Author's note: As always, thanks for waiting!
By the way, thanks to everyone for the 2,000 views on this fic!
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It had taken some time, but Keiji knew that the journey was worth it. With a pair of binoculars that were included in her inventory at the start, Kanami brought them out.
"Let's see..." she managed to say.
As she investigated, she knew to her surprise, that there were no guards outside. It was obvious that they were in the middle of trying to figure out what caused everything inside to malfunction thanks to Keiichi.
"It looks like everyone's still inside." she said after putting the binoculars down.
"Guess we're lucky, then." Takagi added.
Shouichi nodded. "I suggest we exercise caution when we get in there, though. Chances are, we might have to deal with guards that'll instantly notice us."
"Sounds good." Keiji replied.
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As they headed inside, the team of seven had to make sure to not get detected. Fortunately, given that Whirlwind was a master of stealth, he was more than happy to lead the way.
Scanning the area, there were three to four guards in the room. He had expected more, but knew it would be a good start.
On the other hand, Keiji did recall taking the harisen (Akihito's main weapon) and many others from his arsenal. He looked over at Whirlwind and asked in a quiet voice, "Do you ever consider knocking him out with this?"
Once he was provided the harisen from him, the purple-haired bodyguard raised an eyebrow. "I could consider that. But I do not know if it'll knock him out." he replied.
"Let's see if it'll work." Miyuki added.
Whirlwind nodded, before he began to sneak up slowly behind the first guard. Hoping that things would turn out fine, he hit him across the head with it.
As the guard hit the ground, it looked like he was out cold. It actually wasn't the case though, as he managed to crawl over to the second guard.
This gave the bodyguard the chance to hide in the shadows again with the others, as he wanted to change weapons. "Looks like the harisen didn't work well, I believe. I think it's about time we shoot them down."
Though Miyuki bit her lower lip out of nervousness, Keiji nodded in agreement. He looked over at Takagi, who brought out his SPAS12, looking to blow both guards' heads off.
Just as the second guard was about to notice who attacked the first one, the blond man fired at both of them in the head. They fell to the ground, dead, and leaving one more to deal with.
The group continued going through the area, hoping they could get a good view of the third guard. Once it was possible, Keiji had given Whirlwind a knife (which was once owned by Ayato).
The bodyguard went in for the third guard, making sure he had his back turned to Whirlwind. This would then give him the signal to cut his throat open, and as blood poured onto the guard's body and onto the floor, he went back to the others.
"Allright, the coast is clear." he told them.
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The rest of the infiltration went as planned, with guards taken out as stealthily as possible. By the time they reached Ayatsuji, she was guarded by several guards, all armed and ready to go.
Keiji took a deep, if slightly ragged breath. "Ready?" he asked Shouichi.
"Ready."
Once Shouichi slowly opened the door, he had expected Ayatsuji and her army to attack. However, they were standing still, with the woman still in her seat.
"You're still alive, eh? I commend you." she said as she recognized Keiji and Shouichi.
"I told you I'd be back; and I've got backup with me as well." the brown-haired boy replied, even mentioning Kanami, Takagi, and the others.
"Backup...isn't that a fact?" Ayatsuji's eyebrows furrowed, before she finally added, "Not to mention you've screwed up the Program in the worst ways imaginable."
"It wasn't me that did it; in fact it was Keiichi and his friends that did the job." he replied. "Not to mention, my dad and Miss Maruyama got out because of it. Whirlwind escaped, too, but for different reasons."
Ayatsuji's usually calm expression turned more angrier with every word they said, even as she told Whirlwind, "I always knew you were very clever; always thinking of ways to escape, almost like Houdini."
"But I sure as hell as ain't no magician." he said, giving her rather steely eyes.
"A magician, you're not, allright. But guess what?" she replied, before standing up and preparing her Desert Eagle. "You're all gonna die, anyway. Any last words?" she asked.
Keiji seemed to not have any, but it was Takagi that had some for her. "Fuck you." he simply said, aiming his SPAS12 at her and the guards.
Before long, he took fire, being able to successfully gun down two of the guards. However, one of the surviving guards had with him an assault rifle.
He took aim at Takagi, who ended up taking the hit on the side of his abdomen. Clutching at the area, he watched as Shouichi brought out a Walther PPK which once belonged to Hana.
Taking a few shots at said guard, he had succeeded in taking him out, much to his surprise. However, it was short-lived, as another guard shot in the arm.
"Goddammit!" he muttered under his breath.
Kanami gasped, and she and Miyuki were able to come to Takagi and Shouichi's aid. With the first aid kits that the teacher had secretly brought with her during her escape, they managed to patch them up.
Unfortunately, it was Takagi that had lost a decent amount of blood. However, he turned to Whirlwind, silently giving him and Keiji the signal to attack them.
With one last guard remaining, the bodyguard brought out his katana. He had narrowly evaded several shots, and was ready to slice his enemy down.
Then, the guard pulled out a pistol, and aimed it right at his foot. Just as he was killed by the blade as it tore through his torso, it was his last shot.
This left Ayatsuji alone, who vainly attempted to shoot Keiji down with her Desert Eagle. She did shoot him across the thigh, though it was a shot he nearly evaded.
The brown-haired boy ended up knocking her down with the butt of his Magnum, and just as she was about to get up, Kanami took the rope she 'found' from Akihito. Quickly, she began tying her up, and Ayatsuji looked up, some blood dripping from her face.
"How the fuck was this even possible?!" she asked.
Keiji did not reply, but what he did have to say prompted her eyes to burn with anger.
"Since most of your army has crumbled before my father, I think it's about time I bring you back to our hometown and perhaps even give you a taste of your own medicine!"
Ayatsuji just stared at him, secretly desiring to attack him, despite the rope binding her body almost tightly. "You've got some nerve, Keiji..." she muttered.
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Sorry if the final battle ended anticlimactically, but I tried. Now it's time for the epilogue.
With love for my fans,
Chrissy
