"I…"
Mugino Shizuri wanted to resist, but couldn't. Her trusted Meltdowner failed to respond, and fear paralyzed any thought of physical retaliation.
"Please… don't…"
Her helpless murmur escaped.
Samuel's expression turned gleeful, like a villain savoring her weakness.
Excited? Of course. A beautiful girl pinned under him, ripe for amusement—any man would be thrilled. A mature man, certainly.
Samuel wasn't a saint or a paragon of virtue. He appreciated beautiful women, ideally capturing both heart and body, but he didn't mind starting with the latter.
If Mugino was truly broken, he'd have no qualms making her his pet.
Kinuhata Saiai turned away, silent. They were teammates, but only that. Their bond wasn't deep enough for her to risk her life or body.
"Please… I beg you… let me go…"
Tears slid from Mugino's eyes, her last shred of defiance shattered. Beneath her tough exterior lay a fragile core.
She wasn't as strong as she seemed.
"Wait!"
Frenda's voice cut through.
Samuel looked up at Frenda, biting her lip, steadying her breath, mustering courage.
"Please spare Mugino! If you want… I'll take her place."
Her words trembled, but her resolve was genuine.
Samuel's lips curled. This was getting interesting.
"Frenda…"
Mugino's face showed shock. She never expected Frenda to make such a sacrifice for her.
ITEM, formed less than a year ago, was a professional arrangement. Helping a teammate within reason was one thing, but risking everything with no hope of winning? That was something only a parent or closest friend would do.
Why would Frenda do this? Mugino couldn't fathom it.
"I'll take Mugino's place…"
Frenda, still biting her lip, hands trembling, began unfastening her clothes.
ITEM, a dark-side organization orchestrated by Academy City, was composed of those forced to survive in the shadows. Some, like Mugino, sought thrills; others, like Frenda, needed money; some, like Kinuhata, were products of the city's dark benefits.
At its core, ITEM was just a squad, with no strict ideology—complete the mission, and that was enough.
Kinuhata's silence was already generous. Some dark-side groups would hold down their own to curry favor with someone like Samuel.
Yet Frenda made such a sacrifice?
She wasn't a saint. Her hands were stained with dozens, if not hundreds, of lives. Regardless of reasons or the nature of her victims, bloodshed created an unbridgeable gap between her and the innocent.
Such a person wouldn't sacrifice themselves without cause.
And Frenda had one—a simple, almost laughable one.
Her bond with Mugino went beyond teammates. In their time together, she'd come to see Mugino as family, a sister. In the dark side, where betrayal and darkness were commonplace, such a connection was unthinkable.
Dark-side members, hardened by human cruelty, instinctively distrusted others. They could be friends, but rarely family or true confidants, as allies could become enemies at any moment.
The dark side was a cycle of reformation and dissolution.
Frenda's past likely played a role—her parents' death, the harsh times with her sister, forced her to grow up fast, forging resilience but also insecurity.
Like a neglected child prone to self-doubt, her lack of early security made her cling to those she trusted.
Mugino, with her strength, became that anchor. Frenda idolized her, growing dependent.
Her sole creed was survival—for her sister, who knew nothing of her dark-side life.
That's why she surrendered first when Samuel threatened them.
Her choice to "save" Mugino stemmed from a hierarchy: her sister equaled her life, above Mugino, above her body and everything else.
"Heh."
Samuel released the disheveled Mugino and circled behind Frenda, wrapping his arms around her. Whispering in her ear, he said, "Even if you take her place this time, if she can't prove her worth, the outcome's the same."
"It's fine… at least… this once…"
"Hey, Number Five, your little fan has more guts than you. Don't get too smug—she can't shield you forever. Oh, and I don't think Academy City needs eight Level 5s anymore. You're not fit to be one."
Samuel's hand grazed Frenda's smooth skin, inhaling her scent, his face radiating disdain for Mugino.
"You…"
Electrons gathered again, green orbs forming around Mugino.
Samuel continued caressing Frenda's skin, not sparing Mugino a glance, as if certain she wouldn't attack.
Her dignity was ground to dust.
"Mugino…"
Kinuhata's gaze held disappointment—not anger, but pity for Mugino's weakness.
She wouldn't sacrifice herself, but she could still judge.
"You…"
Mugino's fists clenched, but her electron orbs began to falter.
"It's okay, Mugino… you just need time to adjust…"
Frenda, tears in her eyes, smiled reassuringly at Mugino.
Whoosh.
A green beam shot forth, laced with lethal intent, aimed at Samuel's head.
Samuel didn't care if Mugino hated or wanted to kill him. As long as she had value, it was irrelevant.
Crimson light flared in the small room, radiant and otherworldly—holy, majestic.
"An… angel?"
Kinuhata stared in disbelief at Samuel's back, where a single finger seemed to touch Mugino's beam.
It dissolved instantly, as if nothing had happened.
"Really… finding courage at a time like this? Talk about cutting it close…"
Was it for your pride… or your little fan?
Samuel left the thought unspoken.
…
After subduing ITEM, Samuel set aside trivial matters and prepared for his next step. A faint call and the overwhelming data in his mind were beginning to affect him. It was time to embark on a new journey.
***
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