The night was still, with little to no lights open across the string of buildings that made up the entirety of the city's central district. At the heart of it all stood ME Corp, the tallest building and, without a doubt, the most lifeless among them. The sliding doors opened quietly, the silver moonlight behind the four figures walking in casting elongated shadows across the polished floor.
Their footsteps echoed softly as they entered the grand lobby, the silence of the night amplifying every sound.
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"Remind me again why we're taking the stairs?" Kiana grumbled, her voice tinged with fatigue as she glanced up the seemingly endless staircase.
"Because someone broke the elevator buttons before we could use them," Yuzuki replied, adjusting his glasses with a sigh.
"That was an accident!" Kiana protested, her cheeks puffing out in indignation.
Mei chuckled softly, the sound echoing off the marble walls. "Let's just get to floor 20. My father's office is located there."
Victor remained silent, a small smile playing on his lips as he followed the group, his eyes scanning their surroundings with practiced ease.
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Upon reaching the floor, the group found themselves in a spacious corridor leading to a grand double door. Mei stepped forward, her fingers brushing against the familiar wood before pushing the doors open.
The office was just as she remembered: a vast room with floor-to-ceiling windows offering a panoramic view of the city, a massive mahogany desk at its center, and shelves lined with books and files.
They began their search, each person taking a section of the room. Mei moved towards her father's desk, her fingers trailing over its surface before opening the drawers and sifting through the contents.
After several minutes, her eyes caught a folder labeled "Project Nexus." She opened it, her eyes scanning the contents before widening in shock.
"This... this is evidence of economic fraud," she whispered, her voice trembling.
The others gathered around as she laid out the documents on the desk. The files detailed a complex scheme involving the embezzlement of funds through shell companies and falsified financial reports. It was a meticulously crafted plan that diverted resources from ME Corp to unknown accounts, all under the guise of legitimate business operations.
As they absorbed the information, the room was suddenly bathed in light.
They turned to see a woman stepping out of the shadows, her heels clicking against the marble floor as she approached the desk. Her long blonde hair fell on top of her shoulders with sharp green eyes that regarded them with amusement and interest.
She took a seat in the chair that once belonged to Raiden Ryoma, crossing her legs with a smirk.
"Impressive," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I didn't expect you to uncover this so quickly."
Mei's eyes narrowed, her hands clenched into fists. "Who are you?" she demanded, voice trembling but sharp. "Why would you do any of this?"
"So many questions, darling," the woman cooed, voice sweet as sugar, laced with something rotten underneath. She leaned forward, resting her chin delicately in her palm, her gaze glinting with amusement. "But since you're the daughter of a… friend, I suppose I can indulge you a little."
She tilted her head. "You may call me Cocolia."
Victor's eyes sharpened. He stepped beside Mei, flipping open another stack of files with practiced ease. His fingers rifled through clipped photos, scanned documents, and transcripts redacted in black.
"...Judging by how coordinated this is, you weren't just targeting Raiden Industries." His voice was low, calm—dangerous.
Cocolia gave a mock gasp, fingers fluttering to her chest. "Oh? Can't a mother simply aim for a better life by taking over the top company in Nagazora?" Her tone was syrupy, but her stare hardened as it met his.
"If that were it, then you wouldn't have started rumors about Mei at Chiba Academy," Victor replied coldly. He tossed the file across the desk. Papers scattered like dying leaves—photos of paid-off students, forged notes, and messages slandering the Raiden family spilled to the floor.
Mei's breath caught. Her knees buckled slightly as she staggered back, eyes wide with disbelief. She stared at the mess of falsehoods and bought lies.
"Why…" she whispered, voice barely holding together. "Why go so far? Who would want to ruin my life—?"
"That's information children like you wouldn't understand," Cocolia replied sweetly, not even bothering to hide her condescension. "But trust me when I say... it was in everyone's best interest that this happened to you. You were always meant to fall."
"You monster!" Mei screamed, lunging forward. Her fingers curled like claws, but before she could reach her, Victor was there—arms wrapped tight around her waist, holding her still.
"No, Mei." His voice was firm, grounding. "You're better than this."
"Let me go!" Mei struggled, her voice cracking. "She destroyed my family! My life! You expect me to just stand here—?!"
"You've already stood this long," Victor whispered. "Don't let her drag you back down."
"We can just run, right?" Kiana chimed in, crouching as she began scooping up the fallen documents. "Let's just take this and expose them. We've got more than enough!"
Victor gave a slow nod, his hand gently tightening around Mei's arm before turning to guide her toward the door.
But just as they reached the threshold—
Click.
The lights flicked on.
A low hum filled the air.
From the corner of the room, a shape dropped from the ceiling—swift, silent, childlike in size but not in intent. It lunged straight for Mei with needle-thin claws drawn wide.
Victor didn't hesitate.
In one smooth motion, he spun, caught the silhouette mid-pounce by the throat, and slammed it through the air like a ragdoll.
The creature hit the table with a bone-shaking crash, shattering the wood beneath it and sending shards across the room.
The room fell silent again.
Victor's hand fell to his side, breath steady as his gaze cut back across the room.
There, still seated calmly behind Raiden Ryoma's desk, Cocolia offered a slow clap—mocking, measured.
Her eyes met his.
"Oh my," she murmured with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "We can't have that now, can we?"
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-Hundredmask-chan