In front of a large screen, Tatsuya, dressed sharply in a suit, engaged in a call with Maya, who elegantly wore a dress. Miyuki, also present, was dressed modestly, joining the conversation.
"Sorry for interrupting your bedtime, Tatsuya-san, Miyuki-san," Maya greeted with a genuine smile, seemingly unconcerned about disturbing them.
"No worries. Neither of us had slept yet," Tatsuya replied casually.
"Oh, really~? That's perfect, then. I have a task for you, Tatsuya-san."
Task? Tatsuya wondered what his crazy aunt had in store. As he remained silent, Maya continued.
"Tonight, I've assigned the twins to pay a visit to Yuki Enterprise. Frankly, their security is as tight as a drum. Um... are they just too stingy...?"
Maya's words were laced with double meanings. The "visit" she referred to wasn't exactly a cordial one. If Maya sent Ayako and Fumiya, the heirs of the Kuroba family, it meant she wanted them to infiltrate the company and retrieve crucial information.
"It's Yuki Enterprise, I've tried before. So, what would you like me to do, Oba-ue?" Tatsuya asked, catching onto Maya's intentions.
Maya's grin widened at his remark. "Your task is simple, Tatsuya-san. Just keep an eye on your two cousins. I'm a little concerned about them since I don't know what lies inside…"
Understanding his assignment, Tatsuya nodded. "I see… I'll handle it," he assured her. Meanwhile, Miyuki couldn't help but express her concerns. "Oba-sama, can I ask you something?"
Maya raised an eyebrow briefly before breaking into a crescent moon smile. "Of course, dear. What is it?" Miyuki felt a shiver down her spine at Maya's grin.
"Didn't Oba-sama decline the 101 Battalion's request to suppress Yuki Enterprise? What made you change your mind?"
Maya let out a playful chuckle. "Oh, dear. Hm... I've always been curious about them, but there's no benefit to cooperating with General Saeki either."
While the Yotsuba and the 101 Battalion had collaborated in the past, the final decision rested with Maya. In this case, the 101 Battalion had no authority over Ooguro Ryuuya, their current ace magician.
Recalling the accident involving the 101 Battalion some time ago when their base was hacked after trying to infiltrate Yuki Enterprise's servers using Fujibayashi Kyouko's abilities, it was evident that Maya didn't care about what happened. She simply stated that it had nothing to do with Yotsuba.
"I understand," Miyuki conceded, not pushing further. Maya simply offered a sweet smile to her cute cousin. "Ah... I almost forgot, how is your relationship with that child?"
Miyuki got the implication. "Don't worry, Oba-sama. We were friends even before being asked to get along with him." Her expression briefly turned serious; she didn't like having her friends involved with the Yotsuba.
"Good. Then you may go, Tatsuya-san. Ensure you both get along well with Mei-san as well," Maya said, her smile radiant. With that, the screen went black. Miyuki couldn't help but feel that the last request would prove to be challenging for them.
---
Under the shroud of night, the twins, Ayako and Fumiya, stealthily scattered, their mission to infiltrate Yuki Enterprise pushing them to avoid detection by the security barrier. Ayako donned a mission attire that seemed more suited for a celebration than a covert operation and wore a dress adorned with ribbons, decorative buttons, and a short skirt. She couldn't help but chuckle at her little brother Fumiya, who was cross-dressing for the mission.
"You look great, Yami-chan," Ayako teased, barely able to contain her laughter.
Yami was Fumiya's nickname while on a mission, but he wasn't too thrilled with the playful banter. "Ugh! Stop teasing me like that, Nee-san. I can't help it since I'm on a mission," he pouted, his face flushed with embarrassment.
Ayako grinned mischievously. "Hehe~ Well, we are twins after all. We basically have the same body with different characteristics, right?"
Fumiya, wearing a wig that reached his shoulders and sporting makeup that transformed him into a cute girl, continued running with a serious expression. However, as they approached their target, a crack appeared in his facade, showing his nervousness.
The building complex they were about to infiltrate seemed to have too lax security, which made Ayako and Fumiya doubt the worthiness of this mission.
It was a well-known rising enterprise, which had made history with its revolutionary magic product - the practical CAD controlled through the mind and flying magic. This company held secrets that Maya, the head of the family, was particularly interested in. But Ayako and Fumiya couldn't shake the feeling that something about this mission was dangerous, as if they were being led into a trap.
"We managed to set off the site's alarm... but should we abort and leave?" Fumiya pondered, biting his finger in apprehension.
"It's too late for second thoughts. We've come this far..." Ayako asserted, her determination overriding any hesitations.
Fumiya reluctantly agreed, "If you say so…"
Ayako activated her bracelet-type CAD, initiating the Activation Sequence for their plan. With the target set, she unleashed the magic of [Perfect Diffusion,] which masked their presence by erasing any traces of gas, liquid, or physical energy in the vicinity. Their approach would be undetectable as if they were mere shadows.
"Okay, you can get ready, Yami-chan," Ayako informed her brother.
Fumiya readied himself for the upcoming magic. Ayako knew that the building's surroundings would likely be equipped with barriers or detectors, so she used another magic, [Mock Teleportation] to create a vacuum tunnel that allowed Fumiya to swiftly move two hundred meters away to a door.
While Fumiya marveled at his sister's proficiency with the magic, he skillfully broke through the security system and opened the door to their target. Ayako caught up with him, her light smile showing her approval.
---
In the heart of a large, tall building, the team managed to break into the system and connect their terminals to siphon the precious data. The silence within the building sent shivers down their spines, adding to the intense atmosphere that surrounded them.
"Nee-san, this feels too easy," Fumiya remarked.
Ayako nodded, her eyes fixed on the progress bar. "Yeah, I know. How much more until we've got everything?"
"80%," Fumiya replied, frantically working.
"Dammit, can't you go any faster?"
"Don't rush me, I'm doing my best!"
As they worked, the horror of the situation began to weigh on them, evident by the cold sweat breaking out on their foreheads.
"It's done," Fumiya finally said, relief flooding his face, as though they had just reached the end of a horror movie with a happy ending. However, their sense of triumph quickly turned to dread as an unexpected twist awaited them.
[Lol~ Do you think you've got the data you wanted?]
Suddenly, Fumiya's terminal was hijacked, and a mocking message appeared before them. Panic set in, and they knew they had to retreat immediately.
"Let's get out of here!" Ayako shouted, and the two of them activated their movement-type systematic magic, running faster than any ordinary human could.
Without any warning, all the exits were sealed shut, trapping them inside the building. "Tsk!" Fumiya cursed, realizing Ayako's initial hunch was right; they were led into a trap.
Fueled by worry and desperation, Fumiya attempted to break through the barriers with his high-intensity [Air Blade]. However, even that proved futile, as the obstacle was too thick.
"Fumiya, step back!" Ayako warned, taking out her short-barrel gun-type CAD and firing a powerful beam of quantum heat, [Phonon Maser].
Although they managed to create a small opening with their combined efforts, they found themselves unable to move, feeling as if they were submerged in water, struggling against an unknown force.
'magic? mental interference? no..." they both thought, puzzled.
-Boom!
A loud noise echoed through the building, and they felt a tremor in the floor beneath them. As the dust settled, they were met with an intense and deadly aura emanating from the figure that had just arrived.
Alpha, descending from the 91st floor to the ground using [Sukunahikona], appeared before them, clad in a cloak like a knight from a bygone era. Although they could have mistaken it for cosplay, the seriousness of the situation made them dismiss the idea.
"Just a kid...?" a harsh sound.
The figure approached them slowly, wielding a long sword that surpassed even Alpha's height. The sword's broad side emitted a bright plasma-like light surrounded by an intense crackle of lightning, giving off an intimidating and dangerous aura.
In an attempt to quell her fear, Ayako urged her trembling hands to reach for her CAD. "What are you planning to do?" Alpha asked, her purple eyes cold and uninterested.
As her killing intent was enough to freeze both Ayako and Fumiya, Alpha seemed to think that the opponent was too weak. However, Ayako mustered her courage and decided to use her magic. She cast [Mock Teleportation], creating a diversion that allowed Fumiya to escape. Nevertheless, she stopped as she had exhausted her magical energy, and Ayako fell unconscious.
Before Alpha could act further, a voice echoed through the speakers, and a figure in a titanium suit of [Mark I] armor appeared behind her.
[Alpha, please step back from her,] the voice of Jarvis rang out.
Alpha stop as she observed the armor-clad figure approaching her. She begrudgingly complied, realizing that the armored suit was none other than Jarvis.
"Why did you let the guards loose?" Alpha asked, trying to understand the situation better.
[This is the master's order. He wanted to see who his enemy is,] Jarvis explained. He revealed that the lax security was intentional.
Alpha sheathed her sword back, her curiosity piqued. "I see... I'm more interested in the person who sent this child here," she said, handing Ayako over to Jarvis. "Take care of her. I'll go after that kid."
---
In the midst of the information dimension, Tatsuya's intense gaze scanned the entire building complex, navigating its intricate defenses. Though most areas seemed loosely guarded, the basement and upper floors held formidable barriers that remained impenetrable to his 'eyes'.
"Seems, Ayako has been taken," Tatsuya murmured, urgency coursing through his mouth as he swiftly utilized his magic to trace Fumiya's coordinates. Through the [Elemental Sight], he easily discerned the coordinate of Ayako's magic signature.
A voice echoed through the ether, carrying a tone of regret. "Not me!"
"Fumiya!" Tatsuya called out.
Had he arrived too late? The sudden revelation of mission failure as he was sent here seemed like a favor by Maya's keen intuition.
"Tatsuya Nii-san! Nee-san!" Fumiya explained, his expression etched with concern but Tatsuya already knew the gravity of the situation all too well.
Caught in the throes of indecision, Tatsuya grappled with whether to pursue Ayako or prioritize the safety of Fumiya and retreat. Then without warning, magical attacks surged toward them, a fusion of scorching heat energy and crackling lightning. Instinctively, Tatsuya clutched Fumiya, relying on his martial prowess to dodge the onslaught, but not without paying a heavy price.
"You..." Alpha's voice reverberated with disbelief, betraying an unspoken question of why her liege's friend was here. Her narrowed eyes honed in sharply on Tatsuya, creating an intense atmosphere that crackled with tension.
I have a feeling Alpha is gunna pull an Albedo like when Ainz felt pain in the village fight, but instead it’s going to be a mad rant about tatsuya betraying her liege
Thanks for the chapter!
