kscans

Chapter 14 - The Sad Berserker

I couldn't sleep at all in the end.

The sudden rejuvenation. It seems that when power output exceeds a certain level, the body becomes activated and rejuvenation occurs. When I suppressed my power, I returned to my original form after a while, so it doesn't appear to be permanent. I thought it was like something you'd see in a battle manga with a powerful old lady character, but I kept that thought to myself.

It took quite a while to investigate, and afterward, we disbanded and I went home... but I couldn't sleep. Even after taking a shower, drinking hot milk, and getting into bed, the image of the rejuvenated Chika-san remained burned into my eyelids.

What is this... I don't understand... I just don't understand...

The only thing I'm certain of is that I'm more excited than I've ever been. But why? If we're talking about excitement... honestly, I get pretty worked up whenever adult Chika-san makes advances too. To be frank, it usually stirs up my middle-aged lustful desires. But this is different... what's keeping me on edge now is something else entirely.

She just got younger, right?

It's strange to say "just," but Chika-san is still Chika-san, isn't she? Besides, if we're talking about a younger Chika-san, there's Rika-chan, right? Well, it'd be problematic to get worked up over a middle school girl... but she's practically identical to Chika-san from back then, just slightly younger. But it wasn't like that at all. That's exactly why I'm more confused.

What is this uncontrollable desire... I'm acting like a teenager in puberty...

Even when it was time to go to work, the excitement hadn't subsided. I managed to handle the physical manifestations through physical means (blood flow control), but the passion burning in my chest hadn't diminished one bit. I tried throwing myself into work to shake it off, but it was no use. Although I processed everything with better efficiency than usual, it didn't help at all.

I declined my subordinates' invitation and left work early, heading straight to the Mutual Aid Society headquarters.

"Whoa!? Is something wrong, Satou-san...?"

When I teleported directly into the chairman's office, he was startled and spilled his tea while leisurely sipping it. I felt sorry, but there was no time for that.

"Is there anything else about Saionoji-san and her daughter?"
"...ve"
"Pardon?"
"Give me woooooooooork!"

I pleaded as if squeezing the words from the depths of hell.

"Wh-what?"
"I can't take it... If I stay still, I feel like I'm going to lose my mind! G-give me conflict... battles, give me battles!"
"Huh...? Why are you suddenly acting like a tragic berserker...?"
"Come on... you must have something? Some kind of good fight, right?!"
"You're completely unhinged..."

He usually pushes troublesome jobs on me even when I don't ask for them. He should be pushing them on me now when I'm actually motivated. Right? Right?

"H-hey, you're too close... Are you trying to kiss me?!"
"Who'd want to kiss an old geezer like you!? You wanna die?!"
"'Kiss,' what a cute way to put it... A request... hmm..."
"Hurry up! I'm at my limit! I'm going to explode at this rate!"
"Even if you say that... We don't have any urgent requests that specifically require your attention right now."
"What!?"
"Well, we have countless jobs, but those should be distributed to other members. It would be inconsiderate to them if we gave everything to you."

Ugh... he has a point.
Most requests from the Mutual Aid Society are meant to maintain harmony in the Surface World. But they also serve as training opportunities for members to become stronger. It would indeed be problematic if they were deprived of these opportunities, but...

"Then what am I supposed to do!?"
"Well, I can't tell you that... Ah, but maybe this would work?"
"What is it!? Satou Hideo, 34 years old, will do anything!"
"I'm not sure if it'll lead directly to combat, but there's this suspicious Surface World company..."

...So it's intelligence work.
Well, these kinds of missions where you have to move stealthily without being noticed by the target might work. Maybe the thrill of not getting caught could distract me from this burning sensation?

"Got it, I'll move right away."
"Just so you can't complain later, I should mention—"
"I won't complain, just hurry! I can't hold back anymore!"
"sigh... I'll send the details to your smartphone then."

I received the data and quickly reviewed it. After committing the important points to memory, I teleported near the company's headquarters.

No occult powers from here on. I'll infiltrate with just my human abilities.
Erasing my presence, avoiding people's line of sight, I entered the building.
Checking the security camera positions, I proceeded forward, weaving through their blind spots.I'll just ride this one out with a laugh for now.

"Saying it's too occult? Nah, even normal people can manage this much with training. Actually, there used to be assassins who hunted supernatural powerhouses without any occult abilities."

The current request is about suspicions of someone selling supernatural goods in the regular market. But business can't happen without buyers, and selling to newbies is high-risk, low-reward. The real targets are the wealthy.

However, dealing with the wealthy requires proper connections—you need trust to make sales. The Mutual Aid Society suspects this company's management is involved in regular market distribution, being manipulated by supernatural players. Though from the chairman's tone, this is just one possibility... and not a very likely one.

(... Someone's here)

I made my way to the top floor, sticking to the ceiling to avoid detection and shadowing people closely. After confirming movement in the president's office, I went to the bathroom on the same floor, crawled through the ceiling ducts, and positioned myself above the office to eavesdrop.

Then I heard it.

"The Mutual Aid Society must be getting suspicious by now."

What, already!? A direct hit—I never expected to stumble right into a secret meeting between the president and an unknown man. I'd planned to observe the president and search the office after they left, though honestly, I hadn't expected to find much evidence here since it could be at their home...

"Getting caught is part of the plan, right?"
"Indeed."
"But will this really fool that damned Satou Hideo?"

Wait, me!?

"Though our ideologies differ, we both had our grand ambitions crushed by him. If we couldn't defeat him back then, how can we handle him now that he's become impossibly stronger..."

Hold on—do I know these people? I don't recognize either of them...

"He is strong. Overwhelmingly so. I'll acknowledge that. But that's precisely why. His extreme power has elevated his perspective. To him, we're like insects crawling on the ground. Not worth his attention. That's why we need just one chance. One chance to completely outwit him. And that one time will be enough."

Ah, dust in my nose... it's tickling... must resist... must resi—

"Once we secure the Star Priestess and the others, the flow cannot be stopped. This time, we can continue from that day—"
"ACHOO!!"

I'd done it.
By the time I realized it, it was too late.

"Who's there!?"

The ceiling collapsed, and I fell into the room.

"What!?"
"Heh... hehehe..."