Run? 

Running was the only logical choice. Running was the only logical choice. But with two Three-Winged Sacred Realm sorcerers, Light and Cliose, looming over him, his odds of a successful escape were effectively zero.

Take a hostage? 

The only person within reach was the receptionist. Morality aside, she was so rooted in terror that her legs had turned to lead. A mobile hostage was a getaway vehicle, but a catatonic one was just dead weight. She was nothing more than a useless burden that would only serve to incite the Red Hats' fury.

Ashe knew he couldn't talk his way out of this. He was stuck behind the front desk with the stairs sitting at a taunting distance. He would have to fight just to earn a chance at survival. Normally, his first instinct would be to send in his substitute to die as a distraction, but the substitute was still miles away with Lys.

After a long, heavy silence, Ashe slowly raised both hands. He stepped out from behind the desk and walked toward the Red Hats. "I surrender."

Light and Cliose barked in unison, "Don't you dare surrender!"

As the words left their lips, the Red Hats leveled their firearms at Ashe as one. As a top-tier sorcery class of this generation, almost all Red Hats were Gun Class sorcerers. Even those trained in other disciplines...