Chapter 12- Time Castle II

He just looks at the building and wondered as to how a normal looking building could be like that from the inside simply just by using cursed ability. Suddenly his thoughts were interrupted by this sound which was very familiar. Kiyoshi when looked around him noticed that they both were standing on a different wooden floor. "How did we just changed our position?" then he remembered that Yuki told him about Nozomi controlling their positions, Soon that familiar sound was back and he gets sure that it's a clock ticking but again their positions were changed, This time they hoth were standing upsidedown on a wooden floor. This continously happened to both of them Changi their places from an upsidedown floor to a horizontal staircase and then back to a wooden floor, Kiyoshi look really confused with all of this and seeking answers to help him but when he looks at Yuki that sound again returned, This time changed his position to a larger wooden floor but the difference was that Yuki wasn't standing near him anymore. He turns and that's when he notices for the first time someone infront of him on a raised platform than his and he looks at them not knowing who they are, Soon Yuki speaks breaking Kiyoshi's attention, "Hey Nozomi, How've you been?" he says looking at the person sitting in the center as there were three people on the raised platform. "Hello Yuk, am doing just fine." She replies and that's when it clicks in Kiyoshi and he says to himself, "She is the leader of The Agency Tech." Yuki continues, " Welcome Mister Luke, pleasure to meet you, Nozomi this is Kiyoshi." and to this she replies, "I already know Yuik." She then turns to Kiyoshi and says, "Kiyoshi, Nice to finally meet you." and he replies with a hesitant tone, " Good morning, Miss Nozomi it's great to meet you too."

Office Luke can just look at the boy and wondering what to say but before he could Nozomi interrupts and asks Kiyoshi is they should start with the enternce tasks." without giving him the time to speak She continues, "There will be 2 tasks that are required for you to complete without disappointing me and you'll enter The Agency Tech. One will be to test your mental endurance and the second will be to see your physical responses." Kiyoshi looks a bit scared at the start but looking back at Yuki he understands that till now there had been many people who suffered because of The Dark Mafia and also that promise he made with Yuki which gives him the strength to keep going and he replies, "Yes sure."

Nozomi before giving him the first task says that she wants him to keep speaking and she'll be playing back some memories but if he stopped in any situation he'd be loosing a point and he needs two points to get in The Agency Tech. Then she finally asks him the first question. "Kiyoshi, Tell me is there any reason for someone like you to live at all? Putting your as well as other's in danger? You are well aware that The Dark Mafia is after you and also that they'll be doing everything in their power to take you and that even means killing your loved ones." Yuki and Officer are both taken aback with such a straight forward question and Yuki looks at Kiyoshi but the promise keeps them going. Kiyoshi himself is taken aback and that similar feeling from earlier this morning returning but he could feel Yuki's soft words "I believe in you." These wordings brings him back and after a few seconds he finally answers.

"Me and worthy of living? My life was never a moving, funny and joyous experience. The explorations of how to live better or even love was never with me, The reason to stay alive isn't just a memoir it's more than that. I've lost both my real as well as foster parents and there is nothing but rage inside of me. I am also very well aware that I order for me to stay alive there will be some people who'll loose their lives but even If I join The Dark Mafia is there any guarantee that these killings will stop." At this point Nozomi raises her right hand pointing towards Kiyoshi and alters with his vision, showing him all the happiness he'd had in his life before that night and also alters his hearing as now Kiyoshi can hear to screaming voices of people begging for help. Yuki can feel then tension in the air but he can just watch and Officer Luke is stunned with everything happening around him. Kiyoshi regardless the distraction continues, "Rage isn't something that's built overnight it takes real emotions and strong emotions to overcome the thinking of consequences, Someone like me should live or not shouldn't have even been a question, I lost everything and everyone to The Dark Mafia just so I could help them become stronger." Slowly the tears can be seen building up in his eyes and Nozomi could even feel his rage to the point where her hands started shaking because of altering with his vision and hearing. Yuki who notices this looks at Kiyoshi wide eyes because such a strong emotion which could be felt by someone else isn't normal for cursed ability users and also only few of the council members could show such emotions. "Death to me will be useless as the killings will continue, I want this all to stop what had started has to stop someday. My parents died because of that, people's lives are in danger and doing nothing in such situation is irresponsible. The Agency Tech is the only organization which allows me to properly put forward my rage and anger. It also helps me save people. My real and adoptive parents both died protecting me and I'm being questioned about my existence? To be more clear I do not care what others think but let me make myself clear I'll not let the lives of both my parents go to waste by doing just nothing and letting other people die. I've seen my mother get killed infront of me and they did it without any hesitation or even considering the consequences of their actions. The people I've lost and many others have lost will have their revenge paid back. I know this has nothing to do with your question but according to me there is a value to this thing we call living and also there is a reason for me to be alive. Valued living is having a notion about what we want out of life and then making a commitment to ourselves to take action is service of those values. Essentially it is the most vital way in which we would choose to live." Till the time Kiyoshi is done with his reply he is in tears, and seeing that altering with his memories didn't let him get weak impresses Nozomi and she releases the spell. Yuki on the other hand is left speechless with how Kiyoshi handled the situation and also looking at the reply they all received which left all of them amazed, Yuki then interrupted the silence and says looking at Nozomi, "I told you he is something else." Nozomi could just reply with, "I see that Yuki." While still looking at Kiyoshi as this was the first time she'd felt a certain feeling in someone's enternce tasks.

Office Luke could just watch in surprise as to how strong the boy is and also thinking about the straightforward question that Miss Arai asked him, "I really thought that this was a normal organization and it seems that I also nonchalantly underestimated the potential of the members of The Agency Tech." he finally has the courage to say something and says, "If I have the permission to I'd to tell you Nozomi that this boy Kiyoshi isn't someone whose easily broken and I must say I am impressed although at first I was concerned for you but after seeing you and The Agency Tech I must say it is the best for you." Nozomi agrees with him and gives Yuki a smile indicating that Kiyoshi has successfully passed the first task and they'll be shortly proceeding to the next task. Kiyoshi thanks Office Luke for his kind words while whipping his tears still not sure about the next task. Even he is impressed with how well he handled this situation and remembers that this small trick was very effective as it almost cost him to stop at some point. Soon Nozomi interrupts Kiyoshi's though and says, "Very well then, Shall we proceed to the next task?" and with saying that Kiyoshi again notices the same sound, "It's the same sound, The clock ticking." before giving him time to even react The floor again changes but this time it does have a defined ground as it somewhere in a plain garden. He looks up and sees Nozomi, Harumi and Officer Luke on the raised platform, Yuki was also at the same position. Officer Luke looks flabbergasted again with the change in the surroundings but in Kiyoshi's mind there was something else going on.

"I wondered what'll happen now." These words crossed in everyone's minds except Nozomi.