"Hey! Where’d those students go? Did they get taken out!?"
"We don't have time for that! Shut up and protect the civilians!"
The battle raged on even after Cyan's group fled. Security Force members fought desperately against Regen and his thugs to shield those who hadn't managed to evacuate.
Advanced preparations had given them a slight edge, but balancing rescue operations with active combat was a nightmare. Diverting personnel to escort civilians left the front lines dangerously thin. On the other hand, focusing on the fight meant they couldn't go all out for fear of hitting bystanders. They were trapped in a tactical lose-lose scenario.
The supervising officer in charge of the operation was forced to calculate the best possible deployment of his forces while personally holding the line.
Through the thick of the fray, a thug closed in on a mother and daughter who had been left behind.
"Heh heh heh... What a cute little brat. The freaks'll pay a fortune for this one!"
"N-no!"
"P-please, at least spare the children!"
As a member of the child kidnapping organization, the lower-level member was clearly targeting the young girl. He reached out for her, weapon in hand, but Jinba slid between them, his sword already drawn.
"Not on my watch! Uooooh!"
"Wha—?! Gwah!"
Caught by a thrust backed by the full weight of Jinba's charge, the thug was sent flying. Shoulders heaving as he gasped for breath, Jinba turned back and shouted to the terrified pair.
"Run! Get out of here, now!"
Jinba urged them to leave the danger zone immediately. More thugs closed in from behind, a duo of minions seeking to avenge their fallen comrade. Jinba was a split second too slow to react, but the two were blown away before they could reach him.
"Jinba-san, you all right?"
"Yugo! Good timing!"
Saved from the crisis by Yugo’s sudden intervention, Jinba barked his thanks. They continued their conversation while working together to mow down the organization's small-fry members as they swarmed in.
"What is wrong with those students of yours? Pulling a stunt like that... they must be insane!"
"Don't look at me! Those idiots have been making my life hell, too!"
With every swing of Jinba’s blade and every crack of Yugo’s fist, the thugs dropped one by one. However, the rioters didn't seem to be decreasing in number at all. Jinba, becoming increasingly frustrated, realized the parent and child he had just saved were still paralyzed with fear.
"Hey, you two! It's dangerous here, get out of here now!"
"We can't! I got separated from my son... I have to find him!"
"What!?"
Hearing that a child had gone missing in the middle of this chaos, Yugo’s expression hardened. As if timed perfectly, the sound of a child crying echoed through the street. Everyone turned toward the sound, only to see a boy on the verge of being captured by Regen.
"I never miss an opportunity to restock my inventory, even in the middle of a fight. I really am a consummate professional, aren't I?"
"Dammit! This is bad!"
Jinba’s heart sank as Regen produced the Birdcage, aiming it at the boy. In that instant, Yugo had already sprinted toward them. By the time Jinba realized what was happening, Yugo had pulled the child into a protective embrace.
"Hahaha! It's useless!"
"Ugh! Oooooooh!"
"Yugo!"
Realizing he couldn't strike Regen down in time, Yugo had prioritized the boy's safety. He tried to leap clear with the child in his arms, but the Birdcage’s light enveloped them both, dragging them into the void.
Jinba stood frozen, the sight triggering a visceral flashback.
It’s the same... Just like that day!
The day of fate, which he could never forget. On the day he lost his partner, Thomas, he had done the exact same thing as Yugo. He had shielded a child who was slow to escape and had been captured by the Birdcage along with them, only to be released after it was too late.
The memory hit him with the force of a physical blow. He was standing exactly where Thomas had stood. He reached into his coat and gripped the cold metal of the folding crossbow.
Partner... I think it’s finally my turn.
Jinba steeled himself with grim determination while speaking to Thomas in heaven. Taking out the weapon—a memento of his partner—he aimed it and shouted at his nemesis.
"Don't you dare move, Regen!"