I woke up too late…

 

I wanted to add further details of just how dark the state of Mexico was, but I feel like it’s unnecessary right now.

 

~~~~

 

“...I have gotten confirmation that the town is empty and the base closest to them was destroyed with no signs of life.”

 

A man wearing a butler’s outfit said, going to stand by his master's side.

 

“...Is that so? Did one of our satellites get footage of who it was?”

 

“...It appeared to be the infamous ‘Flower Killer’, the new outrage within the Spy World. He placed white and yellow desert flowers at the entrance in a bouquet style.”

 

The man wearing a striking wine-colored suit sat still for a moment.

 

“...Ready the helicopter, let me see why this so-called ‘Flower Killer’ invaded my country and killed so many precious assets of mine.”

 

“As you wish, sire.”

 

The butler bowed then left and the Gold-Rank stood up and poured a glass of wine, his favorite brand.

 

‘This year… has truly been interesting.’

 

*

 

*

 

*

 

Throughout the several hour spanning journey, the truck had to stop multiple times due to varying different reasons.

 

It was around the afternoon when we finally reached a large ‘city’.

 

Even though I called it a city, in actuality it was more so a resource reserve for the war just at the border.

 

“...Halt, we did not hear about a resource truck coming today at this hour, who are you? Identify yourself.”

 

I pulled out a card and as the soldier came closer to check, I grabbed his head and my eyes swirled.

 

“[You will allow me to pass through the gates undeterred.]”

 

“...Yes…”

 

But in any situation, there could be variables that stand in my way…

 

Snap-!

 

My fingers resounded with extra strength put in. Anyone who sees or hears it would be under mass hypnosis. A precaution, just in case.

 

Along the way, I remembered how I could have hypnotized the base which I stole the truck from but in the end I believe my decision was the right one, I had no spare time. The cartel will eventually know either way if my presence was there or not, destroying the base simply was easier and allowed me to buy time, no matter how little.

 

“Open the gates! Allow them to pass.”

 

The wire fencing opened and allowed for my truck to pass.

 

The world itself was hanging by an extremely light thread, one wrong move and the world will fall into chaos. It was a wonder how nuclear bombs haven’t been used, but the Gold-Ranks would have prevented such a disaster…

 

Truly, the world is in a perpetual limbo that not even a prophet could determine the future.

 

My truck went into the poverty stricken city as I saw multiple homeless children and adults.

 

‘Could I create a hole in the city to allow these people to go to the border?’

 

It seemed feasible, the border was only a mile from here… But I believe that the Cartel would kill all these people before they allow freedom.

 

Not to mention the no man’s land of the U.S. military and Cartel members constantly shooting at each other.

 

“...”

 

My plan was simple enough: leave this city and use the road to one of the pill boxes before I make a hole using Aiki to allow the people in this truck freedom to the U.S. grounds.

 

Preferably one of the sides would have been the ocean but that would take at the very least another couple of hours and by then communications would have traveled to every base about the destroyed base and about my whereabouts.

 

There are many places in the world where some place, or something may feel foreign or even ‘alien’ to them. This city fits that description. It felt like this country hadn’t moved since the 1900’s and was stuck in time.

 

The streets were dirty with dirt, smog and other dirty mixtures that formed a strange black-brown substance that plagued the entire city.

 

‘...Does the Spy Association know about this?’

 

They should if not already have known, it was most likely because of the Gold-Rank governing this country that deters them from committing justice. Mexico was an extremely fragile line that could snap and cause a world war in the Cartel’s destruction. 

 

It would take quite a large operation of several Gold-Ranks to complete but the Gold-Rank in this country wouldn’t just sit still either…

 

A predicament indeed.

 

As the truck pulled into the final stop before the road to the pill boxes, another guard came and I simply brought out a clipboard instead of my ‘card’ and the actions unfolded the same way as the previous time.

 

It was now a race against time, I had the advantage from what I know, but there could always be unforeseen circumstances that the Gold-Rank had prepared against Combat and Doctor whom I had killed just this morning.

 

Everything was falling into place.

 

My plans were starting to come into fruition and thanks to Arthur’s generous ‘donation’ I was able to find multiple of the Nine in only a few months, a speed that was worthy of the entire Spy World coming together for this ‘treasure hunt’.

 

My surroundings were a blur but in my eyes I could see details that normal people couldn’t.

 

I felt slightly anxious.

 

I wouldn’t have if I was the only one leaving this country as my hypnosis has become quite potent, but with the addition of a small town’s worth of people that I needed to safely bring to the U.S. borders… That was an entirely different challenge.

 

Gunshots started to ring louder and louder, Mexico’s no man's land was starting to come into view.

 

Streaks of orange and white flew in the air. Hundreds upon thousands of bullets went to either side killing people like they were flies.

 

I could hear screams, the faint scent of gunpowder and the shouts of orders.

 

‘What a disaster.’

 

This small scale war was one that would eventually crumble and lead to a definite winner. Mexico would eventually be taken over and be liberated by either of the two fronts.

 

Though the Gold-Rank could single handedly come and stop this madness and push the United States back, their agency of Spies wouldn’t take it lightly.

 

In the end, this entire war is filled with conspiracies and inner workings in which I have no reason or a motivation to get involved in.

 

“You get out there right now! If not, I'll shoot you in the head right this second.”

 

Amidst the deafening loud sounds of gunshots, I heard a loud order to the pill box we were about to enter.

 

My truck pulled into the dirt parking spot and I let the villagers out.

 

“I’m going to get some things, please stay here.”

 

The villagers nodded in fright, the children were all quivering.

 

After I closed the shipping container, I made my way to the pill box.

 

“Who are yo-”

 

My hand cut through his head, a technique I had been practicing as my hand-to-hand combat had been lacking and I drew inspiration from the Suspects and Victims of the Whitechapel Cult.

 

I walked into the open entrance and saw that no one had yet realized that I was here.

 

Knock-

 

Knock-

 

The commanding officer stopped his shouting and turned to me.

 

“Who the hell are you and how did you get in here!?”

 

“I don’t have time for questions, all I need is noise blocking equipment, you guys have those, correct?”

 

“I asked, who the hell are y-”

 

I saw the commanding officer about to pull his trigger on his gun, so I swiftly ‘dispatched’ him.

 

Bang!

 

I paid no heed to the corpse that spilled blood on the concrete ground and turned to the shaky ‘soldiers’ of this pill box.

 

“I need noise canceling equipment, it doesn’t matter if it’s ear muffs, ear plugs, or the like.” I looked at their paling faces and shaky arms. “Also, don’t point a weapon if you are not capable of killing.”

 

“A-AHHH!!”

 

Bullets rained at me aiming for my body. In my eyes they felt almost slow, I caught the bullets safely using Aiki and using the energy gained, I shot a blast of wind at the person who fired at me. This resulted in him passing out after hitting his head on a wall.

 

‘...I need to practice more.’

 

Aikido wasn’t my main style of fighting and so my arms still felt slightly numb from catching the bullets.

 

“I do not want to repeat again.” I dropped the bullets, hoping to intimidate them. “I need noise canceling equipment, please cooperate or I will kill you.”

 

For a better effect I led out a miniscule amount of bloodlust, this should be enough to completely intimidate them.

 

“I-It’s right here…”

 

Clang-

 

The rifle dropped to the ground and the soldier went to one of the metal cabinets. I walked and saw only twenty ear plugs.

 

‘...This is only enough for ten people…’

 

“...Are there any more you keep?”

 

“...It’s in our storage…”

 

“How many are there? I need enough for fifty-six people.”

 

“...We should have enough.”

 

“Good, lead the way.”

 

As I talked to the specific soldier, I saw that the others still haven’t put their guns down.

 

‘...At the very leasts, they aren’t cowards.’

 

We exited the pill box and went closer to where I parked the truck.

 

“...They’re all here… you can take these instead of the ones inside the pill box, it’ll be easier.”

 

Within just a singular box, I saw many ear plugs, more than enough for fifty-six people’s worth.

 

“...Thank you, I’ll take this one box, that’s all I need anyways.”

 

With ease, I picked up the cardboard box filled with ear plugs.

 

“...You’ll keep your end of the deal right? You won’t kill us?”

 

I turned back to face the soldier.

 

“...No, I won’t but do have another request after I’m done.”

 

“...Oh… A-Alright…”

 

Back at the truck I handed each person two pairs of earplugs, one extra just in case they lost one.

 

‘This will be the last trip, I suppose…’

 

I planned on clearing out the trenches before I started digging my way through to the U.S. borders. I walked back into the pill box, the soldiers already had their guns ready.

 

“This is the last request, I need someone to take me to your trenches.”

 

*

 

*

 

*

 

“How far are we from the trenches again?”

 

The ground was far below them. The helicopter whirred as its blades propelled them off the ground.

 

“A-About another hour or so Drug Lord.”

 

‘An adequate amount of time.’

 

“...”

 

Enjoying the silence and view, the Gold-Rank simply sat, waiting for his time to come.

 

*

 

*

 

*

 

I slaughtered the soldiers within the trenches. Their red blood now flowed into the dirt below, nurturing it for future wildlife.

 

Some drops of blood covered me, but there wasn’t a reason to care so much.

 

“S-Stop right there!”

 

I saw the soldiers holding the villagers hostage. Each one had their guns aimed at the crowd of people.

 

“I said stop right there!”

 

He shoved the gun closer to the side of the woman’s head. In response I stopped, just as he asked me to.

 

Off to the side I could see the soldier who helped me tied up and trapped.

 

“Ha… I don’t have time, what is it that you want?”

 

“We notified our higher ups about you, and until then you stay put or we kill each villager for each step you take!”

 

I was still somewhat far away and if he shot his gun to his hostage I would most definitely not be able to stop it in time… But that was if he shot his gun.

 

“...You made quite the amusing proposal, but who said that they didn’t already know? Did you do this because of greed? I assure you that you made the wrong choice today.”

 

“S-Shut up!!!”

 

“...But if there was one mistake that you shouldn’t have made… it was giving me time.”

 

The ground cracked and my hand sliced through the soldier’s neck, separating his head from his body. My hand covered the woman’s eyes.

 

“Close your eyes, it’ll all be over soon.”

 

I felt her eyelashes shutting together.

 

“A-AHHHHH!!!”

 

The soldiers aimed their guns at me, this time all of them shot their guns. I caught each and every bullet, making my hand feel numb. Kinetic energy was building up inside myself.

 

Click- Click-

 

‘Their magazines are empty…’

 

They frantically tried to get another to reload but it was far too late.

 

‘[Flow, Iai]’

 

My hand cut into a line in the air and the energy expelled from inside, their bodies fell to the ground with a thud.

 

“KYAAAAA!!!”

 

All the villagers screamed and parents covered the children’s eyes.

 

“Y-You monster! Get the hell away from us!”

 

“Now-”

 

As I was about to talk, various things were thrown at me. I accepted it and got hit until they were satisfied.

 

‘...We don’t have time…’

 

“...You don’t need to like me. And truthfully, I don’t like most of you. I’m doing this as a favor of Combat and Doctor to honor their deaths. Whether you want to get to the United States is up to you.”

 

“Now follow me, we don’t have time to stay here. If you want, cover your eyes and let someone else lead you.”

 

I saw in their eyes a new emotion except for reluctance, fear.

 

~~~~

 

Was the drama unnecessary? I think it was.

 

I think the next chapter will be the final one for this arc. (If not the next)

 

Also, I think chapter 100 is too much. I think maybe… 60-80 would be the most.

 

Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter.

 

(UNEDITED)