Plan to Assassinate Tatsuya Shiba

Volume 1 - Chapters 1 to 4
[1] Chance Encounter
Illuminated shops, flickering billboards, the light of streetlamps, they all force back the
darkness that descends from the night’s sky.

A nightless city.

By appearances it can be branded a prosperous city, yet there also exists a shadow.

Not a perfect darkness, but by no means bright.

Who’s over there?

Artificial light wasted on pleasure. That underside that continues in the faint light of twilight.

Like a witching hour where strange things occur again and again.

No miracles or special rituals are necessary, you can simply walk and arrive at this different
world.

Different from the world ruled by law, a lawless space.

In the great city’s shadow, ruled by violence, tonight there strides a befitting beast.

◇◇◇

“Nuts to you!”

Looking down at the young man that had collapsed to the ground of a dimly lit back alley, a
young girl utters this short English sentence in a ridiculing tone.

Normally you could interpret such as phrase as ‘saying something foolish’ or ‘stop joking
around’, but the old usage of the term means ‘drop dead’.

You might say ‘go to hell’ is more appropriate in a situation like this, but to the young girl
saying, ‘Nuts to you!’ was a kind of rule.

The katakana pronunciation is difficult to say fluently.

However, the young girl’s English aside, the young man collapsed on the ground that the
remark was aimed at obviously bears a fatal wound.

From the torn throat of the young man, a massive quantity of blood is flowing out.

In the young girl’s hand, is a knife dripping with blood.

However, had a person been present to witness this scene, they would have certainly
interpreted it thinking;
—— Has this young girl really killed him?

The height of the man who has become a corpse, certainly exceeds 180 centimetres. And his
muscle mass appears appropriate for his size.

On the other hand, the young girl is at most 140 centimetres. Jeans covering her slender legs.
Even with her arms concealed by a leather jacket, from her narrow shoulder width you can
judge that they’re surely delicate.

Despite holding a deadly weapon, you wouldn’t think she could kill the man with such a vastly
larger build.

However, there is only one girl standing in this place.

She is unaffected by the corpse her eyes were looking down to examine, as she nimbly swung
her knife.

With a specially processed knife blade, the blood comes off easily.

The girl folds the knife and pushes it into her right pocket, turning her back on the corpse.

And she immediately quickly walks away at a brisk pace.

From the pedestrian alleyway that’s closed to vehicles, to the two-lane road.

This area is also covered by the traffic control system but parked on the hard shoulder are
four wheeled vehicles with the control system disabled through illegal modifications.

At night this area is a kind of lawless zone. The police have no desire to allocate manpower
for parking violations. So instead, when the whimsical police decide to appear, no youth is
reckless enough to voice complaint when the tow truck removes their vehicle. By not making
trouble for each other, the great city’s light and shadow are able to coexist.

The girl surveys the row of cars once, and immediately steps up to the grey box wagon, opens
the passenger seat door and gets in without hesitation.

“Good work Nuts, how did it go?”

At the same time as the door closed, the man sitting in the driving seat, who going by
appearances you would think is in his thirties, starts talking to the girl.

“The ‘main dish’ didn’t appear.”

The young girl called Nuts, complained in a boyish voice at odds with her adorable outer
appearance.

“The leader’s boy has entered into the establishment.”

Began the man in the driving seat, showing her the name of the club.
“The boy looks old.”

The girl’s response was not intended to be biting, and she listened intently to the information
the man delivered.

“There’s a metal detector in the store, isn’t there?”

Said the young girl, folding the knife and handing it to the man.

“Yes.”

The man took the folded knife, and then replaced it with a barrette set containing an ornate
kanzashi hairpin which he presented to the girl.

Attached near the end of the kanzashi is a fan shaped ornament, decorated with a further
tiny folding fan dangling from by a string.

“The kanzashi is made of resin so it won’t trigger a response from the metal detectors. Pull
on the decorative string, and the outer resin will peel off revealing a ten-centimetre blade.”

“Only ten centimetres?”

“Why don’t you think of it as a push dagger?”

“I don’t think I’m broad enough to wield this.”

“If it’s you Nuts, I’m sure you’ll manage. Oh, after you pull the string it will begin to decompose
after ten minutes so be careful.”

At the man’s irresponsible words, a frown formed on Nuts’s young face. However, the man
didn’t take back the kanzashi hairpin.

“……If you don’t use it, you’ll have to go barehanded.”

Grimacing she unfastens her hairband, then first unfastens her braided hair before skilfully
collecting it up, pinning it into place with the barrette hairclip and inserting the kanzashi
hairpin.

Without a moment’s delay a hand-mirror is presented to her from the driving seat, changing
the angle of the mirror several times, the girl and said, “It suits me……” letting out a sigh.

“Here you go.”

This time the man presented her with a pouch containing make-up and related instruments.

“That tunic, I think would be just right for the atmosphere.”

And he points at the wagon’s rear seat.

The rear seat has been laid flat, hanging from the ceiling are no less than ten sets of clothing.
All of them are women’s clothes, different outfits meant for the young girl’s benefit.
“These don’t suit me……”

The girl unenthusiastically grumbles at the situation.

Nevertheless, the girl understood the necessity of adjusting her outward appearance for the
sake of sneaking in.

She rotated her seat to face towards the rear, took off her leather jacket and picked up the
floral tunic.

◇◇◇

It was a popular nightclub for young people.

Into an alleyway devoid of life, a man and a woman exited.

The young man possessed a tall build with a silhouette like a reversed triangle.

The young girl had a small build and was wearing a kanzashi —— Nuts.

The young man’s gait is unsteady. Intoxication, or possibly drugs are showing their effects.

Even so, or possibly, for this reason the hand roused by lust was restraining the girl and
stopped them from parting.

The right arm behind the young girls back, was pulling her petite frame close.

His hand is lowered to her waist as to turn her into an embrace, but due to the height
difference he cannot reach. Irritated the young man brings his hand up at a crawl and grasps
the young girl’s chest.

“It hurts…… Don’t be so rough……”

Escaping the girl’s mouth, a sweet petition.

The young man was cruelly stimulated by this addition, his left hand took hold of the girl’s
head and forcibly drew it closer.

“Wait……! Please, wait!”

“What is it?”

The young man was trying to forcibly steal her lips, his poor mood undisguised in his voice as
he reproached the girl.

“Hair……”

Wrinkling her brow, the girl complains of pain.

The young man clicks his tongue as his hand releases the girls head.

The girl raised both hands behind her, unfastening the kanzashi barrette.

Her long straight black hair flowed down like a waterfall.

The young man narrows his eyes with a lustful look.

By letting down her hair the girl’s outward appearance gives the impression of regressing by
2 or 3 years, which appears to be to suit the young man’s taste.

Unfastening her hair spread a floral scent.

The young man’s intoxication was becoming increasingly intense.

This time the girl wrapped both arms around the young man’s neck.

However, even standing tiptoe and stretching, there is still no less than a head of difference
between them.

The young man made up for it by wrapping his right arm around her waist to raise her, pulling
her face close.

The young girl appears to tease by turning her face to escape his lips.

The young man grabs the girls chin with his left hand and turns her face forward.

The girl gives a charming smile.

Unwraps her right arm from around the young man’s neck,

pulls the decorative string on the kanzashi,

exposes the blade, and instantly thrusts it into the young man’s neck!

From an insecure posture using the strength of only one arm.

Was the blade extremely sharp, or else the girl’s physical strength extraordinary?

The blade is buried inside the young man’s neck.

The young man screams and thrusts the girl away.

It was no different to a reflexive action.

But for all that force, the girl held onto the thin blade and tore the artery in his neck.

The young girl took a step back from the young man.

The blade that had been built into the kanzashi falls out of the young man’s neck, and the
blood gushed out with growing force.

The young girl scrubbed her lips clean with the left sleeve of her tunic.

She escaped just before the kiss, but her mood was ruined.

It may be surprising to know she had not lost her innocence.

—— A pure hearted professional killer, if such a thing exists.

The young man pitches forwards and collapses.

“Nuts to you!”

These hateful words she spits out, are they a signal to herself that the job is completed?

The girl throws the kanzashi away, turning on her heel to leave.

The girl however, her steps stop as her body stiffens.

Her eyes meet those of a boy standing at the entrance of the alleyway.

(I was seen!?)

The boy appeared to be very mature, a high school student, or maybe even a middle school
student the girl judged.

However, despite that.

The young boy’s eyes turned to the scene of the murder, are calm.

Too calm or rather, cold.

Not only surprise and fear, not a single emotion is showing, eyes like glass, no eyes of steel.

The boy removed his gaze.

Not to avert his eyes away from the terrible spectacle, he simply lost his passing interest, such
was his bearing.

With that impression, the boy started to walk.

His figure vanished behind a building.

Finally at her limit, the young girl’s stiffness loosened.

“Oh, wait!”

She cannot leave any witnesses.

Spurred on by such natural impatience, the girl begins to run.

In such a situation, no one will wait if asked to wait.

Rather they’ll assume they’re being pursued, hastening to escape.

That thought, made the girl increasingly impatient.

The street the boy passed through, was a back street with little pedestrian traffic.

But there isn’t much distance dividing here and the main street.

Impatience accelerates the girl.

Leaving the alley, the girl turns to face the direction the boy walked in.
Contrary to the girl’s expectation, she immediately finds the boy.

He’s just walking down the back lane at an ordinary pace.

Not running, a fast pace in of itself but with no sense of haste.

The boys attitude made the girl feel uncomfortable, but she had no intention of prying into
the boy’s background.

Afterall she’d be bidding farewell to the other party soon. —— Permanently.

No specialised weapons on hand. But for the girl, taking her eyes of the boy for the purpose
of resupplying her weapons wasn’t an option.

The girls build is small for a woman, based on her clothes you’d judge that her arms are thin.

The boy on the other hand, though he has yet to grow into the body of an adult, is taller than
the girl, and his body weight clearly beats hers. The way he carries himself is also sharp.

Nevertheless, the girl was confident she could kill the boy with her bare hands. —— She’s
not the powerless girl she appears to be.

The girl maintains a constant distance from the boy, focusing her consciousness inside herself.

A mental image of a door sinking into a world’s sea.

She stretches her hand into the water, takes hold of the doorknob and twists, pulling towards
herself.

Showing some resistance, the door opens.

Water gushes out from the other side of the door, filling the world of the girl’s mental image.

Information pours from the unconscious areas, overwriting the girl’s abilities and filling her
body with power.

The twenty-first century, the century when progress accomplished turning magic from
superstition into science.

The scientific study of magic, it began with the study of extraordinary abilities called
superpowers.

In the process of establishing magic technology, the system of superpowers was clarified.

All the phenomena in the natural world leave behind information.

The recording medium, nonphysical particles called Psions.

Psions, a particle dictating a substance’s composition, a particle serving as an intermediary

for nature’s energy, and any kind of elementary particle and composite particle that alone
don’t display reciprocal action. But when Psions form into an organised structure, that
structure can take action on a person’s neuron cells and potentially cause changes to the rules.
That phenomena was not only observed taking effect in the cerebral cortex of living humans,
or chemically synthesised nerve cells, but also observed in a set of nerve cell bodies to which
a crystallization treatment had been applied.

The results of this observation, a close corresponding relationship was proven to exist
between Psions and natural phenomena.

Substances that are similar, have structures which are similar.

Substances which are similar, have structures that are similar.

The higher the resemblance between the material phenomena, the higher the resemblance
in the Psion structure.

The materials energy itself, that could induce a variety of phenomena, that variation ——
caused phenomena to take form to satisfy the Psion’s structure, was named the ‘Psion
Information Body’.

Normally, accompanying changes in phenomena, the Psion Information Body takes form.
The Psion Information Body doesn’t change, moment by moment new constructions are
made, and build up over the course of time.

However, at the moment when extraordinary abilities —— superpowers give rise to

paranormal phenomena, it was observed that the Psion Information Body it caused takes
priority.

The construction of this non-physical particle distorted natural phenomena.

Namely, the information of the phenomena was overwritten.

Modern magic is based on this discovery.

This is the theoretical basis of magic, and the basic principle of superpowers.

From the depths of the young girl’s consciousness, on the other side more and more, taking
information from her unconscious into her own body, not altering the structure of the tissue
but enhancing its functions.

An extraordinary ability to enhance the body. A physical-boost superpower.

The girl was the owner of this extraordinary ability, a superpower user.

The girl’s body enhancement didn’t raise the body’s strength, it elevated a person’s athletic
ability. Deflecting bullets and jumping down from the roofs of multi-storey high-rise buildings
without dying, that isn’t the form of superhuman ability she possesses, it’s a paranormal
ability to elevate the athletic abilities and perception faculties. Moving at the speed of a bullet
or bending a steel frame, it doesn’t reach such flashy levels.
Nevertheless, it had the force to hold someone down comparable to that of a bear or gorilla,
the speed and power to kill a tiger or lion without the use of firearms, bows and arrows or
other projectile weapons. —— Not that she’d done such things.

This ability, this was the basis of her judgement she could kill someone without a specialised
weapon.

This simple ability was her pride, but she didn’t boast of her speed. Wielding techniques
installed into her body she increased her bodies abilities.

That wasn’t something to be conceited about.

“!! What……What was that!?”

But despite the girl attacking the boy from behind, in the next moment, she found herself
thrown to the roads surface.

The boy’s cold eyes look down on the girl.

Like steel, that gaze. The girl couldn’t read any emotion at all from those eyes.

Enduring the pain, the girl stood up. She had grown accustomed to pain. Laying down and
saying it hurts, you’d become unable to experience pain ever again. Instead of paralysing the
nerves, it meant you’d die. She lived in a world where ‘if you don’t fight back then you’ll lose
your life’.

The girl retreats in a half-bent posture as she recovers from her sorry state, the boy watches
on expressionlessly.

The boy, he appears to have no intention of attacking.

In her mind the girl muttered ‘this isn’t good……’. Her miscalculation, she failed to judge him.
The boy is standing casually, but she cannot find an opportunity to take advantage of.

I don’t know what to do.

I don’t know what to do.

She just commenced the attack, and the only mental image she can deliver is of her crawling
on the road. The girl has power and speed, but she lacks sharp claws. She can’t smash a
concrete block with her fists.

—— This wasn’t an opponent she could defeat barehanded.

Run away, is what the girl’s survival instincts were screaming.

The witness’s mouth must be silenced, resisted the girl’s sense of self-preservation.
The girl was caught in a trap of her own making.

A little while ago she at least had the kanzashi. Even if she regrets it now, she threw it away
previously so it’s too late. Even if that wasn’t so if her partners words were correct —— the
chance of a mistake being non-existent —— it’ll have begun to slowly decompose. Even if she
obtained the weapon, it wouldn’t be unusable.

Too close to draw back, no opportunity to attack, she can only taste regret as the boy glares.

This stalemate, it didn’t last long.

The boy’s consciousness also seems to have inclined in the direction he won’t be able to leave
the girl be.

The boy casually steps towards the girl.

The sound of a small motor, a grey box wagon rushes in.

The station wagon tries to kill the boy by running him over, the boy evades by lightly jumping.
He doesn’t appear to put much force into his foot, yet the boy’s body leaps nearly ten meters
into the air —— away from the girl.

The box wagon’s tire grinds to a sudden stop.

“Nuts! Get in!”

Without sparing the time to reply, the girl automatically opens the door and leaps into the
passenger seat.

With the girl riding inside the station wagon abruptly takes off.

The boy didn’t interfere as the grey frame faded into the distance.

◇◇◇

In the station wagon’s passenger seat, the girl exhaled loudly. The back of the seat she was
leaning on, its surface was damp with cold sweat.

The time the girl and boy spent glaring at each other, it was less than a minute.

Counting from when she realised the boy had seen her work at the crime scene, not even five
minutes had passed.

In that short time, the three hours the girl spent preceding this—— the time it took for the
girl to make contact with the target in the nightclub and kill him —— the fatigue she felt had
doubled.

“Nuts, what was that boy from before?”

The man in the driving seat asked the girl as he drove the car manually, not automatically.

“He saw the crime scene”

“You failed to kill him!?”

The man’s voice, it’s full of genuine surprise. He has a good understanding of the girl’s skills
and her extraordinary ability.

It had been four years since the pair teamed up. During that time since the girl began working
her prey had exceeded fifty people. Among them, they understood that included changing
the fates of fellow murders. And the failures, they could be counted on the fingers of one
hand. Even if they didn’t get the opportunity to set a trap, they never failed to kill the target
or left behind evidence. Going by results or ability, you’d say she was one of the most
prominent and resourceful people in the organisation.

That she failed to silence someone. Moreover, a high school student at best, and a middle
school boy at worst. For the man, what she said was astonishing.

“……Perhaps, was he a magician?”

The one explanation he could think of, the man’s questions piled up.

In this world, magic exists. This century, the existence of magic has clearly been proven. It’s
not possible to say that it’s become an everyday skill anyone can use, but it’s use has become
a valuable weapon to the army, police and people belonging to society’s underworld.

A grade school student possessing a gun can shoot and kill a strong giant of a man, a person
who can use magic —— if a magician, it’s not strange a middle school student could fight off
a professional killer.

“I don’t know.”

The girl sullenly spat the words out with resignation. From when she was struck by that first
counterattack, she considered that possibility. However, whether the boy was a magician, or
possibly even a psychic like herself, she couldn’t be sure.

The girl was ashamed of herself, and also irritated.

“Croco, can you investigate his identity?”

The girl asked the man. ‘Croco’ is the man’s codename. His real name is Wanizuka. Wani =
Crocodile abbreviated to ‘Croco’. Also thrown in is the meaning of someone who works
behind the scenes such as the assistants in a Kabuki (Japanese Drama), the ‘Kurogo,’ (a black
robed stage assistant).

“There should be a record of his face in the cars driving recorder, if the targets face is
unclear……”

For the sake of protecting privacy, the images from a driving recorder automatically masks
the faces as required by law. But if the recorder is isolated from the network, then illegal
modifications to remove the masks aren’t difficult.
“Just where to find them is good. Find out.”

“Are you going to kill him?”

“In this situation proceed to ensure their mouth is silenced, that’s what I expect the President
will say.”

“……Understood.”

The man, he also understood they weren’t able to let the boy go. But the cause of his
hesitation wasn’t because of feelings of guilt that the victim he was hunting down was a
member of the general public, but at recalling the ominous impression of the boy.

Really, a good partner would set up a simple action to erase the witness.

The girl is the organisation’s killer, the man is the person that supports her. Should they not
at least seek a decision from the President, the organisations top manager?

However, that would coincide with confessing a serious failure on the job to their superiors.

The positions of the organisation’s killers are not guaranteed. Let alone their positions, not
even their lives are guaranteed. Under the pretext of having been seen working, it may come
to light that the lizard had been caught by the tail. In that case, he and the little lady would
share the same fate.

That possibility is by no means small.

Investigating to confirm the boy’s identity. If it becomes clear he has a dangerous background,
at that time, it’ll be a good idea to consult the organisation.

The man considered how to escape the situation.

◇◇◇

The moment the boy could no longer see the box wagon, all interest in the girl was lost.

He attends a private middle school in the metropolitan area, but he isn’t an ordinary middle
school student. In some ways, he’s the same as the girl murderer.

At a fast pace, he resumes walking. At an elevated pace from before, the aim being to recover
the time lost being pointlessly entangled with the girl.

The boy’s pace didn’t slow, advancing no matter how many times the complicated roads
twisted. His manner of walking had not a moment of hesitation to be seen.

Before long, at the backdoor of an old worn out building he came to a stop.
The iron door was painted entirely grey, with no information being displayed. Not only the
door, from where the boy is standing you can’t tell what the building is even for. However,
there are traces of people coming and going. It indicates the people connected with the
building really make use of it.

The door’s automatic electronic lock is locked. But the door itself is an old-fashioned door
opened and closed by hand, the dead bolt lock built into a western style doorframe to stop it
from moving back and forth.

As the boy approached the door, he displayed some strange movements.

Extending the index finger of his right hand, moving it along the boundary of the door and
doorframe.

Directly next to the lock.

He didn’t touch the door or the doorframe, he had no tool in his right hand. Nor was anything
concealed in the fingertips of his black gloves suddenly pop out.

The act seemed to have no meaning.

But when the boy pulls on the knob, the door that should have been electronically locked
readily opens.

Inside the backdoor is a gloomy staircase.

The boy doesn’t hesitate to go towards the basement.

In less than five minutes, the shape of the boy reappears.

They boy’s outward appearance, it hasn’t changed from before he descended into the
basement. Not a scratch on him, nor was his attire disturbed.

He passed through the backstreet with the same composed manner of walking until he exited
‘outside’.

To the bustle unacquainted with the night, the nightless city.

Not to be confused with the other word ruled by lawlessness, this is the world ruled by law
and order.

As he slips into the flow of people and proceeds along the main street’s sidewalk, a compact
white sedan stops besides the boy.

A common colour, a common design, not a car that blends into the darkness but one that
blends into the street, the boy doesn’t panic, and doesn’t hesitate to get into the car.

“Special Officer, no, today I should have called you Tatsuya-kun. How did everything go?”
“The entire spy unit has been erased. The Data the agents of the New Soviet Union had has
been deleted, the storage recovered. It should be good enough so can you reconstruct the
data please?”

“I understand.”

Into the hand extending from the driving seat, the boy places a cartridge with a built-in
electronic data storage device.

“However, why is Second Lieutenant Fujibayashi here?”

The boy asks the young woman in the driving seat. Today’s job had been mandated by the
main house. Not an illegal mission from the military. She’s a soldier so for her to come to meet
him, it’s unexpected.

“Captain Sanada called me, he really wanted to come himself, unfortunately he wasn’t
available to handle this.”

The female officer in plain clothes replied as the sedan departed. She had a bittersweet smile
as if to say, ‘not enough human resources.’

This female officer’s name is Fujibayashi, just as the boy had called her. Her rank is Second
Lieutenant. She’s attached to the National Defence Force’s 101st Brigade Independent Magic
Equipped Battalion. The ‘Captain Sanada’ she mentioned is a technical officer in the same
Independent Magic Equipped Battalion.

At the Second Lieutenants remark, understanding floated across the boy’s facial expression
‘to an extent’.

“Trident functioned without any problems.”

“Then, can I take that as both the C.A.D. and activation sequences worked as designed?”

“Yes.”

The boy nods.

C.A.D. —— Casting Assistance Device. Hardware for assisting with magic activation.

The software records magic activation sequences.

The C.A.D. outputs the magic activation sequence in a form the magician can use. The
magician reads activation sequence and converts it into a magic sequence, based on this
magic sequence —— the magic’s structure is assembled.

The boy who has the ability to use magic = a magic technician, a magician.

Trident is the name of the boy’s personal C.A.D. which the Independent Magic Battalion’s
Captain Sanada had remodelled from the latest C.A.D. produced by a private corporation, and
also the name of the magic only he is able to use using this C.A.D.
“Really. The Captain is going to be delighted.”

That escaped the female officer’s mouth, she didn’t appear to wholly agree.

The white sedan follows the traffic control system, becoming part of the flow of cars. The boy
rides in the car, escaping Shibuya’s unchanging night.

During the night of Wednesday the 7th of April, 2094AD.

The Shibuya Shopping Ward was hit by a sudden outbreak of serial murders.

The victims were members of a street gang operating in the Shibuya area, underlings of
organised crime who appeared to be involved with the buying and selling of illicit substances.

There are no witnesses to the incident. Information was obtained, one of the men was
observed with a small female middle school student just before the murder, but high school
and middle school students are often patrons of street gangs in the buying and selling of
narcotics. And so was disregarded as too weak to be related to the murder.

The police put the incident down to a dispute with another street gang, or possibly a hostile
Yakuza organisation who decided to give a warning, and so established a full-time
investigation team. Violence between youths may be commonplace in the district, but they
judged serial murders were not something they were able to ignore.

That same night, from among the asylum seekers who fled from the Great Asian Union, ten
people who were active in the Shibuya area disappeared. Recently, they had been marked by
Public Security as a group of interest due to contact with agents of the New Soviet Union, and
because there was no one to report their disappearances, the case was never handled by the
police.
[2] Reconnaissance

No longer a legend or fairy-tale, magic’s existence has been reliably validated since its first
confirmed occurrence during the incident in the year 1999A.D.

That year, the destruction of humanity was prophesised —— according to the description in
an old book if interpreted at one’s own convenience —— a reality that might have been
brought about by a group of religious fanatics whose nuclear terrorism was prevented by a
police officer possessing a special ability.

This incident, thereafter, became the first confirmed example of magic in modern times.

However, in the beginning it wasn’t called ‘magic’. At first, that special ability was called a
‘superpower’. The police officer who stopped the fanatic’s terrorism didn’t carry a staff,
talisman or a magic spell book, nor understand any magic words or battle techniques. He just
strongly pictured in his mind one thing, stopping the nuclear fission reaction from reaching
critical mass.

The extraordinary ability to make nuclear weapons powerless = superpower. Initially the
major powers that relied upon nuclear deterrents, they feared that ability. Before long
however, they considered the matter of its applications. If in a position to monopolise that
power, then you could use nuclear weapons without fear of the enemy’s retribution.
‘Weapons we possess but cannot use’ transformed into ‘weapons we are actually able to use’.

America, the U.S.A. in those days, it’s government dispatched agents to search throughout
the world. To assemble superpower users who could neutralise nuclear weapons, and also,
to stop them falling into enemy hands.

Regrettably, nobody was found possessing the same superpower as the police officer. But
during the course of the search they discovered superpower users in far greater numbers
than expected. Many of them only possessed weak abilities, but the power to alter the laws
of nature with the power of the mind was not a mutation but rather a talent which humans
did possess.

Most humans don’t reach the level where they can actually do it. The research institution in
charge of the investigation at the time, came to that conclusion.

If the power is weak, it will be beneficial to strengthen it. If it’s latent, then it’s ok to forcibly
draw it out. In the name of developing humanity’s latent powers, many human experiments
were performed. Alongside experiments utilising natural and chemical stimuli, occult means
were also mobilised.

In the process, the history of magic appeared on the public stage.

Magic believed to be the product of fiction, became a real technology and was incorporated
into the development of military technology.

As a result of scientific analysis of the techniques of real ‘wizards’ who slipped straight out of
folklore, magic and superpowers were proven to be essentially the same power. Analysing
the knowhow concealed in the shadows of history, improving it, and putting it to practical
use, the development of general techniques from superpowers was achieved.

Superpower users, they are able to interfere with a very limited number of natural
phenomena.

But these newly developed techniques, although a certain level of talent is needed to use
them, make it possible for one person to alter a diverse range of various phenomena. Even
the extraordinary ability to neutralise nuclear weapons, became established as one such
technique.

This generalised, modern technology to interfere with natural phenomena with the power of
the mind alongside the ancient techniques once believed to be the products of fiction
combined became known as magic.

This initial stage of magic research was performed around the world, not just by America. The
dispatching of agents around the world, caused the information to spread.

The governments of many nations poured resources into nurturing talented people who could
use the power of magic technology, ‘magic technicians,’ abbreviated to ‘magicians’.

Many superpower users acquired ‘magic’ themselves and became ‘magicians’.

It’s now the end of the twenty first century, magicians are an important part of a nation’s war
potential —— they have become precious weapons.

However, not all users of extraordinary abilities are under the management of the state.

Not all superpower users were able to become magicians.

◇◇◇
It’s morning in the residential district and a young boy and a young girl in uniform are walking
together. The scene of commuting to school hasn’t changed since olden times. Working from
home, commuting to satellite offices and flexible time have popularised and benevolently
caused the ‘rush hour commute’ to become a thing of the past, but the times to commute to
school are still centred around eight in the morning.

For most of the previous half of the century the shape of trains has changed, with the image
of the ‘crowded train packed shoulder to shoulder’ being erased. One thing that hasn’t
changed from long ago is that it won’t be necessary to commute by train or bus for the
average public elementary and middle schools.

This private middle school is located in the suburbs of Tokyo, because it is a short distance
away from the nearest station, the scene going to school remains unchanged from that of a
public middle school.

Identical uniforms and the same apparent age.

However, the appearances and physiques of the two are different.

Some students are conspicuous, and some aren’t conspicuous, it appears to be like any other
school.

But at this school there exists a ‘summit’ that others aren’t permitted to follow. On that point
it might be a little special.

A beautiful schoolgirl, who’s graceful manner of walking suits her physical appearance as she
advanced on her commute to school.

The other students walking the same road, both boys and girls stopped for a moment, and
before long, followed at a respectable distance without joining her.

It happens every morning, never changing.

—— You’ll get used to a beautiful woman after three days, that’s unmistakably a lie.

Every student at this middle school, will think no different. In reality, many of the students
have said something similar.

In these minds that have yet to reach maturity, one truth has been engraved.

In this world, there exists beauty you can never grow accustomed to.

Real beauty, before longing or lust, brings shock.

The moment you see the beautiful girl named Shiba Miyuki, very seldom is there a person
who won’t remember it.
(What, is that……)

The young lady masquerading as a middle school student and disguised in the same sailor
uniform as the surrounding girls, was no exception. While the girl’s body wouldn’t stand out
in the least, she was involuntarily stupefied in amazement. For the girl it was fortunate that
her body type was by no means rare.

She panics, moving her stilled feet. Not wanting to stand out she moves her eyes left and right,
confirming she hasn’t drawn attention to herself she breathes a sigh of relief.

(……That girl, is she a human being like me? How can a living thing like that exist in this world?)

She resumed walking, but she had as yet still not recovered from the shock.

She glances to steal a look of the exceedingly beautiful girl, and unintentionally shakes her
head.

However you look at it, she is not a living thing of this world. Something like a heavenly nymph,
goddess or some other beautiful lifeform, you can’t wipe away the suspicion she’s such a
fantastical superior being. Seeing her yourself, you would become caught in the suspicion
your mind had gone crazy.

(……That, can’t be real!)

She harshly rebuked herself in her mind, then forcibly moving her gaze, turned to the point
next to the girl.
Next to the overly beautiful girl, a single male student appears in her shadow accompanying
her.

He has a mature appearance, though yet to reach maturity his body has been excellently
forged.

Yet, strangely inconspicuous. His presence is so weak it seems unnatural.

He’s not trying to conceal himself and yet, even the girl working as a professional hitman, will
lose sight of him the moment she takes her mind off him.

(Invisibility magic, or……?)

The technique to hide one’s presence, is something the girl has also learned. Only three years
ago, it was a technique that was beaten into her without understanding how, and since three
years ago she consciously trained this technique.

(……I’m beaten. He’s better than me.)

Having an abundance of experience, she was able to understand the boy’s ability.

(He’s not only powerful physically……)

If it’s only barehanded hand to hand fighting, it’s not unusual for people other than a
professional to be powerful. Training is considered beneficial but the layman only has to win
against the opponent in front of them, what makes up the situation as far as the professional
is concerned, that escaping safely is a larger part of success than a person’s skills or rather it’s
essential.

That boy however, it doesn’t seem like he’s only physically strong.

Inside the girl, her vigilance level rises.

(His name if I recall correctly, is Shiba Tatsuya.)

The girl pulled the information she had about the boy from her memory.

Her support personnel were by no means incompetent, yet despite this, they were able to
establish far too little of the boy’s circumstances.

His name. His home address. The middle school he attends.

That was all.

The investigation time was insufficient given the circumstances, but it’s not a mistake.
Her partners investigation began yesterday morning. And working until last night, his name,
address, and school were confirmed.

Were this a normal job, they would carefully collect more of the targets information before
taking action. But this time the target was a witness to a murder case, the criminal was herself.

Originally if that’s the case, you don’t have a choice and must get rid of the other party on the
spot. The more time it takes, not only the girl herself but the organisation is jeopardised. She
isn’t permitted the luxury of carefully examining the weak points in the opponent’s
movement patterns.

The girl instructed her partner Croco to keep looking into the investigation, she herself came
to directly evaluate the target.

The girl age is in the late teens. A little older than her outward appearance, which has not yet
moved beyond the age you’d brand her a teen.

Her experience as a professional killer, since becoming one barely three years have passed.

Nevertheless, assessing the true strength of an opponent, observing it herself she could
surmise she’d become conceited.

Opponents stronger than yourself, you don’t fight directly. That is the ironclad rule of the
professional killer.

Once you receive a job, you aren’t able to avoid the confrontation if you say they’re stronger
than you. For a freelancer the solution may be the case to pay a substantial default penalty,
that’s impossible if you belong to an organisation.

Therefore, the insight to see through you opponent’s strength, is an indispensable ability for
the professional killer. The professional killer without this proficiency, whatever the extent of
physical power, guns or knife or whichever skills they excel at, will prove to be trouble and
inevitably made to leave before long. For three years, she’d survived in this industry, though
excellent support could be said to also be a factor, it’s no mistake that the girl’s good sense
at personally perceiving an opponent’s strength had brought this about.

Right now, however, the girl had become bewildered.

Shiba Tatsuya, how much power this boy two years her junior is concealing, she can’t even
make an estimate.

She can only say that he is clearly strong. That had been confirmed that night.

She can’t win unarmed. She understood that.

—— So, can I win with a knife?

—— Or else, should I not prepare a gun for this occasion?

—— Should I kill him directly?

—— Can I bring him down if I catch him off guard?

From experience, what she’d expect to understand after a ten second observation, she can’t
make sure of at all.

That was the reason she’d stared at the boys back continuously, the girl herself hadn’t realised.

More than a few students were staring at the beautiful girl walking next to the boy, she
shouldn’t have stood out. However, there was a single person who noticed the girls unnatural
gaze.

The boy looked back over his shoulder.

(He noticed?)

A chill ran down the girl’s spine.

She looked down in an instant, in that instant, their eyes had met, and the girl recognised.

The boy’s gaze quickly returned to the front. He has no intention to challenge her here at the
present time.

Thinking of such a situation herself, the girl felt laughable.

This can’t be natural? The opponent’s a young boy, Shiba Tatsuya is a middle school student,
in the middle of going to school. Furthermore, the girl accompanying him is a middle school
student. My partner told me his little sister is in the same school year, that beautiful girl it
seems.

In this situation, he shouldn’t be expecting to start an exchange of lives with a professional

killer. Like an infant becoming scared of their own shadow, the girl felt ashamed of herself.

However, the reality was unaffected no matter how she tried to disguise her existence. The
girls plan today was to infiltrate the middle school Tatsuya attends, given the circumstances
she changes the plan and decides to pull out.

They planned to infiltrate the school, but there was no plan to suddenly launch the
assassination within the school. Today was a preliminary investigation to the end. Even if they
decided to set up inside the school, the day had to be properly planned.
She was carrying a weapon just in case, an entirely ceramic knife that wouldn’t be detected
by a metal detector. That boy being her opponent, she was honestly thinking she couldn’t rely
on it. Considering her unfamiliarity with the layout inside of the school, it wasn’t known if she
could get home safely if he chose an unpopular spot to counterattack.

From the beginning the girl didn’t view Tatsuya as an ordinary middle school student. She was
thinking he was an inhabitant of society’s darkness the same as her. Killing a person in a school,
if it was decided then they possessed enough means to at least deal with the corpse.
Infiltrating the middle school, she didn’t think it was valuable enough to face that sort of risk.
So, she discontinued the plan to search for the target’s weakness within the school. The
opponent’s abilities, that she can’t confirm the extent of them at a glance she realised it can
only mean that they are excellent.

The girl decided to stop the plan, not hesitating a moment she turned on her heel and ran.

The student’s suspicious gaze saw her off, both parties ignoring the teacher’s voice telling her
to halt as it was nearly time for the bell, she didn’t stop running until she reached the station.

◇◇◇

With the plan to infiltrate the target’s middle school ending in failure, the professional killer
girl returned home. A small single person dwelling from the organisation’s service, a cheap
apartment building with reliable soundproofing, she was having a meal before thinking about
the procedure after this.

—— Smearing ample honey butter on pancakes produced by an automatic cooker.

They are not able to let the witness go free. The middle school student named Shiba Tatsuya
needs to be gotten rid of on principle. It also needed to be completed urgently.

—— She added another pancake smeared with honey butter atop the previous pancake.

However, what time specifically, and what place would be sufficient?

—— To the pile of pancakes smeared with honey, she pours maple syrup on top.

If another person were at the scene of the crime to witness the erasing of the witness would
be mistaking the insignificant for the essential.

—— Cutting the pancake and bringing the exalted mass of sweetness to her mouth, Yuki
smiled happily as she chewed.
Some place that middle school student habitually visits that escapes the public gaze. That sort
of location from the target’s living habits, we don’t have very much time, seduction
techniques may be a weakness we can grasp to lure him out if necessary.

—— She herself in her simple-mindedness, failed to notice the childlike smile that appeared
on her face as two, three mouthfuls of excessively sweet pancakes were heartily eaten. As it
is, her facial expression didn’t suit the savage thoughts she’d devoted her consciousness too.

Ordinarily gaining such information would be the aim of the investigation, the work of the
support personnel. However, usually it takes one day for her partner to possess the necessary
information, this time he said, ‘it’ll take time’ and on top of that fact, raised a white flag.

In the case of an ordinary target they can take their time. But, sealing a witness’s mouth didn’t
permit such luxury.

Therefore, she decided to test approaching with the appearance of a middle school student.
But, was quickly recognised.

Specifically, the time spent preparing things such as the middle school uniform.

That middle school’s girl’s uniform is the orthodox type of sailor suit —— sailor suits being
middle school uniforms isn’t orthodox, meaning it’s the sailor suit’s shape is orthodox.

—— It was easy to make. Using an automatic sewing machine, it was made in one hour.

Only the reality of having her sizes measured before the cutting and sewing…… After they
were finished, trying the clothes on to confirm no adjustments were necessary.

Recalling the natural warm smiles turned towards herself by the female employees in charge
of preparing clothes for a usable disguise, made her want to punch a hole in the wall. “What
about these next?” one of the employees said taking out a ribbon with a frilly edge and a
hairclip with a deformed cat attached, she really wanted to strangle her to death.

She actually was a middle school student up until two years ago, a male employed had said
that while laughing, so she actually struck him to shut him up. Yuki knew the man had no ill
intentions. You could call it a general comment, she didn’t consider it to a mistake by any
degree.

But Yuki, hates been seen as childish. Her feelings for her inferior physical growth
notwithstanding, would a person desire this childish shape for themselves of their own free
will?! That could be said to be her real motive. She knew it was the case the disguise was
necessary to get in for the job, she understood but agreeing was another thing.

And yet somehow holding down these resistant emotions to the disguise, and even thought
she tried to infiltrate, this time she failed before the gate.
—— Before she realised it the fork in her hand stopped moving, the face that had relaxed due
to the excessively sugary pancakes, warped into a sour look.

“Nuts, the company president is calling.”

As the girl finished, she received a call from her partner Croco summoning her.

Yuki belonged to the organisation named ‘Abousha’, which takes the form of a public
company. Naturally, it’s a private workplace. Officially it’s a business in foreign trade. It could
be said at one’s own convenience, that ‘Abousha’ is an abbreviation of ‘Aiji Boukei’ (Asian
Foreign Trade), to cause misunderstandings. In reality there is truly no relationship between
the names, the reason most people in the organisation don’t understand this is because the
origin is too twisted.

Yuki also knows what ‘Abousha’ is, and she pays it no mind at all. To her it’s nothing, she didn’t
decide to become a member of the organisation because of the name. Since becoming a
member of Abousha, Yuki’s results were perfect. This also is not unusual. The way
professional killers become attached to organisations is providing the best ‘results’ out of the
many.

Abousha may be small, but the building is owned by the company. Yuki had changed out of
her disguise uniform and into the look of a young female worker in trousers, using the train
to come to the building for work.

As of the 2090’s, a girl going to work instead of entering into high school is a rarity but is not
such a strange thing to the extent it will turn heads.

Since the 2070’s, national and public schools became exempt from tuition fees for Universities.
Not just direct tuition, support for living expenses also became courteous. Choosing to go to
school now, when there is no economic burden on going to high school, those entering higher
level education such as high schools and high-class speciality schools are a little over ninety
percent and rather lower than the pre-war days of World War Three.

Not due to economic reasons, but due to a decline in people’s desire to go on to higher
education. Love of learning hasn’t gone out of fashion, but belief in the academic background
has faded.

In recent years, the state has implemented the certification examination for high school
academic ability, which businesses have adopted using in conjunction with University
graduation certificates to assess those looking to attain employment. Because the means of
learning had become diversified, even without entering high school, the age of being able to
return to do it later had arrived.
Taking that into consideration, suspicion of a teenage girl in plainclothes walking the street
during the day on a weekday has disappeared.

Inside the building is arranged to look like a respectable business, with men and women facing
their desks doing clerical work. Although, the work they are performing is sorting the
information and providing the tools necessary for killing. They are the actual work force
behind the support personnel for the professional killers. Yuki’s partner is one of the people
among them.

“The president?”

“The president is waiting for you in his office.”

“Ahh, I see,” nodding her head to her partner who was facing his office terminal, Yuki turned
towards the stairs. The president’s office is upstairs on the second floor. It wasn’t for the sake
of her health, but an unconscious choice to avoid rooms with no escape wherever possible.
Still only in the latter half of her teens, it seems the mentality of the professional killer has
completely taken root.

“It’s Hashibami. In accordance with your invitation, I came to visit.”

Finding herself before the wooden door, Yuki knocks and then informs them she’s here.

Hashibami is Yuki’s family name.

Her full name is Hashibami Yuki.

“Hashibami? Who’s that?” Within the company she was only at the level where her code
name had already permeated, at this time only the company president used her real name.
This wasn’t limited to Yuki, you could say this was common for the organisation’s members.

“Come in.”

In accordance with the voice, Yuki opens the door. The company president’s room was
surprisingly cosy.

Behind the desk that can be seen immediately on entering, is sitting an old man wearing a
haori and a hakama (formal Japanese clothing). This man with an excellent physique and who
governs the professional killers like Yuki is the company president of Abousha, Morozumi
Kuruma.

Yuki politely closes the door, before standing in front of the desk. The company president
dislikes ill-mannered behaviour.
To her, he’s not really frightening. She’s confident in her skills but doesn’t consider herself to
be the strongest in the slightest. If she ruined the company president’s mood then he’d send
a group of employees, and Yuki understood there would be no tomorrow for herself.

“Well…… Hashibami-kun. You understand why I summoned you here?”

“……Yes.”

She wasn’t going to be able to feign ignorance. When the call was received, it was obvious
they knew the previous task had a poor result.

“I put you through trouble he day before yesterday. Your performance is splendid as usual, is
what I want to say, it’s unusual for you to experience such a blunder.”

“I have no excuse.”

She replied as her usually petite body became even smaller. The reason wasn’t because the
company president was being particularly threatening, she personally, was self-conscious of
her part in committing an error that could be connected to a fatal wound.

Really, it’s ‘committed’ not ‘committing’. Not just being witnessed doing the job, as yet the
witness’s mouth has yet to be sealed. The more time passes, the risk of herself being exposed
as a professional killer rises. It’s not a question of one person, there is concern that the
organisation’s true nature will also become exposed.

“Even if we say it was a back street in the centre of the city. With no means to avoid potentially
being seen. But for what reason weren’t you able to clean up afterwards?”

“……I have no excuse.”

“Hashibami-kun. I don’t want an apology. Why were you not able to finish things and clean
up? An excuse is fine so just give me an explanation.”

“……Yes.”

For Yuki this was nothing but humiliating, remaining silent however wasn’t an option in this
setting. So she honestly explained the incident, how at the present time she had confirmed
her opponent’s identity, when she was observed at the scene she tried to take him out but
only had her hands and feet, when she proceeded to scout him out she was quickly discovered.

The company president’s reaction, it was neither scorn nor abuse.

He folded him arms and pondered.

“……I understand your skills. That middle school student definitely isn’t an ordinary person.”
The company president is feared not only by Yuki but by the rest of the company employees,
but he’s not a tyrant. He has a proper grasp of the abilities and personalities of every one of
his subordinate professional killers, sure punishments or rewards, and making no mistakes in
having the right person in the right place. The money paid is also excellent. Whist
simultaneously a target to be feared, he is also someone you can trust and rely upon.

“We’ll have the investigation team investigate. But it’s not necessary to wait for the results.
Await your own chance Hashibami-kun. The necessary equipment will be prepared.”

“—— Thank you very much.”

The organisation would work to support, but the meaning is that Yuki must perform the
disposal thoroughly by her own hand. No exemption of responsibility, more of a
postponement of execution.

Nevertheless, Yuki is thankful to narrowly escape her death for the meantime. Coinciding with
this, the cornered young boy to be purged is one step ahead himself —— Shiba Tatsuya is
soliciting help against the hostility.

◇◇◇

Shiba Tatsuya who observed the professional killer girl’s work at the scene of the crime, the
boy who has been targeted, has three faces.

The first, he is a third-year middle school student attending a private middle school in the
metropolitan area.

The second, he is a Special Duty Officer in the National Defence Force. In this case ‘Special
Duty Officer’ doesn’t mean he’s treated as a Military non-commissioned officer, but a civilian
who collaborates with the military and is given the treatment of an officer. This position does
not exist in the official system. This is assigned to include Tatsuya’s power in army, a measure
to make a special exception to give him the qualifications of a warrior. A kind of extra-judicial
status.

The third, a magician of the Yotsuba Family. The Yotsuba Family are an example of one of the
distinguished families in Japan’s magician society, and a group feared around the world.
Within that family he has the reasonability’s of a combatant with the designated role of
‘Guardian’.

On the matter of the professional killer girl appearing disguised in a middle school uniform
during the morning commute to school, Tatsuya reported it to the Yotsuba main house that
evening.
“That young lady, she’s unrelated to the agents of the New Soviet Union?”

“I didn’t pick up on the situation behind the scenes so can only a guess, but it’s likely
unrelated.”

That evening on some kind of whim, Maya personally appeared on the videophone screen.
It’s April 2094AD and at that time the other party Tatsuya spoke to would usually be the
butlers Hayama or Hanabishi. Unexpectedly, Maya had more time than she knew what to do
with today.

“What do you think that child’s objective is?”

Maya, in a clear tone, attempts to question him through the videophone.

“I think they’re trying to keep my mouth shut.”

Tatsuya’s bearing doesn’t show any hesitation when answering.

“It would appear so. For a professional killer, a witness at the scene of a murder is a most
serious matter.”

Maya turns a meaningful gaze towards Tatsuya.

“Because of that…… Tatsuya-san, are reinforcements necessary?”

“It’s unnecessary.”

Tatsuya’s reply, it was an instant this time also.

“So…… You’ll deal with this yourself.”

“Yes.”

“I understand. I’ll respect your intentions. Act in accordance to the instructions you receive
from Hayama-san on this matter later.”

No intention to send any assistance from the onset, at Maya’s words prior to vanishing from
the camera such a thought seemed plausible.

Maya’s replacement, her trusted retainer Hayama appeared on the screen.

“Tatsuya-dono, I think you understand, your primary duty is protecting Miyuki-sama. Your
carelessness has invited danger to Miyuki-sama’s person, this shouldn’t have come about.”

Tatsuya doesn’t prowl the nightlife of Shibuya. Dealing with the agents of the New Soviet
Union, that was a directive from the main house. You could say the reason the professional
killer is aiming for Tatsuya is because the Yotsuba main house used Tatsuya for work other
than his primary task.

“I am aware of the seriousness.”

However, Tatsuya didn’t advocate discontent at that reason. Protecting his younger sister
Miyuki always took the most priority, this matter wasn’t something that needed to be pressed.

“It’s fine so long as you understand. Because of that, have you decided on a concrete plan to
settle things?”

“To erase them if necessary.”

“At the present time, you don’t think it necessary?”

Hayama questioned doubtfully with knitted eyebrows.

“I will be able to erase them at any time, in my case there is no trouble as cleaning up
afterwards is unnecessary.”

Tatsuya’s ‘erase’ isn’t jargon for ‘killing’. That meaning is also included, it also literally means
the corpse is also annihilated and nothing left behind.

“……Is that so. That decision, we will entrust to you.”

Not having to arrange to deal with a body was also beneficial, for Hayama this was convenient
as it avoided any unnecessary costs. At his own discretion, gave Tatsuya permission to use
magic to erase a human body completely.

“Is there anything else to report?”

“There is not.”

“Is that so. Then, with this.”

Hayama concluded with a light bow, and the videophone screen became dark.

◇◇◇

“I beg your pardon for having kept you waiting.”

Confirming Tatsuya’s video call with Hayama had concluded, Maya moved from in front of
the desk and migrated to the reception set. She sat down on the opposite side of the sofa to
where two men were sitting.

One is a man of about forty years. The other person is a petite middle school boy. The adult
gentleman is Kuroba Mitsugu, the boy’s name is Kuroba Fumiya. As it may appear from the
names, the two are parent and child.

But the impressions of their outward appearance are very different. The gentleman father,
orderly and prepared, not quite to the point of Dundee, who others would feel is a courteous
and handsome man. In contrast the petite son, has is a pretty boy that looks like a sweet
young lady.

“No, not at all.”

The father Mitsugu dramatically shook his head and hand. Fumiya next to him moved slightly
in embarrassment seeing this, Maya’s smile didn’t sway in the slightest.

“Was that telephone call just now from Tatsuya-kun?”

In response to Mitsugu’s enquiry, Maya looked back at his face in silence.

“Oh, no, under no circumstances would I strain my ears.”

As Maya’s pointed gaze reproached him for listening in, Mitsugu panicked and gave an excuse.

“I just happened to overhear and in no way meant for it to happen……”

Maya gave pardon with a sigh.

“Yes, it was a report from Tatsuya-san. He disposed of agents of the New Soviet Union that
were prowling around Tokyo.”

“Because of that you’ve been saddles with trouble with an unrelated professional killer, and
Tatsuya-kun is also troubled. Could we not have received the order the beginning and finished
it without such a troublesome incident? Wouldn’t it be fine to stop using that person?

From Mitsugu’s speech his malice towards Tatsuya, a boy the same approximate age as his
son, leaked out without being concealed.

“There wasn’t enough work to trouble Mitsugu-san.”

Maya bluntly parried.

“Will it be fine to leave that professional killer be?”

Maya obviously had no intention of finding fault with Tatsuya, but Mitsugu insistently tried to
overturn her intentions.

“Tatsuya said he’d settle things himself, it’s fine to leave it to him.”

“Is that so. If that’s the case, I’ll also take a look at his skills.”

However, at the sound of Maya’s voice with slight sharpness mixed in, Mitsugu obediently
withdrew.

“……No, that’s right.”

But, to overturn Maya’s previous remarks took the next approach.

“This is exactly right for Fumiya’s teaching materials.”

At this mutter, Maya’s eyes turned to Fumiya.

“Fumiya-san.”

“Yes.”

Fumiya’s muscles tensed in response to Maya’s gaze.

In contrast, Maya turns a relaxed smile to Fumiya.

“Investigate the professional killer aiming for Tatsuya-san. Just investigate, meddling is
unnecessary.

“Yes!”

The reply Fumiya’s returned was full of fighting spirit.

“Don’t play a role in Fumiya-san’s practice, if possible Mitsugu-san don’t provide any
assistance.

“……I understand.”

In contrast, the two adults lacked this earnestness.

To Maya the identity of the professional killer aiming at Tatsuya was of no interest. Maya
understood a professional killer at the level of a civilian wouldn’t succeed as Tatsuya’s
opponent.

The phrase ‘teaching materials’ may have left her mouth, but it didn’t possess the literal
meaning.
[3] Interference

Tokyo, in a residential area some distance from the city centre.

There two ghost lights were burning.

No curse, no screams, no time to beg for one’s life.

Two human bodies were destroyed by fire, no, they ‘vanished’.

◇◇◇

A professional killer’s employment means varied and significantly unsteady. One month you
can have no time to rest, conversely you can go two, three months without a drop of work.
Severing the head of a sleeping person in the middle of the night, boldly faking an accident in
the middle of the day to settle things. Making use of the continental expression it’s the work
of ‘The Black Society’. You can also say black work is work where you have no say.

However, make no mistake there is a tendency for a lot of night work. On top of that it’s
necessary to approach each case differently, so usual life tends to become nocturnal.
Codename ‘Nuts’, real name Hashibami Yuki, she also, has a living pattern of leaving bed after
noon has passed on days she doesn’t have to work.

Today, she also intended to stay in bed until just past noon. Yesterday she had to rise early to
match going to school at the same time as a middle school student, that job was necessary
for the gathering of information, moreover for the end result she found herself standing at
the batter’s box and missing. So, she decided not to get up early today, with the nuance of
staying in bed out of spite.

“……What, too loud……”

However, her telephone was ringing, calling for her to wake not less than an hour earlier than
she planned to get out of bed.

“Hello?”

Yuki put a handset dedicated to voice-only communications to her ear. Never give your name
or stand before a camera, this is basic knowledge of a professional killer.

“Good morning.”

As a fresh greeting poured out of the receiver’s speaker, Yuki’s face sprouted a frown.

“Croco……what time do you think it is. It’s not even eleven o’clock yet.”
Her poor mood exposed, Yuki’s remark attaches a complaint with her partner Croco, also
known as Wanizuka.

“Nuts, in society people say ‘already’ not ‘not even’.”

“What would you know about respectable society?”

At Yuki’s remarks sent forth with abandon in a casual tone, Wanizuka let out a strained laugh
with no objection.

“Tsk.”

Taking such an attitude, it may appear Yuki’s being treated like a child when nothing can be
done when she becomes irritated. But were the position exchanged, she herself recognises
she’s acting like a child.

“……So, what is it?”

As a result, since Yuki’s bad mood cannot be cancelled as it is, she changes the subject.

“The aforementioned situation with the middle school student. At least we think it’s probably
related.”

“What!? You’re not being clear.”

Yuki’s partner, you can’t say he has a very serious nature. But it’s not in his character to bring
practical jokes into work. This roundabout way of talking has been caused by the influence of
his bewilderment.

“This morning, two men from the company were sounding out the target’s movements.”

“This morning?”

“Some company employees were watching the targets house last night. The last contact was
at six o’clock local time, their current whereabouts are unknown.”

“……Did the target get rid of them?”

Yuki’s voice couldn’t contain her sense of surprise as she asked. The middle school student
witness, Shiba Tatsuya, is definitely skilled enough. When looking at the scene of an actual
murder, he wasn’t perturbed at all. He’s definitely somebody who engages in some kind of
illegal activity behind the scenes, Yuki surmised.

But Yuki, couldn’t understand how you could kill someone in the middle of a residential
district in the early morning when you didn’t know who could be said to be watching, and
getting out of there without having been seen.

“I don’t know, no corpses have been found.”

“No bodies? The police?”

Even if you can’t buy a police officer, you are able to collect information using reporters
coming and going from the police. The police have a give and take relationship with the mass
media on the surface, though they are not in a position to deny a tendency for
communications to become half-hearted compared to that of civilians from other industries.

“That information doesn’t exist.”

“Back to Shiba Tatsuya, do you think he might be connected with a big-shot beyond what
we’ve anticipated?”

The occurrence of a murder cannot be established if you don’t leave a body. The only
exception for the prosecution to build a case is with the testimony of the murderer or an
otherwise related individual. But normally dead bodies will be discovered, beginning an
investigation into the murder. Or possibly, a disappearance case will convert into a murder
case.

Not just pro hitmen, that’s also when amateur killers killing people over grudges or on impulse
get discovered.

Nevertheless, the truth is every year many murder cases come to light, indicated by the
difficulty in disposing of the dead bodies.

Even though a number of hours have passed since the company associates ceased
communicating, during the day in an average neighbourhood two of the organisations
people’s whereabouts are unknown, it’s not a simple matter that something took place.

“The target is not necessarily involved.”

“What do you mean?”

Due to his poor manner of enunciation, Yuki closely questioned her partner.

“To tell you the truth, the neighbourhood the two disappeared is the territory of Kyuuchou
Temple……”

“Huh!?”

From Yuki’s mouth, an unintentionally out of tune voice escapes.

“Kyuuchou Temple, that Kyuuchou Temple? I mean the one that Kokonoe Yakumo is the head
priest of?”

She wasn’t consciously aware she’d done it, but Yuki repeated ‘that’ twice. Not because of its
importance, no, it was the consequences of receiving that big of a shock.

“That Kokonoe Temple.”

“Are they idiots!?”

Yuki unintentionally started shouting. If it wasn’t for the rooms reliable soundproofing, then
the neighbours in the neighbourhood would likely have been dropping in complaints.

Even the girl also thought it appeared unpleasant, restraining the volume of her speech.

“Those guys, you’re not saying they were carrying pistols, are you?”

“It looks that way.”

“Are they idiots!? No, they are idiots! Kokonoe Yakumo’s dislike of guns is famous isn’t it!? Or
else, didn’t they understand they were in that priest’s territory?”

“Well I guess they didn’t know.”

Yuki let out a big sigh as she scratched her head. You could say as she lives alone there’s no
one who will see, yet her manner is unsuitable for a girl of her apparent age.

“……Say. Is it ok to assume that the information the organisation possesses is reliable?”

“It’s safe to trust my information.”

“Ah, I had to ask……”

For the second time, Yuki let out a sigh.

“However, since it’s in Kokonoe’s Temples territory, it’ll be difficult to set up near the home.

“It hasn’t been decided that Kokonoe Yakumo is the cause of the employee’s whereabouts
being unknown, to begin with we don’t really know if the target of Kokonoe Yakumo are
involved at all……”

“How much of the cause can we be certain of, one middle school student and the modern
era’s strongest ninja, it simply doesn’t seem likely there is a link binding them…… Sigh, does
it seems like the hurdles are steadily rising, or is it just me that feels that way?”

Yuki grumbled.

Regrettably, her partner Wanizuka didn’t offer any words to overturn the girl’s remarks.

◇◇◇

It’s just past three o’clock in the afternoon on Saturday April 10th when Kuroba Fumiya arrives
at Tokyo station.

At present he is currently a second-year middle school student, with both public and private
middle schools having six-day weeks, Saturdays being half-holidays (half classes).
His parents wouldn’t allow him time off school even if it was for the purpose of a directive
from the head of the Yotsuba family, so Fumiya immediately grabbed his luggage on coming
home from school, and going, proceeded by express linear train from Toyohashi to the capital
via Nagoya City. —— Furthermore, his parent’s zeal wasn’t the only reason he wasn’t taking
time off school, Fumiya’s father Mitsugu is displeased with the duty bestowed upon him this
time.

The Yotsuba family are more feared by those connected to magic than the mafia, but
internally the head of the family’s rule is not absolute. Even if none will oppose the family
head face to face, passive sabotage cannot be entirely purged. The Yotsuba family, put nicely
the powerful few, put badly there is a shortage of hands.

This time, the one most angry at Kuroba Mitsugu’s resistance was not the family head Maya,
but rather his son Fumiya. He wanted to begin the investigation he was ordered to do as
quickly as possible. He considered is reasonable to be absent for about half a day of middle
school for that purpose.

He was in high spirits, but not because he’d been given a mission by the family head. It’s not
possible that that factor hadn’t been an influence, but it’s not the main reason.

It was because he wanted to become Tatsuya’s support.

Kuroba Fumiya is Shiba Tatsuya’s second cousin. Magicians have a tendency to prize
consanguinity, the bonds between kin are stronger than those between members of the
general public (meaning non-magicians).

An elder cousin of the same generation, a second cousin he views as the elder brother he
adores, not uncommon perhaps but it doesn’t go without saying. Still Fumiya admires Tatsuya
no less than his true sibling. That deep and profound affection, were gender discarded, could
even be called love.

On hearing a professional killer was aiming for Tatsuya, Fumiya’s anger flared up. An insolent
person was aiming at Tatsuya’s life, it could be said Fumiya’s real motive was that he wanted
to personally exterminate them by his own hand.

But no matter what you say about the Yotsuba family, they aren’t able to murder as they like
just because they feel like it. The opponent is also from a criminal organisation. Be that as it
may completely erasing a person and leaving not a single trace, at Fumiya’s level he will need
to borrow the aid of other people to clean up afterwards.

It is beneficial to be able to keep the destruction of evidence entirely within the Yotsuba
family, still the cases when external collaboration must be depended on is not a few. At least
without Maya’s support and instructions, he wouldn’t be able to take the plunge and
exterminate them.

This time, the order handed down to Fumiya was to investigate. It wasn’t what he had hoped
for, but it was still several steps better than not doing anything. Or so Fumiya told himself, as
his fighting spirit was filled to the brim.
Nevertheless, he was dispirited abruptly at the start by his henchmen.

“Young Master.”

“Idiot! Shhh.”

The man in a black suit that spoke to him, Fumiya scolded harshly in a low voice.

“Don’t address me like that in this crowd! What will you do if we stand out strangely!?”

“Sorry.”

A black suit of one of the Yotsuba branch families, a retainer of the Kuroba family, Fumiya’s
father’s subordinate. The man more or less had enough common sense and appeared to
understand, and took off his sunglasses, immediately understanding the pretext causing
Fumiya to be cautious.

“For the time being, lets proceed to the office.”

Fumiya didn’t want to hand around and tediously scold him further, instructing him to move.
If they hung around the station platform without moving, he thought it would be considered
suspicious.

“I will guide you. Shall I carry your luggage?”

“Unnecessary.”

Fumiya ended the dialogue and began walking.

◇◇◇

Yuki left her room in the apartment building; it was evening and sunset was approaching. The
sky would have been tainted red were there no clouds in the sky, but because of the heavy
clouds it was already becoming dark outside.

Five hours have passed since talking to her partner Wanizuka on the telephone, and in that
time, twice she had laid down but was unable to indulge in inactivity. Finishing the cleaning
and laundry, that was what she was able to do in this time.

Her home was in a cheap apartment building as arranged by the organisation. For work, just
close the doors and the soundproofing was reliable, and it was furnished with only the truly
minimal home automation. Even so the burden of domestic chores has been greatly reduced
compared to one hundred years ago, you normally wouldn’t make the effort to do cleaning
and laundry yourself, so that was all the time it took to tidy up after only one person.

“……Ready right on time.”

Exiting outside she pulled the doorknob, and confirming she’d locked the door, Yuki let out
such a murmur. It was true it was the planned time but were a third party she knew to hear
of today’s actions they would sense the explanation was suspicious.

In the street in front of the apartment building, a familiar type of box-wagon quickly pulled
ahead of her and stopped. It’s been repainted from grey to light brown, it’s the car her partner
uses for business.

Yuki quickly runs up to the station wagon and pulls passenger seat door by hand. The door
isn’t locked. She gets into the car’s passenger seat as is.

As one might expect, the driver was her partner Wanizuka.

“Let’s take them out.”

“Understood.”

Wanizuka flipped the driving stick and put it on automatic. This neighbourhood was within
the domain of the traffic control system. The destination had already been input. The box
wagon made no noise as it departed.

“On that note, where are we going?”

This question of Yuki’s could be considered comical. It wasn’t Wanizuka that invited Yuki on
this outing, it’s the reverse, Yuki was the person who called out Wanizuka.

“The plan is to stand watch over the targets house.”

But given the circumstances Wanizuka didn’t appear bewildered or show amazement on his
face as he replied to Yuki’s question. Wanizuka had a good understanding that given her
current mental state his partner could not sit idly.

“Will it be all right? Isn’t it Kokonoe Yakumo’s territory?”

“It would be foolish to start anything in that area. However, we can’t go in without getting
our hands on some information.”

“We also can’t go in and set up at our leisure.”

It’s not rare to have to work hastily even if there is not a mouth to silence. It may sound
detestable when you hear it said abruptly, but one criminal technique is to shadow and strike
when there is an opportunity.

Saying nothing further, Yuki nimbly lowered the seat and leaned back.

Currently, concerning the witness Shiba Tatsuya, only his full name, address and the school
he is attending is known. In other words, we’ve confirmed the location of his home.
The station wagon carrying Yuki and Wanizuka, slowly passes in front of the targets home and
stops two blocks away.

Yuki got out of the car using the rear seat’s door rather than the passenger seat’s door. She
was wearing tsunagi work clothes and a baseball cap low over her eyes to disguise herself.
Her long hair is concealed inside the tsunagi. It was a very simple disguise, but it was better
than not wearing one.

Besides, Yuki didn’t think she needed to be concerned about being recognised. In relation to
that murder, there’s no evidence that the witness passed on the criminal’s information. Shiba
Tatsuya hasn’t spoken to the police about Yuki.

He shouldn’t have failed to recognise that Yuki is a criminal in that situation, even if it wouldn’t
be clear from her looks and physique.

This middle school student, there’s some reason he can’t talk to the police.

Yuki has reasoned as much.

Therefore, if she were seen, she needn’t worry about being reported. Rather, she’s be able to
put pressure on the target. That’s what she thought.

Although, it would be better not to be discovered and put him on guard. Yuki doesn’t have a
suitable place to conceal herself, she looked left and right trying not to appear conspicuous.

Even if the driver is aboard, they can’t stop the car on the road for a long time. If Yuki can’t
locate a place to conceal herself, then after a certain time has passed it will be necessary to
move. In that situation, Yuki will have to be left behind for the moment, but in this case the
goddess of fate smiled upon Yuki and Wanizuka.

From the targets house, a sedan type self-driving car emerged.

In the passenger’s seat was an exceedingly beautiful girl.

In the driver’s seat was the target middle school student, with a glance Yuki confirms that it
was Shiba Tatsuya aboard.

“Croco, that sedan!”

Yuki hurriedly jumped into the passenger seat as she instructed her partner.

At that time Croco, Wanizuka, had already begun preparing to turn.

The station wagon rotated around on the spot. The driving force of four wheels, this spinning
turn was brought about by means of the wheels on the left and right turning and spinning in
opposite directions. Four wheels with independent motors is the driving force behind this
behaviour of modern electric self-driving cars.

“Nuts! Was there a driver aboard that car?”

“No, not that I could see.”

As far as Yuki could see, aboard the sedan were only Shiba Tatsuya and his little sister.

“I see, it’s an automobile.”

Previously when someone called a car an automobile it meant a vehicle that could move
under its own power, now you’d call one a ‘self-running car’. The use of the term ‘automobile’
has come to mean ‘self-driving vehicle’.

However, here Wanizuka’s use of the word ‘automobile’ didn’t merely mean ‘self-driving
vehicle’ but rather ‘self-driving personal car’.

In the case where you want to drive automatically in the middle of a traffic control area, as a
general rule the driver sitting in the driving seat must possess a driving licence. But with a
restricted private self-driving car which doesn’t possess a manual operation mechanism,
riding with a possessor of a driving licence isn’t necessary.

Though these robot taxi ‘commuters’ have become the representative means of transport for
citizens, it can’t be said that it’s the rare case to own a personal robot car. Those not wealthy
enough to employ a human driver, a household like those reasonably said to belong to the
upper classes, will make use of a custom-made robot car.

“They’re rich.”

Yuki’s thoughts towards owning a private ‘automobile’, typical of the masses, was that of the
common person.

These thoughts became all the more powerful on reaching the destination.

“What! That building?”

Yuki muttered in the driving seat, gazing at an extremely stylish western style house in the
distance.

“An etiquette school. Coaching for daughters of high-class families.”

Yuki’s remark was a monologue, which Wanizuka mistook for a question and so turned his
head to return an answer.

“Coaching school? What do they teach?”

“Various things. Piano and also tea ceremonies, flower arrangement, social dances and table
manners…… What it means is that it’s a place for ‘developing daughters of high-class families’
to consolidate their family’s ‘lessons’.”

“Huh? Is she a celebrity?”

“Real celebrities wouldn’t attend places like this, I believe they have home tutors.”
Yuki laughed through her nose as Wanizuka replied in a sarcastic tone. A criminal
organisations execution unit was liable to do the same, these two clearly didn’t appear to
have any good will for rich people.

“Eh? Finished already?”

Agreeable to her preference —— you could say Yuki affected it —— a sedan appeared and
passed through the gate, exposing Yuki’s surprise to Croco.

“No, that can’t be right. Ah! Young men are prohibited from that place. At the end of the
lesson, he’ll come back again to retrieve her.”

Wanizuka repudiated with a smile, having noticed Shiba Tatsuya was the only person aboard
the robot car.

“Young men are prohibited?”

“It’s not just the students, the lecturers, office workers and security guards are also female.
Excluding special occasions even the father would only be allowed entry into the lobby.”

“Seriously?......The twenty first century is almost over isn’t it?

Extreme anachronism. It was written on Yuki’s face.

“Having status is like that. It’s pointless thinking about it, but it’s convenient for us.”

Wanizuka pushed the driving lever forwards.

The two people aboard the station wagon, began to pursue the sedan type robot car.

◇◇◇

Around that time, Kuroba Fumiya was running a little late as he headed towards the etiquette
school Miyuki was attending.

Fumiya was given a mission by the head of the Yotsuba family, to investigate the professional
killer prowling after Shiba Tatsuya, Fumiya’s second cousin and Maya’s nephew. And was
prohibited from doing more than that.

However, Fumiya was unable to silently watch on as Tatsuya plunged into a place where he
knew assassins were lying in wait.

As mentioned earlier, Fumiya strongly adores Tatsuya. Not just as his older second cousin, but
maybe equally with his twin sister, or possibly more than that.

Distance, his sister was closer.

But the strength of the affection, was difficult to discern.

Devotion. Aspiration. Adoration. Worship.

Every word seemed to apply, but only a little, none seem quite appropriate.

Knowing that they were aiming for Tatsuya, who he had such strong feeling for, Fumiya
couldn’t be expected to remain motionless.

Even knowing they couldn’t harm Tatsuya.

“Ojou-sama.”

The black suited employee wearing white gloves and sitting in the driving seat of the large
sedan, turned his head and to the rear seat and raised his voice.

A young girl with a bob cut was sitting alone on the rear seat, an annoyed expression was
turned towards the driving seat.

This girl is Kuroba Fumiya wearing a disguise. Wearing female clothing, that was absolutely
not his hobby. He dressed obediently as he understood the effective benefits of hiding his
identity, but Fumiya was reluctant to be treated as a female.

In truth he wanted to immediately stop him calling him ‘Ojou-sama’, but they don’t know
when his true identity could be exposed and so have to speak and behave in accordance with
his outward appearance. Only discomfort showed on Fumiya’s face as he swallowed down
the stress.

“What?”

Low for a girl but, Fumiya asked back in a tone of voice that couldn’t be said to anything but
that of a girl. His voice and movements matched his outward appearance without him
consciously doing it, Fumiya had been trained thoroughly. —— It can’t be said to be perfect
as the tone and speech wasn’t ‘girlish or ladylike’, but there are many cases of genuine middle
school girls not using feminine speech. If it’s to this extent, then it’s within the permissible
range.

“Tatsuya-sama appears to have left the etiquette school.”

The magician subordinates of the Kuroba family, they attach ‘-sama’ to Tatsuya’s name when
before Fumiya. They know they’ll sour his mood if they don’t do so.

The magic Fumiya uses doesn’t harm the flesh but rather bestows pain. And freely controls
the level of pain. As it leaves no injury behind when struck in anger it’s better not to get on
his bad side.

“Too late?......Can we follow to the destination?”

“We can trance him through the traffic control system.”

The robot car Tatsuya is aboard is controlled wirelessly by the traffic control system.
Calculating their current location using just an ID is a service that’s offered, it’s not illegal
hacking unless you obtained the ID illegally.

The automobile Tatsuya is using to drop off and collect Miyuki has a privately configured ID,
that information is shared within the Yotsuba family. If the radio waves are obstructed, as
long as Tatsuya doesn’t completely switch his location information to private, then Fumiya
won’t lose sight of his whereabouts.

But all that can be discovered from the system, is just the location of the car transmitting the
ID to drive autonomously. The existence of a manually driven car won’t be discovered. Within
the domain for the traffic control system, for the time being, you’re obligated to travel by
means of automated driving equipment. Travelling manually however, won’t be cracked
down upon unless you are in violation of other traffic laws.

That the professional killer’s car is following Tatsuya, is unknown to Fumiya at the present
time. It’d be a different story if you hacked the street cameras, the quick and easy method is
to close the distance until you’re in visual range if you’re close by.

Fumiya shakes his wigs hair as he looks into the map data provided by the control system.

Tatsuya’s sedan is still on the road up head, not very far away from them. Travelling according
to the rules under the systems control and not exceeding the legal speed limit.

Travelling manually, they should catch up quickly.

“Shorten the distance. I don’t care if we’re discovered by Tatsuya-nii-san.”

Following Fumiya’s instructions, the driver pushes down the large driving lever.

Fumiya presses his back against his seat, watching the flow of the scenery accelerate outside
the window.

◇◇◇

The robot car being pursued by Yuki and Wanizuka, entered the carpark of a restaurant not
far from the manners school.

It’s a casual restaurant chain that expanded from the Kantou region, with an adjacent self-run
two story parking lot. Ensuring there is space to accommodate several dozen cars.

The targeted boy parked his car at the end of the first floor. The target then disembarked the
robot car and, whilst not appearing to show his surroundings and particular vigilance, entered
the restaurant.

“Nuts, what do you want to do?”

Wanizuka asks Yuki, parking the station wagon a short distance from the restaurant.

“There are too many people inside the store……”

The inside of the store can’t be seen from inside the box wagon, but the number inside an be
guessed from the number of cars in the parking lot, there are no less than ten people visiting
the store.

Assassinating the witness at this scene, there are too many people to witness it to take the
risk. In this situation it’s be getting the priorities backwards.

Besides, they can’t proceed with the intention to involve unrelated people.

Yuki is a professional killer, and she belongs to the Abousha crime association.

But Abousha isn’t the sort of organisation that will accept killing anyone as long as there is
money.

Contractors of political murders. To remove from society ‘bad people’ based on ‘social justice’.
That was the ‘ideology’ of the organisation Yuki was attached to.

That perhaps, is a bad quality since a criminal association’s only goal is making money. Even
Yuki who is still in her teens understands this for one reason or another.

However, a villain that preys upon the virtuous citizens, requires the acquisition of a surplus
of resistance to killing. That sort of aspect certainly exists. The previous young men who were
killed, were circumventing the law by getting teenage girls addicted to drugs, the garbage
then coerces them into what’s in reality prostitution.

The girl didn’t request money, without demanding, the girl would accompany the man on a
‘date’, and another would pass her the drug to circumvent the law. Moreover, by not clearly
informing them ‘going on a date and you’ll receive drugs’, appearing to introduce them to a
man who possesses the drug is the trick to circumvent the law, making it difficult for the
judiciary to build a case.

Therefore, the girl is judged.

For that reason, it was decided it was a job for the organisation —— for Abousha.

In fact, the task ordered of her was to erase various people whose nature was nothing but
garbage.

However, Yuki doesn’t swallow that official stance. No matter how much things are glossed
over she is being dispatched to commit crimes which goes against people’s morals, it’s also
understandable that the organisation won’t be able to persevere just glossing things over.

Besides, after all —— in this way, they are going to kill a person for their sake of self-
preservation.

Afterall, she herself is a murder.

Afterall, she herself is a serious criminal.

Yuki tells herself that, to deceive her doubts.

“Enter the parking lot. The second floor.”

“I understand.”

Wanizuka without asking the reason, followed Yuki’s instructions.

In the driver’s seat of the parked station wagon, Wanizuka turned his head to Yuki with an
expression that said, ‘what are we doing next?’.

“Go inside Croco, keep an eye on that guy.”

“Ready to notify you when he leaves the store?

“That’s right, talk fast.”

“I’m to be your accomplice. Thereupon you’ll ambush the target here Nuts?”

“Yes. I’ll commence depending on the situation.”

At that moment, the public’s gaze was non-existent in this attached parking lot. Yuki decided
looking around.

◇◇◇

“It’s that store.”

Not listening to the subordinate (of his father) dressed in a black suit, Fumiya had already
grasped the location of Tatsuya’s robot car from the display installed on the back of the front
seat.

“Enter the parking lot.”

“……However, you’ve been prohibited from interfering.”

Prompting caution is another black suit sitting in the passenger seat.

“I won’t make contact.”

But Fumiya didn’t lend an ear to the voice restraining him, and without waiting disembarked
the car on the first floor of the parking lot.

Entering the restaurant without changing.

Fumiya gathered gazes.

That may not be obvious, but it might be natural.

Fumiya right now, is wearing makeup for the sake of wearing a reliable disguise. Put worse,
it’s heavy makeup.

The result attained isn’t just affect his gender, it also makes him appear three, four years older.

But still just a high school student, maybe a college student that has only just entered school
at most.

The time might only be 7 o’clock in the afternoon, but its already completely dark outside. It’s
not a time for a young girl of her apparent age to be visiting a café restaurant alone.

That made Fumiya look all the more like a beautiful girl.

Even Wanizuka (code name Croco) who had entered the shop previously was no exception.

And now Tatsuya turned his eyes towards Fumiya.

A boy his age catching sight of a beautiful girl, would ordinarily look.

Tatsuya turned his eyes towards Fumiya for a moment. The so called ‘glancing look.’ —— Or
possibly, the movement appears to be a ‘glancing look’ to other people. Averting his eyes
away from the form of a beautiful girl Fumiya had taken, turning them to the coffee cup on
his table. Earphones buried in both ears. It’s a gesture that makes it appear his consciousness
has turned to the music he is listening to.

That’s what Wanizuka thought as he stealthily observed Tatsuya.

At the moment of that subtle gaze, Fumiya was casually observing as he sat down at a table
seat.

(……That guy?)

A suspicious man who made no attempt to see Fumiya’s charming figure.

The visage of a man who didn’t cautiously turn towards a beautiful girl.

(—— At any rate he’s watching excessively!)

The man not giving Fumiya ‘glancing looks’, is Wanizuka who is just watching Tatsuya. So that
Tatsuya won’t suspect, sometimes he turns to glance at Fumiya.

It goes without saying, the situation is not what Fumiya would hope for. However, he can’t
behave in a way that would expose his true identity. The feeling of sinful gazes of the same
sex on him —— except for Tatsuya’s gaze —— he must endure with a clear face.

Enduring the situation for two hours as it is.

Fumiya’s mortification, the time for it to end finally approached.

Tatsuya got up from his seat.

Simultaneously Fumiya saw the man, Wanizuka, appear to send an email.

Fumiya finishes settling the account on the table terminal, heads for the bathroom before
swinging around and leaving the store through the back door.

Not the professional killer’s companion nor the employees, nobody, noticed that Fumiya had
erased his presence.

◇◇◇

It had been two hours since she’d sent her partner Wanizuka into the restaurant. Yuki was in
the rear seat of the station wagon, concealing herself and keeping her breath low. —— No,
it’d be more accurate to say she’s trying not to make any sound while she conceals herself
eating strawberry macarons.

So as to not be seen from outside, with the exception of the driving seat and passenger seat
all the windows are in opaque mode. When travelling inside a vehicle you are only allowed to
have it in semi-permeable mode, parked in a parking lot you won’t be challenged.

But seeing someone secluding themselves inside a car in a restaurant parking lot, will without
a doubt raise a sense of suspicion. Depending on the other party it is possible she could be
reported. For passers-by and the shops people, it was better she wasn’t noticed as time
passed.

Yuki has a small build for a woman, the inside of the box wagon is spacious compared to that
of a sedan or coupe. It doesn’t feel cramped inside the car, but she is becoming anxious and
irritated at being kept waiting longer than anticipated. She’s putting strawberry crème filled
macaroons into her mouth, according to the person herself the sugar content is for the sake
of preventing her insecurities affecting her mental condition. —— Perhaps, it’s no more than
an excuse.

Then finally, the signal email arrives.

Swallowing the macaroon inside her mouth, Yuki got out of the station wagon.

The floor of the second storey was made of steel plates, but she stood up without a sound.
Quiet as a cat, she rushed to the stairs.

She descended to the first floor continuing to conceal her footsteps.

Immediately after she placed herself in the shadow of a pillar, the targeted boy appeared in
the parking lot.
The boy went directly towards his robot car.

—— Without noticing.

Yuki thought so.

She raised the scarf coiled around her neck too just below her eyes, lowered her baseball cap
over her eyes to conceal her appearance.

Focusing her consciousness on her extraordinary ability, increasing her body’s abilities.

—— Jumping out from the shadow of the pillar while killing the sound, boldly taking three
steps.

—— Jumping low as to avoid the ceiling, swinging the knife through the air.

That was the mental simulation inside her head, preparing her backhanded grip on the knife,
Yuki started by taking the first step.

At that moment,

the boy, he looked over his shoulder.

The powerful glint in his eye, pierced Yuki’s eyes.

She was reflexively paralysed.

“Kyaaaaaaaa!”

Tearing the darkness, a young lady’s scream.

Naturally, it didn’t surge out from Yuki’s throat.

Yuki reflexively turned her head.

There was a figure with a small build wearing a knee length dress.

Her face couldn’t be seen due to the light behind her, from the silhouette of the clothes and
hairdo you could judge her to be a middle or high school girl.

She’s screaming, so she must have seen the knife in Yuki’s hand.

Yuki abandoned the strike on her target, did a full spin and quickly walked away from the
scene.
[4] Abduction
Just because it’s a Sunday doesn’t mean that you’ll get a day off as a professional killer. If you
take the company format, it’s the same. ——In the first place, all private enterprises allow
one day a week off, but you don’t get to choose which day you get off.

Therefore, on Sunday morning when Yuki received a call while she was still sleeping calling
for her to get up and come in to work it didn’t become an awkward situation, it was
unavoidable.

“……What do they want at such an early time?” I still haven’t had breakfast yet.”

“It’s about the matter in the parking lot last night isn’t it? Here you go.”

Today Wanizuka came to meet her in a compact car rather than the station wagon, replying
in a soothing tone whilst also passing a plastic bag to Yuki in the passenger’s seat.

Inside the plastic bag she finds a chocolate cornet and a plastic bottle containing a cold drink.

Yuki immediately takes out the chocolate cornet and bites into it. It seems she didn’t complain
of hunger simply to pose.

In the blink of an eye Yuki ate, emptied the plastic bottle, and resumed the conversation.

“That thing yesterday, I wasn’t being foolish. In that kind of situation, it was impossible not to
withdraw in theory.”

She said the last part with a serious look, not nonchalantly —— the person themselves
thought so —— as she wiped the chocolate crème off her mouth.

“Will it be fine if I explain that to the company president?”

Wanizuka laughed with a stiff smile on his face, as he presented a small detached trash can
to Yuki from the door’s interior.

“It’ll be troublesome……”

Yuki looked away her eyes from Wanizuka and threw the tissue she used to wipe her mouth,
plastic bottle and plastic bag in the trash can her partner was presenting.

“It can’t be helped; consultation is the organisation’s obligation.

“…… the company employees are professional killers among other things, it’s absolutely
laughable.”

“These days no matter how well they raise their skills, freelancers won’t be dispatched. It’s
the times.”

“Tsk.”
This time Yuki clicked her tongue as she turned to face the other away, as Wanizuka revealed
a bitter smile.

When Yuki returned from the company president’s office, her face was worn out.

“That was surprisingly fast.”

As Wanizuka raises his voice in laughter, Yuki glares at him with a menacing look in her eyes.

“……What’s so funny?”

“It’s not funny. Anyway, if it’s just the company president, don’t you think you were lucky to
get out of one of the director’s sermons in less than thirty minutes?

“That guy can kill people with his tongue……”

Yuki works outside, she doesn’t possess a chair in the office. She sat anywhere there was an
open seat.

“You could say he’s really tenacious…… I can’t believe it, no matter what you say you should
see your face.”

Yuki was summoned the company president’s office, for the purpose of reporting the details
relating to the parking lot last night.

When giving a field report you should be prepared for it to be transformed into the scene of
a reprimand, that doesn’t change for a criminal organisation.

“Did management not say anything about falling behind schedule on the clean-up?”

“Be thankful you’re getting assistance.”

Thankful, whilst saying that Yuki’s tone was slovenly.

“We don’t have to form a team, do we?”

“You know my feelings about that sort of thing”

Yuki laugh’s through her nose as she answers Wanizuka question with a denial.

“Is that so?......”

A slight look of relief floated across his facial expression, it appeared Wanizuka was also
reluctant to make use of other professional killers.

“Incidentally, who’s lending a hand?”

“Bobby and Jack, they said.”

“Them again……”

Upon hearing the code names of the oni who murdered for pleasure and the demon bomber
who both have bad reputations within the company, Wanizuka grimaced.

If they were to work together it’s likely to become an awkward situation…… thinking about it
made the complexion of one’s face pale.

“Jack’s one thing, but I don’t want Bobby clawing around. Croco, we need to quickly finish
getting rid of that bastard.”

Yuki’s facial expression was listless, but Wanizuka caught the sharp glint in her eyes as she
made the declaration.

“Yes, of course.”

Wanizuka understanding Yuki’s true intention from her expression, nodded his head in assent.

Yuki disliked the modus operandi of killing with bombings which shallow up people other than
the target. From the bottom of her heart, she believes murdering people herself has
significance. No, she wants to believe, is the more actuate way to say it.

They judge villains who cannot be judged by law. Put simply, this is the touted principle of
Abousha. Naturally, Wanizuka understands this is just the public face of things, and in theory
Yuki understands this too.

But emotionally, she wants to believe in this ideal. Even if it’s a ninety nine percent hollow
public front, there exists one percent of truth, which she believes from the bottom of her
heart.

Yuki is a young girl who has just turned seventeen years old. She was twelve years old the first
time she killed a person, and even though three years passed since she attained the
occupation of assassin, she is as yet still too young to abandon her hopes and dreams.

As yet still too young to understand, there is no good and evil in this world, good and evil are
simply labels affixed to people at one’s own convenience.

Her heart isn’t ready to accept that she’s killing people for the sake of earning a living.

Hence, her feelings of disgust of tools like bombs that will involve not only the villains but
unrelated members of the general public.

But Wanizuka considered that a good thing about Yuki.

Professional killers, each one has a speciality and style. She isn’t suited to killing with bombs.
If you hate bombs, you won’t be able to take an interest in such an unsuitable style.

Moreover, making a point of applying strange wisdom to weaken the feelings of guilt, is no
different to a person finding happiness by believing in outlaw justice……
 ◇◇◇

Sunday afternoon. Fumiya, having finished investigating the professional killer aiming at
Tatsuya, was visiting the Yotsuba main house to report the results.

Not making use of a telephone call not because he feared wiretapping but because he had
business other than the report.

Fumiya was meeting with the head of the Yotsuba family, Yotsuba Maya, without his father
Mitsugu accompanying him, and upon finishing his report on the murderer’s association
‘Abousha’, gave his thoughts.

“The long and short of it then Fumiya-san, is that you wish to announce your candidacy to
become Tatsuya-san’s bodyguard, is that what you’re saying?”

A gentle tone, a cold gaze.

Fumiya had not yet turned thirteen years old; he is unable to read into Maya’s real intentions.

Nevertheless, he hadn’t been broken.

“Not a bodyguard, to confer a lesson to a criminal organisation that has drawn its bow at the
Yotsuba family.”

“A lesson, is it…… Why not crush them quickly?”

“Well, it could be of value to use them in the future……”

However, to Fumiya who was thirteen years old, the supposition in the dialogue appeared
appetising.

As she gazed at Fumiya who was comically mumbling, Maya calls Hayama who had been
waiting behind her.

“The fellows that compose Abousha, they appear to be a group of shinobi.”

Hayama passes Maya an electronic paper terminal. It contains more detailed data than
Fumiya’s investigation report.

Regret floated across Fumiya’s expression. But, neither Maya nor Hayama looked to condemn
him. The investigation into the organisation aiming at Tatsuya was really to test Fumiya’s
ability. That had been said in the beginning, he hadn’t forgotten. For it to be a test, it was only
natural to investigate separately for the sake of finding the answer.

“Not a bearer of ninjutsu, a taijutsu ninja.”

Bearers of ninjutsu are a school of ancient magicians. Taijutsu ninja, it isn’t a term as such,
but a word coined to differentiate between ninjutsu using ancient magicians and the ninja
who cannot use magic.

Before the time magic’s existence was validated and it was considered by society as fiction,
ninjutsu was also simply taijutsu but also a system of medieval intelligence techniques, and
once magic became a scientific subject, it became obvious the mysterious portion of ninjutsu
was a form of magic.

Believed to be fiction, believed to be mysterious, these ‘arts’ taught by the ancient magic
users, the ‘ninjutsu bearers’.

However, not all ‘ninja’ in their entirety are ‘ninjutsu bearers’.

Magic is a rare talent. Within ‘ninja’ the ‘ninjutsu bearer’ is still a minority. ‘Suspicious arts’,
with the exception of people from special lineages most won’t be able to inherit these special
abilities.

“Oh? Not magicians, but people with an extraordinary ability. To have become attached to a
criminal association, stray psychics?”

“That is correct.”

Currently, the existence of magicians is managed by the state. Civilian magicians too,
excluding some exceptions, the government has a grasp on their whereabouts. Some
exceptions are where you live in hiding on solitary islands and mountain recesses distant from
human habitation. As long as you are receiving administrative services from the nation, you
cannot escape the nations eyes just like the ordinary citizen, in the case of magicians this has
become much more thorough. For example, high level magicians are in reality prohibited from
leaving the country. Freedom of movement is restricted. The magician management system
is unreasonable like that, the degree to which their human rights are infringed upon is
significant.

However, this surveillance system doesn’t encompass people with an imperfect aptitude for
magic. Those unable to interact with the system of magic and restricted to an innate
paranormal ability that’s not useful —— extraordinary ability holders with a specific usable
ability, have produced omissions in the tracking of ‘superpower users’.

Extraordinary ability users who slip through are not pressured as long as they are branded
disqualified from the national magic control system and have three choices; they can sell their
extraordinary ability to the government themselves, they can live as an ordinary member of
society without a paranormal ability, or wield their extraordinary ability as a criminal. And
regrettably, most choose the third option.

Maya asked a question, Hayama nodded, meaning such extraordinary ability users had joined
Abousha’s members.

“The assassin that Tatsuya-dono is concerned with, appears to be an extraordinary ability

user.”
Tatsuya is the family head’s, Maya’s nephew, the equivalent of being close to the head as far
as Hayama is concerned. Nevertheless, his saying ‘concerned’ rather than ‘concerning’ and his
designating him as ‘Tatsuya-dono’ and not ‘Tatsuya-sama’ reflects the delicate situation
reguarding Tatsuya’s place inside the Yotsuba family at this point in time.

“This child.”

The data regarding the assassin referenced by Hayama, the record was taking up a large space
on the electronic paper. Discovering the report didn’t cause Maya to become troubled.

“Her name Hashibami Yuki…… Her real name?”

“It appears to be, assuming the family register hasn’t been falsified, then it is.”

“So it would seem, either way is fine. Her ability is body enhancement…… Very common place.”

“The ability to enhance physical strength, perception speed and reaction times
simultaneously and moreover in an instant. I wonder if it beneficial within actual combat?”

“The result will depend on the precise amount of doping.”

Hayama explains the usefulness of Hashibami Yuki’s extraordinary ability, but in spite of this
it doesn’t appear Maya’s interest is aroused.

“……But you could say the opposite, despite being left alone the extraordinary ability user is
the equivalent of an enhanced person due to doping.”

However, from her choice of words, it seemed she is concerned in a different direction.

In an honest fight, body enhancement extraordinary abilities wouldn’t be sufficient for a high-
level magician to fear.

But is dangerous even for a magician of the Yotsuba family if caught off guard.

Magicians can only be said to have the technical skill to manipulate magic, their bodies are no
different to those of normal people.

It goes without saying the threat regarding ordinary people.

“It does indeed, this itself is unrelated to the house.”

“I want to avoid Tatsuya-san’s actions reaching the point of harming the general public.”

There was a faulty expression in Maya’s words. It’s be more accurate to say, ‘I want to avoid
Tatsuya-san’s actions being blamed for harming the general public’, and delving further into
the real motive of the head of the Yotsuba family, ‘I want to avoid drawing attention to
Tatsuya-san due to harm coming to members of the general public’.

Concealing Tatsuya’s existence was the consensus of the Yotsuba family at the present time.
One group in the National Defence Force where acquainted with Tatsuya, and that unit was
able to agree to maintain secrecy. Beyond this, Maya and the heads of the Yotsuba branch
families wanted to avoid attention being heaped upon him from outside the Yotsuba family,
particularly from the Hundred Families and the Ten Master Clans and societies other
influential magicians.

“……This should be fine, Fumiya-san, you have permission to intervene. But you must
earnestly avoid revealing your true identity.”

“I understand.”

Being given permission to lend a hand pieced Fumiya like a nail, he bowed his head with a
faithful expression on the outside but inside his mind he was raising shouts of joy.

“I’ll handle Fumiya-san’s middle school for this. Hayama-san, if you would please.”

“I respectfully obey.”

The private middle school Fumiya attends is secretly ruled by the Yotsuba family. The Ten
Master Clans may not be able to interfere with the Magic University and its affiliated high
schools since they are national schools, but small scale private schools with no direct relation
to magic training, there are a surprising number of cases where a magician family is behind
the scenes and it’s not restricted to just the Yotsuba family.

While regular magic training is monopolised by the Magic University and the Magic University
Affiliated High Schools, magical talent often manifests from the upper grades of elementary
school and in middle school. Influential magician families have a hand in the administration
of private middle schools, with the intention of finding promising young boys and girls and
winning over future subordinates from those admitted to a school with a tone they
themselves set.

On top of that, the family influencing the community ‘behind the scenes’, makes
arrangements with the school to acquire freedom of attendance for the sake of making use
of their children for work. Maya had ordered Hayama to manage the latter.

“Fumiya-san, I’m giving you two weeks to deal with this problem. That’s agreeable isn’t it?”

“I respectfully obey. Two weeks is sufficient.”

Fumiya immediately bowed making his gesture respectful with all his might.

◇◇◇

No matter how much security systems develop, criminal cat burglars won’t disappear. When
using the system, people make mistakes. It takes time to open a lock under full automated
security. For that reason, against their better judgement people don’t suppress the at home
mode when they depart.
Yuki had creeped into the second story of such a house. From the window she’s clinging to,
the gate of Shiba Tatsuya’s house is barely in view.

“Nuts, is there any activity?”

“Hey.”

To her partners question heard through a secret transmission speaker, Yuki returned a short
response.

“That guy, does he intend to seclude himself at home continuously?”

However, immediately after grumbled a complaint. She had been patiently lurking for nearly
eight hours. Due to the nature of her work, Yuki had grown accustomed to hiding without
moving, they weren’t presently in the middle of killing each other. The cause was the lack of
the feelings of tension when risking one’s life, she was getting too tired.

“Because it’s Sunday, there is no need to go out to run errands.”

“Isn’t he a middle school student? Doesn’t he go have a good time?”

Yuki, who had become attached to a murder association without attending high school,
muttered to herself on the ledge. On the other side of the transmission circuit, Wanizuka was
digesting the comedy of ‘you’re saying that?’, but Yuki didn’t notice.

The time was gradually reaching nine o’clock. Not in the morning, nine o’clock in the evening.
At such a time they were unexpectedly lucky the house’s inhabitants hadn’t returned, but
that notwithstanding, it would irresponsible not to bring things to a close.

In the first place, Yuki hadn’t intended to linger until such a time. The police interview —— by
another name power harassment —— had ended quickly. After one thing or another, they
left the company before noon. After that, breakfast led to lunch which also ended up being
fast food, sneaking into this house just after one o’clock.

It was Sunday afternoon. They were standing watch based on the conjecture it was natural
for a middle school student to go out, but it appeared to be a mistake to consider the target
a respectable boy.

Yuki thought so,

“……You’re not limited to going out on days off just because you’re a middle school student.
We don’t know if they’re just playing games at home, and third year students could be
studying for entrance exams.”

Her partner seemed to be thinking differently.

“If that’s the case, you should have said so earlier.”

Wanizuka, who was irritated with Yuki, wanted to object by saying ‘didn’t you say that before
we stared the stakeout?’, but swallowed it again. Saying it now would not help matters, so he
showed the attitude of an adult.

“Anyhow, how about giving up for today and heading back?”

“……I guess so.”

Yuki, though making idle complaints, would no longer continue further outbursts of anger if
they didn’t continue. Her partner’s proposal was a welcome one for her.

However.

“——Wait just a minute.”

As often happens in these situations, there is a development with such timing.

“Someone’s leaving. It’s him.”

From the door of the house she was watching, the target appeared.

“Should I fly a drone?”

The meaning of the question Wanizuka asked was should he follow the target with a drone.
Multi-rotor type drones were a widely popular means of transport for a time, now flying in
city areas has become prohibited. But regulations and crime have always been in a continuous
relationship. Exceedingly expensive silent stealth drones have been developed, primarily for
the purpose of taking photos. ——Furthermore, the taking of such photos is not restricted to
only criminal organisations.

“No, I’ll tail him.”

However, even if the present technology can turn off the sound, it cannot disappear. Even if
you make it difficult to see, the technology to allow it to perfectly blend into the scenery is
not yet complete. The risk being discovered is lower for herself than the drone. That was
Yuki’s judgement.

“Roger, Nuts I know it goes without saying, but be careful not to be discovered.”

“If I wasn’t confident, I wouldn’t say such a thing.”

In response to Wanizuka’s common sense of evocating caution, Yuki exaggerated fearlessness.

After exiting the house that she was concealing herself in, Yuki was able to immediately locate
the targets back. To avoid appearing suspicious she left the position she’d taken on the second
floor for the sake of surveillance via the front door, but this required taking her eyes off the
target. Inside her mind Yuki patted her chest, her greatest worry was that she’d lose sight of
the target during that time.
As it is, Yuki maintains a fixed distance as she follows behind the target. She didn’t lower her
guard, but she also didn’t think she’d be spotted.

Yuki’s specialisation is knives. Her work style is to make contact and stab people to death.
Techniques for not being sensed when shadowing a target so that she can close in are
indispensable to her, and in her three years of living as an assassin she has a record of having
never been noticed even once. Yuki was confident of her ability to conceal herself and her
shadowing techniques.

The targeted boy, Shiba Tatsuya didn’t turn his head once as he walked towards the station.

(……Why isn’t he using the commuter?)

Remembering, Yuki felt a faint discomfort, but her consciousness was focused on shadowing
him, there was no surplus to think deeply about questions that suddenly floated across her
mind.

That wasn’t the only reason she couldn’t think through to the true nature of the
uncomfortable feeling.

The incident happened just before the intersection exiting onto the main street.

Her target was suddenly surrounded by four adult men.

These aren’t small time yakuza hurrying to threaten or impulsively assault him. Even at this
distance, and under the light of streetlamps, she understood their bodies were built for
combat. The stench of people who made a living with acts of violence was being clearly
transmitted.

(This has to be a joke!?)

Yuki started running in panic. She didn’t forget to silence her footsteps, but she began to
neglect concealing her presence. That was the extent she became panicked.

An illegally diverted large dark grey passenger vehicle is parked opposite the men surrounding
the target. Yuki clearly comprehended the men’s intention.

It’s a kidnapping.

Those men, they’re going to kidnap Shiba Tatsuya

If they were just going to straight up kill Shiba Tatsuya, Yuki would welcome it. She could
overlook it without doing anything.

But specifically taking the time to abduct him, it’s hard to believe they’d take his life. If they
were just going to kill him, better to take him down by hand here in this place.

Even if it was to end with killing him, intending question him prior to that.

It would be undesirable.
Through that boy, she knew the situation.

In this world, to become appealing and improve their own circumstances, there are
professional killers who raise their own stock value.

But, that’s the exception. The majority of professional killers conceal their existence.

Being able to silently disappear into the general public easily isn’t the only reason. When your
traits are known, the jobs you’re sent on become more difficult.

As an assassin, Yuki’s biggest weapon is that she ‘has the form of a young girl’. Not only is she
a woman, she’s petite, seemingly powerless really, appearing unrelated to any violent affairs.

It’s the perfect appearance for approaching the other party without putting them on guard.

Of the work that comes around to Yuki, there are numerous types that can make use of her
appearance.

—— A professional killer with a slender figure and a height of one hundred and fifty
centimetres.

Such a rumour seems to have circulated, and her job has become drastically more difficult.
The men are trying to get the boy inside the vehicle.

The boy, he doesn’t show any resistance.

(You! Show some gut’s already!)

Cursing the boy who won’t resist, Yuki charges ‘power’ into her feet.

Releasing the extraordinary ability to enhance the body.

Her petite body accelerates explosively.

However, the reparation for that, the sounds of her footsteps could no longer be concealed.
All four men simultaneously turned to face Yuki.

(Grr, shit!)

Yuki didn’t want to fight against the men who appeared to be specialists at violence. From
the beginning she was planning to kill from the primary target, Shiba Tatsuya, at this spot and
leave. —— If possible.

But, thinking only of her own convenience she’d gotten sloppy and ended up making an
overoptimistic calculation, she understood that.

From among the four men, two took a stance to intercept Yuki. The remaining two took the
boy Yuki was targeting and got aboard the large passenger vehicle.

From there Yuki attacked.

By throwing a throwing dagger, aimed at Shiba Tatsuya.

The men were surprised by the unexpected attack.

The dagger weaves through a tiny gap in the fence built by their large bodies to attack the
boy.

However, that small blade passes in front of the eyes of the boy who lightly threw his head
back, though the passenger vehicle and bounces off the wall of a private house.

One of them shouts in an unfamiliar language as two of the men deal with pushing the boy
into the vehicle. The other two remain outside the car, have they judged that Yuki isn’t an
ordinary person?

Considering the throwing dagger just before, that recognition hasn’t missed the mark. It’s
natural to be vigilant. Consequently, this became a bad move as in the next instant Yuki took
an action that went beyond absurdity.

The two men prepared knives in advance.

Just before that, Yuki makes a tiny hop, with sufficient force to place her hands on the roads
surface.

And cartwheels, no, backwards somersaults out of Rondart.

The body enhancement of her extraordinary ability brings about a jump outside of common
sense as Yuki’s body danced high in the air.

The two men were stuck by surprise and lost sight of her as Yuki nimbly jumped right over the
heads, onto the towering wall of a private house on the opposite side of the road.

And as is, jumped again.

She casually jumps onto the roof of the large personal vehicle that’s started running.

The carriage of her body may appear catlike, but as one would expect, that cannot happen
without making any noise at all.

Everyone inside the vehicle noticed someone had jumped onto the roof.

Though said to be a narrow road, it still maintained sufficient width for two lane traffic.

To shake off Yuki from on top of the roof, the passenger vehicle begins meandering.

Yuki quickly jumped down from the vehicle.

As the passenger vehicle fled, she steadily looked and burned the licence plate into her
memory.

Then, as she anticipated, the two men rushed over.

Not shooting with guns, not because they don’t possess them but because the citizens might
hear them.

Now, using them will make no difference.

Yuki didn’t look down on the two men’s abilities.

(Still, I’ve no choice but to engage them!)

Just like them, Yuki had no desire to leave behind witnesses. The extraordinary ability of body
enhancement has been shown to the two men in front of her. Though the meaning was
different to being seen at the scene of a crime, it was necessary to silence their mouths.

One of the men extends his hand that’s not gripping a knife. Yuki steps to dodge it.

The other man lunges with his knife.

Yuki bends her body, but the point of the opponents knife still wedges into her sweater’s
bosom.

In the next moment, where Yuki’s chest swells, one side disappears.

No blood flowed forth.

There was a sound like a small vinyl balloon popping, and instead of blood something
resembling mist spreads from Yuki’s chest.

“Ugh……!?”

The man who cut Yuki’s jumper lets out a groan, appearing disorientated whilst standing as
his posture becomes disturbed.

Yuki didn’t miss that opportunity.

She sticks her knife into the back of his neck.

It doesn’t pierce deeply. Gripping the piercing knife underhand, she pulls it towards herself.

“……!”

No breath or voice could be heard from the man’s mouth as blood overflows from his neck.

Upon seeing this terrible spectacle, the remaining member of the pair pointed his blade at
Yuki without wildly shouting nonsense. Evidently, they are professionals that have received a
high level of training. However, Yuki’s methods are also well honed.

A man with a large build, a woman with a small statue. Yuki’s reach is greatly inferior.

The man swings his knife from outside Yuki’s range.

In contrast, Yuki crushed her remaining breast.

Needless to say, they are not her real breasts. They are pads using non-lethal nerve gas in
place of air. You could say they are a woman’s secret weapon.

Its effectiveness has already been proven. Just like the second man’s companion, it greatly
destroyed his posture.

And yet, he retaliated to repel Yuki’s knife, was it because the man was present to observe
her modus operandi?

However, if the senses of balance and distance are thrown into disarray, then no matter how
seasoned the man’s ability to cope is, he won’t be able to defend against Yuki’s knife.

The man knew that.

He reached out his hand and tried to grab Yuki.

Combined together, the handicapped sense of distance doesn’t become much of a problem.
Besides, the difference between the physique of the man and Yuki is on the verge of being
the same as that of adult and child. He may understand Yuki is not an ordinary girl, but the
man doesn’t doubt he has superior arm strength.

For Yuki, she’s not reluctant to have a contest of strength. Discontent with the lack of growth
of her height, she loved having the strength to hold down a giant of a man by using her
extraordinary ability.

But right now, there was no time given the circumstances. She didn’t have time to play around.

Yuki dives under the man’s raised arms, flowing into his bosom.

Her movements are completely undisturbed.

It’s strange if you think about it. The nerve gas had spread from the air pads she was wearing
on her chest.

Yuki should have been flooded with the strongest gas.

She should also be affected, but she doesn’t appear to be in a stupor.

This is her weapon that’s equal to her body enhancement.

Yuki has acquired an almost complete resistance towards poison. No, it would be inaccurate
to say she acquired it. Her poison resistance consists of expanding her extraordinary ability’s
body enhancement to the control of internal organs.

But originally this detoxification from her body enhancement only affected her nerves for
sensory and motor function, then it spread to the blocking of toxins and emissions by training
with and growing accustomed to poison.

She wasn’t drinking the poison herself. Yuki’s parents, they gave her a programme of poison
without her knowing.
When Yuki found out, it was after both her parents had died. Why did her mother and father
do such a thing? She never had the chance to ask them first-hand. What did they want me to
become? What did they want to do? She already has no choice but to guess.

But whatever the reason was, at present, she is a professional assassin and that fact won’t
change.

And now the complete poison resistance given by her parents has greatly benefitted Yuki in
relation to her work as a professional killer.

In a direct contest, with the body enhancement, there wasn’t really any difference between
the physical strength of Yuki and the two men. But with nerve poison undermining his
condition, he can’t bring out half of his true strength.

Yuki’s knife penetrated the man’s throat from the front.

Pulling out the knife, Yuki quickly sidestepped to avoid going back bathed in the man’s blood.

However, remain too close to a corpse for too long and the smell of blood will permeate.

Killing these two was outside of the plan. Even if she calls the company, they won’t be able to
arrange a disposal team. Abandoning the concealment of the bodies, Yuki leaves the scene.

Being quick of foot by means of her body enhancement, she run in zigzags until she’s three
blocks away, confirming she has no pursuers Yuki switched on the voice communications
which had been turned off.

“Croco, can you hear me?”

“Nuts? I was wondering what had happened when communications stopped. Did you kill him?”

“There was an accident.”

“What happened!?”

Her partner’s panicked voice reached her through the speaker in her ear.

Hearing that, feelings that this matter was becoming troublesome once again welled up inside
Yuki.

“The target was abducted.”

“What was that!?”

“Calm down Croco. The vehicle those guys used for the abduction is a large dark grey sedan.
A domestic Renault model. The registration is 多摩 3 X X – せ X X X X.”
Yuki told him the name of the area, the three-digit classification number, the single hiragana,
and the four-digit serial number. She read it as the self-running vehicle fled.

“It’s 多摩 3 X X – せ X X X X.”

Wanizuka repeated.

“I installed a transmitter on the roof of the vehicle. You should be able to pick up the radio
waves that way.”

“Say that first!”

Wanizuka’s voice cuts off. The image of her partner hurrying to operate the receiver floats
across her mind.

“……Yes, I’ve got it.”

“Tell me where.”

“No, I’ll pick you up. It’ll be faster that way.”

“Really? Well then——”

Yuki tells him the meeting place.

Wanizuka ‘rogers’ in a single word and ends the call.

In line with his saying it’ll be faster to meet, the station wagon that Wanizuka is driving
appears almost simultaneously with Yuki arriving at the meeting point in front of the station.

Immediately after the car stops. Yuki slips into the passenger’s seat.

“Hurry up.”

“I know.”

As he was replying, Wanizuka threw down the driving lever.

As the box wagon started to run, Yuki stared at the navigator’s map from the passenger’s seat.
The flashing illuminated point at the top right of the map showed the current position of the
tracker she installed.

Yuki magnifies the area around the illuminated point.

The illuminated point has stopped moving.

“It’s surprisingly close.”

“A chemical factory belonging to a small-scale chemical company. I doubt they’d have trouble
dealing with the body there.”

“It would make it easier to do the processing without needing to do any extra work.”

“I agree.”

While Wanizuka and Yuki exchanged words, the station wagon is running at a speed just
barely permissible by the traffic control system.

Nevertheless, it still required more than ten minutes to reach the actual scene.

The passenger vehicle that had abducted the young male middle school student Yuki was
targeting was parked on the factory’s premises.

“Can you see inside?”

Confirming the cars location by sight from inside the station wagon as it came to a stop on
the opposite side of the road, Yuki asked that of her partner in the driver’s seat. Not asking
with the aim of using an extraordinary special ability. Asking about the response from a
biological radar that detects biological signals at a distance.

“No good. There are too many obstacles in the way.”

“Hmmm, it looks that way.”

Upon hearing Wanizuka’s response, Yuki wasn’t discouraged. The sensitivity of a biological
radar that could be loaded onto a box wagon obviously won’t amount to much. To be able to
grasp the situation inside at this distance and with walls in between, you’d have to be
extremely lucky.

“……I have no choice but to go in.”

“Nuts!”

As Yuki puts her hand on the door handle, Wanizuka grabs her shoulder.

“I know it’s dangerous.”

Looking over her shoulder, Yuki lightly pushes Wanizuka’s hand off her shoulder.

“But I have to do this, there’s no other way.”

Wanizuka was able to understand the reason in theory. However, the risk of performing the
infiltration at the present time, it does not match her usual work. Breaking into a rival’s
hideout alone without being able to completely investigate it beforehand.

No, they can’t be sure it’s an enemy in the first place. If that were the case, it’s not unthinkable
that it could come to light that they kicked the hornet’s nest.
But the bitter smile his young female partner expressed meant Wanizuka wouldn’t be able to
restrain her any further.

Since Wanizuka had known her this is the first time that Yuki had suffered repeated failures
in killing her target. You can’t spend time preparing unlike a normal job, it may come to light
it’s necessary to discount thinking about it at all. But rushing, there has to be a reason to do
so.

They should have gotten rid of the witness on the very day at the original scene of the
assassination, which was Wednesday night, today is Sunday, four days later. Furthermore,
there hasn’t risen a prospective situation to reliably kill the targeted boy.

In addition to these circumstances, the situation has produced a risk that the information that
she’s a professional killer has leaked to a third party. Yuki decision was made fully aware of
the danger she was plunging into, and Wanizuka could see it was unavoidable.

“……Be careful.”

“Of course, I’ll be careful.”

Yuki got out of the car, Wanizuka watched on irresolute.