64. Bounty Head and Awakening [7]

After getting the information I was seeking, I went back to the main entrance where Rose and Leia-sensei were waiting.

「Ah, Allen! How did it go!?」

「Did that bloody fox do anything to you!?」

「Rize-san was a very nice person after all! Here, look at this map! It seems that their laboratory is at this red dot!」

When I unfolded the map that Rize-san gave to me, they had a smile on their faces.

「We did it… Now we can go to help Ria…!」

「I didn’t think you could really draw out information from that Rize… Well done, Allen!」

After that, sensei stared at the red dot on the map,

「Fumu, it’s about 15 minutes from here… But was there really a laboratory in that forest?」

She tilted her head, and murmured with a complicated expression.

「Anyway, let’s just go and see. At present, this is our only clue.」

「Certainly, Allen is right… Yoshi, let’s go!」

「「Yes!」」

After that, we passed through『God Street』and advanced west and further west.

The road became more and more steep, and it led into a dense forest.

And running continuously for 10 minutes,

「…It’s here.」

Sensei, who was holding the map in one hand, stopped suddenly.

「Is this the place…?」

「There are… no such buildings…」

I and Rose surveyed the surroundings.

As sensei had said before we left, it was really just a forest.

Lush, tall trees obscured the sky, and the sound of a huge waterfall nearby.

There was no trace of human footprint, let alone an unnatural building.

『Natural』scenery spread in every direction.

(N-No way… A miss…?)

Cold sweat flowed down my spine, and the worst thought crossed my mind.

And then,

「As expected of Rize’s information network… It’s bullseye.」

Sensei said so with a mixed expression – half joy and half frustration.

And she began to walk towards the huge waterfall in front of us.

「S-Sensei…」

「Where are you going…」

When I and Rose said that,

「No Sword Style – Sever!」

She suddenly unleashed a powerful True Fist towards the waterfall.

The next moment.

The huge waterfall shattered, and an old laboratory appeared there.

「「Wha!?」」

I and Rose stared in wonder at the laboratory that appeared so suddenly.

「It’s a powerful perception obstruction ability. It is probably the work of the Conjuror Thor Sammons. Even I was unable to sense it without getting this close… It’s a very advanced barrier…」

After praising Thor, sensei cracked her knuckles, and put on a warlike smile.

「Judging from the deployment of the barrier, they are undoubtedly here! Let’s go!」

「「Yes! 」」

Then, we rushed into the laboratory with Leia-sensei at the lead.

■

Ria, who was defeated by Zack Bomber, a member of the Black Organization, woke up at the lowest level of the laboratory.

「Where am I…?」

When she tried to move her body through her hazy consciousness.

「……」

A dull pain ran through both wrists.

She found her hands were bound by chains connected to the ceiling.

Both her feet were fitted with heavy chains, rendering her completely unable to move.

And then,

「Zahaha, so you’ve woken up! You have a surprisingly strong body, Ria Vesteria!」

「…Oi, little girl. I’m still keeping you alive, so don’t get any strange ideas, alright?」

Zack and Thor, who noticed Ria’s waking up, studied her expression from the back of the room.

「…Zack Bomber!?」

Ria, recalling the bitter defeat at his hands, distorted her face in anger and frustration.

Her hands and feet were sealed, and she couldn’t do anything about it.

「…Do you have the hobby of chaining up teenage girls? You’re a pervert, aren’t you?」

She threw such snide as the least form of resistance.

And then,

「Zahaha! You’re quite the strong-natured girl to still be able to talk like that in this situation!」

「…Ha! You can’t be saved from being called a pervert with that big frame right, Zack?」

Zack laughed happily, and Thor rode with it.

From the current exchange, Ria judged that she wouldn’t be killed at this place.

「What is your purpose? What on earth did you kidnap me for?」

She asked questions that had been bothering her ever since she was attacked at the summer training camp.

「Nn? That’s, of course because of your-」

And then, when Zack began to speak.

「Hey, idiot Zack! Don’t expose the organization’s confidential information that easily! Do you really have a brain in your head or not!」

With a vein popping on her forehead, Thor kicked Zack’s shin.

「Za, Zahahahaha! I’m sorry! Come to think of it, it was a secret wasn’t it!」

「Good grief… Get yourself together…」

When they were talking about that,

「Fu-Fushushu… I’m sorry to interrupt during the chat… But, I need a sample soon…」

A man who looked like a researcher, holding a large syringe, called out in an eerie manner.

Thick round glasses.

Pale face.

He was about 150 centimeters tall and his age was around mid-forties.

The black hair with streaks of gray were unkempt, and there was not a shred of cleanliness to him.

「Aa, get on with it.」

「Fu-Fushushu… Understood…」

The man, who had Thor’s permission, bowed his head deeply and approached Ria.

「H-Hey… What are you doing!?」

When Ria twisted her body in resistance,

「Tch… We’re just getting a little blood. Don’t struggle, fugly…」

Thor, who looked irritated, spat out.

「F-Fugly…!?」

Ria, a teenage girl, who had some confidence in her appearance, became furious at being called fugly.

However, she received special education on wisdom from an early age.

(Fuuuu… Fuuuuu… Calm down Ria Vesteria…!)

She calmed down by controlling her breathing.

(Even if you get violent in this situation, you’ll just waste your strength… It’s a bit annoying, but now it’s wiser to do as they say. Though, it’s irritating that I can’t do anything in this situation…!)

Then, Ria held her tongue and stopped resisting.

「Fu-Fushushu…. Well, excuse me.」

The man stabbed the needle into Ria’s upper arm, and a stinging pain ran through her.

The man who collected a large amount of blood, as much as three cylinders,

「Fu-fushushu… T-This much should be enough……!」

With a distorted joyful expression on his face, he set the cylinders into a huge machine.

「Oi, how long does it take to『analyze』?」

「Fushushu… Even if I rushed, it would take at least a day…」

「I see, finish it as soon as possible. I hate waiting.」

The impatient Thor grumbled, climbing the stairs and disappearing to the upper floor.

Zack, who was left behind and bored, stretched greatly.

「Well, for the time being, let’s eat… Oh right, Ria. You should be feeling hungry, right? I’ll choose something good for you.」

「…Fuun, I’m not gonna accept charity from the enemy. Besides, it could be poisoned.」

「Zahahaha! You’re a really strong girl! Well, whatever… Just call me when you’re feeling hungry.」

Zack disappeared upstairs, laughing heartily.

Then Ria kept waiting for an『opportunity』single-mindedly.

In order to preserve her strength, she didn’t resist or struggle. She simply patiently waited.

Allen will surely find me. He will save me.

She believed so single-mindedly and kept waiting.

And, ten hours had passed since Ria was captured and brought here.

「Fu, Fushushu…. Are you awake, Ria Vesteria…?」

The researcher man called out to Ria.

「…What do you want? If it’s blood, you’ve already taken enough, haven’t you?」

「Fufushushu… Well, just listen. You will be sent back to the『home country』after this. Although, you would already be dead by then…」

「…Probably so.」

Ria did not let her heart waver by his remarks, as she had already anticipated that to be the most likely scenario, and just ignored it.

「B-Before that… Ju-Just a little bit… I thought I’d enjoy you…」

The man’s vulgar gaze crawled around Ria’s whole body.

「You’re the lowest of man…」

「Fu, Fushushu…. You can say whatever you want…」

The man said so, and sidled up to Ria one step at a time.

「N-No! Don’t come close!」

As the man reached for Ria’s body, a ray of red flash ran across the dark room.

The next moment.

「Fu- Fushu…!? H-H-Hot, HOT!」

The man was engulfed in scorching conflagration, rolling down on the ground, and screaming out in anguish.

「Ah-Guh-GAAAAAAAAAAA…!?」

A dreadful death wail echoed throughout the laboratory, and the man died in seconds.

And then,

「Zahahahahaha! That was quite dangerous eh, Ria!」

Zack appeared with a hearty laugh, holding a glass of sake.

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