episode_0055

―Training.

―I’ll teach you how to use your ability.

13ho’s words left Club bewildered. The content was simply too absurd.

Training? A villain training me, a hero? How, in the first place?

It was dumbfounding and unbelievable. What exactly was this man saying?

However, 13ho continued, his expression serious, as if it were no joke.

“To begin with, Club. You can barely use your ability properly. Your method of manipulating magic power is also poor. I don’t know where you learned it, but this is the first time I’ve seen a hero use magic power in such a crude way.”

“…Damn it….”

She wanted to retort. If it were Club’s usual personality, she would have blown this man’s head off with a coin right now, huffed, and stormed out.

But as she was now, she couldn’t harm 13ho, nor could she refuse his commands.

So there was nothing she could do. All she could do was listen.

“…So? Are you going to teach me how to use it correctly?”

Speaking with such discontent was the most rebellion Club could manage.

And at Club’s words, 13ho readily nodded.

“Of course. I said so, didn’t I? If I had no intention of teaching you, I wouldn’t have pointed it out.”

“In just one day, I’ll completely overhaul how you use your ability.”

13ho boasted, brimming with confidence. Club couldn’t grasp his intentions at all, nor could she tell if his words were true, so she could only send him gazes of doubt and wariness.

And so, a somewhat changed day began.

Training with 13ho began.

***

…………………………

…………….

…….

“That concludes the information I had to convey. Does anyone have any questions?”

The Hero Association’s 7th Squad base, in its meeting room.

The heroes of the 7th Squad, seated around a large table, listened intently to the voice of Captain Rahe, who was continuing the explanation from the head seat.

Today’s meeting topic was quite important, concerning a dangerous villain organization that had recently engaged in violent acts and even caused direct harm to heroes.

Villain Organization [Lesserat].

An ‘A-class’ designated dangerous villain organization.

Not only the 7th Squad, but other hero squads, convened by the headquarters, were also on high alert and continuing their search, and new information had just been added via a hotline connected to the headquarters.

“First, the overview is as I’ve just explained.”

“We have obtained information on the locations of several hideouts of the villain organization Lesserat and details of individuals presumed to be key figures.”

“This time, the 7th Squad plans to launch a surprise attack in conjunction with the 3rd and 5th Squads.”

“I will explain the detailed operation, so please ensure you are fully aware of your respective roles and pay attention to managing your condition.”

At Rahe’s quiet yet solemn words, all members of the 7th Squad participating in this operation also responded solemnly, showing their cooperation.

***

The villain organization Lesserat is a dangerous organization.

Everyone unanimously stated that it would undoubtedly become a threat to this country, which was slowly regaining peace.

This was declared as a prophecy made by awakened individuals specialized in ‘prophecy’ at the headquarters, and moreover, various recent developments and material evidence that emerged after investigations based on that prophecy proved this fact.

And confirming the locations of several Lesserat strongholds, including their main base, happened just last night.

Not only had they confirmed the stronghold locations, but they had also learned that the villains planned to escape overseas tonight using an illegal entry vessel.

Ideally, it would be better to take more time to perfect their forces and strategy before attacking, but the enemy would not wait for that.

And so, several hero squads, including the 7th Squad, that could move immediately, moved the very next day after obtaining the information to raid their strongholds.

***

P City, adjacent to the sea, and the container terminal in front of its harbor.

In that place, where heavy-looking containers were lined up, gunshots, shouts, and other sounds of violence echoed from various places.

Outwardly, this place had a sign proclaiming it a trading company that simply handled cargo loading, but the talented individuals of the Hero Association had discovered that it was, in fact, importing illegal goods from abroad or exporting specific items.

It seemed to be operating a business of no small scale, yet they were doing it so brazenly, even putting up a trading company sign… and in a location not far from the capital region at that…

Spade, standing at the scene, unconsciously let out a sigh.

‘Should I call them audacious, or simply fearless?’

“――I really can’t tell if they’re truly smart or just plain stupid, you know? Do you get it?”

“G-guh…ugh…!!”

At Spade’s words, thrown out like a lament, the villain standing before her gnashed their teeth, seemingly enraged.

The villain had their hand on the ground, and soon, sharp ice spikes shot up from that hand, as if to represent her indignant heart, and dashed towards Spade.

A swarm of ice spikes that would instantly pierce a fragile human body, turning it into a pincushion.

Even at the menacing momentum of the ice spikes rushing towards her, Spade looked at them dismissively, as if scoffing, then promptly lifted her foot and kicked away the swarm of ice spikes that were charging at her.

Crack!

The sole of her steel-reinforced boot shattered the chunks of ice.

And that was it. With just one kick, the desperate attack, imbued with all their might, turned into worthless, trashy bravado.

“Surrender.”

“……!”

“Otherwise, I’ll just beat you up and drag you away, okay?”

“Damn it… Heroes… HERRROOOESS!!!”

The villain remained prone, pounding the concrete floor with her slender fists.

Even as blood seeped from her fists, her rage towards Spade and the heroes who raided this place seemed to outweigh the pain.

Still, the villain before her should be grateful.

The heroes who raided this place were all scattered, each dealing with Lesserat villains on their own, but if the woman before her had encountered Check or Coco instead of Spade… then she truly would have suffered a terrible fate.

‘At least I’m kindly suggesting surrender.’

‘You should be thankful to me.’

Even if she said that, her opponent wouldn’t likely be convinced.

Step… step…

Spade strode purposefully towards her, as she erratically created ice pillars around herself.

The villain before her, glaring at Spade with bloodshot eyes, occasionally tried to intercept by launching ice chunks or toppling ice pillars, but,

Crack! Shatter!

Even so, neither could penetrate Spade’s reinforced body, and everything simply shattered into pieces.

That villain had a bad opponent.

It was a splendid ability, more than sufficient for average villainous crimes, but.

Against opponents of a slightly higher caliber, it was virtually ineffective.

Spade knew an awakened individual who also wielded ice magic, but even using the same ability, that person was vastly different from the woman before her.

Her storm-like ice attacks were of a level that could be called a disaster, unlike what she was facing now,

Such attacks were beyond Spade’s ability to handle, no matter how much she reinforced her body.

“With such mediocre power, this is your limit, villain. Now, realize that and surrender. …I don’t want to do anything rough.”

Step…

Spade, standing before the villain, looked down at her with eyes as if she were staring at a bug.

And declared again.

“You’re the leader of the villain organization ‘Lesserat’, right? Quietly surrender and yield.”

With a crack, the concrete floor Spade stomped on with magic power, cracked.

As if declaring that if she disobeyed her words, her skull would crack open in the same way.

The villain before her looked up at Spade resentfully.

“This can’t be… This can’t, be… This just can’t….”

The villain wore an expression of utter disbelief.

At the fact that she couldn’t stop Spade with her own ability, and at the reality that she was powerless against the heroes.

“This, this is the ability of Rahe, the captain of the 7th Squad.”

“It’s the strongest ability, on a different level from a mere A-class like you… But, why….”

What on earth was this woman saying?

To babble that such a pathetic ability was the same as her respected Captain Rahe’s.

Because she uses ice? Did she really think that was enough to be on par with Captain Rahe? With the person truly called the strongest hero?

“No need to say more. She’s completely lost it.”

Faced with such unanswerable arrogance, Spade decided to give up on further urging surrender.

She’d just break her limbs and drag her away like a sack of luggage.

Yes, that’s what she’d do.

Her mood had already been foul and irritable ever since her comrade Club was kidnapped, so she might as well vent her anger now.

Just as Spade was about to approach the woman, the leader of Lesserat.

A sudden chill…!

“……?”

For a moment, a chilling sensation ran down her spine. The back of her neck tingled, and a strange coldness made her hair stand on end.

With the villain, who could no longer resist, before her, Spade lifted her head without even a moment to properly think.

And the next moment.

Whoosh!

Thud!

―She caught the incoming bullet with her gloved hand.

“What…?!!”

For a moment, she couldn’t tell what had happened.

Inside her hand, which had shot out instinctively without conscious thought, she felt pain and a scorching heat as if she’d been burned.

‘A sniper…?!’

As she laboriously unfolded her clenched fist, which she’d squeezed so tightly it was spasming, something plopped from her hand.

She knew it wasn’t a live round but a rubber bullet from the sensation in her hand.

Still, if her hand hadn’t been reinforced with magic power, it would have been completely torn to shreds.

Such was the momentum and power of the attack just now.

“……!”

Spade’s judgment was swift.

She immediately kicked off the ground and leaped, hiding herself behind the large containers lined up nearby.

The moment she kicked off the ground, another rubber bullet embedded itself beneath her foot with a loud thud.