[1] Hongou Hina

[Continuing straight off from chapter 0.5]

In front of Koyo Girls Academy:

"Um, why are we waiting in front of a girl's only high school in a suspicious van that is used for kidnapping?"

Hiroki asked nervously, as this felt reasonably strange for him. Aside from wearing the casual clothes Mitani-san gave him, he was in the middle seat of the van alongside Nozomi while Mitani drove the van and Ichika was sitting behind, and the van they were in was suspiciously looking like a kidnapper van in, oh, so several movies.

"Because we are going to kidnap her," Ichika bluntly said with a gruff, without elaborating on it further.

"Oh, I see...Huh, wait what?!"

Hiroki was surprised with an agape jaw, but Ichika just ignored him, not bothering to explain it.

"You know, Koyo Girls Academy is a school for the well-off and rich types. Are you sure your 'unbelievably dangerous girl' is supposed to be attending there?"

Mitani asked with a skeptical tone as they drove past the high school and parked somewhere not so near or so far. Some of her subordinates and fellow yakuza had sent their kids here; even kids from huge crime syndicates attend here. But normally, they are not kidnapping one of those kids, so she was curious about who Ichika was going to point out.

"Shut up and just park the van, skank." Ichika said it with a grumpy attitude, as she was somewhat tired and just didn't want to explain.

"S-skank?! Me? I am as chaste as they come!"

Mitani protested being called a skank, as she believes she hasn't gotten that old after she transitioned from a hostess to a yakuza boss as she parked the van nearby the pedestal.

"Anyways, you still haven't told anything about her, though? I need at least some information, you know."

Nozomi asked with a skeptical face, as she wanted more than just statements to know whether she was worth all of this.

"Ugh, because I know damn well that you all ain't going to trust me."

Ichika told me with a groan as her eyes then darted outside the school entrance. She's confident that they are not going to believe her if she just says it now, and she's just waiting for the said girl to arrive.

"Just look for yourself," Ichika said as she pointed outside the school gate as the figure finally came to the academy entrance gate.

"Huh? Who?"

"????"

Hiroki and Nozomi's eyes darted in the direction Ichika pointed out.

They saw a harmless college girl with star pupils bidding farewell to her friend. Strange star pupils and a physique that looks quite stable but is frankly normal for a high school female student.

"Hongou Hina, a.k.a. 'The Deadliest Schoolgirl in Japan.' A freak of nature once stood at the center of a plot to overthrow the damn government."

Ichika said it with absolute seriousness, but, like she had expected, they got more skeptical and doubtful.

"Um, no offense, Ichika San, but, uh, are you sure this is the 'dangerous' one? She looks pretty normal in my eyes."

Hiroki told with skepticism as he rubbed his eyes and looked at Hina again, mostly because he knows looks are deceiving, but what Ichika told felt like a heavy stretch even for him.

"Yup, I am with Hiroki on this one. I may be unemployed, but that doesn't mean I don't want to waste time, you know?"

Nozomi replied in a tired voice and a sigh as she wondered whether Ichika was pulling her leg now as petty revenge or something during their past mishaps.

Meanwhile, Mitani was trying her best to contain her laughter as Ichika gave her the death glare.

"Ah, taking that as a joke, huh? Ever heard of the Army of God?"

As she uttered the name, Mitani stopped laughing, and of course Hiroki and Nozomi's focus went to Ichika.

"Army Of God?...You mean that religious group?"

Nozomi asked with a teensy bit of doubt, as she isn't much of a news watcher since she needs to run her own damn life before watching news on others lives in the first place.

"They are like a teensy bit radical, right?"

Mitani asked as she was wearing her cool-looking sunglasses when Ichika started to talk about them and just wanted to look cool.

"I think calling them a teensy bit radical is a heavy understatement."

Hiroki replied as he was sweating bullets since he knows a bit about this Army of God thanks to news coverage and even documentaries on them. Something he watched without his mom's knowledge and well, he couldn't sleep for 3 days due to the explicit content shown in the documentary. Yeah, definitely one of the top 10 unpleasant experiences in his life.

"Yeah, no shit, teensy bit my ass; they are an ultra-radical religious cult. What I am about to tell you is something I learned from a public safety acquaintance, so zip your mouth & ass and make sure you don't tell this shit outside."

"3 years ago, the Army of God was planning to use chemical weapons to do some real biological terrorism shit. Like they had this whole coup d'état planned, saying they were going to bring 'Salvation to Mankind.' or something on lines of that."

"...W-what?!" Hiroki asked with heavy concern and a reasonable shock, as this felt more like the sci-fi dystopian stories he read during some comic fest.

"Wait, wait, wait?! Ch-chemical weapons?! T-terrorism?! This is already a really, really bad start." Mitani said it with high concern, as this was new territory even for the yakuza boss, who has money issues. Sure many organization did have issues with the government but going as far as chemical weapons though...

No shit, Sherlock, make sure that you ain't telling this anywhere; who knows what'll happen if this shit gets outside?" Ichika said grumpily that she knew she had to tell this to get their trust, and thankfully they are trusting her instead of suspecting her since she's a crooked cop and such.

"So, did the police—or, well, the military—prevent the attack?"

Nozomi asked Ichika, as her mind was reaching new limits of fatigue as she heard all of this concerning shit, for which Ichika replied in kind.

"Nah, it's that just before the cult could do shit, their founder, Takahashi Chogen, died all of a sudden, Government must have sent a top agent to end him off. Since the leader and figure of order of those lunatics died, it didn't take long for them to implode and tear each other apart, and with that, the plot was never executed. That girl who was adopted by the cult's founder, was 14 at the time. Well, but now she's adopted by rich folks and living the princess life. and whatnot."

"Oh, for a second, I thought you would say that she was part of the scheming." Hiroki said with a sigh that he would definitely pass out if she said something that outlandish.

"Yup, similar thoughts here, plus, it just sounds like she got a pretty good deal...Please tell me that you aren't saying that she was part of scheming at the age of 14, do you?"

Nozomi asked Ichika with reasonable skepticism, for which Ichika groaned.

"Remember, I said the cult fell apart after the leader's death, right? Well, it doesn't end there. Public safety is going to keep a tab on anyone who got mixed up on this till they die, as they are watched every single hour."

"Was Hina part of something in the cult that made her a high priority?" Hiroki asked, as it did feel like she's leading the conversation on that topic.

"Bingo kiddo, the reason being that their crazy leader was so serious about throwing hands with the government that he gathered the best among the deluded followers to make an elite force that can go on par with the military and can fight to the level of pro's and wield firearms as if they were breathing in them. So as you would figure, Hina was thrown into that hell by his adopted dad and had all that training drill into her."

Ichika said as she started to open her pack of cigarettes to take one cigarette.

"Wow, that's quite sad."

Hiroki told her, feeling sympathy over the fact that Hina did not have a normal childhood. Sure, reading about a child trained to be a soldier would be badass in comics but he's sure that in real- life, that's a nightmare. At least he had a normal life, thankfully.

"You can't do shit about that kid; you cannot choose your parents. Maybe we're not too different in that sense."

Ichika said as she took the single cigarette she needed and put the remaining in her pocket, as she had nostalgic memories over not so nostalgic things.

"Well anyways, so after that, every member who was under that special unit is the priority surveillance target, which also includes Hina... or rather included."

Ichika said as she lit her cigarette and used it. Hiroki gently moved away from the cigarette stench and just closed his nose

"One day, an order came from the higher ups, right out of the blue, which said that surveillance on Hongou Hina is to be discontinued, Tout Suite, as in right that instant."

"W-wait really?" Mitani asked, as she definitely didn't see an order like that come this fast.

"That sounds quite sudden." Hiroki added on.

"Maybe the higher-ups figured out that she didn't pose any danger. That's what I'd honestly think, like she is still a minor." Nozomi said with a deadpan look.

"Yeah, I figured that; this is how you'd think; however, a former adherent to the cult actually gave us a testimony."

Ichika said as she puffed off the cigarette smoke, which Hiroki didn't breathe as he had shut his nose quite well, and Nozomi waved away the smoke as she opened the van window.

[Testimony: XX]

The man wearing a white dress with palpitating eyes and intense sweat in palms and face started to speak

Yes, the supreme leader devoted every ounce of his being to bringing salvation to mankind!! But he only began to call for armed insurrection after adopting her. It's as if...

"That girl...That girl!! That cursed devil!! She changed our leader!!"

[End of Testimony]

"Um, is it really worth it to get her? L-like..."

Hiroki asked with slight fear, as he started to feel like they were trying to chew more than they could eat. He could genuinely feel horror creep into him with a spine-chilling feeling

"Wait, wait, so you mean that girl was pulling the strings?!"

Mitani asked as she sweated buckets on the sheer ridiculousness yet utter terror over such a thing. This is akin to kidnapping a devil which is in the guise of a child if this is true.

"Well, it's just a testimony, nothing so concrete, but if you combine that with the surveillance part, it would make some scary amount of sense."

Ichika grumbled as she took her cigarette. Nozomi, however, who knew this chance wouldn't come again, got out of the van as Hina passed by them.

"Nice, she has a good marketing hook; now I need to see whether she has a good right hook."

"Hey!" Mitani called Hina out in distress.

"Didn't you hear what Ichika-san was saying right now?!" Hiroki said exasperatedly.

"Hey, little miss terrorist, why don't you come and play with me for a bit?"

Nozomi asked with a smile as she cracked her knuckles. While Hiroki felt like he wanted to facepalm, as he went to his pocket for a confiscated taser that Ichika had given to him

"Are you sure? You could get yourself killed doing this."

She told with a smile, while in contrast, not bothering to hide the massive hostility in her voice.

"Ah fuck," Hiroki thought to himself. As this definitely didn't bode well to him.

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"Hongou Hina, just play with me for a bit."

Nozomi said as she warmed herself up with some jumps.

"Hmm, nope, not public safety; they would be using tasers on me the moment they find me suspicious, but... I am only attending my school, so that means you're not police."

Hina told me with a smile as she kept her bag aside and slowly walked towards Nozomi.

"Well, whoever you are, are you ready to die?"

Hina asked as she stepped forward, and Nozomi, without wasting any time, put a leg forward and, with all she had, unleashed a low kick, aiming at her elbow.

However, in what felt like a split second, Hina retaliated with a powerful roundhouse kick aiming towards Nozomi's head, and that kick made a slight crack and a heavy explosive sound. However, the first to notice an oddity was Hina herself. Nozomi had reacted in time and blocked it with her arm.

"Oh? Wow, you actually blocked it; you're pretty good, miss."

Hina spoke with a bubbly voice, as Nozomi was almost staggering from that kick as she balanced herself.

'FUCK FUCK FUCK!! I can feel that hit right through my bone!...' Nozomi thought to herself as she was balancing herself and calming down right now.

'Not only did she dodge my low kick, but she limped her leg and then used the momentum of my kick to speed up herself and counter-attack my kick with a spinning roundhouse.'

Nozomi looked at Hina and had thoughts that were on the borderline of being happy to find a good fighter or going crazy because of how absurd her torque and reaction timing are at such a young age.

'Ichika was right, that torque and reaction timing are not of amateurs; that's in line with professional fighters or even more. I may have a detached retina, but I know a good fighter when I see one. This kid is just nuts!'

"Hmm, that's strange. I thought you were a slowpoke, but maybe I was mistaken."

Nozomi looked at her with a pretty confused face as Hina approached Nozomi with her hands behind her and with no care while slowly tilting her head around.

"Well, this may be fun after all. Let's keep playing!"

She got a bit closer; however, she collapsed to the floor as Hiroki used a taser gun and tased her from behind in a split moment as he was drawing heavy breath from sheer anxiety.

"You will truly walk in my footsteps; I am glad to see that you were able to do it flawlessly on your first try."

Ichika said with a proud grin as she patted Hiroki's shoulder.

"Well, if I hadn't, I am sure I would have been dead either in your hand or her hand."

Hiroki said with a sigh.

"Ichika, you really need to explain why you have given Hiroki a confiscated weapon."

Mitani asked as she looked at Ichika with a death glare, as Ichika just turned around and started to whistle.

Hiroki sighed and had a fleeting thought. 'God, maybe I shouldn't have stuck with them. Oh well, beggars can't be choosers.' Hiroki said to himself, plus he did technically became a partner in crime after literally kidnapping a rich parents adopted daughter, so he definitely has to roll around.

"What is the pause for? We need to take this girl away before the actual police come and see us like this."

Nozomi said as she held the passed-out Hina with one arm, as her other arm was hurting really bad. Immediately Mitani and Hiroki went to help her.

"I am a cop too, dammit." Ichika complained, feeling slightly offended that she's getting lumped with the term 'thug' rather than 'police'.

After that awkward incident but successful kidnapping, they carried Hina into the van and reached an abandoned factory, which was pretty far off from the crowded city, as they tied Hina to the chair while handcuffing her with aluminum cuffs and blindfolded her just to be safe.

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"Is your hand good, Nozomi-san?" Hiroki asked as he bandaged her arm, since he was somewhat experienced in first aid and bandaging from youtube videos.

"Yeah, i am good Hiroki, her kick didn't break my bone, thankfully." Nozomi replied with a smile as she put an ice pack in the injured place after Hiroki put on the bandages.

"Gotta say, this kid is nuts; I would have thought you were exaggerating if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes."

Nozomi told Ichika as she came forward to get a much better look at Hina. Aside from her crazy background, her combat scope is way beyond her age, which just confirms that she did get trained as a child soldier real hard.

"Hehe, didn't I tell you that? You should have taken my word." Ichika said with a grin, as the work was executed solidly without any issues except the usage of the confiscated taser.

'Ugh, we're just digging ourselves deeper.' A thought that both Mitani and Hiroki had. Both who had the single braincell sharing pacifism felt like something is going to get jinxed real bad.

"Hmm, hmm, hmm~ You guys are certainly not from public safety; that taser hurts a bit more than it normally does. Plus, they would make sure to put me in a more well-contained place rather than an abandoned factory."

Hina talked cheerfully as if this is a daily thing for her as everyone kept quiet, including Hiroki.

"I would guess that there are at least 4 people here: 3 adults and a high schooler from the voices I heard before I passed out from the taser, plus footsteps too, and...a police officer from a different department. Public safety always uses steel cuffs on me, but this is aluminum."

"Wow, uh, she figured out a lot of things." Hiroki thought as he was surprised that she figured out her kidnappers this quick.

"Alright, enough detective crap, kid, You do realize the situation you're in, right? I can instantly lock you in for assault and you know, people will trust a police officer over a high schooler."

Ichika said in the usual threatening cop tone as she maintained distance since she definitely didn't trust Hina enough to get close and comfy.

"Ah, yes, I see. You do have the high ground on credibility. It seems you guys thought real long and hard on how to catch me, eh? Plus, since you're this confident i guess you must be from the juvenile department since only they hold that much power when it comes to high schooler cases"

Hina said with a cherry smile as she was deciphering her perpetrator identity for the fun and pass time.

"You should get it by now, Your life is in our hands." Ichika said in a slightly irritated tone. Even though they were supposed to be in the high ground of negotiation not only was this girl was not faltering but also dominant. However what she told got Hina smile in a very twisted way which fit more of a deranged sociopath.

"My life in your hands...? My, you shouldn't be so confident, How can you be so sure? I'd say your lives are in my hands."

Hina spoke with such a relaxed voice yet she unleashed such a killer aura in those words that all 4 could feel it as they shuddered from that murderous aura which did not fit her appearance.

"T-the f-fuck?! "Why can't I move my body? She is on a whole other level." Hiroki screamed inside his head as he felt himself be paralyzed by fear. What the black guy did and whatever he felt in the past literally melted away.

"The fuck?! She's so chill. Oh lord...that's the only possibility which can explain her behavior."

[Record: XX]

[The 'Army Of God' had developed chemical weapons; after they were dismantled, those facilities were as good as abandoned and all their chemical weapons are disposed of, or that is how the story goes.]

However, people in the PD (Police Department) shared a different story with absolute confidence. Before it could all be seized, it's very likely that some of the chemical weapons were lifted from the facility.

[End of Record]

"This brat...was that her work?! If she has access to those chemical weapons, it will make sense why the higher-ups would end their surveillance on her, she has the whole police department as hostage!"

Ichika thought with a scorn, the fact that a high school was holding the police department in her hands through sheer fear is both terrifying and irritating as a police officer.

"Ichika, this girl is really, really scary. Can we just please get out here?....The way she gives me goosebumps is just too ominous." Mitani whispered as she was reasonably scared over how relaxed Hina is acting even though they kidnapped her; meanwhile, Hiroki was standing behind Nozomi, as he felt the most safe beside her and his face was as pale as Ice cream at this point.

"Yup, i cannot let Hana and the brat know this now; if she did know, she may as well die of shock at this point." Ichika thought to herself.

Meanwhile, Hina hummed with curiosity as she swung her head around in a slightly uncanny way.

"Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm~ Anyways, what do you like me to do? If I can, I can totally do it and help y'all out."

Hina said with a smile. This, reasonably enough, caught all 4 of them off-guard.

"...Huh?" A question popped into the heads of all 4 of them. Sudden change of behavior, subject and interest, something which definitely caught them off guard and their attention.

"The one who blocked my kick. I am really interested in you, miss."

Hina told in a chirpy tone, which not only got Nozomi's focus on her even more but also was a bit skeptical on where she's trying to get at as many clack sounds could be heard from behind Hina as if bones and muscle were getting twisted.

"This is the very first time I wasn't able to eliminate a slowpoke. Even though you were slow, i couldn't finish you off, it's just so intriguing you know~"

"Um, is that a compliment, or is she just offended?" Hiroki asked with a palpable face of concern, as he felt that if she's offended, then this might as well be the right time to scram.

"I don't think I want to find that out kid." Nozomi said, as she felt nervous about how Hina phrased that. She doesn't know if Hina's amused by that aspect or offended by it. 

"It's so interesting to know there is someone who I can't predict, that excitement is just something i craved and relished, so can we please keep playing, miss?"

She asked them as she stood up from the chair and walked to them.

"Wait, how did she?!?-" Hiroki was surprised as Hina effortlessly got up, even though she was handcuffed in a way she couldn't get up.

"Oh, but please let me go to school; I like going to that school," Hina told as she swayed her hand, revealing that she had dislocated her right-hand thumb to slip off from the cuffs, immediately answering Hiroki's question on how she stood up.

"Her handcuffs. She dislocated her thumb to slip it off her hand!" Mitani thought, she knew she could be tolerant of pain but dear lord this was borderline inhuman for her

Hiroki, who was standing behind Nozomi, winced because of how painful it looked, as Hina didn't bother about it and relocated it back as she opened up her blindfolds.

"So, what do you need me to do?" Hina asked casually, while looking like the devil incarnate in front of the 4 who had 'kidnapped' her as her eyes had the ominous glow and her strange star pupils didn't help at all.

The 4 people who did kidnap her realized that they were caught in a storm that they had unintentionally created, as on that day, their fate would change in a really big way.