~????~
Shiki was seen in a hospital bed as the curtains to his room were pulled back. The moment the sun began to shine, the boy slowly began to open his eyes. The moment he did, the first thing he saw was the hospital room covered in the lines of death.

"That's right......my glasses were destroyed during that fight."

He didn't like this sight at all. Seeing the Lines of Death everywhere made Shiki feel uneasy. This sight was always horrifying to see because it always reminded him how fragile everything is. Just as Shiki was about to get out of the hospital bed, he heard someone knocking on the door to his room.

"Come in."

"Thanks for the permission, my adorable kouhai."

The moment the door opened, it revealed Megumi wearing an orange jacket with a dark mauve crop top that leaves her belly button exposed, a white skirt with a belt the same color as the shirt, knee-length brown boots, and a necklace with a cross on it. The moment Shiki saw this, he silently thought to himself.

"Is she trying to console me or arouse me?"

"What's wrong? You haven't fallen in love me with so soon, have you? I never knew you liked older women~."

"So soon? I never knew you were into younger guys, oh reliable Senpai", Shiki retorted with a smirk on his face. Megumi chuckled at his response as she hands him a case with his name on it. Seeing Shiki look at the object questioningly, Megumi decided to fill the boy in.

"Since your Mystic Eye Killers were destroyed during our mission, Ochita-san paid good money for another pair to be made just for you. After all, it must be hard trying to move about without destroying anything, right?"

The moment she opened the case, Megumi revealed a black pair of glasses. Megumi picked up the glasses and carefully placed them onto Shiki's face. The moment this happened, the lines of death were no longer in Shiki's sight.

"Thank you. Megumi-senpai, I have a question."

"Sure, what is it?"

"Do you remember what happened after Merkava was killed?"

Ever since the mission was complete, Shiki found it strange he couldn't remember anything that happened after Merkava was killed. To be honest, Megumi could see why he has questions. Soon the girl merely shook her head in response.

"Hate to break it to you, but even I barely remember anything. However.... Shiki."

"Yes?"

"...........nevermind. I'll tell you another time. But do remember our true mission, now that the monster situation has been resolved. We are to find the 7 S-Ranked Cursed Treasures. Now that you have a taste of what some of our missions are like, do you still feel like following the church?"

"For a girl that loves being called a Senpai, you really want your only Kouhai to leave", Shiki said jokingly. "I've made up my mind and i'll see it through. I'm not doing this for you or the church, I'm doing it to keep my life normal and the people in it safe. Simple as that."

"I see. Heh, very well then. You've been in here for a few days, but you should be discharged soon. Get some rest while you can, because we got a lot of work to do, my precious kouhai."

Having said this, Megumi bowed her head towards Shiki and exits the hospital room. While she did this, she began to think about what she wanted to tell Shiki, but couldn't reveal it due to what effect it might have.

"During that fight with that curse, one of those humanoid creatures wore an expensive watch. When I told Ochita-san this, he investigated it and revealed that those creatures were actually human but their bodies were disfigured. To think I let the bastard most likely responsible escape....but if that's the case, how come I wasn't transfigured when he fought me?"

Megumi was debating internally on if she made the right call on not telling Shiki this. He didn't seem to have any trouble fighting the supernatural, but Megumi didn't know how the boy would take learning the truth that some of the monsters he killed that night were actually human.

"First the S-Ranked Cursed Treasure was stolen at the Tokyo Branch, then a curse and a monster appears in Sendai. Not to mention that some ghouls appeared the night after I met Shiki. Are they connected? Just what is going on?"

~????~
"So you're saying someone came to the Tokyo Branch of the Church while I was on a mission and stole Asuramaru, Ochita-san?"

A young lady was seen standing alone in the middle of woods as she was on her phone after receiving a call from Ochita. The girl had long black hair that was tied in a waist-long low ponytail. She wore a white buttoned down shirt and a black tie, black pants, and a black blazer.

"Yes. While this happened, a monster that our new recruit and Megumi-kun called Merkava has been eating people here in Sendai. Thankfully, a few days ago, the new recruit managed to exterminate the beast."

"Merkava........"

The moment she heard this name, the young woman silently clenched her fists. After taking a moment to calm herself down, she simply resumed the conversation.

"So what is the plan, Ochita-san?"

"After our new recruit has fully recovered, both himself and Megumi-kun will be heading over to Tokyo in order to help with your investigation of who stole the Cursed Treasure. If need be, they will even help with exterminating any other beasts that may be lurking around."

"I see. I'll make sure to let the others of the Tokyo Branch know."

"Thank you, we're in your care, Olivia von Degurechaff."

After hanging up her phone, Olivia looked to the sky. A deep sigh escaped from her lips the moment she learned of the death of Merkava. Tears were seen falling from her brown eyes as she realized what this meant.

"I'm sorry, Father. I joined the church in hopes of finding a way to turn you back into a human.....but, I should've been prepared for this scenario."

As Olivia was crying to herself, a ghoul was seen walking towards her as her back was turned. The moment the ghoul lunged at Olivia, it bit into her right shoulder. However, the moment it did this, it realized something wasn't right.

Her skins wasn't torn, not even a drop of blood was seen even though his fangs was touching her skin. The moment it got a closer look, it saw that Olivia's shoulder had a faint blue pattern tracing the veins beneath the surface of her skin.

"Did you really think you can catch me off guard? Sorry, but you weren't worth the extra steps, so letting you come to me was better."

As Olivia said this, she used her right hand to hold onto the monster's skull. With a smile on her face, she pointed her left index finger at the monster's head as she began to let mana escape from it. Soon a light blue colored bow made of mana, that was the size of a handgun, was now in her left hand.

"I got you~."

The moment she said this, the monster's head suddenly exploded as an arrow made of Olivia's mana went right through it. As this happened, Olivia dusts off her shoulder as she was beginning to think to herself.

"Not many people can even enter the Tokyo Branch without permission or without being high in rank. I would've been notified if someone needed permission to come, so that leaves one option. Either one of the main families or someone high up in the organization. One of them is a Judas among us."

~In the Hospital~
As Shiki was drinking a glass of water, he was trying to gather his thoughts together. That was his first mission and he eliminated the target, but that target had an ally that got away.

"Get it together, Shiki. Your main objective now is just like Megumi said. Gather the rest of the S-Ranked Cursed Treasures. If I see that creature in the future, i'll deal with him then."

"I agree. It's so nice to have a subordinate that is trying to focus on their priority. Not to mention you did such a great job on your first mission, it's like you were made for this type of work."

Shiki looked in the direction where he heard the unfamiliar voice. Standing before him was a single individual wearing a black suit and tie. Their long, black hair reaching the back of their knees as their blue eyes were directed at Shiki while a smile was plastered on their face.

"It's nice to meet you. You don't mind if I have a little chat with you, right? My adorable little killer."