(Misaka Mikoto focused all her mental energy on her sole obsession —finding Kuchiba Hiro and avenging Kuroko! If it weren't for this villain, Kuroko wouldn't have died, she wouldn't have lost control, and none of this disaster would have happened! He must pay the price!
Dragging her injured and exhausted body, covered in smoke and bloodstains, she stumbled into the hotel that stood eerily amidst the destruction. The receptionist was a Staff Member wearing a pure white, featureless mask, seemingly oblivious to the apocalyptic scene outside.
"Where is Kuchiba Hiro?! Is he here?!" Misaka Mikoto's voice was hoarse from agitation and pain, carrying an undeniable demand.
The gaze behind the white mask settled calmly on her, and the flat, synthesized electronic voice rang out: "The target you are searching for departed this hotel eight hours ago."
"What? Impossible!" Misaka Mikoto retorted excitedly, subconsciously raising a hand sparking with electric arcs. "The previous location data clearly showed he was here! Are you hiding him?!"
"Madam," the Staff Member's voice suddenly turned cold. Though still electronic, it carried an invisible pressure. "We provide service and abide by our rules. We have no obligation to explain location information to you. If you require no other services, please leave immediately."
The cold refusal was like a bucket of cold water dumped on her head, sobering Misaka Mikoto's heated mind slightly. She realized that causing trouble here would be utterly unwise; the hotel's ability to remain unscathed during the storm suggested unfathomable depths of power.
She gritted her teeth, her chest full of fury and resentment with nowhere to vent. She could only glare fiercely at the white mask before turning and stumbling out of the hotel.
Standing outside the hotel, looking at the ruins that seemed to have been ravaged by a giant beast—the fire trucks extinguishing flames, the moving ambulance personnel, the busy disaster relief teams... all of it stabbed at her eyes and heart like needles.
A huge sense of confusion and emptiness seized her. Her only lead was gone. Where could she look for Kuchiba Hiro now? Was she doomed to passively wait for the location information on that APP to update, whenever that might be?
Walking through the chaotic rescue scene, seeing the injured being carried out, hearing the cries of those who had lost loved ones, she subconsciously turned her face away. Yet, the voice in her heart screamed frantically: It's his fault! It's all Kuchiba Hiro's fault! If he hadn't killed Kuroko, if he hadn't drawn those Battle Gang members here, how could I have... none of this would have happened!
It had to be this way. It could only be his fault. If the fault lay with her... the thought barely surfaced before she forcibly suppressed it with even stronger hatred. She could not bear that possibility, and could only more firmly lock all the blame and anger onto the enemy she had never met... Shortly after Misaka Mikoto left, a ghostly figure, using the cover of the ruins and the night, silently approached the area again. It was Kuchiba Hiro, who had returned.
He cautiously observed his surroundings, confirmed that Misaka Mikoto and the rescue personnel were not focused on this spot, and quickly opened his briefcase in a blind spot created by a collapsed wall.
Flesh and blood writhed, and the Living Sniper Rifle formed once more. Kuchiba Hiro raised it. The scarlet eye opened, and in the field of vision it provided, besides the light spots representing life forms (rescue personnel and survivors), there were several "item" light spots scattered beneath the ruins, emitting faint but unique energy fluctuations.
"They're still here!" He was delighted.
Relying on his immense strength, he acted like a human excavator, quickly and accurately clearing away the rubble and twisted steel bars. Soon, several items saw the light of day again:
The exaggerated two-handed great axe, whose handle was somewhat worn but whose blade still gleamed cold light; the black Tower Shield with bone spikes along its edge, and the metal whip connected to it, coiling like a live snake—these two seemed to be a single unit; there were also some fragments of Explosive Rifle remnants, apparently used by the squad members, severely damaged and likely worthless.
Kuchiba Hiro quickly inspected them, confirming that all this equipment possessed supernatural properties and was "goods" that could be exchanged for gold coins. He pressed the button again, transforming the spoils back into briefcase form one by one.
Having done all this, he retreated as silently as he had arrived, bypassing the main rescue channels, and returned once more to the mysterious hotel.
Familiar with the route, he found the special entrance. Facing the same white-masked Staff Member, Kuchiba Hiro calmly stated, "Another Standard Shelter room, 24 hours. I want my original room." At the same time, he pushed the cloth bag containing gold coins across the counter.
The masked person counted the gold coins and retrieved the key card for his original room. The entire process involved no unnecessary communication, as if Kuchiba Hiro were merely a regular, returning guest.
Taking the key card, Kuchiba Hiro headed toward the special elevator. What he needed now was an absolutely safe environment to figure out how to quickly sell the weapons he had acquired and convert them into tangible gold coins. He had never forgotten his objective.
The heavy metal door silently closed behind him, once again isolating him from all the noise and danger outside. Kuchiba Hiro locked the door behind him and tossed the three heavy briefcases onto the bed in the center of the room, where they landed with a dull thud.
He walked to the nightstand, pulled open the drawer, and retrieved the phone he had deliberately left there, which was powered off. He pressed the power button, the screen lit up, and the signal reconnected. Almost instantly upon connecting to the network, a mandatory push notification popped up at the top of the screen in bold, scarlet font:
(Latest kill order)
Target: Misaka Mikoto (Codename: Railgun)
Bounty Amount: 200,000 Gold Coins
Crime: Massive abuse of supernatural abilities in a downtown area, causing catastrophic destruction and incalculable civilian casualties, a severe violation of the veil protocol, and an extremely heinous crime!
Threat Level: Extremely High
Kuchiba Hiro's finger was about to swipe the interface away like a junk ad, but his movement paused when his gaze swept over the name "Misaka Mikoto." A complex, hard-to-read expression appeared on his face, eventually turning into a very light, slightly mocking sneer.
"Heh... two hundred thousand. Now, you're the prey too." He muttered softly. He was indeed one of the fuses for this disaster; if that hidden shot of his hadn't broken Misaka Mikoto's restraint, perhaps it wouldn't have escalated into such a tragedy.
But he felt little guilt. In this arena where it was kill or be killed, he had no choice. He didn't pick the battlefield, nor did he lure the hunters; he simply used every means available to survive in this environment and attempted to fight back.
If blame must be assigned, blame the twisted rules themselves.
He stopped paying attention to the kill order that was temporarily irrelevant to him, and cleanly closed the push notification interface. His finger skillfully tapped the familiar APP, went directly to the store section, and entered the keywords in the search bar: "Second-hand resale," "Weapon acquisition."
Instantly, a dense stream of information popped up on the screen. There were urgent sales posts published by individuals, advertisements from small Battle Gangs seeking specific equipment—the information was complex and mixed in quality. Kuchiba Hiro quickly scrolled, his gaze locking onto the result that consistently ranked first: the WASHU Clan Official Recycling Station. The description was simple and brutal: Largest Weapons Dealer, Highest Price Equipment Recycling.
That's the one.
Kuchiba Hiro clicked open the customer service dialogue box. Without unnecessary pleasantries, he immediately sent clear photos of the Spiked Shield and Snake Whip, the axe, and the strange sniper rifle, adding the message: "Appraisal, quote."
The response speed was astonishing, suggesting they either had an automated appraisal system:
"Esteemed client, thank you for your inquiry. Based on preliminary appraisal:
Spiked Shield (with Snake Whip): Possesses high-efficiency energy absorption properties, shield body structure is intact, whip body activity is good. Estimated price: 5,000 Gold Coins.
World Breaker Axe: Built-in gravity regulation core, rare blade material, minor wear. Estimated price: 13,000 Gold Coins.
Reapers Eye (Sniper System): Rare weapon, possesses supernatural marking, life perception, and special sniping modes, in perfect condition. Estimated price: 120,000 Gold Coins."
Seeing the appraisal price for Reapers Eye, Kuchiba Hiro's pupils constricted. One hundred and twenty thousand! This far exceeded his expectations! Could this gun truly be so valuable?
Immediately after, the customer service sent a new message, the tone seemingly carrying a hint of imperceptible "enthusiasm": "If you are willing to sell the 'Reapers Eye' along with the others, we can offer a bundled discount price. Three weapons, total price 150,000 Gold Coins. Do you wish to proceed with the transaction?"
One hundred and fifty thousand Gold Coins!
This number was like a strong light, instantly illuminating Kuchiba Hiro's mind. It was more than half the amount needed to purchase the location information for Yota Yukinoshita and his relatives! It was a massive sum that could drastically advance his plan!
The temptation was immense.)
Upto 15 chapters ahead on patreon :-
patreon.com/Vristikk