(A/N: Just want to inform that start today i also upload it regularly on my P4TR30N, for the record it's already 71 Chapters, so if you want to read the advanced chapters just check out my P4TR30N!!)
"It's time for the bad end, you know~"
Riko and Kyochikuto enter the room, opening the door.
Aria and I were huddled together away from the door. Well, the truth is, the medicine made it so we couldn't even move properly.
As for me, perhaps because the dose was as small as Kyochikuto said, I had recovered enough to stand. Still, it was a struggle to even stand on two feet.
Even so, I couldn't envision myself losing. The option of killing the opponent and ending it, was not one I could choose, legally or psychologically.
My goal was to incapacitate someone who came to kill me, and keep them alive, all while half-paralyzed.
"I thought for a moment it was over, but this is the end. Holmes, Shō Yozuki."
"Riko…! ...Hey, are you okay? Your throat was pierced, you know?"
Aria bared her canines, intimidating Riko, while at the same time showing concern for me. She's so skilled at multitasking.
"I'm fine. The wound is gone, right?"
"...Why did it close up? Isn't there something wrong with your body?"
She was saying something terrible, but my heart was at peace. That's because just a moment ago, she was worrying about me with teary eyes. I wasn't sad at all.
I moved my arm...
"Don't move."
Kyochikuto did something. My arm stopped moving.
Looking closely, a very thin thread was wrapped around it.
"Is that a TNK (Twisted Nano-Kevlar) wire?"
"That's right. It's a special synthetic fiber also used in bulletproof uniforms. It's impossible for a human to tear it."
I certainly couldn't move. With the wires also wrapped around my body, I was fixed in place.
"Well then, see you later, you two."
Riko pulled the trigger.
Riko was certain of her victory. Even Kyochikuto, who had said not to let her guard down, was.
And Aria was screaming something.
No one would think it was possible to turn the tables in this situation.
That's probably why they overlooked it.
They overlooked the fact that my nails were 'rotating'.
Clang!!!
The bullet was repelled and deflected.
It was one of the two abilities I had gained, Bullet Billiards.
However, I wasn't holding a handgun right now. So where did the bullet come from?
"W-what...?"
"...Huh?"
"What...?"
Perhaps unable to comprehend what just happened, the three of them had similar reactions.
If the victory they were certain of didn't come, and the defeat they were braced for didn't arrive, then it was understandable.
Kyochikuto's restraint would be a dead end for an ordinary person. But I'm different. Being able to move just my fingertips is enough.
Because I launched a 'nail'.
The three of them, not being Stand users, couldn't see or understand it.
I, on the other hand, could clearly see the Stand's form (vision) that I had just acquired behind me.
No matter how many times Riko shot, her bullets were bounced back in the same way.
I had to be careful not to accidentally cut the bullets with my rotating nails, so I used the flat part of the nail to deflect them.
After repeating this a few times, Riko began to understand what was happening.
"You... you're launching your nails?!"
"Yeah, that's right. But this is more than just a 'nail,' it's a 'fang'. Its name is 'Tusk'!"
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Stand: Tusk
The Stand of the protagonist Johnny Joestar from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 7: Steel Ball Run.
It allows the user to rotate their nails, enabling them to tear things apart or shoot them like bullets. The range of the projectile is about 10 meters. The Stand's form (vision) is that of a pig-like fairy.
---------
My new power. The Stand that chose me was Tusk.
As I declared it, I used my nails to cut through the wire restraints so as not to hurt myself. Free, I aimed both hands at the two of them.
"The tables have turned. Don't move, Riko, Kyochikuto. I'm aiming ten gun barrels at you right now."
"I-it's impossible... to have hidden a power like that...!"
Riko recoiled. It's not surprising she didn't know. I had only just acquired this power. Besides, this power alone can't be used in a shootout. The cutting power of the nails is too high to directly hit a person, so it's only useful with Kinji's gunmanship.
"Both of you, get arrested quietly. Unless you want to get hurt."
"Hahaha, you're so nice, Shō-kun... but that's going to be the death of you."
From Riko's skirt, a black can-like object clattered to the floor. In an instant, the can emitted an intense light.
A flash grenade!
I couldn't move because my eyes were blinded. I couldn't use Tusk either. I didn't want to make a tear in the airplane wall.
"Bye bye~"
Riko and Kyochikuto seemed to have escaped in that moment. By the time my white-out vision returned, they were nowhere to be found.
The strength in my body... it's completely back to normal!
"Aria! Hang in there!"
"Huh!? Wait a minute!?"
I stood up and chased after the two of them.
---------
Riko and Kyochikuto were in the same bar-like area where I had rescued Aria. Kyochikuto was wearing a backpack. That's probably a parachute. She's planning to blow a hole in the wall and jump out.
Riko wasn't carrying anything, but I remember that her modified uniform could also function as a parachute.
I aimed my handgun at the two of them. I thought a handgun was better here than the overly powerful Tusk.
Riko's face, upon seeing me, contorted as if she had just eaten a bitter bug.
"What the hell are you...!"
Riko's voice was full of hatred.
"Because of you, my whole plan is a mess."
"You're the one who tried to kill a Butei."
"...If I act like a good little girl, I'll never be free...!"
She said it in a strained voice.
'If I act like a good little girl, I'll never be free,' huh. That's true. Because Riko is...
"Vlad, huh..."
"Huh?"
"Huh?"
My words, which I blurted out, made them react.
"How do you know that name? I don't think it's something you can just say on a whim, do you?"
"...It means I wasn't just sitting back and doing nothing."
I avoided Kyochikuto's question.
Vlad.
He's also a character from Aria the Scarlet Ammo, an immortal vampire. And he's the one who has been confining Riko since her childhood for a certain reason.
If things continue as they are, he's a formidable enemy that I will definitely have to fight. To be honest, I can't even imagine what he's like now, with the influence of this world.
I just know that the elements of vampires from various works have mixed, and he's definitely gotten stronger.
Riko made a promise with Vlad to be free. Namely, to defeat Aria and prove that she had surpassed the first Arsène Lupin.
That's why Riko was so desperate.
"Then you should understand. I won't give up. I will definitely kill Aria. Even if I get caught and thrown in prison, I will never give up!"
"Don't you have any thoughts about defeating Vlad instead?"
"Huh?"
"Huh?"
The two of them's eyes widened at my words.
"To clear Aria's mother's name, fighting Vlad of I-U is unavoidable. I have no intention of bowing my head and sending him a tribute. I plan to give a proper victory sign next to his defeated and exhausted body."
"Do you understand what you're saying? It's not just about strength. You're baring your fangs at a being who holds great power on this island!"
"I already said I'm going to do it once. Don't make me say the same thing twice."
Kyochikuto raised her voice louder than she had at any point since we met. I answered her directly.
The origin of the word Stand is 'Stand up to' difficulties. Now that this power has awakened, I also need to be prepared.
My previous resolve was a vague one: to make the people I met in this world happy. My new resolve is to fight the enemies that attack me.
"So, what's it going to be?"
"...What do you mean?"
"It's fine that you can't be free by acting like a good girl. But aren't you going after the wrong person? Even if you kill Aria like Vlad told you to, how is that any different from being confined by Vlad? In the end, you're just dancing to Vlad's tune."
To be honest, even if Riko defeated Aria, Vlad has no intention of setting her free. For Vlad, a promise made to a lower-class human is not worth keeping.
"I'll defeat Vlad. As a result, Riko will be free. But that's just a 'given freedom.' To make sure that doesn't happen, I want to hear your resolve. Your resolve to stand up to him."
"R-Riko... d-don't... I don't want to anymore...!"
She broke down on the spot, tears streaming from her eyes.
"...I want to be free...!"
Riko must have known somewhere in her heart. But even if what was dangling in front of her was despair, she had to cling to it.
"Oh, I'm not planning on getting caught just yet, you know?"
"Can you read the room?"
"I'm just kidding. Sigh... Since you're here, Jeanne must have been caught too, and I don't think I can handle you all by myself. I'll behave."
Kyochikuto sat down on a bar stool, supporting the sobbing Riko.
Oh, wait. I have to go get Aria.
...These two aren't going to run away, right? Well, after saying all that, it would be really uncool if they escaped.
"Oh, my, it seems my turn is no longer needed."
A sudden voice of a third person.
Emanating from the shadows was...
"Kurumi?! Why are you here!?"
I hadn't told anyone I was coming here. Not even Kurumi.
"I was doing my own research about this whole situation, you know? Especially about Riko-san. Well, I started investigating on a hunch, and I couldn't find any particularly interesting information."
"Vlad is probably manipulating the information. He has a lot of power on this island, so it's easy for him to cover things up."
"Then how did Shō Yozuki know...?"
Three pairs of eyes pierced me. I couldn't possibly say it's because of my knowledge of the original story. Maybe I should just tell them?
"S-so, you boarded this plane."
"You're obviously trying to change the subject, but yes. I completely stowed away, and since there's no way to get back, I'm just a clone."
"...Zafkiel, huh?"
"Hehe, I'll be needing a resupply soon, if you please."
She used the power of Zafkiel's Eighth Bullet (Het), 'to summon a copy of one's past self.'
Speaking of resupplies, I need to think about that...
"Well then, I'm going to go get Aria."
After that, we woke up the pilot, who had been put to sleep, and returned to the airport from which we had taken off.
And so the incident came to a close...
"Is there anything you want to say?"
"No, not particularly."
...Or so I thought.
I'm sitting on the floor in seiza as punishment for neglecting to report, contact, and consult.
I wanted to end it like a JoJo story. But in the end, it becomes a light novel cliché, huh.
Yukina and Asuna were furious. Since I couldn't return home that day because of the incident, their reaction was understandable. It was also my fault for not even calling home.
Kuro was more exasperated than angry.
"My brother is amazing, isn't he? He attracts three girls in one incident."
"It was unexpected for me too."
I meant having Jeanne and Kyochikuto there.
After that, all three of them promised to testify at Kanae-san's trial. With three more witnesses at once, Aria seems to be busy with that for a while.
Thanks to Kuro, everyone started to chuckle. No one questioned the part about me attracting girls, though.
Amidst the laughter, Aria, who had been somber, looked up.
"U-um... Shō. I was happy you came to help me, but... I need to apologize to you and everyone about the... partner thing..."
Ah, about Kanae-san. I had already shared this with the girls who weren't there.
The answer we all came up with was the same.
"Hey, I decided to help you whether you were my partner or not. Don't worry about it."
"That's right."
"Yeah, yeah."
"Right, that's what I think too."
"There's no need to overthink it."
"Oh... okay, thank you..."
Aria took a deep breath.
"More importantly! You're too much of a lone wolf! From now on, you will act with at least a two-person team!"
"Yes, okay."
I nodded, overwhelmed by Aria's intensity. She has such a wide range of emotions, doesn't she? Doesn't it tire her out?
"It's safer that way, in case of an emergency, you know?"
"Kurumi, stop it."
What emergency? What do you mean by that?
"Besides, if you want me to be your partner, it's totally fine."
"H-really!?"
"Yeah, of course."
"Then, then! As partners too!"
"It's a pleasure to work with you."
Just as we were about to settle things,
"By the way, what were you doing alone with Riko-san in a private room?"
For some reason, Kurumi dropped another bombshell. Wait, you knew about that? Did you really follow Riko?
"...A private room?"
"...Alone?"
"You...!"
Oh, no! The highlights in Yukina and Asuna's eyes have vanished! What is Aria imagining? Her face is bright red.
Everyone can probably guess what happened next.
And so, the incident finally came to a close.
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