Chapter 9 – Some Guy Who Somehow Pisses Me Off

◇《POV: Renma》

I open the door and check our surroundings.

I time it for when there aren’t any ordinary customers around, then head for the register.

Just past the corner, an assassin disguised as a customer jumps out.

“Just as planned!”

“Yeah—for you!”

I snap my right hand out and knock him out cold.

Ever since we came in, I’d been gathering just enough intel on who was where.

I already knew where the enemy would pop out from!!

“Let’s go! Combination attack!”

“What is that pervert teamwork!?”

Ceiling, floor, left door, right door.

Enemies camouflaged in all four directions burst out at the same time.

A mirror image—no, more like a kaleidoscope.

Dealing with a three-dimensional, simultaneous strike is… even for me, pretty damn annoying.

I ignore the top and left for the moment, and with my right hand, drop the bottom and right enemies.

“Got you! [Germs]!”

“Eat this! [Natto Bacteria]!”

“What kind of cursed technique is that!?”

The two knives they swing down tear into my shoulder and my side.

If this keeps up, the bacteria will infest my body.

But this is still within “minor injury” territory!

“Let you cut my flesh…!”

With my left hand now free, I strike precisely and steal the remaining two’s haku.

“…and I’ll cut yours!!”

“Equivalent exchange!?”

Too bad. I’m charging interest, too.

I gouge out their flesh, and use that amount to restore my wounds.

While I’m at it, I’ll fully heal the injuries from the Sero fight too.

The way meat gets shaved off over and over without killing them is basically… human-meat churrasco.

“Want seconds!?”

“Sorry, but that’s an instant red card!”

The moment he steps out of the room, I take his consciousness, drop him, and shut the door.

If he’s sprawled out in the hallway, the customers are gonna freak out!!

“I’ve been thinking this whole time—are you killing them!?”

“What if I am?”

“I’d think Miyama-kun is sooo harsh~!”

“Good for you. I’m a kind person.”

“Harsh on prisons~.”

Honestly, I’m causing the police a ridiculous amount of trouble.

Later, I’ll bring a massive peace offering and go apologize.

-He’s got that refreshingly clean face about it

-Kind (to himself)

-This guy’s a disaster shaped like a human

-He’s definitely not thinking anything normal

-HYAAHHA!!

-Wait, so the streamer’s name is Miyama?

“W-Wha… h-how is that even happening!?”

“I’ll tip you, just hurry!”

I can’t tell if the clerk is shaken by the mountain of potato receipts… or the brawl in the shop.

“N-no, but this is… d-dea—”

“I’ll protect you! No matter what!!”

“……!!”

“Look, assassins. Because you idiots got involved, Shinano just made another guy fall for her.”

“Man, pure bliss, pure bliss. I can’t get enough of watching those gloomy introvert types get the wrong idea like that.”

“…Huh?”

This is, without question, an enemy.

I mean, I knew he was an enemy from the start—but this is different. A soul-level archenemy!

“I’m gonna launch you into orbit—thoroughly!!”

Even after he passes out, I keep the attack going, swinging my archenemy around with cursed-energy-reinforced muscle and mowing down the surrounding small fry.

“You guys! Change targets!”

The enemy hate all swings at once toward Shinano—and the clerk.

Trying to scramble my thinking, huh? But that’s a lot of bodies.

“Alright! Now it’s your turn to make them fall for you!!”

Using the Archenemy Hammer as a shield, I block every single attack.

Relax—I’ll heal you for whatever injuries you take!

With your buddies’ flesh and blood!!

“…Is it over…?”

“I-I BEAT ALL THE BAD GUYS!!”

“Ah… o-okay…”

Ventriloquism doesn’t land very well, huh.

I’d been practicing for this exact situation for a long time, too. Shame.

“Miyama-kun… honestly, you’re gross.”

“……Yes.”

I turn around to apologize, and for some reason, the clerk’s tension had eased.

Relaxing someone with an insult—Shinano’s got some real skill.

“An unexpected rival has appeared.”

“…Huh? Me!?”

No. That’s not it.

◇《POV Shift: Renma → Shirou》

When I learned that Sero had been defeated, I was overseeing the factory’s withdrawal.

“President Shirou. The car is ready.”

“Mm. Wait a little longer.”

“Understood.”

A grating noise tears at my ears, and the employees scream as the cursed energy distorts.

On a normal day, their lively activity would be amusing—today, it does nothing but irritate me.

“Chena! Is Chena here!!”

“……Yes.”

Kneeling below me is a small woman with blue hair and green eyes.

Just looking at that loathsome face stirs an urge to vent the frustration that’s been piling up inside me.

“You—! I told you your replies are to be babbling sounds!!!”

“……Auuuu…”

“Shut up!! Don’t speak!!! There is no existence in this world more infuriating than a daughter’s whining cry!!!!”

“……!! ……!!!”

I kick it, grind it underfoot, and roll it along the ground.

A tool that won’t break no matter how many times it’s damaged gets smeared with cold dust.

“Hey. Someone put this away.”

“Understood.”

The tool, carried carefully to the car, spills a few drops of tears onto the ground.

“……Filthy. Wash it.”

“Understood.”

I don’t have the luxury of watching the whole thing through.

After casting a sharp glare to keep things in line, I climb into the black luxury car.

“It’s about time.”

When Chena’s hatred reaches its limit, it will transform into the world’s second human cursed tool.

That power—the one that caused that special-grade incident three years ago—will finally be in my grasp.

With that, rebelling against that person will be possible.

I will end the grudge that’s continued since the first generation—by my own hand.

For that, I won’t hesitate… not even to offer up my own daughter.

“Chiena, I won’t tell you to forgive me. Hate me. Offer that grudge—your resentment—to me.”

Minegi Shirou drew a deep breath and gently closed his eyes.