Hairo closed his eyes and stepped through the portal.
Swish… vwoom…
"?!"
He found himself in an entirely new space disparate from the Sanzu River. Now, he was situated in the center of a highly sophisticated Japanese high-rise commercial building.
"Where are we?" he asked, looking around.
"The JSPI Government Office," said the man who'd attacked him, stepping through the portal behind him. "We're in the real world again. The Sanzu River is just the only way to access HQ."
"How would the Sanzu River be the only way if we're in the real world?"
"Why don't you have a look?"
A firm hand gripped his shoulder, steering him toward one of the floor-to-ceiling windows. Hairo's breath staggered.
"We're…" he gasped.
"Twenty-thousand meters in the sky," the man completed his sentence, casually disregarding the fact that they were in the atmosphere. "It's in the real world, but several ghostly enchantments have been placed on this building. That's why it can float and isn't affected by planes or anything passing through. Only Phantoms can see and interact with this building."
"You're using 'phantom' and 'ghost' a lot," Hairo stepped back from the window. "What do they mean?"
"You'll learn the difference soon enough." The man jerked his chin toward the corridor. "Move."
* * *
Hairo followed behind the man through several corridors. The amount of distance they were walking seemed excessive.
"You're the second agent I've met," Hairo said, breaking the silence. "What's your name?"
The man didn't answer. Instead, he reached into his coat and tossed a badge over his shoulder.
"Kosaka, Shoto…" he read. "Wait– Kosaka? Like Shoyu Kosaka?"
"I see you've met my younger brother…" he sighed. "Twin, actually."
"The JSPI is a family business, then…" he joked.
After a few more moments of silence, Shoto Kosaka held open a door, which Hairo stepped through. Before him, he saw a tan individual with an aura even more imposing than Shoto Kosaka, his back turned against both of them.
"You are automatically assigned to the Field Operations Division of the JSPI because of your heart," Shoto began. "You should get to know the Division Commander before you're inducted."
"This…"
He turned around.
"...is the Field Operations Commander, Isamu Yasuyuki. When you're sworn in, you'll report to him."
Hairo's instincts screamed from the pressure that the commander exuded. Yasuyuki's face was similar to a predator observing its prey. He had piercing golden eyes that threatened to kill Hairo a second time.
Fwip!
Unsure of protocol, Hairo extended his hand. "Pleasure to meet you…"
…
Silence hung between the three of them. Shoto, without hesitation, casually stepped out to attend to other affairs.
"Uh…" Hairo thought to himself with his hand completely out. "Has he never shaken someone's ha—"
Zoom!
At a speed even greater than Shoto Kosaka, Commander Yasuyuki disappeared from view and reappeared right in front of Hairo's face. He firmly gripped Hairo's open hand, almost crushing it from the pressure.
Why was Hairo meeting such brutes today?
"Listen to me, doctor," he spat with derision. "You might have the Ghost Heart, but you're not the Tengoku. Not to me. All you are is a fraud and a murderer who stole Nagatsuki's heart."
In his own shock, Hairo could only stare in disbelief at him before wrenching his hand free, raising his voice in defiance. "I didn't ask for this. If I could give it back, I would. But I won't apologize for trying to save a dying man. Everyone deserves the help. That's the oath I took as a doctor."
Commander Yasuyuki looked down on him with a considerably disgusted expression, before scoffing and turning away. "Fine. You won't last even ten minutes on the field with that mindset."
Hairo looked back at him with just as much disdain. "We'll see how that goes."
The wooden doors in front of them seemed to force themselves open as though they had a mind of their own. Yasuyuki pointed Hairo towards it.
"Just go. It's almost time for the ceremony," he didn't bother to wait for him, walking through the doors on his own. "After this, you'll meet the Grand Master in private and be given your first assignment."
With hesitance, Hairo stepped through. Ceremony? Induction? Grand Master? Right now, his life was moving at a pace quicker than he was comfortable. It was just recently that he was still a doctor for Shizukesa General, and more importantly, he still had his own heart. Now he was 65,000 feet off of the ground, about to be sworn in for a government he barely knew anything about.
Hairo entered what could best be described as the auditorium of a Japanese cabinet office. There were only a few people seated in the various chairs organized on each side of the room, as well as three figures ahead on the stage, standing with their hands behind their backs. Yasuyuki quickly joined them. In the center stood Shoto Kosaka before a rostrum. Next to it, Shoyu Kosaka.
"Shoyu," Hairo called out, relieved to see someone who was even half-polite to him before. "What's all this?"
"This is the induction ceremony," he whispered, but not making eye contact with him. "Only a few agents on call could make it since this was so hastily organized. Stand right there. Don't move."
Shoyu pointed to the center of the stage, just in front of Shoto Kosaka. After a few seconds, Shoto cleared his throat and began to speak.
"Ladies and gentlemen, Hairo Kisaragi."
No one applauded.
After a few seconds of awkward silence, he began again. "And now… the Grand Master of the Japanese Sector of Paranormal Investigation… Yuzuka Tsumasoran."
This time, those seated immediately rose, facing the entrance of the room. The doors opened, revealing the supreme commander of the Japanese Sector of Paranormal Investigation.
"She's…"
Even Hairo, the most modest, humble, and polite human, couldn't take his eyes off her.
"...beautiful."
She had fiery-red, silky hair that reached her ankles. The color of her hair and the features of her attire were so vibrant it looked like it was about to catch fire. Yet despite the intensity that both her appearance and her aura exuded, her face was extremely somber, filled with regret.
Each step she took unsettled Hairo. She moved with such dignity and grace that it seemed unreal, especially when she took his hand and revealed his forearm. She began to speak while her palm hovered over it.
Hairo could tell that she was holding back tears.
"By the power vested in me as the Grand Master…" Turquoise energy surrounded her hand. "I pronounce Hairo Kisaragi as the 1,762nd Field Agent for the Japanese Sector of Paranormal Investigation… and officially… the…"
Her ectoplasm ignited into a fire that burned the skin of his forearm. He winced, holding back the urge to cry out.
"...757th Tengoku."