I soared through the town, searching for Kagurazaka-san, who had run out of the agency. Flying in the sky like this was sure to attract attention.
(She probably hasn’t gone too far… Should I try using a detection spell?)
It was a modified detection spell, one that could trace individual sources of magic power.
(Detection… Kagurazaka-san’s magic power… There!)
She showed up on my radar, about 500 meters away from the agency.
I kicked off a building, caught the wind, and soared higher into the sky.
(500 meters in a straight line… she must’ve run quite a bit.)
I cast the detection spell again, and she hadn’t moved from that location.
(That would place her… between those buildings!)
Just as I reached a spot overhead, I heard voices arguing down below.
「Stop it! Please!」
「Shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up! You ran into me, you damn brat! Who do you think you are?!」
Kagurazaka-san… and the other voice, a man’s, I didn’t recognize him, but something about it sounded familiar.
「Ow!」
The angry man grabbed Kagurazaka-san’s arm. I landed at that exact moment.
「Eh!?」
「What the!?」
I stepped forward and, without a word, grabbed the man’s wrist and twisted it.
「OW OW OW OW OW OW!!」
He quickly let go, wailing in pain.
「Who the hell do you think I am….Wait, you… How are you still alive!?」
「Alive? Hmm… someone did try to kill me once……… Oh yeah, I forgot about that.」
Actually… who is this guy? Slicked-back hair, sunglasses, white suit, and shiny gold pointed shoes, awful taste.
「No matter! Kaminagi Yuuki! I was educating this woman on my greatness! If I kill you as an example, she’ll learn to behave!」
I couldn’t remember him… Was he always this pathetic?
「…Who are you?」
「…………………Hah?」
The air went dead silent.
「Um… Kaminagi-san… Do you really not recognize him?」
Kagurazaka-san whispered beside me.
「Nope. I’ve never seen anyone with that awful fashion sense before.」
「Well, yes, the outfit is questionable… but doesn’t his face look familiar?」
「He’s wearing sunglasses. How am I supposed to recognize him like that?」
「True… Sunglasses do cover the eyes. It makes it hard to identify someone…」
As we talked, White Suit Man took off his sunglasses… Guess he was listening.
「Look, he took them off! Does that help jog your memory?」
(This is bad… I still can’t remember… He kinda looks familiar, but…)
「Look, even he looks nervous now…」
「I’m sorry! I really don’t know who you are!」
When I said that, his face twisted, whether from shame or fury, I couldn’t tell, and he shouted:
「It’s Hisazumi Kia! Don’t screw with me, Kaminagi Yuuki!!」
「Wait… Hisazumi!? That Hisazumi!? The honor student with top grades, impeccable conduct, a favorite among teachers, and a part-time magazine model? That loser!?」
「You… You must have a death wish…」
Hisazumi drew the Western-style sword at his waist and took a stance.
「Stop it! Fighting between Explorers is prohibited by law!」
Kagurazaka-san shouted, but Hisazumi seemed too blinded by rage to listen.
「Like I care! I can make this all disappear with a word!」
「Wow… That’s definitely not okay…」
Hisazumi swung his sword down from overhead. I dodged by a hair’s breadth, letting him slice off my left hand at the wrist.
「Kyaaaaaaaa!」
Blood spurted from the severed wrist, and Kagurazaka-san screamed in panic.
「Hahaha! So much for ‘Hero’! So much for your ‘Divine Flash’! If this is all it takes, even I could beat Hamelin!!!」
He burst into maniacal laughter, but I ignored him and focused on healing.
「Damn, that hurts…」
I cast Perfect Heal, regrowing my arm instantly. Alright, time to strike back.
I boosted my physical abilities and closed the distance in an instant, aiming for his chin to knock him out with a single blow.
「Hahaha… huh? Guh, !」
I might’ve shattered his jaw, but he was out cold from the concussion.
I healed the bone with magic, gotta erase the evidence.
「Amazing………」
「Phew… Kagurazaka-san, are you okay?」
「Y-Yes… I’m fin, ow…」
Looking more closely, I saw she was barefoot. Her toenails and skin were torn and ragged.
「That’s not good! Umm… somewhere to sit… Oh well, I guess he’ll do.」
I sat her down on top of the unconscious Hisazumi and began healing her feet. I also went and grabbed the shoes that had fallen nearby.
「Here, your socks are gone so you’ll be barefoot for now, but…」
「Thank you……」
Just as I helped Kagurazaka-san to her feet, the police arrived, drawn by the commotion.
「We got a report about a fight, ugh………」
Oh right. My severed hand was still lying in a pool of blood.
And next to it, Hisazumi lay unconscious, sword drawn.
Ah… this might look really bad.
「Requesting immediate backup! Assault incident reported on T Street! We need support, now!」
「Please don’t move, we need to preserve the scene.」
「Ah, yes! Understood!」
「Sorry about this.」
The officer began snapping photos with a digital camera.
Why is he… taking so many pictures of my severed hand?
And now he’s photographing my current hand too.
「Thank you. We’ll need you to accompany us to the station. By the way… what should we do about that hand?」
The officer pointed to my severed hand.
「Hmm… honestly, I don’t collect my own body parts, so…」
「Then we’ll send it to forensics. We need to verify its authenticity, just in case.」
「Wanna touch it? It’s probably still warm.」
「Uh… no thanks. Not really my thing…」
Not long after, a backup patrol car and an ambulance arrived. Hisazumi was loaded into the ambulance, and Kagurazaka-san and I were taken to the police station.
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