The Heroic Tale of the Weakest Ability User ~The F-Ranker with the Dual Pistols~ - Chapter 1: Episode 6.1

On August 4th, just past midnight, a small girl was locked up in her room.

“Oh! The new Katouken Ranbu merch is here! Click, click, click!”

Muttering to herself in front of the computer, she rapidly clicked her mouse. The way she moved was like a beast pouncing on its prey.

Once she was done, she leaned back into her chair with a sigh.

“Haa…”

Her name was Mai Kurumochi.

She was living a shut-in lifestyle. But lately, staying in her room had become increasingly unbearable.

The reason she withdrew from the world was because of bullying in her class and the betrayal of a childhood friend she had trusted.

That led to her developing a deep distrust of people, leaving her in the state she was now.

The painful memories of the past replayed in her mind like a revolving lantern. For years, she had been suffering.

Her arms bore countless scars from self-inflicted cuts. Recently, her dosage of psychiatric medication had increased. She couldn’t function without them anymore.

She despised herself for being this way but continued living a self-indulgent, aimless life.

She couldn’t forgive herself. She wanted to change.

And then…suddenly…

With a thunderous explosion, the walls of her house, her desk, and even her computer were blown to pieces.

The shock was so sudden and the noise so deafening that she couldn’t comprehend what had just happened.

As the dust settled, a young man in a full-body suit stood before her.

“Target confirmed. Capturing now. Returning to base,” he said.

The man spoke into what seemed to be a communication device in his ear.

Fear engrossed her.

Something about him told her she must not get involved with him.

Her body trembled as she slowly backed away, fumbling for her phone.

She found it. Desperately, she dialed the police.

“It’s useless. Come with me,” the man said.

In one swift motion, he snatched her phone and snapped it in half along with the screen.

Before she could react, he struck the back of her neck, knocking her unconscious.

Lifting her over his shoulder, the man leaped away with inhuman agility, vanishing into the night.

***

She woke up in a cargo hold.

It was dark, and she couldn’t see her surroundings.

A cloth was wrapped around her eyes, blinding her.

Her hands were tied behind her back, making it impossible for her to escape.

She strained to listen to the faint voices coming from behind her.

“…Received the next schedule from the boss,” a mechanical-sounding voice said.

“Understood,” another voice replied.

There were at least two of them, she assumed.

“0122, how much time do you have left on your ability?”

“Today… about a minute and a half,” the other replied.

Ability time limit?

Mai suddenly recalled an article she had read online.

Years ago (seven to be exact), rumors about supernatural abilities had spread on the internet, only to be dismissed as hoaxes. But later, crimes committed by people with special abilities and even videos of battles between them surfaced, making their existence undeniable.

Recently, there had even been whispers of anti-social terrorist organizations using ability users for illegal activities.

If she had been kidnapped by such people and was now in an unknown location, she had to escape—fast.

She couldn’t die here.

She hadn’t even seen the final episode of her favorite anime yet.

She racked her brain for a way out. The first step was removing the blindfold and freeing her hands.

She wiggled her body, trying to feel her surroundings.

Something hook-like brushed against her cheek.

She rubbed her blindfold against it, trying to loosen it. The knot wasn’t very tight, and soon, it slipped off.

She looked around.

She was surrounded by stacks of cardboard boxes. In her current state, she couldn’t move much.

At the very least, she needed to free her hands.

She reached behind her back, trying to hook the ropes onto the same object she had used for her blindfold.

Bit by bit, the rope began to fray with a tearing sound. If she had enough time, she might be able to break free.

For the first time in years, she felt a sense of accomplishment.

She had always thought that in extreme situations, she’d be too paralyzed to act. But here she was, doing something.

“Hm? I heard something. I’ll go check it out.”

The voice came from beyond the door.

No good. If she was caught now, she didn’t know what they’d do to her.

She panicked.

Should she put the blindfold back on? No, there wasn’t enough time.

Despair sank in.

Then—

With a loud bang, the opposite side of the door burst open like a gaping purse.

The floor tilted backward, and a massive gust of wind surged in, pulling the stacks of cardboard boxes into a white void.

The moment the door was blown open, Mai’s weight shifted toward the void—and the rope on her hands snapped.

Along with the falling boxes, she plunged into the vast blue ocean below.