Yokohama Bay Entertainment City Amusement Park
After fighting off their pursuers, Koba and Yadoya were heading for the exit of the Entertainment City, blending in with the crowds.
"The pursuers must have left, but once on the main street, the surveillance cameras will find you. You must hide your face as you go."
"Y-yes...!"
Hagane was wearing a small winged hooded jumper with her hood covering her eyes, and two boys were flanking her, shielding her from public view. The two slowly made their way toward the exit, keeping a wary eye on their surroundings. They proceeded through the passing crowd with a tense feeling that was out of place in Entertainment City.
'...Good, we're here!'
The three of them approached the entrance gate. Unlike the entrance, there is no need to go through the baggage check or metal detector when exiting the venue. The guards' eyes were also focused on them, and the three of them proceeded to the exit gate, keeping a cool façade. But then, suddenly, they heard a voice call out to them.
"Hey you, it's not raining, why are you wearing your hood so tight?"
"!!"
Hagane's hood caught the attention of a security guard. The three stopped, freaked out, as a guard stopped them, and the guard who had called out stood in front of them. Meanwhile, another guard went behind them to cut off their path.
"There's been a theft racket at the hotel by someone we think is underage, and we'd like to check out your faces."
"........."
Koba put his right hand into a position of utmost alertness.
'...Seriously? Or are they the bad guys!?'
'If push comes to shove, I'll use my Kamaitachi...'
A bead of cold sweat broke out on Koba and Yadoya's foreheads. However, if they tried to force a breakthrough here, they would give the other side an excuse to catch them. Hagane, making up her mind, rolled up her hood to expose her face. The security guard displayed the face of the culprit on his tablet terminal and pointed the terminal's camera at her face to measure the match rate.
"Match rate 11% ...It's not her. Sorry about that. You may go on."
"...!"
After confirming that Hagane was not the thief, the guard gave them permission to leave. Yadoya and Koba watched on and patted their chests in extreme relief.
"...Looks like they were genuine security guards. I'm glad, Yohatsu-chan..."
Koba called out to Hagane, who was standing behind him. Then he turned around behind him with Yadoya. At that moment, both of them paled.
"Hagane-san...!?"
"!!?"
Hagane, who was supposed to be there, was gone. Looking around, they did not see anyone who looked like her. Perhaps drowned out by the bustle of the crowd, her voice could not be heard.
"...Shit! They got her!"
Koba, not looking to be seen, got down on both knees and punched the ground. The momentary lapse of mind gave her pursuers an opportunity to strike when they should have been on the lookout.
"W-what should we do...!?"
Yadoya could not hide his frustration. But they had already decided what to do next. Koba, who had been holding his head in his hands, slowly stood up and turned his gaze toward the shining tower hotel at the far end of the Entertainment City.
"Isn't it obvious!? We're going to rescue Yohatsu-chan! Let's go to that Hotel E Bellissimo Notte!"
The two ran toward the mastermind's location. The struggle for the girl with the hand of gold is about to reach its climax.
Hotel E Bellissimo Notte
About an hour later, a party hosted by Hideyoshi Sakuma, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, was continuing in the Kujaku Chamber on the top floor of Hotel E Bellissimo Notte. However, the host of the party was not at the venue, because he was summoned by the owner of the hotel on his way to the venue. He had just been invited to the CEO's office of Yoshimitsu Kondo Adelson, CEO of Resorts Sands Planet, which manages the hotel. He was sitting on the reception couch, staring at the night view of the casino resort.
"What is your game? Why would you call me so suddenly?"
"Sorry, It'll just be a moment..."
Standing near the sofa were the CEO's subordinates, men in black. They placated Sakuma to wait a little longer. Then a man entered through the door.
"Minister Sakuma, I am sorry to keep you waiting. I have something very positive for you."
"...Something very positive...?"
The man who appeared was Yoshimitsu Kondo Adelson. Sakuma remained indignant, but showed interest in what he said, "something very positive." Kondo smiled as expected, sat down opposite him, and continued the conversation.
"In this 22nd century... in this unstable world, nothing has absolute value anymore. This country may be swallowed by the wave of global political instability at any moment. But one thing is certain: the value of a substance will never waver as long as mankind exists... We have the means to create that certain substance from nothing."
"A certain substance...?"
Sakuma raised his eyebrows. Kondo signaled to his subordinates standing in front of the door and instructed them to open the door to the CEO's office. Behind the opened door stood a young girl. She was flanked on both sides by strong black-suited men. The girl's face was frightened.
"What in the world...!?"
Sakuma instantly sensed the discomfort and turned suspicious at Kondo and his underlings. The girl entered the room without prompting, approaching Sakuma and Kondo's side.
"Her name is Yohatsu Hagane-san, our collaborator with great ability."
"...Collaborator?"
Sakuma glared at Kondo, who remained nonchalant and continued talking.
"Well then, Hagane-san... Please show the minister your power."
"Yes..."
Hagane did as she was told and placed her right hand on the table. He then activated the power that defined the Midas demi-humans.
"...Mano Derecha de Midas!" ("The Right Hand of Midas")
"!!?"
At that instant, the glass table in front of Sakuma's eyes quickly transformed into a shining golden table. Sakuma shot up in shock.
"...T-this is!?"
"It is unmixed, 100% pure gold. She is a Midas, the demi-human race that is not officially acknowledged, and anything she touches can be transformed into gold."
Kondo explained about Hagane's ability. Sakuma was moved by the beauty of the huge gold that appeared before him.
"Gold is a substance that has maintained its absolute value throughout the long history of mankind, and even after the gold standard ended in the latter half of the 20th century, central banks in various countries kept gold as a safe asset common to the world... And now, Japan can be said to be the strongest country in the world. However, Japan's gold holdings have not changed since the 21st century, and it still lags behind the rest of the world."
In the 22nd century, the world's economic situation is the most unstable it has been in recent times. It is not surprising that any country's currency could turn into a worthless piece of paper at any moment. Therefore, gold holdings are becoming more and more important as a solid backup for national financial resources. However, Japan still lags behind the rest of the world in gold holdings.
"If we bring this power to light, numerous large corporations and even governments will come to our doorstep... Will you join us and become the new helm of this country? Money can control everything. The government, the corporations, everything in this country...!" Kondo declared, holding out his right hand for a handshake of an alliance, "Join hands with us, Minister Sakuma."
Kondo planned to establish a firm connection to the Japanese government and cabinet by bringing in Sakuma, the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. With an inexhaustible supply of gold, he hoped to bring all those in this country who had always despised and discriminated against his family to their knees.
"........."
Sakuma remained silent, glaring at Kondo's right hand. Kondo was convinced that Sakuma would come on board. But then...
"...Shirogane no... KAMAITACHI!!"
"!!"
Just as they thought they heard a shout from behind the door, the door to the CEO's office was blasted open. Quickly, the men in black stood in front of their employer, Kondo, to shield him. When the dust that had been raised cleared, one boy was standing there. The other boy walked into the room after him.
"...Thank goodness! Are you alright, Hagane-san!?"
"...Koba-san!? Yadoya-san!?"
Yadoya found Hagane and sighed in relief. Kondo could not hide his shock at the two kids' sudden appearance.
"Who are you kids!? This place is off-limits! What happened with the guards!?"
Kojiro Edelson, the leader of the men in black, was furious at his men for allowing the two suspicious boys to enter so far.
"...Guards? I don't think there were any... I don't remember much," Koba mocked.
Behind them, in the glamorous corridor leading to the CEO's office, lay a number of guards and black-clad men who had been blown unconscious by the gust of Koba's wind.
"...You must be a demi-human. Hmph, what is this, a monster pretending to be a knight?"
"I don't give a damn what you kidnappers say!"
Koba and Yadoya had only one goal: to rescue Hagane. Koba, who used his full demi-human power, had sharply pointed claws on both hands and silvery white body hair sprouting from both arms, reminiscent of a weasel, a reminder of his race's name.
"...Kidnapper, you say!? What do you mean? Kondo, explain."
"........."
Minister Sakuma did not miss the word "kidnapper" that Koba shouted and demanded Kondo to explain himself. However, Kondo ignored his words and silently glared at Koba and Yadoya.
"Dammit...!"
In the meantime, one of the black-suited men took a gun out of his holster. The leader, Kojiro Edelson, quickly reined his subordinate.
"No guns! There's a dinner party in the Kujaku Chamber!"
"...Gah!"
On the same floor, the guests of honor gathered by Minister Sakuma are in the middle of a meeting. If the shooting incident were to be exposed to them, the very survival of this company would be in jeopardy.
"...Return Yohatsu-chan! Alright... Chokusen no... Kama." ("Straight Sickle")
Koba swung his right arm with the wind in it to unleash a gust of wind once more. The black-clad men surrounded Kondo, forming a wall of people to protect their employer.
"...There's no choice! Shoot him!"
"Yes, sir!"
Under Kojiro's order, the black-clad men aimed their guns at Koba and Yadoya. Then they mercilessly put their index fingers on the trigger.
"...NOO!!"
If this continues, the two will be shot to death. Unable to stand still, Hagane unleashed her golden power carelessly toward the carpet on the floor.
"Mano Derecha... De Midas!!"
Immediately after that, her magic power shot through the carpet like a bolt of lightning. In the blink of an eye, the carpet, which was supposed to be a piece of cloth, transformed into a shining golden slab. The golden carpet changed its shape and stretched out in front of them like a shield, protecting Koba and Yadoya.
BA-BA-BA-BANG!
"!!"
The golden wall repelled the bullets. Koba's chest was heaving, while Yadoya slumped to the ground.
"Thanks for saving my life, Yohatsu-chan!"
"...!"
Koba thanked Hagane. However, she herself was the most astonished. She did not understand what had happened.
"What is this...?"
Hagane stared at her right hand. The magic power overflowing into her hand was crackling and glowing in her palm as small flashes of lightning. At that moment, she remembered something Koba had said to her.
'Even if at first glance it may not seem unfit for fighting, the power of demi-humans can be a powerful means of combat, depending on how you use it and your ingenuity. Besides, you maybe possess some hidden power that you are not aware of.'
"...Is this Midas' hidden power? A power that I did not even know existed...!"
Hagane realized that a power other than "turning anything she touches into gold" was dormant in her genes. Then she made up her mind, looked forward resolutely and declared at Koba.
"...Now I know! The essence of Midas' power...! Shotaro... I will fight!"
"!"
Hagane touched the floor with both of her hands. The golden floor flowed like mercury and clung to her arms, enveloping her in brilliant golden armor.
"Dorado Breed de Brazo!" ("Glittering Golden Hands")
With her hands on the floor, Hagane looked up at the black-clad men with a glare. Her eyes were clearly different from those of the "weak girl" she had been a few moments before and showed the fighting spirit and instincts of a demi-human.
"My power is... the power to turn anything I touch into gold and control it! Dorado Ondraphiones!" ("Golden Ripple")
"GAAH!! What the hell!?"
The golden floor shining just below the men instantly lost its hardness and swallowed both their legs up to their knees. The gold regained its hardness again, sealing off their movements. In the blink of an eye, Hagane overpowered the bodyguards.
"Holy shit...!"
Witnessing her overwhelming power, Yadoya gasped. But the black-clad men were not silent. One of them pointed his gun at her.
"...Idiot! Stop!"
Kondo noticed this and ordered his men to lower their guns, for there was no point in killing Hagane. However, the man had lost all common sense in the face of this golden monster.
"Dorado Escudo!" ("Golden Shield")
"!?"
Hagane covered herself with a golden cocoon. Immediately after that, a shot echoed. The bullet bounced off the gold and cannot even touch her.
"The gold produced and manipulated by the Midas is as hard as steel...!"
Then the floor, which has turned golden, moved further. Numerous golden tentacles appeared from the floor, and they attacked the black-clad men who were pinned down and unable to move.
"Dorado... Juicio de Dio!!" ("Divine Judgment of Gold")
"AAAAAAAGH!!"
The golden tentacles, with the hardness of steel, struck the black-clad men in their faces with a powerful blow. The men who were hit by the metallic mass were, of course, unable to stay conscious and without exception, they were knocked out.
"...Ph... hah!"
Hagane, while adjusting her breathing, released the golden cocoon that had been shielding her. She had consumed a lot of magic power because she had used her powers so many times in such a short period of time. The only people in the room who remained conscious were Minister Sakuma, who was hiding behind a sofa, Kondo, and finally Kojiro who was guarding him by Kondo's side.
"You monster...!"
"........."
Kondo was frightened of Hagane's true power. But Kojiro, standing by Kondo's side, noticed that Hagane was losing strength. He then took out a folding stun gun from under the sleeve of his suit and closed in on her at once, taking advantage of her opening.
"...Nonsense! I hate persistent men!"
Hagane used all her strength to manipulate the gold again. A golden trident appeared in her right hand.
"...Dorado Tridente!" ("Golden Trident")
"Chokusen no Kamaitachi!"
Hagane held up her trident while breathing heavily. Koba, too, was about to unleash the Kamaitachi, focusing his magic on Kojiro. Just as the three of them were about to clash, another visitor appeared in the CEO's office.
"...Huh!? What happened here!?"
"!!?"
Koba, Hagane, and Kojiro all stopped and turned in the direction of the voice. There they saw Yoshihisa Hasena, a member of the Hasena family, a guest who was supposed to be attending a dinner party in the Kujaku Chamber on the main conference floor. Behind him are his nephew, Ryuji, and Teru.
"...The banquet's guests!? Dammit!" Kojiro screamed.
Although the CEO's room was soundproofed, the noise from the repeated gunshots and brawls reached the Kujaku Chamber. Yoshihisa, seeing the guards lying in the corridor, the black-clad men with guns lying inside the room, and the girl and boy who were about to be attacked by a muscular man, ordered Teru who was standing behind him.
"...Hey, human! Call the police now!"
"Y-yes, master!"
Teru reached for a mobile terminal from her handbag and called 110. Teru then thought about a sentence in her head and explained the situation to the caller.
"Is this the police? There are men with guns attacking inside the hotel! ...Yes! The location is Hotel E Bellissimo Notte in Entertainment City...!" Teru informed the situation in a firm tone of voice.
At that moment, Koba and Yadoya noticed her.
"...Kadoma-san?"
"Teru-chan!"
'Huh...?'
Teru realized that her name had been called and looked into the CEO's office. Finally, she also noticed them.
"...P-President!? Koba-san!?" She gasped in surprise, even though she was in the middle of calling the police.
'...President? So it's them!'
And Ryuji, who witnessed their encounter, also realized that the two boys in front of him were Teru's club mates.