Chapter 559 |
Defensive Battle of All Worlds ⑤ Each’s Defensive Battle Second
After Yuuka and the bodyguard demon cleaned up the attackers and safely entered the closest service area.
Yuuka soothed the twins who were half in excitement and half in fear while getting irritated by the bodyguard demon who gave her a gaze that seemed to say 「You’re so-so for a human. I’ll give you a passing score」 as it melted back into Hiroyuki’s shadow. Then she opened a “gate” at an inconspicuous spot beside the building.
「Y-Yuuka-nee? Where’s this place?」
The elementary school student with gal appearance Kanade asked her with a slightly anxious voice. She was clinging tightly on Yuuka’s arm at the same time.
「Aa~, err」
Yuuka was also slightly bewildered.
She completely thought that they would come out into Nagumo house’s living room, but they actually exited into the underground entrance made of white bricks that she had also passed before the departure of the other world trip. Even the Sonobe husband and wife who had the experience of sheltering in this home during the “dragon incident” looked slightly bewildered.
Among the ten doors that were connected to other worlds and underground workshop, one was opened with shining membrane――a gate activating.
In order to sooth down the anxiety of her cousins, Yuuka answered confidently and as gently as she could.
Seeing her composure, Kanade and also Hibiki immediately relaxed and nodded.
Yuuka took the lead and passed the “gate”. She walked for around ten meters through the corridor ahead and then passed another “gate” once more at the end of it.
Like that,
「No, where the hell is thiiiss!!」
A full powered tsukkomi burst out. Her attitude completely lacked any composure. Just from a glance she was clearly shaken up.
The twins cried 「「Ee!? Yuuka-nee!?」」 with their agitated gazes focusing at her. Their nervousness flooded back again thinking that they might actually be in an unknown place.
But, Yuuka too couldn’t really be blamed for her agitation.
The spatially expanded underground(shelter) that they visited during the “dragon incident” was so to speak like a hotel’s suite room. From there they could also go to individual room of slightly inferior grade but pleasant enough for living. That was the kind of shelter provided to them previously.
But what about now. Certainly this place seemed to have the same concept like before, but it had been upgraded just too much.
Yes, now it wasn’t a suite room. What was unfolding before their eyes was a hotel lounge. Furthermore, it was the lounge of a hotel that definitely would have high price tag attached if it was in real world.
There were more than a hundred soft-looking sofas. The floor was also covered with soft and fluffy carpet. There was also chandeliers with calming colors.
There was a place that looked like an oval bar counter at the center. A golem――it had a completely robotic look with a screen display as head, and its arms were also metallic――wearing bartender outfit looked like it was providing various drinks and snacks there.
Atsushi and Noboru were coincidentally taking their drinks at that timing with somewhat twitchy looking expressions. Apparently the two had also successfully evacuated their families.
Above that center counter was a circular floating display that was showing news from all over the world.
There were doors lining up at the left side. Judging from the plates above them, those were toilet, shower room, smoking room, and laundry. Other than those there were also places for storing daily necessities, like food storage, kitchen, and various other amenities.
At the right side there was a stair and a space that was like a pillar with its inside hollowed. Magic circles were engraved at the ceiling and floor. Judging from the information board, it seemed to be a teleportation device. Apparently it could teleport them to their individual room by taking a personal gate key from the counter.
But, but however.
The upgrade that was unimaginable for an emergency shelter, was actually not the biggest cause for the shock that Yuuka along with Atsushi and others who had evacuated here were feeling.
「Y-Yuuka-nee……I, can see the outer space.」
「Y-Yuuka-nee……I, can see the outer space.」
It wasn’t like Hibiki and Kanade wanted to talk philosophically. They also weren’t getting into the teaching of a suspicious religion or even getting an enlightenment.
They meant their words literally.
「E-earth is blue……isn’t it?」
「Y-yeah.」
Hiroyuki and Yuuki were also letting out dry laughs from their mouths.
It was only natural. After all ahead of their eyes, at the other side of the wholly glass wall the lounge was facing was――
A barren land with not even a single blade of grass growing.
Other than such land where not even a whiff of the breath of life could be felt, what could be seen was only dark space and the stars, not blue sky or even cloudy sky.
And, visible at the other side of that land’s horizon was a blue planet――earth. That was the reason.
It was the outer space. No matter how and where they looked at it, they were looking at earth from outer space.
「Ahaha, she’s really really shocked.」
「For now, let’s just be grateful that everyone’s safe.」
「Nana! Taeko!」
Yuuka gasped by the familiar voices and when she turned her gaze, she saw her two best friends approaching while smiling wryly.
「What’s, that……」
Yuuka-chan pointed forward with stilting movement like a machine that hadn’t been oiled. At the same time she gasped.
「Ah! ……Sorry, it must be that kind of thing. It’s that right? An image projector or illusion. A kind of relaxation so the evacuees’ mental burden get softened. Really that Nagumo, he’s kinda really attentive for that kind of thing. He’s just considerate like that isn’t he? ……Haa, even though it’s obvious if I just think normally, I got completely shaken like that, it’s embar――」
Yuuka reached her own conclusion before Nana and Taeko could say anything. Yuuka waved her hand a shyly with her face slightly blushing.
And so, Nana and Taeko thrust the reality before her. Though they themselves still didn’t feel that it was real.
「「That’s earth you know?」」
「Paa~doun?」
For some reason she said ‘pardon’ with bad English. Perhaps, it was that. Even like this she was one of the people who could use magic, one of the formidable fighters who had gone through carnage in other world, so she had actually sensed it somehow, something trivial like the difference between image and reality.
「「Btw, this is the moon.」」
「Ekusukyu~zu mii? (Excuse me)」
But, as expected it seemed she was still in disbelief. She showed it by putting her hand on her ear as though to say 「Wait a second, I don’t understand what are you saying」.
Nana and Taeko’s expressions became really gentle. They both put their hands on Yuuka’s shoulders, looked right into her eyes, and taught her the reality.
「This is the moon, Yuuka-chi. We’re on the moon right now.」
「Apparently we’re around the north pole of the moon. Haha, it’s funny isn’t it.」
The three best friends looked at each other. Of course, Hiroyuki, Yuuri, and the twins were going 「Paa~doun? (Pardon)」 with their jaws hanging open.
A beat passed.
「What do you mean the moon! Which country is there!!」
Apparently Yuuka’s head rejected comprehension.
You, which middle school you’re from!? She made a tsukkomi with a threatening atmosphere like a delinquent glaring at a middle school student from other school.
Apparently she wanted to think that the moon that they said was the name of a place on earth in the end. It couldn’t be helped. They should be evacuating underground, and yet why they instead ended up coming until the outer space far beyond the sky.
We know how you’re feeling~~, it seemed that Nana and Taeko conversely became a bit calmer seeing her reaction. Their gazes became warmer toward Yuuka’s agitation.
Or rather Yuuka’s rising voice also caused the other evacuees who were clinging on the glass wall staring outside to react. They finally were able to return from the scenery that stole their eyes and hearts back to reality.
They gasped and turned around.
Tamai family, Aikawa family, Miyazaki family, Sugahara family, and then Endou family. In addition there were several more groups of former classmates and their families who they hadn’t seen since the graduation ceremony.
It was night at Japan. Normally it was the time for family to have a happy get-together. Surely there were also a lot of households who were at their own home together with their family. Those who lived in their parents’ home, or perhaps living near their parents’ home definitely evacuated here right away after Remia contacted them.
Other than them their friends who lived far away and their families should be teleported here as needed.
And then, surely they would react the same like the people here. The world-shaking truth would lead them to run away from reality or struck dumb with astonishment.
「My! Yuuka-chan also manage evacuate safely! Thank god!」
「Yaa! Hiroyuki-kun! Yuuri-san! It’s great to see you two safe! Oops, are those kids of your relative?」
Two people among those previously clinging on the glass wall――Shuu and Sumire came running toward them.
Even they had gotten attacked. It went without saying that these two of Nagumo family were also attacked. They had received contact about the attack so they believed that these two were safe but……as expected it was relieving to see them safe and sound here. Their shaken up hearts were regaining a bit of composure――
「Shuu-san! Sumire-san! Thank god you two are sa――」
「「You can call us father-in-law and mother-in-law you know?」」
「Shuu-san! And! Sumire-san!!」
Yuuka’s agitation worsened! That’s not it, it’s a misunderstanding okay! That’s why. don’t stare at me like that Hibiki and Kanade too! Look, it’s earth! Let’s just look at earth!
「More importantly, just which moon is this!?」
She pressed her question to change the topic. It couldn’t hide her agitation at all though.
With the situation as it was, it wasn’t the time to enjoy Yuuka-chan’s adorable reaction. So Shuu and Sumire forcefully suppressed their mischievous hearts and nodded.
「There’s no doubt, this place is on the moon.」
「We more or less had heard about it from Hajime beforehand. About the new evacuation shelter. But this is our first time actually coming here, so even us felt completely shaken up.」
「W-we’re really on the moon……why is something like that」
We know how you feel, Shuu and Sumire smiled wryly. According to them, it seemed Hajime was worried.
Where should everyone evacuate in emergency.
Should he keep it underground Nagumo house? That was impossible. But putting it anywhere on earth was also worrying.
The reason went without saying. The “dragon incident”.
The fact that Japan itself was a gigantic dragon apparition. Due to that, it was completely pointless if the evacuation place was on Japan.
That was why, at first he apparently considered building the new evacuation shelter at an unexplored region on the mainland China, or even go further like the furthest end of earth, North Pole or South Pole. If he wanted he could even build the shelter somewhere in other world.
Or rather, he apparently went 「Something like a shelter, the more you have the better」 and made them all over the world. Though they weren’t as extravagant as this one.
But, as expected Hajime couldn’t clear up his worry with the fact that they were all still located on earth. It was also the same with shelter on other world where the method of coming and going might get severed depending on the situation.
At the same time, Hajime was searching for a place that fulfilled various conditions which he could then use for a completely different plan and idea, which was completely unrelated with the evacuation shelter plan. One night, as he was deep in thought while staring at the night sky, he noticed.
Yes, at the moon that was illuminating the night brilliantly.
……Ain’t that place good?Or rather, ain’t that place ideal? He thought.
The work itself wasn’t that hard. The distance with moon wasn’t a problem compared to travelling to other world. There was also no problem with living on the moon surface using barrier. Or rather, the current Hajime had no particular problem even with staying in outer space using just his flesh body by enveloping himself with magic power as long as he could secure his oxygen supply.
As the result, this moon surface shelter was finished, completely.
The shelter naturally had all kinds of barriers. And actually it was mobile, if necessary it was possible to teleport the whole shelter. In its current location it was also possible to physically confirm the earth and the moon both ways using exclusive artifact for seeing far distance. It even had wi-fi and other signal reception.
「Also, right now it seems that glass wall is also an artifact. It doesn’t simply have a powerful barrier but also has a role as a filter or something.」
「It’s just as Yuuka-chan said, it apparently reduce the mental burden of living in an emergency shelter more or less.」
「Filter, is it?」
Before they realized the other families had also gathered to listen to Shuu and Sumire’s explanation. Meanwhile Yuuka tilted her head at Shuu’s words.
Her eyes naturally turned toward the glass wall.
The earth looked beautiful as always. The outer space with its shiny stars was also beautiful. The barren land looked a bit lonely.
This was a filtered scenery? But they said that they were really on the moon……just what in the world was being filtered then?
「Hajime said it was because it might be mentally depressing if you can see the defensive mechanism but……hey, dear. We’re already here so let’s see it.」
「I guess. It’ll be also more reassuring if everyone can see with their own eyes that we’re properly defended……」
Shuu asked 「What do you all think?」 and looked around.
Hearing Shuu and Sumire’s conversation, half of the people were somehow imagining 「You’re saying we can see more SF-ish sight?」「Aa, it’s that kind of thing……」「Is it like in Star *ars?」, while the other half were having “?” mark floating above their heads saying 「Defense mechanism?」「What do you mean?」.
But, in any case after being told that there was a sight that they couldn’t see, it was human nature to feel curiosity. The gazes they were sending Shuu were all filled with agreement.
「E~rr, bartender-san. Can you remove the filter?」
When Shuu called out, the robot bartender reverently bowed its head and snapped its fingers.
Right after that, the sight of beautiful outer space and earth changed completely.
What they first saw was red as though their field of visions were dyed with blood.
It was a barrier. A crimson barrier was forming a gigantic dome. Its scale far surpassed the level of a baseball stadium. Most likely its diameter was at the range of several dozen km to perhaps even several hundred km. At the very least it extended until the horizon.
The radiance that barrier was radiating made the whole moon surface within their field of vision also looked red. It made it looked like they were inside a dimly lit facility where the red alert was ringing.
And then, there was countless wriggling existences on that moon surface.
They were they army of everyone’s favorite Grim Reapers. Maybe.
They had metallic looking body so it didn’t seem mistaken to think of them as Grim Reaper but……
It felt like the diversity of their shapes had increased a lot.
A giant skeleton without lower body――a type of famous youkai Gashadokuro, then a monster with countless arms growing like the thousand-armed Kannon.
Perhaps they were made from liquid metal. There were also multiple floating beings that looked like death god with fluttering dark grey robe carrying huge “death scythe”.
Giants with height more than ten meters, headless riders with only their upper body attached on large bikes, great number of rats that even now they looked like they were going to flood out from inside a crater, and also a lot of eyeballs flying in high speed while leaving behind light trails behind. There were also countless shadows that looked like gargoyle moving individually……
Bluntly speaking,
It was hell. Or perhaps the realm of the dead. The terrifying demon-infested place in human imagination could be found there.
Nobody was able to say anything. They were all turning stiff from pure terror.
The Nagumo couple were also the same.
Amidst the drifting eerie silence, the stares from the evacuees must be telling that the filter had been removed.
The nice demons who were loyally doing their work as the moon surface shelter security just as demon god-sama(boss) ordered all looked their way.
Dread rushed up their spines. All the evacuees froze still as though to say that they would die if they move.
「「「「Hiih!?」」」」
Everyone screamed. Strength left their waists. Cold sweat gushed out and hearts thumped uncontrollably.
Certainly. Filter was necessary for this! It was only natural to designate this as harmful substance!
One more step. In one more second things would devolve into panic. Everyone would all scream their lungs out and scrambled into run……before that could happen,
「No, what kind of Pandemonium is this-!!」
A tsukkomi burst out. It was even keeping to the beauty of form by being accompanied with one hand beautifully snapping to finger pointing. It even sounded refreshing with how cliché it was.
It was Yuuka.
「This is surely because after getting involved with hell and fairy world, he thought that the shapes or looks or whatever of everyone there are cool and made these but even poor taste should have a limit! Well yeah there’s filter put on! And yeah it’s us who asked to turn it off! Buut, even though he has the state of mind to consider the mental burden this can cause, why doesn’t he has self-restraint in the first place! Nagumo you idiooooottt!!」
This is just plain scaryyy! She said with teary eyes and shaking body. But even in that state her hands were firmly covering the twins’ eyes so that they wouldn’t see. As to be only expected from her.
Also, her degree of understanding toward Hajime was just as expected. Truly, it was exactly as she said.
The parents of the demon god who was unable to have self-restrain even got completely impressed in spite of themselves.
But, they didn’t make fun of her like usual. Because, their son was like that in part because of their own special education as he grew up……they thought as they averted their eyes as far as they could. They apologized to the other evacuees inside their hearts.
It was then.
「Dear, calm down. Kaori is surely alright. Okay?」
「I know. But you know, Kaoruko. As expected as a father WHAT THE HELL IS THIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSS!!?」
Another evacuees arrived. It was the Shirasaki couple. “Lu-chan” secured and sent them here.
And, before the sight that was like a scene straight from horror movie, Tomoichi-san displayed a splendid reaction.
「Ruuunnn! Everyone ruuuunn!!」
「Calm down deaaarrr!! It’s the Nagumo family you know! It’s not strange even if the refugee’s location is a hell-like placeee!!」
They somehow understood just how the wife of Shirasaki family thought of Nagumo family from that. The Nagumo couple covered their faces with their hands. They couldn’t do anything else but that.
The demons were making some kind of ruckus outside. They were fidgeting and squirming. Apparently they realized that they were scaring the evacuees that they should be protecting and getting panicked of what they should do about it.
Frankly speaking it was chaos.
But however, the phenomenon when someone was calming down instead when they saw someone else panicking seemed to be applicable in any kind of situation.
Seeing Yuuka’s tsukkomi, the cliched reaction of Shirasaki papa, and then the flustered demons, were apparently helping the other evacuees to regain a bit of their composure.
Their expressions were really conflicted not knowing what to say.
There the indoor public announcement system rang out. Remia’s voice called out Yuuka and others. Even with the seriousness filling the tone, as expected it was still a pleasant and soft voice for the ears and hearts. The expressions of all the evacuees softened even more.
However, even that only lasted for a moment.
『Enemy force is increasing even more. Yuuka-san and everyone please go to deal with them too.』
It seems they had no time for rest.
「Roger. Let’s go!」
Yuuka responded without even a moment of hesitation and gave the order. AS expected Nana and Atsushi and others also nodded without hesitation and their expressions changed like a veteran warrior.
Seeing those faces, each of their family reflexively held their breath.
「O-oi, Atsushi……」
「Wait Nana? It’s not like you need to――」
They must be Atsushi’s father and Nana’s mother. They saw the news from other countries playing in the floating central display and reflexively called out. Their children were going to the battlefield that contained such monsters. It was only natural that they wanted to stop them as parent.
But, as expected, their words to stop them vanished in the middle after seeing their children face and eyes.
「Dad, I’m going for a bit. There’s still a lot of my friends over there.」
「I’m sorry, mama. I’m going to do what I can.」
They couldn’t say anything when their children even told them that while grinning brightly. It was a parent’s duty to protect their children, but they realized that their children had moved to the “protector role” now.
Since they returned alive from the other world, they had also sometimes felt it, the largeness of their children’s backs.
It felt a bit lonely. Seeing them advancing to university normally still living as student gave them a bit of relief……
But as expected, they had apparently moved far away from their parents’ hands from a long time ago. They couldn’t help but recognize that right now.
Despite their conflicted feelings, the parents lowered their stretched out hands. They forcefully swallowed back their worry and sent them out with 「Be careful」.
「「Y-Yuuka-nee……」」
Please stay here. Hibiki and Kanade wished so while gripping Yuuka’s hands tightly.
Yuuka got on one knee. She matched the height of the twins’ gazes. She pinched their cheeks.
Like that, she put on a fearless smile.
「It’s fine.」
The big sister who they trusted and respected more than anybody said those words.
For the twins, compared to a lot of rational and theoretical words, compared to throwing skill moving every which way in the battlefield, compared to knives that spouted fire and clad in lightning, those two words were more magical and powerful than anything else.
Their worry was painted out with excitement. Their paling expressions changed instantly into blush. Their eyes were exactly like children looking at their hero.
Seeing her quietly standing up and her back as she walked toward her comrades filled them with thought that made them numb.
There, the black wolf also leaped out from Hiroyuki’s shadow and trotted beside her. Its gaze was definitely saying something like 「It can’t be helped so I’ll lend a hand just this once. Be very grateful, little girl」.
Considering the safety of the shelter, it must be judging that it was Yuuka and others who required guarding as they returned to earth.
A vein pulsed on Yuuka’s temple, but, it didn’t change the fact that the wolf’s addition was something to be thankful for to their combat strength. She snorted and accepted the assistance.
The other high-ranked demons who accompanied each family also moved to the sides of Atsushi and others.
「Yuuka-nee! Do your best!」
「Send that kind of monster flying!!」
Hearing Hibiki and Kanade’s cheer, Yuuka looked back over her shoulder and gave them a thumb up.
Even in the eyes of the parents, their children who were heading to the battlefield accompanied by their strange-shaped partners certainly looked like heroes.
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「I understand. It’ll be fine so please calm down. Someone will immediately go there to pick you up.」
Remia’s voice resounded in the underground workshop of Nagumo house.
She was inside a glass covered room in a corner of the workshop that Hajime usually used. Other than the six screens monitor, there were also many floating displays and one especially big display behind her. It was the same like the main monitor in the headquarters of Hattori and others.
Yes, this underground workshop also functioned as the headquarters in Nagumo house during emergency.
The comfortable chair was seated not by its actual owner but by Remia right now.
She was wearing suits with white base color. The inner was also white turtleneck sweater while below she was wearing a tight white skirt. She was also wearing a pantyhose that was practically skin-colored.
Without exception, this outfit was also a tool that protected Remia. It was boasting defensive power that easily surpassed the average metal armor and modern earth’s body armor.
Also, the design for the new outfit and defensive tool that Hajime newly created were greatly influenced by Remia’s idea. It was the result of him consulting with her about designs and her helping out enthusiastically.
The base concept was following Hajime’s preference, so naturally the one who produced the draft of “Remia in suits” was also Hajime. Apparently Remia wearing suits hit Hajime’s weak point.
But let’s put aside that personal quirk that was beyond saving.
「Yes, Lu-chan please head to Amanogawa family’s location, while Ma-chan is to head to Hatayama family. Yes, it’s okay. Bel-chan is to keep protecting the sea of trees as you are. Yes, please follow Rana-san’s instruction.」
The current Remia was also wearing other equipment other than the protective suits.
She was wearing glasses and a headset like what an operator would wear. The headset had faint lines of light running through it. Her glasses was also faintly projecting some information.
Both were artifacts that could control the facilities and information inside the workshop with just image and thought.
In any case, the first thing to do was securing the people related with the “returnees”.
Just as her appearance suggested Remia was in charge of the operator duty, giving instructions and managing the progress of that, and supporting the collaboration between Laila and Hattori and co and distributing their fighting strength.
Even now she was confirming that Shirasaki family was secured, then with her thought she ticked off the evacuee list on her display that contained the record of the high priority people (those with the possibility of getting targeted) in order.
There the interphone rang.
The source didn’t come from the home entrance outside. It came from the underground entrance.
In case evacuees were teleported to Nagumo house, they would be sent to the underground entrance without exception, whether they were using personal “gate” or teleporting with their own power. That kind of barrier was spread out all over the Nagumo house.
Many layers of measures had been installed so there was not even a million in one chance that something could happen, but if by chance hostile managed to infiltrate the underground entrance, an execution mechanism under the name of defensive system that made even Yue creeped out would kill them with certainty. That was why the teleportation destination was set there.
In the monitor that was displaying that underground entrance, two women could be seen. They were the woman with indeterminate shape Sathla, and the bus guide Amai Anju.
In front of the door leading to the moon surface shelter, there were middle-aged man and woman who were looking worried, and an old woman who was carrying a cane because one of her feet seemed impaired, but solemnity could still be felt clearly from her.
They were Anju’s parents and grandparent. Anju had also sought so that Amai family would be protected too, and it seemed she was able to safely bring her family here using the “gate key” that was lent to her.
Remia immediately put the “gate” leading to the moon surface shelter and the “gate” leading this underground workshop into operation.
Anju told her hesitating parents to quickly pass. Or rather, Anju too looked like she super duper wanted to evacuate together with them. Her whole body was screaming that she wanted to run.
Or rather, she was actually saying 「Hehe, as expected someone like me won’t be of any use, hehe-. So let me evacuate together with theemm」 and started walking forward, so Sathla grabbed her collar and dragged her back.
For some reason the grandmother was saying 「Just go already!」 while waving her hand to her granddaughter who was acting like that. In addition, she was also pushing the back of the parents who was still looking reluctant and entered the “gate” without hesitation.
Perhaps, she wasn’t an ordinary person. Remia could somehow see the reason how Anju became famous and got called as the “supernatural survivor” within a part of the industry.
「It’s good to see that you two are fine, Sathla-san, Anju-san.」
「Thank you, Remia-dono. I’ll return the key.」
「Uu……why me too……even though I’m nothing more than an unfortunate bus guide……」
Sathla let go of Amai-san who was sobbing for some reason and returned the “gate key”.
「Even so you managed to join up with your family really quickly. If I remember correctly, your family is living at Tohoku……」
「Aa, Juria-dono――Amai-kun’s grandmother is a famous former explorer. Apparently her instinct started working when she heard that her granddaughter got attacked. She think it’d be better if they are nearby.」
「My my, that’s amazing……」
「Umu. As expected from Amai family. When Amai-kun and I appeared to pick them up, it must be some kind of sorcery tool. I got completely turned into a ball of flame in an instant.」
Ha-Ha-Ha, Sathla laughed. So that was why. No wonder her jersey was a bit sooty here and there.
Remia went 「Oh my!」 in surprise.
「Then, can we look forward to assistance from the explorers too as expected?」
「Umu. When I explained the situation to her I managed to receive the contact information for several people. I also have my own connections. The explorers are people with extremely strong wariness, so it won’t be that easy to form a cooperative system with them but……Amai-kun is with me. I’ll manage somehow.」
Actually, that was the reason why Amai-san wasn’t evacuated.
The sharing of informational advantage and opposition method of the Explorers still surviving in this modern era could possibly be effective against the Worshippers and the low ranked mythos creatures. They themselves too who were high ranked could also give enough opposition. Therefore, they planned to contact as many Explorers as possible to build cooperation system with them.
But, even the Explorers weren’t normal. It was only natural because they were people who had survived situations that were normally unsurvivable.
They were people who were a bit abnormal whose mind or brain had gotten damaged quite much, or someone who would get ridiculed as FromSo*t-brain like fans of a certain hardcore game who saw everything in real life like challenge to be conquered.
According to Sathla, it seemed the difficulty of building cooperation with them would be extremely high. Not to mention that the invitation was going to come from Sathla who was half mythos creature.
But, Amai Anju was the exception.
「The Explorers are seeing her in extremely favorable light. Let’s see……if I’ve to make an example then to them she’s like a good luck talisman?」
「Aa~, they think that if she’s with them then their chance of survival will shot up.」
「Umu. In fact, there’re many people who got away with their lives thanks to her. There’re also a lot of people who feel indebted to her. If it’s a request from her, well, at the very least they won’t shut the door on our faces.」
「Uu, even though I was just desperately running away……」
What’s more the times when she used those who called themselves Explorer as bait in order to save herself couldn’t be counted in one hand. And yet it all ended alright and they took a liking at her for some reason. Sometimes after being liked they would also give her invitation to do exploration together.
Of course, each time she refused with all her strength and also ran away.
「And so, I’m thinking to contact the Explorers right away to have their cooperation but……depending on the situation, is it alright if I evacuate their close people too?」
「I cannot make my own decision to enter those not in the evacuation list into the shelter.」
Remia told her firmly. 「Muu, I guess that’s true」 Sathla consented even while looking troubled. The acceptance of Amai family was allowed only because of Yue’s permission.
However, Remia showed a soft smile toward such Sathla.
「But, Hajime-san has told me beforehand what to do about evacuate hopeful who isn’t in the list. If someone among us judge that there’s no problem with it, it’s fine to accept them as long the evacuation is to house on the surface.」
「The house on the surface……how good is the defense of it?」
She knew that the house had multiple barriers. She learned it when investigating about the “returnees”. Or perhaps she knew from the fact that some Worshippers had gotten the table turned on them in the past.
But, in the end was it still functioning while the master of the house was absent? What about if the opponent was “void god”?
「Please rest assured. After all Nagumo house is the safest place on earth.」
The first thing Remia did was activating the defense mechanism of Nagumo house.
The people within the radius of two km were given a kind of suggestion that made them wanted to go to the house of their relative or friend, or perhaps made them simply wanted to “go out”, so they became rapidly gone.
The residential area changed into a labyrinth where the space was looped, multiple layers of barriers were deployed, and people couldn’t even begin to think of approaching from the outside.
On top of that multiple satellite weapons were monitoring and in attack readiness from the orbit. They could launch various kinds of attacks from outside the stratosphere anytime. There wasn’t only sunlight convergence laser, but localized spatial crushing at specified coordinate, microwave weapon (localized microwave oven) that incorporated machine world technology, super gravity and gravity inversion, forced teleportation, etc.
The house and plot themselves were also hiding a lot of weapons. An army of Grim Reaper could also be mobilized swiftly. It was truly a perfect fortress.
In the first place, the weather, gravity, space, and time within the whole area around Nagumo house were under complete control. Furthermore, all kind of debuffs would attack those designated as hostile. The average being would die from emaciation before ten minutes even passed.
Sathla and Amai-san inhaled *Suu~~* audibly when a part of the defense mechanism was explained briefly to them like that. And then, they looked up. They could only see the ceiling but, when they thought that satellite weapons were targeting them right now, even at this moment……
They looked at each other. A beat passed. Yosh, let’s stop thinking too deeply, they reached an understanding with each other.
「P-putting that aside, is Myuu-chan alright? ……Is it really alright? Sending her out……」
Amai asked half to change the topic and half in worry. Certainly, Myuu saved her during Christmas. She also used some kind of amazing mysterious golems (?), and she also had guts.
But, even so she was a small girl who wasn’t even ten years old yet.
「I’m worried. Yes, truly……I’m so worried it feels like my heart is being stabbed.」
Remia made a troubled smile. She exposed her honest feeling with a slightly shaking voice.
That was correct. It was only Remia who returned to Nagumo house. Myuu wasn’t here.
Myuu too had gone to battlefield.
In order to save her friend. To the next place after earth that required fighting strength the most, to her friend at the desert world where as many people who could fight was required.
If she was honest she didn’t want to let her go. Obviously. In which world there was a parent who wanted to let their still small daughter go to a battlefield where monsters were running wild.
「I’m worried, I also feel lonely. But……」
She wanted her to be a child for a little bit more. That was her unquestionably honest feeling.
But,
「That child, already has the strength to choose the future she want to walk.」
She wasn’t just a kid. She refused being a child that could only be protected. She had continued to train within different time without even balking at growing older.
That, wasn’t simply because she wanted to go to the spring vacation trip.
The source of her motivation was her longing, and a firm resolve to not want to allow her longing to end up simply as a longing.
The current Myuu had the strength to protect what she wanted to protect.
「And most of all, she has pride.」
Her way of life, feeling, strength, wanting to be herself that she could be proud of to someone……
Her daughter had decided those and advanced forward. To stop her also meant to reject all those that her daughter had built up with her utmost effort.
「I believe. On Yue-san and others who believe that if it’s that child then she can do it. And most of all, on that child’s “It’ll absolutely be fine!”.」
That was why,
「I cannot do anything, that’s why, I’ll at least stay in the place where my family will return home. In order to tell them “welcome back”.」
She didn’t force herself to stay at her daughter’s side. No matter how worried she felt, even if it felt like her heart would split apart, she would believe and wait. She would do what she can, while keeping the usual smile and atmosphere that everyone say they loved without stopping.
「……I see. I think, that too is a wonderful pride.」
「My, ufufu. Thank you very much.」
Bright and fluffy. Seeing such warm smile, Sathla, and even Amai who was sobbing and whimpering got enticed to smile too.
A call came in at that timing. Remia’s expression changed. Her gaze turned toward one of the monitors.
「……More than a hundred “void gods” is it. Yes, yes……this reaction……no, there are two. Yes, I’ll immediately contact them.」
It must be from Hattori or someone like him. The information about new enemy’s appearance was shared.
Sathla and Anju also understood the situation from the main monitor behind her, and the expanded monitor beside her. Sathla’s eyes narrowed when she saw that place.
「Remia-dono, I want you to send Amai-kun and me seeing that’s the place.」
「Eh!?」
「In any case, the safety of the returnees’ families has to be secured post haste. Isn’t that right?」
「That’s, right. Yes, just in case, please!」
「EH!?」
「Roger.」
「Eehh!!!?」
The Eh from the start all came from Amai-san. From the atmosphere it was clear that she had to go too. She shook her head in refusal. She looked at Remia imploringly.
You’re the holy mother. A kind person! Someone with common sense! There’s no way you would send an ordinary person like me to that kind of dangerous place-!!
「Please head to the surface. A demon with teleportation ability is on standby. Please head there together with Amai-san!」
「Betrayal! You’re betraying my feeling!!」
「Now, let’s go together, Amai-kun!!」
「Nooooooo!!」
Amai-san’s protest wasn’t listened.
Was it truly effective, or else was it nothing more than a type of jinx? The good luck bus guide-san who was purported to raise the survival rate was being dragged to a place that was infested with monsters due to that survival ability.
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In a sense, perhaps it should be said that the timing was bad.
The night of that day, at the riverside area of the large river passing the city where Hajime and co were living and the neighboring city, a quite large scale festival was being held.
It was being held jointly by the two cities. There were even a lot of visitors from outside the prefecture visiting it every year.
Timewise the fireworks display had ended, even so people in the tens of thousands were still enjoying the summer festival stalls that were opened throughout the riverside area.
Among those, there was an extremely good-looking girl. She was wearing a yukata with faint light blue coloring and pattern like morning dew trickling down vibrant branches and leaves. What a cool and refreshing sight.
She was Amanogawa Mizuki. Kouki’s little sister.
Around her were around ten girls who were similarly wearing yukata too. Perhaps they were her Soul Sister comrades. Each were carrying their own things that they bought from the stalls with looks of enjoyment.
Of course, Mizuki was also looking like she was enjoying herself. She was but……
「Haa……」
Suddenly a sigh escaped from her mouth.
「So, I can’t come here with Onee-sama here this year too……」
The reason was just as expected. Her friends’ expressions instantly became serious too hearing the voice that subconsciously slipped out. They all looked at each other and let out long sighs Haa~h.
They had no interaction at all with their beloved Shizuku-oneesama since she became a university student, which was part of the reason. They understood why but it was still lonely. This summer festival is a chance……they had that hope but, when they heard through Mizuki that she was in the middle of a long trip, they became even more dejected.
*Doyo~nn* A heavy atmosphere drifted around them. It was then a girl classmate murmured with intentional loneliness in her tone.
「Mana-chan is also not here.」
It went without saying, she was referring to Endou Manami. The reliable staff officer of Soul Sisters. A part of the leadership who was recognized as president Mizuki’s partner. But, even more than that, it was never boring seeing her honest & straightforward personality when it came to the things that she loved, she was a fun girl to be together with……
「Muu……」
Her big brother wasn’t here, her best friend also wasn’t here. Mizuki’s lips pouted sulkingly. To vent she bit on the candied apple that she didn’t really like but bought just because it was a staple in festival like this. She crunched it while making crunching sounds. She had extremely healthy teeth and chewing strength.
「Eh? President……just now, wasn’t your smartphone ringing?」
「Eh?」
A junior girl who was right beside Mizuki looked at her white drawstring pouch with flower embroidery and said that.
During the day, she had put it into silence mode due to a circumstance and forgot to turn the sound back until now. She was also carrying the pouch by dangling it on her waist through the string, so it seemed she also didn’t notice the vibration because the pouch kept swaying. Apparently the junior girl noticed the faint light of incoming call through the thin fabric.
There were a lot of people so she went to the side for a bit. She asked her friend to hold the candied apple for her and took out her smartphone.
「Uwah, what’s this!?」
The friends were surprised by Mizuki’s sudden loud voice. What, what, they all said while approaching her at the side too.
「President, what’s the matter?」
「No, there’re a lot of miscalls from my home……ah, there’re also calls from Manami.」
「Eh, from Mana-chan too!? She said before that she would also come with us if by chance there’s time, so perhaps it was a call for that?」
The classmate girl’s eyes were shining with expectation. Maybe that’s why? But……this many calls……Mizuki felt a bad premonition inside her heart even while immediately thinking to call back.
But, something happened before she could.
「Eh? Isn’t it cold for some reason?」
「Or rather, something……feels disgusting……」
It wasn’t her friends who said that. The voices came from a nearby couple. An uncle from a nearby stall who was serving his customer energetically was saying 「Wh, at? Some kind of strange sound is……」 and looked around restlessly with an uneasy look.
Naturally, Mizuki and friends also could feel that strange feeling of discomfort. Her friends felt coldness and rubbed their arms. They were also losing composure like they were feeling something that intensely stirred up nervousness.
The people’s wandering gazes caught the source of the unknown anxiety because of their wandering eyes.
「What’s that……」
Someone muttered. Ahead of his gaze, on the sky above the dazzling festival site, there was a bizarre existence that looked like it was fusing with night’s darkness.
They couldn’t see it clearly but, it had a form that resembled a tadpole somehow. However, it looked like multiple tails were stretching from its torso that was as big as a human’s head.
There were, five……no, seven of them perhaps. They were floating up and down like they were looking down on the festival venue.
Everyone looked above like their gazes were drawn toward them. Even those who didn’t notice those beings got drawn seeing the people who kept looking up abnormally and they also looked toward the sky. And then they became unable to tear off their eyes from those beings even while turning pale.
It was like the welling up anxiety was entangling around them. Like their instinct was screaming at them that something terrifying would happen if they took their eyes off them.
「……Everyone, we’re going. Quick!」
Amidst that, Mizuki called out to her friends with a lowered voice.
As a family of a returnee, perhaps she had resistance against supernatural phenomenon. Or perhaps it was just her innate temperament.
Either way, her instinct was ringing the alarm bell noisily. Her whole body was yelling at her.
Get away from this place as quickly as you can! Run away!
If it was her big brother in her place, he would surely scream with a loud voice. There was no doubt that he would think of all the people her and fought hard to let everyone get away.
But, although she respected and loved such big brother, Mizuki couldn’t live that idealistically.
Because she was realistic, but, even so as expected she was an “Amanogawa”. So.
Feeling of goosebumps. Actually she wanted to run away by herself right away even now. But, she had to let at least her friends get away from here. While being aware that she was drenched in cold sweat, she slapped the cheek of her junior who was frozen with her eyes fixed to the sky.
「Ah, eh, ah……p-president? That thing」
「Forget it! We’re running!!」
She tightly grabbed the shaking hand of her paralyzed junior and pulled. The other friends gasped as though their faces had been slapped when they heard their leader’s tense voice.
*Gurin-* The bizarre and odd and creepy things’ heads all turned their way. *Suuu* They descended soundlessly. The venue’s lighting illuminated their grotesque forms.
「「「「Hiih」」」」
Stiff terrorized screams rose from here and there.
Perhaps those things ought to be called as brains with extremely few creases. Their whole heads were covered with half-transparent black membrane. The lower part had exposed mouth with no lips attached. There were multiple tentacles that were like spinal cords stretching out from brain. The tips were tapering like sharp knife.
There was no word. What could be heard from them was only sound that was like grinding teeth.
But everyone knew.
Those beings that were like the manifestation of nightmare, were horribly thirsty, and hungry.
And also, that it was overflowing out from them.
Malicious intent toward humans.
Right after that, sound that was like blackboard getting clawed screeched. People reflexively covered their ears from how unpleasant it was to hear.
「Run!!」
What Mizuki could do was only yelling at least as loud as possible.
She hit her friends’ backs to push them forward.
The liberated terror invited panic. The panic spread and the venue fell into a crucible of mayhem――it was at that moment.
「Permission to fire! Permission to fire!! Shootttt!!」
A loud roar bellowed. At the same time *Dadadada-* intense bursting sound played out.
From the other side of the stalls, from the embankment tracks of multiple tracer bullets ran as though tearing through the night sky. Their target went without saying, those flying brain monsters.
Sounds like rock being hit rang out.
Even with bullets showering them, not only no hole was opened, there was also nothing getting broken off. It was a surprising endurance.
But, if asked whether there was no damage at all, that was also not the case.
Because of the impact from the side, or perhaps the shining ripple that was generated right after the direct hit was the cause, several lost their floating ability and fell while writhing.
The remaining ones looked like they were harassed by the bullets and flew to the other side of the stalls――toward the river.
「Banshee, pursue! Don’t let them get away!!」
「Banshee 1, roger.」
From the covers of the stalls, an armed group wearing all black & full equipment, with full-face smart helmet covering their heads smoothly appeared. Without pause and without even looking at the people who had quickly crouched down, they vanished at the other side of the opposite stalls.
Following them another similarly fully equipped armed group appeared.
「We’re polices!」
The same voice that bellowed just now yelled that. Even while yelling there was no faltering in his movement. Fearing panic breaking out――people running around like headless chickens, he didn’t urge the people to evacuate and headed straight toward a stall. It was the location where a monster fell.
In that moment, from that stall the monster that was like a flying brain destroyed the stall while leaping out.
The man didn’t falter and showered the monster with bullets from the front.
Screams rose from the surrounding. The civilians held their head while ducking down. But, the armed group mercilessly continued shooting even though originally doing such thing in the middle of a crowd should be unthinkable.
There would be death if they fell a step behind. Not only them, but also the people.
Don’t give any turn to the opponent. The best defense was to never let up with their attack. The headquarters had told them that strongly.
「Effect, low! Continue shooting! Pin it down!」
At first the order confused them. But now they understood. Just how accurate that order was.
They understood it whether they wanted or not, after seeing the astonishing grotesque thing before their eyes.
Their powerful firearms didn’t land any effective blow. Even though they were already firing nearly fifty shots on one, it felt like the monster would counterattack right away if they let up with their attack’s intensity just for a bit. They wondered what kind of joke this was.
But, it didn’t mean that there was no effect at all. It must be thanks to their special bullets.
The bullets could be fired with unparalleled accuracy within a certain space. The bullets’ impact and shining crimson ripple not only prevented the monsters from flying, but also teleporting, fixing them on the ground. Not only that, it was only bit by bit but wounds and cracks were starting to form.
The leader confirmed that while yelling.
「Unicorn 4! AMC!!」
「Roger!!」
Multiple people pinned the monsters one by one on the ground. Meanwhile one troop took out something like a large camera usually a cameraman was carrying for TV shooting from his bag.
He switched it on and aimed at the monster with the camera thing like holding a gatling cannon from his waist. It quietly let out a crimson light. Like a spotlight.
One second, two second……the monsters were starting to show spasming that didn’t come from the bullets’ impacts.
One more second passed. The spasming became more intense, a beat passed.
The bullets finally blew away a part of the monster.
「Effect, large! Finish them off!!」
The illumination of the crimson light was making the monsters becoming victim of the bullets one after another.
AMC――it was the abbreviation of anti-magic cannon. Basically it was an artifact that was like the less powerful version of magic cannon Glanzen that Hajime used.
It had internal magic power, so the output and usage number were limited, but it was a non-lethal weapon that washed away the target’s internal energy so they became unable to use their supernatural power, and depending on the situation the target would be rendered unconscious due to running out of energy.
Of course, the bullets also weren’t normal. They were special bullets that were enchanted with various effects, like disturbing the internal energy or accompanied by magical shockwave, etc.
The armed group possessed such artifacts.
It went without saying. Or rather it needn’t even be said just judging from their code names that came from Gund*m series. They were the special operation force directly under the response department.
The people on the embankment behind the stalls must have been witnessing it. The moment when shadow that was like condensed darkness suddenly rose up like a door, and from there an armed group appeared.
「Everyone, we’re a special force of the national police agency! Currently, emergences of unknown life forms have been confirmed all over the world! They are extremely dangerous life forms! Please go home immediately and refrain from going out if it’s unneeded and not an emergency. Please wait there for announcement from the government!!」
The voice that sounded like an angry yell went through clearly. Its tone was polite while also enveloped in commanding quality.
The civilians slightly lifted up their bodies. They were all in heavy confusion about what was going on and unable to move right away.
They were Japanese people who even at normal times were unrelated with something like gunfight. In addition it was a battle against monsters that they had never seen before.
They couldn’t utter a single world. They were unable to even make the decision to run away. They could only freeze like a frog being glared by a snake as their gazes wandered around.
Even while thinking that it couldn’t be helped, there was still no take down report from the other team “Banshee”. There was also the possibility of another monster lurking around, so it would be troubling if they couldn’t have the civilians run away from here.
If possible they wanted a broadcast within the city informing the citizens that the festival was canceled and there was emergency situation, but a bit more time would be needed to do that.
「Stand up! We’re running away!!」
Suddenly a voice that sounded lovely but radiating sharpness that made them felt like they were slapped resounded.
While nobody was unable to move, one girl stood up and urging her friends to get up. She looked familiar. Unicorn 1 never met her directly but, he knew that the girl was in the documents of “returnees” that he had perused.
Unicorn 1 sent her a gaze of admiration and praise from behind his full-face helmet.
Within his sight, above the classmates who had fallen on their butts slightly away from Mizuki, there was a floating brain monster――however, it was different from the specimens from before. This specimen ought to be called as a subspecies with its whole body being half-transparent and wearing plumage that looked like old rag――when he noticed that it was floating,
『Headquarters to Unicorn 1. More enemy reaction! Seven more――』
The contact notifying them of appearance of new enemies came at the same time.
The subspecies held up its tentacles. He quickly aimed his gun muzzle at it. He pulled the trigger. Bullets were spewed out, and landed, however, as expected it seemed this particular specimen was a level above the others. The effectiveness of the bullets was lowered even more. It didn’t even look pained or itchy from the bullets’ effects.
The sharp tip of the tentacle was vertically swung down toward a classmate of Mizuki.
And then,
「E, eh? Ah, eh?」
「I-it, really works, huh……」
Due to Mizuki jumping into a dive, the attack that should definitely be deadly was deflected.
To be more accurate, what did the deflecting was a shining sphere that protected Mizuki along with her classmate.
Even though she was wearing yukata, and even though it was a gift from that hateful “person”, she kept carrying around the talisman really close to herself because her big brother had kept telling her to do so until he was blue in the face.
The demon bodyguards were fundamentally only temporarily attached to the families of those going to the other world trip. So not all the families of the returnees, not to mention every single one of those family members had one with them.
Naturally. There was no way anyone would readily consent to be put in situation where demon could observe them constantly unless they were in a predicament.
Rather, it was Hajime’s vigilance for this half year that was in abnormal level.
Of course, using the “returnees commotion” in the past as lesson, several demons were dispatched to cities where their relatives were living to act like security guard, but he didn’t make demons hiding in the shadow of every single related people.
Just in case, there was a bodyguard demon exclusive for Amanogawa family because of Kouki’s request, but as expected there was only one because of the same reason. That one demon was protecting the parents right now. The flood of calls from home was exactly because of that.
But, artifact was a different story. Hajime was supplying every single one of related people with artifact that had the minimum required protection in them.
Mizuki was also the same.
It wasn’t like she was thinking about it. Her body was moving faster than she could think. Right at the moment the sight of her friend getting attacked entered her sight.
She remembered about the existence of the barrier artifact that she had never used even once until now was after the barrier activated. As expected, even though she was a realist she was still an “Amanogawa” it seemed.
Consecutive impacts followed there.
The subspecies’s tentacles attacked to pierce the barrier.
Mizuki hugged her friend in her arms. Unicorn 1 ordered his team to fire.
But, other subspecies attacked Unicorn 1 and others at that moment. Just like the notification said, there were more than one subspecies. Two more appeared. That meant there were four more that appeared at other place.
Anxiety filled them. It was vexing that their weapons were even less effective than before.
Mizuki couldn’t move anywhere inside the barrier. Many of the people at the surrounding, and her other girl friends were also assaulted by primordial fear and cowering in fright――
Mizuki unconsciously yelled.
「Help……help me Onii-chan-」
To Mizuki, her big brother was her hero ever since she was born.
Like that,
「FUHAHAHAH, I have, arrived!」
She heard something. Mizuki unconsciously yelled 「Not you!」 inside her heart.
She reflexively looked up. What she saw the subspecies getting dropkicked and wrestled down, the boy wearing priest clothing pressed the crosses in his hands――the crosses had changed shape to slide diagonally and from the gap gun muzzles were peeking out――on the monster.
Intense muzzle flashes and busting sounds rang out in succession.
The subspecies’s head that bounced back the bullets of Unicorn 1 and his men was getting shattered before their eyes. A beat passed. The inside was shaken up by storm of bullets after holes were opened.
The priest boy kicked away the subspecies at the end and then somersaulted before landing on the ground.
「Nooooooooo, Aziz-kun has gotten infected by Kou-niiiiii!!」
「Manamii!?」
The figure of her best friend appeared from the other side of the completely destroyed stall.
Yes, the one who jumped in while saying edgy line was none other than Aziz-kun!
「P-please don’t make it sound like something disgraceful! I just, saw that there are a lot of people being swallowed by terror, so I tried to change the atmosphere here like Kousuke-san――」
「Don’t choose the wrong person as reference-!!」
What a horrible thing to say toward her blood-related big brother. Aziz-kun’s expressions became completely speechless.
Although, the odd intrusion seemed to have an effect. The displayed skill in defeating the monster and the exchange that was like a comedy skit had certainly changed the atmosphere that was infested with fear.
「Ah, found you Mizuki-chan!!」
Manami’s expression brightened up so much it looked out of place in here. Just from that, it felt like his heart had calmed down greatly.
But, this place was a battlefield. They had no leeway to talk leisurely.
The subspecies that stopped moving due to Aziz’s entrance started moving again. There were also screams coming from some distance away.
「Manami-san!」
Aziz took out a huge cross from his “treasure warehouse” while yelling.
「Ah, that’s right……err――under the name and blood of Endou Manami, I c-command you! Err, aa~, what was it again……uu, who cares! Please comeee~~! ――Ibaraki Douji-san!!」
Thick ghastly aura raged centered around Manami. That was the proof of a complete manifestation of a powerful apparition from the fairy world.
That was one of the reasons why Manami didn’t evacuate together with her parents and came together with Aziz to the scene.
A great oni from legend. The aide of Shuuten Douji. Ibaraki Douji manifested.
Inside the raging ghastly aura, a handsome man wearing suits appeared. He was wearing glasses which made him looked really intellectual, but the atmosphere surrounding him completely belonged to a tyrant.
It seemed the ghastly aura and fighting spirit that were just too powerful drew the attention of the subspecies fully.
「As expected I want to be called with my true name but……fuh, it can’t be helped right now. Manami, my princess. Now, give me your order.」
He reverently bowed and took Manami’s hand to kiss it――but before he could, *Zudon-* a shot was fired. The ground under Ibaraki Douji’s feet was blasted into pieces.
It was a violent warning from the culprit who was the reason why Manami didn’t call Ibaraki Douji with his true name even though he had gone out of his way to tell her it, or rather that culprit begged her that he didn’t want her to use that name.
「Oi, oni. Get away from Manami-san.」
「What is it little boy, are you jealous? You look unsightly like that in front of my Manami you know?」
A priest boy carrying a huge cross on his shoulder with an expression like an oni.
And an oni young man who was cracking his fist while smiling like a priest.
「Geez! This isn’t the time to say that kind of thing!」
「「……Fuhn」」
The two’s relationship was really like cats and dogs. However, they averted their eyes from each other thanks to Manami’s words.
A beat later, both bared their fangs. Aziz toward the subspecies attacking Unicorn 1 and his men, while Ibaraki Douji was toward the subspecies appearing at the distance.
Seeing that sight, Mizuki and her Soul Sister comrades temporarily forgot the supernatural commotion occurring just now and also their fear and reflexively yelled.
「「「「「Are you reverse harem heroine huh!!!!!」」」」」
Their friend who was going to a trip during summer vacation was getting fought over between two handsome guys when she returned back. It was something that couldn’t possibly be ignored by the girls who were currently right at the height of their adolescence.
「Ee~rr, this left Sou-nii……a call? Ah, Sathla-oneesan! And Amai-san too! Eh, you two safely found Sou-nii? Thank you very much!」
Endou family’s eldest son, Endou Sousuke-kun. He actually planned to participate in the “BBQ at the miniature garden” after the other world trip and he was just about to return home.
Before returning home there was a chance that he might have a fated meeting in the festival……thinking that he was visiting here.
They had heard about his aim before so Manami and co planned to go pick Sousuke but, on the way here Mizuki’s mother――Miya contacted Manami who was Mizuki’s best friend that she couldn’t contact her daughter.
Learning that Mizuki was visiting the same festival, she left picking her big brother to Sathla and Anju and came here to secure Mizuki.
It seemed that Sousuke had also been safely secured but……
「Eh? Sou-nii want to talk? Yeah, what, Sou-nii――」
『Hey, little sister. I want you to be truthful just like your name. This person called Sathla-san, she said that she is Ko, Kousu, ke’s……fuu fuuh, new girlfriend……is that true-』(TN: The kanji of Manami’s name use the kanji for truth)
「Eh, you’re asking that now?」
『Is it true that even you’re starting to build a harem!?』
「You’re asking that now?」
『The popularity of my siblings is just scary now-. What should I do as the big brother-!?』
「I think you should go evacuate already.」
It seemed Sousuke-oniisan felt it was fate when Sathla called at him. And then it seemed his heart was immediately broken.
Surely he had also seen Sathla’s unusually colored eyes. And yet to feel fate or whatever……Sousuke-niisan too had quite the sensitivity too in his own way.
It went without saying that Amai-san who was beside Sathla became creeped out 「T-this person, is he serious……as expected he’s also a member of Endou family」 in a way that would make everyone in Endou family to raise their voices in protest.
It was a trivial thing, so Manami quickly cut off the call.
「Aa~, can I call you Manami-kun? We’ll leave this place to you guys while we’re going to a different place. The instruction for that just came but……will you guys be alright?」
「Ah, it’s fine! I think there’s no problem! Yes!」
Shadow stretched and a gate formed once more.
Unicorn 1 looked a bit worried. But when he saw how Ibaraki Douji rampaged and Aziz annihilating the subspecies at the distance, he more or less accepted the situation and followed the command from headquarters. He leaped into the next battlefield.
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Almost at the same time.
There was a group of university students at a certain shopping district.
They were Hajime’s classmates in university. The scary looking quartet, Nemoto and Yonekura, and then the girls who were Shia’s friends in the biker club. There were even a girl who was Yonekura’s childhood friend and Fudou Akari there.
These people got acquainted with each other through Hajime. Today, various coincidences overlapped that they ended up having meal together.
The scary looking quartet were extremely in high spirits because their dearest wish of having dinner meeting with girls came true. Nemoto and Fudou-san were here as extension of their date, which was unthinkable seeing their innocent behaviors that were still overly conscious toward each other.
Yonekura and his childhood friend were watching the two of them with warm gazes. Meanwhile,
「Hm? What’s that……is it a notice for some kind of event?」
Nemoto whose gaze was wandering around suddenly noticed something and spoke up. He focused on the news playing on the jumbotron set up on a building’s wall.
Grotesque monsters were rampaging at the urban district. It was only natural to think of such unrealistic content to be an announcement of some kind of event. But, looking closer the reporting room and the caster’s serious expression made him felt uneasy. In the end, Just what’re they saying……only such confusion could be felt.
That was the reaction of the surrounding.
Only Yonekura and Nemoto were looking at each other saying 「There’s no way, right?」. They had been told about the existence of supernatural phenomenon. They couldn’t just conclude the news report as impossible.
And then, that “no way” was reality.
「O-oi! That!」
「W-whaat?」
Someone pointed while yelling. Further above the jumbotron. At the sky above the large intersection further away from the exit of the shopping center, something was floating.
It looked like a giant octopus. Jaw was attached on its head, needles that looked like thin hairs were attached all over its body, and the tips of its abnormally long multiple legs were like spear tip.
There were more than ten of them.
The moment they saw them, the instant they recognized that they were there, chill that they had never felt until now rushed through their whole body. Extraordinary fear welled up, and blood left their faces.
Those things are wrong. If they don’t run away immediately……
Even though their hearts were screaming that inside, their gazes were glued on the things and their bodies wouldn’t move.
That was why, they didn’t notice.
That right underneath, at the middle of the intersection something like a wall of condensed darkness appeared.
The grotesque floating octopus things all snapped their heads below. They glared at the humans looking up at them like they were evaluating their prey.
And then, killing intent so thick anybody could have felt it blew down like a downburst――
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Exactly at the same time.
Inside a train on the line heading from the city centre toward the suburb.
「Get home right away……something is absolutely going on isn’t it. Telling me to evacuate together with Otou-san’s subordinate……that means, these news flooding the social media right now aren’t fake news?」
A high school girl with an appearance that completely looked like a gal was looking at her smartphone with a serious expressions. The social media was continuously getting flooded with upload of news about abnormal situation happening in countries all over the world.
The majority of people weren’t taking the news seriously. Also they only thought of the news as this kind of mystery type movie starting to get popular or something.
It was only natural. Monsters rampaging in the city, something like that was completely a story in fiction world. It was those who believed such news who were strange.
But, that high school girl――Hattori Reina was different.
She didn’t know in detail. But, she recently learned that her father was apparently an outrageous figure.
That father contacted her.
Actually right now it was still her shift in her part-time work, but her father intentionally called her workplace instead of her smartphone and told her to go home right away.
He told her that he was sending someone to pick her up and brought her to a safehouse with her mother.
Reina obediently followed his order. She would never do so if it was before, but she remembered hearing her father’s voice from the other side of the phone sounding like this before.
Yes, that day, the day when she learned a fragment of the truth about her father, his voice right now was the same like that day when he was issuing orders to his subordinates. His voice was sharp like a different person and she even thought that he sounded a bit scary.
Her instinct was pleading at her. That she should listen. That she should go back to where her mother was.
Rather than waiting for the pickup at the store, it was better to ride on train and move. She would go on ahead to the nearest station so send the pickup there. She told her father that, and right now she was doing that.
Reina listened to the whispering voices inside the train talking about the news in internet while stifling down the anxiety rising up inside her.
She was anxious not only because of the monster commotion online. Something, some inevitable bad situation might occur because she was a family of Hattori Koutarou. Her instinct was whispering so to her.
In fact, that was correct. Hattori Koutarou was the equivalent of Japan’s field commander. His family had enough worth as hostage in the eyes of the Worshippers.
Of course, many layers of information manipulation were already in the work, but it was unknown how effective they would be to hide his family before supernatural power. He contacted his daughter in preparation of that small worrying chance.
Reina felt the time moved slowly like it was an eternity before she finally arrived at the nearest station.
She quickly ran toward the home platform, passed the ticket gate, and came out at the traffic circle where her pickup should be waiting.
And then,
「Don’t make any noise」
「!!?」
A hand pressed on her mouth from behind. The hand was abnormally cold. The person’s other hand was holding a sturdy broad-bladed knife in a threatening way.
Nobody paid any heed even though they were right at the open. There were also people whose gazes just slid off right from her.
Nobody noticed Reina’s distress.
「Don’t make me waste time. You don’t want to get your body parts cut off from the tip right?」
A voice that she couldn’t feel any emotion from was thrust at her to show that it wasn’t just a threat. She was made to understand that he would do as he just said without mercy if she carelessly struggled.
Tears naturally welled up. Her body was shaking in fear. She got dragged away with horrible strength toward a black minivan.
It would be the end if she got put inside there. That was what she thought.
(Otou-san-)
She yelled inside her heart.
Like that――
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「Oooooooo-ho-ho-ho-!! It’s time for extermination――Egxessss!!」
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「It’s time for battle――Ignis」
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A showy woman with blonde hair in ringlet curls that looked out of place appeared in the shopping district. The woman was carrying a jet black scythe on her shoulder and laughed fearlessly like a battle maniac. She was leading female knights who were wearing the same light armor.
At the station’s traffic circle, a classical maid appeared. She elegantly unsheathed a jet black sword that was clad in blood colored aura. The maid with cold gaze was leading women who were similarly clothed in maid outfit. They appeared from a black gate.
Countless slashes were fired from the spinning scythe, cutting apart the octopus things and blowing them away.
Even though there was distance the blade lengthened and mowed down the man. A kind of barrier covering the man was cut apart like it was paper.
Nemoto’s group, and also Reina could only look dumbfounded.
And then, the same things were occurring all over the world.
Fantasy groups suddenly appeared at places that were in danger. Warriors who fought with sword and magic.
「「Now then」」
Tortus where there would be no problem as long as Yue was there. Although there was a need to prepare against chaos and riot, that world didn’t need too much force.
In that case.
As residents of the world that was once saved by the children of earth.
As “those who could fight” of a world that was still being saved even now.
Was there any reason that could be found not to lend a hand to the world of the people they were indebted to and needed fighting strength the most right now!?
The user of magic eater great scythe Egxess, Hoelscher’s Imperial Princess Tracy D Hoelscher.
And then, the user of magic sword Ignis, the exclusive maid of Heiligh Kingdom’s princess Liliana S B Heiligh as well as her bodyguard leader, namely Liliana’s confidant Hellina Ashie.
They raised their voices as though to represent all the forces of Tortus who came running in earth’s time of need.
「「Let’s repay the favor even just a little.」」
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AN: Thank you very much for reading this every time.
Thank you very much too for the thoughts, opinions, and reports about misspelling and omitted words.
The scenes with characters that I want to write are too many that the word count and writing time are also increasing……in the end I wonder if the story for earth side can finish at the “third part”. It will take a bit more time until we reach the story of the main characters but, please I ask for your patience.
※Meme introduction
– The more you have the better
From the joke of comedic duo [Milk Boy].
– Betrayal! You’re betraying my feeling!!
From Shinji of [Neon Genesis Evangelion].
– A certain hardcore game/FromSoft Brain
From games created by From Software.
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