1.
The nights in Kiburatos are always chaotic.
Even the daylight hours are just as chaotic, but the late-night chaos in Kiburatos takes on a different meaning.
While the disturbances during the day stem from various activities, the chaos at night is largely caused by crimes and incidents.
Just as the words “yang” and “yin” differentiate, the events happening during the day and night often take on different forms.
Human psychology works this way: what happens under the light of day occurs in the open, and the unwritten rule is that only after darkness falls can the hidden world’s activities begin.
Unscrupulous acts are carried out only after it gets dark.
For this reason, some people refer to the late-night and early-morning hours as “the morning of the underworld.”
Additionally, a force contributing significantly to the activation of this hidden world exists in Kiburatos.
The Black Market.
A breeding ground for all illegal activities during the Sentum Tower malfunction incident, it became a nest cradling deep shadows and the epicenter of all covert transactions.
A force so large that even Valkyrie, the police academy, struggled to easily suppress it — their promotion of the hidden world’s activities exacerbated the chaos in Kiburatos. And naturally, it also became the reason and purpose for me to become more active.
-Static!
[Aoeba West District, 9th Street — received an emergency call. Nearby substations, please head to the area.]
[This is Aoeba Substation. We’re currently on the ring road. Please relay the situation at 9th Street.]
[A disturbance is occurring in the middle of the street. The culprits are a group known as Helmet Gang. Immediate action and suppression requested.]
[This is Aoeba Substation. Understood.]
As always, the night in Kiburatos is restless. Evidence of the ongoing combat can be heard through the Valkyrie radio hacking tool that Himari helped me create.
“Aoeba West District, 9th Street. It’s quite a distance.”
In Kiburatos, where carrying firearms has not only been legalized but has become commonplace, it’s natural for both individual and group disturbances to involve guns and explosives. Hence, there are always people who must respond tirelessly, regardless of day or night.
Valkyrie Police Academy.
Now, they are the silent companions of my duty — the guardians who maintain the security of Kiburatos.
“Should I head out?”
As evening fell, I stepped out once again to assist them in preserving the order of Kiburatos.
Whoosh—
While the police patrol the ground, I initiate patrols from above, weaving through the city.
When a call occasionally comes through, I assess the importance of the incident and decide whether to intervene or leave it to Valkyrie.
Although it’s not formally arranged, this is an implicit pattern of collaboration between Valkyrie and me.
Some people even send me subtle updates like “Resolved quickly. No support necessary. Please don’t come,” knowing that I’m listening in on their radios.
But tonight, Valkyrie’s communication suggests they need support for the current disturbance.
“Seems like this incident is on a larger scale, right?”
“….Exactly. This feels different from the last time. Might not be an ordinary disturbance?”
“Let’s check it out then. It’s not too far, after all.”
Valkyrie’s request for support without disclosing additional information to me indicates two possibilities.
One: The disturbance is of substantial scale. It’s a situation where my involvement is necessary, and Valkyrie subtly seeks my help.
Two: The student making the call is unaware of my existence. Despite my active involvement, only a few people know that I secretly listen in on Valkyrie’s radio communications.
However…
“Aoeba Substation has worked with me many times. Moreover, I’ve helped their station chief on several occasions.”
For some reason, a peculiar intuition arises.
Not a feeling of assisting Valkyrie but rather an ominous tension, as if I’m stepping into the enemy’s ranks.
A sensation that I hadn’t felt even last night grips me.
Did something change overnight?
Could it be my heightened intuition or…?
“Senior, hold on for a second.”
“…? What’s the matter?”
“Something’s off. The feeling… it’s not good.”
“Huh?”
I stopped heading to Aoeba District and called out to Himari.
“Just a moment, please.”
“Why this sudden pause? Any issues?”
“Just a second. Give me a moment.”
With a bewildered Himari behind me, I began pondering this strange sensation.
“What could be the problem?”
My heightened intuition always sends ‘conclusionary’ sensations.
While it enhances regular senses and instincts, the most potent function of my heightened intuition approaches ‘premonition’ — a near ability to foresee crises.
And right now,
I am experiencing that crisis alert in real-time.
‘This means that a crisis is imminent, and there must be a cause leading to this crisis.’
What is the cause? Why is my intuition warning me of danger?
Why did this heightened intuition manifest while heading to support Valkyrie?
What threatens me, and how should I evade it?
Heightened intuition always brings unease. However, being merely afraid is the way of the weak. Digging deeper to uncover the truth is what I must do.
Starting from the question of ‘why,’ I branch out in numerous directions, gathering fragmented information.
Valkyrie. This is undoubtedly the most crucial keyword.
Why, then, did I feel a sense of crisis while moving to assist Valkyrie?
Is Valkyrie attacking me? Or is this communication a trap to ensnare me?
Why?
Could Valkyrie have a reason to attack me?
Although there have been attempts to capture me as an adversary in the past, Valkyrie eventually merely observed my activities. Occasionally, they even lent a helping hand. Yet…
“Is Valkyrie betraying me? Now of all times?”
“Huh-?!”
“I don’t have confirmation yet. But…”
“Did you just experience a sudden intuition, right?”
“…Yes.”
I nodded at Himari’s question. This was an inexplicable conclusion, but heightened intuition is the extraordinary power it bestows. Doubting it wasn’t an option. I couldn’t doubt the ability itself; instead, I had to question whether my judgment was right or wrong.
“…Let’s verify. Whether my judgment is correct or not.”
“Be careful. If Silk’s hypothesis is correct…”
“Understood.”
The hero’s activities will become burdensome from now on.
If Valkyrie, which tacitly approved my activities, has become an adversary, all kinds of restrictions will follow. It’s an exhausting situation.
Clutching the hope that my judgment was mistaken, I headed toward Aoeba District.
2.
“Shit.”
“Tszip! No bad words allowed!”
“Ah. Sorry. But, that…”
“Yes. It’s exactly as we suspected. These aren’t mere tools meant to counter the Helmet Gang.”
“…”
What the hell?
I muttered dejectedly.
From my perch on top of a high-rise building, I watched the Valikyrie students, who had already quelled the unrest in Aoeba District and were now waiting for me.
And my heightened intuition was still speaking.
It warned me that if I descend from here, I will be embroiled in a difficult fight with the Valkyrie students.
I bit my lips and narrowed my eyes intensely.
“Surely, there must be a reason.”
Just yesterday, the Valkyrie students were friendly towards me. It didn’t make sense that they would abruptly change without cause.
It simply couldn’t be so. I prayed fervently.
I slowly and carefully observed the Valkyrie students.
Their expressions weren’t peaceful.
There was discomfort, irritation, and uneasiness clearly etched on their faces.
“This isn’t just irritation, is it?”
“Hmm. Definitely. Clearly, they seem both anxious and burdened with a sense of guilt.”
“Guilty?”
Why would the students standing there waiting for me feel guilt?
Why would all of them feel guilty about being there to capture me?
“It’s not their decision.”
“…”
“Apparently, someone higher up in Valkyrie, or someone higher still, sees you, Silk, as problematic. If directives have been issued to all Valkyrie stations at this level…”
“…”
They’re uneasy with the actions they’re currently taking.
That not just one individual, but everyone, is showing this demeanor means that these are actions not of their own volition.
Then…
“Hmm.”
“Do you understand something, Silk?”
“Yes. I’ve grasped the general situation.”
Having reached this conclusion, deducing who was behind this was not difficult. There was only one person I knew who could give Valkyrie these directives at this point.
“The Student Council.”
“Wh-? The Student Council?”
Of course, it wouldn’t represent the entire Student Council.
Somebody under the Student Council, more accurately, a specific department — “Defense Division” — likely harbors discomfort towards me.
If this hypothesis is correct, the current situation makes sense.
Such secretive and despicable tactics are indeed her style.
‘You’re beginning your moves, Kaya.’
The young woman aiming for supremacy in Kiburatos.
The statesman who, perhaps has already, or will soon form an alliance with “Kaiser Corporation” and execute a coup to grasp actual influence.
Shiranui Kaya, who seeks to become a “superhuman” like the missing president of the Student Council.
She has started her actions undercover.
Lately, quite a few powerful figures have shown interest in me.
Yet, I’m not particularly worried.
“If that’s the case, it’s time to revert to the old ways.”
“Old ways?…”
“It’s a method I frequently used during the period when I wasn’t yet familiar with Valkyrie. The same method I used in Gehenna.”
“…”
Yes. It’s exactly that.
I am about to become Coupangman once again.
Just this time, I’ll only be delivering villains.
3.
“Phew. This is the seventh one now.”
“Valkyrie seems to have caught on that we’ve figured them out.”
“No surprise there. I am outright avoiding them.”
As a few hours passed since I started deliberately avoiding Valkyrie, they seemed to be catching on.
Whether they’ll respond or not is unclear, but attempts to lure me via radio communication have clearly reduced.
They’ve recognized it’s futile.
Some quick-witted Valkyrie members know my perception isn’t ordinary, realizing that such simple tactics wouldn’t work, hence they’ve given up easily.
“Still… it’s slightly exhausting. We used to collaborate a lot with Valkyrie, haah…”
“I’ll do my best to assist you too, Hero.”
“Hehe. Encouragement from the pinnacle cool-headed beauty and the flower on the cliff, Himari-senpai, makes me feel stronger!”
“….What, really? Cough That’s good to hear, Hero.”
Apparently, compliments from others resonate differently than self-praise, causing embarrassment for Himari.
With a chuckle, I stretched.
It felt like a good time to return now. My heightened intuition wasn’t detecting any urgent incidents either.
Making that thought, I rose from my seat just then.
“Hmm, time to go back.”
-Zzzrit!
Just then, my heightened intuition flickered, snapping me out of my drowsiness.
“…?!”
“Hero? What’s the matter-”
A sensation different from the earlier feeling seized me.
To put it metaphorically, it was like the sensation I felt when I first met Neru — encountering a formidable enemy. Immediate tension rose.
“Right side!”
“Damn it!”
Instinctively reacting, I quickly sprang upwards, flipping backward in a swift evasive maneuver, pressing the side button on my mask upon landing lightly on my feet.
Zrrrr
The mask previously displaying a translucent blue screen emitted light, presenting a cascade of information as its functions expanded in sync with my heightened intuition, quickly absorbing and analyzing information from my surroundings.
Holographic displays floating within the mask.
Simultaneously, the night vision function illuminated my darkened surroundings.
Recognizing an attacker lunging down at my position, the device accessed its database to identify the assailant.
However, soon enough, what appeared on my screen was…
[UNIDENTIFIED]
An alert for insufficient information about the opponent.
Startled by this unexpected result, I internally kept my composure while addressing the figure.
“Who are you?”
“…”
“Why did you attack me?”
“…”
“Planning to stay silent?”
The person offered no answers to my questions.
Maintaining my stance, I focused my attention, closely observing the figure.
Putting aside the questions of how my position was detected and the rationale behind this attack, I carefully analyzed the situation.
Who, at such a late hour, would have the audacity to attack me? And among those capable of stirring up this degree of ominous intuition, who would feel compelled to attack me?
Moreover, while the individual’s face was obscured by the mask, faint strands of blonde hair were visible.
Blonde hair. Attacker. Unidentifiable individual.
Who could possess such skill?
Who among those with the information network necessary to pinpoint my location would also be this powerful?
There was one.
The conclusion came quickly.
“Rio. She sent you, didn’t she?”
“!”
“Why? You didn’t expect me to catch on, huh?”
At my query, the person’s body noticeably tensed before the aura and killer intent aimed at me deepened significantly — to the point where my heightened intuition issued a danger signal.
A hollow laugh escaped me.
Apparently, Rio has decided to confront me directly to extract information.
And this person is her envoy.
“Meeting you so early was unexpected.”
I sighed while clenching my fists tightly.
“Was Rio the one who sent you? To fight against me and extract information. Or was it to restrain and capture me?”
“…”
“So, you can’t answer this, right?”
I anticipated his response—or lack thereof, assuming it was him.
With a muttered thought, I readied myself.
“Let’s begin.”
The figure—’Asuma Toki’—also assumed a combat stance in response to my words.
Seems like tonight is going to be long.
Sighing internally, I charged at Toki.
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