"Since you're mixing in a place like this, I'm guessing you're not completely ignorant of my identity, right?"
Lifting the coffee Harumura Makoto had brewed, Frenda took a generous sip, her eyes narrowing into slits, the corners curving in satisfaction.
"Mm, this is really good. Where did you buy it?"
"I have a rough guess. You're probably with the Dark Side, right?"
Makoto ignored her question about the coffee entirely, his tone growing a little heavier.
After all, an armed Level 0 group was, in itself, a manifestation of Academy City's dark underbelly.
As the leader of such a group, Makoto naturally had some understanding—more or less—of this city's true nature.
Where did a Skill-Out armed group's influence usually lie?
Ruins, factories, back alleys, narrow streets.
Exactly the sort of places that made the perfect stage for certain "activities."
"If you understand all that, then what I'm about to say will be very simple. Our organization needs some outside manpower right now. So we want to bring you in as one of our external affiliates. To put it simply—you'd become our errand runners, handling miscellaneous jobs."
Frenda straightened up at once, her previously casual gaze sharpening in an instant.
What did it feel like?
Ah, yes—like having a sniper scope fixed directly over your heart.
"So this isn't a negotiation—it's a notification?"
Makoto's face went completely cold.
"Can't be helped. Because of our respective positions, this is a notification."
Frenda lightly shook her head, spreading her hands in a show of mock helplessness.
Clink, clink—
The teaspoon stirred gently against the cup, the sound crisp in the quiet room.
"Then why the sudden change? What happened?"
Makoto didn't reject her outright, nor did he flare up in anger.
The soft clinking continued, but his voice cut through it—clearer, louder.
"Mm, well… Fremea is here with you. Because of my work, I can't keep her by my side—it's too easy for someone to target her to get at me. That's why I've always kept my distance from you. Even when I needed outside cover for operations, I struck you off the list."
Frenda yawned, her hands sliding naturally from the tabletop to hang loosely at her sides.
"So, even though you're suitable, you were never approached. And frankly, there aren't many Dark Side groups with the authority to call in outside help. If there's a need, it's usually just us, so you've had it pretty peaceful until now.
But this time is different.
Because of a botched mission the other night, Mugino's in a foul mood. So our group needs to replenish its outer circle. We were actually aiming for 'Deadlock'—I'd heard they had quite a few espers we could train up.
But who knew 'Deadlock' would suddenly vanish? With no other suitable options, we had no choice but to come to you."
She looked at Makoto, and though her expression had been stern a moment ago, it suddenly twisted into a peculiar smile.
"Oh, right, right! Mugino—that's our leader, Mugino Shizuri. In this city, she's known as 'Meltdowner.' You can't tell me you've never heard the name—right?"
First, she made it clear the situation wasn't her choice.
Then, she reminded him of the times she'd helped them, to soften his resistance.
Finally, she dropped the towering name of the Level 5 "Meltdowner" to apply overwhelming pressure.
Just a few sentences, yet this Frenda girl had displayed remarkably refined negotiation skills.
"Of course I've heard of her. The famous Level 5."
Makoto's eyelids drooped, his hands stilled, and his tone turned icy.
"If we went against someone like that, we'd be wiped out by the next day, wouldn't we?"
Truth was, with how long Leo had been developing, and their cohesion and fighting power, they could've taken control of all the Skill-Out armed groups in Academy City—not just one district.
But Makoto had never done it.
He'd always kept to his own turf, quietly growing stronger.
Why? Because he was cautious—cautious of Academy City's upper echelons.
He suspected they wouldn't want to see someone capable of uniting all the Level 0 armed groups—someone who might cut into their interests.
But now, after all this time hiding, he was being cornered for a reason entirely different from what he'd imagined.
"Just accept it. Usually, the leader herself deals with newly recruited outer groups. Which means the death rate in missions is pretty high, and our outer circle changes frequently. But since you and I have some personal connection… We've made adjustments. You'd just need to send us some of your low-level members for errands, provide reliable intel, tailing jobs, that kind of thing."
Frenda's confidence was obvious—she clearly believed convincing Makoto would be easy.
"Oh, and being one of our affiliates isn't without benefits. At the very least, you'd have more legitimate channels for getting better weapons. They're just disposable punks you can replace anytime. Even if they die, it won't affect you, right?"
So—finish off the last barrier with a bit of sugar-coated bait.
Makoto chuckled outright, letting his hands hang naturally at his sides, mirroring her posture.
If it were an ordinary Level 0 group leader, they'd probably cave instantly, wag their tail, and swear loyalty.
But his years of accumulation hadn't been for nothing.
"Sorry, I refuse."
"... You're sure you refuse?" She was clearly caught off guard by his answer, though at the same time, her hands clutched tightly at the hem of her skirt.
"Of course I'm sure. So—you've already set this place up, haven't you? Otherwise, you might not be walking out of here today. I'm not familiar with that 'no killing envoys' rule you're thinking of."
"Hah—"
The air in the room shifted sharply, and anger flickered in Frenda's eyes.
"Of course. And I'll be taking Fremea with me, too."