Chapter 13

At seven, Roll and I woke up before the alarm even started ringing.

We woke up feeling refreshed.

It had been a pleasant nap.

Looking out the car window, the surroundings had grown dim, and it seemed the sun was about to set.

The voices from the beach had also clearly diminished.

We silently adjusted the seats back to their original positions and settled into the driver's and passenger seats, respectively.

"Want some? Gum?"

Roll extended a stick of gum, seemingly taken from somewhere.

"Thanks."

I took it and began adjusting the fine settings of the passenger seat.

The back seat had been transformed into ample space to accommodate luggage.

Roll got out of the car once to refuel with the gasoline we had originally loaded.

"Well, shall we go?"

Roll said as she returned to the driver's seat.

"Sure."

With my response, the car started moving.

---

A short distance from the beach, there was a prominent urban landscape with countless high-rise buildings.

Among them was the Dealbell Building, which stood out for its exceptional height.

Currently, we were having dinner at a family restaurant on the 32nd floor of this building.

The clock read eight.

It was still a good time to enjoy a leisurely meal while looking at the sea, which had turned black.

Looking down diagonally from this glass window, I could see our sedan parked in the parking lot.

By nine, the organization's people would load the "luggage" into that car.

Once we confirm that, we would leave here, get into the car, and return to headquarters.

This is the sequence of events for this mission.

It's a mission so simple it could make you yawn, but we can't afford to be careless.

"The food here isn't very good, is it?"

"It's cheap, so what can you do?"

This restaurant seems to be a popular family restaurant that offers a view at a low price.

The place was almost full, with families and couples among the diners.

Roll apparently wanted to go to a high-end restaurant on the 48th floor, but we couldn't go to such a place alone at our age and in this attire.

We have to maintain a low profile during missions, so we can't draw attention.

"Hey, Roll, is the difficulty of this mission D?"

"Yeah. Honestly, it's like an errand.

There's no information about the Self-Defense Force setting up surveillance either."

"Hmm."

"What's wrong? Did you want a higher difficulty mission?"

"No, not at all."

"Right. Anyway, we can't afford to be careless.

A mission is meaningless if not executed perfectly."

"I understand that.

By the way, Roll, do you know what kind of luggage we're transporting?"

"I've been told a little. This mission is regularly ordered. It's my first time taking it, but apparently, it's something 'fragile' that needs to be handled with care."

"Fragile? Like dishes or something?"

"No way.

If you see the luggage, you'll probably figure it out.

It's quite large, and you might hear something inside."

"Can I just listen to it?"

"If it wasn't allowed, we wouldn't have been given this mission."

"…That's true."

Still, it's fragile.

It should be fine as long as we don't drop it, but it's still a bit concerning.

After a while of chatting and eating, a car parked next to our sedan.

Two men in black suits got out and opened the trunk of our sedan.

"Is that it?"

"Yes, that's it.

Let's go."

We paid the bill at the register and headed for the ground floor via the elevator.

---

When we arrived at the parking lot, a large piece of luggage had been loaded into the back seat of the sedan.

The men had already disappeared.

The shape of the luggage was a cube.

It was just the right size to fit in the back seat of the sedan, making it quite large.

This cube seemed to be made of very sturdy material, and from this distance, no sound could be heard from inside.

It looked quite solid.

It seemed to be made of a strong material, and if you hit it with your fist, your hand would likely break.

I pressed my ear against the black box to listen inside.

Swallowing, I closed my eyes.

And I caught the sound.

"…!"

"Did you hear something?"

I turned to Roll, who had asked.

"…I heard some breathing and heartbeats… and some groans."

"I see.

Let's go."

Roll said casually and revved the engine.

I grabbed her shoulder.

"Wait, why are you so easily accepting this?

It's clearly a person in there…"

This person is inside a box so sturdy that I don't even know how to open it.

It seems to be sealed, with no air holes.

I found this fact strangely terrifying.

That's why I couldn't believe Roll had accepted it so easily.

"Well, I had a pretty good idea.

It's a 'fragile person,' right?"

"Fragile person… What do you mean by that…?"

"You're better off not knowing."

"No, tell me."

"Hmm. If you don't squeal, I'll tell you."

"I won't."

When I said that, Roll leaned in and confirmed again.

"Really?"

"Y-Yeah…"

"Alright, I'll tell you. What's probably inside is a human 'waste product.'

This mission is regularly ordered because someone is always generating waste products."

I was speechless.

Waste product?

Do humans have waste products?

"Waste product… What kind of thing would create a waste product?"

"Maybe they're doing human experiments with abilities at the branch?

The cleanup is usually the headquarters' job."

"…Seriously?"

Such things are allowed… No, that's not it.

What am I thinking now?

I'm part of an evil organization that easily kills both civilians and the Self-Defense Force.

It's not unusual for them to do this.

In fact, that's the image I had of them.

Have I forgotten the missions I did with Black Dog and White Heat?

Or what?

Have I become complacent after a period of peaceful days?

I almost got killed by the Self-Defense Force.

I've killed both civilians and members of the Self-Defense Force.

I decided to live even if it meant killing people, so I have no right to say anything.

Besides, this is a normal occurrence.

It's normal.

"I thought you'd say something, but you didn't."

"…Yeah."

I calmed down, or rather, I accepted it after some thought, and faced forward, fastening my seatbelt.

"Well, don't worry about the waste product.

I doubt they use civilians for human experiments."

"Right."

"Let's get back quickly."

"Got it."

With my response, the car started moving.

We drove through the urban landscape for a while and headed for the city gate.

However, a problem arose.

The Self-Defense Force had sealed off the gate.

I could see white-clad figures stationed in front of the gate from a distance.

If we continued, we would definitely make contact, so the sedan was currently parked at the edge of the road.

"What's going on?"

"I don't know. Something must have happened.

I'll check."

As Roll reached for the mobile terminal attached to the car, it rang.

Roll touched the call button with her extended hand.

"This is Mission Number 567.

Please confirm."

The mechanical voice from the car's speaker was answered by Roll.

"It's correct."

With Roll's confirmation, the line connected to headquarters.

"Roll, can you hear me?"

"Yes, I can hear you. What is it?"

"Probably the Dealbell branch has been sealed off by the Self-Defense Force."

"I was just about to check on that.

What happened?"

"Yes, one of your branch members was captured by the Self-Defense Force, and the mission details leaked."

"Huh? The branch is full of useless people."

As she said this, Roll turned the steering wheel and made a U-turn.

The gate, which had been visible in the distance, moved even further away.

"Don't say that.

We keep the branch structure shallow for situations like this.

The one captured this time is a low-level member. It's not a problem."

"It is a problem! What do we do with the luggage?"

"About that, I need you to dispose of it in my place."

"Dispose? What do you mean?"

"What's inside is a human who has been experimented on for ability development and enhancement.

Naturally, they are uncontrollable."

I see, that's why they're locked in such a sturdy box.

"So, every time a specimen is discarded at the branch, they bring it to headquarters, and Sigh and I dispose of it in the training room.

But this time, it's not possible, right?

Well, if you can break through the Self-Defense Force's encirclement with the luggage, that's different."

That's impossible.

I don't know how many Self-Defense Force members are deployed, but from the boss's tone, it seems they are deployed in numbers that can't be broken through by a car.

"So, you need to dispose of the contents of the luggage and return from there."

"No, while you're at it, take out some of the Self-Defense Force as well.

They're probably just colonels, so you should be able to handle it."

"Additional reward?"

"Additional A."

"That's not enough!"

"What are you talking about? It's more than enough.

Good luck."

"I'll come to request the reward later!"

"By the way, the sedan is already identified, so be careful.

To avoid being recognized, you should change your clothes quickly."

"Ha!?"

By the time Roll said this, the line had already been cut.

"Um… Has this turned into an extermination mission?"

"Yeah. As usual, it's completely over the top.

Difficulty estimated at A+.

The luggage in the back is more troublesome than the extermination."

"Is that so?"

I thought Roll could handle the disposal easily, but when I looked at her with a puzzled expression, she said:

"Something that even the boss and Sigh have to dispose of at headquarters?

It's not something that should be transported on a D difficulty mission."

Sigh.

He's rumored to be the de facto No. 2 in Anonymous, with power equal to the boss.

He seems to be a very dangerous person.

"Anyway, we need to request backup.

I don't know what the boss was thinking, sending just the two of us…"

"Backup?"

"During a mission, if you determine it's too difficult to complete, you can request backup from headquarters.

But the reward is out of pocket."

I see.

But isn't there no one at headquarters right now?

Everyone is busy, which is why we're doing this mission.

Besides, it would take at least an hour to get from headquarters to Dealbell even if they rushed.

Despite my doubts, Roll was already fiddling with the mobile terminal while driving.

The line connected to headquarters almost immediately, and Roll spoke.

"This is Mission Number 567 to the mission office."

"Confirming. Mission Number 567 to the mission office.

Please hold."

The mechanical voice echoed.

The scenery around us was flowing by.

Roll was driving skillfully, weaving through the gaps between buildings.

I don't think she had a specific destination in mind.

After a while, the mechanical voice echoed again.

"Connection to the mission office will be available in 5 seconds."

"Connect me."

"This is the mission office supervisor. Codename 'Execution.'"

The mechanical voice switched to a clear female voice from the speaker.

"This is Roll."

"Roll? Did you call because you were bored during the mission?

Sure, I'm free, so I'll keep you company!

Oh, by the way, you have a partner now, right? Is it Death Sound?

Is he there?"

"Sorry, Execution. I'm not in the mood right now. Get to work.

Killing time: 40 minutes.

Difficulty: D to A+."

"I understand. I've heard the general situation. The boss is really over the top.

Hmm. Dealbell, huh?

There are only three people within a 20km radius of H-33.

Two are on missions and can't make it.

The other one is on vacation."

"The one on vacation is Sigh, right…?"

"It would be quite expensive, but we can send a helicopter.

There are about five people at headquarters who are free. Killing time: 50 minutes."

"Alright, let's go with that. Charge the helicopter to the boss."

"Understood."

"Thanks."

As Roll said this, the line was cut with a click.

Roll parked the car in the shadow of a building, leaned the driver's seat back, and reached behind.

She took out two attaché cases from the back seat and handed one to me.

"Change clothes."

Our first extermination mission had begun.