At the gates of Abydos High School, an armored cash transport vehicle idled.
It was interest payment day, and a fully cybernetic driver was verifying the repayment amount.
"Sorry for the wait," the driver said mechanically. "With variable interest rates and fees applied, the total comes to 7,883,250 yen, paid in full via cash. Thank you for your business with Kaiser Loans. We look forward to next month." With that, the driver climbed into the vehicle and drove off.
(…There was some guy doing insane strength training back there,) the driver thought, gripping the wheel.
"Phew, we scraped by this month," Hoshino sighed.
"Barely," Nonomi added.
"Why's he doing muscle training now?" Serika muttered, glancing at Mash. "Ayane-chan, how long until we're debt-free?"
"Three hundred and nine years," Ayane replied flatly.
"You pull those numbers out so fast…" Serika marveled.
"By the way, why does Kaiser Loans only take cash?" Nonomi wondered. "They even send an armored truck."
"…Sensei, can you catch up to that thing?" Shiroko asked.
"Totally doable," Mash nodded.
"What, you're gonna chase and rob it!?" Serika yelped.
"Can't we?" Mash and Shiroko said in unison, puffing out their cheeks.
"No way!!" Serika snapped.
Grumbling, Shiroko and Mash trudged back to the classroom for another strategy meeting.
"Let's start the report," Ayane began. "First, last night's attack by Problem Solver 68."
"Aru-chan's crew?" Nonomi asked.
"Already on a nickname basis…" Serika muttered.
"Yes. Led by Aru Rikuhachima, they're a club from Gehenna Academy, one of Kivotos' top mammoth schools," Ayane explained.
"Gehenna Academy?" Mash tilted his head.
"Sensei… don't tell me you don't know Gehenna or Trinity?" Serika asked, incredulous.
Mash froze. He hadn't bothered learning about schools beyond Abydos—too busy with muscle training and paperwork. Not wanting to admit it, he stammered, "W-W-Well, I-I-I k-k-know everything about them, o-o-okay!?"
"He's shaking like crazy!" the group chorused, watching Mash tremble, his eyes darting.
No choice but to explain, Ayane continued. "Kivotos has countless academies, but Gehenna and Trinity are the biggest."
"Gehenna's all about freedom and chaos," Hoshino said. "Not exactly great for law and order."
"Trinity's more disciplined, like a refined ladies' school," Shiroko added. "Better security, but rumors of bullying float around."
"They've been rivals forever," Nonomi chimed in. "'Trinity's stuck-up elites are annoying,' or 'Gehenna's lawless brutes are disgusting,' that kind of thing."
Mash nodded, sort of getting it. "Both sound kinda shady."
"You're just gonna say that?" Serika groaned.
"But Gehenna's upfront about their flaws, so they're probably better," Mash added.
"Better than sneaky schemers?" Nonomi asked.
"Exactly," Mash said.
"Kinda get it…" Hoshino admitted.
"Back to the report," Ayane said. "Aru—er, Aru-san—and her team of Mutsuki Asagi, Kayoko Onikata, and Haruka Igusa, four in total, are Gehenna students running Problem Solver 68, a service-for-hire outfit. Outlaws, as Aru-san put it."
"She called herself 'President,'" Hoshino grinned. "Ignoring school rules to start a business? Total troublemakers."
"They're wanted in Gehenna, apparently," Ayane noted.
"Didn't seem that bad," Mash said.
"Next report," Ayane continued, laying illegal parts on the desk. "The Kata-Kata Helmet Gang, behind Serika-chan's kidnapping, were hired. Their employer used discontinued illegal parts, only obtainable through unofficial channels… the Black Market."
"Black Market?" Mash asked.
"A cesspool," Hoshino said. "Dropouts, expelled students, or those forced out form an unauthorized organization, a black box where everything shady ends up."
"Even gym equipment?" Mash perked up.
"Maybe, but buy it legit, okay?" Serika snapped.
"Problem Solver 68 has caused trouble there too," Ayane added.
"So we look for a connection!" Nonomi said. "Right, Ayane-chan?"
"Exactly. It's our best lead for now. What do you think, Hoshino-senpai?"
"Sounds good!" Hoshino grinned. "Let's wake Shiroko-chan up and head out!"
"Should we bring shopping bags?" Nonomi asked.
"It's not a shopping trip…" Serika sighed.
"Let's be careful," Mash said. "If anything happens, I'll crush it."
"Never heard words so convincing," Serika muttered.
The Black Market
Kivotos' shadowy underbelly, where students from all academies converged. A haven for shady experiments by corporations and medical institutes, it was a dangerous realm. Sprawling beyond a mere market into a city-sized domain, it grew ever larger, a paradise for villains beyond even the Federal Student Council's reach.
The Abydos Countermeasures Committee and Mash stepped into this den. And Mash…
"Excuse me, can I have that limited-edition cream pu—'C'mon, Sensei, this way!'—whoa!" Hoshino yanked him away.
He'd been eyeing a suspicious purple cream puff, probably assuming it was grape-flavored.
"Why go for the sketchiest thing here!?" Serika scolded.
"It looked tasty…" Mash mumbled.
"Listen, Sensei," Hoshino said, motherly. "No buying weird stuff, got it?"
"Yup," Mash nodded.
(Hoshino-senpai's turning into a mom…) Ayane thought.
Illegal ammo, automaton expos, and shady dealers beckoning with dubious drugs dotted the market.
"Wish Abydos had a cool landmark like this, but less sketchy," Hoshino mused.
"Like what?" Shiroko asked.
"With all the desert around, maybe something with water?" Hoshino suggested.
"An aquarium?" Nonomi offered.
"Yeah, that! An… aqua-whatsit? Aquarium!" Hoshino beamed. "Fish… sashimi…"
"Aquariums aren't for eating…" Serika sighed.
"Some have restaurants," Mash said. "Shark burgers and stuff."
"What about whales?" Hoshino asked.
"Whales are rare," Ayane said. "Kivotos' seas are a mystery, but transporting one sounds tough."
"I could carry it," Mash offered.
"You probably could," Shiroko nodded.
"He'd drag it here, wouldn't he?" Serika groaned.
Amid their banter, gunfire erupted—BAM! BAM! BAM!—not uncommon here, as passersby ignored it. A student sprinted from the depths, chased by a mob of delinquents.
"Don't come here!" she cried. "This is bad… I came here secretly and didn't want trouble!"
"That uniform… Trinity?" Ayane noted.
"Let's go, Sensei," Shiroko said.
"Got it," Mash replied.
The girl, backpack bouncing, ran frantically, glancing back. Mash and Shiroko stood in her path. She crashed into Mash's pecs with a yelp. "Ouch!"
"You okay?" Mash asked.
"Sensei's muscles are too hard," Shiroko remarked.
"They're muscles," Mash said.
Rubbing her head, the girl faced Mash. "Thank you… Oh, sorry! I'm being chased!"
"I see them," Mash said, as delinquents surrounded them.
"Who're you!?" a delinquent barked. "Move! We've got business with that Trinity girl!"
"I don't have business with you…" the girl mumbled.
"Exactly!" the delinquent sneered. "We're gonna kidnap you and squeeze Trinity for a fat ransom. Smart business, huh?"
The delinquents eyed the Committee, ready to brawl, until they spotted Mash. "Sh-Shale's Sensei!?"
"Hey," Mash greeted.
"W-What do we do!?" one panicked.
"C-Calm down!" another stammered.
The girl blinked, confused by their fear. Mash handed her to Shiroko and approached the delinquents.
"Hey, guys," he said.
"Eek!" they squeaked.
"Kidnapping for ransom's no good," Mash said.
"Y-Yes!" they nodded.
"Threatening with guns is bad too."
"Yes, sir!"
"Won't do it again?"
"Never again!" they chorused.
"Good… Now grit your teeth."
"Wait, isn't this where you let us go!?" they wailed.
"No such luck." Mash formed a finger-flick with his thumb and middle finger, aiming at their foreheads.
THWACK! THWACK! THWACK!
"Gah!" The delinquents flew backward. The girl gaped, muttering, "Huh?"
"A finger-flick did that?" Serika marveled. "A punch would be bad, right?"
"Probably cave in their bones," Nonomi said.
"I don't hit faces unless I have to," Mash assured. "(I'll go easy.)"
(But he'll hit elsewhere…) Ayane thought.
After fending off the delinquents, they moved the girl to safety.
"Thanks so much!" she said. "I'm Hifumi Ajitani, sixteen!"
"Mash Burnedead, Shale's Sensei. Same age," Mash replied.
"Same age!?" Hifumi gasped.
"Why're you here, Hifumi-chan? It's dangerous," Mash asked.
"I'm looking for something," Hifumi said. "Do you know Peroro-sama?"
"Peroro…?" Mash tilted his head.
She showed a doll of… a chicken? With ice cream stuffed in its mouth. Bluntly, it wasn't cute.
"Oh, I know!" Nonomi chirped. "Momo Friends! Peroro-chan's adorable! I love Mr. Nikolai!"
"Yes, exactly!" Hifumi beamed. "Momo Friends! I'm obsessed! Nikolai-san's great. I got his new book, Beyond Good and Evil, first edition!"
"Such high energy…" Serika muttered.
Hifumi launched into a machine-gun rant. "I heard limited Peroro-sama merch was here, so I came! Only a hundred were made, and the collab ice cream company downsized, so no reprints. I finally got it! Cute, right?"
"Yup, super cute," Mash said.
"See? Sensei gets it!" Hifumi grinned.
(He's lying. That face is lying,) Serika thought.
Mash held back saying it wasn't cute, sensing trouble. "So, you came for merch but got caught up like that. If we weren't here…"
"Hmm," Hifumi pondered. "The Black Market's students form large groups for protection. Those delinquents weren't the whole force. More would come, escalating the fight. If it got too big, the Market Guard—armed with illegal gear—would show up. They're unbeatable, so I'd likely get caught. Does that answer your question?"
"Helpful," Mash said. "You see this place as pretty dangerous."
"Well, yes," Hifumi replied. "Even the Federal Student Council can't touch it easily. The Black Market's as big as several academies. Companies fight over profits, and it's got its own banks and security—unauthorized, of course. Oh, did my explanation—"
"Zzz…" Mash slumped, out cold.
"He's out!?" Hoshino gasped.
"Too much info," Serika said.
"Basically, Hifumi-san knows this place well," Ayane clarified.
"Gah, I passed out!" Mash jolted awake. "So…"
He grabbed Hifumi's hand. "Guide us, Hifumi-chan."
"What!?" Hifumi squeaked.
"Let's roll!" Mash declared.
"Whaaat!?" Hifumi wailed, dragged along to Abydos.
The Abydos Countermeasures Committee, Hifumi, and Mash trekked for hours.
"Ugh, exhausting," Serika groaned.
"Odd," Hifumi said. "No leads after all this time."
"That weird?" Mash asked.
"Yes," Hifumi replied. "Companies selling here are usually brazen, not hiding their tracks."
She pointed at a building. "That's a dark pool bank. Fifteen percent of Kivotos' stolen goods flow there, turned into cash for weapons, which fuel more robberies and kidnappings—a vicious cycle."
"Yikes, end of the world stuff," Hoshino said.
"A bank fueling crime…" Ayane murmured.
"Yes," Hifumi confirmed. "The Market Guard backs them, so even the Student Council can't act lightly. It's a no-go zone."
"Things are wild outside Abydos," Shiroko noted.
"Something's coming—hide!" Mash hissed.
They ducked, peering out. A massive automaton, bristling with weapons, escorted a vehicle—the same cash transport truck from that morning.
"That's…" Hoshino started.
"It went into the dark bank," Serika said.
"The driver was the usual guy," Shiroko added.
"So our interest payments… are funding crime?" Ayane concluded.
"It's not certain yet! We need proof and to track that truck's movements," Hifumi cautioned.
As they pondered, Mash had an idea. "Got it. Perfect plan."
"Huh?" Hoshino asked.
"Let's rob the bank," Mash said.
"What!?" everyone yelped.
The group protested, but Hoshino caught his drift. "Aha! Hifumi-chan, how do we get proof?"
"Well," Hifumi said, "I don't know the bank's setup, but they likely process collection records inside. Securing those could be evidence."
"Got it," Hoshino grinned. "Sensei, you mean steal the records, right?"
"Exactly," Mash said. "Pretty smart, huh?"
"First time for everything! It might rain tomorrow," Hoshino teased.
"Harsh…" Mash muttered. "Shiroko-chan, you know what to do."
"Got it," Shiroko nodded, rummaging through a bag.
Hifumi stammered, "W-What?" as Mash began… undressing?
"Alright, everyone ready?" Hoshino called.
"Ready," Shiroko said.
"I-I put it on!" Ayane announced.
"Set!" Nonomi chirped.
"Anytime!" Serika added. "Where's Sensei?"
"Sorry for the wait," Mash said, reappearing.
"Sensei!?" they gasped.
Gone was his usual work outfit. He stood in a black tracksuit, barefoot, muscles gleaming… and wearing a cream puff mascot mask—Shu-kun.
"Black Muscle Brigade Triceps, ready!" Mash declared.
"Terrifying!" Serika shrieked.
"Body and face don't match!" Nonomi laughed.
"Such muscles…" Shiroko marveled.
"Didn't know he was this ripped… kinda embarrassing," Hoshino blushed.
"I-I need to focus!" Ayane snapped.
"Hifumi-chan, this is for you," Mash said, handing her another mask.
"This is…" Hifumi hesitated.
"Shu-kun's girlfriend, Shu-chan," Mash explained.
"He's got a girlfriend!?" Hoshino gasped.
"Um… fine, I'll do it!" Hifumi relented, swept up in the chaos. "I can't face the Student Council after this…"
Hifumi, caught in the group's momentum, joined the bank heist.
"Sensei, give the order," Hoshino said.
"Right," Mash nodded. "Masked Swimsuit Brigade and Cream Puff Couple Brigade—"
"You said Black Muscle Brigade! And couple!?" Hifumi yelped.
"We're robbing that bank. No mercy," Mash declared.
"No mercy!" the Committee roared.
"N-No mercy!" Hifumi echoed, raising her hand timidly.
This didn't feel like a bank heist vibe, Hifumi thought, utterly baffled.