World Record Chapter 19

19. Kanekura Tsukie

Special Forces station, Sapporo branch.
In a room, Sumikawa Ayame was experiencing a tension she has never experienced.

[Oh, looks like the tea stalk didn’t float upright this time. From what I heard, it seems that a tea will not taste good if the tea stalk doesn’t float…… I’m sorry, I’ll make another one]
[N-No! It’s okay!]
[Oh, you sure? Then, I’ll give you this tea that has its tea stalk floats]
[T-Thank you!]

Ayame receives the tea from that person while thinking why it became like this.
Yesterday evening. After Ayame showed her status to the police, she was released by the police. Then she took the same bus as the girl to this district. Immediately after that, they arrived at this Sapporo Special Forces branch.
Everything was fine until then–

『Sumikawa C rank member. You are called』

Today afternoon. Isakai Manabu, an A rank member who’s currently in this branch, appeared in front of Ayame suddenly, and said that without giving her the time to feel nervous.

『…Huh? I-I’m called……?』

『Yes, the boss of the Special Forces who received your information from the Tokyo branch, wants to have a little chat with you』

『E-EH!? T-The boss……』

When she tries to recall the boss, a person’s picture entered her sight.
In the Special Forces, there’s the C rank members including Ayame. Above it is B rank members and above B is the inhuman A rank members. And above them all is the four top leaders.
And, the one who stands on top of everyone is a woman who’s commonly known as the 『Minister of Defence』 and is currently in j.a.pan.

(j.a.pan’s Minister of Defence, the top of the Special Forces, Kanekura Tsukie-san)

To be precise, because she’s married to the current j.a.pan’s prime minister, her family name “Kanekura” has changed, but she used her former name as the Minister of Defence.
Ayame gulped unconsciously, and she looks at the woman in front of her.
Red hair and red eyes. Her outer canthus is slighly low, and she has a gentle atmosphere.
–However, the fact is totally a different thing.
She’s a professional in a.s.sa.s.sination techniques, and her superpower is not known. To be precise, no one knows even by looking at it. Furthermore, no one dares to make her angry as they know how scary she can be. She’s ranked second in the ranking of the person who you should not offend in the Special Forces.
Because Ayame was called by someone like that, her mind is full of uneasiness, and what’s the most scary is that 『the reason of her being called is not known』.
While thinking such thing, Minister Kanekura sip her tea and began to speak.

[Let’s get right to the point. What are you planning to do on the world’s only person without powers?]

At an instant, the atmosphere released from her changed completely.
There’s no longer the warm atmosphere, despite the fact that her figure, her posture, and even her smile didn’t change at all. Still, a clear killing intent can be sensed.
Ayame who have never felt such tremendous killing intent, unconsciously raised a small scream.
Then, Minister Kanekura disperses her killing intent as she thought that this level of killing intent was too much for her.

[Well, I heard that you, even though you are affiliated to the Special Forces, you try to a.s.sa.s.sinate an ordinary person(lol) who has no sins at all. Therefore, I thought that if you are a person who tries to kill an ordinary person, of course you are prepared to be killed, but…… If you are like that, then I am relieved. You can leave]

Although she clearly leaked a laugh on the word 『ordinary person』, unfortunately, Ayame can’t think of it due to the killing intent not long ago.
In addition to that, what she said echoed in her head.
『If you are like that, then I am relieved』
Those words hurt a prodigy’s pride very much, and depending on how one interprets, it’s like telling 『If it’s you, you can’t kill him』.
That’s why, her pride hold on to her fighting spirit.

[Wa…it]
[…What is it?]

Minister Kanekura asked so.
But still, she didn’t say anything more, and the room fell into silence.
About ten seconds pa.s.sed in such atmosphere, Minister Kanekura sighed and said this while turning the pages of the doc.u.ments.

[Black Pandora. I know where he is and probably also what he’s doing right now. I can even contact him now. If he feel like it, I can call him to this place within a day]

Ayame raised her head and opened her eyes wide by those words.
By the words of the Minister of Defence of the Special Forces in this moment now. This is probably the greatest chance to meet him again.
That’s why, Ayame tried to speak, but she was interrupted by her.

[Therefore, I plan to tell this to him. “A girl who you saved, is here but she plans to kill an innocent person just because he has a similar second name with you”]

At an instant, Ayame’s heart started to hurt.
She knew it. Surely, she knew it deep down in her heart. That this feeling is none other than jealousy.
She herself is not unidentified like him. Her hair color is silver, and her eyes are red. Although there’s a possibility if either one of it was black, even if she wear black clothes, that won’t give her a second name with the word 『Black』.
In comparison to that, the person without power. Because of his hair color, he was given the name 『Powerless Black King』.
That’s why, she was jealous.
And it was justified before she knew it.

[Please…don’t]

Ayame apologizes to her while shedding tears before she knew it, and the woman who saw that, showed a warm smile and stroke her head.

[It’s fine if you understand. Although it’s a good thing to be his fan, he wishes for a peaceful world without conflict. If you are his fan, then be careful to not drift away from that path]
[Yes…!]

Just like that, Ayame’s evaluation on Iwato became “A person in mind” from “A target to purge”.

(A person without powers…, I wonder what kind of person is he?)

And, this time, 『she wants to meet that person』, and as a result, she became excited to meet him at the interns.h.i.+p, but leaving that aside,

Bang!!

Suddenly, the door was thrown open without knocking. The two who were surprised, looked at the entrance, and a fl.u.s.tered secretary who breathes roughly, stood there.
The two stand up from the sofa as they felt something unusual, and they opened their eyes wide by the secretary’s words.

[Emergency! A warp hole that didn’t give a reaction to the Special Forces’ radar, has appeared!!]

That’s surely the case that was solved by the person without powers.

Minister Kanekura and Sumikawa Ayame were lead by the secretary to the research inst.i.tute in the Sapporo branch.
Due to the fact that the Special Forces’ radar didn’t react, this means that it’s a serious affair that literally shook the country. And also, the Unknowns’ corpses were transported to the research inst.i.tute by the Special Forces.
However, the research inst.i.tute was too far.
–That’s why, Minister Kanekura used her power.

[Secretary-chan, Ayame-chan, this time is a little rush, so stay still]
[[…Eh?]]

At an instant, three bodies sunk into the shadow.
Literally, from toe to the head. They sink into the shadow as if drowning themselves, and they moved at high speed as the two were lead by Minister Kanekura in the shadow.

[Teeeeee!? W-What is this, Minister Kanekura!?]

The first who broke from the freeze was Ayame.
The secretary recovered immediately after that and looked around the surroundings in the darkness timidly, but there was no one other than the three of them.

[Well, I thought that we need to rush there, so why not use this secret technique]

At an instant, the three bodies suddenly rise to the surface, and they stood in front of the research inst.i.tute before they knew it.
Ayame was convinced that the one just now was this person’s superpower.
What an outrageous and useful superpower to even dive into the shadow, and furthermore, she can even take other people along into the shadow.
And also, it’s way faster than walking.
It’s fairly unacceptable that there’s such a.s.sa.s.sination cheat ability. As long as the opponent’s attack missed, her victory is secured.
Although Ayame and the secretary thought so in their heart, Minister Kanekura knocked the research inst.i.tute’s door and entered.

[Good afternoon~. It’s me, Minister of Defence, Kanekura~]
[K-Kanekura-san!? Isn’t it too fast for you to reach here despite receiving the report just a while ago!?]
[It’s because I ran~]

Minister Kanekura said so and showed her biceps.
Although it was a complete lie, the man who wore a white robe in the research inst.i.tute, Oono Tooru had a stiff smile while saying 「A-Amazing].
He is the head of this research inst.i.tute, and he’s the number one man who’s well-informed about the warp hole in Sapporo.
Oono said [For now, please follow me] as he starts to walk, and after a while, he opened an iron door that needs personal authentication.

[First, I want to show you this, the room where the equipment for sensing the warp hole is placed. I have been tampering the equipment to see whether there’s a breakdown just now, but everything was fine. It’s likely to say that just by seeing this much, the possibility of a breakdown is low]

Oono said so with a bitter face.
By those words, the three look at the surroundings.

[Um, why is this switch turned OFF? There’s no way that it didn’t sense because of this……]
[Ah, sorry. That’s one of the part I tampered just now]
[…Turn it ON back because it’s dangerous]
[S-Sorry]

He returned the switch back to normal as he apologizes, and Minister Kanekura sighs while seeing him. Then, she exits from the room because she thought that there’s nothing she can do in the room.
In accordance to that, the other three also exit from the room, and Oono who sees that, lead them into the next room–a quite chilly room with four coffin placed at the center.

[This room has the Unknowns’ corpses that the Special Forces transported, but……in fact, this is also that]

When Oono said so and opened one of the coffin, there’s a ant-type Unknown’s corpse in the coffin.
However, Ayame and Minister Kanekura opened their eyes wide as they see the corpse.

[Oh, what a very magnificient skill]
[Or rather, what’s this!? Isn’t this a Mythical Beast cla.s.s Unknown!?]

That’s right, the Unknown lying there is a Mythical Beast cla.s.s that’s said to be able to destory a city. Besides that, even a kid will know the cause of death by one look. That’s right, beaten to death.
Originally, this kind of Unknowns that has sh.e.l.l, have strong resistance to physical attacks. Therefore, they are usually killed by people who have fire, water, wind, or lightning superpower through long range attack.
–However, what about the other corpses?
Ayame opens the other two coffins to confirm it, and she opened her eyes wide as she saw the same unbelievable corpses that were beaten to death.

[T-This…… All I can see that these Unknowns were beaten with one blow in a close combat…]
[You are right. To be able to kill these Unknowns in a close combat easily, at least, a difference of 30 in Battle Rank is required to do so]

Ayame unintentionally gulped by those words.
These Unknowns should have at least Battle Rank 30.
In addition to that, if it’s 30, then the one who defeated them was a monster with Battle Rank 60. Ayame only knows that Isakai Manabu and Minister Kanekura have that much power.
And, one more person–

[D-Don’t tell me…it’s the Black Pandora]
[Ah, a ridiculous fake rumor of a black haired boy instant killing the Unknowns, have been circulating around]
[……Huh?]

Ayame’s reasoning was smashed by Oono’s words.
And, Minister Kanekura said [I thought so…] with a wry smile.
Although she thought that it was the younger sister who did it, but the girl is a pure hikikomori who won’t go out of the house unless she has work. It’s hard to imagine that she happens to be present at the site.
When she thought of such thing, Ayame who starts to s.h.i.+ver, shouted at Minister Kanekura!

[K-K-K-Kanekura-san! What on earth is that person!? Isn’t black hair means that he doesn’t have power!?]
[Well, that boy is an idiot who says 『If I don’t have any powers, I just need to compensate it with my body. Physical is for sure the strongest』…]

That’s right. If someone who doesn’t know about it, it can only be heard as an 『Idiot’s nonsense』. However, to be able to pull it out easily is Iwato’s quality. The ideal image of a powerless person except for his shampoo brain.
Furthermore, the most troublesome thing about Iwato is–

[Actually, the concepts of 『Limit』, 『Weakening』, and 『Fatigue』 are nonexistent for his body except for his mental. That’s why, that boy becomes stronger as he trains, and no matter how long he rest, he wouldn’t weaken. Well, a so-called cheating b.a.s.t.a.r.d]

That’s right. When someone probes into the secret of Iwato’s strength, it will reach to that answer.
He becomes stronger as he trains.
His muscle won’t weaken even if he slacks.
He won’t get tired no matter how long he moved.
Although he sleeps to match his normal life now, he once said that he 『sleep one hour every three days』.
Well, he was such an existence since the beginning, and he had an acceptable reason accompanied with a past that he acquired such absurd power.
But Minister Kanekura has no intention in telling anyone about that, and she told Ayame that 『He was like that since the beginning』 purposely.
It’s a doubt on how it will effect in the future, but Ayame who heard those words, has her evaluation on Iwato changed one stage.

(Person without powers, Nagumo Iwato…… Fufufu, I want to try fighting with you)

From “A person in mind” to “An opponent in mind”.
Iwato is earning Ayame’s impression without he himself knowing it.