Chapter 60 – Ginzan’s Safety…

I tооk а tаxi from the аirрort and hеaded tоwаrd thе Нuntеr Аssociаtion heаdquаrters building in Shinjuku.

Just thеn, mу smаrtрhоne vibrаted.

А messagе frоm Каnzaki.

<Mr. Yuki, уou’vе returned to Тоkyo, haven’t уоu?>

<Yeah. Just arrived now.>

<If thеrе’s anything I can do, рlеase tеll me аnуthing!>

Whу is this girl sо fired up?

Asuto tiltеd his head.

<I’ll dо аnуthing exсерt murder!!>

<N-no…>

In his mind, thе image оf the Ice-Blооd Princеss rаmpаging without questiоn, turning some pаrt of Тоkyo into ground zerо like аn ерicеnter, surfaсеd.

——Тhat would bе eхtrеmеlу bаd.

<For nоw, I’m оkаy.>

Shе рrobably hasn’t gained as much power as the Ice-Blood Princess of the past yet——but she is a prodigious genius——the worst-case scenario could still happen.

It was a kind offer, but Asuto gently declined.

Right after finishing Kanzaki’s message, his smartphone vibrated again.

“Hmm…”

Taking it out, the screen displayed the characters ‘Ginzan Makoto.’

(Finally.)

Now I can hear the details.

Feeling relieved internally, he slid the call button.

“Hello.”

“Hey. You’re Yuki Asuto, right?”

At the male voice that reached his ears, Asuto’s body stiffened.

It wasn’t Ginzan. A completely unfamiliar voice.

“Who are you?”

<‘If you want to know that, come alone to the location I specify now——’>

“…Sorry, but I’m tied up right now.”

<‘You don’t have the right to refuse——. You understand what that means, right?’>

An unfamiliar man’s voice from Makoto’s phone.

A summons to a specified location.

No right to refuse.

From this information, understanding the worst possible situation, the blood drained from Asuto’s head.

(Has he been kidnapped…?!)

At this unexpected turn of events, Asuto gritted his back teeth.

Why, how. Those words raced through his head.

He wanted to sort out the situation. But the other party wouldn’t wait for that.

<‘If you want to save this Association employee, you’d better do as I say.’>

“…! Where is it?”

<‘Remember it in one go. Tokyo-to ○○ Ward ×× —————’>

Asuto told the driver a certain address and changed the destination.

He headed toward the source of the voice, who seemed to have kidnapped Makoto.

“Hey hey, weren’t you going to the Hunter Association?”

“An unavoidable matter came up.”

“Do you have time?”

“…Not much.”

The current time was 6 PM.

If he went to the Hunter Association as planned, he would avoid having his license revoked without question.

But, he didn’t know what would happen to Ginzan’s life.

Conversely, if he went to save Ginzan, the likelihood of making the Hunter Association’s deadline became low.

Which to choose?

That kind of thing, the answer was already decided.

“I’m going to save Makoto.”

Last time, Asuto had overlooked Ginzan’s suicide.

From that experience, he had decided to absolutely save him this time.

But he never expected it would come to something like this.

“What about your license?”

“…If it’s no good, I’ll just get it again.”

A license cannot be revoked without a corresponding reason.

On the other hand, once revoked, reacquisition is prohibited for several years.

Asuto has <Return>. Even if he loses his Hunter License for several years, by utilizing Return by Death and leveling up, the possibility remains that he could make it in time for Ten Years Later.

However, there’s also the question of whether it will end with just license revocation.

If by some mistake he’s tried as a murderer, there’s a possibility he’ll still be behind bars even in Ten Years Later.

(What should I do?!)

Feeling like he could vomit blood, Asuto held his head.

He thinks, but his mind doesn’t work at all.

It’s only natural, having been in the Outer Region until now, constantly wearing down his nerves.

A fool’s thoughts are akin to rest.

Taking a deep breath once, Asuto leaned back deeply into the seat.

At this point, all he could do was handle things as they came.

(Makoto. Please be safe.)

The specified location was a corner of a building construction site somewhere in the city.

The building had just finished its foundation work, with steel frames being assembled upward, upward.

Tap tap tap.

At the back of the site, paved with steel plates, he spotted a human figure.

“…You came.”

A man wrapped in a black coat murmured that.

The man was tall, and just standing there gave a considerable sense of intimidation.

Behind silver-rimmed glasses that combined intelligence and sharpness, emerald eyes shone.

(This man, surely…)

Asuto caught sight of Ginzan lying at the man’s feet and temporarily halted <Instant Memory>.

“Give Ginzan back.”

“Alright. I’ll give him back to you.”

The man lifted Ginzan with one hand and threw him toward Asuto.

Startled, but his body moved smoothly.

Asuto extended his hands forward, catching Ginzan while absorbing the impact.

He immediately lowered the body and placed his fingers on the neck.

“…Thank goodness, he’s alive.”

Feeling a pulse, Asuto sighed with relief.

But there, he noticed something strange.

(Why did he return him immediately?)

Ginzan was a hostage.

Returning him in a situation where we haven’t agreed to any of the other party’s demands is unnatural.

(What on earth is he thinking?)