episode_0197

-I know you cherish the Boss, and you’re loyal to her.

-Still, precisely because of that, let’s make sure there are no mistakes.

Those were Dorothy’s words.

The Boss was utterly confused by someone’s words, and the strategist had been kidnapped and disappeared.

In that situation, Number 13 had almost panicked as well, but thanks to Dorothy’s advice, he had barely managed to maintain his composure.

-Before you get rid of that Spade woman, brainwash the Boss first.

That’s what Dorothy had suggested to Number 13 first.

She said that regarding what to do with the Boss, who was saying she would kill Spade right away to avenge her sibling.

-It’s not like I’m telling you to do something bad. This is all for the Boss.

-Erase that ‘rage towards the sibling’s enemy’ or whatever through brainwashing.

-It’s not weird. Hypnosis is originally like that, isn’t it?

That’s right.

It’s not meant to be done in a bad way.

Even if you kill Spade, it’s not certain that you can completely erase that anger, is it?

-This is for the Boss, Number 13. So, steel yourself.

-Please, just this once, put away that frustratingly soft personality of yours.

-Please.

-Please, I beg you.

Dorothy pleaded several times.

Dorothy emphasized several times.

-I don’t know who that person who called was.

-But I think you won’t see good results if you do as that person says.

-Got it?

-Right now, rather than granting the Boss’s wish.

-You need to think about how to get past this without granting the Boss’s wish.

-…Please, Number 13.

-Please, just this once, be cold. Don’t have foolish thoughts.

-Seriously, please.

* * *

‘……Sorry, Dorothy.’

And, now.

Number 13 is deeply regretting, recalling what his colleague had suggested.

The plan to deceive Violet with Coco’s help… had failed.

But even so, if there had been just one more member of Team 7, the situation would have been completely different.

If Rahe had been here, it wouldn’t even have been a game.

Violet’s ability is basically useful in mid-to-long-range battles and has the disadvantage of being vulnerable in close combat.

If it were Rahe, who can attack faster than speaking, suppressing Violet would be nothing.

But.

Only Coco is here.

No one was called.

Number 13’s complacency.

Ultimately strangles his own neck.

‘It’s not that I didn’t think about it.’

‘I wanted to handle it myself, even if something happened.’

‘Because it’s the Boss’s matter.’

‘I wanted to handle it myself.’

Because it was the Boss’s matter, he couldn’t become cold.

He couldn’t become completely calculating.

The result of that.

Is now this preparation for a special attack that may or may not succeed.

If it succeeds, it’s break-even. If it fails, he loses everything.

Really, there’s a limit to how tilted the scales can be.

It’s disadvantageous, and the stakes are his life, but the only result is ‘the Boss’s peace’?

“Hooo….”

Really, what a person I am.

There’s a limit to how foolish you can be…!

* * *

“ 【Shotgun】 .”

As Violet shouted towards the empty air, a heavy shotgun appeared in that spot where there was nothing.

Not a toy or an illusion, but a real shotgun for the purpose of killing.

Her verbal command is also capable of summoning things like this.

Of course, she can’t create just anything, and she can’t use it freely because she has to go through a somewhat complicated process.

Anyway, if she uses it this way, she can save a lot of magic power compared to randomly bombarding like she did a little while ago.

Click!

The shotgun she summoned already had bullets loaded, so she didn’t need to touch anything else, she immediately loaded it, took a stance, and moved forward.

Before becoming a villain, she had never handled a gun in her life, but Number 13 taught her how to handle all kinds of firearms, including shotguns.

If you’re going to face an immortal like Number 13, a shotgun that can attack a wide area is better than a pistol that aims for vital points.

Ironically.

With the knowledge and skills that Number 13 taught, she ended up killing Number 13….

‘I need to save magic power.’

‘I wasted too much magic power a little while ago.’

‘I should have finished off Number 13 back then.’

Reflecting on herself for losing her composure and randomly bombarding a little while ago, she regrets it.

Really, what did I do?

I wasted too much ability. I completely lost my mind.

‘…Number 13 knows how much ability I can use.’

‘I also know how many times I can kill Number 13.’

The understanding of each other is sufficient.

Because they know how far each other can go, and how much they can endure.

That’s why Number 13 must be calculating everything.

How much to make her use her ability to make her run out.

Completely exhausted, and fall into just a helpless woman.

Tap—

“……!”

Click!

She pointed the gun in the direction she heard the sound.

Only containers were placed there.

When she thought about it, the footsteps from a little while ago seemed to have been heard from a bit further away.

She was too nervous, so she was reacting too sensitively….

Hoo… Hoo…

Once again, she aims the shotgun and moves forward.

Anyway, Number 13 won’t die even if she kills him about three more times.

So, if she sees him, she can just shoot him without hesitation…!

Clang!

Click…!

“…Again…!”

Again.

She aimed the gun at the sound she heard from somewhere, but no one was there.

Her teeth gritted in anger.

She wanted to entrust herself to her emotions and destroy anything at any moment.

She doesn’t know what he’s planning, but she wants Number 13 to come out in front of her eyes right now.

Clang!

“Eek…!”

Bang!

This time, the sound came from a close distance.

Along with that, she couldn’t endure it any longer and fired.

However, there was nothing at the location where she shot.

The wildly fired bullet shattered an empty box that was there and blew it away.

“Where are you… Where are you, Number 13…!!”

She shouts with anger, and when she was about to step towards the location where the sound came from a little while ago.

Swish swish swish swish swish-

“Ah…?!”

Taking advantage of the gap in consciousness, the slight opening, was the chain that Number 13 handles.

In that instant when she couldn’t react properly, the chain with a heavy anchor at the end wrapped around one of Violet’s arms and body.

“Ugh…!”

Following that was a sense of floating.

Along with the chain that wrapped around her body, Violet’s body was pulled into the air and flew away.

Violet’s slender body crashed violently into the container right behind.

Thud! Clatter!

“Keu… Heuk…!!”

The shotgun in her hand also slipped from her hand and fell to the floor with a clatter.

“Boss, I’m sorry!!”

While Violet couldn’t properly compose herself due to the pain.

Number 13, who was hiding nearby, jumped out from between the containers and charged towards Violet.

The same handkerchief that had gagged Violet’s mouth a little while ago was in his hand.

Even if Violet binds Number 13 with her verbal command, Number 13 can shake it off enough in a moment.

A dead end.

Thinking that, in the moment when only two or three steps remained until Number 13 reached Violet.

“ 【Shoot】 !”

Just one word.

A word barely uttered while suppressing a groan.

Along with that, the shotgun that had fallen at her feet turned its muzzle as if held by an invisible hand.

Bang!!

As it was, it fired towards Number 13.

Thud…!

Due to the powerful force of the shotgun, Number 13’s upper body, his head, was shattered into pieces and became a mass of meat, scattering.

Blood splattered, and flesh flew around.

Covered in Number 13’s blood, Violet looked down at Number 13’s body.

Completely broken and in a terrible state, Number 13’s corpse.

Due to the blood that Number 13 had splattered a little while ago, a terrible smell remained in this place.

But Number 13 doesn’t die with just this much.

As long as there is magic power remaining, he will revive again and again and again.

As if to prove that, Violet, breathing in the brink of hyperventilation, looks down at his body, which is now trying to start restoration, with great excitement….

Enduring the unfamiliar smell of blood, flesh, and gunpowder to her, she tightly spins her thoughts, which keep trying to freeze on their own.

‘Something.’

‘Anything.’

‘I have to say something.’

A ‘verbal command’ to finish off Number 13 must be uttered.

Something must be said to thoroughly suppress him, who is helpless now, while he is reviving.

‘Suppression, counterattack, or attack.’

‘Anything.’

‘Anything…!’

Like this.

This way, finish it.

This way, it must be finished!

Finish it——