Mentioned Characters: Reisen

At a certain place, at a certain time, Reisen Udongein Inaba waited in the shadows. She held a communicator in one hand, with her eyes fixed on something in the distance. In the other hand, she held her weapon, raised and ready. She was prepared to fight, but she knew this wasn't the time.

At a certain place, at a certain time, another Reisen stepped into the shadows where Reisen Udongein Inaba stood. She removed her hat with a calm and composed greeting. In her hand was a weapon that was different in color, but clearly of the same kind. Why had these two versions of Reisen come together?

The most important question was where they were, and why they had been sent there. The truth was, neither of them really knew. But that didn't matter. They understood what was expected of them. Out in the field, the unexpected was part of the job. Too much information only led to overthinking, and overthinking could open the door to fatal mistakes. That was what they feared most. So they came in with as little intel as possible, and gave their full attention to what was right in front of them. They carried out their orders with precision, and it was that unwavering focus that made them trusted for missions like this.

Villain Castle The two of them kept their eyes fixed on the scene ahead. A transaction was taking place. Of what, they didn't know. But something about it felt wrong. They couldn't say why. It was just a gut feeling. Still, the orders they'd received were simple. Observe until the deal is done. And so, they didn't move. They stayed alert, ready for anything, but made no attempt to intervene. Their focus remained on the moment unfolding before them. That, to them, was what it meant to be a soldier.

"That was a bomb, right?" "Probably." "...Any idea what it's for?" "Asking questions like that'll get you killed." They spoke in hushed tones, keeping their voices low. Confirming what they saw was important. It helped them stay focused on how to respond. But making guesses was dangerous. If things turned out differently from what they'd imagined, they'd risk losing their cool. And sure enough― "...Did it just explode?" "Yep. The moment they took the package." Even faced with the sudden blast, they stayed calm. It was probably something the higher-ups had expected. If they'd let curiosity get the better of them, if they'd decided the deal looked shady and taken matters into their own hands... things would've turned out quite different. Digging too deep gets you killed. They understood that truth all too well. And it was because they understood it that they were still standing. Still alive. Because when it came down to it, they were cowards.