Sogo finally believed Toshiro's words and told him to hold on just a little longer; the Shinsengumi would arrive shortly.
Toshiro was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. He leaned weakly against the rubble, lit a cigarette, and waited patiently. Beyond that, there was nothing more he could do. After all, he couldn't stop the two monsters in front of him after being sent flying so many times...
Before long, the Shinsengumi arrived. They were led by a gorilla named Kondo Isao—more accurately, a man whose face bore a striking resemblance to a gorilla. They were all clad in black combat uniforms with katanas at their waists, the same gear as Toshiro.
The moment they arrived, they leapt into action. Isao the "Gorilla" unsheathed his katana and led nearly the entire Shinsengumi force to surround Yujiro. Toshiro also drew his sword and charged forward.
Meanwhile, the task of stopping Ryunosuke was handed to the Captain of the Shinsengumi's First Division, Sogo. He was a swordsmanship genius who was also proficient in the use of firearms.
Sogo gripped his katana with both hands and immediately darted forward.
Ryunosuke used the body of his Barrett rifle to parry. The impact of the blade against the metal of the rifle sent sparks flying. The two were locked in a clash of strength.
However, the situation on Yujiro's side was not nearly as simple. As the strongest creature on earth, there was no way he feared a mere katana. He caught the blades with his bare hands, shattered them with raw power, and proceeded to knock the opponents down one by one as if they were punching bags.
Now, the only high-level combatants left to hold him back were Isao and the Vice-Commander, Toshiro.
Sogo, seeing the situation take a turn for the worse, intended to end his fight quickly. Casting aside all combat ethics, he drew a Desert Eagle from his waist and aimed it at Ryunosuke's head.
"Goodbye, Brat. Hopefully, in your next life, you'll be born into a better family."
Yet a split second later, before Sogo's pistol could fire, a gun was already pressed against his own head. It was Chisato, who had just emerged from behind the bushes.
Chisato smiled and said, "How about we each take a step back? You release him, and I'll release you."
"I refuse!" Sogo twisted his body and aimed his Desert Eagle toward Chisato, pulling the trigger without hesitation. This was no time for indecision; one small mistake could mean his death.
But Chisato simply tilted her head slightly. The bullet grazed past her hair and missed. Sogo was momentarily stunned.
(At this close range, she could dodge it?)
Even Sogo found this to be extraordinary. Chisato merely smiled and pressed her pistol even closer. The three were now in a mutual deadlock.
Suddenly, the infrared laser from Shino's sniper rifle in the distance swept across Sogo's forehead. She was ready to pull the trigger at any moment. If the man dared to do anything that endangered her mentor or Ryunosuke, Shino would not hesitate to fire.
Sogo realized he was outnumbered and that it was no longer possible to detain them. He finally raised both hands in a sign of surrender.
"Go. I won't try to catch you anymore—besides, I can't catch you anyway."
Chisato gave a sweet smile. "Thank you~"
However, she still took Sogo's katana and Desert Eagle so they couldn't give chase. Without weapons, there was nothing to fear.
Sogo could only watch the three of them flee, letting out a long, helpless sigh. He then picked up a comrade's katana and prepared to assist his Commander and Vice-Commander, as Yujiro was by no means an easy opponent.
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After successfully making their escape, Chisato, Shino, and Ryunosuke were finally able to breathe easy.
Ryunosuke said listlessly, "It seems I'd be better off stealing the donut out of the Statue of Liberty's hand. That actually seems more plausible."
Chisato replied half-jokingly, "I have another mission; stealing the undergarments of Elizabeth III. Want to take it?"
"The reward is 30 million Dollars."
"The client is her childhood friend and first love. Because he feels regret over not being able to marry her as an adult, he wants to buy her undergarments at a high price as a keepsake."
Ryunosuke stared with dead fish eyes. "There's really no need for that."
He intended to give up and find another way. What kind of missions did these agents do? Why did they all sound so utterly ridiculous?
The three of them returned to the LycoReco Café. As for what happened to Yujiro and the Shinsengumi afterward? Who cared.
Ryunosuke changed back into his regular clothes, preparing to go to the hospital to visit Grandma Sayuri and Yuuki. Before he left, Chisato asked, "Are you really that short on money? If so, I can lend you mine for now."
Chisato pulled a wallet from her waist and took out a bank card. "I rarely use money anyway, so just take it as a loan."
"I don't know how much is in it. Every time I finish a mission, I put the money in there, but since it's been so long, I've forgotten the total."
Ryunosuke stared at the card. He momentarily reached out, but then pulled his hand back.
"Forget it. We've only known each other a short while. Even though I really do need the money, I'll find another way. Thank you for the kind offer, Chisato~"
Chisato let out a soft laugh. "You're welcome. But are you sure you don't need it? I get the feeling that money is to save someone's life."
"Your intuition is sharp..." Ryunosuke murmured. However, he still did not take the money. They had only known each other for a few days; they couldn't be called close yet. He didn't have the nerve to accept money from someone who was so generous toward him.
He walked away with his hands in his pockets and a back that looked lonely. Chisato whispered with a concerned tone:
"Just let me know if there's any trouble; we're already friends who know each other, after all."
Chisato already considered him a good friend who should be helped in times of hardship. Shino, standing behind her, also quietly tucked her own bank card back away. She had intended to help Ryunosuke with her limited strength, even though she wasn't particularly wealthy herself and had to help support her mother's burden.
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Ryunosuke arrived at the hospital and handed over nearly all the cash he had on him, but a debt hole of 1.2 billion still remained to be closed. Since the time he had paid off his old debts, this was the first time he had felt so much misery over money.
Yuuki looked at him with a sense of pity. She wanted to stroke Ryunosuke's head as he looked so dejected, but her hand stalled in mid-air. Her heart ached. All of the man's suffering right now was for her sake.
And so, what could she give to this man? Aside from endless pressure, it seemed she had nothing else. Yuuki began to feel inferior. She felt she was no longer worthy of standing by his side.
Ryunosuke himself was unaware of Yuuki's shifting emotions, as he was busy ruffling his own hair, his head spinning as he thought about where else he could possibly find the money.