“Ahh!”
“Gah!”
As I shot my mysterious assailants with my laser gun, they dropped sloppily to the ground. For good measure, I kicked them in the side like soccer balls. I might’ve broken a rib or two.
Then I stepped on a mysterious assailant’s back and placed my sword against their neck. I also adjusted my laser gun, switching it to a lethal setting, and pointed the weapon at the granny I was still telekinetically suppressing. Checkmate.
As I looked closer at the man at my feet, I realized that he wore what was obviously a ninja outfit. A mechanical—no, a cyber ninja? “Huh? A ninja? Are you an agent from Koga Services? Don’t move. If you lift even a finger, I’ll separate your head from your body.”
“Aye…aye…” The cyber ninja stopped struggling.
As for the granny…she’d given up as well. “Looks like I’ve lost my edge too,” she sulked. “I can’t believe a brat still wet behind the ears beat me.”
Beyond the granny, I noticed a group of people in familiar outfits rushing toward us from within the alley. That’s Iga Security, I observed. Putting aside this Koga Security cyber ninja, should I just kill this granny right now? I really don’t want to be dealing with someone like her constantly targeting me.
Before I could pull my laser gun’s trigger, the granny stopped me. “Whoa there… Killing me is a bad idea. You’ll definitely regret it—and also lose out.”
I didn’t mind her pre-empting me, but if she wanted to dissuade me, she needed to do better than that. “I’ll think about sparing you if you can convince me that I ought to before I pull this trigger.”
“I’m related to a crewmate of yours. I can prove that. And if you let me go, I’ll make sure you don’t regret it. I won’t target you or your people anymore either. I swear it.”
I tried to look into the granny’s eyes to ascertain her sincerity, but her visor hid them. I doubted that would’ve helped anyway—this monstrous granny was experienced and crafty. I likely wouldn’t be able to read anything useful from her.
“Okay, I’ll listen… But if I find out you’re lying, be prepared to deal with me turning the tables.”
“You mean you’ll be the one chasing me? Sounds fun.”
“What the hell…? Anyway…as of this moment, this is a full ceasefire, okay?”
“Yeah. You win.”
Hearing her agree, I gently released the pressure I’d placed on her using telekinesis. However, I maintained the gigantic invisible hand. There was no guarantee that the granny wouldn’t suddenly assault me again in a final struggle.
“You’re a careful one.”
“I’m not sure what you mean.” Does this granny have a way to detect psionic powers? Well, whatever. I injected a syringe of first-aid nanomachines into the neck of the cyber ninja groaning at my feet. “First-aid nanomachines, because I shot and kicked you,” I explained. “My treat.”
“Y-you have my gratitude…” The cyber ninja had initially stiffened, unsure what I’d injected him with. As he gingerly began to get up, however, my explanation and the sensation of what was happening in his body must’ve convinced him that I was telling the truth.
At about the same time, guards from Iga Security rushed in from the alley. The featureless giant Killam led the group, tricked out in full security armor.
“It seems…you’re all right.”
Killam was the guy who’d met us the other day alongside Ota. He now wielded a nonlethal electric weapon that looked like an ARC gun. The reason it only looked like one was that it was way bigger than the ARC guns I was used to. Would that weapon really be nonlethal?
“What’s the situation?” he asked me.
“This granny attacked me after that blackout in the casino. I chased and subdued her. During that process, these cyber ninja suddenly showed up and jumped me, so I subdued them too. The granny surrendered, and we declared a ceasefire, so I injected some first-aid nanomachines into this cyber ninja. Now he’s recovering.”
“I’d rather not have to say this, but since you’re our client, could you please let us guard you…? We have a reputation to uphold.”
“Sorry about that. I had no choice but to protect myself, though, since I got attacked in that casino you introduced me to.”
I wasn’t sure how the featureless man managed to sigh, but he definitely did so, shrugging his shoulders.
“This is a mark on both our reputations,” the Koga ninja lamented.
“At least you guys made it in time,” said the granny. “Not that you were any help, since you got taken down immediately.”
“Mgh…”
Her scorching review left both Killam and the cyber ninja reeling.
“Stop bullying the poor security guards,” I told her. “They were forced to accommodate our unpredictable actions. Let’s talk instead about how we intend to resolve this.”
“Hmph. Yeah. That’ll definitely be more constructive. How about we call it quits for the day and settle things tomorrow? I’ll head to the hotel you guys are staying at.”
“Fine… Let’s go with that. When will you arrive?”
“Not too early… I’ll be there before noon. We can finish our discussion and go out for a meal afterward.”
“That’ll depend on how the conversation goes,” I responded.
The granny shrugged. Things had seemingly calmed down, at least for the present.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Please forgive me?”
After fighting the granny, I’d returned to the hotel. There, I was forced to sit in the seiza position while Elma and Mimi—who still wore the same bunny suits as earlier—lectured me.
“You’re the captain of this crew. Rushing headfirst into danger of your own accord is irresponsible,” Elma said.
“Master Hiro, I can’t defend you this time,” Mimi added.
They had a point. I’d had the option to simply fend off the granny’s ambush and then remain in the casino to protect them.
“I have an excuse, though…” I protested. “That granny was obviously targeting me, and I thought that as long as I went after her, she’d refrain from touching you two. The guards from Iga Security were there too, so I figured you guys would be safe.”
“Even if that’s the case, hon, you went after her by yourself. What if you’d lost? Ya need to consider your own safety too,” Tina chimed in.
“I admit that it was a bit reckless, but the original plan fell apart the second that granny appeared right in front of me. We were supposed to surround and ambush her before she got that close. Since that plan failed, I had to improvise. Still, like I said, I was reckless to just go after her on my own. I’m sorry.”
I’d presented my side of things, but then accepted the criticism I deserved. Taking on the granny by myself wasn’t praiseworthy. If I hadn’t managed to subdue her there, the situation would’ve taken even longer to resolve.
“It’s good that you’re willing to admit when you’re at fault,” Wiska said. “But don’t put yourself in danger anymore, okay?”
“I can’t promise you that. I know I’m saying this in hindsight, but things worked out in the end, right? And I acted within what I saw as my own margins of safety.”
“This isn’t working. He needs to be punished.”
“Wiska?!”
Wiska had initially just admonished me gently, but suddenly she’d made a complete one-eighty. Punished?! How? You’re scaring me!
“Okay. Let’s do it,” Dr. Shouko said. “Don’t worry, Hiro, I’ll take good care of you and ensure there’s no lasting damage.”
“Wait, wait! What the heck is that syringe?! Mei, save me!”
“Do not worry, Master. If I determine that you are in danger of physical harm, I will immediately take action.”
You’re basically saying that, as they don’t try to physically harm me, you won’t do anything! Noooo!
“Kugi?!”
“Um…I’m sorry, my lord. The others insisted that I not stop them this time. Um…I’ll be gentle.”
“You’re going to participate?!”
I had no way to escape. Fine, then! Bring it on, damn it!