Hidan no Aria - Volume 3 - Chapter 5

5th Ammo: 296 Meters Above Ground Billiards

The final day of infiltration had arrived.

The main operation initiates at 5PM, exactly one hour before we depart the mansion...

As planned, Aria had managed to lure Sayonaki out of the basement by asking him to accompany her to the yard and was buying time by asking details about the Aria (the hybrid roses).

And while they were busy with their fake date in the yard...

I started taking action, under the pretense of packing my luggage.

The billiard table in the parlor was the mission's starting point.

"Riko, can you hear me? The mole shall dive now below the ground. Over."

After gearing up in equipment familiar from back in my Assault days (open-finger gloves, thermal goggles, and Kevlar suit), I checked the cellphone that I fastened behind the billiard table, leaving it on call as it sends a signal to Riko.

"I can hear you clearly. Your voice sounds sexy over the phone as always, Ki-kun."

Pretending I never heard that, I silently flipped up the wooden floor under the billiard table.

Sayonaki and maid Aria are in the rose garden right now, having an elegant talk about the roses.

Meanwhile, I turn into a human mole, attempting the biggest challenge of my life called stealing.

Even though this is the only way to earn the lead about Nii-san, it somehow feels that I had lost a lot of important things as a human being in undertaking this job.

I derisively mull about that thought as I enter the tunnel that I had gradually dug during my stay here.

"Kinji here. The mole has changed into a bat."

With a low voice, I spoke to Riko via the cellphone through the intercam.

The success of the mission lies with the efficient use of time, so Riko had devised a bold strategy that would require much shorter time than the initial plan by avoiding going through the storeroom's threshold.

Originally named, "Mole Bat" by Riko. This is the solution that she came up with.

To explain it simply, first, we have to dig a tunnel from the ground floor going straight through the storeroom's ceiling, then use that pathway to sneak inside the room. Finally, just like a bat, I'll be suspending my body upside-down from the ceiling as I work on grabbing the cross.

Disregarding the danger of blood accumulation in my brain... Actually, this tactic is like killing two birds in one stone.

Due to the newly placed trap, the alarm will go off if we step on the pressure-sensitive floor.

By putting all of the problematic factors into consideration and finding a way of circumventing them, just what you'd expect from the descendant of phantom thief Lupin.

"7 minutes left, Ki-kun."

Within the dimness of the storeroom, I spotted the cross openly laid out above the rows of shelves.

However, I knew that was not the case once I put on the thermal goggles. I can see horizontal, vertical, diagonal; a convoluted system of infrared lights guarding the treasure.

If one of those rays had been disrupted, even if it was a millisecond disruption, the alarm will buzz off, screaming the end of our mission.

In other words, even if we use a fishing wire to try fishing for the cross, it will touch the infrared beams no matter how dexterously you do it.

Reaching the treasure with a straight line is impossible.

So what now?

The method Riko had thought up...

"Okay Ki-kun. Time to start 'Operation Rail'. First... Z1. Then connect it with A10."

I was broadcasting a video of the infrared lights' structure to Riko via the miniature videocam built into my intercam, then packet sending it via the cellphone in the parlor room.

As Riko watched that...

I followed her orders, connecting the wires that I had kept from the vest pouch.

"B11, F23, A7, B15... 2 of them, C19, C5, A13..."

Assembling the parts according to Riko's direction, the finished product would be a rail.

A rail of wire that will curve around that countless infrared beams.

Still--- Riko is really a genius despite being a thief.

Koumeikan is outside of HSUPA (High Speed Uplink Packet Access). Transmission of data could only be done through ordinary communication network. Because of the reduced speed of signal transmission, the visual data sent will not be as clear as normal. But to have a complete grasp of the situation and make a correct judgement despite that...

"E12, C7, A16, A13, D6..."

Riko's voice, leaking from the intercam's headphone, is serious, different than usual.

5 minutes left.

The assembled wire slowly crept its way into the goal, as slow as it could give one impatience by watching it,

Calm down Kinji. Do not make an elementary mistake such as involuntary sneezes. Even a slight tremble of hand would shake the wire, making unintended contact with the infrared lights. Everything is over if that happens. Extend the wires carefully to the cross.

Inside the sultry sealed room... Even mere sweat brings a danger.

That is, a single drop of sweat is enough to activate the floor-trap alarm.

"C7, A16, A13, D5... That should do it, Ki-kun."

Following Riko's voice, the tip of the assembled rail of wire, complicatedly twisting and curving...

*Chari*

...had finally reached the cross.

"I'll slide down the hook now."

I produced an S-shaped hook from pocket, hanging it on the curtain rail.

Attached to the hook was an ultra-thin wire made of nylon which will spiral around the wire as it slides its way down to the cross like a miniature jet-coaster.

*Chaki*

The cross, with its structure probably made to dangle itself as a pendant, easily caught the hook.

"I'll start pulling it in."

"Hurry Ki-kun. We took more time than expected."

Hustled by Riko, I swiftly spun the reel in my hands.

And started reeling in the cross that was caught in the hook...

Ugh... this is harder than I expected.

"Damn!"

The hook stopped at one-tenth of its way back. Well, I was compelled to. If I try to forcibly expedite the reeling, the cross would sway and might risk contact with the infrared lights.

"Ki-kun. We're in the soup."

"What happened?"

"There's a sign from Aria. Sayonaki is coming back."

"What did you say!?"

"It suddenly rained outside!"

...Curse it! To rain at a time like this!

We're still in the midst of the operation.

There's no getting out of this if Sayonaki caught us red-handed.

"Aria, Ki-kun needs more time. Can you do something to keep him occupied?"

Riko ordered Aria.

Aria receives orders from Riko via wireless earphones hidden inside her ears and a micromic concealed inside the maid uniform.

Currently, the communication line between me and Aria was closed so I can focus on my work. However...

"Riko. Connect me to Aria. I want to know what's going on."

"Got it."

Momentarily after Riko's answer...

I can hear Aria's voice, and Sayonaki who was a short distance away from her, through the intercam.

"Sayonaki-sensei!"

"What is it?"

"Ah, umm, it's nothing. Uhh..."

"...Huh?"

"Today has good weather, doesn't it?"[1]

"Eh...? But isn't it raining?"

"EH!? Ah... umm... Ah! Actually, I'm fond of rain! Ahahaha!"

A-Aria...

Can't you give an excuse a little better than that?

Aria is the type that will keep digging her own grave the more she gets confused. She's the type of person not suited for Inquesta.

"D-Dammit!"

As I shout my disgruntlement...

*Butsu*

From Riko or Aria's line, whichever it was, came a sound of disconnection.

Could this be one of commoner's telephone line defect!? Sometimes the line hangs up for no apparent reason.

What an unlucky day. A string of unfortunate happenings at a time like this. I wonder who had lost the transmission signal?

"Aria. Seriously, if it comes to this, let's resort to 'Honey Trap'[2]. As Ki-kun had already mentioned, Sayonaki is a womanizer according to rumor. This is our last resort but I'm pretty sure this will be very effective."

Riko's voice was flustered.

It seemed the disconnected line was Aria's.

"O-Okay!"

Huh?

Aria is properly responding.

So there was no disconnection of line that happened at all?

What was that unusual sound that I heard a while ago then? Just a noise?

"Sayonaki is a man. Just make a false confession and embrace him. It doesn't matter even if it's out of nowhere. Say that you love him and repeat that line 10 or 20 times to paralyze his thoughts. And afterwards, take him to a sofa or any place that you can lie down."

"I-I guess we don't have a choice."

Right now I am hearing an unbelievable talk. Done by both girls.

"Generally, guys... have a particular spot that they like in a woman's body. For example, breasts, hips, etc. Some prefer kissing. Start by letting him do you as he pleases."

"A-And then... what should I do?"

H-Hey, hey.

Aria, are you really serious about doing this?

"Once you've discovered his preference... pretend that you 'liked it'. We can easily buy 5 minutes that way. If things went smoothly, a man would keep doing that for 10 or 20 minutes."

"---I got it. I'll do my best to hold him off."

What a crude plan!

But could it be the reason that convinced me of the effectiveness of the plan was because Riko had done similar things to me before?

"...But before I do that, Kinji. Listen to me."

"What?"

"Even though it was not my true feelings... but before I'd do that to Sayonaki... I have something I want to tell you."

"So what is it? Make it quick, can you? I can't afford to waste anymore time here."

"I love you."

...HUH!?

"Ever since the hijacking incident... I have... fallen for you."

"...Ho-Hold up!"

This isn't the right time for that kind of talk you know!?

"That's why... I want you to do the same thing to me after Sayonaki had done all of that. So please don't be jealous. I'll let you do me two-fold than what Sayonaki will... no, until you are satisfied."

"Wait up!!"

T-This can't be!

What the hell is that idiot trying to suggest in this situation!?

"I don't mind doing it the whole night with you, or even during school. I'll do whatever you want me to do...."

Dammit... Aria, you... utilizing a lonely anime-voice like that is unfairly below the belt!

Aria. You don't realize how irresistibly cute your voice is. It made my mind stop working and become entirely full of it. Why don't you quit Butei and audition for seiyuu instead?

You just triggered my Hysteria Mode with that!

It got me, unintentionally.

Aria's sigh-sounding "I'll do whatever you want" line...

...had pulled my Hysteria Mode's trigger.

"...Tch..."

The moment I entered Hysteria, I could not keep myself from clucking my tongue upon realization...

That I've been had.

"You've done it... Riko."

"Baka Kinji! By saying that means you have turned into that state? Kufufu."

Riko chortled, and only said the last line with her own voice.

That last "Butsu" sound was Riko severing Aria's line to us.

And the Aria-Riko conversation that subsequently followed was actually Riko's one-person farce using her own unique ability to mimic people's voices.

"Ki-kun, you really turn into Hysteria easily with Aria. Riko is a bit dissatisfied!"

"Riko... you're such a bad girl. I'll give you a spanking later as punishment."

"Hauu~ Riko sees that as a reward instead!"

As we indulge ourselves with prattling...

My hand never once showed a least bit of a pause from its machine-gun paced reeling.

The hook, together with the cross, sailed along the rail as though I was watching a fast-forwarded video.

After grabbing it, I slid down a replica of the cross onto the rail.

*Shurururu* Making its way down the rail of wire...

The replica cross successfully landed on the spot no different from where the real cross was originally placed.

Not even sparing a second, I initiated the retrieval of the wire rail.

There's no dread of touching the infrared beams this time around.

To me, the process this time is as simple as walking while avoiding bumping into people in a train station.

Lastly, I picked myself up through the ceiling's hole...

*Patan*

...and sealed the ceiling's panel. Mission Accomplished.

Ultimately, my hide was saved again by Hysteria Mode. However, the Hysteria Mode this time was short-lived and subsided quickly.

Phew...

I am now afflicted by Hysteria's after-effect despondency and the regret of blurting out cheesy lines. Fortunately, the girl this time knows my circumstances. I guess it's okay to shrug the worry off.

What happened after that, it seemed Sayonaki had returned to the basement right after I left the storeroom.

In the end, Aria's desperate attempt in buttonholing Sayonaki with her weather talk was in vain. Well, with that kind of topic, you can't really blame Sayonaki.

As I recount those details in my mind, Aria and I changed to our usual clothes... or precisely to our Butei uniform, and departed the mansion.

Although Sayonaki followed to see us off, he didn't particularly endeavor a superfluous talk. He bade us farewell laconically, and went back to his research room.

Cross-breeding or genetics or whatever it was that he is researching... He really is so ardent.

And so...

Aria and I alighted from a taxi in Yokohama Landmark Tower, a skyscraper that lies within the proximity of Yokohama station.

Somewhere in this office building where the kernel of Minato Mirai 21 is situated, was where Riko had setup her hideout.

That time as well during the bus-jack in Daiba, Riko seems to display an inclination of using a modern hotel or building in taking up her position.

According to the details on where to hand over cross... the meeting place will be the roof.

Well, what we are handing over is a stolen item. I guess it has to be done someplace private without the eyes of people.

A warm and humid gust blew through the rooftop of the Landmark Tower.

According to the guide in the ground floor's elevator hall, the building is 296 meters high. It is famous for being the highest building in Japan.

Is it just me? It seems the sailing dark clouds are within reach.

First of all, the rooftop is closed to the public. People who have no business in this place are denied access, hence, the absence of people disregarding us.

As we reached the heliport, a slightly elevated square platform became visible. There is no fence installation surrounding it.

"Ki-kuuun!!"

Riko skittered this way as the wind brushed her honey-blond hair and flapped her frilled-customized skirt.

And then... *Grab*

Hugged me!

"Ki-kun, Aria. You two are really an amazing duo! You have done something beyond Riko's capability! Riko is stoked in awe right now!"

Riko's two-fold eyes glittered with joy. She's looking up to me from my chest.

Other than her two-sided up hair-style, a ridiculously big red-ribbon on the top of her head enhanced the adornment. It's like a hair-style of a girl that appears in fairy-tales.

Riko, like Aria, is child-faced... but even Riko's preference for accessories is puerile.

"Kinji. Let's hurry up and get this business over with. Somehow, seeing that flirt in a good mood gets under my skin."

"Hey, hey Arian. Are you jealous because I might take Ki-kun from you? I can tell."

And who is Arian? I threw a side remark in my mind.

Riko rubbed my chest with her cheek, as she threw a sidelong glance to Aria.

"I'm not! Mukiiiiiiiiii!"

Aria screamed with a sound similar to a screech of a broken violin.

Ignoring that, I took out the blue cross from my chest pocket.

"This is what you wanted right? I'll give it to you if you get off me."

When Riko saw the cross, she swiftly grabbed and attached it to a slender chain dangling on her neck.

"Otsu! Otsu! Ran! Ran! Ruuuu!"

When Riko let out an inexplicable shout of joy, next she chopped her temple with both hands (like doing a weird salute) and then swung her fists wildly all over. If you ask me, it's a bearing of someone high on drugs.

Riko, I know you're happy. But can you stop jumping in front of me?

Don't forget you're wearing a skirt.

The swaying of your frills is distracting as well.

"Riko, cut out the weird antics. It's your turn to fulfill your part of the deal."

Aria, with face twitching and hands folded, reminded Riko of her promise to us.

Hmm... Aria is seriously pissed off.

Riko said...

"Aria... you are really underestimating Riko. Don't you think so too, Ki-kun?"

What do you mean?

When I walked closer... Riko thrust the huge red-ribbon that's fastening her honey-blond hair to me.

"I actually brought a more appropriate present for your hard work. Ki-kun, please unwrap Riko."

Huh...? I'm not sure I am following this. Will this mean a contract sealed once I untie this?

I reached for Riko's ribbon and untied it blithely.

"*chuckle*"

*Chu*

I didn't have an inkling of what had happened.

Because it completely took me by surprise.

When I noticed Riko inclining her head diagonally...

She was actually going to kiss me!

---Kiss.

Yes. Riko kissed me.

Her breath that was redolent with the smell of vanilla aroused my olfactory senses.

It resembled the scent of a sugar milk or a candy or a honey.

But contrasting that immature aroma, her lips were furnished with the voluptuousness of a ripe woman.

And that gap made me...

"..........!!!"

Turn into Hysteria Mode...

Instantly!

Not again!?

"Fhwaa."

Riko pulled her lips away from mine, stopping at 1-centimeter distance and smiled. Our noses are still kissing each other.

*Lick*

She even licked my nose as an extra.

"Ri...Ririririkooo!?"

From side, Aria expressed her incredulousness like an emergency alarm.

"Just what are you trying to pull out of the blue!?"

Aria admonished. Riko, did not give any excuse...

*Tatan* *Tata* (Tumbling)

But she did a series of smooth sidesaults, circled around through the edges of the roof.

*Ton* (Landing sound)

And as if to sever our only escape pathway, she stood with her back on the door, blocking the way leading downstairs.

The damp summerwind swept Riko's honey-blond hair.

"I'm sorry Ki-kuun. Just like what you had said: Riko is such a bad girl. Once Riko had gotten back the cross... all of her desired cards will be assembled."

Riko smirked... That smile is the same one I saw back in the hijacking incident.

Oh that's right. I also said this to her back when I Hysteria-d in the mansion's basement.

"I'll say this once more... 'Riko, you're such a bad girl'. I know you're lying about your promise. Still... I forgive you. Because to me, a lie committed by a girl isn't considered a sin."

Great job Hysteria Kinji. With you and your cheesy lines.

"It's true I had said that. But I don't think my master thinks the same."

Explaining Aria's reaction would rather be unnecessary, she's obviously fuming with anger...

And at the same time, motionless as if she had witnessed something unbelievable.

...Ah, I see.

It's her first experience witnessing other people's... well, to be precise, the kissing scene between Riko and me. I'm pretty sure it was too much for her.

"Aria."

*Pachin*

Making a snap with my fingers...

"Hah!?"

Aria disabled her petrify mode and switched to blush mode with fangs bared as add-on.

"Well, I somehow had a hunch that the affair would end something like this. My decision was right after all for wearing a safety vest just in case this happens. Kinji, prepare yourself for battle. I will need your assistance."

...As you wish.

"Kufufu. Yes. That's more like it Aria. There is no flaw in Riko's scenario. Everything will proceed according to her plan. Using the two of you to retrieve the cross, and then defeating you both afterwards. Ki-kun, give it your all too. Since Riko had even sacrificed her first kiss for this battle's preparation."

What can I say? Well, I guess that's an honor.

"I'll give you an advantage, Holmes... This place is outside of Butei school. That would be easier for both of us right?"

From her skirt...

Riko pulled out two Walther P99's with both hands.

"Heh. That's nice of you. Now that makes it a legal 'self-defense' excuse."

As if like a mirror image of Riko, Aria did the same.

She pulled out the handguns unbefitting of her tiny hands--black and silver Colt Government--with both hands.

"Before I blast a hole on you... tell me one thing. Why were you desperate in retrieving that cross? I could only have vague ideas. Because it was a keepsake of your mother? That's not the only reason, right?"

Using the gun, Aria pointed to the cross dangling on Riko's neck.

Riko drew the Walther to her lips... and laughed.

"...Aria. Have you ever been called 'Brood Bitch' before?" (T/L Note: there are kanjis above Brood Bitch, 「繁殖用牝犬」 which literally translates to: A female dog for reproduction use.)

"Brood Bitch...?"

"Have you ever experienced living in a cramped cage? Have you ever experienced eating nothing but rotten meat and drinking dirty water because it was the only meal provided to you? You know, like those dog breeders of bad type. Just because they wanted to breed a dog with good pedigree as excuse... they lock up the dog in a cage and abuse them. There has been news like that. I'm sure you have seen one before. That's exactly what I'm saying. Imagine the human version of that."

Riko laughed as she tells her story using fierce body language.

Under the fast-sailing clouds, a bizarre mood or something similar hung over the landmark tower's roof.

"What... are you talking about?"

As if to interrupt Riko, Aria shoved both hands forward.

And as if that acted as a signal,

Riko's face suddenly turned abominably evil.

I felt a cold chill ran down my spine, making me breathless.

---It's similar. From that time during the hijacking---!

"DON'T BE KIDDING ME!! ARE YOU SAYING I'M JUST A GENE!? A NUMBER 4!? HELL NO I'M NOT! I'M NOT! I'M NOT! I AM RIKO! RIKO MINE LUPIN THE 4TH! NOT A TOOL TO GIVE BIRTH TO 5TH!"

In the midst of Riko's hysteria, she is not directing her shouting anymore to Aria, but to an invisible person in the air.

Those words don't connect to the talk with Aria. It's fragmented, and its meanings are loose.

Rather, it's a product of Riko's unleashed burst of emotion.

*Flash*

*Gorogoro*

From the distant sea, a faint thunder echoed. Aria jumped at her toes.

The seabreeze blew past us that it made me think for a moment it smelled of Riko's alluring vanilla scent.

"Aria... You asked why am I so desperate in retrieving this cross, right?"

Riko smirked. Her gaze piercing Aria.

"This isn't an ordinary cross. Riko's beloved mother had told her this when she was still alive: 'This treasure is worth something so far beyond imagination that even the combined assets of Lupin household can't match its worth.' That's why Riko was resolved to protect this cross at all cost that she kept it hidden inside her mouth the whole time she was imprisoned, making sure that Vlad won't be able lay his finger on it. And then..."

Riko paused, her two mini-twintails...

...had moved to life.

That scene reminiscent of Medusa, a monster that appears in mythology, had compelled my feet to move one step back.

"...And then one night, Riko had discovered. This cross... no, more precisely, the metal that makes up this cross, has a power to endow Riko this power! And by utilizing this power, Riko had finally managed her breakout!"

Riko's twin tails pulled out two knives that were hidden under her collar.

Quadra.

Same title as Aria... But with a different connotation this time. Because Riko is wielding 4 weapons at the same time.

"Come Holmes... Let's end the destiny between us. I'll defeat you, and today will mark the day Riko surpasses her great-grandfather."

Riko leveled the handguns at us. The left one to Aria. The right one this way.

"Holmes, and Kinji Tohyama... YOU SHALL BECOME MY STEPPING STONE!!!"

Riko bellowed. At that moment...

*BBZZZZTTTTT!!!*

A sound resembling an electric spark momentarily resounded.

Riko's adorable face suddenly evinced grimace... and with half-turned head, she muttered...

"...W...hy...are you... here...?

Riko's body pitched forward, and collapsed to the ground...

...revealing the figure of a man behind her.

"Sayonaki-sensei!?"

When Aria called the name of the man, Sayonaki-sensei dropped the large-sized stun-gun, probably used for subduing beasts, to the ground.

And without a second thought he pulled out a pistol from inside his chest pocket, then aimed it at the back of Riko's head.

Both the plaster and the bandage that's supposed to be wrapping his hand were now gone.

Was it healed now? Or rather, it seemed like it didn't suffer an injury from the start.

"Tohyama-kun, Kanzaki-san. Can you stay where you are for a few moments?"

The gun that Sayonaki was gripping gave me scowl, because the model rings a bell.

It's among the illustrations of guns shown to us in class back in my Assault days.

I believe it was... that's right.

Cugir M74.

An automatic pistol manufactured in Romania during its socialist era.

For being a mere citizen, why does he possess a pistol of such a rare model?

Sayonaki...

This guy is not the regular manager he appears to be.

When I sharpened my directed glare...

Behind him, from the stairs...

Grrrr... Rrrrr....

Appeared wolves, the same as the beast that we encountered in the Butei infirmary.

This time, not just one, but two.

"You should keep your distance. I ordered them to assault you if you come any closer than that."

Hearing Sayonaki's words, I tried lifting one toe, testing if it's not a bluff, and then... the two wolves glared immediately at me.

According to Jeanne, the wolves are supposed to be "Vlad's minions" but...

Why are they following Sayonaki's orders?

"Quite surprising that you control them. So your injury... and the wolf's assault was all part of your act?"

"I could say at least it was better than your maid and butler farce."

Sayonaki laughed. One wolf on his feet stirred a motion.

As if it was exhibiting a trick, the wolf picked up Riko's guns and knives, swiftly carried it to the edge of the rooftop, and disposed it below.

"I hope you hold your position there. You see, this gun had been manufactured 30 years ago and is quite old. Its trigger is a bit unsteady. It'd be regretful if I slipped on pulling the trigger and unintentionally shot Lupin the 4th."

Lupin the 4th.

Sayonaki called Riko by her real identity.

I'm not certain how strict Riko intended in hiding her true identity. Regardless, besides Jeanne, Aria and I, there is no one in Butei High school that knows Riko's identity.

Vlad must have told Sayonaki that information.

Then it'll be natural to deduce that, Vlad had also notified Sayonaki that Riko was after the cross kept in that mansion.

And that explains the sudden heightening of security in the storeroom.

The reason why this guy is already here in a matter of minutes after we have stolen the cross, must be because he had known all along that Aria and I were infiltrators... ever since the beginning.

"What is the meaning of this...? Why do you know Riko's real name? Don't tell me... You are Vlad!?"

Beside me, the no-talent-for-deductive-reasoning Aria had brought up a new theory of "Vlad = Sayonaki".

However...

"He will arrive here within a few moments. The wolves are also sensing his imminent arrival. See? They are getting excited."

Sayonaki's immediate refutal of Aria's claim made her face burn in embarrassment.

"I-Is that so? But still! After hearing the details about Riko and borrowing his minions, you said a half-month ago that you haven't talked to him directly before. What a great liar you are."

"I wasn't lying when I said that. Vlad and I, are destined not to meet each other."

"...You also said this before: 'Right now, he is in a very distant place'. But the truth is you called him immediately after that. The reason why you had played along despite knowing everything was because you realized that you couldn't defeat us alone. That's why you waited it out until Vlad returns. Am I right?"

Well, putting aside Sayonaki's statements. Aria is trying too hard for the department she is not good at.

Meanwhile, I initiated analyzing the current situation.

Sayonaki's combat effectiveness, judging by how amateurishly he gripped the gun, needless to say, does not pose a threat.

However, the problem is that he has Riko as hostage.

So long as the hostage is a girl, my Hysteria Mode will prevent me from taking a drastic action.

That would be the case for Aria as well. She can't afford to lose Riko, a precious witness in obtaining her mother's freedom.

Plus, Sayonaki had two wolves on his side.

Moreover, Vlad will arrive here in any moment. An adversary that is more powerful than Jeanne or Riko.

...We are at a disadvantage. And in a hopeless plight to add.

"Tohyama-kun. Shall I give you a supplementary lesson?"

I returned my gaze to Sayonaki from the sudden call of my name.

"...Supplementary lesson?"

"A supplementary lesson for the make-up quiz that I will give you, for not being able to complete the quiz because you were busy engrossing yourself in an act of debauchery with Lupin the 4th."

Hearing that, Aria shot a malevolent glance here, despite the current situation.

Let's not worry about that for now.

Why did Sayonaki suddenly bring up that topic?

I knit my brows. Sayonaki resumed his unilateral lecture.

"Genes... are very capricious entities. If good traits from parent's genes are inherited, the result will be an excellent offspring. But what about the other case? If bad traits from both genes are inherited instead, the result will be an incompetent offspring. Lupin the 4th, is exactly that case."

Sayonaki paused, then kicked Riko's head near his feet.

Sayonaki did that as if he was kicking a trash bag, showing no compassion at all.

"10 years ago, I researched Lupin the 4th's genes upon Vlad's request."

"S-So it was you... the bastard who suggested... all those rubbish things to Vlad...!" (T/L: Riko is talking in a very rough language here.)

At Sayonaki's feet, Riko talked in rough language as she writhed to resist the paralysis induced by the stun-gun. Her face twisted in great agony at the struggle of raising her head.

"And can you guess what I have found out?"

"S...Stop...! T-This has... nothing to do... with Holmes... and the others...!"

"Lupin the 4th's gene never inherited any good traits. Nothing at all. Not even a single one. So genetically speaking, an offspring like that would be an incompetent existence. This is an extremely rare case, but these cases do happen."

Riko turned her face away from us, and buried her face to the ground as if feeling shame from that ignominious revelation.

She really, didn't want other people to find out that truth, I can conclude that without doubt upon seeing that reaction. But contrary to her desire, the unwanted disclosure was mercilessly done in front of her, and what's more, to someone who she considered a mortal rival.

Thunder echoed from beyond.

"You're aware of your incompetency more than anyone else, 4th-san. I only corroborated that fact by providing you scientific proof. Just like this. You are no different than the 1st who could not successfully steal anything by himself... or even while leading a party of excellent people. Being inept is a miserable thing, isn't it, 4th-san?"

Riko lies near Sayonaki's feet who's repeatedly uttering the words "incompetent" and "4th". Her face is turned down, as if to scrape her face to the ground. Tears drip from her closed eyelids.

Sound of stifled sobbing came from the depths of her throat, which soon reached our ears.

Sayonaki took something out from his pocket.

It's the replica cross which I had replaced with the genuine one.

"Let me tell you something, 4th-san. Humans are decided by their genes. People with no excellent traits, no matter how much they try nor work hard to compensate for it... will soon face their limit. Just like what you are right now."

Sayonaki crouched, and from Riko's chest... *Puchi*

Tugged the blue cross out.

And in return, Sayonaki stuffed the replica cross into Riko's mouth. Probably due to exhaustion, Riko displayed no resistance.

"That junk fits you better, don't you think so 4th? After all, you're junk itself. Don't spill it, keep it properly in your mouth, just like what you did when you were imprisoned."

Sayonaki stomped on Riko's head.

Beneath his sole is Riko. We could only hear, "Uu...uu..", Riko's sorrowful sobbing in intermittence.

Riko...!

(Why...?)

Why does Sayonaki need to torment Riko that much?

A way to keep us until Vlad arrives?

No, still it was too eccentric.

"Kno-Knock it off!! What's the point of bullying Riko!?"

A shout of shrilly anime voice... It was Aria.

Even though Riko is an enemy to her, but after witnessing all that, she couldn't stand watching the cruelty to her rival anymore.

"---Because I need desperation to call him. He will arrive once he hears the music of desperation. The reason why I intentionally let the cross successfully be stolen, is to let this girl taste profound happiness. So then the desperation that will follow afterward will be profound as well... And thanks to that, everything is going smoothly."

Re-pointing the gun's muzzle to Riko, Sayonaki narrowed his eyes behind the glasses.

"...Tohyama-kun. Watch closely, because being watched will make my adrenaline rush better."

Watched...?

I knit my brow.

I sensed that Sayonaki is transforming. And from that transformation...

(-----!!!)

...I had come into realization.

That can't be...!

That distinctive action of flipping a switch to change oneself...!

"No...way...!?"

I know this.

I haven't seen what kind mine looks like.

But all Tohyamas should know this.

(Hysteria Mode...!?)

No words came out of my mouth.

As I was shocked at the scene happening in front of me. It left me speechless.

Sayonaki laughed seeing my reaction.

"That's right, Tohyama-kun. This is Hysteria Savant Syndrome..."

He said it.

This guy has that power too?

The power that only our family has?

However, according to Nii-san's story, Hysteria Mode is a very frightening trait that will put your life at risk (easy to die) protecting girls... Thus, up until this generation, Tohyama was the only remaining lineage who has inherited this ability.

"Hysteria... Savant?"

Beside me, Aria knit her brows as she tries to comprehend those words.

I dared to keep silence.

"Tohyama-kun. Kanzaki-san. It's a brief parting for now. With this, I can finally call him... But before I leave, let me give you a lecture regarding I-U."

He even mentioned I-U.

"You probably have heard this already from Jeanne or 4th. I-U is a place where everyone shares their ability to one another. But that kind of playhouse act only applies to the lower ranking members, like those two. However, Vlad and I caused an uprising. Just like Hysteria Savant Syndrome, we brought about the power to mimic passive ability."

Mimic passive ability...?

"I've heard something similar. I-U had developed new technique to copy passive abilities."

Sayonaki shook his head upon Aria's remark.

"The technique itself isn't really new. 600 years ago, Vlad empowered himself by copying other's genes without the need to undergo inheritance... In other words, by sucking blood."

...Sucking blood...?

"I was the one responsible for making it possible to extract abilities from anyone... This explanation might be confusing for high-schoolers like you but, I used a retrovirus to selectively embed the newly extracted abilities into his DNA."

Sayonaki continued his explanation under a complacent face.

"It is also my job to collect genes from exceptional bloodlines. Remember last time at the infirmary room? I was planning to extract blood samples from Butei students with superior genes when I was interrupted. It ended in failure owing to your peeking act. It seems the training I put to the wolves to attack anyone they sensed watching the process, had backfired on my plan."

...So he was planning to collect blood samples from exceptional bloodlines, and use that blood to copy the genes.

---Oh yeah, Muto had mentioned this at that time: "Someone saw a girl walking out with unsteady steps from Sayonaki's research lab." That girl too, must have had her blood sucked out by Sayonaki.

Beside me who's furrowing my brows, Aria is gritting her teeth.

"Vlad, Romania, vampire... That's... That's right. Why didn't I realize this sooner? That's more than enough clues for the answer. Kinji, I figured out Number 2's real identity."

Real identity?

I turned head my towards Aria's direction. Aria turned to face me as well.

"Vlad is actually Count Dracula."

Aria blurted out a not too ordinary word.

"Dracula...? Was that... the last boss that appears in Castlevania games?"

"No. Vlad Dracula was once a prince of Wallachia... which is Romania now. He's not a fictional character. He did really exist. I've heard about him back when I was enrolled in Bucharest Butei High School. There was a famous ghost story that Vlad Dracula is still alive."

Sayonaki nodded upon Aria's words.

"---That is correct. I am surprised that you know that. Tohyama-kun and Kanzaki-san, the one you will be granted audience with in a matter of time, is the real Vlad Dracula in flesh. Doesn't that make you excited?"

"These are all far-fetched. First of all---"

I glared at Sayonaki, shaking my head left and right.

"If you have copied Nii-san's power, then how is it possible that you can continue tormenting Riko like that?"

Hysteria Mode is a power that is supposed to protect girls.

If you get used to it, fighting a girl in that mode is possible, but that's only as a self-defense means or like correcting a girl's wrongdoings. Whichever the case, it requires a valid reason to justify the act.

But, stomping at a girl's head like that, or doing an act to disgrace them, it obviously can't be done with a guy under the influence of HSS.

"That's a good question. It's the teacher's job to answer student's questions. But to answer your question, I'll need to explain everything in order... A long time ago..."

Sayonaki started an old story as if to recite a fairy tale.

"In this world. There was a species called vampire, who overwrote their genes and evolved through sucking blood. Those who indiscriminately picked their meals mostly met their demise. However, there was one vampire named Vlad, who, due to picking mostly humans as his target meal, gained human knowledge. Using that newly acquired knowledge, he carefully planned his diet by sucking various types of blood. As a result, he gained a robust and healthy body, outliving his kin."

Whether this story is true or not, is not a problem at the moment.

"However, in order for Vlad to maintain that knowledge, he needed to keep sucking human blood. As a result of that, Vlad's genes had been continuously overwritten by human genes. And alas, Vlad himself, had gained a human form like me."

What is Sayonaki's intention behind transforming into Hysteria Mode...?

"Vlad, concealed within me, will appear whenever I get excited. In other words, he will surface when the endorphins released in my brain reaches a critical level. However, upon living for a long time, my body had been gotten used to many different types of exhilaration that it was hard to excite my body anymore. "

...That's what I am trying to discern.

"But not long ago I found the solution. Yes, by copying Tohyama Kinichi's DNA. The resulting endorphine influx from HSS is enough to call Vlad!"

*Flash*

Again thunder boomed in the distant sea.

The smirking Sayonaki had once again kicked Riko's head.

The replica cross inside her mouth extruded to the floor.

"Behold! His arrival has come."

Sayonaki spoke the words as if he was expecting the descent of messiah from heaven.

"And here's the answer to your last question, Tohyama-kun. I am a vampire, not a human. Therefore, a human girl isn't the object that I have to protect. Just like how a human sees a chimpanzee girl. We view humans as an entirely different species. But as luck has it, it seems I experience pleasure in abusing lowly beings. In other words, I am a sadist. And by abusing them, I activate my Hysteria Mode."

I can feel Sayonaki's true presence with my HSS's heightened sense.

Judging by that state, his hysteria-d existence is transforming further into another level.

What... is this...!?

This is exceeding the level of Hysteria Mode!

It's like a ritual of "Soul" being swapped.

This bizarre phenomenon... it resembles something like a double personality.

No...

"Me-Meta...mor...phosis...!?"

Aria's words, intermittently chopped from incredulousness, is more accurate.

It's more appropriate to call it metamorphosis.

Yes, he's undergoing metamorphosis.

In front of us.

R-Rip... Rip...

The clothes enveloping his body were getting ripped in pieces like paper. The skin below that became evident soon turned into a ruddy color. The muscles in his shoulder and arms, after uttering a creepy sound, had bulged in size like a stallion. The pants covering his lower body, only the upper half of it remained to cover his body. The skin exposed in it was furry like animal's.

The skin on his upper body had an ivy-like, eye-shaped mark, distinct in its white color.

That is definitely... a monster.

That's all I could say.

So, the monster-like illustration that Jeanne drew...

...wasn't a lie after all.

"Ce mai faci... Ah, should I rather speak in Japanese? First time meeting you two."

Not only his physical looks, but even his voice had changed. It sounded like an overlapping voice of several people talking at once. Sayonaki, with his hair-raising voice...

"We have been communicating with each other through minds... That's why I have already heard everything from Sayonaki. Have you noticed it? I am Vlad right now."

...he re-introduced himself.

The vicious eyes piercing this way radiated a golden shimmer.

"...I see... It's making sense now."

I clucked my tongue. Aria turned towards me.

"W-What do you mean?"

"Well, these are just my deductive reasonings..."

I spoke with raised voice so that the enemy could hear it as well.

It will be a huge problem if Sayonaki, or Vlad... would start explaining everything about Hysteria Mode. Thus, I took the initiative of elucidating the situation.

"It's kinda like mimesis."

"Mimesis...?"

"You must have seen one in your favorite animal show, Aria. Like for example, a tiger longhorn disguised as a bee to live comfortably in their environment. In that case, not only do they copy the target's 'appearance', but they also mimic the target's 'behaviour'."

"Y-Yeah. I have seen something like that."

"Vlad-Sayonaki's transformation is the vampire-human version of that concept. As you see, that is what that guy originally looked like, but in the process of evolution, he achieved the form of a human as a product of mimesis. That mimesis is so powerful that, he not only achieved the appearance of a human, he even achieved a 'human personality' as well, which is Sayonaki by the way. Strictly speaking, both are different from each other... it's kind of like having a split personality. Vlad's vampire-appearance and personality were concealed inside the human's appearance and personality."

Aria's eyes opened wide as I volubly explain my reasoning. It seems Aria just noticed that I had transformed into Hysteria Mode.

She stared at my sedate face. And at the moment she met my gaze, she flusteredly averted her eyes and turned towards Vlad.

"So you have been mimicking us humans all along. It's like, as if you're infiltrating our human society."

"Yeah. Something like that."

Vlad, who appeared to be listening to my deductive reasoning as well, curtly expressed his affirmation. It seems he was different from Sayonaki who's fond of protracted and complicated explanation.

One furry arm, with its sharp and long fingers reminiscent of a scythe, grabbed Riko's head.

"Uu....!"

"Yo, 4th. It has been a while. Was it since I-U the last time we met?"

Vlad easily lifted Riko in the air with one arm. At that moment...

The pistol that should have been pointing at Riko was diverted.

I was like: "A CHANCE!", and open fired a 3-bullet burst, aimed towards Vlad's arm.

*Bang* *Bang* *Bang*

The three bullets simultaneously landed to their targets. One bullet destroyed the pistol, one pierced the forearm, and the other one apparently hit the upper arm.

However...

"...Ugh!?"

The one who raised a groan wasn't Vlad but me.

The two wounds on Vlad's arm... after releasing a red smoke, were healed. The healing process was like the closing of a mouth. It sealed the wound immediately. And the process happened in about one second.

The two bullets that pierced his arm, got expelled out, producing a clanking noise when it fell to the floor.

After Vlad made a silent snort, he glared at me with his golden eyes.

"Tohyama. You can crush a tomato with one hand, right?"

"???"

"For me, a human's head is no different from a tomato. I can easily crush one upon my will. That's why there's no need for me to rely on this toy anymore."

Vlad smoothly moved his arm that was supposed to have been shot. He picked up the broken pistol, and crushed it with one hand.

W-What power...

He crushed the pistol that was made of steel as if it was just a plastic model.

If that powerful arm squeezed Riko's head... seriously, it would be like crushing a tomato with one hand.

"4th. Come to think of it. You didn't know that I can transform into my human form."

Vlad drew Riko's head near his face.

"V...Vlad...! You... tricked me...! You said... if I defeat Holmes... you will grant my... freedom! That's what you... promised... back in I-U...!"

Riko glared at Vlad. Her eyes are shedding tears of vexation.

"...Would you keep your promise to a dog?"

GWAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Vlad laughed hard, revealing his sharp fangs that resembled knives.

That kind of laughter itself, was beyond what humans can produce.

"Return to your cage, Brood Bitch. I thought it would be interesting to let you out of your cage for a bit. But in the end, you only just proved your own incompetence. You couldn't defeat Holmes, your modus operandi for stealing is crappy, and on top of being weak, you're an idiot beyond salvation. You're unlike the one who was expected to be Arsene's descendant that I fought in Paris."

Vlad fought Arsene (Lupin the 1st) in Paris 100 years ago. The conclusion of the battle was a draw.

"But it doesn't change the fact that his blood is flowing through yours. If I do the right breeding, I can make myself an ideal 5th to extract the blood and assimilate!"

Vlad thrust Riko towards us.

"Tohyama. Would you like to copulate your genes with this?"

---That scumbag...!

For him, the mating of humans to create new genes is like cross-breeding peas to bring about a new breed of beans.

He's looking down upon us humans.

"Imbibe this into your mind, 4th. You can never escape me. That is your fate."

Vlad heaved and swayed Riko in the air, half-shouting those words, half-guffawing.

"Whether it is in I-U or anywhere else, no matter where you flee, there will be no place for you in this world other than your cage. Look. This will be your last backdrop of outside world. Make sure you preserve the scenery in your mind. Gaahahahahahaaha!"

"Ri-Riko...!"

"Riko!"

Aria and I called out to Riko at the same time.

Riko tightly closed her eyes, not wanting to let us see her crying face.

But that fruitless resistance was betrayed by trails of tears dripping from her cheeks.

"...A...Aria..."

The supercilious Riko, with her temerity now gone from exhaustion, called to us with a voice that she squeezed out with all her might.

"...Kin...ji..."

She called to us; to the one who she considers rival and to that rival's partner.

And spoke with low voice...

"......He...lp......"

...the very same word that she spoke at the rooftop of girl's dorm.

"It took you long to say that!"

Aria shouted with her anime-voice as if like a popping of a balloon,

The two wolves jerked, apparently intimidated.

"Kinji. We'll save Riko first. I'll leave the side to you."

After Aria shouted her order...

Her body shot forward, with a speed as if her back was installed with a rocket booster. She made a beeline for Vlad, charging towards him as if like a shooting star. That small back, I could perceive, shouldered no hesitation nor uncertainty.

*Howl*

The two loyal wolves pincered Aria from both sides, as she approached their master.

However, Aria didn't even glance upon the two assailants.

By saying "Side", what Aria meant was she entrusted the dispatching of wolves to me.

That's how much Aria trusts my combat ability right now.

...So then there's only one course of action. I must live up to her expectations.

"Forgive me..."

Apologizing to the wolves... *Bang* *Bang*

I released two shots left and right with my Beretta.

The wolves...

*Thud*

...fell over on their spots as if lying down.

Shortly after that, Aria safely crossed the space between the mouths of the wolves.

I followed suit, throwing an apology once more to the downed wolves as I passed them.

No, I didn't take their lives.

I only grazed their spinal cords using the pressure from bullet fire. It will take five minutes until they recover from immobilization.

Well, I only copied the technique Reki used to paralyze the other wolf though.

"Vlad! Riko is mine! I won't allow you to steal my target!!"

Target, you say...

Aria, not able to hear the side remark I made inside my mind...

*Gagagagagagann!!*

...rolled towards Vlad's right side, and released a shower of bullets.

*Bachi* *Bachi* *Bachi*

A raw sound of flesh puncturing resounded momentarily...

Aria successfully landed 10 shots of .45 ACP bullets in Vlad's shoulders, arms and feet, in a skillful display of precision without hitting Riko. Her assault punched windholes around Vlad's body.

"---What a brat. It seems like you're asking how a game should be played."

Vlad, who's supposed to be shot, merely laughed.

The wounds, as expected, after producing a red smoke, were healed.

Watching that scene gave me a scowl.

I unconcealed the butterfly knife's edge with my left hand. Vlad was occupied with Aria at the moment. Using that opportunity, I lunged towards Vlad's open left side, encircling my way around through his blind spot.

*Chuck*

And pierced the part of the wrist of the arm that was gripping Riko.

"Sayonaki-sensei. You have taught us a lot of things. But now it is my turn to teach you something..."

*Chuck* *Chuck*

I followed two more thrusts to the same wrist as if to gouge it.

Well, to be precise...

I severed his flexor carpi ulnaris, palmaris brevis, and palmaris longus muscles.

"The proper way to carry a girl... is like this!"

I forcefully pulled Riko away from Vlad's arm, and carried her in a ohime-sama dakko[3] fashion.

"...Ohh!?"

Vlad expressed his astonishment as his arm lost the ability to grip.

I see. The construction of his muscles is not much different from humans.

But the wounds, just like before... after raising a red smoke, were healed.

(I need to do something about that healing ability soon...)

Carrying Riko in my arms, I moved myself away from Vlad, rejoining Aria who apparently took the same judgement.

"That talk a while ago... it was complicated so I didn't fully understood all of it... But I'll tell you this, Riko!"

...What? You didn't understand it? I asked in my mind as my face quivered in incredulity.

Aria bared her fangs as fierce as a vampire.

"If you want to deceive me, then that's fine. But if you plan to use me, I would prefer to be used in this kind of fight rather than to be used in a stealing act!"

Eh!? So for Aria, that was the point of the problem!?

"And Vlad!"

This time she turned towards Vlad.

"You called me a brat a while ago! I am already 16 years old. I'll take your remark as a personal insult!"

"All the same. To me who has lived for 800 years, all humans are brats."

"...You said it again! I'm not gonna forgive you anymore even if you cry and beg for forgiveness! You're a Romanian noble right? Then you should know the consequence of insulting a noble."

"...And what will you do? Eh? Can you even do something... to the impeccable me?"

Vlad eyed Aria with a sneering gaze.

"Don't ask an obvious question. I'll arrest you of course, then I'll drag you by the ears if you refuse to testify in front of the supreme court! The share of 99 years of sentence put upon my mama for being implicated in false crime, shall be your atonement in jail!"

Vlad guffawed hearing that.

"Geahahahahaha! Arrest me? That was a splendid joke, Holmes!"

Aria showed no intimidation from Vlad's inhuman golden-eyes. As you expect from the one bearing the title of "Quadra".

"Vlad, you are really stupid. If I have to give a comparison of your stupidity... I'll say around Kinji and Muto level."

Hey!

Don't lump me in the same level as Muto!

"'Endless Sinner Vlad'. Out of all my targets, you're the most mysterious and elusive one to find. But here you appeared in front of me nonchalantly like that. You should prepare yourself!"

"Vampires and Humans, are like the relationship of predator and prey. Do you think a wolf would be afraid of a rat?"

"You lack knowledge despite your age, Vlad. Didn't you know? In this world, there exist rats that are poisonous."

Aria proudly retorted, putting to use the newly learned trivia that she had seen from her favorite animal show.

Then Aria shook her fingers of the arm that was laying on her waist in a certain fashion.

As if like strumming an invisible guitar, Aria surreptitiously gestured with her fingers, making sure that Vlad isn't noticing it.

This is one type of code-signal that Butei use. It's called, "Tapping".

Promptly decoding Aria's code, the message was: "Hide Riko".

I see. That's why she stood out afront as if to cover us.

Following her order...

I switched location. Carrying Riko with my arms, we concealed our bodies behind the blind spot of the heliport's elevation.

"Fii Bucuros! (Splendid!) Aria, you sure have a cheeky attitude for a woman that I'm certain I would enjoy gazing at the marvelous sight of her impaled body!"

Gaha! Gaha! Gahahaha!!

Vlad, blasting out a laugh that would invoke creepiness to its listener...

He was successfully taunted. His attention is now fixed upon Aria.

Now is a good time to have a talk with Riko.

"...Riko, can you move?"

After lowering Riko to the ground like a fragile doll, she weakly nodded.

And then she looked at me as if glaring, grabbed my sleeve and drew her face close.

"Kinji... Tell Aria to retreat right now. Vlad is very strong... His strength is beyond measure! I fought him back in I-U, but I was no match for him. Even the first generation of Lupin couldn't win against him. No matter what you do, you can't defeat him. That has been proven already in the past!"

"Past? The past is meant to be changed."

I answered with a smile. In exchange, Riko violently shook her head.

"Impossible, I tell you! It's out of the question! It's hopeless! I can asseverate it! Our only way of getting out of this plight is escaping!"

I softly grasped the hand of the yelling Riko.

"Butei Charter article 2. You must fulfill the contract in the commission. Your contract Riko, hasn't fulfilled yet."

"T-That contract! It was already void the moment I betrayed you two!"

Sealing her wailing, I put my forefinger on Riko's lips.

"If I recall correctly, our commission is to 'help' you, right?"

I beamed at Riko. Slipping my other hand on Riko's nape... *Chari*

...I hung the blue cross around her neck.

"......!"

Riko's big duplex eyes had blown full-open. Her reaction was as if she had seen a miracle.

"It's the real one. It was inside Vlad's pocket. I swapped it with the fake one when I stole you away from his grip."

I winked at Riko. She looked stupefiedly from the cross to my face. She glanced at the cross again, and then looked at my face once more...

Finally, her face blushed a bright red.

Among Riko's expressions that she hitherto showed me, that reaction just now was unfamiliar.

That reaction can only be achieved by an ordinary girl rather than by a girl flaunting her sexual charm. Honestly, it was a very cute reaction.

Riko's gripping of my sleeve had laxed.

Turning my back to her, I climbed over the heliport's elevation.

"Riko, You don't have to fight if you desire so. Even I wanted to run as well... But my little master would not allow that."

I directed those words behind me, to Riko who remained in her position, and then I glared at the demon Aria is facing.

Vlad.

I-U's no. 2.

Jeanne had warned me of his strength.

She said to abort our mission immediately and retreat if we ran across him.

And right now, I have ascertained his monstrous strength.

...Bullets cut no ice with him.

...And he single-handedly crushed a pistol.

I have no experience fighting the likes of him before. Even during my Assault days.

Run away Kinji. Run away now.

That's what all my cells were shouting to me.

But...

But wait...

Despite having been asked for "help" by a girl who had suffered countless cruelty.

While my partner is audaciously battling a monster alone and also is a girl to boot.

Are you still telling me to run away?

Hah!

Even if I'm not in Hysteria Mode, I can never do that!.

That's why...

It is inevitable.

That what I concluded.

Riko, I will save you from the hands of Vlad. I will help you attain your freedom.

Aria, I will be with you until the end of this battle.

I might face defeat, or in worst case scenario, my death...

But who cares about what will happen?

I am a man.

"Kuh... You!"

Aria, circling around Vlad... *Bang* *Bang* ...relentlessly pelted him with bullets unleashed from twin guns. But those bullets, as suspected, failed in inflicting damage to the enemy.

(......?)

It's at this time I noticed the anomaly.

The white eye-shaped marks on his body... Although the wounds in that area were healed, the trails of blood remained as if it were like tears flowing from the eye-shaped marks.

Examining those with a sidelong glance, I rejoined with Aria around the heliport's border.

When Vlad saw the two of us together again, he smirked.

He turned his back to us, and made his way towards the long pole which probably is the building's base station antenna.

He's up to something.

Still, I can't go after and stop him.

We'll use this opportunity to discuss our plan.

"...That bastard. He had many chances of tearing me into pieces with his nails, but he just went for seizing me instead."

Aria, slightly catching her breath, whispered to my ear.

"I think he's planning to capture you alive. After all, that guy is a collector of famous blood."

"...No joke. Consider Holmes' blood soiled upon the time it assimilated into his body."

Aria gritted her teeth upon that envision.

"...Aria. Vlad has four weak spots around his body."

I told Aria the information Jeanne had confided to me, while convincing myself that I had kept the promise I made not to leak the information to Aria unless it was necessary.

"Weak spots... you say?"

"Yeah. If we attack the four weak spots at once, we can defeat him for sure. It seems that is how I-U's No. 1 subjugated him."

"Wh... Where did you hear all about this!?"

I considered explaining Jeanne's circumstances to Aria but unfortunately, we don't have much time for that. Instead, I grabbed Aria's both shoulders with both hands, and forcefully turned herself to face me.

Drawing my serious face closer, Aria was like... "Hawa!" making a flustered face.

She probably thought that I'm gonna do something to her, as she stiffened her shoulders. Hey, quit circling the wagon!

"Wh-What!? What is it!?"

"Butei Charter article 1! Believe in your comrades and help each other. I'll give you the explanation after this fray is over."

"I-I-I get it! S-So can you not bring your face here that close!?"

Perceiving her blush meter was approaching the verge of its limit, I released Aria.

(If memory doesn't fail me, the location of the weak spots...)

Watching Vlad, who's trying to uproot the giant antenna from its towering position, I quickly scanned his body for marks and found three. One on each shoulder, and one on the side of the waist. It corresponded to what Jeanne had told me.

"It's those eye-shaped marks."

However, the last weak spot was nowhere to be found. Aria realized that as well.

"Kinji, there are only three!"

"The location of the fourth weak spot... is unknown at the moment. We have no choice but to ferret it out as we fight him. About the plan for the simultaneous assault... Aria, you take care of the two on the shoulders. I'll hit the one on the side. And about the fourth one, I'll do something about it."

"...Got that. But to be honest, I only have two shots left. So let me know when it's time to shoot. I'll pretend to have been out of ammo until then."

Aria pulled out two undersized Japanese swords (i.e. Kodachi) from her back.

My brows wrinkled upon seeing that.

(Out of ammo, huh.)

I wish I could lend Aria spare ammo, but unfortunately, Aria's Colt Government, which is a wide-barreled gun, uses a wide caliber .45 ACP. It's not compatible with my Beretta's or Riko's Walther P99's ammunition, which both use standard size 9mm caliber bullets.

A crackling noise broke my train of thought. Turning my head towards the source of the sound, I saw Vlad from beyond pluck out a 5-meter antenna pole.

*Gosun*

Vlad dropped the long antenna near his feet as though it was a spear. We could feel the shaking it caused even from this distance. It must weigh at least a few tons. I think it is correct to call it a demon's club now instead of antenna. It can easily destroy a bus in one sweep.

"...It has been a while since I last impaled a human. This will do as a skewer for now. So brats, are you all done with your kiddy talk? I'm looking forward to seeing what plan you came up with. For your information, garlic or silver doesn't work on me anymore. I have gotten over all my weaknesses through sucking blood. Well... I still don't like them though."

Vlad laughed. From his open mouth flashed fangs as sharp as knives.

"Holmes 4th. Like Lupin 4th, it seems like you are a failure as well. I admit you have the nimble body of a rabbit... but you haven't inherited his reasoning ability one bit."

"...So what? Genes, genes... all you talk about is genes. Well, I guess there are lineage freaks like that in this world. Allow me to give you a piece of my mind. It appears you managed your growth by overwriting your genes but... humans aren't just decided by genes!"

Aria puts on an annoyed face, and puffed out an invisible bust.

"It's true that genes and DNA are determined at birth and restricts people to a certain degree, but you know... your nature can be nurtured by assiduous effort to improve oneself! If you say Riko didn't inherit any superior genes, then she's the living proof of that hard work!"

Stealing a peek behind, I saw Riko's ribbon, who's hiding behind the blind spot of the heliport's elevation, quiver. She's apparently listening as well.

"...I have fought Riko twice before. And I can say that she's really strong!!"

Aria yelled like a roar. Vlad picked up the antenna and brandished it.

"You've only felt that way because you're both failures."

He wielded that antenna pole effortlessly as if it was just a short stick or something.

"However... you're different from Lupin 4th in that you have Tohyama as a partner to compensate your weakness. They say beware of Holmes' lineage when teamed in two. I picked up that warning a long time ago. That's why I have to dismiss you first, Tohyama Kinji."

Glaring at me with those golden eyes...

"Inebriate yourself upon the melody of Wallachia's magic flute---!!"

After declaring that, Vlad arched backways. His chest slowly expanded, sucking in air as it created a noise like a jet engine.

W-What is he planning to do!?

His chest swelled like a balloon. It even made me slip the chance to fire my gun upon seeing that bizarre scene.

Byaaaaaaaaaaaaaavaiiiiiiiiiiiiiii----!!!

A howl!

The whole landmark tower shook upon that beast-like howl. It even scattered the dark-clouds hanging in the rooftop's environs.

Distance-wise, it was probably even heard in places a hundred meters away.

It made Aria's and my uniform flap--- it wasn't caused by the winds, but the noise.

Our brains were shaken by that noise as if like how a flan was shook inside a case. I felt like all my organs had been swayed, and the blood throughout my body had been stirred.

I sealed my ears with my hands to prevent loss of hearing. I closed my eyes so that they wouldn't pop out. It was a great effort keeping my standing despite the shock.

A moment of storm or something similar had passed.

"Who... Who would have thought Dracula could howl!?"

Aria, who tumbled on the ground on her butt, picked herself up with trembling feet.

"------!!!"

Then I realized, after seeing Vlad's smirk...

...that I was not in Hysteria Mode anymore.

(He disabled my Hysteria Mode...!?)

I felt my powers were debilitated.

I broke into cold sweat.

We've been had.

After learning Hysteria Mode, he even discovered a way to disable it.

He probably realized my Hysteria Mode was canceled, as Vlad slowly tread his way here, carrying the antenna pole on his shoulder.

If I got hit by that pole...

It will break the bones in my body... no, it will shatter them.

What should I do now... Is there a way out of this?

...Even racking the brain of my Normal Mode does no help.

"Kinji! He's within killing range now! What are you standing there like a pole!?"

Aria bellowed, and did probably the last thing I would expect that she would do to me. She toppled my feet.

I fell backwards...

"!?"

Cutting the air with a swift strike, Vlad's pole zipped past right in front of my nose.

And then... Tiiiiinnggg!! A sound of metal clashing reverberated.

Aria took the hit that I was suppose to take.

Aria had managed to block the pole using her Kodachi. However, the residual force of the weapon collision had sent her flying to the edge of the heliport, throwing her out of bounds.

"Aria!"

Around the same moment of my shout, Vlad's pole launched its second strike.

I rolled to the floor, attempting to evade its onslaught, however, the pole still grazed my shoulder.

"---Ugh!!"

Gasshh!!

Even with that little scratch, its force was enough to send my body flying as though I had been hit by a car.

My vision spun around, realizing that my body was rotating in midair.

I've been blown away... literally! By 10 meters... no, twice of that.

I couldn't do anything. I was completely at Vlad's mercy. Me without Hysteria Mode is just an average high school guy.

Helpless upon that cruel truth... my body made one rebound on the floor, and swept past the edge of the rooftop...

Ah...

The moment it occurred to me to extend the grappling wire to thwart my fall, everything was over. That ephemeral window-of-opportunity is now beyond possibility.

"-----------!!!"

I'm falling!

296 meters above ground.

Going straight towards the ground.

---I'm dead.

Seriously, this time I'm dead.

They say you'll see swirling lights before your time comes, however, in reality, it left you vacantly staring ahead.

I can't think of anything right now.

My mind is blank.

I could only glance at the rooftop. Watching it recede as if like I'm watching a backward jet-coaster ride.

(----?)

From the rooftop... came a pattering sound.

The pattering sound was caused by a figure of girl's dashing.

(Riko?)

It was Riko.

Her frill-customized skirt flapped in the winds.

*Tan!*

With that elegant figure, as if like performing a high dive in pool, she jumped off the rooftop!

(-----!!!)

Riko, with eyes that had turned into like that of a beast's, adjusted her posture in midair. She glued her feet to the wall. Running along the wall like a ninja, she descended the building.

Her running was faster than my falling.

Her long blond hair had transformed into the shape of a F1 car's rear-wing, probably to assist in balancing Riko's mid-air dash.

"Kinji!"

Riko called out. And then...

*Tan!*

Kicking the wall, she leapt towards my falling body.

And then, for only God knows why, she shoved my head inside her skirt, and clutched it between hips.

"Wh-What's happening!?"

At last, I could finally say something to Riko, who seemed like I've been giving a shoulder ride from the posture...

Riko untied the ribbon that's fastening the back of her sailor uniform.

Upon doing that... the skirt fanned out above us and bloomed like a flower in air! Its pleats stretched continuously, gradually spreading out.

And turned into a paraglider.

Riko's paraglider immediately caught the wind current. We hovered in circles around landmark tower.

Her legs propping under my armpits.

"Ri...Riko...!!"

The building's outward appearance is totally comprised of glasses of windows, therefore, we can see our reflection on it.

I gawked at the sight of Riko reflected upon the building's windows. She's only wearing underwear!

W-Well I guess that can't be helped, because we're using her customized uniform as a paraglider at the moment. Then that means... these legs that are suspending me, if I trace that upwards...

On my nape, I perceive the soft sensation coming from the flimsy fabric, no... it's not just a mere fabric... I could also feel warmth from it... and softness. It's... in other words...

How should I say it...

It's THE underwear, right?

Right? RIGHT!?

And beneath that is...

When I pictured the thought of THAT pushing against my nape...

*Throb*

My heart made a one huge jump.

Even though we're in this situation.

What's more, in order to keep me from being shaken off, Riko had tightened her grip, further squashing my face with her hips like a freshly-picked voluptuous white-peach.

And those hips... everytime she veers into a change of direction, it helplessly fondles my face and rubs it.

This rapturous sensation... I can't get enough of it.

Riko... I'm not gonna ask you to let go of me. And I know this time you were not deliberately using your body to tease me. But this... is too stimulating.

*Throb*

Moving my eyes up, Riko, in honey-gold underwear, was controlling our altitude using the ribbon's break cord.

That Riko's serious face, with a huge gap from her usual childish countenance made me...

*Throb*

This would be today's third time... of my transformation.

"---Riko."

I spoke with a grim voice.

"The last time you used this gimmick was during the hijacking incident right? Back then we were still enemies. But now, you jumped off the building to rescue me a moment ago."

Riko gave no reply. She continued controlling the break cord.

"The past has been changed, Riko... with your decision."[4]

Our altitude is hovering in flat level, neither ascending nor descending.

Riko.

Right now, she's probably conflicted whether to go back to the rooftop, or to escape to the ground.

"Riko. You're a girl capable of changing your past. That's why there's no reason to continue living in the fear of your past anymore. Don't let the past change you, you ought to change it instead! That goes for the thing about Vlad as well!"

Riko was silent for a few seconds upon my persuasion.

And then...

"Ki-kun."

She answered, with a low voice almost like mumbling.

"Riko. You are you. Don't let them call you the 4th!"

As if my yelling had egged her on, Riko took a deep breath. The huge breast unbefitting of her small stature had gained even more volume.

"Ki-kun... Call my name."

"Riko."

With a trembling voice, I called Riko's name.

"One more time."

"Riko!"

"Again!"

"Riko!!"

Whoooshh!!

The paraglider caught the rising wind, and it abruptly ascended with an angle almost a straight line going upwards.

That's right.

Your name is Riko.

Not a number.

Nor just a gene of a famous bloodline.

And like what Aria had said before...

You're not incompetent. You've never been!

I know that more than anyone else. After all, you saved me in the nick of time from my fall.

"Ki-kun."

Riko spoke to me as we headed towards the roof.

"Ki-kun would probably never believe Riko's words anymore after deceiving you and Aria twice. But Vlad, he has four weak spots around his body. You've heard that from Jeanne already, right?"

"Yeah."

"Those four spots actually marks the location of the organs exclusively for vampires. It's called 'Demon's Entrails'. It is the one that provides Vlad's instant recovery function. Those organs are highly evolved that, even if only one is left working, the last one can restore the other three within a second. Therefore, destroying them all at the same time is a must to completely break the system."

So that's how it works.

"I'm not gonna tell you specifically where the last one is. Your glance might reveal it to him. But I know where it is... After all, I've been living with him for a very long time."

"What will happen once we destroy all four?"

"All the weaknesses he had as a vampire will re-emerge. Vlad could not actually overcome his weaknesses. He just patched it up by evolving his Demon's Entrails to resist them."

"Then that means..."

"All the well-known vampire weaknesses shall become his true weakness. Silver will be highly toxic to him, sunlight will scorch his skin, and garlic can cause him an allergic reaction."

Riko changed our direction, waiting for the next gust of rising wind.

"There's still one problem, Riko. Even if we know where all the marks are, we don't have enough guns to destroy those."

In order to destroy the four marks at the same time, we needed four guns to shoot it.

Aria will take care of the two, and I will shoot the third one. How we will do the last strike is the biggest problem.

We don't have any more guns. Both Riko's Walthers were disposed by the wolves off the building a while ago.

"Yes, we have enough. Riko has a gun that was a keepsake of her mother. But it's only good for one shot."

I looked up to Riko. I surveyed her body, however, I couldn't find where the gun she was talking about was possibly hidden.

"Riko is hiding it, in the same place as her mother."

"...Okay. I'll contact Aria after getting off--- Then we'll execute the simultaneous assault."

"Ki-kun. This is an all-or-nothing chance. Vlad thought that Riko doesn't have a gun after disposing the two Walthers. He even destroyed his own gun as well. He's afraid of four guns that were gathered against him. I am very sure that he'll become cautious once he sees four guns rounded up in the battlefield. Once he does that--- consider us already defeated."

I guess you're right.

Riko made a sharp turn. Finally we reached the same level of the building's rooftop.

There, we saw the worn-out Aria circling around the edges of the rooftop as she just evaded Vlad's pole.

She had probably confirmed our safety long ago.

She back-flipped with such a risk that it could make a watcher shudder. She landed almost at the very edge of the rooftop, probably to lure Vlad towards her. A slight miscalculation could result in her falling off the building.

But Vlad, as suspected, didn't fall for Aria's diversion.

Riko released my head in an action like as if we were riding on a swing in the midair. I successfully landed on the floor, rolling on the ground before springing to my feet.

"Aria!"

I shouted, and charged straight towards Vlad.

"Now!"

Following what we had planned before, Aria, hearing my signal, flared her skirt. She pulled out her twin guns, and instantly took an aiming stance.

While I edged further towards Vlad. Riko disengaged the paraglider. She descended the sky, landing straight towards Vlad.

---Here we go!

A four-shot unison strike--- We can pull this off.

There's only one chance provided to us.

But so what?

All chances in life come once in a lifetime.

"VLADDD!!!"

Aria aimed at Vlad's shoulders. She's the first to pull the trigger. Right at that exact moment...

An unexpected misfortune had struck us.

*Flash*

Or rather, it was a lightning bolt that struck.

"Ugh---!?"

A lightning bolt had struck from somewhere in the city.

Aria shut her eyes in reflex. Still, it seems she couldn't stop her fingers from pulling the triggers. Finally, the two shots were fired from the muzzles of black and silver-white gun.

Ahh...

Who could have thought the master of arms would blunder at the last moment!?

And it was because of lightning...!?

But..

It's not over yet!

(I won't let it end like this!!)

Heightening my Hysteria Mode's senses...

Now I can see everything in slow motion.

Yes. It's the same as what I did when we fought Riko during the hijacking incident.

I can see the bullets that Aria had fired. They are flying at a subsonic speed...

I can even see their trajectories clearly with my current sight.

The left bullet has no problem. It will land straight in Vlad's left shoulder.

But the right one... is a bit off. If it continues like that, it will just pierce Vlad's right armpit instead.

However.

That flight path...

I can...

Fix it!

"------!!!"

Bang!!

I fired my Beretta next towards Vlad.

The bullet I released and Aria's misaimed bullet converged...

Kiiiiiiiiiinnnn!!

And it grazed Aria's bullet in midair.

While adjusting Aria's bullet trajectory, my bullet flew to the exact flight path I had intended it to go upon the rebound of the previous grazing.

*Bachi* *Bachi* *Bachi*

The three bullets, perfectly penetrate Vlad's right and left shoulders and right side, piercing the three eye-shaped marks.

This skill is called, "Billiard Shot".

It's an exhibition trick that Nii-san had once shown me a long time ago. I never thought it would become handy at a time like this.

And finally, almost at the same moment...

Vlad, his face turned towards the air, tried to shout something.

At the end of his gaze is Riko, whipping out a Derringer (a pocket pistol) hidden by her cleavage.

"------4TH!!!"

At the same time of Vlad's bellow...

*Bang!*

Riko's Derringer groaned the dry cry of a shot.

*Gyum*

After firing her gun, Riko stomped Vlad's head.

She leapt behind him.

And after cutely spinning a turn...

"Baa---kaa!!"

Riko put one forefinger under her eyes, and stuck out her tongue to express an Akanbe gesture[5].

Vlad, unquestionably making a demon-face, at the same time is also coincidentally sticking his tongue out.

That thick, tentacle-like tongue.

The mark on the center was pierced!

"Ha...Hahahaha..."

Vlad powerlessly laughed. Probably verbal-abusing Riko had became a habit on him, he reflexively opened his mouth at the sight of Riko, which in turn made an unconscious exposure of his last weak spot.

Gatsun. He released the heavy pole he was wielding.

The way it fell was unfavorable to him.

The pole, which was as tall and as heavy as a utility pole, slanted diagonally, and teetered above him.

"Uguh...!?"

Vlad tried to shove it away, but his arms no longer had the strength...

The antenna that must weigh several tons flattened his body, with the two masses positioning as if forming a cross... His moving had ceased.

"U...wah..."

Crimson liquid gushed onto the floor as if blood was being squeezed out of him. It was the blood that Vlad had accumulated for centuries.

When I thought Vlad had raised a groan, it was actually the sound of the wolves' whine.

The two wolves, who could finally move again, edged towards Vlad with shaking feet... and created shadows for him.

Even though there was a scarcity of sunlight because of the dark clouds, that amount was still detrimental enough for him it seems.

"...What now Aria? Vlad has been squashed."

I inquired Aria.

Aria spun the two pistols like a windmill back to the holsters. She crossed her arms.

"What can we do? There's no way we can lift a pole that heavy even with the three of us combined."

"It appears so."

"He brought that weapon himself. He just reaped what he sowed."

A wry smile evinced on my face as I see Aria declare that with both fist on the side. I walked towards Vlad to check up on his state.

Vlad is vexingly looking up this way, mumbling something in Romanian language which I assume to be cuss words. At this rate, he's probably not gonna bite the dust soon. As what you expect from vampires, they're hardy.

I put back my Beretta back to the holster. When I raised my face, I saw a Kanagawa Police's helicopter flying in this direction.

Well, the battle was ostentatious enough to warrant a report.

Might as well ask the police for a rescue team and hand Vlad over to them.

But before that...

"Great job, Riko."

I commended Riko, who's eyeing the vanquished Vlad in incredulity,

"You defeated Vlad, the adversary that even Lupin the 1st couldn't defeat."

Upon saying that, Aria, who had also walked towards here, made a bothered face.

"I've been wondering since a while ago... Did Lupin the 1st really fight Vlad before?"

Riko, with her gaze still riveted upon Vlad, didn't answer. I answered Aria's question in her stead.

"It seems so."

"Hmmm...? Riko, it seems like you have an inferiority complex or something with the 1st. But..."

Aria, one hand on side, turned to face Riko. A gust of seabreeze caressed her body.

"You have surpassed him just now."

Congratulations.

Aria would not say that word, judging by her expression.

Riko, surprised by Aria's unexpected words, lifted her face. Still, she was speechless.

(...I see. I guess that's the right conclusion.)

I cocked my head.

Riko defeated Vlad, who even Arsene Lupin was unable to defeat. Although she accomplished the feat with our help, there was no rule that states that the assistance of other people wasn't allowed. If I remember correctly, the Jeanne d'Arc twins and Arsene Lupin, the three of them worked together to fight Vlad as a team. Arsene Lupin had help back then too.

And---

The reason why Riko wanted to defeat Aria badly was to surpass Lupin the 1st. By defeating Vlad, that objective was satisfied... and at the same time, rendered it unnecessary as well.

However...

"I don't owe you anything, Holmes. We just coincidentally have a mutual objective this time around."

Riko had sharpened her gaze once again. That attitude, cannot be described as friendly.

"Holmes and Lupin are mortal enemies. That fact is unchangeable... Forever."

Riko said that. Her hairs started moving.

What is she going to do?

No. Or rather, she's... already doing something?

"The feeling is mutual. The very thought of getting along with you gives me goosebumps."

Aria retorted, as her grumpy eyes sharpened their gaze.

"So? What are you going to do now? If you plan on running away, then I'll go after and catch you. I'll throw you to the Dagulas or anything to make you testify for my Mama. It's wise to surrender now Riko... Your deceive-by-word tricks won't help you anymore. You can't fight as a Quadra anymore due to a lack of weapons. Once humans are deprived of their abilities, they will become helpless."

As she said that, Aria signaled something with her eye to me.

I bitterly smiled, and apologized to Riko. I stood in front of the door---sealing the only available exit on the rooftop.

With this, all of Riko's escape routes has been severed.

Like what Aria had said before, Riko had no more cards left up her sleeve.

I wonder what will you do now, kitten-chan.

"Aria Holmes Kanzaki. Kinji Tohyama."

She pronounced Aria's middle name in English, not in a French accent (which is pronounced as Olmes). As Riko called our full name for the first time, she gradually maneuvered herself away from us towards the rooftop's edge.

"I'm not gonna look down on you two anymore, or deceive or use you. I'm not gonna look at you two as an enemy--- but now as an equal rival. That's why--- I will be keeping the promise I made."

Riko turned to face rear. A gust of seabreeze blew past once again.

That wind pushed her hair, and it fanned out as if like a stream... revealing the reel that she had concealed inside it.

That dynamic reel, after popping a spark, spun at a swift speed. It seems she's reeling an invisible thin wire towards her.

"Au revoir, mes rivaux (Let's meet again, my rivals). I'm not gonna forgive you if anyone besides me takes your lives."

Riko says that with a face that was slightly tinged of red. Afterwards, she thrusted her hands left and right like a cross...

...and jumped off the building.

"---Riko!!"

At the same time of Aria's shout, Riko called back the paraglider as if like a bird returning to its master.

Riko connected the paraglider that she disengaged when she attacked Vlad with a wired reel hidden inside her hair. And up until now, she just left it hovering in the sky like a kite.

Clutching the ribbon's break cord, Riko dove into the sky as if like swimming. Joining the paraglider elegantly, she made her escape from us.

Her body became smaller and smaller until it disappeared towards the port's warehouses.

"We've been had again. This makes it the second time."

I stood beside Aria, who's overlooking the town with Camellia eyes, and shrugged my shoulders.

I had completely forgotten about it.

That girl's most powerful skill...

...is her dexterity in escaping.

5th Ammo: 296 Meters Above Ground BilliardsThe final day of infiltration had arrived.The main operation initiates at 5PM, exactly one hour before we depart the mansion...As planned, Aria had managed to lure Sayonaki out of the basement by asking him to accompany her to the yard and was buying time by asking details about the Aria the hybrid roses.And while they were busy with their fake date in the yard...I started taking action, under the pretense of packing my luggage.The billiard table in the parlor was the mission's starting point."Riko, can you hear me?The mole shall dive now below the ground.Over."After gearing up in equipment familiar from back in my Assault days open-finger gloves, thermal goggles, and Kevlar suit, I checked the cellphone that I fastened behind the billiard table, leaving it on call as it sends a signal to Riko."I can hear you clearly. Your voice sounds sexy over the phone as always, Ki-kun."Pretending I never heard that, I silently flipped up the wooden floor under the billiard table.Sayonaki and maid Aria are in the rose garden right now, having an elegant talk about the roses.Meanwhile, I turn into a human mole, attempting the biggest challenge of my life called stealing.Even though this is the only way to earn the lead about Nii-san, it somehow feels that I had lost a lot of important things as a human being in undertaking this job.I derisively mull about that thought as I enter the tunnel that I had gradually dug during my stay here."Kinji here. The mole has changed into a bat."With a low voice, I spoke to Riko via the cellphone through the intercam.The success of the mission lies with the efficient use of time, so Riko had devised a bold strategy that would require much shorter time than the initial plan by avoiding going through the storeroom's threshold.Originally named, "Mole Bat" by Riko. This is the solution that she came up with.To explain it simply, first, we have to dig a tunnel from the ground floor going straight through the storeroom's ceiling, then use that pathway to sneak inside the room. Finally, just like a bat, I'll be suspending my body upside-down from the ceiling as I work on grabbing the cross.Disregarding the danger of blood accumulation in my brain... Actually, this tactic is like killing two birds in one stone.Due to the newly placed trap, the alarm will go off if we step on the pressure-sensitive floor.By putting all of the problematic factors into consideration and finding a way of circumventing them, just what you'd expect from the descendant of phantom thief Lupin."7 minutes left, Ki-kun."Within the dimness of the storeroom, I spotted the cross openly laid out above the rows of shelves.However, I knew that was not the case once I put on the thermal goggles. I can see horizontal, vertical, diagonal; a convoluted system of infrared lights guarding the treasure.If one of those rays had been disrupted, even if it was a millisecond disruption, the alarm will buzz off, screaming the end of our mission.In other words, even if we use a fishing wire to try fishing for the cross, it will touch the infrared beams no matter how dexterously you do it.Reaching the treasure with a straight line is impossible.So what now?The method Riko had thought up..."Okay Ki-kun. Time to start 'Operation Rail'. First... Z1. Then connect it with A10."I was broadcasting a video of the infrared lights' structure to Riko via the miniature videocam built into my intercam, then packet sending it via the cellphone in the parlor room.As Riko watched that...I followed her orders, connecting the wires that I had kept from the vest pouch."B11, F23, A7, B15... 2 of them, C19, C5, A13..."Assembling the parts according to Riko's direction, the finished product would be a rail.A rail of wire that will curve around that countless infrared beams.Still--- Riko is really a genius despite being a thief.Koumeikan is outside ofHSUPAHigh Speed Uplink Packet Access. Transmission of data could only be done through ordinary communication network. Because of the reduced speed of signal transmission, the visual data sent will not be as clear as normal. But to have a complete grasp of the situation and make a correct judgement despite that..."E12, C7, A16, A13, D6..."Riko's voice, leaking from the intercam's headphone, is serious, different than usual.5 minutes left.The assembled wire slowly crept its way into the goal, as slow as it could give one impatience by watching it,Calm down Kinji. Do not make an elementary mistake such as involuntary sneezes. Even a slight tremble of hand would shake the wire, making unintended contact with the infrared lights. Everything is over if that happens. Extend the wires carefully to the cross.Inside the sultry sealed room... Even mere sweat brings a danger.That is, a single drop of sweat is enough to activate the floor-trap alarm."C7, A16, A13, D5... That should do it, Ki-kun."Following Riko's voice, the tip of the assembled rail of wire, complicatedly twisting and curving...*Chari*...had finally reached the cross."I'll slide down the hook now."I produced an S-shaped hook from pocket, hanging it on the curtain rail.Attached to the hook was an ultra-thin wire made of nylon which will spiral around the wire as it slides its way down to the cross like a miniature jet-coaster.*Chaki*The cross, with its structure probably made to dangle itself as a pendant, easily caught the hook."I'll start pulling it in.""Hurry Ki-kun. We took more time than expected."Hustled by Riko, I swiftly spun the reel in my hands.And started reeling in the cross that was caught in the hook...Ugh... this is harder than I expected."Damn!"The hook stopped at one-tenth of its way back. Well, I was compelled to. If I try to forcibly expedite the reeling, the cross would sway and might risk contact with the infrared lights."Ki-kun. We're in the soup.""What happened?""There's a sign from Aria. Sayonaki is coming back.""What did you say!?""It suddenly rained outside!"...Curse it! To rain at a time like this!We're still in the midst of the operation.There's no getting out of this if Sayonaki caught us red-handed."Aria, Ki-kun needs more time. Can you do something to keep him occupied?"Riko ordered Aria.Aria receives orders from Riko via wireless earphones hidden inside her ears and a micromic concealed inside the maid uniform.Currently, the communication line between me and Aria was closed so I can focus on my work. However..."Riko. Connect me to Aria. I want to know what's going on.""Got it."Momentarily after Riko's answer...I can hear Aria's voice, and Sayonaki who was a short distance away from her, through the intercam."Sayonaki-sensei!""What is it?""Ah, umm, it's nothing. Uhh...""...Huh?""Today has good weather, doesn't it?"1"Eh...? But isn't it raining?""EH!? Ah... umm... Ah! Actually, I'm fond of rain! Ahahaha!"A-Aria...Can't you give an excuse a little better than that?Aria is the type that will keep digging her own grave the more she gets confused. She's the type of person not suited for Inquesta."D-Dammit!"As I shout my disgruntlement...*Butsu*From Riko or Aria's line, whichever it was, came a sound of disconnection.Could this be one of commoner's telephone line defect!? Sometimes the line hangs up for no apparent reason.What an unlucky day. A string of unfortunate happenings at a time like this. I wonder who had lost the transmission signal?"Aria. Seriously, if it comes to this, let's resort to 'Honey Trap'2. As Ki-kun had already mentioned, Sayonaki is a womanizer according to rumor. This is our last resort but I'm pretty sure this will be very effective."Riko's voice was flustered.It seemed the disconnected line was Aria's."O-Okay!"Huh?Aria is properly responding.So there was no disconnection of line that happened at all?What was that unusual sound that I heard a while ago then? Just a noise?"Sayonaki is a man. Just make a false confession and embrace him. It doesn't matter even if it's out of nowhere. Say that you love him and repeat that line 10 or 20 times to paralyze his thoughts. And afterwards, take him to a sofa or any place that you can lie down.""I-I guess we don't have a choice."Right now I am hearing an unbelievable talk. Done by both girls."Generally, guys... have a particular spot that they like in a woman's body. For example, breasts, hips, etc. Some prefer kissing. Start by letting him do you as he pleases.""A-And then... what should I do?"H-Hey, hey.Aria, are you really serious about doing this?"Once you've discovered his preference... pretend that you 'liked it'. We can easily buy 5 minutes that way. If things went smoothly, a man would keep doing that for 10 or 20 minutes.""---I got it. I'll do my best to hold him off."What a crude plan!But could it be the reason that convinced me of the effectiveness of the plan was because Riko had done similar things to me before?"...But before I do that, Kinji. Listen to me.""What?""Even though it was not my true feelings... but before I'd do that to Sayonaki... I have something I want to tell you.""So what is it? Make it quick, can you? I can't afford to waste anymore time here.""I love you."...HUH!?"Ever since the hijacking incident... I have... fallen for you.""...Ho-Hold up!"This isn't the right time for that kind of talk you know!?"That's why... I want you to do the same thing to me after Sayonaki had done all of that. So please don't be jealous. I'll let you do me two-fold than what Sayonaki will... no, until you are satisfied.""Wait up!!"T-This can't be!What the hell is that idiot trying to suggest in this situation!?"I don't mind doing it the whole night with you, or even during school. I'll do whatever you want me to do...."Dammit... Aria, you... utilizing a lonely anime-voice like that is unfairly below the belt!Aria. You don't realize how irresistibly cute your voice is. It made my mind stop working and become entirely full of it. Why don't you quit Butei and audition for seiyuu instead?You just triggered my Hysteria Mode with that!It got me, unintentionally.Aria's sigh-sounding "I'll do whatever you want" line......had pulled my Hysteria Mode's trigger."...Tch..."The moment I entered Hysteria, I could not keep myself from clucking my tongue upon realization...That I've been had."You've done it... Riko.""Baka Kinji! By saying that means you have turnedinto that state? Kufufu."Riko chortled, and only said the last line with her own voice.That last "Butsu" sound was Riko severing Aria's line to us.And the Aria-Riko conversation that subsequently followed was actually Riko's one-person farce using her own unique ability to mimic people's voices."Ki-kun, you really turn into Hysteria easily with Aria. Riko is a bit dissatisfied!""Riko... you're such a bad girl. I'll give you a spanking later as punishment.""Hauu~ Riko sees that as a reward instead!"As we indulge ourselves with prattling...My hand never once showed a least bit of a pause from its machine-gun paced reeling.The hook, together with the cross, sailed along the rail as though I was watching a fast-forwarded video.After grabbing it, I slid down a replica of the cross onto the rail.*Shurururu* Making its way down the rail of wire...The replica cross successfully landed on the spot no different from where the real cross was originally placed.Not even sparing a second, I initiated the retrieval of the wire rail.There's no dread of touching the infrared beams this time around.To me, the process this time is as simple as walking while avoiding bumping into people in a train station.Lastly, I picked myself up through the ceiling's hole...*Patan*...and sealed the ceiling's panel. Mission Accomplished.Ultimately, my hide was saved again by Hysteria Mode. However, the Hysteria Mode this time was short-lived and subsided quickly.Phew...I am now afflicted by Hysteria's after-effect despondency and the regret of blurting out cheesy lines. Fortunately, the girl this time knows my circumstances. I guess it's okay to shrug the worry off.What happened after that, it seemed Sayonaki had returned to the basement right after I left the storeroom.In the end, Aria's desperate attempt in buttonholing Sayonaki with her weather talk was in vain. Well, with that kind of topic, you can't really blame Sayonaki.As I recount those details in my mind, Aria and I changed to our usual clothes... or precisely to our Butei uniform, and departed the mansion.Although Sayonaki followed to see us off, he didn't particularly endeavor a superfluous talk. He bade us farewell laconically, and went back to his research room.Cross-breeding or genetics or whatever it was that he is researching... He really is so ardent.And so...Aria and I alighted from a taxi in Yokohama Landmark Tower, a skyscraper that lies within the proximity of Yokohama station.Somewhere in this office building where the kernel of Minato Mirai 21 is situated, was where Riko had setup her hideout.That time as well during the bus-jack in Daiba, Riko seems to display an inclination of using a modern hotel or building in taking up her position.According to the details on where to hand over cross... the meeting place will be the roof.Well, what we are handing over is a stolen item. I guess it has to be done someplace private without the eyes of people.A warm and humid gust blew through the rooftop of the Landmark Tower.According to the guide in the ground floor's elevator hall, the building is 296 meters high. It is famous for being the highest building in Japan.Is it just me? It seems the sailing dark clouds are within reach.First of all, the rooftop is closed to the public. People who have no business in this place are denied access, hence, the absence of people disregarding us.As we reached the heliport, a slightly elevated square platform became visible. There is no fence installation surrounding it."Ki-kuuun!!"Riko skittered this way as the wind brushed her honey-blond hair and flapped her frilled-customized skirt.And then... *Grab*Hugged me!"Ki-kun, Aria. You two are really an amazing duo! You have done something beyond Riko's capability! Riko is stoked in awe right now!"Riko's two-fold eyes glittered with joy. She's looking up to me from my chest.Other than her two-sided up hair-style, a ridiculously big red-ribbon on the top of her head enhanced the adornment. It's like a hair-style of a girl that appears in fairy-tales.Riko, like Aria, is child-faced... but even Riko's preference for accessories is puerile."Kinji. Let's hurry up and get this business over with. Somehow, seeing that flirt in a good mood gets under my skin.""Hey, hey Arian. Are you jealous because I might take Ki-kun from you? I can tell."And who is Arian? I threw a side remark in my mind.Riko rubbed my chest with her cheek, as she threw a sidelong glance to Aria."I'm not! Mukiiiiiiiiii!"Aria screamed with a sound similar to a screech of a broken violin.Ignoring that, I took out the blue cross from my chest pocket."This is what you wanted right? I'll give it to you if you get off me."When Riko saw the cross, she swiftly grabbed and attached it to a slender chain dangling on her neck."Otsu! Otsu! Ran! Ran! Ruuuu!"When Riko let out an inexplicable shout of joy, next she chopped her temple with both hands like doing a weird salute and then swung her fists wildly all over. If you ask me, it's a bearing of someone high on drugs.Riko, I know you're happy. But can you stop jumping in front of me?Don't forget you're wearing a skirt.The swaying of your frills is distracting as well."Riko, cut out the weird antics. It's your turn to fulfill your part of the deal."Aria, with face twitching and hands folded, reminded Riko of her promise to us.Hmm... Aria is seriously pissed off.Riko said..."Aria... you are really underestimating Riko. Don't you think so too, Ki-kun?"What do you mean?When I walked closer... Riko thrust the huge red-ribbon that's fastening her honey-blond hair to me."I actually brought a more appropriate present for your hard work. Ki-kun, please unwrap Riko."Huh...? I'm not sure I am following this. Will this mean a contract sealed once I untie this?I reached for Riko's ribbon and untied it blithely."*chuckle*"*Chu*I didn't have an inkling of what had happened.Because it completely took me by surprise.When I noticed Riko inclining her head diagonally...She was actually going to kiss me!---Kiss.Yes. Riko kissed me.Her breath that was redolent with the smell of vanilla aroused my olfactory senses.It resembled the scent of a sugar milk or a candy or a honey.But contrasting that immature aroma, her lips were furnished with the voluptuousness of a ripe woman.And that gap made me..."..........!!!"Turn into Hysteria Mode...Instantly!Not again!?"Fhwaa."Riko pulled her lips away from mine, stopping at 1-centimeter distance and smiled. Our noses are still kissing each other.*Lick*She even licked my nose as an extra."Ri...Ririririkooo!?"From side, Aria expressed her incredulousness like an emergency alarm."Just what are you trying to pull out of the blue!?"Aria admonished. Riko, did not give any excuse...*Tatan* *Tata* TumblingBut she did a series of smooth sidesaults, circled around through the edges of the roof.*Ton* Landing soundAnd as if to sever our only escape pathway, she stood with her back on the door, blocking the way leading downstairs.The damp summerwind swept Riko's honey-blond hair."I'm sorry Ki-kuun. Just like what you had said:Riko is such a bad girl. Once Riko had gotten back the cross... all of her desired cards will be assembled."Riko smirked... That smile is the same one I saw back in the hijacking incident.Oh that's right. I also said this to her back when I Hysteria-d in the mansion's basement."I'll say this once more... 'Riko, you're such a bad girl'. I know you're lying about your promise. Still... I forgive you. Because to me, a lie committed by a girl isn't considered a sin."Great job Hysteria Kinji. With you and your cheesy lines."It's true I had said that. But I don't think my master thinks the same."Explaining Aria's reaction would rather be unnecessary, she's obviously fuming with anger...And at the same time, motionless as if she had witnessed something unbelievable....Ah, I see.It's her first experience witnessing other people's... well, to be precise, the kissing scene between Riko and me. I'm pretty sure it was too much for her."Aria."*Pachin*Making a snap with my fingers..."Hah!?"Aria disabled her petrify mode and switched to blush mode with fangs bared as add-on."Well, I somehow had a hunch that the affair would end something like this. My decision was right after all for wearing a safety vest just in case this happens. Kinji, prepare yourself for battle. I will need your assistance."...As you wish."Kufufu. Yes. That's more like it Aria. There is no flaw in Riko's scenario. Everything will proceed according to her plan. Using the two of you to retrieve the cross, and then defeating you both afterwards. Ki-kun, give it your all too. Since Riko had even sacrificed her first kiss for this battle's preparation."What can I say? Well, I guess that's an honor."I'll give you an advantage, Holmes... This place is outside of Butei school. That would be easier for both of us right?"From her skirt...Riko pulled out two Walther P99's with both hands."Heh. That's nice of you. Now that makes it a legal 'self-defense' excuse."As if like a mirror image of Riko, Aria did the same.She pulled out the handguns unbefitting of her tiny hands--black and silver Colt Government--with both hands."Before I blast a hole on you... tell me one thing. Why were you desperate in retrieving that cross? I could only have vague ideas. Because it was a keepsake of your mother? That's not the only reason, right?"Using the gun, Aria pointed to the cross dangling on Riko's neck.Riko drew the Walther to her lips... and laughed."...Aria. Have you ever been called 'Brood Bitch' before?" T/L Note: there are kanjis above Brood Bitch, which literally translates to: A female dog for reproduction use."Brood Bitch...?""Have you ever experienced living in a cramped cage? Have you ever experienced eating nothing but rotten meat and drinking dirty water because it was the only meal provided to you? You know, like those dog breeders of bad type. Just because they wanted to breed a dog with good pedigree as excuse... they lock up the dog in a cage and abuse them. There has been news like that. I'm sure you have seen one before. That's exactly what I'm saying. Imagine the human version of that."Riko laughed as she tells her story using fierce body language.Under the fast-sailing clouds, a bizarre mood or something similar hung over the landmark tower's roof."What... are you talking about?"As if to interrupt Riko, Aria shoved both hands forward.And as if that acted as a signal,Riko's face suddenly turned abominably evil.I felt a cold chill ran down my spine, making me breathless.---It's similar. From that time during the hijacking---!"DON'T BE KIDDING ME!! ARE YOU SAYING I'M JUST A GENE!? A NUMBER 4!? HELL NO I'M NOT! I'M NOT! I'M NOT! I AM RIKO! RIKO MINE LUPIN THE 4TH! NOT A TOOL TO GIVE BIRTH TO 5TH!"In the midst of Riko's hysteria, she is not directing her shouting anymore to Aria, but to an invisible person in the air.Those words don't connect to the talk with Aria. It's fragmented, and its meanings are loose.Rather, it's a product of Riko's unleashed burst of emotion.*Flash**Gorogoro*From the distant sea, a faint thunder echoed. Aria jumped at her toes.The seabreeze blew past us that it made me think for a moment it smelled of Riko's alluring vanilla scent."Aria... You asked why am I so desperate in retrieving this cross, right?"Riko smirked. Her gaze piercing Aria."This isn't an ordinary cross. Riko's beloved mother had told her this when she was still alive: 'This treasure is worth something so far beyond imagination that even the combined assets of Lupin household can't match its worth.' That's why Riko was resolved to protect this cross at all cost that she kept it hidden inside her mouth the whole time she was imprisoned, making sure that Vlad won't be able lay his finger on it. And then..."Riko paused, her two mini-twintails......had moved to life.That scene reminiscent of Medusa, a monster that appears in mythology, had compelled my feet to move one step back."...And then one night, Riko had discovered. This cross... no, more precisely, the metal that makes up this cross, has a power to endow Rikothis power! And by utilizing this power, Riko had finally managed her breakout!"Riko's twin tails pulled out two knives that were hidden under her collar.Quadra.Same title as Aria... But with a different connotation this time. Because Riko is wielding 4 weapons at the same time."Come Holmes... Let's end the destiny between us. I'll defeat you, and today will mark the day Riko surpasses her great-grandfather."Riko leveled the handguns at us. The left one to Aria. The right one this way."Holmes, and Kinji Tohyama... YOU SHALL BECOMEMY STEPPING STONE!!!"Riko bellowed. At that moment...*BBZZZZTTTTT!!!*A sound resembling an electric spark momentarily resounded.Riko's adorable face suddenly evinced grimace... and with half-turned head, she muttered..."...W...hy...are you... here...?Riko's body pitched forward, and collapsed to the ground......revealing the figure of a man behind her."Sayonaki-sensei!?"When Aria called the name of the man, Sayonaki-sensei dropped the large-sized stun-gun, probably used for subduing beasts, to the ground.And without a second thought he pulled out a pistol from inside his chest pocket, then aimed it at the back of Riko's head.Both the plaster and the bandage that's supposed to be wrapping his hand were now gone.Was it healed now? Or rather, it seemed like it didn't suffer an injury from the start."Tohyama-kun, Kanzaki-san. Can you stay where you are for a few moments?"The gun that Sayonaki was gripping gave me scowl, because the model rings a bell.It's among the illustrations of guns shown to us in class back in my Assault days.I believe it was... that's right.Cugir M74.An automatic pistol manufactured in Romania during its socialist era.For being a mere citizen, why does he possess a pistol of such a rare model?Sayonaki...This guy is not the regular manager he appears to be.When I sharpened my directed glare...Behind him, from the stairs...Grrrr... Rrrrr....Appeared wolves, the same as the beast that we encountered in the Butei infirmary.This time, not just one, but two."You should keep your distance. I ordered them to assault you if you come any closer than that."Hearing Sayonaki's words, I tried lifting one toe, testing if it's not a bluff, and then... the two wolves glared immediately at me.According to Jeanne, the wolves are supposed to be "Vlad's minions" but...Why are they following Sayonaki's orders?"Quite surprising that you control them. So your injury... and the wolf's assault was all part of your act?""I could say at least it was better than your maid and butler farce."Sayonaki laughed. One wolf on his feet stirred a motion.As if it was exhibiting a trick, the wolf picked up Riko's guns and knives, swiftly carried it to the edge of the rooftop, and disposed it below."I hope you hold your position there. You see, this gun had been manufactured 30 years ago and is quite old. Its trigger is a bit unsteady. It'd be regretful if I slipped on pulling the trigger and unintentionally shot Lupin the 4th."Lupin the 4th.Sayonaki called Riko by her real identity.I'm not certain how strict Riko intended in hiding her true identity. Regardless, besides Jeanne, Aria and I, there is no one in Butei High school that knows Riko's identity.Vlad must have told Sayonaki that information.Then it'll be natural to deduce that, Vlad had also notified Sayonaki that Riko was after the cross kept in that mansion.And that explains the sudden heightening of security in the storeroom.The reason why this guy is already here in a matter of minutes after we have stolen the cross, must be because he had known all along that Aria and I were infiltrators... ever since the beginning."What is the meaning of this...? Why do you know Riko's real name? Don't tell me... You are Vlad!?"Beside me, the no-talent-for-deductive-reasoning Aria had brought up a new theory of "Vlad = Sayonaki".However..."He will arrive here within a few moments. The wolves are also sensing his imminent arrival. See? They are getting excited."Sayonaki's immediate refutal of Aria's claim made her face burn in embarrassment."I-Is that so? But still! After hearing the details about Riko and borrowing his minions, you said a half-month ago thatyou haven't talked to him directly before. What a great liar you are.""I wasn't lying when I said that. Vlad and I, are destined not to meet each other.""...You also said this before: 'Right now, he is in a very distant place'. But the truth is you called him immediately after that. The reason why you had played along despite knowing everything was because you realized that you couldn't defeat us alone. That's why you waited it out until Vlad returns. Am I right?"Well, putting aside Sayonaki's statements. Aria is trying too hard for the department she is not good at.Meanwhile, I initiated analyzing the current situation.Sayonaki's combat effectiveness, judging by how amateurishly he gripped the gun, needless to say, does not pose a threat.However, the problem is that he has Riko as hostage.So long as the hostage is a girl, my Hysteria Mode will prevent me from taking a drastic action.That would be the case for Aria as well. She can't afford to lose Riko, a precious witness in obtaining her mother's freedom.Plus, Sayonaki had two wolves on his side.Moreover, Vlad will arrive here in any moment. An adversary that is more powerful than Jeanne or Riko....We are at a disadvantage. And in a hopeless plight to add."Tohyama-kun. Shall I give you a supplementary lesson?"I returned my gaze to Sayonaki from the sudden call of my name."...Supplementary lesson?""A supplementary lesson for the make-up quiz that I will give you, for not being able to complete the quiz because you were busy engrossing yourself in an act of debauchery with Lupin the 4th."Hearing that, Aria shot a malevolent glance here, despite the current situation.Let's not worry about that for now.Why did Sayonaki suddenly bring up that topic?I knit my brows. Sayonaki resumed his unilateral lecture."Genes... are very capricious entities. If good traits from parent's genes are inherited, the result will be an excellent offspring. But what about the other case? If bad traits from both genes are inherited instead, the result will be an incompetent offspring. Lupin the 4th, is exactly that case."Sayonaki paused, then kicked Riko's head near his feet.Sayonaki did that as if he was kicking a trash bag, showing no compassion at all."10 years ago, I researched Lupin the 4th's genes upon Vlad's request.""S-So it was you... the bastard who suggested... all those rubbish things to Vlad...!" T/L: Riko is talking in a very rough language here.At Sayonaki's feet, Riko talked in rough language as she writhed to resist the paralysis induced by the stun-gun. Her face twisted in great agony at the struggle of raising her head."And can you guess what I have found out?""S...Stop...! T-This has... nothing to do... with Holmes... and the others...!""Lupin the 4th's genenever inherited any good traits. Nothing at all. Not even a single one. So genetically speaking, an offspring like that would be an incompetent existence. This is an extremely rare case, but these cases do happen."Riko turned her face away from us, and buried her face to the ground as if feeling shame from that ignominious revelation.She really, didn't want other people to find out that truth, I can conclude that without doubt upon seeing that reaction. But contrary to her desire, the unwanted disclosure was mercilessly done in front of her, and what's more, to someone who she considered a mortal rival.Thunder echoed from beyond."You're aware of your incompetency more than anyone else, 4th-san. I only corroborated that fact by providing you scientific proof. Just like this. You are no different than the 1st who could not successfully steal anything by himself... or even while leading a party of excellent people. Being inept is a miserable thing, isn't it, 4th-san?"Riko lies near Sayonaki's feet who's repeatedly uttering the words "incompetent" and "4th". Her face is turned down, as if to scrape her face to the ground. Tears drip from her closed eyelids.Sound of stifled sobbing came from the depths of her throat, which soon reached our ears.Sayonaki took something out from his pocket.It's the replica cross which I had replaced with the genuine one."Let me tell you something, 4th-san.Humans are decided by their genes. People with no excellent traits, no matter how much they try nor work hard to compensate for it... will soon face their limit. Just like what you are right now."Sayonaki crouched, and from Riko's chest... *Puchi*Tugged the blue cross out.And in return, Sayonaki stuffed the replica cross into Riko's mouth. Probably due to exhaustion, Riko displayed no resistance."That junk fits you better, don't you think so 4th? After all, you're junk itself. Don't spill it, keep it properly in your mouth, just like what you did when you were imprisoned."Sayonaki stomped on Riko's head.Beneath his sole is Riko. We could only hear, "Uu...uu..", Riko's sorrowful sobbing in intermittence.Riko...!Why...?Why does Sayonaki need to torment Riko that much?A way to keep us until Vlad arrives?No, still it was too eccentric."Kno-Knock it off!! What's the point of bullying Riko!?"A shout of shrilly anime voice... It was Aria.Even though Riko is an enemy to her, but after witnessing all that, she couldn't stand watching the cruelty to her rival anymore."---Because I need desperationto call him. He will arrive once he hears the music of desperation. The reason why I intentionally let the cross successfully be stolen, is to let this girl taste profound happiness. So then the desperation that will follow afterward will be profound as well... And thanks to that, everything is going smoothly."Re-pointing the gun's muzzle to Riko, Sayonaki narrowed his eyes behind the glasses."...Tohyama-kun. Watch closely, because being watched will make my adrenaline rush better."Watched...?I knit my brow.I sensed that Sayonaki is transforming. And from that transformation...-----!!!...I had come into realization.That can't be...!That distinctive action of flipping a switch to change oneself...!"No...way...!?"I know this.I haven't seen what kind mine looks like.But all Tohyamas should know this.Hysteria Mode...!?No words came out of my mouth.As I was shocked at the scene happening in front of me. It left me speechless.Sayonaki laughed seeing my reaction."That's right, Tohyama-kun. This is Hysteria Savant Syndrome..."He said it.This guy has that power too?The power that only our family has?However, according to Nii-san's story, Hysteria Mode is a very frightening trait that will put your life at risk easy to die protecting girls... Thus, up until this generation, Tohyama was the only remaining lineage who has inherited this ability."Hysteria... Savant?"Beside me, Aria knit her brows as she tries to comprehend those words.I dared to keep silence."Tohyama-kun. Kanzaki-san. It's a brief parting for now.With this, I can finally call him... But before I leave, let me give you a lecture regarding I-U."He even mentioned I-U."You probably have heard this already from Jeanne or 4th. I-U is a place where everyone shares their ability to one another. But that kind of playhouse act only applies to the lower ranking members, like those two. However, Vlad and I caused an uprising. Just like Hysteria Savant Syndrome, we brought about the power to mimic passive ability."Mimic passive ability...?"I've heard something similar. I-U had developed new technique to copy passive abilities."Sayonaki shook his head upon Aria's remark."The technique itself isn't really new. 600 years ago, Vlad empowered himself by copying other's genes without the need to undergo inheritance... In other words, bysucking blood."...Sucking blood...?"I was the one responsible for making it possible to extract abilities from anyone... This explanation might be confusing for high-schoolers like you but, I used a retrovirus to selectively embed the newly extracted abilities into his DNA."Sayonaki continued his explanation under a complacent face."It is also my job to collect genes from exceptional bloodlines. Remember last time at the infirmary room? I was planning to extract blood samples from Butei students with superior genes when I was interrupted. It ended in failure owing to your peeking act. It seems the training I put to the wolves to attack anyone they sensed watching the process, had backfired on my plan."...So he was planning to collect blood samples from exceptional bloodlines, and use that blood to copy the genes.---Oh yeah, Muto had mentioned this at that time: "Someone saw a girl walking out with unsteady steps from Sayonaki's research lab." That girl too, must have had her blood sucked out by Sayonaki.Beside me who's furrowing my brows, Aria is gritting her teeth."Vlad, Romania, vampire... That's... That's right. Why didn't I realize this sooner? That's more than enough clues for the answer. Kinji, I figured out Number 2'sreal identity."Real identity?I turned head my towards Aria's direction. Aria turned to face me as well."Vlad is actually Count Dracula."Aria blurted out a not too ordinary word."Dracula...? Was that... the last boss that appears in Castlevania games?""No. Vlad Dracula was once a prince of Wallachia... which is Romania now. He's not a fictional character. He did really exist. I've heard about him back when I was enrolled in Bucharest Butei High School. There was a famous ghost story thatVlad Dracula is still alive."Sayonaki nodded upon Aria's words."---That is correct. I am surprised that you know that. Tohyama-kun and Kanzaki-san, the one you will be granted audience with in a matter of time, is the real Vlad Dracula in flesh. Doesn't that make you excited?""These are all far-fetched. First of all---"I glared at Sayonaki, shaking my head left and right."If you have copied Nii-san's power, then how is it possible that you can continue tormenting Riko like that?"Hysteria Mode is a power that is supposed to protect girls.If you get used to it, fighting a girl in that mode is possible, but that's only as a self-defense means or like correcting a girl's wrongdoings. Whichever the case, it requires a valid reason to justify the act.But, stomping at a girl's head like that, or doing an act to disgrace them, it obviously can't be done with a guy under the influence of HSS."That's a good question. It's the teacher's job to answer student's questions. But to answer your question, I'll need to explain everything in order... A long time ago..."Sayonaki started an old story as if to recite a fairy tale."In this world. There was a species called vampire, who overwrote their genes and evolved through sucking blood. Those who indiscriminately picked their meals mostly met their demise. However, there was one vampire named Vlad, who, due to picking mostly humans as his target meal, gained human knowledge. Using that newly acquired knowledge, he carefully planned his diet by sucking various types of blood. As a result, he gained a robust and healthy body, outliving his kin."Whether this story is true or not, is not a problem at the moment."However, in order for Vlad to maintain that knowledge, he needed to keep sucking human blood. As a result of that, Vlad's genes had been continuously overwritten by human genes. And alas, Vlad himself,had gained a human form like me."What is Sayonaki's intention behind transforming into Hysteria Mode...?"Vlad, concealed within me, will appear whenever I get excited. In other words, he will surface when the endorphins released in my brain reaches a critical level. However, upon living for a long time, my body had been gotten used to many different types of exhilaration that it was hard to excite my body anymore. "...That's what I am trying to discern."But not long ago I found the solution. Yes, by copying Tohyama Kinichi's DNA. The resulting endorphine influx from HSS is enough to call Vlad!"*Flash*Again thunder boomed in the distant sea.The smirking Sayonaki had once again kicked Riko's head.The replica cross inside her mouth extruded to the floor."Behold! His arrival has come."Sayonaki spoke the words as if he was expecting the descent of messiah from heaven."And here's the answer to your last question, Tohyama-kun. I am a vampire, not a human. Therefore, a human girl isn't the object that I have to protect. Just like how a human sees a chimpanzee girl. We view humans as an entirely different species. But as luck has it, it seems I experience pleasure in abusing lowly beings. In other words, I am a sadist. And by abusing them, I activate my Hysteria Mode."I can feel Sayonaki's true presence with my HSS's heightened sense.Judging by that state, his hysteria-d existence is transforming further into another level.What... is this...!?This is exceeding the level of Hysteria Mode!It's like a ritual of "Soul" being swapped.This bizarre phenomenon... it resembles something like a double personality.No..."Me-Meta...mor...phosis...!?"Aria's words, intermittently chopped from incredulousness, is more accurate.It's more appropriate to call it metamorphosis.Yes, he's undergoing metamorphosis.In front of us.R-Rip... Rip...The clothes enveloping his body were getting ripped in pieces like paper. The skin below that became evident soon turned into a ruddy color. The muscles in his shoulder and arms, after uttering a creepy sound, had bulged in size like a stallion. The pants covering his lower body, only the upper half of it remained to cover his body. The skin exposed in it was furry like animal's.The skin on his upper body had an ivy-like, eye-shaped mark, distinct in its white color.That is definitely... a monster.That's all I could say.So, the monster-like illustration that Jeanne drew......wasn't a lie after all."Ce mai faci... Ah, should I rather speak in Japanese? First time meeting you two."Not only his physical looks, but even his voice had changed. It sounded like an overlapping voice of several people talking at once. Sayonaki, with his hair-raising voice..."We have been communicating with each other through minds... That's why I have already heard everything from Sayonaki. Have you noticed it?I am Vlad right now."...he re-introduced himself.The vicious eyes piercing this way radiated a golden shimmer."...I see... It's making sense now."I clucked my tongue. Aria turned towards me."W-What do you mean?""Well, these are just my deductive reasonings..."I spoke with raised voice so that the enemy could hear it as well.It will be a huge problem if Sayonaki, or Vlad... would start explaining everything about Hysteria Mode. Thus, I took the initiative of elucidating the situation."It's kinda like mimesis.""Mimesis...?""You must have seen one in your favorite animal show, Aria. Like for example, a tiger longhorn disguised as a bee to live comfortably in their environment. In that case, not only do they copy the target's 'appearance', but they also mimic the target's 'behaviour'.""Y-Yeah. I have seen something like that.""Vlad-Sayonaki's transformation is the vampire-human version of that concept. As you see, that is what that guy originally looked like, but in the process of evolution, he achieved the form of a human as a product of mimesis. That mimesis is so powerful that, he not only achieved the appearance of a human, he even achieved a 'human personality' as well, which is Sayonaki by the way. Strictly speaking, both are different from each other... it's kind of like having a split personality. Vlad's vampire-appearance and personality were concealed inside the human's appearance and personality."Aria's eyes opened wide as I volubly explain my reasoning. It seems Aria just noticed that I had transformed into Hysteria Mode.She stared at my sedate face. And at the moment she met my gaze, she flusteredly averted her eyes and turned towards Vlad."So you have been mimicking us humans all along. It's like, as if you're infiltrating our human society.""Yeah. Something like that."Vlad, who appeared to be listening to my deductive reasoning as well, curtly expressed his affirmation. It seems he was different from Sayonaki who's fond of protracted and complicated explanation.One furry arm, with its sharp and long fingers reminiscent of a scythe, grabbed Riko's head."Uu....!""Yo, 4th. It has been a while. Was it since I-U the last time we met?"Vlad easily lifted Riko in the air with one arm. At that moment...The pistol that should have been pointing at Riko was diverted.I was like: "A CHANCE!", and open fired a 3-bullet burst, aimed towards Vlad's arm.*Bang* *Bang* *Bang*The three bullets simultaneously landed to their targets. One bullet destroyed the pistol, one pierced the forearm, and the other one apparently hit the upper arm.However..."...Ugh!?"The one who raised a groan wasn't Vlad but me.The two wounds on Vlad's arm... after releasing a red smoke, were healed. The healing process was like the closing of a mouth. It sealed the wound immediately. And the process happened in about one second.The two bullets that pierced his arm, got expelled out, producing a clanking noise when it fell to the floor.After Vlad made a silent snort, he glared at me with his golden eyes."Tohyama. You can crush a tomato with one hand, right?""???""For me, a human's head is no different from a tomato. I can easily crush one upon my will. That's why there's no need for me to rely on this toy anymore."Vlad smoothly moved his arm that was supposed to have been shot. He picked up the broken pistol, and crushed it with one hand.W-What power...He crushed the pistol that was made of steel as if it was just a plastic model.If that powerful arm squeezed Riko's head... seriously, it would be like crushing a tomato with one hand."4th. Come to think of it. You didn't know that I can transform into my human form."Vlad drew Riko's head near his face."V...Vlad...! You... tricked me...! You said... if I defeat Holmes... you will grant my... freedom! That's what you... promised... back in I-U...!"Riko glared at Vlad. Her eyes are shedding tears of vexation."...Would you keep your promise to a dog?"GWAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!Vlad laughed hard, revealing his sharp fangs that resembled knives.That kind of laughter itself, was beyond what humans can produce."Return to your cage, Brood Bitch. I thought it would be interesting to let you out of your cage for a bit. But in the end, you only just proved your own incompetence. You couldn't defeat Holmes, your modus operandi for stealing is crappy, and on top of being weak, you're an idiot beyond salvation. You're unlike the one who was expected to be Arsene's descendant that I fought in Paris."Vlad fought Arsene Lupin the 1st in Paris 100 years ago. The conclusion of the battle was a draw."But it doesn't change the fact that his blood is flowing through yours. If I do the right breeding, I can make myself an ideal5thto extract the blood and assimilate!"Vlad thrust Riko towards us."Tohyama. Would you like to copulate your genes with this?"---That scumbag...!For him, the mating of humans to create new genes is like cross-breeding peas to bring about a new breed of beans.He's looking down upon us humans."Imbibe this into your mind, 4th. You can never escape me. That is your fate."Vlad heaved and swayed Riko in the air, half-shouting those words, half-guffawing."Whether it is in I-U or anywhere else, no matter where you flee, there will be no place for you in this world other than your cage. Look. This will be your last backdrop of outside world. Make sure you preserve the scenery in your mind. Gaahahahahahaaha!""Ri-Riko...!""Riko!"Aria and I called out to Riko at the same time.Riko tightly closed her eyes, not wanting to let us see her crying face.But that fruitless resistance was betrayed by trails of tears dripping from her cheeks."...A...Aria..."The supercilious Riko, with her temerity now gone from exhaustion, called to us with a voice that she squeezed out with all her might."...Kin...ji..."She called to us; to the one who she considers rival and to that rival's partner.And spoke with low voice..."......He...lp......"...the very same word that she spoke at the rooftop of girl's dorm."It took you long to say that!"Aria shouted with her anime-voice as if like a popping of a balloon,The two wolves jerked, apparently intimidated."Kinji. We'll save Riko first. I'll leave the side to you."After Aria shouted her order...Her body shot forward, with a speed as if her back was installed with a rocket booster. She made a beeline for Vlad, charging towards him as if like a shooting star. That small back, I could perceive, shouldered no hesitation nor uncertainty.*Howl*The two loyal wolves pincered Aria from both sides, as she approached their master.However, Aria didn't even glance upon the two assailants.By saying "Side", what Aria meant was she entrusted the dispatching of wolves to me.That's how much Aria trusts my combat ability right now....So then there's only one course of action. I must live up to her expectations."Forgive me..."Apologizing to the wolves... *Bang* *Bang*I released two shots left and right with my Beretta.The wolves...*Thud*...fell over on their spots as if lying down.Shortly after that, Aria safely crossed the space between the mouths of the wolves.I followed suit, throwing an apology once more to the downed wolves as I passed them.No, I didn't take their lives.I only grazed their spinal cords using the pressure from bullet fire. It will take five minutes until they recover from immobilization.Well, I only copied the technique Reki used to paralyze the other wolf though."Vlad! Riko is mine! I won't allow you to steal my target!!"Target, you say...Aria, not able to hear the side remark I made inside my mind...*Gagagagagagann!!*...rolled towards Vlad's right side, and released a shower of bullets.*Bachi* *Bachi* *Bachi*A raw sound of flesh puncturing resounded momentarily...Aria successfully landed 10 shots of .45 ACP bullets in Vlad's shoulders, arms and feet, in a skillful display of precision without hitting Riko. Her assault punched windholes around Vlad's body."---What a brat. It seems like you're asking how a game should be played."Vlad, who's supposed to be shot, merely laughed.The wounds, as expected, after producing a red smoke, were healed.Watching that scene gave me a scowl.I unconcealed the butterfly knife's edge with my left hand. Vlad was occupied with Aria at the moment. Using that opportunity, I lunged towards Vlad's open left side, encircling my way around through his blind spot.*Chuck*And pierced the part of the wrist of the arm that was gripping Riko."Sayonaki-sensei. You have taught us a lot of things. But now it is my turn to teach you something..."*Chuck* *Chuck*I followed two more thrusts to the same wrist as if to gouge it.Well, to be precise...I severed hisflexor carpi ulnaris,palmaris brevis, andpalmaris longus muscles."The proper way to carry a girl... is like this!"I forcefully pulled Riko away from Vlad's arm, and carried her in a ohime-sama dakko3fashion."...Ohh!?"Vlad expressed his astonishment as his arm lost the ability to grip.I see. The construction of his muscles is not much different from humans.But the wounds, just like before... after raising a red smoke, were healed.I need to do something about that healing ability soon...Carrying Riko in my arms, I moved myself away from Vlad, rejoining Aria who apparently took the same judgement."That talk a while ago... it was complicated so I didn't fully understood all of it... But I'll tell you this, Riko!"...What? You didn't understand it? I asked in my mind as my face quivered in incredulity.Aria bared her fangs as fierce as a vampire."If you want to deceive me, then that's fine. But if you plan to use me, I would prefer to be used in this kind of fight rather than to be used in a stealing act!"Eh!? So for Aria, that was the point of the problem!?"And Vlad!"This time she turned towards Vlad."You called me a brat a while ago! I am already 16 years old. I'll take your remark as a personal insult!""All the same. To me who has lived for 800 years, all humans are brats.""...You said it again! I'm not gonna forgive you anymore even if you cry and beg for forgiveness! You're a Romanian noble right? Then you should know the consequence of insulting a noble.""...And what will you do? Eh? Can you even do something... to the impeccable me?"Vlad eyed Aria with a sneering gaze."Don't ask an obvious question. I'll arrest you of course, then I'll drag you by the ears if you refuse to testify in front of the supreme court! The share of 99 years of sentence put upon my mama for being implicated in false crime, shall be your atonement in jail!"Vlad guffawed hearing that."Geahahahahaha! Arrest me? That was a splendid joke, Holmes!"Aria showed no intimidation from Vlad's inhuman golden-eyes. As you expect from the one bearing the title of "Quadra"."Vlad, you are really stupid. If I have to give a comparison of your stupidity... I'll say around Kinji and Muto level."Hey!Don't lump me in the same level as Muto!"'Endless Sinner Vlad'. Out of all my targets, you're the most mysterious and elusive one to find. But here you appeared in front of me nonchalantly like that. You should prepare yourself!""Vampires and Humans, are like the relationship of predator and prey. Do you think a wolf would be afraid of a rat?""You lack knowledge despite your age, Vlad. Didn't you know? In this world, there exist rats that are poisonous."Aria proudly retorted, putting to use the newly learned trivia that she had seen from her favorite animal show.Then Aria shook her fingers of the arm that was laying on her waist in a certain fashion.As if like strumming an invisible guitar, Aria surreptitiously gestured with her fingers, making sure that Vlad isn't noticing it.This is one type of code-signal that Butei use. It's called, "Tapping".Promptly decoding Aria's code, the message was: "Hide Riko".I see. That's why she stood out afront as if to cover us.Following her order...I switched location. Carrying Riko with my arms, we concealed our bodies behind the blind spot of the heliport's elevation."Fii Bucuros! Splendid! Aria, you sure have a cheeky attitude for a woman that I'm certain I would enjoy gazing at the marvelous sight of her impaled body!"Gaha! Gaha! Gahahaha!!Vlad, blasting out a laugh that would invoke creepiness to its listener...He was successfully taunted. His attention is now fixed upon Aria.Now is a good time to have a talk with Riko."...Riko, can you move?"After lowering Riko to the ground like a fragile doll, she weakly nodded.And then she looked at me as if glaring, grabbed my sleeve and drew her face close."Kinji... Tell Aria to retreat right now. Vlad is very strong... His strength is beyond measure! I fought him back in I-U, but I was no match for him. Even the first generation of Lupin couldn't win against him. No matter what you do, you can't defeat him. That has been proven already in the past!""Past? The past is meant to be changed."I answered with a smile. In exchange, Riko violently shook her head."Impossible, I tell you! It's out of the question! It's hopeless! I can asseverate it! Our only way of getting out of this plight is escaping!"I softly grasped the hand of the yelling Riko."Butei Charter article 2. You must fulfill the contract in the commission. Your contract Riko, hasn't fulfilled yet.""T-That contract! It was already void the moment I betrayed you two!"Sealing her wailing, I put my forefinger on Riko's lips."If I recall correctly, our commission is to 'help' you, right?"I beamed at Riko. Slipping my other hand on Riko's nape... *Chari*...I hung the blue cross around her neck."......!"Riko's big duplex eyes had blown full-open. Her reaction was as if she had seen a miracle."It's the real one. It was inside Vlad's pocket. I swapped it with the fake one when I stole you away from his grip."I winked at Riko. She looked stupefiedly from the cross to my face. She glanced at the cross again, and then looked at my face once more...Finally, her face blushed a bright red.Among Riko's expressions that she hitherto showed me, that reaction just now was unfamiliar.That reaction can only be achieved by an ordinary girl rather than by a girl flaunting her sexual charm. Honestly, it was a very cute reaction.Riko's gripping of my sleeve had laxed.Turning my back to her, I climbed over the heliport's elevation."Riko, You don't have to fight if you desire so. Even I wanted to run as well... But my little master would not allow that."I directed those words behind me, to Riko who remained in her position, and then I glared at the demon Aria is facing.Vlad.I-U's no. 2.Jeanne had warned me of his strength.She said to abort our mission immediately and retreat if we ran across him.And right now, I have ascertained his monstrous strength....Bullets cut no ice with him....And he single-handedly crushed a pistol.I have no experience fighting the likes of him before. Even during my Assault days.Run away Kinji. Run away now.That's what all my cells were shouting to me.But...But wait...Despite having been asked for "help" by a girl who had suffered countless cruelty.While my partner is audaciously battling a monster alone and also is a girl to boot.Are you still telling me to run away?Hah!Even if I'm not in Hysteria Mode, I can never do that!.That's why...It is inevitable.That what I concluded.Riko, I will save you from the hands of Vlad. I will help you attain your freedom.Aria, I will be with you until the end of this battle.I might face defeat, or in worst case scenario, my death...But who cares about what will happen?I am a man."Kuh... You!"Aria, circling around Vlad... *Bang* *Bang* ...relentlessly pelted him with bullets unleashed from twin guns. But those bullets, as suspected, failed in inflicting damage to the enemy.......?It's at this time I noticed the anomaly.The white eye-shaped marks on his body... Although the wounds in that area were healed, the trails of blood remained as if it were like tears flowing from the eye-shaped marks.Examining those with a sidelong glance, I rejoined with Aria around the heliport's border.When Vlad saw the two of us together again, he smirked.He turned his back to us, and made his way towards the long pole which probably is the building's base station antenna.He's up to something.Still, I can't go after and stop him.We'll use this opportunity to discuss our plan."...That bastard. He had many chances of tearing me into pieces with his nails, but he just went for seizing me instead."Aria, slightly catching her breath, whispered to my ear."I think he's planning to capture you alive. After all, that guy is a collector of famous blood.""...No joke. Consider Holmes' blood soiled upon the time it assimilated into his body."Aria gritted her teeth upon that envision."...Aria. Vlad has four weak spots around his body."I told Aria the information Jeanne had confided to me, while convincing myself that I had kept the promise I made not to leak the information to Aria unless it wasnecessary."Weak spots... you say?""Yeah. If we attack the four weak spots at once, we can defeat him for sure. It seems that is how I-U's No. 1 subjugated him.""Wh... Where did you hear all about this!?"I considered explaining Jeanne's circumstances to Aria but unfortunately, we don't have much time for that. Instead, I grabbed Aria's both shoulders with both hands, and forcefully turned herself to face me.Drawing my serious face closer, Aria was like... "Hawa!" making a flustered face.She probably thought that I'm gonna do something to her, as she stiffened her shoulders. Hey, quit circling the wagon!"Wh-What!? What is it!?""Butei Charter article 1! Believe in your comrades and help each other. I'll give you the explanation after this fray is over.""I-I-I get it! S-So can you not bring your face here that close!?"Perceiving her blush meter was approaching the verge of its limit, I released Aria.If memory doesn't fail me, the location of the weak spots...Watching Vlad, who's trying to uproot the giant antenna from its towering position, I quickly scanned his body for marks and found three. One on each shoulder, and one on the side of the waist. It corresponded to what Jeanne had told me."It's those eye-shaped marks."However, the last weak spot was nowhere to be found. Aria realized that as well."Kinji, there are only three!""The location of the fourth weak spot... is unknown at the moment. We have no choice but to ferret it out as we fight him. About the plan for the simultaneous assault... Aria, you take care of the two on the shoulders. I'll hit the one on the side. And about the fourth one, I'll do something about it.""...Got that. But to be honest, I only have two shots left. So let me know when it's time to shoot. I'll pretend to have been out of ammo until then."Aria pulled out two undersized Japanese swords i.e. Kodachi from her back.My brows wrinkled upon seeing that.Out of ammo, huh.I wish I could lend Aria spare ammo, but unfortunately, Aria's Colt Government, which is a wide-barreled gun, uses a wide caliber .45 ACP. It's not compatible with my Beretta's or Riko's Walther P99's ammunition, which both use standard size 9mm caliber bullets.A crackling noise broke my train of thought. Turning my head towards the source of the sound, I saw Vlad from beyond pluck out a 5-meter antenna pole.*Gosun*Vlad dropped the long antenna near his feet as though it was a spear. We could feel the shaking it caused even from this distance. It must weigh at least a few tons. I think it is correct to call it a demon's club now instead of antenna. It can easily destroy a bus in one sweep."...It has been a while since I last impaled a human. This will do as a skewer for now. So brats, are you all done with your kiddy talk? I'm looking forward to seeing what plan you came up with. For your information, garlic or silver doesn't work on me anymore. I have gotten over all my weaknesses through sucking blood. Well... I still don't like them though."Vlad laughed. From his open mouth flashed fangs as sharp as knives."Holmes 4th. Like Lupin 4th, it seems like you are a failure as well. I admit you have the nimble body of a rabbit... but you haven't inherited his reasoning ability one bit.""...So what? Genes, genes... all you talk about is genes. Well, I guess there are lineage freaks like that in this world. Allow me to give you a piece of my mind. It appears you managed your growth by overwriting your genes but... humans aren't just decided by genes!"Aria puts on an annoyed face, and puffed out an invisible bust."It's true that genes and DNA are determined at birth and restricts people to a certain degree, but you know... your nature can be nurtured by assiduous effort to improve oneself! If you say Riko didn't inherit any superior genes, then she's the living proof of that hard work!"Stealing a peek behind, I saw Riko's ribbon, who's hiding behind the blind spot of the heliport's elevation, quiver. She's apparently listening as well."...I have fought Riko twice before. And I can say that she's really strong!!"Aria yelled like a roar. Vlad picked up the antenna and brandished it."You've only felt that way because you're both failures."He wielded that antenna pole effortlessly as if it was just a short stick or something."However... you're different from Lupin 4th in that you have Tohyama as a partner to compensate your weakness. They say beware of Holmes' lineage when teamed in two. I picked up that warning a long time ago. That's why I have to dismiss you first, Tohyama Kinji."Glaring at me with those golden eyes..."Inebriate yourself upon the melody of Wallachia's magic flute---!!"After declaring that, Vlad arched backways. His chest slowly expanded, sucking in air as it created a noise like a jet engine.W-What is he planning to do!?His chest swelled like a balloon. It even made me slip the chance to fire my gun upon seeing that bizarre scene.Byaaaaaaaaaaaaaavaiiiiiiiiiiiiiii----!!!A howl!The whole landmark tower shook upon that beast-like howl. It even scattered the dark-clouds hanging in the rooftop's environs.Distance-wise, it was probably even heard in places a hundred meters away.It made Aria's and my uniform flap--- it wasn't caused by the winds, but the noise.Our brains were shaken by that noise as if like how a flan was shook inside a case. I felt like all my organs had been swayed, and the blood throughout my body had been stirred.I sealed my ears with my hands to prevent loss of hearing. I closed my eyes so that they wouldn't pop out. It was a great effort keeping my standing despite the shock.A moment of storm or something similar had passed."Who... Who would have thought Dracula could howl!?"Aria, who tumbled on the ground on her butt, picked herself up with trembling feet."------!!!"Then I realized, after seeing Vlad's smirk......that I was not in Hysteria Mode anymore.He disabled my Hysteria Mode...!?I felt my powers were debilitated.I broke into cold sweat.We've been had.After learning Hysteria Mode, he even discovered a way to disable it.He probably realized my Hysteria Mode was canceled, as Vlad slowly tread his way here, carrying the antenna pole on his shoulder.If I got hit by that pole...It will break the bones in my body... no, it will shatter them.What should I do now... Is there a way out of this?...Even racking the brain of my Normal Mode does no help."Kinji! He's within killing range now! What are you standing there like a pole!?"Aria bellowed, and did probably the last thing I would expect that she would do to me. She toppled my feet.I fell backwards..."!?"Cutting the air with a swift strike, Vlad's pole zipped past right in front of my nose.And then... Tiiiiinnggg!! A sound of metal clashing reverberated.Aria took the hit that I was suppose to take.Aria had managed to block the pole using her Kodachi. However, the residual force of the weapon collision had sent her flying to the edge of the heliport, throwing her out of bounds."Aria!"Around the same moment of my shout, Vlad's pole launched its second strike.I rolled to the floor, attempting to evade its onslaught, however, the pole still grazed my shoulder."---Ugh!!"Gasshh!!Even with that little scratch, its force was enough to send my body flying as though I had been hit by a car.My vision spun around, realizing that my body was rotating in midair.I've been blown away... literally! By 10 meters... no, twice of that.I couldn't do anything. I was completely at Vlad's mercy. Me without Hysteria Mode is just an average high school guy.Helpless upon that cruel truth... my body made one rebound on the floor, and swept past the edge of the rooftop...Ah...The moment it occurred to me to extend the grappling wire to thwart my fall, everything was over. That ephemeral window-of-opportunity is now beyond possibility."-----------!!!"I'm falling!296 meters above ground.Going straight towards the ground.---I'm dead.Seriously, this time I'm dead.They say you'll see swirling lights before your time comes, however, in reality, it left you vacantly staring ahead.I can't think of anything right now.My mind is blank.I could only glance at the rooftop. Watching it recede as if like I'm watching a backward jet-coaster ride.----?From the rooftop... came a pattering sound.The pattering sound was caused by a figure of girl's dashing.Riko?It was Riko.Her frill-customized skirt flapped in the winds.*Tan!*With that elegant figure, as if like performing a high dive in pool, she jumped off the rooftop!-----!!!Riko, with eyes that had turned into like that of a beast's, adjusted her posture in midair. She glued her feet to the wall. Running along the wall like a ninja, she descended the building.Her running was faster than my falling.Her long blond hair had transformed into the shape of a F1 car's rear-wing, probably to assist in balancing Riko's mid-air dash."Kinji!"Riko called out. And then...*Tan!*Kicking the wall, she leapt towards my falling body.And then, for only God knows why, she shoved my head inside her skirt, and clutched it between hips."Wh-What's happening!?"At last, I could finally say something to Riko, who seemed like I've been giving a shoulder ride from the posture...Riko untied the ribbon that's fastening the back of her sailor uniform.Upon doing that... the skirt fanned out above us and bloomed like a flower in air! Its pleats stretched continuously, gradually spreading out.And turned into a paraglider.Riko's paraglider immediately caught the wind current. We hovered in circles around landmark tower.Her legs propping under my armpits."Ri...Riko...!!"The building's outward appearance is totally comprised of glasses of windows, therefore, we can see our reflection on it.I gawked at the sight of Riko reflected upon the building's windows. She's only wearing underwear!W-Well I guess that can't be helped, because we're using her customized uniform as a paraglider at the moment. Then that means... these legs that are suspending me, if I trace that upwards...On my nape, I perceive the soft sensation coming from the flimsy fabric, no... it's not just a mere fabric... I could also feel warmth from it... and softness. It's... in other words...How should I say it...It's THE underwear, right?Right? RIGHT!?And beneath that is...When I pictured the thought of THAT pushing against my nape...*Throb*My heart made a one huge jump.Even though we're in this situation.What's more, in order to keep me from being shaken off, Riko had tightened her grip, further squashing my face with her hips like a freshly-picked voluptuous white-peach.And those hips... everytime she veers into a change of direction, it helplessly fondles my face and rubs it.This rapturous sensation... I can't get enough of it.Riko... I'm not gonna ask you to let go of me. And I know this time you were not deliberately using your body to tease me. But this... is too stimulating.*Throb*Moving my eyes up, Riko, in honey-gold underwear, was controlling our altitude using the ribbon's break cord.That Riko's serious face, with a huge gap from her usual childish countenance made me...*Throb*This would be today's third time... of my transformation."---Riko."I spoke with a grim voice."The last time you used this gimmick was during the hijacking incident right? Back then we were still enemies. But now, you jumped off the building to rescue me a moment ago."Riko gave no reply. She continued controlling the break cord."The past has been changed, Riko... with your decision."4Our altitude is hovering in flat level, neither ascending nor descending.Riko.Right now, she's probably conflicted whether to go back to the rooftop, or to escape to the ground."Riko. You're a girl capable of changing your past. That's why there's no reason to continue living in the fear of your past anymore. Don't let the past change you, you ought to change it instead! That goes for the thing about Vlad as well!"Riko was silent for a few seconds upon my persuasion.And then..."Ki-kun."She answered, with a low voice almost like mumbling."Riko. You are you. Don't let them call you the 4th!"As if my yelling had egged her on, Riko took a deep breath. The huge breast unbefitting of her small stature had gained even more volume."Ki-kun... Call my name.""Riko."With a trembling voice, I called Riko's name."One more time.""Riko!""Again!""Riko!!"Whoooshh!!The paraglider caught the rising wind, and it abruptly ascended with an angle almost a straight line going upwards.That's right.Your name is Riko.Not a number.Nor just a gene of a famous bloodline.And like what Aria had said before...You're not incompetent. You've never been!I know that more than anyone else. After all, you saved me in the nick of time from my fall."Ki-kun."Riko spoke to me as we headed towards the roof."Ki-kun would probably never believe Riko's words anymore after deceiving you and Aria twice. But Vlad, he has four weak spots around his body. You've heard that from Jeanne already, right?""Yeah.""Those four spots actually marks the location of the organs exclusively for vampires. It's called 'Demon's Entrails'. It is the one that provides Vlad's instant recovery function. Those organs are highly evolved that, even if only one is left working, the last one can restore the other three within a second. Therefore, destroying them all at the same time is a must to completely break the system."So that's how it works."I'm not gonna tell you specifically where the last one is. Your glance might reveal it to him. But I know where it is... After all, I've been living with him for a very long time.""What will happen once we destroy all four?""All the weaknesses he had as a vampire will re-emerge. Vladcould notactually overcome his weaknesses. He just patched it up by evolving his Demon's Entrails to resist them.""Then that means...""All the well-known vampire weaknesses shall become his true weakness. Silver will be highly toxic to him, sunlight will scorch his skin, and garlic can cause him an allergic reaction."Riko changed our direction, waiting for the next gust of rising wind."There's still one problem, Riko. Even if we know where all the marks are,we don't have enough gunsto destroy those."In order to destroy the four marks at the same time, we needed four guns to shoot it.Aria will take care of the two, and I will shoot the third one. How we will do the last strike is the biggest problem.We don't have any more guns. Both Riko's Walthers were disposed by the wolves off the building a while ago."Yes, we have enough. Riko has a gun that was a keepsake of her mother. But it's only good for one shot."I looked up to Riko. I surveyed her body, however, I couldn't find where the gun she was talking about was possibly hidden."Riko is hiding it, in the same place as her mother.""...Okay. I'll contact Aria after getting off--- Then we'll execute the simultaneous assault.""Ki-kun. This is an all-or-nothing chance. Vlad thought that Riko doesn't have a gun after disposing the two Walthers. He even destroyed his own gun as well. He's afraid of four guns that were gathered against him. I am very sure that he'll become cautious once he sees four guns rounded up in the battlefield. Once he does that--- consider us already defeated."I guess you're right.Riko made a sharp turn. Finally we reached the same level of the building's rooftop.There, we saw the worn-out Aria circling around the edges of the rooftop as she just evaded Vlad's pole.She had probably confirmed our safety long ago.She back-flipped with such a risk that it could make a watcher shudder. She landed almost at the very edge of the rooftop, probably to lure Vlad towards her. A slight miscalculation could result in her falling off the building.But Vlad, as suspected, didn't fall for Aria's diversion.Riko released my head in an action like as if we were riding on a swing in the midair. I successfully landed on the floor, rolling on the ground before springing to my feet."Aria!"I shouted, and charged straight towards Vlad."Now!"Following what we had planned before, Aria, hearing my signal, flared her skirt. She pulled out her twin guns, and instantly took an aiming stance.While I edged further towards Vlad. Riko disengaged the paraglider. She descended the sky, landing straight towards Vlad.---Here we go!A four-shot unison strike--- We can pull this off.There's only one chance provided to us.But so what?All chances in life come once in a lifetime."VLADDD!!!"Aria aimed at Vlad's shoulders. She's the first to pull the trigger. Right at that exact moment...An unexpected misfortune had struck us.*Flash*Or rather, it was a lightning bolt that struck."Ugh---!?"A lightning bolt had struck from somewhere in the city.Aria shut her eyes in reflex. Still, it seems she couldn't stop her fingers from pulling the triggers. Finally, the two shots were fired from the muzzles of black and silver-white gun.Ahh...Who could have thought the master of arms would blunder at the last moment!?And it was because of lightning...!?But..It's not over yet!I won't let it end like this!!Heightening my Hysteria Mode's senses...Now I can see everything in slow motion.Yes. It's the same as what I did when we fought Riko during the hijacking incident.I can see the bullets that Aria had fired. They are flying at a subsonic speed...I can even see their trajectories clearly with my current sight.The left bullet has no problem. It will land straight in Vlad's left shoulder.But the right one... is a bit off. If it continues like that, it will just pierce Vlad's right armpit instead.However.That flight path...I can...Fix it!"------!!!"Bang!!I fired my Beretta next towards Vlad.The bullet I released and Aria's misaimed bullet converged...Kiiiiiiiiiinnnn!!And it grazed Aria's bullet in midair.While adjusting Aria's bullet trajectory, my bullet flew to the exact flight path I had intended it to go upon the rebound of the previous grazing.*Bachi* *Bachi* *Bachi*The three bullets, perfectly penetrate Vlad's right and left shoulders and right side, piercing the three eye-shaped marks.This skill is called, "Billiard Shot".It's an exhibition trick that Nii-san had once shown me a long time ago. I never thought it would become handy at a time like this.And finally, almost at the same moment...Vlad, his face turned towards the air, tried to shout something.At the end of his gaze is Riko, whipping out a Derringer a pocket pistol hidden by her cleavage."------4TH!!!"At the same time of Vlad's bellow...*Bang!*Riko's Derringer groaned the dry cry of a shot.*Gyum*After firing her gun, Riko stomped Vlad's head.She leapt behind him.And after cutely spinning a turn..."Baa---kaa!!"Riko put one forefinger under her eyes, and stuck out her tongue to express an Akanbe gesture5.Vlad, unquestionably making a demon-face, at the same time is also coincidentally sticking his tongue out.That thick, tentacle-like tongue.The mark on the center was pierced!"Ha...Hahahaha..."Vlad powerlessly laughed. Probably verbal-abusing Riko had became a habit on him, he reflexively opened his mouth at the sight of Riko, which in turn made an unconscious exposure of his last weak spot.Gatsun. He released the heavy pole he was wielding.The way it fell was unfavorable to him.The pole, which was as tall and as heavy as a utility pole, slanted diagonally, and teetered above him."Uguh...!?"Vlad tried to shove it away, but his arms no longer had the strength...The antenna that must weigh several tons flattened his body, with the two masses positioning as if forming a cross... His moving had ceased."U...wah..."Crimson liquid gushed onto the floor as if blood was being squeezed out of him. It was the blood that Vlad had accumulated for centuries.When I thought Vlad had raised a groan, it was actually the sound of the wolves' whine.The two wolves, who could finally move again, edged towards Vlad with shaking feet... and created shadows for him.Even though there was a scarcity of sunlight because of the dark clouds, that amount was still detrimental enough for him it seems."...What now Aria? Vlad has been squashed."I inquired Aria.Aria spun the two pistols like a windmill back to the holsters. She crossed her arms."What can we do? There's no way we can lift a pole that heavy even with the three of us combined.""It appears so.""He brought that weapon himself. He just reaped what he sowed."A wry smile evinced on my face as I see Aria declare that with both fist on the side. I walked towards Vlad to check up on his state.Vlad is vexingly looking up this way, mumbling something in Romanian language which I assume to be cuss words. At this rate, he's probably not gonna bite the dust soon. As what you expect from vampires, they're hardy.I put back my Beretta back to the holster. When I raised my face, I saw a Kanagawa Police's helicopter flying in this direction.Well, the battle was ostentatious enough to warrant a report.Might as well ask the police for a rescue team and hand Vlad over to them.But before that..."Great job, Riko."I commended Riko, who's eyeing the vanquished Vlad in incredulity,"You defeated Vlad, the adversary that even Lupin the 1st couldn't defeat."Upon saying that, Aria, who had also walked towards here, made a bothered face."I've been wondering since a while ago... Did Lupin the 1st really fight Vlad before?"Riko, with her gaze still riveted upon Vlad, didn't answer. I answered Aria's question in her stead."It seems so.""Hmmm...? Riko, it seems like you have an inferiority complex or something with the 1st. But..."Aria, one hand on side, turned to face Riko. A gust of seabreeze caressed her body."You have surpassed himjust now."Congratulations.Aria would not say that word, judging by her expression.Riko, surprised by Aria's unexpected words, lifted her face. Still, she was speechless....I see. I guess that's the right conclusion.I cocked my head.Riko defeated Vlad, who even Arsene Lupin was unable to defeat. Although she accomplished the feat with our help, there was no rule that states that the assistance of other people wasn't allowed. If I remember correctly, the Jeanne d'Arc twins and Arsene Lupin, the three of them worked together to fight Vlad as a team. Arsene Lupin had help back then too.And---The reason why Riko wanted to defeat Aria badly was to surpass Lupin the 1st. By defeating Vlad, that objective was satisfied... and at the same time, rendered it unnecessary as well.However..."I don't owe you anything, Holmes. We just coincidentally have a mutual objective this time around."Riko had sharpened her gaze once again. That attitude, cannot be described as friendly."Holmes and Lupin are mortal enemies. That fact is unchangeable... Forever."Riko said that. Her hairs started moving.What is she going to do?No. Or rather, she's... already doing something?"The feeling is mutual. The very thought of getting along with you gives me goosebumps."Aria retorted, as her grumpy eyes sharpened their gaze."So? What are you going to do now? If you plan on running away, then I'll go after and catch you. I'll throw you to the Dagulas or anything to make you testify for my Mama. It's wise to surrender now Riko... Your deceive-by-word tricks won't help you anymore. You can't fight as a Quadra anymore due to a lack of weapons. Once humans are deprived of their abilities, they will become helpless."As she said that, Aria signaled something with her eye to me.I bitterly smiled, and apologized to Riko. I stood in front of the door---sealing the only available exit on the rooftop.With this, all of Riko's escape routes has been severed.Like what Aria had said before, Riko had no more cards left up her sleeve.I wonder what will you do now, kitten-chan."Aria Holmes Kanzaki. Kinji Tohyama."She pronounced Aria's middle name in English, not in a French accent which is pronounced as Olmes. As Riko called our full name for the first time, she gradually maneuvered herself away from us towards the rooftop's edge."I'm not gonna look down on you two anymore, or deceive or use you. I'm not gonna look at you two as an enemy--- but now as an equal rival. That's why--- I will be keeping thepromiseI made."Riko turned to face rear. A gust of seabreeze blew past once again.That wind pushed her hair, and it fanned out as if like a stream... revealing thereelthat she had concealed inside it.That dynamic reel, after popping a spark, spun at a swift speed. It seems she's reeling an invisible thin wire towards her."Au revoir, mes rivaux Let's meet again, my rivals. I'm not gonna forgive you if anyone besides me takes your lives."Riko says that with a face that was slightly tinged of red. Afterwards, she thrusted her hands left and right like a cross......and jumped off the building."---Riko!!"At the same time of Aria's shout, Riko called back the paraglider as if like a bird returning to its master.Riko connected the paraglider that she disengaged when she attacked Vlad with a wired reel hidden inside her hair. And up until now, she just left it hovering in the sky like a kite.Clutching the ribbon's break cord, Riko dove into the sky as if like swimming. Joining the paraglider elegantly, she made her escape from us.Her body became smaller and smaller until it disappeared towards the port's warehouses."We've been had again. This makes it the second time."I stood beside Aria, who's overlooking the town with Camellia eyes, and shrugged my shoulders.I had completely forgotten about it.That girl's most powerful skill......is her dexterity in escaping.