OST: Blue Archive OST 18. Mechanical JUNGLE
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As a lawless zone beyond the reach of the General Student Council, the black market had, over years of unchecked growth, developed a complete cycle of organized crime.
At the center of that cycle were underground banks.
Wealth gained from embezzlement, robbery, kidnapping, and other crimes was laundered there, then converted into illegal weapons, which in turn fueled more crimes, a vicious loop with no end.
And right now, inside one of the black market's largest underground banks, another act of evil was unfolding....
Gunfire and screams rang out, mingled with sobbing and pleas for mercy, weaving together a chaotic symphony of terror.
Standing in the middle of the lobby were five masked robbers.
They wore colored masks marked with numbers, except their leader, who was so reckless he only had a paper bag over his head, one strong breeze away from blowing off, yet still dared to rob a bank, treating the black market's guards as if they didn't exist.
The robbers shouted wildly:
"Everyone get down! Throw away your weapons!"
"If you don't want to get hurt, then be good, okay~?"
"Ah, ahahaha… it'd be bad if someone got injured… please, get down…"
"Our boss, the great Faust-sama, is terrifying when he's angry~!"
"Eh? Eh?! Faust, are you talking about me? Boss? Me?"
"That's right! You're the captain! And I'm Christina of the Masked Swimsuit Gang~!"
"Since when did we pick such a lame name?!"
—Meanwhile, not far away—
"Sensei! Sensei! Look, it's so cool! Robbing a black market bank?! To come up with such a daring plan, this is the mark of a true outlaw! Uwaah, my tears are coming out!"
Aru clung to my arm, eyes sparkling, watching the crime unfold before us with worshipful admiration, like a fangirl seeing her idol on stage.
I glanced behind me. The other three members of Problem Solver 68, too embarrassed to be associated with Aru's antics, had already turned away.
And I sank into thought.
How did it end up like this?
It started when Hifumi revealed her unusual familiarity with the black market.
Behind her gentle, ladylike appearance, she held an alarming amount of intelligence on the underground. And when asked how she knew so much, she answered matter-of-factly, of course she investigated before coming to such a dangerous place.
But no law-abiding citizen could dig that deep under normal circumstances.
In any case, once Hoshino noticed, she immediately dragged Hifumi into the party under the banner of gratitude and reciprocity.
Even with Hifumi's help, after hours of investigating, we found nothing.
Eating a taiyaki, Hifumi muttered that it was highly irregular.
Yes, a black market business could erase its sales records and supply logs if it wanted to, but usually, there was no need.
If you're already operating in the black market, everyone knows what you're here for. Hiding illegal activity would be pointless.
For me, already aware of the mastermind's identity, this irregularity only confirmed Kaiser's sinister intent.
And just as Hifumi pointed to a nearby underground bank as an example of Kivotos' hidden darkness, a patrol of black market guards drew near, forcing us to hide and observe in secret.
That's when we were shocked to see the very same armored cash truck that had visited Abydos in the morning being escorted inside.
The bank employee I'd met earlier handed off to underground staff, and the guards carried every last bundle of cash from the truck into the bank.
In other words, the interest Abydos paid each month was feeding this criminal network, converted into tools of crime.
Ayane tried to hack into the truck to trace its route, but all its systems were offline.
As we were about to resort to brute-force methods, Hifumi, seasoned and shrewd, suggested a better option:
"Why not use the signed receipt from earlier? …Though it's already been taken inside, so I guess it's too late."
But someone didn't agree.
Shiroko's eyes lit up, and she quickly produced a handful of hoods, distributing them with excitement. She once again proposed the plan she had never truly abandoned, hidden in her heart all along...
Rob the bank!
Shiroko had been preparing for this for a long time. She already had a detailed plan and a workable theory.
Maybe because, in some twisted sense, it counted as fighting crime, everyone agreed this time without hesitation, eagerly donning the hand-knitted masks Shiroko had made.
Except for me and Hifumi.
Since I wasn't considered a combatant and Hifumi was a newcomer, Shiroko hadn't made masks for us.
So Hifumi had to use her empty taiyaki bag, cutting holes for her eyes.
As for me, I entered beforehand as an ordinary customer, calmly scouting the interior layout and personnel.
That's when I ran into Aru.
She greeted me excitedly, boasting she'd finally wrung compensation out of her employer, then complaining the bank was so inefficient she'd been waiting six hours for a withdrawal while the rest of her team napped.
All I could do was agree. That's banks for you.
We were still grumbling about it when suddenly, the lights went out.
I knew then... the Abydos crew, with Hifumi's support, had begun their operation.
So far, everything was under control.
All I had to do was lie low, blend with the crowd, and slip out once it was over.
Yet…
Why was Aru clinging to me, making us the center of attention?
Maybe I shouldn't have talked to her at all.
By then, the "Masked Swimsuit Gang" had already secured the documents they needed and begun their retreat.
Meanwhile, I was still stuck being Aru's unwilling partner in crime.
Finally, Aru released me. Looking toward the gang's escape, her hesitation turned into resolve.
"Sensei, I'm sorry, but I'll be going ahead. I must follow the path of villainy that's mine alone! Please tell the others at Problem Solver 68 for me!"
With that, she ran off.
"Fufufu~ Aru really is amusing, isn't she? Don't you agree?" Mutsuki appeared from nowhere.
"H-hello, Sensei…" timid Haruka greeted me.
"Honestly… what can you even say about her? Sensei, shall we?" Kayoko sighed.
With heavy steps, I joined the three members of Problem Solver 68 to pursue Aru and the "Masked Swimsuit Gang."
—At the same time—
Inside the top office of Kaiser PMC.
The director stared at a photo, taken by who knows who, of me and Aru inside the bank. Rage boiled over as he smashed his phone to pieces, letting out a beastlike roar:
"Grrraaahhh!"
"Problem Solver 68! And Sensei of Schale! You dare conspire against me?! You're marked for death!! Even killing you a thousand times wouldn't be enough! Ten thousand times wouldn't be enough! Aaaaahhh—!!"
By his side, an unknown figure in a black suit sat on the sofa, elegantly sipping tea, silently savoring the sight of the director's tantrum.
What a beautiful day.