You’re Right, They’ll Expel Me if I Run into the Store with a Weapon!! - Chapter 48: I Want to Live an Interesting Life. It's Fine Being Called a Fool for That

“Then, let us begin the WDC Research Facility Infiltration Operation report meeting.”

The voice resonates throughout the room.

In the dark space, a large round table fills the center, and at each seat, holographic images of people are seated, replicating human figures.

The only physical humans in this space were the principal, the head of the Japan branch, and Amakusa Sensei, who led the operation.

“Well, let’s not be too formal and get started quickly,” a lively voice rises from the center of the round table. This figure alone does not show its face, and its body shape fluctuates, not revealing its true form.

“First of all, well done on the operation. Zero fatalities, which is excellent.”

The figure sends a voice of joy and applause to the room.

“We let the WDC guys get away, but we managed to minimize our casualties. However,”

A monitor installed in the space displays one person.

“This chubby guy, we couldn’t catch him—John Mayer, a WDC executive.”

A chubby man in a lab coat. He was one of the WDC executives encountered during this operation, and unfortunately, they failed to capture him.

“Nevertheless, we managed to retrieve the children’s brains safely. And the generation and transplantation of human bodies are completed.”

The figure explaining the situation of the children turns its face towards the principal of the Japan branch.

“Thanks to that girl from the Japan branch, the treatment was completed so quickly. It was really helpful that you sent her over.”

“No, please give those words of gratitude to Shirahime Hazuki,” the principal responds to the joyous figure.

The figure slightly lifts its visible mouth in response.

“Shirahime Hazuki, huh? Does she like that name?”

“Yes, she gets in a bad mood if her previous name is mentioned.”

“I see, so Hazuki-chan is satisfied with being at the Japan branch. The branch she was assigned to before…”

“…”

“Right, but it was self-inflicted, so no sympathy from me.”

The figure turns its feet towards a hologram of a middle-aged man.

“Let’s not dig up the past. It’s over and done with.”

A memory of a scene involving a girl named Shirahime Hazuki flashes through everyone’s minds.

“Anyway, let’s celebrate the operation’s success for now.”

The figure snaps its fingers, and simultaneously, the monitors change all at once, and holographic monitors also appear in the air.

“Before we continue with the report, let’s have a screening. We’ve edited copies of the recording media sent from each branch.”

With an atmosphere of starting a screening, the figure makes a chair’s shadow appear and sits in it while floating.

“Let’s begin then.”

“Doctor,”

“What is it?”

“It’s impossible, after all.”

“Even for you, who usually exceeds expectations?”

“Please don’t treat me as if I can do anything.”

Haruna and the doctor were surrounded by documents in a document room, discussing a particular research topic.

“This is beyond us.”

Haruna raises her voice in surrender, waving both hands.

Papers filled with chemical terms are scattered all over the table.

“Creating live ammunition with reduced lethality? No, that’s just impossible. It’s a contradiction.”

They were troubled over developing specified ammunition for use in an upcoming event.

“Isn’t rubber bullets or paintballs okay?”

“That would deviate too much from the real thing, according to them. Other research facilities are also struggling with this.”

“Sigh, can’t we just proceed with human enhancement and abilities like last time? Ah, and weapons with reduced lethality are okay, too.”

Looking back on the past, Haruna vents her frustration.

The doctor explains carefully to Haruna, scratching his head.

“You know about the recent activities of the WDC, right?”

“…You don’t mean?”

“Because a joint force including ranked individuals nearly fell into enemy hands during the last mission, it’s a result of that influence.”

In detail, seeing that the WDC exploited the weaknesses of combatants, leading to precarious situations, it was concluded that skills beyond combat abilities should be honed.

This led to tactics involving arms.

However, mock bullets like rubber or paintballs differ significantly in recoil and range from real bullets, causing discrepancies.

All research facilities, including the doctor and Haruna, were advancing research to develop bullets to resolve this issue.

“It’s impossible by any normal standards.”

“Unless you’re not normal.”

“I’ve had enough of that.”

Haruna responds tiredly to the doctor, who looks at her through the gaps in his hair.

Sighing, the man opens his mouth to Haruna.

“About your children,”

“What about them? You’ve already returned them, so there’s no leverage or bargaining you can do.”

“How about making them stronger?”

“Details?”

Haruna’s voice echoes as if resonating.

She listens intently to the doctor’s words.

“If you work hard, I’ll provide 20% of my personally owned research data. It’s a treasure I’ve shown to no one. With it, your creations…”

“50%.”

A voice not quite human emerges again.

The girl stares at the doctor with eyes harboring something significant.

“2…”

“50%.”

Before the doctor could finish, Haruna’s voice filled the room, and he sighed deeply.

“Then I’ll provide 50%. But…”

“Give it first.”

“…First 25%, then the rest after success.”

“Give first.”

“It’s based on your trustworthiness,”

The doctor has the final word in the exchange of overlapping phrases.

“If I hand everything over and you say ‘it was impossible,’ it sets a bad example. The people in this research facility won’t stay quiet.”

“Mmm…”

“Consider the 25% as an advance on time and labor. It’s the limit, but no one will complain after success.”

“Mmm…”

“Will you do it?”

“…How long do I have?”

Haruna, returning to a human voice, inquires about the deadline for the research.

“I want to check it once before the gathering… So, four days.”

Four days—ninety-six hours…

“What about my rank examination study?”

“I’ll ask the committee to consider that. But if you succeed in this research, you won’t need to take the exam.”

Haruna bends each finger inwards, cracking her knuckles.

“Can I choose the 25% of research data you’ll provide? If possible…”

“If possible?”

The girl’s next words take aback the doctor.

“I’ll teach the masses of researchers who talk about common sense, basics, and textbooks. The results that shock the world cannot be obtained from the past; they come from diving into the unknown.”

After several moments, the monitors were engulfed in darkness, accompanied by recurring explosions. The sound, which included the rumbling of the earth, was fittingly described as collapse.

Seconds passed, and the noise faded, the blackness on the monitors crumbling away. Gradually, light-filled from above reveals the scene in vivid detail.

Individuals with injuries, those looking around, and others lending a hand to their comrades were displayed.

Then, the footage stopped.

This signaled to the viewers that the curtain had closed.

“The end, then. Let’s start the official report meeting based on what we’ve just seen.”

With a bright voice, the end was announced, and the beginning was spoken of.

“Let’s get straight to it—”

The display on the monitor changed.

It was clear whose hand was behind it.

And then, a second playback commenced.

And—

“Oh—Oh—Oh—”

“Here we go! A bases-loaded, game-winning, walk-off chance! Substituting for the batter Himeji Shiori! Coming in as the pinch hitter is Ogino Hiroki!”

“Oh—Oh—Oh—”

All monitors transitioned to a scene dominated by a young boy astride a pitch-black soldier, drawing all eyes in the room to one person.

“Let’s hear it, Head of the Combat Studies Japan Branch.”

The previously bright voice sharpened.

The voice heard through the machine made everyone present aware of the standing of the figure who remained unseen.

The only one whose presence wasn’t physically manifested there.

The only person permitted to act in such a manner in all meetings.

That was—the Supreme Commander of Combat Studies

The top authority overseeing all combat studies worldwide was standing before the principal.