Chapter 80
Maintaining peak combat readiness at all times is one of the most important qualities for an agent.
The night was quiet, and Efnir's footsteps were light; all she could hear was the sound of the air brushing past her ears.
Efnir had learned one of Masaki Hina's signature skills, namely her uncanny ability to walk silently. Of course, Efnir only learned it out of interest and only scratched the surface. She could barely use it and was still far from being a professional stealth assassin.
After all, Efnir was an agent, not an assassin. Her most powerful weapons and skills were designed to kill the Erosion Entity, not to kill people.
Whether or not a sound is made has little impact on the Erosion Entity.
Efnir took a few more steps forward and turned the corner. There she saw some water stains on the ground and obvious footprints not far away.
Ahead appeared to be a shower room and laundry room; the slightly humid heat that had been permeating the air came from here.
Efnir's gaze swept quickly across the surroundings. On one side were windows, and on the other were dormitories; both doors were open, and she found no other suspicious Trace. Efnir frowned slightly, thought for a moment, and then followed the water stains on the path. The path led to the end of the corridor, and Efnir turned and followed.
Just then, a figure slowly emerged from behind a half-open door, a gun barrel pointed straight at Efnir.
Bang bang--
Two loud bangs and a flash of dazzling light disappeared in the corridor, leaving only distant echoes that gradually spread out.
"Varied...!?"
The figure let out a brief gasp. Judging from the voice, it was easy to identify that he was a man, and based on the location from which the sound came, Efnir could determine his approximate height.
"So these footprints were a trap... no wonder they were so conspicuous."
Efnir stood sideways, her spear draped behind her back. She spoke softly, her crimson eyes coldly fixed on the figure by the door.
"Your little tricks are so futile, I don't even need to look at them. They're really pathetic. Do you really think I'm that easy to deal with?"
The figure didn't speak, but gripped the gun tightly in his hand. The sweat on his palms and the trembling in his heart made him feel unsteady on his feet.
Although it was only for a moment, he saw it: the silver glint that flashed past the girl's side the instant he fired, and the golden sparks that exploded from that glint.
The girl appeared to be unharmed.
110. If
Efnir silently watched the man in the darkness, while the man gripped his gun tightly, aiming it at Efnir.
The man's gun twitched slightly, and he unconsciously stepped back a little. A humid breeze slowly flowed between the two of them. The man's face was already covered in sweat. He gripped the pistol tightly, enduring the immense pressure coming at him.
Before the mission began, Uzuki Saori had mentioned the girl in front of her more than once, repeatedly emphasizing that "we must avoid her." Sakurai Sachi's defeat further confirmed Uzuki Saori's statement. However, what is heard is ultimately not as real and profound as what is seen with one's own eyes. Now the man understands why Uzuki Saori was so wary of the girl in front of him.
Unlike the tense man, Efnir appeared completely at ease.
"Those Erosion Entity are your creation, aren't they?"
"Efnir asked."
The man remained silent, seemingly not intending to answer, but Efnir already knew the answer in her heart.
"Fine, I'll find out the outcome quickly by killing you... I'll get straight to the point," Efnir said, gripping her spear level, the sharp tip pointed at the man. "Tell me your plan, and I'll spare your life; otherwise..."
Before she could finish speaking, a gunshot rang out, interrupting Efnir.
The man pulled the trigger.
More than the pointless pre-battle negotiations, the man was concerned about the punishment he would face if he failed here. He, his wife, and his daughters—he knew from the moment he noticed Efnir's arrival that he had no way out.
Since there is no possibility of negotiation or compromise, the only option is to fight head-on. His best chance of winning is to seize an opening while Efnir is speaking.
But he still miscalculated.
Gunshots rang out between the two. As if she knew the trajectory of the man's bullet, Efnir suddenly darted out along the ground at the same moment he fired, dodging the bullet.
The man's pupils constricted, and the instant the spent cartridge was ejected, he swiftly pulled the trigger again.
This time, he still missed. A burst of sparks once again illuminated his vision, and a long spear gleaming with silver light appeared before him. The sharp spear tip suddenly pointed upwards, severing his finger. Warm blood, along with the spear in his hand, rose into his vision, then fell with a click a short distance away.
"Ah--!"
A sharp pain followed, and he gritted his teeth, letting out a piercing scream.
But he knew his time was running out. Without glancing at the gun that had been knocked away, his well-trained instincts kicked in, and he instinctively drew the dagger hidden inside his clothes. But by then, Efnir was already upon him.
Efnir was more than two heads shorter than him; in his presence, Efnir looked like a tiny child.
But he could only watch helplessly as Efnir's tiny fist grew larger in his eyes.
Thud--
A dull thud traveled from his chin to his brain; he could almost feel the vibration in his face. Then everything went black, and his gaze involuntarily tilted upwards.
With a thud, the man collapsed to the ground right in front of Efnir, losing consciousness.
The dagger fell to the ground with a crisp sound. Efnir's face remained expressionless. She grabbed the man by the back of his collar, lifted the unconscious man in her hand, and reconnected with Yukina.
"Yukina, have you made any new discoveries?"
"Not yet... Naoko, are you alright?"
Yukina's voice was filled with worry.
"I caught that person."
"Huh? So fast?"
"Okay, you wait for me where you are."
"Okay, okay!"
Yukina's voice immediately lit up with excitement. Efnir paused for a moment, then hung up the call.
The tower is the tallest building in the disaster-stricken area, and it also serves as the command system and regional control center.
Efnir stood on the edge of the top of the tower, Yukina stood beside Efnir, occasionally glancing at Efnir's profile.
The ground beneath the tower seemed tiny. Efnir waited quietly in the cold night wind high above, holding a small, black box in her hand.
Efnir frowned as she scrutinized her.
Efnir recognized the box; it was the same one that had appeared in her preparation room. Inside, there were a dozen or so crystals that the Yanase couple had found. The difference was that these crystals looked very clear and transparent, emitting a kind of energy fluctuation that caught my attention.
There was no doubt that this box was the reason for the appearance of those Erosion Entity, but Efnir did not know exactly how to use it, and the man refused to say anything.
The man's hands were bound with scrap steel bars, and he was thrown aside. He was then injected with anesthesia. Efnir planned to take him to Fushihara Ayaka, hoping that she could pry something out of him.
Efnir sighed and looked into the distance.
Under the night sky, large areas of the ground were already pitch black, but this did not pose a serious obstacle for Efnir. She glanced into the distance and then looked down at the time on her electronic bracelet.
Fifteen minutes have passed since the battle ended, and no new Erosion Entity have appeared yet.
Can we confirm that the man was indeed the one who caused the appearance of the Erosion Entity?
If that's the case, then the matter here is considered resolved.
But...
Efnir had a very bad feeling.
The appearance of this man seems to suggest that he is merely a "consumable," a tool used to buy time. Canary and Ayse are likely in the same situation.
Their purpose is to divert the agents' fighting strength, or rather, to draw their attention. So what is the true purpose of the "Apostle"?
Something is about to happen; behind the tranquil night lies a darkness deeper than the night sky.
The air was silent.
"Naoko..."
At that moment, a Yukina voice suddenly came from beside Efnir.
A pair of warm hands gently took her fingers, interrupting Efnir's thoughts. She shifted her gaze, tilted her head back, and met a pair of clear eyes.
Yukina smiled at her.
"You've had a tough fight! So... I'll take over the surveillance mission! You go and rest for a bit..."
"I'm fine, not tired at all."
Efnir shook her head, looked up slightly at her younger sister who was a head taller than her, and suddenly smiled.
To outsiders, given the height difference, Yukina actually looks more like the older sister.
What is Naoko laughing at?
"Ah, it's nothing." Efnir responded to Yukina's knuckles, gently interlocking their fingers. She asked, "Yukina, if... I weren't Efnir... would you still like me?"
111. Like
"Why?"
Yukina was stunned.
"If all that appeared in front of you was Yanase Naoko, would you like her?"
"This kind of thing... of course I like it..."
Yukina didn't know why Efnir suddenly asked that question. She stammered for a moment, unsure how to answer.
Indeed, the most direct reason she fell for Efnir was that first encounter Efnir. Otherwise, Efnir wouldn't have held much of a special place in her heart compared to her other agents. And then... what would have become of her Yanase Naoko?
Yukina had never imagined this.
Efnir was pleased with the fleeting look of helplessness on Yukina's face and smiled.
"Alright, that's about time. Our mission here is over. Let's head back to the rendezvous point."
("If I weren't Efnir, would you still like me?")
Why did Naoko suddenly ask that question...?
Sitting in the borrowed military vehicle, Yukina leaned close to Efnir, her small hand linked with Efnir's arm.
Efnir's words kept echoing in my mind.
At that time, Yukina did hesitate.
Of course, of course I like it.
But what kind of liking is this?
Feeling the warmth of Efnir's body emanating from her palm, Yukina lowered her gaze.
As a result, Yukina and Naoko are now together, which is undoubtedly a sign of "love".
However, Yukina's love for Efnir stemmed from that first encounter. Without that opportunity, Yukina herself didn't even know if she would have fallen in love with Efnir.
On the other hand, what kind of affection does Yukina have for "Yanase Naoko"?
It seems to be family affection.
But it also seems somewhat different.
That day at the sports stadium, even Yukina herself was a little unsure of her own thoughts.
However, looking at it from another perspective, it might have been destined that Yukina would fall in love with Efnir. If Yanase Naoko hadn't been Efnir, she might not have noticed the danger she was in that day, might not have appeared in front of Yukina, might have been saved by another agent, or Yukina have even died. In short, all sorts of possibilities exist.
But Yanase Naoko is Efnir, so only the ending of Yukina falling in love with Efnir remains.
And perhaps, the reason Yukina fell in love with Efnir was because she felt something from Efnir; that indescribable sense of security was undeniable. How much of this subtle feeling stemmed from the tacit understanding and trust between her and Yanase Naoko? She herself didn't know.
"Yukina, let's disengage from the Synchronization state first. If we stay in Deep Synchronization, we'll run out of energy very quickly."
Efnir's voice came from beside her, interrupting Yukina's thoughts.
Efnir had long since broken free of Synchronization, only Yukina remained in her Exile Form.
As an agent, mastering the Order Energy is also a crucial part of training. Only by maintaining peak condition can one better exert their combat capabilities at all times.