Chapter 10

"Idiot, no...!"

Stunned by the charges read out by the woman in the suit, Sudou's face was one of shock.

Every action and word had been broadcast live on camera; there was no way to make an excuse. Rather, he wondered why he thought it would be fine for others to see it.

It was probably because he had been mistaken, thinking his tyrannical behavior towards employees had been overlooked. Well, but this marks the end of his reign, doesn't it?

"Wait! If you're going to arrest me, you should arrest Tanaka too! He used violence against me, a citizen who should be protected!"

"Indeed, according to the 'Awakened Special Law,' Awakened individuals are prohibited from using their powers outside the dungeon without permission, especially against civilians."

An Awakened individual is someone whose special power has awakened due to the appearance of a dungeon.

It seems that awakening occurs when the 'mana' inside the dungeon enters the body. The degree of power varies from person to person, and whether or not one awakens depends on their physical constitution.

Once awakened, the power can be used outside the dungeon as well. That's why the use of this power by Awakened individuals is restricted by the 'Awakened Special Law.'

"Right!? I'm the victim here, catch that ungrateful bastard for me!"

"Don't misunderstand. His actions fall under 'self-defense.' If you weren't an Awakened individual, it might have been considered excessive defense, but in this case, both parties are Awakened. You were the one who initiated the attack and even used a weapon, so you bear the greater responsibility."

"What...!?"

That's right, Sudou used to be an explorer. He's an Awakened individual too.

So, I won't be arrested under the Awakened Special Law. I'm glad Sudou is an Awakened individual.

Just as I was feeling relieved, the woman in the suit turned to me.

With her lustrous long black hair and sharp eyes, she was a stunning beauty, captivating enough to make me stare.

Her body was well-toned, but her chest was large, and I couldn't help but look there too.

"Still, you will need to come to the office with us. Is that acceptable, Makoto Tanaka?"

She said this with a sharp, cold gaze.

Oh, I have to go to the office. That's a hassle... Wait? This face looks familiar?

"Could it be, Tengetsu?"

"…You noticed now?"

The woman I called Tengetsu said this with a sigh of exasperation.

I hadn't noticed because it had been a long time since we met. I was impressed by how much she had grown.

Hearing this, Sudou exclaimed in surprise.

"Tengetsu... Tengetsu Sola!? Why is the head of the Monster Hunting Division here!?"

The Monster Hunting Division is an elite department within the Monster Control Bureau, responsible for dealing with monsters that appear in the city and arresting criminal Awakened individuals.

She, Tengetsu Sola, is the head of the Monster Hunting Division, the top of the elite.

"In cases where the offender is an Awakened individual, members of the Monster Hunting Division also accompany the operation. If they escape, ordinary people can neither chase nor apprehend them."

"I understand that, but why did you, the top, come here! I didn't do anything that bad, did I!?"

Sudou roared.

Well, I think he did do something bad... But it's strange that Tengetsu, a minor character, would come here.

Strong, smart, and incredibly beautiful, Tengetsu is a rising star in the Monster Control Bureau. Her high level of ability is evident from the fact that she is the head of the Monster Hunting Division despite being younger than me.

We used to explore dungeons together and were quite good friends.

One is an elite, the other a corporate drone. How did we end up so different? It's sad.

"There's no deep meaning to my presence. I just happened to be free."

Tengetsu is supposed to be very busy, is that true?

I wondered if she had come to meet someone, but then I felt a strong gaze from her. When I looked, she quickly averted her eyes.

Hmm, does she dislike me?

"Take Sudou into custody."

As Tengetsu ordered her subordinates, they quickly and efficiently took Sudou away.

Their movements were precise and well-coordinated, showing their regular training.

"Let go! I'm the president! Hey, Tanaka! Don't think this is over!"

Roaring until the end, Sudou was taken away.

With this, my resignation drama is finally over.

"Makoto Tanaka, I need to hear your side of the story as well. It will be a voluntary appearance."

"Ah, can we do that later? I haven't slept well in the past few weeks and I'm at my limit."

"Um, but..."

Ignoring the confused Tengetsu, I put my foot on the window frame of the building.

If it were an unknown official, I would have gone with them, but with Tengetsu, I can afford to be a bit lenient.

"I'll talk, just contact me here. See you."

I said this, threw a business card at her, and leaped out of the window. This is the seventh floor; it would be fatal for an ordinary person, but not for an Awakened individual.

I decided to make a stylish exit... or rather, a stylish resignation.

As I left the building, I thought I heard, "I came all this way to see you!" but it was probably just my imagination. Tengetsu is now a distant figure; we won't be exploring dungeons together like we used to.

[To the Readers]

If you found this novel

"Interesting!"

"Want to know what happens next!"

Please change the ☆☆☆☆☆ button to ★★★★★ to support me!

Thank you very much!