“…So, you’re saying you’re not a terrorist?”
“Hmph—of course. Why would I do something as stupid as that?”
“Ugh, then who could it be… Anyway, got it.”
Galm, who was arrested by the police and heroes in City O, was released due to the efforts of the Evilus Corporation’s legal team and lack of evidence.
This happened just three hours after his arrest.
* * *
The boss found out that the evil organization was being framed by the rabbit beastkin, Hani, and ordered me to catch her.
As a mere scientist, I had no choice but to narrow my eyes and capture that cheeky rabbit. Just like a turtle who heard the dragon king’s command to bring back a rabbit’s liver.
“Hey, what are you doing?”
“First, I need to make my tools.”
As I was connecting a wristwatch and a pad to work on various things, Levitan, eager to meet Hani as quickly as possible, started whining from behind me.
However, I ignored her completely and focused on my work. I knew very well that rushing in headfirst wouldn’t help in catching Hani.
“Galm and Ayle couldn’t catch her. I can’t catch her either.”
Is it because she’s a rabbit beastkin, or is it due to the superpower she possesses?
The fact that Galm, who is faster than anyone on the ground, and Ayle, who flies better than most airplanes in the sky, couldn’t catch her meant that conventional methods wouldn’t work either.
To catch her, I would need a net or a weapon that could strike the enemy, disregarding space, time, or anything else…
Of course, I didn’t have those things right now, nor could I create them in this world.
“She has good hearing…”
Recalling Hani’s own words about her characteristics and the physical data I got from Levitan, another test subject like her, I developed software to catch Hani using those two traits.
Not long after, I created something effective for those with good hearing and stood up, looking at Levitan.
“It’s done.”
“Really!? Then I’ll call the others!”
“No, just the two of us will go.”
“Huh? Why…?”
“It has to be just the two of us.”
At my words, Levitan tilted her head as if questioning why, but this was unavoidable. If she wasn’t stupid, it was clear that rushing in with a group wouldn’t show results.
Especially if she saw Ayle or Galm, she would panic and hide in a place not even visible to satellites.
It was possible that she wouldn’t show herself until the vacation ended.
“Working on vacation is awful, but to bring work back into it?”
That could not happen.
Hani was targeting Levitan, so if Levitan and I loitered around the street, Hani would surely reveal herself while watching us from the shadows.
At that moment, I had no way of knowing what level Hani’s hearing was, so hiding colleagues as ambushes was impossible. In the worst-case scenario, she could easily identify who was nearby just by listening.
“I’ll inform the boss. Shall we go now?”
“Go where…?”
“For a street date.”
And so, Levitan and I strolled down the street, blissfully unaware that we were walking into a trap. Continuously.
* * *
Eight and Levitan walked along the beach.
Despite what had happened earlier in the day, tourists enjoyed their time as if nothing was wrong.
Well, nobody had died; it was just a simple hotel fight between a hero and a villain. That sort of thing happens in every city all the time.
“Hey, Eight, shouldn’t we eat one of those?”
“…We’re not here to have fun; we’re here to lure the enemy.”
“Come on—it’s better than being tense for who knows how long!”
That was indeed a reasonable statement. Eight agreed and, being a scientist, followed the logical conversation.
With that, the two paid the high tourist prices for cheap food. The taste was less than stellar, but they succeeded in creating a touristy atmosphere.
Levitan acted as if she had completely forgotten about the mission. That’s how it seemed to Eight, but considering her true identity, she was likely on high alert.
‘When will she arrive?’
Sneakily—Eight checked the time. Three hours. The enemy likely realized their presence by now. She would know there were no allies around watching them.
To avoid tipping them off by signaling comrades with his wristwatch as before, he had concealed it. It seemed excessive, but considering their opponent relied more on hearing than sight, it was necessary.
“Come on; we’re getting restless here!”
The two began moving toward places with fewer people. By now, only couples with similar intentions remained.
Watching them, Levitan pointed toward a rock where they wouldn’t be seen, sporting a sly smile.
“Eight.”
“What?”
“Shall we check out what’s happening over there?”
“…Did you forget why we came out?”
“Ehh—how boring!”
While ignoring her flirtation, a tanned man with sun-kissed skin approached slowly.
Focusing on Levitan’s rabbit ears, he finally spoke up.
“Levitan?”
“Yes? Whao…?”
“Seems right. Your sister is waiting over there. She’s waiting on top of the hill…”
Hearing those words, Levitan nodded toward Eight. Eight returned the gesture, pleased with the turn of events.
Did she really expect to call them over like this? That confidence likely came from her acute hearing, easily discerning that there were no allies nearby and the ability to run away from anyone.
The two headed toward the hill, as indicated by man, and waited for some time in an empty area until Hani revealed herself.
Not long after, a clap of castanets echoed from somewhere. Turning around at the sound, Eight suddenly realized that a Japanese sword was aimed at his neck—Hani had come up behind him.
“—Please don’t move, either of you.”
There she was—the sword-wielding rabbit beastkin.
Levitan couldn’t hold back the tears seeing Hani’s face after so long.
But that was that, and this was this.
No matter how much Hani was a former ally and a fellow experiment subject, he couldn’t let her touch Eight.
“What are you doing, Hani?”
“Levitan, I’m here to rescue you…”
“Drop that sword immediately! Or else!”
Hani, with a sword pointed at Eight’s neck, lowered her head after hearing Levitan’s words. Hearing her friend’s harsh words after such a long time was undoubtedly painful. It was clear she had been subjected to experiments by Eight and brainwashed in the process.
Hani separated herself from Levitan, keeping Eight in the middle. After all, holding a scientist as a hostage meant brainwashed Levitan couldn’t just move freely.
“You are a scientist, right? Hurry up and undo Levitan’s brainwashing.”
“…What?”
“I know that you’re taking Levitan for suspicious experiments and that you must have brainwashed her in the process.”
With a sword drawn against him.
Listening to Hani’s words, Eight realized that she was misunderstanding something.
However, Eight didn’t feel the need to correct that misunderstanding. He decided to just let it be.
“No.”
“Umm…?”
No one had ever declined a request while in this situation, so Hani, slightly frowning, glared at Eight.
She had never encountered something like this before. Was threatening someone with a sword not a great means of communication?
While she was busy in her misconceptions, Eight leaned into the blade. Moments later, the sharp Japanese sword swung through Eight’s neck.
“What—!?”
After a moment of shock, Eight’s neck, despite having been cut, was perfectly fine with not a drop of blood in sight.
In the middle of trying to understand the magical occurrence, Eight shrugged and glared at Hani.
“Did you really think just because you’re holding a sword to my neck, I’d do what you ask?”
“…Do you have some kind of regeneration ability?”
“No? I’m just powerless.”
“Couldn’t be—let me verify that again.”
Hani said as she prepared to attack once more. Levitan swiftly tried to block in front of Eight, but he restrained her with a wave of his hand.
There was no need to rely on Levitan’s power. Stepping forward, Eight presented himself to Hani’s blade.
“Let me tell you something—you won’t lay a finger on me today.”
No sooner had he finished his sentence than Hani’s sword came flying at him. Not wanting to hurt him, she used the back edge of the blade, but…
Just like before—this time too, the Japanese sword merely passed clean through Eight’s body.
Seeing it, Eight chuckled.
“I did say you wouldn’t touch me, right?”
“Grr…!”
As if daring her to try again.
Hani continued to swing the sword.
Endlessly, as if intending to pour out every swing she’d have over her lifetime in just one day.
* * *
Some time had passed.
I mean, it was long enough for the sun to set and the glow of dusk to appear.
Even after all this time, Hani continued to swing her sword.
Alone, at the empty air.
“…What the heck is that?”
Watching the scene, Levitan mumbled in disbelief. I casually accepted the Hawaiian juice she passed me and, as if it were no big deal, pulled out my wristwatch.
The watch was buzzing—beep beep!
To Levitan, who didn’t eat the gene organism, it was just an annoying alarm, but for Hani, with her acute hearing, it must have sounded entirely different.
Right now, in some way, it seemed like she was fighting against herself, constantly getting cut and wounded yet not dying.
“It’s just a little trick.”
“A trick? What do you mean?”
“Surprisingly, sounds carry a lot of information, you know? I could even tell what’s on a computer screen just by the sound of the computer’s fan.”
If Hani’s hearing was like a radar, it would be on another level.
She undoubtedly trusted the information her heightened senses provided.
Unbeknownst to her, that very information was merely a hallucination visible only to me.
