Tokyo: My Superpower Refreshes Every Week-Chapter 446 - 444 Morimoto Chiyoda Finds a Blind Spot_1
Kikumaru Diner.
This was a century-old restaurant with a storied past.
The dining area wasnโt large; just over a dozen diners would fill it. ๐ณ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐.๐ฐ๐ ๐ฆ
A light blue noren hung at the entrance, adorned with black circles enclosing the characters for "set meals."
The Kikumaru couple were busy preparing for the imminent lunch rush.
Without prepped ingredients, handling the incoming wave of customers would be a challenge.
The Jade Dragon Flag event would draw visitors from out of town and hundreds of student teams, with a footfall of over fifteen thousand peopleโfailing to cope would simply mean incompetence.
Businesses and inns around Marlin Mercer longed for competitions every day so they could count money all day long.
"Old man, which high school do you reckon will claim the Jade Dragon Flag this year?"
"It doesnโt matter who wins it. The Jade Dragon Flag of today is nothing like its former glory," Kikumaru grumbled, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes. "The Jade Dragon Flag of our time, that was the real deal. Without the Dare to Fight Award, the Jade Dragon Flag is soulless. It doesnโt even deserve the name."
Shaking his head, Kikumaru, who was sixty years old this year, had once represented Fukuoka locals in the competition for the Jade Dragon Flag.
That summer, he and the team captain had seized the championship of the Jade Dragon Flag.
The image of the captain claiming thirty-six Dare to Fight Awards was still vivid in his mind.
Since then, anyone who hadnโt surpassed that feat was simply an unworthy weakling.
He would never share these thoughts with his patrons, only confiding in his wife in private.
"Young people these days are getting weaker and weaker."
"You truly are getting old, always harping on about the past."
"Do you think youโre still a sixteen-year-old girl?"
As soon as Kikumaru spoke, his wifeโs cloudy eyes instantly sharpened.
He shrank back and quickly said, "Hurry and wipe down the tables, the customers will be here any moment."
"Humph, you complain now that Iโm old and fat, but back when you were chasing after me, how come you didnโt mind then?"
Kikumaru felt a headache coming on. Over the years, his wifeโs figure and voice might have changed, but her personality remained exactly the same.
As he wondered how to respond, the doorway curtain was flung open, and a group of boisterous young men entered the restaurant.
Kikumaru saw the Jade Dragon Flag they carried and caught sight of the Dare to Fight Award they cradled, an honor he hadnโt seen in a long time.
His spirits lifted, and he prepared to brag about his past bravado, "Welcome to our place, champions of the Jade Dragon Flag! How many did you defeat to earn your Dare to Fight Award?"
Aozawa was momentarily taken aback; he hadnโt even had a chance to speak.
Kenji Kojima called out loudly beside him, "Old timer, have you ever seen a Dare to Fight Award for sixty-eight people?"
"What?!" Kikumaruโs face showed shock, and he doubted, "You arenโt bluffing, are you?"
"How could we bluff? Let us open your eyes!"
Kenji Kojima carefully unfurled the Dare to Fight Award.
Seeing the familiar mark of Bushido, Kikumaru exclaimed in awe, "Truly impressive! Order whatever you like; youโll get half off."
His wifeโs eyes widened in surprise, but she held back her anger, planning to deal with this old man later that night.
Eagerly, Kikumaru asked, "Tell me, how did you win the Dare to Fight Award against sixty-eight people?"
"Sure thing." Kenji Kojima became animated, as if he himself had won the Dare to Fight Award against sixty-eight opponents.
Aozawa laughed softly and began to order from the menu.
In the meantime, other patrons entered and recognized Aozawa.
Some of the bolder girls even approached him for photos.
Aozawa found it hard to reject their enthusiasm and, basking in the treatment of a star, signed quite a few autographs for them.
Mr. Kikumaru suggested taking a group photo. He wanted to hang it on the restaurantโs wall of fame, at the very top, marking them as the champions of this edition of the Jade Dragon Flag competition.
Considering the half-price offer from the owner, they agreed.
The atmosphere inside Kikumaru Diner was lively. Aozawa took a bite of his skewered meat, a smile on his face. He felt slightly surprisedโChitoseโs Defense Barrier was approaching.
Was she that impatient?
He thought, then realized that Morimoto Chiyoda wasnโt coming to find himโher direction was completely off.
Strange, what brought Chitose to Fukuoka?
A sense of curiosity rose in his heart, and he decided to check it out later.
...
At Fukuoka Hospital, outside the ICU ward on the third floor of the inpatient building.
Ruriko Yokoo sat there, her eyes red from crying, unable to shed another tear.
She had sent away the coach from Kamiya High School, knowing well that what was to come was best handled without witnesses.
The experiment Sunaga Takashi participated in at the research facility was top-secret. Only a few people beyond the facility itself knew about it, namely Morimoto Chiyoda and her superiors.
No one else had clearance to be privy to this matter.
Ruriko Yokoo worried that involving others might lead the other party to believe she had violated their agreement, potentially causing them to abandon Sunaga Takashiโs treatment.
The young girl wanted to handle everything as perfectly as possible in this situation.
The sound of footsteps approached.
Ruriko Yokoo looked up and saw the tall figure turning the corner.
Her reddened eyes suddenly brimmed with hope as she hurriedly walked over and said, "Sister Chitose."
"Alright, donโt worry. Leave everything to them from now on," Morimoto Chiyoda said, patting her shoulder comfortingly. Behind her, the director of Fukuoka Hospital personally accompanied Ito Otome and the others into the ICU ward.
These doctors had been urgently called in through Morimotoโs CIA connections, all top-notch physicians.
The Osprey helicopter had also transported the relevant medical equipment, ensuring a comprehensive examination of Sunaga Takashi.
"What did the hospitalโs preliminary diagnosis say?" Morimoto Chiyoda asked, pulling Ruriko Yokoo aside to chat. At times like these, it was essential to make Ruriko feel like she could contribute. Only then could they prevent the young girlโs mind from wandering with worry.
Ruriko Yokoo took a deep breath and said, "They said heart failure. They also said they couldnโt find the specific cause."
"Itโs okay. The doctors Iโve brought with me are the very best," Morimoto reassured her.
Morimoto Chiyoda stroked her head and asked further, "Did his discomfort start suddenly?"
Ruriko Yokoo began to recount the morningโs events. "...I told him not to challenge so many people at once. He wouldnโt listen, and later on, he even had an intense clash with Aozawa!"
"Is that so?" Ruriko Yokoo was so engrossed in speaking that she didnโt notice the flicker of something unusual across Morimoto Chiyodaโs face. Morimoto Chiyoda asked, "Did these symptoms appear during or after the competition?"
Ruriko Yokoo frowned in recollection, shaking her head. "Iโm not sure. Gao Shi is a very stubborn person; he wonโt show anything unless he really canโt bear it any longer. Before he passed out, he was still speaking to me in a slow and easy manner!"
Thinking of Sunaga Takashiโs last actions fired up a burst of anger in Ruriko Yokooโs heart.
He was in such pain at the time, yet he was still speaking to her leisurely. Why didnโt he just tell her to call an ambulance directly?
Morimoto Chiyoda, with a contemplative expression, patted her shoulder and said, "Leave this matter to them. You donโt need to worry."
"Sister Chitose, thank you so much. If it werenโt for your help, I wouldnโt know what to do."
"Now, now. Since youโve called me Sister Chitose, Iโll certainly help with anything I can," Morimoto Chiyoda said, consoling her and patting her head. Just then, her phone pinged. She checked it; Chief Jack was calling. "I need to take this call. You wait here."
"Okay," Ruriko Yokoo said obediently, nodding.
Morimoto Chiyoda walked towards an unoccupied corridor and answered the call. "Chief Jack, whatโs going on?"
"Howโs Sunaga Takashi?" Jack inquired, adding, "Do you think he could be experiencing a breakthrough after breaking down?"
"Impossible. Itโs just the side effects of Superhuman Potion X erupting."
"Why did the side effects erupt all of a sudden?"
"It canโt exactly be called sudden. He was very tired today, leading the charge in the Jade Dragon Flag competition. Without resting, he kept challenging many schools. He managed to condense two daysโ worth of competitions into one morning and lost the decisive battle. Ruriko Yokoo urgently called for an ambulance to take him to the hospital, saying it was heart failure."
Language is an art. Describing the same event with different words can yield entirely different outcomes.
There wasnโt a single lie in what Morimoto Chiyoda had said, yet she effortlessly minimized Aozawaโs involvement in the incident.
To say he was virtually invisible wouldnโt be an exaggeration.
At least, to Chief Jack, it sounded like Sunaga Takashiโs defeat was due to fighting too many opponents alone. This led to exhaustion, triggering the side effects of Superhuman Potion X, which resulted in heart failure and hospital admission.
It wasnโt that the opponent was too strong; it was that Sunaga Takashi had weakened.
"I see. See if you can save him. If you canโt, thereโs nothing we can doโbuy him a nice gravesite."
Jack still had a conscience.
Sunaga Takashi had actively participated in the Superhuman Potion X training and was responsible for any consequences. However, considering Morimoto Chiyodaโs feelings, Jack decided to allocate public funds for Sunagaโs gravesite.
Gravesites in Tokyo arenโt cheap, after all.
"Heโs not dead yet! What are you thinking? Iโm hanging up."
"Alright."
Morimoto Chiyoda ended the call, her eyes darkening. What I suspect doesnโt matter right now.
Her main task was to devise a plausible excuse for Sunaga Takashiโs defeat, one that Jack would accept. This would also keep Aozawaโs name hidden from him.
As for anyone else, Morimoto Chiyoda wasnโt too worried.
Big incidents were constantly occurring in Tokyo. The six big consortia, Phoenix Academyโhow could those people have the energy to focus on a high school studentโs Jade Dragon Flag competition?
They probably didnโt even know what the Jade Dragon Flag competition was.
The news of Aozawa winning the Jade Dragon Flag hadnโt reached a point of breaking into wider circles. At most, his deeds circulated within the local Fukuoka area and among high school kendo clubs.
As long as she could fool Jack, she hardly needed to worry about others learning of Aozawaโs extraordinary combat abilities.
Morimoto Chiyoda put away her phone, pondering how to handle the situation.
Clearly, the Aozawa I knew couldnโt have possibly defeated Sunaga Takashi.
The feeling about the giant panda wasnโt just an illusion.
If the kid is this capable, it likely isnโt just due to youthful vigor.
"What the hell is that brat hiding from me?" Morimoto Chiyoda murmured, a sharp glint in her eyes. I have to figure out how to ask him.
Is Aozawa Dio? Or is it possible that Aozawa is someone from a Different World who ended up here?
Morimoto Chiyoda remembered the past when she first took Aozawa in. He hadnโt spoken a word at first, only gradually beginning to speak Japanese later.
She originally thought he was opening up. Now, thinking back, could it be that Aozawa didnโt understand Japanese at all when he first arrived?!
