I ran, and ran, and ran.
I kicked off the ground with my strengthened legs, accelerating as I caught the tailwind at my back.
I glanced down briefly. Mika was in my arms, trembling as she gasped for breath. With her eyes squeezed shut, she clung to her katana as if it were a lifeline. She looked so small.
"Aaaaa—!!!"
A roar-like scream and the sound of repeated destruction echoed from behind.
"I guess outrunning it is impossible after all...!"
One of the Kaijin from before was definitely on our tail. The head start I’d gained by blinding them was almost gone.
"Aaaaa—!!!"
I ducked into a deserted side street. The Kaijin followed, but I’d bought enough distance that the rest of the Himatsuri-gumi wouldn’t be able to catch up immediately.
I judged that further flight was impossible. I had to intercept it here.
"Aaaaa—!"
"Factor, release...!"
I hated the idea of fighting while holding Mika, but I was even more afraid to put her down. If there were other assassins lurking nearby, I wasn't confident I could protect her in her current state.
Just as I prepared to release my inner power and transform into my Kaijin form, a thunderous engine noise rumbled in the distance.
"You two—get down!"
A woman’s voice cut through the roar of the engine. I ducked instinctively, and a large motorcycle soared over my head. Its front wheel slammed into the Kaijin, sending it flying several meters back.
"Who the hell...?"
The mysterious woman, who had made an incredibly aggressive entrance, landed the bike with expert precision. She dismounted with efficient, practiced movements and stepped in front of us.
She wore a pants suit fitted with various futuristic mechanical devices. A long black ponytail swayed behind her, and her face remained a mask of cold, unyielding professionalism.
"Stay back," she commanded.
She was staring at the Kaijin. Despite being struck by the bike, it was already pushing itself back up, seemingly unharmed.
"Aaaaa—!"
"Look out!" I shouted.
Enraged, the monster charged. It wasn't interested in us anymore; its target was the woman in the suit.
She didn't even blink as she watched the monster. "I have questions for you, but let’s deal with that thing first."
She quickly drew a handgun from a hip holster and opened fire. The bullets sparked against the Kaijin's skin but did little to slow its advance.
"Aaaaa—!"
Superstrength Kaijin Muscular. A single punch from its bloated, Ability-enhanced muscles could turn a human into a pile of gore.
As the massive fist swung, the woman placed a hand on top of it and vaulted gracefully over the monster's head. She fired again while in mid-air.
The Kaijin let out a grunt of annoyance and swung a backhand at her.
"Aaaaa—!"
She had already anticipated the move and retreated. The fist slammed into the pavement, shattering the concrete and sending debris flying.
"Returning these to sender."
The shards of concrete stopped dead in the air. With a snap of her fingers, the woman sent the rubble hurtling back at the Kaijin.
"Is that... psychokinesis?"
It had to be. She was moving objects without touching them. However, since she wasn't using it directly on the monster, she probably couldn't manipulate living beings or extremely heavy objects.
Which meant she was severely lacking in firepower.
"Aaaaa—!"
"I see. So this is a Kaijin."
She dodged another punch while continuing to fire her handgun, but it was clear she wasn't dealing any real damage. At this rate, she'd run out of stamina and get killed.
I realized I had to step in. But then, she changed her tactics.
"Good enough for a field test. Releasing Numbers 01 through 05."
She spoke with authority, and the motorcycle reacted. A container on the back of the oversized bike opened, and five objects shot toward her. She caught one; the other four came to a halt, hovering around her.
"Hound Alpha. Transitioning to field test of Anti-Kaijin Armament Prom Bastion."
The weapon in her hand was a gun, but unlike any I’d ever seen. It was large-bore and covered in mechanical parts and cables—a heavy piece of hardware for a human to wield. The four other units floated nearby, their muzzles locked onto the Kaijin.
"Aaaaa—!"
The Kaijin didn't care about the new gear. It simply drove its massive muscles forward, lunging at her.
"Fire."
She calmly pulled the trigger.
A single round streaked out. The Kaijin didn't bother to dodge; it had already learned her attacks were useless. To a mindless puppet stripped of free will, one gun was the same as another.
The bullet struck true. A violent explosion and a massive shockwave rocked the Kaijin’s sturdy frame.
"Aaaaaa!?!?"
A Kaijin's Ability-enhanced flesh is like a suit of biological armor. Most weapons are useless against it. But this bullet was different. It dealt massive damage.
"I see. It is quite durable."
She pulled the trigger again. A second explosion rattled the monster.
"Aaaaa—!?!?"
The Kaijin finally recognized her as a threat. It threw its entire weight into a desperate charge.
"Fire."
She didn't retreat. She pulled the trigger once more, but this time, the four hovering units joined in.
"Aaaaaaa—!?!?"
A Full Burst from all five barrels hammered into the Kaijin. Even with its incredible strength, the monster flinched under the relentless barrage. It tried to close the gap, but it couldn't manage those last few steps.
"A... aa..."
Battered by an impossible number of rounds, Superstrength Kaijin Muscular finally collapsed from the accumulated damage.
"Whew..."
The woman exhaled a long, weary breath. Even for someone as composed as her, the tension must have been immense. If she had been a second slower, she would have been the one on the ground.
"A..."
The Kaijin was down, but it was still breathing. She pointed her weapon at its head and pulled the trigger without hesitation.
Click.
Only the sound of the trigger echoed.
"I used the entire magazine and couldn't finish it...?"
She sighed, lowered the weapon, and pulled a smartphone from her pocket.
"...It’s me. Encountered a Kaijin. Neutralization successful. Send a team to secure it immediately. Yes, the target is here."
She finished her report and turned to us once more.
"Who are you?" I asked.
Her gear wasn't standard. She didn't look like a Hero; she clearly worked for a different organization. And she hadn't saved us out of the goodness of her heart.
She looked at me, then pulled a small black ID from her pocket.
"It’s probably best if I introduce myself before we proceed. I am Aya Ude, with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department Public Security Bureau’s Special Response Office for Ability Crimes."
"Public Security...?"
"I’ve come to speak with you, Mika Himatsuri-san."