[24] Movement (III)

Yukikaze growled, gritting her teeth, not expecting the situation to turn out like this. Her sharp gaze was filled with murderous intent as she glared at Kaoru with fiery anger. Meanwhile, Kaoru remained calm, savouring his last glass of vodka with serene elegance, as if nothing in the world could bother him.

On the other hand, Rinko kept her composure, even though the situation was far from what she had anticipated. In truth, she was grateful that Kaoru was there, though she wasn't entirely sure of his fighting ability. However, based on the information she had, Kaoru was the one who destroyed the research facility that once imprisoned Shiranui, so she was confident Kaoru was strong enough to handle himself, and perhaps even help them out of this predicament.

"We were planning to begin this operation after silencing the person who ordered us, before you showed up and ruined everything," said Rinko coldly, a tinge of irritation in her voice.

Kaoru appeared to remember something, then with a relaxed gesture, he lifted the blanket from the bed. "You mean this person?" he asked, revealing an old man bound and gagged beneath the covers.

"WHAT?!" Yukikaze and Rinko reacted in shock, utterly astonished by what they saw.

With a satisfied grin, Kaoru explained, "Of course, I couldn't have been the one to order these new prostitutes because the two of you were already booked by someone. So, I found out who that someone was. And lo and behold, I found this old man, who turns out to be a politician. I knocked him out, took his identity, and came here to take his place."

Rinko and Yukikaze were still dumbfounded, trying to process what had just happened. Kaoru, still calm, continued, "The people around didn't seem to notice because I used an illusion to make them see me as this old man here."

"In any case, your actions were careless. Did you not realise that your disguise was too perfect? That in itself is suspicious," Kaoru remarked mockingly as he covered the old man back up with the blanket.

Yukikaze, brimming with confidence, puffed out her not-so-prominent chest and proudly declared, "Of course! After all, we are the great Taimanin!"

Kaoru could only shake his head, almost unable to believe Yukikaze's arrogance. "Good grief..."

Rinko, the only one still thinking clearly, asked with growing concern, "So, has our cover been blown?"

Kaoru looked at them seriously, his gaze piercing through the core of the issue. "Of course. Did you really think that by posing as new prostitutes, you could easily sneak in here without arousing suspicion? There are CCTV cameras everywhere, and you two are easily recognisable because of your reputation. I even overheard some people here talking about your last operation against a criminal syndicate at a tavern. Do you think the people running this brothel are blind to information? They know exactly who you are."

Yukikaze and Rinko exchanged glances, the fear and realisation of their failure slowly creeping into their hearts. Rinko tried to remain calm, though inside, she felt the immense pressure of the situation they were now in, a situation that was growing more dangerous by the second.

"We need to act now," Rinko whispered urgently, her eyes full of resolve as she looked at Kaoru.

Kaoru nodded, his gaze shifting to Yukikaze, who appeared both surprised and slightly embarrassed. "You came here to find your father, right?" Kaoru asked, his tone a bit softer but still serious. Yukikaze turned her head away, trying to hide her emotions.

"Hmph, of course. What else?" Yukikaze replied firmly, though clearly shaken.

Kaoru, his calm but calculating expression unwavering, continued, "Then, follow my plan. Soon, this place is going to descend into chaos. I can't hear any music from downstairs, which means they already know we're intruders." His voice carried a sense of urgency, as if every second mattered, yet he remained unshaken by the situation.

Rinko, still caught between curiosity and the tension that enveloped the room, asked seriously, "So, what's your plan?"

A smile formed on Kaoru's face, a smile filled with confidence and a hint of madness, as though he had everything prepared from the beginning. His eyes flashed red, like a warning light signalling danger, but also hinting at an unstoppable force. "Simple. We stop hiding and fight them. They think they can defeat us? It's time to show them who's really in control."

Yukikaze and Rinko were momentarily speechless, as if entranced by the sheer courage and mental strength Kaoru had just displayed. Their hearts raced, not out of fear, but from the adrenaline now pumping through their veins.

"You're insane—" Yukikaze began to object, her voice full of doubt and worry. But before she could finish, the door was smashed open with tremendous force, splintering into shards of wood. The sound of the wood exploding echoed throughout the room.

A massive figure entered, his body wrapped in thick muscle, with mechanical arms gleaming with advanced technology. Every step he took shook the floor, showcasing an undeniable brute strength. His cyborg arms emitted a grinding metallic sound as he swung a deadly punch towards Kaoru.

"See, I told you," Kaoru remarked calmly, as if everything was going according to plan. Meanwhile, Yukikaze and Rinko hurried to prepare themselves. With graceful but determined movements, they began donning their battle attire, their bodies glowing with magical energy, transforming in a style reminiscent of magical girls. Their armour formed in flashes of light, as if a sacred ritual was taking place.

Kaoru, still wearing his deadpan expression, watched the transformation with a faint smile on his lips. Casually, he stopped the enemy's iron fist with one hand, the sound of metal clashing reverberating, yet Kaoru remained unfazed. With slight pressure, he crushed the iron hand, shattering it into pieces of metal, making the hulking man scream in pain. Though the hand was mechanical, the nerves were connected to his brain, making him feel very real pain.

Effortlessly, Kaoru kicked the man, sending him flying into the wall, where he collapsed and instantly passed out. All of this happened in the blink of an eye, before Yukikaze and Rinko had even completed their transformation. When they were finally ready, armour on and weapons in hand, they could only look around in confusion, seeing that the battle was already over.

Kaoru looked at them with visible exasperation in his eyes. "Seriously? You're copying Super Sentai or something?!" Kaoru complained, his voice half in disbelief, half reproach.

Yukikaze, having just completed her transformation, felt both flustered and angry. "We're not copying anyone! It's part of Taimanin tradition!"

"Tradition or not, you just wasted precious time," Kaoru replied firmly but calmly. "Enemies won't wait for you to finish your dramatic transformations."

Rinko could only sigh deeply, though in her heart, she knew Kaoru had a point. "Alright, what's important now is that we continue with our mission. There are more enemies out there that we need to face."

Kaoru nodded in agreement, his eyes flashing again, ready for whatever was coming next. "Let's go, time to make this night unforgettable—not for us, but for them."