After finishing with the drink and disposing of every trash in their possession. Soma, the one who had to dispose of the trash, approached the two pairs who were holding hands like a pair of sisters.
"What?".
As usual, Hina keeps the intensity of her glare if it's about him.
"Nothing, where should we go now?".
"Kaede said that she was separated from her mother in this area. First, let's take a look for her around, and if we can't find her we will go to the nearby police station. Is that okay with you Kaede".
Hina looked toward the girl below her which she replied with a nod.
"Okay, let's find your mother".
From the words that Kaede said earlier. They are on a shopping trip before she loses sight of her mother for a moment. Then she tails one of the random passersby that wearing the same clothes as her mother, but after she sees the person's face. The person was not the mother she knew and she realized that she was already around the perimeter where Soma had seen her crying earlier.
The street area is quite packed with salary men and women walking around in a hurry to chase their next agenda for the day. Soma and Hina open their eyes and ears.
Soma looked at his surroundings searching for a woman who was in distress. But with the crowded place, his sight was limited and it was a hassle to look for someone and avoid the passersby. He is hoping that his lucky stats will bring him for a quick encounter, but it was not happening this time.
Then the crowded streets began to turn chaotic when a sudden big gust of wind came, turning the surrounding atmosphere into tension. Soma blocked his vision because of the sudden wind that slammed his body. He saw Hina also do the same while shielding Kaede behind her.
Boom, resounded in one of the buildings in front of them as the torrent of panic began to spread in the vicinity making the people who had no ability flee, running for their own lives.
The building which was being blown up was a jewelry store. Then appeared a single man with a bulky appearance two meters in height wearing all-black clothes and a Half mask of Oni that bore its sharp teeth. From the second floor, the glass windows shattered sending a broken sharp object into the surrounding area, and appeared the man with the same appearance but he was much lanky compared to the other one who stood with a hunched back. Luckily the passerby was long gone and there were only five of them that stood nearby.
"Big sister".
Kaede clenched Hina's waist, refusing to let go, and made Hina squint her eyes, glaring at the people in front of her she thought as the culprit.
"It's Okay Kaede you will be fine".
The two thieves began to inspect their surroundings and soon stopped their gaze toward Soma's direction before clicking his tongue.
"What are you looking at Kid?".
"Scram".
Rather than fear that engulfed him, Soma just stood there dumbfounded seeing the action they took in the middle of the city and in daylight at that. He thought that these two people were stupid beyond help.
Soma was exasperated but Hina beside him was not thinking the same. She squinted her eyes as she began to concentrate her magic on her hands ready to open fire.
"Hey, You go as a vanguard, we must capture those bastards".
"Eh? Should we just get away from this place rather than dealing with those idiots..".
"Tch, as I thought".
Hina affirmed her assumption. She regarded the boy beside her as an enemy. Her eyes as if losing any hope for him began to shift her attention toward the thieves.
"Leave this place, then. I will deal with this, alone. Kaede, can you hear me".
Kaede looked up at Hina's figure as she still clung herself to her waist.
"..Yes".
"Kaede listen, leave this place with that guy. You! Make sure you protect her when you flee from this place".
Soma's face twitched after hearing the word that came out of Hina's mouth. The word left a strong impact on his ear and it stirred his calm mind. He exhaled before turning to look at Kaede on Hina's waist.
"Come on Kaede, let's find somewhere to hide".
He grabs the young girl's hand before embracing her and turning his back leaving Hina alone at the crime scene. Hina didn't even turn her gaze at the retreating figure of Soma.
Hina kept her gaze focused on the criminals in front of her. She raised her hand preparing the next move using the mana she had accumulated earlier. The temperature around her spiked up, and then from the empty space came a swirling fire before it took shape into arrows floating beside her.
She specialized in Fire magic, the same as her mother. From the moment she tried to build a wall around her heart and determined to become strong. She asks her mother to teach her the way of magic.
Then the result of her training was this. She could use magic without an incantation at all.
The thieves watched the magic Hina had done. They knitted their brows and prepared to block the incoming magic.
"Go!"
Hina swung her hand down and the fire arrows around her began to fly in a straight line approaching the thieves. The thieves who saw the incoming magic began to move. The bulky guy stepped on his feet and stood before the other guy. The bulky guy raised his battle spirit as his body enveloped by Mana strode forward like a mad bull trying to face the incoming magic alone.
Crossing his arm to protect his face. His body collided with the magic and it created a small explosion in the vicinity and smoke that covered the area. But the man was unperturbed and kept his charge forward approaching Hina. The man lifted the corner of his mouth and said.
"Ehehe,, you asked for it girl".
Hina clicked her tongue, surprised that her magic was easily blocked by the guy. That alone shows that the thieves in front of her have superior abilities than she thought.
The act of obstructing Magic and leaving it unscathed was completely impossible if the two parties had the same level of strength. Because if they do, no matter how hard his body is or how awesome the guy's mana is. He will get burned or at least grazed by the fire Hina released.
However, the man was unscathed and kept his charge like a mad bull. Hina saw the approaching man begin to connect her thoughts with the ring on her finger and took out a bokuto that she used for training.
Hina clenched her hands on the bokuto hilt and prepared her middle stance. The man opened his hands wide in a grapple stance.
"Gaahahaha".
The man with his bulky body began to embrace Hina but Hina had already gone from the place and crouched down in a lower stance. She pulled back the bokuto before thrusting it out toward his solar plexus.
However once the bokuto made contact with the abs, her arm trembled as the shock from her attack, was bounced back numbing her hands.
"..Hard".
"Ehehehe, gaa!".
A shadow cast upon her vision as she saw that burly hand approaching her, she gritted her teeth then bent her head to the right and did some rolling on the ground before standing, fixing her stance.
"Hey, Gor hurry up and finish, her".
"Ehehe, Okay boss. I want to break that delicate bone of yours".
Hina opened her eyes wide not expecting that the leader of this operation was the guy behind. Gor began his second attack closing the distance with Hina.
Gor with his big palm began to unleash a series of grabbing motion attacks which used the strength of his grip to grab the girl before him.
Hina felt a sense of danger looking at his palm. She is certain that if she is caught even for once, she will be done for. The enemy before her was not an enemy that she could fight with her current strength.
It made her feel instant regret and frustration. Then she began to remember those hellish days, where she spent day after day training her magic and swinging her wooden sword to grow stronger. But, it was still not enough proof.
"Tch".
She raised her attention just to evade the man's attack. The man opened his hand wide to try to make a big move. Hina saw that as a chance to leap to the left side as she began to prepare her stance, but she felt a sudden gust of wind and impact that sent her body flying.
Hina, who was caught off guard by the sudden attack, rolled a couple of times before lying down. She could feel the taste of iron in her mouth, and her left abdomen felt like it was on fire.
"Got you". The boss raised his hands and celebrated his success in delivering his magic.
Hina's breath grew heavy as the air of her lungs got blasted away from the impact earlier. Her throat was burning as she started coughing. Her left hand was fine but she felt a pang of intense pain from the left side of her abdomen. Every time she puffed her chest out, her left side felt like it was burning.
"Gor finish her now".
"Wuehehe,, Okay boss".
Gor with a hideous smile approached with open hands intending to deliver a final blow.
"Not so fast".
From the narrow alley between the building the battle scene. Soma brings a metal pole in his hands closing his distance. Then, slammed the pole toward the man's neck until it was bent. Gor was shocked and stood in place. It opened the chance for Soma to grab Hina in his embrace and soon leave the place.