Tokyo: My Superpower Refreshes Every Week

The sofas, kitchen, bedroom, and other areas—listening devices had previously been installed in any place within Hisamatsu Apartment where conversations could occur.

Now, the CIA personnel had removed all that equipment.

Morimoto Chiyoda stretched languidly, settled onto the sofa, crossed her legs, and remarked, "This feels especially comfortable. This trade was annoying, but at least those pesky listening devices are gone."

Normally, the special task force shouldn't have to deal with various monitoring devices. However, the CIA had forcibly shackled them with surveillance, compelling them to trade benefits for its removal.

This was a classic American tactic: creating leverage out of thin air.

Under normal circumstances, nothing would be amiss, yet the United States would deliberately manufacture trouble and difficulties, then use the resolution of these issues as bargaining chips.

They gain benefits without having to give anything in return.

Some less astute individuals might even thank them for their "generosity."

Morimoto Chiyoda was certainly not one of those less astute people, so she felt no gratitude towards the CIA, only utter disdain.

"Don't complain about that. It's rare for our relations with the CIA to ease. We should speak well of them from now on."

"Alright, alright, I just want to eat right now."

Morimoto Chiyoda leaned forward and took her boxed lunch from Katerina's hands.

It contained four dishes and a soup: stir-fried beef, lamb stir-fried with scallions, mapo tofu, scrambled eggs with Chinese chives, and a bowl of dragon bone soup.

Today's lunch was Chinese cuisine.

In Okubo, one could find many shops run by Chinese and Korean people.

The task force's lunches varied daily, rotating through cuisines from different countries; they rarely stuck to the dishes of any single nation.

Morimoto Chiyoda first sipped some dragon bone soup to moisten her throat, then began to enjoy the rice, meat, chives, and tofu, filling her empty stomach.

She set down her empty lunchbox, let out a contented belch, and then pulled out a tissue to wipe her greasy lips.

Emily swallowed her food and teased, "Do you belch so heartily at home too?"

Morimoto Chiyoda leaned back lazily and said in a leisurely tone, "Of course not. At home, I need to maintain my image and elegance.

Here, I can be more casual.

It's good for the body to occasionally let one's true nature out."

She crossed her legs again. In front of Aozawa, she always felt the need to maintain a good image.

Since she was ten years older than Aozawa, an adult had to act like an adult.

But in front of this group, most of whom were around her age, with some even a decade or more older, she didn't need to put on an act. She didn't have to worry about making noise while eating. After a hearty meal, she could comfortably belch or even twist open a bottle of orange juice and guzzle down most of it.

As for cola, Morimoto Chiyoda disliked its stimulating taste; or rather, any carbonated drink made her feel uncomfortable after just one sip.

Carbonated drinks are the enemy of women.

Among all the women she knew, not a single one enjoyed drinking cola.

Emily, increasingly convinced of her suspicion, asked curiously, "How long have you been 'keeping' Aozawa?"

"Ten years."

"You truly are a frightening woman."

Emily retorted. If she remembered correctly, Morimoto Chiyoda was twenty-six.

Ten years meant she had been raising her future husband since she was sixteen.

Despite Morimoto Chiyoda's considerable beauty, Emily couldn't help but shoot her a disdainful glance.

"You don't understand."

Morimoto Chiyoda shrugged, not explaining her relationship with Aozawa. Initially, she had simply seen the little kid wandering the streets alone, and since she too was alone, she had wanted to add a bit more life to her home.

She raised him as a younger brother, but his feelings changed, which in turn changed her.

It was an unavoidable situation.

"Hurry up and eat. After you're done, we'll discuss Dio. Then, I'm going to take an afternoon nap."

...

Once everyone in the task force had finished eating, Katerina collected the empty lunchboxes from the table.

Contrary to her rugged exterior, in matters of daily life, she possessed a charm that was undeniably feminine.

After tidying up, she poured a cup of black tea for everyone present.

"Thanks, Katerina. I really wish I could always drink the tea you brew."

"Of course, Katerina's tea is the best!" Emily replied, her expression alight with enthusiasm.

Whenever Katerina received compliments on her tea, she would feel a bit shy. Unlike her strength, these feminine skills always made her feel they didn't quite suit her.

"It's not like you brewed it." Morimoto Chiyoda shot her a disdainful glance and took a sip of the tea. The temperature was just right, and the sweetness was perfect.

Even after swallowing, the rich, mellow flavor lingered between her lips and teeth.

Morimoto Chiyoda was no tea connoisseur, but she understood that such skill was truly that of a tea master.

Emily gleefully put down her teacup, picked up a pen, and said, "Now we need to add another Superpower.

One that can blast humans and objects into smithereens. Let's call it 'Explosion.'

People marked by 'Explosion' will have a black chrysanthemum pattern appear on them. From this, I'm inclined to think it requires physical touch."

Morimoto Chiyoda spoke up, "That's not necessarily true. It's possible he can mark them with the black chrysanthemum pattern as long as they're within his line of sight.

Wasn't Ruriko quickly put to sleep by Dio when he appeared?

She also couldn't see if Dio marked Robert and the others with his gaze when he entered."

"Indeed, that's also a possibility. From now on, we should be fully equipped, preferably not revealing any skin.

Considering the surroundings, the explosion likely won't affect targets other than those marked."

Emily paused, then added, "Tentatively, Dio's Superpower refreshes every Monday. If so, Dio is very likely to strike again tonight.

Okayama, get the SAT ready.

Iwaki, your drones and surveillance need to be at full capacity tonight, focusing on monitoring the Yakuza Organization."

Hearing Emily's orders, Miyaji Yosuke couldn't help but ask, "Excuse me, Team Leader Emily, but I have to ask: even if we find Dio, how are we supposed to deal with someone like him?

Pardon my bluntness, but pistols and the like seem inadequate against this person, Dio.

And missiles aren't exactly suitable for use in crowded urban areas."

Emily smiled confidently. "Don't worry, I already know how to capture Dio.

Even the strongest fortress can be easily dismantled if there's trouble from within.

The same applies to Dio.

He may be very strong externally, but it's a different matter if we can get close. If we can get him to drink something laced with a sedative, we can incapacitate him."

Morimoto Chiyoda didn't ridicule the plan; she knew that if Emily dared to propose it, she must be confident.

"Do you have any ideas?"

The task force members all turned their gazes to Emily, making her expression even more smug as she declared, "In times like these, of course, we use a honey trap! There's an old Chinese saying: 'Even heroes have a weakness for the charms of a beautiful woman.'"

As soon as she finished speaking, Morimoto Chiyoda immediately shook her head. "No way. I won't do that kind of thing."

Ito Otome quickly scoffed, "Aren't you a bit overconfident?

If we were to use a honey trap, it wouldn't be your turn.

If I could dissect Dio's body, I'd be willing to make the sacrifice."

"HAHA, with that antiseptic smell you reek of, Dio would have to be out of his mind to fancy an icy, stinky woman like you," Morimoto Chiyoda retorted, her lip curled in a dismissive sneer. "And don't you all forget, Dio has the Superpower to command others."

"Morimoto, if you actively approach him, he'll definitely be suspicious. You need to act as if you're somewhat drawn to him.

If he believes there are mutual feelings, he'll be reluctant to use his Superpower to test your sincerity."

Emily stated confidently, "A job that tests acting and improvisation skills to such an extent should definitely be handled by me personally.

To pursue one's nemesis, gradually come to accept their ideals, and then be willing to work with them.

Isn't that rather romantic?

When Dio starts to trust me, I'll slip a sedative into his drink or water and knock him out.

This plan is great, isn't it?"

Her azure eyes swept over the team members present.

Their expressions were complex.

Morimoto Chiyoda couldn't help but retort, "A nemesis, huh? Does he really consider our task force his nemesis? I feel like he just treats us dismissively."

"Unless Dio is the type to be attracted to children, he won't be interested in you. You're in your twenties but still look like you're in your teens.

Perhaps as a younger sister, that might be somewhat plausible," Ito Otome said, rare for her to side with Morimoto Chiyoda in rejecting Emily's plan.

It wasn't that she wanted to discourage Emily; it was just that Emily's petite figure wasn't suited for a honey trap.

Emily's fists clenched as she listened, and she forced a smile as she said, "Have you two forgotten that I'm the team leader of this task force?

I have the authority to assign your tasks!"

The veiled threat made Morimoto Chiyoda realize that if she didn't change her tune, her days off would likely be scheduled between Monday and Friday, instead of on Saturday or Sunday.

"Team Leader Emily, I think you'd do fine."

Ito Otome also nodded, afraid that this leader might assign the dissection work to someone else.

Emily snorted, hands on her hips. She didn't care if she had to use her authority to achieve her goal.

In any case, the two had backed down.

"Since no one has any objections, it's decided. Otome, figure out what kind of drug can knock Dio out.

Katerina, later contact Sunaga Takashi—he's a student—and have him assemble here at six this evening.

Morimoto, you're in charge of finding some Witches, priests, or similar. Get some Holy Water, god water—whatever you can find—to enchant Sunaga's blade. He needs to be ready for a potential operation tonight to apprehend Dio.

The SAT helicopter is to conduct scheduled patrols over Shinjuku."

Miyaji Yosuke asked, puzzled, "Didn't you say you were going to use a honey trap?"

"Only by going all out can I get Dio's attention. I need to make Dio want to appear before me."

Emily stated her reasoning; she believed that focused people were the most charismatic.

To leverage her own charm, she had to demonstrate to Dio her absolute dedication in pursuing him.

"Tonight, we must see Dio!"