"Uh"
A sharp pain exploded in his abdomen. The agony was beyond description. Her vision went completely black in an instant, and consciousness vanished right after.
"Even with all the preparations, I'm not interested in taking my time with you." Arata said as he held Mugino Shizuri, who had already been knocked unconscious by a single punch. A faint scent of expensive perfume lingered around her. He didn't know much about perfume, but this was the kind of fragrance one wouldn't forget after smelling it once.
"So, are you planning to fight me?" Arata asked, looking at Takitsubo Rikou, whose face was filled with fear.
"I, I..."
"Forget it. It's faster to just knock you out." Arata shook his head. His AIM-based telekinetic ability activated instantly. A precise strike hit the back of Takitsubo's neck, and she immediately lost consciousness. The invisible force supported her body, preventing her from collapsing to the ground.
Striking the neck to induce unconsciousness required delicate control. Too much force could cause serious damage, while too little would have no effect.
Mugino Shizuri and Takitsubo Rikou vanished in an instant. Using Shambhala, they were temporarily transferred away, while the remaining two targets were also marked for capture.
…
"Gone? They're gone? Did he kill Mugino and Takitsubo?" Frenda, observing from the rooftop, broke out in cold sweat. She swallowed hard and spoke into the communicator, ignoring the sweat dripping down her face. "Kinuhata, the mission's failed. Mugino's probably been taken out too. We... we need to retreat immediately."
Inside the vehicle, Kinuhata Saiai clenched her teeth, her fists tightening as if she wanted to smash something to vent her frustration.
"Damn it. How could Mugino lose that easily? Was she careless? Even Mugino and Takitsubo just disappeared."
As the ace of ITEM, Mugino was someone who couldn't be defeated even if three opponents teamed up against her. Now both she and Takitsubo were gone without even leaving behind bodies. That could only mean one thing. ITEM was effectively finished.
For those living in Academy City's Dark Side, the collapse of their organization was the worst possible outcome.
Revenge didn't even cross her mind. If Mugino couldn't win, there was no way she stood a chance.
"Frenda, get back here now. We're retreating. If the enemy finds us, it's over."
"I-I'm coming!"
"Waaah..." The mercenary driver let out a weak, trembling sound. His eyes were fixed on the passenger seat, filled with absolute terror. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't move his body or produce any sound. Only his eyeballs could still shift slightly.
"Shh~" Arata raised a finger to his lips, then casually made a slicing motion across his neck.
His telekinetic detection spread across the area like an advanced radar. Combined with his enhanced perception, locating a suspicious vehicle was effortless.
"Waaah..." The driver desperately wanted to warn Kinuhata Saiai in the back seat, but his body refused to obey him.
Arata folded his arms and waited calmly.
Moments later, a small figure with fluffy blonde hair rushed over, yanked the door open, and jumped into the car.
"Kinuhata, Mugino and Takitsubo are gone without even leaving bodies. It's terrifying. Mugino could even escape from the Number Two, but the Number Eight is just too dangerous. Hurry and drive, or we're dead if he comes after us."
Frenda clutched her head in panic and slammed the car door shut.
"I never thought Mugino would go down this fast. This mission felt off from the start." Kinuhata was drenched in cold sweat. If she had been protecting Takitsubo like usual, she would likely be gone as well.
"Hey, drive already! What's wrong with you?" Frenda snapped when the car didn't move.
"Hey!" Kinuhata suddenly stood up. The moment she saw the driver, her pupils shrank. Without hesitation, she smashed the car door open, grabbed Frenda, and leapt out.
"Wah wah wah..." Frenda yelped as she was dragged along, tumbling across the ground like a kite with its string cut.
"Run, Frenda!" Kinuhata shouted.
"What just happened?" Frenda scrambled to her feet, still disoriented. Sensing something was terribly wrong, she glanced toward the driver's seat. The moment she saw it, she screamed.
Without thinking, she pulled out a bomb and hurled it at the car before running at full speed.
A deafening explosion erupted behind her. She didn't even look back and just kept running. That face was burned into her memory. It was far too horrifying.
"Idiot, why are you running this way? Split up!" Kinuhata shouted, noticing Frenda was running in the same direction.
"Waaaaah..." Frenda sprinted toward the exit with everything she had.
"Everyone's here. Now come back." Arata grinned, snapping his fingers lightly. His telekinetic ability instantly enveloped the two fleeing girls, lifting them into the air.
His effective range extended beyond a thousand meters. No matter how fast they ran, escaping that range instantly was impossible.
"Aaaaah... I'm done for." Frenda cried out as her body floated uncontrollably, drifting toward what she saw as a demon.
"This is bad." Kinuhata spun helplessly in midair, her face pale. She glanced at Frenda, whose expression clearly said she had given up.
Even Mugino couldn't win. If they ended up in his hands, their fate was sealed. They had vanished so suddenly. It made no sense.
Frenda hit the ground hard, while Kinuhata landed awkwardly on her backside. The pain snapped her fully awake, and she clutched herself with tears forming in her eyes.
"Wait, wait! I surrender! I surrender! Prisoners are supposed to be treated properly! I have money, a lot of money! I can pay for my freedom! I really have a lot!" Frenda trembled as she sat up, kicking her legs frantically as she tried to back away.
"Heh. I'm not short on money. So what exactly should I do with you two?" Arata deliberately put on a sinister expression, bending down like a villain straight out of a bad movie.
"Gulp..." Kinuhata swallowed, cold sweat pouring down her face. "Are... are you going to make us sell ourselves before letting us go?" Scenes from questionable movies flashed through her mind.
"Th-this... I'll do anything as long as you let me live," Frenda said miserably, on the verge of breaking down.
"Eh. Since you're offering, I guess I'll reluctantly accept." Arata scratched his head as if embarrassed, then spoke in a teasing tone. His figure flickered, appearing behind them as he left spatial markers on both of them.
Frenda shrieked and rolled away, bracing herself on the ground as she kicked wildly, as if expecting to disappear at any moment.
"Ahem. I've placed spatial markers on you. I can summon you anytime." Arata snapped his fingers several times, instantly shifting Frenda and Kinuhata around in space. The rapid displacement left them dizzy and completely disoriented before it finally stopped.
"Ugh..." Frenda collapsed like someone suffering from severe motion sickness. When she managed to look up again, Arata was already gone.
"He's gone... but I'm alive! I was so scared."
...
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