Chapter 387 - The Super-Militant Organization Becomes the Target
The silent assault of the girls continued. They didn't just attack; they deepened the enemy's confusion, giving them no room to recover. They were already strong without such tricks, but being able to do this made them a nightmare for any opponent. Combat is made of complex elements, and even in a duel, it's rarely simple. If you can inject more variables and control the situation, you gain an absolute advantage.
As the battle progressed in our favor, one of my members used magic to create multiple human presences. The sudden surge of human signatures in the smoke-filled space undoubtedly increased the pressure and chaos. Distinguishing magic from reality requires both sensing ability and composure—something these panicked men lacked.
"This is a pain! I'll blow everything away!"
"Stop! I'm the one in front of you!"
In this situation, having an accurate fix on each other's positions was a massive advantage. While the enemy was forced to move cautiously for fear of friendly fire, we were free to strike. Furthermore, another spell was finally starting to take effect.
"Damn, it's getting freezing tonight."
"Wait, this is weird... isn't it too cold?"
In response to someone's question, I could tell every single one of them broke into a cold sweat.
"This isn't just the weather, it's magic!"
"W-What's happening? It's freezing! Since when did it get like this...?"
"The chill is getting stronger even while we're talking!"
"Hurry, hurry! If we don't do something, we'll freeze to death!"
While one member maintained the wind magic to contain the smoke, another was using magic that gradually siphoned the heat from the area. It was the height of summer; since even the nights were hot, many preferred light clothing even if they had gear with temperature control. The Union men were exactly like that. Their body temperatures had risen due to the excitement of combat and physical exertion, so they likely hadn't noticed until it reached this point. Unlike us, who were geared up in polar combat specifications, they were unprepared.
The temperature in the smoke-filled space was already approaching freezing and would only drop further. It wouldn't take long for the area to become a sub-zero zone. Realizing the cold, they weren't just physically hampered; they were mentally pushed to the brink. Magic that gradually steals heat is terrifying because you don't realize it's happening until it's already over. Trying to stay warm with fire magic in the middle of a fight was out of the question, and finding and killing our mage wasn't easy either.
Since they had been toyed with by us this whole time, their only logical remaining move was to retreat. They needed to realize that fleeing was their only way to survive. But for these immature men who were all pride, such a choice was likely impossible. So, I would take them down gently. For the Leader's sake, I'd avoid killing them. The payment would be their pride alone. I'd snap their high and mighty noses right off.
The battle in the space filled with cold and black smoke had fallen completely into our hands. The Anastasia Union members were like infants before us. I doubt they ever imagined their lack of real-world experience against superior opponents would cost them this much.
"At least their stubbornness is top-notch."
Even if retreating was the only logical choice, I liked that they didn't just give up and run. I could respect that much. Having defeated the handsome man, I focused on support by throwing steel balls while observing the area, and the other members rampaged through the darkness as if enjoying themselves.
Yes, my team really was incredible. When someone momentarily released a burst of intense mana to draw the enemy's attention, someone else would quietly knock them out. They were skilled not just with magic, but with coordination in zero-visibility environments.
Among them, the member engaging in solo close-quarters combat was particularly interesting. That was a feat. No matter how poor the visibility, it wasn't easy to approach, strike, and withdraw so naturally. She could do this because she had the skills of a pickpocket. The techniques she honed as a petty thief made those attacks possible. Her strikes, aimed at the split second when their attention wavered, were so absurdly smooth that they were amusing to watch. Without letting them sense any aggressive intent, she'd land a blow and be gone before they realized it.
For the victim, it was more shocking than being hit from a distance; believing an enemy was within reach only to have them vanish forced them to wonder where they went. Now, they would suspect even their allies who tried to approach, making cooperation impossible. Calling out was useless. Since we mingled with them to strike, it only made things more confusing for them.
Chaos broke out across the cold, dark battlefield. We were utterly toying with the famous militant organization, the Anastasia Union. Gradena could have defeated the Scion long ago if she wanted to, but she seemed to be giving him a lesson instead. She was doing the same thing I was. From his perspective, it must have been as insulting as it was unasked for.
All right, time to wrap this up.
"This is Shino-ue. Gradena, playtime is over."
The outcome was decided. Judging that we had sufficiently degraded the Union's combat strength, I turned on the comms to call her.
"What? Let me have a little more fun!"
"I'm worried about the lack of contact from Heidi."
"Oh right, she was keeping an eye on the rest of the Union, wasn't she? Even if she's out of range, she would've sent someone if she could."
Gradena toyed with the Scion while talking to me. This further provoked his rage while simultaneously creating massive openings. The Scion, whose skill was inferior even to the handsome man I'd defeated while cursed, had no chance against Gradena. He might still have been holding back his life's blood or a hidden trump card, but honestly, it was too late for that. Oh, is he actually trying something?
The flow of the Scion's mana changed. If it had been a little earlier, I might have waited to see what he had, but playtime was over.
"The Intelligence Bureau doesn't do sloppy work. Something must have happened. So, play is finished."
Completely suppressing my presence, I delivered a shallow stab to the Scion's back. In the middle of a chaotic melee in the dark, he shouldn't have focused solely on Gradena. There was no guarantee that no one would interfere with the duel; in that sense, he was truly a pampered prince. My specialized knife, reinforced to an extreme degree by my mana, pierced through a weak point in his armor, and the fast-acting paralytic venom robbed him of his mobility. The presence of whatever trump card magic he was preparing dissipated.
Then, I whispered into the Scion's ear. "I am Shino-ue of the Kikyou-kai. If you have a complaint, I'll take you on anytime. But tonight was a misunderstanding. We don't deal in drugs, and obviously, we didn't come here to trade Crack. Everyone gathered here was set up by someone."
"Y-You... such nonsense..."
"I'm not asking you to believe me. What I said is simply the truth. Oh, and I heard you've been writing letters to Sigurdnot? They haven't been arriving, but we aren't the ones intercepting them. If you're going to doubt anyone, doubt your own people. Also, a piece of advice: nobody likes a guy who's so roundabout and persistent."
I'd heard he was a stalker, but he didn't seem like a bad guy, relatively speaking. He was still soft, but the fact that he'd mastered Martial Soul Transformation earned him points with me. He'd grow more if he kept training. All right, I'll give him a little encouragement.
"And what was this tonight? Bringing so many people only to be utterly crushed? You're pathetic. It's no wonder you can't get a woman to look at you when you're this miserable. If you're a man, stand tall. Live with a bit more style!"
I punched the Scion in the face while he was immobilized by the venom. Consider it a free service. I didn't care about the guy as he went flying and rolled away.
"This is Shino-ue. Deactivate the magic items and the spells. We're withdrawing."
The magic items spewing black smoke stopped, and as the wind membrane covering the exterior vanished, the darkness gradually cleared. There were still Union members standing, but they didn't look like they had the will to continue the fight.
"Hey, you Anastasia Union bastards! Don't worry, we didn't kill anyone. I'll say it again: tonight was a misunderstanding. Unlike you, our Kikyou-kai has a strict rule against drugs, whether it's Crack or anything else. Remember that."
Misunderstandings have to be corrected. They aren't psychics; if you don't say it clearly, it won't get through. Saying it to everyone, not just the Scion, made it less likely for the misunderstanding to persist. Gradena's bold declaration likely reached their hearts. There was no reason to lie at this point.
"And while we'll take on any fight you want, it's boring to play into the hands of someone pulling strings in the shadows. If we're going to fight, let's make it fun. See ya!"
Hmm, she's annoying, but she's a cool woman. And to declare that further fighting was useless, she drastically increased the output of her Martial Soul Transformation, showing off the massive mana she'd been suppressing to flaunt the difference in their strength. Faced with such a clear gap in power, even a militant organization had to stay silent. They surely understood now that she'd been holding back.
As the Union members stood there shaken, we gathered where our vehicles were parked and boarded them one by one.
"Um, what should we do...?"
It was the nouveau riche fashion guys who had shown up with the Crack. They hadn't run away yet? I didn't care what happened to them. We ignored them and drove off.
We sped out of the warehouse district and down the midnight road. I wanted to get within communication range as soon as possible to check on Heidi's situation. Since no light magic signals had been fired, I assumed they were okay, but... thinking about it, we'd been fighting in the dark for a while. A signal flare could have been fired during that time.
"This is Emery. Gradena-san, we've located the target noble's hideout. We're heading there now."
"Emery, this is Gradena. Good work. Yukari, what do we do?"
The noble who framed us. I wanted to retaliate immediately, but Heidi's situation was the priority.
"Let's see... Emery, can you handle it alone?"
"I likely can. I heard the target only has two guards, so unless they are exceptional, it shouldn't be a problem."
"Then it's yours. Rough him up a bit and then report it to the Berriza Intelligence Bureau. Also, do you know how Heidi's doing?"
"No, we aren't within comm range here. I don't know anything about Heidi-san or the Academy."
Fine. We should be in range after a few more minutes of driving. I cut the comms with Emery and concentrated on long-range mana sensing. I'd verify the situation myself rather than just waiting.
"Tch, my mana is unstable. Wide-range sensing isn't working well."
"...Hear me? This is Leila. Leila. President, Third Seat, can you hear me?"
Just as I was feeling irritated that I couldn't perform as usual due to fatigue and the curse, the comms came through. Leila was supposed to be on standby at the Academy. Our current position was much closer to the Anastasia Union's main base than the Academy. I thought we'd hear from Heidi first.
For some reason, Leila must have moved to a location where she could reach us. I exchanged a glance with Gradena and replied.
"This is Shino-ue. Leila, I hear you."
"President! Finally connected."
"Did something happen?"
It sounded like she had been running; Leila took a moment to catch her breath.
"Please stay calm and listen. The Academy and the Anastasia Union headquarters have been attacked."
The sudden news surprised me slightly. Things had moved while we were playing around at the harbor? There was no doubt these events were linked.
"...If you're telling me to stay calm, I assume we didn't take any damage? Is the little sister safe?"
"She's safe. The Academy was attacked, but it seems the target wasn't Sigurdnot. Also, regarding the attack on the Union headquarters, Heidi's team didn't get involved in the fighting. They are currently on high alert and tracking the mysterious attackers."
Something was happening behind the scenes. We were close to it, yet we hadn't touched the truth. That's how it felt. It was too much of a pain to think about how the countless mysteries were connected. Was there anyone who actually had the full picture?
I didn't care about anyone's schemes or mysteries, but as the President of the Kikyou-kai, I couldn't ignore being made a fool of. They attacked the Academy? The Academy where I was an instructor?
I see. They lured me to the harbor because I was in the way. They anticipated my movements. The Scion was likely lured out for the same reason. Aside from him, Heidi mentioned that the rest of the Union was heading out to raid someone. That meant the Union headquarters probably didn't have many people left. The ones operating in the shadows had lured everyone away and struck the opening.
If we could find out why they were attacked, we might find some kind of clue as to who did it and for what purpose. I wouldn't be satisfied until I'd landed a blow on those arrogant bastards. I couldn't afford to ignore the mystery anymore.
"We don't know the details yet, right?"
"The investigation is just beginning. Valeria and the others have tightened the security around Sigurdnot, and the Union headquarters is in no state for outsiders to enter."
"Leila, monitor the Union headquarters until Heidi and the others return. Contact me if there's any movement. Tell Valeria and the rest to remain on standby. I'm going back to the Academy."
"Understood."
I cut the comms and closed my eyes for a moment to rest while Gradena and the others began a conversation filled with speculation. It didn't look like I'd be able to have a peaceful sleep even after returning to the Academy. Tonight was going to be another long one.
Still, if the Academy was attacked, I assumed it would be by the Scion's faction targeting the little sister. Yet it seems it happened for a reason entirely unrelated to her. What was that about?
The attack was likely aimed at the Anastasia Union members stationed at the Academy as guards, but... I didn't understand why. Based on Leila's tone, it didn't sound like they were massacred, and it was hard to imagine a force capable of wiping out the Union's elites easily anyway. Even with a surprise attack, they aren't the type to lose so simply, so any force that could do it would likely be one with special abilities like Bado Lot.
I really didn't want to think that such people were appearing one after another...