Just after I realize I've traveled back in time thanks to my new achieved ability, Riven bursts in, shouting and ready to confront whatever has made me scream frantically earlier. Startled again by his unexpected appearance, I try to calm him down and invite him so sit with me in under the guise of talking about the mission.
"You say you've discovered those involved in the kidnapping operation? How? You didn't have any more clues or leads on the case until just a few hours ago." Riven questions, quite intrigued.
"I've just found new channels to track. I can't give you all the details, but I assure you that the information I've gathered is reliable and very useful." I answer, trying to sound convincing and confident like the boss.
Thanks to Save Point, I've not only been given a second chance to try and do things right, but I've also obtained crucial information about the human trafficking faction that operates in this city.
Its members, their specialized weapons, the location of their base, its structure and disposition, the security measures they use to keep their victims captive... All useful data that I didn't have on my first run.
"With these new findings in hand, it's vital to formulate a new strategy to approach this work in the most efficient way, and since you're working with me on this case, updating you is part of it too."
Stating this, under the confused look on Riven's face, I summon Ultimate Programming laptop and make some metallic cables sprout from it.
"N-Nicholas! What are those cables for?!" Riven asks, frightened and on guard by this scene.
"Relax, it's nothing to fear. Telling you verbally everything I've discovered with this new source would be very long and complicated, so I just intend to send you the information directly to your brain to save time." I start explaining.
"But to do that, I need to register you within my Nen ability, and I haven't had the chance until now. That's what these cables are for. You just have to let me connect them and let yourself go without resisting. Ok?"
Riven seems somewhat reluctant, but nods in confirmation nonetheless, and I proceed to register him. However, unbeknownst to Riven, I not only register him as a recipient of my ability, but I also use another application of my Nen ability: Data Collection and Processing.
Essentially, this ability records all the information I gain from each daily experience on my laptop and allows me to display it to others as text, graphics, audio, or video.
However, the true power of this ability it's that it also allows me to gather information from another person's brain database by analyzing their mind and body through these cables using a highly advanced and complex programming language.
This is a crucial step in using the Physical Construct application with people other than myself, and it can also become an incredibly useful tool for obtaining information from other people in the future without torturing them.
But even though it seems like an overwhelmingly powerful ability, I still don't have enough skill to use it on people unwilling to share that information, and one of the limitations is that I can't snoop through the information of someone I have registered.
That means I can't investigate either Riven, whom I'm registering right now, or boss Kai, whom I registered a while ago and whose information is safely stored inside the laptop once again.
After about 30 minutes of surfing through several lines of code on the screen, Riven's data registration and storage are complete, so inputting some commands, I use another of its applications on Riven; Information Transfer.
"Huh? W-What happens?" Riven suddenly asks, massaging his head with clear discomfort.
"My head... is clogged with images and data... starting to jump around. And I'm having trouble thinking other... other things. I'm finding it difficult to formulate... rational lines of thought, and I feel like... like I've spent all night reviewing d-documents."
"Yes, sorry, that's because of my Nen ability. It's the burden of having all that information sent directly to your brain at once. But don't worry, it'll pass in a few minutes." I clarify it to him.
Information Transfer allows me to transfer information from my laptop into a person's mind, which allows me to send clearer and more precise information under any circumstances and shorten the time it takes to research and study something.
However, the greater the size and complexity of the information I transfer, the greater and longer the mental stress will be for the receiver.
In this case, with the information about the kidnappers, their weapons, the location of their base, its geography, and its traps that I gathered in the first loop, the process takes about 5 minutes before his strain disappears and he sighs with relief.
"Wow, that was pretty intense! It's left me a bit tired." Riven says with a more loosened up expression.
"It was a lot of specific and detailed data all at once, so it's normal that it was a little tough. But now you understand why I want to change our strategy, right?" I ask hoping that he understands the situation.
"If all the information you've shared with me is true, I understand why you want to switch to a more direct plan of action. But if those guys really do have weapons capable of penetrating our Ten, do you seriously think it's wise to confront all of them with just the two of us?" Riven asks, more cautious than worried.
"Even if they have very powerful weapons, with our speed and agility, we can easily outmaneuver them using the element of surprise. Besides, it won't exactly be just the two of us." I answer with a mischievous smile.
"Okay, if you've already made up your mind, then I'll obey you as my superior. So, what have you thought to do?" Riven asks, making up his mind.
'In the previous timeline, I lacked much information about the enemy I was going to face, I encountered many unexpected obstacles, let my emotions run wild, and made a lot of costly mistakes. This time, I am truly prepared to confront what lies ahead.' I think, steeling myself as I share my new battle plan with Riven before we go to sleep.
Upon waking several hours later, the first thing we do is search for the perpetrators of Catherine's kidnapping during my first scouting. Since I know what they look like and where they might be in the future, I hack into the security cameras of the surrounding area and use various sketching and facial recognition programs to locate them.
It took us longer than I initially expected, having to check with several people going through the streets, shops and alleys for 2 hours, but we still eventually find them walking separately through several crowds, and rushing to their location, we catch them swiftly and easily.
The next step is to interrogate them, because although I know quite a few things from my previous run, there are still details I don't know. Unfortunately, I'm not yet proficient enough to extract information unwillingly from them with my ability, so I have to delegate this task to Riven.
"Come on, speak up already! Tell us everything you know about your bosses' Nen abilities!" Riven shouts menacingly at the thug that I remember he could use a Nen ability based on musical instruments while hammering another bolt into him.
"I'm telling you, I have no idea what you're talking about! I don't know what this Nen thing is!" He also yells, visible hurt and scared.
Faced with the kidnappers' continued resistance, Riven is forced to continue the torture session to extract information. I find it distasteful to witness, but given the gravity and delicacy of the situation, I have no choice but to look away and let him continue.
Despite holding out for a while, they eventually succumb to the suffering and share what they know about their members. According to them, both their leader and the man who accompanied them had developed an unknown supernatural ability, so they decided to use it in the kidnappings.
Regarding their group, they say it's a kidnapping network operating in various locations across the continent and working independently, but they know nothing about other branches, and they also say they are an independent syndicate without any mayor affiliation.
Their operations are based on the kidnapping and selling of humans and intelligent magical beasts to various anonymous entities in the underworld through hidden distribution channels, and that after this last kidnapping they'd have to leave Kituso for another city so as not to leave any traces that would give them away.
The confession seems fruitful from a superficial view, but since I myself have witnessed the organization firsthand, I notice inconsistencies, such as saying that there are only two users of Nen abilities in it or that they have no major affiliations.
'According to him, only that guy in the group and the leader know how to use Nen abilities, but that's obviously not true. After all, I couldn't forget the barrier-type ability placed on the prisoners' cages to prevent escapes, or the wicked, vicious guy I had to fight to the death at their base.' I think to myself, recalling with disgust that traumatic experience.
'Adding those weapons capable of penetrating my aura defenses, that would make three or four Nen users, with at least one skilled enough to use aura in combat. It's possible that the other ones also could as well, but I find that unlikely given the impression they gave me at the time.'
'Furthermore, during our fight, he mentioned belonging to a group called Shadow Beasts. I may not know what that was about, but given that he brought that name up as if it were something important that anyone would understand, it must be a group of considerable importance within the criminal world, which implies that his claims of working without major affiliations are also untrue.'
'In short, either they're still hiding things from us, or they're too insignificant in the operation's scheme to know the details. Either way, it's best to verify it beyond any doubt.'
With this thought, I walk next to the kidnappers we have incapacitated, and conjuring my Nen laptop to, I make its metallic cables sprout to get the information out of these guys.
Just as I suspected, some of them, including their Nen ability user, are still hiding information in their brains that I can't access, so despite their persistent denials of hiding anything, I urge Riven to continue the torture much to my chagrin.
Through more than another hour of screaming and pleading, the kidnappers' willingness gradually diminishes until I am finally able to access all the information they previously witheld in their minds, including the group's funding and its patronage by the bigwigs of the mafia, among other things.
With all the information we can extract from these thugs uncovered and saved, and with the safety of the intended victim Catherine Belster assured, all that remains is to head to the base of operations of these miscreants to stop them for good this time and save the kidnapped women.
Later, at the entrance of the abandoned thermal power plant where the group of kidnappers is located, the two guards watching it see Riven and me approaching completely exposed and immediately run to the front to point their guns at us.
"Stop right there! Do not move any closer or we'll open fire!" The one on the right shouts with the two of them pointing their guns at us.
In response to his threat, we do as he says and halt our progress without showing hostility or defiance.
"This is a private, restricted access area! State your origin and your intentions for coming here right now! Speak up!"
Despite his threatening demand, both Riven and I remain silent.
"Come on, spill the beans! Are you here as a contact for the families, or are you with the cops?! Who the hell are you?!"
Even though the guard seems to grow angrier, we continue to remain silent.
"Hmph, so you don't want to cooperate, huh? Then we'll be restraining and taking you to a locked section to force you to talk. I'm going to call and report this. If you try to move a single muscle, we'll blow your..."
The guard doesn't have time to finish speaking because while he moves his free hand to the phone in his pocket, he and his partner are instantly knocked out by a chop to the neck.
"Why do you asks us to do this? With your levels, it would be easy to knock them unconscious before they can react." Kai doppelganger asks next to my doppelganger.
"There was a risk that they did notice us and shoot before dying, alerting those inside. While unlikely, it could have resulted in losing the element of surprise." I explain.
"Yeah, that's true. I'm glad you realizaed before acting." The boss doppelganger replies.
It seems that going back in time has also reset the stored information of the boss I had already used with Physical Construct in the previous timeline. So, in addition to the copy I made of Riven before, I now have four summons available with Physical Contruct: two of mine, one of the boss Kai, and one of Riven.
Maybe I can only summon one at a time, and I can't duplicate myself twice at the same time, but by combining myself, my doppelganger, the boss's doppelganger, and the real Riven, we currently form a team of four experienced Nen fighters, with two in reserve in case things get complicated. More than enough for a successful assault.
"It's truly impressive. I knew you could create a double of yourself, but I didn't think you could also create doubles of other people. Having Master Kai with us is incredibly reassuring." Riven comments with pleasure at having the strongest Nen fighter he knows by our side.
"But don't get too confident. Even though he has the same abilities as the boss, he's not on the same level as the original. No offense intended, you are still a great reassurance." I clarify, not wanting to disrespect the summoning of the boss in front of me.
"I'm just a double of the real Kai, so don't sweat over the minor things" He nonchalantly responds.
"Okay. Let's begin the assault then. Remember, their weapons can hurt you even if you use Nen for defense, so be sure to watch out for their shots and don't let any of them escape in the crossfire. Their kidnapping operation ends here." I say in a serious tone, leading them inside the facility.
Unlike my first incursion where I tried to go unnoticed to gather information, this time I and the rest of the team act openly and fiercely against the criminals occupying the central.
We don't hide behind structural elements or spatial objects like the transformers that fill the place, but instead we run fully exposed through the corridors and open spaces of the place, and as soon as we encounter a group of thugs along the way, we run towards them, dodging the hail of bullets they throw at us, and incapacitate them with our superior might.
This, in turn, alerts more troops who come to try and shoot us, sometimes using blind spots on the walkways or behind structures. At first, this proves effective, and they manage to land a few shots on me, my doppelganger, and even Riven, who realizes the truth of my earlier statements and the danger he is in.
However, this momentary advantage doesn't last long thanks to the boss's doppelganger's En.
"There's one hiding in that corner on the left!" At his warning, I dodged the surprise shot and ran in that direction to incapacitate the hidden shooter.
"The next room has a group of four waiting for us."
"They are atop us!"
The boss Kai's doppelganger uses his En to cover a medium-range area and alert us to the number and position of approaching enemies, giving us a significant advantage in field combat. Just as one would expect from the boss.
The only problem I have with the way our battle unfolds is that, unlike me and my doppelganger, who are more merciful, Riven and the boss's doppelganger don't hesitate to kill every opponent they encounter with unrestrained blows.
I know very well that they both have a more cynical view of how to deal with these things, and I know very well that these guys don't deserve my pity after all the atrocities I've witnessed in this place. But even so, I can't help but feel that this isn't right, feeling guilty for contributing to it.
"Wipe that sulking expression off your face! You are not responsible for any of this!" The doppelganger of boss Kai yells while grabbing one by the neck, startling me.
"It's just me and Riven who are killing people! It doesn't matter that I'm a conjuration of your Nen ability, you're not forcing me to do it, it's my own decision, so it's not your responsibility!"
"You still haven't killed anyone, so put those stupid worries aside and keep focusing on the task at hand! I'm sure the real me would be furious if you ended up badly because you got distracted in the middle of danger!"
Even though he is a replica created with my Nen ability, the boss always knows the words I most need to hear to overcome the situation.
"Yes boss!" I reply resolute.
I continue leading the group through the area for a few more minutes, and we finally reach the area where I had encountered the leader last time. However, this time neither he nor his gang are present.
"They must have slipped away when they heard the base was under attack! We can't let them escape justice for another day! Boss, I think the criminal in charge of the operation was a Nen user! Can you track him with your En?" I ask.
"No. If I were the real one, I could cover almost the entire power plant, but now I can only extend my range by 20 meters at most." He answers, making me uneasy.
"Don't worry, I can help you with this." Riven states, to our surprise, and next uses his Nen ability to transform his face into the snout of some kind of giant canine. "The sense of smell of an extremely dangerous canine from the Republic of Padokea. With this I can smell the traces of people who have been here and track them down."
"That's exactly what we need right now. Well thought out, Riven." I say this expressing my genuine gratitude for his contribution.
"Okay, now we have a several things to take care of, so we'll have to split up. Riven, you and the boss doppelganger, follow the trail to find the responsible ones for this kidnapping operation and prevent anyone who tries to escape from doing so."
"Meanwhile, I and my doppelganger will head to the warehouse where they're holding the women to protect them. Let's go!"
Without giving them a chance to argue, I run off in the direction of the area where I remember the prisoners being held. Since I only see my doppelganger following me, I deduce that Riven and boss Kai's doppelganger have followed my instructions too.
'It's better to do it this way. Even if the door remains locked, or I encounter the big-lipped man again like the first time, it's pointless to bring boss Kai's doppelganger to get through if I can't remove the Nen curse placed on those cages.'
'Even if the leader wasn't the one who put up the barrier in the cages, he surely knows who did it. If we truly want to save those captive women, our highest priority must be to capture the mastermind behind it all, and for that, I must put the person I know can do it in charge: the boss.'
After about 5 minutes of running and fighting off every gunman we encounter along the way, my doppelganger and I reach the door that leads to the tunnel towards the prison warehouse. Surprisingly, the massive metal door is open, unlike in the previous timeline.
Although I'm glad I don't have to punch the door until my knuckles are raw, my caution runs high, because if it's open, that most likely means someone has come ahead to ambush us. Nevertheless, I still have a mission to fulfill, and with my doppelganger I begin to travel through the dark tunnel.
The journey was uneventful, no one waiting for us on the road, we didn't encounter anything along the way, but as soon as we burst into the underground prison, we get shocked by what greet us.
"Come on, terminate them!" With this shout, half a dozen of begin firing wildly at us.
The piercing sounds of gunfire fill the air, but both my doppelganger and I react quickly enough to move out of the way and dodge the bullets.
For several minutes, we are forced to run quickly and carefully around the area. The men scatter rapidly to try to surround us, and since we don't want the trapped women to be caught in the crossfire, we have little room to maneuver.
For several minutes, we are forced to run quickly and carefully around all the place as the armed men pursue us, firing machine guns and even a bazooka to try and kill us.
Since they outnumber us, and we don't want the trapped women caught in the crossfire, we have little room to maneuver or hide from their attacks.
However, we are still physically far superior to them, and by using our agility and non-lethal weapons I take from my subspace, we manage to dodge the bullets and incapacitate all the criminals.
After the scuffle, I head towards the cages of some terrified prisoners to try and calm them down and assure them that everything is gonna be okay. But as I notice their expressions suddenly looking past me in horror, I barely manage to move out of the way to dodge a new hail of bullets that suddenly comes out of nowhere, riddling the unprotected women in the cage.
However, while dodging the shots, a powerful blow catches me off guard on the right, fracturing my humerus and sending me flying. As my doppelganger rushes to help me up, I get a clear view of what hit me.
"You can still get back up after that blow. I see you're not as weak as you look. It's no wonder this big bunch of losers couldn't finish you off despite Enhancing their weapons." The man responsible for my death and Catherine Belster's in the previous timeline says in a bored tone.