[Author Note]
Disc: HrPrTeam
Birthday chapter. 🎉🎉🎉
__________
JAA: Sei P.O.V.
This makes things easy for me.
I've sent Taro Sakamoto to kill Ando and now he can eliminate those troublesome brats.
I was surprised when Yoichi Nagumo asked for more information about Ando. I initially thought Sakamoto could figure out his location alone, but even I don't know where he is.
Instead of giving him proper information about Ando, I might as well get him to kill those Al-Kamar failures.
I'm not stupid enough to leave loose ends. The JCC was too public, and killing them there would have complicated my position as chairman.
I've always kept an eye on them, but after receiving my fortune from that Atari girl, I need to overprepare for everything.
My mood is relatively good, but I need to focus on tracking down Kindaka, Soichi, and Satoru before they crumble everything I've worked for.
Why can't they all just die?
...
3rd P.O.V.
After becoming official partners, Shin and Sakamoto have been hunting down Ando for three days.
Shin rubbed his forehead. 'All that talk about me being a human tracker and I haven't got anything about dad.'
He was justifiably frustrated. After bragging about his abilities, he'd only been a burden to Sakamoto.
It turns out that nobody in his range was talking about Ando, even though Sakamoto had taken him all across Japan.
However, it hasn't been all for naught.
Sakamoto thought while smoking a cigarette. 'Kid, Nagumo finally got back to me. It looks like the JAA caught wind of a warehouse on the city's outskirts.'
Instead of running around like headless chickens and relying on a kid, Sakamoto contacted Nagumo because he could utilize the JAA's resources as head of their B team.
Hell, he was even able to request and create an entire line of weapons with the sole purpose of piercing Toji's defenses.
Due to the strength disparity between the assassins, he needed to learn other attack methods. The most he could do to Toji was sit back and shoot while his other two JCC friends actively engaged him.
Instead of raw fighting talent, his specialties lay more in stealth and disguise. He wasn't a direct fighter like Sakamoto and Rion were.
Shin was broken out of his thoughts. "So, what are we gonna' find there?"
Sakamoto took a moment to flick the ashes to the ground. 'Not sure yet. It could be a dead end, or we could find our guy.'
Shin cracked his left shoulder, a habit he picked up from Sakamoto. "Let's head out, then."
It was more of an imitation since he wanted to become stronger. He thought the best training method was copying Sakamoto.
During their short time together, Sakamoto didn't slack in his training.
Unbeknownst to him, Sakamoto became the strongest assassin in the JAA.
Although he was more focused on his current love life than farming titles like 'legendary assassin.'
After three days of chasing a 'ghost,' they finally had a lead, and they wouldn't waste it. Despite his immature tendencies, Nagumo was a professional regarding essential jobs.
All that was left was to find and ice Tasuku Ando.
...
A short journey to the city's outskirts and the two assassins arrived at a rusted warehouse.
As they stood outside, Shin's eye twitched. "How did Mr. Nagumo know they're located in this rusty shithole?"
Sakamoto cracked his shoulder. 'Don't ask useless questions. Now, let's get this over with.'
Due to his lack of high-level infiltration skills, Shin stayed behind so he wouldn't be a burden. He could read minds, but that was pretty much it.
He was as average as you can get for an assassin if he wasn't using his mind reading.
Instead, Shin kept a radio to transmit information to Sakamoto. Although Shin hated it, it was the primary reason Sakamoto kept him around.
He didn't need a fanboy following him into dangerous territory.
Sakamoto disappeared from Shin's vision and appeared on the roof. He moved like a shadow, slipping into an open skylight, landing on an overhead pole to keep his presence unknown.
He quickly scanned the interior.
Despite the outside appearance, the warehouse looked clean, organized, and was furnished.
The other prominent feature was that nobody was inside. Instead of being disappointed at the lack of his target, Sakamoto still kept his guard up.
Sakamoto narrowed his eyes. 'Shin, anyone inside? It's empty on my end.'
Another perk of having Shin as a support was that he didn't need to talk out loud to communicate.
Shin instantly responded and a voice was heard in Sakamoto's earpiece. "Nothin'."
Sakamoto had multiple scenarios in mind but didn't expect what he would hear next.
A voice spoke in his ear. It wasn't Shin, and it wasn't coming from his earpiece.
It came from behind him.
...
"What are you sneakin' around for?"
...
His eyes widened slightly. "Shit."
He jumped off the railing, body upside down facing the opposite way, pistol slipping into his hand like second nature, trying to make its mark on the unknown man.
*bang*
*bang*
Two shots were fired, however, when he saw his previous position, he noticed nobody was there.
The man wasn't just fast. His movements were sharp and precise. It wasn't that he was invisible. He moved out of the way before Sakamoto's bullets could reach their mark.
A few seconds later, Sakamoto landed on his feet on the ground, pistol still in hand.
Vanishing from his sight...
Sakamoto only knew one person who could pull a stunt like that, however, the man in question was likely on his couch.
The unknown man suddenly spoke, now leaning on one of the pillars. "*Sigh* I've only been here a couple of days and Sei's already found out where I'm at?"
It was a blonde haired man with a scruffy beard and a bored expression.
Sakamoto didn't reply since he was planning his next move.
Given the pieces he's put together, it didn't take a genius to figure out that the man in front of him was Tasuku Ando.
His hair color matched Shin's, and his skill level was unreal based on what he just did.
*bang*
Sakamoto raised his pistol and shot at Ando's face.
Like before, he vanished from his previous spot.
Ando, now sitting on the floor, had a bored expression that didn't change. "You aren't very talkative, are you? Why is everyone attacking on sight? In any case, you must be Taro Sakamoto, the 'Legendary Hit-Man.'"
While he was talking, Sakamoto's thoughts were racing. 'Why is nobody else here? Surely there's gotta be more than just him here. Although it'll still get rough even if nobody else was here.'
As Sakamoto stared down his target, Shin spoke in his ear. "Everything alright, Mr. Sakamoto?"
Sakamoto kept his narrowed eyes. 'We've got trouble.'
Shin's voice became serious. "What kinda trouble?"
Ando sat in the center, unfazed at the gun pointed at him. 'It was a trap. Why didn't you let me know this guy was there?'
The two assassins had an understanding that Shin would constantly feed Sakamoto information so he wouldn't be caught off guard.
Shin spoke confusedly. "What are you talking about? The only thoughts I hear are yours."
It was at that moment where everything clicked.
Ando wasn't a weak researcher who only focused on his creations. He applied his knowledge to himself.
In other words...
...
Ando was an amalgamation of every superhuman they had encountered thus far.
...
They had different auras, but Sakamoto felt like it was Toji who sat in front of him. Ando would likely not have the same leniency that Toji gave him in their spars.
Ando spoke again. "I really hate talking to myself. You know, I was starting to enjoy some peace, but it's too late for that now."
*BAM*
*boom*
He vanished from sight and Sakamoto could barely raise his arms before he was sent flying into the wall, dropping his pistol in the process.
Now embedded in the wall, Sakamoto noticed that his arms were shaking from the impact.
He sat up, rolling his shoulders, his body adapting to the pain. 'Shin, contact Toji and tell him to get over here, now.'
Ando spoke. "Huh, most would've died from that. Not too shabby. Anyway, if you bring Toji Fushiguro here, that'll make my job much easier."
At this point, Sakamoto wasn't surprised he could hear the conversation between him and Shin.
Sakamoto knew that if Ando had followed through and pummeled him, he would have been in an even worse situation.
Ando rubbed his forehead in annoyance. "I really suck at fighting. Why can't they all just die?"
Sakamoto finally stood up after grabbing a sheet of metal from the wall. 'I doubt bullets will work, so I'll use this.'
He was currently in a warehouse full of random objects, Sakamoto's domain.
Ando rolled his eyes, slightly amused by Sakamoto's use of a random piece of metal. "I take it you're ready, then?"
Sakamoto used his free hand to crack his left shoulder. "Yeah—let's get this over with."
...