Chapter 55
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: Summer Vacation Special Camp (9)
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A building on the outskirts of Rakogucho has collapsed due to a mysterious fire and explosion. The structure was home to the Sato Faction, a Yakuza group operating under the guise of a construction company called Sato Gumi. Most members are now reported missing or dead. In particular, the body of the faction's boss, Sato Yanagi, was found with massive holes punched through both his chests, leading to speculation that this wasn't an accident but the work of a rival group or internal conflict. Police are...
Of course, the incident we caused made the news.
The building collapsed right after we escaped. That woman was blasting beams everywhere, punching holes all over the place until the structure couldn't bear the weight anymore.
Fortunately, police arrived quickly and controlled the area, so there were no unnecessary casualties. Only one Yakuza group got wiped out.
These societal scum died by my hand without even getting a chance to do their dirty work. In a way, doesn't that count as another good deed on my part?
Of course, with the incident blowing up like this, we had to get out of there immediately. Dennis had secured a new temporary hideout—a pretty luxurious hotel. Carmen sat slumped in the corner of the room, looking utterly dejected, while Dennis pressed her temples hard, keeping her mouth shut.
She was texting someone on her phone, jabbing at the screen like an impatient hothead. It almost looked like she was arguing with a cheating boyfriend. Judging by that twisted smirk on her lips, she was probably talking to Saburo.
Anyway, it was hard to say if this mission was a success or a failure.
The primary goal was to scare them off, but we ended up killing them all instead. Does that count as a win? Wiping out the assault squad was the plan from the start anyway, so maybe this outcome isn't so bad.
"You really trashed that building. Who the hell did it?"
Saburo kicked open the hotel room door and stormed in. His clothes were covered in dust, and exhaustion was etched on his face. The Sato Faction's assault team must have been no pushovers. Dennis glanced at him and said,
"Looks like you had your hands full."
Saburo nodded in agreement.
"Still no match for me, though. So, while I was out cleaning up nicely, what the hell happened here? Why'd the building get demolished, why are cops swarming around looking for Sato Faction goons, and why did I have to dodge a sudden police raid and hole up?"
Dennis looked at us. She was holding back because Carmen looked so out of it. Carmen glanced at Saburo and Dennis, then hunched over even more miserably. Saburo twitched his eyebrows at the sight and said,
"What's her deal?"
"She's been like that since she got back. Must've seen something weird."
Saburo smirked at that.
"What, did she run into a chick who shoots beams from her eyes or something? Haven't met her myself, but word is she's a ridiculously powerful player."
"Huh?"
I widened my eyes, and Carmen lifted her head at his words. Saburo blinked at our reactions, then let out a hollow laugh.
"...You're joking, right? She's no cheap hire. Not something a bunch of wannabe Yakuza like these could afford."
"But she was wearing sunglasses and shooting beams from her eyes. Black hair."
Saburo paused to think it over. Then he looked back at me and asked,
"...So, what was that woman doing?"
"Looked like she was searching for something in the Sato Faction base. She even asked me if I was with them."
"Then why'd she go berserk and start blasting beams everywhere?"
I could see Carmen flinch at that. Saburo's gaze flicked her way for a moment, so I lifted my head and spoke up. It's not like he'd ever run into that beam woman anyway, and even if he did, he's not the type to relay my words verbatim.
This was the perfect chance for a white lie to build some rapport with Carmen.
"No idea. She just started firing at us to kill us. After I said no to her question about being Sato Faction. She went full psycho, said 'Then die' flat out, and unleashed those rays without batting an eye. If Carmen hadn't helped me, I'd be dead right there."
"Hmph. Figures all the big shots in this business are a bit off in the head."
Saburo snorted, but Dennis frowned and shot back,
"That's a bit uncomfortable to hear when you're the one listening."
Saburo ignored her, opened the window, and lit a cigarette.
"What do you want me to do about it? You're just a low-level Prophets grunt. Thinks she can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the heavy hitters, huh?"
"Hmph."
Dennis snorted and shook her head. Good, it seemed to have worked. A woman shooting beams from her eyes. Whoever she was, I hoped I never crossed paths with her again. First impressions weren't great. If we met somewhere else, she'd probably blast me on sight for real.
"...Tch."
A soft click of the tongue came from beside me. Carmen was scowling gloomily. She glanced at me, and when our eyes met, she quickly looked away. I sat down next to her and said,
"You don't have to thank me or anything."
"...I really hate you."
Hate me all you want.
I'm starting to understand you a little, Carmen.
Unlike that first day when she straight-up said she hated me with a cold glare, lately when Carmen said she hated me, she couldn't quite bring herself to bare her fangs.
Arguing, hating, disliking each other—maybe that's just part of getting close.
That's what I decided to believe.
"Whew, that was close to dying."
A little ways from the Rakogucho building district, in a wild mountain area, the black-haired woman lay battered amid the underbrush. Through the broken trees, she could see the massive holes riddling the building. Even from afar, it wobbled unsteadily before crumbling like a sandcastle with a pattering sound.
Her eye beams packed a punch, but that was the problem. At max output, the recoil was so brutal it sent her own body flying. She'd fired from inside the building, but it rocketed her out like a missile, straight into this mountainside.
The woman hauled herself up and rummaged through her inner pocket. The documents from the safe were secure.
A specific land deed ledger, plus a report she'd compiled through her own intel network. Essential stuff for Sato Gumi's racket of blackmailing other construction firms and landowners to squeeze money out of them.
But the informant report on their latest land acquisition had some intriguing words.
[Looks like they've poked the 'Prophets.' Recommend abandoning control of that area and shifting operations elsewhere.]
Prophets.
A name that had been quietly circulating in the underworld for some time now.
Rumor had it seven of the world's top ability users had banded together to form the group, expanding their influence with their powers and cunning until Japan became their base.
She'd finally pinpointed land linked to those Prophets.
But she couldn't get complacent just yet.
The Prophets had deep roots and vast reach; they could prune branches at any moment and sprout anew elsewhere.
So she needed to approach slowly, meticulously, inching her way in.
Maybe that short woman she'd met today was one of them? They were a massive organization, constantly eliminating rivals and threats in every way possible to secure land and talent. What could their endgame be?
Whatever it was, the black-haired woman felt that pint-sized girl was extremely dangerous.
She wore a strange mask, so her features weren't clear in her mind, but she was skilled at deception. Acted all innocent at first, lulling her into security, then called in a buddy with metal manipulation powers to try and kill her.
If she hadn't had her max-output trump card, that steel control would've finished her off.
The woman stood up. Every unsteady step made her body scream, but she could still walk. Rakogucho would be chaos today, so maybe she should cross the mountain and head somewhere else.
"Yes. Hello? Yeah, you saw the news, right? Got the documents. That land's definitely tied to this Prophets group. Yeah. I think we can get a lead on them. We need to uproot scum like that completely. The building collapsed, but I'm fine? Oh, I'm good. Better yet, those blackmailing bastards are dead. Drinks tomorrow to celebrate? More trash off the streets. Ah, yeah. That beef place from last time?"
She pocketed her phone and straightened her clothes.
A veteran of the security industry, renowned for her skills.
Commonly known as the "woman who shoots beams from her eyes."
She hummed a tune as she staggered off into the night.