Editing Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item3 Chapter4 (section)

===Part 3===

The Special Exception Cleanup Team accurately closed in on their target while driving the HsAAT-07 Matchlock anti-drone tank through the late-night city.

They showed great familiarity with this work.

The driving was done by Yamada Coyote down in the tank proper while Inoue Fox and the other two were up in the turret operating the gun with a flat touch screen. The Matchlock’s advanced datalink functionality meant it contained as much communications equipment as a small communications base.

“Where’s that data on the targets?”

“It’s coming up now.”

No matter how dangerous their mission, these four were officially-recognized members of Judgment.

Thus, they could legitimately access the Bank.

Revealing the details of their opponents’ powers before the fight began gave them an overwhelming advantage. Attacking their target’s weak point and going for the kill before their own identities were revealed allowed them to win without taking any damage themselves.

“Let’s see, based on our mission request list, I have confirmed the eyesores who have survived this long are Item: Mugino Shizuri, Takitsubo Rikou, Frenda Seivelun, and Kinuhata Saiai.”

“They’re not here,” said Tanaka Jackal in surprise.

Impossibly, her search of the Bank had found zero results. Were they supposed to believe Item was incorporeal ghosts?

“They do dark side work, right? Maybe they’re being protected,” suggested Yamada Coyote over the radio.

Inoue Fox gave a snort of laughter at that.

It happened a lot.

Hiding someone’s data from the Bank wasn’t enough to conceal their existence. They would still leave evidence where they lived their lives.

“Besides, Mugino Shizuri is a Level 5. They’re famous. Hide her official ID as much as you want, you can’t hide her at her school.”

They had gathered enough data on Takitsubo Rikou and Kinuhata Saiai to make some good guesses about those two as well.

Satou Lycaon stared at the screen.

“Who is the most dangerous eyesore?”

“Frenda Seivelun. That she’s a Level 0 means she’s trouble. Searching through the locked internet isn’t going to tell us what kind of toys she’s hiding.”

That was how the Special Exception Cleanup Team ranked things.

''Nothing more than a high-level esper'' was business as usual for them. It was always the mysterious nobodies who they had no data on who threw off their plans.

With a general target priority in mind, the girls kept the Matchlock moving.

The anti-drone tank had been loaded up with thermobaric shells, but they would still run out if they kept firing for 10 minutes straight without reloading.

The Special Exception Cleanup Team burned the city of snow and ice until it was red and black, but they didn’t think this toy could actually eliminate their target.

That wouldn’t be any fun.

“Which way did they go?”

“Any way but south and they’ve already been carbonized.”

“Then the eyesores must be in District 1. Check the map and locate a spot near the border where they could have escaped the thermobaric shells.”

“Here,” said Yamada Coyote over the radio while driving the tank. “District 1’s cold storage warehouse. The building is surrounded by thick insulated walls, so it could have protected them from the walls of fire.”