The Absolute Speed of a Certain Comic'

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"Da-da-da-da-da-da!"

The gunfire grew louder, quickly reaching the ears of everyone in the theater, abruptly silencing the faint whispers and peculiar groans that had filled the air.

Ryoji instinctively tried to stand, but he stopped short when he noticed the legal loli lying in his arms.

She didn't seem to have woken up; her breathing remained calm and steady. His hesitation made him pause.

"Ora ora! Everyone, get the hell out of here!"

Before long, as panic began to spread, a shadowy figure suddenly barged into the screening room.

He fired his weapon into the ceiling with a series of deafening rat-a-tat-tats, seemingly satisfied with the screams that followed, then bellowed at the stunned audience.

The man was lean, clad in black tactical gear, with his face concealed behind a gas mask. His body was wrapped tightly, and in his hands, he held what appeared to be an M4 assault rifle.

The abrupt gunfire sent waves of screams echoing through the room. Under the threat of death, the audience reluctantly rose from their seats, fear etched into their faces as they obeyed his orders and shuffled out of the theater.

Ryoji gently set the legal loli onto a nearby seat before quietly standing. He followed the instructions, stepping toward the exit, but his right hand subtly curled as if preparing for action.

If I move fast enough, I could launch a surprise attack and—

"...Don't act rashly."

A deliberately low voice interrupted his thoughts.

The legal loli had opened her eyes at some point, and she reached out to tug at his shirt, warning him sternly in a whisper.

"We don't know how many of them there are or how many hostages they've taken. Don't make any reckless moves."

Ryoji hesitated, his actions momentarily paused.

She had a point.

From the scale of the earlier gunfire, it was clear that this wasn't just one lone gunman. There was a high probability that this was a team. If they were scattered around searching for hostages, there would likely be other terrorists and numerous captives in other parts of the building.

Even if he took this one down, without a plan to free the hostages, they'd remain at a severe disadvantage.

Ryoji took several deep breaths, calming his pounding heart.

This was his first encounter with terrorists, and he couldn't help but feel a surge of nervousness clouding his judgment.

Fortunately, he had the legal loli with him.

"What's the plan?"

Ryoji decided to defer entirely to her.

As the League's third-ranked world-class Blazer, Saikyou Nene was no stranger to international rescue operations. Whether participating in proxy wars or combating terrorist organizations, her extensive experience made her an invaluable ally in this situation.

"Follow their instructions for now. We need to regroup with the hostages first. Once they're safe, we'll have room to act without hesitation."

The legal loli wasted no time making the call, her seasoned expertise shining through as she made the most rational decision.

"That works. But I have an idea…"

Ryoji glanced at the gunman holding the assault rifle, his voice low as he made a suggestion.

"Worth trying." The legal loli considered briefly before giving a nod.

"Hey! You two bastards over there, what are you waiting for? Get out here now! Or do you want to eat a bullet?"

The man scanned the room, spotting the two still lingering. His irritation flared as he stormed toward them, weapon in hand, yelling furiously.

Unbeknownst to him, as he approached, the look in Ryoji and the legal loli's eyes grew sharper, filled with a dangerous intensity.

…

One Floor Below – Food Street

"Move faster!"

"Stop dawdling!"

The harsh voices of armed men echoed as panicked patrons of the food court were herded along.

Under the urging of several men clad in black tactical gear, dozens of hostages were gathered like frightened ducks from all corners of the shopping mall, eventually corralled into the open plaza of the food street.

It was clear that these terrorists intended to use them as hostages, aiming to extract ransom or achieve political goals.

"This equipment standard and movement pattern… could it be Rebellion?"

Saikyou Nene blended into the crowd of hostages. Her petite stature didn't draw much attention, allowing her to carefully observe the terrorists' outfits and behavior.

From their movements alone, it was evident they were seasoned criminals. It wasn't difficult to deduce that this was an organized and premeditated operation.

Terrorist organizations in this world were rampant.

The root cause lay in the nature of a world dominated by Blazers. Blazers with rebellious personalities who lacked disciplined training often strayed from the chivalric path, turning into villains who found joy in killing.

Some of these rogue Blazers were extremely powerful, capable of annihilating cities and slaughtering millions with ease. Such individuals often banded together, forming the world's largest criminal organization—Rebellion.

Rebellion, along with the International Magic Knights League and the Union, was one of the three major organizations in the world.

The International Magic Knights League had been established after World War II, spearheaded by Britain and composed primarily of smaller nations like Japan, France, Israel, and Iraq. 

It served as an international regulatory body overseeing all aspects of Blazer education, employment, and the granting or revocation of their qualifications. All Blazer-related activities required the League's approval.

The Union, on the other hand, was a loosely connected alliance of major powers, including the Chinese Federation, the United States, Russia, and several Arab nations. The formation of this alliance had indirectly led to the creation of the League.

Finally, there was the international terrorist organization— Rebellion.

This group misused Blazers' special abilities and believed that Blazers were a "chosen elite," while ordinary people were "inferior beings." They advocated for a world where Blazers ruled over "lower humans," creating a utopia exclusively for the chosen.

This ideology directly contradicted the global consensus: Blazers should protect ordinary people without abilities. Rebellion's actions—spreading terror worldwide—had earned it the reputation of a notorious terrorist organization and the ire of nations across the globe.

"If that's the case, these armed men are likely just 'followers.' There should also be an 'Apostle' directing them from the shadows."

Saikyou Nene speculated silently.

As one of the three major organizations, Rebellion had developed a highly structured hierarchy.

Although their core ideology was to build a new world centered around Blazers, many mistakenly believed Rebellion was an organization composed entirely of Blazers. However, this wasn't true.

Over 90% of Rebellion's members were ordinary people who aligned with their vision of a new world. These "followers" were typically armed with conventional weapons, while the elite Blazers—referred to as "Apostles"—were far fewer in number.

The Apostles, as Blazers, commanded the ordinary soldiers who acted as followers. This formed the backbone of Rebellion's operational strategy.

Thus, the soldiers present now were merely the small fry. The real threat was the unseen Apostle—the elite Blazer under Rebellion's banner.

"Sensei, I'm so glad you're here!"

As Saikyou Nene contemplated ways to lure out the Apostle, Stella's deliberately hushed voice sounded beside her.

(End of Chapter)