Chapter 136: Shovelers Unmatched / Three Nets (1/2)

Chapter 135: Shovelers Unmatched / Maskless but Driver Chapter 137: Shovelers Unmatched / Tactically Unmatched

Translator: Reflet

The woman dressed as a maid had made a unique appearance, accompanied by the special unit men. It was such a surreal sight, and Taiyou found himself feeling exhausted.

But that was just him, whereas Youran made a grim face and Leticia’s eyes grew cold.

The two girls were on guard. Affected by their demeanor, Taiyou pulled himself together and stepped forward in front of them to cover.

Protected by the men, Michiyo slowly drew closer, stopping when she was within conversational distance.

「It has been a while…Or at least that’s what I would say if that much time had passed.」

The tone of Youran’s voice changed. To Taiyou, this was a very irregular way of speaking: the persona of「New Moon Director」

What kind of a face was she making right now…He was curious, but he resisted the urge to look back.

Now was the time to concentrate on the enemy in front of him.

Said enemy――Michiyo with her maid outfit, answered with a mysterious face.

「Yes, it already feels like something of the far past. To the point where everything feels nostalgic.」

「Are ya in the position to be feeling sentimental? Ya even tried to lay hands on me.」

「Even if I were on the road to Hades, I do not think that I would feel lonely if I were with you. If I were with my dear friend.」

「Well ain’t you nice. My tears are just fallin’ down.」

Leticia said with a wide smile. Someone not knowing the circumstances may have been different, but having saved her just earlier, Taiyou heard it as a statement of the utmost irony.

「My considerate nature was taught to me by my former superior.」

「Well ain’t that a good superior. Wonder why they・・・・became “former”?」

「Disagreement between our personalities.」

「I’d be more convinced if your musicianship was different.」

「That person was very tone-deaf and was not at the level to where they could discuss musicianship.」

「Come to think of it, that’s how it was.」

「Let me hear just one thing.」

While Leticia and Michiyo were conversing with verbal irony, Youran who had been silently listening opened her mouth.

「What might that be?」

「Have you sold me out, or have you betrayed me?」

「Huh?」

Taiyou was the one who had let out a puzzled voice. Leticia’s words had been clear irony so they were easy to understand.

But he couldn’t understand what Youran was saying.

Sold out, and betrayed.

He couldn’t understand what differences were between the two. The words themselves, and the intention contained in them.

「I will kiss your casket.」

Michiyo’s answer to that was also something incomprehensible.

「So that’s your answer.」

「……Indeed.」

「Alright.」

He sensed the slightest stirring behind him, and since then Youran had become silent.

Taiyou could not comprehend the intent of that exchange, but he got two things out of it.

One was the fact that Youran was satisfied with the answer to her question. Even if Taiyou couldn’t understand, the intention had clearly transmitted between the two of them.

And one more. The fact that the two of them had decisively broken apart.

That was clear from the air.

Then the first move would win. Taiyou readied the shovel and leaped out.

（Do in the head.）

In a straight line, he proceeded to bound forward toward Michiyo, protected by the men.

With their current numbers they were at an overwhelming disadvantage. There was the possibility that fighting while protecting Youran and Leticia would push him into a corner and make the situation worse and worse. So he had thought to settle things in one go so that it didn’t happen.

「Do it.」

With Michiyo’s order, the men simultaneously dispersed. With Michiyo left in the middle, they made a semicircle formation surrounding Taiyou.

「That’s crane wing formation.」

「The sensible way to win with numbers.」

Ignoring the voice from behind, Taiyou cut in regardless.

Whatever formation that might be, as long as he held down Michiyo things would work out.

Suddenly, the men had simultaneously tossed something at the lunging Taiyou.

「Nets！」

The words reached the edge of his mouth. Absorbed by the night sky and difficult to see, those things were the sorts of nets used for fishing.

But these were no ordinary nets. Sharp blades were attached to the knots, reflecting the sparkling moonlight.

These were things made to tangle and then tear apart the captured.

The scattered nets approached Taiyou. Unlike bullets or bombs, these were things that he could not render ineffective.

Also, there was not enough time to slip through and reach Michiyo.

Until now he would briefly retreat, taking his distance and starting over, but.

「Something like this!」

A flash of fighting spirit. Readying the shovel up high, he swung it down at once. The half-blade edge tore up the nets, blade and all.

「Wha-」

Right after feeling the reaction, Taiyou was perplexed.