episode_0235

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The villain organization “Dawn” is particularly characterized by its large number of members.

As crackdowns by heroes intensified and the number of villains rapidly decreased, large organizations usually broke into smaller groups or became priority targets for heroes, leading to their annihilation.

Amidst this, “Dawn” maintains its size to a degree not much different from its chaotic past, leveraging its numbers as a strength to operate in various fields.

The problem is that the level of individual members, especially the level of the awakened ones, is somewhat low, but recently, there have been rumors that this issue has been rapidly resolved.

At the same time, the organization has acquired new sources of funding and possesses far more advanced ultra-scientific equipment than what is known to the public, leading to various rumors.

However, they haven’t directly caused problems, and one can’t impose sanctions based solely on rumors like “I heard that’s how it is.”

Moreover, in the current situation where avoiding unnecessary commotion is prioritized, no one is willing to take a loss to confront this organization, which can be considered the largest in the country.

Therefore, this day’s raid was exceptional and unexpected by anyone.

Not even the members of “Dawn,” nor even their boss.

Only one person.

Except for the scientist younger sibling who had set up a nest on the very top floor of “Dawn’s” hideout.

* * *

[Area A cleared. No issues here, will continue to breach.]

[Area B is also clear. There’s an unexpected fork in the road, please provide instructions for the next route.]

Voices alternate from the earphone-shaped communicator in my ear.

As expected of Squad 7. Each member is more than worthy of being called a veteran, and they are proceeding with the mission with astonishing ease according to the pre-arranged plan.

Number 13 is listening to the report while disguised as a guest in the hotel’s first-floor lobby, surveying the surroundings.

The commotion that occurred at the back door and side entrance doesn’t seem to have reached the guests in the lobby yet.

However, among the staff, serious faces can be seen as they go back and forth.

This is a hotel building located in the heart of the city.

This famous hotel, known to those in the know, is the headquarters of the large-scale villain organization “Dawn.”

At the same time, this is also the place where that damn scientist younger sibling is hiding.

“Number 13-nim. Look at that.”

“…Hmm.”

Apple, disguised and sitting next to me, whispered secretly in my ear.

Following her gaze beneath her sunglasses, I saw bulkheads descending, completely blocking the hotel’s entrance and windows.

The guests inside the lobby all look surprised by the sudden situation.

Some are even rushing to argue with the staff.

I expected them to lower the bulkheads, but I didn’t expect them to do it so quickly, without even a warning.

“I thought they would at least let the guests out first.”

“Isn’t that how desperate they are to catch us?”

Apple said with a bitter smile.

According to the information she gathered and the predictions based on that information, this organization was completely consumed by that scientist younger sibling—Doraji.

In other words, this hasty response is likely Doraji’s own instruction, and considering the intention, there is no other understandable content than what Apple said now.

Doraji must have anticipated their raid.

And instead of ambushing and killing them at their hideout, including Number 13, it seems she intended to lure them into her base and capture them.

‘I thought you’d be a little more flustered.’

Well, either way, it’s not a big problem.

Number 13 contacted the other entry teams through the communicator one last time, then turned to look at the three people who were disguised with him.

Apple, Spade, and Mabel, respectively.

These three are a team accompanying Number 13 and acting as his bodyguards.

“Then, shall we go?”

“Yes, Number 13-nim!”

“Good.”

“…Understood.”

Listening to Apple’s enthusiastic reply, Spade’s calm voice, and Mabel’s unmotivated dialect, Number 13 shed his disguise and headed for the stairs inside.

* * *

“【Why do you ask me why I live in the blue mountains? I can only smile leisurely without answering.】”

“【Peach blossoms floating on the water flow far away; this place is definitely not the human world——it is a paradise.】”

That is the clear and resonant language of the incantation.

Those were the words of incantation by Squad 4 Vice-Captain Mabel to bring about the mystic.

In the corridor where fallen villains and even more villains surrounded the two of them.

Mabel drew long lines with a brush that emitted thick ink, on the floor and walls.

What remained there was a deep ink trace.

The dark black traces of ink soon swelled up, and ferocious beasts and grotesque monsters began to spring out as if born from within.

『Ugh, ughaaaaaaah!!』

『I’ve been bitten…! Save me…!!』

『Aaaack!! Ughaaaaack!!』

The noisy screams, however, are covered by the wave of hideous sounds emitted by the ink monsters as they snarl.

Meanwhile, behind Mabel.

“Hmph… huff…!”

Thwack! Thwack!

Crack! Snap!!

『Aaaack…!! Arm, arm…!!!』

『T, this woman is a monster…!! Run away… call the executives…!!』

There, Spade, having thrown off both her hat and mask, was showing off her power without holding back, knocking down villains.

For villains who use tools, Spade’s existence was nothing short of a nightmare.

The saying that there’s no match for numbers is meaningless now.

As if stepping on ants, Spade subdued all the villains who surrounded and rushed at her cleanly, swiftly, at an invisible speed.

The tools they believe in and rely on are useless.

She shatters swords in an instant, and items like crowbars or clubs are sent flying or smashed with a single punch or kick.

In the case of guns, she skillfully uses her comrades’ bodies as shields, and when someone barely managed to shoot at her once, she even saw it with her eyes and grabbed it with her hand.

None of the attacks work.

If they freeze for a moment, or become petrified with fear, Spade’s body approaches them like the wind at that very moment and breaks their limbs.

Aaaack…!!

Kkeuaack… Aaaack…!!

The unbelievable superhuman strength instantly cripples them with a terrible sound the moment her delicate hand grabs their arms or legs.

Once caught, it’s over.

At this rate, it’s nothing more than a game of tag.

The woman is the tagger, and they are absolute underdogs who are finished if caught.

Aren’t they being hunted almost with the feeling of playing a game? The villains in front of Spade even get that thought.

—Monster.

—It’s a monster.

They, the non-awakened members of the organization who rarely get to see proper awakened combat.

They felt deep fear for the women who surpassed common sense in front of them, for her belonging to first-class heroes.

It feels like their hearts are collapsing…!

“Run away…”

“Run awaaaaay!! Call the executives!! And the awakened oneeeees——”

Someone.

Someone among the villains confronting Spade shouted desperately.

And as if responding to that villain, or as if they had the same thought, the villains who were about to turn around and run away all at once.

However, they had no choice but to stop when they saw the black wall blocking their way.

“T, this is… what is this…?!”

That is the ink wall made of Mabel’s ink.

Their frozen minds do not realize that it has already passed under their feet without anyone knowing, blocking their escape route.

“Hmph… I won’t take your lives, so don’t be a nuisance and just stay asleep.”

Mabel said that with an unmotivated voice and moved the brush in her hand.

A narrow passage. A place with no room to dodge.

The thick ink wall filled such space without any room to avoid and then rushed to swallow the villains.

And so.

Dozens of members of the villain organization “Dawn,” who were blocking the passage and holding out, were instantly neutralized by the two heroes.

* * *

‘Everyone, I hope they’re doing well?’

Mirae Ashe, who entered separately from Number 13’s group, felt the commotion that shook the entire hotel and was lost in thought for a moment.

But there was no need to worry. Number 13 had engraved Dorothy’s advice from the past, making the maximum preparations he could, and those preparations were more than enough to destroy a single villain organization.

At least at this point, no one is in danger. I judge so.

So until now, everyone is okay. They will be okay.

“Hey. Why did you suddenly stop?”

“…No, it’s nothing.”

Mirae Ashe turned her head at the impatient voice, not hiding its annoyance.

The person with her is Ashe of the current era, shortened to Hyeon Ashe.

Brainwashed by Number 13’s brainwashing drug, she is now cooperating with Number 13 to help with this raid operation.

But it seems that the brainwashing has not been completely achieved because there has been no time to refine the brainwashing.

Well… that attitude doesn’t seem to be just that.

“Can’t you be a little more affectionate? ‘I’ am ‘you’, so is there a need to be so cold?”

“…You came without warning overnight and said that, of course I can’t accept it. I still suspect that you were created by someone’s ability? Or I’m under some kind of hallucination.”

“Good. Being cautious is a good thing.”

I didn’t bother to refute the suspicion. I had already made some effort before, and it was too late to do anything more now.

More than that, she agrees with the purpose of stopping Rahel who is being manipulated by the villains anyway. If she achieves that one thing, it doesn’t matter whether she suspects or does something else.

“Then, let’s go. We can’t arrive later than the other teams. And if we lose the speed to someone else, we’ll have to give up the captain’s position.”

“…If you hadn’t suddenly stopped, there wouldn’t have been any problems.”

Well, even if she stopped like that, there are still no problems. Everything was going too smoothly.

Two Ashes climb the emergency stairs on a different route from Number 13.

On the stairs and corridors the two passed through, countless members of “Dawn” were lying fallen at their feet. The number is at least more than twice the number of people handled by Number 13’s side.

Among them were executive-level awakened ones, but they were subdued at a speed not much different from ordinary members and fell together.

None of them were seriously injured, and no one lost their lives, and they were only knocked unconscious with very excellent skills.

Probably, they will continue to sleep like that until everything is over.

Their skills and teamwork were fine, but unfortunately, their opponents were captain-class heroes.

There are even two heroes with fraudulent abilities.

There is no avoiding feeling sorry for their fate. If the opponents weren’t these two, they might have been a little more active.

Regardless of that fact, the two Ashes continue to move on.

The goal is the top floor, where the root cause of everything is expected to be.