Chapter 317: Trigger: I'm Not Stalking, I'm Protecting
"Bangboo"—a local specialty of the Zenless Zone Zero world. They are a type of intelligent machine life.
With a round body and rabbit-like ears, one look tells you they're cute and springy. They must feel great to touch.
"This is No. 18. There's a number on its scarf," Rin introduced the Bangboo on the counter.
"Munch ('Ello)," No. 18 replied. Its intelligence was surprisingly high.
Kenji snapped a photo of the Bangboo and sent it to the group.
The combat power of Bangboos isn't weak, and some of their special moves are also very "abstract," like the "Sunshine Rainbow White Horse" or the "FBI Open Up!"...
Besides combat, their versatility is also top-notch. They were initially used in the Hollows, but gradually spread to all trades and industries.
[Miss Pink Elf♪]: "Waah♪, it looks so cute! Is this the 'Bangboo' that Miyabi mentioned before?"
(If I'd known, I would have gone with them! A little cutie like that... I must hold it, and rub my cheek against it to see how it feels.)
[Little Monster]: "Cute! I want one!"
[Shadowkhan Queen]: "What a unique little thing."
[Shizu-cute]: "It would probably be a suitable pillow."
[Martial Arts Maniac Fox]: "If you want one, I can custom-order them and send them to you."
Miyabi Hoshimi doesn't rely on the combat power of Bangboos. She barely uses them. She can cut her way through the Ethereals with just her blade.
In this situation, the Bangboo is just responsible for "munching" (saying 'uh-huh'), while she's responsible for slaughtering the Ethereals.
[Ghost of the Uchiha]: "Can you customize a Bangboo... in Hashirama's form? I..."
: "Hoshi-B_an_ (Haki-Madara)? What do you want a Bangboo like that for?"
[Galactic Baseballer]: "Godfather, to come up with 'Hoshi-Ban'... you must have invited the Aeon of Elation to your house. Madara wants a Hashirama-bot... That... is love~"
[Naughty Xi]: "What a complicated, forbidden love."
[Ghost of theUchiha]: "Love your mom's fried dough twist!"
[Ghost of the Uchiha]: "I wasn't finished. It'd be best if it could use 'Wood Dragon' and summon the 'Wood Golem'..."
[Martial Arts Maniac Fox]: "I don't know much about Bangboos, but I'm pretty sure they can't do that."
: "I really thought they could. In that case, I'd like to order one that can use 'Limitless'."
: "By the way, who wants to come to a feast? My student, Yuta Okkotsu, is marrying Maki Zenin."
Gojo Satoru couldn't figure it out. How did those two end up together?
He knew Yuta's past well... how he couldn't accept Rika's death and unconsciously cursed his childhood friend...
[Stank]: "I remember in the manga, didn't that kid call himself 'Pure Love'?"
[Light is a Bond]: "Pure love is pure love. Reality is reality."
: "Tsk tsk tsk. I used to think Suguru Geto was just mocking him. But looking back... Geto was right on the money."
: "Geto shouldn't have been a Jujutsu Sorcerer; he should have been a prophet."
That "womanizer" comment wasn't mockery; it was a prophecy.
As expected of Suguru Geto. He awakened the power of prophecy right before his death. The older generation just sees things differently.
I get it! No wonder Geto had to "log off" so early. The prophet always gets killed first in a "Werewolf" game.
Gojo Satoru was speechless. That guy Geto... he really could see through people.
But, he couldn't be bothered to worry about this. It had nothing to do with him. It was their own choice.
: "For 'pure love,' you still have to look to our King Wolffy."
[I Love Frying Pans]: "I'm not that great..."
[Naughty Xi]: "No need to be modest. Wolffy, your 'pure love' is absolutely 100% pure, no additives."
[Sherry]: "Honestly, 'pure love' is quite common in the animal kingdom."
Whether it's wolves or swans, they only have one mate for life.
So... Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf... it's not a cartoon, it's a documentary.
...
"The 'peeping tom' on the roof across the street... is she someone you know?" Miyabi Hoshimi asked the "cereal" siblings.
"Huh?"
Tetsu and Rin's faces changed. Someone was "peeping" (spying)? Did a stranger discover their "Phaethon" identities?
Snap.
Kenji snapped his fingers.
Thump!
A yellow-haired woman wearing a face mask appeared out of thin air, still in her "peeping" pose, and fell flat on the floor.
"Trigger?"
Tetsu and Rin, of course, recognized this person. They were very familiar. But... "peeping"? That seemed a bit of an exaggeration, right?
They weren't big stars. There was no need. This... was just "spying," right?
"Manager..."
Trigger (Grace) looked up and saw the two familiar people. The indicator light on her mask turned pink, representing "shyness."
Oh no! The manager saw me! What if he thinks I'm a 'peeping tom'?!
(Kenji: It's not a misunderstanding.)
Trigger's brain went into overdrive. Think of an excuse, quick! The manager is going to think I'm a perverted stalker!
She knew she'd been spotted the moment Task Force 6 was at the door.
Never underestimate a Hollow Hunter's intuition.
"You're the sniper from the Obolus Squad?" Riu Tsukishiro sized her up. She recognized Trigger.
"But... you're a soldier for the New Eridu Defense Force... and you're here in Section 6 playing 'peeping tom'? Are you in your right mind? Is this what sniper skills are for?"
"Trigger, what were you just doing?" Rin asked, holding back a laugh, trying to ease Trigger's embarrassment.
"Protecting the managers' safety."
The light on Trigger's mask turned orange. She spoke in a serious tone, not joking at all.
Stringer, I'm not lying.
Of course... she wasn't telling the whole truth.
Protection was one part... the other part was admiring the manager's beauty. She couldn't help herself.
"Shouldn't you two be saying: 'Trigger, you don't want anyone else to find out about this, do you?'" Kenji suggested.
The group: "?"
That line was... way too familiar. Especially for the "cereal" siblings. They had seen that plot in some very "legitimate" films.
The light on Trigger's mask turned red. This indicated anger or excitement. And Trigger wasn't angry, so that left...
If the manager used this to threaten her into doing... 'that'... should she resist a little and then accept? Or... should she just 'weakly' accept from the start?
If she was imprisoned in a secret room... that would be pretty good, too. She could be close to the manager... and wonderful things could happen...
Kenji raised an eyebrow. He sensed Trigger's emotional shift.
Holy... you're actually looking forward to it?
(Trigger: This is a reward, isn't it?)