Sato Attacks, the Two Clash Again

Crisis Management Center.

"Take a break." Shimomura Izumi set a cup of coffee on the desk and looked at Tozaki, whose face had grown increasingly haggard. "I'm worried about you."

Tozaki replied coldly, "Your duties are to help me handle affairs and protect my safety."

Shimomura Izumi pursed her lips and said nothing more.

Although Tozaki did not even glance at her, he still murmured, "Thank you," when he picked up the coffee.

Then he continued working.

Shimomura Izumi's eyes revealed her heartache, but unfortunately, there was no way she could help Tozaki resolve these troubles.

All she could do was quietly assist him, hoping to get through the work as quickly as possible.

Just then, the phone beside them rang.

Tozaki answered it, and within only a few moments—

His face visibly turned pale, and even his lips began trembling slightly.

After hanging up, he suddenly shot to his feet.

But the sustained high-intensity work had already pushed his body beyond its limits.

Now, upon hearing news as shocking as a bolt from the blue, he suffered an even greater blow.

His body swayed, and he nearly collapsed to the floor.

Fortunately, Shimomura Izumi was quick enough to catch him.

"What's wrong?! Tozaki! Are you all right?"

After a while, Tozaki Yuu finally recovered somewhat.

"What happened?"

It was Nagai Kei, who had rushed over after hearing the commotion.

Tozaki Yuu took a deep breath. "The Prime Minister has been confirmed dead. The killer was Sato!"

Even Nagai Kei felt as though he had been struck by lightning, standing frozen in place.

Yesterday, they had just protected the Prime Minister and captured Tanaka and the others.

Yet today, Sato had killed the Prime Minister.

As the three remained trapped in shock, the computer screen before them suddenly filled with static.

Then it automatically connected to a video call, and a man appeared on-screen.

"Meet again, Tozaki. I trust you've heard the news?

Abe Tetsuya was an idiot. He refused to agree to my demands, so I had no choice but to send him on his way.

And you, Tozaki, are the final target on the list—the only one remaining.

Are you ready?

I'm coming."

Smack!

The screen went black, and the call ended.

Tozaki Yuu stood up. Faced with Sato's threat, he showed no fear.

"Notify every department. Prepare for battle."

Shimomura Izumi asked nervously, "Tozaki, should we go to the Safe House?"

Tozaki Yuu did not answer. He merely looked at Nagai Kei.

Nagai Kei said solemnly, "Don't worry. Leave the outside to me!"

Japan.

Situated on the western shore of the Pacific Ocean, it consisted of the four major islands of Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, along with more than 6,800 other smaller islands.

Located at the junction of the Eurasian Plate, North American Plate, Pacific Plate, and Philippine Sea Plate, collisions, compression, and movement between these plates caused frequent seismic activity.

It experienced more than 1,500 earthquakes a year on average.

Japan's people seemed to have grown accustomed to earthquakes.

But over the past few months, the many events that had occurred in Japan had far exceeded what most people could have expected.

The shock they caused in people's hearts was no less than the total of all the year's physical earthquakes!

And the bombing of the US Military base, followed by Prime Minister Abe Tetsuya's assassination, pushed that shock to unprecedented heights.

But they could not possibly understand that with the emergence of something called Magnetic Force in this world, this tiny shock was only the beginning.

Bai Xing sank deep into his own consciousness and saw the Void Ancient Tree once again.

At this moment, the Ancient Tree had received a little nourishment.

The nutrients contributed by three people had been injected by Bai Xing into the Electromagnetic Branch.

It restored the branch's vitality, while three-colored currents constantly flashed across it in dazzling splendor.

Two Electromagnetic Fruits had also formed on the branch.

But now, they no longer held such great appeal for Bai Xing.

By this point, Bai Xing had already eaten three Electromagnetic Fruits.

He had also discovered the pattern behind them.

The effect was most obvious only the first time one ate one.

The further one went, the worse the effect became.

His consciousness transformed into a hand and plucked the two fruits.

Returning to reality, Bai Xing looked at the fruits in his palm and began devouring them without hesitation.

Their fresh, juicy texture thoroughly satisfied his taste buds.

Yet the gains they brought him only slightly increased the power within his body.

Crackle!

Arcs of electricity bloomed at his fingertips. Bai Xing tested them and found that his voltage had increased by roughly thirty thousand volts.

After eating the second fruit, the increase fell to twenty thousand volts.

Although it had pushed Bai Xing's strength to two hundred and fifty thousand volts, it also showed that Electromagnetic Fruits would likely become little more than mana potions in the future.

Their true value had shifted to the remaining Fruit Cores.

Watching the two Fruit Cores gradually vanish into his body, Bai Xing considered whom he should plant them in.

At the same time, he wondered whether, once new nutrients were injected, he should distribute them to the other withered branches.

Perhaps new branches might produce something different from Electromagnetic Fruits.

Just as Bai Xing was considering this, a series of explosions sounded in the distance.

His phone rang at the same time.

"Boss, something's happened at the place you told me to watch! Someone forced their way in, and fierce fighting has broken out!"

Iketani's voice came through the phone, accompanied by clear explosions in the background.

Ever since Bai Xing had put Hitomi in her place last time, Iketani had returned to his field of view.

And the task Bai Xing assigned him was still to keep an eye on the Crisis Management Center and report any developments at all times.

"I've already seen it."

After hanging up, Bai Xing stood before the floor-to-ceiling window.

He watched the erupting fireballs in the distance and the chaos spreading through the city.

"Sato, you don't think things between us are just over, do you?"

Sato always gave his enemies advance notice before acting.

But that was not purely born from arrogance.

More than that, it was to make the game more entertaining.

And reality proved that even with enough time to prepare, Tozaki Yuu still could not stop him.

Explosive flames rose within the Crisis Management Center. The guards simply lacked the strength to contend with a madman possessing supernatural power.

"Sato! Stop this! I won't let you continue down the wrong path!"

With a thunderous boom, Nagai descended from above, his entire body wrapped in blazing currents.

His long leg came down like a battle-axe, viciously cleaving toward Sato, who was wreaking havoc as he pleased.

"Just in time!"

Sato showed no fear at all, throwing a punch wrapped in electricity.

—Boom!!

The two powerhouses beyond ordinary comprehension slammed into each other without holding back.

The spreading currents crackled, making it impossible for the remaining guards to approach.

The moment they exchanged blows, both knew the other had improved.

Sato said excitedly, "I knew I hadn't misjudged you. We haven't met for just one month, yet your growth has been so astonishing!"

Nagai said in a low voice, "Sato, this time, I'll definitely blast you down!"

"Ha ha ha!" Sato laughed, throwing another punch as terrifying force sent waves of air rolling outward.

Even amid the shrill explosions of rushing air, his voice reached Nagai's ears clearly.

"Then let's see whether you can stop me from blasting Tozaki Yuu to death today!"