One-way traffic

"Well…!"

She immediately used the power of the celestial bodies to create a shield, but it was not enough to completely block the enemy's damage; the impact was still enough to send her flying in one breath.

That is the fourth-ranked superpower in Academy City.

Even after fighting Kakine Teitoku, he still finds that powerful ability troublesome!

"No... I'm afraid I can't beat her in a direct confrontation!"

The power of atomic collapse is immense; it's not just about breaking steel or walls. As its name suggests, it's enough to truly disintegrate atoms.

A single strike would be enough to destroy skyscrapers; if Mugino Shizuri hadn't been concerned about going all out, he could have accomplished this with ease.

Hatsune Miku stepped back, and behind her were the other three.

"...We have to think of a way."

Hamazura Shiage frowned as he held Takitsubo Risa in his arms.

Mugino Shizuri's power is ultimately monstrous; it will be difficult to overcome this challenge on their own.

However, no matter how strong the opponent is, they are still just human beings.

If we can find a suitable way to defeat her...

"Um... cute young lady, what's your name?"

"Huh? Hatsune Miku... what's wrong?"

"Ugh, that's disgusting. How dare you say that at a time like this?"

"Stop arguing! Is saving your life more important or arguing?"

Hamazura Shiage rolled his eyes at Frenda, then quickly looked at Hatsune Miku.

"If possible, I would like to cooperate a little."

"What does this... mean?"

"That's what it means."

He said it with a serious expression.

"I have a plan that might allow me to defeat Mugino directly."

Chapter 196 Equal Results

Mugino Shizuri strolled casually down the street.

She didn't care how many people were against her, nor did she care who those people were; she only had one thought in mind.

After eliminating the traitor Frenda, and then reclaiming Takitsubo Riko, I'll head straight back to the 'School'.

No one can stop her.

Mugino Shizuri walked to the edge of a high bridge.

The bridge probably leads to Academy City's maglev high-speed rail, but she didn't come here to see that phenomenon.

The reason she came here is actually quite simple.

A figure stood before Mugino Shizuri.

"what."

Looking at the figure that felt completely familiar to her, Mugino Shizuri couldn't help but laugh.

"So you're not planning on running for your life, Hamazura?"

It is Hamamen Shiage.

Unlike before, he was all alone here now. Mugino Shizuri didn't know where the other three people had gone, but that didn't matter.

She takes care of each problem as it arises; that's her principle.

"You don't actually think you're a hero, do you? What's the point of doing something like that water trough?"

"...This is not a question of whether it's good or bad."

Hamazura Shigekazu faced Mugino Shizuri alone.

He had no fear whatsoever.

"You won't even listen to Frenda's explanations now, and you don't even consider the most basic living conditions of Takitsubo... Don't you intend to treat them as human beings?"

"So what? Do you think I view myself with the standards of a normal person?"

Sweat beaded on Hamazura Shige's forehead. He said he wasn't afraid, but his body instinctively trembled slightly when faced with this monster.

But he cannot back down.

"Then let's try it."

"Ha...you really dare to say that."

Mugino Shizuri didn't take this man seriously at all.

"If it were Kinuhata or that woman from who-knows-where, I would be somewhat wary, but what is this? It's actually you, a Level 0, who's coming to fight me? Could it be that those three women abandoned you here as bait and ran away on their own?"

He spoke in a joking tone, but the content of his words was enough to send chills down one's spine.

"You're really having a tough time, Hamazura. How about I help you get out of this mess too?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't think I'm stupid enough to be that ridiculous."

He waved his hand, and it was only at this moment that Mugino Shizuri noticed something.

Hamazura Shigeo seemed to be holding something in his hand.

"Now it's my turn to ask a question. Look... doesn't this thing look familiar?"

Mugino Shizuri's eyes widened.

What he held in his hand was a square, light pink box with sharp edges—something she was all too familiar with—this was the very thing she had personally handed over to Takitsubo Riko.

That's a box containing the crystal.

“You…!”

"I'm saying, if Takitsubo wants to unleash the full potential of her abilities, she absolutely has to rely on this, right? As long as she doesn't have the Body Crystal...!!"

Immediately, Hamazura Shiage intended to throw the box in his hand to the ground.

Mugino Shizuri's movements were swift and decisive. Without hesitation, she concentrated her power in her feet and charged forward like a rocket.

But Hamazura Shiage had anticipated this.

He dodged to the right with lightning speed, and the spot where he was standing was immediately filled with Mugino Shizuri's figure, while he himself fell directly to the ground.

"You bastard!"

"Hey, don't make any rash moves!"

Click. It was a black handgun, seemingly a woman's weapon.

Hamazura Shige pointed the pistol at the box in his hand, a forced smile creeping onto his face.

"Even if the body crystal is destroyed, it doesn't matter? I don't know how expensive this thing is, but without it, Takitsubo won't be able to use her abilities."

"..."

"What should we do, Mugino? Should we continue to kill me and steal the Body Crystal no matter what? Or should we do something even more foolish!"

Thump—! The moment those words fell, Hamazura Shiage felt a foot brush past his cheek.

Mugino Shizuri stepped directly on the high heel of his shoe, causing Mugino's pupils to shrink and his body to roll over without hesitation.

"I've made a firm decision about one thing, Hamazura."

Hamazura Shige didn't look back; he ran off into the distance without hesitation.

The last sound reached my ears.

"I will definitely kill you."

——————————————————————————————————————————————

It's a place similar to a chemical plant.

Hamazura Shigehisa ran for a long time to get here, during which time Mugino Shizuri relentlessly pursued him.

At least the objective has been achieved.

Click. After locking the door, Hamazura Shige looked around the interior of the facility.

"...It's actually an automated refining plant for vegetable ethanol fuel?"

This must be a factory that extracts alcohol from plants.

The entire floor looked like a vegetable greenhouse. The rooms were very dark, but many of them were covered with various plants. Hamazura Shige could see many grapevines at a glance.

It must be a very high-end factory.

Thump…

But there was no time left for him to tour the place.

The faint sound of footsteps came from the stairwell behind him, but to Hamazura Shige, it sounded like the tolling of a death knell.

The monster ranked fourth followed.

"I only get one chance, I can't be too nervous..."

Understanding that losing meant certain death, Hamazura Shige's heart pounded, and his hand gripping the pistol trembled uncontrollably.

then.

A beam of light pierced straight through the wall.

"Varied--?"

"You've really picked a great spot, Hamazura."

Boom! The wall was torn apart in an instant.

"Ughh ...

Hamazura Shige, who was blasted away by the excessive impact, rolled several times on the ground. He felt a slight cracking sound coming from his ribs, and there was even a possibility of internal bleeding.

The footsteps grew closer, and he saw a dark figure slowly emerge from the smoke and dust of the explosion.

"To die in a deserted place like this is quite a romantic situation."

"asshole…"

"Hey, you still have time to swear? Don't you understand your own situation? Huh?!"

Countless atomic collapses occurred again.

Mugino Shizuri focused the emerald green light into a single beam, releasing a laser powerful enough to pierce through everything in one go. Hamazura Shiage ignored the pain on his inner side and rolled to his right as close to the ground as possible.

The greenhouse was instantly severed by the luminous green light, and the severed part gradually caught fire. The falling support also smashed directly onto Hamazura Shige's back.

He fell to the ground, the ground covered with blood spurting from his mouth.

"Ugh...! Damn it!"

"What a misfortune, you can't move after being hit in the back, right? Let me help you get out of this predicament."

Bang! Hamazura Shige saw the woman pick up a steel pipe from the ground, making a screeching sound as if it were being scraped against the ground, just like a killer in a horror movie.

The distance is getting closer.

Hamazura Shige used his last bit of strength to pick up the pistol that had fallen to the ground.

"You don't actually think that kind of toy would be effective against a Level 5 superpower user, do you?"

"How could that be... How could a monster ranked fourth be afraid of this kind of toy..."

"Ha, so what are you doing? Giving yourself a final pep talk before you die?"

"Speaking of which, have you ever thought about something?"

Hamazura Shige ignored what the other person was saying.

“I know perfectly well that there is a huge gap between us, but I still brought you to a place like this... You don’t really think I’m just taking a casual stroll, do you?”

"ah…?"