Chapter 26: Silver Soul (Cosmic Arc)

"Okakura, there are so many people today—I’m sorry you had to work overtime until this late hour."
"It’s fine. It’s not too late yet; there should still be buses running. Tetana, aren’t you going back to the apartment tonight?"
"Ah, I have things to do tonight, so I won’t be returning. Be careful going back alone—should I ask Kodo to escort you?"
"No need, I can manage by myself."

The Bone Society was bustling tonight, and Okakura Take worked until late. After bidding Tetana farewell, she walked home alone. The dim streetlights stretched her shadow long and thin, and under their glow, Okakura wore a troubled expression.

Lately, she’d been plagued by a small worry: she noticed Kodo looking at her with strange eyes. More than once, she’d caught him silently standing behind her, and when she turned around, he’d pretend nothing had happened.

Okakura had no idea how to deal with such awkward people. She thought ignoring him was best, but Kodo kept appearing nearby, which she found extremely troublesome.

As Okakura sighed and trudged along, she sensed someone following her. Instantly alert, she quickened her pace; the footsteps behind her sped up as well.

Was it Kodo? She listened more closely—there was more than one person. Several, in fact. That meant it wasn’t him.

If it wasn’t Kodo, it was even more dangerous. Okakura’s pace grew faster, and as she prepared to make a run for it, a group of men rushed out from behind and surrounded her.

"Young lady, you won’t get away," said a Crota star native wearing a black mask. Okakura counted—there were six masked figures.

"So you’re the group behind the recent kidnappings of women?" Okakura spoke as she tried to retreat, but found herself completely encircled.

"That’s right. But you won't be able to worry about anything now," the leader waved his hand. One man lunged at Okakura, knocking her to the ground.

After she was knocked down, a burly man lifted Okakura onto his shoulder and even slapped her bottom. "This catch is high quality!"

"I’ve been following this girl online for a while. She looks so good—she’ll surely be the star of the club."

"She’s prettier than most celebrities. She’ll attract loads of big clients. Let’s see if the Black Scourge Gang can still compete with us. Ha ha ha."

Was Okakura really subdued so easily? No. She was feigning. Upon realizing these were the men who had trafficked Coco and Nini, she decided to let herself be captured, hoping to see where they would take her. She simply couldn’t let go of those two girls.

But enduring their crude behavior nearly broke her resolve. Their mouths spat filth, and their hands were constantly groping her—if not slapping her bottom, then pinching her chest. Okakura held back, suppressing the urge to kick them all across the street.

After a short walk, the group stopped. Okakura squinted her eyes open and saw a small truck ahead. The burly man tossed her into the cargo hold, where she saw two other girls. Two men climbed into the back, closed the doors, and the truck started moving.

In the darkness, Okakura lay still on the floor, pretending to be unconscious, but her ears were sharply tuned to the sounds around her.

Click. The two guards lit cigarettes with their lighters, smoke wafting toward Okakura, so pungent it made her want to cough. She swallowed hard and endured.

After a few drags, the men began chatting.

"Didn’t the boss say to stop this last time? Why are we out snatching people again?"
"The women we grabbed last time—some were killed by the Spring Rain gang. Damn it, and then we had to apologize to those guys. So the boss wants us to catch some pretty women again. You know, the quality of women in Black Street gets worse every generation, so we have to search outside."
"Killed again by Spring Rain? How many women have they ruined for us now!"
"What can we do? They’ve been pushing us around for ages. If we don’t deliver women, and they turn to the Black Scourge Gang's club, we’ll be the ones suffering."
"True. And lately, the reincarnation girls Spring Rain sells us are getting worse and worse—even though they’re grown on our land."

"No choice. We’re not even shrimps compared to them, can’t compete with their power."
"Hey, have you heard the news?"
"What news?"

Their voices dropped, but Okakura could still hear.

"Spring Rain’s Seventh Squad has a new leader."
"Is it Abuto?"
"No, it’s Phoenix’s apprentice—a kid, apparently."
"Really? Night King actually gave that position to a kid? Old age must make you dote on your juniors."
"This area’s always been managed by the Seventh and Twelfth Squads. Now that the Seventh has a new boss, it might affect us."
"The Night Rabbit crew—they’re terrifying. Last time I saw two Night Rabbits fight, their moves were so fast my eyes couldn’t keep up."

Their conversation wandered from Night Rabbits to rabbit meat to women, growing more and more vapid, and Okakura heard nothing useful, growing a bit disappointed.

Just as boredom threatened to lull Okakura asleep, the truck stopped. She and the other two girls were carried out.

She peeked open her eyes and saw a street dazzling with colored lights. The buildings were all unique and lavish, and the street was crowded with all sorts of celestial beings, but mostly beautiful women. These women stood flaunting their ample chests and pale thighs, entwined with men in scenes of debauchery and lust. This was Black Street—one of Crota star’s lawless zones.

Here, there was evil, ugliness, beauty, drugs, guns, gangs, and Spring Rain.

Before Okakura could take it all in, she was hauled into an alley. The men led the three women through a hidden back door.

It was a palace-like building. Okakura was carried through winding corridors, finally stopping in a luxurious chamber.

At the center sat a Crota star man—one whose looks would be striking even by Earth standards.

His long, blue curls shimmered in the light, sleek and shiny. Most captivating was his handsome face; Okakura thought it rivaled Governor Takasugi’s.

He lounged on a leather sofa, looking lazy, a cigarette in one hand, his head propped up by the other.

"Boss, these are the women we just caught. How’s the quality this time?"

"Oh, let me see." His voice was hoarse and low, carrying a sensual edge.

Okakura heard him rise from the sofa and approach.

"Wake all three up. I don't like lifeless women," he ordered.

"Yes, boss." No sooner had he spoken than Okakura’s philtrum was pressed hard, and she quickly feigned waking.

The other two girls were genuinely roused and immediately shrieked.

"Ah! Where are we?"

Hearing their screams, Okakura thought their reaction was perfectly normal. Not wanting to stand out, she joined in.

"Where are we? Who are you? Let me go! Aaaah!"

It was the first time in her life her voice sounded so shrill.

"Shut up, all of you!"

Before Okakura could finish, a masked man shouted them into silence. The two girls stopped screaming and collapsed in fear, trembling. Okakura mimicked them, legs splayed, slumped on the floor, but try as she might, she couldn’t tremble. So she put on an expression of being utterly stunned.

"Boss, take a look at these three—we searched high and low for them," the masked man ingratiated himself to the handsome man.

Okakura watched as the man approached and pinched the chin of the girl on the far right.

"Very fair skin, fine pores, good features, nice figure, but the hair isn’t great. Send her to serve the guests in Hall B."

He moved to the second girl, pinching her chin. "Skin’s a bit rough, but her features are distinctive. Beautiful lips, fantastic body. Let her recuperate for a while, then send her to Hall A."

Listening to him evaluate them like merchandise, Okakura’s anger surged. She clenched her fists, restraining the urge to punch him in his handsome face.

Finally, he came to Okakura, his slender, cold fingers lifting her chin. His handsome face drew close, and she saw the appraisal in his blue eyes—utterly devoid of emotion. His gaze seemed to strip her bare and weigh her on a scale.

"This one is the best you’ve caught. But there’s a flaw—her chest is a bit small. Let her recuperate first, and don't send her to serve guests yet. I want her for VIP clients."

"All right, you may leave."

With that order, Okakura and the other two girls were dragged out by a group of maids. As they left, Okakura saw the girls try to resist, but the maids punched them in the stomach, ending their struggles.

"All women here, can’t you go easier on each other?" Okakura couldn’t hold back. The maids merely glanced at her coldly and ignored her.

Everything Okakura had seen since being deliberately captured and brought to this strange place filled her with fury—intense, burning fury!

Yet she could only repress her anger once more, letting the maids lead her through twists and turns until they entered a bathroom.

The maids took scissors and cut open Okakura’s clothes, tossing her naked into a large tub. A swarm of girls scrubbed her from head to toe, then wrapped her up like a cocoon, slathered her with all sorts of oils, and finally carried the fragrant Okakura into another room.

It was a spacious chamber, but only a single bed stood inside. Okakura was dumped onto it.

Sitting on the bed, Okakura felt bewildered. What on earth were these people planning?

Just then, an old woman in Western dress entered. She walked to the bedside, her yellowed eyes scanning Okakura from head to toe. Okakura felt the old woman’s gaze was even more repulsive than the man’s earlier.

After scrutinizing her, the old woman nodded, apparently satisfied.

"This one’s very good. But I need to check if it’s her first time." She reached out her hand.

When Okakura saw her hand reaching between her legs, she could finally bear it no longer.

"What do you think you’re doing!" Okakura shoved the old woman to the ground.