Academy City, Seventh District.
Inside a KTV, a young man trudged along with heavy steps, sighing as he headed toward a private room.
"...Why did we have to meet in a place like this?"
The young man muttered in extreme dissatisfaction.
He had brown-dyed hair and a stupid-looking face. He wore a tacky tracksuit and jeans, along with a nose ring. One look was enough to tell that he was a delinquent, the sort of person Security Guards and Disciplinary Committee Members kept an eye on.
His name was Hamazura Shiage.
Just as he appeared, he was a delinquent.
He had neither powerful esper abilities nor outstanding grades. Even at school, he was someone others looked down on.
Yet Hamazura Shiage was skilled at criminal techniques such as lockpicking, car theft, dismantling machines, forging documents, and more. He even possessed excellent driving skills.
Because of that, Hamazura Shiage had once joined the Armed Unskilled Group.
Now, however, Hamazura Shiage had left the Armed Unskilled Group and joined an even more terrifying organization.
The organization was called "Item."
It was one of Academy City's Dark Departments.
However, Hamazura Shiage was not an official member of Item, but part of Item's subordinate organization.
Dark Departments like Group had their own subordinate organizations, much like Scorpius served Fang Li, providing support in various areas.
Because of his various criminal skills, Hamazura Shiage had caught Item's attention and thus begun his journey through disaster.
"Item is full of ridiculously cute young ladies, yet I'm the one getting ordered around like this!"
Hamazura Shiage had once entertained thoughts like that.
But after witnessing the terrifying side of those ridiculously cute young ladies in Item, Hamazura Shiage no longer dared to think that way.
"If I disobey Mugino's orders, I'll probably be killed on the spot,