Chapter 16: Ambush
“Don’t stop! Keep driving!”
Josuke’s loud voice echoed through the vehicle. His voice carried the authority of memories inherited from the other world and his calm judgment.
The driver, who had been about to slam on the brakes, snapped back to his senses and floored the accelerator. The tires shrieked as the van sped forward. Seeing this, the car that had hit them hastily began to pursue.
“Everyone, fasten your seatbelts tightly!” one of the bodyguards shouted.
With tense expressions, everyone clung to their seats, pulling their seatbelts taut. They ducked low, bracing for the next potential impact.
Hayato glanced back at the car that had rear-ended them. It was a black sedan with tinted windows, but by squinting, he could make out the figures inside. Between the reflections of the sunlight, he saw the ferocious faces of men.
From the appearance of the driver and passengers, he guessed they were locals. Not just common thieves or robbers, but members of an organized violent group. And several such vehicles were coordinating their movements.
He analyzed the situation in an instant. From their attempt to surround the van with multiple cars, their objective wasn’t to kill the target. If murder were their goal, they would have employed a more direct method of attack. He predicted they intended to capture someone and demand ransom or something similar.
As these thoughts raced through his mind, the windows of the pursuing car opened, and he saw men taking out something and preparing to aim. The metallic gleam unmistakably belonged to weapons.
Hayato’s expression changed completely. A cold resolve settled in his eyes.
—If you’re willing to go that far, then I won’t show any mercy either.
He glared at the attacking men with a sharp gaze. His stare was imbued with the intimidating presence of a Hero. The killing intent and determination, forged over ten years of life-and-death battles, were unleashed. It was the same earnest gaze he had shown during the final battle with the Demon King, a look that decided life and death.
A flicker of fear crossed the faces of the men who met his gaze. Images flashed through their minds: the sensation of being stared down by a ferocious beast, or targeted by the Grim Reaper’s scythe. It was an instinctive fear, inexplicable by logic. A man in the back seat involuntarily dropped his weapon and recoiled, shrinking back.
“This is bad,” the man in the passenger seat of the pursuing car muttered. His face was pale, and he awkwardly re-gripped the weapon in his hand. Sweat dripped from his forehead, his pupils dilated in terror.
“That man… he’s no ordinary person!”
“We weren’t told anything about this!” the man in the driver’s seat yelled back. He himself couldn’t hide his agitation, his hands trembling on the steering wheel.
“He’s not just a bodyguard!?”
Confused voices rose from the back seat as well. The men looked at each other, their faces a mixture of bewilderment and fear. They had thought he was merely an escort, but they sensed an entirely different level of presence from the man before them.
“Don’t falter! Carry out the mission!” a man, seemingly the leader, yelled at the driver to get a grip. He ordered them in a strong tone befitting a commander, but his voice trembled slightly. Cold sweat poured down his entire body.
“No, it’s no use…” another man said, taking out his mobile phone with a trembling hand.
“If we lay a hand on that man, it’ll be irreparable. These are people we shouldn’t mess with…”
The speed of the pursuing car dropped. The engine noise weakened, and the distance between it and the van gradually increased. A brief exchange occurred among the men, and the driver unconsciously turned the steering wheel. Their car turned at the next intersection, disappearing down another road. The man in the back seat cowered as if escaping a demon.
Inside the rammed van, the bodyguards were on high alert, watching their rear while communicating via radio. Their voices were tense, their breathing ragged. Nevertheless, they didn’t lose their professional composure and strived to accurately assess the situation.
“Pursuing vehicle has disengaged,” one reported. His voice held a mix of relief and lingering tension.
“No other enemy presence confirmed,” another bodyguard said, scanning the surroundings. He was pressed against the window, carefully checking the rear and sides.
“What are our orders?” the driver asked. A thin sheen of sweat covered his face, and his grip on the steering wheel was tight.
The leader thought for a moment before ordering, “Head to the hotel immediately.”
“I’ll contact headquarters,” he said, already taking out his mobile phone and dialing an emergency number.
Even after the pursuers were out of sight, the bodyguards didn’t lower their guard. They constantly watched their surroundings and maintained uninterrupted radio contact. A sense of tension, that someone might attack from either side of the road, dominated the vehicle.
Meanwhile, Hayato, Josuke, and Tsuyoshi, sensing the danger had passed, calmed down. Their intuition, honed by experiences in the other world, told them they were safe for now. An unspoken understanding existed among the three, and they shared their assessment of the situation with just a slight exchange of glances.
For them, who had navigated countless life-or-death situations during their adventures in the other world, this attack wasn’t a particularly serious crisis.
Upon arriving at their destination hotel, the group was immediately guided to their rooms. The suite prepared for them on an upper floor of the luxury hotel was larger than usual and had impeccable security.
“Gather information on those attackers from earlier!”
“There might still be some of them hiding and watching! Don’t let your guard down!” the leader barked orders to his subordinates.
“Tsuyoshi-san, and your companions, this way, please,” one of the bodyguards said, guiding them to a sofa area in the center of the large room.
Everyone entered the main room and waited. The bodyguards bustled about, confirming the situation and liaising with external teams. They coordinated with hotel security and performed a safety check of the room. Their movements were efficient, offering a glimpse of their professional skill.
Hayato and the others sat on the sofa, quietly observing. Tsuyoshi appeared calm on the surface, but a sharp light dwelled in his eyes. He occasionally glanced out the window, his brow furrowed as if deep in thought.
After a while, Josuke quietly stood up. His expression had regained the sharpness of his former days as an information broker.
“Something’s bothering me. I’m going to check it out,” he said in a low voice to his companions as he stood. With a subtle gesture towards the room’s exit, he conveyed his intentions to Hayato and Tsuyoshi.
“Go ahead,” Tsuyoshi nodded. As a sign of trust, he gave a small wave.
“Leave this to us,” Hayato added.
Tsuyoshi and Hayato watched Josuke’s back as he left the room, erasing his presence. His movements were fluid, as silent as a shadow.
The bodyguards didn’t seem to pay any particular attention to Josuke’s actions. They appeared engrossed in their own tasks, such as confirming the situation and future schedules. In a corner of the room, the leader was on his mobile phone, presumably contacting headquarters, explaining something with a stern expression.
Afterward, the leader issued strict instructions to his subordinates, ordering them to strengthen their security posture. His voice was higher than usual, tinged with a slight panic.
“Deploy personnel to both the elevator hall and the emergency stairs.”
“Coordinate closely with hotel security.”
“Everyone will be submitting a report on this incident. Make sure to record the situation thoroughly.”
However, beneath this flurry of activity lay a hidden anxiety over the misjudgment he had shown during the earlier attack. They keenly felt their responsibility.
Eventually, as the situation settled, the leader approached Tsuyoshi.
His expression was contorted with apology. A light sweat beaded his forehead, and his usual composure was shaken.
“I am truly sorry,” he said, bowing deeply. He held the apologetic posture for a long time, a testament to his sincere remorse.
“Despite the warning you gave us at the airport, for this to happen…” He seemed deeply regretful, tormented by the thought that his misjudgment had led to this situation.
Tsuyoshi, still seated deeply in his chair, asked calmly. There was no harshness in his expression, only a warmth that indicated understanding.
“Were there any injuries?”
“Fortunately, there were zero injuries,” the leader replied instantly. His voice was tinged with the relief that this was their only saving grace.
“That’s good then,” Tsuyoshi said with a smile.
“Be more careful next time.”
“Yes, understood. I apologize.”
The leader bowed his head deeply once more. This time, he didn’t just brush off Tsuyoshi’s warning; he seemed to be taking it to heart. The suspicion he had harbored towards Tsuyoshi at the airport had completely vanished. And it seemed he had developed a sense of respect for Tsuyoshi’s magnanimity.
“I will assess the situation immediately,” the leader said, his expression earnest. A determination to regain the trust he had lost was visible in his eyes.
“I’ll sort something out by tomorrow’s scheduled events.”
“Yeah, I’m counting on you,” Tsuyoshi replied, though he was also thinking that the man shouldn’t overdo it. Truth be told, he (Tsuyoshi) was placing more hope on the information Josuke would likely bring back than on the bodyguards, but he didn’t show it openly.
Time passed, and the atmosphere in the room gradually began to settle. The bodyguards took rests in shifts while continuing to maintain their vigilance. I sat on the sofa, sipping a light drink, and continued to gaze fixedly out the window.
After a while, the door opened quietly. Erasing his presence just as he had when he left, Josuke returned to the room as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.
“I’ve gathered some intel,” he announced.
It couldn’t have been that long, but he had apparently found some information.
“Let’s hear it right away,” Tsuyoshi said.
Tsuyoshi and I leaned forward, eager to hear what he had to say.