Illimitable Until Death

Chapter 196

At that moment, a childlike voice that perfectly matched the girl’s appearance pierced through the wind and rain, reaching Fang Li’s ears. However, despite its childlike nature, the voice was not unpleasant; on the contrary, it had an enchanting quality, akin to a piece of art.

Nevertheless, the voice was soon overshadowed by the ever-increasing storm.

All that remained was the girl’s crimson eyes, fixed firmly on Fang Li, it was as if she wanted to engrave his appearance in her mind or thoroughly scrutinize him and her gaze never wavered.

From those eyes, Fang Li saw two things.

One was a sense of purpose. It was as if she was relentlessly pursuing a mission with unwavering determination.

The other was a strong will. A will so unyielding that it would push forward even if it meant breaking through obstacles.

Under the influence of these two emotions, the girl’s youthful face seemed to mature, exuding an imposing manner that made one feel that her body was extraordinary.

Such an imposing manner would make even ordinary Butei bow their heads before her, wouldn’t it?

Unfortunately, Fang Li was not an ordinary Butei.

Looking at the girl, who gazed back at him intensely, Fang Li hesitated for a moment and spoke uncertainly.

“Kanzaki H. Aria…”

Upon hearing this name, the girl’s eyebrows raised slightly, and she replied, “I thought you didn’t know me, but it seems there’s no need for self-introductions then.”

In other words, the girl standing before him, who appeared more like she just entered middle school than a high school student, was the transfer student from the United Kingdom that Riko mentioned yesterday.

The “『Quadra Aria』.”

An S-Rank Butei of the Assault Department.

The one who had been inquiring about Fang Li’s whereabouts and gathering information on him, an S-Rank Butei, finally appeared before him, a whole semester late.

“Before coming to Butei High, I had already heard of your existence,” Aria raised her eyes and fixed her gaze on Fang Li, and in front of Fang Li’s stunned expression, she said, “The S-Rank Butei with incredible gun skills, the Gun Magician User of Tokyo Butei High. Finally, I meet you. It wasn’t in vain that I informed the Assault Department to assign me an S-Rank Butei as a partner.”

So Ranbyou notified me because of you?

“Although I have a lot to say to you, the situation is urgent, and there’s no need for unnecessary chitchat.” Aria turned around, facing the pouring rain in the sky.

“I’ve already informed Logi Department to send a helicopter. It should be here by now.”

As if confirming Aria’s words, a helicopter began to descend slowly from the sky, pushing away the rain and beating against Fang Li’s body.

Ranbyou said that Aria seemed to have mastered the signal used by the Butei assassin’s copycat. So, when she intercepted the signal, Aria seemed to have already prepared herself, wearing the C Class Equipment, arranging transportation, and even notifying Ranbyou to call Fang Li.

This S-Rank Butei from the United Kingdom is truly extraordinary. At least, at this moment, the pace of events was entirely controlled by this transfer student.

Aria seemed to take everything in stride, standing with her back to the descending helicopter, looking at Fang Li with a strong determination on her expression, and said, “My time is running out, so let me ascertain your abilities in this incident.”

“Hope you won’t disappoint me.”

That was the first meeting between Fang Li and Aria.

And this encounter changed the trajectory of both of them in this world.

…

“Huā Lā Lā————!”

The rain continued, casting a gloomy atmosphere over the entire sky. Coupled with the dense, dark cloud layer, there was an indescribable sense of oppression in the surrounding.

The Butei High helicopter flew through the heavy rain, parting the water as it advanced.

Inside the cabin, Aria checked her Equipment while nonchalantly speaking to Fang Li, “Let me explain the current situation to you.”

Holding onto the handrail, Fang Li interrupted her, “No need. I already have a pretty good understanding of the situation. In simple terms, it’s a hijacking incident on a public bus. The culprit’s true identity is unknown, but they are using bombs and a remotely controlled vehicle armed with weapons. All the passengers on the bus are hostages, and our Mission Details are to rescue all of them, right?”

“Correct. It’s good that you understood so quickly,” Aria turned around to look at Fang Li. “Although you didn’t wear your C class Equipment before going into action, as if you didn’t grasp the seriousness of the situation, causing me to deduct some points, you still prove to be an excellent Butei.”

However, Fang Li’s reason for not wearing the C class Equipment was not because he didn’t understand the seriousness of the situation. While the C rank Equipment had good defensive capabilities, its lightness and agility were more suitable for him. Nonetheless, there was no need for him to explain that now, so he continued to inquire, “How are the actions of the Metropolitan Police Department and the Butei Bureau?”

“They are already in preparation,” Aria holstered her gun and turned to face Fang Li. “However, the culprit is driving the bus from somewhere at high speed, so they need some time to prepare.”

“So, in other words, we are the first rescue team to arrive at the scene?”

“Exactly. After all, I’m the one who intercepted the culprit’s signal. I started preparations long before anyone called for help.”

“Understood.” Fang Li turned toward the cabin door and said to Aria, “Kanzaki-San, I hope we have a pleasant cooperation.”

“Likewise.” Aria came to Fang Li’s side, looked up, and gazed outside the window. “Also, just call me Aria.”

During their conversation, the helicopter began to slow down.

As the helicopter descended, Fang Li and Aria finally saw it.

On the road below, a bus was racing at a speed that wouldn’t surprise anyone if the driver’s license had been revoked. It was leaving all the other vehicles behind, nearly causing several rear-end accidents that were narrowly avoided.

“There it is!” Aria shouted loudly into her radio, “Alright, prepare to descend. We’ll jump onto the bus with parachutes!”

However, before she could finish her sentence, Fang Li’s voice echoed through the radio.

“No! We can’t descend yet!”