Fumio woke up suddenly.
In an instant, his mind recalled the events he had lived through before receiving a hammer blow to the head that nearly killed him.
"(I-I'm alive? How!? That blow should have crushed my skull like a watermelon!)"
He was sure of it. Such an attack should have sent him to the other world, yet here he was, in pain but still alive.
"(I need to calm down! And figure out what happened, and where I am... I have a blindfold over my eyes, blocking my [magic] from my eye... are the bones in my arms healed? Why would the [Black Corps] do that? Maybe they want to interrogate me? Or torture me? ...my legs are insensible, how long have I been sitting on this chair?)"
From these questions, he received no answers. Slowly, the captured man from the [Black Corps] began to gather more information about his current situation.
"(I'm naked and tied up... clearly a tactic of humiliation, to put me in the right mental state for interrogation... the straps holding me to the chair don't loosen, no matter how much I try to move. I don't think I could free myself, even if I were at my strongest... my [mana] is very low, and it's not recovering as it should... they've definitely given me some anti-[mage] substance.)"
Fumio's thoughts, the [New Dawn], stopped when he heard the sound of a door opening, and three people entered his cell.
It was a youthful, female voice that broke the silence first.
"You don't need to pretend you're sleeping; we know you've been awake for a while. We've been monitoring you with the cameras."
"(Tsk, I should have expected to be watched.)"
"Anyway, how are you? When they brought you here, you were barely alive—you barely made it. You were lucky."
"("Lucky" she says? I'd rather have died than end up in the hands of the [Black Corps].)"
"You don't want to answer? Maybe the blindfold bothers you? Cris-chan, please, remove it, and loosen the straps a bit."
One of the two individuals who had remained silent throughout the conversation stepped forward.
As soon as Fumio's eyes were free, the man used every [magic] of his right eye to understand where he was.
"(I can't see anything outside the walls... it must be a cell lined with [Glepinir]. Damn.)"
The master of the district central squad immediately recognized that the person who freed him was the same [Black Corps] agent who had cornered him with his mist clones.
"(So his name is Cris? I've never heard of an [esper] associated with that name... we have truly underestimated our enemies. This district has so many secrets... who knows how many things we still don't know.)"
The 30-year-old quickly identified the other two people in the cell.
One was the doll that had almost killed him. The [New Dawn] shivered at the memory and at the sight of such a powerful being.
But the person who had spoken to him first was someone who could truly make him fear.
It was ironic, considering she looked like a girl with pink eyes, blonde hair, and a friendly smile on her face. She wore Gothic-style clothes that looked very elegant, like a princess. Everything she wore was of the highest quality.
"Hello again, I am—"
"A sociopathic serial killer obsessed with puppets, pretending to be only 14 years old. Yes, I know who you are, Kugutsu, leader of the [Black Corps] in the south district." (Fumio)
"How rude of you, Takeda Fumio. Yes, I know your name. Your colleagues squealed like little birds after a while here with us." (Kugutsu)
The [mage] didn't hide his hatred for the [mage]. The expression on his face could have frightened any war veteran.
Bragging that his colleagues had been tortured in countless ways until they revealed his name? That cruelty, which the [Black Corps] in front of him could wield without remorse.
"You are a celebrity among the [New Dawn], from what I know. One of the most capable, versatile, intelligent, and experienced agents. You're the right hand of the founder, right? But now you've been reduced to guarding teenagers, or rather, child soldiers?" (Kugutsu)
"......" (Fumio)
"Why do you remain silent? We both know you're using them as weapons, and not just them. The [New Dawn] takes society's rejects, those who have suffered injustices at the hands of the [Black and White Corps] among their ranks."
"......."
"Then you fuel their hatred, their rage, planting in their minds that only secrecy will win... and when they're ready, what do you do? Send them to the districts as pawns, to be sacrificed as needed... I wonder what the difference between you and Goto is."
It was a simple, clear mind game. Kugutsu was a master of deception. But Fumio wouldn't be easily fooled.
"No, we do it for a just cause. Goto only seeks power. But I doubt someone like you, who takes joy in killing others, can understand the concept of 'doing what is right.'" (Kugutsu)
"So the ends justify the means? No matter how many lives are lost to reach your goal? Goto told me something similar a while ago—you're not so different from him, you know?" (Kugutsu)
"Tsk. You won't convert me with a few words. You'll have to do worse." (Fumio)
"Huh? You speak assuming I want to hurt you, but it's not like that. What I want is to talk to whoever leads your little group. Then I will let you go." (Kugutsu)
The smile of the 14-year-old could have lowered others' guard, but luckily, the 30-year-old remained alert after seeing it.
"You can put me in contact with your superiors. Trust me when I say I have an enticing proposal for them." (Kugutsu)
"None of them would care about what a serial killer like you has to say. The garbage in a dump has more value than what would come out of your mouth." (Fumio)
"You continue to be rude; perhaps Cris-chan should make you understand that words, especially those from a prisoner, carry weight." (Kugutsu)
Suddenly, the [Black Corps] agent grabbed a finger from Fumio's right hand.
"If you apologize, I will forgive you!" (Kugutsu)
"......." (Fumio)
"Whatever you want." (Kugutsu)
In an instant, Fumio's thumb was bent in the wrong direction, breaking the bone cleanly.
In response, the man clenched his jaw tightly to avoid giving his enemies the satisfaction.
"No squeal? Let's try with the other four. Cris-chan, if you don't mind...." (Kugutsu)
"With pleasure, Kugutsu-sama."
And so, the other fingers of his right hand were completely broken. But Fumio remained silent, not screaming. He would never speak to the enemy.
"Oh, still silence? Try the other hand." (Kugutsu)
And all the fingers of his left hand were broken in one move, crushing the bones.
"Hmm... maybe you really are the person your comrades admired so much... we should raise the level. Cris-chan, get the tongs, we'll start with his teeth." (Kugutsu)
"......." (Fumio)
"It would be easier if you apologized and helped me talk to your superiors. Don't you want to?" (Kugutsu)
"You're not getting anything from me, bitch!" (Fumio)
"You're quite a masochist. Go help Cris-chan." (Kugutsu)
The doll moved toward the 30-year-old, forcing him with her hands to open his mouth.
An hour later, three-quarters of Fumio's teeth had been forcibly removed.His skin was torn all over his torso, as if ripped apart by hand. His nude body was covered in blood. Despite that, he did not utter a word.
"You really are tough... oh, what a nuisance, it's getting late. Cris-chan, make sure any damage he suffered is repaired by this afternoon. We'll continue later." (Kugutsu)
"Yes, ma'am."
In the end, Fumio was left alone in his pain. Despite everything he had endured, his mind remained firm on his decision.
"(I can't speak... this woman is too dangerous... maybe even more so than Goto himself... damn.)"
*******************
"So I behaved like a—" (Kohaku)
"An asshole with a two-meter-long pole shoved up your ass?" (Kimiko)
"Mph, I was about to say like a paranoid hacker, but—" (Kohaku)
"You're an asshole, period. Don't try to change your past actions." (Kimiko)
"You're making it so difficult for me, aren't you?" (Kohaku)
Kohaku finally understood that her recent actions had caused a fracture in her relationship with Kimiko—unforgivable. Gathering all her courage, the [Esper] decided to apologize. Which was becoming quite difficult, given that the [mage] wasn't willing to cooperate at all.
Despite the group leader trying to hold back her tongue, it was becoming increasingly hard as she was bombarded with Kimiko's words.
"Okay, enough! I've had it with listening to you! You've been going on for an hour!" (Kuro)
Finally, Kuro broke the stalemate before it turned into another fight.
"Kohaku! You've been a nuisance and a party pooper! Kimiko! You provoked her from the start! Both of you are terrible! Period! Let's end this here and enjoy the days we have left in this district!" (Kuro)
Hajime and Cloe nodded in agreement, although neither of them would have been aggressive in saying so.
"Kimiko, I'm sorry, for everything. Kuro's right, we both made mistakes." (Kohaku)
"Tsk. I admit your reactions were amusing, but I shouldn't have let you get so angry... I'm sorry too." (Kimiko)
"Good! Now that things are back to normal, how about we go have some fun?!" (Cloe)
Cloe dragged her friends out of the room, while Kuro and Hajime decided what to do.
"I hope I can enjoy what little remains of this vacation..." (Kuro)
"Agreed. I just hope nothing bad happens that forces us to come back earlier than planned." (Hajime)
Meanwhile, their group's master was enduring hell.
Fumio was still tied up and naked. The damage from the previous torture had been healed. Even his teeth had been put back as if they'd never been removed by the pliers.
Right now, the [Esper] who had faced the [mage] with her copies was working to torture him under Kugutsu's orders, who was watching the scene alongside her doll.
"Seriously? That's all? Just a grunt? Cris-chan, pass the hands now. Maybe that will loosen his tongue a bit." (Kugutsu)
Following orders, Cris began striking his torso and breaking legs and arms, twisting the bones of his limbs. The man was bleeding profusely, and six ribs had been broken.
"Hmmm... you don't want to have a chat with me, Takeda Fumio?" (Kugutsu)
"Y-You already know my answer, whore!"
"Very well. It seems you have a masochist's soul... Are you thirsty? Cris-chan, give him some water."
"Right away, ma'am!"
The next "procedure" for the [New Dawn] was simulated drowning.
It involved immobilizing the victim so that their feet were higher than their head, then pouring water on their face—though in this case, it was liquid nitrogen. For a mage, temperature wasn't a problem, but at this moment, Fumio's mana was so low that he was suffering from the cold all over his body, as if he were about to die from hypothermia.
"Cough cough..." (Fumio)
While subjected to such inhumane treatment, Fumio couldn't help but think about how his group had underestimated the leader of the [Black Corps].
*(What happened to the other team? How long have I been here? My sleep cycles are being interrupted regularly, I can't tell how much time has passed... This woman isn't stupid, she'll start manipulating me soon... take away my hope... and in the end, I'll give in and die... maybe she's more dangerous than Goto.)*
Eventually, the [Black Corps] stopped pouring liquid nitrogen over his face, giving him a moment to breathe and use his mana to prevent death by hypothermia or organ damage.
"Take a break, Cris-chan, I see you're tired. Next time, we'll do a game that involves a bit more 'physical contact.' Come back in 20 minutes."
"As you wish, Kugutsu-sama."
When the woman left, Kugutsu approached the still-bound mage. Her lips moved close to his ear as she began whispering.
"Isn't it fun to discover how vulnerable we [mages] are?" (Kugutsu)
"........"
"The [mana] makes our skin increasingly impenetrable, while strengthening our muscles and bones, turning us into monsters by normal human standards... We can destroy districts, cities, nations... and yet, just like our less talented peers, we can drown, burn, suffocate, freeze, and die very easily."
"........"
"Look at yourself. One of the founding members of [New Dawn], reduced to a semi-dead state. All this could end in an instant if you just decided to talk to me... It wouldn't be treason, don't see it that way. What I say to your leaders will benefit you. Trust me."
"...If you think that's enough to shake me, you're wrong, you filthy whore!"
Fumio's master words didn't dampen Kugutsu's mood; in fact, she seemed more radiant than ever.
"I'm disappointed, but also happy, you know? Few have reached this point. I'll finally get to unleash the big guns. Soon, you'll beg me, Takeda Fumio."
"We'll see..."
Finally, the woman and her faithful doll left the [New Dawn] room, which Fumio used this brief window to try to recover.
*(I can't escape... I can't kill myself, they have a [mage] who can heal every wound... They made me regenerate every injury, every time I was about to die they healed me and tortured me again... I must hold on and believe someone will come to free me. I am cornered, but the game isn't over yet, Kugutsu. As long as the other team is still active, you won't have victory.)*
A few minutes later, Cris returned to the room, accompanied by her clones, all wielding black metal gloves—the Glephnir.
*(So that's what she meant by "physical contact," b—!)
"Do you have anything to say? My clones and I can go on all day." (Cris)
"...Do your worst." (Fumio)
"Stupid." (Cris)
The [mage]'s nose broke instantly, now that he lacked the [mana] or control to create an armor.
More punches rained down on him for hours, until the [Black Corps] finally paused to let one of their colleagues heal him.
That evening, the five students of Fumio were in their respective rooms, resting after a day of fun and carefree.
Kohaku finally managed to relax enough to forget her doubts about the [New Dawn].
She was about to go to sleep, but unfortunately, a notification on her phone alerted her.
"Hm, what's happening now? I thought I had—"
Her eyes widened as she started reading the message that her computer had automatically sent to her phone.
"N-no way?!"
In a rush, the group leader grabbed her laptop and began practicing her greatest talent.
"No! This can't be! Sensei Fumio... how did they manage to capture him!?"
With a pale face, Kohaku woke up her teammates. Their vacation was officially over.
They had to go on a mission.
They had to find and rescue their master.