episode_0026

‘Hostages on the 1st floor: ■, Dolls: six.’ ‘Hostages on the 2nd floor: ■, Dolls: four.’ ‘Hostages on the 3rd floor: ■■, Dolls: seven.’ ‘On the 4th floor――’

Club, who had sent the cats in first, counted for several tens of seconds before instantly entering the department store through the main entrance. The cats that had gone inside earlier were already roaming freely, taking in various parts of the department store with their eyes. All the information the cats captured in their vision was being directly transmitted to Club.

—Club’s ability, to be precise, is not a type that controls animals. That ability is merely a secondary effect, utilizing the primary characteristic of her power. Club’s boasted clairvoyance ability. Its true nature is the power to remotely share vision with a target whose wavelength matches hers. ‘Sensory Sharing’ or ‘Sensory Synchronization’. It is an empathic ability that shares not only vision with a registered target but also all five senses, including hearing, smell, taste, and touch. That was the true nature of Club’s ability.

Previously, when cornering Villain 13 and Dorothy, it was by sharing the vision of a cat watching nearby that Club detected Dorothy secretly picking up a gun from a blind spot, having muffled her sounds. The reason she immediately found the two without searching was also because she had sent cats to all floors beforehand. The reason she couldn’t detect the flashbang Villain 13 had prepared was that the flashbang in his hand was not visible from the cat’s position at the time.

Ultimately, the trick itself can be seen as quite simple. However, more than one might imagine, the ability is extremely tricky and difficult to handle. Doesn’t a person naturally experience the world with more than enough sensations from just their own body? But Club’s ability expands and multiplies those sensations twofold, threefold, fourfold… countless times. It’s not a capacity that a single person’s mind can process. Yet, Club can do it. Even with a knack for it, the fact that she can do it makes Club deserving of being called exceptional. It’s no wonder she’s overflowing with confidence.

…Just for reference. The reason she specifically gathers only cats is simply because cats, among all animals, have the best wavelength compatibility with Club.

‘……With this, I’ve grasped all floors.’

Clink clink clink clink clink… Club sprinted up the escalator that ran through the central part of the shopping mall, instantly pulling out a large quantity of coins from the pouch at her waist.

‘Setting impact points based on the cats’ vision.’ ‘Targets are… the dolls closest to the hostages.’

“【 Load. Disperse and Aim.】” *Clatterrrrrrr* *Whoosh!* Club scattered the familiar 500-won coins she held in her hand into the air.

A cacophony of metallic sounds as they collided with each other. But simultaneously, the coins scattered haphazardly in the air abruptly froze in unison. They didn’t fall further, merely stopping as if awaiting a command. In that interim, Club, who had left the coins and was running, chanted an additional incantation.

“【 Fire. You shall become my Spirit Bow and shoot down the enemy.】”

A total of 27 coins were scattered in the air. The magic contained within each one of them was instantly released. Each coin became a single projectile and flew through the air.

* * *

“Please listen carefully, both of you. I will explain the strategy.” A moment ago, facing the department store, Apple had finalized and explained the strategy to Club and Spade.

“First, what you need to know is that Villain 13 has a special escape ability. It’s likely the ability of a villain named Strategist, a member of the same organization.” Perhaps something like a warp using shadows. It’s a troublesome ability, but currently, they have no way to stop it.

“Rescuing the hostages is important, but if the situation turns unfavorable even after rescuing them, Villain 13 will immediately flee. We cannot allow that.” Therefore, what Apple proposed was a swift decisive battle. To aim for a super short-term decisive battle, finishing everything before Villain 13 himself can decide whether to flee or stay. That was Apple’s proposal.

“We will finish this before the opponent can decide whether to flee or fight to the end.” “As for the bombs and communications, I’ll manage them for a while if I can. You two shouldn’t worry about anything else; just follow instructions and rush in at maximum speed.” Thus, the strategy was decided.

* * *

*Whizzz!* *Whizz! Whizz! Whiz! Whizz! Whizz! Whizz! Whizz! Whizz! Whiz-whiz-whiz-whiz! Whizz! Whizz! Whizz!* *Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoooooosh!*

The coins, fired by Club’s magic in mid-air, each flew to their designated locations through the central part of the department store, penetrating all floors. They bent several times in the air as she guided them, barely losing any speed. The coins, tearing through the wind as they flew, the next moment.

*Boooooom!* *Crunch!* *Shatterrrr!*

instantly shattered the countless dolls that had surrounded the civilians.

“*Aaah!*” “*Uh, uh…?*” “*Th-They exploded?!*”

As the dolls monitoring them from close proximity burst apart, scattering limbs and fragments, the hostages screamed. If they regained their composure, they would be able to escape. Unfortunately, Club currently had no time to guide them.

‘It seems some dolls are still left.’ ‘If I deal with all of them, he’ll immediately run.’

Clink clink clink clink clink Club looked up at her target location and ran up the escalator as if flying.

According to Apple’s plan, if only the urgent dolls holding hostages were dealt with… Villain 13 was expected to be caught between two choices: ‘take hostages again’ or ‘flee’, and ponder. For that purpose, she deliberately left more than half of the dolls remaining. She intentionally left choices, to make him spend time agonizing.

Club conspicuously running across the central escalator of the department store was for the same reason. As Villain 13 desired, Club herself appearing would make her a bait, forcing him to spend more time on his dilemma. It was a gamble of a plan. That’s why speed was crucial. They absolutely could not give the opponent time to make a calm judgment.

Furthermore, it was confirmed that Villain 13 was not at the target location Club was heading towards. The place Villain 13 designated was Sector F on the ■th floor. However, the place Apple found his image by manipulating the security cameras was two floors above that. By all appearances, it was a location where he could visually confirm Club’s arrival and use some kind of device. And moreover, it was a distance from which he could easily escape if Club realized Villain 13’s location and tried to climb higher. She could almost grasp what the cunning and cowardly man was thinking by choosing such a location. His disgusting and utterly pathetic thought process of watching his prey fall into a trap from a safe blind spot, always ready to withdraw, was simply obvious. A despicable man.

However, what he hadn’t considered was. That a monster capable of shattering his utterly obvious plan head-on was currently on this team.

*Craaaash!* “*Aaah?!*”

Before reaching the target location, a loud crash echoed from a distant upper floor. Along with it, a man’s terrible groan, seemingly filled with pain. For a moment, she thought it was a hostage’s scream, but then she remembered it was a familiar voice. It was Villain 13’s voice. If so, she could guess the cause of the crash and scream from a moment ago.

‘Spade Sunbae-nim… How did she get there already?’ ‘I thought it would take longer. She really is a monster….’

* * *

“Villain 13 is assessing the situation through the security cameras.” “I found traces of hacking. Though I did manage to secretly seize control of some cameras without him noticing.”

Likewise, this was something Apple had mentioned during the strategy meeting earlier. A near-certain suspicion had arisen that Villain 13 was currently using surveillance camera footage to understand the situation.

Spade had also anticipated that possibility, just in case, which was why she deliberately hid in a restroom to avoid being caught on camera. Villain 13 probably wouldn’t even know Spade was in this location. However, to go up to the higher floors, no matter which stairs she used, her image couldn’t avoid being caught on camera. If only Club were caught in his vision, Villain 13 might hesitate to flee, but if Spade were also seen, he would surely try to escape without looking back.

“Therefore, Ms. Spade, please approach Villain 13’s location without being caught on camera.” Honestly, it was an absurd demand when looking at reality, but Apple’s proposal, brimming with trust, was made because she knew it was possible, so she couldn’t just dismiss it. And so. Spade immediately scaled the exterior wall of the department store. She climbed the building’s exterior wall vertically. Leaping her body out of windows as if performing acrobatics and speeding up the wall, defying the laws of physics. In an instant, she arrived at Villain 13’s location much earlier than Club, who was running up the escalator.

* * *

When Villain 13 realized it, Spade was already close by. Foolishly, Villain 13 hadn’t even noticed she had approached until she was about two steps away. Should it be called excessive carelessness? Or perhaps, Spade’s silent infiltration technique, which completely erased her presence, was that exceptional.

*Thud!* “*Khuk…!?*”

He wasn’t even given time to be surprised. By Spade, who had approached him in an instant, Villain 13 was hit square in the abdomen and sent flying *whoosh* into the air.

However, before his body could even touch the ground, Spade, having quickly leaped, lunged at Villain 13, who was still flying in the air, grabbed him by the collar, and slammed him powerfully into the floor.

*Craaaash!* “*……!!*” *Cough!*

A heavy and violent impact. His head slammed into the floor, his brain rattled, and the air was instantly forced out of his lungs, causing momentary breathlessness. It wasn’t just about putting weight into it. He was slammed down with enough force that it wouldn’t be strange if his bones broke and internal organs ruptured. To kick an opponent into the air and then grab them mid-air and slam them down? What kind of trick is this? Truly monstrous speed and monstrous strength. Being an A-rank Hero is indeed not just for show…!

“*Gah… Cough…*”

“You can’t use that strange warp while I’m holding you like this, can you? I absolutely won’t let you go today, Villain 13.” “You… you monster…!”

Spade’s two red eyes, looking down vertically from above, shone menacingly with a wild gleam.