Mash-Up: Anything for Money

Just like that, Hakuto followed Otosaka Yuu, running a full loop around the cities of Finland, and in one night, they had already plundered several dozen ability users.

After a night of observing, Hakuto also discovered Otosaka Yuu's pattern of action… or rather, the total lack of one!

Can you imagine it? When Otosaka Yuu was on the move, sometimes he would spatial jump, sometimes use high-speed movement, and sometimes even fly!

Anyone unaware might think he was just showing off!

For the next few days, Hakuto continued following behind Otosaka Yuu.

"Damn it, spatial jumping is seriously shady!"

It really was! Shady beyond belief! 

If Otosaka Yuu wasn't currently acting like a total idiot who couldn't use it properly, Hakuto would've been in real trouble.

Otosaka Yuu's current state was still manageable—he was in a kind of dumb, unconscious mode. 

But as time went on, his behavior would likely start to spiral out of control.

Still, putting that aside… Otosaka Yuu was seriously annoying...

Inside a hotel room somewhere, Hakuto looked at the bullet casings on the floor and thought this to himself.

Even though neither of them had to fear basic firearms anymore, being sprayed with an AK was still something hard to accept.

Even if he wasn't the one who got shot...

Ability users! Because of their powers beyond ordinary humans, each country treated them differently.

But regardless of the country, they could hardly escape the fate of being researched or exploited!

Abilities were like a disease, and to outsiders, ability users were treasures! 

Someone like Otosaka Yuu, stealing powers on a wide scale, would obviously draw resentment.

So there was no shortage of people who wanted to kill him—but thankfully, their efforts were mostly in vain. 

Otosaka Yuu wasn't someone who'd die from something like that...

Hakuto crouched among a pile of unconscious middle-aged men and picked up a still-warm bullet casing from the ground.

He glanced at the only conscious one among them and asked:

"So, let me guess—you all sold out your fellow countrymen for profit, didn't you?"

"Could you please call an ambulance for me… I think my leg is broken."

"Oh yeah, your thigh's been shattered. Even if you get to a hospital now, you'll probably never walk again…"

"Please… I'm begging you…"

This middle-aged man was one of the ones who had just sprayed Otosaka Yuu with an AK—he was only taken down in return.

Looking at the man's pitiful, pleading expression, Hakuto smiled and shook his head.

"Pray for yourself. You won't die, sure, but I'm not making any promises about that leg of yours…"

Hakuto had no sympathy for this kind of person. It was only because Otosaka Yuu still had a shred of his old self left that he hadn't killed them. 

Otherwise, there'd be no one here even capable of speaking.

"I've got things to do... Oh yeah, I'll be borrowing this—but I won't be giving it back."

As he spoke, Hakuto picked up a pistol from the ground. Even though he could turn a simple metal bead into something as deadly as a gunshot...

Well, boys will be boys. He had always had a bit of an interest in guns. At the very least, Hakuto wanted one to play around with.

"By the way, did the message I sent a few days ago get through...?"

"It did! Message received, message received!"

With a smile on his face, Hakuto thought—maybe this whole thing isn't as hard as I thought...

...

"Guys, look! Hakuto-sensei replied!!"

"Mm? What did he say?"

"Uhh… he said he's too busy to check his phone and the signal's bad..."

"That's it?"

"He also said he'll call back when he has time!"