"It's obvious," one of the analysts said while pointing at the projection screen. "This subject has undergone a significant enhancement. We still don't know what kind of Ability he obtained, but from this footage it's clear—his bodily responses, movement speed, and sensory sharpness are at the level of an average Ability user."
He zoomed in on the part of the video where Kazuma dodged Aoi's whip.
The motion was replayed in slow motion.
"Look here," he continued. "His response time is too fast for a normal human."
Someone on the side of the table crossed his arms.
"Isn't it possible this is a mistake?" he said skeptically. "He could just be a martial arts practitioner."
Several people nodded in agreement.
However, the man standing near the screen only gave a faint smile.
"Alright," he said casually. "Then let me ask something."
He turned toward the man who had just spoken.
"How many martial artists are left in this world… who can still survive when faced with supernatural power and abilities?"
The room fell silent.
The question was too simple—and the answer even clearer.
The man who had objected earlier said nothing.
Walker then continued in a calmer tone.
"Regardless, there is one thing we cannot ignore."
He pointed at the screen again.
"This subject is stable."
The word carried weight in that room.
Because up until now, every one of their experiments had ended in failure.
"The Golden Apple can indeed produce power," Walker continued flatly, "but at the same time, it destroys the user's sanity."
He paused, letting the statement linger in the air.
"But this young man does not."
Several members of the meeting immediately exchanged looks. Some narrowed their eyes, others tapped their fingers on the table—signs they were processing the implication.
Someone at the end of the table finally spoke.
"Walker, isn't the Mato Essence essentially an extraction from Mato peaches?"
Walker crossed his arms over his chest.
"Correct."
He answered briefly before continuing in a more serious tone.
"But Omar didn't just extract it. He combined it with Eve."
Several people in the room frowned.
"That means," Walker continued, "theoretically there should be side effects on the subject. That combination has never been stable in previous trials."
He pointed again at the screen displaying Kazuma.
"But look at this young man."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"He is stable."
The word sounded almost like a whisper, yet it was enough to make the atmosphere in the room even heavier.
Walker lowered his hand from the screen.
"It's clear," he said at last. "The Japan branch operation must be accelerated."
On the other side of the table, a man slowly shook his head.
"Honestly, I still doubt this plan, Walker," he said in a heavy voice. "Japan is not a territory we can touch carelessly. If we get exposed, we won't just lose assets—we'll be completely finished."
The name MDF did not even need to be mentioned.
Everyone in the room understood the threat.
And more than that—
There was one individual who made the entire underworld avoid that country.
"Do you really want to take that risk?" the man continued.
Walker looked around the table calmly.
Everyone's gaze was now fixed on him.
Then slowly, a faint smile appeared at the corner of his lips.
"Yes."
The answer came without the slightest hesitation.
He shifted his gaze back to the screen displaying Kazuma's face.
"Fundamentally," he said slowly, "that young man is our Adam."
Several members immediately understood the direction of his words.
Walker continued in a low voice filled with conviction.
"If we can obtain a sample from Adam…"
"And combine it with Eve…"
He tapped his finger lightly on the wooden table.
"The Golden Apple will no longer be a failure."
A faint glint flashed in his eyes.
"Our product will be perfect."
He then leaned back in his chair, looking at everyone in the room like someone who had just opened a door to the future.
And in a tone that almost sounded like a prophecy, he said:
"When that time comes…"
"Eden will be created."
---
Kazuma scratched his ear which suddenly felt itchy.
"Who's talking about me?"
He muttered softly, more to himself than to anyone around him.
On the hospital bed, Takeshi, who was sitting while leaning back and eating slices of apple, looked at him with a confused expression.
"What's wrong?"
Kazuma shrugged lightly, as if he didn't think much of it.
"It's nothing."
He then crossed his arms while looking at his friend from head to toe before speaking in a casual tone,
"By the way… you're actually pretty tough to endure that kind of torture."
Takeshi, who was chewing his apple, immediately glanced at him with a slightly annoyed look. He snorted softly, as if he didn't want to lose.
"Heh. My body is trained too."
His tone sounded quite confident—at least on the surface.
But a few seconds later, he muttered very quietly, almost like talking to himself.
"…But it also felt good."
Kazuma froze for a moment.
He stared at Takeshi with a blank expression.
Then slowly turned his gaze toward the window, as if trying to convince himself that he had just misheard.
Because if not…
that would mean there was something very, very wrong with his friend.
Kazuma chose not to respond to that strange mutter.
He just let out a small sigh, then ate the remaining slice of apple in his hand.
"Oh right," Takeshi suddenly said, as if he just remembered something. "What happened to Tenma-san?"
Kazuma stopped chewing for a moment.
"Ah, that girl…"
He shrugged casually.
"She's practically finished."
Takeshi frowned.
"Finished?"
Kazuma leaned back in his chair and explained in a flat tone, like reading a news report.
"Illegal use of Ability in public, assault on civilians, kidnapping, torture, and property damage."
He raised his fingers one by one as if counting.
"The initial verdict came quickly because all the evidence is in the viral video."
Kazuma then looked at Takeshi.
"The decision: 30 years in prison."
Takeshi, who was drinking water, almost choked.
"Thirty!?"
Kazuma nodded lightly.
"Plus a five billion yen fine for building damage and victim compensation."
For a few seconds, the room fell silent.
Takeshi stared blankly ahead.
"…Five billion?"
He repeated in a low voice.
Kazuma just shrugged again.
"That's how Ability laws work in Japan."
He turned toward the television on the wall, which was still broadcasting experts discussing the case.
"Once someone misuses it in public, the punishment is immediately severe."
Takeshi scratched his head slowly.
"Crazy…"
He looked at Kazuma again with a strange expression.
"She did all that just because you rejected her."
Kazuma immediately pressed his temple.
"Don't remind me about that…"
He really didn't want to be the center of that kind of drama again.
Then suddenly his phone rang from inside his jacket pocket.
Kazuma frowned slightly before taking it out. The screen lit up brightly, showing an unknown number.
'Who?'
He wondered for a moment. He stared at the screen for a few seconds before finally answering the call.
"Hello?"
The voice from the other side sounded calm and formal.
"Mr. Satou?"
"Yes, that's me."
Kazuma replied briefly, still trying to guess who the caller was.
"We are from the police. We need a follow-up investigation."
Kazuma immediately frowned.
"Huh? Wasn't that already done yesterday?"
He clearly remembered sitting in the interrogation room for eight full hours, answering the same questions repeatedly from different officers. It was exhausting—more exhausting than physical training at the dojo.
'Wasn't that enough?'
He didn't expect they would still want to dig further.
"That is correct," the voice continued, sounding slightly hesitant, "but that was from our side. This time, there is a request from MDF."
Kazuma fell silent for a moment.
"Why is MDF involved?"
His tone became more cautious.
"Sir, Tenma Aoi was actually scheduled to take the final test to become an MDF member. Because of this case, her recruitment was immediately canceled. However, they still want to know why she acted that way."
Kazuma rubbed his temple.
"Huh? I don't get it. Can't you just give them yesterday's report?"
A short sigh was heard from the other side.
"Sir, this won't take long."
The tone sounded slightly rushed, as if under pressure.
Kazuma listened in silence.
'Are they being pressured?'
That suspicion suddenly appeared in his mind.
He knew MDF had significant influence. If they truly wanted to summon someone for further investigation, the police likely had little choice but to comply.
So yesterday might have just been a formality…
Kazuma guessed the previous investigation was only a basic report, while this request came directly from a higher authority.
Finally, he let out a small sigh.
"Alright. What time do I need to attend this investigation?"
The answer came almost immediately.
"If possible… now."
Kazuma eventually complied with the request. He ended the call and slowly lowered his phone, his expression still showing confusion.
He then turned around.
Takeshi, who had been on the hospital bed, looked at him curiously, clearly wondering about the conversation.
"I've got something to do. I'm heading out."
Kazuma said briefly.
Even though Takeshi had clearly heard the call from right beside him, Kazuma had no intention of explaining further.
Takeshi immediately frowned.
"Wasn't the case already finished?"
Kazuma took his jacket from the back of the chair and put it on casually.
"Don't worry about it," he replied lightly. "They just asked for a meeting."
He made it sound like it wasn't important.
Takeshi still looked doubtful, but before he could ask again, Kazuma spoke first.
"Just focus on recovering quickly."
He looked at his friend with a slight smile.
"Or I'll remove you from our final project group."
Takeshi's reaction exploded immediately.
"Eeh! That's cruel!"
Kazuma just chuckled softly.
"Heh."
Without adding anything else, he opened the hospital room door and left.
A few minutes later, Kazuma was already walking down the hospital corridor toward the exit. The cooler outside air greeted him as he stepped into the parking area.
His mind was still filled with questions.
But in the end, he still got on his motorcycle and started the engine.