That Thing Is an Executive?
The inside of Astra's office was deathly quiet.
“So, to explain in detail…”
In the end, I was forced to accept the job.
‘Oh my. What could this be in my hand?’
‘…Isn’t that my contract?’
It was the contract I had signed before officially joining the organization as an executive. It listed all the various benefits I would receive as an executive, along with the obligations I had to uphold.
‘Then what might this be?’
Astra pointed at one specific clause with her finger.
Executives of the organization must carry out one mission per month without refusal.
‘…So you’re assigning me this job as a mandatory mission?’
“Yes.”
And just like that, I had no choice but to take the mission. Well, even if it hadn’t been mandatory, I probably would’ve been pressured into doing it anyway.
“It appears a villain organization has joined hands with a research lab.”
To summarize what she told me:
There was an experiment underway at a certain lab. They were struggling to find test subjects, so they partnered with a villain organization to solve that problem. My mission was to steal the results of that research and eliminate everyone who knew about it.
“What exactly am I supposed to retrieve?”
“More precisely, you need to bring back information. The data on the research results.”
She activated her ability. With a casual flick of one finger, her documents began floating gently in the air.
Psychokinesis.
It was the only long-range ability among the executives, and in the original story it had shown off some truly broken, overpowered feats.
“That laboratory has been conducting experiments to restore the human body to its original state.”
Even if limbs were severed, the entire body burned, bones shattered, or abilities lost, the experiment aimed to return the subject to perfect condition.
Among the documents she had casually levitated were low-resolution, shaky photos that looked like they had been secretly taken during the research.
“Would it be more accurate to call it a regeneration experiment?”
“It’s for the Boss.”
In the past, she had been one of the most powerful ability users in the world. After suffering catastrophic injuries from the Hero Association’s all-out assault, she was still in the middle of recovering.
In the latter half of the original story, she appears in an incomplete but near-prime state and completely overwhelms the heroes.
And that was during a time when power inflation had already gone through the roof. If this experiment could restore her, it was absolutely worth participating in.
“Only when she returns to her prime will our ambitions be realized.”
“I see.”
And if I succeed, I’ll be able to live a life of luxury and idleness under the protection of the strongest being in the world.
The original story had only just begun. In a situation like this, having the final boss of the latter half on my side?
It would solve the safety issues I had been worrying about nonstop ever since I possessed this body.
Of course, there are still problems like the true final boss and other variables, but for the time being, I’ll definitely be safe.
I couldn’t pass this up.
“In that case, I probably should have volunteered for this mission myself.”
“I’m glad you feel that way. Hehe.”
She smiled for a moment.
Wait a second.
Something felt off. A question rose in my mind.
No matter how important the mission was, if it was just about stealing information, was there really a need to force me to do it?
“But was it really necessary to make this a mandatory mission for me?”
“…Pardon?”
“If it’s simply a matter of retrieving information, couldn’t you have assigned it to someone else?”
“……”
She fell silent for a moment at my words.
“There must be more to it.”
Why would she specifically send Maker—me—on this mission? My creation ability was excellent at generating variables, but in terms of pure combat power, it was rather ambiguous.
“Am I insurance? In case something goes wrong?”
“…As expected, I can’t hide anything from you, Maker.”
My creation ability worked better the more I understood the principles, materials, or elemental symbols of the target. The deeper my understanding, the longer I could maintain the created object in a semi-permanent state.
Sending someone like me on this mission was clearly a contingency plan.
In case the mission failed. In case the stolen data was taken back, or it became impossible to bring the materials back intact.
Because I could create samples and smuggle them out.
“Is it that dangerous?”
I looked at Astra. She let out a small sigh and deactivated her ability.
“Haa.”
The floating papers settled back onto her desk in neat stacks.
“It seems the lab noticed something. They’ve increased their security forces.”
“Security forces? Did they borrow people from other villain organizations?”
No matter how much they reinforced their security systems, there was always a limit. Even if they strengthened the building itself, once it was breached, all that remained were fragile researchers who couldn’t do anything.
So I assumed the cooperating villain organization would at least provide bodyguards…
“No. They brought in heroes.”
“They’ve got some nerve.”
“On the surface, they’re pretending to be benevolent researchers developing treatments for patients.”
Even so, for shady bastards like them to bring in heroes? It was no different from terrorists handing bombs over to the police. Either they were completely insane, or whatever they were protecting was that important.
Or maybe some heroes are cooperating even though they know the truth.
After all, the Association and its heroes weren’t made up entirely of good people.
“Understood. When does the mission begin?”
“Tomorrow night. The lab’s location is in District D, as written in the documents.”
“That’s quite far.”
“You caused terrorism in District E and you’re complaining about distance?”
Astra let out a small chuckle as she rose from her chair. She walked past me, then paused after a few steps and slightly turned her head.
“Follow me. I’ll introduce you to your colleague for this mission.”
I followed her down the hallway.
The corridor seemed to stretch on forever.
“Who exactly are we going to meet?”
Walking aimlessly behind her was getting boring, so I asked Astra a question.
“Another executive. You haven’t met any of the other executives besides me, have you, Maker?”
“No. Not yet, at least.”
In the original story I had seen them all in the latter half, but this was my first time actually meeting them in person.
Still, if it was another executive, my safety during the mission should be more or less guaranteed.
Even if we failed to retrieve the data, as long as I could somehow look at the information and recreate it, the mission would be considered a success. All that would be left was escaping safely.
“In a way, you could say she’s similar to you, Maker.”
“Similar to me?”
“Yes. Her ability isn’t really suited for direct combat either.”
Someone Astra would refer to as “that child,” and an ability that wasn’t suited for combat. I was starting to get an idea.
The Training Grounds?
The Training Grounds. A female character who emphasized a cool, sexy, and taciturn vibe. She wore a skintight outfit that boldly revealed her cleavage. One of my favorite scenes was watching her overwhelm countless heroes using irregular and varied martial techniques derived from her own ability.
“We’re already here. It’s that room over there, Maker.”
Astra stretched out her arm and pointed at a particular door.
I wonder what she looks like in real life?
In the original story, I only ever saw her during battles. I was personally quite curious what the Training Grounds was like in her everyday life.
With my heart swelling with anticipation, I waited for Astra to knock on the door.
Knock. Knock.
“Training Grounds, are you inside?”
“H-Hyeeet!”
…?
…Hyeeet?
Did the Training Grounds just say “hyeeet”? That cool and stoic Training Grounds?
This already felt very different from what I had expected. And when Astra opened the door, the image of the Training Grounds I had imagined shattered into pieces.
“She must be inside. I’m coming in.”
“W-Wait, sis! J-Just a second…”
Creeeeak…
The door to her room slowly opened with a long groan.
“……”
“Ah, u-um… sis… aha… ahahaha…”
If I had to describe her room in one word, it would be disaster.
Snack wrappers and comic books were scattered all over the floor. The trash can had long since overflowed and lost its purpose. Clothes, blankets, and game consoles were strewn everywhere, leaving no place to even step.
And in the middle of that mess, a beautiful woman with a slightly gloomy impression was standing there awkwardly, smiling in a flustered manner.
“What… is this?”
Astra’s icy voice seemed to drop the temperature of the room by several degrees. The Training Grounds must have noticed, because she was fidgeting restlessly.
“…Training Grounds.”
“Y-Yes, sis… I-I’m sorry… I-I was…”
Bzzzzz—
“H-Hiiik!”
Objects inside the Training Grounds’ room began to slowly float upward. She trembled even harder, carefully watching Astra’s reaction.
Wooooong—!
The objects and trash floating around thanks to her ability moved faster and faster, as if expressing her emotions.
“I told you…”
Astra finally spread her palm wide.
Smack!
“Ouch!”
“Didn’t I tell you to clean your room on time?!”
She began smacking the girl’s back repeatedly.
Smack! Smack! Smack!
“Ah! Ah! Ow!”
“……”
I stared at the scene in a daze. She didn’t seem to be hitting her that hard, yet the Training Grounds already had tears welling up in her eyes.
What the hell is this?
Where did the charismatic, sexy female executive go? Why is there a hikikomori instead…?
“I-I’m sorry, sis!”
“I can’t live like this!!”
…What the hell.
Is that really the Training Grounds? The one getting spanked by Astra for not cleaning her room and crying her eyes out?
…That thing is the Training Grounds? That thing is an executive?
Where the hell did all the charisma go?
“Ow! Ow! Hiiiing…!”
“……”
I gave up on thinking.