episode_0079

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“…Is this the right place?”

“According to the GPS, it looks like it? But really, what is this…?”

In front of an abandoned factory located in a ‘restricted area’.

A vehicle stopped there.

Stepping out of the vehicle, which shouldn’t have been visible here, were Check and Coco, heroes from the 7th Squad.

The two of them gazed at the abandoned factory, which seemed to be their target, for a moment, then surveyed their surroundings.

For now, no other signs of people could be felt in the vicinity.

They had expected thug-like villains to pop out and surround them the moment they arrived… but it seemed such audacious acts weren’t going to happen.

“Neither that man nor Club are visible.”

“They must want us to go inside. What do you think, Squad Leader?”

“…We have to go in. What’s there to think about?”

Of course, there were other possibilities. They might emerge only after the two had entered the building with no escape, or perhaps the building itself was rigged with bombs.

The risks were endless. But they couldn’t be scared and retreat.

It would be ideal to investigate thoroughly, but the damned villain had set such a tight deadline that they couldn’t afford to be leisurely. Time was already running out just getting here.

“Whatever tricks they try, I’ll smash them head-on.”

“Hehe, that’s our Squad Leader Check for you. Then I’ll scout around a bit more before infiltrating. Is that okay?”

Check nodded obediently at Coco’s suggestion.

It would be far better than entering through the same passage and being caught in a single swoop.

Moreover, there was the important task of securing an escape route, just in case.

Thus, Check and Coco split up; Check headed straight for the building’s main entrance, while Coco circled around the building.

To save Club, their junior and fellow 7th Squad Hero, two veteran heroes… each stepped onto the prepared stage.

* * *

It was about an hour ago that contact arrived from Villain Thirteen, who had kidnapped Club, the 7th Squad’s Hero.

The contact wasn’t via email like before, but through a telephone installed at the 7th Squad’s base.

At the time, Rahye happened to be away for her duties as Captain, and Check, Coco, and Apple were in the administration office.

[Yo, Heroes. How’s it going? Did you enjoy your lunch?]

The other party was a man with a pathetic voice, so much so that it was hard to believe it belonged to someone who had committed the serious act of kidnapping a hero.

It was a voice that sounded utterly ordinary, reminiscent of some unassuming young man living next door.

However, apart from his voice, his nonchalant attitude, stringing together strange jokes in tedious detail, was enough to infuriate the heroes present, who were already on edge due to their junior being kidnapped.

Anyway, the conversation between the nonchalant villain and Check, who made no effort to hide her irritation and anger, continued for a short while, and only then did Villain Thirteen belatedly get to the point.

Naturally, Villain Thirteen’s reason for calling was about Hero Club, whom he held captive.

[For the next hour, I’ll restrain your precious 7th Squad Hero at the designated location.]

[I’ll be waiting there too, of course. Rest assured, once you arrive at the designated place and step inside, there won’t be a ‘bang!’ or anything like that.]

[If you want, I can even send you a photo. Your Hero and I are already at this location.]

Club’s voice could be heard, saying something from beyond the receiver.

The content itself was difficult to discern clearly, but at least it confirmed that Thirteen and Club were together at that moment.

Thirteen said he would send the location information to one of the 7th Squad members’ smartphones.

They wondered how he knew the personal numbers of 7th Squad members, but in any case, they had already been told that he even knew Captain Rahye’s contact information.

Either he had an incredible informant, or he possessed abilities related to information. That’s what Captain Rahye had been speculating.

In addition, he conveyed a few more requests that he wished them to adhere to.

He stated that if any of his conveyed terms were violated, and he confirmed it, Thirteen would immediately return with Club.

He asserted that depending on the situation, the hostage’s safety could even be jeopardized.

They had no intention of acceding to a villain’s demands, but since the opponent was bringing up the hostage, there was no choice.

[What I want is a conversation, Hero. Killing you or doing anything to the hostage is outside my interest.]

[So please, trust me this time. Just as this Hero Club here has done.]

The voice of the man, utterly untrustworthy, cut off after those words.

And right after that call, Check and Coco followed the location information sent to Apple’s phone and arrived at the designated place.

* * *

Footsteps echoed.

‘It’s unnecessarily quiet.’

‘How far inside do I have to go?’

Check, who had come in her base uniform of a white suit shirt and pants rather than combat gear, strode fearlessly down the abandoned factory’s corridor.

Though not a single weapon was in her hand, her demeanor suggested nothing could pose a problem.

Despite clearly being enraged, Check showed no hint of that emotion, recalling her conversation with the villain in her mind.

It was Check who had exclusively conversed with him in the administration office just moments ago.

The demands Villain Thirteen made through that call were simpler than expected.

One, arrive at the designated location by the designated time.

One, do not bring any weapons.

One, Captain Rahye must not approach the site.

One, do not relay this information to anyone outside the 7th Squad.

These were the four conditions.

Among them, what Thirteen particularly emphasized was, as expected, regarding Captain Rahye.

And for good reason. Captain Rahye, also known as the ‘Ice Witch,’ was undoubtedly the strongest among the captains of the Hero Association’s total of thirteen squads.

No matter what abilities that villain possessed, if he were to face Captain Rahye, his life would be over the moment it happened.

In any case, Rahye would not be involved in this matter. She was unable to be involved.

From the start, Rahye couldn’t come even if she wanted to. She was currently away for her duties as Captain, and even if she stopped what she was doing and left immediately, it would take two hours to get here.

Whether it was coincidence or intentional, Thirteen had contacted them under circumstances where Rahye couldn’t attend. Moreover, he had imposed a tight time limit.

‘It can’t be a coincidence.’

‘Didn’t his tone suggest he knew Captain Rahye’s whereabouts?’

Villain Thirteen had said that if Captain Rahye came nearby, he would immediately abandon the ‘meeting.’

He would either take the hostage and leave, or in the worst-case scenario, sever a limb and discard them.

If that wasn’t mere bluster, then it could only mean he knew Captain Rahye’s location. Or perhaps he was monitoring her in real-time through some means.

Either way, Captain Rahye’s help couldn’t be relied upon.

However, there was no need to even receive Captain Rahye’s help.

From the beginning, Captain Rahye had sufficiently anticipated that such conditions would be imposed.

And anticipating such a situation, she had given prior instructions to Check and Coco.

She would entrust the Club rescue mission to the two of them. She would take responsibility, so if that time came, they were to undertake the Club rescue operation in her stead.

And her prediction was accurate. Almost perfectly accurate.

……?

Suddenly.

Check sensed a strange presence. A presence that shouldn’t be felt in an abandoned factory where no people should be.

Even after sensing that presence, Check merely narrowed her eyes and didn’t stop her steps.

She continued deeper and deeper inside.

Then, cautiously, she opened the door at the end of the corridor, wary of any potential bombs.

The door didn’t explode with a ‘bang!’ the moment it opened.

“A warehouse…?”

The space beyond the door was like a warehouse.

Though called a warehouse, it wasn’t the kind for casually storing miscellaneous items used daily.

It was likely a place for storing mass-produced factory goods and specialized equipment used within the factory.

Horribly rusted iron containers and various other large, miscellaneous mechanical devices were stacked throughout the vast space.

The ceiling was high, and the space was wide enough to resemble a plaza if the objects were cleared away.

And in that space, things that looked somewhat alien were lined up together.

‘Mannequins?’

They were dozens of mannequin dolls.

Human-shaped dolls made of a ceramic-like texture. Yet, naturally, with no faces drawn on them, all identical mannequins were left neglected in the warehouse, striking various poses or tangled with each other.

The presence she had felt moments ago was no longer discernible.

She had definitely felt it beyond the door, as if from within this very space.

Check carefully entered the warehouse.

Once more, she sharpened her senses towards her surroundings, trying to detect a presence. But still, no sign of a person could be felt anywhere in this space.

Neither Club nor Villain Thirteen was there.

Was it on another floor, or in another room? Or was the ‘meeting’ proposed by Thirteen a complete lie from the start?

As Check thought this and stepped deeper into the warehouse.

A clack was heard.

“!?”

Check turned around. There was still no one there. Only a mannequin standing in a peculiar pose.

However, that mannequin, under Check’s gaze… began to move with clacking and creaking sounds. Like a living creature.

And starting with that mannequin.

The mannequins next to it, and next to those, and next to those, all began to move simultaneously.

Clack

Clack, clack

Clack, clack, clack, clack

The clacking escalated into a continuous racket.

“…Ha, you son of a bitch.”

It was merely a minor noise, but when dozens of them overlapped at once, they became a great din.

As if they had been waiting for Check to enter the room, the mannequins simultaneously sprang to life and began to move.

The mannequins repeated small movements in place, as if checking the sensation in their limbs.

Then, all at once.

They rushed towards Check, who stood in the center.