novelraw Chapter 81
Chapter 81
Chapter 81
The orb Triad was carried in by a guide girl. When she placed Triad on the display stand, a low rumble rippled through the hall.
A palm-sized, teardrop-shaped crystal. Amber in color, with countless diamond-like facets, and at its center floats a musical note. This auction's had all kinds of amazing items......but you can tell just by looking—this one is "in a class of its own."
"Orb Triad! It is said that two other orbs bear the same name, and when all three are gathered the one who collects them is granted a——ma——gni——fi——cent——power!"
"Magnificent power"......that's a pretty vague phrase.
"Opening bid is......100 million chips!"
"O–one hundred million!?"
"That's the star item for you."
The tension filling the auction hall reaches even out here.
Vigilance toward—or curiosity about—Labyrinth breeds many flavors of tension. The MPs readying to intercept the Phantom Thief are mixed with the audience's excitement for the Phantom Thief's show.
Triad itself radiates such overwhelming presence that it fans the tension even higher.
Sensing something, I looked up at the tower.
"......That's—"
For an instant—just an instant—I saw a black shadow on the summit of Iris Tower. Then, right away, something happened inside the hall.
"Huh?"
The auctioneer had been standing beside the glass case that held Triad on the stage, but from directly above the auctioneer's head......clink, clink, hand grenades dropped onto the stage.
"Kyaaaaaaaaaahhh!?"
The auctioneer leapt off the stage. At the same moment the grenades exploded, blasting the stage apart.
"They're bombing Triad!? A direct hit! Won't it break?!"
"Not a chance. Orbs like Triad have ludicrously high armor values. Even ∞Arts couldn't destroy one in a single blow. A grenade's power won't even scratch it."
Just as Ms. Eve said, Triad wasn't destroyed; the blast simply sent it flying.
The stage vanished in white smoke, and every eye locked onto Triad as it spun through the air.
(They calculated the grenade placement to launch Triad!)
Triad arced up toward the chandelier. Before anyone realized it, the orb was already in the hands of the Phantom Thief who stood atop the chandelier.
"Hello, my lost little lambs. Welcome to the Labyrinth of Amusement."
The Phantom Thief's voice rang out loud and clear.
"No admission fee in chips. No need for assistance. Both cheers and worries are welcome. I desire only one thing—shower the Phantom Thief who vanished into darkness with a thunder of applause......!"
With careful bows, the Phantom Thief delivered the speech.
Hair split between cherry-blossom pink and sky blue. Over a school uniform of white shirt and miniskirt with a red ribbon tie, a black cloak is draped. A domino mask shaped like cat's eyes hides the face, and a miniature black silk top-hat rests on the head.
"Fire! Open fire!!"
The MPs unleashed a volley of assault-rifle fire at the newly appeared Labyrinth. Labyrinth was riddled with bullets in an instant.
Yet—
"Wh–what the heck is that!?"
the MPs shouted.
Like a balloon with a hole, Labyrinth sprayed air from the punctures and soared above the auction hall.
"A dummy doll!?"
"A recording—or maybe it looked like she was speaking via phone. A simple bow could be done by a doll. Still......"
Triad slipped from Labyrinth's hand and fell into the MPs' possession.
"They recovered Triad."
No—that thing looks identical, but I don't sense the same presence I felt from Triad a moment ago.
"!? Ms. Eve! That one—"
At the top-floor window stands Labyrinth. In the left hand, I can see Triad.
"What the hell!? But Triad is right there......"
"Misdirection. Guiding our attention."
"Huh?"
"During the explosion, Labyrinth threw a fake Triad toward the chandelier. The real Triad must have rolled on the stage or flown into the wings. While everyone focused on the chandelier, Labyrinth retrieved the real one and escaped......I think. Probably."
Passing the orb that precisely with grenades is impossible after all.
"That is—"
Labyrinth boarded a star-shaped wyvern and took off into the night sky.
"Whether your guess is right or wrong, we have no choice but to chase! Let's go!"
"Yes!"
The kei-truck's cargo bed.
Ms. Eve flipped back the green sheet, exposing to the night sky what lay beneath it.
"We'll fly with this."
It was a glossy black oversized bike (with a low seat for Ms. Eve). The long body leaves plenty of room for two. Thrusters under the tail-light promise serious speed.
"My ultimate custom bike."
Naturally Ms. Eve took the front seat, and I sat behind.
"It's crazy fast, so hold on tight!"
"Yes!"
The bike launched from the cargo bed and in no time crossed the 700-meter bridge.
"Ha ha ha! How d'ya like that, punk! Six acceleration systems plus Growmetal in the frame—she gets faster the longer she runs! Infinite acceleration!!!"
We burst onto the city streets.
Ms. Eve nimbly wove between cars and trucks, closing the gap to Labyrinth.
(S-so fast! She's handling a vehicle at this speed like it's nothing......Sh-she's amazing......!!)
I caught sight of the sky-borne Phantom Thief with my naked eye.
"Close enough! Shiki!!"
"Yes! ——We're within sure-hit range!!"