Chapter 4: Rescue

— What kind of person is Kitagawa Ryusei?
— A madman.

From the perspective of the Port Mafia, compared to his partner who would go wild during missions, Kitagawa Ryusei was the real mad child.

…Otherwise, what kind of person would place their personal value on saving others?

Initially, these “others” were all the Mafia members around him. Until Kitagawa Ryusei got a fixed partner, this range gradually narrowed as a regular visitor joined the “Tushita Heaven.”

They worked well together, trusting each other.

They didn’t care about the harm they received; their only goal was to complete the mission. That partner entrusted his life to Kitagawa Ryusei without any hesitation.

It wasn’t that no one noticed the downside, but it was too difficult to change the two of them in a short time.

By the time the problem was discovered, Kitagawa Ryusei had already firmly tied the other’s life to his own.

He deeply wedged himself into the position of a “savior,” carving it into his bones.

“Tushita Heaven” was no longer just Kitagawa Ryusei’s trump card for reckless battles; it became a tool for trading life with self-harm.

Without injury, he could save people, making the dying seniors, subordinates, friends, and partners lively again in the next second. In Kitagawa Ryusei’s eyes, there was no more worthwhile trade.

This was the most correct thing to do.

Because he was the “Immortal Myth.”

Until Kitagawa Ryusei failed for the first and only time.

Two explosions, overwhelming flames, fire, and thick smoke devoured everything.

The partner who was laughing arrogantly just a moment ago, promising to guide him in martial arts when they returned, was torn apart before his eyes.

It was Kitagawa Ryusei who didn’t hold on until the end, who didn’t trigger his ability at the most appropriate moment.

It was his existence that made that guy no longer cherish his life.

It was his complacency, forgetting that the “Immortal Myth” was not a legend for two people, but a curse that one couldn’t escape…

He no longer had a partner…

Kitagawa Ryusei began to step forward, picking up all the tasks that person was responsible for, gradually understanding all the work the Mafia members had to do.

He replaced that person and became a quasi-cadre.

But gradually, Kitagawa Ryusei felt an omnipresent panic and confusion, and he began to indulge in the momentary tranquility of “Tushita Heaven.”

It was like a corner of mercy divided from the “Thirty-Three Heavens,” giving him a place to stay.

Only the ancient bell sound there could briefly free him from the aftermath of the explosion.

Many people around him were trying to help him.

— “How you use your ability is your freedom, but Ryusei-chan, how long has it been since you went out for a walk?”

The elder sister who almost raised him looked at him with worry.

— “If you continue like this, you will lose the accurate perception of time. No matter how long you stay in the ability space, in reality, it’s just a blink of an eye. Over time, you will get lost in the mysterious time.”

Mori-san, who was reappointed as the leader of the Port Mafia after being ousted by Dazai-san, showed no expression.

— “Why place your value on one person? Kitagawa-kun, you’ve been saving many people, even without using your ability.”

Oda Sakunosuke-san, who was secretly brought over by Dazai-san and had already defected from the Port Mafia, spoke with a tone full of persuasion…

Familiar figures and indelible flames filled every corner of Kitagawa Ryusei’s mind, gradually making the air in “Tushita Heaven” thin.

He could only reach out and tightly grasp the fabric at his chest, gasping for air like a fish out of water, drawing in the surrounding oxygen.

Until the bell sound in his ears came closer, accompanied by a resonance that made his soul tremble, once again bringing a handful of clear water to this struggling fish.

Once again, he indulged in it.

The golden curtain of light around him grew brighter, seemingly possessing endless vitality. Kitagawa Ryusei leaned back, wooden like a delicate puppet, with only his eyelashes gently fluttering.

Finally, he lowered his head to look at his palm, unable to help but mutter, “…If you could save him… save yourself.”

[If… I could have the chance to save them.]

A second voice sounded in his ear, mixed in the long bell sound, as if praying to the “Thirty-Three Heavens.”

Kitagawa Ryusei raised his head in a daze, looking in the direction the voice came from.

In a trance, he saw pink petals passing through the light curtain and drifting in.

Breaking into this realm where there was no second life besides himself.

And in another world he couldn’t see, in the equally silent cemetery.

Someone, covered in smoke and blood, sat leaning against a tombstone. Just like he leaned against the “Thirty-Three Heavens.”

The cherry blossoms of April fell with the wind, resting in that person’s palm.

Five petals, tender and spread out, so fragile that a gust of wind could blow them away.

Kitagawa Ryusei’s heart stirred slightly, allowing the broken petals to fall and gather in his palm, asking as if questioning himself, “…What are you willing to give for this?”

[…Time, life, everything of mine.]

*

“Because she was rescued in time, the little girl was only frightened and had symptoms of tinnitus, but she wasn’t burned. We’re really grateful!”

“We will inform your instructors about this!”

Most of the people gathered in the hospital corridor dispersed, leaving only the two families involved in the car accident and Kitagawa Ryusei and his group in the consultation room.

Hearing that the other party was fine, Kitagawa Ryusei immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

Although he thought it was no big deal, after saving the person, Kitagawa Ryusei looked pale and dazed, as if he had been hit by something. His right arm and leg were scraped and looked terrifying, so he was dragged onto the ambulance by five police academy students as if facing a great enemy.

The five of them surrounded him in a circle, drawing curious glances from the people around them towards Kitagawa Ryusei.

“Remember to change the dressing on time, try not to let the wound get wet to prevent infection.”

The nurse patiently instructed before leaving, leaving Kitagawa Ryusei and the five people in front of him staring at each other.

Kitagawa Ryusei didn’t know where the conversation should go, so he remained silent.

The first to break the silence was Hagiwara Kenji: “That was too dangerous, little Ryusei, how could you rush over without any protection?”

Matsuda Jinpei stood beside him, arms crossed, nodding.

Both of them were tall, and now they were standing, completely overshadowing Kitagawa Ryusei, who was sitting in a chair, giving him an inexplicable sense of pressure.

In a situation of strong enemy and weak self, he tried to explain: “Uh… maybe because I knew I wouldn’t get hurt?”

Before he could finish speaking, Morofushi Hiromitsu, who had been silent, raised an eyebrow and looked over, his blue cat-like eyes devoid of emotion: “Is this what you call not getting hurt?”

His gaze fell on Kitagawa Ryusei’s bandaged right arm, and the long leg under his pants didn’t escape either.

Compared to the explosion injuries that could trigger “Tushita Heaven,” these were indeed nothing. But Kitagawa Ryusei didn’t dare to say that, skillfully blinking his eyes to plead, trying to look as innocent as possible.

Morofushi Hiromitsu didn’t expect this move, and after a moment of being stunned, he could only helplessly look away.

At this moment, the elevator door at the end of the corridor opened, and Furuya Rei and Date Wataru, having dealt with the medical expenses and other follow-up issues, walked out of the elevator.

Furuya Rei was carrying a bag of medicine and medical bandages, looking down and asking, “Can you still walk on your own?”

“Of course I can!” Kitagawa Ryusei stood up as if nothing had happened, feeling that the pain in his right leg was completely negligible.

Then he was simultaneously restrained by several hands.

Matsuda Jinpei’s eyebrows twitched, and he said irritably, “Why are you moving so much? Just sit still!”

“Yes, little Ryusei, although it looks fine, the doctor said being so close to the explosion is still very dangerous.” Hagiwara Kenji followed up: “Tinnitus? Tinnitus is normal!”

“Although little Ryusei’s bravery is commendable, facing the explosion directly still gives us a headache…”

The five of them nodded in agreement.

Heaven knows how much cold sweat Furuya Rei broke out in when he was pulled back and saw Kitagawa Ryusei rushing forward.

Some dangerous actions don’t seem like much when you try them yourself, but watching someone else not care about their life, Furuya Rei felt a surge of inexplicable anger and fear.

…If Kitagawa Ryusei wasn’t so lucky, would he have had an accident right in front of him? Furuya Rei pondered on the way:

The first to save people should have been him…

And not the seemingly weaker Kitagawa Ryusei.

Behind him, Date Wataru noticed his silence and patted Furuya Rei on the shoulder with a big hand.

The class leader, who always wore a broad and cheerful smile, looked a bit serious for the first time, saying in a deep voice, “If you don’t become stronger than anyone else, you can’t uphold justice!”①

“Undeniably, luck and confidence are also a kind of strength,” Date Wataru said halfway, then smiled again, showing a row of white teeth: “Kitagawa-kun did it.”

Hearing this, Furuya Rei turned his head, his gray-purple eyes looking at Kitagawa Ryusei, who was surrounded by his peers, looking conflicted as if he wanted to find a chance to slip away. Then he looked at his own hands again, his gaze more determined than a second ago.

“I understand, class leader.”

He smiled: “Kitagawa-kun is indeed amazing.”

On the other side, Kitagawa Ryusei seemed to sense something and looked over at the two of them. The moment he met Furuya Rei’s eyes, he was momentarily stunned.

His light brown eyes reflected the entire person in front of him, and Kitagawa Ryusei tried to press his lips into a smile.

This was his first genuine smile since coming here.

“Tushita Heaven” heard your wish, Furuya-kun…

*

By the time everything was over, dusk was almost upon them, and in the end, Kitagawa Ryusei returned to school on crutches.

— Not using a wheelchair was his final insistence.

“Actually, I can hop back…” Kitagawa Ryusei suggested quietly.

Along the way, anyone who saw them would take a second look at him. Kitagawa Ryusei had to use both arms to support himself on crutches, leaving no third hand to cover his face.

“No way, little Ryusei,” Hagiwara Kenji rubbed his chin thoughtfully: “Do you want me and little Jinpei to hold you up, one on each side, and walk you back?”

Kitagawa Ryusei shook his head frantically, even his hair strands resisting: “That would be even more embarrassing!”

“Rather than being embarrassed, you should think about how to explain this!”

At the office door, Onizuka Hachizo, who had received the news early, stood like a wall, his eyebrows raised above his wide eyes: “You went out of school once and came back injured!”

“Each of you is more capable than the last!”

Everyone instantly fell silent, and the students and instructors who had been peeking and watching quickly withdrew and disappeared.

In the center of the storm, Kitagawa Ryusei shivered, like a cat whose neck fur had been pinched.

“You guys, get in here!!”

The tinnitus seems to be getting worse… Kitagawa Ryusei thought.