Chapter 9: V1C9 – To Leave Tokyo

"Nakano Ai..." I mutter out.

"You can call me Ai!"

"Do you need something?"

It came out a bit forceful. I look straight at her; she's wearing a uniform. Her black hair is up to her shoulders with neat bangs and strayed strands. Her eyes are a bright sky blue; her uniform is a deep black assortment of rough-looking garments: think of any military officer's natural dress. They covered an impeccable figure as expected.

That uniform is standard wear for the [Magical Girl Defense Unit], a government-funded and organized fighting unit aimed at strategically erasing [Curses]. They recruit [Magical Girls] from all over Japan and assimilate them into their power. The idol, Nakano Ai, is one of their most promising talents in both combat and influence. I fear the reason they sent her here today is because--

"[Magical Girl Aki], I'm here to formally invite you to our [Magical Girl Defense Unit]. You'll be put into my division and be under my supervision, will you come to help us out?"

That's dirty, using an idol to invite me! Had I been a diehard fan I would be powerless. She expectedly looks at my face which is still processing her words. I've spoken to Yoru about this before. The [Magical Girl Defense Unit] is pretty much an extension of the military. But, the pay for all the included members is astronomically high. I could forget the poor lifestyle I've been having--a beat-up apartment and stealing food from local konbinis. Taking this offer is the obvious choice. But...

"I'm sorry, I'm going to have to respectfully decline that."

Ai looked taken aback for a second but quickly regained herself and faced me with a business smile,

"Why is that I suppose?"

"If I join the [Magical Girl Defense Unit], I'll be deployed to the places where the people are the loudest: the ones they deem the most necessary to protect. They are usually the ones who keep the economy spinning, the ones who have connections up there. But, what about the ones out in the suburban rural areas? What about the places the Japanese government can't reach? I can reach them if I'm not preoccupied here with a job. In other words, joining your division for me would be just a pair of shackles, sorry. I have plans to leave this city."

My goal is to help out the effort against the [Curses]. Right now, I have the potential and power to do it. Why limit it to Tokyo? There are other places struggling just as hard. I can't be tied down...

"Is that so. A noble mission, I don't hate justice-fueled people like you. Really, that might be for the better."

Ai sighed and close her eyelids for a brief moment painting a terrifyingly elegant scene. She began,

"But, I have a job to do you see. I will not be allowed to let go of you, you who has made such waves in Tokyo."

My hair stands up as she manifests her lance in its full silver luster.

"[Magical Girl Aki]! You are hereby under arrest for the destruction of public property and criminal possession of weapons--are some words I can potential pin on your legal record."

"Wha--!?"

That's not reasonable one bit!

"You think you could threaten me over that? Doesn't the government usually overlook that stuff for every [Magical Girl]? If you start capitalizing on that now then it's not just the people's support you'll lose. In the first place, the people won't stand for this. You think you can twist democracy when the world has weakened?"

"Oh, but I can."

I see. This is Nakano Ai. The resolve that brought her to the forefront of the bloody idol industry is put on full display.

"If you win this bout, I'll let you off the hook and not interfere with you again."

"You think I can just take a verbal promise?"

"Hm? My idol charm really isn't taking effect...was there really a point in sending me on this mission..."

[Weapon Manifestation Formation/Strengthening - <Realizer>]

My opponent is her. She has top-notch physical enhancement manipulation as well as the [Effect] of [Void Point], an undeniably lethal ability. It turns the point of whatever she's registered as a melee weapon into a deadly tip that can tear through any matter without resistance. 

"Then, take this."

She threw her smartphone at me. I almost reflectively slashed it to pieces.

"This is?"

"My phone. I can't do my idol activities or work without it."

"W-Why give this to me?"

"It's so you have insurance. If I don't keep my promise of leaving you alone you could destroy it or use it to try and destroy my relationships. If I did protect the promise, then you'd just return it. But, you have the option not to--that's why it's a risk for me in the deal. It's my show of faith and trust. This is all if you win though. If I win, you'll come into my division and return the phone. There, you won't have to worry about any charges."

"You...are willing to go that far?"

I throw the phone back to her.

"Alright, I trust you."

"Hm, you're a bit too trusting Aki~. What if what I had just given to you was a fake?"

"!?"

"Well, it wasn't. Just be careful in the future. Haha, you're an interesting one Aki."

"Urgh..."

She pulls out something from her pocket.

"We'll start when this coin hits the floor."

She took a battle stance. In that uniform, her accentuated eyes make her look like a real battle-hardened warrior.

I meet her expectations and clad my [Realizer] in shadow.

[Realizer Form - <Dark Enhancement>]

The coin is flipped.

"..."

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"..."

"..."

*clink*

I start by creating some distance!

It's not like I was planning for close-range combat in the first place. She has the overall advantage with [Void Point]. Anything I'm hit with by her lance will be fatal if it doesn't graze me. My arm can be voided in an instant, that distance is not comfortable for me so make it comfortable! It's not like my only way of attacking is close range.

[Core Grenade: Dark Flame+Air] x2

I threw two at her and they exploded perfectly on time.

"Sorry, I can't be made responsible if you get a few marks or scars that won't fade!"

I jumped up at super-speed and angled down my [Realizer] as I descended. Expecting to cleanly land, I feel a resistance parry my strike and fling me away. I cleanly flip to crush the momentum and slide away while looking back to the site covered in smoke.

"How--"

Did the [Core Grenades] have no effect? Ai was standing there unharmed and unburnt with a nonchalant attitude.

"It seems like you know a little bit about [Void Point]. Not challenging me to close range was the right choice. But, that's not as if long-range attacks work on me. [Void Point] erases matter and energy without resistance and without fail. No matter what it is or what kind of power. That is why your explosive tricks will be blocked by [Void Point], the strongest weapon and the strongest shield."

That can't be! The explosion has to cover a larger area than just that one point affected by her ability. Unless...she was moving that point around so fast that it covered the area? I am once again reminded of the sheer talent she used to pull herself all this way. How could someone like me compete with that?

"I'll just have to cover everything she can see with darkness so that she can't react to the [Core Grenades]!"

[Realizer Form - <Shadow Vortex>]

I shove mana into my [Realizer] and throw it all at once to her. She reflexively parries it, but she should've used her ability on it instead--!

As the sword's form crumbled, the shadows exploded outwards and painted the front of me in darkness. Now, she probably can't see.

"I've seen this move before, it's what you used on that [Curse]. What an interesting ability."

I threw it.

[Core Grenade: Electricity+Water]

The sparks and lightning distorted around the heap of shadows and began coming apart onto Ai. They wrapped around, even Ai couldn't predict the flow of fluids in the darkness and stop it all with a lance.

I moved in as I heard her yelp out from the shocks that crept around her.

"She should be temporarily paralyzed from that level of electricity."

In that time frame, I'll end this. I get behind her and sweep her leg, pushing her to the ground. I felt the sensation in the fading dark as my arm pinned her face on the floor and the rest of my body weight prevented her from moving.

"You haven't...won yet!"

She struggled against the paralysis and weight as her physical enhancements allowed her to. Her lance managed to pierce me in the stomach even though she was in such a position. The pain spread throughout my lower chest.

"R-really, I'm just too impressed."

This young girl is too strong. But, this is my win.

[Mana Drain]

I have plenty of physical contact. 

"W-what is this sensation? I feel my power, being pulled awa--"

Soon enough she's rendered unconscious. She couldn't struggle against me in that position.  

*sigh*

I get off of her and pull the lance out from my wound. Ouch.

"So, what are you going to do now?"

An unfamiliar voice.

"I am Fila, Ai's [Focal]. Now, are you going to kill her?"

"No no, I won't do something like that."

Well, I won the battle so she won't mess with me again right? So, what should I--

I see her phone sticking out of her pocket. I grab it.

"Are you going to steal that and ruin her life?"

"Not a chance, I'm just adding my phone number."

It was her mission to bring me back but she failed because of my resistance. I feel kinda bad that she might get in trouble so I'll at least give her a way to contact me in case something really bad happens. Saving new contact...Aki...

She probably won't need me for anything though. I slide the phone back into her pocket.

"Alright, Yoru. Let's go. We're going back home and taking the essentials with us afterward. We're leaving Tokyo, it'll be a travel trip around Japan!"

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