You’ve Gone and Pissed Me Off...

I returned to the Underground Facility after finishing a thorough sweep of the routes leading toward the Lawless City.

Yukime should be showing up any minute now. She’d probably have a carriage overflowing with Gold Coins in tow. I’d just wait for her, grab the rest of the stash from the Underground Vault, and make my exit. After that, I could just sit back and watch the credit crisis unfold from a safe distance.

Then, John Smith will stand there, legs crossed as he looks down over the Royal Capital from the window of a High-rise Hotel. "Just as planned," he’ll mutter. "The collapse has begun..." He’ll take a sip of top-shelf wine, a meaningful smirk playing on his lips as he glances at the mountain of Gold Coins piled on the table—.

Damn, I’m cool.

I basked in my own delusions as I walked down the corridor of the Underground Facility. But wait... it’s awfully quiet.

I knew the workers had all cleared out, but there should’ve been guards posted. Maybe they fell asleep out of sheer boredom? I mean, I did such a good job guarding the place that nobody even made it this far.

"Heh heh heh..."

I kept a light spring in my step, flashing my pearly whites, until I reached the front of the vault. That’s where I froze.

"Huh...?"

The vault was open. And it hadn't been unlocked with a key, either. It looked like it had been pried open by force.

"N-No way. Surely not..."

My security had been ironclad. I hadn't let so much as a single mouse sneak through from the direction of the Lawless City.

My legs started to shake. My hands followed suit. A cold sweat drenched my skin.

"I-I-I’m sure it’s fine. Everything's fine..."

I nudged the heavy vault door open the rest of the way. The interior was... empty. That towering mountain of gold had vanished without a trace.

"Y-You’ve gotta be kidding me..."

All the strength drained from my knees, and I collapsed into a heap on the floor.

"Why? How...?"

My Gold Coins...

"Ha... Hahaha! This is a dream, right? No, it’s a prank. It has to be. I’m going to be 'The Eminence in Shadow'..."

My hands were trembling like leaves, but I used them to slick back my messy hair and forced myself to stand. It’s fine. Everything’s fine. Maybe Yukime moved it for some reason? Even if someone had managed to steal it, moving that much gold would take ages. Unless they were incredibly efficient, they couldn't have gotten far.

I hobbled out of the vault on legs that felt like jelly. I felt two presences approaching, so I quickly threw on a mask of calm.

"—Lord John!"

Two sexy beauties came sprinting toward me. It was Lady Yukime’s Executives, Natsu and Kana. They looked like the world was ending, so I decided to play along.

"What happened?" I asked.

Clearly something happened. Something big. My vault is as clean as a whistle, after all.

"Lady Yukime—Lady Yukime has been captured by Gettan!"

"What... did you say?"

Yukime... captured by Gettan... I see! Everything clicked into place inside my head, and I let out a low, dark chuckle.

"Lord John...?"

"So, that's how it is..."

To the puzzled Natsu and Kana, I pushed the vault door open to show them the void inside.

"Th-This is—!"

"N-No way, he—?! But it seems a bit too fast..."

Their eyes went wide with shock.

"Do you know where he is?"

"Y-Yes!"

"Then there’s no problem. I’ll take it back immediately."

I walked right between the two of them, letting my Magic Power explode. I made sure to make the very atmosphere tremble.

"Wh-What incredible Magic Power!?"

"I-Is this John Smith’s true strength!?"

Then I whipped out my Steel Wire, letting it whistle through the air as it carved beautiful lines of light in the darkness.

"Gettan... you’ve gone and pissed me off...!"

And so, the retaliation begins—.