Masked Duo (3)
Steam was definitely an interesting substance. It granted ordinary people without superpowers physical abilities on par with those of the superpowered. Where in the world could you find a drug with effects like that? Of course, the side effects were brutally severe, but if they could be refined here, it would undoubtedly carve a mark in history.
Anyway, the reason I'm suddenly sounding like I'm praising Steam is because these guys were damn hard to kill. Even if you beat them at the level you'd use on a normal person, Steam users just wouldn't die. How great was that for sticking to the no-kill rule?
"This ain't the animal kingdom—what the hell's with their behavior?"
The first guy who'd charged at me acted like a real dog. The next one came at me with cat-like nya nya punches, and the last one charged headfirst like a cow possessed. Was one of Steam's side effects turning intelligence animal-level? They fought exactly like beasts.
"You okay, Rabbit Armor?"
"Don't call me by that shitty name."
"Fuck, forced to go by Hong Gildong..."
Unable to call his father "Dad," now he couldn't even call Rabbit Armor by his real name. He'd become Gildong Armor...
"But what about that guy? He didn't run away, did he?"
"He ran."
"...Why the hell did you climb up top so confidently then?"
I lost my composure at Rabbit Armor's brazen admission of letting him escape. S-rank meant S-rank shamelessness too.
Rabbit Armor added, "To be precise, I let him run."
"Huh?"
What the hell did that mean?
"What're you talking about?"
"All these guys passed out here are his underlings. If he's the one directly selling Steam with this many subordinates, he's definitely connected to the Steam maker. Where do you think a guy like that would go after getting attacked by a villain like me?"
"No way?"
"Yeah. I stuck a tracker on him. So now we just follow this and chase the bastard down."
"You sneaky fucker!"
He looked like a raging alcoholic, but damn, he was cunning!
"Then let's get going."
"Yeah. But you okay? Looked like those punks beat the shit outta you earlier."
"I came prepared for something like this."
"Oho? What's that?"
Rabbit Armor flipped open his jacket to show me the inside. There was a skintight suit underneath, like tights.
"Defensive suit. Not as loaded with features as what White Knight wears, but it absorbs impacts."
"Whoa. Where'd you get it? I want one."
"...You, with that body, want one of these?"
Rabbit Armor eyed me up and down. A body enhancer like me wanting a defensive suit must've seemed ridiculous. Sure, I'd said I wanted one, but I had no intention of wearing it myself. I was already decked out in Peter Elder's custom suit, which blocked most attacks with its steel skin properties. No need for that thing.
Still, I wanted it for my girls. Unlike me, they had fragile bodies.
"Anyway, let's head out."
"Right."
We started tracking the escaped man via the locator.
*****
"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!"
Oblivious to the tracker on his body, the man—Eldimo—drove his car fleeing the club. Sweat poured down his face like rain, showing just how tense he was. He kept slamming the steering wheel, spewing curses.
"Who the hell was that?"
Eldimo thought of the masked assailant. The guy's pinpoint marksmanship, punching holes in his men's heads, had terrified him. Eldimo just ran a few clubs in District 59—he wasn't a villain. The ghost-like shooter had scared him shitless.
"Henry? Remus? Fuck, who the hell hired a hitman...!"
Too many rivals in the club business; he couldn't pinpoint the culprit. Eldimo ground his teeth.
"Where to run?"
He racked his brain frantically. His eyes darted anxiously to his phone.
"..."
Only one person could help him: the man who'd entrusted him with Steam distribution. A normal guy without powers, but Eldimo could tell he was a big shot in the underworld. Whatever his build, the guy had the clout to fix this. Even if he lost the clubs, he had to hold onto the Steam distribution rights.
"...Would that bastard even help?"
But would he? In the underworld, the powerless got discarded. A guy who couldn't protect his own clubs? He'd be cut loose, not helped.
"Damn it. No choice. I'll take the money I've made so far and try again later."
Caught between a rock and a hard place, Eldimo chose to run. Luckily, his Steam profits were enough to start over.
And at that moment—
BAM!
"Gah?!"
Something lunged out from ahead, smashing into Eldimo's car. Caught off-guard from dropping out of the sky, he slammed his head into the steering wheel and blacked out.
In front of the half-wrecked car stood two masked men, one with a skull emblem, the other a rabbit.
"Urgh... You damn bastard. Warn a guy before you jump!"
"Told you to hold on tight."
"How's that jumping?!"
"Quit nitpicking over something so minor."
"Minor? Jumping off a building is minor?! Ugh... my blood pressure..."
Rabbit Armor clutched the back of his neck at Steel Armor's shrugging nonchalance.
*****
We dragged the guy—with a fresh bruise blooming on his forehead—to one of my territories, District 73. Karinbia's subordinate managed it, and I'd borrowed an out-of-the-way warehouse from him.
"Urgh... my stomach still..."
As I tied the man to a chair, Rabbit Armor rubbed his gut. Naturally, we hadn't used the car—I'd shouldered both him and the guy like luggage. Rabbit Armor had taken an elbow to the belly the whole way to District 73.
"Why's that guy such a wuss? I jumped off a 60-story hotel roof and I'm fine."
"You bastard."
He scowled and approached as I scolded him. Looked like he had a ton to say but was holding back.
Heh heh heh! Yeah, who told you to dodge my elbow smash?
"Anyway, let's start."
"Right."
Memory Hunter gripped the man's head with both hands and activated his superpower.
Now's the time.
I used my superpower on Memory Hunter too.
Lv.1 Memory Read (Active)
Lv.2 ???
Lv.3 ???
Lv.4 ???
Lv.5 ???
Lv.6 ???
Lv.7 ???
Lv.8 ???
Lv.9 ???
Lv.10 ???
Memory Stalker...
I'd wondered what superpower Memory Hunter had, and it was Memory Stalker. I'd thought psychometry, but maybe it was just the Dark City naming convention.
I can probably uncover the rest of his traits before this job ends.
The investigation into the new drug Steam hadn't progressed much. Working like this, I'd eventually reveal all of Memory Hunter's traits. We had a decent rapport now, but who knew when it'd sour. I was a villain, he a hero, after all.
Among S-rank heroes, Memory Hunter scared me most. Other S-ranks? I could fight and win, no identity leak. But him? He was the only one who could uncover who I was.
Maybe for the future, I should kill him right here.
Swish—
I reached for Memory Hunter's nape as he read the man's memories. One grip and squeeze, and he'd be done.
...Tch.
But I lowered my hand. I owed Memory Hunter one. He'd helped rescue Rachel. Without him, I might never have seen her again.
If I kill him, I'll pay the debt first.
Dumping him off to America without settling up wasn't my style.
"Haa..."
"Done?"
"Yeah... Gimme a sec to rest."
"Sure."
I supported his staggering form to a chair. Removing his mask, I handed him water; he chugged the whole bottle.
"Find anything?"
"Yeah."
"Huh? You did?"
I was shocked—he'd read captured distributors' memories before with no leads. Now a clue?
"Saw the face of the guy who supplied him Steam."
"For real? How do you know who it is?"
"Quiet for a sec. Thinking."
Memory Hunter extended a hand toward me, rubbing his temples—headache, probably—and pondered. I shut my mouth to let him focus.
Moments later, he spoke. "Got it. Yeah, that fucker."
"Who? You know him?"
"Yeah. Minor player, so it took a bit, but definitely someone I know."
"Who?"
"Carbo Sesta. B-rank villain Invisible operating in District 39."
"...Your brain a computer or what? How do you know all that?"
"Had to."
"Huh?"
Grind!
Memory Hunter suddenly ground his teeth, fists clenched white. Suppressing rage.
"Know who rules District 39?"
"District 39? Dunno."
My territories skewed east Dark City; 39 was northwest, opposite side—I hadn't checked.
"Who?"
"You know him too."
"Huh? I do?"
"Yeah."
Memory Hunter glared like the guy was there, eyes burning with fury. "Shadow Killer."
"...Who?"
"Shadow Killer. District 39's one of his territories."
Memory Hunter ground his teeth.
*****
Shadow Killer popping up out of nowhere—after getting his ass handed to him by me—left me baffled. But thinking it over, he was the prime suspect for plotting against me. I'd bisected him, and he'd fled like a tail with ten thousand segments. Probably sharpening his revenge blade.
"So that fucker's behind the plot against me? Fucker should've died. Where's that bastard? Let's go fuck him up."
"Probably not targeting you specifically."
"What? Why?"
"Steam started spreading before your fight with him."
"Oh, right?"
"And I don't even know where Shadow Killer is now."
"The Association? They might know even if you don't."
"I'd know if they did. They know his territories but not his location. Guy's too elusive. He's shrouded in mystery."
Prime suspect: Shadow Killer. But something off.
"Invisible's running District 39? That's executive level. Why's an exec personally peddling?"
"Means Steam's that important to Shadow Killer. Important enough for an exec to handle personally."
"Hm..."
"Nothing changes. We stick to the plan, snag the puppet master from the shadows. Shadow Killer or not."
"Cool."
I thumbs-upped Memory Hunter. Shadow Killer terrified heroes, but this guy showed no fear—burning with fight.
"Let's do it. Wake that fucker first?"
I dumped the bucket of water on the man.