Chapter 31

1.

Let’s pose a question here.

Why has Gehenna become synonymous with lawlessness?

Why, compared to other academies, is Gehenna chaotic, more congested, and the scene of countless crimes?

Is it because the pioneering group tasked with maintaining order and peace fails to do their job?

Or is it because the government-equivalent, the Ten Thousand Demon Hall, does not fulfill its proper role?

Or is it because most students of Gehenna are demons?

In my examination, the reason Gehenna has become what it is today lies in just one feature Gehenna advocates.

Freedom. Precisely this feature.

Gehenna is free.

Unlike Trinity, which values the law and gospel,

And unlike Millennium, which is performance-oriented,

Gehenna is simply endlessly free, without restrictions, and all are equal.

This is the grand principle Gehenna upholds and the universal value system of the entire academy.

However, because of this,

Gehenna is disorderly because it has freedom.

Only chaos remains, not peace. Because of this freedom.

To Gehenna, rules and order are unnecessary things that suppress and constrain them—they are merely dull and boring.

From the average students to Makoto, who could be considered part of the leadership in the Ten Thousand Demon Hall, no one is fulfilling their roles.

Students forget their duties, leave the school grounds, argue with those who oppose their opinions, and draw their guns if they are unhappy. This is their norm.

Thus, Gehenna views Trinity students, who outwardly respect the law but inwardly harbor ulterior motives, as devious and sinister.

Thus, Gehenna calls Millennium, which always chases performance and aims for development and prosperity, complex and life-complicating.

To them, life is freedom, and simultaneously chaos.

And because this kind of freedom exists, Gehenna has become one of the most lawless and chaotic places in Kiburatos.

Like Haruna blowing up shops her way,

Like the Onsen Development Department digging up any land they please,

And the Ten Thousand Demon Hall handling Gehenna its own way.

Because this is their nature and simultaneously their belief system.

“But the current Gehenna is no different from a car with no brakes.”

Freedom is right. However, freedom without order cannot truly be called freedom.

Actions carried out in the name of freedom, without taking responsibility for them, are not freedom but neglect.

Therefore, what I intend to do is make the Gehenna students and criminals who only step on the accelerator without hesitation step on the brakes.

Namely, brakes named ‘fear.’

“It’s going to be a long night.”

In the late night of Gehenna,

The time for shadows dwelling in the dark to slowly rise.

I wore a mask and created a new self.

“This night, I go hunting.”

The concept of the hero I aim to embody in Gehenna is─

A Dark Hero. Exactly that.

2.

Crash!

Along with the sound of shattered glass, the security alarms inside the building rang out chaotically.

A gunshot silenced the alarm, and their operation officially began.

“Entering!”

“Go in and clean it out!”

The helmeted group of five had just raided a certain antique shop located downtown. It was a well-known store rumored to be run by a shopkeeper who constantly collects old items at high prices.

The pace of the five helmeted bandits was swift.

They quickly bypassed the value-less items inside the store, advanced to the internal warehouse, and began sweeping items into the bags they had brought.

As no one arrived to stop the bandits despite the alarm going off, they all grinned broadly, gleefully gathering antiques.

“Kyahaha! We’re rich now!”

“I wonder how much these will sell for at auction on the Black Market?”

“At least a few hundred million credits, maybe up to a few thousand million!”

“Kiyyaah!”

While imagining an exciting future, they continued to gather items into their bags. After some time had passed, they gathered at the call of one member to conduct a mid-operation tally.

And the tally began.

“Did each of us bring one bag? The numbers don’t seem right.”

“What do you mean? We each brought two, didn’t we?”

“Eh? No, then the count doesn’t match.”

“What are you talking about? Can’t you count? Let me recount.”

One member of the helmeted bandits, puzzled by the bag count, was countered by another who attempted to jog their memory. The member then began counting the bags.

“One, two, three, four….”

The expression of the counting member stiffened more and more, then suddenly looked around at their fellow bandits. And soon—

“Shit, we’re being ambushed—!”

Zip!

The helmeted bandits realized they only had “two” companions left beside them just in time before they could shout. Then, a pure white thread flew from somewhere, pulling on the helmeted bandit’s head.

In the blink of an eye, the bandit was dragged away.

“…”

Silence.

In an instant, they had lost one of their comrades. The remaining two helmeted bandits trembled with fear, staring at each other.

What just happened?

They couldn’t tell.

What had happened,

Why they hadn’t noticed,

What was out there beyond that darkness.

Unfinished questions spun around the room.

Their bodies trembled in fear, overwhelmed by the unknown.

The fear of the unknown.

An indescribable, vast dread enveloped them.

It is scary. They wanted to run. They wanted to live.

They couldn’t utter a single sound, only facing the disappearance of their comrade.

“…”

“…”

They could do nothing, neither speak nor act.

The urban morning had no lights, only darkness.

The two helmeted members could only see the dark, like a monster opening its mouth to devour them.

And then.

From the monster’s mouth emerged a figure.

“Whoa…?!”

“Guuuhhh…!!”

It appeared without any warning or trace.

It was suddenly there, like a phenomenon.

A pale blue glow. A pure white mask. And a black coat.

They had to flee. Instinctual realization. The helmeted bandits automatically stifled their breaths, taking steps backward.

But it did not let them escape.

Zip!

The white thread that had abducted their comrade earlier whizzed toward them.

And in the blink of an eye, it was upon them.

When the pale blue flash of its face met the eyes of the helmeted bandits, they could not help but exclaim one name.

“…Silk?”

The most famous person currently in all of Gehenna, actually in all of Kiburatos.

With that name etched in their minds—

Their memories faded away.

3.

A few days later,

Gehenna Pioneer Department Detention Chamber.

“Phew, how many days has this been?”

Ako Amou, the senior administrative officer and chief strategist of the Pioneer Department, sighed with anguish.

She then pinched her temples, irritated, and shook her head at the sight before her.

“Ahhh, blue…it was blue…”

“Save me, please! I’ll be good, please save me! I’ll be good, please save me…”

“Never, never make eye contact with Silk…!”

“Please lock me up in the Pioneer Department! I don’t want to meet Silk! Please lock me up in the Pioneer Department!”

The sight of delinquents and criminals of Gehenna, all cowering in fear.

This scene had become a daily occurrence since a few days ago. Whether students that the Pioneer Department hadn’t caught, places too busy to care about, or people too difficult to apprehend—they were all here now.

Someone seeing this for the first time might think the Pioneer Department was doing an excellent job. But everyone here knew better.

Because none of them had actually been apprehended by the Pioneer Department.

“Silk. That person, really! Phew…”

Silk, the hero who had suddenly appeared like a comet in Kiburatos.

Since this individual began appearing in Gehenna, they’ve been meting out justice here just like any other place, dealing with evil.

A few days ago, she captured one of the Pioneer Department’s headaches, the Gourmet Research Club. Now, she roams all over Gehenna, knocking down delinquent students, then throws them into the Pioneer Department.

And she does it all without anyone noticing.

“For heaven’s sake, it’s not like she’s delivering packages or anything.”

Since a few days ago, when Ako Amou would wake up and check the detention room, there would already be delinquents they had not apprehended there.

Was she leaving gifts? Or was she asking them silently to take care of what she’d started?

At first, Ako suspected there might be another motive, but now she just laughs bitterly and shakes her head.

“That doesn’t seem like the kind of person, though…”

The Silk Ako had observed was not someone who acted out of greed or desire for reward.

Even our Leader has said the same, hasn’t she? And since Leader Hinata doesn’t often compliment others, it must be true.

However…

“Really! Please consider our situation while dealing with this!”

Ako Amou could not stand Silk.

With every real-time increase in workload, Ako could only suppress her tears.

The sorrow of the administrator rang out through Gehenna.

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