The rain hadn't stopped since the night of the break-in. Tokyo's skyline shimmered in gray and blue as neon signs bled into puddles on the streets. From the rooftop of an abandoned parking garage, Haratu Sota watched the city breathe, every heartbeat echoing in his ears like a ticking clock.
"Inspector Umezawa lives on the 17th floor of the Enrai Apartments," Tanaka said, handing him a tablet. "Retired from the Special Investigations Bureau six months ago. No official reason given."
"Six months ago," Sota muttered, scrolling through the data. "Right around the time the current Spiral began accelerating."
Shino stepped forward, her hood damp. "You think he's part of it?"
"I think," Sota said, "he knows who is."
---
The Apartment
Enrai Apartments stood like a monument to old money — all glass and steel with a private elevator and concierge. Getting inside would've been impossible without Tanaka's forged credentials. She flashed her badge, whispered something about a "federal security threat," and twenty minutes later, they were riding silently to the top floor.
As the elevator doors opened, they were met by silence.
No guards. No footsteps. Just the low hum of electricity.
They approached Umezawa's door — unmarked, heavy steel. Sota raised his hand to knock but stopped. The lock had been pried open.
"Someone beat us here," he whispered.
Tanaka pulled out her weapon.
They entered cautiously.
---
The Empty Chair
The apartment was immaculately clean — too clean. A faint trail of ash led from the front hall to the living room. There, an armchair faced the window, back turned.
Shino swallowed. "That's where he—?"
"No," Sota said, narrowing his eyes. "He's still alive."
A faint click.
Tanaka raised her gun as the chair slowly turned. And there he was.
Inspector Umezawa. Gray hair, thick glasses, and the cold, tired eyes of a man who had seen more than he ever spoke.
"I thought it would be you, Sota," he said calmly. "Your grandfather would be proud. Or terrified."
Sota lowered his guard slightly. "You knew we were coming."
"I've been expecting someone ever since I received this."
He handed over a sealed envelope marked with the Spiral sigil.
Inside: a death notice.
Target: Inspector Umezawa
Execution Date: Unknown
"Looks like I'm next," he said.
---
The Truth He Buried
They sat around his dining table, Sota recording everything.
"Your grandfather, Kaito Sota, believed that the justice system had failed," Umezawa began. "So he created a counter-system. Off-the-record. Self-regulating."
"Kōkai no Me," Tanaka said.
Umezawa nodded. "The Eye of Regret. Every person tied to a crime — not just perpetrators, but defenders, enablers, even silent witnesses — became part of the Chain."
"And the Chain became a Spiral," Sota muttered.
"Exactly," Umezawa replied. "But your grandfather didn't live to see the consequences. After his death, others took over — people with less moral clarity."
He lit a cigarette, hands trembling slightly.
"I tried to shut it down. When I saw the names they were planning to add — judges, survivors, even children born from perpetrators — I protested."
"And?" Shino asked.
"They erased me. Forced retirement. A warning."
---
The Visitor in the Shadows
Just then, the lights flickered.
Umezawa stood abruptly. "They're here."
A shadow moved past the hallway — fast, silent.
Sota grabbed the nearest lamp and smashed it against the wall, cutting power. Darkness wrapped the apartment, except for the flickering city lights outside.
Tanaka whispered, "Back entrance!"
Too late.
A masked figure burst through the sliding door, swinging a curved blade.
Umezawa shoved Shino aside and took the blow to the shoulder, collapsing with a grunt.
Sota tackled the intruder, grabbing his arm. The blade slashed through his sleeve but missed flesh. Tanaka struck with her baton, knocking the attacker to the floor.
The mask fell off.
A boy. Couldn't be older than sixteen.
Wide, terrified eyes. Spiral tattoo across his throat.
"Who sent you?" Sota demanded, pinning him down.
The boy shook his head. "There is no who. Only what."
"What do you mean?"
"The Spiral chooses. I don't ask why. I just obey."
Tanaka growled. "You were going to kill him."
"I had to," he said, almost pleading. "It was his turn."
---
No Innocents Left
After binding the attacker, they turned back to Umezawa. He was pale, bleeding, but conscious.
"I warned you," he rasped. "The Spiral doesn't wait. It consumes."
Shino knelt beside him. "We can stop this. But we need to know—how does it choose the next name?"
Umezawa hesitated. "The names… they're encoded in an algorithm. Built decades ago. Based on influence, impact, and guilt proximity."
"An algorithm?" Sota asked, stunned. "So it's not just people choosing?"
"No," Umezawa said. "It's both. Human intention and machine logic. The perfect killer. No emotion. No mercy."
Tanaka looked at the captured boy. "He's a victim too."
"He's a messenger," Umezawa said. "A pawn. There are more."
Sota stood slowly. "We need to find that algorithm."
Umezawa's eyes flickered. "There's only one place where the original Spiral Engine could be stored…"
"Where?"
He looked up at them with pain in his eyes.
"Kaito Sota's old residence. Your grandfather's estate."
---
Back to the Beginning
Outside, the rain had stopped.
Sota stood at the edge of the rooftop, staring into the abyss below. The city looked peaceful, unaware of the storm beneath its surface.
"Are you ready?" Tanaka asked.
Sota exhaled. "He started it. I'll end it."
Shino held up the envelope. "There are six names left. After Umezawa... it's you, Haratu."
Sota turned to them both.
"Then we'd better move fast. Before the Spiral completed