もののけ | monster | soshiro hoshina (Kaiju No. 8) (COMPLETE)

さんじゅういち | thirty one

もののけ | kaiju | monster

31

[A lengthy chapter ahead]

Soshiro

AS I STEPPED INTO THE MAIN BASE, the first sound that greeted me was Gen's grating voice, dripping with disdain. "What the hell are you doing here, mushroom head?" he sneered, his words cutting through the air like a dagger.

I clenched my jaw, already exhausted by the mere sight of him. Really, can I never get away from this guy? His presence was a constant thorn in my side, and today, of all days, I didn't have the patience to deal with his obnoxious antics.

"I'm here on Captain Ashiro's orders," I replied evenly, trying to keep my irritation in check. "I'm her substitute for the meeting." My words were firm. She even advised me to act like a Captain. A smirk tugged at the corners of my lips. This is going to be interesting.

Gen's eyes narrowed, suspicion etched into his features. "You? Acting for the Captain? That's rich."

I took a deep breath, remembering Ashiro's advice to act with authority and confidence. "Yes, me. And you'd do well to remember that while I'm here, my word is as good as hers." I said, my tone firm. Let's see how much more I can push you to your edge this whole week. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have important matters to attend to."

As I walked past, I could feel his eyes boring into me, expecting a salute, a gesture of respect. Did he really think I was going to salute him? Not today, thin brows...

The private chopper had landed me on the rooftop a good thirty minutes ahead of schedule, giving me some time to acclimate. To my dismay, the first person I encountered was Gen, his familiar sneer greeting me as soon as I stepped off the helicopter.

"I'm going inside," I said curtly, avoiding eye contact as I hefted my duffle bag over my shoulder. The sound of footsteps behind me made my irritation flare. I glanced back to see Gen trailing me. "Are you following me?" I asked, my tone sharp.

"You know this event will last for a week," he drawled, ignoring my question. "It's like a vacation but not really, and we get to see the other Division's Captains. Ugh, I hate those guys when they're on my territory. You being here is infuriating enough, but having those geezers join in? I'd rather jump straight into the mouth of a Kaiju." His voice was tinged with boredom as he matched my pace.

"If I knew it was okay to have a substitute, I would've done it in the first place," he muttered, as the automatic glass doors opened for us.

I couldn't help but smirk. "You're surprisingly talkative," I remarked. "Even though you express your resentment towards me, you're talking to me like you're comfortable being around me."

He scoffed. "Don't flatter yourself. It's just that there's no one else here worth my time."

"Ah, so I'm your favorite target by default," I teased. "Reminds me of our school days. You were always tormenting me back then, too."