Chapter 370: First Kill Secured |
Vroom... Vroom—!
Accompanied by an arrogant roar of an engine, a black Aston Martin drifted to a halt sideways right next to the Audi R8 where Hoshino Gen sat.
Hoshino Gen's eyelid twitched. Looking up, he saw that the opened door of the Aston Martin was not just the driver's; even the two back doors had been pushed open.
The person stepping out of the driver's seat was naturally Asaba Shinichi, but what surprised Hoshino Gen were the two stepping out from the back seats.
"Brother!"
He rolled down his window just as Hoshino Rin walked over, leading Tamamo-no-Mae by the hand.
Hoshino Gen looked confused. Hoshino Rin giggled and explained, "After filming finished for the day, Kyukyu-chan and I wanted to visit the Antique Shop to find you. But when we got there, the place was completely empty. Brother Asaba happened to be parked outside. He asked if I was looking for you, and then brought Kyukyu-chan and me over here."
Hoshino Gen nodded in understanding.
Tamamo-no-Mae reached out and pulled open the door to his driver's seat. She clambered up and slipped right into his arms. Meanwhile, Hoshino Rin circled around to the other side, opened the front passenger seat door, and got in. "Brother, what are you doing parked out here?"
Hoshino Rin looked up, blinking her watery peach-blossom eyes in confusion.
By this time, Asaba Shinichi had also arrived at the driver's side window. He rapped on the frame and smiled at Hoshino Gen. "I need your help with something."
Hoshino Gen glanced at him and asked calmly, "What is it?"
"Remember that hacker from Italy I told you about last time?" Asaba Shinichi chuckled. "The Special Affairs Group is going to officially launch a siege on her the afternoon after tomorrow. Unfortunately, I have some business to attend to these next couple of days and need to go on a business trip over to Kyushu Island."
Hoshino Gen raised an eyebrow. "So, are you planning for me to go on the business trip for you, or do you want me to take out that hacker for you?"
"Ha!" Asaba Shinichi laughed. "The trip is for Asaba Conglomerate business, so naturally, I have to go myself."
Hoshino Gen understood what Asaba Shinichi meant. He thought for a moment and did not agree immediately, instead asking, "What about Takasugi?"
Asaba Shinichi grinned. "He went to Africa. Apparently, someone discovered traces of some prehistoric behemoth over there, and that kid followed the scent straight to it."
"...Alright." Hoshino Gen finally nodded. "Have someone notify me when the time comes. As long as there are no unforeseen circumstances, I will be there."
"Okay, your word is good enough for me." Asaba Shinichi patted Hoshino Gen on the shoulder, then abruptly changed the subject. "You do not have any plans for tonight, right? A new Spanish restaurant opened up in Shinjuku a couple of days ago. Want to go try it out later?"
Hoshino Gen looked down at his mobile phone. It was currently 6:42 PM, which was still early, so he simply nodded. "Sure."
Asaba Shinichi smiled, turned around, and went back to his own car to enjoy the air conditioner. While Hoshino Rin might not have known why Hoshino Gen was waiting here, Asaba Shinichi could naturally see right through it.
As soon as Asaba Shinichi left, Hoshino Rin could not help but ask, "Brother, what were you guys just talking about? What siege? What hacker?"
Hoshino Gen adjusted his hold on Tamamo-no-Mae, who was nestled in his arms, and said calmly, "A high-level Transcendent who entered the country illegally."
Hearing this, Hoshino Rin immediately understood. She nodded and did not ask any more questions about it, continuing instead, "So what are you actually doing here, Brother? Is there something wrong with this abandoned house?"
Just as her words fell, a massive explosion erupted from the two-story villa in front of them. Amidst a cacophony of shattering sounds, the glass windows on the second floor completely disintegrated into fragments. Raging flames burst through the window frames, violently swaying in the evening autumn breeze.
Hoshino Rin froze, asking uncertainly, "Is there... someone inside?"
Boom—!
No answer from Hoshino Gen was needed. Following another thunderous boom, the front doors on the ground floor of the villa collapsed with a crash. Standing behind the doorway was Sasaki Ayane, dressed in an exquisite private school uniform.
A white short-sleeved shirt, a neat red bow, a navy blue pleated skirt, and black over-the-knee socks came together to create an absolute territory of fair, flawless skin. Her shiny black leather shoes clicked sharply against the ground—this was clearly a noble young lady who belonged in the classroom of a prestigious school.
Yet right now, behind her lay only endless flames and the chaotic, ruined wreckage of the interior. In one hand, she carried the sheathed demon blade Bizen Osafune Nagamitsu, while her other hand gripped a wind chime acting as a containment vessel. Her beautiful, jet-black hair danced gently in the air as electric sparks violently flickered around her body, refusing to settle down.
Hoshino Rin's mouth fell open in a daze. The scene unfolding before her eyes carried an overwhelmingly massive impact.
"Is that... Sasaki?" Hoshino Rin muttered, almost afraid to confirm it. She knew that Sasaki Ayane had become a Transcendent during the summer vacation, and she also knew that her brother had been helping her with the relevant training.
However, she truly had not expected that in just over a month, the young girl who had been an ordinary person just like herself not long ago would now be capable of something like this.
Hoshino Rin stared at the flames igniting the house and watched the electric sparks dancing around Sasaki Ayane... Vaguely, she felt a sense of longing.
Hoshino Gen opened the driver's door and stepped out of the car, carrying Tamamo-no-Mae. He first set the little girl down on the ground before walking toward Sasaki Ayane.
Although Sasaki Ayane appeared incredibly striking and beautiful in Hoshino Rin's eyes right now, Hoshino Gen could easily detect her racing heartbeat and erratic breathing. The electric sparks flickering around her were not intentionally displayed; rather, they were a sign that her ability was slightly losing control.
Hoshino Gen stepped up to her and firmly grabbed her hand. Through their physical contact, his own power rapidly flowed over to her as his voice rang in Sasaki Ayane's ears. "Adjust your breathing. Calm your mind."
Sasaki Ayane took a deep breath, obediently accepting the guidance of the power flowing from Hoshino Gen. A moment later, the electric sparks surrounding her body finally extinguished. However, she also lost all strength to remain standing. Her body went limp, and completely exhausted, she began to collapse to the side.
Fortunately, Hoshino Gen was right beside her, still holding her hand. With a gentle pull, Sasaki Ayane tumbled straight into his embrace.
Hoshino Gen bent down and used his other arm to support the crook of the young girl's knees, lifting her up in a princess carry. Then, he walked over to the Aston Martin and looked at Asaba Shinichi, who was sitting in the driver's seat grinning as he watched the show. "Switch cars."
Asaba Shinichi naturally understood what Hoshino Gen meant. His Aston Martin was a four-seater with back seats, whereas the Audi R8 Hoshino Gen had driven only had two seats. Among the people present, aside from himself and Hoshino Gen, not counting Tamamo-no-Mae, one was Hoshino Gen's fiancée and the other was Hoshino Gen's sister. Clearly, swapping cars was the most logical arrangement.
Asaba Shinichi chuckled and got out of the car, opening the front passenger seat door for Hoshino Gen.