Phantom Oneshot

[p001]

Box: For me, the current state of things is unappealing.
Box: For decades...there haven't been any wars and no one has died an untimely death.

Box: Thanks to that, I'm starving and on the verge of exhaustion.

??? (thoughts): It's time...

(left) Before that dark look...

[p002]

(right) A story comes to life...

???: Yo,
???: Boy.

???: Want to
(bottom, author) Horie Ryuu

[p003]

???: Make a deal with me?
(top, star) The story of a truth that must not be told!! A dark suspenseful 49p. oneshot!!

[p004]

Man: Phantom...
Man: That's right. Surely... that man was a phantom...

Man: Our boss is special...
Man: No one is a match for him.
Man: The same goes for you cops...
Man: Kukuku... you can't become that man's opponent, either.

Man 2: The year and a half we've spent in pursuit of your fucking "Phantom" organization...
Man 2: We have lost a large number of subordinates, and haven't been able to find the key to this...

Man 2: I'll ask you one last thing.
Man 2: Just what is your boss? Tell us everything you know.

[p005]

Man: I said it already, didn't I?
Man: That you guys can't become boss' opponent.

Man 2: Shit... choosing death over betrayal, huh...
Man 2: If that's the case...

Man 2: We can only rely on... the Investigation Bureau's Roxy...

[p006]

???: Boooss~~

???: Boss

???: Come on ouuuut~~~

Man: BOOOSS

Man: HEY!
Girl: W-would he really come out just like that?!
Girl: Um...
Girl: Heey!

[p007]

Man: Yeah... boss is the capricious sort.
Man: Searching for him like this and looking after him will be your job, newbie.

Girl: R...
Girl: Right...
(left of girl) This is work...?

Man: Ah.

Man: Speaking of which... boss sighted!!

Girl: Wh...
Girl: EEHH...?!

[p008]

(next to girl) ...ha?
Man: Booooss! It's dangerous up there, please come down!!

Girl (thoughts): Boss?!
Girl (thoughts): Ehh... that's him?!

Boss: Who's that?

[p009]

Man: She's the new maid hired by your head caretaker!
Girl: But he...
Girl: Looks like a kid...
Man: Like I said, it's dangerous up there, so please hurry and come down!!

Boss: Is this a water strider?
(next to Boss) Here.
Girl (thoughts): He is a kid!!
Man: You can play with it afterward!!

Man: Ahh!
Man: Look, don't say anything else and come d...

[p010]

Man: Oooh?!

Man: Bo...
Man: Boss, are you injured!!

[p011]

(above girl) Hm?
(above Boss) Staaare

Man: BOSS?!

Man: Are you alright?! Does it hurt anywhere?!
Man: Oooh, you poor thing, everything is alright now!!

Girl: Umm... is there still work to do today after this?
Man: Hm?!
Man: No... that's all for today.

Man: It's already getting dark.
Man: You only need to take care of boss when he's out during the day.

Girl: Hah...?

[p012]

Girl: W-well, then.
Girl: I'll head back to my room!

Man: Hm...

Man: Wait a moment.

Man: Your movements just now were pretty good for a maid...
Man: Have you... been up to something?

[p013]

Girl: Yes...
Girl: Because physical strength is essential to a maid's job.

Man: I see...
Man: That's true...

Man: Haa...

Man: Ahh, crap! It's already sunset!
Man: Boss, let's get you back to your room.

Boss: Why?
Man: Because, now hurry!

[p014]

???: So it's you, Roxy.
Roxy: Chief.

Chief: What is it?
Roxy: What is it, you ask... this is our scheduled contact time. That's what we decided on, right?

Roxy: My infiltration of the organization has been successful!

[p015]

Chief: Ahh, that's right... so that's what it was...
Roxy: Is everything alright, chief...?

Roxy: Anyway! My report! This organization is really strange...
Chief: It's fine... you don't have to report...

Roxy: The one they call "boss" is just a kid, and...
Roxy: Wai-WHAT?! What did you just say?!

Chief: From now on, we won't need a scheduled contact time.
Chief: Concentrate on furthering your investigative infiltration.

Chief: Alright? This is an order.
Chief: Continue your investigation as you have been.

Roxy: Ye...
Roxy: Understood...

[p016]

Boss: It's...

Boss: BREAKFAST TIIIIIME
Roxy: BLEGH?!

Roxy: KYAA?!
Boss: Morn~ing
Roxy: Don't just go saying morn~ing! Just what are...
Roxy: In a person's room...!

Man: It's breakfast time. Hurry and get dressed, maid.
Roxy: YOU TOO!

[p017]

Roxy: Does everyone gather together like this for every meal?

Man: Yeah.
Man: This is a family rule that boss decided.

[p018]

Man: Aren't you going to look surprised at all?
(above man) Staaare
(above Roxy) Haa!
Man: Didn't you think this was a much more horrible organization?

Man: You can think that way.
Man: We aren't the sort you see everywhere...
Man: We're different from normal mafia... we're special.

Man: Aaall of us were once...
Man: stray hoodlums.
Man: The one thing which ties us together is our boss...

[p019]

Man: We, who are drawn together by the boss
Man: are like a real family.

Roxy: Heehh...

Boss: You've got a family too, right miss?

Roxy: No.

[p020]

Roxy: I've been alone since the day I was born and...

Roxy: Always
Roxy: Devote myself whole-heartedly to my work...

Roxy (thoughts): Roxy,
Roxy (thoughts): This is an investigative infiltration!

Man: We have obtained information regarding "Phantom".
Man: You will slip inside their organization under the guise of a maid.

[p021]

Roxy: I...will?
Man: Investigative infiltration is
Man: best suited for someone like you, who has no family.

Roxy: Hm? Is this...
Man: It's material concerning "Phantom".

Roxy: From the reporters and police who... pursued "Phantom"?
Man: That's right.
Man: But they all failed.

Man: One step away from catching its trail...
Man: they would return, bodies akin to an empty husk...
Man: and even their souls appeared to have left them.

Roxy (thoughts): The boss who runs such a terrible organization
Roxy (thoughts): must definitely be a horrible demon of a man...!

[p022]

Man: Roxy, infiltrate their group and
Man: return with proof!!

Roxy: So that's why
Roxy: I don't have
Roxy: a family.

Boss: Then,
Boss: stay with us!

[p023]

Man: By the way, Roxy,
Man: You don't have to look after the boss today.
(left of man) Well then, better get up.

Roxy: Eh?
Man: We're following the boss on an outing.
Man: So we'll be out until nighttime.

Roxy (thoughts): Then...

Roxy (thoughts): that means...!

[p024]

Roxy: It's...
Roxy: Already dark out...
Roxy: I spent half the day... there just isn't any proof, no matter where I look...

Roxy: Furthermore...
Roxy (thoughts): Can you really call those guys
Roxy (thoughts): the demon-like group "Phantom"...

Roxy (thoughts): No one would be able to find proof... but... but...
Roxy (thoughts): ...hm?

[p025]

Roxy: Th...
Roxy: This is...

Roxy (thoughts): A tremendous number... of heavy weaponry.
Roxy (thoughts): And swords!

Roxy (thoughts): They can't...
Roxy (thoughts): talk their way out of this one!

[p026]

Roxy (thoughts): It's all
Roxy (thoughts): over for them!!

sfx bubble: Clatter

Roxy: Aah...?!

[p027]

Roxy: Boss...!

Roxy: I thought...
Roxy: You weren't coming back until nightttime...?!

Boss: That was a lie. Everyone...
Boss: Went out because I told them to.

Roxy: Wh...
Roxy: Why would you...

[p028]

Boss: Because...
Boss: I wanted to talk to you.

Boss: To Roxy, the investigation agent.

Roxy: Wh
Roxy: Ho
Roxy: How did you-?!

Boss: I knew yesterday evening.
Boss: Since then... I've been watching you...

Boss: Because I didn't want to believe you were an enemy.

[p029]

Boss: But that's alright.
Boss: Because matters have been settled.

Roxy: ...That's right.
Roxy: All that's left is a single phone call, and the police force will come and break down the door...

Roxy: It's over.

Boss: Is it?!

Roxy: ...Haah?!
Roxy: Asking if...

[p030]

Roxy: Kyaa?!

[p031]

Boss: Everything was
Boss: Settled already, yesterday evening.

Box: What...? This feeling...

Boss: Let me
Boss: To tell you...

Boss: About yesterday evening...

[p032]

Man: Boss, let's get you back to your room.
Boss: Why?
Man: Because, now hurry!

Man: At last...
Man: The day has come to an end.

Man: This is your time, boss!

[p033]

Man: A few days ago...
Man: One of our members was hung from the top of a building.
Man: We've located the bastards responsible.

Man: What should we do,
Man: Boss...!

[p035]

Boss: Let's go.
Boss: I'll settle things...

[p036]

Officer: GUAAA!

Officer: Wh
Officer: Why can't our bullets hit him?!

Officer: Hii!
Officer: Hiii!

Chief: W-wait!
Chief: I get it! I get it, so-!

Chief: I-I'll give you some information!
Chief: So, please... spare me!

[p037]

Boss: ...talk, and we'll see.

Chief: Aah
Chief: A new maid...
Chief: Joined you guys, right? Named Roxy...

Chief: That woman is from an investigation and infiltration agency!
Chief: Additionally,
Chief: All sorts of military forces are being deployed! I am the only one who can stop them! So...

Boss: I see...

Boss: That was some valuable information.
Boss: You... only want your life saved, correct?

[p038]

Chief: P-
Chief: Please!

Boss: The chief...
Boss: Spoke your name, Roxy.

Boss: After that... well, what do you think happened.
Roxy: A...are the chief
Roxy: And policemen alright?!

Boss: Kukuku...
Boss: You're pretty kind, huh...
Boss: Worrying about the guy who sold you out?

Boss: As promised,
Boss: Nobody was killed.

[p039]

Roxy: ...you... just what are you?
Roxy: You're not... human...?

Boss: You want to hear about me?
Boss: We're already off the topic at hand, but...

Boss: A boy was dying by the side of the road.
Boss: What that boy wanted more than anything was a family...

Man: Good. I'll give you a little present.
Man: Surround yourself with an excellent family!

[p040]

Boss: In exchange, what I received was... half of this body.
Boss: I don't feel the pain of starving anymore...

Roxy: ...starving...?

(Boss sfx): Cough cough cough

Boss: Already
Boss: Dawn, huh...

[p041]

Boss: This enjoyable time passes in the blink of an eye...
Boss: You should return to your room already.

Roxy: ...haah?

Roxy: Wh-what are you saying?!
Roxy: I don't have... any reason to sta...

Boss: This family...
Boss: Needs a woman like you.

Boss: I said it before.
Boss: That I want you to stay here from now on.

[p042]

Roxy: Th-that's impossible!
Roxy: You think after all this, that I could stay here?!

Boss: That's right, we're
Boss: Off the original topic again, aren't we.

Boss: Here.

Phone: Chief.

[p043]

Roxy (thoughts): It's my... voice?!
Phone: What is it?
Roxy (thoughts): ! ... even the chief's voice...

Phone: What is it, you ask...
Phone: This is our scheduled contact time. That's what we decided on, right?
(Phone screen): Playback

Phone: My infiltration of the organization
Phone: Has been successful!

Phone: Ahh, that's right... so that's what it was...

Roxy (thoughts): These voices...
Roxy (thoughts): A recording of last night's...
Roxy (thoughts): ...phone call?!

Roxy: ...why?
Roxy: Just how...
Roxy: When?
Roxy: When did you record this? That conversation...

[p044]

Roxy (thoughts): ...Back then?

Roxy (thoughts): The scheduled contact time on the first night...

Roxy (thoughts): Back then...
Roxy (thoughts): The chief had already...!

Chief: Hii!
Chief: Pl-
Chief: Please wait!

Chief: I told you, didn't I, so spare meeee!!

[p045]

Text: By that time, it was already too late!

[p046]

Text: Everything was...
Boss: I...
Boss: Won't allow anyone to kill your subordinates.

Boss: But you killed my family, didn't you?
Boss: And to protect yourself, you ratted out the investigation and infiltration agency...

Text: Settled already!!
Boss: So naturally, I can eat your soul, right?

[p047]

sfx box: Click
Chief: So it's you, Roxy.

Roxy: Chief.

Chief: It's fine... you don't have to report...
Chief: From now on, we won't need a scheduled contact time.
Chief: Concentrate on furthering your investigative infiltration.
Boss: Kukuku...

Chief: Alright? This is an order.

Boss: Well,
Boss: That's how it is, Roxy.

[p048]

Boss: You should really abide by your superior's orders.

Roxy: Ha...

[p049]

(left) This is the greatness of our boss!!

Men: Haaah...?

Boss: Like I saaaaid~~~
Boss: There's a new addition to the family!
Boss: The Official Investigation and Infiltration Bureau's Roxy-san...

Men: Wait, hold on a sec boooss!
Men: What the hell is an Official Investigation and Infiltration Bureau?!
Men: Don't let a police dog into our family!!
Man: L...let me talk to the nighttime boss...
Men: DAMMIT, NIGHTTIME BOSSSSS!

(bottom) Phantom ...end.