Chapter 73: Everything I Do is for the Sake of a Happy Ending
After Kobayashi started cooperating with Night Raid, it only took a few days for them to ask him to provide some intelligence on the members of the Jaegers, so that they could eliminate one of them as soon as possible.
They were rather apprehensive at first, thinking that appearing too eager might make Kobayashi resistant. They never expected him to be even crazier than them, demanding that two members be taken out at once.
He even boasted, "If you don't have the proper guts and appetite, then let's not cooperate at all."
It was an obvious provocation.
But they accepted it.
After repeated confirmations, they decided to target Bols and Seryu.
Seryu was specifically requested by Night Raid.
It didn't take a genius to know it was to avenge Sheele, and it was highly likely that Mine had strongly insisted on it.
It was a bit of a pity. He had originally thought of keeping her by his side to train and correct her twisted sense of justice. But who could he blame when Night Raid had requested her?
There was no helping it.
After I resurrect her, I'll just toss her into the Axis Order.
I'm sure that fanatical Leader can teach her what wisdom and justice are... I sincerely hope she doesn't become even more twisted, in another sense.
And Bols was designated by Kobayashi.
His purpose was to make the man witness the darkness of the Empire—or rather, the darkness that would befall him personally. His gentleness should not be wasted on a corrupt Empire.
"Alright—!"
Seryu waved her hand and shouted energetically, "Let's do our best on patrol tonight!"
The Jaegers' work was hard. To maintain public order, they had to divide into two groups for patrol.
Kobayashi and Wave were one group.
Seryu and Bols were the other.
Wave pinched his chin and said, "So Kobayashi and I are on the east side of the Capital, and you two are on the west side, right?"
"That's correct," Bols nodded.
"Then, let's head out."
"Wait."
The four of them were just about to leave when Esdeath stopped them.
"You will swap patrol areas tonight. Wave and Kobayashi will go to the west, Seryu and Bols to the east."
"Yes, we understand..."
Although it was a bit strange to suddenly change patrol areas, since it was an order from Esdeath, they would naturally obey.
On the street.
Wave stretched his back and said as he walked, "This street is really deserted."
"Well, it is nighttime," Kobayashi replied casually, then asked strangely, "Wave, why are you so close to me? Don't tell me you have some kind of strange hobby?"
The street was deserted, but the two of them were still shoulder to shoulder. It was summer, so he definitely wasn't cold. But he was still sticking so close, it was hard not to have some bad thoughts.
"Of course not!"
Wave retorted loudly, then complained, "Look, didn't we let Tatsumi escape last time? If you escape too, Kobayashi, the Captain will definitely kill me!"
"...What are you talking about? How could I possibly escape?"
Kobayashi couldn't understand his brain circuit. He had had many opportunities to act alone during this period. If he wanted to run, he could have run at any time. Why wait until now?
Wave, however, had a different view.
"Kobayashi, the Captain has been getting closer and closer to you lately. With her terrifying possessiveness and sadism, I'm afraid you won't be able to take it and will want to escape."
"I told you, you've misunderstood. If you want to get closer to her too, I can just lend you the necklace."
"Please don't! I'll seriously lose years off my life!"
Wave's aversion to Esdeath had reached its peak.
Poor kid. He's been punished quite a bit during this time. If this goes on, is he going to develop gynophobia? No, it should be called Esdeath-phobia.
"Wave, what do you think of the current state of the Capital..."
"Wait!"
Wave held up a hand, interrupting him. At the same time, he vigilantly scanned the surrounding houses. After a pause, he said loudly, "Come on out! You've already been exposed! That flash of malice just now was too obvious."
The person hiding in the dark hadn't expected him to be so sharp. She had told herself to stay calm and wait for the right moment, but upon seeing Kobayashi, she couldn't hold back her anger and had accidentally leaked a trace of her aura.
"Since we've been discovered, there's no need to hide anymore."
A boisterous voice came from the rooftop.
A dark figure descended from the sky, and a golden-haired lioness beast-girl appeared before them.
It was Leone.
"You're... from Night Raid?!"
Wave sensed the dangerous aura coming from her, and realizing that she was also a Teigu user, he immediately guessed her identity.
"Bingo! You got it right! Here's your prize!"
Leone said something completely nonsensical.
Before Wave could even get into a fighting stance, a powerful blow from a staff swung in from the side, a full-force home run that caught him off guard and dealt a heavy blow to his abdomen.
"A sneak attack?!!!!"
Wave howled as he was sent flying into the sky like a shooting star, streaking across the night.
"Wave!!!"
Kobayashi put on a worried expression and reached out a desperate "Erkang Hand."
Smack!
The next second, he caught an incoming straight punch.
"What an unconventional way to say hello," Kobayashi said, smiling at the lioness with beastly eyes before him. "Long time no see, Leone. Did you miss me?"
"Yeah, I missed you so much that I'm dying to beat you up right now!"
Leone grinned, revealing her small fangs. She spoke harsh words, but there was no fierceness to be seen, only the look of a pet pouting at its long-absent master.
"Alright, alright, that's enough pleasantries."
Kobayashi patted her fluffy hair and turned to look at the powerful minotaur... no, horned man beside him.
"Hello, I'm Kobayashi."
"I am Susanoo."
They exchanged a brief greeting.
It had to be said, in terms of appearance and similarity to a human, Susanoo was on par with RyuZU. It was only his slightly dazed expression and lack of a life aura that confirmed he was not human. His aura also felt very strong. No wonder he was able to hit Wave hundreds of meters away with a single home run.
The plan was proceeding smoothly.
For his and Wave's group, they just needed someone who could deal with Wave, so only Leone and Susanoo were sent.
As for Bols and Seryu's group, the rest of Night Raid would go and deal with them.
Kobayashi had already seen it with his [Farsight].
First, Chelsea, disguised as a homeless little girl in the middle of the night, would take advantage of Bols's gentleness to successfully assassinate him with a poison needle.
With only Seryu left, she would naturally not be able to withstand a righteous gang beating. This time, justice was not on Seryu's side.
Was it a success...
"Hey, Kobayashi!" Leone looked at him and suddenly said, "Why did you leave Night Raid? What kind of future did you see?"
"I can't say."
Kobayashi shook his head and only answered, "But everything I do is for the sake of leading the future to a Happy Ending. I can guarantee you that."
"Who the hell understands that!"
Leone shouted and then gave him a flurry of punches and kicks. She hated riddle-speakers the most. It was her fault for being dumb, but it was his fault for not explaining things fully. In her anger, she naturally didn't hold back, beating him until he had a bloody nose and a swollen face before she stopped.
Mmm, to avoid suspicion, I should probably pretend to have been beaten up.
Bols's wife was beautiful, and his daughter was cute. Under his loving care, the mother and daughter lived very happily.
But after his death, everything changed.
They swept their husband's and father's grave with mournful expressions, only to be bullied by the very same colleagues who had sworn to take care of them.
That's right.
The scumbags of the Imperial Capital were everywhere. They didn't even need Syura; those men had been coveting them for a long time.
They approached with lewd grins, tearing at the clothes of the young woman and the little girl, wanting to sadistically rape the wife and daughter in front of the husband's grave.
"Seeing them being bullied, how do you feel?"
"...Furious."
"You are very gentle, but your gentleness should not be wasted on the corrupt Empire. Instead, it needs your fire to be purified. Go. Purify them."
"I understand."
—Incinerate!
(End of Chapter)