The Fall of a Hero (2)
"Where do you think you're going!"
Rahe closed the distance in an instant toward the pathetic man fleeing with his back exposed. Without hesitation, she slammed her foot into his side.
The man was larger and more muscular than Rahe, yet her single kick sent him flying with a heavy impact as if he'd been struck by a truck. He crashed hard into the wall beside him.
His body slid down the wall and collapsed to the floor. Rahe's booted foot immediately stomped down, pinning him in place.
That alone was enough to immobilize him completely, as if he'd been nailed to the wall.
Thud! Rahe struck the floor with the end of her sheathed sword. The gesture carried a clear threat—that she was ready to crack his skull open with it at any moment—as she issued her command.
"That's enough. Coco. Dispel the magic."
At Rahe's words, the man pinned beneath her boot—Villain No. 13—smiled bitterly.
His form flickered, then vanished entirely. In his place appeared Coco.
She had been disguised as him using an illusion.
Unlike the remote projection illusions she usually cast, this one had been applied directly to her own body. That was likely why even Rahe hadn't sensed anything off until she was right on top of her. Rahe had nearly sliced her in half before realizing it was Coco and changing her attack to a kick at the last second.
Where had No. 13 gone? Since he hadn't triggered any of the detection spells Rahe had set up, it didn't seem like he'd fled. Had he sent Coco out disguised as himself to lure her away? Was his real body hiding somewhere inside this factory?
"...Coco. Stop this."
Rahe lowered her gaze in warning.
But Coco ignored her. She drew a pistol from her waist.
At the same moment, another presence approached from directly behind Rahe.
She didn't need to turn around to know who it was. This was Check, who had been lying in wait.
So this was their plan all along—to lure her in.
Rahe drew her sword from its sheath.
Almost simultaneously, the pistol in Coco's hand spat fire, and Check's staff came swinging down from behind Rahe in a powerful overhead strike.
In the end, even Check and Coco together couldn't stop Rahe.
Check's weapon lay broken in the hallway, and Coco's had met the same fate.
Rahe confiscated their weapons and left both women bound in ice restraints, just as she had done with Spade. No one remained to interfere with her.
Click... click...
"......"
Now then. How should she do this?
How best to kill that man?
Rahe was furious. The man had arbitrarily manipulated her precious subordinates and put them in such a wretched state.
The flames of rage burning inside her seemed to flicker visibly in her eyes.
But she took a deep breath. Calm down, she told herself, trying to soothe her own emotions.
First priority is restoring my subordinates to normal...
She couldn't kill him right away. To avoid any future disadvantages for her team, she would try to persuade him as much as possible. If that failed, she was prepared to resort to torture if necessary.
During the Great Disaster in the past, such acts had been commonplace. Rahe didn't relish the idea, but if there was no other choice, she wouldn't hesitate.
And if everything failed—if No. 13 stubbornly refused to cooperate—
Then she would kill him. Thoroughly. She would make him taste true hell.
That man is dangerous... It would be better to end him here.
Restoring her subordinates was Rahe's personal wish.
But as both a hero and a captain, her rational mind insisted that No. 13 had to be eliminated without question.
Even though he had used underhanded methods, the fact that he had reduced her well-trained elite subordinates to this state filled Rahe with a profound sense of crisis.
It would be easy to dismiss it as simple inexperience on her team's part.
Yet for some reason, she couldn't see it that simply. Whenever she thought about No. 13, an ominous premonition gripped her.
If she left him be, something irreversible would happen. She was certain of it.
In that case, dealing with him right here and now was the correct choice.
Even if it meant abandoning her subordinates, she might have to make the decision for the greater good.
"Captain Rahe, this way."
"...Ah, yes. Thank you."
Rahe followed the direction she was guided.
The clicking of her boot heels echoed through the quiet corridors of the abandoned factory. Two sets of footsteps rang out together.
Before long, they arrived at the room where No. 13 was hiding.
If she hadn't been led here, finding it would have taken considerable effort.
It looks sturdy.
Both the door and the walls were clearly made of a different material than the rest of the building.
She wouldn't be able to break through easily. Even if she tried, it would likely require significant strength and time.
As she pondered what to do next, a crackling sound suddenly came from above.
> [Ahem. Microphone test, microphone test. Rahe, can you hear my voice?]
It was the voice of that detestable No. 13.
Come to think of it, he had spoken to her through speakers like this earlier as well.
"Here, Captain Rahe. Please use this to speak with Administrator No. 13."
What was handed to her was a black walkie-talkie.
Rahe accepted it with a word of thanks.
"Villain No. 13. How about you surrender quietly now? All of your cowardly tricks and traps have been crushed. Don't tell me you still have something up your sleeve?"
> [...Wow. You're really scary, Captain. I never imagined even the entire division charging at once wouldn't be enough to handle you.]
"Thank you for the high praise. So, what will you do?"
> [...Yeah. What should I do indeed.]
Even in this situation, No. 13's tone remained strangely light.
Did he still have a card left to play? Or had he simply given up?
Rahe thought for a moment before continuing into the walkie-talkie.
"No. 13, I believe you no longer have any means left to resist me. And even if you did, it would be useless against me. Even if you tried to take me down with you in a suicide bombing, I am confident I would emerge completely unharmed."
> [...You're full of confidence.]
"If I didn't have at least this much confidence, how could I possibly serve as captain?"
This was no time for humility.
So Rahe declared it boldly and without reservation. And in truth, it was no exaggeration.
"Therefore, No. 13, I offer once more—surrender. I cannot let you go free, but depending on your attitude, I can guarantee your life."
> [...So there's room for negotiation, huh...]
"That depends entirely on how you behave."
Of course, Rahe had no intention of letting this man live.
She had already concluded he was too dangerous. If left alive, there was no telling what kind of disaster he might bring back later.
The only difference was whether she would save her subordinates first and then kill him, or kill him before saving them.
Which path it would be depended on his answer.
> [Alright. I understand, Rahe. I really have no options left. If I want to save my life, I have no choice but to comply.]
"A wise decision, No. 13."
> [Yeah. But before that...]
No. 13 spoke carefully.
> [I'll open the door, but first, could you put away that vicious thing? Pointing a sword at me while negotiating isn't negotiation—it's a threat.]
"Do you even understand your current position?"
Rahe spoke in disbelief, but No. 13's voice was firm.
> [Either way, I can't beat you even with your bare hands. So how about you drop your weapon right there?]
"That's right, Captain Rahe. Why don't we put the weapon down for now?"
Rahe fell silent for a moment.
But compared to trying to break through that ridiculously sturdy door and wall, discarding her sword seemed far more reasonable.
Moreover, with the persuasion coming from beside her, Rahe eventually let out a sigh and placed her sword on the floor.
"Is this enough, No. 13? Now open the door."
> [Not yet. You never know. You might have more than just the sword.]
"...Then what? What exactly do you want?"
> [I'd like you to prove that you aren't carrying any weapons at all.]
Ah... seriously.
What a bothersome man. What exactly was he asking her to do?
> [How about you take off your clothes to prove it? You heroes are always hiding things in the strangest places.]
This... guy...
Rahe glared at the speaker mounted on the ceiling above her.
But between No. 13's casual urging and the soothing voice coming from beside her, she eventually gave in.
"...If I just take off my clothes, that's enough?"
> [Yes. Once I confirm you're completely unarmed, I'll let you in.]
This was for the greater good. For her subordinates. She had no choice.
If she felt ashamed over something as minor as showing her body, she wouldn't be able to face her team with dignity.
Besides, dragging this out any longer would only give No. 13 more time to prepare something else.
Deciding she had no other option, Rahe handed the walkie-talkie to Apple beside her and began unbuttoning her outer coat and shirt.
A short while later, Rahe stood before the camera in nothing but her underwear.
With both her uniform shirt and skirt removed, only her black lingerie and pantyhose that reached her waist covered her voluptuous figure.
"Is this sufficient? Should I remove more?"
There would be no weapons visible anywhere. Because she wasn't hiding any in the first place.
Standing in front of the camera mounted above the door, Rahe turned her body this way and that, clearly proving she carried no weapons whatsoever.
How much time had passed like that?
> [...Alright. I understand. I'll let you in. But remember, this is only to negotiate. Don't get any strange ideas.]
As promised, the door to the room where No. 13 was hiding soon began to open with a heavy metallic clank.
Rahe took back her discarded clothes from Apple, put them back on, and stepped through the open doorway.
"......?"
A faint, inexplicable sense of unease lingered in her chest.