Anzu Kumozuka met her when she was 17 years old--a year after she became a resident of the back street. It depends on the type of job, but in most cases, if you survive for a year in this world, you can no longer call yourself a novice.
Anzu screwed up. In the middle of her work, Anne was caught by the organization under investigation, and she was in an almost hopeless situation -
"thank you..."
With her gloomy face, Anzu thanks her to the person who helped her.
"It's okay to say thank you, so hurry up and pick up your gun."
A late-night park. Amidst the stench of blood, she wiped away the sweat and bodily fluids that clung to her body.
A world where blood and pieces of meat are scattered. Anne thought that her figure standing calmly in the center was beautiful as a single picture.
"Here we come."
Almost at the same time as she said that, Anzu heard countless footsteps coming towards her.
She looked at the park entrance with a fearless smile.
she shoots Each time her life disappears one by one. She single-handedly faces multiple enemies head-on, burying them one after another.
The terrific reaction speed was reflected in Kyou's eyes as if it had entered a realm beyond that of humans. The moment she thinks she sees the enemy, the next moment the enemy is down. It's like a one-sided killing game.
The enemy also counterattacked, but she saw the trajectory――of course, as the common sense of the people living in the backstreet, it was a feat that could be accomplished with the power of a drug called outlet――she dodged it with the bare minimum of movement.
No matter how skilled a person is, he would not do anything unrealistic, such as going head-on against more than 10 gun-wielding opponents. Can not.
"But she actually did it." It's also light. A catharsis of good and evil, just like a movie hero knocking down villains one after another. But in reality there is neither good nor bad. We are just erasing the obstacles for mutual convenience.
Anzu also picked up a gun and fought back. All of her enemies were aiming for her as she was on her own, so Anne didn't have to worry about herself too much.
The enemy uses trees as shields, but it doesn't make much sense. At the moment when the enemy is about to fire at us, she shoots with a splendid aim. Each time a shot is fired, one person is shot through in the hand or head, losing combat power or losing their life. In the dark of night she is perfectly aware of the location of her enemies as well.
Even with the power of a drug outlet that explosively increases concentration and reflexes, his skills are far from human. From the enemy's point of view, it would be terrifying. Because the opponent is a monster that will surely hit the bullet just by entering the range even for a short time.
"The enemy was wiped out in no time." I'm sure I didn't need Anzu's help.
"Yes, shut up."
Putting away her gun, she smiled at Anzu. She has a bit of a squint, but she has no hesitation in calling her a beautiful girl, and her pretty face spreads out with a friendly smile that doesn't fit the occasion. She could see her face in the light of the street lamp.
Anzu's age isn't that different. But what is the difference? She felt jealous, but her envy and respect worked even harder.
"thank you"
"Thank you again." This time, a smile naturally spilled out.
"You don't have to say it over and over again. Besides, it's embarrassing to be seen with such a face."
Seeing her really embarrassed smile, Anne becomes embarrassed wondering what kind of face she would have made.
"Um... can I ask your name?"
"What are you? Thank you for helping me. What's your name?"
"Not only that, but I'm an informant, so I'd like to mark people who are good at it."
"Heh, you're an informant?"
"She let out a voice of admiration."
"It seems like it would be more convenient for me to have a connection with that kind of monster."
"I have confidence that I can be useful."
"Reimi Higuchi.
"Cloud Mound Apricot"
"I don't know your name."
"I don't even know your name, but..."
Anzu said annoyed.
"Nahahahahaha, that's a problem. I'm confident in my skills, but I'm not known by an informant whose name I don't know, so I have to work harder."
Reimi smiled openly, but she wasn't just joking. Fame is important in this world. At least for individuals who don't belong to any organization and live free. To get a job, to support your personal pride.
"If anything, how about I sell you something good?"
Anne said this with a smile as well, but seriously.
"Both talent and ability need to be evaluated accordingly.
"Huh. So what's in return?"
She thought she was just helping out and didn't need that kind of return, but Anne made her calculation work, thinking it would be a waste.
"If I need your help, please help me. Of course, as a job."
"I see.
Reimi showed her well-aligned teeth and smiled as she held out her hand, while Anzu smiled and shook hands.
"That was six years ago."
＊＊＊
Katsuhiko Akatsuka learned today is his 42nd birthday from the date displayed on his job site.
Until just six months ago, Akatsuka was a company employee, but after he was laid off, he fell into a state of depression and stayed home for days, even his wife disgusted him. On top of that, he had his wife stolen by his friend Tazawa, and after being deceived by Tazawa, he had his house land mortgaged and dabbled in his shares, bankrupting him. Tazawa and his wife took his daughter and fled abroad.
Akatsuka became homeless and cursed his own destiny as he lived from hand to hand.
One day, when Akatsuka opens a job site for the homeless, he finds out that his date is his birthday, and at the same time sees an ad that catches his interest.
"Yukioka Laboratory - I can make your wish come true. The only compensation is your body and resolution.』
Akatsuka clicked on the banner and opened the site.
"You who are in trouble because of the damage of the underworld, those who despair of life and want to commit suicide, those who want to take revenge on someone important to them but are powerless, those who want to get revenge on bullies, you who are bullied. , I want other various powers! For such people, the Yukioka Research Institute will provide satisfying power in return for participating in human experiments. No payment is required. It is a condition that you do not complain even if you die. With only your body, mind, and determination, you can now obtain power that surpasses human knowledge! 』
"On the top of the site, a very suspicious sentence was written." Furthermore, reading the explanation, it says to send an email and come to the first basement floor of the Kando Building in the downtown area of Anraku City.
(Crap...)
Even as I thought that, I was still interested, and when Akatsuka sent an email just for fun, I got a reply right away. In the reply was written the password to enter at the entrance to the basement where the laboratory is located.
While thinking it was an elaborate prank, Akatsuka began to take an even greater interest in it, and wanted to believe in the possibility that something might happen.
The next day, Akatsuka headed to Kandoville.
At first glance, the first floor of the building can only be thought of as a department store. He enters the password written in the email on the door to the first basement floor and goes down the stairs beyond the door. After going down for a while, there was a passage that continued straight ahead, and there was an automatic door with "Yukioka Research Institute" written on it.
"It really happened"
Half in doubt, Akatsuka groaned involuntarily. No, I still doubt it, but seeing the entrance of the facility with my own eyes made it much more believable.
When you press the bell on the side of the automatic door, you hear a young woman's voice answer, say your name and enter.
"Welcome, Katsuhiko Akatsuka, right?"
I was greeted inside by a small girl who, to my surprise, only looked like she was in her mid-teens.
She wears a blouse with a skull embroidered on it, a black cardigan, and ripped jeans. What caught her eye more than anything else was her bright red eyes. She seems transparent, and her ruby-like eyes make her feel as if she's met a non-human creature.
"Are you Junko Yukioka? It was written on that site."
"It's the mad scientist Junko Yukioka."
At Akatsuka's questioning question, she showed a carefree smile and the girl nodded.
"Is this girl a scientist?" Akatsuka was not a little surprised that she didn't look at him as a battered beggar, and didn't look away reflexively. rice field. He was the first person other than a city hall employee or someone at work for the homeless who didn't show a reluctant reaction when meeting him for the first time.
"Hmm, I already confirmed the agreement to the contract by email, but I'll confirm it verbally. I won't complain even if I die with my experiment. I won't be held responsible for any other failures. Are you okay with this condition?
"ah..."
Akatsuka nodded in reply, even though she didn't seem to be speaking from a girl who only looked like a teenager. Seeing that, Junko also smiled and nodded back.
"Then come over here. I've already prepared, so let's start the experiment right away."
She is made to walk down a long corridor as she is told. On the left and right of the passage like a corridor, there are doors at almost equal intervals. Akatsuka was invited to one of them.
A room with an examination table, headgear, and machines reminiscent of medical equipment set up here and there.
Akatsuka swallowed her saliva, but she was determined. she's already ruined herself. But only her life remains like a burning dregs. With her cinders, she lets those who betrayed her and those who took everything from her eat her vengeance.
"Don't go to hell alone." Especially Tazawa is absolutely unforgivable. He swore to himself that he would show hell to the man who had stolen what was most precious to him.
"Several tens of minutes later."
"Emergency, emergency, Shin-kun, hurry to the thirteenth laboratory."
Junko picked up the extension phone and spoke in a sticky tone.
In front of her, a muscular, white-haired, naked man bared his fangs and howled as he went on a rampage destroying everything in the room.
"What is an emergency?"
After a while, a handsome middle school boy in uniform appeared with a submachine gun and a shotgun in one hand, and said in amazement.
"Doctor! The experiment is a failure!"
"You're the one who failed the experiment."
The boy had no way of knowing the content of the skits from the previous century, so he thrust into it with an expressionless expression.
"For now, it's your turn, so do your best."
"You're quite flashy, aren't you?"
Seeing the state of destruction in the room, the boy called Makoto murmured with an expressionless expression, and without hesitation stepped into the room where Katsuhiko Akatsuka, who had lost his reason and turned into a monster, was rampaging.
Akatsuka roared and jumped at him as soon as he entered the room.
Countless bullets ejected from the shotgun counterattacked Akatsuka and blew his body away.
"Not yet."
Junko said in a calm voice.
I truly understood the meaning of that word without even confirming it. A normal person would die from this, but that's not necessarily the case for someone who became Junko's test subject.
Akatsuka is trying to get up even though he is covered in blood. One more shot, shoot the shotgun.
Makoto rolled his eyes. Not a single bullet hit. No, there was something invisible in front of Akatsuka, and it was punching holes in the surrounding floors, walls, and equipment.
Akatsuka lunged at him again, and this time the submachine gun fired at him, but it looked like he was being repelled by something he couldn't see, and Akatsuka didn't take a single bullet and really attacked him.
Makoto dodges Akatsuka's fist at a critical point, throws away the submachine gun in his right hand, draws a large knife from the back of his jacket, and gouges Akatsuka's throat. It was a momentary sleight of hand that was done in a way that passed each other.
Akatsuka doesn't die, even though his neck squirts blood like a fountain. On the contrary, his wounds were immediately closed, and Akatsuka calmly turned to face where he was.
"I didn't bring any meat melt liquid, do you have any?"
Makoto didn't seem particularly surprised, and asked Junko while looking straight at Akatsuka.
"There is, yes"
Junko really throws something. Without taking his eyes off Akatsuka, Shin moved only his hand and caught it with his left hand. It was a syringe.
"Give it from the beginning"
She spit it out in her unemotional voice, removed the needle cap with one hand, and this time Makoto headed towards Akatsuka.
"Oh, if you jump in carelessly"
Junko was about to say something, but Makoto was already moving.
Without Junko telling him, Makoto was generally aware of what was coming. An invisible force that repelled bullets. He expected that it could be used not only defensively but also offensively.
Seeing the moment when Akatsuka's bloodlust was rising, Makoto jumped to the side for that moment. As expected, something invisible was running with tremendous force through the space I was in just a few seconds before.
Makoto rushed past Akatsuka, stabbing his needle into his neck and pouring out the liquid inside.
"Tazaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
Akatsuka's flesh melted rapidly with his dying scream. A strong smell of blood fills the area.
Before long, there was only a puddle of melted meat, a puddle of blood mixed with it, and white bones. Of course, Akatsuka is completely dead.
"Hmm… In the first place, I wonder if it was not good to give multiple abilities to one experimental body. It seems that it was impossible to say it suddenly.I wonder if it would be better to wait for about two months.Hmm, when will we be able to establish a method for efficient and reliable evolution?」
Junko muttered to herself while observing Akatsuka, who had exposing his horrific death and corpse, with a calm face.
On the other hand, Makoto, ignoring neither the corpse nor Junko, picks up the submachine gun and shotgun he dropped on the floor and tries to leave the room.
"Well, it's brilliant, as expected of Shin-kun. Even if you don't explain what kind of power your opponent has, you can easily see through it and defeat him-. Hmm, you've grown."
Seeing Makoto, Junko showed a carefree smile on her face and applauded her happily.
"But... hmm..."
As Junko looks around at the devastation in her room, she grunts and groans.
"If this laboratory is in this state, I can't continue researching that thing for the time being. It looks like it will take a considerable amount of time to repair it. Even though the people who are 'thinking about pregnant women' are waiting for that thing to be completed..."
Makoto leaves without a word, leaving Junko muttering to herself.
"Yes, let me use that place."
Junko picked up her phone when she clapped her hands with her brilliant idea.
"That was about four and a half months ago."