At the Clover Club bar.
Takuma, having narrowly escaped a life-or-death confrontation moments ago, still looked shaken. Injured, he was slumped on the sofa, occasionally groaning in pain.
Saeko, though outwardly composed, was clutching her pierced chest with one hand. She was inwardly terrified; if those tentacles had been a fraction of an inch further to the right, they would have penetrated her heart, resulting in certain death.
"Who in the world is this Raven? He was stabbed through the heart and didn't die?" Saeko still couldn't believe it, her eyes reflecting both fear and intense curiosity.
Kyouji Murakami, who had received the news of their failed attempt to eliminate Raven, rushed to the bar.
"What in the world happened...?" Murakami was utterly incredulous upon seeing their condition. This was the Lucky Clover, the best of the Orphnochs. How could all three of them attacking at once end in such a defeat?
Smart Lady, the secretary accompanying Murakami, cast a subtle, disdainful glance at Saeko. Some Lucky Clover. Against that guy, they were no different from any other common Orphnoch.
"Mr. Murakami, we failed this time. We attacked as a team and were still completely outmatched," Saeko said, mixing a drink, enduring her pain, and downing it in one gulp. "We are ready to accept punishment."
"Ms. Saeko, don't talk like that. Regardless of whether the mission failed or not, you are the elite of the Orphnochs and the pillar of Smart Brain," Murakami showed no sign of blame. He quickly continued, "We can put the Raven matter aside for now. As things stand, it's best not to provoke him. I have another mission for you all."
"Oh?" Saeko looked at him curiously. "Another attempt to steal the Faiz Driver?"
"No, I already have the Faiz Driver."
"What I need you to do this time is eliminate all the Orphnochs who refuse to attack humans. Also, there's news about the Kaixa Driver and the Delta Driver. I need you to find clues about them from their current holders."
Kyouji Murakami signaled to Smart Lady, who took out some information and photos. The photos showed the students of the Ryusei School.
"Understood." Saeko had no right to refuse and accepted the mission.
"I'll leave it to you." Kyouji Murakami nodded, then placed the safe box containing the Faiz Driver on the table. "I'll leave this for you to use."
After handing over the Driver, Murakami quickly left the bar.
Lying on the sofa, Takuma breathed a sigh of relief, happy to finally avoid another confrontation with Raven. He intended to vent all his frustration on those "lowly traitor Orphnochs." Surely, I won't run into that guy again, right?
However, Saeko immediately proposed swapping tasks with him.
"Takuma, why don't you investigate the clues for the other two Drivers? I'll handle the traitors." Saeko suggested.
"Ms. Saeko... I..." Takuma hesitated, immediately falling into a dilemma. He was rarely able to refuse Saeko's requests. He could only agree.
....
Meanwhile.
Takumi Inui returned to the laundry shop, looking distraught, with Mari Sonoda. Keitaro asked about what happened and was crestfallen when he learned the situation.
"Mari, did you really give the Driver back to the Smart Brain people?" Keitaro was shocked that Mari and Takumi had been suddenly invited to meet with the Smart Brain President and had left the Driver there.
"That belt is the cause of all our troubles. It even caused Takumi to get seriously hurt last time. I can't take it anymore," Mari replied.
Takumi awkwardly chimed in, "Yeah, I feel relieved now."
But Keitaro could still see a trace of sadness in Takumi's eyes. He had just gotten the Driver back a few days ago, only to lose it so quickly.
"I wonder how those people are going to use the Driver," Keitaro said worriedly. After all, countless Orphnochs were lurking in the city.
"Don't worry. They work for my father's company. They'll definitely have a better way to deal with the Orphnochs," Mari Sonoda had fully bought into Kyouji Murakami's story, believing that Smart Brain created the Faiz Driver to protect humanity from the Orphnochs.
Only Takumi felt that something was off about the President when he met him.
Just then, Mari's phone chimed with a text message. She took it out and saw it was from one of her old school friends. The photo in the message showed a Driver different from the Faiz one.
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