After finally arriving at Pandra's hideout, Andy went straight to Hyoubu. "You're still going to meet their boss? Are you insane? They're the ones who attacked us!"
He tried to reason with Hyoubu—it was madness.
But Hyoubu didn't even flinch. "Yes, he is an old friend. I want to know what he truly wants. But when I give the sign, shoot him," he casually said, like he just ordered Andy to give a child a piece of candy.
"Traitors deserve death. That is the Esper law."
"Andy Hinomiya and Senzo Kazuko, this is the first job Pandra will give you both. I'm counting on you."
Even though he said it so confidently, Senzo could still see the pain in his eyes.
He must have been rather close with this friend. He thought, but he had steeled himself for this. He would not back down.
After his memories from previous years had fully integrated, he at first couldn't really come to terms with the fact that he had killed many people before, innocent or not. He just followed Babel's orders, but that was the kind of world this was.
Then Senzo glanced at Andy; he could guess what he was thinking: "Let's do our best, Andy."
Snapping out of his daze Andy accepted the hand Senzo had extended. "Alright!"
"Oh, and Senzo, Yugiri will be with you, so please guard her well. Make sure nothing happens to her." Hyoubu ordered.
Senzo gave a powerful nod, and with a smile, he walked toward Yugiri. "Stay close and listen to everything I say, okay? Then nothing will go wrong."
"Nnn!" The little girl nodded her head vigorously; the major looked very serious, so she would rather stay with Senzo at this moment until this was resolved.
"Quite confident, aye, newbie." Yo chimed in, a grin on his face.
"Well, yeah. I am rather powerful after all." Senzo said with a shrug.
"Heehee, do your best and I might reward you, you know." Momiji added, with a wink.
Magi chuckled a little as the tense atmosphere dissolved into a friendly one.
"It's good that you all can relax, but remember. Failure is not an option!" Hyoubu reminded everyone.
"Understood!" They shouted in unison, giving a military salute.
After seeing that Yugiri did the same, everyone's hearts completely melted at the cute creature that was imitating them.
"Let's go!"
***
On a roof, Andy, Senzo, and Yugiri were carefully positioned so they could clearly see Hyoubu's meeting with his old friend.
Andy lay down, looking through the scope of a sniper rifle, while Senzo and Yugiri sat leisurely, their feet dangling off the rooftop.
"The night sky is beautiful, right, Yugiri?" Senzo asked the little girl.
"Y-Yes," she said, almost biting her tongue.
"Hahaha, just relax. Everyone is very capable; you don't need to be so nervous, and if anything goes wrong, I'll step in if that's even necessary."
Yugiri heaved a sigh of relief hearing those words; even though she knew the major was very powerful, she still couldn't shake this feeling of dread every time he went on a mission.
"Thank you." She whispered while hugging Senzo's body tightly.
He just smiled and patted her head. "So how are you feeling, Andy? You nervous?" he then asked the young man lying on the roof holding a large sniper rifle.
"I'm surprised you can even talk so leisurely in this situation. Do you have nerves of steel or something?" He said, exasperated.
It looked like Senzo was feeling right at home while he himself was walking on eggshells every day. He couldn't understand it; how was he so comfortable here?
"Haha, you just worry too much about pointless stuff. These guys might be called a criminal organization, but I think that explanation is a little too black and white. You felt it yourself, no? They're more like a large family that does what's necessary for survival."
"And maybe sometimes they might go too far, sure. But look at the prison you came from; that was undoubtedly more evil than what these guys are doing." Senzo explained.
While Andy was carefully listening, he felt that what he said made sense, but still he felt like Pandra also definitely did evil things.
"I get what you mean, but still."
Just as he wanted to continue, he saw Hyoubu appear through the large class window.
"Oh? I guess it's starting; we'll talk more later." Senzo casually said.
"Sure..."
Andy now refocused, aiming his sniper straight at the head of the older man seated across from Hyoubu.
***
Hyoubu took a seat across from the older man; it didn't look like they had just fought his men this afternoon. Magi stayed upright right behind the major.
"Hi, long time no see. How many years has it been?"
"Carlo."
"Carlo Maldini."
The older man looked Hyoubu straight in the eyes.
"It's been half a century, Hyoubu Kyousuke."
"It's been that long, huh? Time flies, I guess." Hyoubu commented, a smile that didn't reach his eyes plastered on his face.
"It doesn't look like that to me; you still look the exact same as the last time I saw you." Carlo said, a serious look in his eyes.
"Hahaha, I guess I just took good care of myself." Hyoubu replied with a shrug.
Magi couldn't help but roll his eyes; even though he had known Hyoubu for a long time, it still weirded him out how he could act so nonchalantly before someone they were about to dispose of.
***
On the roof Andy was now sweating bullets, all kinds of thoughts racing through his mind.
Senzo noticed but decided not to comment; he needed to focus to take a proper shot, if he was even going to take the shot.
"Stay focused, newcomer! You're going to miss!"
Anby suddenly heard Yo's voice echo through his mind. Looking around, he saw Yo standing on a roof even further back next to a large bell.
"Oh, Momiji-nee."
When Andy and Senzo heard Yo say that, they looked around, and to their left on another roof, they saw her standing there, her hair swaying wildly.
"She says the surrounding men have been taken care of." Yo relayed her message to Senzo and Andy, making sure not to transmit it to Yugiri.
"This just leaves your job. Don't screw it up, newcomer."
Pretty sure Andy's going to blow it, though, Senzo thought to himself, chuckling.