Volume 3 Chapter 14 The S-Rank Adventurer’s Pursuit A Corporate Espionage Thriller
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”—Body Odor Improvement.”
That was the unexpected new Skill that Hirose had just learned. He didn’t understand why it had surfaced at this precise moment; the timing was totally illogical, unlike any other time before.
Though, he had experienced a similar strange manifestation not long ago. That was when he learned of a back issue concerning Nagumo Minami, the leader of the idol group ‘SPICE MIX’ from the same agency as the popular model Nikaidou Koi, whom Hibiki admired.
That Skill had appeared right after he heard about Nagumo Minami’s problem through Nikaidou Koi. Researchers studying these supernatural Gifts often claimed that the powers a person receives are somehow connected to their deepest subconscious desires—and that this tendency also applied to Skills, which grow stronger with repeated use.
If only what one craved could simply manifest, anyone could obtain any Skill they liked. Yet, the world just didn’t work out that neatly.
One thing remained absolutely true: Kurebayashi Nagisa was an Adventurer Hirose had known and deeply admired for a long, long time. She was completely different from anyone he had treated before. She was his Oshi—his ultimate favorite—and the fundamental strength of his feelings for her was on another level entirely. ²
If she had a problem, he wanted to use his full power to solve it. That was certainly the feeling that had driven him.
And this was the first time he had actively sought out a person with a problem; usually, the troubles of others reached his ears through Hibiki or people in her immediate circle.
Ultimately, he couldn’t grasp the true nature of things, but what mattered most right now was that Hirose might be able to help solve Kurebayashi Nagisa’s problem. Hirose turned back, ready to rush right to her side.
”…”
(No… I can’t let her get her hopes up right now. Not to mention the issue with the poison. I’ll go to her once things have calmed down.)
He didn’t want a rash action to end up hurting Kurebayashi Nagisa’s feelings; that would completely defeat the purpose. Hirose endured the urge, clenching his fists, and resolved to continue searching for clues about the poison alone for a while longer.
* * *
”What was that all about…?”
Kurebayashi Nagisa, who had heard the words Hirose muttered, stared intently at his back as he walked away into the distance.
”‘Body Odor Improvement’? What does that even mean…?” she questioned, her confusion clear.
That particular phrase was one she absolutely could not ignore, and she had reacted immediately. But Hirose had simply vanished without returning to her.
”…”
Though perplexed, there was nothing she could do about his sudden departure. However, since they had agreed to cooperate, she knew she could contact him if she needed to.
Nagisa quickly reorganized her thoughts and resumed her own search for clues regarding the poison.
* * *
Kirino, having left the lounge where Rindou Hibiki and the others were, was headed toward the location of her grandfather, Hidou Genroku, with Yaginuma Asami close by her side.
”Grandpa, what’s the situation?” Kirino asked briskly.
”Ah, Kirino!” Genroku responded.
Genroku had been wearing a stern expression, but the moment Kirino appeared, his face instantly softened into a doting, affectionate smile.
Asami jolted in surprise at the sudden shift in his mood.
”…Right now, there’s no progress,” Genroku admitted, his professional facade snapping back into place. “The only things Hourai had consumed immediately beforehand were wine and a dish of food, apparently… Right now, the police are investigating both the kitchen and the remnants of the dish.”
”But if it was the food, other people must have eaten it too, right?” Kirino pointed out, her mind already racing.
”That’s correct. That’s why we figure the poison must have been added after the dish was served at the table, but they still don’t know who delivered it,” Genroku explained.
”Takao-san isn’t the type to go get his own food, after all,” Kirino mused.
”Exactly. I would have had Wakatsuki fetch mine, too.”
(Takao-san didn’t have a personal secretary, did he? If anyone, it would have been someone from ‘Treasure Next.’ Midori-chan, the Vice President… and maybe others, but I don’t know.)
The scene analysis showed that Midori, the Vice President, and a department manager were seated to the left, right, and opposite Hourai Takao’s chair, respectively. The only ones close enough to directly administer the poison were Midori and the Vice President, but Kirino didn’t think either of them would risk such a blatant action. There were simply too many watchful eyes.
”…Huh?”
It was at that moment that Kirino noticed a five-hundred-milliliter plastic bottle placed unnaturally beneath the table.
It looked like a normal, everyday soda bottle with a clear water label. The liquid inside was meant to be plain, clear water. Yet, looking closer, a thin, whitish layer of sediment had settled at the bottom.
”…”
”Kirino, don’t go near it,” Genroku warned sternly.
”I know… but did the police check this?” Kirino questioned.
”No, I don’t believe so,” Genroku answered.
They couldn’t get close to the table due to the crime scene preservation, but Kirino was certain it was worth investigating if the police hadn’t touched it yet.
”…Asami-chan, can you look at that?”
”…I can look, but my ‘Appraisal’ isn’t all-powerful, desu.”
”Just give it a try for me.”
”Okay…!” Asami agreed, using her ‘Appraisal’ Gift on the water bottle.
³ ‘Appraisal’ wasn’t omnipotent for a reason. It could detect the effect the liquid inside the bottle would have, but it couldn’t discern the detailed chemical ingredients. That required a different Gift or Skill.
”…Ah-buh.”
”What’s wrong?” Kirino pressed, startled.
Asami had reacted to the Appraisal. This meant the drink was not ordinary water.
”It’s medicine…” Asami gasped.
”Huh?” Kirino uttered.
”It’s not… poison… It has medicine inside for suppressing a disease.”
”…What are you talking about?” Kirino was utterly confused. It was a completely unexpected answer.
”I don’t know… I’m sure it’s not poison… but I can only tell the Effect.”
”Well, having medicine mixed in with water is weird to begin with, but… Ah!”
Kirino suddenly realized one possibility. It seemed outlandish, though. Even if this was the answer, catching the culprit might be difficult. Why would they leave such an obvious piece of evidence right there? Still, it could bring them one step closer to the truth.
”Grandpa. I think I know why Takao-san collapsed.”
”Tell me,” Genroku urged.
Kirino took a breath and then laid out her theory.
”We thought the poison might be in the wine or the food, but the cause is probably the water in that plastic bottle. The answer is overdose. Didn’t Takao-san have a chronic medical condition? He must have been taking medicine for it regularly. I don’t know if it was dissolved in the water from the start, but I think a massive amount of that drug is mixed in there.”
”Hmm…! That’s just like you, Kirino! He did have a chronic condition, I recall.”
”Then—”
”It would only be someone who knew about his chronic illness and what kind of medicine he habitually took.”
If Kirino’s deduction was correct, it would explain why Asami’s ‘Appraisal’ registered the state as ‘poison’ when Hourai Takao collapsed—he had entered an overdose state. Too much medicine becomes a poison. The water bottle’s contents weren’t initially recognized as poison because the substance was a commonly used drug.
How the Gift distinguished between medicine and poison remained a mystery, but this was the only logical explanation.
”Grandpa, let’s check all the people related to him.”
* * *
The news about the medicine in the water bottle quickly spread among all the event attendees.
However, in the end, no suspicious evidence was found on any attendee or any individual who knew about Hourai Takao’s chronic condition, and only his fingerprints—or so they thought—were found on the plastic bottle.
The participants were finally released around eleven that night and sent home.
Everyone assumed this case would turn into a long, drawn-out affair. Everyone, that is, except for one person.
”—Thank you for your hard work.”
”A job well done,” the driver, his exclusive chauffeur, greeted the Vice President of ‘Treasure Next’ as he climbed into the black, luxury car parked in the hotel’s subterranean garage.
”The dashcam is off,” the Driver confirmed.
”Good… you did well. I hope he’s left with some lasting side effects, at least,” the Vice President gloated.
”Who can say? I heard a Healer fixed him right up.”
”Ah, but the experiment was a success,” the Vice President chuckled.
”Indeed. Then your day to take the President’s seat is coming soon, isn’t it?” the Driver replied deferentially.
”We need that nouveau riche fool to step down quickly… Ha-ha-ha!“
The Vice President roared with laughter alongside his Driver, laying out his future plans. His goal was to eliminate the President and seize control of ‘Treasure Next’ for himself.
It was the Driver who had mixed the massive amount of medicine into the bottle and handed it to Hourai Takao—or rather, subtly encouraged him to take the bottle that had been conveniently left in the car. The Driver had been wearing gloves, of course.
”Now that the attempt to get rid of Midori failed, I suppose I’ll have to dispose of him directly,” the Vice President muttered coldly.
”You are a truly terrifying man,” the Driver replied, a hint of fear in his tone.
”And you are following me, aren’t you?” the Vice President countered, his eyes glinting.
The car began to move, heading from the hotel’s basement passage toward the surface.
Or at least, it should have.
”Gah!“
”What is it?” the Vice President barked.
”The car—! It won’t move forward!” the Driver shouted, panicking.
The tires of the black sedan spun against the pavement with a shrill SQUEAL, yet the car wouldn’t advance, as if it had slammed into a solid wall. The Driver floored the accelerator, but no matter how many times he tried, the car stayed rooted in place.
”—I won’t let you escape.”
”What the—!?” the Vice President yelped.
The car’s headlights illuminated a lone woman standing directly in their path. She had dark blonde hair, a model-like physique, and was a person both men knew well.
”—Kurebayashi Nagisa!” the Vice President roared, recognizing the S-Rank Adventurer standing defiant before his vehicle.
”I was wrong to follow the wine’s scent. But after following the smell of the medicine in the plastic bottle, now that you’ve come outside, my nose can track you forever,” Kurebayashi Nagisa announced, her voice strong and clear.
Kurebayashi Nagisa had been following the scent trail from the banquet hall the entire time. Yet, no matter how much she followed the red wine’s smell, the trail only led her back to the wine bottles in the hall.
However, once she learned the plastic bottle might be the source of the poison, she began tracking that unique, medicinal scent. Following the faintly lingering odor out of the floor, the trail had led her directly to this very car in the underground parking lot.
”Get out! Get the car moving!” the Vice President screamed, beating the door.
”I can’t! We aren’t moving forward!” the Driver cried back.
”To think it was the Vice President… I’m disappointed,” Nagisa stated coolly.
”UOOOOOHH!?“
In the next instant, the car’s body CRUMPLED, the side doors warped, and the tires BURST as the car ground to a halt.
”D-Damn it! The door won’t open!” the Vice President stammered, trapped.
”That’s because I crushed it with my wind,” Nagisa explained simply.
To be able to achieve so much with just a breath of air—that was the masterful, versatile wind user: Kurebayashi Nagisa.
”Now, surrender, please—Vice President, and you, the unfamiliar Driver.”
—
Summary:
The mystery surrounding the corporate poisoning takes an unexpected turn when Hirose, driven by his deep devotion to Kurebayashi Nagisa, unlocks a new and strangely relevant Skill. Meanwhile, the sharp-witted Kirino and Asami uncover the overdose scheme involving a common drug mixed into a water bottle, shifting the focus from the banquet food to the personal items. The tension explodes in the final moments as the S-Rank Adventurer Kurebayashi Nagisa uses her enhanced senses and formidable wind power to corner the arrogant Vice President and his accomplice in the underground garage, setting the stage for a dramatic capture in this high-stakes action thriller of corporate espionage.
—
Character Insight:
This chapter is a huge turning point for Kurebayashi Nagisa, showing her as more than just a powerful Adventurer; she’s a highly skilled investigator whose unique abilities, like her enhanced sense of smell, make her a formidable tracker in this mystery plot. The focus on her model-like figure and dark blonde hair further highlights her star-power, but her steely resolve confirms her S-Rank status. Her pursuit of justice against the Vice President is unwavering, cementing her role as a true hero in this supernatural world.
—
Behind the Scene:
The seemingly random new Skill that Hirose acquired, ‘Body Odor Improvement,’ highlights the deeply psychological nature of Gifts and Skills in this world. Because Nagisa is his ultimate Oshi, his subconscious desire to solve her problem and be close to her is so strong that it manifests a powerful, albeit strangely named, new ability. The capture of the Vice President also confirms the Driver’s role as an accomplice, a calculated move to avoid leaving his own fingerprints on the key piece of evidence, which is an example of the kind of detailed corporate espionage at play.
—
T/L:
2 [Oshi: A Japanese term that has become common in English otaku culture, referring to one’s favorite member of an idol group or favorite character in media. It carries a sense of deep, personal devotion, which fits the context of Hirose’s admiration for Nagisa.] ↩
3 [Appraisal: Often called ‘Kantei’ in the original Japanese, this is a common trope in fantasy/supernatural fiction where an ability can analyze an object’s properties or status. This version emphasizes its limitations to heighten the mystery.] ↩
Notes:
• Nagumo Minami – ‘Guu-min’ to her friends, is the leader of the popular idol group ‘SPICE MIX.’ She has the Gift of ‘Soft Body’ (‘Nantai’) which allows her incredible flexibility, making her dancing unique but ultimately leading to a career-threatening herniated disc. She is stubborn and dedicated to her fans, pushing herself past her limits. She is now resting at her apartment, being cared for by her bandmates. Vibrant red haired, Athletic build, and Ecup.
• Kurebayashi Nagisa – One of the few S-Rank Adventurers in Japan, possessing a wind-type Gift. She is stunningly beautiful with long dark blonde hair, sharp and a model physique. Despite her fame, she keeps her distance from everyone, and a mystery surrounds her behavior. She just accidentally collided with Hirose.
• Yaginuma Asami – 16-year-old 1st-year, many inherited/stacking gifts, stores items, reflects attacks, teleports, resists conditions, mixed Japanese-English.
• Rindou Hibiki – Hirose’s cheerful, bold classmate who is the first to request his Beauty skill. Hibiki (F, pink bob hair, 158cm, F-cup) is outgoing, expressive about her interests, and quickly becomes Hirose’s girlfriend after an explicitly intimate scene. Her reactions help set the adult tone of the story.
• Genroku – Kirino’s grandfather (M, 74yo, short white hair, 182cm), president of the Adventurer Guild. Though intimidating, he is deeply caring for Kirino, protecting her throughout the narrative. His body looks much younger and is absurdly muscular, causing his suit to strain. He is fiercely, boisterously affectionate towards his granddaughter. He causes a major scene when he sees Kirino.
• Kirino – Strikingly beautiful with blue long hair (F, 168cm), Kirino is gifted with ice magic and feels isolated because of her appearance. Hirose’s Beauty skill helps her improve her self-image and social comfort, directly affecting Kirino’s relationship with her family and classmates.
• Wakatsuki – The secretary to Genroku Hidou, the Guild Association Chairman. He is calm and professional, ready to handle the immediate crisis as delegated by his boss.
• Hourai Takao – The President of ‘Treasure Next.’ He is a flashy man, dressed in lavish clothes and numerous accessories, giving off a ‘new money’ vibe. He collapses suddenly during his speech at the reception.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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