Chapter 6
Truths revealed

"Gura!"

I woke up from my fitful slumber with a scream, sitting up with a sudden jolt. My breath was shallow as my brain continuously sent signals to my body to calm itself down, my eyes scanning the area I was in.

At first glance, it was clear that I wasn't at the library anymore, the shift in lighting and temperature clearly obvious. The walls were made of a black metal that I had never seen before, the white neon light from the ceiling absorbed by it instead of reflecting off of it. Upon closer inspection, the entire room was made of that metal, the only furniture being a mattress on the hard ground.

Despite the entire room being made of pure darkness, the lights shone radiantly above my head as it lit up the entire space. There didn't seem to be any exit, pathway, or even a door to leave this place.

"Where in the…?" I mumbled to myself as I shakily got up from my downed position, my knees wobbling uncontrollably. My body felt drained of its energy, like I had run ten different marathons in the same day. It was an odd contrast of my mind, awake and in sheer panic as it ran all sorts of plans on how to get out of this place.

As I lifted my hand to brush the hair away from my face, my pupils quickly caught the heavy and out of place white bracelet on my wrist. Its design was compact and blocky, no details or shape that would tell it was man-made. Another one was hooked on my other wrist, two more stuck at my ankles. Removing it seemed impossible, as pulling had no effect other than straining my hand. There didn't seem to be a switch or interruptor to detach it, so as far as I knew, this was glued on me.

While moving my arms to get accustomed to the weight of it, I noticed a slight discoloration at the bottom of my left arm. Tilting it to get a better view, my eyes went wide open as a nasty scar ran across. A small dose of phantom pain shot through it as I rubbed my fingers on the past wound, a small burning sensation threatening to invade it.

I wasn't amnesiac, I remembered exactly how that got there. Gura and I were attacked by a woman with a katana, telling us that we were a threat to humanity. After she sent the shark girl flying, I had attempted an ambush, only to get the shit kicked out of me. My body remembered every blow, every sensation, but most importantly, it remembered the deep cut I had been dealt on my arms. I lifted my right arm and sure enough, a small scar also featured underneath.

How long had I been here? Clearly long enough for this cut to fully heal and scar properly. A clock was nowhere to be seen, and my belongings had been taken away so there was no way for me to check the time or date. I was neither hungry nor thirsty, so it was safe to conclude that someone had taken care of me.

"Hey! Can anyone hear me?!" I attempted to call out for someone, making sure to be as loud as possible. If someone had healed my wounds, fed me, and locked me in here, then that person was still out there. "Is anyone here?! Hello?!"

I held my breath, stilled my heart, and paid close attention, hoping that I wasn't alone in this room. I focused hard enough to hear the slightest of sound, my steady heart being the only noise I could make out. A sigh escaped my throat as I grit my teeth in anger.

Just as I was about to give up, I heard a subtle shifting sound from behind me. I swiftly turned to face my potential kidnapper, only to be blinded by a flash of light as I instinctively shielded myself with my right hand. As I did my best to squint through the intense luminosity, I managed to peek at what seemed like a doorway...with a figure standing in it.

"I have to say, I'm impressed that you are already awake." A familiar feminine voice echoed in the room, my eyes finally getting used to the light. My eyes narrowed as I took a step back, raising my arms up in a fighting stance. Whether I stood a chance or not, it didn't matter. What mattered was surviving.

"Calm down, I won't hurt you." The person spoke again, stepping closer to me as the doorway closed behind them. The lights that were creating a shadow on the figure disappeared alongside the gate closing, revealing their identity to me.

"Get away!" I immediately roared as I glared with fury, taking another step back involuntarily. My body couldn't stop shaking as I was suddenly filled with adrenaline, my eyes glued to the woman in front of me. A mix of fear and despair was crawling up my back, but rage and resolve strongly overwhelmed those two.

I had my reasons, since the woman who had attacked us was standing in front of me.
I was alone in this prison with Enma, the Cover Corp manager.

"I'm asking you to calm down, I won't harm you in any way." She responded to my anger, her expressions being just as dull as before. She probably didn't care about how I was feeling...but I also didn't care what she wanted. One thing was on my mind: find Gura and leave this place as soon as possible.

I stay silent as my orbs never lost their target, my legs ready to spring to action. After a few seconds, a sigh resonated in the room, courtesy of Enma. Her hand motioned to her body in an up and down gesture.

"I don't have my blade on me, that should be a sign that I won't attack."

"We both know you don't need a weapon to cause damage…" I hissed out with venomous words, my fists tightening. My stomach still remembered the powerful hit I had received from her. I would never forget the feeling of scrambling for air as pain coursed through my physique.

"There was a misunderstanding with the information I acquired. If I had known that you were human, I would've never struck as hard as I did, nor used my weapon against you." She explained with a small hint of guilt in her eyes, her sentence almost sounding like an apology. Too bad it wouldn't be enough for me to trust her.

"How the fu- I think it's clear that I'm human!" My fighting stance broke down as I gestured at my frame, my anger reaching its peak. The woman in front of me didn't react, deciding to stare at me instead. Emotions didn't easily filter through her features, making it hard to have a read on her.

After what felt like a solid minute, the manager finally sat down on the floor, kneeling in as she positioned her hands on her thighs. Her eyes looked up to me, her face showing slight irritation at the prospect of sitting down on the cold metal. Searching in one of her pockets, she pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter, placing it on the ground in front of her.

"Is that enough proof that I won't hurt you?" She asked coldly. My glare slowly faded, my previous anger following suit. If she wanted to kill me, she would've done so way earlier. She wouldn't have locked me up in here only to finish me off. Besides, I needed info on where Gura was and for that...I needed to question her.

"Fine, what do you want from me?" I finally gave in as I relaxed my entire body, letting myself fall down on the floor in front of her. It wouldn't do me good to stay on guard for the whole conversation, as it would simply drain my energy. With one swift movement, I grabbed the carton on the ground and plucked a cigarette from it, immediately placing it in my mouth to light it up. She, once again, sighed as she locked sight with me.

"I'm here to answer your questions." She stated, her features going back to her usual neutral state. I narrowed my eyes at her words, unsure of what to think. Enma apparently caught quick to my confusion, immediately following up her earlier sentence with: "Just ask anything and I'll do my best to answer you."

This was going to be a hard task, as my mind was rummaging with a million things to ask. Where's Gura? Why did you try to kill us? What the hell is going? However...before asking the big ones, I needed to start somewhere.

If I was going to get any information out of her, I needed to knit a small innocuous thread that would lead me to bigger pieces of the puzzle. For that, I needed to start with the million dollar question...

"Who the hell are you guys? I mean, you and the whole Cover Corp thing." I asked with a breath of exasperation as smoke spewed from my mouth. She kept saying she was a manager at this company, but all she did so far was attack us with a katana and proceeded to lock me in a metal room. Apart from the necklace with the tag saying "Staff", there weren't any clues about this mysterious corporation.

"My name is Enma and I work for Cover Corp. Our goal is to protect humanity from unknown threats without the public figuring out anything. Society doesn't know that we exist. They only know about Hololive." She answered immediately, her tone similar to an employer describing their purpose to potential employees. I was actually surprised at the amount of information I had received with one question. Therefore, I pressed on.

"Hololive? Isn't that the company developing holographic technology?" I immediately inquired once more, crossing my legs as to focus on the conversation. Hololive had been around forever, but they only started appearing in the media as their advanced technology on holograms blasted off. They debuted in Japan, yet now, they are worldwide.

What was the link between Hololive and Cover Corp?

"You would be right, but that is only a cover for...well Cover Corp. We do actually develop holographic tech, but our true purpose is more important than holograms." The black haired samurai replied, describing every detail with surgical precision. If words could cut, I'd probably be bleeding out on the floor.

My guard was once again up as I took another drag of the smoke in my mouth. She was answering everything very well, too well. She was giving out crucial information with no fight or arguing whatsoever, to a person like me. Someone who she treated like a criminal before.

The stick of chemicals in my hand slowly burned as the fumes invaded the room. She knew that I was a smoker, and looking back at the carton, it was a brand that I frequently bought. She was trying to build trust. A manager of a two-faced company wouldn't share intelligence like this that easily...not without a price...

"So, by threat...what do you exactly mean by that?" I asked for clarification, carefully treading on dangerous territory. Whether I would regret continuing my search for answers or not didn't matter at the moment. Consequences be damned, I needed knowledge to fight.

"Entities, species, or a specific race of beings that do not fit the world we live in. There's many examples, such as demons, half-beasts or-"

"People like Gura…" I finished for her with a conclusive note. If Enma was annoyed at the fact that I had interrupted her mid-sentence, she didn't show it. If what she was saying was true, then that meant Atlanteans weren't the only legends to be simple myths.

Despite the world-shattering revelation that I had just received, my thoughts were completely rational and calm. Should I have been in complete panic at the thoughts of demons and otherworldly being real? Possibly. Yet, just as with Gura, it wasn't the right time for breaking down. I would process this information another time.

"Alright, then what's the deal with the arrest? As far as I know, the Shrimp didn't commit any crimes." I declared with a glare, crossing my legs as I hunched over. Enma raised an eyebrow at the nickname I had given the Atlantean, before pulling out her cellphone.

"If I'm not mistaken, this is the two of you right?" She questioned as she raised the device for me to see, my eyes immediately zoning in on the screen. I did my best to not look flabbergasted as I stared at the phone, a video playing on it with a familiar scene.

The scene where Gura and I had witnessed a robbery from the other night. The exact scene where the midget decided to go full water-bender on the criminal. The one scene where I found out the truth.

This definitely explained how they found us so fast...but it didn't explain the reason for her arrest and especially mine.

"Yeah, it's us alright, what about it? All I'm seeing is Gura defending herself against a criminal. If you ask me, she did a good thing." I shrugged at the evidence, finishing the cigarette in my mouth with one inhaling motion.

"Do you have the slightest of ideas on what would happen if this leaked out to the public? What panic and danger it could lead to if anyone would see this? I don't think I need to remind you that no one is supposed to know about the existence of entities like the Atlanteans." Her features were now overtaken by fury, glaring at me with daggers. Part of me just wanted to flee as fast as I could, but of course, this wasn't an option.

"What was she supposed to do? Let herself be robbed or possibly shot by this asshole while she had the power to do something about it? Besides, she didn't even know about her species being rare on the surface." I did my best to defend my roommate, crossing my arms loosely over my chest.

"This is exactly why we exist, to prevent situations like that one to derail and end up harming our world. While I understand the circumstance the two of you were in, but understand that what she did could've caused mass hysteria ." The woman in front of me calmly countered, the glare she had morphing into an emotion I couldn't distinguish.

It was a battle that I was going to lose, no matter what I said. I knew she was right and she knew as well. Even if I decided to play the stubborn game and continue with pointless arguments, I would simply delay the inevitable.

"That still doesn't explain why I'm getting arrested. Last time I checked in the mirror, I was human." I decided to move on with a more pressing matter, a thought I still couldn't shake from my head. I can understand why they would lock up Gura...but why me? Could it be because I helped her out? Or was it because I found out about her identity?

Enma looked away with a tinge of red on her cheeks, her knuckles visibly turning white as she tightened her fist. The phone was still on the ground, playing the footage in repeat of Gura decimating her opponent with a blast of water. My sight focused on the part where I looked at the cashier only to have the poor bastard faint immediately. I looked back up at the staff member, this time, the woman scowling at me with all her might.

"You have to be shitting me…" I exhaled in disbelief, pinching the bridge of my nose.

"You can't blame us! One minute, we are seeing a girl using water bending technique to dispatch a robber, then the next, you are looking at a witness as they immediately faint, to which you proceed to grab the girl and run away!" She yelled with clear vexation present in her timbre, slamming a fist on the ground. It was clear that she was embarrassed by this mistake, a clear hint being the shade of red plastered on her face.

"Because of that, you thought I was an unknown entity too? You know you hit like a truck, right?" I frowned at her tantrum, the woman in front of me looking completely different than before.

The calm and calculated Enma, the cold blooded samurai, the precise and well mannered manager...reduced to a stuttering, blushing mess.

This was a huge win in my book~

"I know...and I apologize. When I attacked you both, I didn't intend to harm you in any serious way." She spoke solemnly, looking down at the ground. The ambience suddenly shifted around, the comedic mood faded instantaneously. "I know that my actions didn't really reflect what I'm saying...but the girl had the stance of someone who knew how to fight...so I assumed you also knew…"

As I looked at my kidnapper, a feeling of empathy worming its way inside my head. It was undeniable that she was responsible for almost killing me and a part of me still hadn't forgave her...but it wasn't enough to harbor hatred against her. Maybe I was naive or simply stupid, but I could tell that she wasn't lying. She was a person with a clear goal, doing her job to protect the human race...I couldn't fault her for that.

"Alright, I get it. I'm still mad, but I don't hate you. Besides, the wound already healed itself." I scratched my head with a sheepish look as I showed my left arm, the clean scar visible to her. Her face went through surprise, confusion and then to understanding before she shook her head.

"That was one of our Myths, we asked her to heal you." She clarified. I raised an eyebrow as I squinted at my healed wound.

"By Myths, do you mean people like Gura?"

"Yes, we usually call them Myths to avoid redundancy. We've got many races and species of different backgrounds, so it becomes quite annoying. Therefore, we decided to call them Myths." She briefly explained. I nodded at her answer, still staring at my limb.

"So, how long have I been here?" I demanded as I raised my head to face her. I had assumed the cut had healed with time, which is what led me to believe I had been here for a long while. Looking back on it, it was definitely a silly conclusion. Maybe I hadn't shaken up the drowsiness properly.

"It is currently 7 pm. We're still Tuesday." She easily answered, showing her phone once more for me to confirm the date. It was just as I expected, my earlier theory was a dumb one.

All of my questions had been answered...except one. I knew how much time had passed. I knew what Cover Corp was. I even knew why Gura and I were targeted by said company...but I still didn't know where Gura was.

I had a hunch that this was one inquiry that would be tough to crack. Even if Enma apologized, she was still a manager at Cover Corp. The fact of the matter was: She wasn't going to let Gura go even if I asked nicely. The only thing left to do for me was to play my final trick up my sleeves.

"Think you can finally drop the nice bullshit act, and tell me what you want from me?" I queried from her in an instant, picking another cig from the carton on the ground. My verbal assault immediately caught her off guard, exactly like I wanted. She let a breath of air out from her chest as she crossed her arms, narrowing her crimson eyes at me.

I wasn't the smartest kid in the park, but I was working as a salesman, and if there's one thing I learned from the business, it was that nothing was given for free. Information had a price, especially classified intel like the one she oh so graciously shared. Catching her off guard would allow me to have some reign of control over the conversation, no matter how small it was.

"It's simple, we want you to tell us how you came in contact with the girl known as Gawr Gura." She ordered with finality, her eyes never leaving mine. I searched for the lighter to burn the smoke in my mouth before tackling the task on, before her right hand entered my peripheral. "So, we've got a deal?"

The lighter I was looking for in the clutch of her fingers, a smile adorning her face as she waited for my reply. I couldn't help the smirk appearing on my face, as I extended my hand to her.

"Deal." With that, I was able to light the cigarette in my mouth and start telling her the story of how I met the Shrimp.

"I must say, luck must not like you very much."

I had just finished telling my tale, not missing a single beat or detail. If I wanted to get out of here, lying wouldn't get me far with her. Plus, I had the feeling she was used to dealing with falsified information considering she was a legend hunter, quite literally.

Everything I had described had been recorded by her phone, still laid on the ground. Even if I wanted to omit certain things later on, it would be impossible to do.

"Yeah, people tend to tell me the same thing often. Then again, it's not all that bad. Gura is a good person." I shrugged at her statement. Kicking a stranger, having to pay lunch to said stranger and getting robbed on the same day wasn't a normal Monday. Can't forget the part about meeting a shark girl that has magical powers straight out of a fantasy novel.

"May I ask why you wanted to help her?" Enma asked politely, her voice more gentle this time. This specific interrogation probably had nothing to do with her work, which is why she had asked this nicely. Unfortunately for her…

"I wish I could tell you but I have no clue. Letting a citizen of a forgotten race of half-shark, half-human people in my house is not what I had in mind when I started the week...but leaving her alone in the streets just...didn't feel right." I did my best to let her down on her questioning, giving an apologetic grin to her. Crimson reds were glued on me, almost judging my soul with the answer I gave. "So...what's gonna happen to us?"

"Well, for the girl, she's gonna have to either go back to where she came from, or adapt to our proposition for her.." Enma responded, getting up from her sitting position as she grabbed her cellphone. "As for you...it depends entirely on what you choose."

"Yaaay, an ominous note, my favorite…" I deadpanned at her with defined sarcasm in my voice, getting a scowl back in reply.

"Either you go back home, leave this matter to us and forget about what you saw entirely. Go back to your normal life and forget everything. After all, ignorance is bliss..." She started, ignoring my comment about her choice of words. "...Or instead, you go deeper in the rabbit hole and agree to sign a contract that'll leave your fate in our hands, basically selling your soul to us to have a chance to see her again. You will hate it and constantly wish you had picked the former option instead, yet you will never be able to go back."

"Way to be neutral about it." I grunted in irritation at the choice I was provided with, getting up from the ground as I stretched. One option was clearly more appetizing than the other, courtesy of the Cover Corp manager in the room.

"Well...what will it be?"

Just like that, I was left with two options. My overthinking mind immediately did its role and analyzed every outcome possible, my thoughts uncontrollable. The former option was what I desired from life. My ultimate goal was normality, and to achieve this, the clear winner was the first choice.

Yet, it sounded too good to be true. Call me paranoid but I figured a trap would be waiting for me, snaring me in the grip of the unknown. Maybe they would simply let me go with the logic that if I tried spouting all the crazy I had heard in this cell, people would simply lock me up in an asylum. I still couldn't take my chances with the first option however, because one thing still bothered me…

I'd be leaving Gura to fend for herself. She wouldn't be in the streets anymore, and from what they implied, they would take care of her...but how much of that was the truth? Enma was still someone who attacked us because it was for the best of humanity, it wouldn't surprise me if she lied for the same sake.

Picking the latter would be saying goodbye to my normal lifestyle, to my daily life, and possibly my sanity...but abandoning Gura felt wrong. It was like someone was squeezing my chest everytime the thought crossed my mind. I knew what that feeling was and I knew that I had a similar process of rationalization. Last time, I came out with empty hands...this time, it was simple.

"You ain't leaving me with much of a choice, you know that? Even if you had a special magical drug that made me forget about everything I had seen, I still wouldn't take it." I started with a sigh of acceptance as I moved toward Enma, my eyes pointed at her. "Sure, I could leave the Shrimp to you guys...but then I would regret it. I'd be living with the worry and anxiety of what happened to her...I wouldn't have my normal life."

"You would get over it." She countered immediately, crossing her arms as she gazed at me. I shook my head with a small chuckle, brushing the hair from my face.

"You're probably right...but that doesn't matter right now. The Me of right now hates the idea of abandoning her to you guys. Present Me won't be able to live with myself if I choose the first option...so I'm picking the second one." I declared as I extended my hand to her, grinning at her with confidence. Her eyes widened before she massaged her temple with her left hand, exhaling in despair.

"She did say you were a weird one...well, I hope for you that you don't regret it." She muttered as she attempted another try to dissuade me, extending her hand forward...but unluckily for her, my mind was made up.

"I wouldn't dream of it." I proudly said, grabbing her hand to shake on my fate. The consequences of my actions would be dealt with later. For now...my heart was telling me that I was doing the right thing.

"Well, Hunter, I welcome you to Cover Corp. I hope you take enjoyment in your new job as a Myth Caretaker." She announced to me with a beaming smile while gripping my hand.

Other than the sensation of Enma's unsurprisingly firm grasp, one thought remained on my mind:

"I'm sorry...a care-what now?"