In a small alley, several delinquents were dragging a struggling girl deeper into the shadows.
"No... please don't. I'll give you money."
The pure girl in a uniform pleaded. She had only tried to save time by taking a shortcut, never expecting to encounter such a thing.
"Heh heh, don't be afraid, little sister. You'll find out the fun in a moment."
The leader of the delinquents' eyes shone with green lust as he greedily looked at the girl's body.
He hadn't expected to encounter such a high-quality prey today. She was not only cute but also seemed to come from a well-off family.
Taking this risk to act in broad daylight seemed entirely worth it.
"Boss, right here. I can't wait any longer."
"Alright, hurry up. Get your phones ready and take some good pictures of the little sister."
As soon as the leader finished speaking, the delinquents impatiently began to grope her. The girl tried to resist.
But everything she did was futile. Her limbs were pinned tightly against the wall by two of them. Her blue and white uniform was violently ripped open, buttons flying off.
A pink bra encased her full, trembling breasts, exposed before the delinquents, eliciting sounds of excited swallowing.
Her pressed-together legs were forcefully spread open by a delinquent. Her uniform skirt was lifted, and light pink panties clung tightly to her delicate inner thighs.
The soft fabric traced her flower valley, outlining an alluring shape.
"Damn it, I can't hold back. I'm going first."
The delinquent who had secured the best position had just unbuckled his pants. Before he could pull aside the pink panties to get a clear look at the enticing valley, his eyes rolled back, and he suddenly passed out.
The other delinquents hadn't had time to check on him before they, too, collapsed one after another in surprise.
The girl, who had shut her eyes in despair, waited for a long time but felt nothing. She slowly opened her eyes and realized that the delinquents who had grabbed her were all lying motionless on the ground in strange poses.
She tried to run a few steps toward the alley exit. The delinquents still showed no reaction.
The girl didn't know what had happened, but she knew this was an unmissable opportunity.
She quickly sped up, clutching her exposed chest, and rapidly fled the dark alley.
Confirming the girl was safe, Ethan dispelled the illusion magic, and the trio slowly revealed themselves.
"Akira, what are you planning to do with these scumbags?"
Naruse Mio looked at the delinquents on the ground with disgust and instinctively retreated behind Ethan.
The three had just been teleported here and were planning their route and rescue strategy when they suddenly noticed people approaching.
They used a simple concealment spell, originally planning to continue after the people left, but the delinquents suddenly intended to engage in such acts.
And it seemed they planned to take photos for blackmail.
Seeing the desperate and helpless expression of the girl, who was about her age, Naruse Mio instinctively wanted to step in and save her.
But someone had been even quicker than her.
Watching the magic circle slowly disappear beside Ethan's hand, Naruse Mio's mood instantly brightened.
Ethan was unaware of the twin-tailed tsundere beauty's changing thoughts. He did want to save the person, but his quick action was more of a reflex triggered by seeing perverts.
Although the reasons were somewhat different, the result was good. He only hoped the girl would be more careful next time.
In response to Naruse Mio's question, Ethan shrugged and casually threw out several clusters of light-blue flames.
Under his precise control, the delinquent group vanished into gas before Naruse Mio's eyes, as if they had never existed.
"Akira... did you kill them?"
Naruse Mio asked somewhat uncertainly.
"Yes."
It was merely clearing some trash from the world. Ethan paid it no mind.
"Let's continue the plan. We'll conceal our auras and fly at high altitude to Maple Town..."
Naruse Mio listened to the plan, nodding occasionally, but her internal state was far from as calm as she appeared.
Although they were scumbags, killing them so lightly was still something the girl, who had just entered the supernatural world, was struggling to accept.
However, thinking of the girls these people might have harmed, and the potential for more girls to be harmed if they weren't killed, she felt Ethan's actions were right.
Right was right, but it would take some time to fully understand and accept it.
Ethan and Maria unfurled their bat wings, ready to proceed with the plan, but Naruse Mio was slow to move.
"Naruse-san, can you fly by yourself?"
Ethan remembered his own experience upon first acquiring his Devil form and asked the question.
Naruse Mio's answer was unsurprising. She hadn't yet mastered the ability to fly.
It was even difficult for her to change into her Devil form.
The inherited power was too strong, and Naruse Mio simply couldn't control it yet.
The appearance of her wings earlier was also beyond her control, caused by the resonance with the powerful magic power and Devil aura filling the club room.
After some thought, Ethan said, "Naruse-san, if you don't mind, I can carry you."
He originally thought the tsundere large-breasted beauty would refuse and was considering other options, but Naruse Mio remained silent for a moment and then agreed.
Ethan immediately scooped up the girl's soft and attractive body. "Alright, let's go."
"Don't... don't misunderstand. I just want to save Dad and Mom quickly..." Naruse Mio turned her head and grumbled.
She definitely had this consideration, but only the girl herself knew if there were other reasons involved.
After ascending into the sky, Ethan switched to a bridal carry, having Naruse Mio wrap her arms around his neck. This offered more security.
The girl's tense body relaxed. She occasionally looked up secretly at Ethan.
Her fair face was slightly flushed. This was the first time she had been so intimate with a boy, and they had only known each other for less than an hour.
Lost in Naruse Mio's scattered thoughts, the trio arrived over Maple Town.
Only thirty minutes had passed since she received the call.
This was even with Ethan deliberately slowing down to accommodate Maria during the flight.
"Akira, it's right there. The single-family house with the red roof to the southwest. That's my home."
Ethan looked in the direction Naruse Mio pointed. After locating the house, he descended.
"Wait for me here. I'll be back shortly."
Since the enemy held hostages, Ethan had to proceed cautiously. He avoided directly teleporting nearby for fear that the magic fluctuations would alert the enemy.
The magic fluctuations of long-distance teleportation arrays were too obvious; anyone with magic power could detect them to some extent.
"Akira, please. You must save my Dad and Mom..."
Naruse Mio looked at Ethan, her eyes welling up. The thought of her parents' unknown fate, as seen in the photograph, made her heart ache.
Ethan nodded and promised, "Don't worry. You'll all be reunited soon."
While pinpointing the location, he used a perception spell.
The magic fluctuations inside the house were mixed and numerous, but the strongest was only at the B-Class peak.
If they couldn't even detect his reconnaissance magic, they certainly couldn't stop him from rescuing the hostages.
After calming Naruse Mio, Ethan vanished in a few flashes, disappearing down the street.
Three minutes later, maintaining the illusion magic, he approached the Naruse house, silently observing the situation through windows and balconies.
Reconnaissance magic didn't offer X-ray vision. Although he could confirm the location of people inside, he couldn't definitively identify which two were Naruse Mio's parents.
The goal this time was not to eliminate the enemy but to rescue the hostages. He had to ensure their safety before acting.
There were two Low-Class Devils and three demon beasts in the living room, one Low-Class Devil on the second floor, and two demon beasts in the yard...
A total of five wolf-shaped demon beasts and three Low-Class Devils made up the enemy force.
As for Naruse Mio's parents...
The two people in the center of the living room, covered in injuries and lying motionless on the floor, should be them.
Observing the situation inside the Naruse house, Ethan's brow furrowed.
The enemy's strength was insignificant to him, but the three demon beasts were too close to Naruse Mio's parents.
If he acted now, he could, at most, guarantee the safety of one person.
The safety of the other would depend on the enemy's immediate reaction.
If they prioritized killing the hostage, he definitely wouldn't be able to save them.
Should I gamble? Or wait for another opportunity...
Ethan was momentarily undecided.
He didn't want to gamble, but time was running out.
Naruse Mio's parents' auras were barely discernible. Such severe injuries meant they could die at any moment.