Ark Dominion’s secret underground base is so intricate and complex that it is not even the combination of Shinjuku, Umeda, and Yokohama stations to the third power. This is the result of decades of expansion work backed by the abundant financial resources of the “Tagaden Group,” which accounts for about 10% of Japan’s GDP.

More than 90% of the area is uninhabited, and the gloomy conditions of the underground area have also led to an endless stream of eerie rumors.

The unreliable illumination of a flashlight illuminates the walls of such a pitch-black corridor.

「Hey Cheetiger-Kuun, it’s kind of creepy around here」

「Such a scared Armajiko is also cute~」

「Nmou~, Cheetiger-kun you bully! Let’s just go home!」

「Don’t say that, let’s go a little further!」

The fact that it was almost inhospitable made it a perfect spot for young mysterious beings to meet.

「Well, you know what?　About 10 years ago, a woman went missing in this basement……」

「Eeh~, That’s scary!」

「We all looked for her desperately, but we couldn’t find her after all. ……The woman is still wandering around in this basement……」

「No, no, no, no, it’s super scary! I can’t handle it anymore~!」

The girl mysterious being cackled and shrieked and hugged the man’s arm. Of course, the Cheetiger story is factually untrue gossip, and Armajiko is not really afraid of it.

These things are, if we may say so, stylistic beauty, a planned harmony for the sake of flirting.

Cheetiger put his flashlight on the floor and wrapped his arms around the armadiko’s sturdy hips.

「Don’t worry, I got your back, Armajiko.……」

「Cheetiger-kun…… Shyuki~……！」

The two of them were enjoying the silence in the uninhabited underpass, so quiet that even their damp breaths could be heard clearly.

It was just at that moment that they were about to lock their lips for a kiss they naturally sought-after.

Kashan!　Karakarakarakara……

「「Hih!?」」

Suddenly, a loud metallic sound echoed from deep within the darkness, sending shivers down the spines of the young man and woman. The sound was unmistakably coming from the end of the hallway, where no one was supposed to be.

「Wh- What was that just now……?」

「It’s probably just a rat or something……」

Rumors are just that, rumors. There really is no such thing as the spirits of those in distress. Cheetiger told himself this and listened intently with his feline ears.

And he clearly heard something he didn’t want to hear.

「……Shikushiku…… Shikushikushiku……」

It was the sobbing voice of a woman.

Armajiko seemed to hear it too, and the two of them looked at each other with pale blue faces. Even the hand that had been wrapped around her waist in a sexy manner was now digging into her flesh, and it hurt.

Cheetah Tiger barely picked up the flashlight with a shaking hand and removed the darkness from the hallway, which was not an inch ahead of him.

In a weak circle of light, far ahead of the corridor, a biological curve that would not be possible in an inorganic underground passage is projected.

「Hick, Hick, Ueeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen……」

It was a woman with long black hair wearing a bright red coat.

「「Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!」」

The loud screams of a man and woman echoed in the deep darkness everywhere.

「She appeared! She appeared! She appeaaaareeeeeedddd!!」

「Wait, Cheetiger-kun! Uwah, so fast! Hey waiiitt!!」

The young couple fled in the dark, unable to find their way back.

「Uuuu…… Rintaro……」

What was left behind was the spirit in distress, or rather, Minato, who was heartbroken. Of course, it was not a spirit, but it was a person in distress.

She no longer know the way back, but the crying Minato wasn’t even aware of the trouble she was in. Losing herself in a pit of sorrow, she simply wandered through the labyrinth underground passageways.

「Ueeeeeeeeeen…… It’s so coold……」

Is it the body that’s actually cold, or is it the mind?

Then, out of nowhere, hard footsteps sounded. The sound seemed to be coming straight toward Minato without hesitation.

「Oi, you there.」

「Fuee……?」

Minato was suddenly showered with a strong light from behind and was called out.

When she turned around, her face, which was covered with tears and a runny nose, was illuminated by a strong light. The light source was not a flashlight, but the light attached to a pistol.

The owner of the voice immediately points the muzzle down and grabs Minato’s shoulder in surprise.

「…… You are the chief of the Medical Corps, Minato, aren’t you? What are you doing here?」

A figure emerged from the darkness, wearing a military uniform and with rabbit ears on her head.

………………

…………

……

Meanwhile, Rintaro and the rest of the villain squad were feeling fed up with the fourth emergency scramble order of the day.

Samecchi and Kirika look around the store questioningly.

The sign on the bar read “Kemo West-Shinjuku (Shinjuku)”. Needless to say, it was a bar in front of the station run by a mysterious being under the protection of Arc Dominion.

Of course, on the surface, the store poses as a very ordinary store, and the customers it deals with are ordinary people.

「Another empty, ssu!　What is going on, ssuka?」

「It’s odd that there is not a shadow of a caller, even though we should have been dispatched upon request in the first place.」

It was only about 15 minutes ago that an SOS call came in from the owner. However, when Rintaro and his team arrived on the scene, they found that the store was already empty.

 It was not long after sunset, and the restaurant was probably preparing to open.

「There’s almost no evidence of a fight… just a broken bottle of sake. Judging by the fact that almost no alcohol around, there is no doubt that people were there just a short while ago.」

Rintaro searches for traces left in the store and formulated a hypothesis.

「From the looks of things, I’d say someone took him “again.”」

No doubt he received an emergency call for help from the fellow mysterious being. However, only a few clues were left at the scene.

What is odd is that it is the exact same situation as the other three cases they were dispatched to today.

「There’s money in the register. If it’s not a robbery or a kidnapping for money…… this is the work of the Hero Headquarters, nine times out of ten.」

「Ooh…… aniki looks like a detective, ssu. So cool, ssu!」

「It’s natural since it’s senpai. Criminal investigation is also a compulsory subject at Hero School… Muguu!」

Rintaro hurriedly covered Kirika’s mouth.

「Okay, Mayuzumi. It’s nice of you to show off your senpai, but don’t say anything careless.」

Kirika gestured with a hand sign that she understood and shook her head cockily.

It might be a good idea to explain to her again that if he is exposed as a former hero, all sorts of lies will be exposed and his life will be in danger. As Rintaro was thinking about this, something like a white cloth appeared in his vision.

He picked it up and found that it looked like a shirt.

「That is…… The bartender’s clothes, ssuka……?」

The clothes were taken off in a mess and left under the bar counter. No, it would be more correct to say that they were hidden.

「Still warm, ssu. He took off his clothes here, ssune? Samecchi understand, the culprit is ecchi, ssu!」

「That’s a pretty good guess, as expected of Samecchi. But I don’t think that’s the case. The street in front of the station is crowded. If they strip him naked and take him out, It would cause a big commotion. Besides……」

All the buttons of his shirt were fastened. If the goal was to take off the shirt, there was no need to also re-fasten even the necktie.

In other words, only the “content” disappeared without a trace. It took only a short time for Rintaro and his team to arrive at the site after receiving a dispatch request.

Dendendendendendendenden.

As if arranged, horror movie-style background music echoes through the restaurant

「Yes, hello, ssu? Eh, another SOS, ssuka? ……The location is……」

The phone call that Samecchi received was the fifth emergency dispatch order of the day. Rintaro’s mind was filled with an unspoken feeling of foreboding.            

「Samecchi, where next?」

「Maebashi Branch…… Uncle Bearion’s Place, ssu.」

Rintaro’s brow furrowed. It seemed that his bad premonition was right on target.

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<103: Hasty Preparation
105: The Weakest Mysterious Being>