Chapter 63: What Kind of Netorare is This?

For the Jaegers' very first mission, everyone was keyed up, determined to put on a stellar performance.

The overwhelming firepower of Seryu and Bols, the simultaneous infiltration of Kurome and Wave, and the summoned minions of Dr. Stylish all displayed tremendous might in this battle.

However, the most dazzling performers were undoubtedly the incredibly elegant Run soaring through the sky and the nonchalantly strolling Kobayashi on the battlefield.

The two of them possessed an out-of-spec coolness that made Wave immensely envious.

Upon witnessing Lydie’s elegant combat style, Dr. Stylish was struck with awe. Instantly excited, he said to Kobayashi, "Miss Lydie is truly top-tier material! Why don't you hand her over to me? I guarantee I’ll turn her into the strongest and most fashionable Teigu!"

"However, I refuse! I love saying 'No' to people who think they know better!"

Kobayashi gave him zero face.

"Oh my, how regrettable. I thought I’d be able to forge the most fashionable Teigu." Dr. Stylish lightly stroked his chin.

Though he voiced regret, his expression remained completely unchanged.

Everyone knew the value of a Teigu; lending one out casually was out of the question, let alone when they had only just become colleagues.

"Still, I’m quite interested in the Doctor's Teigu as well," Kobayashi said, gazing meaningfully at the doctor's hands.

——【God's Hand: Perfecter】

It amplified the user's finger dexterity a hundredfold, facilitating the creation of all kinds of intricate weaponry. Not only could it outpace the hand speed of someone single for twenty years, but even someone single for two hundred years wouldn't stand a chance.

With it, he could tune Lydie's gears effortlessly, making it the number one Teigu on Kobayashi's personal wishlist.

"Heh-heh-heh, this isn't something I can just hand over to anyone, you know."

Dr. Stylish deliberately spread his hands to display his Teigu, gazing at it as if it were his beloved.

This fellow had committed countless atrocities using his Teigu, most notably human experimentation.

He absolutely had to take him down!

"Right!" Kobayashi’s lips curled into a smile as he proposed, "Doctor, since we're both interested in each other's possessions, why don't we have a match?"

"What do you mean?"

The smile vanished from Dr. Stylish's face.

Kobayashi chuckled softly, "Winner takes all, loser bites the dust! How about it? Sounds like a great proposal, doesn't it?"

"Are you talking about gambling with our Teigu?"

"Heh."

Kobayashi didn't reply, merely smiling as he looked at him.

——This guy is an enemy! x2

For some inexplicable reason, the two suddenly locked in a sharp confrontation.

Dr. Stylish stared straight into Kobayashi's eyes, as if scrutinizing his true identity. After a long moment, he suddenly defused the hostile atmosphere on his own initiative.

He waved a hand and said, "Forget it. We're colleagues, and I won't raise a hand against a colleague."

"How unfortunate." Kobayashi shrugged.

In truth, both of them desperately wanted to accept, but Esdeath had been glaring at them the whole time. While she could tolerate internal friction and bickering among her subordinates, she would never allow a death match where Teigu were wagered.

After all, the former was a way to build camaraderie, while the latter meant mutual destruction.

The battle concluded swiftly.

The outcome, naturally, was an overwhelming victory.

Looking at the stronghold engulfed in flames, Kobayashi couldn't help but sigh for the bandits—what on earth did they do to deserve nine Teigu wielders coming to exterminate them?

Seeing the fire grow increasingly fierce, threatening to spread to the residents outside the city if left unchecked, Kobayashi suggested to Esdeath, "Captain, could I ask you to extinguish the flames? Consider it a way to demonstrate your strength to Tatsumi."

"To make Tatsumi fall for me? Very well!"

Recalling their earlier battle plan, Esdeath had no reason to refuse and readily agreed.

In fact, to thoroughly open Tatsumi's eyes, she deployed the ultimate technique of her Teigu.

——【Demon's Extract: Mahapadma】

Well, on a small scale, of course.

Even so, it instantly froze the entire stronghold solid, locking down even the unquenchable fires generated by Bols's Teigu, 【Rubicante】.

Frost filled the air in the blistering heat of summer, sending a sudden, bone-chilling drop in temperature across their skin.

"So... so strong..."

Tatsumi's words choked in his throat. His eyes widened and contracted repeatedly; he was utterly terrified.

Too strong!

Strong beyond imagination—it was completely broken!

He finally understood why Najenda always insisted Esdeath was their greatest enemy, and why Kobayashi had predicted they could never defeat her after meeting her just once.

Could such a monster truly be defeated?

Little did he know, this wasn't even Esdeath's most powerful attack.

Tatsumi lowered his head in silence.

"What do you think, Tatsumi? Am I impressive... What's wrong?"

Seeing him stay quiet, Esdeath asked with a hint of concern, "Are you feeling unwell? Or are you frightened by their strength? Don't worry, I will train you to be just as strong as them."

Pity that their stances differed, but if she could win him over as well...

Slap!

Just as Tatsumi entertained some unrealistic notions, Kobayashi gently patted him on the back and silently shook his head.

That's right, it was completely impossible.

Back then, when Kobayashi had recounted his three questions to Esdeath and the entire conversation word-for-word, everyone in Night Raid knew that Esdeath, who lived entirely by her own nature, would never join them.

That was precisely why Kobayashi had left, wasn't it?

Tatsumi clenched his fists.

With the bandits annihilated, the high-spirited group returned to the Imperial Capital with smiles on their faces, preparing a lavish feast in celebration.

The banquet also served as a welcome party for Kobayashi and Tatsumi.

After eating and drinking their fill, everyone prepared to rest.

Kobayashi raised his right hand and asked, "Excuse me, where will I be sleeping?"

"There are plenty of rooms here, please feel free to choose any one you like," the considerate older brother figure, Bols, said warmly.

The Jaegers were a specialized unit deployed by the Empire to deal with formidable enemies, so their accommodations naturally matched the highest standards. Their living quarters were luxurious and boasted numerous rooms.

Tatsumi chimed in, "Then I'll just pick one at random too—"

"No way!" Esdeath rejected him on the spot, her cheeks flushing slightly as she added, "You're sharing a room with me, of course."

"Eh————!"

Tatsumi wore a look of utter disgust.

Must admit, reacting like that was enough to piss anyone off; Esdeath was about to drag him away by force once more.

Suddenly, Bols spoke up, "Captain, that won't do."

"You mean I shouldn't be too forceful or use violence..."

Esdeath felt quite disgruntled. After all, imbued with the philosophy of social Darwinism, she believed the strong naturally had the right to dominate the weak.

Even so, she possessed remarkable patience when it came to romance.

"Fine, Tatsumi can pick a room for himself, just like Kobayashi."

Esdeath ultimately relented, though she followed up with a threat: "However! Let me make this clear: causing a riot in the palace or attempting to escape means death. Don't harbor any strange ideas."

"Gah?"

Tatsumi, who had indeed been planning to escape under the cover of night, instantly withered. The image of Esdeath unleashing Mahapadma replayed endlessly in his mind, immediately curing him of any thoughts of flight.

"Alright, time for bed."

"Got it!" xN

They exchanged casual goodnights and headed to their respective rooms.

The next day.

Sunlight flooded the room, and Kobayashi rested his head on a soft pillow.

Cool and refreshing—it felt wonderful.

Strange, was Lydie always this cool? And so voluminous... Something felt terribly wrong.

"Lord Kobayashi, do you find this comfortable?"

"Very comfortable... Huh???"

Wait, there was a problem!

Lydie's voice was coming from behind him, which meant the pillow under his head was...?!

Opening his eyes, he gazed upon a vast expanse of chest adorned with a peculiar emblem!

N—No way?!

Kobayashi's pupils dilated and contracted, as if he had encountered something terrifying, and he scrambled backward using both hands and feet.

It wasn't until his back hit the cold wall that the chilly touch grounded him in reality.

Only to induce an even deeper sense of self-doubt.

"Why... why is Esdeath in my bed————?!!!!!!"