In the Ordinary Streets of Tokyo, I Awakened as a Player

Chapter 301: The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department’s Response

Chapter 301: The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department’s Response

In the tarot, The Lovers did not represent only love. It also symbolized choice and harmony.

After Yuuki Asuna bravely made the choice to tell her parents about the game and her status as a Player, she finally completed her own renewal, just as Iwanaga Kotoko had once done when she unlocked The Magician.

And Asagiri, who shared a deep bond with Yuuki Asuna and had helped her complete that important process, unlocked a new Persona slot through the power of that bond.

The Magician, Iwanaga Kotoko.

The Hierophant, Ashikaga Miwa.

The Lovers, Yuuki Asuna.

At this stage, Asagiri possessed a total of six Persona slots. Four of them were occupied by Human Asura, Alice, Mita, and Hoder Franklin, leaving two slots empty.

"The Lovers tarot card, huh..."

Seeing the ethereal tarot card merge into Asagiri’s palm, Yuuki Asuna froze for a moment. Then joy appeared on her face, and her lips curved into a soft smile.

"I finally... grew a little. I was finally able to help you."

Yuuki Asuna had actually been troubled by something for a long time.

Whether it was entering the game, becoming teammates, or forming a party to enter Dungeons, she had clearly been the first one.

So why?

Why had Asagiri first obtained The Magician, representing Iwanaga Kotoko, and then The Hierophant, representing Ashikaga Miwa?

What about her?

What about Yuuki Asuna?

She was clearly the first. She had spent the most time with Asagiri, yet she had never been able to provide him with a new Persona slot.

Although Yuuki Asuna usually seemed generous and composed, she was still a young girl. When it came to Asagiri, her thoughts naturally became delicate and sensitive.

She had even worried that perhaps she was not qualified to be Asagiri’s teammate at all. Perhaps she had failed to form a true bond with him, and that was why he had never unlocked a new Persona slot through her.

Until now.

Only now did Yuuki Asuna finally feel at ease.

"Utsunomiya-san..."

Yuki Kyoko looked at Utsunomiya Asagiri with a complicated expression and slowly asked,

"What exactly are you thinking?"

"What am I thinking?"

Asagiri put on a thoughtful expression, as if he were mobilizing his astonishing wisdom. After a while, he finally smiled and said,

"According to the design logic of most games, some world-ending disaster will definitely appear near the end, right? Only by becoming stronger can we save the world. Something like that."

Worry appeared on Yuki Kyoko’s face when she heard this.

"Saving the world, but... but you’re still only high school students."

"That’s exactly why it has to be high school students saving the world."

Asagiri first replied with a smile. Then he looked at Yuki Kyoko and Yuuki Shozo, adding casually,

"By the way, Asuna missed one point earlier. We are not just Players. We are also..."

"We are the strongest Players."

...

That evening, inside a conference room at the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department headquarters.

"Report the casualties."

Hearing the Superintendent General’s order, a middle-aged man sitting at the table took a deep breath. He looked around at his colleagues, his expression heavy, then began his report.

"I’ll keep this brief. Otherworldly Players appeared in four locations: Saitama, Kanagawa, Chiba, and Yamanashi. As soon as we received the information, we dispatched mobile units from various regions to attempt apprehension. The final result was... heavy casualties."

"The mobile units suffered two hundred fifty-seven light injuries, two hundred twenty-four severe injuries, and one hundred fifty-eight deaths. Targets successfully killed: two. Targets successfully captured: zero."

Hearing the report, the high-ranking officials of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department present could not help showing expressions of disbelief.

The casualty ratio was far too exaggerated.

One hundred fifty-eight elite mobile unit officers killed, yet the final result was only two targets eliminated?

Sensing the shock among the officials present, the middle-aged man let out a heavy sigh and explained,

"That’s right. This is the reality before us. Even the two targets we successfully killed were already in poor condition before engagement. The mobile units only managed to eliminate them by using overwhelming firepower to gradually wear them down."

"At this stage, Players’ physical abilities have already exceeded human limits. Their movement speed and reflexes are too powerful. Our mobile unit officers are ordinary people. Even with firearms, it is difficult for them to land decisive shots."

"Furthermore, Players possess powers beyond our imagination. Controlling elemental magic such as fire, ice, and lightning is one thing, but the real problem is that some Players seem capable of attacking the mind or controlling spiritual entities. Our mobile unit officers have no means of defending against that kind of attack, even when equipped with heavy combat gear."

Hearing this, one high-ranking official of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department showed a confused expression and asked,

"Then how should we respond?"

The middle-aged man’s expression became even heavier. Then he said something that made every official present feel a chill.

"We cannot respond. As the game progresses, the gap in power between ordinary people and Players will only grow wider. Only Players can fight Players."

"The facts have already proven this. Our mobile units only eliminated two Players from another world. The other thirty-two targets died suddenly. When our people arrived at the scenes, their phones had already been taken. This must have been done by Players from our world."

"I see..."

While everyone remained silent, the Superintendent General, sitting at the head of the table, spoke thoughtfully.

"Saitama, Kanagawa, Chiba, Yamanashi... The targets of these otherworldly Players all seem to have been Tokyo. By the way, what were the casualties in Tokyo?"

"No casualties."

"Oh, I see."

The Superintendent General nodded without much visible reaction, then said in a deep voice,

"The early evacuation of Tokyo Station and that so-called anti-terrorism drill were both coordinated in advance by Ms. Ashikaga Miwa. It seems she has very powerful Players on her side. They managed to clean up all the otherworldly Players in Tokyo without needing assistance from us, and without causing any impact on civilians. That is truly astonishing."

"Should we send someone to inquire?"

"Use your brain. Don’t ask such foolish questions."

Hearing the hesitant question from one of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department officials, the Superintendent General frowned and rejected the idea immediately.

"Didn’t you understand? Ashikaga Miwa could have chosen not to contact us beforehand. If she had done that, no one would have been able to connect this incident to her. But she still contacted us. That means she herself, and the Players on her side, do not want the fighting to affect innocent civilians in Tokyo."

"What would be the point of sending someone to inquire? Do you want the Players on Ashikaga Miwa’s side to work for the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department? Don’t be naive. Doing that would only create conflict."

"Were you not listening carefully just now? Even the mobile units cannot handle current stage Players, especially the Players on Ashikaga Miwa’s side, who are definitely much stronger than those otherworldly Players. If we anger them, what then? Use missiles in a densely populated city? Mobilize heavy mechanized units into urban areas? That is absolutely impossible."

After saying this, the Superintendent General paused, then slowly continued.

"On the contrary, if Ashikaga Miwa makes requests in the future, such as evacuating people from a certain area, we must immediately cooperate and avoid interfering with any of her actions. The Players on her side also live in this world. Openly opposing official agencies brings them no benefit. So, maintain the current situation."

"As for the Players within our own ranks... forget it. That is not something we are qualified to decide."

The Superintendent General held the highest position within the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, allowing him immediate access to information related to the game.

However, matters such as who should receive the phones of the two eliminated otherworldly Players, or which two individuals should register as Players, were not something a mere Superintendent General was qualified to decide.

High-ranking officials, ministers, and councilors would undoubtedly want their capable subordinates, or even themselves, to become Players.

In such matters, the Superintendent General had no say.

...

That evening, inside a coffee shop in Shibuya.

"It’s delicious. This is something I could never eat in my world..."

Seeing Kind Mita eating cake in small bites with refined, proper movements while deliberately commenting in a mature tone, Asagiri, who sat opposite her, smiled and teased,

"Speaking of which, don’t you feel it yourself? Your way of speaking is like a girl in her prime deliberately trying to act mature, pretending to be an old aunt who has experienced the hardships of life. Although it’s cute in its own way, don’t you find it awkward?"

"What old aunt..."

Hearing Asagiri describe her like that, Kind Mita grew a little angry. Then, with a hint of helplessness, she sighed.

"Maybe it really is like that, but I can’t help it. Think about it. Most Mitas are like Hat. Their personalities are too innocent and naive. If I don’t act a little more mature, how can I lead them?"

"There’s no danger in the Mita World now, so..."

Asagiri rested one hand against the side of his face, looked at Kind Mita sitting opposite him, and smiled.

"You can relax now. There’s no need to stay cautious all the time."

"Relax?"

Kind Mita picked up a piece of soft cake with her fork and placed it between her lips.

Seeing Asagiri looking directly at her, a blush involuntarily appeared on her face, and she whispered,

"Then... then I’ll try my best."

After saying this, Kind Mita suddenly raised her head and looked at Asagiri. With her face flushed red, she spoke honestly.

"Then... can we sleep together tonight?"

.....

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