Stay Out of This

JOHN SMITH

I made sure my steel wires caught the moonlight just right. Aesthetics are everything in this business.

Relying on that faint glint, Number 664 barely managed to dodge the initial sweep.

Speed wasn't really the issue here. The real problem was the lack of visibility, the erratic patterns, and the sheer volume of threads she had to track.

I only have ten fingers, but I was currently manipulating several times that many steel wires. They swarmed her from every possible direction.

The angles and timing were particularly mean-spirited, if I do say so myself.

I predicted Number 664’s every move, placing threads to seal off her escape routes before she even chose them. I was funneling her, herding her exactly where I wanted.

The result—she couldn't get anywhere near me.

Wires have a much longer reach than a sword. If these girls wanted to land a hit, they had to close the distance, but they hadn't gained a single inch since the fight started.

Actually, they were losing ground.

In just a few seconds, I had achieved total Field Dominance.

I didn't even have to move.

I just stood there, wiggling my fingers, while three girls scrambled around like they were in a blender.

Honestly, they look like three puppets on my strings. Literally.

"Everyone, fall back!"

At Number 664’s command, the other two pulled back immediately, putting some distance between us and the Wire Range. Good call—staying in there was just a waste of energy.

Still, it’s not like they had a plan B.

The three of them traded looks and shook their heads.

Yeah, you figured it out. I'm strong.

Sure, the unfamiliar weapon was throwing them for a loop, but even factoring that in, my ability to control the flow of the battle was on a different level.

I was accurately manipulating dozens of wires, predicting their movements, and guiding them like children. That’s not a feat you pull off with just average talent.

I could see the gears turning in Number 664's head. She probably knew plenty of people stronger than her.

Number 666 was right there, after all. Then you’ve got the organization’s executives, the Numbers, and the Seven Shadows—those Highest Executives with their ridiculous, overwhelming power. All of them possessed far more raw power than her.

But me? I was a different breed of "strong" than what she was used to.

My strength didn't come from Magic Power, or muscle, or pure speed. It wasn't even about the technique itself.

Well, okay, my wire technique is pretty cracked. But that’s not the essence of it.

My real strength lies in—Field Dominance.

As a Squad Leader, Number 664 was probably the only one who could truly appreciate the craft. I could tell she realized I was viewing the entire fight from a bird’s-eye perspective, reading the flow and predicting the future.

She probably thinks I have some god-tier tactical brain.

"What's wrong... are you not coming?"

I didn't budge. I just stood there, looking down at the three of them from behind my mask. I made sure to radiate as much "I have everything under control" energy as possible.

Composure is key to the aesthetic.

The web I’d woven into the night sky had completely shut down their offense.

One wrong move and they’d be ensnared.

I could see 664 weighing the idea of a retreat.

Number 666 would probably throw a fit, but the leader would have to drag her away.

Just as she was making up her mind, I decided to end the suspense.

"If you aren't coming, then I shall go from my side—"

"Eh...!?"

I twitched my fingers.

In that same breath, Number 664 realized there was a razor-thin wire already looped around her neck.

Surprise. When did he get that there!?

Better yet, she thought she was safe outside my range.

"Who said the lengths of the wires were the same? Naturally, the thicknesses are also different..."

"No way—!"

She stared at the wire. It was so thin it was basically invisible. The wires she’d been dodging this whole time were just the ones I’d let her see.

"Could it be, from the very beginning..."

"Yes—from the very beginning..."

Man, I love that line. It makes me sound like I planned this for weeks.

Number 664’s face twisted in humiliation as I tightened the loop.

I let some Highly Compressed Magic Power hum through the thread. If I added even a fraction more strength, it would slice right through her.

"If you're going to kill me, do it quickly. I have no intention of telling you anything."

She glared at me. Number 665 and Number 666 were already snagged, too. She was ready for the end.

I applied a little more pressure to the wire around her neck.

Suddenly, Number 666 snapped.

She lunged forward.

She didn't try to be clever; she just tried to be faster than I could pull the thread.

"Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!"

Pure, unadulterated speed.

She charged straight at me.

"The correct move..."

But I didn't even flinch.

I just gave my right hand a casual tug.

"But who said the wire I set was only for the neck?"

Number 666 didn't just trip—she went airborne, her body jerking unnaturally as she was hoisted up like a marionette.

I’d already wrapped wires around all her limbs. And, obviously, the other two were in the same boat.

"Guh...! Kill us—!" Number 664 groaned.

She was totally immobilized. But I wasn't here to play executioner.

"Killing you is pointless. I kill one pawn, and another takes its place. Consider this a warning."

I kept my voice as cold and robotic as possible.

"Stay out of this—"

With one final word, I released the tension and let them go.

"Cough, cough!"

Number 666 glared at me between hacks.

Number 664 didn't hesitate—she lunged at her teammate, but only to pin her down.

"Stop it already! We're withdrawing."

"—!"

Number 666 looked at the ground, trembling with frustration.

John Smith... we have to tell Gamma-sama.

As long as I’m on the board, they’ll never find the source of the Counterfeit Notes. And they know that someone of my caliber implies the existence of a massive organization.

I walked away into the darkness, feeling Number 664’s eyes burning into my back.

Nailed it.