Deep inside the underground tunnel—
Bomb planted the final stick of TNT.
He looked around proudly.
Explosives lined the supports.
The walls.
The foundations.
Everything was ready.
"Perfect."
Then he frowned.
"Now how do I signal everyone?"
Bomb looked around.
A few seconds later—
his eyes landed on a large red lever mounted on the wall.
Connected to an emergency alarm.
A grin appeared.
"Oh."
"That works."
Without hesitation—
CLANG!
He pulled the lever.
WOOOOOOO!
WOOOOOOO!
WOOOOOOO!
The emergency alarm echoed throughout Neherick Village.
The entire warehouse shook with the noise.
Workers stopped.
Guards looked up.
Panic spread instantly.
Outside—
Scrap Gang members heard the alarm.
"What happened?"
"The warehouse alarm!"
"Move!"
Dozens of guards rushed toward the building.
Meanwhile—
Matt was still swinging his hammer through a group of guards.
Then he heard the alarm.
He paused.
Selena landed beside him.
Both immediately understood.
Matt grinned.
"Time to go."
Selena nodded.
"No arguments there."
The two shoved the remaining guards aside.
Then disappeared from the warehouse.
Their job was finished.
Back inside the tunnel—
Bomb held the detonator.
Ready.
Waiting.
Then footsteps approached.
Rin appeared.
"You coming?"
Bomb shook his head.
"I need to stay close."
He raised the detonator.
"Otherwise I can't enjoy the explosion."
Rin stared at him.
"...Fair."
He couldn't even argue with that.
Then turned around.
"Try not to die."
Bomb grinned.
"No promises."
Rin shook his head and sprinted toward the exit.
Meanwhile—
Kaito finished knocking out another guard.
The man collapsed.
THUD.
Then—
the alarm sounded.
WOOOOOOO!
Kaito smiled.
"That's the signal."
He immediately ran toward a railing.
Then jumped.
The guards rushed forward.
"Stop him!"
But Kaito vanished from sight.
Disappearing into the chaos.
Elsewhere—
Steel and Saito continued their battle.
Metal clashed against steel.
The warehouse shook around them.
Then—
the alarm echoed through the building.
Steel frowned.
"What?"
Saito smiled slightly.
"That was quick."
Steel narrowed his eyes.
"What are you planning, Blue Scarf?"
Saito pointed his sword.
"You'll see."
Then lunged.
Steel caught the blade.
"Heh."
"You're finished."
His metal arm transformed.
Sharp.
Deadly.
Then swung toward Saito.
At the last second—
Saito noticed something behind Steel.
A tall damaged cabinet.
Already unstable from the fighting.
An idea appeared.
Saito kicked it.
CRASH!
The massive cabinet tipped over.
Steel looked up.
"...What?"
The cabinet slammed directly into him.
Wood and metal exploded everywhere.
Steel groaned beneath the debris.
Saito immediately backed away.
Then smiled.
"Bye now."
Without waiting for a response—
he turned and sprinted toward the exit.
Toward the outside.
Toward his team.
And somewhere beneath the warehouse—
Bomb's finger hovered over the detonator.
Ready to bring Neherick Village's operation base crashing down.
Deep beneath Neherick Village—
Bomb stood alone in the tunnel.
The detonator rested in his hand.
His eyes slowly closed.
The gray auris around him began to flow.
Not wildly.
Carefully.
Precisely.
Like invisible threads stretching through the darkness.
The auris seeped into every explosive he had planted.
One after another.
Along every support beam.
Every tunnel wall.
Every foundation.
The entire underground network became connected.
Bomb opened his eyes.
A grin spread across his face.
"...Hold it."
Not yet.
Everyone still needed time.
Outside the village—
Matt leaned against a tree.
Breathing heavily.
"Phew."
"I'm tired."
Selena immediately rolled her eyes.
"That's because I told you to stop eating junk food."
Matt looked offended.
"Strength requires fuel."
"No."
"Vegetables are fuel."
Matt looked even more offended.
Before the argument could continue—
a voice came from above.
"Did either of you see Saito?"
The two looked up.
Kaito was sitting on a tree branch.
Watching the village.
Matt shrugged.
"Probably on his way."
Kaito nodded.
Then turned his attention back toward Neherick.
The alarm was still blaring.
Guards were running everywhere.
The entire base had descended into chaos.
Then—
a figure appeared atop the outer wall.
Saito.
Without slowing down—
he jumped.
Landing outside the village.
Matt immediately waved.
"There he is!"
Selena nodded.
"Took you long enough."
Saito ignored the comment and hurried toward them.
The team was almost assembled.
Almost.
Meanwhile—
inside the warehouse—
Steel finally shoved the fallen cabinet aside.
CRASH!
Pieces of metal scattered across the floor.
His face was dark.
Angry.
Very angry.
The nearby guards immediately stood at attention.
"Sir!"
Steel pointed toward the ceiling.
"Turn off that alarm!"
The guards nodded.
"Yes sir!"
Then another guard approached.
Looking nervous.
"Sir..."
"The alarm originated from the tunnel."
Steel froze.
His expression hardened.
"The tunnel?"
The guard swallowed.
"Y-Yes."
Steel's eyes widened slightly.
Then realization hit him.
"No..."
He immediately pointed toward the underground entrance.
"Kill whoever is down there."
The guards rushed to obey.
Steel continued shouting orders.
"And find the others."
His metal arm sharpened into a blade.
"I don't want a single one of them escaping."
The Scrap Gang members hurried away.
Meanwhile—
far below them—
Bomb looked at the approaching tunnel entrance.
And smiled.
The show was almost ready to begin.
Deep inside the tunnel—
Scrap Gang guards rushed through the darkness.
Weapons ready.
Searching every corner.
"Find him!"
"He can't be far!"
The tunnel echoed with their footsteps.
Meanwhile—
Bomb stood calmly beside a bundle of TNT.
The detonator rested in his hand.
He could already hear them approaching.
Closer.
Closer.
Closer.
Then he smiled.
"...Showtime."
He pressed the trigger.
And shouted—
"EXPLODE!"
For a split second—
nothing happened.
Then—
BOOM!
The first explosion erupted.
The tunnel shook violently.
The guards froze.
"What—?!"
Then another blast followed.
BOOM!
And another.
BOOM!
And another.
BOOOOOOM!
The entire underground network ignited at once.
The guards stared in horror as a wall of fire rushed toward them.
One managed to scream.
"RUN—!"
Too late.
The explosion swallowed everything.
The tunnel disappeared beneath fire, smoke, and collapsing stone.
Above ground—
Steel was still searching the warehouse.
His eyes scanned every corner.
Looking for Saito.
Looking for answers.
Then—
the floor trembled.
Steel froze.
"...What?"
The shaking grew stronger.
Workers panicked.
Guards stumbled.
Then—
BOOOOOOM!
The ground exploded.
A section of the warehouse vanished.
Steel's eyes widened.
Another explosion erupted.
BOOOOM!
The eastern wall collapsed.
Then another.
BOOOOM!
The center of the warehouse shattered.
Metal beams flew into the air.
Workers screamed and fled.
Then came the worst one.
The ray guns.
The massive weapons Scrapper had spent months building.
One exploded.
Then another.
Then another.
BOOOOM!
BOOOOM!
BOOOOM!
The giant machines vanished inside fire and debris.
Steel stared in disbelief.
"No..."
The warehouse collapsed around him.
His voice rose.
"No."
Then louder.
"NO!"
He sprinted toward the nearest ray gun.
Trying to save something.
Anything.
But before he could reach it—
the ground beneath him exploded.
BOOOOOOOOM!
Steel vanished into the fire.
Consumed by the destruction.
Far away in the forest—
Saito and the others watched.
The first explosion reached them.
Saito blinked.
"...Wow."
Matt whistled.
Selena slowly lowered her hands.
Even she looked impressed.
Then—
Rin appeared beside them.
As usual.
Without warning.
Saito jumped.
"Can you stop doing that?!"
Rin ignored him.
Saito immediately looked around.
"Where's Bomb?"
Rin shrugged.
"He stayed behind."
Saito's eyes widened.
"WAIT WHAT?!"
Rin remained calm.
"Relax."
"He survived."
Before Saito could ask how—
the biggest explosion finally happened.
The heart of the tunnel collapsed.
The remaining TNT ignited.
And—
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
The entire village erupted.
A colossal explosion tore through Neherick.
Buildings disappeared.
The warehouse vanished.
Fire shot into the sky.
A massive mushroom cloud rose above the horizon.
Everyone stared.
Speechless.
The shockwave reached the forest seconds later.
WHOOOOOOOSH!
The wind slammed into them.
Trees bent violently.
Branches snapped.
Even Saito nearly lost his footing.
Matt grabbed a tree.
Selena dug her feet into the ground.
Kaito shielded his face.
The roar continued for several moments.
Then slowly—
the forest became quiet again.
Far away—
where Neherick Village once stood—
only smoke remained.
Saito stared at the destruction.
Then slowly turned toward Rin.
"...How much TNT did he bring?"
Rin smiled.
"I don't think you want the answer."
The group continued staring at the giant mushroom cloud rising over the horizon.
Even for Bomb—
that had been excessive.
The mushroom cloud continued rising into the sky.
Smoke covered the horizon.
Fire consumed what remained of Neherick Village.
The warehouse was gone.
The ray guns were gone.
The underground tunnel was gone.
For a moment—
everyone simply stared.
Speechless.
Then Kaito narrowed his eyes.
"...Wait."
He pointed toward the flames.
"What's that?"
The others looked.
At first—
all they could see was fire.
Then a silhouette appeared.
Walking through the burning ruins.
Step.
Step.
Step.
The figure emerged from the smoke.
Completely unharmed.
Bomb.
His coat was covered in dust.
His mask was slightly crooked.
He casually wiped soot from his face.
As if he had just finished a normal day's work.
Not destroyed an entire military facility.
Saito blinked.
Matt blinked.
Selena blinked.
Even Rin looked impressed.
Bomb stopped a few meters away.
Then raised his hand.
And gave a thumbs up.
👍
The forest became silent.
Then Kaito laughed first.
"Hahaha!"
Matt joined in.
Selena shook her head.
"Of course he survived."
Rin smirked.
"I like this guy."
Bomb proudly adjusted his coat.
"Did you enjoy the show?"
"NO!"
Everyone answered at once.
Bomb looked disappointed.
Saito couldn't help but laugh.
Looking past Bomb.
Toward the burning remains of Neherick Village.
The Scrap Gang base was gone.
The ray guns were destroyed.
Scrapper had lost one of his most important operations.
And somewhere beneath those ruins—
Steel had been swallowed by the explosion.
Saito placed a hand on his sword.
A satisfied smile appearing on his face.
"...Mission completed."
Behind him—
the smoke continued rising into the evening sky.
And for the first time since arriving at Neherick Village—
Blue Scarf could finally head home victorious.