Volume 9 - CH 30

Long Holidays Serial Bomber

Last Day of Golden Week.

The family restaurant is crowded with people.

The place is bustling.

And in the center of that lively atmosphere, two women who hid their faces under masks and sunglasses were having a conversation.

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“Today would be the end of the long holidays for students right?”

“Yes~, it doesn’t feel that long to me since I was busy working all week though………”

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The blond woman replied and shifted her gaze to the cup on the table.

She almost finished her iced coffee and the coffee itself already became a bit watery because the ice already started to melt.

Noticing that, she thought that it would be a pain to get herself a new cup so she tried sipping it but she immediately gave up.

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“Golden Week huh……. They didn’t give me any time off at all.”

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The woman with long black hair muttered enviously.

Her body is screaming for a break due to the fatigue from the work she had been doing without rest.

“The job was so harsh too.” she said in a bitter voice.

On the other hand, the blond woman let out a dry [Haha] laugh.

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“So? Are you getting along well with your brother?”

“Yes. I think we’re close.”

“Good for you.”

“Yes.”

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Saying so, the blonde woman drank up the rest of her coffee.

Seeing that, the black-haired woman adjusted the position of her sunglasses and changed the topic.

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“How old are you now? 18?”

“No….., I’m still 14…….”

“Eh!? No way!? Seriously……? So you are 10 years plus younger than me huh……. I’m so jealous.”

“HaHa……, it’s not all good you know……”

“Rather, I can’t see you that young at all! No matter how anyone looks at you, you should be in college already.”

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The blonde woman flinched.

Behind her mask and sunglasses, she let out a dry laugh to hide her guilt.

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“It’s about time we go home huh. It was fun hanging out with you today.”

“No, it’s my pleasure. Thank you very much for today.”

“It’s alright. C’mon, chin u~p.”

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The black-haired woman picks up the receipt.

She then walks to the register with the blonde woman walking behind her.

When she reaches the register, the amount displayed is 1,580 yen.

“I’ll pay.” said the blonde woman but the black-haired woman stopped her with “It’s fine, let me.”

Lowering her head, the blonde woman said “Thank you” and let the black-haired woman pay for her.

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It was when the female clerk said “Thank you for your patronage!”

A man donning sunglasses and a mask in a similar fashion to the two women walked in with a suspicious item in hand.

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“Oi, You! Take out the money!”

“HIE!?”

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The clerk who was just done with her two female customers let out a scream.

The two women watched in silence.

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“Money out, Now! If you don’t give me all the money within 5 minutes I’m going to blow this place up!”

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Said the man as he directed the clerk’s attention to the unknown item in his hand.

There’s a ticking sound coming from it so it’s likely a time bomb.

The timer on it displays a countdown, 04:59, 04:58.

When the other customers noticed what was going on, the man began shouting.

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“None of you dare leave either! The moment someone tries to escape, this thing will explode and everyone dies! I will survive though! The bomb was made using my Gift [Strongest Bogus Bomb] after all! HyaHaHaHaHaHa!”

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The man started laughing in a mocking tone.

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A Gift-made bomb.

The customers all recall the infamous bomber from the news

The wanted criminal, Mineta Atsushi.

He was a criminal who consecutively pulled off multiple robberies using the threat of his [Strongest Bogus Bomb], a Gift that can create and customize an explosive at will.

He was nicknamed the [Holiday Bomber] and was even rumored to be the modern-day Lupin as he has already got away with 3 incidents during the Golden Week alone.

Realizing who he is, the customers resigned themselves and chose to stay quiet.

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From the back of the restaurant, a man who appears to be the manager nervously addressed the bomber.

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“H, H, How do we stop that bomb then?”

“I told you! Just give me the money. You have only 4 minutes left you know. The only way you can disarm this thing is to hand me all the cash in that register! I customized this thing so that it would only disarm itself with my fingerprint. Now, be a good boy and fetch me the money.”

“B, But it’s locked, unless we open a new tr–…..”

“I know how the damn thing works! You want to die, fool? This thing is a real deal alright? I don’t mind since I’d survive the blast anyway though? How about you, wanna try me?”

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Threatened by the man, the manager started to panic.

Mineta carried out the 3 previous robberies using the same method he uses here. He even utilized the same threat to escape the arrest by the Bureau’s Agents.

It was when the manager was about to give in and struggling to open the cash register.

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“URYAHHHHH!”

“!?”

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The black-haired woman who hid her face using a mask and sunglasses performs a foot sweep, tumbling Mineta to the floor.

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“Th, The heck you think you’re–”

“Eat This!”

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Before Mineta could finish his sentence, the woman dived her foot into Mineta’s face.

Not only his sunglasses shattered, his mask also slipped off due to the strong kick, and his two front teeth were broken.

At the same time, he dropped the bomb in his hand.

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When the blonde woman picks it up, Mineta mockingly laughs at her.

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“A shame for you! That bomb will go off unless I disarm it with my fingerprint! You can’t force me to disarm it either! Even if you try to throw it out, it will blow the moment it leaves the store! You’re done for, you idiots!”

“…….I see.”

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The blond woman was planning to force the man’s finger on it to disarm the bomb but if that’s impossible then she has no choice but to use her secret move.

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She held the bomb in her hand and raised her own index finger above the scanner.

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“Ha, HaHaHaHaHa! Stupid B**ch! If anything other than my fingerprint touches that scanner then it will explode! You can’t get out of this without my help!”

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The man makes a triumphant smile but the black-haired woman simply yelled [Shut yer trap!] and kicked him again.

His head got knocked against the cash register table.

The manager is still in a panic and doesn’t know what to do.

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“……….”

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The blond woman puts her finger on the scanner.

02:22……

With a beep, the countdown ends.

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“Yup, I disarmed it.”

“Ha? ……..there’s no way!?”

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The blonde woman dropped the bomb and the man rushed toward it.

“Ah, …….it’s true.” Mineta uttered so in a dumbfounded tone.

The black-haired woman then snatched the bomb away from his hand.

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“Well, Mr.Manager. Please call the police.”

“……..Y, Y, Y, Yes, ma’am!”

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The manager hurriedly took out his phone and nervously tried to call the police.

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“H, How? My [Strongest Bogus Bomb]…”

“It was a dud.”

“No, that’s impossi–”

“It was a dud!”

“I made it with my Gift, ain’t no way it’s a dud.”

“It was A DUD☆.”

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While insisting that the man’s bomb was defective, the blonde woman made a StarChild Smile from behind her mask and sunglasses.

She had used her Gift [Character Creation] to copy Mineta’s right hand.

That’s why the moment she disarmed the bomb, her right hand was the exact same as Mineta’s.

Naturally, to protect the secret of the [Fake Idol] she doesn’t let slip the true nature of her Gift.

Anticipating that the police might be brushing the bomb for fingerprints later, she also did not forget to leave hers there to hide the clue to her [Character Creation].

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They would find the same fingerprints on the seat she sat on, and on her cup of iced coffee so there would be no trace of her Gift usage.

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“J, Just who are you guys!?”

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When Mineta pitifully raised his voice, the black-haired woman uncovered her face.

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“It’s LeafChild.”

“Wha!? What are you doing!?”

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When the identity of the woman with long black hair was revealed, the customers started going [EHH!?] or [KYAHHH!] with joy.

Unable to fathom what she’s thinking, the blonde woman holds her head.

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“Promoting ourselves as the idols who catch the [Holiday Bomber] would give us a nice boost you know.”

“Eh……?”

“Oryah!”

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When LeafChild finished whispering in her ear like a devil, she peels off her mask and sunglasses, revealing the face of the idol, StarChild, underneath.

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“WOAHHH! IT’S LEAFCHILD AND STARCHILD!”

“EH!? THE REAL DEAL!?”

“KYAHH! S-T-A-C-H-A! S-T-A-C-H-A!”

“LEAFCHILD IS SO COOL!”

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The restaurant was bustling even more than before the bomber’s entrance and it was later widely reported that it was LeafChild and StarChild who took down the [Holiday Bomber].

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StarChild realized then that she wouldn’t have been able to do anything in that situation without her Gift.

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“Phew. that was a scary Gift…….”

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With that being her first time getting involved with such an incident in a family restaurant, she muttered so in relief.

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Holiday Serial Bomber

—End—

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“Ah! That’s right, Seiko-chan! That coffee shop Yuki-nii has been visiting a lot lately, where is it!?”

“Ta, Tatsuyuki-san said [Don’t tell anyone I know about this place] so I can’t tell you that……..”

“Come on? Pretty please?”

“He said he always has to go out with his acquaintances so he wants some private place for himself.”

“He just wants to try calling himself a loner right.”

“Ahahahaha.”

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Hosokawa Seiko, StarChild.

Touno Yoko, Leaf Child.

The two have a friendly chat about the man they mutually know.

Their conversation did not hint at the fact that they just got involved with a real-life terrorist at all.

Author Note: That’s it for the Holiday Serial Bomber!

Thank you for reading.

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Gift Description.

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A-rank (Advanced)

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[Strongest Bogus Bomb]

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User: Mineta Atsushi.

A Gift that can create bombs.

The user can create any kind of bomb by imagining the specs and effectiveness.

It is capable of creating an explosive out of nothing but an image in the user’s brain.

It is possible for the user to include a setting such as [only affect men], [no woman will be harmed].

As long as the created bomb is in the user’s hand, the bomb can be tweaked and customized freely.

Example.

Reducing countdown from 5 to 3 minutes.

Changing the disarming method from fingerprint authentication to password lock.

ETC.

Mineta could have customized the bomb when Seiko dropped the bomb and he has it in his hand but Yoko snatched it away before he could do it.

If Yoko was not cautious, the table could have been turned against them.

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The specs of Mineta’s bomb in this chapter.

Time Limit: 5 minutes.

Effect: Kill or destroy everything except the user.

Conditions:

if thrown outside without being disarmed, detonate at the boundary between the store and the outside

Requires Mineta Atsushi’s fingerprint to disarm.

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Touno Yoko is 25 years old.

Her older brother, Tatsuyuki is 26.

Yoko knows Seiko’s real name but she doesn’t know what her Gift can do.

The whereabouts of Master’s coffee shop is kept secret at Tatsuyuki’s request.

Among Tatsuyuki’s acquaintances, the only one who knows the location of the coffee shop is his older sister, Touno Miko, the Gyaru Master.

Master and Gyaru Master met by chance when she visited his shop.

She visits the place once every year for a cup of coffee.

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Yoko is quite strong, though not as strong as Tatsuyuki.

She’s an idol so she does a lot of exercises.

It simply doesn’t make sense for a woman who can lead Tatsuyuki by the nose to be weak.

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V9C27

Hideyori’s read a post on StarChild’s Twitter that she got into some trouble.

It was the post she put up after the incident with Mineta.

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Original side.

The following dialogue did not exist.

“So? Are you getting along well with your brother?”

“Yes. I think we’re close.”

“Good for you.”

“Yes.”

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Because the two did not have that conversation, they left the restaurant a minute early.

They did not get involved because they missed Mineta.

Without the two, the family restaurant exploded after 5 minutes was up.

37 people, including staff and customers, were killed in the incident and Mineta fled with the money.

However, he was arrested by the Bureau 2 days after that.

The people in the restaurant would meet a certain doom if the two siblings were not on good terms.

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Hideyori and Seiko don’t have much to do with each other this time but I personally think the reason that their interactions leave a lot of impressions is precisely because there are so few interactions between them in the first place.

The kind that leaves you wanting for me.

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Among the future Gift Hunters of the original timeline, Mineta was hated as much as Akechi Hideyori.

People only hate Hideyori slightly more.

After all, the number of Hideyori’s crimes and the victims they claimed was far greater.

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And with that’s over, so does the Holiday Serial Bomber volume!

Thank you for your time!

Next, the extra chapters contain the history of the Tanikawa family.

It will be on Scumbag Best Friend Timeline so we will have a happy ending.