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Chapter 45: Arriving at the Takagi Estate
Under the cover of night.
A dark shadow tore down the empty highway.
It moved with blistering speed, leaving only a blurred afterimage in its wake.
The only proof of its passing was the aggressive, throbbing roar of a motorcycle engine echoing through the silent streets.
Occasionally, a few stray zombies would wander onto the asphalt. The rider could have easily used his superior speed and handling to weave around them.
But the rider had absolutely no intention of altering his course.
Instead of swerving, he twisted the throttle harder.
The cold mechanical beast roared even louder, sounding like an enraged predator.
SPLAT!
The motorcycle plowed straight through the zombies without slowing down, leaving nothing behind but several piles of pulverized, foul-smelling gore on the pavement.
At the outer perimeter of the Takagi estate.
A makeshift barricade, constructed from heavy timber and wrought-iron fencing, stretched across the main access road. It was a hasty defense erected to halt the advancing undead.
"This is Yamauchi. We have a situation at the main entrance. I hear a motorcycle engine approaching fast. Requesting immediate backup."
Crouched behind the barricade, a middle-aged guard heard the unmistakable roar of an approaching engine.
He instantly grabbed his radio and called for support.
"Yamauchi, aren't you overreacting a little?"
The voice crackling through the radio sounded entirely unconcerned. "It's probably just some idiot biker gang trying to take advantage of the chaos. The barricade is over ten meters deep."
"Unless his bike has wings, he's going to hit the brakes the second he sees it."
"Just wait for him to stop, then point your gun at him and tell him to get lost."
"Relax. We're on our way."
Listening to the dismissive response, Yamauchi couldn't shake a bad feeling in his gut.
He glanced down at the assault rifle resting beside him. Knowing backup was on the way, he forced himself to relax, figuring he really was just being paranoid.
"Yeah, you're right..." But just as he started to exhale, the sudden, impossible sight before him made his breath catch in his throat.
"No, wait! Oh my god! He actually took flight!!!"
Yamauchi stared in absolute, jaw-dropping shock as the motorcycle launched itself into the air right in front of the barricade. He was so stunned he completely forgot to grab his rifle.
High in the air.
A dark-haired boy and a pink-haired girl soared over the barricade. Framed perfectly against the backdrop of the bright, full moon, they painted a breathtakingly surreal picture.
Yamauchi's mouth hung open. He stared blankly at the flying motorcycle, entirely certain he would never, ever forget this image for the rest of his life.
It was a picture-perfect cinematic moment.
It was Suyan, naturally, delivering Saya Takagi home.
To be fair, Suyan's actual motorcycle skills were aggressively average. Furthermore, the road leading up to the barricade was perfectly flat; there was no ramp to launch the bike into the air.
Under normal circumstances, crossing a ten-meter-deep barricade would require a heavy armored vehicle to smash through it.
But Suyan had a cheat code!
What he lacked in skill, he made up for with Nen.
Using Emission, he projected a burst of aura downward, creating a powerful, invisible thruster that launched the bike into the air.
Simultaneously, he used the advanced application of Shu to shroud the entire motorcycle in his aura, reinforcing its structural integrity so it wouldn't shatter on impact.
With that combination, he didn't need a ramp to fly.
Isaac Newton: Well played. I'll let it slide this time. But mark my words, if you blatantly violate the laws of physics again, I will personally push the lid off my coffin and haunt you.
SCREEECH!
The motorcycle slammed into the pavement on the other side. The tires compressed violently under the immense force of the landing.
Just as the suspension began to rebound, Suyan violently wrenched the handlebars, forcing the heavy bike into a brutal, sliding drift.
The tires shrieked against the asphalt, burning a thick, curved black crescent into the road before finally coming to a dead stop.
The moment the bike stopped moving, Saya peeled herself off Suyan's back like she was on fire and scrambled off the seat.
She stumbled to the side of the road, clutching her stomach and dry heaving violently.
She narrowly avoided throwing up the dinner Suyan had cooked for her.
Saya glanced at Suyan out of the corner of her eye, a look of profound, lingering terror on her face.
How can anyone get motion sickness on a motorcycle?!
Before today, Saya would have scoffed at the very idea.
But after that absolutely traumatic flight, she understood exactly how it was possible.
If she ever had to ride with him again, she would beg, borrow, or steal a four-wheeled vehicle.
"Who are you?!"
Yamauchi finally snapped out of his trance. He snatched up his rifle and aimed it squarely at the two intruders.
Seeing the gun, Saya suppressed her nausea and desperately shouted, "Wait! Don't shoot! It's me, Saya Takagi!"
She knew perfectly well that Suyan had zero respect for her family's authority.
If Yamauchi accidentally provoked him by pointing a gun at his head, she couldn't guarantee Suyan wouldn't just slaughter him on the spot.
"Miss Saya?! Thank God, it's Miss Saya!"
Yamauchi froze for a second before the realization hit him. 'Takagi' was the name of his employer.
Remembering that the master of the house had a teenage daughter, he immediately lowered his weapon.
He keyed his radio. "Stand down. Cancel the backup. It's a false alarm. Miss Saya has returned. Please notify the Master and Madam immediately."
Seeing the situation de-escalate, Saya let out a massive sigh of relief.
A few minutes later, a large group of people hurried out from the main estate building.
"Mother!"
Saya instantly sprinted forward, throwing herself into the arms of the purple-haired woman leading the group.
Suyan quietly observed the woman Saya had called 'Mother.'
Yuriko Takagi!
Yuriko had pale purple hair and was wearing an elegant, form-fitting purple dress. Her figure was flawless, her curves even more breathtaking and mature than her daughter's.
Her exposed skin was as fair and smooth as porcelain.
A luxurious crystal necklace rested against her collarbone, but it didn't look gaudy. Instead, it perfectly accentuated her aura of refined, mature elegance.
Standing next to Saya, she didn't look like her mother at all. They looked more like sisters.
"You must be Suyan. Thank you for bringing Saya back. I imagine she caused you quite a bit of trouble on the way here. Please, accept my deepest gratitude."
After briefly comforting her daughter, Yuriko turned her attention to Suyan, speaking with flawless, aristocratic poise.
"I did not!"
Who insults their own daughter like that?!
Saya shot her mother a deeply resentful glare, pouting indignantly.
Suyan wasn't sure if it was just a trick of the light, but when Yuriko locked eyes with him, her amethyst eyes seemed to flash with a sudden, intense brilliance.
"It was a fair trade. No thanks necessary."
Suyan shook his head, pushing the strange observation aside. "I've delivered the package. Bring me what we agreed upon, and I'll be on my way."
He disliked the Takagi family, and he had absolutely no intention of lingering.
As for Yuriko Takagi?
She was undeniably gorgeous. She almost felt like an older, more sophisticated version of Saeko.
But he simply wasn't interested in married women.
It was the same logic he applied to gacha games. Buying an account that already had all the best characters maxed out was boring. He vastly preferred starting from scratch, grinding for resources, leveling up, and slowly building the perfect account with his own two hands.
"Mother~"
Seeing Suyan preparing to leave, Saya panicked. She looked up at Yuriko.
Her eyes practically screamed: Do something! Use your mom powers!
No one knows a daughter better than her mother.
Yuriko gently patted Saya's back, silently telling her to calm down.
She turned back to Suyan with a warm, inviting smile. "Please, Suyan. Come inside and rest for a moment. I'll have the staff retrieve the item you requested immediately."
"Besides..."
"There is actually a private matter I was hoping to discuss with you. If you can spare the time, that is?"
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