a scene from a comedy film, teasing his five- or six-year-old daughter. The little girl giggled and dodged, while the wife watched gently from the side, occasionally reaching out with a napkin to wipe sauce from her daughter's mouth. That pure sense of happiness softened the surrounding air.
The long-haired man's gaze lingered on that family for a brief second before shifting away calmly.
The clerk handed over a order number plaque: "Your food will be ready shortly, please wait a moment."
Akai Shuichi returned to his seat, sitting across from Gojo Satoru.
A small square table separated the two, bringing them close enough to clearly catch the subtle expressions on each other's faces—if one of them weren't wearing a blindfold, that is.
Gojo Satoru rested his chin on one hand, looking out at the flowing street scene outside the window, suddenly opening his mouth.
"Actually, the reason I brought you to a movie was just to let you relax a bit."
Akai Shuichi lifted his eyes.
"Moroboshi-kun hasn't had many relaxed moments since coming to Japan, right? Getting out of the hospital this time calls for a bit of celebration, more or less."
This unexpected "heartwarming explanation" confused Akai Shuichi even further.
"I see, thank you for your concern." He answered cautiously, his tone carrying a touch of flattering gratitude.
His gaze fell on the other's soft lips, and without realizing it, his mind drifted as he overlapped this face with the outline of a white-haired youth from his memory.
Equally snow-white hair, equally mysterious abilities, equally unpredictable ways of doing things. Even their apparent preference for sweets felt similar.
"If Satoru were a few years older... No, impossible."
Even so, Akai Shuichi couldn't help imagining what Caesar looked like without his blindfold.
Beneath that covered face, what kind of face was actually hiding? Could it be... holding even a tiny shred of resemblance to that white-haired youth's features?
"By the way, what did you think of the movie?"
Gojo Satoru's question came casually, no different from regular chit-chat about movie thoughts among viewers.
Akai Shuichi reined in his extra emotions, a touch of sarcasm creeping into his tone.
"That detective... was a fool. Driven himself into a dead end over meaningless things."
"Oh?"
Hearing this, the white-haired youth across from him seemed to gain interest: "Go on."
The coldness in Akai Shuichi's eyes deepened: "What was even dumber was his final choice. Since he survived, he should have used that track record to climb up and gain greater benefits. Suicide? That's the ultimate waste of invested costs."
When he said this, there was zero emotional fluctuation on his face, as if laying out an unshakeable truth.
"I'm curious," Gojo Satoru tilted his head slightly: "If you were that undercover agent, what would you do? Would you kill your lover and child?"
Here it comes.
The other party tossed out the word "undercover" so directly, putting him into that role without any cover-up... This was no longer a hint, but an outright probe.
At times like this, staying calm was essential.
Rather than doubting his identity, Caesar was far more likely using the movie plot as a springboard to test if he was willing to use any means necessary to achieve his goal.
He had to give an answer that satisfied Caesar.
Akai Shuichi didn't answer right away, taking a sip of ice water at his elbow first. Only after setting the glass down did he speak slowly.
"I wouldn't let myself face that kind of choice."
He paused before continuing: "If I really had to be an undercover... say, sent by the Organization into another rival force, I would throw away all unnecessary ties. Anyone or anything that might block the goal should be cleared out before becoming a problem."
"If something must be sacrificed to achieve the goal, then sacrifice it. That is my principle."
After a few seconds of silence, Gojo Satoru smiled.
Not a mocking or dismissive smile, but... an approving one.
"You really are a man of great determination. People like you are precisely what we need."
"However..." Gojo Satoru shifted his tone, his voice remaining light: "Talk is cheap. Why don't you do something to prove your determination, Moroboshi-kun?"
"...What thing?"
Gojo Satoru tilted his head slightly toward the other side of the ramen shop: "See that family sitting over there?"
Akai Shuichi knew which table he meant.
It was that exact family of three he had swept his glance across earlier, radiating an exceptionally happy atmosphere.
Anyone looking at them would feel a touch of warmth in their heart.
"I see them," Akai Shuichi answered honestly, an ill omen rising in his heart: "May I ask what the matter Mr. Eshima mentioned... has to do with them?"
Gojo Satoru leaned forward slightly, leaning close to his ear in a friendly posture, his warm breath brushing past his earlobe. From an outsider's view, they looked like an inseparable pair of close friends.
"Hey, Moroboshi-kun..."
His voice dropped extremely low, yet every syllable leaked a bone-chilling coldness, like a sugar-coated blade pressing gently, ruthlessly against the throat.
"Help me kill them."
Akai Shuichi's breathing froze instantly.
"As long as you kill them... I'll let you enter the Organization."
"—How about it?"