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　　We've only just begun and I already feel worn out as hell……well, mentally speaking, anyway. This is probably gonna be a long-ass night, how do they expect us to catch the killer with as little information as we've got, huh? It's absolutely ridiculous. 

  　　I've used my Quintuple Cross to form five copies of me, and I'm having three of them shadow the others, just in case. Unfortunately, I'll have to withdraw the clones every five minutes, since otherwise they'll become difficult to control. 

  　　I really don't wanna have to deal with that. So I'll have to undo the Cross, and then activate it again and send the clones back out towards where the others are. Using Teleport, they can get back to their previous positions within a handful of seconds, but still, it's a pretty convoluted and tiring process. 

  　　Not to mention that the more clones I form, the more my power gets split. And I can't transform to boost my power since then I'll stand out way too much. 

  　　On the bright side, if one of the others does encounter the killer, I can make my way over to them immediately, by rejoining with my clones using the one near where the killer shows up as the point of convergence. 

  　　I was having each of the others patrol an area close to where any S-Ranks live, while keeping themselves hidden. We were all also using a spell to keep in contact with each other, a device that works like those wireless earpiece communicators. 

  　　Abyss has been making a lot of cool inventions, but so has the Rustlands, I've been giving plenty of suggestions and ideas to Elina, as are some of the other Reincarnators, like Minise and Cusnai. 

  　　Anyway, the streets weren't exactly completely deserted, but there were still very few people around……just a few drunks stumbling back home every now and then, for the most part. 

  　　I'd imagine that the killer would be perfectly sober, given the fact that they haven't left any trace of themselves across any of the previous eleven crime scenes. 

  　　Neither me nor any of my clones have sensed any bloodlust from any of the passers-by so far, but it's only been half an hour since midnight……there's still plenty of time. 

  　　But a big part of me couldn't help but feel that this was a futile effort. I mean, the killer isn't necessarily going to go out every single night, nor in the exact same area, or even at the same time. 

  　　This current strategy is too heavily reliant on the killer sticking to the same pattern as the last few days, but if I were in their shoes, I certainly would be looking to change things up. 

  　　"I don't know about the rest of you, but this feels like a total waste of time," Came Lily's voice with a sigh. 

  　　"I have to agree, but still, our chances of catching the killer aren't zero, even though that will require a fair bit of luck," I replied wryly. 

  　　"Let's be a bit more optimistic, guys," Responded Cusnai, trying to lighten the mood. 

  　　"I'm too sleepy to be optimistic," Replied Minise with a stifled yawn. 

  　　Huh, I just realized, all of us X-Ranks are Reincarnators. Well, Lily technically reincarnated in a different world before Belia summoned her to this one, but it still counts. 

  　　"This is like looking for a needle in a haystack, while blindfolded and only being allowed to use one hand. And the haystack's as big as a house," Grumbled Lily, sounding irritated. 

  　　"That's a bit of exaggeration, but I get what you're saying," Sighed Minise in agreement. 

  　　"Honestly, I seriously doubt that we'll find the killer tonight, but quit your complaining, guys, it's only gonna make this feel like it's dragging on for even longer," I pointed out in response. 

  　　"He's right, let's try approaching this with positive mindsets," Suggested Cusnai optimistically.

  　　"Wait a second, everyone, I've gotta recall my clones," I informed them, before rejoining with the five clones with my original body as the point of convergence, before forming them again and sending them rapidly teleporting back towards the others. 

  　　"Hey, I'm pretty sure that the S-Rank I'm stalking is asleep, his lights have been out for a while and I'm not seeing any movement from inside. Shouldn't I move on to a different area?" Inquired Minise, sounding bored. 

  　　She was on the rooftop of the building opposite to the apartment she was keeping an eye on, where one of the S-Ranks lives. 

  　　"Hang around there for a while longer," I sighed in response. 

  　　"Yeah, fine, I just think that……hm? Weird, it suddenly feels like someone is watching me……but I don't see anyone around……," She suddenly remarked, a hint of unease in her voice. 

  　　Is she just being paranoid, or……? 

  　　The clone I sent back to her should be arriving within the next ten seconds, I'll put a little extra focus into its senses to make sure no one's around her. 

  　　I then closed my eyes and concentrated, focusing my consciousness into the clone's senses, so that I could get a better read of its surroundings, while having it fly up higher to get a better vantage point. 

  　　Okay, almost there, I think I see the building Minise is perched atop. I don't see anyone else around her, she must have just……I then froze as I sensed it, clear as day. 

  　　Immense, violent bloodlust……being directed at her. But from whom!? It's coming from……a few meters behind her! 

  　　I quickly and rapidly had the clone teleport down towards her, before appearing right behind her and inadvertently startling her……right before something sliced through the left shoulder of my clone, deep claw marks tearing through its skin as blood burst out. 

  　　"H-huh, Shiro!?" Exclaimed Minise in shock, as she turned around and saw my clone sustaining an injury seemingly out of nowhere. 

  　　I immediately had myself and the other clones rejoin and converge in on the clone by Minise, getting back my full power as we all returned to one and then narrowly reacting and ducking as I sensed bloodlust directed at my head, feeling something slice through the air above my head as I ducked. 

  　　"Gotcha," I remarked icily, as I swung my foot out with all my strength, slamming onto something before a sharp gasp of pain echoed out. 

  　　It crashed onto the ledge of the rooftop, cracks spreading out upon impact, before someone came into view. It's a boy……he's pretty heavily built, but he looks pretty young, in his early or mid teens. Wait, could it be……a Reincarnator born after Samsara's defeat, maybe? 

  　　"Ow, that really hurt……guess my invisibility won't work every time, huh?" He mused with a wry smile, as he got back up on his feet, narrowing his eyes at me, "Oh, I know you, you're the guy who everyone says is the strongest. I was planning on working my way up to you eventually, but I suppose now's as good a time as any."

  　　He was tall and a bit burly, with dark brown, spiky hair, brown eyes, and an annoying smirk on his face. And he had bear arms, thick with brown fur and sharp claws. 

  　　"Work your way up to me, huh? You're quite cocky, aren't you, brat?" I retorted dryly. 

  　　"Oh, please, even the S-Ranks couldn't so much as see me coming! Just because you're one rank above that, doesn't mean shit to me!" He smirked condescendingly, before dark brown fur sprouted all across his body, his chest and arms expanding as his face extended forward into a snout. 

  　　So, a True Anima form, huh? And it looks like he can control the extent to which it mutates. Guess his confidence isn't totally baseless, but, well……he has no idea just how powerful I am, does he? 

  　　"Hey, kid, have you measured your power level?" I inquired, as he took a step towards me. 

  　　"Huh? Nah, I don't need to. I'm way stronger than anyone else in this nation," He scoffed in response. 

  　　"Uh……have you not seen any of the World Combat Championships?" Inquired Minise incredulously. 

  　　"Of course I have, and I killed one of the finalists of the latest edition last night," He laughed disfainfully. 

  　　Oh, right, there have barely been any participants with power levels of over, say, 20,000 in the last few editions of the tournament, to keep the competition from being too one-sided or predictable. 

  　　In other words, this guy has no idea what he's up against, not even in the slightest…… 

  　　"Well, that's pretty concerning. You might be tougher than I'd expected," I remarked, as I put on a look of concern. 

  　　"Why don't you find out!?" He exclaimed gleefully, as he suddenly turned invisible. 

  　　Huh? I didn't see him activate a Spell Card……did he just use a spell without any parchment? Or is it something else? Well, whatever, he may be invisible, but he isn't even trying to hide his bloodlust right now. He probably doesn't realize that I can sense it clearly. 

  　　I closed my eyes and focused on his bloodlust, and as I felt him close in from behind me, I swiftly and powerfully swung my foot out, slamming onto his midsection and sending him flying over the railing of the rooftop, eliciting a yell of alarm from him as he plummeted down, hitting the ground with a loud crash. 

  　　I don't think I even need to transform against this guy. He's much weaker than I thought…… 

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  　　Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Don't forget to vote, and feel free to leave a comment, I appreciate any and all feedback and criticism!

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