The Hollow Regalia
1
「──Waooon! Good Morning, Iroha Waon here.」
「Thanks for coming again to see me today. The weather in Tokyo at this hour is clear. It’s hot since the morning again today.」
「So today, believe it or not, it’s Waon’s 17th birthday! Yaaay clap clap clap! Congratulations, me! Good going, me! And that’s why I’ll be baking a cake today! Although I said that, they are just gonna be simple cupcakes made from a pancake mix……!」
†
The meeting place of all the squads participating in the Kushinada capture mission was the Arakawa riverside area near the site of the Kawaguchi Station.
The plan was to cross the Shin-Arakawa Bridge, which escaped the J-nocideGreat Massacre, and infiltrate the 23 wards from the former Kita ward, and then reach the destination using the National Route 122 through the Hakusan-dori street.
Under the guise of art dealers, it seemed like Galerie Berith’s true form was closer to that of an arms dealer. Calling themselves Galerie was simply a way for them to conveniently transport weapons or receive money across national borders.
And under the pretext of guarding the artworks, they possessed an independent private military company. By the time Yahiro met up with them, several armored personnel carriers and soft-skinned gun trucks[1] had already gathered at the site, creating a dangerous atmosphere.
In the midst of all that, a somewhat out-of-place beautiful girl saw Yahiro and waved both her hands while jumping up and down. She was small-statured with orange highlights in her hair.
“Aah, he came. Yahirooo, Over hereee!”
Giulietta Berith’s loud voice caused the surrounding gazes to fall on Yahiro in unison.
He reluctantly approached her while making a sour face.
Surrounding Giulie were the operatorscombatants belonging to Galerie.
They weren’t technically soldiers, so perhaps calling them contractors would be accurate. Since members of the private military companies weren’t allowed to wear camouflage military uniforms, they were wearing a distinctive uniform that resembled a mountain parka.
It was an unnecessarily stylish uniform, with a white and yellow theme.
The fabric made with special materials was refreshing even during midsummer and had high waterproofing and breathable properties.
On top of that, it had a bulletproof function to protect the wearer, and a built-in power assist function to support the weight that increased. A single set of it would probably cost around several thousand dollars.
It was a flashy, expensive, high-performance uniform that annoyed Yahiro.
And the most irritating part was that Yahiro himself was wearing the same uniform.
“It seems like the size wasn’t a problem.”
Getting out of the military transport vehicle, Rose said to the scowling Yahiro.
She too was wearing the same uniform as Yahiro and the others. However, it had been greatly modified. The bottom part was a mini-skirt with a slit, while the shoulders and waist were boldly exposed.
In addition to Giulie who was good at hand-to-hand combat, it may be that she prioritized ease of movement rather than bulletproofing capability. Or perhaps she simply didn’t like the heat.
“I think the size is ok, but can you do something about the weight?”
Yahiro complained while putting his hands on the chest part of the uniform.
Although the bulletproof plate inside the chest part was made from the latest materials that made it lighter, it still had a weight that would impede the body’s movements.
“It has power assist, so you shouldn’t feel the weight once it’s activated.”
“That won’t change the fact that I’ll have to carry all this unnecessary burden.”
For a Lazarusimmortal like Yahiro, the damage a gun dealt was not a threat. In the first place, a bulletproof plate would amount to nothing with Beasts as opponents, so clearly it was a heavy and meaningless piece of equipment that would just get in the way.
“There won’t be any problem if you take that off after entering the 23 wards. But till then, I think it’s better that you keep on wearing it. Since you are more famous than you think.”
Rose said in an unclear tone.
What do you mean by that, frowned Yahiro. However before he could ask that, someone strongly pulled on his arms.
“Yahiro Yahiro, I’ll give you this.”
While clinging to Yahiro in an overly-familiar manner, Giulie pushed a sealed envelope towards Yahiro. Its thickness was around that of a chocolate bar, and it was wrapped in a wrapping paper of a high-class western confectionery store.
“What…is this?”
“Sweets. Eat them when you get hungry, ok.”
“It’d be nice if I get the leeway to do that.”
It wasn’t big enough to get in his way, and he didn’t have any reason to reject it, so Yahiro gratefully accepted the packet of sweets, and casually threw it into the pocket of his leg bag.
But at the same time, he hadn’t neglected to keep an eye on his surroundings.
He didn’t know what kind of position these twins held in the organization known as Galerie Berith.
However, he also didn’t think that the operators of Galerie would easily accept an unknown guide the girls brought with them. Yahiro didn’t live in a peaceful world where such a scenario was possible.
Ideally, things ending with a little bit of harassment would be good, but in the worst case, he couldn’t rule out the possibility of bullets flying towards him without any warning. There was no such thing as being too careful.
“──Yo, Japanese. So you are the guide the princess and the young lady[2] brought along?”
Glancing rudely at Yahiro, one of the operatorscombatants asked in casual English. He was a young Caucasian man with his blonde hair standing up like a rooster’s comb.
And then he suddenly stuck his right hand out, demanding a handshake. His expression turned friendly as he grinned like a mischievous boy.
“I’m Josh. Josh Keegan. And, the big one over there is Paora Resente.”
“……I’m not, big……It’s just that Josh’s legs are short……”
A brown-skinned female operatorcombatant said as if whispering.
“I ain’t short”, replied Josh, getting worked up. He was relatively short for a Caucasian, and when compared to Paora who had a tall figure like a model, there was a clear difference in height.
“You must be Yahiro, right? I’m Wei Yang. We three are the squad leaders of the special force that’s going to infiltrate the 23 wards. Looking forward to working with you.”
The last one to request a handshake was an Asian man with handsome looks.
Although he seemed to be older than Josh and Paora, he probably didn’t even reach his thirties.
The other operatorscombatants too looked to be around the same ages. The members of this squad were all younger than Yahiro imagined.
“……I’ll do what I was requested to do. Don’t expect anything more than that.”
Yahiro awkwardly returned the greeting. He felt a little uncomfortable at the smiling faces of Wei and the others, who showed no malice.
Along with the beginning of the J-nocide, the Japanese became a target of extermination and hatred, and when the J-nocide concluded, that changed into contempt and ridicule. Although they made good use of him as a retriever, there wasn’t anyone who looked at Yahiro as an equal human being.
That’s why Yahiro didn’t know how to deal with the sudden friendly attitude. He now understood that Giulie, who was whimsical and didn’t listen to others, and Rose, who didn’t break her position as his employer, were easy to handle.
“Is that so? Yahiro. But I have something important to tell you before the mission.”
Josh’s expression suddenly turned sharp, and he led Yahiro to Rose and the other’s blind spot.
Well well, so it started huh, thought Yahiro. It was a rite of passage for the newcomers. Perhaps he planned on intimidating Yahiro in the beginning to show off his position as a superior. It was something that happened often.
However, Josh’s next words were something unexpected for Yahiro.
“Listen here, Yahiro. Don’t you fall for the princess.”
“……Ha? By princess……you mean Giulie?”
“Yeah. It’s fine even if you fall for her, but no matter what happens, don’t lay your hands on her. Absolutely not.”
“Haa……”
It was so unexpected that, for an instance, Yahiro didn’t understand what Josh had said.
The princess was Giulie while the young lady was Rose. Apparently, that was how they were classified according to Josh’s standards. It wasn’t as if Yahiro didn’t understand where that came from. But he had no idea about the true intention behind that warning.
“That’s because all the operatorscombatants of Galerie are fans of Giulie. I want you to know that you’ll turn all of them into your enemies if you ever behave rudely towards her. You can’t complain if someone attacks you from behind.”
“It’s alright……because, only Rose will go……that far.”
Wei and Paora supplemented with a very serious face. What the hell is that?, Yahiro became speechless. He thought it was going to be an important talk, but the absurdness of it made him dizzy. It’s not even an idol’s fan club, so how can the operatorscombatants of the private military company choose their workplace for such a stupid reason? To make matters worse, what’s with Rose taking the lead for such tyranny? He already had a slight feeling, but her love towards her elder twin was too heavy.
There must have been a lot of incidents in the past for the people from the squad leader class themselves to give such a serious warning. Will this organization be alright?──thought Yahiro, feeling seriously anxious.
The contents of the pre-mission briefing were surprisingly simple.
Reaching Kushinada’s territory before any other private military company, and securing the target. That was all. Nothing more than that. Anyhow, there was no point in thinking about the smaller details because once they enter the 23 wards, they would have no choice but to move according to the Beast’s movements.
“Galerie has prepared 2 squads with 24 members for Kushinada’s capture. Only one of them will be dispatched to the 23 wards, while the other would be on standby as logistical support.”
Rose was explaining in an indifferent manner under a tarp set up in the riverside area.
“12 people, huh……that’s a lot.”
Yahiro muttered while frowning.
The more people they have with them, the greater the risk of being detected by the Beasts. As expected, it would be too conspicuous for an elite force of operatorscombatants to reach the city center without being seen by the Beasts.
Nonetheless, considering the time and effort it would take for capturing Kushinada, it was difficult to say that this would be enough. Yahiro got in the mood to resign from this job as soon as possible.
“Including the two of us and Yahiro, it makes 15 people.”
Rose politely corrected Yahiro’s words.
Yahiro stared at the twins in surprise. Looking at such a Yahiro, for some reason, Giulie made a peace sign with both her hands. I wasn’t especially charmed by you, scowled Yahiro, and said,
“So you two will also participate in the mission?”
“Of course. A guardian should properly watch over their child’s first errand from the shadows. This is the same as that.”
“That’s a completely different thing! Since when did you become my guardian!?”
“……That attitude towards your guardian……Is this your rebellious phase?”
“There there. Good boy. Your guardian is here~”
Rose tilted her head with a serious face, while Giulie patted Yahiro’s head.
At their attitude which couldn’t convey whether they were joking or being serious, Yahiro gave up resisting further. There were more important things he needed to confirm.
“So, what are the characteristics of that so-called Kushinada? You do know where it lives, but how can we distinguish it from other Beasts?”
“You’ll be able to tell as soon as you encounter it.”
“How can you be so sure about that?”
Yahiro stared at Rose with a doubtful look.
However, without answering that question, Rose moved her gaze to Yahiro’s rear.
A large wheeled armored personnel carrier was coming down to the riverside area where the troops were gathering.
It was a Communication and Command Vehicle equipped with a large communication-use antenna on its back. The markings on the sides were from a private military company different from Galerie.
After the vehicle stopped, armed operatorscombatants descended from its back. The uniforms they wore had a splendor reminiscent of medieval knights, probably to differentiate from regular military uniforms.
A man wearing an even more flashy uniform, walked towards Yahiro and the others with an air of composure, accompanied by several operatorscombatants. He was a tall, handsome young man, probably in his late twenties, who looked like he had just stepped out of a painting.
“Members of Galerie Berith, excuse me for coming right before the start of the mission. I have brought with me the chairman of Raimat International, the sponsor of this mission. I hope you are thankful for the count’s warm heart, which shows courtesy even to the likes of the guards of an art gallerygalerie.”
The young man said in a polite, but mocking tone. He had a snobbish accent, unique to the upper class.
“Who the hell are you……?”
The first one to react to the man’s words was Josh. He glared at the owner of the voice, without trying to hide his straightforward anger.
“Wait, Josh. That’s Firman La Hire. He’s the commander-in-chief of RMS.
Wei restrained Josh in a hurry, who was ready to strike at the man even now.
Yahiro frowned without saying anything. Even he, who was estranged from the state of affairs of the world, had heard about RMS.
RaimatR MilitaryM SecurikaS──it was the private military company owned by the world’s leading arms maker, Raimat International.
They had entered Japan in the early days of the J-nocideGreat Massacre, and even now, they were responsible for the transport of goods and maintaining public order in many cities. They could be called one of the enterprises that benefited the most from the J-nocideGreat Massacre.
Yahiro had heard that the one to plan this Kushinada capture mission was Raimat International. If that was the case, then the participation of RMS, which was its subsidiary, was a matter of course.
“──Major. Galerie Berith is a valuable cooperative enterprise that responded to our call. Be careful not to make any careless mistakes.”
“I’m sorry. Count.”
The blonde young man who straightened himself, took a step backward to make way.
As if changing places with him, a white-haired man wearing a suit showed himself.
It was hard to tell since his posture was straight, but the man’s age had probably crossed seventy. He had a gentle smile on his face, but the sharp glint in his eyes wasn’t hidden. That man has an unpleasant air about him, thought Yahiro. Not directly getting his hands dirty, but signing a document to get hundreds of millions of people killed──he was that type of human being.
“……Count?”
“He’s the CEO of Raimat International, Hector Raimat.”
Rose responded sincerely to Yahiro’s unconscious mutter.
The man called the Count turned towards Rose and the others and bowed in a lively manner.
“Ciao, Señorita Berith. Allow me to express my gratitude again for cooperating in this joint operation.”
“Thank you for taking the trouble to come all the way here, Count──Please don’t be hard on us today.”
Instead of Giulieolder sister, who was silent with a fake smile on, it was Roselittle sister who answered politely.
“Likewise. It’s my honor to be able to employ the renowned Berith family.”
The Count nodded generously.
It was shortly after that that a low, ground-shaking engine sound resounded.
Over the heads of Yahiro and the others who were gathered in the riverside area──a group of ArmoredA FightingF VehiclesV crossed the Shin-Arakawa Bridge, which spanned into the 23 wards.
The military personnel transport vehicles and the wheeled armored vehicles in total numbered more than twenty. It was a large military strength on the scale of a company.
“What are those?”
“Those are the armored corps from Ranga Patna.”
The Count answered Rose’s question. It probably wasn’t Yahiro’s imagination that his voice had a condescending ring to it.
“They were boasting that they had a dozen of those infantry fighting vehicles, but they are actually idiots. Even though the engine sound those armored vehicles make would just be a sign to attract the Beasts──”
“You allowed them to come knowing that?”
Yahiro muttered in a reproachful tone.
For some reason, the Count turned a gaze of deep interest towards Yahiro. He had a surprised look as if to say Yahiro caring about the lives of others was unexpected.
“If they attract the Beasts towards themselves like that, we will be able to reach our destination safely. That’s why this is a joint operation. It’s what you call having the right person in the right place.”
Yahiro frowned in silence at Rose’s emotionless explanation. He finally understood the reason why Raimat, which had an abundant military strength, proposed a joint operation.
The Count was planning to use the military strength of their cooperative enterprises as bait from the start to destroy them. That’s why Galerie was planning to steal a march on them after understanding that. It was a battle of wits. They were amusing themselves in a vicious game that used the lives of people like chips.
“As expected of Señorita Berith. You really understand what’s going on.”
The Count nodded in satisfaction. Even after his plan was seen through by Rose and the others, he still had the leeway to smile calmly.
“I’ll have to give it to Galerie Berith for that matter, who organized a special force of a select few. I’ve heard that you have also hired an excellent guide.”
The Count moved his gaze towards Yahiro.
He was aware of Yahiro’s background from the beginning. Rather, at this point, Yahiro had a hunch that the reason why he came all the way here was to meet him. However, he had no idea as to why the Count would have an interest in him.
While staring at the perplexed Yahiro as if appraising him, the Count asked his subordinate a question.
“There was a rumor that a cursed Japanese survivor was among the retrievers that frequent the 23 wards, but──don’t you have the feeling of testing that out once right, Major?”
“I agree, Count.”
Firman casually raised his right hand, in which he was holding a handgun. It was an antique automatic pistol that had a tasteless engraving.
“Excuse me, boy.”
“───!?”
Feeling a tremendous impact on his chest, Yahiro got blown away to the back. A moment later, he recognized the sound of a gunshot. Yahiro realized that he was shot by Firman.
“Yahiro!?”
“La Hire! You!”
Paora and Josh moved simultaneously.
Paora pulled out her own handgun and kept the RMS operatorscombatants in check. Utilizing that gap, Josh furiously threw a punch at Firman.
While raising both his hands to appeal his non-resistance, Firman easily dodged Josh’s attack. He silently looked at Yahiro who was still collapsed and released a breath of disappointment.
“Fumu……although he’s called an immortal or something, this is the result when the trick is revealed……”
“What did you say!?”
“Wait, Josh.”
Rose restrained Josh in a sharp voice. Surprised at those words, Josh stiffened like a hunting dog who was scolded by its master.
Yahiro rose up from the ground covered with pebbles while sighing with a yare yare.
A ceramic bulletproof plate with bullets embedded on it fell from his chest. It was something that was sewn into his uniform.
“An actual immortal would’ve no use for such cheap tricks. I’ll apologize for surprising you. I’m sorry.”
The Count shook his head with his eyes closed as if disappointed.
Yahiro shrugged without saying anything. He was displeased, but he knew there would be no point in complaining. Because the one he was dealing with was the employer of his client.
“You can bill Raimat later for the clothes ruined. Well then, if you’ll excuse me.”
One-sidedly declaring that, the Count turned his back towards Yahiro and the others. He entered inside the armored vehicle, accompanied by his escort operatorscombatants. He had an arrogant attitude as if to say his work here was done.
“Yaa……that came out of nowhere. You alright, Yahiro? You didn’t wet your pants?”
Bending down next to Yahiro who was still on the ground, Giulie asked as if she was having fun for some reason.
“Why would I wet myself!”
Retorting with a sulky expression, Yahiro languidly sat up.
Three bullet holes were deeply engraved in the chest part of Yahiro’s uniform. All of them were not even 10 cm off from his heart. It was a splendid quick draw[3]. Filman’s marksmanship skills were nothing to scoff at.
Even with the bulletproof plate, it wouldn’t have been strange for a normal person to faint at the impact. The reason why Yahiro didn’t get up immediately was because he understood that.
“Was this the reason you made me wear this uniform?”
Yahiro stared at Rose with half-opened eyes.
She had told him to wear it until they reached the 23 wards. It was as if she had expected the Count to try to shoot at Yahiro from the beginning.
“Well, since there was no need to deliberately reveal our cards to the enemy.”
Rose calmly answered without changing her expression.
“……Enemy?”
Yahiro curled his lips in amazement. He was a little surprised that Rose had called Raimat, the sponsor for this mission, an enemy without any attempt to hide it.
“It was rumored that Count Raimat had an unusual interest in Lazarusimmortal since the past. For him to expressly come and test Yahiro, it seems like that rumor was true after all.”
Rose smiled faintly. At that moment Yahiro finally realized her true intentions.
In the same way as the Count was testing Yahiro’s immortality, Rose too was testing the Count.
A cursed Japanese immortal──using that rumor of Yahiro as bait, she tried to ascertain whether the Count was interested in Lazarusimmortal or not. Not only that, there was also the possibility that Rose intentionally leaked the information of Galerie hiring Yahiro as a guide.
Both the Count and Yahiro had successfully danced in the palm of her hands.
“The mission will begin in 30 minutes. It’s fine if you change your clothes now. We’ve already prepared a new uniform in the personnel transport vehicle on your right.”
Rose declared in a way that didn’t even let out that this was all her plan.
“So you had even prepared spare clothes huh.”
Yahiro said with all the sarcasm he could muster. As expected, Rose didn’t even change her expression at something on that level. Instead, Giulie clasped her hands towards Yahiro and smiled as if pitying him.
“However, we don’t have any spare underwear. Sorry for that.”
“Like I said I didn’t wet my pants!”
Yahiro shouted, unable to endure any longer.
Watching that exchange, the surrounding operatorscombatants burst out laughing.
It was the first time ever since becoming a Lazarusimmortal that Yahiro heard the laughter of his comrades.
A girl with emerald green eyes was reflected in the mirror.
Excellent skin condition. Silver eyeshadows. Lavender lips. Gentle wavy silver hair, tied up in twintails.
Her new outfit, which was inspired by fairies, was a bit embarrassing as it laid her shoulders bare. But the design itself was gorgeous and cute, not bad at all. Persuading herself saying that it’ll all be alright as long as she gets into character, the girl turned towards the camera. It was almost time for the scheduled stream.
「──Waooon! Good Afternoon, Iroha Waon here.」
Unmuting the mic, she said her usual greetings.
Hoping that that voice would someday reach her brethren──
†
“──Like I said, there, I declared this, ‘Sorry, but this road is closed. Only pedestrians and light vehicles can pass through.’ Isn’t that funny, Hahaha!”
“Y, Yeah”
While continuing to give half-hearted replies to Josh who was talking non-stop, Yahiro showed a tired expression.
Ever since the beginning of the Kushinada capture mission, Josh continued to talk about trivial stuff without a moment’s rest. Because of that, Yahiro now thoroughly knew about his life and personal history, his likes and dislikes in food, and even about his preferences in the opposite sex.
“Waah, so cold……!”
On the other hand, Giulie, the captain of this unit, was leaning out of the side of the boat, and innocently raising her voice of joy at the water splashing on her cheeks. Yahiro and the rest were in the middle of crossing the Sumida River in two separate RigidR HullH InflatableI BoatsB.
“Using the waterway never occurred to us. Nice work, Yahiro.”
Josh said as if he was impressed all over again.
Tokyo may have a strong image of a city with massive skyscrapers, but in fact, it was also a city of water that flourished from water transportations since the Edo period. Traveling not by land, but by water using the rivers flowing inside the city. That was the secret plan proposed by Yahiro to reach their destination safely.
“That’s because aquatic Beasts number quite less compared to those on land, and the spots they appear in are also fixed.”
Yahiro spread out the map and confirmed their current location.
If a large number of people moved at once, then naturally, it would provoke the Beasts. No matter how much Yahiro was accustomed to the 23 wards, getting a squad of operatorscombatants to the city center unscathed was almost impossible.
“The only problem is whether we’ll be able to escape after encountering a Beast or not──”
Yahiro made a grim face and looked to the front.
A single Beast emerged from the water and was approaching their boat. It had a massive, slimy skin, and its figure resembled a sea cucumber.
“That means at that time it’ll be our turn to shine, isn’t that right!”
Before Yahiro could give any command, Josh readied a light machine gun used by special forces.
And then he fired at the Beast without hesitation.
Although the shaking of the boat in the middle of sailing was quite intense, Josh’s shooting skills were rather good. In spite of the instability of his arms, almost all the bullets hit their mark from a distance of 200 meters.
At the same time, covering fire began from the other boat which Rose and the others were riding on.
It was hard to kill a Beast with the power of something on the level of a light machine gun.
Even so, it was effective in driving the Beast away from the direction the boat was heading into. Both the boats slipped through the gap made when the Beast faltered and went back underwater.
When they reached a safe distance, Josh finally lowered his gun.
Immediately after that, a thunderous roar, like that of fireworks, started resounding from somewhere far away.
It was the sound of the high-caliber revolver cannons equipped on wheeled tanks. The troops of other companies that also participated in the capture mission had begun combat against the Beasts on the surface.
“Oo……they are going at it quite flashily over there too.”
Josh let out his carefree thoughts while looking in the direction where the sounds of the gunfire were coming from.
“Ranga Patna’s armored corps……they are struggling……”
While changing the ammo belt of her gun, Paora muttered in a quiet voice.
The sounds of vehicles crashing into buildings and armors being crushed echoed along with the incessant sound of gunfire. It wasn’t a one-sided fight, but there was no doubt that the troops were suffering from considerable casualties. And the longer the battle gets dragged on, the more the Beasts will gather, sending the human side into a disadvantage.
“I hate to say it, but the president of Raimat spoke the truth. Thanks to the noise they are making, Beasts are attracted towards them, making it easy for us.”
“The truth is……we were also……supposed to act as a bait……for RMS.”
Josh and Paora were having a conversation with composure.
As the members of a private military company, their assessment of the situation were accurate, despite their disgust.
The fact that multiple squads were aiming for the same destination at the same time scattered the attention of the Beasts. Otherwise, Yahiro and the others wouldn’t have been able to get close to the city center this smoothly, whether they used the waterway or not.
Nonetheless, it wasn’t as if the other squads became the bait on their own violation.
In fact, they ought to be thinking of slipping away and reaching the destination first if they get the chance.
As if to back that fact, a white trail was drawn above the heads of Yahiro and the others. A single aircraft was traversing through the skies of the 23 wards.
Aaah, the sharp-sighted Giulie let out a sigh of pity when she noticed that.
“They’ve done it now……Didn’t see that coming.”
“Eh?”
Yahiro looked up at the sky, following Giulie, and narrowed his eyes at the brightness. He noticed the somewhat fluffy objects scattered by the aircraft.
“It’s the QDS transport aircraft Hercules……used by……paratroopers……”
Looking through the scope of a sniper, Paora guessed the true identity of the aircraft.
QDS──Queensland Defensive Service. They were the last of the private military companies to participate in the Kushinada capture mission. Rather than using the land or water routes, they planned to parachute directly into the former site of the Tokyo Dome.
“Paradrop……wait a min, aren’t they plainly cheating?”
Josh said in a nonchalant tone.
Nonsense, muttered Yahiro to himself. Excluding high altitudes such as the stratosphere, the airspace above the 23 wards was designated as a no-fly zone. He was exasperated at the private military company that didn’t even know the reason behind that.
Immediately after the first operatorcombatant opened his parachute, the outline of the city above ground, seen from the waterway, wavered. From the ruined buildings, a massive number of flying creatures took off at once in a swarm. It was a large group of Beasts──no, a large group of Birds of Prey.
“Since the people in the middle of parachuting can’t really move about satisfactorily, they are perfect prey for the flying Beasts. They probably thought that they won’t be noticed if they opened their parachutes at a low altitude but──”
Yahiro said while frowning.
Beasts, possessing sharp senses, never fail to notice the intruders stepping into their turfs. The flying Beasts swarmed over the QDS operatorscombatants as they were coming down close to the ground.
After opening the parachutes, their distance to the ground was a meager 300 meters. However, those 300 meters were devastatingly far away. The Beasts that can actually fly, mercilessly attacked the operatorscombatants who couldn’t move satisfactorily in the middle of descent.
A red mist spread in the skies above.
It was a mist created from the fresh blood scattered from the victims.
Yahiro and the others were fortunate that the distance was so great that they couldn’t hear their screams.
A few hundreds of Beasts were flying wildly in the sky, and the more than 40 QDS troopers were all annihilated without a single one of them reaching the ground.
All the Galerie operatorscombatants who witnessed that scene were lost for words.
It wasn’t as if they didn’t know the dreadfulness of Beasts. They all should have considerable combat experience looking at how they pushed back the sea cucumber-like Beast. Even so, they won’t know unless they get first-hand experience of the number and ferocity of the Beasts that appear in the Isolation Zones.
“Damn, so this is the 23 wards……”
After a short silence, Josh let out a deep breath.
That’s right, muttered Yahiro to himself.
This was the place that was once known as Tokyo. This was the reality of the city Yahiro was living in.
“──Hey, you understand, right? I was doing my task, you know. And yet that damned bastard Chief……!”
While indiscriminately shooting the Beasts that were coming out of the water surface using a light machine gun, Josh continued his idle talks.
He was an Irish American former police officer. He was in charge of investigating a drug trafficking ring as an undercover agent, but after inadvertently laying his hands on the mistress of the boss of that organization, his life got aimed after, which led him to Galerie Berith. He was a man with such a peculiar personal history.
According to Josh, all the operators of Galerie were talented people having some kind of special circumstances.
If not for those eccentrics and misfits, he probably wouldn’t have joined a squad commanded by two twins in their teens.
However, even if they were a group of outcasts, their abilities were the real deal.
After cutting their way through six Beast encounters, Yahiro and others’ boats had already completed nearly 80% of its journey. Once they entered the Kanda River which was just before the Ryōgoku Bridge, their destination, the Tokyo Dome, would be just around the corner.
“We can somehow handle it since they’re coming out one by one, but if these guys come out being led by a boss, it’s gonna be a bit of trouble.”
After driving back the seventh Beast by launching around 20 grenades into it, Josh said as if muttering to himself.
Hearing those words, Yahiro remembered their objective.
The capture of Kushinada──a Beast that commands the other Beasts.
Kushinada certainly was a dangerous existence.
It would become a threat for humanity that lives outside the Isolation Zones if it was left as it is. But capturing it and using its abilities for military purposes would act as a trigger for humans to fight among themselves.
No matter how it turned out, what awaited them was a bloodstained future. Yahiro didn’t know the correct way to deal with that.
However, he held no interest in the existence of Kushinada itself. Yahiro was just a guide. His contract would be over when he brought his employers, the twins, to Kushinada’s dwelling place.
For Yahiro, his little sister’s whereabouts were more important than a mysterious Beast of new species.
He was close to getting his hands on the clue of his sister which he had been searching for 4 years──While looking at both of his hands, Yahiro clenched his teeths. In that moment,
“Those words need some correction. We can’t always handle it even if it is one by one.”
Giulie, who was sitting next to Yahiro, stood up with her orange hair swaying.
“What’s the matter, Princess?”
Looking at Giulie who was leaning forward from the bow of the boat, Josh made a puzzled face.
But Giulie did not answer. She just continued to fixedly stare at the water surface ahead of them.
Looking at her, Yahiro finally noticed. Near the pier of the Kuramae Bridge that had a unique yellow paint, the color of the water was changing. A giant Beast was lurking there.
“Rosetta, stop the boat! That’s a Haka!”
Yahiro shouted, turning towards Rose who was behind them. She was riding the second boat, but thanks to the communication device built into their uniforms, his voice would reach her even though they were far away.
However, the words that came from the communication device were beyond what he expected.
「It’s Rose.」
“Ha?”
「I thought I requested you to call me Rose──」
“This is not the time to be saying that!”
Yahiro retorted with a feeling of grim resolve. Almost at the same time, the surface of the river rose.
An aberrant, giant Beast showed itself along with violent waves.
Its total length easily crossed 15 meters and its appearance was of a sea dragon from the Cretaceous period. It was a giant lizard whose forelimbs had turned into fins. However, its body was covered with a tough shell similar to that of a turtle.
The alias it got from that was 『Haka』──It was originally the name of a Chinese divine beast[4], but this Beast possessed an overwhelming aura and ferociousness unique to Beasts that befitted that name. It was among the top 5 aquatic Beasts Yahiro knew of.
“The guns won’t work huh! Paora! Use that!”
“You don’t have to tell me……”
Paora, urged on by Josh, readied a six-barrel rotary grenade launcher.
All the slow, low accuracy grenades, rapidly fired by Paora scored a direct hit on the Haka. All of them were HighH ExplosiveE DualD PurposeP grenades. Not only were they lethal in interpersonal combat, they were powerful grenades that were effective against armored vehicles too. However that dark grey Beast showed no reaction other than a slight tremble by his huge body.
“That didn’t……work……?”
Throwing the exhausted grenade launcher away, Paora switched to the light machine gun. However, it was unlikely that 6.5mm rifle bullets would work against an opponent that could withstand direct hits from grenades.
It might not be defeated even by using the cannon of a tank──The Beast in front of them was that sort of existence. It was a monster that rivaled mythical monsters. But,
“Don’t shoot. I’ll take care of the rest. Giulie, continue charging towards it.”
Saying that to his employer in a languid tone, Yahiro sighed while standing up. He unsheathed a knife from the scabbard behind his waist.
“Take care……You mean……using that knife?”
Paora said with a dumbfounded expression.
“Even I don’t want to do it if possible.”
Yahiro slightly shook his head. And then, he thrust the knife he had drawn into his left hand.
The blade, dyed deep crimson, penetrated to the base, and Yahiro’s cheeks stiffened at the sharp pain that followed.
“Woah!? You, what the hell are you doing, Yahiro!?”
“Like I said, I didn’t want to do──it!”
Josh widened his eyes in surprise, and Yahiro forcibly pulled out the knife while grimacing in pain. The surface of the knife was completely dyed in blood, and the glossy liquid was trailing it, forming threads.
Immediately after that, the Haka roared.
Its giant eyeballs glared at Yahiro who took a stance with the bloodstained blade. Violent killing intent and destructive impulse was reflected in those eyes. And then an obvious expression of fear.
“Full throttle, let’s goo! Everyone hold on tightlyy!”
While all the other operatorscombatants were shaking, Giulie accelerated the inflatable boat as if enjoying it, and grabbed onto the rudder of the boat. Are you serious, Josh’s face stiffened.
“Come, you monster turtle!”
Yahiro leaped from the prow of the boat without getting a proper run-up.
The riverside of the Sumida River which the Beast had turned into his dwelling had collapsed here and there, and countless wreckage of abandoned ships and wood were floating on the water. Using one such small boat drifting in front of him as a foothold, Yahiro jumped towards the approaching Haka. Due to his unexpected action, the Beast lost sight of its target, and his jaws cut through empty air.
The boat Giulie and the others were riding came into contact with the Beast but narrowly avoided getting overturned. Yahiro stabbed the knife in his right hand into Haka’s shoulder and used it as a fulcrum to climb onto his back.
With the spot where Yahiro stabbed the knife as the center, something abnormal started happening to Haka’s body. Jet black miasma gushed out like fresh blood, and the skin that even withstood a grenade crumbled down.
However, the result was limited. Compared to the giant body of the Beast, the wound he had inflicted on it was too small, and was far off from a fatal injury.
“As expected with a body this big, it won’t start kicking in immediately……”
The Haka started rampaging with Yahiro still on its back.
While clinging to not get shaken off, Yahiro made a cut on his left arm again with the knife.
Yahiro’s blood was a poison that could kill Beasts. He didn’t want Rose and the others to know of this fact, but his opponent was not someone he could defeat while hiding that. Using the blade wet with blood to carve a wound on the Beast’s back, Yahiro thrust his bloodied wrist into the crack.
“Then I’ll just pour it directly. Take as much as you like!”
Yahiro made a ferocious smile while feeling dizzy at the sudden loss of blood.
The body of the Beast which came into contact with Yahiro’s blood, explosively gushed out miasma. It was a poisonous mist that could kill an ordinary human. Yahiro clenched his teeth and desperately endured the sensation that was similar to a strong acid.
The Haka raised an anguished scream at his desperate attack. The giant body of the Beast ran amok and crashed into the bridge pier, which caused it to creak.
However, its resistance didn’t last long. Invaded by Yahiro’s blood, the Haka’s movements gradually weakened, and it eventually went silent.
「Good work, Yahiro. I’ll send someone to retrieve it immediately so you kindly resume guiding. Since we’ve lost quite a bit of time.」
Yahiro could hear Rose’s clear voice in his ears as he continued to breathe heavily on the Beast’s back.
In accordance with her words, the boat Giulie was piloting soon approached Yahiro. It seemed like those twins didn’t have any intention to let Yahiro rest. They were real slave drivers.
“Unbelievable……he actually managed to kill that huge thing with a single knife……!”
Looking at the sinking corpse of the Haka, Josh absentmindedly shook his head. The other operatorscombatants also had similar reactions.
Well, that’s natural, thought Yahiro as if it was someone else’s business. Even those guys who were still half-convinced at Yahiro being an immortal, would probably understand now that Yahiro too was a monster that didn’t fall behind the Beasts.
Then what awaited him would be either rejection or persecution. Either way, it was something he had expected.
It won’t make him feel lonely at this point. He was used to being left alone. In the end Yahiro was just a hired hand, and he won’t wish for anything more as long as he got his hands on the information of his sister.
“Yahiro……what about your injuries……?”
Paora asked Yahiro who was sitting at a corner of the boat. For a moment, he couldn’t understand what she had said.
Following her anxious line of sight, Yahiro realised that she was concerned about the wound he had inflicted on his left arm himself.
“No problem. It’s already healed.”
Yahiro raised his left hand to show her. On the cuff of his uniform, there was still a mark remaining where he had stabbed the knife into. But the skin peeking from beneath it was unscathed. It was a result of Lazarusimmortal’s healing powers.
“Just earlier……what did you do……?”
Paora asked once again. Yahiro slightly shrugged. As expected this wasn’t a situation where he could bluff his way through.
“My blood is a poison for Beasts. Although I don’t know if it is effective for all the Beasts since I haven’t tried it out.”
“Poison? Is it Poison? Eh? Didn’t the turtle’s body like, crumbled with an amazing force?”
Josh excitedly said that. Yahiro was somewhat confused by that unexpected reaction.
“I see, so that’s the trump card of Yahiro who survived the 23 wards for so long. I knew you weren’t an ordinary person since Princess went to the trouble of bringing you……but wait. Doesn’t that mean it’s possible to completely exterminate the Beasts as long as we have Yahiro’s blood?”
Josh’s voice was lively, as if saying “Wasn’t that a good idea?”.
Yahiro shook his head with a bitter smile. He might be talking too much, but it was something that would be discovered soon even if he tried to hide it.
“It isn’t something that convenient. The blood’s effect wears off if it’s far away from my body.”
To be precise, rather than the effect, it was more like Yahiro’s control over it breaks off.
If the blood was completely separated from his body, it would no longer be a part of Lazarus’s body, and would be nothing more than a substance. That’s the reason why he couldn’t attack from a safe distance like with a bow but had to use a knife.
“──That said, what’s with that knife? Isn’t it worn out?”
Noticing the knife Yahiro was about to return to the scabbard, Josh widened his eyes in surprise.
“Aah, this huh……it happens when the knife gets into contact with my blood for long.”
The blade of the knife which should have been almost new, was chipped and had stopped retaining its original form. It’s appearance was completely rusty as if it had been an ancient keepsake abandoned for like a thousand of years.
“It……wasn’t able to endure……Yahiro’s blood?”
Paora asked with a grim expression. Yahiro nodded while smiling in self-deprecation and,
“That’s why it’s better if you don’t come close to me. There is no way that a poison that had such an effect on Beasts is harmless for humans. Me being called a cursed Japanese isn’t entirely a baseless──”
“Hmmm……Is that so……”
Giulie’s carefree voice interrupted Yahiro’s self-deprecating words.
Facing the bewildered Yahiro, the orange-haired girl casually bent forward and stuck her tongue out. Yahiro froze in surprise at the soft sensation on his cheek. And then he finally realised that Giulie had licked his blood which was stuck to his cheeks.
“Giulie!? Y–You, what are you……!?”
“Look, nothing happened. That is why you don’t have to worry about it.”
Facing Yahiro who was confused, Giulie cutely stuck her tongue out and made an impish smile.
“But it looks like it had an effect on Yahiro though.”
“Your face……is bright red……”
Josh and Paora stirred Yahiro up while grinning. Although they didn’t bother saying it, but the other operatorscombatants had similar expressions on their faces.
“That’s……not……!”
Yahiro desperately tried to argue, but he was too flustered for his tongue to work properly.
“So the Lazarusimmortal is also a healthy young boy huh. Leave it to me. If we make it out alive, I’ll teach you the ways to seduce a woman.”
“But……it’s better if you don’t fall for Giulie……since Rose has been staring daggers here for quite a while now.”
Josh put his hands over Yahiro’s shoulders in an overly-familiar way, and Paora turned her gaze towards the back.
Rose, who was riding the other boat behind them, was staring at Yahiro with emotionless eyes without blinking. Even without Paora warning him, Yahiro already knew that the younger twin held excessive love and affection towards the older twin. So what kind of feelings would the little sister have towards the opposite sex who got his cheek licked by that precious older sister──
“Why did it turn out like this……!?”
Yahiro weakly looked up to the sky, feeling an immense sense of exhaustion.
The communication device being silent from Rose seemed hopelessly frightening right now.
Count Hector Raimat received that information at the Japanese branch of Raimat International. With a confused expression, the young RMS communications officer read out the report gathered by the unmanned reconnaissance plane.
“It seems like the squad dispatched by Galerie Berith defeated a Haka in the vicinity of Kuramae Bridge.”
“A Haka you say?”
While putting his weight on the common, plain chair, the Count showed a dubious expression.
The headquarters of the Raimat company in Japan was the building that was once known as the JGSDF Camp Oomiya[5].
That branch’s communication facilities, as well as the furniture and equipment of the chairman’s office, were all reused goods from the time it was still a military base. Judging from the comfort of the chair, it seemed like the JGSDF wasn’t that wealthy of an organization.
“I had heard that Galerie Berith sent just a single squad of operators into the 23 wards……but you mean they managed to exterminate a large Grade Ⅲ Beast without the support of something like a fighting vehicle?”
“The details are unclear, however, no large-scale bombardment was observed nearby.”
The communications officer read the data straight from the tablet terminal.
The Count frowned slightly, saying “I see”.
Grade was an indicator of the threat level of Beasts, keeping the existing military strength as the basis. For every Grade increase, the fighting strength of Beasts increased by around four times.
The threat level of Grade Ⅰ Beasts corresponded to the strength of one unit of infantry. However, it was said that the strength of infantry was enough only up till Grade Ⅱ, and that the Beasts at Grade Ⅲ and above could never be defeated without the support of AFVs.
In spite of that, Galerie’s squad managed to neutralize a Grade Ⅲ Haka. That meant they possessed military strength that Raimat was unaware of.
“Lazarusimmortal……was he the real deal as expected……?”
The Count muttered with a stern expression. The dark flames dwelling in those eyes made the communications officer’s expression stiffen.
“What’s the status of Major La Hire’s unit?”
“They are currently heading south near the Hakusan-ue intersection[6], National Route 17. Their distance from the destination is approximately 2.8 kilometers.”
“Inform the Major about Galerie Berith’s movements. I think there won’t be any problems, though.”
“Understood……Right away!”
Saluting in a military manner, the communications officer left the room as if running away.
After waiting for his subordinate’s figure to vanish, the Count slowly stood up.
With a displeased expression, he headed towards a newly constructed chalk structure in the premises. It was a strictly isolated facility that resembled the research laboratories of pharmaceutical companies.
“How’s the condition of 『Brynhildr』, Sir Nathan?”
Completing the strict biometric authentication process again, the Count entered the pressurized laboratory.
A patient was lying deep inside a glass-walled room that resembled a giant water tank of an aquarium.
It was a young, white-haired girl wearing a thin patient gown. Countless tubes were attached to her body, and numerous measuring equipment were running in the surroundings. The strange thing was that her entire body was strictly bound by silver chains even though she was supposed to be unconscious.
Brynhildr was a female demigod that appeared in Norse Mythology. She was a valkyrie that was said to have been sleeping while wearing armor. That was the name given to the girl who was a special specimen.
“No major changes have been observed for now. The polysomnography waves indicate that she is in the state of slow-wave sleep──in deep non-REM sleep.”
Auguste Nathan, who was standing before the glass wall, slowly turned around and looked at the Count.
He was a tall, black man wearing a white coat. He wasn’t an employee of Raimat, neither was 『Brynhildr』 the property of the Count. The Count was just lending the research facility to them, and their standings were equal.
“What about the small changes?”
The Count enquired, noticing that Nathan’s canned report was different from usual.
Nathan cast his gaze to the gauge in front of them.
“Decrease in low-frequency brain activity in the retrosplenial cortex, as well as the increase in high-frequency brain activity in other areas was frequently observed. And that is still ongoing.”
“I hope you can explain it in an easy to understand way.”
“……In short, she is dreaming.”
Nathan replied in a curt tone to the Count’s irritated mutter.
The Count raised his brows, feeling slightly confused.
People will dream if they continue sleeping. That stayed true for this girl who was a specimen. Such an obvious fact seemed like a really surprising thing for him. That was because he never thought the girl had a value more than as a test subject.
“How is it going with the 『Red Gold』?”
The Count changed the subject, losing interest in the girl altogether.
Nathan looked at him slightly puzzled.
“Regarding the F med, we’ve delivered the improved Mod-2 to the Major. Now we just have to wait for his report.”
“Not that. I’m talking about the real 『Gold』.”
The Count’s tone turned slightly rough. The F med would become an excellent product once completed, but that wasn’t what he was truly seeking.
Upon understanding that, Nathan quietly shook his head in a pretentious way.
“That’s unfortunate, Count. It will still take adequate time for her to awaken. In order to get more spirit fluid, a vessel with a will is necessary.”
“As expected there is no other way than to obtain Kushinada……I understand. Sorry for the interruption, Sir Nathan.”
Concealing his irritation and disappointment, the Count turned his back on Nathan.
Right before leaving the room, he glanced at the sleeping test subject at the other side of the glass and coldly declared.
The sleeping white-haired girl continued to smile faintly in the middle of her deep sleep.
†
「──Uwaah, how!? So close……It was so close to being perfect, right? Aah come on, why did I have to miss at the very last moment.」
「And with that, it was the first Let’s Play I’ve done in a while, and as expected, rhythm games are fun, aren’t they? So, one more song, I’ll play one final song. The next one will be……yes, this one, I really like it. It was really popular when Waon was in elementary school and……ah……that’s right, Iroha Waon was supposed to be 17,000 years old……Eh!?」
「Wait, sorry, I’m in the middle of streaming right now……what happened? You’re lying…… Enemies!?」
「…………………………………」
「“This stream has ended”」
†
“Yahiro. What is this?”
Looking at the plants orderly growing in front of them, Rose asked in a flat tone.
The wavering fresh, green leaves in the strong midsummer sunlight were too bright for the eyes.
“Those are……cucumbers. And also tomatoes and edamame[7].”
Staring at the familiar vegetables growing outdoors, Yahiro muttered in a daze. The growing vegetables were all glossy and fresh as if they were reaching their harvesting times.
“Hmm……so Japanese cucumbers have this kind of shape. They are a little different from the ones I know.”
Leaning right next to the ridge of the field, Giulie expressed her thoughts like an innocent child.
“No, wait. Isn’t this weird!? Why are cucumbers growing in the center of the 23 wards!?”
Yahiro, who was the only one to remain calm, turned towards the vegetables and retorted.
Leaving behind the RHIBs in the riverside of the Kanda River, they were currently in the former site of Tokyo Dome.
The damage this neighborhood had received from the J-nocideGreat Massacre was severe, and the buildings around the Suidōbashi Station had almost stopped retaining their original form. The actual Tokyo Dome had vanished without leaving any trace and had turned into a giant crater.
And when Yahiro and the others arrived at the park adjacent to that crater──the Tokyo metropolitan park that was once known as the Koishikawa Kourakuen Gardens[8], they saw that vegetable garden.
It couldn’t be described as huge. It was just a small field that was slightly better than a kitchen garden.
However, that field was carefully cultivated and the weeds were cleanly removed.
A vegetable field in the center of the 23 wards where the Beasts loiter──it was such an impossible and bizarre scene.
“Hey, Yahiro. What’s that flag? What does it mean?”
Josh, who was on the lookout for approaching Beasts, noticed a cloth swaying in the back of the field and asked.
It was a frighteningly colorful piece of cloth with a width of around 1 metre. It was slightly faded, but Yahiro knew the identity of the sketch drawn on it. It was an anime character intended for elementary schoolers.
“No, that’s not a flag but a bedsheet for kids. In other words, that’s laundry.”
“Laundry?”
Josh muttered with interest. Yahiro had heard that the practice of hanging laundry outdoors to dry was not in some countries. Perhaps it was unusual for the bedsheet to be hanging outside defenselessly, without any care for the security and scenery.
However, the problem wasn’t that. The existence of the sheet, which was neatly folded in half, and held in place by clothespins indicated that it hasn’t been long since it was hung to dry.
At the very least, it was absolutely impossible for it to be left as it is for 4 years.
“Ah……!”
Someone’s confused voice came from right beside Yahiro, who stood there in shock.
A metal bucket fell to the ground and made a high-pitched clattering sound.
A girl wearing a straw hat was standing on the other side of the cucumber vine. Next to her was a boy with a baseball cap. Both of them were younger than Yahiro. They were at best in the upper grades of elementary school.
“C-Children? Why are there human children in a place like this……?”
Yahiro even forgot to ready his knife, and just blankly stared in wonder.
It was so unrealistic that it made him dizzy. He felt like it was just a bad dream.
“W-Who are you?”
The straw hat girl hid the little boy behind her back and weakly shouted.
Yahiro was astonished at those words. It was because what the girl had said was undoubtedly in Japanese.
“Are you……Japanese?”
Yahiro unconsciously took a step towards them.
Watching that, the girl’s face stiffened. A light of genuine fear was floating in her eyes that were staring at Yahiro.
“Noooooooooo……! H-Help me……! Mama……!”
“Uwaaaaaaaaaah──!”
Yahiro was at a loss at what to do when both of the children started screaming. He was used to getting ostracized for being a survivor of the Japanese, but this was his first time experiencing someone getting frightened by him like this.
The boy with the baseball cap threw a tomato he was holding at Yahiro. It hit him on the shoulder and got squashed. Right after that, Josh raised his voice.
“Yahiro–……!”
There’s no point in panicking over a single tomato──It was only for an instance that he thought such an idiotic thing. An earth-shaking tremor made Yahiro understand the meaning behind Josh’s warning.
A giant shadow appeared from the back of the field and landed in front of Yahiro.
It was a close to 3 meters tall brute that resembled a baboon. Its entire body was covered with striped fur like a tiger, and it had 3 claws on the tips of both his arms. Two big horns were growing from his head. It was a Beast.
“──Don’t shoot! You’ll hit the children!”
Giulie violently kicked the light machine gun which Josh was about to fire on the spur of the moment.
Yahiro jumped backward and pulled his knife out.
However, the Beast’s attack, which he was prepared for, didn’t come. The tiger-striped Beast didn’t move from the front of the children, and lowly growled to intimidate Yahiro and the others.
“Is the Beast protecting humans? But why……?”
Yahiro was extremely confused at the scene unfolding in front of them.
The Japanese children who were supposed to have died out were on guard against Yahiro, and the Beast was protecting those children. It was a situation that defied common sense.
The fighting strength of the tiger-striped Beast was probably around the middle of Grade Ⅰ and Ⅱ. Considering Galerie’s fighting strength along with Yahiro’s, it wasn’t an opponent they could not defeat.
However, he hesitated in one-sidedly attacking the Beast who was just protecting the children and not showing any intention to fight.
Galerie’s operatorscombatants too were bewildered and weren’t taking any actions.
Perhaps losing its patience at Yahiro and the others who weren’t fleeing despite its intimidation, the Beast once again roared wildly. Yahiro readied his knife on reflex and took a fighting posture.
A flash of pure white light ran past his eyes.
“───!?”
The ground burst open, and Yahiro was sent flying by the impact and fell back.
His entire body was numb as if it was electrified. A strong offensive smell of ozone assailed his nostrils. It was as if a small-scale lightning strike had struck him from point-blank range. The true form of that lightning was an intimidation attack made to keep Yahiro in check.
“Mama-neechan……!”
“Iroha-chan!”
The expressions of the baseball cap boy and the straw hat girl brightened as if they had been saved.
More lightning strikes rained down in front of the confused Yahiro and others.
Something like a hurricane ran past them and made the crops on the field sway.
Along with a wild roar that felt like distant howling, a giant Beast landed in front of Yahiro and the others.
It was a Beast with a ferocious appearance that seemed to be a mixture of a wolf, a fox, and a tiger.
Even excluding the tail, its overall length was around 7-8 meters. Its beautiful pure white fur was clad in electricity and was scattering bluish-white sparks.
Its combat ability as a Beast was definitely above Grade Ⅲ. Considering its agility and the power of the lightning, it was a Beast more dangerous than the Haka. Judging by its appearance and abilities, it was a lightning beast.
However, it was not the figure of that unfamiliar Beast which surprised Yahiro.
There was a figure of a person on the back of the pure white Beast. A human girl with long, flowing hair was riding on the back of the Beast as if clinging to it.
She was wearing stylish high-cut sneakers and a miniskirt. And the reddish-brown jersey she wore on top of it gave a perfect lived-in feel.
She was a young girl whose age wasn’t any different from Yahiro’s. She was a teenager that looked like a high school girl.
“Both of you go back home! Rinka, take care of Kyouta!”
While riding on the back of the Beast, the jersey-wearing girl shouted in Japanese.
The straw hat girl nodded in a fluster, pulled on the little boy’s hand and started running.
The pure white lightning beast made a low growl, and the tiger-striped Beast went after the children. Its movements were as if it was guarding both of them. Or rather, it was actually a loyal guard.
“O-Oi!”
Wait, said Yahiro as he unconsciously stretched his arms forward.
Right after that, lightning rained down at his feet.
The lightning beast the girl was riding glared at Yahiro with its golden eyes. It was obviously holding back, but still, it was a powerful attack that could have killed him if he had taken a single step wrong.
“Don’t move!”
The jersey-wearing girl shouted at Yahiro.
“Who are you guys? What do you want with my children?”
“I could ask the same. Who are you!? Are you human!?”
Yahiro shouted back, with his knife ready. A girl who could freely control ferocious Beasts as her own limbs. It was weird for Yahiro, who was a Lazarusimmortal, to say that, but she didn’t seem like a normal human.
The jersey-wearing girl narrowed her eyes as if being on guard and puffed out her cheeks.
“Haa? What am I if not human? Did I look like an angel to you?”
“……You’re quite brazen, huh…… Even though you’re wearing a red jersey……”
Rather than being surprised, Yahiro was more impressed at the girl who could compare herself with an angel without hesitation. He was strangely convinced since one should definitely have such a bold mentality to ride on the back of a Beast.
“S-Shut up! That thing doesn’t matter so just drop your weapons right now! If not, I’ll set Nuemaru and the others after you!”
With her cheeks bright red, the girl yelled as if to hide her embarrassment.
Josh and the others were watching that exchange in silence. The girl’s warning had no effect on them since they couldn’t understand Japanese.
“By Nuemaru, do you mean that Beast? Just what in the world──”
Is that? Yahiro’s reasonable question was interrupted by the sound of a gunshot.
Galerie’s operatorscombatants weren’t the ones that fired. The sound came from behind the jersey-wearing girl. It was from the direction where the baseball cap boy and the others ran towards.
“Don’t tell me, you had more companions!?”
Turning pale, the girl glared at Yahiro while straddling the Beast.
“Companions?”
Yahiro looked around, puzzled.
The operatorscombatants dispatched by Galerie into the 23 wards were all here.
If there were any other attackers, it would be none other than the squads of other private military companies that participated in the Kushinada capture mission. That meant there was a squad that reached this place by breaking through the Beast inhabited regions with a speed more than or equal to Galerie’s, that had used the waterways.
The jersey-wearing girl didn’t question Yahiro and the others any more, probably having decided that further conversation was pointless. Instead, she put her hands on the nape of the neck of the white Beast and silently called out as if praying.
“──Nuemaru!”
The Beast raised a short roar and turned its back towards Yahiro and the others without hesitation.
Yahiro just watched in a daze as the appearance of the Beast and the girl became more distant, scattering bluish-white sparks.
“Who……was that girl?”
Somehow recovering from his initial surprise, Yahiro approached the twins.
While everyone was restless after encountering the girl who could control Beasts, only Giulie and Rose’s expressions hardly changed. In fact, they seemed to be somewhat enjoying themselves.
“Kushinada. That girl was Kushinada.”
Giulie calmly answered while munching on a freshly-picked cucumber.
“Ha?”
Yahiro blinked, overcome with surprise. Kushinada. The mysterious individual that was confirmed to be in the 23 wards and was said to be leading a swarm of Beasts. It was supposed to be the target that the major military cooperation Raimat International was trying to capture, to the extent that they mobilized four different private military companies.
“We told you from the beginning. That there was a leader here that led the Beasts.”
Rose sighed in exasperation. She had a fed-up expression, like that of a famous detective looking at her failure assistant.
“Did you guys know it from the beginning!? That Kushinada was actually Japanese……!”
“We had considered that possibility. But the fact that she had dependents was beyond our expectations.”
Rose bluntly said with indifference.
Yahiro was taken aback by the word “dependents”. He remembered that the two children they encountered first had called the jersey-wearing girl Mama.
“My Lady, it’s RMS. They’ve begun combat with the Beasts on the north side. What should we do?”
Having received that information from a subordinate, Giulie turned to Rose for further instructions.
“Let’s observe the situation for the time being. It would be annoying if they took Kushinada away, but we cannot just attack RMS’s operatorscombatants since we are in an alliance.”
Rose said in a composed tone. After that, she activated the communication device on the collar of her uniform and said,
“Where’s the building the children escaped into?”
「──It has been identified. I’ll share the location data with you.」
The one to answer from the other side of the communication line was Wei, who had disappeared before anyone could notice.
Did he tail them in that situation, Yahiro was surprised. Not only that, it was possible that Rose let them escape on purpose to find their hideout.
“Wei Yang, continue to investigate the surroundings. It might be possible that there are other escape routes. Be careful to avoid battle with Beasts as much as possible.”
Giving a short “Roger” to Rose’s orders, Wei cut the communication.
“What do you plan on doing to those brats?”
Yahiro glared at Rose with a stern expression. Rose gave an indifferent reply without flinching.
“We will shelter them. That way, it’s possible that negotiations with Kushinada will go smoother.”
“So you plan on taking them as hostages.?”
“Well, that’s also a way to put it.”
Yahiro lost his words since Rose accepted so readily. Iroha──If the jersey-wearing girl called that could really control Beasts, then taking hostages would be a valid strategy.
That is, if he could bear the guilt of using those young children as bargaining chips.
“Or else, will Yahiro kill it? Kill the one called Nuemaru just like the monster turtle from earlier?”
“That’s……”
Yahiro unconsciously averted his eyes from Giulie, who asked in an innocent tone.
He had never hesitated in killing any Beasts till now. That was because if he didn’t, he would be killed instead──he only had that simple choice that allowed no room for hesitation.
However, neither the white Beast nor the tiger-striped one attacked humans on their own at all. Yahiro couldn’t give an answer to the question of whether he could kill those Beasts.
Looking at the troubled Yahiro with amusement, Rose lowered the rifle case she was carrying. Inside it was not a gun, but some long and narrow package which was wrapped in a waterproof cloth.
“If Kushinada’s objective is to protect the children, then she will definitely return. That’s why, Yahiro.”
“Yeah?”
“I’ll give you this. Your knife is no longer useful, right?”
Yahiro reflexively accepted the package wrapped in waterproof cloth which Rose offered him. It was much heavier than it looked. Looking at the tool which was inside the waterproof cloth, his eyes widened in surprise.
“Isn’t this the katana I retrieved?”
“『Kuyou Masakane』──It is the legendary katana forged from the blood of Mizuchi[9] by the swordsmith『Masakane』, who is said to have lived for nearly 800 years, from the early Heian period to the end of Sengoku period.”[10]
“800 years you say……that’s just a lie, isn’t it.”
“Yes, most likely. However, don’t you think it’s a katana fitting for you, a Lazarusimmortal?”
Rose pointed out with a blank expression.
Yahiro pursed his lips in silence. To tell the truth, it wasn’t his first time wielding a real sword. Procuring them was troublesome so that was why he used a knife, and the reach and sharpness of a Japanese katana were very attractive for him. It would definitely be an effective weapon for large Beasts like Nuemaru.
“I’m not gonna pay anything, you know.”
“Let’s call it an additional reward. After all, we’ll be having you persuade someone.”
“Persuade? That red-jersey girl?”
Yahiro asked back while scowling.
Their first impressions of each other were horrible, but in order to persuade her, Yahiro, who was also Japanese, would probably be the best person for the job. In the end, it would be best if they manage to come to a mutual understanding in Japanese.
“No. The ones you have to persuade are the children. Winning them over first is necessary.”
“Wasn’t my job just to be a guide?”
“I won’t stop you if you want to leave at this point.”
Rose gave him a straight look. Her gaze was as if she seemed to ask, Do you plan on abandoning those surviving Japanese children?
Yahiro let out a small sigh.
It felt unpleasant to move as Rose intended him to, but he couldn’t really call himself unrelated to all this. It was not just because they were Japanese too. The fact that he, who had the blood that could kill Beasts, met a girl who could control Beasts──He couldn’t help but feel that there was some kind of fate at work.
“……I just have to make those kids understand that we aren’t enemies, right?”
“Yes. Giulie could do it too, but you are a better fit for the job being a Japanese yourself.”
“Giulie?”
If anything, wouldn’t it be the little sisterRose’s job to win over the other party through words, thought Yahiro as he tilted his head. As if seeing through his doubts, Rose lowered her eyes and said,
“Because for some reason, children are scared of me.”
“I-Is that so?”
Yahiro looked at Rose with an awkward feeling, who was feeling depressed with her expression unchanged.
The building was built surprisingly magnificently on the edge of the crater, around 200 meters away from the cucumber field. It seemed to have been originally used as a large recreational facility.
In the aftermath of the disasters that occurred during the J-nocideGreat Massacre, around seventy percent of the building had collapsed. In spite of that, it looked spacious enough for children to use as their residence.
“Were people really living in a place like this……?”
Yahiro couldn’t hide his confusion, even after meeting up with Wei’s team who were surrounding the building.
However, there were laundry items like the sheet from before, farming tools, and even playground toys like a soccer ball──all of these household items were disorderly lying around the building, indicating the existence of the people living there.
“Yahiro! There’s a Beast! Three o’clock to your right!”
Josh’s voice resounded from behind Yahiro, who was standing still in shock.
“Fuck, not in a time like this……!”
While grinding his teeth in irritation, Yahiro switched the katana he was shouldering to his left hand.
The area around Tokyo Dome was a dangerous place with an extremely high rate of appearance of Beasts. There was no reason for them not to appear, even if it was Kushinada’s territory.
The newly appeared Beasts numbered three. They were of different varieties, but all of them were small Beasts of around Grade Ⅰ. They were of relatively common type, but Yahiro felt that there was something off about their behavior.
They seemed to be running away from something since they were charging straight without checking the number of their prey.
「Wait……Josh…… Those Beasts……」
Paora restrained Josh’s team over the transceiver as they held up their light machine guns.
Immediately after that, a pair of differing Beasts blocked the way of the three Beasts that were charging straight into them.
Yahiro and the others knew one of them. It was the tiger-striped one that was guarding the children at the farm.
「The Beasts are……killing each other……?」
“Don’t tell me, are they trying to protect that building──?”
Paora and Josh groaned at the same time.
The tiger-striped and the other Beast intercepted the three Beasts who were getting close to the children’s residence. Beasts killing each other wasn’t that rare, but nonetheless, it was a bizarre scene. Those two Beasts were protecting human children. They were coexisting with humans.
“Is this Kushinada’s power……?”
Yahiro felt a chill run down his spine. He had now experienced it first hand. Kushinada was a dangerous existence. If her power to control Beasts was misused, it would easily disrupt the military balance of the world.
On the other hand, Kushinada’s existence was also a hope. With her powers, humanity could coexist with Beasts, and it was possible to rebuild this country destroyed by them.
Although the two Beasts were outnumbered, the fight was progressing in their favor.
The other three Beasts that had attacked were already badly wounded, and were clearly being driven into a corner. It was a situation where a normal animal would have already accepted defeat and run away.
However, the Beasts that were panicking for some reason didn’t stop resisting.
That led to a situation that was unexpected for the tiger-striped and the other Beast.
One of the children who failed to notice the unusual situation, was late in running away, and was left behind outside the building.
She seemed to be a quiet girl wearing a middle school sailor uniform. One of the Beasts had noticed her presence.
Perhaps instinctively sensing that the girl’s presence was a weak point for the tiger-striped Beast, one of the three Beasts switched its attack towards her. It was a rodent-looking Grade Ⅰ Beast. The black squirrel with spikes all over its body leaped towards the girl.
“──Hiih!?”
The girl’s expression twisted in fear.
The eyes of the Beast shined fiercely as it caught the sight of its helpless prey.
Just then, countless lead bullets pierced the side of its face. Rose, who was holding an anti-Beast PDW, had shot the entire magazine of 30 bullets into the Beast, disregarding the distance of almost 100 meters.
The jet-black Beast staggered but quickly composed itself. The PDW’s firepower far surpassed that of a handgun, but it had close to no lethality against Beasts.
However, it was effective in buying a few seconds of time.
And that was enough for Yahiro to get close to the Beast.
“Get down!”
Yahiro unsheathed the katana after warning the girl. With its deep curve and a long blade length, Kuyou Masakane shouldn’t be an easy weapon to handle, but for some reason, it felt comfortable in Yahiro’s hands.
After cutting his own palm and covering the blade in blood, Yahiro slashed at the jet black Beast.
It had a dramatic effect. Scattering jet black miasma, the Beast was annihilated with the force like that of an explosion.
“Are you okay? You weren’t hurt, right?”
Without changing his posture, Yahiro just looked at the girl and asked.
Even while being confused by the question from a stranger, the girl nodded slightly, saying she was alright. It seemed that the girl had decided Yahiro was an ally, probably because he spoke in Japanese.
In the meantime, the other fight too came to an end.
The remaining two attacking Beasts disappeared after receiving fatal attacks. The tiger-striped and the other Beast who had won looked warily at Yahiro, but it didn’t seem like they would attack immediately, probably because the girl in the sailor uniform was by his side.
With this, we can somehow talk things out, thought Yahiro as he was finally relieved.
It was right after that that a lightning strike burst in front of him.
“Ayaho!”
A Beast clad in bluish-white sparks charged towards him, scattering the rubble on the road. The jersey-wearing girl called Iroha was riding on its back.
The Beast came to a stop in front of Yahiro and the others, raising a cloud of dust. Iroha jumped down from its back without caring for her skirt being flipped.
“Get away from my child──you suspicious person.”
With her hair disheveled, Iroha intervened in front of Yahiro and pulled the girl in the sailor uniform away. Yahiro was slightly overwhelmed by her threatening attitude and said,
“──Wait, who are you calling a suspicious person!?”
“How can a guy chasing a girl around with a Japanese katana be anything other than a suspicious person!?”
Iroha shouted while spreading her arms as if to protect the girl behind her.
Yahiro couldn’t say anything back. His sense had been numbed due to the J-nocideGreat Massacre but now that he thinks about it, she was right.
“That’s wrong, Iroha-chan. This person, he saved me from stray Beasts……!”
Perhaps unable to watch this go any longer, the girl in the sailor uniform explained to Iroha.
Iroha looked at the girl and Yahiro in surprise and said,
“……Saved you? Do you mean this suspicious person? Really?”
“Like I said I’m not a suspicious person, school jersey.”
“Shut up! It’s not like I’m wearing this jersey because I li──”
Perhaps she was conscious about how lame her outfit looked since she rebutted with her cheeks red, but then she abruptly cut her words short. Her eyes were wide open as if she was surprised, and she fixedly stared at Yahiro.
“School jersey……wait, you, by any chance are you Japanese?”[11]
“Yeah.”
So you noticed it just now, thought Yahiro as he nodded in amazement.
Iroha closed in on Yahiro, her eyes shining in surprise and delight.
“Really!? Where and what were you doing all this time!? Are there other Japanese survivors too!?”
“……They are probably out there somewhere, but I don’t know about it.”
While feeling a little uncomfortable at Iroha’s reaction, Yahiro bluntly shook his head.
“More importantly, who are you guys? Don’t tell me you guys were living here all this time after the J-nocideGreat Massacre? And why do the Beasts protect you all?”
Being asked rapid questions in succession by Yahiro, this time it was Iroha’s turn to feel awkward. She seemed to be wavering about whether to reveal the existence of the power to control Beasts.
“……Well, that’s……”
After hesitating for some time, she seemed to have resolved herself and opened her mouth.
However, her next words were drowned out by a sudden thunderous roar.
A heavy impact shook the ground as if it was struck by a huge boulder. The walls of the building got smashed into pieces, and Yahiro and the others fell down due to the shockwave.
The two Beasts slowly crumbled down, scattering jet-black miasma and pieces of flesh.
That was the final moment of the tiger-striped and the other Beast, who had shielded Iroha from the tank shells flying at them.
“──TABBY! CALICO!”
While their ears were numb by the thunderous roar of the explosion, Iroha screamed in sorrow.
Those were probably the names of those two Beasts. Seeing how she had named them, it was clear how her relationship was with those two. They were the same as a family to her.
“Yahiro, it’s RMS’s wheeled tank.”
Wei and the operatorscombatants of his team rushed over to Yahiro and the others. He was speaking in awkward Japanese probably to keep Iroha and the other girl at ease.
The figure of a rugged wheeled tank could be seen on the high ground along the gentle slope. It was around a kilometer away, but since the surrounding buildings were destroyed during the J-nocideGreat Massacre, there was nothing to obstruct the line of fire. If the bombardment continued, every human in the vicinity would definitely be annihilated.
However, the bombardment Yahiro and the others feared didn’t come.
Instead, human operatorscombatants approached them from three directions, numbering around 50. That meant it was a big military strength which was around four times that of Galerie Berith’s.
“Why!? Why would you do such a horrible thing!?”
Iroha drew closer to Yahiro, scattering large teardrops.
“Calm down! Those guys aren’t our comrades!”
Yahiro declared in a strong tone.
Accurately speaking, RMS was a partner company participating in the same mission as Galerie Berith, but Yahiro never considered them as an ally. He also had the grudge of being shot three times on their first meeting.
“Besides, normally, humans and Beasts are enemies. It’s also possible that instead of attacking, they were trying to protect you!”
“Such self-centered logic……!”
Iroha’s voice trembled.
Yahiro knew that what he said wasn’t the truth. However, it seemed that Iroha was already aware of the fact that their coexisting with Beasts was heresy. She immediately went silent, unable to refute his words.
“Mama Onee-chan!”
“Iroha-chan! Ayaho-chan!”
Children rushed out from the building which was shot at by the cannon of the tank. They numbered 6 in total. The two children they met at the farm were also among them. All of them were very young, around the age of an elementary schooler.
“Ren! Kiri! Honoka and Runa too, are you all okay!? You weren’t hurt, were you!?”
Iroha embraced the children all at once. They were scared, but at the same time, their absolute trust in Iroha could be felt.
In order to not betray that trust, Iroha raised her face with a firm expression.
“Nuemaru, please!”
Nodding at Iroha’s call, the pure white thunder beast stepped forward to protect them. And then, it howled in a beautiful voice.
As if responding to that howl, Beasts appeared one by one from the surrounding ruins.
There were 8 new Beasts in total. All of them were of different types. However, they were like a swarm led by a single intention and attacked the RMS troops in unison.
It was Kushinada’s power to lead the Beasts. Enthralled by Iroha, they moved to protect the girl on their own.
The reason why Iroha and the children survived right in the center of the 23 wards all this time was that the Beasts were protecting them.
“I see……It’s just like Ro-chan said. This is amazing, Kushinada-chan.”
Giulie, who was standing next to Yahiro before anyone noticed, called out to Iroha in Japanese with her eyes shining.
Iroha narrowed her eyes in confusion. It seemed like for the time being, she had decided that Giulie was also not an enemy, probably because she wore the same uniform as Yahiro.
“Kushinada……? By that, you mean me?”
“Sorry about that. We didn’t know your real name, so we took the liberty of calling you that. Or would you prefer if I called you Mama instead?”
“I don’t remember becoming your Mama.”
Iroha expressed her disapproval as a matter of course. Even leaving out the fact that this was their first time meeting, she was probably displeased about being treated as a mother by Giulie, who was around the same age as her.
However, for some reason, Giulie lowered her head in disappointment and said,
“Is that so……It’s no good huh……But if you’re controlling the Beasts, I think it’s better to tell them to kill the enemies properly. Since those guys aren’t the people to run back home if you threaten them a little.”
“Killing……them, such a thing……”
“You have to do that if you don’t want to be killed instead──”
Giulie smiled at the hesitating Iroha, seeming lonely.
It was right after that that something unusual happened to the RMS troops who were battling with the Beasts.
The incessant sound of gunfire suddenly stopped. The operatorscombatants threw their guns away and challenged the Beasts in front of them empty-handed.
Of course, it was impossible for a flesh and blood human to rival a Beast’s physical ability. They were immediately counterattacked and easily blown away.
They didn’t die since the Beasts were holding back. However, as expected they didn’t come out unscathed. They were just alive and were clearly seriously injured beyond combat.
In spite of that, they didn’t stop fighting. They stood up again and again like ghosts, their entire body covered in fresh blood, and repeatedly challenged the Beasts.
And then those operatorscombatants gradually started transforming. Their skeletons distorted, and muscles started swelling. Their entire body got covered in scales and spike-like protuberances.
Their figure could no longer be called human. They were like reptiles standing straight──Lizardmen.
“Those guys……Just like that time……!”
Yahiro groaned at the transformation of the operatorscombatants. Now turned into lizardmen, their appearance looked very similar to the operatorcombatant of an unknown affiliation that fought with the twins on the night 3 days ago.
However, compared to the man from that night, their monsterification level had clearly gone up. The RMS operators almost stopped retaining their human figures, and their combat strength also increased in proportion.
One of the Beasts that Iroha had called couldn’t bear the fierce attacks by the lizardmen and perished.
Once the balance was broken, the rest happened in an instant. The lizardmen that had superior numbers, ignored their defenses and repeated reckless attacks. The accumulated damage caused the Beasts to fall one by one.
Iroha’s face paled and she stared at that scene in a daze.
It was exactly as Giulie predicted. Due to what Iroha had ordered Nuemaru to do, and since they held back in order to not kill the humans, the Beasts that were protecting Iroha and the children were annihilated. That fact devastated her.
All of the 8 Beasts were annihilated, and there was no one left to stop RMS’s invasion anymore.
The operatorscombatants-turned-lizardmen approached the high ground where Yahiro and the others were standing with ease as if to display their inhuman leg strength.
The one leading those troops was the wheeled tank that had bombarded them in the beginning. Inside the tank was the figure of the commanding officer Firman La Hire.
“So those are……the Fafnir soldiers? I see. I was wondering how they managed to reach the center of the 23 wards, but it seems like Raimat had put 『Mod 2』 into practical usage.”
Rose muttered to herself.
Fafnir soldiers──that seemed to be the official name of those lizardmen. Fafnir was the name of a dragon that appeared in Norse mythology. However, it wasn’t born as a dragon but was originally a human. To protect the cursed gold he had acquired, Fafnir abandoned his human form and became a dragon. It would be an appropriate name for the monsterified RMS operatorscombatants who were hired for money.
“This is Firman La Hire. Members of Galerie Berith, I thank you for your efforts in capturing Kushinada.”
From the wheeled tank which had come to a stop, Firman called out to Rose and the others.
All of Galerie’s operatorscombatants had gathered around Iroha and the children. From an outside perspective, it would certainly look like they had encircled Iroha, even if that was not the case.
“We RMS will take care of escorting Kushinada. So I ask you to hand her over to us.”
Firman’s tone was polite, but it was one-sided, allowing no room for arguments.
In the meantime, the formation of Fafnir soldiers was slowly closing the distance. With their strengthened muscles, they could attack Yahiro and the others in an instant.
“What do you mean, Major Firman? Doesn’t Kushinada’s ownership belong to us, who secured her first?”
Rose calmly pointed out.
RMS was their sponsor Raimat International’s subsidiary, but according to the contract, they were just one of the partner companies participating in the Kushinada capture mission. So RMS and Galerie were on equal footing.
And Firman didn’t argue back either. He nodded as if agreeing with Rose’s words, and declared with a cruel smile.
“That’s correct. However, if you people disappear, then that right would automatically belong to us──”
“──Josh!”
“On it!”
Josh fired at the same time Firman swung his raised arm downwards.
Multiple grenades relentlessly rained down the formation of RMS, and the Fafnir soldiers were blown away.
At the same time, Wei and Paora’s team also started counter-attacking. They mowed down the RMS operators that escaped the grenades with light machine guns.
However, the Fafnir soldiers didn’t fall even though they were hit by the high power anti-Beast bullets. The drug they were using was an improved version called Mod 2. The stamina and recovering power of their transformed physical body were far more than when Yahiro had fought the man.
“Tsk……!”
Galerie won’t stand a chance at this rate──having decided that, Yahiro dashed towards Firman who was standing in the front. He kicked down the still-human operatorscombatants that were guarding him and put his drawn sword at Firman’s throat.
“Don’t move, Firman La Hire.”
Yahiro warned him in a sharp tone.
Firman looked at Yahiro somewhat amusingly. Both of them knew what he was capable of with his quick draw, but Firman didn’t try to reach out for his gun.
“What are you planning, Japanese boy?”
“Tell your subordinates to fall back. You’re not at the age to be obsessed with such a young girl, Ossan[12].”
Yahiro intentionally used a provoking tone. He thought that robbing Firman of his leeway was necessary in order to negotiate.
However, Firman didn’t change his expression, and just showed a hint of disdain in his eyes.
“Weren’t you only supposed to be a guide hired by Galerie Berith?”
“I already took care of that request. But I still haven’t gotten the rewards yet, you see.”
“I see……then, I won’t have to pay for any compensation if I kill you, right?”
Ku Ku, Firman chuckled. He kept both his hands outstretched at shoulder length as to show his unresistance.
However, in the next instant, a shock assailed Yahiro’s abdomen. Something like a sharp lance pierced his torso and went all the way through his back.
“What happened……What did……!?”
Yahiro groaned as he spat out blood.
The thing that was piercing Yahiro’s torso was the tail of a creature covered in steel blue scales. The huge tail growing out of Firman’s back became a brutal thrusting weapon and attacked Yahiro.
“Fafnir Medicine 『Mod 3』──It was unfortunate, boy. I was the one with the perfect dragonman body.”
As he laughed, Firman’s body transformed into that of a Fafnir soldier.
Firman, who called himself the perfect body, was able to change forms at will without having to use the drug. However, by the time Yahiro realized that, Firman had already completed his transformation. His throat, which was now covered in strong scales, was easily able to repel Kuyou Masakane’s blade.
“Gu……h……–”
Once the tail piercing him was pulled out, Yahiro staggered back.
Staring at him with satisfaction, Firman readied the claws of his right hand.
“Oh right. That uniform had body armor built into it. In that case, I’ll make sure to finish you off this time──”
“───!? Don’t do that! STOP──!”
Realizing Firman’s intentions, Iroha screamed.
However, the dragonified RMS commanding officer casually swung his right hand and slit Yahiro’s throat. Yahiro fell on his back, wetting his entire body with the fresh blood that gushed out.
“UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA──!”
Iroha broke down in tears, holding her head.
Yahiro looked at her with his blurring vision.
How strange, he wondered.
He didn’t understand why she cried for Yahiro whom she had just met. And then Yahiro finally remembered. That the girl’s reaction had been more normal before the J-nocideGreat Massacre occurred.
It wasn’t her who was wrong. It was this world that had changed.
In response to Iroha’s reaction, the pure white lightning beast wildly howled.
Strong lightning, incomparable to before, was scattered and more than a dozen Fafnir soldiers in the vicinity were turned into charcoal. The raging lightning didn’t stop and blew the wheeled tank apart, causing the shells inside it to explode.
“I see. So this is Kushinada’s power huh……”
Firman muttered as if impressed. But there was still leeway in his voice.
“However, there’s no longer any need to be afraid──”
Canceling his dragonified state, Firman pulled out his handgun and shot the lightning beast.
Naturally, that kind of an attack wouldn’t work on Beasts. Turning back into a human in front of the rampaging lightning beast was nothing but a suicidal act. Getting shot multiple times in the face, the lightning beast shook his head in irritation.
It was unknown whether the lightning beast understood that that was just a provocation to separate it from Iroha──
“NUEMARU──!?”
Half the body of the pure white Beast that leaped to attack Firman was blown away as if exploding.
A moment later, a thunderous roar resounded. It was the bombardment from a wheeled tank standing by in a place more than a kilometer away. The tank shells had flown in supersonic speed and accurately hit the lighting beast.
No matter how tough the prided body of a Beast was, there was no way it could handle a direct hit from a tank cannon. The huge Beast that had lost around seventy percent of its body, fell on the ground scattering miasma.
“This is a lie! Nuemaru, hang in there! NUEMARU!”
Iroha cried out while clinging to the remains of the lightning beast. A few Fafnir soldiers captured her while she was in that state. Although she possessed the power to control Beasts, she herself was a helpless girl. Unable to resist, she was pulled away from the lightning beast and was being taken to Firman’s side.
“This is bad. Princess! My Lady! We can’t hold them back anymore!”
“We’re running……out of ammo……”
Both Josh and Paora shouted. Galerie’s operatorscombatants had gathered the children Iroha had raised in one place and were protecting them. That was what the twins had instructed them to do.
However, now that their last ray of hope, the lightning beast, had perished, they were reaching their limits. Even if their opponents were unarmed, those Fafnir soldiers had an unusual amount of stamina and the ammunition required to defeat them was many times more than usual. That ammunition was about to run out.
“Don’t worry. it’s coming──!”
Giulie muttered in a tone filled with confidence.
At the same time, the world went dark and a low, thunderous roar shook the air.
The sky was covered with all types of flying Beasts, including the wyvern type, the griffin type, and even the insect type. It was Kushinada’s authority to control Beasts. All the Beasts of the 23 wards were gathering in response to Iroha’s laments.
“We’re retreating, Giulie!”
“Roger that. Ninja──!”
Right after Rose’s command, Giulie scattered silver cans in the surroundings. A strong-smelling tear gas spewed out of them.
That smell strongly affected the Beasts and the drug-enhanced Fafnir soldiers. While the Fafnir soldiers were deprived of their vision and fell into a slight panic, Galerie’s operatorscombatants began to flee.
“Impossible……You mean she managed to call this many Beasts together……!? But how!?”
On the other hand, Firman couldn’t hide his turmoil at the number of Beasts that were gathering.
Not only the flying Beasts, but even the ground-type Beasts were also appearing one by one from all over the ruined city and were approaching Firman and the others. Unlike the white lightning beast, these weren’t under Iroha’s complete control but seemed to be just following their instinctive impulses. Most probably Iroha’s ability was running out of control and was endlessly attracting Beasts.
No matter how strong the Fafnir soldiers were, they couldn’t avoid getting annihilated against such a large number of Beasts.
Firman had already decided to abandon his subordinates. He was confident that with the help of Mod 3perfect body, he could break through the Beast’s encirclement by himself. The only remaining problem was whether he could take on the risk of retrieving Kushinada while being chased by the Beasts.
He turned his gaze towards Iroha to make that decision, and at that moment, he was shocked.
The Fafnir soldiers who had captured Iroha had collapsed, spewing fresh blood.
Instead, the one holding Iroha was the Japanese that should have perished──Yahiro. The wound on his abdomen where Firman should have pierced him had recovered, and his slashed throat had completely healed.
The only sign of his injuries was the blood covering his body.
“Impossible……!”
Firman fired his gun. It was an almost automatic quick draw──however, Yahiro stopped the bullet which was fired from a distance of a few meters with his left arm. The bullet didn’t pierce his arm and was repelled while scattering sparks. A deep crimson armor covering his arm defended him from Firman’s attack.
“Impossible……that arm……you bastard, how can you use the power of 『Sigurddragon slayer』……!?”
Throwing away his handgun, Firman raised the claws of his right hand, which had transformed into a dragon’s.
“Ha? As if I’d know!”
Yahiro brandished the katana he was holding. A high-pitched sound of metals clashing resounded. Firman’s dragonified body had already repelled Yahiro’s blade once. However, it was Firman’s arm, which was covered in silver scales, that shattered, spraying fresh blood.
“GAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaa──!”
Firman let out a monstrous scream.
Yahiro ignored him and kicked the ground. The newly approaching swarm of Beasts were attacking everything in their sight, be it an enemy or an ally. Galerie’s operators had already retreated, taking the children with them. There was no reason to stay in this place any longer.
“We’re running, Iroha!”
Yahiro said to the girl he was holding under his arms like baggage.
“No……stop! Nuemaru……! Please don’t leave him behind!”
Iroha fiercely shook her head while sobbing like a child. She stretched her hands towards the corpse of the lightning beast lying on the ground.
Forcibly restraining the struggling Iroha, Yahiro ran as fast as he could.
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
Under the skies covered with Beasts, the screams of the girl called Kushinada continued to echo.
[1] In military terminology, a soft-skinned vehicle is any vehicle that is not armored, such as a truck, motorcycle, Jeep or car. A gun truck is an improvised fighting vehicle used by units of regular armies or other official government armed forces.
[2] Hime-san and Ojou respectively.
[3] Quick draw is the ability to quickly draw a handgun and accurately fire it upon a target in the process.
[4] The kanji for Haka was 覇下, or in English Baxia/Bixi
[5] This place
[6] This place
[7] Edamame are young soybeans harvested before they ripen or harden.
[8] This beautiful place
[9] The Mizuchi is a type of Japanese dragon or legendary serpent-like creature, either found in an aquatic habitat or otherwise connected to water.
[10] The Heian period is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The Sengoku period is a period in Japanese history of near-constant civil war, social upheaval, and intrigue from 1467 to 1615.
[11] Each time Yahiro mentioned ‘School Jersey’ he said ‘芋ジャージ’ (lit. potato jersey), which is basically used for monochromatic school tracksuits that have white stripes on them. Something like this.
[12] Ossan = rude term for middle-aged man (something like old man, pops, etc.)
Chapter 4: Volume 1 - CH 2
「──Waooon! Good Morning, Iroha Waon here.」
「Thanks for coming again to see me today. The weather in Tokyo at this hour is clear. It’s hot since the morning again today.」
「So today, believe it or not, it’s Waon’s 17th birthday! Yaaay clap clap clap! Congratulations, me! Good going, me! And that’s why I’ll be baking a cake today! Although I said that, they are just gonna be simple cupcakes made from a pancake mix……!」
†
The meeting place of all the squads participating in the Kushinada capture mission was the Arakawa riverside area near the site of the Kawaguchi Station.
The plan was to cross the Shin-Arakawa Bridge, which escaped the J-nocideGreat Massacre, and infiltrate the 23 wards from the former Kita ward, and then reach the destination using the National Route 122 through the Hakusan-dori street.
Under the guise of art dealers, it seemed like Galerie Berith’s true form was closer to that of an arms dealer. Calling themselves Galerie was simply a way for them to conveniently transport weapons or receive money across national borders.
And under the pretext of guarding the artworks, they possessed an independent private military company. By the time Yahiro met up with them, several armored personnel carriers and soft-skinned gun trucks[1] had already gathered at the site, creating a dangerous atmosphere.
In the midst of all that, a somewhat out-of-place beautiful girl saw Yahiro and waved both her hands while jumping up and down. She was small-statured with orange highlights in her hair.
“Aah, he came. Yahirooo, Over hereee!”
Giulietta Berith’s loud voice caused the surrounding gazes to fall on Yahiro in unison.
He reluctantly approached her while making a sour face.
Surrounding Giulie were the operatorscombatants belonging to Galerie.
They weren’t technically soldiers, so perhaps calling them contractors would be accurate. Since members of the private military companies weren’t allowed to wear camouflage military uniforms, they were wearing a distinctive uniform that resembled a mountain parka.
It was an unnecessarily stylish uniform, with a white and yellow theme.
The fabric made with special materials was refreshing even during midsummer and had high waterproofing and breathable properties.
On top of that, it had a bulletproof function to protect the wearer, and a built-in power assist function to support the weight that increased. A single set of it would probably cost around several thousand dollars.
It was a flashy, expensive, high-performance uniform that annoyed Yahiro.
And the most irritating part was that Yahiro himself was wearing the same uniform.
Getting out of the military transport vehicle, Rose said to the scowling Yahiro.
She too was wearing the same uniform as Yahiro and the others. However, it had been greatly modified. The bottom part was a mini-skirt with a slit, while the shoulders and waist were boldly exposed.
In addition to Giulie who was good at hand-to-hand combat, it may be that she prioritized ease of movement rather than bulletproofing capability. Or perhaps she simply didn’t like the heat.
“I think the size is ok, but can you do something about the weight?”
Yahiro complained while putting his hands on the chest part of the uniform.
Although the bulletproof plate inside the chest part was made from the latest materials that made it lighter, it still had a weight that would impede the body’s movements.
“It has power assist, so you shouldn’t feel the weight once it’s activated.”
“That won’t change the fact that I’ll have to carry all this unnecessary burden.”
For a Lazarusimmortal like Yahiro, the damage a gun dealt was not a threat. In the first place, a bulletproof plate would amount to nothing with Beasts as opponents, so clearly it was a heavy and meaningless piece of equipment that would just get in the way.
“There won’t be any problem if you take that off after entering the 23 wards. But till then, I think it’s better that you keep on wearing it. Since you are more famous than you think.”
Rose said in an unclear tone.
What do you mean by that, frowned Yahiro. However before he could ask that, someone strongly pulled on his arms.
“Yahiro Yahiro, I’ll give you this.”
While clinging to Yahiro in an overly-familiar manner, Giulie pushed a sealed envelope towards Yahiro. Its thickness was around that of a chocolate bar, and it was wrapped in a wrapping paper of a high-class western confectionery store.
“What…is this?”
“Sweets. Eat them when you get hungry, ok.”
“It’d be nice if I get the leeway to do that.”
It wasn’t big enough to get in his way, and he didn’t have any reason to reject it, so Yahiro gratefully accepted the packet of sweets, and casually threw it into the pocket of his leg bag.
But at the same time, he hadn’t neglected to keep an eye on his surroundings.
However, he also didn’t think that the operators of Galerie would easily accept an unknown guide the girls brought with them. Yahiro didn’t live in a peaceful world where such a scenario was possible.
Ideally, things ending with a little bit of harassment would be good, but in the worst case, he couldn’t rule out the possibility of bullets flying towards him without any warning. There was no such thing as being too careful.
“──Yo, Japanese. So you are the guide the princess and the young lady[2] brought along?”
Glancing rudely at Yahiro, one of the operatorscombatants asked in casual English. He was a young Caucasian man with his blonde hair standing up like a rooster’s comb.
And then he suddenly stuck his right hand out, demanding a handshake. His expression turned friendly as he grinned like a mischievous boy.
“I’m Josh. Josh Keegan. And, the big one over there is Paora Resente.”
“……I’m not, big……It’s just that Josh’s legs are short……”
A brown-skinned female operatorcombatant said as if whispering.
“I ain’t short”, replied Josh, getting worked up. He was relatively short for a Caucasian, and when compared to Paora who had a tall figure like a model, there was a clear difference in height.
“You must be Yahiro, right? I’m Wei Yang. We three are the squad leaders of the special force that’s going to infiltrate the 23 wards. Looking forward to working with you.”
The last one to request a handshake was an Asian man with handsome looks.
Although he seemed to be older than Josh and Paora, he probably didn’t even reach his thirties.
The other operatorscombatants too looked to be around the same ages. The members of this squad were all younger than Yahiro imagined.
“……I’ll do what I was requested to do. Don’t expect anything more than that.”
Yahiro awkwardly returned the greeting. He felt a little uncomfortable at the smiling faces of Wei and the others, who showed no malice.
Along with the beginning of the J-nocide, the Japanese became a target of extermination and hatred, and when the J-nocide concluded, that changed into contempt and ridicule. Although they made good use of him as a retriever, there wasn’t anyone who looked at Yahiro as an equal human being.
That’s why Yahiro didn’t know how to deal with the sudden friendly attitude. He now understood that Giulie, who was whimsical and didn’t listen to others, and Rose, who didn’t break her position as his employer, were easy to handle.
“Is that so? Yahiro. But I have something important to tell you before the mission.”
Josh’s expression suddenly turned sharp, and he led Yahiro to Rose and the other’s blind spot.
However, Josh’s next words were something unexpected for Yahiro.
“Listen here, Yahiro. Don’t you fall for the princess.”
“……Ha? By princess……you mean Giulie?”
“Yeah. It’s fine even if you fall for her, but no matter what happens, don’t lay your hands on her. Absolutely not.”
“Haa……”
It was so unexpected that, for an instance, Yahiro didn’t understand what Josh had said.
The princess was Giulie while the young lady was Rose. Apparently, that was how they were classified according to Josh’s standards. It wasn’t as if Yahiro didn’t understand where that came from. But he had no idea about the true intention behind that warning.
“That’s because all the operatorscombatants of Galerie are fans of Giulie. I want you to know that you’ll turn all of them into your enemies if you ever behave rudely towards her. You can’t complain if someone attacks you from behind.”
“It’s alright……because, only Rose will go……that far.”
Wei and Paora supplemented with a very serious face. What the hell is that?, Yahiro became speechless. He thought it was going to be an important talk, but the absurdness of it made him dizzy. It’s not even an idol’s fan club, so how can the operatorscombatants of the private military company choose their workplace for such a stupid reason? To make matters worse, what’s with Rose taking the lead for such tyranny? He already had a slight feeling, but her love towards her elder twin was too heavy.
There must have been a lot of incidents in the past for the people from the squad leader class themselves to give such a serious warning. Will this organization be alright?──thought Yahiro, feeling seriously anxious.
The contents of the pre-mission briefing were surprisingly simple.
Reaching Kushinada’s territory before any other private military company, and securing the target. That was all. Nothing more than that. Anyhow, there was no point in thinking about the smaller details because once they enter the 23 wards, they would have no choice but to move according to the Beast’s movements.
“Galerie has prepared 2 squads with 24 members for Kushinada’s capture. Only one of them will be dispatched to the 23 wards, while the other would be on standby as logistical support.”
Rose was explaining in an indifferent manner under a tarp set up in the riverside area.
“12 people, huh……that’s a lot.”
Yahiro muttered while frowning.
The more people they have with them, the greater the risk of being detected by the Beasts. As expected, it would be too conspicuous for an elite force of operatorscombatants to reach the city center without being seen by the Beasts.
“Including the two of us and Yahiro, it makes 15 people.”
Rose politely corrected Yahiro’s words.
Yahiro stared at the twins in surprise. Looking at such a Yahiro, for some reason, Giulie made a peace sign with both her hands. I wasn’t especially charmed by you, scowled Yahiro, and said,
“So you two will also participate in the mission?”
“Of course. A guardian should properly watch over their child’s first errand from the shadows. This is the same as that.”
“That’s a completely different thing! Since when did you become my guardian!?”
“……That attitude towards your guardian……Is this your rebellious phase?”
“There there. Good boy. Your guardian is here~”
Rose tilted her head with a serious face, while Giulie patted Yahiro’s head.
At their attitude which couldn’t convey whether they were joking or being serious, Yahiro gave up resisting further. There were more important things he needed to confirm.
“So, what are the characteristics of that so-called Kushinada? You do know where it lives, but how can we distinguish it from other Beasts?”
“You’ll be able to tell as soon as you encounter it.”
“How can you be so sure about that?”
Yahiro stared at Rose with a doubtful look.
However, without answering that question, Rose moved her gaze to Yahiro’s rear.
A large wheeled armored personnel carrier was coming down to the riverside area where the troops were gathering.
It was a Communication and Command Vehicle equipped with a large communication-use antenna on its back. The markings on the sides were from a private military company different from Galerie.
After the vehicle stopped, armed operatorscombatants descended from its back. The uniforms they wore had a splendor reminiscent of medieval knights, probably to differentiate from regular military uniforms.
A man wearing an even more flashy uniform, walked towards Yahiro and the others with an air of composure, accompanied by several operatorscombatants. He was a tall, handsome young man, probably in his late twenties, who looked like he had just stepped out of a painting.
The young man said in a polite, but mocking tone. He had a snobbish accent, unique to the upper class.
“Who the hell are you……?”
The first one to react to the man’s words was Josh. He glared at the owner of the voice, without trying to hide his straightforward anger.
“Wait, Josh. That’s Firman La Hire. He’s the commander-in-chief of RMS.
Wei restrained Josh in a hurry, who was ready to strike at the man even now.
Yahiro frowned without saying anything. Even he, who was estranged from the state of affairs of the world, had heard about RMS.
RaimatR MilitaryM SecurikaS──it was the private military company owned by the world’s leading arms maker, Raimat International.
They had entered Japan in the early days of the J-nocideGreat Massacre, and even now, they were responsible for the transport of goods and maintaining public order in many cities. They could be called one of the enterprises that benefited the most from the J-nocideGreat Massacre.
Yahiro had heard that the one to plan this Kushinada capture mission was Raimat International. If that was the case, then the participation of RMS, which was its subsidiary, was a matter of course.
“──Major. Galerie Berith is a valuable cooperative enterprise that responded to our call. Be careful not to make any careless mistakes.”
“I’m sorry. Count.”
The blonde young man who straightened himself, took a step backward to make way.
As if changing places with him, a white-haired man wearing a suit showed himself.
It was hard to tell since his posture was straight, but the man’s age had probably crossed seventy. He had a gentle smile on his face, but the sharp glint in his eyes wasn’t hidden. That man has an unpleasant air about him, thought Yahiro. Not directly getting his hands dirty, but signing a document to get hundreds of millions of people killed──he was that type of human being.
“……Count?”
“He’s the CEO of Raimat International, Hector Raimat.”
Rose responded sincerely to Yahiro’s unconscious mutter.
The man called the Count turned towards Rose and the others and bowed in a lively manner.
“Ciao, Señorita Berith. Allow me to express my gratitude again for cooperating in this joint operation.”
Instead of Giulieolder sister, who was silent with a fake smile on, it was Roselittle sister who answered politely.
“Likewise. It’s my honor to be able to employ the renowned Berith family.”
The Count nodded generously.
It was shortly after that that a low, ground-shaking engine sound resounded.
Over the heads of Yahiro and the others who were gathered in the riverside area──a group of ArmoredA FightingF VehiclesV crossed the Shin-Arakawa Bridge, which spanned into the 23 wards.
The military personnel transport vehicles and the wheeled armored vehicles in total numbered more than twenty. It was a large military strength on the scale of a company.
“What are those?”
“Those are the armored corps from Ranga Patna.”
The Count answered Rose’s question. It probably wasn’t Yahiro’s imagination that his voice had a condescending ring to it.
“They were boasting that they had a dozen of those infantry fighting vehicles, but they are actually idiots. Even though the engine sound those armored vehicles make would just be a sign to attract the Beasts──”
“You allowed them to come knowing that?”
Yahiro muttered in a reproachful tone.
For some reason, the Count turned a gaze of deep interest towards Yahiro. He had a surprised look as if to say Yahiro caring about the lives of others was unexpected.
“If they attract the Beasts towards themselves like that, we will be able to reach our destination safely. That’s why this is a joint operation. It’s what you call having the right person in the right place.”
Yahiro frowned in silence at Rose’s emotionless explanation. He finally understood the reason why Raimat, which had an abundant military strength, proposed a joint operation.
The Count was planning to use the military strength of their cooperative enterprises as bait from the start to destroy them. That’s why Galerie was planning to steal a march on them after understanding that. It was a battle of wits. They were amusing themselves in a vicious game that used the lives of people like chips.
“As expected of Señorita Berith. You really understand what’s going on.”
The Count nodded in satisfaction. Even after his plan was seen through by Rose and the others, he still had the leeway to smile calmly.
“I’ll have to give it to Galerie Berith for that matter, who organized a special force of a select few. I’ve heard that you have also hired an excellent guide.”
He was aware of Yahiro’s background from the beginning. Rather, at this point, Yahiro had a hunch that the reason why he came all the way here was to meet him. However, he had no idea as to why the Count would have an interest in him.
While staring at the perplexed Yahiro as if appraising him, the Count asked his subordinate a question.
“There was a rumor that a cursed Japanese survivor was among the retrievers that frequent the 23 wards, but──don’t you have the feeling of testing that out once right, Major?”
“I agree, Count.”
Firman casually raised his right hand, in which he was holding a handgun. It was an antique automatic pistol that had a tasteless engraving.
“Excuse me, boy.”
“───!?”
Feeling a tremendous impact on his chest, Yahiro got blown away to the back. A moment later, he recognized the sound of a gunshot. Yahiro realized that he was shot by Firman.
“Yahiro!?”
“La Hire! You!”
Paora and Josh moved simultaneously.
Paora pulled out her own handgun and kept the RMS operatorscombatants in check. Utilizing that gap, Josh furiously threw a punch at Firman.
While raising both his hands to appeal his non-resistance, Firman easily dodged Josh’s attack. He silently looked at Yahiro who was still collapsed and released a breath of disappointment.
“Fumu……although he’s called an immortal or something, this is the result when the trick is revealed……”
“What did you say!?”
“Wait, Josh.”
Rose restrained Josh in a sharp voice. Surprised at those words, Josh stiffened like a hunting dog who was scolded by its master.
Yahiro rose up from the ground covered with pebbles while sighing with a yare yare.
A ceramic bulletproof plate with bullets embedded on it fell from his chest. It was something that was sewn into his uniform.
The Count shook his head with his eyes closed as if disappointed.
Yahiro shrugged without saying anything. He was displeased, but he knew there would be no point in complaining. Because the one he was dealing with was the employer of his client.
“You can bill Raimat later for the clothes ruined. Well then, if you’ll excuse me.”
One-sidedly declaring that, the Count turned his back towards Yahiro and the others. He entered inside the armored vehicle, accompanied by his escort operatorscombatants. He had an arrogant attitude as if to say his work here was done.
“Yaa……that came out of nowhere. You alright, Yahiro? You didn’t wet your pants?”
Bending down next to Yahiro who was still on the ground, Giulie asked as if she was having fun for some reason.
“Why would I wet myself!”
Retorting with a sulky expression, Yahiro languidly sat up.
Three bullet holes were deeply engraved in the chest part of Yahiro’s uniform. All of them were not even 10 cm off from his heart. It was a splendid quick draw[3]. Filman’s marksmanship skills were nothing to scoff at.
Even with the bulletproof plate, it wouldn’t have been strange for a normal person to faint at the impact. The reason why Yahiro didn’t get up immediately was because he understood that.
“Was this the reason you made me wear this uniform?”
Yahiro stared at Rose with half-opened eyes.
She had told him to wear it until they reached the 23 wards. It was as if she had expected the Count to try to shoot at Yahiro from the beginning.
“Well, since there was no need to deliberately reveal our cards to the enemy.”
Rose calmly answered without changing her expression.
“……Enemy?”
Yahiro curled his lips in amazement. He was a little surprised that Rose had called Raimat, the sponsor for this mission, an enemy without any attempt to hide it.
“It was rumored that Count Raimat had an unusual interest in Lazarusimmortal since the past. For him to expressly come and test Yahiro, it seems like that rumor was true after all.”
Rose smiled faintly. At that moment Yahiro finally realized her true intentions.
A cursed Japanese immortal──using that rumor of Yahiro as bait, she tried to ascertain whether the Count was interested in Lazarusimmortal or not. Not only that, there was also the possibility that Rose intentionally leaked the information of Galerie hiring Yahiro as a guide.
Both the Count and Yahiro had successfully danced in the palm of her hands.
“The mission will begin in 30 minutes. It’s fine if you change your clothes now. We’ve already prepared a new uniform in the personnel transport vehicle on your right.”
Rose declared in a way that didn’t even let out that this was all her plan.
“So you had even prepared spare clothes huh.”
Yahiro said with all the sarcasm he could muster. As expected, Rose didn’t even change her expression at something on that level. Instead, Giulie clasped her hands towards Yahiro and smiled as if pitying him.
“However, we don’t have any spare underwear. Sorry for that.”
“Like I said I didn’t wet my pants!”
Yahiro shouted, unable to endure any longer.
Watching that exchange, the surrounding operatorscombatants burst out laughing.
It was the first time ever since becoming a Lazarusimmortal that Yahiro heard the laughter of his comrades.
A girl with emerald green eyes was reflected in the mirror.
Excellent skin condition. Silver eyeshadows. Lavender lips. Gentle wavy silver hair, tied up in twintails.
Her new outfit, which was inspired by fairies, was a bit embarrassing as it laid her shoulders bare. But the design itself was gorgeous and cute, not bad at all. Persuading herself saying that it’ll all be alright as long as she gets into character, the girl turned towards the camera. It was almost time for the scheduled stream.
「──Waooon! Good Afternoon, Iroha Waon here.」
Unmuting the mic, she said her usual greetings.
Hoping that that voice would someday reach her brethren──
†
“──Like I said, there, I declared this, ‘Sorry, but this road is closed. Only pedestrians and light vehicles can pass through.’ Isn’t that funny, Hahaha!”
While continuing to give half-hearted replies to Josh who was talking non-stop, Yahiro showed a tired expression.
Ever since the beginning of the Kushinada capture mission, Josh continued to talk about trivial stuff without a moment’s rest. Because of that, Yahiro now thoroughly knew about his life and personal history, his likes and dislikes in food, and even about his preferences in the opposite sex.
“Waah, so cold……!”
On the other hand, Giulie, the captain of this unit, was leaning out of the side of the boat, and innocently raising her voice of joy at the water splashing on her cheeks. Yahiro and the rest were in the middle of crossing the Sumida River in two separate RigidR HullH InflatableI BoatsB.
“Using the waterway never occurred to us. Nice work, Yahiro.”
Josh said as if he was impressed all over again.
Tokyo may have a strong image of a city with massive skyscrapers, but in fact, it was also a city of water that flourished from water transportations since the Edo period. Traveling not by land, but by water using the rivers flowing inside the city. That was the secret plan proposed by Yahiro to reach their destination safely.
“That’s because aquatic Beasts number quite less compared to those on land, and the spots they appear in are also fixed.”
Yahiro spread out the map and confirmed their current location.
If a large number of people moved at once, then naturally, it would provoke the Beasts. No matter how much Yahiro was accustomed to the 23 wards, getting a squad of operatorscombatants to the city center unscathed was almost impossible.
“The only problem is whether we’ll be able to escape after encountering a Beast or not──”
Yahiro made a grim face and looked to the front.
A single Beast emerged from the water and was approaching their boat. It had a massive, slimy skin, and its figure resembled a sea cucumber.
“That means at that time it’ll be our turn to shine, isn’t that right!”
Before Yahiro could give any command, Josh readied a light machine gun used by special forces.
And then he fired at the Beast without hesitation.
Although the shaking of the boat in the middle of sailing was quite intense, Josh’s shooting skills were rather good. In spite of the instability of his arms, almost all the bullets hit their mark from a distance of 200 meters.
At the same time, covering fire began from the other boat which Rose and the others were riding on.
It was hard to kill a Beast with the power of something on the level of a light machine gun.
When they reached a safe distance, Josh finally lowered his gun.
Immediately after that, a thunderous roar, like that of fireworks, started resounding from somewhere far away.
It was the sound of the high-caliber revolver cannons equipped on wheeled tanks. The troops of other companies that also participated in the capture mission had begun combat against the Beasts on the surface.
“Oo……they are going at it quite flashily over there too.”
Josh let out his carefree thoughts while looking in the direction where the sounds of the gunfire were coming from.
“Ranga Patna’s armored corps……they are struggling……”
While changing the ammo belt of her gun, Paora muttered in a quiet voice.
The sounds of vehicles crashing into buildings and armors being crushed echoed along with the incessant sound of gunfire. It wasn’t a one-sided fight, but there was no doubt that the troops were suffering from considerable casualties. And the longer the battle gets dragged on, the more the Beasts will gather, sending the human side into a disadvantage.
“I hate to say it, but the president of Raimat spoke the truth. Thanks to the noise they are making, Beasts are attracted towards them, making it easy for us.”
“The truth is……we were also……supposed to act as a bait……for RMS.”
Josh and Paora were having a conversation with composure.
As the members of a private military company, their assessment of the situation were accurate, despite their disgust.
The fact that multiple squads were aiming for the same destination at the same time scattered the attention of the Beasts. Otherwise, Yahiro and the others wouldn’t have been able to get close to the city center this smoothly, whether they used the waterway or not.
Nonetheless, it wasn’t as if the other squads became the bait on their own violation.
In fact, they ought to be thinking of slipping away and reaching the destination first if they get the chance.
As if to back that fact, a white trail was drawn above the heads of Yahiro and the others. A single aircraft was traversing through the skies of the 23 wards.
Aaah, the sharp-sighted Giulie let out a sigh of pity when she noticed that.
“They’ve done it now……Didn’t see that coming.”
“Eh?”
“It’s the QDS transport aircraft Hercules……used by……paratroopers……”
Looking through the scope of a sniper, Paora guessed the true identity of the aircraft.
QDS──Queensland Defensive Service. They were the last of the private military companies to participate in the Kushinada capture mission. Rather than using the land or water routes, they planned to parachute directly into the former site of the Tokyo Dome.
“Paradrop……wait a min, aren’t they plainly cheating?”
Josh said in a nonchalant tone.
Nonsense, muttered Yahiro to himself. Excluding high altitudes such as the stratosphere, the airspace above the 23 wards was designated as a no-fly zone. He was exasperated at the private military company that didn’t even know the reason behind that.
Immediately after the first operatorcombatant opened his parachute, the outline of the city above ground, seen from the waterway, wavered. From the ruined buildings, a massive number of flying creatures took off at once in a swarm. It was a large group of Beasts──no, a large group of Birds of Prey.
“Since the people in the middle of parachuting can’t really move about satisfactorily, they are perfect prey for the flying Beasts. They probably thought that they won’t be noticed if they opened their parachutes at a low altitude but──”
Yahiro said while frowning.
Beasts, possessing sharp senses, never fail to notice the intruders stepping into their turfs. The flying Beasts swarmed over the QDS operatorscombatants as they were coming down close to the ground.
After opening the parachutes, their distance to the ground was a meager 300 meters. However, those 300 meters were devastatingly far away. The Beasts that can actually fly, mercilessly attacked the operatorscombatants who couldn’t move satisfactorily in the middle of descent.
A red mist spread in the skies above.
It was a mist created from the fresh blood scattered from the victims.
Yahiro and the others were fortunate that the distance was so great that they couldn’t hear their screams.
A few hundreds of Beasts were flying wildly in the sky, and the more than 40 QDS troopers were all annihilated without a single one of them reaching the ground.
All the Galerie operatorscombatants who witnessed that scene were lost for words.
It wasn’t as if they didn’t know the dreadfulness of Beasts. They all should have considerable combat experience looking at how they pushed back the sea cucumber-like Beast. Even so, they won’t know unless they get first-hand experience of the number and ferocity of the Beasts that appear in the Isolation Zones.
“Damn, so this is the 23 wards……”
After a short silence, Josh let out a deep breath.
This was the place that was once known as Tokyo. This was the reality of the city Yahiro was living in.
“──Hey, you understand, right? I was doing my task, you know. And yet that damned bastard Chief……!”
While indiscriminately shooting the Beasts that were coming out of the water surface using a light machine gun, Josh continued his idle talks.
He was an Irish American former police officer. He was in charge of investigating a drug trafficking ring as an undercover agent, but after inadvertently laying his hands on the mistress of the boss of that organization, his life got aimed after, which led him to Galerie Berith. He was a man with such a peculiar personal history.
According to Josh, all the operators of Galerie were talented people having some kind of special circumstances.
If not for those eccentrics and misfits, he probably wouldn’t have joined a squad commanded by two twins in their teens.
However, even if they were a group of outcasts, their abilities were the real deal.
After cutting their way through six Beast encounters, Yahiro and others’ boats had already completed nearly 80% of its journey. Once they entered the Kanda River which was just before the Ryōgoku Bridge, their destination, the Tokyo Dome, would be just around the corner.
“We can somehow handle it since they’re coming out one by one, but if these guys come out being led by a boss, it’s gonna be a bit of trouble.”
After driving back the seventh Beast by launching around 20 grenades into it, Josh said as if muttering to himself.
Hearing those words, Yahiro remembered their objective.
The capture of Kushinada──a Beast that commands the other Beasts.
Kushinada certainly was a dangerous existence.
It would become a threat for humanity that lives outside the Isolation Zones if it was left as it is. But capturing it and using its abilities for military purposes would act as a trigger for humans to fight among themselves.
No matter how it turned out, what awaited them was a bloodstained future. Yahiro didn’t know the correct way to deal with that.
However, he held no interest in the existence of Kushinada itself. Yahiro was just a guide. His contract would be over when he brought his employers, the twins, to Kushinada’s dwelling place.
For Yahiro, his little sister’s whereabouts were more important than a mysterious Beast of new species.
He was close to getting his hands on the clue of his sister which he had been searching for 4 years──While looking at both of his hands, Yahiro clenched his teeths. In that moment,
“Those words need some correction. We can’t always handle it even if it is one by one.”
“What’s the matter, Princess?”
Looking at Giulie who was leaning forward from the bow of the boat, Josh made a puzzled face.
But Giulie did not answer. She just continued to fixedly stare at the water surface ahead of them.
Looking at her, Yahiro finally noticed. Near the pier of the Kuramae Bridge that had a unique yellow paint, the color of the water was changing. A giant Beast was lurking there.
“Rosetta, stop the boat! That’s a Haka!”
Yahiro shouted, turning towards Rose who was behind them. She was riding the second boat, but thanks to the communication device built into their uniforms, his voice would reach her even though they were far away.
However, the words that came from the communication device were beyond what he expected.
「It’s Rose.」
“Ha?”
「I thought I requested you to call me Rose──」
“This is not the time to be saying that!”
Yahiro retorted with a feeling of grim resolve. Almost at the same time, the surface of the river rose.
An aberrant, giant Beast showed itself along with violent waves.
Its total length easily crossed 15 meters and its appearance was of a sea dragon from the Cretaceous period. It was a giant lizard whose forelimbs had turned into fins. However, its body was covered with a tough shell similar to that of a turtle.
The alias it got from that was 『Haka』──It was originally the name of a Chinese divine beast[4], but this Beast possessed an overwhelming aura and ferociousness unique to Beasts that befitted that name. It was among the top 5 aquatic Beasts Yahiro knew of.
“The guns won’t work huh! Paora! Use that!”
“You don’t have to tell me……”
Paora, urged on by Josh, readied a six-barrel rotary grenade launcher.
All the slow, low accuracy grenades, rapidly fired by Paora scored a direct hit on the Haka. All of them were HighH ExplosiveE DualD PurposeP grenades. Not only were they lethal in interpersonal combat, they were powerful grenades that were effective against armored vehicles too. However that dark grey Beast showed no reaction other than a slight tremble by his huge body.
Throwing the exhausted grenade launcher away, Paora switched to the light machine gun. However, it was unlikely that 6.5mm rifle bullets would work against an opponent that could withstand direct hits from grenades.
It might not be defeated even by using the cannon of a tank──The Beast in front of them was that sort of existence. It was a monster that rivaled mythical monsters. But,
“Don’t shoot. I’ll take care of the rest. Giulie, continue charging towards it.”
Saying that to his employer in a languid tone, Yahiro sighed while standing up. He unsheathed a knife from the scabbard behind his waist.
“Take care……You mean……using that knife?”
Paora said with a dumbfounded expression.
“Even I don’t want to do it if possible.”
Yahiro slightly shook his head. And then, he thrust the knife he had drawn into his left hand.
The blade, dyed deep crimson, penetrated to the base, and Yahiro’s cheeks stiffened at the sharp pain that followed.
“Woah!? You, what the hell are you doing, Yahiro!?”
“Like I said, I didn’t want to do──it!”
Josh widened his eyes in surprise, and Yahiro forcibly pulled out the knife while grimacing in pain. The surface of the knife was completely dyed in blood, and the glossy liquid was trailing it, forming threads.
Immediately after that, the Haka roared.
Its giant eyeballs glared at Yahiro who took a stance with the bloodstained blade. Violent killing intent and destructive impulse was reflected in those eyes. And then an obvious expression of fear.
“Full throttle, let’s goo! Everyone hold on tightlyy!”
While all the other operatorscombatants were shaking, Giulie accelerated the inflatable boat as if enjoying it, and grabbed onto the rudder of the boat. Are you serious, Josh’s face stiffened.
“Come, you monster turtle!”
Yahiro leaped from the prow of the boat without getting a proper run-up.
The boat Giulie and the others were riding came into contact with the Beast but narrowly avoided getting overturned. Yahiro stabbed the knife in his right hand into Haka’s shoulder and used it as a fulcrum to climb onto his back.
With the spot where Yahiro stabbed the knife as the center, something abnormal started happening to Haka’s body. Jet black miasma gushed out like fresh blood, and the skin that even withstood a grenade crumbled down.
However, the result was limited. Compared to the giant body of the Beast, the wound he had inflicted on it was too small, and was far off from a fatal injury.
“As expected with a body this big, it won’t start kicking in immediately……”
The Haka started rampaging with Yahiro still on its back.
While clinging to not get shaken off, Yahiro made a cut on his left arm again with the knife.
Yahiro’s blood was a poison that could kill Beasts. He didn’t want Rose and the others to know of this fact, but his opponent was not someone he could defeat while hiding that. Using the blade wet with blood to carve a wound on the Beast’s back, Yahiro thrust his bloodied wrist into the crack.
“Then I’ll just pour it directly. Take as much as you like!”
Yahiro made a ferocious smile while feeling dizzy at the sudden loss of blood.
The body of the Beast which came into contact with Yahiro’s blood, explosively gushed out miasma. It was a poisonous mist that could kill an ordinary human. Yahiro clenched his teeth and desperately endured the sensation that was similar to a strong acid.
The Haka raised an anguished scream at his desperate attack. The giant body of the Beast ran amok and crashed into the bridge pier, which caused it to creak.
However, its resistance didn’t last long. Invaded by Yahiro’s blood, the Haka’s movements gradually weakened, and it eventually went silent.
「Good work, Yahiro. I’ll send someone to retrieve it immediately so you kindly resume guiding. Since we’ve lost quite a bit of time.」
Yahiro could hear Rose’s clear voice in his ears as he continued to breathe heavily on the Beast’s back.
In accordance with her words, the boat Giulie was piloting soon approached Yahiro. It seemed like those twins didn’t have any intention to let Yahiro rest. They were real slave drivers.
“Unbelievable……he actually managed to kill that huge thing with a single knife……!”
Looking at the sinking corpse of the Haka, Josh absentmindedly shook his head. The other operatorscombatants also had similar reactions.
Well, that’s natural, thought Yahiro as if it was someone else’s business. Even those guys who were still half-convinced at Yahiro being an immortal, would probably understand now that Yahiro too was a monster that didn’t fall behind the Beasts.
Then what awaited him would be either rejection or persecution. Either way, it was something he had expected.
“Yahiro……what about your injuries……?”
Paora asked Yahiro who was sitting at a corner of the boat. For a moment, he couldn’t understand what she had said.
Following her anxious line of sight, Yahiro realised that she was concerned about the wound he had inflicted on his left arm himself.
“No problem. It’s already healed.”
Yahiro raised his left hand to show her. On the cuff of his uniform, there was still a mark remaining where he had stabbed the knife into. But the skin peeking from beneath it was unscathed. It was a result of Lazarusimmortal’s healing powers.
“Just earlier……what did you do……?”
Paora asked once again. Yahiro slightly shrugged. As expected this wasn’t a situation where he could bluff his way through.
“My blood is a poison for Beasts. Although I don’t know if it is effective for all the Beasts since I haven’t tried it out.”
“Poison? Is it Poison? Eh? Didn’t the turtle’s body like, crumbled with an amazing force?”
Josh excitedly said that. Yahiro was somewhat confused by that unexpected reaction.
“I see, so that’s the trump card of Yahiro who survived the 23 wards for so long. I knew you weren’t an ordinary person since Princess went to the trouble of bringing you……but wait. Doesn’t that mean it’s possible to completely exterminate the Beasts as long as we have Yahiro’s blood?”
Josh’s voice was lively, as if saying “Wasn’t that a good idea?”.
Yahiro shook his head with a bitter smile. He might be talking too much, but it was something that would be discovered soon even if he tried to hide it.
“It isn’t something that convenient. The blood’s effect wears off if it’s far away from my body.”
To be precise, rather than the effect, it was more like Yahiro’s control over it breaks off.
If the blood was completely separated from his body, it would no longer be a part of Lazarus’s body, and would be nothing more than a substance. That’s the reason why he couldn’t attack from a safe distance like with a bow but had to use a knife.
“──That said, what’s with that knife? Isn’t it worn out?”
Noticing the knife Yahiro was about to return to the scabbard, Josh widened his eyes in surprise.
“Aah, this huh……it happens when the knife gets into contact with my blood for long.”
“It……wasn’t able to endure……Yahiro’s blood?”
Paora asked with a grim expression. Yahiro nodded while smiling in self-deprecation and,
“That’s why it’s better if you don’t come close to me. There is no way that a poison that had such an effect on Beasts is harmless for humans. Me being called a cursed Japanese isn’t entirely a baseless──”
“Hmmm……Is that so……”
Giulie’s carefree voice interrupted Yahiro’s self-deprecating words.
Facing the bewildered Yahiro, the orange-haired girl casually bent forward and stuck her tongue out. Yahiro froze in surprise at the soft sensation on his cheek. And then he finally realised that Giulie had licked his blood which was stuck to his cheeks.
“Giulie!? Y–You, what are you……!?”
“Look, nothing happened. That is why you don’t have to worry about it.”
Facing Yahiro who was confused, Giulie cutely stuck her tongue out and made an impish smile.
“But it looks like it had an effect on Yahiro though.”
“Your face……is bright red……”
Josh and Paora stirred Yahiro up while grinning. Although they didn’t bother saying it, but the other operatorscombatants had similar expressions on their faces.
“That’s……not……!”
Yahiro desperately tried to argue, but he was too flustered for his tongue to work properly.
“So the Lazarusimmortal is also a healthy young boy huh. Leave it to me. If we make it out alive, I’ll teach you the ways to seduce a woman.”
“But……it’s better if you don’t fall for Giulie……since Rose has been staring daggers here for quite a while now.”
Josh put his hands over Yahiro’s shoulders in an overly-familiar way, and Paora turned her gaze towards the back.
Rose, who was riding the other boat behind them, was staring at Yahiro with emotionless eyes without blinking. Even without Paora warning him, Yahiro already knew that the younger twin held excessive love and affection towards the older twin. So what kind of feelings would the little sister have towards the opposite sex who got his cheek licked by that precious older sister──
“Why did it turn out like this……!?”
The communication device being silent from Rose seemed hopelessly frightening right now.
Count Hector Raimat received that information at the Japanese branch of Raimat International. With a confused expression, the young RMS communications officer read out the report gathered by the unmanned reconnaissance plane.
“It seems like the squad dispatched by Galerie Berith defeated a Haka in the vicinity of Kuramae Bridge.”
“A Haka you say?”
While putting his weight on the common, plain chair, the Count showed a dubious expression.
The headquarters of the Raimat company in Japan was the building that was once known as the JGSDF Camp Oomiya[5].
That branch’s communication facilities, as well as the furniture and equipment of the chairman’s office, were all reused goods from the time it was still a military base. Judging from the comfort of the chair, it seemed like the JGSDF wasn’t that wealthy of an organization.
“I had heard that Galerie Berith sent just a single squad of operators into the 23 wards……but you mean they managed to exterminate a large Grade Ⅲ Beast without the support of something like a fighting vehicle?”
“The details are unclear, however, no large-scale bombardment was observed nearby.”
The communications officer read the data straight from the tablet terminal.
The Count frowned slightly, saying “I see”.
Grade was an indicator of the threat level of Beasts, keeping the existing military strength as the basis. For every Grade increase, the fighting strength of Beasts increased by around four times.
The threat level of Grade Ⅰ Beasts corresponded to the strength of one unit of infantry. However, it was said that the strength of infantry was enough only up till Grade Ⅱ, and that the Beasts at Grade Ⅲ and above could never be defeated without the support of AFVs.
In spite of that, Galerie’s squad managed to neutralize a Grade Ⅲ Haka. That meant they possessed military strength that Raimat was unaware of.
“Lazarusimmortal……was he the real deal as expected……?”
The Count muttered with a stern expression. The dark flames dwelling in those eyes made the communications officer’s expression stiffen.
“What’s the status of Major La Hire’s unit?”
“They are currently heading south near the Hakusan-ue intersection[6], National Route 17. Their distance from the destination is approximately 2.8 kilometers.”
“Inform the Major about Galerie Berith’s movements. I think there won’t be any problems, though.”
Saluting in a military manner, the communications officer left the room as if running away.
After waiting for his subordinate’s figure to vanish, the Count slowly stood up.
With a displeased expression, he headed towards a newly constructed chalk structure in the premises. It was a strictly isolated facility that resembled the research laboratories of pharmaceutical companies.
“How’s the condition of 『Brynhildr』, Sir Nathan?”
Completing the strict biometric authentication process again, the Count entered the pressurized laboratory.
A patient was lying deep inside a glass-walled room that resembled a giant water tank of an aquarium.
It was a young, white-haired girl wearing a thin patient gown. Countless tubes were attached to her body, and numerous measuring equipment were running in the surroundings. The strange thing was that her entire body was strictly bound by silver chains even though she was supposed to be unconscious.
Brynhildr was a female demigod that appeared in Norse Mythology. She was a valkyrie that was said to have been sleeping while wearing armor. That was the name given to the girl who was a special specimen.
“No major changes have been observed for now. The polysomnography waves indicate that she is in the state of slow-wave sleep──in deep non-REM sleep.”
Auguste Nathan, who was standing before the glass wall, slowly turned around and looked at the Count.
He was a tall, black man wearing a white coat. He wasn’t an employee of Raimat, neither was 『Brynhildr』 the property of the Count. The Count was just lending the research facility to them, and their standings were equal.
“What about the small changes?”
The Count enquired, noticing that Nathan’s canned report was different from usual.
Nathan cast his gaze to the gauge in front of them.
“Decrease in low-frequency brain activity in the retrosplenial cortex, as well as the increase in high-frequency brain activity in other areas was frequently observed. And that is still ongoing.”
“I hope you can explain it in an easy to understand way.”
“……In short, she is dreaming.”
Nathan replied in a curt tone to the Count’s irritated mutter.
The Count raised his brows, feeling slightly confused.
“How is it going with the 『Red Gold』?”
The Count changed the subject, losing interest in the girl altogether.
Nathan looked at him slightly puzzled.
“Regarding the F med, we’ve delivered the improved Mod-2 to the Major. Now we just have to wait for his report.”
“Not that. I’m talking about the real 『Gold』.”
The Count’s tone turned slightly rough. The F med would become an excellent product once completed, but that wasn’t what he was truly seeking.
Upon understanding that, Nathan quietly shook his head in a pretentious way.
“That’s unfortunate, Count. It will still take adequate time for her to awaken. In order to get more spirit fluid, a vessel with a will is necessary.”
“As expected there is no other way than to obtain Kushinada……I understand. Sorry for the interruption, Sir Nathan.”
Concealing his irritation and disappointment, the Count turned his back on Nathan.
Right before leaving the room, he glanced at the sleeping test subject at the other side of the glass and coldly declared.
You are reading story The Hollow Regalia at novel35.com
“Have good dreams as much as possible, Maiden of Death.”The sleeping white-haired girl continued to smile faintly in the middle of her deep sleep.
†
「──Uwaah, how!? So close……It was so close to being perfect, right? Aah come on, why did I have to miss at the very last moment.」
「And with that, it was the first Let’s Play I’ve done in a while, and as expected, rhythm games are fun, aren’t they? So, one more song, I’ll play one final song. The next one will be……yes, this one, I really like it. It was really popular when Waon was in elementary school and……ah……that’s right, Iroha Waon was supposed to be 17,000 years old……Eh!?」
「Wait, sorry, I’m in the middle of streaming right now……what happened? You’re lying…… Enemies!?」
「…………………………………」
「“This stream has ended”」
“Yahiro. What is this?”
Looking at the plants orderly growing in front of them, Rose asked in a flat tone.
The wavering fresh, green leaves in the strong midsummer sunlight were too bright for the eyes.
“Those are……cucumbers. And also tomatoes and edamame[7].”
Staring at the familiar vegetables growing outdoors, Yahiro muttered in a daze. The growing vegetables were all glossy and fresh as if they were reaching their harvesting times.
“Hmm……so Japanese cucumbers have this kind of shape. They are a little different from the ones I know.”
Leaning right next to the ridge of the field, Giulie expressed her thoughts like an innocent child.
“No, wait. Isn’t this weird!? Why are cucumbers growing in the center of the 23 wards!?”
Yahiro, who was the only one to remain calm, turned towards the vegetables and retorted.
Leaving behind the RHIBs in the riverside of the Kanda River, they were currently in the former site of Tokyo Dome.
The damage this neighborhood had received from the J-nocideGreat Massacre was severe, and the buildings around the Suidōbashi Station had almost stopped retaining their original form. The actual Tokyo Dome had vanished without leaving any trace and had turned into a giant crater.
And when Yahiro and the others arrived at the park adjacent to that crater──the Tokyo metropolitan park that was once known as the Koishikawa Kourakuen Gardens[8], they saw that vegetable garden.
It couldn’t be described as huge. It was just a small field that was slightly better than a kitchen garden.
However, that field was carefully cultivated and the weeds were cleanly removed.
A vegetable field in the center of the 23 wards where the Beasts loiter──it was such an impossible and bizarre scene.
“Hey, Yahiro. What’s that flag? What does it mean?”
Josh, who was on the lookout for approaching Beasts, noticed a cloth swaying in the back of the field and asked.
It was a frighteningly colorful piece of cloth with a width of around 1 metre. It was slightly faded, but Yahiro knew the identity of the sketch drawn on it. It was an anime character intended for elementary schoolers.
“No, that’s not a flag but a bedsheet for kids. In other words, that’s laundry.”
Josh muttered with interest. Yahiro had heard that the practice of hanging laundry outdoors to dry was not in some countries. Perhaps it was unusual for the bedsheet to be hanging outside defenselessly, without any care for the security and scenery.
However, the problem wasn’t that. The existence of the sheet, which was neatly folded in half, and held in place by clothespins indicated that it hasn’t been long since it was hung to dry.
At the very least, it was absolutely impossible for it to be left as it is for 4 years.
“Ah……!”
Someone’s confused voice came from right beside Yahiro, who stood there in shock.
A metal bucket fell to the ground and made a high-pitched clattering sound.
A girl wearing a straw hat was standing on the other side of the cucumber vine. Next to her was a boy with a baseball cap. Both of them were younger than Yahiro. They were at best in the upper grades of elementary school.
“C-Children? Why are there human children in a place like this……?”
Yahiro even forgot to ready his knife, and just blankly stared in wonder.
It was so unrealistic that it made him dizzy. He felt like it was just a bad dream.
“W-Who are you?”
The straw hat girl hid the little boy behind her back and weakly shouted.
Yahiro was astonished at those words. It was because what the girl had said was undoubtedly in Japanese.
“Are you……Japanese?”
Yahiro unconsciously took a step towards them.
Watching that, the girl’s face stiffened. A light of genuine fear was floating in her eyes that were staring at Yahiro.
“Noooooooooo……! H-Help me……! Mama……!”
“Uwaaaaaaaaaah──!”
Yahiro was at a loss at what to do when both of the children started screaming. He was used to getting ostracized for being a survivor of the Japanese, but this was his first time experiencing someone getting frightened by him like this.
“Yahiro–……!”
There’s no point in panicking over a single tomato──It was only for an instance that he thought such an idiotic thing. An earth-shaking tremor made Yahiro understand the meaning behind Josh’s warning.
A giant shadow appeared from the back of the field and landed in front of Yahiro.
It was a close to 3 meters tall brute that resembled a baboon. Its entire body was covered with striped fur like a tiger, and it had 3 claws on the tips of both his arms. Two big horns were growing from his head. It was a Beast.
“──Don’t shoot! You’ll hit the children!”
Giulie violently kicked the light machine gun which Josh was about to fire on the spur of the moment.
Yahiro jumped backward and pulled his knife out.
However, the Beast’s attack, which he was prepared for, didn’t come. The tiger-striped Beast didn’t move from the front of the children, and lowly growled to intimidate Yahiro and the others.
“Is the Beast protecting humans? But why……?”
Yahiro was extremely confused at the scene unfolding in front of them.
The Japanese children who were supposed to have died out were on guard against Yahiro, and the Beast was protecting those children. It was a situation that defied common sense.
The fighting strength of the tiger-striped Beast was probably around the middle of Grade Ⅰ and Ⅱ. Considering Galerie’s fighting strength along with Yahiro’s, it wasn’t an opponent they could not defeat.
However, he hesitated in one-sidedly attacking the Beast who was just protecting the children and not showing any intention to fight.
Galerie’s operatorscombatants too were bewildered and weren’t taking any actions.
Perhaps losing its patience at Yahiro and the others who weren’t fleeing despite its intimidation, the Beast once again roared wildly. Yahiro readied his knife on reflex and took a fighting posture.
A flash of pure white light ran past his eyes.
“───!?”
The ground burst open, and Yahiro was sent flying by the impact and fell back.
His entire body was numb as if it was electrified. A strong offensive smell of ozone assailed his nostrils. It was as if a small-scale lightning strike had struck him from point-blank range. The true form of that lightning was an intimidation attack made to keep Yahiro in check.
“Iroha-chan!”
The expressions of the baseball cap boy and the straw hat girl brightened as if they had been saved.
More lightning strikes rained down in front of the confused Yahiro and others.
Something like a hurricane ran past them and made the crops on the field sway.
Along with a wild roar that felt like distant howling, a giant Beast landed in front of Yahiro and the others.
It was a Beast with a ferocious appearance that seemed to be a mixture of a wolf, a fox, and a tiger.
Even excluding the tail, its overall length was around 7-8 meters. Its beautiful pure white fur was clad in electricity and was scattering bluish-white sparks.
Its combat ability as a Beast was definitely above Grade Ⅲ. Considering its agility and the power of the lightning, it was a Beast more dangerous than the Haka. Judging by its appearance and abilities, it was a lightning beast.
However, it was not the figure of that unfamiliar Beast which surprised Yahiro.
There was a figure of a person on the back of the pure white Beast. A human girl with long, flowing hair was riding on the back of the Beast as if clinging to it.
She was wearing stylish high-cut sneakers and a miniskirt. And the reddish-brown jersey she wore on top of it gave a perfect lived-in feel.
She was a young girl whose age wasn’t any different from Yahiro’s. She was a teenager that looked like a high school girl.
“Both of you go back home! Rinka, take care of Kyouta!”
While riding on the back of the Beast, the jersey-wearing girl shouted in Japanese.
The straw hat girl nodded in a fluster, pulled on the little boy’s hand and started running.
The pure white lightning beast made a low growl, and the tiger-striped Beast went after the children. Its movements were as if it was guarding both of them. Or rather, it was actually a loyal guard.
“O-Oi!”
Wait, said Yahiro as he unconsciously stretched his arms forward.
Right after that, lightning rained down at his feet.
“Don’t move!”
The jersey-wearing girl shouted at Yahiro.
“Who are you guys? What do you want with my children?”
“I could ask the same. Who are you!? Are you human!?”
Yahiro shouted back, with his knife ready. A girl who could freely control ferocious Beasts as her own limbs. It was weird for Yahiro, who was a Lazarusimmortal, to say that, but she didn’t seem like a normal human.
The jersey-wearing girl narrowed her eyes as if being on guard and puffed out her cheeks.
“Haa? What am I if not human? Did I look like an angel to you?”
“……You’re quite brazen, huh…… Even though you’re wearing a red jersey……”
Rather than being surprised, Yahiro was more impressed at the girl who could compare herself with an angel without hesitation. He was strangely convinced since one should definitely have such a bold mentality to ride on the back of a Beast.
“S-Shut up! That thing doesn’t matter so just drop your weapons right now! If not, I’ll set Nuemaru and the others after you!”
With her cheeks bright red, the girl yelled as if to hide her embarrassment.
Josh and the others were watching that exchange in silence. The girl’s warning had no effect on them since they couldn’t understand Japanese.
“By Nuemaru, do you mean that Beast? Just what in the world──”
Is that? Yahiro’s reasonable question was interrupted by the sound of a gunshot.
Galerie’s operatorscombatants weren’t the ones that fired. The sound came from behind the jersey-wearing girl. It was from the direction where the baseball cap boy and the others ran towards.
“Don’t tell me, you had more companions!?”
Turning pale, the girl glared at Yahiro while straddling the Beast.
“Companions?”
The operatorscombatants dispatched by Galerie into the 23 wards were all here.
If there were any other attackers, it would be none other than the squads of other private military companies that participated in the Kushinada capture mission. That meant there was a squad that reached this place by breaking through the Beast inhabited regions with a speed more than or equal to Galerie’s, that had used the waterways.
The jersey-wearing girl didn’t question Yahiro and the others any more, probably having decided that further conversation was pointless. Instead, she put her hands on the nape of the neck of the white Beast and silently called out as if praying.
“──Nuemaru!”
The Beast raised a short roar and turned its back towards Yahiro and the others without hesitation.
Yahiro just watched in a daze as the appearance of the Beast and the girl became more distant, scattering bluish-white sparks.
“Who……was that girl?”
Somehow recovering from his initial surprise, Yahiro approached the twins.
While everyone was restless after encountering the girl who could control Beasts, only Giulie and Rose’s expressions hardly changed. In fact, they seemed to be somewhat enjoying themselves.
“Kushinada. That girl was Kushinada.”
Giulie calmly answered while munching on a freshly-picked cucumber.
“Ha?”
Yahiro blinked, overcome with surprise. Kushinada. The mysterious individual that was confirmed to be in the 23 wards and was said to be leading a swarm of Beasts. It was supposed to be the target that the major military cooperation Raimat International was trying to capture, to the extent that they mobilized four different private military companies.
“We told you from the beginning. That there was a leader here that led the Beasts.”
Rose sighed in exasperation. She had a fed-up expression, like that of a famous detective looking at her failure assistant.
“Did you guys know it from the beginning!? That Kushinada was actually Japanese……!”
“We had considered that possibility. But the fact that she had dependents was beyond our expectations.”
Rose bluntly said with indifference.
Yahiro was taken aback by the word “dependents”. He remembered that the two children they encountered first had called the jersey-wearing girl Mama.
Having received that information from a subordinate, Giulie turned to Rose for further instructions.
“Let’s observe the situation for the time being. It would be annoying if they took Kushinada away, but we cannot just attack RMS’s operatorscombatants since we are in an alliance.”
Rose said in a composed tone. After that, she activated the communication device on the collar of her uniform and said,
“Where’s the building the children escaped into?”
「──It has been identified. I’ll share the location data with you.」
The one to answer from the other side of the communication line was Wei, who had disappeared before anyone could notice.
Did he tail them in that situation, Yahiro was surprised. Not only that, it was possible that Rose let them escape on purpose to find their hideout.
“Wei Yang, continue to investigate the surroundings. It might be possible that there are other escape routes. Be careful to avoid battle with Beasts as much as possible.”
Giving a short “Roger” to Rose’s orders, Wei cut the communication.
“What do you plan on doing to those brats?”
Yahiro glared at Rose with a stern expression. Rose gave an indifferent reply without flinching.
“We will shelter them. That way, it’s possible that negotiations with Kushinada will go smoother.”
“So you plan on taking them as hostages.?”
“Well, that’s also a way to put it.”
Yahiro lost his words since Rose accepted so readily. Iroha──If the jersey-wearing girl called that could really control Beasts, then taking hostages would be a valid strategy.
That is, if he could bear the guilt of using those young children as bargaining chips.
“Or else, will Yahiro kill it? Kill the one called Nuemaru just like the monster turtle from earlier?”
“That’s……”
Yahiro unconsciously averted his eyes from Giulie, who asked in an innocent tone.
However, neither the white Beast nor the tiger-striped one attacked humans on their own at all. Yahiro couldn’t give an answer to the question of whether he could kill those Beasts.
Looking at the troubled Yahiro with amusement, Rose lowered the rifle case she was carrying. Inside it was not a gun, but some long and narrow package which was wrapped in a waterproof cloth.
“If Kushinada’s objective is to protect the children, then she will definitely return. That’s why, Yahiro.”
“Yeah?”
“I’ll give you this. Your knife is no longer useful, right?”
Yahiro reflexively accepted the package wrapped in waterproof cloth which Rose offered him. It was much heavier than it looked. Looking at the tool which was inside the waterproof cloth, his eyes widened in surprise.
“Isn’t this the katana I retrieved?”
“『Kuyou Masakane』──It is the legendary katana forged from the blood of Mizuchi[9] by the swordsmith『Masakane』, who is said to have lived for nearly 800 years, from the early Heian period to the end of Sengoku period.”[10]
“800 years you say……that’s just a lie, isn’t it.”
“Yes, most likely. However, don’t you think it’s a katana fitting for you, a Lazarusimmortal?”
Rose pointed out with a blank expression.
Yahiro pursed his lips in silence. To tell the truth, it wasn’t his first time wielding a real sword. Procuring them was troublesome so that was why he used a knife, and the reach and sharpness of a Japanese katana were very attractive for him. It would definitely be an effective weapon for large Beasts like Nuemaru.
“I’m not gonna pay anything, you know.”
“Let’s call it an additional reward. After all, we’ll be having you persuade someone.”
“Persuade? That red-jersey girl?”
Yahiro asked back while scowling.
Their first impressions of each other were horrible, but in order to persuade her, Yahiro, who was also Japanese, would probably be the best person for the job. In the end, it would be best if they manage to come to a mutual understanding in Japanese.
“No. The ones you have to persuade are the children. Winning them over first is necessary.”
“Wasn’t my job just to be a guide?”
Rose gave him a straight look. Her gaze was as if she seemed to ask, Do you plan on abandoning those surviving Japanese children?
Yahiro let out a small sigh.
It felt unpleasant to move as Rose intended him to, but he couldn’t really call himself unrelated to all this. It was not just because they were Japanese too. The fact that he, who had the blood that could kill Beasts, met a girl who could control Beasts──He couldn’t help but feel that there was some kind of fate at work.
“……I just have to make those kids understand that we aren’t enemies, right?”
“Yes. Giulie could do it too, but you are a better fit for the job being a Japanese yourself.”
“Giulie?”
If anything, wouldn’t it be the little sisterRose’s job to win over the other party through words, thought Yahiro as he tilted his head. As if seeing through his doubts, Rose lowered her eyes and said,
“Because for some reason, children are scared of me.”
“I-Is that so?”
Yahiro looked at Rose with an awkward feeling, who was feeling depressed with her expression unchanged.
The building was built surprisingly magnificently on the edge of the crater, around 200 meters away from the cucumber field. It seemed to have been originally used as a large recreational facility.
In the aftermath of the disasters that occurred during the J-nocideGreat Massacre, around seventy percent of the building had collapsed. In spite of that, it looked spacious enough for children to use as their residence.
“Were people really living in a place like this……?”
Yahiro couldn’t hide his confusion, even after meeting up with Wei’s team who were surrounding the building.
However, there were laundry items like the sheet from before, farming tools, and even playground toys like a soccer ball──all of these household items were disorderly lying around the building, indicating the existence of the people living there.
“Yahiro! There’s a Beast! Three o’clock to your right!”
Josh’s voice resounded from behind Yahiro, who was standing still in shock.
“Fuck, not in a time like this……!”
While grinding his teeth in irritation, Yahiro switched the katana he was shouldering to his left hand.
The newly appeared Beasts numbered three. They were of different varieties, but all of them were small Beasts of around Grade Ⅰ. They were of relatively common type, but Yahiro felt that there was something off about their behavior.
They seemed to be running away from something since they were charging straight without checking the number of their prey.
「Wait……Josh…… Those Beasts……」
Paora restrained Josh’s team over the transceiver as they held up their light machine guns.
Immediately after that, a pair of differing Beasts blocked the way of the three Beasts that were charging straight into them.
Yahiro and the others knew one of them. It was the tiger-striped one that was guarding the children at the farm.
「The Beasts are……killing each other……?」
“Don’t tell me, are they trying to protect that building──?”
Paora and Josh groaned at the same time.
The tiger-striped and the other Beast intercepted the three Beasts who were getting close to the children’s residence. Beasts killing each other wasn’t that rare, but nonetheless, it was a bizarre scene. Those two Beasts were protecting human children. They were coexisting with humans.
“Is this Kushinada’s power……?”
Yahiro felt a chill run down his spine. He had now experienced it first hand. Kushinada was a dangerous existence. If her power to control Beasts was misused, it would easily disrupt the military balance of the world.
On the other hand, Kushinada’s existence was also a hope. With her powers, humanity could coexist with Beasts, and it was possible to rebuild this country destroyed by them.
Although the two Beasts were outnumbered, the fight was progressing in their favor.
The other three Beasts that had attacked were already badly wounded, and were clearly being driven into a corner. It was a situation where a normal animal would have already accepted defeat and run away.
However, the Beasts that were panicking for some reason didn’t stop resisting.
That led to a situation that was unexpected for the tiger-striped and the other Beast.
One of the children who failed to notice the unusual situation, was late in running away, and was left behind outside the building.
She seemed to be a quiet girl wearing a middle school sailor uniform. One of the Beasts had noticed her presence.
“──Hiih!?”
The girl’s expression twisted in fear.
The eyes of the Beast shined fiercely as it caught the sight of its helpless prey.
Just then, countless lead bullets pierced the side of its face. Rose, who was holding an anti-Beast PDW, had shot the entire magazine of 30 bullets into the Beast, disregarding the distance of almost 100 meters.
The jet-black Beast staggered but quickly composed itself. The PDW’s firepower far surpassed that of a handgun, but it had close to no lethality against Beasts.
However, it was effective in buying a few seconds of time.
And that was enough for Yahiro to get close to the Beast.
“Get down!”
Yahiro unsheathed the katana after warning the girl. With its deep curve and a long blade length, Kuyou Masakane shouldn’t be an easy weapon to handle, but for some reason, it felt comfortable in Yahiro’s hands.
After cutting his own palm and covering the blade in blood, Yahiro slashed at the jet black Beast.
It had a dramatic effect. Scattering jet black miasma, the Beast was annihilated with the force like that of an explosion.
“Are you okay? You weren’t hurt, right?”
Without changing his posture, Yahiro just looked at the girl and asked.
Even while being confused by the question from a stranger, the girl nodded slightly, saying she was alright. It seemed that the girl had decided Yahiro was an ally, probably because he spoke in Japanese.
In the meantime, the other fight too came to an end.
The remaining two attacking Beasts disappeared after receiving fatal attacks. The tiger-striped and the other Beast who had won looked warily at Yahiro, but it didn’t seem like they would attack immediately, probably because the girl in the sailor uniform was by his side.
With this, we can somehow talk things out, thought Yahiro as he was finally relieved.
It was right after that that a lightning strike burst in front of him.
“Ayaho!”
The Beast came to a stop in front of Yahiro and the others, raising a cloud of dust. Iroha jumped down from its back without caring for her skirt being flipped.
“Get away from my child──you suspicious person.”
With her hair disheveled, Iroha intervened in front of Yahiro and pulled the girl in the sailor uniform away. Yahiro was slightly overwhelmed by her threatening attitude and said,
“──Wait, who are you calling a suspicious person!?”
“How can a guy chasing a girl around with a Japanese katana be anything other than a suspicious person!?”
Iroha shouted while spreading her arms as if to protect the girl behind her.
Yahiro couldn’t say anything back. His sense had been numbed due to the J-nocideGreat Massacre but now that he thinks about it, she was right.
“That’s wrong, Iroha-chan. This person, he saved me from stray Beasts……!”
Perhaps unable to watch this go any longer, the girl in the sailor uniform explained to Iroha.
Iroha looked at the girl and Yahiro in surprise and said,
“……Saved you? Do you mean this suspicious person? Really?”
“Like I said I’m not a suspicious person, school jersey.”
“Shut up! It’s not like I’m wearing this jersey because I li──”
Perhaps she was conscious about how lame her outfit looked since she rebutted with her cheeks red, but then she abruptly cut her words short. Her eyes were wide open as if she was surprised, and she fixedly stared at Yahiro.
“School jersey……wait, you, by any chance are you Japanese?”[11]
“Yeah.”
So you noticed it just now, thought Yahiro as he nodded in amazement.
Iroha closed in on Yahiro, her eyes shining in surprise and delight.
“Really!? Where and what were you doing all this time!? Are there other Japanese survivors too!?”
While feeling a little uncomfortable at Iroha’s reaction, Yahiro bluntly shook his head.
“More importantly, who are you guys? Don’t tell me you guys were living here all this time after the J-nocideGreat Massacre? And why do the Beasts protect you all?”
Being asked rapid questions in succession by Yahiro, this time it was Iroha’s turn to feel awkward. She seemed to be wavering about whether to reveal the existence of the power to control Beasts.
“……Well, that’s……”
After hesitating for some time, she seemed to have resolved herself and opened her mouth.
However, her next words were drowned out by a sudden thunderous roar.
A heavy impact shook the ground as if it was struck by a huge boulder. The walls of the building got smashed into pieces, and Yahiro and the others fell down due to the shockwave.
The two Beasts slowly crumbled down, scattering jet-black miasma and pieces of flesh.
That was the final moment of the tiger-striped and the other Beast, who had shielded Iroha from the tank shells flying at them.
“──TABBY! CALICO!”
While their ears were numb by the thunderous roar of the explosion, Iroha screamed in sorrow.
Those were probably the names of those two Beasts. Seeing how she had named them, it was clear how her relationship was with those two. They were the same as a family to her.
“Yahiro, it’s RMS’s wheeled tank.”
Wei and the operatorscombatants of his team rushed over to Yahiro and the others. He was speaking in awkward Japanese probably to keep Iroha and the other girl at ease.
The figure of a rugged wheeled tank could be seen on the high ground along the gentle slope. It was around a kilometer away, but since the surrounding buildings were destroyed during the J-nocideGreat Massacre, there was nothing to obstruct the line of fire. If the bombardment continued, every human in the vicinity would definitely be annihilated.
However, the bombardment Yahiro and the others feared didn’t come.
Instead, human operatorscombatants approached them from three directions, numbering around 50. That meant it was a big military strength which was around four times that of Galerie Berith’s.
“Why!? Why would you do such a horrible thing!?”
Iroha drew closer to Yahiro, scattering large teardrops.
Yahiro declared in a strong tone.
Accurately speaking, RMS was a partner company participating in the same mission as Galerie Berith, but Yahiro never considered them as an ally. He also had the grudge of being shot three times on their first meeting.
“Besides, normally, humans and Beasts are enemies. It’s also possible that instead of attacking, they were trying to protect you!”
“Such self-centered logic……!”
Iroha’s voice trembled.
Yahiro knew that what he said wasn’t the truth. However, it seemed that Iroha was already aware of the fact that their coexisting with Beasts was heresy. She immediately went silent, unable to refute his words.
“Mama Onee-chan!”
“Iroha-chan! Ayaho-chan!”
Children rushed out from the building which was shot at by the cannon of the tank. They numbered 6 in total. The two children they met at the farm were also among them. All of them were very young, around the age of an elementary schooler.
“Ren! Kiri! Honoka and Runa too, are you all okay!? You weren’t hurt, were you!?”
Iroha embraced the children all at once. They were scared, but at the same time, their absolute trust in Iroha could be felt.
In order to not betray that trust, Iroha raised her face with a firm expression.
“Nuemaru, please!”
Nodding at Iroha’s call, the pure white thunder beast stepped forward to protect them. And then, it howled in a beautiful voice.
As if responding to that howl, Beasts appeared one by one from the surrounding ruins.
There were 8 new Beasts in total. All of them were of different types. However, they were like a swarm led by a single intention and attacked the RMS troops in unison.
It was Kushinada’s power to lead the Beasts. Enthralled by Iroha, they moved to protect the girl on their own.
The reason why Iroha and the children survived right in the center of the 23 wards all this time was that the Beasts were protecting them.
“I see……It’s just like Ro-chan said. This is amazing, Kushinada-chan.”
Iroha narrowed her eyes in confusion. It seemed like for the time being, she had decided that Giulie was also not an enemy, probably because she wore the same uniform as Yahiro.
“Kushinada……? By that, you mean me?”
“Sorry about that. We didn’t know your real name, so we took the liberty of calling you that. Or would you prefer if I called you Mama instead?”
“I don’t remember becoming your Mama.”
Iroha expressed her disapproval as a matter of course. Even leaving out the fact that this was their first time meeting, she was probably displeased about being treated as a mother by Giulie, who was around the same age as her.
However, for some reason, Giulie lowered her head in disappointment and said,
“Is that so……It’s no good huh……But if you’re controlling the Beasts, I think it’s better to tell them to kill the enemies properly. Since those guys aren’t the people to run back home if you threaten them a little.”
“Killing……them, such a thing……”
“You have to do that if you don’t want to be killed instead──”
Giulie smiled at the hesitating Iroha, seeming lonely.
It was right after that that something unusual happened to the RMS troops who were battling with the Beasts.
The incessant sound of gunfire suddenly stopped. The operatorscombatants threw their guns away and challenged the Beasts in front of them empty-handed.
Of course, it was impossible for a flesh and blood human to rival a Beast’s physical ability. They were immediately counterattacked and easily blown away.
They didn’t die since the Beasts were holding back. However, as expected they didn’t come out unscathed. They were just alive and were clearly seriously injured beyond combat.
In spite of that, they didn’t stop fighting. They stood up again and again like ghosts, their entire body covered in fresh blood, and repeatedly challenged the Beasts.
And then those operatorscombatants gradually started transforming. Their skeletons distorted, and muscles started swelling. Their entire body got covered in scales and spike-like protuberances.
Their figure could no longer be called human. They were like reptiles standing straight──Lizardmen.
“Those guys……Just like that time……!”
Yahiro groaned at the transformation of the operatorscombatants. Now turned into lizardmen, their appearance looked very similar to the operatorcombatant of an unknown affiliation that fought with the twins on the night 3 days ago.
One of the Beasts that Iroha had called couldn’t bear the fierce attacks by the lizardmen and perished.
Once the balance was broken, the rest happened in an instant. The lizardmen that had superior numbers, ignored their defenses and repeated reckless attacks. The accumulated damage caused the Beasts to fall one by one.
Iroha’s face paled and she stared at that scene in a daze.
It was exactly as Giulie predicted. Due to what Iroha had ordered Nuemaru to do, and since they held back in order to not kill the humans, the Beasts that were protecting Iroha and the children were annihilated. That fact devastated her.
All of the 8 Beasts were annihilated, and there was no one left to stop RMS’s invasion anymore.
The operatorscombatants-turned-lizardmen approached the high ground where Yahiro and the others were standing with ease as if to display their inhuman leg strength.
The one leading those troops was the wheeled tank that had bombarded them in the beginning. Inside the tank was the figure of the commanding officer Firman La Hire.
“So those are……the Fafnir soldiers? I see. I was wondering how they managed to reach the center of the 23 wards, but it seems like Raimat had put 『Mod 2』 into practical usage.”
Rose muttered to herself.
Fafnir soldiers──that seemed to be the official name of those lizardmen. Fafnir was the name of a dragon that appeared in Norse mythology. However, it wasn’t born as a dragon but was originally a human. To protect the cursed gold he had acquired, Fafnir abandoned his human form and became a dragon. It would be an appropriate name for the monsterified RMS operatorscombatants who were hired for money.
“This is Firman La Hire. Members of Galerie Berith, I thank you for your efforts in capturing Kushinada.”
From the wheeled tank which had come to a stop, Firman called out to Rose and the others.
All of Galerie’s operatorscombatants had gathered around Iroha and the children. From an outside perspective, it would certainly look like they had encircled Iroha, even if that was not the case.
“We RMS will take care of escorting Kushinada. So I ask you to hand her over to us.”
Firman’s tone was polite, but it was one-sided, allowing no room for arguments.
In the meantime, the formation of Fafnir soldiers was slowly closing the distance. With their strengthened muscles, they could attack Yahiro and the others in an instant.
“What do you mean, Major Firman? Doesn’t Kushinada’s ownership belong to us, who secured her first?”
Rose calmly pointed out.
RMS was their sponsor Raimat International’s subsidiary, but according to the contract, they were just one of the partner companies participating in the Kushinada capture mission. So RMS and Galerie were on equal footing.
“That’s correct. However, if you people disappear, then that right would automatically belong to us──”
“──Josh!”
“On it!”
Josh fired at the same time Firman swung his raised arm downwards.
Multiple grenades relentlessly rained down the formation of RMS, and the Fafnir soldiers were blown away.
At the same time, Wei and Paora’s team also started counter-attacking. They mowed down the RMS operators that escaped the grenades with light machine guns.
However, the Fafnir soldiers didn’t fall even though they were hit by the high power anti-Beast bullets. The drug they were using was an improved version called Mod 2. The stamina and recovering power of their transformed physical body were far more than when Yahiro had fought the man.
“Tsk……!”
Galerie won’t stand a chance at this rate──having decided that, Yahiro dashed towards Firman who was standing in the front. He kicked down the still-human operatorscombatants that were guarding him and put his drawn sword at Firman’s throat.
“Don’t move, Firman La Hire.”
Yahiro warned him in a sharp tone.
Firman looked at Yahiro somewhat amusingly. Both of them knew what he was capable of with his quick draw, but Firman didn’t try to reach out for his gun.
“What are you planning, Japanese boy?”
“Tell your subordinates to fall back. You’re not at the age to be obsessed with such a young girl, Ossan[12].”
Yahiro intentionally used a provoking tone. He thought that robbing Firman of his leeway was necessary in order to negotiate.
However, Firman didn’t change his expression, and just showed a hint of disdain in his eyes.
“Weren’t you only supposed to be a guide hired by Galerie Berith?”
“I already took care of that request. But I still haven’t gotten the rewards yet, you see.”
“I see……then, I won’t have to pay for any compensation if I kill you, right?”
However, in the next instant, a shock assailed Yahiro’s abdomen. Something like a sharp lance pierced his torso and went all the way through his back.
“What happened……What did……!?”
Yahiro groaned as he spat out blood.
The thing that was piercing Yahiro’s torso was the tail of a creature covered in steel blue scales. The huge tail growing out of Firman’s back became a brutal thrusting weapon and attacked Yahiro.
“Fafnir Medicine 『Mod 3』──It was unfortunate, boy. I was the one with the perfect dragonman body.”
As he laughed, Firman’s body transformed into that of a Fafnir soldier.
Firman, who called himself the perfect body, was able to change forms at will without having to use the drug. However, by the time Yahiro realized that, Firman had already completed his transformation. His throat, which was now covered in strong scales, was easily able to repel Kuyou Masakane’s blade.
“Gu……h……–”
Once the tail piercing him was pulled out, Yahiro staggered back.
Staring at him with satisfaction, Firman readied the claws of his right hand.
“Oh right. That uniform had body armor built into it. In that case, I’ll make sure to finish you off this time──”
“───!? Don’t do that! STOP──!”
Realizing Firman’s intentions, Iroha screamed.
However, the dragonified RMS commanding officer casually swung his right hand and slit Yahiro’s throat. Yahiro fell on his back, wetting his entire body with the fresh blood that gushed out.
“UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA──!”
Iroha broke down in tears, holding her head.
Yahiro looked at her with his blurring vision.
How strange, he wondered.
He didn’t understand why she cried for Yahiro whom she had just met. And then Yahiro finally remembered. That the girl’s reaction had been more normal before the J-nocideGreat Massacre occurred.
In response to Iroha’s reaction, the pure white lightning beast wildly howled.
Strong lightning, incomparable to before, was scattered and more than a dozen Fafnir soldiers in the vicinity were turned into charcoal. The raging lightning didn’t stop and blew the wheeled tank apart, causing the shells inside it to explode.
“I see. So this is Kushinada’s power huh……”
Firman muttered as if impressed. But there was still leeway in his voice.
“However, there’s no longer any need to be afraid──”
Canceling his dragonified state, Firman pulled out his handgun and shot the lightning beast.
Naturally, that kind of an attack wouldn’t work on Beasts. Turning back into a human in front of the rampaging lightning beast was nothing but a suicidal act. Getting shot multiple times in the face, the lightning beast shook his head in irritation.
It was unknown whether the lightning beast understood that that was just a provocation to separate it from Iroha──
“NUEMARU──!?”
Half the body of the pure white Beast that leaped to attack Firman was blown away as if exploding.
A moment later, a thunderous roar resounded. It was the bombardment from a wheeled tank standing by in a place more than a kilometer away. The tank shells had flown in supersonic speed and accurately hit the lighting beast.
No matter how tough the prided body of a Beast was, there was no way it could handle a direct hit from a tank cannon. The huge Beast that had lost around seventy percent of its body, fell on the ground scattering miasma.
“This is a lie! Nuemaru, hang in there! NUEMARU!”
Iroha cried out while clinging to the remains of the lightning beast. A few Fafnir soldiers captured her while she was in that state. Although she possessed the power to control Beasts, she herself was a helpless girl. Unable to resist, she was pulled away from the lightning beast and was being taken to Firman’s side.
“This is bad. Princess! My Lady! We can’t hold them back anymore!”
“We’re running……out of ammo……”
Both Josh and Paora shouted. Galerie’s operatorscombatants had gathered the children Iroha had raised in one place and were protecting them. That was what the twins had instructed them to do.
However, now that their last ray of hope, the lightning beast, had perished, they were reaching their limits. Even if their opponents were unarmed, those Fafnir soldiers had an unusual amount of stamina and the ammunition required to defeat them was many times more than usual. That ammunition was about to run out.
“Don’t worry. it’s coming──!”
At the same time, the world went dark and a low, thunderous roar shook the air.
The sky was covered with all types of flying Beasts, including the wyvern type, the griffin type, and even the insect type. It was Kushinada’s authority to control Beasts. All the Beasts of the 23 wards were gathering in response to Iroha’s laments.
“We’re retreating, Giulie!”
“Roger that. Ninja──!”
Right after Rose’s command, Giulie scattered silver cans in the surroundings. A strong-smelling tear gas spewed out of them.
That smell strongly affected the Beasts and the drug-enhanced Fafnir soldiers. While the Fafnir soldiers were deprived of their vision and fell into a slight panic, Galerie’s operatorscombatants began to flee.
“Impossible……You mean she managed to call this many Beasts together……!? But how!?”
On the other hand, Firman couldn’t hide his turmoil at the number of Beasts that were gathering.
Not only the flying Beasts, but even the ground-type Beasts were also appearing one by one from all over the ruined city and were approaching Firman and the others. Unlike the white lightning beast, these weren’t under Iroha’s complete control but seemed to be just following their instinctive impulses. Most probably Iroha’s ability was running out of control and was endlessly attracting Beasts.
No matter how strong the Fafnir soldiers were, they couldn’t avoid getting annihilated against such a large number of Beasts.
Firman had already decided to abandon his subordinates. He was confident that with the help of Mod 3perfect body, he could break through the Beast’s encirclement by himself. The only remaining problem was whether he could take on the risk of retrieving Kushinada while being chased by the Beasts.
He turned his gaze towards Iroha to make that decision, and at that moment, he was shocked.
The Fafnir soldiers who had captured Iroha had collapsed, spewing fresh blood.
Instead, the one holding Iroha was the Japanese that should have perished──Yahiro. The wound on his abdomen where Firman should have pierced him had recovered, and his slashed throat had completely healed.
The only sign of his injuries was the blood covering his body.
“Impossible……!”
Firman fired his gun. It was an almost automatic quick draw──however, Yahiro stopped the bullet which was fired from a distance of a few meters with his left arm. The bullet didn’t pierce his arm and was repelled while scattering sparks. A deep crimson armor covering his arm defended him from Firman’s attack.
“Impossible……that arm……you bastard, how can you use the power of 『Sigurddragon slayer』……!?”
Throwing away his handgun, Firman raised the claws of his right hand, which had transformed into a dragon’s.
Yahiro brandished the katana he was holding. A high-pitched sound of metals clashing resounded. Firman’s dragonified body had already repelled Yahiro’s blade once. However, it was Firman’s arm, which was covered in silver scales, that shattered, spraying fresh blood.
“GAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaa──!”
Firman let out a monstrous scream.
Yahiro ignored him and kicked the ground. The newly approaching swarm of Beasts were attacking everything in their sight, be it an enemy or an ally. Galerie’s operators had already retreated, taking the children with them. There was no reason to stay in this place any longer.
“We’re running, Iroha!”
Yahiro said to the girl he was holding under his arms like baggage.
“No……stop! Nuemaru……! Please don’t leave him behind!”
Iroha fiercely shook her head while sobbing like a child. She stretched her hands towards the corpse of the lightning beast lying on the ground.
Forcibly restraining the struggling Iroha, Yahiro ran as fast as he could.
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
Under the skies covered with Beasts, the screams of the girl called Kushinada continued to echo.
[1] In military terminology, a soft-skinned vehicle is any vehicle that is not armored, such as a truck, motorcycle, Jeep or car. A gun truck is an improvised fighting vehicle used by units of regular armies or other official government armed forces.
[2] Hime-san and Ojou respectively.
[3] Quick draw is the ability to quickly draw a handgun and accurately fire it upon a target in the process.
[4] The kanji for Haka was 覇下, or in English Baxia/Bixi
[5] This place
[6] This place
[7] Edamame are young soybeans harvested before they ripen or harden.
[8] This beautiful place
[10] The Heian period is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The Sengoku period is a period in Japanese history of near-constant civil war, social upheaval, and intrigue from 1467 to 1615.
[11] Each time Yahiro mentioned ‘School Jersey’ he said ‘芋ジャージ’ (lit. potato jersey), which is basically used for monochromatic school tracksuits that have white stripes on them. Something like this.
[12] Ossan = rude term for middle-aged man (something like old man, pops, etc.)
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