16 Two Sides of Coin
Doctor Fang initiated an activation sequence, and Haku was taken aback as he witnessed something he had never seen before. "He's using mental interference magic to manipulate the woman's brain," Haku realized, frowning in disgust. This vile magic brought back memories of his past as an enslaved person, igniting a surge of anger within him.
Psions emerged in large quantities from the woman, and her green eyes glowed brightly in the room.
"Kill her, No. 1," Doctor Fang sneered.
No. 1 swiftly activated the Acceleration Systematic-type Magic on herself, drawing two swords from the scabbard on her back. Haku wasted no time and lunged towards her. With a skillful leap, No. 1 swung her left sword toward Haku's neck. He managed to evade the strike, but her right sword followed suit, aiming for his head.
Haku parried her attack with his Ice Lance, causing it to miss its mark. He retaliated by spinning the Ice Lance towards No. 1's right arm, causing her to lose her grip on the sword. She tried to counterattack with a diagonal slash to his neck, but Haku effortlessly blocked it with the staff part of the Ice Lance.
Clink!
The sound of the falling sword echoed in the room as No. 1 strained to overpower Haku's resistance. Failing to do so, she distanced herself from him and charged again, this time wielding the sword with both hands.
As they engaged in a fierce duel, Haku skillfully dodged, dove, and parried each of No. 1's swift blade strikes. His movements were a graceful dance that complemented his long loose hair, and traditional mask. The fight had an intense intent to kill from both sides.
As Haku parried, he sensed a turmoil of feelings within him. For the first time, No. 1 smiled with a pleading look, as if silently asking, "Please, end this." Tears streamed down her face as she continued to attack Haku.
He realized that he was fighting a living person, not a controlled puppet. While he could have ended the fight quickly, he felt compelled to investigate the secret behind Doctor Fang's magic. It turned out to be even worse than he had initially thought.
Using Elemental Sight, Haku targeted all the CAD rods scattered throughout the woman's body and used Sukunahikona to shrink them. As the CAD rods shrank, No. 1's movements abruptly stopped, and an eerie smile formed on her face, as if she had found a glimmer of hope amid darkness. Blood began to gush from her body, creating a horrifying spectacle.
"Thank you," she whispered faintly before charging at Doctor Fang with explosive killing intent.
Confused, Doctor Fang asked, "Wh-What happened?" but before he could grasp the situation, No. 1 plunged her sword into his stomach. "Do you know why I wanted to do this?!" she asked with a horrifying expression, her body drenched in blood.
"Ugh! Ahk!"
No. 1 seized Doctor Fang by the neck and threw him to the ground. As he struggled to contain the blood gushing from his stomach, No. 1 unleashed her rage upon him, brutally mutilating his body.
The sight was gruesome, and even adults could be psychologically affected by it. But Haku stood there with a blank expression, feeling strong enough to bear witness to the carnage.
In the end, Haku watched as the woman took her revenge, driving her sword into her own heart while Doctor Fang's screams faded away.
Holding the shattered remains of his Ice Lance, Haku lowered his gaze. This horrific incident strengthened his belief in the need for absolute power. Only with absolute power could he live free from the interference of others.
"Haha. This world is the worst."
Haku learned profound lessons from this harrowing experience.
---
(Maya's POV)
Finally!
My father has come to save me!
Tears of joy streamed down Maya's cheeks as she couldn't help but repeat those words in her mind. Grateful that her father had arrived sooner than expected, she couldn't fathom what might have happened had he not come.
Boom!
The sound of an explosion echoed through the air, accompanied by the flames that engulfed the metal door of the special lab where Maya was being held captive.
Her heart skipped a beat, and her elation reached its peak.
But her jubilation was short-lived as confusion clouded her eyes.
Who is she? Maya wondered.
The figure emerging from behind the flames was not the man she was waiting for. Instead, a masked girl, a few years older than her, stepped forward, dressed in a kimono that struck an unusual contrast with the intense setting.
The realization hit her – this girl was not her father, nor a member of the Yotsuba clan. Struggling to speak, her mouth gagged with a cloth, Maya wanted to ask if she was sent by Yotsuba, but she couldn't utter a word.
The masked girl glanced at the frightened scientists, then turned her gaze towards Maya.
"Hepp mi!" Maya's voice pleaded as she wriggled in an attempt to break free from her restraints.
To her surprise, the masked girl approached her. Maya could feel the cold emanating from her finger as ice gathered, forming a sharp knife. With swift precision, she cut the bonds that held Maya captive and then turned away, back to the scientists.
"Ho al yu!" Maya shouted, but the gag still impeded her words. Helplessly, she watched the girl extend her hand toward the scientists.
Fear and shock gripped her as she witnessed the ice needles pierce the scientists in an instant, without even a hint of psion light emanating from the girl. The display of power left Maya in no doubt – this girl was incredibly strong.
"Did my father send you here?" Maya managed to stammer, a glimmer of hope in her voice. She yearned for the reassurance that her family was there for her when she needed them the most.
"No," came the cold response.
The ground seemed to vanish beneath her as those two letters echoed in her ears.
Maya's naive hope had been crushed.
---
(Haku POV)
[Quest Success!]
As I eliminated everyone in the room except the research subject, the system notified me of the mission's accomplishment.
"Did my father send you here?"
A question came from behind me. I couldn't help but wonder if this girl was Japanese.
"No."
Who is this girl's father? I pondered as I made my way to the main computer and 'stored' it for later analysis.
Turning away from the scene, I noticed the girl visibly trembling, her fists clenched tightly.
'I see... she must be disappointed that I wasn't sent by her father,' I thought.
Whoever she is, it doesn't matter to me.
In this cruel world, having someone to rely on would be convenient, but reality tells us that we can only rely on ourselves, right?
After walking for a while, I finally exited the building, ensuring to erase any traces of my presence in this timeline.
Back in the forest, I made sure no one was around.
"Time to go back."
---
Entering the basement, I finally allowed myself a sigh of relief, feeling the tension ease from my shoulders.
But there's no time to just relax now.
Stepping into the elevator, the doors opened to reveal my reflection, completely naked. I couldn't help but chuckle at the sight. Note to self: find a material that won't vanish when I shrink down to the subatomic level.
[Sir, I was concerned you might get cold in that state.]
I nodded and replied, "Yeah, I know." My lips curved into a small smile as I spoke.
As I reached the ground floor, I dashed to my room to change into some clothes before returning to the lab.
"So it's true. I can return to the same time as when I traveled to the past."
"The magic of this place is truly astonishing," I exclaimed in wonder.
[It is indeed fascinating, sir. But if you don't mind, I suggest focusing on completing the Flying Magic.]
Jarvis had a point, and I sighed deeply, acknowledging the importance of his reminder.
"You're right, J. By the way, how's the progress on your report?"
[As you wish, sir.]
While my fingers worked on programming the activation sequence for the flying magic, I listened to Jarvis' report.
The night wore on, and I found myself yawning. "Thank goodness this body can take the strain of fighting and computer work without any issues."
I wished I had this kind of stamina in my previous life.
[We haven't decided on a company name yet, sir,] Jarvis reminded me.
I slouched back in my chair, pondering the options. "Let's just use the family name, Lin Industry."
[Are you sure? I prefer Yuki Enterprise.]
"But then your name would be Lin Jarvis, not Yuki. Although... that's not a bad idea either."
Maybe I can play around with the idea of Jarvis being a distant uncle.
"Yuki Jarvis, but it sounds a bit pushy. However, I'm leaning towards your suggestion, J."
[Very well, sir.]
With a company name in place, I had the first stepping stone to build the foundation of my power.
In addition to selling CAD and CAD with flying magic activation sequences, my company would focus on other non-magic technologies like electronics, software, vehicles, defense, and renewable energy.
I believed that starting with 8.5 million USNA dollars and the second 100-story building from the Quest would be sufficient.
Of course, growth would come gradually.
"Good night, J."
Though I wanted to brainstorm about the material for my special clothes, I was already reaching my limit. My body felt exhausted both physically and mentally, signaling that it was time for sleep.
[Good night, sir.]
---
April 6, 2095
Opening the curtains, I could see the sun just beginning to rise. It was half past 6, and as usual, I started my day with some exercise.
Maybe I should buy some fitness equipment. I'll ask J about it later.
While jogging down the sidewalk, I noticed that I hadn't seen Tatsuya around recently.
After my workout, I headed back home, took a shower, prepared a bento, and had breakfast.
After that, I made my way to school, using the cabinet just like any other day.
Considering that I had a driver's license, I thought about using a car for my daily commute.
As I reached the station, I saw the Shiba siblings again, seemingly waiting for me. "Good morning, you two!"
I greeted them cheerfully, realizing that I was starting to consider them friends, which wasn't such a bad thing.
"Morning, Haku," they replied in unison.
I chuckled, then asked playfully, "Are we going to school together now?" Miyuki beamed at the idea, while Tatsuya gave his trademark smile. "Eh? So it's just the two of us who think that way?" Miyuki teased, making me grin.
"Don't worry, just kidding," I replied, and she pouted playfully in response.
Soon, we bought our tickets and entered the cabinet for our journey to school.
"Haku, about your duel invitation yesterday..."
"What's up?" I took off my earphones and looked at Tatsuya with wide eyes, wondering what he was going to say.
He smiled and said, "How about a duel after school?"
His question instantly brought a wide grin to my face. Finally, a chance for some real fighting experience.
"Sure thing, but I'd prefer to fight outside the practice room."
I didn't want to wreck the room with my Ninjutsu, despite knowing that the room could handle even rank-A magic.
"Agreed. And what about the rules?" Tatsuya asked.
"Let's stick to the rules from yesterday, unless you'd rather go for a Taijutsu match."
"Yesterday's rules are fine for me. It's just a friendly duel, after all."
"Sounds good. Oh, aren't there club recruitments after class today?"
I agreed to the duel, but at the same time, we had to fulfill our duties as members of the Disciplinary Committee.
"That's right. Today both Onii-sama and I will make our debut on the Disciplinary Committee," Miyuki chimed in, with a cheerful smile.
Tatsuya and I exchanged sighs, knowing that our day was going to be a busy one.
---
Lunch break arrived with the ringing of the bell.
"Haku! Let's have lunch in the cafeteria!"
Erika rushed over to me, just like yesterday. Since I no longer had any business with the student council, joining her was just fine.
"Sweet! I brought a bento today; I'll get some tea from the cafeteria," I said, smiling at Erika's enthusiasm.
"Bento? Your mom is so nice!"
Erika said with a hint of jealousy in her voice, to which I replied with an awkward smile, "No, I cooked this myself."
Her surprise only grew. "You can cook? Damn! You're cuter than me, Haku."
I cocked an eyebrow, playfully teasing her. "I think you're a cute girl too." I expected her to be flustered, but instead, she looked at me with a deadpan expression.
"Don't you like being complimented?" I asked, genuinely puzzled.
"Well, thanks. But! Saying that while looking beautiful... it's like I'm being teased."
My eyes widened, and I opened my mouth slightly. "But I'm a dude, you know."
"Tch! Yeah, yeah. Let's go before the cafeteria gets crowded."
She smacked Leo on the back, and we headed to the cafeteria with Erika's arms crossed in mock annoyance.
I sighed, feeling mentally drained from the exchange. Women can be so troublesome sometimes.
While sitting down, I glanced around and then pulled out two bento boxes from the Daikokuten dimension.
I walked over to Erika with a smile and saw that she was talking to Tatsuya. "Hey, where's Mizuki?"
I asked, not finding her among the group. The others looked puzzled, and then the three of us (me, Leo, and Erika) made our way to the cafeteria.
There, we found Mizuki sitting alone at a table for four. It made me feel a bit sad to see her sitting alone.
"Mizuki!"
"Eek!"
Erika's sudden greeting startled Mizuki.
"Erika-chan, you scared me."
Mizuki said with a smile. I sat down across from her immediately.
"Wait, I need to get lunch first. Haku, do you want some tea?" Erika offered, and I gladly accepted. "Yes, please, Erika. Green tea without sugar."
While Erika went to get our drinks, Leo joined us with his lunch in hand.
"You're always so diligent," he remarked, glancing curiously at my bento.
"That's right, Leo. I sometimes feel inferior to Haku," Mizuki added, a little embarrassed.
"Hey, come on, guys. No need to compare like that," I said, trying to dispel any awkwardness.
I opened my bento, and a small vapor of nitrogen escaped. Today, I made Temari Sushi.
"Whoa! What's that?" they exclaimed in unison, their eyes sparkling with interest.
I shook my head with a sense of déjà vu.
Apart from the troublesome lunch, we also discussed the various clubs at school.
Erika and I agreed to check out some clubs while I performed my disciplinary duties.
As club recruitment would be intense in this extraordinary high school, I imagined students fighting over recruits with serious intent, likely involving the use of CAD.
"Haku, have you decided which club you want to join?" Erika asked her and the others' eyes fixed on me, waiting for an answer.
Mizuki had already joined the Art Club, while Leo had chosen the Mountain Club. Erika was still undecided, just like me.
Honestly, I was leaning towards joining Kenjutsu, as it might help me polish my skills. The Cooking Club also intrigued me, but my culinary prowess might make it a bit too easy. Besides, it'd be nice to experience a real club since I never joined one in my previous life. How sad...
Feeling a little melancholic, I replied, "I'm not sure yet."
However, this feeling of peace here was completely different from the chaos in Dahan.
