Akashi's once again use his 『Steal lv2』, and this time, the target was the burly man seated in the front passenger seat.
And soon enough, a pistol found its way into his small hands. Without hesitation, he passed it discreetly to Eri behind him.
Eri felt the cold metal press against her arms and glanced down to see the unexpected weapon. Her phoenix-like eyes narrowed in surprise, but her composed face betrayed nothing. She quickly took hold of the pistol, her movements calm and calculated.
A moment of understanding passed between the two women, their gazes locking, a glimmer of determination in their eyes. Armed now, they both felt a newfound sense of security.
Meanwhile, the scar-faced man in front remained oblivious to their actions, continuing his monologue.
"Barrister Kisaki," he sneered, "when we get there, you'd better cooperate. My boss holds you in high regard, you know. He's got some billion-dollar deals he wants to discuss. Refuse, and my boys won't be so polite."
He chuckled darkly before adding, "Of course, if you don't cooperate, maybe we'll shoot a little... 'movie ' instead. No wardrobe change needed—how does 'The Queen of Laws Goes Rogue' sound? Or maybe 'The Banned Diva Returns'?"
The man's lewd words hung in the air, drawing laughter from the fat man beside him and the thin driver. However, Akashi's small frame tensed, his eyes narrowing with icy glint.
As the men laughed wildly, the van turned sharply into an unfinished construction site. The area, surrounded by fencing, housed a skeletal building. The vehicle came to a halt on the first floor, where three men awaited.
The trio wore nothing but black undergarments, their bodies marked by tattoos. Two were busy arranging camera equipment, black mattresses, and reflectors. The third man lounged on a red couch, swirling a glass of red wine with exaggerated flair.
This was Kua Nagano, the younger brother of the late Nagano Group president and vice president of Nagano Real Estate. After orchestrating his brother's death, Kua intended to claim the company for himself, a plan requiring legal finesse.
Eri, Tokyo's most skilled attorney, had refused to assist in his underhanded schemes, earning his ire. In retaliation, Kua had arranged her kidnapping, aiming to coerce her through a humiliating and incriminating act.
That's why today's incident happened!
As the van slowed, Akashi's keen eyes darted toward the scene outside. His small fists tightened, but he remained calm.
When the van was about to stop, Akashi struck. With another use of this 『Steal』, he stole the scar-faced man's pistol without the slightest notice.
As the thug prepared to greet Kua, Akashi whispered to himself, "It's now!"
In a flash, Akashi activated his quick-draw skill. He raised the pistol and fired.
'Bang! '
The shot struck true, hitting Scarface squarely in the crotch. He let out an ear-piercing scream, collapsing in pain.
Before he could recover, Yukiko sprang into action. Her stun gun pierced Scarface's side, delivering a jolting shock.
"Zzzzzt!"
Blood gushed from his injury, his body convulsing violently. His eyes rolled back as he crumpled to the floor.
Eri, decisive and unflinching, took the opportunity to fire a warning shot. The van's windshield shattered under her aim.
"Hands up, both of you!" she commanded the remaining thugs. "Move, and you're next."
Her tone was icy but restrained. Despite her fury, she chose not to shoot directly at them.
With precise coordination, the trio—Eri, Yukiko, and Akashi—swiftly gained control of the situation. The tables had turned.
Outside, the three accomplices heard the gunfire and scrambled for cover.
Inside the van, Akashi tried to steady his trembling hands. His small stature and limited strength made the recoil almost unmanageable.
Even in the chaos, his caution never wavered.
The scar-faced man twitched violently from the electric shock, foam bubbling at his mouth. Yet, Akashi's gaze remained cold. Mercy was not an option.
He gripped the conventional pistol tightly, pressing it firmly against the man's chest with both hands.
'Bang! Bang! '
Two deafening shots rang out, creating gruesome, gaping holes in the man's torso. Only then did his convulsions cease.
The two men in the front seats witnessed the scene unfold through the rearview mirror. Terror seized them as they processed what they had just seen.
Who could have imagined that the most fearsome presence among them would be the seemingly harmless little boy?
"A devil in disguise," the thin gunman whispered, his fear quickly replaced by desperation. He slammed his foot down on the accelerator.
The van roared forward, throwing the passengers violently against their seats. It crashed into a pillar in the abandoned building with a sickening crunch, sending smoke billowing from its front.
The two men in the driver's seats wasted no time. They kicked open the doors and fled into the chaos outside.
Inside the van, Akashi remained unscathed, shielded by Eri, who had instinctively pulled him into her arms.
However, Eri herself bore the brunt of the impact, her head slamming into the seat with enough force to render her unconscious. Nearby, Yukiko clutched her black-stockinged foot, wincing in pain.
Akashi slipped free from Eri's protective embrace. His small frame was steady as his icy gaze swept over Eri's unconscious form and Yukiko's injured state.
Yukiko's voice trembled as she pleaded, "Akashi, run! Leave us and get help. Call the police!"
Her words fell on deaf ears. Akashi silently reached for the Colt pocket pistol strapped to his leg.
Without hesitation, he turned back to the scar-faced man, who lay in a pool of his own blood, and fired two more shots.
The 『Rapid Fire Shot』 activated, enhancing the power of each bullet. The next shot was as lethal as a standard-issue pistol round.
As Yukiko watched in shock, Akashi stepped out of the van. Calmly, he raised his weapon and fired at the fleeing gunmen.
'Bang! Bang! '
Both shots struck their marks, the bullets finding their targets with unnerving precision. The fat man and the thin gunman collapsed mid-run, blood pooling beneath them.
Yukiko's breath hitched. Her wide, green eyes fixated on Akashi in disbelief.
This child—this adorable, seemingly innocent boy—had become a perfect marksman.
She struggled to reconcile the reality before her. The contrast was too much to bear.
Suddenly, a burst of gunfire erupted from the red sofa. Bullets rained down on the van, leaving craters in the metal exterior.
"Get down!" Yukiko cried, pulling Eri into cover just in time. Miraculously, neither woman was hit.
"KILL THEM!
Kua Nagano, crouching behind the sofa, barked orders. As a member of the Yakuza, he had firepower to spare and wasn't shy about using it.
As Kua reloaded, one of his tattooed men peeked out from behind a pillar. His confidence faltered as Akashi activated a newly acquired skill.
A sinister, incomprehensible murmur echoed in the man's mind, paralyzing him with terror. His sanity unraveled as fear consumed him.
"I... I had nothing to do with this!" he screamed, clutching his head and running blindly into the open.
Akashi had been waiting for this.
With a precise aim, he fired the fifth shot. Enhanced to sniper-level power, the bullet tore through the man's chest, killing him instantly.
The final two bullets in the magazine carried even greater force. Akashi aimed at a load-bearing column and pulled the trigger.
'Boom! '
The column exploded, burying another henchman under a cascade of rubble. The building shook, and a 3.5-inch crater marked the destruction.
Kua's eyes widened in disbelief.
"What the hell?! This was supposed to be a simple kidnapping!" he stammered, retreating behind the sofa.
His panic reached its peak as Akashi fired again. The final shot exploded with the force of a howitzer shell, obliterating the sofa and the man behind it.
Kua's body was torn apart in the blast, leaving a gaping crater in its wake.
The shockwave sent Akashi stumbling. A sharp ringing filled his ears, his vision swimming. His body screamed for rest, his mental strength teetering on the edge of collapse.
But he couldn't afford to faint—not yet. There was still chaos to clean up.