“So?” asked the girl in the frilly bikini. Her black ponytails fluttered in the breeze as she peered through a pair of binoculars.
Visibility was good and the air was clear, but a lingering stench spoiled the pleasant view. It was the smell of gasoline—she and Kaname were currently at a gas station atop a small hill on the outskirts of town. For some reason, the station staff moving to and fro washing cars and refilling tanks were all young women in nurse outfits (with exceedingly short skirts).
Money (Game) Master was all about greed, and the three main pillars of the game were cars, guns, and money. The young women in nurse outfits were part of a famous team of Dealers who had attempted to take control of the first of these by monopolizing fuel reserves. However, after a series of setbacks and failures, they were now stuck working customer service.
Midori’s binoculars weren’t for ogling the nurses, however. She was looking down the hill at the land below, observing something else entirely.
“…You think that’s his stronghold? Why would my brother be holed up someplace like that?”
“…”
Midori Hekireki hadn’t been given the full story. She knew about the attacks Takamasa was carrying out but not his plan to eliminate the Magistelli in order to protect humanity.
She sat sideways in the saddle of her bright-red motorcycle, her Magistellus Meiki snuggled up beside her, as if on a bicycle built for two. The Magistellus in the short-cut cheongsam looked impassive and kept silent, but it was clear that they were both comfortable.
Kaname, meanwhile, politely refused the offer of an overpriced coolant check from an excessively sexy nurse.
“Tokonatsu City Jungle Park…,” he said. “Well, they call it a park, but it’s more like a semi-wild zoo, with animals in cages and various different routes through the rain forest to look at them.”
“Isn’t the location a little weird for a place like that?” asked Midori. “We’re quite far from the city center.”
“Same reason Disneyland isn’t in downtown Tokyo. An area that’s good to live in isn’t necessarily a good place to play.”
It was a prime inland location, not too close to the city but still perfectly accessible via transport links. The area stretched for five kilometers in all directions, comparable to some larger real-world theme parks. The buildings around the outside were low, as if they’d been awed into modesty by the sprawling jungle.
And at the center of it all was a single tower that, viewed through the binoculars, resembled an upside-down stick of broccoli, with greenery sprouting at its base. It looked extra tall and thin in contrast to the sprawling jungle surrounding it.
…Looks like it’s all off-road. The coupe’s not going to be much use this time.
Kaname glanced over at the gas station’s tire-changing service but after a few moments decided a quick fix wasn’t going to cut it. One of the scantily clad nurses standing around noticed his stare and blew him a kiss, but Kaname ignored her and turned his focus back to Midori.
“Hey, what’s that tower?” she asked.
“The official leaflet calls it an aquarium-cum-shopping mall, but about seventy percent of it is actually an animal research lab. Not many people know what goes on there, which makes it the perfect place to hide something.”
Kaname snapped his fingers, and a sea-to-ground missile immediately zoomed by above them, headed straight for the building in question.
“Eek!!”
Midori yelped, holding her skirt in place, while all the sexy nurses ran screaming for cover. However, the missile didn’t even make it two kilometers from the jungle’s edge.
From the top of the tower came a flash of light, and the missile was sliced in half lengthwise while it was still moving close to mach five. After a second’s delay, the two halves of the missile exploded in midair. Then there was a second flash of light, and a low rumble swept the earth. Kaname had a good idea of what that meant—the AI-controlled warship off the coast must have just been sunk.
“…Looks like #flash.err is kept on that circular walkway surrounding the upper levels. He must have lifted the whole truck up there using the service elevator.”
“…”
“Now, why not the rooftop? Are you scared of lightning strikes, or does the heat from the AC condensers interfere with the beam?”
No matter how carefully Takamasa may have tried to remain hidden, once the cat was out of the bag, there was no need to hold back. He must have realized by now that Kaname was coming. The pair had spent a lot of time together in Called Game. Even without proof, they could practically sense each other’s presence.
It was no longer the time for plotting and scheming. Now was the time for action.
“Jungle Park’s still open for business, but that’s only because Takamasa knows he can snipe anyone he doesn’t like. That includes us; if he sees us, we’re dead. He’s set up pretty high, too, so his horizon is a lot farther out than ours.”
Compared to the Legacies Kaname had faced so far, this one was a different breed. Not only was this a laser weapon originally intended for use on warships, but there was still the reality-warping power of the Overtrick to contend with. Kaname hadn’t yet seen a glimpse of its true abilities.
“H-how…did it come to this?” Midori wailed.
“Public infrastructure like dams and power plants are usually loaded with PMCs, and the same goes for that rain forest zoo. We need to expect heavy resistance.”
“No, not that! I mean, why did big bro turn against us? I felt so lucky just finding him alive… So why is he attacking us?!!”
Such was Midori’s dismay that she didn’t even realize she had called her brother “big bro.” Actually, Kaname had the same exact question. He didn’t understand why Takamasa had made the decision he had. Was he always so ruthless, or had he become that way after sacrificing himself for Kaname’s sister?
Kaname decided to steel himself for the worst. He wouldn’t try to look cool anymore.
“Listen to me, Midori. There’s something I never told you. This might be hard for you to hear, but I need to say it.”
“Wh-what do you mean…?”
“I owe Takamasa a debt. Enough that I would die for him. Enough to take responsibility for his little sister. But I can’t lie to you, Midori, not anymore. I know the truth will hurt, but I have to tell you anyway. If you have any complaints afterward, you can punch me in the face.”
“I’m not going to do that!” Midori yelled. “Spit it out already. You’re making me nervous!”
Kaname took a deep breath and looked down at Midori. She was like a little chick, begging for food—for information.
Then he spoke.