Chapter 56: Illusion Smoke Villain – Haze Fog ③

Soothing Sudama is easy.

She’s my childhood friend. Just giving her a little attention is enough.

Once I finished up with the housework, I indulged her.

Sudama, purring happily on my lap pillow, was enough to make Usuzumi visibly uncomfortable.

"Think you’ll be able to live with this bunch? I mean, it’s relatively safe here, all things considered."
"If I had to face everyone present at once, I’d need to bring along an army…"

Hmm. Usuzumi doesn’t know Sudama can transform into a huge monster.

So her assessment must mostly be about Ironclad and D.E.T.O.N.A.T.E. Huh.

Mio—Flux—still hasn’t shown himself. Since he doesn’t, I also refrain from mentioning him.

If Usuzumi knew her favorite idol lived here, she’d probably lose it and storm out. After all, she once declared she was the type who didn’t want to be acknowledged by her oshi.

On Mio’s side, he’s probably wary of Usuzumi.

It’s unfortunate to keep him on alert even at home, but for Usuzumi’s own safety, it’s better this way.

I don’t believe Usuzumi herself is dangerous, but there’s no guarantee assassins won’t come again, aiming for her—or for my drugs.

But if all they wanted was the drugs, it’d be much easier.

I carry them around. And even if not, there are plenty stored in the lab.

Unless… it’s because I’m under guard, and that makes it difficult.

Maybe I should retrieve the ones stored in the lab too.

If the lab were attacked and Professor Tsukishima was endangered, that would be a disaster. She’s my benefactor.

"Well, I’ll head over to the university for a bit."
"At this hour?"

The sun had set. But universities are full of people with broken body clocks, so they’re lively even at night.

With a student ID, you can enter the labs anytime.

I’d check on the drugs, and if all was well, bring them home.

The moment I stood up, Sudama’s ears drooped sadly.

"I’ll pet you again when I get back."
"Hmph, and you think that’ll appease me? The night streets are dangerous—take Jin or Detonate with you."
"Wouldn’t that be more dangerous?"

People might report us: “There’s a shady man abducting a poor innocent young girl!”

When I walk outside with D.E.T.O.N.A.T.E., I hold his hand so we don’t get separated, but even then, someone almost reported us once.

I’m clearly the one leading him by the hand, but his aura of madness makes him look like the kidnapper.

A well-meaning passerby actually lifted their phone to their ear, face frozen in fear, muttering, "Should I call the police…!?"

I quickly gave them a thumbs-up and a “no worries” look, then pointed at D.E.T.O.N.A.T.E., spun my finger near my temple, and bowed, as if to say, “He’s family, just… not all there.” That seemed to reassure them.

Ever since hanging out with Nemunemu, my gesture-game has improved.

"I could go instead, but with this look, people tend to underestimate me. Sometimes you need sheer presence—the kind that makes people know, instantly, they can’t win."
"Yeah, anyone who sees Jin and D.E.T.O.N.A.T.E. would U-turn right away."

A yakuza-faced musclehead and a madman-faced lunatic. Even grown men would bolt if they saw them at night.

"Or maybe Mio—"
"Sudama, shhh."
"Hm? Ah… never mind."
"Anyway, I’m going. I’ll be back quick."

I brushed off Sudama’s grumbling and headed out to the university.

Usuzumi also waved, saying, "Take care."

I do care a little about appearances, after all.

I’m heading to the university. What would happen if I brought along a yakuza-faced brute or a maniac-faced lunatic?

I don’t even want to find out.

And Sudama suggested it casually, but Jin? He wouldn’t come. He’d just tell me, "Die on your own," and that’d be it.

I retrieved the drugs from the lab and was heading home quickly.

On the night road, under a streetlight, I spotted a man looking up at the stars.

It’d be rash to label him a suspicious person for that alone.

There’s a cigarette in his mouth—maybe just an ordinary guy smoking outdoors.

Wouldn’t it be riskier to deliberately change course?

I hurried my steps to pass by, but then he spoke.

"’Scuse me, miss. Got a moment?"
"I’m good, thanks."
"Aw, don’t be like that."

The best way to deal with street pick-ups is to ignore them.

But the only reason I even replied was because I didn’t think this man’s aim was picking up women.

After seeing so many villains, I can read that vibe now.

"Invitation from Delta. Turn it down, and you’ll regret it. But hey, do as you like."

With practiced ease, the man pulled out a lighter and lit his cigarette.

Apparently, it hadn’t been lit this whole time.

"…Illusion Smoke Villain, Haze Fog?"
"Oh, you’ve heard of me? Guess I’ve gotten famous. What a drag."

He muttered the complaint with the smoke, which vanished into the air.

He calls himself “the old man,” and yeah, Haze Fog really is one.

Jaded atmosphere, weary demeanor, tired features.

Probably handsome when he was younger—or maybe he still is?

Holding his cigarette between his middle and ring fingers, Haze Fog scratched at his stubbled cheek.

Well, I didn’t expect this.

Right after hearing about his reputation, to have the man himself show up.

I grinned and accepted his invitation.

"Works for me. I’ve been wanting a direct talk anyway. You gonna take me to Delta?"
"Like I’d let that happen."

—This time, he came fast.

With a crackle like static electricity, the Thunderbolt Hero Raiden appeared.

"Dark roads are dangerous, young lady. You never know when some weirdo might show up."

Haze Fog frowned. It wasn’t being called a weirdo that bothered him—it was Raiden showing up.

"Yikes. Raiden’s a bad match for me. Maybe I should just come back later."

"Aw, don’t say that! Stick around and chat for a bit. It’s our first meeting, right? Let’s introduce ourselves! I’m Raiden, and my favorite food is sushi!"

"Well, in Japan it’d be rarer to find someone who doesn’t like sushi, wouldn’t it? Shouldn’t you say what topping you like best?"

"Anagol!"

"Nice choice. Now you’ve got me hungry too."

Apparently, Haze Fog was one of the rare villains Raiden could actually hold a conversation with. While slipping away from Raiden’s crackling bursts of electricity by dissolving into smoke, Haze Fog kept tossing out quips. The two might even be similar types.

"I’m more of an eel guy (girl) myself, but I’ve got nothing against sea eel either."

"Yeah, it’s tasty, but lately I’ve been worrying about it going extinct!"

"Human sins have a way of driving species to extinction."

—Was that a metaphor for Delta, trying to build a society of ability-users only? Pulling that from a talk about eels… that’s some serious conversational skill.

As for me, I had no place in this kind of superpowered battle. All I could tell was that there were sparks crackling and smoke billowing. For some reason—maybe by design—I wasn’t in any real danger either.

Clapping my hands together, I made a proposal to the two of them.

"Alright, compromise time. Raiden, why don’t you come with us to Delta?"

"Young lady. It’s true, Delta only told me to bring you. If I also drag along the hero they consider a mortal enemy, I’ll probably get chewed out. Maybe worse."

Being an adult sure sounds tough. Haze Fog nimbly shrugged his shoulders while dodging Raiden’s bolts.

"Getting erased is the last thing I want. When you’re dealing with villains, you’ve got to assume they could kill you at any time. That’s how you stay alive."

"See? You get it. I feel like we could get along."

Agreeing with Haze Fog, I nodded. That earned me a complaint from Raiden.

"Could you not try to get along with him!?"

"Wait, is that a ‘don’t get along with any guy but me’ kind of thing, Raiden?"

"Inori, this is not the time for jokes!"

Meanwhile, Haze Fog actually went along with my teasing. Grinning, he raised his right pinky finger.

"Oh? So you’re Raiden’s special someone?"

"That pinky thing—I only kinda get what it means. Something like, ‘we’re tied together by the red string of fate,’ right?"

"Naïve. But yeah, something like that."

Haze Fog folded his pinky back down and slipped a hand into his pocket. What he pulled out was a portable ashtray. Guess he wasn’t the littering type—points in his favor. After flicking away the stub, he immediately lit another cigarette. A chain-smoker, huh.

I gave my impression of him.

"I don’t mind talkative types. I’m not so good at reading people, so it’s easier when someone just says everything out loud and straight."

"Inori, you think you’re not good at reading people!? You should seriously rethink that self-assessment!"

"Huh? Should I rethink the second half too? I like people who speak straight, like you, Raiden."

"No, never mind. Keep the first half as is. You don’t understand me at all."

"Hah! You’re blunt when you want to be!"

I’m no mind reader, so of course I can’t tell what Raiden’s thinking. Seeing me laugh, Haze Fog laughed too, puffing smoke from his mouth.

"Raiden and Haze Fog are alike, don’t you think? I bet you’d get along. Look, he’s even a villain who carries a portable ashtray—responsible! Probably just ended up a villain for some tragic reason. Have a little sympathy."

"But he’s smoking while walking!"

"Ah, but this here isn’t a cigarette, it’s aroma therapy."

"Don’t burn incense in the middle of the street!"

"Bug repellent, bug repellent."

Haze Fog was full of nonsense. I liked him. Probably because I’m the kind of girl who spouts nonsense too—I get it.

"I’ve got a soft spot for anyone who’s willing to talk things out. Makes stalling for time real easy, you see."

What Haze Fog pulled from his pocket this time wasn’t a cigarette box or an ashtray. It was a switch—straight out of a movie. And when people press switches like that, it’s never good news.

"Click."

The moment Haze Fog pressed it, a thunderous boom! erupted. Fragments from a nearby wall came flying. I instinctively raised my arm to shield my face, but the debris… passed right through me.

Eyes wide, I looked down at myself. My body had gone faint. Transparent. No—this was smoke.

"Inori!"

Raiden’s anguished cry rang out as I was swallowed into the smoke together with Haze Fog.