Though Higuchi Ichiyō wasn't much of a talker, she was deeply curious about the Port Mafia's new guerrilla squad leader.
Women in the Port Mafia were already rare as it was—most were in finance or intel, leaving combat-focused members like her with barely any chances to interact with female colleagues.
And now, this new recruit wasn't just another woman—she was her direct superior. That meant plenty of future interactions, like it or not.
So, whether for work or personal reasons, she had to get on this girl's good side.
The two of them chatted idly on the way, but luckily, unlike most women, Higuchi wasn't exactly the "girly" type. Her topics mostly revolved around work, which made it easy for Tokisaki Kurumi to keep up.
If it had been makeup or fashion? Yeah, no. That'd be way out of her depth.
About half an hour later, they arrived at their destination—a factory in the outskirts of Yokohama.
The place looked like it had been abandoned for ages. Rusted iron gates hung crooked, the wire fence long overtaken by creeping vines, now home to small critters. Not a single car passed by in this desolate area.
"We're here," Higuchi said, killing the headlights and parking a fair distance away. "According to intel, this is one of a rival organization's hideouts. Unknown number of armed personnel, unknown number of ability users. Proceed with caution."
"Of course."
With that, Kurumi stepped out of the car and strode gracefully toward the factory.
As she watched the girl leave, Higuchi slipped on a Bluetooth earpiece and called Mori Ōgai. "Boss, Tokisaki-san has begun the operation."
"Good. Activate the drone."
"Understood."
From the trunk, she retrieved a high-tech control panel and flipped the switch.
A near-invisible surveillance drone whirred to life, silent as a shadow, and took to the skies.
With careful adjustments, the noiseless machine caught up to Kurumi, hovering just far enough to avoid detection.
"Higuchi, while your mission is to uncover Tokisaki Kurumi's ability, it's not mandatory."
"Understood."
"Prioritize stealth. Even if you capture nothing, do not let her notice you."
"Understood."
Recon missions were the ultimate test of skill.
They demanded sharp judgment, razor-edged alertness, keen intuition—and above all, the ability to escape unscathed if discovered.
If you wanted to uncover an ability user's power, this was the fastest, most effective method.
And that was exactly Mori's goal.
Higuchi wasn't just a driver—she was a spy.
A spy who could report Kurumi's abilities to him at any moment.
Sure, he could have just asked Kurumi about her ability. But Mori knew better. Someone like her? Trust didn't come easy. Even if she answered, it'd probably be a lie.
So he sent Higuchi along for this very reason.
Let's see what you're hiding, Tokisaki Kurumi.
Back at Port Mafia HQ, Mori stared at a massive projection screen displaying real-time footage from Higuchi's drone.
Thanks to high-precision night vision, Kurumi's figure was crystal clear—every step, every movement captured.
She walked leisurely, seemingly unaware of the surveillance.
But as she neared the factory, a massive, three-dimensional circle materialized behind her, obscuring her body from view.
"Higuchi, reposition to her side."
"Understood."
The angle shifted, revealing Kurumi's profile—and part of the floating object.
A giant clock.
An enlarged version of the one in her left eye, Roman numerals marking each hour.
"A classical Roman clock… Design suggests a connection to her flintlock pistols. Maybe a set?" Mori mused. "But what does it do? How does it tie into her weapons?"
Then, something utterly baffling happened.
On-screen, Kurumi raised one of her flintlocks—and pressed it against her own temple.
Even if it was just an antique, at point-blank range? That was suicide.
Yet she pulled the trigger anyway.
"Hm?"
No splattered brains. No gruesome death.
Instead—she vanished.
Not a glitch, not a malfunction. One moment she was there, the next—poof. Gone.
Both Higuchi and Mori were left stumped.
What the hell just happened?
"Ever since becoming a Spirit, I've grown… sensitive to things like 'gazes.'"
The moment she sensed Higuchi's surveillance, she activated her Angel—[Zafkiel].
With its power, she slipped into the shadows and warped straight into the factory.
Zafkiel had twelve time-based abilities. [Aleph], the first bullet, accelerated time for whatever it hit—letting her effectively teleport.
Paired with her shadow-melding, it made infiltration child's play.
"Not that I mind revealing a bit of my power… but mystery suits 'Tokisaki Kurumi' better." She smirked. "I know you're curious, but~ if you want intel on me? Try harder."
Now free of the drone, she turned her attention to the mission.
Scoping out the factory.
Inside, sealed wooden crates were stacked everywhere, providing perfect cover.
Her slender frame made hiding a breeze.
"Never done infiltration before… Even with my abilities, better play it safe."
Peeking out, she surveyed the interior.
Despite the derelict exterior, the inside was anything but chaotic.
Crates neatly lined the walls. Sophisticated equipment and chemicals were arranged in the center. Everything was orderly.
Within her line of sight—about twenty men.
Most were unarmed civilians, huddled around the central equipment, busy with… something.
The rest? Armed thugs. Nothing fancy—mostly handguns—but lethal enough to a normal person.
Clearly, this was some organization's minor outpost.
But just looking wouldn't net her intel.
"If they spot me, I'm Swiss cheese." She glanced at her flintlock, hesitating. "But this is my first mission. Fail here, and the image I built with Mori? Gone."
So…
Should she summon clones to help?
--+--