Vol 3 Chapter 20 – Laughter (【The Exonerator of the Maritime Nation】Arc)

Laughter echoed inside a flying passenger jet.

“Hehe… Ufufufu…”

A woman’s giggle seeped from a first-class private suite—creepy, unhinged, radiating bottomless ick.

“Hirata-san…”

Mayuzumi forced a smile, sweatdropping at the sound.

“I’ll meet the boss I’ll meet the boss I’ll meet the boss I’ll meet the boss I’ll meet the boss I’ll meet the boss I’ll meet the boss I’ll meet the boss I’ll meet the boss I’ll meet the boss I’ll meet the boss I’ll meet the boss——”

Hirata chanted like a broken record, her eyes glazed. Even the flight attendants pretended not to notice.

“…I’ll just… nap through this.”

Mayuzumi buried his face in a pillow, opting for extreme denial.

—————————————————

“That hurt, you know? I’m still recovering, you heartless gremlin!”

Arisu brushed dust off her clothes, glaring at Kuroko, who stood eerily still.

“You okay, Arisu?”
“Just a scratch~♡”

She waved off Kuzuryu’s concern with a smile sharper than a chef’s knife.

“But how? She’s way stronger than this morning.”
“That white powder she snorted. Super-steroids? Feels more like demonic possession.”
“A drug we don’t know about? Annoying.”

Kuroko’s “snack” had cranked her stats to boss-level. Empress’s intel network missed this one—embarrassing.

“KYAHAHAHAHAHAHA!”

Kuroko’s laugh could shatter glass. The two tensed, waiting for a monologue. Crickets.

“Is the drug frying her brain…?”
“Bad vibes. Bad bad vibes.”
“Yeah. Let’s end this before she evolves.”

Kuzuryu fired two shots straight at her.

BANG BANG

“—GYAAHH!!”

Kuroko screamed—and swatted the bullets aside like gnats.

“……The hell—?”

Kuzuryu’s jaw dropped. Arisu’s eyes widened to dinner plates.

“Haha… Haha…”

Kuroko’s giggles dripped with “You’re so screwed.”

Kuroko giggled softly, twirling a fan that looked suspiciously like it could double as a steel girder.

Kuzuryu made a face like he’d licked a battery.

“Calling in that guy. Buy me time up close.”
“Gladly. Or I’ll just finish her myself~♡”

Arisu nodded, whipping out her dagger and charging. Kuroko’s head snapped toward her, smile never faltering.

“—Die.”
“Haha! Hahaha!”

Arisu’s blade clashed against the fan—CLANG!—like hitting a dumpster.

“HAHAHA!!”
“……Tch!?”

Kuroko parried every strike, countering with a palm strike that sent Arisu skidding back.

“Deflecting bullets was a hint, but that’s no ordinary fan.”
“Who carries a wrecking ball disguised as a fan?!”

Round two began. Kuzuryu, meanwhile, dialed his phone like a man ordering pizza mid-apocalypse.

“—It’s me. Get here. Now.”

But the voice that answered was… wrong.

“Why’s your voice coming from my phone?!”

After a baffling exchange, he hung up and groaned.

“That moron deputy…”

He pocketed the phone and yelled to Arisu, still clashing fan-to-dagger:

“Change of plans! We’re bailing!”
“You think she’ll let us!?”

Arisu’s breaths grew ragged. Kuroko kept laughing, fan swishing like a metronome of doom.

“Fine. At least dodge the bullets this time!”
“Roger~”

BANG!

Arisu ducked. The bullet slammed into Kuroko’s side.

“Guh…!”

Kuroko clutched her ribs. Arisu didn’t hesitate.

“Nap time, psycho!”

She Sparta-kicked Kuroko’s gut—THUD—knocking the air out of her.

“Ghk… gah…!”

Kuroko crumpled, wheezing. Arisu loomed over her, dagger raised.

“…Guess the drugs wore off. Pathetic.”

She swung—

SPLAT

“……Huh?”

Arisu blinked. Her right arm was… gone.