The man's blackened arm whipped forward, flinging Akira off him. Akira hit the ground hard, skidding across the tile until his back slammed against a support pillar. The Scissors agent staggered back, his mask gleaming wetly under the neon signs, and crashed through the glass window of a nearby Hunter shop.
The sound exploded through the street—shattering glass, screaming civilians, and the metallic ring of falling weapons.
Akira's head snapped up. Through the broken storefront, dozens of weapons glimmered in the fluorescent light—swords, rifles, Tao cannons, all shining like trophies of war.
He started to sprint after the man—then froze mid-step."Ito said not to get involved with any Taoist," he muttered, jaw tightening. "But still…"He smirked faintly. "I can totally beat this guy."
With that, he bolted forward.
Inside the shop, the Scissors agent brushed shards of glass off his shoulders as if nothing happened. The young man and woman behind the counter huddled together, fear painted across their faces.
"I came for the Railgun," the masked man said calmly, his voice echoing through the quiet store. "The one made by Atlas. I know you have it."
The woman's trembling hand found her coworker's sleeve. "Call a Hunter," she whispered urgently.
The man ducked down, pressing his palm to a hidden pad beneath the counter—nothing. The light stayed dead.
The woman's breath hitched. "It's not working… why isn't it—"
The man straightened, realization dawning in his eyes. "Because of him…" he breathed.
The woman froze. "He's—"
"The fourteenth user of the Perfect Crime bloodline," the man said grimly. "His mask lets him commit any crime without consequence—so long as it doesn't involve direct physical harm."
She swallowed hard. "So the pad won't work… But maybe if you get a weapon from the armory, we can handle him," She turns smiling to the man who's shaking his head, panicking.
We're finished!! She thinks
The Scissors agent smiled faintly under the slick black mask.
The glass crunched.
Akira appeared behind him. His hand gripped the back of the man's head and slammed it into the concrete floor so hard the ground cracked like thunder.
The mask shattered instantly—splintering into fragments that dissolved into black smoke. The man's body went limp.
Akira stood there breathing steadily, eyes locked on the unconscious figure. "Guess that's that."
The woman behind the counter stared for a long moment, then exhaled in disbelief. She took off her nametag, tossed it onto the counter, and bowed slightly to Akira."Thank you so much, sir." She turns toward the security camera. "Boss, I quit. I'll go work at a grocery store or something."
Akira scratched his head. "Can't blame her."
Then the air changed.
From the dark back room of the shop, two figures stepped out—masked, uniformed, and radiating danger.
The first was tall, wearing a demon mask and a black school uniform with sleeves rolled to his elbows. His long black hair swayed as he moved, the dotted X painted across his mask glowing faintly red.
The second was a girl around Akira's age, wearing the same uniform, her posture eerily calm. A matching X marked her mask.
The boy's voice was smooth and mocking. "That old man couldn't handle this, huh?"
He tossed a long, black case toward the girl. The metal hummed with energy. "Atlas Model: Tesla. Don't break it."
The girl caught it effortlessly, flipping the latches open. The air pulsed.
Before Akira could move, the masked boy blurred forward—his fist rocketing toward Akira's face. Akira twisted just in time, the blow grazing his cheek. He countered with a kick, but the boy caught his leg mid-swing, spun him around, and threw him straight into the path of the Railgun.
A deafening crack split the air. The shot hit. Akira's body crashed into the far corner of the mall, smashing through a display of Tao batteries.
He groaned, forcing himself up amid sparks and smoke. "That… might be too much for me."
Then his Hunter ID chimed.
Mission Assigned:Objective – Neutralize two unidentified Taoists wearing demon masks, suspected to be working for Scissors.
Akira stared at the message, blinking once before letting out a tired sigh."You've gotta be kidding me."
He dusted himself off, eyes flicking toward the glowing trail of Tao energy left by the pair as they vanished into the distance.
"Great," he muttered. "Guess I'm chasing them now."
He took off running, his footsteps echoing through the ruined mall as the neon lights flickered behind him.