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

ろくじゅうはち | sixty eight

もののけ | kaiju | monster

68

[A lengthy chapter ahead]

Soshiro

GEN SAT ACROSS FROM ME, the sterile metal table separating us. The coldness of the room matched the detachment in my own heart as I stared at him with an expression as blank as the walls around us. He held a stack of papers in his hand, his brow furrowing deeper with each word he read aloud.

"According to your statement," he began, his voice hesitant as if he didn't want to believe what was written before him, "when another raid happened back at the Third Base..." He paused, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the text, searching for clarity in the madness. "And when you received backup from the Lieutenant herself... when the Kaiju's started getting out of control... there was a sudden surge... a fortitude level of 10.2."

He emphasized the number, as if trying to drill the severity of it into my skull. "And you hid all this, Hoshina. You acted clueless and concealed the fact that the Lieutenant was also a Kaiju." I didn't flinch. My face remained cold, devoid of emotion. It was as if the words meant nothing to me, as if that number, the most dangerous level we had ever recorded, was just another statistic.

Gen let out a heavy sigh, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. He was clearly exhausted, his own weariness etched into the lines of his face. He looked at me with a mix of frustration and disbelief.

"That's correct," I said flatly, my tone betraying no hint of regret or remorse. "She didn't have a choice. She saved me that time..."

Gen's tired gaze met mine, and I could see the conflict in his eyes. "Mushroom head..." he muttered, calling me by that old nickname with a tone that was more resigned than mocking. He set the papers down on the table, his hand reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose in a futile attempt to ward off the headache I was undoubtedly giving him "Do you even hear what you're saying?" he asked, his voice a mix of exasperation and concern as he looked directly at me.

I stared back at him, unblinking, unfeeling. His words were a distant echo, barely registering in the fog of my mind.

"You broke protocol, Soshiro," Gen continued, his voice firm but tinged with something like sorrow. "You know what that means, don't you? By hiding something like this—something of this magnitude—you've not just put yourself at risk, but everyone around you. We're talking about a Kaiju, a force of destruction that has the power to wipe us out if not contained. There are rules, strict ones, for a reason."

He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a grave tone. "The Kaiju Act of 2036 was established to prevent exactly this kind of situation. Any officer who withholds critical information about a Kaiju, especially one that poses a threat at this level, is not just endangering their team—they're committing an act of treason against the Defense Force. You didn't just bend the rules, Soshiro. You shattered them."

The words hung in the air between us, heavy and damning. But I didn't waver. My expression remained impassive, my gaze steady.

"Exactly," I responded, my voice as flat and cold as before. "I hid it all. I broke the rules." I paused, letting the weight of my own confession settle over the room like a shroud. "So punish me. Strip me off my rank. If you're going to lock me up, then lock me up with the Lieutenant." My tone was devoid of emotion, as if the outcome didn't matter to me.