CH 6.09

Further down the floor where we left Susanoo was the chief’s room….or should I say, mansion.

A Japanese house with eaves and a landscape garden.

The ceiling was filled with natural brightness, perhaps they were drawing sunlight.

The ceiling, which could be called empty, was around 20 meters high.

It won’t even be a problem calling it boss’ castle.

How luxurious.

-0-

Me and Futaba landed on the white sand that has flowing water.

An old man who was enjoying tea in a Japanese style room stared at us.

A young shrine maiden, who’s bangs are cut above her eyebrows, stood impassively by the old man’s side.

「Good grief, I thought I ordered you to catch him.」

So this is the chief.

At first glance, he appears to be a small, ordinary man.

Before I came here, I had considered the possibility of the chief being someone’s puppet but now, that possibility has been blown away.

He’s the real deal.

The way he stares is a thousand times more powerful than the stare I received from the president of the company. I appealed directly to give me a break from a month of consecutively staying all night. I was provided with a shower room coupon and a cheap sleeping bag.

…..why the heck did I make that kind of analogy?

「Are you the root of all evil?」

「A little brat who doesn’t know how to talk. We are the protectors of the Japanese people.」

「I don’t need a lecture from an old man who calls someone he just met a brat.」

「You should just sit back and listen to what the old man has to say.」

「The old man should just give way to the young instead of filling his own pockets with politicians.」

「Bastard……you know it after all……」

The pressure emanating from the chief doubled.

I thought he would deny it. I guess he’s watching all my movement from surveillance cameras.

He readily admitted it.

「If you’re planning to hide it, you should have put it at the back of the closet.」

I don’t think I should say it like that since I break into their base.

「I was going to let you live but it seems like mercy is unnecessary. Since it’s not necessary, you don’t have to be physically or mentally intact.」

「What you’re saying is totally villainous. I’m a civilian.」

「There are no civilians in his building.」

「No? So, you’ve put the idea of this is the place of the chosen ones.」

「I know you can talk like that because you think you are powerful. Unfortunately, you are only half baked.」

「What? Are you going to make your move?」

「To punish a brat like you, I don’t have to move.」

The chief held up five talismans he had received from the shrine maiden and began chanting.

I could already take him down while he’s doing that but I would like to see how well this “organization” chief can use his technique.

The magic power pattern suggests that he’ll use lightning attack type so it won’t be something unpredictable.

-0-

At the same time all the talismans held by the chief burned out, the ceiling darkened and began to be tinged with lightning.

Are those talismans the key to the magic power accumulated in this room?

「Extinguish!」

The smirking chief waves his hand down as if giving an order—

—boom!

An oversized thunderbolt struck me from above.

The sand in the Japanese garden was blown clean, exposing a very sturdy floor of unknown material.

No no, if a normal person were to be hit by that, there wouldn’t even be a speck left.

I was unscathed because I had already erected an anti-thunder protection magic.

「Hou……unscathed……」

The fact that he didn’t seem surprised at all indicates that he has a reasonable assessment of my abilities.

「Futaba, take some distance.」

「Y-yeah……I would only get in the way……」

I cast all the defensive magic barrier I could on Futaba, who meekly moved away.

With this, she should be safe even if something bad happens.

「Sorry to have kept you waiting. You’ve been very conscientious.」

「That girl is an important card after all.」

This is the second time he called Futaba a card.

Not power, not companion, not pawn, but a card.

Does she have anything else other than war potential……?

Though I don’t think he’s someone who’ll answer my question.

「I just need to ask, do you intend to set Futaba free?」

「How can that be possible?」

I asked for “freedom” and that’s the answer?

「If that is the case, I’ll just have to turn this bad down until you do.」

「That’s not going to happen.」

The chief, stroking his goatee while smiling, signaled the shrine maiden with his eyes.

The shrine maiden did something to the altar making the ceiling open and a cube shaped cage of around 10 meters on each side fell.

「If you could beat him, I’ll consider it.」

As the chief said that, the mansion he was in dove to the ground.

I could have gone after him but I’ll take care of this guy first.

I don’t think the chief will keep his word though.

-0-

What came out of the cage was a big humanoid monster over 10 meters tall.