"Listen here!"
Immediately after I confirmed the sniper's identity, I called both Atsushi and Kyouka's attention. I then moved to the Atsushi position again, and asked the guy about his ability.
"First, Atsushi, can you use your tiger freely by now?"
"Eto…"
Atsushi hesitated before my question, which I urged him with a threatening voice. Can't believe that this guy would be hesitant in this urgent situation…!
"Yes or No?! Spill it out now!!"
"YES!!"
As Atsushi confirmed my question, another bullet drilled through the table just right where Atsushi was a few seconds ago, but I didn't bat an eye to it. After all, if Twain's ability could hear my plan, then let him be.
"Good, then use your tiger physics and carry us to the opposite house! Now!"
Right as my urgent cue, Atsushi limbs started to transform with fur covered and a pack of claws grew out of his hand. The whole thing would be interesting for investigation, as this is my second time seeing an ability in use, but I have no such privilege right now to do that.
The kittyboy then carried us on his back and smashed through the wall, making a loud bang with countless bricks falling outside. And before any of us can complain about his violent method, he has already moved to the opposite house without us noticing.
Ugh… this feels so sick, not in a good way… Think I'm gonna throw up here…
"Now what, Jouno-san?"
I then take my stance with Atsushi's reminder, which I then run into the house with both Kyouka and Atsushi right behind. Thankfully, there's no one else here at the moment, and we quickly reach the window that points toward the sniper's direction.
After some quick calculation and accounting on the bullet direction, along with watching the scenery outside, I got some ideas about Twain whereabout.
"Listen here Atsushi, with your tiger eyes, do you see the tower over there?"
I quickly take Atsushi across the window while pointing at a building for him to see, not wanting Twain to get any clear view of him. As for us, with Atsushi tiger eyes, he quickly saw the building and confirmed it.
"Good, I think that the sniper is on the top floor. You must go there and quickly take him down, ya get that?!"
"Me…?!"
Atsushi widened his eyes in surprise at my request, but I already holded his face and looked deep into his eyes with a determined look. While we can choose to just run away, taking that guy alive would be more sufficient.
After all, that guy is some real nuisance in the manga, as he has taken out Atsushi at the port and almost got him to deliver Yumeno's doll to Dazai.
Besides, based on the doll action just now, I think that the guy already suspected me of knowing his ability name, which means leaving him will be risky…
In short, capturing him now will greatly affect the Guild long-ranged combatants, while boosting the Agency morale in this war.
"No but!! We either win this or go home, and there's "no" in between!!"
I leer deep into him with a threatened voice, as the boy swallows something in his mouth while sweating all over his face.
"ARE YOU CLEAR?!"
"Y–Yeah…"
Atsushi immediately agree with my question with a worrying look, and another sound pierced through both our eye as another bullet drill right between our belly.
"See ya!"
A taunting voice allured our attention toward a doll inside the bullet hole, before completely disappear.
"Tch…!!"
I immediately dragged both Kyouka and Atsushi downstairs, right before the sound of another bullet fall into my ear.
"No more time to waste! Atsushi, go right into the building and crawl your way up to the top!"
"Eh—"
"Now!!"
I urged with an impatient look, which then made him move further downstairs with a concerned manner, leaving me and Kyouka alone. I then heard another sound of a door being opened and closed, signified that he have followed through with my plan.
"Okay, for now…"
I take out Atsushi's phone that I smuggled earlier, earning a frown from Kyoka, and make a call to his mentor.
"Dazai-san!"
[This voice… Oh my, did you steal another thing ~?]
A girlish yet charming voice of Dazai went through the phone, clearly wanted to mocking me for yesterday.
"No time to explain, do the Guild representatives leave?"
[The Guild… So Ranpo told the truth then…]
"Yeah yeah, we can deal with that later. Answer my question!"
[Jeese, how rude… Welp, they just left after we turned down their offer. What's wrong?]
"They sent a sniper here!"
An oddly quiet atmosphere then lingered right after my confirmation, and took a long while for him to respond again.
[We're listening. What's the situation?]
"Not much, we manage to hang on for now. I've sent Atsushi to deal with the sniper."
[Atsushi? The one they are looking for?]
Dazai's voice expressed his surprise, which is not surprising in normal circumstances. But then, he immediately asked me again with a calmer voice, seemingly understanding my intention.
[I doubt you would be this dumb, based on the fact that I already called Atsushi to warn him before. Do you have any information about the enemy?]
"Based on my memory, the guy that attacked us has a long-ranged ability, one that allows him to adjust his bullet after every shot."
I spilled out my knowledge about Twain's ability to Dazai, since it would be no use to just keep quiet about the whole thing with both the smartest person by my side.
After all, this is my plan from the beginning, to have a closer relationship with the Hunting Dog, specifically their "captain".
[I see, no wonder you sent tigerboy after him… We'll dispatch reinforcement in a moment.]
And with that, Dazai called it off, leaving me once again alone with Kyouka, who now looked at the wall with a wary manner.
… Hm… maybe this is a good time then? After all, why not flexing a bit with everyone?
I open the chat group and activate the live stream function and pinging everyone, which earns a reaction immediately.
[Saruyama Kenichi: What the? Why pinging now?]
[Aya Koda: Same here, what's wrong Jouno-san?]
[Kasumi Miwa: Same here, why would you call us in the morning.]
[Jouno Tsukami: Sorry for this, but I might think everyone would like to watch the fight.]
[Saruyama Kenichi: The fight…? What?]
As if to follow Saruyama's question, another bullet pierced through the wall, slightly missing me by an inch. I take a look at the bullet hole, as the doll figure's now more visible than previously, before disappearing again.
[Saruyama Kenichi: Woah?! Is that… Huck Finn?!]
[Aya Koda: … An ability…?!]
[Kasumi Miwa: Interesting… seems like you got yourself into some abnormal battle.]
As everyone expresses their concern, I look through the bullet hole again and once again confirm the sniper location. With that, I pulled Kyouka out of the room, going down to the front gate where there is a motorbike that I spotted earlier.
"What are you…"
"What more than to assist your boyfriend?"
Kyouka's cheek flinched a bit with my joke, as I tried to lockpick the motorbike. After a few seconds, I successfully made the engine roar and climbed on it.
I knew those days learning how to lockpick online wouldn't go to waste!
"Let's go!"
Unlike Atsushi, Kyouka immediately climbed onto the back seat with no hesitation under my urge, and I immediately throttled the bike advances toward the building…