Most of the loot appeared to be F tier ‘guns’ and ‘leather’. I had no doubt that when this side scenario was over they would morph into something appropriate to the setting. The only thing of interest dropped off the monster itself, description provided by Lydia as usual:

  Helm of Dark Visions

  Probably best not to dwell on where you got this. Hey! It’s useful though!

  Type: Head

  Armor Value: 120

  Minimum Requirement: Level 39

  Rarity: Very Rare

  Tier: E

  Effect: Spirit +35, Agility +21, +3% to Critically Strike

  You can see through all forms of darkness, including magical forms, to the limits of your usual vision.

  Once per hour you can use the Helm of Dark Visions to highlight where individuals have stepped in the last day. Your ability to track in this manner lasts for ten minutes.

  Equipping the ghoulish goggles, I straightened my tie with a sigh, “I think you are going to have to act like a Nazi, Mal.”

  Shivering in disgust, I surveyed the bodies and then looked toward the door, coming to a simple conclusion. Given that none of the Yakuza had entered the room, it seemed they were well aware of what was going to happen inside. This meant that they were likely expecting only one of those who entered to leave.

  Always a consummate loot hoarder I gathered up all the loose papers and documents and gave myself a primer on the lore of the scenario.

  Boss Akiyama was selling some proprietary government secrets that were giving Mr. Spy Demon sweet dreams of mass murder and the Yakuza were getting weapons. There were some mentions of Akechi Kyo being a thorn in the group’s side. She was investigating their operations but seemed far more devoted to finding a missing friend during her investigation of their schemes. The notes did make it clear, however, that whatever happened to this ‘Nomura’ she was so adamant about finding, the Nazis and yakuza had nothing to do with his disappearance.

  Akiyama seemed obsessed with finding out who Kyo had told about her investigation. That must be the only reason she is still alive. The notes all pointed to her being held on the ship.

  Putting all the documents away, I considered the door again, searched my list of skills and activated Quick Disguise. Removing all my gear I replaced them with the Spy’s coat and gloves. With a glance at a nearby mirror decorated with a trail of the dead monster’s blood I shrugged. Without close inspection I might pass for him.

  With a resigned shrug I walked to the door and stepped outside between the two guards. The two of them looked at me with clear terror in the eyes behind their masks before looking away quickly.

  Neither of them spoke to me and I just appropriated the monster’s voice to the best of my ability as I chuckled, “Best not to go in there young gentlemen. Tell Boss Akiyama my task is done, and I will depart for the ship.”

  Not waiting for an answer, I made my way toward the warehouse doors where the ship loomed in the falling rain.

  Making my way up the gangway for crew and passengers, I surveyed the dock workers in yellow coats as they worked to load the last of the supplies.

  A Yakuza Enforcer at the top of the gangway took a single look at me and almost immediately ignored me. Seems as if Herr Vogel had given these men good reason to fear him during his dealings with Akiyama.

  Pausing beside the man, I summoned up my creepy evil voice with maximum effort, “Where is the prisoner being held?”

  The man bowed to me and gestured toward a set of stairs down into the depths of the tramp steamer. He stuttered, “In the hold Herr Vogel!”

  Striding away without comment I descended into the dark depths as somewhere in the distance the PA broadcast, “Departure in twenty minutes. Finish up your duties!”

  Making my way down two decks, I was about to enter the hold when I spotted a young Japanese man in a suit and glasses hurrying toward me carrying a coat. He called out, “Herr Vogel! I am so glad I caught you. Akiyama sama wanted me to discuss your accommodations on the ship when the unpleasantness was done.”

  Pausing, I offered the man a cold smile as he bowed several times.

  “I was hoping to question your prisoner but I can take time to see my room.”

  The man seemed relieved and gestured for me to follow as he hurried down the hall speaking quickly, “We hope you understand the modest room assignment. This is a merchant vessel and we had struggled to find rooms for all those on board. The crew is already going to be sleeping in the hold.”

  He led me for a time and then opened a heavy door to reveal a clean and well appointed cabin. As I looked into the room he said, “As I understand you will only be with us for two days?”

  Trying to emulate Vogel’s smile without the rows of sharp teeth I said, “That is the case. This room is acceptable. Please, convey my thanks to Boss Akiyama for his hospitality. I look forward to our people having a profitable relationship in the future.”

  The man bowed again and said, “You honor us Herr Vogel. I am off to find Akiyama sama.”

  Watching the man depart and vanish up a stairwell I closed the door and returned to my search.

  Retracing my steps I entered the expansive hold a few minutes later. The last of the cargo was being rolled into the forward part of the ship as I made my way aft. I heard laughing voices as I approached and finally emerged to find the source of my search. Several Yakuza Enforcers were standing around a young woman in a vest over a bloodstained white shirt and tattered slacks who was tied to a chair.

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  She was disheveled and her clothing was stained in places with what appeared to be mud, blood, or worse.

  One man chuckled, “We should ask Akiyama sama if we can have her before we get rid of her!”

  Another chimed in, “We are owed for keeping an eye on this little bitch.”

  The men started laughing but quickly silenced when they saw me approaching.

  All three tightened up and stepped away, bowing in greeting… but more likely fear.

  Offering a tight smile around I said, “Leave me with our guest, will you gentlemen?”

  The three shared a look and one said, “Herr Vogel…”

  I cut him off with a broad unsettling smile as I said with a knife's edge to my tone, “I would appreciate it so much.”

  The three men grumbled and started away, with one bowing and saying, “We will be just beyond those crates Herr Vogel. Akiyama sama will be here soon.”

  Turning back to Kyo I carefully lifted her chin and found that she was indeed not unconscious. She glared at me with dark eyes but did not speak.

  Watching the Yakuza go for a moment I turned and gave Kyo a genuine smile. Sighing I shook my head as I re-equipped my gear, “Good thing you are still all fired up. We are going to have a tough time getting out of here.”

  She narrowed her eyes and blinked and shook her head, “Do… do I know you?”

  Considering the question I shook my head as I said, “I’m pretty sure we don’t. I’m just a good samaritan. Let me get you free before Akiyama gets here.”

  As I moved to do so she shook her head and stuttered, “It’s not Akiyama. It’s always him,” she paused and looked over my shoulder as she finished, “he calls himself Kami. If he is a god he is a malevolent one.”

  Slicing her bonds I looked over my shoulder to see the attendant who had shown me my room. His glasses were square panes of pure light and I could no longer see his eyes. He cocked his head and adjusted them as he asked, “Who… are you? You don’t belong here.”

  I gave Kyo a light touch on the shoulder and then handed her one of the guns I had looted from the Nazis as I said, “My car is parked outside the yard. If you get to it, you get out. If you go with me, I will help you find Nomura. I promise.” A window flashed up in my vision but Lydia did not announce it.

  Que… Qu.. Er… Error

  Nomura: Visit the caves of the Vassican Vampires

  XP Gained: Error

  Reward: Error

  Error

  She started to speak but I slashed a hand through the air, “Leave the boss to me. Go.”

  As she started away the man’s eyes followed her. Snapping my fingers I garnered his attention again, “What is all this? I was sure that this big fight would be with Akiyama, but you are the big bad?.” Analyzing gave me even less information than the quest update:

  Name: Error

  Tier: Error

  HP: Error

  MP: Error

  Weaknesses: Error

  Resistances: Error

  Nothing. It was as if I was trying to study a piece of furniture or the sky. There was simply no readout for the man.

  My attempt made the man who called himself ‘Kami’ even more interested. He moved closer and seemed to study me intently, “You are someone else’s property? Who would be so lax as to let you off a leash like this?”

  Despite the surge of anger at the man’s comment my mind screamed at me that this wasn’t a fight I could win. I looked him up and down and theatrically glanced at my platinum watch, “Oh, look at that I think I left the stove on,” and activated Surge of Blood to bolt toward a wall of nearby crates.

  “Oh fuck,” I cursed when I saw him following my movements with zero problems and felt the deck of the ship explode behind me. The entire ship tore apart, bursting upward. Rainwater poured into the space left by the destruction as the ship lurched backward and into the water.

  Kicking on my Blazing Boots to increase speed I took the time to kick a few of the crates as I ran for my life toward the stairs I had entered. Yakuza tumbled past me and slid toward the water as the crates caught fire.

  Just as the rear of the ship had been torn off and destroyed an angled slice was torn through the hold past me. Everything to the left of me lurched and sent up a massive splash as it tumbled into the dark water along with the bodies of sailors and Yakuza members who were either immediately submerged or fell screaming into the water.

  What remained of the ship pitched under my feet and I started to slide along with it. I jumped from crate to crate, looking back to see no sign of Kami. As the half of the ship that remained pitched toward the water I finally managed to reach the stairs and bound upward through them to the main deck.

  The entire ship shuddered and I knew more of it had been destroyed. With a jarring lurch the vessel sunk deeper and deeper into the water.

  My pursuer roared behind me, the sound reverberating through the metal remnants of the ship as it settled sideways.

  “Why can’t I see you? Where are you prisoner? You know that girl can never run from me, right?”

  Finally, I burst from the stairwell onto the main deck as water rose to completely consume what was left of the ship. Looking up into the storm of debris I saw the silhouette of the young man drifting through the air and turning to face me.

  He casually raised an arm and spoke, “Hold still,” but became distracted when several bullets impacted his form. The Yakuza were opening fire on him from the dock. They didn’t appear to do any damage. Taking the opportunity to jump into the water, I swam toward the docks. My vampiric weakness activated and my health plummeted. Before I dove beneath the waves I saw the strange mundane man destroying the Yakuza soldiers who were firing on him with a wave of his hand.

  The entire world around me shuddered and the docks themselves shifted with a massive cracking sound. Everything was literally falling apart. Waves washed me to the pylons that upheld the dock. My character's health was near bottoming out and my regeneration had halted. Cursing, I grabbed a hold of a pylon and started to climb as the dock disintegrated around me tumbling into the waves.

  Something above me exploded as I finally managed to reach the remaining platform of the dock amidst containers that had been tossed from the yard by the explosion. Bodies lay draped upon the containers and broken dock planks. The docks continued to buckle and crash into the sea taking the broken figures and containers with it.

  The man named Kami yelled over the sound of the concrete beneath my feet starting to crack and the constant rain, “Don’t run from me prisoner! I will find you. You can’t just leave your cell!”

  Somewhere behind me a container exploded and I was thrown forward but not off my feet. Burning metal shrapnel tore through my back. Cursing again, I used the force of the hit to propel my sprint forward toward the fence to the yard.

  Running into the open I discovered that the destruction Kami was causing was definitely not confined to the yard. The city beyond was in flames. Buildings had collapsed and sirens were just now becoming audible over the sound of the storm.

  Spotting a hole in the fence I dove through it, rolling through flames to come up in the street. Running toward the car I had left not so long ago, I was relieved to see Akechi huddled down beside it. Kami’s scream of rage somewhere over the dockyard told me he had spotted me.

  Calling out to Kyo, “Get in the car now!,” I ran as fast as I could as the street under my feet broke apart. Around us the world seemed to be tumbling away into a dark void. It seemed that Kami had the power not just to rain destruction, but to unmake the world itself. Yanking open the door to the car I spotted our pursuer hurtling over the growing void where the dockyard had once been.

  He screamed so loudly that the car shook, “You can not leave this place! It’s not possible!”

  I stuttered and shook as I grabbed the key, “Oh fuck, please,” and turned it.