Chapter 3: Act 3: Anti-thieves and Morality
Phantom Thieves and Anti-thieves are two forces fighting from opposite sides and aspects of life. While Phantom-thieves aim for evil and destruction, Anti-thieves aim for right and justice. While these two are polar opposites, each of them fights for an ideal they believe in. Who is in the right and who is in the wrong, no one should judge without getting to know the motives of these two poles.
" Anti-thieves are criminals. They're no different from the phantom thieves."
" Why do you think so?"
Asa had a preconception that everyone except police officers was wrong and fighting for the wrong side. Her misconception of becoming a police officer like her father, who she admires and sees as a hero also came from that.
Ten years into the past, at a time when Asa and Yuichi were both five years old or so
" What do you want to be when you grow up, Yu?"
" Isn't that obvious, As? I'll be the greatest trickster in the world."
" Why do you want to become a trickster? What's so good about tricking others?"
" Trick isn't all about tricking others. Its main function is to give dreams to people."
" Give dreams? I don't understand."
" For example, when someone has a hard day at work or is having a hard time, those dreams who are merely just illusions created by the trickster can make someone's day. It can give them hope and courage."
…
It was a time when Asa was still full of dreams and, most of all, she believed they could come true.
" Your dream is wonderful, Yu? I hope you succeed. I'll be cheering you on with all my strength."
" Thanks, As? What do you want to be when you grow up?"
Would her answer have been different if that incident didn't occur? Would she have given me a different response?
" What do you want from me? Let me go!"
" No matter how much you scream, no one will hear you. Just come with us and stop making things difficult."
A teenager was being harassed by two punks into coming with them somewhere, but the girl didn't want to come with them. That one incident changed everything for us.
" What are you doing, you punks? Let her go immediately!"
Asa stepped in to save the girl with her strong sense of justice against the two punks. Her courage was admirable.
" What's a little girl doing here?"
" I asked you to let her go. Didn't you hear me?"
" What are you going to do if we don't? Are you going to fight us?"
Asa was of a water attribute, but the two punks were fire users and her water magic didn't hold up against them. It didn't even leave them a scratch, so to say that, she was completely overpowered.
" Yu, do something or else, they'll take her away."
" What are you going to do, boy? Are you going to fire your puny magic at us?"
…
" But wait, I don't sense any mana emanating from him, not even a tiny bit."
" You hold no magical powers whatsoever, so how are you going to stop us?"
That's right! I had no magical abilities, and I was the only one in my family without one. There was nothing I could do at all. I was still a beginner at card tricking at the time. I couldn't make my card materialize into whatever I had envisioned. No matter how much I threw my cards hoping for a miracle, nothing happened.
" Are those cards supposed to be magic or something?"
I could do nothing. We were finished, or so I thought.
" You there, what are you doing?"
" Oh crap, we'd better run."
" Not so fast, you two. Where do you think you're going?"
When I thought all hope was lost, that's when Asa's hero turned up. It was none other than Sergeant Sakazuki Asami, Asa's father, from the Metropolitan Special Forces. In less than a minute, they handled the two punks and saved the lady in distress. While all this was happening, Asa was watching her father in awe, and that's when something became clear to her.
" Are you okay, miss?"
" Yes! Thanks for saving me!"
The lady thanked the sergeant and police officers for saving her life from those thugs. One of the police officers escorted her back home.
" What are you doing here, Asa?"
" Dad, you came and saved her."
" Of course, I came! When a civilian requires help, the police have to step in and punish the bad guys."
" Yes!"
Her change started to occur to me as well as her behavioral change only after another incident that took place a few days later.
There was a burglar that broke into a bank to steal its funds. The burglar had taken hostages as a means to easily escape the police forces. Fortunately, the working staff could get out of harm's way thanks to the police's handling.
" Did you see that? People like that make our lives miserable, but thanks to people like my dad, justice will always prevail, despite how many bad guys there are."
…
" I want to be like my dad when I grow up. I want to be a symbol of justice and peace."
…
" Are you considering becoming a police officer like your dad?"
…
" Yes! Besides being an officer, other fields are simply worthless and outdated."
…
Back to the current and present storyline
" What are you thinking so intensely about, Yu?"
…
" I was thinking about our childhood and how much fun we had as kids."
" Yeah! We had a lot of fun as kids and now, we must look towards the future."
" Unfortunately, we have to grow and leave our childhood behind us."
" The good thing is that we'll always be together, right, Yu?"
…
" Right?"
I hesitated at that part because I was doubtful of whether we'll be staying together after leaving middle school. Asa's proposition popped into my mind then, but it was suddenly replaced by an odd feeling.
(What is this odd feeling coming from?)
My backpack was flashing, and I had to open it, only to see it was my grimoire. Not only that, but the ring I was wearing also started emitting a deep red light.
(Red means danger, doesn't it? Is someone in danger?)
The ring designed a flashing path for me to follow, which I did. It was still school hours and because of it, I didn't head to my next period.
The ring had led me to a deserted place where two individuals were fighting. One of the two individuals was holding something very firmly and wouldn't let go of it.
(Isn't that—------ a painting?)
I was right! What that individual was holding was a painting. I couldn't see his face as he was under some kind of disguise that was covering most of his face.
" I've brought you to this deserted place so that you'll stop hurting innocent civilians."
" How are you planning to stop me, exactly?"
(It doesn't seem to be a police officer on duty. By the hoarse voice, I'd say without a doubt, that's a man's voice.)
" I may be in a difficult spot, but I'll be victorious and get you back to normal."
The man with the costume was in a difficult spot indeed. He had two ripped bones and could barely stand. He was also bleeding a lot. The opponent he was facing was indeed very powerful, but despite his disadvantage, he wouldn't back off and keep fighting.
(There must be something I can do to help, can't I?)
The boy with the costume rolled down to the ground after receiving a blow from his opponent. I couldn't bear to watch this confrontation any longer. My heart was boiling inside me and strong emotion, just like the one I felt not so long ago when that man's life was on the line. It was a similar emotion, but much stronger this time around.
(I have to observe and find its weakness. Only then will I be able to land him a hand.)
The fight kept going, and I was observing it very meticulously to find something, like an opening or a weakness.
" Give up, or you'll lose your life for nothing! It's not worth it."
" You say that, but you're not giving me the final blow. Why is that?"
…
" Subconsciously, you don't want to kill me, don't you?"
…
" You're driven by an evil force, but you're not bad at heart. You're paining, you're hurting, but you don't want to kill me. Am I wrong?"
…
As the man kept talking to the painting, the latter started letting his guard down, and I could find a tiny opening.
" I'm going to restore you to normal and stop this pain for good. It's a promise!"
(I won't be needing the grimoire for this.)
I just needed to open a small opening, and my illusionary skills were more than enough for the job.
(Let's do this! I only get this one shot, and I mustn't fail.)
I concentrated my thoughts for a minute. Once I was calm, I threw my cards right in the opening I had found, creating a smoke.
(Where's this smoke coming from?)
The smoke covered the entire battlefield. The boy in costume and the painting were trapped in it. The smoke I cast with my tricking abilities would only last thirty seconds.
" What's all these images?"
The boy in costume started to see various images appearing out of nowhere in the trapped smoke. The images were very vivid as if they were happening in the present. As the images kept appearing, the boy in costume found the root cause of the painting's pain and also the way to save it.
(The smoke will dissipate in ten seconds.)
As the smoke was slowly dissipating, a strong blow was heard. The magic employed was very strong.
When the smoke had completely dissipated, only one person was still standing and that person was the boy in costume, The painting was nowhere to be seen as it was restored to its former self.
(He did it! I'm glad I was able to help him, even a little.)
The painting was bright and the dark energy that was surrounding it vanished. The boy in costume collapsed to the ground.
" Hey, wake up!"
I ran over to him as I was worried. His injuries were very severe, and he needed to be brought to the hospital immediately for treatment.
" The painting needs to be returned to the gallery."
" Don't worry about the painting! You're in much worse condition as it is. We have to get you to the hospital immediately, or you might die."
" I have to return this painting to the gallery."
Despite what I was saying, he was more concerned about the painting than about himself. Returning the painting to the gallery was more important to him than his own life.
" I'll return this painting on your behalf. Now, let's head to the hospital!"
…
" No! I can't go to the hospital."
" Why not?"
…
He stopped talking and wouldn't tell me more. His injuries were very severe and listening to him wasn't an option.
" You have to be brought to the hospital immediately. There's no other way for you to be saved."
…
Left with no other option, he decided to confide in me and tell me why he couldn't go to the hospital.
" The reason why I can't be brought to the hospital is that I'm an anti-thief."
?
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone