Arifureta Shokugyou de Sekai Saikyou Chapter 201

「I'll kill you, Mr. K, kill. What virtuoso hit man. Don't make light of researcher. I'll absolutely, kill you dead.」

With only the occasional lamp in the street and the light of the car coming from opposite lane as the source of light, from the back seat of the quiet car interior, words that sounded like curse were spun in whispers.

Vanessa who was driving was sending her glances at the back mirror repeatedly, looking alternately at the figure of Emily who made herself tiny at the back seat by holding her knees together, her eyes looking like dead fish with her mouth continuously spouting out resentment and bitterness, and the figure of Kousuke beside Emily, drenched in cold sweat while taking as much distance as possible from her.

Seeing at Kousuke's coat that was being placed at his feet, and the window that was opened regardless of the cold air flowing into the car, as though to disperse some smell from inside the car, it could be understood that the reason of this situation should be rather left unsaid.

The gaze of Kousuke and Vanessa met through the back mirror. Kousuke was shaking his head while trembling with teary eyes, his gaze was directed toward Vanessa as though seeking help.

Vanessa quietly averted her gaze. *gon-* From behind there was a sound echoing that sounded like head knocked into the glass window.

(……Nevertheless, Mr. K. He is, really……a mysterious person isn't he.)

While feeling the gaze from the back seat that was sending SOS signal stabbing on her cheek, Vanessa talked to herself like that inside her heart.

――Mr. K

He was a hit man with unknown history and appearance that appeared since around two years ago, assassinating big shots with strict security one after another. It seemed that he wasn't attached to any organization, if someone made a request to him using the specified method, then he would carried out any kind of murder no matter how difficult it was depending on the amount of the reward.

Even the security bureau that Vanessa belonged to put him in a blacklist as a dangerous person since around one year ago. His skill in killing was without question, but in addition even when intelligence agency of state investigated him the information grasped was always dummy information, full-scale investigation had been started since half a year ago and it was still continuing until now, but his true identity still hadn't come to light. It was enough to comprehend how dangerous this person was just from that fact.

However, while Mr. K was in possession of that much skill, even when his description was analyzed and compared to all the people registered in the existing blacklist, but there was not even a single person who could be thought of as him there, the intelligence department was now putting their attention to Mr. K, considering him to be a wholly big rookie.

By the way, the national security bureau possessed the right to investigate and the right to arrest in wide area regarding serious crime that concerned with the state's security, furthermore the national intelligence department which was an agency that carried out things like the protection of important person was literally a secret service. Each department was further divided into subdivision, but let's omit it for now.

For a time, Vanessa entered an investigation team that investigated a assassination case that was caused by this Mr. K. The modus operandi of the murder was exceedingly simple and trace of him playing around in his work was nonexistent, two bullets to vitals, killing the target with accurate shot. He left no message that seemed like a killer who take delight in murder or made any declaration of his crime. And then, after he accepted a request and agreed to it, no matter how difficult it was, or even when the contract detail was mistaken and the difficulty level jumped up, he would never stop until he succeeded, his professional policy could be seen from there.

Mr. K was undoubtedly an atrocious killer. However, no matter how much of a coldhearted and inhuman person he was, he was a professional who would comply only to his contract no matter what happened.

She was betrayed by Kimberly, her comrades were annihilated, before she was able to link up with the reinforcement from headquarter, the continuous attacks without pause from enemy found her and she was forced to flee, unable to break out from the isolated and helpless situation. In order to protect Emily in such situation, there was a need to spent trump card even just by one more.

Permitting murder in the process of guarding――it was a choice that Vanessa made with bitterness. When this case was over, a disciplinary measure would surely wait for her.

In the first place she didn't understand whether her request would reach Mr. K, or even if it reached him would he accept it and was he within the range where he would be able to link up with them immediately, and would he who was hiding his true identity respond to the contract, by that point of time this choice of hers was already a gambling.

After all, the content of her request was a guard mission. Naturally in such mission the protector had to be nearby the protection target, and that mean that Mr. K would inevitably need to expose his true identity. Mr. K was also analyzed to be an expert in disguise, but it was still a risk nevertheless for him to expose himself in the open.

To say nothing of how if Mr. K investigated for a little, then for him who was strong in information war he would surely notice that the client was a person related with government right away.

Therefore, Vanessa made contact under the faint hope of luring Mr. K somehow with reward amount, but unexpectedly the reply from Mr. K was "I accept". Vanessa was suspicious, but Mr. K demanded large amount of money and explained that his protection would be done fundamentally while hiding, so Vanessa accepted it for the time being and tied a contract with him.

(Yet despite so, he exposed his figure in that place. I never even imagined that he is Japanese in the age that can still be called as teenager though……. Is he in disguise? Still, I cannot spot any disguise even from this range, that face only look like natural face……. If that is his natural face, then, just what in the world is he thinking about?)

It was difficult to guard someone indoor from distance. There was no way someone could protect someone indoor from outdoor using sniping method and the like. Mr. K should have understood that from the start. That was why, Vanessa thought that maybe she was just deceived by Mr. K and made the preparation and advance arrangement with Emily about using flashbang and jumped to the room downstair.

Inside her heart she was thinking that her profiling of Mr. K was mistaken, it was possible that he was a devilish homicide who was just greedy for money. Vanessa didn't discard the possibility that Mr. K might bare his fang to them.

(Even now, looking from his personality there is the possibility that he is in disguise……)

When Vanessa glanced once more at the back mirror, Kousuke's expression was visibly getting brighter in a flash, as though it was saying「Finally you look here!」. And then, he was sending eye contact at Vanessa while sending brief glances at Emily.

……A virtuoso hit man who was greatly perplexed against a single girl and looking for help desperately.

(I don't understand……)

From the back seat a small voice of「Oy you, just now, your eyes met me right? Why are you averting your eyes!」was calling at her. The Mr. K that she had imagined before, and the figure of teenager Japanese who was whispering「Heey, wait-. Don't ignore me. ……Don't tell me, even though we are riding the same car but I'm already out of your awareness……?」with teary eyes, those two images couldn't be connected inside Vanessa no matter who she pondered about it.

「Excuse me, Mr. K.」

「! I'm not Mr. K but, what?」

Seeing Kousuke who leaned his body forward looking a bit happy when he was addressed, Vanessa once again made the request that she had already made and rejected just now.

「My apologize but, can I ask you to replace me driving the car? As expected, it has become a bit hard for me.」

「Eh? No, I told you already just now, but I cannot drive, I have never even drive until now. I haven't taken my driving license yet. Or rather, even if I have taken license at Japan, is it okay for me to drive car at foreign country?」

「……You really, have never drive a car before?」

「Never. I have never even drive a scooter. That's why it's impossible. Sorry to make you drive while injured but……」

「No, it's not like there is any problem with my consciousness, and I also able to stop the bleeding.」

After they escaped from the worn-out hotel, Vanessa and others arrived until their car. At that time, Vanessa was injured, although it wasn't a big problem but in preparation of pursuer she asked Kousuke to drive, but at that time he refused with the same reason like now.

At first Vanessa thought that he was joking or he was keeping himself free in case of battle, but when she saw Kousuke who was frowning even now looking apologetic, she came to think that it was the truth that he really couldn't drive.

Mr. K who carried out assassination of important people not just at Britain, but at all over the world, there was no way he was unable to drive car but……

(Or rather, why is he still obstinately denying that he is Mr. K even in this situation……. By some chance, is he thinking that he can hide his true identity like that? No no, no way that's true……)

Inside Vanessa, Mr. K was increasingly turning into a stupid person.

For just a little, a thinking that said「Perhaps, he is really not Mr. K?」just like Kousuke told her floated inside her mind, but that terrific concealment to the degree that no one noticed him, his experienced aura that didn't flinch even when gun was pointed at him, and then his skill that enable them to escape without firing a single shot but instead using only the hotel's ashtray……no matter how she looked, it was unthinkable that this person could possibly be "ordinary person".

Therefore, inside Vanessa, her impressions of Kousuke couldn't mesh at all into a complete picture and her evaluation of him was going toward the direction of "mysterious" or "bizarre".

There was no way for Vanessa to think even in her wildest imagination that the concealment ability was his sorrowful ability that he possessed from birth or that there was person close to him that fired railgun so he was used to gun. Also, it wasn't that Kousuke didn't fire gun, but her simply didn't have gun and he couldn't fire gun or anything, as expected Vanessa wouldn't even think of such possibility……

Mr. K was a hit man. Kousuke was certainly a virtuoso hit man, but he wasn't Mr. K. He was unable to do feat that could be done ordinarily by earth's hit man. But, he had plenty of experience if it was killing and carnage.

Like this, Vanessa's impression toward Kousuke's character spurred her confusion.

「He, hey, this topic has been left alone until now but, this girl, what to do with her? It looks like, her grudge to me has already reached a level that can only be considered as curse here. Even though her eyes are dead, it looks like she is starting to make a faint smile here. Ah, just now, she is chuckling『kekeke』you hear that!? That is absolutely a bad news somehow!」

Kousuke glanced at Emily with convulsing expression and shivering body. Vanessa looked at the figure of Emily who even now looked like she could fall into the dark side anytime, so she put aside her discomfort that she felt toward Kousuke for the time being and she finally talked to Emily.

「Doctor Grant. Please cheer up. I told you already at that time, the situation was as it was. It's not something to be ashamed for.」

「……Vanessa.」

Inside Emily's empty eyes, a smidgen of light was lit and she lifted her face. Vanessa whose gaze met Emily through the back mirror, her expressionless face crumbled a little and her eyes loosened up, she then further formed words of consolation to her.

「Besides, didn't you also pee when you met me? At this late hour――」

「Uwaaaaaaaan-, I'm just a peeing girl after alllllllll」

Correction, she formed words of finishing blow. Kousuke put a retort「What are you doing adding blow like that!?」. Emily buried her face into her knees once more and this time she was holding her head with both her hands while turning even smaller than before.

The chaos at the back seat was making Vanessa's expression to become somewhat flustered and she did her best to recover the situation somehow.

「It, it's fine you know, Doctor Grant. If I and Mr. K stay silent, then nobody will know. Something not known is the same like it doesn't exist.」

It was a really forceful line of argument. It gently reached Emily's stormy heart like a refreshing breeze. Although, maybe that reasoning would work if it was just Vanessa, but as expected, if it was known by someone of different gender, and in addition it was a different gender whose age was close with her, the damage to her mind was just that great. She couldn't be convinced that simply.

「Bu, but……」

Emily's gaze glanced repeatedly at Kousuke. But, as though to say that she had already calculated that factor too, this Vanessa spoke comforting words to Emily with an expression that could be seen as self-satisfied look this time.

「Doctor Grant. Please rest assured. Mr. K is Japanese.」

「A, and?」

「At Japan, there is this kind of phrase. ――"Rather that is a reward".」

「Wha. what is the meaning of that?」

Kousuke's pleading words of「I told you already, I'm not Mr. K. I'm Kousuke」were beautifully ignored like a passing air, Emily was tilting her head at Vanessa's continuing words. And then, Kousuke who guessed the meaning of Vanessa's words tried to held her back with「Wait a secoooond!」but……

「It means, if it is done by beautiful girl, then whatever it is will bring joy, a side benefit. Yes, if the other party is a beautiful girl, then even if they get their crotch stepped on, even if they get punched in the face, even if they are abused with harsh words, and then, even if they are peed on! Rather that will mean as reward for them!」

「Wha wha wha wha wha, what did you saaaay!?」

The world that was unknown from the genius girl Emily Grant. Just how deep the karma of Japanese. Shudder ran through Emily's expression. Kousuke yelled「Stoooop! Don't lump together all Japanese into one category!」, but such thing was beautifully ignored and Vanessa's words continued.

「Doctor Grant. You are a beautiful girl. And then, Mr. K is Japanese. In other words, Mr. K who was peed on by Doctor Grant is dancing madly with joy inside his heart!」

Truly, a perfect logic. There was no chink on it! Vanessa unusually snorted *mofufun-* proudly and concluded her consolation words.

「Therefore, Doctor Grant. Even though you had grandly peed while being carried by Mr. K, even though because of that he became completely drenched, for him that was an unanticipated reward. He owe you one. If you use that as pretext and tell him to keep his silence, he will surely agree to it happily. No, rather he will even be happy with that comma――」

「You shut up alreadyyy! Or rather, why do you know about that kind of subcultre――」

「Thi thi thi thi this, pervert-. How can you be happy having m, my, pe, pee――something like that getting on you! Just what kind of nerve you have there!」

Kousuke cut off Vanessa's words, but immediately after, Emily whose face was bright red grasped Kousuke's collar and she began shook him back and forth, causing Kousuke to groan「gueh」and his words got caught up in his throat. Emily was yelling「Forget it! Forgeeet it! Just forget it alreadyy!!」while rocking Kousuke desperately.

It seemed that after catching a glimpse of the abnormal world, Emily's mental state that was already at the limit finally entered half-deranged state. The back of Kousuke's head was banged *gon-gon-* on the door, but Emily didn't show any sign of noticing that.

Furthermore,

「……Doctor Grant.」

「What!」

「It's not like I don't understand of your attempt to send Mr. K's memory flying but……」

「That's why what!」

「No, if you take mounting position like htat……Doctor Grant, you haven't even taken off your stocking right now, so Mr. K's clothes, it's now soaked even further by Doctor Grant's "that", I think.」

「Mr. K, won't he become even happier?」

「You, it seems you want to frame me as pervert to the end huh-. Bring it on then, if you are picking a fight then I'll take you on! Come outside! I'll beat you up black and blue!」

Emily who jumped in panic got the back of her head hitting the door due to her overenthusiasm, she was holding her head while writhing. By doing that her skirt got flipped up, the black stocking enveloping her slender legs was exposed, its color was strangely changed, but it was fortunate that Kousuke's mind was now like a warrior who just had met his bitter enemy and was directed to Vanessa so he didn't notice.

Although, just as Vanessa warned, "that" was firmly soaked into Kousuke's trousers……

The groaning voice of Emily who felt pain at the back of her head and her shame entering mach speed due to her that soaking other once more, and the angry yell of Kousuke toward Vanessa, those caused Vanessa to tilt her head wondering「Just what in the world is he getting angry about?」……

Inside the fleeing car deep at night, it was the continuation of the time at the worn-out hotel――a chaos.

It was a motel along the highway, with dazzling billboard lighted by showy and stale neon. Inside one of the room there, there were the figures of Vanessa whose upper body was only in underwear, and Kousuke right beside her with his face strangely blushing.

「Nn-」

「Oops, sorry. Does it hurt?」

「No, there is no problem. Rather than that……you are skilled.」

「Well, it's just this much. I have a lot of chance to practice.」

「Indeed, your movement seem experienced.」

It wasn't like the two of them were doing anything indecent. After they entered the motel and calmed down for the moment, Kousuke treated Vanessa's flank with the emergency kit that Kousuke happened to have.

In the first place, he was taught first-aid treatment to a certain degree at Tortus (they were taught that in the case that they ran out of magic power and couldn't use healing magic), and after returning to earth he also learned by self-education and going around the medical treatment spot in battlefield, so Kousuke's first-aid skill was high. His return from his personal trip of going around battlefield's medical treatment spot was also bearing fruit.

He spread haemostatic agent, pressed a clean gauze and wrapped bandage around. During that time he also stimulated her healing just a little with a method that didn't exist in this world

「Yosh, something like this I guess. It missed your vitals, and the important vein is also uninjured. The bullet, you treated that yourself huh. I guess you will be fine because your first aid in the beginning was done properly. But, there is the risk of infection, and it's not a light wound by any mean. You need to receive medical treatment soon.」

「I understand. However, right now is not the time to say that. Although you have come for us, it can be said that we are still in an isolated and helpless situation……at the very least until the reinforcement can take over the protection of Doctor Grant, there is no way I can rest.」

「That's, well, perhaps that's so.」

Vanessa wore her shirt while showing a grave expression, however, next she showed a wry smile while turning her gaze to Kousuke.

「Having said that, I don't think that I can even operate at my original 50%, so from here on, it seems that Mr. K, you will be considerably burdened.」

「……No, look here, I've said this many times but, I'm not Mr. K. I'm Kousuke. I'm a student at Japan. In this kind of situation, isn't it better to contact that real Mr. K one more time――」

Kousuke who didn't admit that he was Mr. K no matter what caused Vanessa to think of speaking the doubt that she was harboring. Her penetrating gaze was attempting to grope around for Mr. K's true intention.

But, before she could start, the *shaaaa* water sound that Kousuke tried to ignore to the best of his ability stopped at the same time with the *kyu-kyu-* sound of handle turned. Kousuke twitched in reaction and he suddenly became quiet. For some reason his expression was turning strangely nervous but……that couldn't be helped. Because, he was a boy.

Like that, a vivid rustling sound from the other side of the thin glass door slightly leaked out and became audible……

「……What's the matter you two, staying silent like that?」

From the door that was only half-opened, only half of Emily's face peeked out dubiously. Her eyes were containing a clear wariness. Especially toward Kousuke.

Kousuke settled the figure of Emily who had just finished taking a shower only for a moment in his eyesight, then he quickly averted his face to the side. The sight was relatively brutal for him.

Emily was undoubtedly a beautiful girl. Such girl was showing an appearance that was only wearing blouse and short skirt with her damp hair let down. Two buttons around her chest were unbuttoned and her beautiful nape was exposed. Her black stocking was dirty so naturally she didn't wear it. In other words, the bare slender and supple legs of Emily were being exposed with nothing to spare.

「Doctor Grant, it's nothing. Right now I have just received treatment.」

「I see. Vanessa, are you okay? You were shot you know? Are you really okay?」

「Yes, perhaps it should be called a small mercy. I'm still not feeling at my limit currently. It's not a wound that can threaten my life.」

Emily rushed at Vanessa still barefooted, she climbed on the bed while looking worriedly at Vanessa's wound.

At that time, Kousuke's gaze that was similarly returning to Vanessa sharply noticed. The skirt of Emily who was on all fours peering at Vanessa's flank. The light bulb of the room had warm color type so the room was dim, "that part" became dark and couldn't be seen but……

(Oy wait, the dirty stocking was thrown away but, then, the dirty underwear……what happened to it?)

Electricity ran through Kousuke's muscle. No way, no way……

「You are……not wearing it?」

Emily pressed down on her skirt with a force that seemed like it could make *hyuba-* sound while taking a girl sitting posture. Her face was dyed bright red, her almond-shaped eyes glared up with shame and rage.

「Ah, no, just now……」

「I can't help it! It's still not dry right now!」

「Ah, yes.」

「Mr. K, as expected, just now is too lacking in delicacy.」

「Yes, I'm ashamed.」

The person who she had just grandly peed on now pointed out her no-panty state, however, for the moment it was someone who had saved them so she also couldn't frankly throw her anger at him, the peeing no-panty Emily-chan crawled into the bed and turned small while holding her head.

As expected, Kousuke was also aware that he had made a verbal slip, so he apologized at Emily who was trembling *purupuru* beneath the blanket while leaking out his impression「This girl, he is a girl that often turn small huh」. Of course that one was said inside his heart.

「I want to talk about what we will do from now on, is it fine?」

Seeing Emily who heard Kousuke's apology and peeked out her face from inside the blanket like a cat with its wariness in full alert, Vanessa opened her mouth with serious expression.

In contrast with the nodding Emily, Kousuke lifted up his hand to hold them for a bit.

「Before that, can you teach me something first? Can't you contact people who can help you two right away? Since we arrived her I saw no sign of Vanessa-san contacting anyone……I guessed it somehow but, Vanessa-san, you are a member of state organization right? Why don't you report and request reinforcement from your organization?」

That was the major premise needed to let their talk progress. Kousuke saved the two of them was because Vanessa was almost killed and also because Emily seek help. As expected, Kousuke couldn't draw a line from other people to the degree that he could pretend not to see someone else getting killed in front of his eyes.

But, at the same time he also couldn't continue helping Emily and Vanessa and judged Kimberly and his group as evil without grasping the situation. He chose to flee with these two at that scene, but if Vanessa contacted her comrade and arranged a force that could oppose Kimberly and others, Kousuke planned to vanish right away then.

For that reason, before he heard about the detail of the circumstance, he asked Vanessa to quickly contact her comrade but……

「Doctor Grant, I will talk about that matter――about【Berserk】. Is it fine?」

「……Yes. In any case, we have passed the stage where it can be hidden. I don't mind.」

「Oi you. What are you doing ignoring me so naturally like that. Just quickly contact your comrade already.」

Vanessa asked Emily(ignored Kousuke) with a serious air, Emily looked down while agreeing(ignoring Kousuke) with a voice that was vanishing down. Her expression was shaded with dark shadow that was darker than the shadow created by the room's coarse light bulb. Kousuke's shadow was getting thinner.

Kousuke who until now only saw the figure of Emily flustered, or shaking all over, or snapping in anger was feeling concerned that such girl was covered with this much deep shadow, even so he demanded explanation to Vanessa「Heey, why aren't you contacting your comrade? Heey, come on tell mee-」.

「The start of this matter, is the medicine that is the byproduct created from the course of Doctor Grant's research――【Berserk】getting out to the outside.」

「I cannot hear-. I cannot hear anything! Something like that medicine with naming that sound chuuni, I don't know any――」

「【Berserk】――it is the word root of berserker, the powerful warrior of god that rampaged in the battlefield without differentiating enemy or ally. It's unknown who named it with that word, but it's a naming that really to the point. After all, 【Berserk】is the worst medicine with the effect of "Berserkerification" just like the meaning of that name, where the victim cannot return into normal human for the second time.」

Beside Emily who was holding her knees with dark expression, Kousuke was also sitting down with the same posture while blocking her ears and shaking his head in refusal. The sound of the talking Vanessa was piercing into the ears of such Kousuke, as though the sounds was forcefully being screwed in,

「Doctor Grant is being targeted by the people who is pursuing that knowledge. This is a serious incident that concerned with the country's safety, so, for her protection, we, the national security bureau moved but……Kimberly's betrayal annihilated the whole team except me.」

Perhaps thinking of her comrade, Vanessa slightly narrowed her eyes while adding more words.

「At first, I thought that it was only Kimberly's betrayal but……thinking back now, I couldn't link up with the reinforcement so unnaturally. That is also the reason that I contracted you in the preparation of the worst case……anyway, this situation is enough to make me think of "possibility" toward the headquarter. Until I can be clear about this matter, I cannot make contact with headquarter that easily.」

「Aa, yes. You more or less answer my question. But, there were a lot of unnecessary things included there……」

Kousuke who was turning over the content of what he head inside his head while hanging his head down crestfallenly, and then he slowly looked up to the ceiling.

Ahead of his gaze was the ceiling that was blotted with stain at various spots, and the electric light bulb that was earnestly driving off the night's darkness. The deep black stains that represented ill will, and the night's darkness that was trying to swallow the light of hope……it was as though those things were representing the current situation of Emily and Vanessa.

He accidentally came to this country due to demon king-sama's instruction to him, he accidentally encountered these two at the café that he stopped by at, he accidentally needed to wait for airplane schedule, and he accidentally entered the hotel where these two were at.

What a prank of fate.

Even though he was burdened with the unpleasant title of man with world's thinnest shadow, the world discovered him only at this kind of time.

Even so,

「It's already too late by the point of time I got summoned to another world huh.」

Yes, for the demon king party who survived that rigorous world, getting involved with this kind of case was certainly, something too late.

「? Mr. K?」

「What's the matter?」

Vanessa and Emily tilted their head, unable to understand the meaning of Kousuke's whisper.

Shaking his head saying「It's nothing」while smiling wryly to those two, thinking that it was hard for his conscience to just run away from this matter without hearing their story, for the time being Kousuke decided to lend his ear to these two's explanation.

AN: Thank you very much for reading this every time.

Thank you very much too for the thoughts, opinions, and reports about misspelling and omitted words.

Above a bookshelves fully loaded with light novel (area fill type), coffee splashed……

The light novels dyed black. Hakumei’s heart is also dyed black.

The world, is always filled with things that shouldn’t be like so……

The march of self-destruction, will also be at 6 z Saturday too. Perhaps, surely, if I revived.

Chapter end