Suribachi's vagabond (english vers)

Chapter 0.1 : That one night.

(Hello :). Happy to see you for this prologue... it's just a little flashback in the past... I'll probably come back to it in the future to gradually clarify the mysterious past of our main character. Enjoy the read :D)

Yokohama, northern districts, 4 years before our story.

That night, one of the northern districts on the outskirts of Yokohama, usually peaceful and home to many families, was in shock... Under the light of the full moon, much brighter than the artificial lights, another light suddenly appeared... a large fire, the result of a sudden explosion... The fire raged fiercely in one of the houses in the neighborhood, in front of which many police cars and a fire truck were parked, their sirens adding to the heavy atmosphere and the numerous blinding lights present that night.
This house belonged to a small family, rather well-liked in the neighborhood... a couple and their only 11-year-old daughter lived here. The child, though not very sociable and talkative, was known for her intelligence; several of her teachers were amazed by her abilities, even going so far as to be impressed... She rarely left her home, spending most of her time with her mother, whom she cherished more than anything. However, despite the peaceful appearance of the small family, it was not uncommon for their closest neighbors to hear screams coming from inside the house... the most perceptive among them quickly guessed the violent nature of the father, who took every precaution to avoid this aspect from being discovered by the outside world. However, no one ever intervened, not wanting to meddle in other people's affairs.
After some time, the fire was eventually extinguished... and unfortunately, only lifeless bodies were found in the rubble. The first had more than strange, even terrifying, marks... it was the father's, who at first glance, had not succumbed to the fire as the police teams had imagined, but to a frightening process, in which he seemed to have undergone a violent explosion inside his body. The second body found was that of the mother... she did not have the marks found on her partner, but seemed to have been killed with knives. This fire was therefore not accidental, but an attempt to conceal evidence...
Despite all the questions that arose in the minds of the investigators, only one was of paramount importance for the moment... Where is the body of the couple's daughter? Is she even still alive? It was necessary to act quickly... finding her was now of paramount importance. However... with the Yokohama police being what it is, the investigators soon found themselves without the slightest clue before the macabre scene before their eyes...

It was at this moment that the long sigh of a young man, whose tone indicated evident boredom, could be heard from inside the house as he walked in that direction, accompanied by the sound of footsteps of a second person...
"Tell me, Mr. Fukuzawa... Do you think these incompetent police officers seriously believe that a detective of my caliber has nothing better to do with his time? Cases as simple as these should be put in children's puzzle books... What do we gain from solving such simple cases anyway? There's no satisfaction..."
The man accompanying the young detective, at the time the sole employee of the Armed Detective Agency, was none other than his boss, Yukichi Fukuzawa, who somehow managed to endure the arrogance that young Ranpo displayed...
"Well... We've only been granted permission to open the Agency recently... take it as a way to increase our reputation."
Ranpo didn't seem too convinced by such an argument; for him, his reputation had long been certain and obvious to all... well, solving one more case wouldn't kill him.
As the two agency members entered the charred ruins of what remained of the house, they were immediately greeted and briefed by one of the officers on the situation... Ranpo didn't listen for long before feeling a slight annoyance at how bewildered this police officer seemed by the case before his eyes. He interrupted the officer's speech, raising his right hand while his left hand slipped into his pocket to take out his glasses.
"We've had enough talk... There's a child to find, isn't there? So no time to waste."
With these words, the young detective theatrically put on his glasses, under the doubtful gaze of the officers and the serious look of Fukuzawa.
The boy's expression seemed to darken and become more serious as clues and solutions appeared to him...
"I see..."
He said in a low voice, almost a whisper...
He then turned his back on the crime scene to face the officers again, who were waiting.
"Firstly... the marks you observed on the father's body are nothing more than the effects of an ability..."
The officers' eyes widened slightly at this announcement... Although the phenomenon of paranormal abilities had reached them, few of them had ever witnessed the manifestation of an ability capable of causing such violent damage. While the officers became more worried about the possibility of a criminal possessing such abilities in the city, Fukuzawa kept a cool head before addressing Ranpo.
"And who possesses such ability?"
Ranpo's serious demeanor did not leave his face as he answered this question.
"The daughter."
A heavy silence lasted for long seconds in the charred room, illuminated by the police officers' flashlights and the moonlight shining through the remnants of windows, until one of the officers began to speak...
"So... you mean all this is the work of a-"
Ranpo immediately cut him off in his sentence.
"No... call it self-defense."
Fukuzawa, curious to know more, then retorted. "Self-defense?"
Ranpo nodded.
"Yes... If you recall, the neighborhood reported that screams were often heard coming from here and because of what was heard, some came to the conclusion that domestic violence might be occurring. In addition to that, we can see that the ability in question was only used on the father."
Fukuzawa's expression became slightly horrified as he began to understand what had happened...
"You mean that..."
Ranpo nodded once again. "Yes... the mother was killed by her partner... and witnessing this scene was traumatic enough for the child's ability to trigger itself, as a simple defense mechanism... and eliminate the father in a gruesome manner."
Fukuzawa hurriedly questioned Ranpo. "Where is she? Did she run away out of fear? And how was the fire started?"
Ranpo's expression saddened as he replied in a low voice... "Someone else came here after the two murders. The girl ran away before that happened... that's why the fire was started... to leave no trace of where she could have gone..."

"... to have every chance of finding her before anyone else does."