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Hidan no Aria - Volume 13 - Chapter 4




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Volume 13: Kowloon Counter-Attack–Kowloon Reverse

Chapter 4: Kowloon Monkey King– Kowloon Monk

(BEGIN TEXT)

[BEGIN CHAPTER FOUR]

「Good evening. Do you have a room?」「How much for a night?」「I’ll stay the night.」

Pointing to the few Chinese phrases I had copied from Shirayuki’s guidebook into my Butei handbook– I managed to check myself into a cramped business hotel in the Sheung Wan district in about 15 minutes.

In order to avoid having my valuables stolen again, I left everything in the complimentary room safe.

Then with weapons, cash, and passport in hand, I set out once more.

In accordance with our standing strategy (Half of which Reki had contributed), I walked through downtown Hong Kong.

The plan was the same as yesterday, but this hatime it’s different: I’m prepared.

According to the messages I received on my recovered mobile, Shirayuki was in Wan Chai and Riko was in Causeway Bay recommencing Operation Barley.

Baskerville was split into the Team Aria and Team Kinji, but Reki slipped me a message that:「Everything is fine over here.」

Everything should be fine in Kowloon.

Rounding a street corner…

*Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!*

I turned toward the gunshot-like sounds… but they were firecrackers.

Because of the warm weather, it didn’t immediately spring to mind that Christmas and New Year’s were coming up. Those sounds must have been a test for the upcoming celebrations.

As I was waiting at a traffic light in front of a sports supply store, several children were pestering their parents for skateboards. Piled haphazardly in a bin in front of the shop, they were selling well. It seems that the Christmas sales rush is the same in every country.

(I can’t understand the words… but they must be asking for them as presents.)

As I cast a smiling glance back at the parents and children…

*Bam!* *Screech!*

A double-decker tram car came to a halt across the intersection. It was covered in a Christmas-themed design, and although it was only a short distance in front of me, we were separated by a large billboard.

From the tram car:

*Waaah!* *Haha!*

A group of chattering students from a girls’ school just got off.

…Oh! That white uniform. I’ve seen it before. It’s the same as the one Yuan was wearing.

As I had that thought…

*Bam!* *Screech!*

「…!?」

Another tram car with Kung-Fu Panda dressed as Santa on it screeched to a stop, and even more girls in school uniforms flooded out.

What the–!

That’s strange.

The girls in white uniforms were laughing and chattering, but aren’t there a bit too many of them…?

Just now 30 of them got off one tram. Is this normal in China?

No, they’re still coming.

Not just from the doors, but they are also popping out from the windows as well. This is definitely not normal.

Looking around, I’m surrounded by about 100 girls in white uniforms. Now that I look closer, even the tram operators are schoolgirls wearing the same uniform.

As I tried to put up my guard, from the left…

*Rrrrr!* *Rrrrr!*

–!

….A….FV603 Saracen…!1

An HKPF armoured vehicle was lumbering forward!

The FV603 is a six-wheeled armoured attack vehicle. It saw action in Northern Ireland, and its armour is strong enough to repel even military machine gun fire.

It has an M1919 machine gun mounted on top of a rotating turret, and from space within the rounded Type-97 tank tube antenna…

*Click!*

The hatch opened, and with black hair secured in two twin-tails with round hair ornaments–

「–Koko…!」

An alternatively coloured version of Aria, Rampan’s Koko appeared…!

Wearing glasses and carrying a golden megaphone she said:

「Attention! Attention! Recording for a film will begin here shortly. For your own safety we ask that all persons vacate the area.」

Announcing something in Chinese… everyone nearby quickly cleared the area. Except for the white uniformed school girls.

It was clear that these girls were cooperating with Koko… they must be students at one of the Rampan funded schools that Riko told me about. Huh!? So that means even Yuan…!?

Before I even had the time to complete that thought, Koko had already finished clearing the area of people and said–

「–Kinchi! Hawve you been taking care of my older shister in Jawpan?」

With only her top half exposed, she pointed her megaphone toward me and shouted in lisping Japanese.

She was still wearing a Qing Dynasty era Chinese noble’s clothes like something from『Mr. Vampire』2.

Hers were pink and gold, though.

「We’ve had ouwr eyes on you the whole time you’wve been wandering awound Hong Kong! There’s been pwenty of time to see to our defewnces! Beating Awia and Kinchi together would be a pwoblem. Fwighting Reki would awlso be hawd– I, Jinyang, hawve learned that from my older sisters: Juujuu, Paonyang and Meimei! But Awia is not here and Kinchi is alone! It shouwld’nt be a pwoblem!」

Saying that… Koko raised her eyebrows. But she did not get out of the armoured car.

Her attitude is hostile. Extremely so. It seems that the peace proposal I left with Kou hasn’t reached her yet.

However… They’ve brought in an APC to bring me down. They’ve spent a lot of time and money. What’s going to show up next, a tank?

「…!」

As I assessed the trouble facing me, the white uniformed school girls surrounded me with a human wall and were gradually closing in.

With me at the centre of their ring, their ranks thickened as they converged. Beyond the crowd to my right, the way was blocked by the tram car, and to the left, the APC. To my rear was a multi-level building.

–I’m surrounded. It would be hard to escape from this concentric encirclement.

「Koko! I have to warn you! I don’t know which Koko you are, but if you’re a part of Rampan, you should know! The rules of FEW are that victory and defeat are decided by duels. None of these girls look like they could handle that. Surrounding your enemy with civilians is against the rules!」

「Fu! Fu! What ruwles!」

Mocking me, Koko stuck out her tongue and pulled down one of her adorable almond-shaped eyes.

「Evwy encounter has its own ruwles. Now I’ve just decided on new ruwles!」

She said, completely disregarding the rules. If that’s how it is, then why the hell even bother having rules at all!

I wonder if this is being done with the assent of the whole organisation, or if it was the blood-revenge of the fourth Koko– Jinyang, was it? She might be taking rash action on her own, but I don’t know.

「In war you have to fight awot of pweople! Overwhelming numbwers is the most basic techniwque!」

「But… even so, the people you are using are just girls…!」

Bewildered by the fact that the enemy would completely abandon the rules, the white uniformed girls drew their ring tighter and tighter.

As they got closer… What’s this I notice? They’re all cute!

Because they’re all shorter than the average Japanese person, many of them are quite petite, but they all have nice figures.

「These giwls are students at Ran Girl’s Highschool3. I knew you were bad with giwls, Kinchi. I prepawed a situation I just knew you’d wove. Get him! Hee! Hee!」

Giving that order in a shrill voice, Koko flourished a red folding fan with the『曹』character4 in black.

Taking that signal, the girls all squealed *Kyaaaaa!*

Still shrieking, they surged toward me.

「–Wait…!」

I shrunk back against the sport supply store, and in an instant, I was trapped– And we were instantly jammed together: like a musician mobbed by their fans.

S-so this is the kind of situation you think I enjoy? I’m disappointed.

「By the way, Kinchi, don’t you know? It was witten in the Hiwokane Inwestigation. Iwokane is–」

Koko said. Then with a *Fwoosh!* she covered her lips with the fan. Her narrowed eyes said:『Oh, maybe I shouldn’t say!』

「…?」

As she dropped that hint, my eyebrows furrowed, but… right then, I didn’t process all of what she said.

Still smiling, from every direction, the girls reached out their hands and held down one of my hands, arms or legs.

「H-Hey…! That feels weird! Stop it!」

I tried to resist, but each of my arms and legs had 3 or 4 girls holding them down. I literally could not move hand or foot.

The Koko with glasses continued:

「Of the four Koko shisters, I am the most meticuwous. Kinchi, you are a man whose actions cannot be pwedicted. I have carefuwy stwipped away your defences. Hee hee!」

She said as she remained half hidden inside the APC.

First of all, it’s impossible for me to escape this sea of girls– Even if I could, their commander is protected by more than 10 mm of armour plating on the FV603 Saracen. My gun wouldn’t even make a dent in it.

Continuing to squeal as they held me down– The beautiful girls first took my gun, then my knife. While they were doing that, there were a few hands that tickled the back of my neck. I-It’s truly hopeless.

「Now then, Kinchi, will you suwender? If you do, I’ll give you awl these giwls. It a time-honoured stwatgey to seduce enemy commanders. If they’re not enough, I’ll giwve you a hundwed more. Fwom now on you’re sure to be a piece on the board for the Koko!」

「…Wha… how stupid…!」

In the press of girls, I could do nothing but be struck dumb in amazement.

So this is the kind of enemy you meet when you step outside of Japan, huh?

Rampan must be trying to lure me into their organisation with this show of force. A Japanese person would never anticipate this kind of high-handed action. There’s also their organisational abilities to consider. I hadn’t treated them any different than any other opponent I had faced, and so I was unable to react.

–This is totally foreign.

Japanese common sense never applied here, but I’ve used it from the beginning and thought just like a Japanese person would.

I acted on the assumption that the enemy would respect the rules of war, and having caught an enemy combatant, released her, thinking to open a dialogue for peaceful negotiations.

But– It was all for nothing. Not a single thing I did worked. I was narrow minded in planning my strategy.

Despite all that, I over eagerly rushed into a foreign assault–

They successfully struck at my weakness, and this is the result.

I was too slow in realising it. I’m caught, and these girls are able to keep me here.

「Koko…! Let’s talk…! Kou! Kou and I… We had an agreement…!」

I played my only trump card as I lay pinned down and–

With a *Snap!*, Koko closed the fan.

Then there was a loud clanging, then she gestured toward the hatch.

「Kou is right here!」

Wha… What…! She’s inside…!?

I seized the ray of hope that if she was here, there might be a chance to negotiate, but at that instant– There was a large crash.

A bare foot appeared above the personnel compartment hatch.

Then with a *Spring!*

A girl in the Nagoya High cutoff sailor suit uniform jumped out with a speed and power only possible in cartoons or video games.

「Kou…!」

Landing on the round bar-like antenna, she was…

…d-different.

I could sense it.

It was her body, but it wasn’t her.

It had to be– the other person…!

「Ha ha ha! To be more pwecise–The Kowloon Monk, Son Goku. You’wve met. Members of Rampan saw you. As soon as we heard, we uwsed『Patra’s Key』to change Kou into Son. But you had awready let her go as soon as you cawght her. If you had kept her, Son would hawve mopped you all nicely. What wasted opportuwnity!」

Next to Koko…

「Kuru kukuru karararoru.」

Kou, no… Son mumbled in her strange language.

With monkey-like agility and her long black hair streaming behind her…

*Whoosh!*

Sailor suit flapping so much I thought it might slip off, she dove into the sea of girls. It was like a musician taking a dive into the audience.

「…!」

In sync with her movements, the girls lifted their palms up above their heads, catching Son–

Son curled her body as if she were a huge ball being passed overhead for a Sports Festival event, headed my way.

Then the girls put their palms together, creating a space… and in the middle of the crowd– *Whish!* Son posed barefoot, looking like a classic Chinese Opera performer with red eyeshadow around her eyes.

「Korukararosu, ararasu, kuruararu」

–It wasn’t just the makeup. Her tone of voice and carriage were different than Kou’s. There was this unmatched and indescribable expression of transcendent quality to her.

I saw it for the first time of the roof of the Kagataka Family headquarters… it’s Son.

Kou could be reasoned with, but this person…

With Son…

Impossible. It was impressed upon me the instant we met. We don’t even speak the same language.

Opening their hands with perfect timing, the girls created footholds… She strode forward like a model walking on blossoming lily pads– One step following the other.

Surely this is Son Goku. Globally recognised fairy-tale character.

Human in appearance, but unearthly in attitude. And if it had to be put into words: beautiful. Striking in appearance, and completely captivating.

Trapped under the weight of girls, she drew closer to me and looking down–

*Flop!*

She laid down in the posture of a recumbent Buddha, supported by countless hands.

「Kuruhirirua」

A centimetre away, her childish face harbored a sharp glint in her eye.

The same right eye that shot G-3 is now in front of me…!

「Son–!」

The word reflexively escaped my mouth–

–*Lick!*

She licked me.

Then she pressed our lips together.

「…!」

I was frozen for a brief instant, but…

Thanks to my long association with the paranormal world, somehow I understood what had happened.

Just now she had used some magical technique. Our lips had touched, and the true reason for the action–

「Kou is so terrified, she can’t help it.」

I immediately recognised Son’s inflections when speaking Japanese were my own.

「Don’t look so surprised, Tohyama. Rest assured, I have merely transcribed your knowledge of modern Japanese language. I’ve never done it with a man before, so I wasn’t sure if it would work or not.」

Rolling over and cupping my head in her hands–

「Now then, Tohyama, shall we fight?」

She said, grinning, and I immediately wrenched my head to the side.

「Don’t worry. I like your looks. I won’t kill you right away with the Nyoibou.」


…Things are happening just like Kou said they would.

***********************************************

ARIA13-205

***********************************************

*Ka-Thump!*

At the feeling of blood flow, I gave a wry laugh at myself.

「–Son. You’ve challenged me to a duel as Rampan’s representative. Do I have that right?」

「Idiot. Take it however you want. This fight with you will be like fighting ants. Whatever you say. On that point, Koko and I agree.」

*Ka-Thump!*

It’s starting. I can feel it inside.

「–I like strong men. I just want to fight them. That fight with G-3 was a real shame. I was only half awake when I killed him.」

–I see! I’ve gained one piece of valuable intel.

Son still thinks that she killed G-3. In other words, Kou and Son can’t share information like Sayonaki and Vlad could..

The reason I could understand that was because it had happened: Hysteria Mode.

My goodness! I’m surprised at myself.

I went into Hysteria Mode over such a young thing– All over Kou who looks like a 5th year primary schooler.

She’s set a record for the youngest girl that has sent me into Hysteria Mode.

Come to think of it, Son has lived for over 1400 years, so wouldn’t that make her the oldest girl, I wonder?

「You want to fight me… huh? I never could refuse a woman. And so I must grant your request.」

With these Hysteria Mode infused words, I turned a smile toward Son.

As I am now– I am a knight solely devoted to womankind.

Alright. I will fight you. You are a proper Rampan soldier. The rules of war must not be be broken.

Furthermore, I don’t know you well.

A fight is a kind of communication. The act brings a deep, mutual understanding of each other.

I am honoured to be allowed to do so by such a world famous lady.

I will ascertain what kind of person you are. Using this fight.

But–

30 minutes.

In my current state, I’m a poison to girls. If I keep it up too long, they get addicted to that version of me, and I get all kinds of dangerous looks from them. Aria is a prime example.

So I set a time limit. Host clubs have no restrictions, but the Kinji Club has a limit.

Within that time-span, however, I am completely yours–

「–Come with me and I will show you your dreams.」

While still her prisoner, I smiled an invitation to her…

Son smiled, as pleased as if she had gotten the name of the number one host in a club.

「Now then, Son. Let us move on to the main course. But I must ask forgiveness for one thing. I would love nothing better than to take your hand to escort you. However–」

As I spoke, I had already put the bottom of one foot down on the ground– I placed the foot on one of the skateboards from the bin in front of the sports equipment shop.

Then sensing the flow of energy in the girls holding my arms…

「My hand will be occupied for the next 10 seconds due to a work responsibility. So I will be unable to do so.」

*Pop!* *Pop!* *Pop!*

Just like I did in the Ikebukuro High elevator with the『Transfer Student Couple’s Support Club』, I peeled them off one by one– Using their own power against them.

Leading them on, I had the girls holding on to each other to form a large ring with me in the centre.

「I’ve already had my things stolen in Hong Kong. Now I must take them back.」

The girls stared blankly at my prefatory remarks because I had spoken in Japanese.

I tucked my legs in with the skateboard on the ground underneath me.

Then kicking off the wall strongly–

I moved through the forest of fluttering skirts and legs, balancing from time to time on two wheels,

In the original technique, you would lay face down, and I adapted it for use on a skateboard… but this is an old Tohyama family secret technique:『Hidden Forest』.

It was originally designed to penetrate the ranks of horsemen and foot soldiers to kill the general that they were protecting by crawling between their legs like a snake.

Following the original technique, I would have cut their Achilles tendons, but… it would be a crime to harm these long, white, graceful legs– Each of them surpassing an exquisite work of art.

Instead of doing that, I used my hands to steal–to recover–what was mine.

My precious Beretta, butterfly knife, and scramsax.

I returned each to its respective holster, pocket, and concealed scabbard on my back as I escaped the world’s most beautiful forest and came to a screeching stop.

「Things should be kept in their proper place, don’t you think?」

Flipping up the skateboard with my toes, I winked as I now stood on the outside of the ring of girls.

All of the girls that had used human wave tactics against me were standing shocked as they held their skirts in place, but thanks to that, my Hysteria Mode only intensified.

「That’s right! Ha ha ha! How funny, Tohyama!」

Eyes wide in amazement, Son still stood supported on the hands of the girls as she turned toward me.

I’ve escaped the first circle and put it behind me.

Now then…

I began thinking how to escape the second ring– The wall created by the double-decker trams and APC.

First of all, on the left, I’m a little leery of having to deal with the APC.

Ahead of me and to my right the tram cars tower over 7 metres forming a high wall. Even in Hysteria Mode that would be hard to scale.

I have to change my thinking. I was thinking of them as walls, but– Fundamentally, they are still vehicles that move.

「If I recall correctly, it should be 2.3 HKD, right?」

Mumbling this to myself, I dashed into one of the unoccupied trams. As my left hand deposited the amount of the fare, my right reached for the operator’s platform.

Recollecting my ride yesterday, it was easy to figure out how to drive it.

With a heavy sounding *Ka-thunk!* the former wall lurched forward.

Alright! Now the tram will move by itself.

Because the tram won’t collide with the other, I set the speed to 10 KPH.

「Tohyamaaaa!!!」

From her cry, I could pinpoint Son’s position as she ran above the girls’ heads

It’s fine, I’m already moving. I know she’ll catch up anyway. I won’t change speed.

Looking back over my shoulder to see how much Son had caught up with me…

I saw all the girls who had surrounded me–without exception–were standing, staring in shock.

Their leader’s plans had never accounted for this, and they haven’t received any instructions.

Among them the most surprised face belonged to…

I thought she’d be here.

The one who had helped me yesterday in North Point, Yuan Meishi-chan.

I knew it the moment I saw that uniform that she attended one of Rampan’s schools. Yesterday she had told me that the school was looking for information on a specific person after all…

It seems that I was that person.

Her eyes seemed to say:「There’s no way such a stupid Japanese person is『The Enabler』!」as she looked at me– but that nickname is too much.

I’ve only done all kinds of things because Aria absurdly decreed:『You’re forbidden to say the word ‘impossible’.』Wouldn’t a more proper nickname be:『The man who is forbidden from impossibility.』, then?5

Ugh… I feel bad for myself.

Following the tracks, the car squealed loudly as it turned to the right…

「–Kinchi! You can’t escape!」

Koko shouted into her megaphone, now slightly angry.

Having seen where the tracks led, I chose this tram over the other one– This one went east and entered a narrow alleyway.

Your own plan backfired on you, Koko. You can’t follow me in that wide-bodied vehicle.

「…Son! Follow Kinchi!!」

Koko shouted, planning to circle around, and pushed the APC onto the main road.

「–Even if you didn’t say that, I was planning to!」

Shouting that…

*Tap!* *Tap!* *Tap!*

She started running, her cut-off sailor suit flapping all the while, and jumped onto the entryway of the slow moving tram car.

「Tohyama! It’s just the two of us! Let’s have some fun!」

「Being alone with a woman doesn’t sound bad to me.」

Saying that, I fell back to the passenger area of the tram.

*Pow!* *P-pow!* *Pow!*

The space inside the tram exploded with sound as Son unleashed a flurry of claw and heel-hand strikes.

One sharp blow rapidly followed another, and I got the feeling that if I suffered a direct hit, it’d be instantly fatal, but–

–I could see them, so it goes without saying that I avoided them.

There are handrails and many hanging straps inside here. Pulling off kicks would be difficult, and handwork would be cramped. But even so, I planned to fight here.

But… Son leapt up with a:「Hii!」grabbing a handrail in her right hand and a hanging strap in her left– Then with her body in a cruciform position,

*Pa!* *P-pa!* * Pa!*

More concussive sounds filled the air from her left and right feet, and even her tail, using them to unleash three more strikes.

On my side, I couldn’t exactly『dodge』because of the cramped space, so–

「–!」

So I crossed my arms and『received』them.

The impact was terrible, and pushed my whole body onto the stairs

S-she’s so small… but so strong.

If I hadn’t used『Kikka』, both my arms would have been torn off at the elbows.

「…Don’t you think you might want to hold back on the kicking in that short skirt of yours?」

I said, half jokingly, but I couldn’t follow that last attack– Using her tail to push off the wall, she obliqued her trajectory mid-air– At the same time she also let fly a spinning kick I received with my arms again.

The blow didn’t kill me, but the stairs were shattered under my feet.

S-She’s strong. The whole tram chassis groaned.

Son’s striking power was about 7 times greater than my『Ouka』or G-3’s『Meteor』.

Even with my repeated use of Kikka, I’m taking damage.

More properly speaking, it’s because I can’t move. In this space, I don’t have the room to evade.

「Tohyama! It’s no fun if you don’t try to hit me.」

Her orange tail coiled around a handrail, she dropped down from the level above, wearing an innocent looking smile– This cramped space doesn’t seem to be giving her any trouble at all, and she’s able to skillfully execute powerful strikes..

Like a monkey in the forest.

No, Son actually does possess monkey-like traits. From past experiences, I know there are a lot of those with animal-like qualities, such as Tamamo the fox and Hilda the bat.

Fighting in close quarters inside the tram, I’m at a disadvantage…!

Retreating to the second floor, I hung out through the window, looking for a temporary hiding place–

「–!」

Just then, another tram coming the opposite way whizzed by, almost hitting me and causing me to stumble back inside.

I-if the sides are not good then–

–I have to go up

I have nowhere else left to run…!

Pulling my body out the second level rear window, I pulled myself up to the roof with two hands–

「…?」

And was greeted by the murmuring of a crowd from all around us.

Looking around… All through the alleyway Hong Kong residents were looking on bemused. From the rows of condominiums more faces peered out, all smiling.

It looks like they think this is an actual film shoot.

「Amazing! You really know Hong Kong well, don’t you, Kinji Tohyama? You even have an audience.」

Son addressed me as she clambered up the roof from the front window.

「…I don’t really understand the reason for their cheering.」

It seems like I’m being given time to catch my breath…

「Moving a fight from inside to outside and having fast-paced hand-to-hand combat are staples of Hong Kong cinema.」

Son said, indicating the happily grinning gallery–

Perhaps slightly annoyed, she crossed her arms in front of her slightly developed chest.

「Ohh!…Now I get it! I love Hong Kong action films!」

Now the surroundings are very different than the cramped interior of the tram.

I have a wider range of freedom for offensive and defensive action.

Or so I thought…but in it’s own way, this place is confining as well.

Things could get difficult if the fight goes on much longer because of something Hong Kong is famous for:

The countless number of signs, neon Kanji lights, and signboards hanging overhead.

Billboards of all colours and sizes hung at irregular heights were quickly approaching. More accurately, it was the tram that was approaching the signs under its own power.

The signs have passed over our heads until now, but they can’t be entirely discounted because there are many signs that will graze the roof of the tram. Things will turn into some kind of acrobatic performance if things go on.

「Hee Hee! Let’s give them a show! Scene 2 Take 5: Kung Fu Action Atop a Moving Tram. You don’t want to let the audience down, do you? I’ll scatter your flesh and blood like a shower of cherry blossoms.」

Cheerfully, Son bent her elbow at 90 degrees and took a stance with her palm toward heaven, legs bent, hips low–

*Whish!* *Whish!* *Whoosh!*

It was a slightly intriguing Kung Fu stance.

Beautiful. Perfect posture. Southern Shaolin Kung Fu.

Of all the numerous Chinese martial arts to choose to use in a close quarters fight atop this shaking vehicle, she has chosen wisely.

…However, this is no time to be praising the beautiful girl that is my opponent.

I still have to come up with some way to deal with those devastating attacks.

「If you think you can scatter the petals of the Tohyama cherry tree– Come and try.」

So… I took up the stance for『Zetsurou』–

As I thought, the locals were under the misunderstanding that this was a film shoot and everyone…

*Raaaaah!*

From every level of every building, cheers rang out.

As Son and I squared off, all around us a mass of brightly coloured signs skimmed past us one after another.

With a rumbling sound echoing through the darkening sky– An Air China flight on a low approach unique to Hong Kong skimmed the rooftops.

From one of the buildings, someone stuck out a wok as a substitute for a gong, striking it with a *Bong!*–

Signalling the start of Son’s and my second round of hand-to-hand action.

[END CHAPTER FOUR]





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