kscans

Chapter 49 - Episode 49

I had let my guard down a little, partly because Rena seemed to be safe.

I can’t move at all.

I’m bound hand and foot, and blindfolded. Something like headphones has been placed over my ears, blocking out all surrounding sounds. While restrained, I was put in a car and taken somewhere.

I had confirmed that there were several ninja guards near Rena, so I had been compliant, but…

Being subjected to this is starting to make me anxious. Maybe I should just force my way out.

I probably should have made the decision sooner.

I didn’t know what would happen if I defied public officials in a foreign country. And I thought I might cause trouble for the Shinonome Zaibatsu, which had sent me here, so I couldn’t bring myself to act.

"Uh, hello. Is anyone there?"

My transport seems to have ended, so I tried asking.

"What exactly is going on!? I just came to this country for sightseeing! I don’t understand why this is happening!"

"Well now. You must be Hayate."

I heard Japanese from the headphones.

"Hello. I’m David."

"H, hello."

Even with my sight and hearing blocked, my ninja training allows me to sense the presence of people nearby. I could tell there was the man who called himself David and four others besides him near me.

"Let’s get right to it. I need you to go and recover the President’s daughter. Oh, and by the way, I already know you came to this country at the President’s request, so you don’t need to lie about sightseeing."

"…Recover? Not rescue?"

"That’s right, recover. Once we escape the country and receive enough funds from the President to live on for the rest of our lives, we’ll return her."

"Th, that means you’re going to kidnap her."

"Yes, you should be happy. As of now, you are a member of the group that will kidnap the daughter of the President of the United States. Of course, you’ll be the one doing it."

"As if I’d cooperate with that."

"Oh my. Are you sure you should be saying that?"

An image was projected before my eyes. What had been blocking my vision was apparently a head-mounted display. On it was the figure of Rena, desperately pleading for something at the airport counter.

"Can you see? Your girlfriend is desperately searching for you after you went missing."

"A, are you holding Rena hostage?"

"Ten assassins are targeting your girlfriend. Don’t try any useless resistance."

David said with a laugh.

This guy is pretty dangerous.

In the footage I was just shown, I was able to confirm that Mochizuki-san, a bodyguard disguised as a maid, was near Rena. She’s a ninja from a school that is neither Iga nor Koga, but she’s as strong as an Iga Chunin. She can easily protect Rena against about ten assassins. It also looks like she’s aware of the person filming this.

For now, Rena seems to be fine. The rest is about how I’m going to escape.

But before I escape, let me confirm a few things.

"Does the President know about this?"

"Of course not. The negotiations will begin after the kidnapping is successful."

He doesn’t seem to be lying.

"…By the way, who planned this?"

"Why do you ask? Well, you’ll be working for me as my comrade until you die, so I suppose I can tell you who the leader is. It’s me. I, David Baxter, Presidential Aide to the United States, devised this plan."

"You mean former Presidential Aide, right?"

"Sh, shut up! Be quiet!!"

When a comrade pointed that out with a laugh, David raised his voice in anger.

So these people are confirmed scum who are trying to use me to kidnap the President’s daughter and get a ransom.

Above all, they used Rena as a hostage to threaten me. This is absolutely unforgivable.

It wasn’t the President or the country of America trying to harm us, it was these guys. It seems there’s no mastermind behind them.

Oh, right. I might as well ask about that other thing too.

"A little while ago, there was a special forces team that targeted us in Japan."

"I ordered that too. I never imagined that Hattori Juuzo would be Shinonome Rena’s bodyguard. Because that operation failed, I had to betray America. So it’s all your fault."

No, how does that follow?

This is just ridiculous. So this guy was behind that too.

I thought he might know something since he said he was the President’s chief aide, so I’m glad I asked.

The root of all evil is right here. I’ll definitely take care of all of them before I escape.

With that thought, I put strength into my hands and tried to forcefully break the restraints.

"By the way, everything I’ve told you so far is actually completely irrelevant."

"…Huh?"

A high-pitched kyuiin sound echoed in my ears. I felt like something was entering my head.

It feels very disgusting.

"Showing you the footage of your girlfriend as a hostage was merely preparation to guide your thoughts just a little."

I didn’t understand what David was saying.

Somehow, my consciousness is fading.

Ah, this. This seems a little ba…"