Chapter 217: Rescue (Part 1)
In the alley, several delinquents were dragging a struggling girl deeper into the narrow passage.
"No... please, let me go. I'll give you money," pleaded the pure-looking girl in uniform. She had only wanted to save time by taking a shortcut, never expecting to encounter something like this.
"Hehe, don't be scared, little girl. You'll soon discover the fun in this," said the delinquent leader, his eyes glowing green as he greedily examined the girl's body.
He never thought he'd encounter such a high-quality prey today—not just cute-looking, but apparently from a well-off family too.
Taking the risk to act in broad daylight seemed completely worth it.
"Boss, let's do it here. I can't wait any longer."
"Alright, make it quick. Get your phone ready—we need to take good photos of our little sister here."
As soon as the delinquent leader finished speaking, the thugs eagerly began groping the girl, who tried to resist.
But all her efforts were in vain. Her limbs were pinned against the wall by two of them, and her blue-and-white uniform was torn open roughly, buttons flying off.
Her pale pink bra, wrapped around her full, trembling breasts, was now exposed to the delinquents, eliciting a chorus of audible gulps.
Her clamped-together legs were forcibly pried apart, her uniform skirt lifted, revealing pale pink panties clinging tightly to her delicate thighs.
The soft fabric traced the contours of her mound, outlining an alluring shape.
"Damn it, I can't hold back anymore. I'm going first."
The thug in the best position had just undone his belt but hadn't yet pulled aside the pink panties to glimpse the enticing valley beneath when his eyes rolled back and he collapsed unconscious.
Before the other delinquents could step forward to check on him, they too, in shock, fell to the ground one after another.
The girl, who had closed her eyes in despair, waited for what seemed like an eternity without any further assault. Slowly, she opened her eyes and discovered that all the delinquents who had kidnapped her were lying motionless in bizarre positions.
She tentatively took a few steps toward the alley's exit, but the thugs remained unresponsive.
The girl didn't know what had happened, but she recognized this as a rare opportunity.
Without hesitation, she quickened her pace, covering her exposed chest, and swiftly fled the dark alley.
After confirming the girl had escaped safely, Haruto dispelled the illusion magic, and the three of them gradually revealed their forms.
"Haruto, what are you going to do with these scumbags?"
Mio glanced disdainfully at the delinquents on the ground and stepped back behind Haruto.
The three had just teleported here and were planning their route and rescue strategy when they noticed someone approaching.
They used a simple spell to conceal themselves, intending to wait until the others left before continuing. But then these delinquents attempted to commit such an act.
And it seemed they were planning to take photos to use for blackmail.
Seeing the desperate, helpless expression on the girl, who was about her age, Mio instinctively wanted to step in and save her.
But someone had acted even faster than her.
Noticing the magic circle fading at Haruto's hand, Mio's mood instantly brightened.
Unaware of the tsundere twin-tailed beauty's shifting thoughts, Haruto had indeed wanted to rescue the girl, but his swift action was more of a conditioned reflex upon seeing the blond thug.
Though their reasons differed, the outcome was ultimately good. He could only hope the girl would be more cautious next time.
Facing Mio's inquiry, Haruto shrugged and casually flung out several pale blue flames.
Under his precise control, the delinquent group vanished from Mio's sight as if they had never existed, dissipating into gas.
"Haruto... did you kill them?"
Mio asked somewhat uncertainly.
"Yeah."
Haruto didn't give it a second thought—he was merely helping the world clean up some trash.
"Let's continue with the plan. We'll conceal our presence and fly at high altitude to Maple Leaf Town..."
Mio listened to the plan, nodding in agreement from time to time, but her inner turmoil was far from calm.
Although they were scum, the casual way they were killed left the girl who had just entered the supernatural world feeling unsettled.
Yet when she thought about the girls these people might have harmed, and how more girls could be hurt if they weren't eliminated, she also felt Haruto's approach was correct.
Correct as it might be, fully understanding and accepting it would take some time.
Haruto and Maria spread their bat wings, ready to proceed as planned, but Mio remained motionless.
"Naruse, can you fly on your own?"
Recalling his own early days after acquiring his demon form, Haruto asked.
Her response didn't surprise him—she indeed hadn't yet mastered the ability to fly.
In fact, she struggled even to transform into her demon form.
The inherited power was too immense for Mio to control at present.
Her wings had appeared earlier uncontrollably, triggered by the resonance with the potent magical energy and demonic aura filling the activity room.
After a moment's thought, Haruto said, "Naruse, if you don't mind, I can carry you."
He expected the tsundere busty beauty to refuse and was already considering alternatives, but to his surprise, after a brief silence, Mio agreed.
Haruto wrapped his arm around the girl's soft, sensual figure. "Alright, let's set off then."
"D-don't get the wrong idea. I just want to rescue Mom and Dad quickly..." Mio turned her head away, mumbling.
She did have that consideration, but whether there were other reasons only the girl herself knew.
Once airborne, Haruto shifted to carrying her in a princess hold, letting Mio wrap her arms around his neck for a greater sense of security.
The girl's tense body relaxed into softness, and she occasionally stole glances up at Haruto.
Her fair, delicate face flushed slightly—this was her first time being so intimate with a boy, and they had known each other for less than an hour.
...
Amid Mio's wandering thoughts, the trio arrived above Maple Leaf Town.
Only thirty minutes had passed since she received the phone call.
This was despite Haruto deliberately slowing their flight speed to accommodate Maria.
"Haruto, it's over there—the red-roofed single-family house to the southwest. That's my home."
Haruto followed Mio's pointing finger, locked onto the location, and descended.
"Wait here for me. I'll be right back."
With hostages in the enemy's hands, Haruto had to proceed cautiously. He hadn't teleported directly nearby to avoid alerting them with magical fluctuations.
The mana fluctuations from long-distance teleportation arrays were too conspicuous—anyone with magical ability could sense it to some extent.
"Haruto, please, you must save my parents..."
Mio looked at Haruto, her eyes misty. The thought of her parents' unknown fate in the photo made her heart feel as if being sliced by knives.
Haruto nodded and assured her, "Don't worry, you'll be reunited as a family soon."
When locking onto their location, he used Perception Magic.
The magical fluctuations in the house were chaotic and numerous, but the strongest was only at peak B-rank.
They couldn't even detect his reconnaissance magic, let alone stop him from rescuing them.
After comforting Mio, Haruto flickered several times and disappeared down the street.
Three minutes later, maintaining his illusion magic, he approached the Naruse residence, silently observing from windows and balconies.
The reconnaissance magic lacked Clairvoyance capability. While it could determine the positions of people inside the house, it couldn't identify which two were Mio's parents.
The goal wasn't to eliminate the enemy but to rescue people. He had to ensure both targets' safety before taking action.
There were two Low-class Devils and three magical beasts in the living room, one Low-class Devil on the second floor, and two more magical beasts in the yard...
Five wolf-shaped magical beasts and three Low-class Devils in total - that was all the enemy forces.
As for Mio's parents...
The two lying motionless in the center of the living room, covered in wounds, were probably them.
Observing the situation in the Naruse home, Haruto's brow gradually furrowed.
The enemy's strength meant nothing to him. The main problem was that three magical beasts were too close to Mio's parents.
If he acted now, he could at most guarantee one person's safety.
As for the other... it would depend on the enemy's immediate reaction.
If they chose to kill the hostages, rescue would certainly fail.
Should he take the gamble? Or continue waiting for an opportunity...
Haruto felt momentarily indecisive.
He didn't want to gamble, but time was running out.
The life signals from Mio's parents were barely detectable. With such severe injuries, they could die at any moment.