DECEPTION (Female Reader) [SAKAMOTO DAYS]

34: "Planänderung"

(Y/n)'s POV:

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Finally, after all the chaos, Sakamoto managed to defeat Shinaya—though calling him that was just shorthand for Gaku. With the final blow landed and the test officially concluded, it was a relief to see seven participants standing tall, victorious. Sakamoto, Shin, Akira, and the rest of them had passed, proving their grit. The revelation that the legendary Taro Sakamoto himself had taken this test left everyone buzzing, and as expected, Toramaru’s reaction was priceless—utter shock, with a tinge of horror at Sakamoto’s post-retirement appearance. She looked like someone who'd just realized their childhood hero had morphed into a fluffy, out-of-shape family man.

Then came the news: Shinaya wasn’t just some rogue contestant. He’d been planted by Kashima and Kei Uzuki to disrupt the test. They had already embedded spies among the test-takers, but meddling with Shinaya’s skills had been a bold, brazen play. I’d known about it from the start, of course. I had my own objectives, and letting them play out was part of the plan. Yet, with Slur learning of Sakamoto’s return, I had a sneaking suspicion things were about to get even messier.

After the usual round of congratulations, I prepared to leave, but Akira seemed desperate to speak with me. Her eyes betrayed a sense of urgency, mixed with curiosity and, perhaps, hope.

"You were Miss 'Puppet'... I thought you were friends with my aunt, Rion Akao." she said quietly, a slight tremor in her voice. It was clear this was something she'd carried with her for a long time.

Her words hit a nerve. So she didn’t know... not the truth, at least. I took a breath, hesitating. I knew what she was looking for—the reassurance that her aunt was out there, still alive, still fighting. The truth was too dark, too cruel to spring on her in a moment like this.

"Your aunt, Rion is…" I stopped, feeling the weight of my own reluctance. Her expectant eyes, full of hope, stared back at me. "We're friends. She’s very... resilient, fiercely protective of you, Akira..." I said, forcing a smile. "She’s out there, I’m sure. But I haven’t heard from her for a while, either."

Akira’s shoulders relaxed slightly, though there was still pain in her smile, a flicker of sadness she couldn’t fully mask. "I’m glad I got to meet you again, Miss (Y/n). It feels... like things are a bit brighter." she said softly, her smile both grateful and heartbreaking.

"Well, I’m headed to JCC myself." I replied, feigning enthusiasm. "So who knows, we might cross paths soon! Congrats on passing the test, by the way. You’ve earned it."

Akira’s smile grew, as if the weight she carried had lightened, even if just by a fraction. She waved, then turned to say her farewells to Sakamoto. I watched as she and the other successful candidates were ushered to the waiting helicopters, ready for their next step. Toramaru and Mafuyu, boarded together, blissfully unaware of the storm that awaited them.

As they lifted off, I slipped a few steps away from Shin. I didn’t want him catching onto my thoughts. With all the pieces in place, I knew exactly what was coming. Slur had his next targets: Mafuyu and Toramaru. They’d been kidnapped in the aftermath, and it was only a matter of time before I’d have to face him head-on.

Watching the helicopters vanish into the sky, I let out a sigh, exhaustion settling in. "What a damn mess." I muttered to myself, eyes narrowing. "All I wanted was a few leads on the 'Nameless.' Instead, I've had to wade through test sabotage, terrorist politics, and god knows what else."

But as tired as I felt, the thrill still lingered, an unspoken challenge hanging in the air. If Slur wanted to play this game, I was more than ready.

*
I strolled into the dimly lit hideout, practically skipping as I took in the wreckage and bandaged injuries. Slur's group, so confident and bloodthirsty, now licking their wounds after their 'glorious' attempt at wiping out the JAA had turned into a complete disaster. The Order's Takamura had come down on them like a storm, and the aftermath was all over their faces.