Blizzard Group

A perfect score on the physical test meant this person's physical abilities had to be off the charts.

Appearances could be deceiving.

Mitarai Fubuki understood that.

Besides, if this man was as dim as he looked, winning him over would probably be much easier.

With the right training, this bald man could become a formidable member of her team.

He could be a powerful ally against Vought International.

Fubuki knew that if she simply told her sister the truth, her sister could probably crush all of Vought International single-handedly. There was no need to go to the trouble of gathering allies.

Fubuki had never seen a living being survive more than a few breaths against her sister. Nor had she ever seen a fight that forced her sister to go all out.

Just a few days ago, she had watched her sister casually crush the Young Man who had pushed her to the brink, as though squeezing him out of thin air.

Even Homelander, who stood at the pinnacle of those with Psychic Powers, probably couldn't pull off something so outrageous.

But Fubuki didn't want to rely on her sister. Some things she had to do herself.

If she could never reach her sister's level of strength, she would find another path. By leading a team powerful enough, she would make her sister recognize her strength in a different way.

Earning her sister's approval and no longer living under her protection was what Fubuki had been striving for all along.

When Luke admitted that he, too, had been attacked, Fubuki told him everything her investigation had uncovered.

"Oh? So Vought International was behind it." Luke looked thoughtful.

Fubuki said a great deal, but Luke barely took in half of it.

She was sitting far too close. The faint, natural scent of her body left his mind reeling.

More importantly, from this angle, a glance down her pale neck offered a tantalizing glimpse of what lay below.

Plop.

Luke let his guard down, and a drop of drool landed on the table.

Only then did Fubuki realize Baldy had been taking liberties with her the whole time.

She had been so focused on talking that she hadn't noticed at all.

Smack! Fubuki slapped Luke's Baldy head. "Were you even listening?"

Luke awkwardly pulled out a tissue and wiped the drool from the table. "I was, I was," he said, nodding repeatedly.

Fubuki looked him straight in the eye. "So if we're going to stand against Vought International, we have to join forces."

"How about joining the team I'm putting together?"

At last, Fubuki got to the point. She held out a hand for him to shake.

"Sure."

His immediate answer caught Fubuki completely off guard. "Huh?"

"I said, sure." Luke solemnly took her delicate hand and gave it two token shakes.

Her hand was a little cool, and the soft touch sent a thrill through him. For a moment, he couldn't bear to let go.

But he had already made a bad impression. If he didn't rein himself in, she might decide he was a creep, and that would ruin everything.

Reluctantly, Luke released her hand.

He had accepted Fubuki's invitation so quickly because it was a perfect chance to get closer to her.

Being her sidekick and spending every day at her side sounded like pure bliss.

"Boss, what's our team called?" Luke asked.

"Blizzard Group," Fubuki answered with a straight face.

Luke looked at her earnest expression. She wasn't joking.

Blizzard Group... Wasn't naming it after herself a little too on the nose?

Was that just how people from Japan named things?

Was the boss of the Yamaguchi-gumi named Yamaguchi, too?

The sudden creak of a door opening cut off Luke's wandering thoughts.

Oh, crap. Only then did he remember there was someone else in the apartment.

Starlight had woken up at the worst possible time. She opened the bedroom door and walked out.

All three of them froze.

Luke froze because the sight could easily give Fubuki the wrong idea. If she thought Starlight was his girlfriend, his chances of winning Fubuki over would plummet.

Starlight froze because she had somehow woken up in a stranger's bedroom. Remembering Luke rescuing her last night, she guessed it was probably his.

What she hadn't expected was to open the door and find Luke eating hot pot with an extraordinarily beautiful Girl.

The Girl was so beautiful that Starlight felt outshone. With that cool, aloof air she seemed to have been born with, she could make even a wildly popular celebrity fade into the background.

What had this guy done to deserve lunch with a Girl so naturally beautiful?

Of the three, Mitarai Fubuki was the most shocked.

Of course she recognized the Girl standing in the bedroom doorway.

Starlight was the newest member of The Seven, and Vought International and the media had been promoting her heavily.

Fubuki had never imagined Starlight would be here.

Could it be...

The answer was hard to believe, but the evidence was right in front of her. It was the only reasonable explanation.

Well, look at that. Who knew this plain-looking guy had it in him to keep a beauty hidden away?

That gave Fubuki reason to wonder why Baldy had accepted her invitation so readily.

After all, Starlight was a member of The Seven.

And The Seven were the heart of Vought International. Every part of the company's business revolved around them.

The Seven brought Vought International tens of billions of dollars in revenue each year.

The company's other two hundred-plus people with Psychic Powers were little more than supporting players.

By opposing Vought International, Fubuki was also opposing The Seven.

And Starlight, one of The Seven, was apparently involved with Baldy.

So why had Baldy joined her Blizzard Group?

Was he here as a spy?

Her group hadn't even gotten off the ground yet. There was no reason to infiltrate it now.

Then was he just messing with me?

But he looked too dopey to be faking it.

Luke's allegiance wasn't what worried her most right now.

What worried her was whether Starlight had heard her conversation with Luke from the bedroom.

If Starlight had heard what they said, she might well attack.

Fubuki went on guard. Her Psychic Power surfaced unconsciously, and small objects around the room began to tremble.

Sensing Fubuki's sudden hostility, Starlight reacted on instinct.

A glimmer of golden light shone in her eyes.

Luke felt a headache coming on as the tension rose.

How had two women who'd only just met ended up ready to fight?