《The Hollow Regalia》


 Volume 1 - CH Afterword

    When I first submitted the proposal for this series, the title was ¡¸¤¦¤Ä¤í¤Ê¤ë¥ì¥¬¥ê¥¢¡¹ instead of ¡¸Ðé¤í¤Ê¤ë¥ì¥¬¥ê¥¢¡¹(both read as Utsuronaru Regalia). That¡¯s because I thought that Ðé¤í was a bit difficult to read and the shortened form ¡°Ðé¥ì¥¬¡± (UtsuRega) would be hard to speak. However, after receiving criticism like ¡°Hiragana is no good¡± or ¡°Simply put, it¡¯s lame,¡± the title was disapproved, resulting in its becoming what it is today. But when even I began to think that the shortened form ¡°¤¦¤Ä¥ì¥¬¡± looked a bit stupid and that writing it in kanji was the right choice, an acquaintance of mine looked at the announcement of the new book and asked, ¡°What does Kyoronaru mean?¡± and that¡¯s why I¡¯m writing this afterword feeling really perplexed.


    And so, the first volume of The Hollow Regalia has arrived.


    It has been a long time since I¡¯ve released a new series after ¡¸Strike the Blood¡¹. If there were people looking forward to my new work, I¡¯m sorry to have kept you waiting for so long.


    Adjusting to the new world and new characters gave me quite a hard time. I had to prepare a lot of data and make an unprecedented amount of significant rewrites¡­¡­ But I think the hardships were worthwhile since I¡¯m quite pleased with how Yahiro, Iroha, and all the other characters turned out. It was a miscalculation that the main characters, who were supposed to be more stylish, turned out to be more stupid¡­¡­or rather, more shameless than expected, but I think they had to be that way in order to survive in that savage world, or something.


    The theme of this series is dragons and dragon slayers. Yup, now that¡¯s fantasy. I feel like my debut work, which was published by Dengeki Bunko, was also based on dragons and dragon slayers. It¡¯s as if I haven¡¯t grown at all. No, that¡¯s not it. This is, you know, what¡¯s called returning to one¡¯s roots.


    In fact, dragons were and still are one of my favorite motifs in a fantasy story. I get excited whenever I see strong and cool dragons in novels, movies, and anime. I like both Western dragons and Eastern dragons equally. It makes me sad when I see dragons treated like weaklings in recent games, but that is not so bad. Good to fight, good to ride, and delicious to eat. That¡¯s what dragons are. However, if I were to have dragons appear in my work, I would write them as dangerously strong and fascinating. And that¡¯s how ¡¸The Hollow Regalia¡¹ was born.


    Come to think of it, Japan was in a really awful state right from the beginning of this series, but naturally, that doesn¡¯t mean I, as the author, bear any grudge towards Japan. Just think of this as the same as those ¡®The earth has been destroyed¡¯ or ¡®The world has come to an end¡¯ stuff that happens a lot in fiction. I had quite a fun going to actual places, looking at the map, and imagining battles with monsters occurring there.


    To the illustrator in charge Miyuu-sama, thank you very much for the character design and illustrations that far exceeded what I had in mind. When I first saw the rough character sketches I received, I was so impressed that I let out a squeal while shaking with surprise. I look forward to working with you in the future.


    I give my heartful thanks to everyone related to the production and distribution of this book.


    And, of course, I give my unreserved thanks to all of you who have read this book.


    I¡¯ve already begun working on the second volume and will do my best so that it is delivered as soon as possible. And with that, I hope to see you again next volume.

 Volume 1 - Prologue

    Feeling a burning pain and shock, Yahiro fell on the sand smeared ground.


    Fresh blood poured out of his lungs, spreading a vivid taste of death in his mouth.


    He could hear the sound of wind. It was the sound of scorching air blowing through the gaps between the steel frames of the decaying buildings.


    The season is summer.


    It¡¯s the fourth summer since that tragedy.


    In this ruined city, there were no traces left of the people who lived here.


    Only the voice of cicadas can be heard. They continue to make sounds without resting, announcing the arrival of night.


    The fierce obsession with life and the vitality of their species. Even the terrain-altering dreadful attack, or the death of all the residents of the city, was probably not a big deal for those noisy insects.


    It was truly moving, and unsightly.


    Yahiro thinks that, staring at the evening sky through the cracked ceiling.


    A scarlet afterglow that seemed to scorch the heavens.


    The reason why the memory of four years ago came back, was probably due to seeing that red sky.


    The crimson rain the poured like a mist that summer, dyeing the world in the color of flames.


    What reflected in his eyes was a cluster of collapsed skyscrapers.


    And then the wreckage. The ashen lump of iron that was once called a train, now twisted and crushed, to the point it stopped retaining its original form.


    Bridges had fallen, roads had collapsed, and even the terrain had changed, making this city feel like an unfamiliar foreign country.


    The rain still continues to pour. A red rain, just like rusting iron.


    There¡¯s nothing else that moves.


    There¡¯s no living thing left anywhere.


    The few million people living in this city were eaten, and vanished, not even leaving behind a corpse.


    The only thing left was the 13 years old Narusawa Yahiro, clutching both of his bloodstained hands.


    ¡°Su¡­¡­i¡­¡­!¡±


    Yahiro¡¯s scream echoes pointlessly in the ruined city filled with silence.


    He still remembers the warmth of his little sister¡¯s tiny hands.


    And also the innocent smile from her childhood.


    However, the figure of that sister had also disappeared. Leaving behind only the fresh blood dyeing Yahiro¡¯s entire body.


    ¡°Where are you¡­¡­Sui¡­¡­!¡±


    There was no response to his screams. Only the silent, fiercely blowing winds had gained momentum.


    Yahiro emerged on a high ground after climbing up the stairs buried under rubble.


    A broken city that resembled a poorly made diorama. The uninhabited ruins wet with the deep crimson rain


    The flames bursting up all over the urban areas lit up the early morning sky like a sunset glow.


    A ¡ºcalamity¡» was flying in that sky.


    A shadow so gigantic that it could cover his entire field of vision.


    The rainbow-colored ¡ºmonster¡» swam in the sea of clouds as if drawing a circle, lording over the surface.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad¡­¡­You were still alive, Nii-sama.¡±


    He hears a clear voice with a hint of laughter.


    Accompanied by the flying ¡ºmonster¡» behind her, the girl silently looks down at the shivering Yahiro.


    While bathing in the pouring deep crimson rain, Narusawa Sui smiles softly.


    ¡°Or else, were you unable to die?¡±


    It doesn¡¯t go away. He still can¡¯t forget them.


    Those clear eyes of hers that reflected the dying world.


    And also the figure of the beautiful yet sinister dragon flying around behind her©¤©¤


    ¡°¡­¡­tch!¡±


    It was only for an instance that his consciousness was clouded.


    Waking up with an intense indignation, Yahiro leaps into the side as if rolling.


    Right above his head, the fangs of a beast fiercely grazed him. They were the fangs of a Beast with a height nearing 3 metres.


    The Beast crashes into the concrete wall with excess momentum.


    Taking advantage of that gap, Yahiro picks up the fallen knife and fixes his posture.


    His wounds were in such serious condition that it was laughable.


    One of his lungs was crushed, and his right scapula[1] was completely smashed up.


    It was at the point where his right shoulder was barely attached to his body.


    A frail human¡¯s body was in this state just by being lightly struck by a Beast¡¯s forelimb. Even now, an intense pain that could burn the nerves, was continuing to assault Yahiro without pause.


    The Beast turned toward Yahiro while gnawing the fragments of concrete.


    A stench like that of burning sulfur irritates Yahiro¡¯s nose.


    It was a dog shaped Beast with a jet black body. If it were the bunch from the army who encountered it, they would¡¯ve been overjoyed and given it over the top names like Black Dog or Hellhound.


    However, Yahiro held no interest in the names of Beasts.


    A Beast is a Beast. If it attacks, you just have to exterminate it.


    The black Beast lowers its posture while breathing out a sulfur-stinking air.


    A huge body rivaling that of a bison. A hound¡¯s agility and intelligence. The Beast, whose astounding fighting ability is far removed from the natural providence, is not an opponent a flesh and blood human should oppose.


    It seems like the lookouts who were accompanying Yahiro, were already either killed or ran away.


    They were the guys who looked down on Yahiro in contempt without hiding it because he was Japanese. Even if they survived, he couldn¡¯t count on their support.


    Right now, Yahiro was injured so badly that it was a wonder he could still move, and the only weapon he had was a knife.


    It won¡¯t be a problem, he said while raising the ends of his lips.


    Yahiro pressed the knife into his own wounds, and let the fresh blood cling to the blade.


    The black Beast attacks Yahiro while howling.


    At the same time, Yahiro too dashes towards the beast.


    The two silhouettes intersect in the twilight.


    The Beast tried to thrust his giant fangs into Yahiro¡¯s left arm.


    However, its attack came to a halt at that point.


    Yahiro¡¯s arms are stopping the Beast¡¯s jaw that could easily bite through concrete. The fresh blood sticking to his skin hardened like an armor and defended him from the Beast¡¯s fangs.


    By that time, he had already switched the knife to his right hand.


    ¡°Come on, it¡¯s time for revenge¡­¡­!¡±


    While whispering as if calling out to the bloodstained blade, Yahiru stabbed the knife into the Beast¡¯s flank.


    With a blade length just short of 15 centimetres, the knife was quite thin and unreliable compared to the huge body of the Beast. It could barely pierce through its tough skin when stabbed all the way to the base.


    However, the result it had on the Beast¡¯s body was dramatic.


    Cracks form all over the jet black body, with the wound gouged out by the knife as the center.


    The cracks expanded all over the body of the Beast via its blood vessels. It was as if destruction itself was spreading instead of the poison mixed with the blood©¤©¤


    The Beast raised an anguished howl. A gleam of anger and hatred dwelled in the pair of eyes glaring at Yahiro.


    However, its resistance only went that far.


    The limbs covered in cracks could no longer support the huge jet black body, and broke like a brittle plaster figure.


    Eventually, the Beast¡¯s whole body breaks apart, and crumbles down in the spot after turning into ashes.


    Yahiro stared at that with indifference.


    He put the knife which had served its purpose back into the sheath, and casually touched his right shoulder, which was covered in blood.


    The crushed lung, smashed up shoulder, and the torn off right arm had already finished regenerating.


    There were no scars left. The only signs of his injury left were the bloodstains on his ripped clothes.


    A part of the arm that was almost torn off was still there, but it regenerated quickly.


    But that doesn¡¯t mean it wouldn¡¯t have regenerated if the arm was completely gone.


    Yahiro will not die. He cannot die.


    Even if he gets an injury that can cause instant death, or loses more than half of his body, his cursed flesh won¡¯t allow him to die, and will reconstruct all his internal organs and revive him.


    That¡¯s the reason why on that rainy day 4 years ago, Yahiro was the only survivor in that ruined city.


    Yahiro exits the building after retrieving the intended item.


    In the middle of twilight, what spread beyond the horizon was the abandoned, uninhabited ruined city.


    A giant tower, which was smashed through the middle, was exposing its fossil-like pitiful figure.


    It was the steel tower that was once known as the Tokyo Skytree.


    The season is summer.


    It is the fourth summer since the ethnic group of people known as Japanese ceased to exist.


    Even now, Yahiro continues to wander around this city.


    [1] One of a pair of triangular bones at the back of the shoulde

 Volume 1 - CH 1

    ¡¸©¤©¤Waooon! Good Morning, Iroha Waon here¡¹


    ¡¸Thanks for coming to see me today, too. As always, the weather continues to be good, doesn¡¯t it? However, the temperature of my house is, believe it or not, 33 degrees! Iyaa©` No wonder I thought it was hot today. Everyone too, please be careful to not get a heatstroke.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­That said, if it¡¯s this hot then of course singing and dancing are impossible, so today, I¡¯d like to try indoor cooking, yes, the thing known as Japanese food.¡¹


    ¡¸Even if it looks like this, waon, I¡¯m actually rather good at cooking. No, no, really. I¡¯m not lying! So without any further ado, let¡¯s get ready to prepare Nikujaga.[1]¡¹


    ?


    That store stood quietly in the gap between abandoned buildings on the eastern coast of Edo River.


    It was a suspicious looking store that handled strange imported goods.


    At the back of the store, an old man with a small stature was sitting. He was a Mexican wearing a shirt with gaudy patterns. He was flipping through a faded Japanese manga magazine while smoking a cigar that had turned small.


    ¡°I¡¯ve returned, Ed¡±


    Yahiro, who casually entered the store, threw the baggage he was carrying into the counter where the shopkeeper sits. It was a long, narrow box made of white paulownia wood, almost around Yahiro¡¯s height.


    ¡°Are you alone, Yahiro. What happened to the escorts the client sent?¡±


    The storekeeper Ed©¤©¤Eduardo Valenzuela, glanced at Yahiro¡¯s face with a bothersome look, while still reading the manga magazine.


    ¡°Escorts? Don¡¯t you mean the guys sent to keep a watch on me?¡±


    While giving a curt reply, Yahiro took out a few silver pieces of metal from his pocket. Stainless-steel dog tags. They were retrieved from the necks of the mercenaries sent to monitor Yahiro.


    ¡°Fumu, so they died.¡±


    Ed said in a tone devoid of any emotions.


    It was not rare for humans, who set foot in the 23 wards designated as danger zones, to lose their lives. That was all the more for mercenaries coming from the outside. Rather, Yahiro is the strange one for being alive even after frequenting the 23 wards for many years.


    ¡°We were attacked by a Beast. It was something like a giant black dog. The place was around the Senju police station.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    After carefully writing down Yahiro¡¯s explanation, Ed stuck that memo to the map on the wall.


    Reliable information on Beasts can sell at a high price, and above everything else, survival rate can greatly increase depending on whether you know it or not. Instead of the details about the mercenaries, information of the Beasts that appear in the 23 wards was more valuable for Ed.


    ¡°So, what happened to the requested item?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s this, right? I had to go through troubles to find it since it wasn¡¯t in an easy-to-understand place like a museum.¡±


    ¡°Yahiro pointed at the baggage he brought.


    Ed casually opened the box made of paulownia wood. Inside it was a single Japanese sword, stored in a sword bag.


    What came out of the sword bag, was an Uchigatana-goshirae[2] Japanese sword. It was a museum-quality, amazingly old article.


    ¡°The national treasure ¡ºKuyouNavagraha MasakaneTrue Steel¡» huh¡­¡­Fumu, seems like the real thing.¡±


    After glancing at the note written below the paulownia box, Ed loosened his cheeks, satisfied. For Yahiro, that calligraphy written with a brush seemed to be nothing more than a strange symbol.


    ¡°You sure can read those letters well. Even the Japanese me has no idea what¡¯s written.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s natural. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t work as an art dealer.¡±


    ¡°An art dealer huh¡±


    Yahiro couldn¡¯t help but laugh, listening to Ed¡¯s boastful statement.


    Transporting valuable artworks out of Tokyo, that is now ruined and uninhabited, and selling them to dilettantes of other countries. That was Ed¡¯s occupation. You couldn¡¯t call it such a high job like an art dealer. At best, calling him a scavenger or looter[3] would be correct.


    ¡°Are you dissatisfied?¡±


    ¡°No. I won¡¯t have any complaints as long as you pay me.¡±


    Yahiro shook his head while laughing in self-derision. Being the one to actually enter the 23 wards, and retrieving the art pieces at Ed¡¯s requests, was Yahiro¡¯s job. In short, he was the subcontractor of a looter.


    He didn¡¯t have any feelings of guilt in selling off his own country¡¯s art pieces to foreign countries. It would be ridiculous if only the treasures remained behind in a ruined country.


    ¡°The reward huh. Of course I¡¯ll pay that.¡±


    Ed took out a roll of banknotes from the drawer and casually threw them in front of Yahiro. They were slightly dirty, US dollar bills, bounded by a rubber band. The amount wasn¡¯t small, but it was not as much as he was expecting either. One could tell at a glance they were less than ten thousand dollars without needing to count.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that a fifty thousand dollar job?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s what you call a brokerage fee.¡±


    Ed declared indifferently to the question Yahiro asked looking dissatisfied.


    ¡°Negotiations with the client. Appraising the art works. Everything will cost money. Even the information doesn¡¯t come for free.¡±


    ¡°Even if that¡¯s the case, why is your share bigger? You were just reading a worthless manga inside a comfortable store.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s regretful you¡¯re calling it worthless. If you sell Japanese manga magazines at the right place, they can go for a really high price. Look, here¡¯s a valuable pre-serialization one-shot of ¡¸Solomon¡¯s Roar¡¹¡±.


    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about that. In the first place, that manga magazine too is something I picked up by risking my life entering the 23 wards.¡±


    Yahiro lowered his voice as if irritated.


    Ed intentionally took his time exhaling the cigar smoke, and meaningfully smiled.


    ¡°If you have any complaints, then accept requests from a different storedealer next time onwards. That is, if there¡¯s someone other than me interested in hiring a Japanese like you.¡±


    A sound came from Yahiro¡¯s hands. It was the sound of the stainless-steel dog tags breaking, not being able to withstand Yahiro¡¯s grip strength. He slammed those twisted dog tags into the counter.


    Ed shrugged his shoulders exaggeratedly, as if saying ¡°Oh that¡¯s scary¡±.


    ¡°If you need money that much, then why don¡¯t you take on jobs as a soldier or bodyguard for the underground society? A carteldrug syndicate from Chiba is looking for a capable person to work as a bodyguard. Knowing your strength, you can earn some good money that way.¡±


    ¡°I have no intention of accepting requests that involve killing people. I¡¯ll consider it if you were the target.¡±


    Yahiro declared with a displeased voice. Hearing that, Ed sighed with a ¡®yare yare¡¯ and said,


    ¡°It seems the Japanese do not know what gratitude is.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been thoroughly ripping me off so far, so I don¡¯t owe you shit.¡±


    Yahiro harshly said that and grabbed the dollar notes from the counter. He then threw them uncovered into his leg bag.


    ¡°¡­¡­A private military company from the Kanto Region is gathering its forces. That¡¯s the reason why the carteldrug syndicate guys are getting so nervous. Seems like there is going to be a big movement in the 23 wards soon.¡±


    Ed suddenly called out to Yahiro, who was about to silently leave the store.


    Yahiro stopped and looked back.


    ¡°A big movement?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the specific details. If you leave that money as information fee, then I won¡¯t mind checking it out for you.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s gonna leave it behind? That thing doesn¡¯t have anything to do with me, right?¡±


    ¡°It would be nice if that¡¯s the case. According to rumors, it seems like there are people sniffing around for information on a retriever frequenting the 23 wards. So you take care of yourself as much as possible.¡±


    Ed once again started going through the manga magazine after saying that with an indifferent tone.


    A private military company is investigating about a retriever©¤©¤Ed¡¯s words were a warning for Yahiro. That¡¯s definitely an info he was curious about.


    Nonetheless, that didn¡¯t make him feel any gratitude for Ed. When he thought about why his reward was strangely not enough, it seemed like Ed had already deducted the exact compensation for that information. Although one could say that it¡¯s better that he¡¯s willing to make a proper deal with a Japanese like Yahiro, but©¤©¤


    Drop dead, you geezer, spat Yahiro in his mind while leaving the store behind.


    It is said that it all started with just a one meteorite.


    It was just a small mass of rock with a diameter less than four hundred meters. That asteroid, named ¡ºVritraEvil Dragon¡», repeatedly underwent irregular trajectory changes as if ridiculing the predictions of the optimistic astronomers, and smashed into the Earth¡¯s atmosphere. It rained down on the Japanese archipelago while breaking into countless pieces.


    The impact caused by the meteor fall rivaled a huge earthquake of magnitude 9.1. With its falling point as the center, it formed a huge crater several kilometers in diameter, causing catastrophic damage throughout Japan.


    However, the tragedy did not end there.


    The meteorite crash made the earth¡¯s crust unstable, triggering an increase in volcanic activity. Numerous mountains, including Mt. Fuji, erupted simultaneously in a massive-scale.


    Due to the volcanic cinders, pyroclastic flow, and the large amount of volcanic ash, the transportation network of Japan collapsed completely.


    What immediately followed was the large-scale outbreak of fierce, mysterious creatures that defied the existing biological knowledge all over the place.


    Atypical life-forms, that possessed an appearance like that of mythical creatures, and would later be known as Beasts©¤©¤


    They indiscriminately attacked people, ate them, and destroyed the cities.


    With Beasts, who could easily withstand hunting shells and rifle bullets as opponents, not only the police, but the JSDF was powerless as well. The Japanese government, which was already in the state of confusion regarding the meteor fall, completely stopped functioning at that point. It is said that half of the Japanese overall population was lost within one week from the appearance of the Beasts.


    Naturally, it wasn¡¯t as if the international community sat idle while watching that disastrous scene unfold.


    Countries from all around the world arranged donations and relief supplies, and the preparation to dispatch the international disaster relief team, was underway.


    That information encouraged many Japanese who were overwhelmed by the tragedies. They thought just as the nation called Japan experienced many times in the past, we¡¯ll recover from this unprecedented disaster even if it takes time, and regain the peaceful everyday lifestyle. Everyone had such unfounded expectations.


    It wasn¡¯t long after that an unusual event occurred.


    Without any warning, dignitaries, heads of states and religious leaders ordered their people in unison, as if prepared beforehand.


    Kill the Japanese. Annihilate them.


    J-nocideGreat Massacre©¤©¤The ¡ºJapanese Hunt¡»had begun.


    The chain of massacre spread throughout the world in the blink of an eye, and each country promptly began invading Japan with their armies.


    The cause and pretext for the J-nocideGreat Massacre varied.


    The UN announced that it was an emergency countermeasure to prevent a pandemic caused by a virus that came with the meteorite, while a few countries claimed that the Japanese, cornered by the critical situation, were planning a large-scale terrorist attack.


    There were also many religious leaders who preached that Japan was Babylon the GreatThe Great Whore mentioned in the Book of Revelation, and that it was a nest of unclean spirits.


    But the explanation that particularly had an overwhelming influence©¤©¤was that the Beasts were actually biological weapons created by the Japanese government in secret.


    It wasn¡¯t as if there weren¡¯t people who doubted those claims, but their voices weren¡¯t taken seriously. As a result, people feverishly hated the Japanese, feared and killed them.


    The nation known as Japan disappeared in the middle of that madness. The few Japanese who were still abroad too lost their lives one by one, being exposed to the merciless violence.


    Eventually, the natural disasters caused by the influence of the meteor fall abated, and at the same time, the J-nocideGreat Massacre also ended.


    That was approximately 6 months after the fall of the asteroid Vritra.


    The amount of casualties during that period was over 126 million©¤©¤


    And then the Japanese ceased to exist.


    ¡¸©¤©¤Waooon! Good Afternoon, Iroha Waon here!¡¹


    ¡¸Thanks for coming to see me today, too. I know this is sudden, but everyone, have you realized something? Believe it or not, my outfit has changed from today onwards. Yes, it¡¯s a new outfit! Woo-hoo!¡¹


    ¡¸You see, this outfit is a bit more revealing than the previous one, so it¡¯s a little embarrassing. I¡¯m feeling quite shy right now. Well, it¡¯s summer, after all! ¡¹


    ¡¸Actually, the previous outfit became quite tight around the chest part, and it felt like it would burst open if I let my guard down¡­¡­that¡¯s, that¡¯s wrong! I haven¡¯t gained weight! I¡¯m just growing!¡¹


    ?


    Crossing the Edo River on foot using the Joban line railroad bridge, he trespassed into the sealed Isolation Zone.


    An abandoned building of a private college close to the site of the former Kanamachi Station. That was Yahiro¡¯s roost.


    The countries that dispatched their armies into Japan for the J-nocideGreat Massacre numbered more than thirty. Presently, 8 of those countries still continue to station their troops, dividing and ruling the whole nation of Japan.


    However, the population density is extremely low since the Japanese who should have been ruled over were annihilated.


    The occupying forces are only stationed in major ports and large cities. More than half of the Japanese archipelago had been left in a state of anarchy, and has become a lawless zone overrun by international terrorists or criminals.


    But there are places where even those criminals rarely set foot into.


    Those are the 23 wards©¤©¤The area once known as the Tokyo Metropolitan Region.


    It was the economic and political center of Japan. The reason why the former capital was designated as an Isolation Zone was simple. The appearance rate of Beasts was exceptionally high compared to other places.


    Moreover, most of them were fierce and dangerous, and that percentage increased the more close you were to the city center.


    That¡¯s the reason why even now, when 4 years have passed since the J-nocideGreat Massacre, the buildings had been left intact and a lot of valuable artworks or traditional handicrafts were left untouched.


    It became the dwelling area for beasts, which the control of humans still couldn¡¯t reach to.


    That¡¯s why Yahiro stayed at that place. As long as he was inside the 23 wards, there was no risk of being assaulted by a robber, or his house being targeted by burglars.


    If a Beast attacks him, he can just kill him. But it¡¯s not so simple if the opponent is a human.


    The country that forbade killing had perished. There¡¯s also no one left to reproach Yahiro¡¯s crimes. In spite of that, he felt that if he ever crossed the line of killing someone, he would lose the final support that made him a Japanese.


    Of course, that¡¯s just a sentiment. He knows that it¡¯s only for self-satisfaction.


    However, he also thinks that it¡¯s not fair for him to take the lives of others, when he himself cannot die.


    That¡¯s why, Yahiro can¡¯t kill a person.


    It¡¯s to not forget that he is a Japanese, and also that he was once a human.


    ¡°Well, technically speaking, trespassing and theft too should be included in that¡±


    Cut me some slack for that much, at least©¤©¤muttered Yahiro to no one in particular while casually entering the abandoned college building.


    Since he couldn¡¯t regain his piece of mind in a spacious, empty classroom, Yahiro made use of a laboratory specially made for college graduates. He threw his luggage onto the sofa he was using in place of a bed, and started preparing a simple dinner consisting of canned food, chocolate and mineral water.


    If he asked Ed, then ordering meat, fish, and even freshly baked bread was possible. However, he didn¡¯t feel like trying out such an absurd thing. He had no idea how much he would be ripped off.


    The reason why Yahiro made the college campus as his base was because of the solar power generation system set up in the building. Most of the solar panels were damaged, and it lowered the efficiency, even so, Yahiro obtained more than enough electricity for a single person to use.


    Starting up the modified smartphone which had finished charging during daytime, Yahiro broke into the military¡¯s communication network. In the past, Yahiro didn¡¯t know how to hack, but after being left alone in this city, there was plenty of time to study. He used special tools to trespass into the network. And through the Canadian army server, which was stationed in Northern Kanto, he established a connection with a foreign video streaming site.


    It didn¡¯t take him long to find his intended channel.


    The thing displayed on the screen of his modified smartphone, was the face of a beautiful girl, wearing a wig that had animal ears.


    ¡¸©¤©¤Waooon! Good Evening, Iroha Waon here!¡¹


    ¡¸Thanks for coming to see me tonight, too. It finally cooled down a bit when night arrived, didn¡¯t it©`¡­¡­or rather, these cicadas are too annoying! Is there any problem? Can you hear Waon¡¯s voice? Hello?¡¹


    Hearing the usual excessively high-tension greeting, Yahiro¡¯s expression loosened.


    Silver hair and green eyes. A strange outfit that would remind someone of an idol or anime character. The girl, who introduced herself as Iroha Waon, was a lone amateur streamer that uploaded self-made videos on the internet.


    The contents of her videos focused on trifling idle talk.


    In addition to that, she also did live cooking, and occasionally played musical instruments or performed a dance.


    Most of her videos weren¡¯t that interesting.


    There weren¡¯t any points worthy of mentioning except her really pretty face.


    The contents of her conversations were that of an average person, and her cooking skills too were normal. Her dancing was skillful, probably due to her good motor nerves, however her singing skills were devastating.


    Naturally, the views her videos got never increased. Most of them got viewed only a few dozen times, while the better ones reached three digits.


    In spite of that, her videos were unique and special to Yahiro.


    That¡¯s because her streams were all in Japanese.


    Iroha Waon was a Japanese, or someone closely related to Japan.


    For the sake of the Japanese that died out, she uses the language of a destroyed country.


    Of course, such a thing could just be someone playing a character. It is highly possible that Iroha Waon doesn¡¯t actually exist, and it¡¯s just someone holding ill will pretending to be Japanese. Even so, Yahiro thought that didn¡¯t matter.


    Because it is a true fact that her nostalgic words, and the illusion that a Japanese other than Yahiro still survived, saved him.


    ¡¸Well then, tonight, Waon is thinking of answering your questions that reached her. The first message is by this person! Yahiron-san from Tokyo! Thank you as always! ¡¹


    ¡°©¤!¡±


    Yahiro made a small guts pose, hearing the name she said. Yahiron was his handle name.[4]


    ¡¸Yahiron-san, is it true that you live in Tokyo? Waon is also a Tokyo resident, so that makes us neighbors, right? I would be happy if we ever meet¡­¡­So, the first question of the day is©¤©¤¡¹


    Bringing his face closer to the modified smartphone¡¯s screen, Yahiro stared at the streamer girl.


    However, Yahiro wasn¡¯t able to hear Waon¡¯s next words. Since her voice, coming out of the speaker, was drowned by a sudden echo of a gunshot.


    ¡°¡­¡­huh?¡±


    At first, he raised his head as if taken aback, and in the next instant, he reflexively grabbed his knife and rushed out of the room. He could still hear gunshots from the direction of the courtyard.


    ¡°Why are there humans in a place like this¡­¡­!?¡±


    It was obvious, but Beasts cannot use small weapons. Humans had entered the college grounds.  He naturally thought that someone carelessly entered the 23 wards, and was being attacked by a Beast.


    Of course, the intruder was just getting their just deserts for entering the sealed off Isolation Zone, and Yahiro had no reason to save them. However, he couldn¡¯t let someone die so close to the place he made his resting place, after all.


    Yahiro kicked open the door that had a broken lock and rushed into the courtyard. Immediately after, he stopped his feet in surprise.


    ¡°Wooah!?¡±


    A person was blown off right in front of Yahiro¡¯s eyes and crashed into the wall. It was the body of a man with a large build, wearing a bulletproof vest. Together with the flashy display of the broken fragments of the glass window, the man rolled into the ground, covered in blood.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s Narusawa Yahiro!¡±


    Someone called out Yahiro¡¯s name, who was still standing in a daze.


    The one calling out to him was a female of oriental descent. She was a girl of a small build wearing a sleeveless Chinese shirt. Her asymmetrical black hair had showy orange highlights.


    She looked to be around Yahiro¡¯s age, probably in her mid-teens.  She was very lightly dressed, unthinkable from someone who moves around in the 23 wards, and didn¡¯t even have a weapon that actually looked like one. But she was definitely the one who used some martial arts similar to aikido and flung the man wearing the bulletproof vest.


    ¡°Sh¡­¡­it¡­¡­!¡±


    The man with the bulletproof vest turned the SMGsubmachine gun he was holding towards the girl.


    The orange-haired girl didn¡¯t even flinch at gun point. And then, faster than the man could pull the trigger, gunshots were heard from a different place. The man whose right wrist got blown off let out an inarticulate scream.


    The one who shot the man was another girl with a face identical to the orange-haired girl.


    Large eyes that would remind someone of a whimsical cat.  Otherworldly graceful looks. Even as sisters, their faces were unbelievably identical.


    The asymmetrical hairstyle, where one side is longer than the other one, was also the same, except that the side it grew longer was opposite for both of them.


    Only their hair color was different. The second girl had her hair highlighted in blue.


    The Chinese shirt the girls were wearing, too, matched the respective color of their hairs.


    The blue-haired girl fired the handguns she was holding in both of her hands, once each.


    Although she didn¡¯t have the time to adjust her aim, it was precise. Two men holding guns fell down and went silent, after being shot directly in the middle of their foreheads.


    ¡°Ro-chan, there he is. Narusawa Yahiro.


    The orange-haired girl waved her hands at the other girl with the identical face.


    The blue-haired girl called Ro-chan came closer to Yahiro, while returning the handguns to the holster on her thighs.


    ¡°Narusawa Yahiro. You¡¯re Narusawa Yahiro, right? Is that right? Hmm, you¡¯re quite young¡­¡­although the look in your eyes is bad, I guess the face is pretty cute. And also you smell a little funny.¡±


    The orange-haired girl looked directly at Yahiro and sniffed him.


    While holding the knife in a way ready to pull it out anytime, he stared back at her in silence.


    He was desperately thinking in his head. Why are the girls here? Why do they know his name? What is their objective? And also are these girls enemy? Or ally©¤©¤


    ¡°I apologize for suddenly barging in, Narusawa Yahiro.¡±


    The blue-haired girl said calmly.


    The two girls looked identical, however, the impression their eyes gave was exactly the opposite. As opposed to the orange-haired girl filled with curiosity like a kitten, the blue-haired girl¡¯s eyes showed no emotion at all.


    ¡°Barging in you say¡­¡­first of all, what¡¯s the deal with these guys?¡±


    ¡°They are probably the hired operatorscombatants of some private military company. It seems like they tailed us. They were mostly likely preventing us from getting in contact with you.¡±


    ¡°Why would, a private military company¡­¡­¡±


    Yahiro asked back while frowning. The warning Ed gave during the day crossed his mind.


    A private military company is investigating about a retriever©¤©¤his words coming true on the same day can¡¯t be just a mere coincidence. Yahiro couldn¡¯t help but doubt that the man knew this would happen from the start.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­¡±


    The blue-haired girl, who was about to answer Yahiro, suddenly narrowed her eyes and pulled out her handguns.


    And then she aimed the muzzle towards the collapsed man.  It was the one who got blown away by the orange-haired girl in the beginning.


    ¡°Narusawa¡­¡­Yahirooooo¡­¡­!¡±


    The man roared while glaring at Yahiro with bloodshot eyes. His muscles strangely bulged out, and sent the bulletproof vest flying.


    ¡°So he was still conscious.¡±


    The blue-haired girl mercilessly shot at the man¡¯s forehead. It was a precise aim, like that of a machine. The 9 mm bullet, that has an excellent penetrating strength,  pierced the man¡¯s forehead and dealt fatal damage to his brain©¤©¤or was supposed to.


    ¡°Oooooooooooooo!¡±


    However, the man¡¯s movement didn¡¯t stop. With his entire body dyed in his own blood, the man roared with a delightful expression. He glared at Yahiro with a pair of fiery eyes.


    ¡°What the hell¡­¡­is he¡­¡­¡±


    Yahiro pulled out his knife, feeling an instinctive fear. He could feel a physiological disgust that was the same as Beasts©¤©¤or even more, from the man¡¯s current appearance


    ¡°The F med©¤©¤!¡±


    The blue-haired girl looked at the nape of the man¡¯s neck. A cylinder similar to a syringe, around 5 cm in diameter, was stabbed near his left carotid artery.


    A deep crimson liquid, just like wine, was inside that cylinder. Most of it had already entered the man¡¯s body.


    ¡°Ro-chan, get back! That¡¯s a Fafnir soldier!¡±


    The orange-haired girl kicked the ground and leaped. Using her small body skillfully, she grabbed the man¡¯s hand and, with her full weight, twisted it in an impossible direction.


    The man¡¯s left hand broke, making an unpleasant sound.


    However, that man flung the orange-haired girl away with his broken hand, not paying attention to the pain.


    ¡°Giulie©¤©¤!?¡±


    The blue-haired girl screamed.


    ¡°That surprised me¡­¡­!¡±


    The orange-haired girl rotated midair like a cat and landed on a wall. She then got back on the ground as if nothing had happened, and took distance from the man covered in blood.


    Without looking at the girl, the man thrust his broken left arm overhead. The sound of breaking bones resounded multiple times, and his left arm transformed into a distorted shape. That figure, which was covered in hard scales and spiked like a knife, looked like the forelimb of a reptile.


    ¡°This is¡­¡­this is some amazing strength¡­¡­! I can even kill the Beasts with this power¡­¡­!¡±


    The man clenched his fists, that had now grown claws, and smiled while baring his teeth. And then, he suddenly turned a gaze filled with killing intent towards Yahiro.


    ¡°You, what¡¯s with¡­¡­that smell¡­¡­!¡±


    Growling in a deep, hoarse and inaudible voice, the man leapt towards Yahiro.


    The left claw thrust out by the man sliced Yahiro¡¯s left chest. However, after being covered in Yahiro¡¯s blood that gushed out, it was the man who raised an anguished voice.


    ¡°I see, so you¡¯re Lazarus¡­¡­Lazaruuuuuuuuuuus©¤©¤¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°guh©¤!?¡±


    The man¡¯s claws attacked Yahiro again.


    Yahiro stopped that with his bare hands. Securing the claw piercing his arms in place using his muscles, he sealed the man¡¯s further movements. And then he stabbed the knife wet with his own blood into the man¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡°Gwooooooooooooo©¤!¡±


    The man let out a bestial scream. He forcibly swung his enlarged left arm to extract the claw that was still piercing Yahiro¡¯s arms.


    However, the end result was something Yahiro didn¡¯t expect. Leaving behind a dry sound similar to that of a withered tree breaking, the man¡¯s left hand came off from his shoulder.


    ¡°Wha-¡­¡­!?¡±


    Both Yahiro and the man let out a surprised voice simultaneously.


    The recoil from pulling it from both the ends caused both of them to fall backwards. Yahiro fixed his posture in a fluster while rolling on the ground, and readied his knife in reflex. He then gasped in surprise.


    ¡°Not¡­¡­like this¡­¡­like thiiiiiiiiiiiis©¤!¡±


    The man¡¯s body was melting. His already large body had swelled up to more than three times its original size, and turned darkish as if it had festered.


    He no longer retained his human form after being unable to control the cells of his body disorderly multiplying. Just like a balloon bursting after crossing its limit, the man¡¯s body burst open, spilling rotten liquid.


    ¡®Annihilated¡¯ was more suitable than ¡®death¡¯, to describe the man¡¯s grand end.


    Yahiro stared at it dumbfounded, unable to move.


    Once again, silence returned to the ruined college campus.


    Sensing the presence of people behind him, Yahiro exhaled slowly. He then returned the chipped knife back into the sheath.


    His eyes met with the two girls when he turned around. They really dd look alike, even if you compared them side by side.


    ¡°You¡¯ll explain all this, right?¡±


    Yahiro asked in a tone which concealed his irritation.


    ¡°Yes, of course. That¡¯s why we came here after all.¡±


    Saying that, the blue-haired girl made a beautiful smile.


    ¡°Wait, Giulie. We have to check first if it¡¯s a trap or not¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right. See, even the door is unlocked. Sorry for the intrusion. I¡¯ll be entering, ok?¡±


    The orange-haired girl stepped into the laboratory without giving Yahiro, who guided them here, any time to stop her.


    Looking around the room, which was dyed in the smell of someone living, the girl exclaimed in amazement.


    ¡°Hey hey, Narusawa Yahiro. Can I take this? It looks so tasty!¡±


    The orange-haired girl looked into the canned food which Yahiro prepared as his dinner, with deep interest. It was a tare flavored yakitori can[5]. It made sense that it would be an unusual food for people other than Japanese.


    ¡°Do as you like.¡±


    Yahiro said that in an uninterested tone and passed her an outdoor-use fork.


    ¡°Also, call me Yahiro. No need to use my family name.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Then, you can call me Giulie too. While Ro-chan is Ro-chan.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­at least use Rose.¡±


    The blue-haired girl corrected in a somewhat reluctant voice, letting out a sigh. Giulie and Rose. The relationship between these two sisters could be somewhat guessed with that short exchange.


    ¡°We are from Galerie Berith©¤©¤merchants.¡±


    Rose introduced herself while facing the still-cautious Yahiro.


    Yahiro slightly frowned. Galerie meant art gallery in French.


    ¡°Galerie©`¡­¡­so art dealers, huh.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Or to the public at least.¡±


    ¡°To the public¡­¡­you say.¡±


    How straightforward, thought Yahiro while unintentionally snickering. To put it simply, these girls were the same as Ed. They were probably doing a shady work like selling the antiques or artworks remaining in Japan to other countries.


    If that was the case, he now understood why these girls entered the 23 wards and came to meet Yahiro.


    ¡°I¡¯m Rosetta Berith. That beautiful and cute girl over there is my elder twin, Giulietta. We came to you to request the retrieval of an artwork, since you are the retriever who knows a lot about the 23 wards.¡±


    ¡°Well, calling her beautiful and cute¡­¡­¡±


    Don¡¯t you have the same face too, thought Yahiro while holding back his urge to tsukkomi[6], and exhaled.


    ¡°Retrieval of an artwork?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Why are you requesting that from me? Aren¡¯t there a lot of other retrievers too?¡±


    ¡°One of the reasons is that you are a survivor of the Japanese. We reached the conclusion that it is necessary to borrow the power of a Japanese in order to obtain the artwork we want.¡±


    ¡°So, do I have to solve a riddle in Japanese?¡±


    Yahiro stared at the blue-haired girl©¤©¤Rosetta with a suspicious look.


    At the point in time when most of its citizens had died, the nation known as Japan vanished. Language and traditional culture had become extinct, and the remaining crafts and cultural assets were being shipped out to other countries. The existence known as Japanese right now had no more value than that of an endangered species.


    That being the situation, the only case he could think of requiring his cooperation was that they needed him for a unique code that only a Japanese could solve.


    ¡°Hmm©`¡­¡­so you¡¯re good at riddles. How amazing!¡±


    The orange-haired girl©¤©¤Giulietta, stared at Yahiro with sparkling eyes.


    Her unexpected reaction put Yahiro in an awkward mood, and he said,


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m particularly good at them. I was just saying.¡±


    ¡°Eeh©`¡­¡­really? How boring.¡±


    Giulie puffed up her cheeks like a pouting child.


    Ignoring that, Yahiro turned towards Rose.


    ¡°And what¡¯s the other reason for requesting it from me?¡±


    Fuh, Rose gave a nasty smile.


    Her eyes were quietly fixed on the rip in the chest of Yahiro¡¯s shirt. It was the place where he was slashed by the man who turned into a monster after using the F med. The wound that was supposed to be below it had vanished without leaving a trace.


    ¡°It¡¯s because you are an immortal being©¤©¤¡ºLazarusimmortal¡» Narusawa Yahiro.


    ¡°©¤!?¡±


    Yahiro reflexively gasped at her words which caught him off guard.


    He then immediately tried to feign ignorance, but it was obvious that it was too late.


    For Yahiro who didn¡¯t have any companions or someone that would watch his back, his immortal body was his sole weapon.


    His opponents let their guards down the moment they thought Yahiro was dead. And that moment becomes the greatest chance for him to counterattack. That¡¯s how Yahiro defeated strong opponents that outranked him and managed to survive so far. And that didn¡¯t change whether the enemy was a Beast or human.


    However, if that secret is out, its effect as a weapon will be reduced by half.


    That¡¯s why Yahiro continued to hide his true nature all this time.


    Not even Ed, whom he has known for long, know about that secret. Even if a rumor about a cursed immortal Japanese spread, there should be no one who would actually believe it.


    However, Rose¡¯s tone of voice sounded like she was sure that Yahiro was an immortal.


    ¡°Laza¡­¡­rus¡­¡­?¡±


    Yahiro repeated the word she said.


    It was something he had never heard before. But it strangely sounded like something he was curious about.


    ¡°The hero Siegfried, from the Germanic legends, killed a dragon and supposedly got an immortal body by bathing in its blood¡­¡­I wonder how did you become Lazarusimmortal.¡±


    Rose slightly tilted her head.


    Yahiro¡¯s expression stiffened from the anecdote of the dragon slayer she casually mentioned.


    Rose narrowed her eyes, looking at such a Yahiro in amazement.


    ¡°I¡¯d love to hear about it, Yahiro.¡±


    ¡°This is pretty tasty. It will go well with alcohol. Do you have some wine?¡±


    It was Giulie who broke the tense atmosphere. With her mouth full of yakitori, she turned towards Yahiro and asked, going along at her own pace.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have such a thing. In the first place, you are underage, right? Just drink water with it.¡±


    Yahiro handed a mineral water bottle to Giulie. It came from the drinking water reserves from the college, stored for emergency use. Even now, the quantity was so large that Yahiro could not drink it all by himself.


    Giulie accepted it without any complaints and puffed up her chest in pride for some reason.


    ¡°Buh-boo©`, too bad. The legal age of drinking in my country is 16.¡±


    ¡°Which country are you from, anyway?¡±


    ¡°Which was it, Ro-chan?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Belgium. Although, we just hold that citizenship for convenience¡¯s sake.¡±


    Rose explained indifferently. She¡¯s normally expressionless, but her gaze when looking at her elder sister was kind.


    ¡°So, what did you mean by Lazarusimmortal?¡±


    Yahiro asked Rose again with his face devoid of tension.


    ¡°It¡¯s a metaphor we use for the sake of convenience to call people who revive after dying. It doesn¡¯t have any special meaning. Have you read the Gospel according to John©¤©¤the New Testament?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t read it either.¡±


    Both Yahiro and Giulie shook their heads after being asked by Rose.


    Hearing her sister¡¯s unexpected statement, for an instant Rose showed an expression as if she had bitten something sour. Then she let out an amusing sigh.


    ¡°So you won¡¯t deny being an immortal, huh.¡±


    ¡°You came here knowing that, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Yahiro replied with a sullen face. He didn¡¯t know why, but for some reason, Rose was certain that Yahiro is an immortal. He decided that it would be pointless hiding it now.


    ¡°That¡¯s too bad©`. If you still denied, I would¡¯ve slit your throat right there to confirm if you still didn¡¯t die.¡±


    While enjoying her yakitori, Giulie suddenly pointed the fork she was holding towards Yahiro. At that moment, a chill went down Yahiro¡¯s spine.


    He couldn¡¯t even react by the time Giulie stopped her movements.


    Yahiro would¡¯ve already died once if she was being serious. But that made him realize that Giulie didn¡¯t hold any hostility towards him, at least for now.


    Reaching that interpretation on his own accord, Yahiro continued asking Rose questions.


    ¡°From whom did you hear about my condition?¡±


    ¡°The mercenaries monitoring you during the ¡ºKuyouNavagraha MasakaneTrue Steel¡» retrieval mission©¤©¤they were our subordinates.¡±


    Rose said in a monotonous voice.


    Yahiro slightly groaned, unable to hide his agitation.


    The two mercenaries who went to keep a watch on him on their own accord, were unsavory people who looked down on the Japanese, however, Yahiro still felt slightly guilty for letting them die.


    ¡°So you guys were the client of today¡¯s request¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°The drone they had was capturing the situation of the fight between the Beast and you. And also the figure of your body repairing an instant-death level injury in a really short time.¡±


    Rose was watching Yahiro¡¯s reactions with deep interest.


    On the other hand, while reluctantly parting with the yakitori can she had finished eating, Giulie said,


    ¡°I was really looking forward to meeting Yahiro ever since I heard the rumors about a cursed Japanese retriever who could come back from any dangerous situation.¡±


    ¡°So, what do you want that cursed Japanese to retrieve?¡±


    Yahiro bluntly asked, to which Rose gave a short reply.


    ¡°Kushinada.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Kushinada?¡±


    ¡°Have you ever read Kojiki[7]?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t expect high-level knowledge from someone whose country got destroyed in the middle of his compulsory education.¡±


    Yahiro looked away in a displeased mood. It would¡¯ve been a different thing if it was about the bible, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel slightly humiliated for losing to a foreigner in Japanese literature.


    The J-nocideGreat Massacre began four years ago. It was the time when Yahiro was still in his first-year of middle school.


    Since then, he has been living alone. Naturally, he couldn¡¯t hope for proper education. There were a lot of self-study materials and books that survived, but since he prioritized acquiring practical skills like foreign languages and electrical skills, he didn¡¯t have the leeway to read history books too.


    ¡°However, I¡¯ve heard of that word. It¡¯s the name of a goddess that appears in Japanese myths, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s the shrine maiden that was chosen to be a sacrifice for Yamata no Orochi©¤©¤the Eight-Headed Dragon.


    ¡°Sacrifice for the dragon¡­¡­huh¡­¡­¡±


    Yahiro¡¯s cheeks stiffened unconsciously.


    Rose¡¯s diagonally-cut bangs shook as she meaningfully nodded.


    ¡°You know the reason why the 23 wards were designated as Isolation Zones, right?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it because Beasts wander around there?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct. The appearance rate of Beasts inside the 23 wards is ninety time more than that of the other areas. Even if compared to Kyoto and Nara that also have high rates, it¡¯s still ten times more.¡±


    ¡°On top of that, there are also a lot of dangerous individuals. In the past, there were a lot of stories about armored corps of the army being annihilated by just a single Beast.¡±


    Giulie pointed out the disturbing truth while smiling.


    In the past©¤©¤although she said that, it happened merely 3-4 years ago. To gain control over Tokyo, which was formerly the capital city, the main forces of various countries rushed into the capital, which resulted in numerous casualties.


    As a result, the boundaries of the 23 wards were sealed, and they were designated as Isolation Zones, not in the control of any power.


    ¡°You guys came here23 wards knowing that, huh. You¡¯ve got some guts.¡±


    Yahiro sighed in exasperation. It was crazy for two small girls to set foot into the 23 wards, where the Beasts gather, without bringing any guards.


    However, for some reason, Giulie¡¯s voice bounced with happiness, and she said,


    ¡°We did it Ro-chan! We got praised!¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t praising you!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true that even if we talk about this place, which is near the edge of the 23 wards, it is still dangerous enough. But we came to a conclusion that Giulie and I could get through it without any problem.¡±


    Rose calmly stated that to Yahiro, who was frowning at his sarcasm being turned aside.


    ¡°Even so, we don¡¯t have any intention to invade any further than this by ourselves. The appearance rate of dangerous Beasts will increase the closer you move towards the central part of the 23 wards. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Yahiro nodded coldly.


    Even within the 23 wards, the former Suginami and Nerima wards, which are close to the Tama district, or the former Setagaya and Ota wards, which face the Kanagawa prefecture, have a slightly lower appearance rate of Beasts. It¡¯s around 15-16 times more than the southern part of Saitama prefecture and the western part of Chiba prefecture, which are called Buffer Zones.[8]


    On the other hand, the closer you go towards the city center, the appearance rate of Beasts can jump up to around 100 times more.


    Even retrievers like Yahiro seldom trespass into the interior of the Yamanote line, no matter how well-paying the request is. The saying that no one saw the Tokyo Station and came back alive, is exceedingly closer to the truth than an exaggerated rumor. Yahiro knew that very well.


    ¡°That¡¯s the reason why we came to meet you, Narusawa Yahiro.¡±


    ¡°Ha?¡±


    ¡°In the former Bunkyou ward, we¡¯ve confirmed a systematic and organized group of Beasts near the site of Tokyo Dome. They¡¯ve formed a swarm of varying species and seem to be increasing their area of control.¡±


    ¡°Beasts forming¡­¡­a swarm? You mean to say that different types of Beasts are living together?¡±


    That¡¯s impossible, thought Yahiro, shaking his head, dumbfounded.


    Beasts are unclassifiable monsters, each of them deviating from the laws of nature.


    Excluding a portion of the type which operates as colonies, even Beasts of the same species appearing at the same time rarely happens. He has never heard about Beasts forming a large-scale swarm, all the more if the species also differ.


    However, Rose continued without hesitation.


    ¡°That group has a leader that commands them.¡±


    ¡°Is Kushinada that leader¡¯s name?¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±


    The blue-haired girl affirmed Yahiro¡¯s words. I see, said Yahiro, pursing his lips.


    If Rose¡¯s story is to be believed, then the individual known as Kushinada has an immense value without fail. No wonder these self-proclaimed merchants were showing interest in it.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know how Kushinada is making the Beasts obey her. However, if we analyze that method, there is a possibility that we might get hands on the skills to control Beasts.¡±


    ¡°You mean making it possible for humanity to control the Beasts, huh. That sounds like it¡¯ll make some good money.¡±


    Yahiro stated that in a sarcastic tone. However, Rose didn¡¯t deny his words.


    ¡°On the contrary, if we leave the situation as it is, then eventually the swarm of Beasts Kushinada is leading may become a threat to humanity.¡±


    ¡°A threat to humanity¡­¡­huh.¡±


    Yahiro slightly snorted. He didn¡¯t think of Rose¡¯s thoughts as needless worry.


    Beasts are dangerous monsters. In spite of that, the reason why they still aren¡¯t an overall threat to humanity is largely due to their nature of normally appearing alone. As long as one doesn¡¯t set foot in their turfs, Beasts usually never proactively attack humans. That¡¯s the reason why the UN became satisfied with only sealing off the 23 wards.


    But the story changes if the Beasts are forming a swarm.


    Naturally, if the Beasts won¡¯t fight among themselves, then their overall number will increase.


    It hasn¡¯t been confirmed if the Beasts also need to eat like other existing living creatures. However, there¡¯s no guarantee that a situation won¡¯t arise where they run out of food.


    If there was a shortage of food in the 23 wards, then it was clear as day that they would seek new prey from the outside.


    The possibility that they would then cross the seas and threaten other countries too was also not zero.


    Kushinada must be captured before that happens. That¡¯s not a strange reasoning. If they knew that Kushinada¡¯s abilities would be worth money, then all the more, it would suffice as a motive.


    ¡°You¡¯re not gonna ask me to go retrieve that Kushinada or something, are you?¡±


    ¡°Can you do it?¡±


    Hearing Yahiro¡¯s question, which laid his wariness bare, Giulie looked at him with an expression filled with expectations.


    ¡°Of course I can¡¯t do that. The interior of the Yamanote line is already crawling with dangerous Beasts. You can¡¯t expect me to confront them all at once.¡±


    ¡°Thought so.¡±


    The elder twin shrugged her shoulders as if disappointed.


    ¡°We also don¡¯t have the intention to leave the retrieval of Kushinada to you alone.¡±


    The younger twin replied in an overly serious tone.


    ¡°Two days later, a major military company ¡ºRaimat¡» will lead the Kushinada capture mission. We Galerie Berith also plan on joining that mission. That¡¯s why©¤©¤¡±


    ¡°We want to request Yahiro to guide us, right?¡±


    Interrupting Rose¡¯s explanation in the middle, Giulie continued it while smiling impishly.


    ¡°Guide?¡±


    Yahiro frowned. Guiding was not a retriever¡¯s job. He didn¡¯t think that it would be needed for the girls, who could use GPS or drones as they pleased.


    As if seeing through Yahiro¡¯s doubts, Rose slightly shook her head and said,


    ¡°Kushinada¡¯s capture is a joint operation that will be carried out by the four private military companies hired by Raimat. The premise is that all four would cooperate with each other, however, the chain of command is independent, and the troops of each company will act by their own judgment.¡±


    ¡°In short, the capture of Kushinada is first come, first served.¡±


    A belligerent light flashed in Giulie¡¯s large, cat-like eyes.


    Although it¡¯s called a joint operation, the only ones participating are members of the private military companies and contractors. Since their top priority is the interest of their company and employer, they will not hesitate to outsmart the alliance for that purpose.


    ¡°Since you have a large experience in infiltrating the 23 wards, you must know a safer route that has a low rate of encountering Beasts. You must also be familiar with the nature and weak points of the Beasts. So please use that knowledge and guide our squad to Kushinada¡¯s turf, faster than any other squad.


    Rose finally revealed the actual objective.


    In addition to his achievements as a retriever, Yahiro was also familiar with the geography of Tokyo before the J-nocideGreat Massacre. He could also fully use the information written in marks and signboards that the people of other countries might overlook. There was probably no one other than Yahiro who was perfectly suited for the role of a guide.


    He now understood the reason why these girls who came to meet Yahiro, were attacked by the operatorscombatants of other private military companies. Those rival companies didn¡¯t want Galerie Berith to get their hands on a talented guide.


    Conversely, there¡¯s also a possibility that if these girls didn¡¯t come to visit Yahiro tonight, he might have been killed by those people without knowing anything. However©¤©¤


    ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯ll have to decline. I can¡¯t bear the burden of the lives of other people.¡±


    Yahiro flatly refused Rose¡¯s request.


    ¡°Since you guys were the client of today¡¯s request, then you should know. My constitution coincidently makes it hard for me to die, but I¡¯m not strong enough to protect other people from Beasts. I can¡¯t make an irresponsible promise of bringing you all safely to the center of the 23 wards.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re talking about those two dead people, then no need to mind them. It¡¯s their own fault for ignoring your instructions and underestimating the Beasts.¡±


    Rose said in a flat tone. It was a cold and heartless statement, even if it was said to make Yahiro feel better.


    As if trying to follow up for her little sister, Giulie made a wry smile while resting her cheeks on her hands.


    ¡°Even though we told them there was no need to stick with Yahiro©`¡­¡­Since they would get greedy after finding the treasures left behind in the 23 wards.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel responsible for our life or death too. It¡¯s also fine to run alone if you feel that it¡¯s dangerous. But it¡¯s the truth that if you don¡¯t accept being the guide, our survival rate will go down.¡±


    Rose said that indifferently as if it was someone else¡¯s problem.


    Yahiro lost his words as if overpowered.


    The blue-haired girl¡¯s words were true. Yahiro was not strong enough to protect the girls from the Beasts, however, he could teach them a safer route. It won¡¯t be much but their survival rate would increase.


    Even so, it didn¡¯t change the fact that their plan was reckless. He thought that there was no point in doubling or tripling a one-in-ten thousand survival rate.


    ¡°It won¡¯t change no matter what you say. I don¡¯t feel like accepting such a dangerous job.¡±


    Yahiro declared in a strong tone. He secretly thought if he refused them like this, it would be good if they gave up capturing Kushinada.


    However, Rose¡¯s reply was beyond his expectations.


    ¡°You mean, even if your reward is the information related to Narusawa Sui?¡±


    ¡°What did¡­¡­you say?¡±


    Yahiro felt as if the blood of his entire body was flowing backwards.


    His throat tightened, and he forgot to breathe. What Rose casually mentioned was the name of his blood relative that he had not once forgotten ever since that day four years ago.


    ¡°We¡¯ve heard the reason why you aren¡¯t leaving the 23 wards is to find your little sister. And also that the majority of the money you earn from your retriever job is spent to gather information about her©¤©¤¡±


    ¡°Do you know where Sui is¡­¡­£¿¡±


    Yahiro drew closer to Rose, while she ambiguously shook her head.


    ¡°Well, who knows?¡±


    ¡°Answer me©¤©¤!¡±


    Yahiro violently tried to grab the collar of Rose, who was giving a cold smile.


    However, in the next instant, his field of vision rotated, and a tremendous pain assaulted his shoulders.


    ¡°©¤©¤!?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s useless, Yahiro. Since the answer to that question is the reward for you guiding us.¡±


    Giulie¡¯s cheerful voice came from above Yahiro, who was slammed onto the floor.


    Yahiro didn¡¯t know what had happened. What he barely understood was that Giulie had easily flung him, and was now pinning him down.


    ¡°Let¡­¡­go!¡±


    Yahiro tried to resist in order to free himself from her, but that only made the joints of his right shoulder creak more. Giulie was holding him down with a strength that was unbelievable from her small body. He felt like the more he would struggle, the more her strength would increase.


    ¡°So it¡¯s exactly as Ro-chan said, huh. Lazarusimmortal¡¯s regeneration ability would kick in only with wounds. Since it¡¯s not as if a body part is missing when a joint is detached, the dislocation won¡¯t heal on its own.¡±


    ¡°Y¡­¡­ou¡­¡­!¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡­wait a sec, they¡¯re hitting! What should I do, Ro-chan? Yahiro can feel my breasts as much as he wants¡­¡­!¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one pushing them onto me!¡±


    Yahiro desperately tried to refute that unexpected accusation.


    Since Giulie was holding Yahiro in a joint-locking technique from behind, his right arm was firmly pushed up against her chest. Even with the pain in his shoulder, Yahiro could clearly feel that soft elasticity, and he couldn¡¯t make any more careless movements.


    ¡°You have to let at least this much pass, Giulie. Since he was never fortunate enough to feel a girl¡¯s breast in his life©¤©¤¡±


    Rose said with a somewhat displeased voice. They both were identical in height and looks, but the only obvious difference between them was the volume of their chests.


    Although Giulie was small, she had quite a big bulge. On the other hand, Rose was splendidly slender and flat. Probably due to that, Yahiro could feel her thorny, cold gaze ever since the topic of breasts came up. It¡¯s really unreasonable to be on the receiving end of that gaze, he thought.


    ¡°You understand with this, right? That there is no need to worry about our safety.¡±


    Rose sighed heavily while signaling her elder sister to release Yahiro.


    The pressure on his back suddenly vanished, and Yahiro regained his freedom. When he stood up, clutching his right shoulder, his eyes met with a smiling Giulie, who was sitting on the sofa without feeling guilty.


    He had no choice but to admit it. At the very least, Giulie¡¯s true strength was way above Yahiro in hand-to-hand combat skills. He wouldn¡¯t have to protect the girls, and they too didn¡¯t expect that from him.


    ¡°So, will you accept the request to guide us till Kushinada¡¯s turf?¡±


    Rose asked once again. Yahiro stared at her and asked in a silent voice.


    ¡°You really have¡­¡­the information on Sui, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°If that turns out to be a lie, I¡¯ll become your enemy till the day I die.¡±


    ¡°That threat is really effective coming out from a Lazarusimmortal like you.¡±


    Rose smiled without being slightly scared. She took out a photo from her chest and threw it towards Yahiro.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    Yahiro caught the photo right before it fell on the floor. It looked like it was printed from the data taken by something like a secret camera.


    ¡°This is the advance payment. Although the image is not really clear.¡±


    Rose gave a subtle, unclear answer. It seemed as if she didn¡¯t feel like explaining any further.


    Yahiro turned the photo he caught and looked at the printed side.


    The image quality was rough, probably due to the place it was taken in being dark.


    It was a photograph of a stretcher used to transport patients, placed in a basement without any windows.


    There was a girl bound by silver chains and connected to numerous tubes on the stretcher, which had an ominous design like that of a coffin. The girl of oriental descent continued to sleep like a doll©¤©¤or perhaps a corpse.


    Yahiro knew the name of that girl.


    ¡°Sui¡­¡­¡±


    A murmur left his mouth.


    He stared fixedly at the photo, with his eyes wide open. The date it was taken on was not written anywhere. Even so, Yahiro could tell. That photo was taken relatively recently, probably within a year.


    ¡°Your little sister©¤©¤Narusawa Sui is alive. At least, for now.¡±


    Rose declared in an emotionless tone.


    Without replying, Yahiro continued to stare at the figure of his little sister displayed in the photo.


    [1] Nikujaga is a Japanese dish of meat, potatoes and onion stewed in sweetened soy sauce and mirin, sometimes with ito konnyaku and vegetables.


    [2] More info here.


    [3] The kanji was »ðʈöÄà°ô, which literally means ¡®thief at the scene of a fire¡¯. So you can say it means ¡®someone who takes advantage of a crisis to commit a crime¡¯.


    [4] Another word for username.


    [5] Yakitori is a Japanese type of skewered chicken. Tare is traditionally made by mixing and heating soy sauce, sake and/or mirin, and sugar and/or honey.


    [6] Basically means a retort/playing the straight man. Although you should already know about this and if you don¡¯t, read more here.


    [7] The Kojiki (¡®Record of Ancient Things¡¯) is the oldest book of Japanese history and the oldest text of any kind from Japan.


    [8] Refer to this image for a better understanding. (The 4 wards mentioned are on the right of the green line.)

 Volume 1 - CH 2

    1


    ¡¸©¤©¤Waooon! Good Morning, Iroha Waon here.¡¹


    ¡¸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.¡¹


    ¡¸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¡­¡­!¡¹


    ?


    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, Se?orita 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 Se?orita 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.¡¹


    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 Ry¨­goku 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.¡¹


    ¡°Ha?¡±


    ¡¸I thought I requested you to call me Rose©¤©¤¡¹


    ¡°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 ¡ºHaka¡»©¤©¤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.¡¹


    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¨CYou, 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 ¢ó 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 ¢ñ 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 ¢ò, and that the Beasts at Grade ¢ó and above could never be defeated without the support of AFVs.


    In spite of that, Galerie¡¯s squad managed to neutralize a Grade ¢ó 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 ¡ºBrynhildr¡», 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 ¡ºBrynhildr¡» 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 ¡ºRed 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 ¡ºGold¡».¡±


    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.


    ¡°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.¡¹


    ¡¸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!?¡¹


    ¡¸Wait, sorry, I¡¯m in the middle of streaming right now¡­¡­what happened? You¡¯re lying¡­¡­ Enemies!?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡°This stream has ended¡±¡¹


    ?


    ¡°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 Suid¨­bashi 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¨C¡­¡­!¡±


    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 ¢ñ and ¢ò. 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 ¢ó. 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.¡¹


    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?¡±


    ¡°¡ºKuyou Masakane¡»©¤©¤It is the legendary katana forged from the blood of Mizuchi[9] by the swordsmith¡ºMasakane¡», 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 ¢ñ. 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¡­¡­¡¹


    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¡­¡­?¡¹


    ¡°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 ¢ñ 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 ¡ºMod 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 ¡ºMod 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¡­¡­¨C¡±


    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 ¡ºSigurddragon 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 Ò†ÏÂ, 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 ¡®Ó󥸥ã©`¥¸¡¯ (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.)

 Volume 1 - CH 3

    After running for around an hour carrying Iroha, Yahiro finally came to a stop.


    They were near the border between the former Bunkyo ward and the former Toshima ward, in front of an old cemetery said to be the resting place of famous literary masters.


    Yahiro¡¯s unnatural stamina, which could be compared to a top-class athlete, was a result of Lazarusimmortal¡¯s regeneration ability. He had been forcing his body to move while ignoring the damage sustained by his muscle fibers and the accumulated fatigue.


    However, even if he was able to repair his body, the pain and weariness didn¡¯t vanish and the exhaustion was catching up to him. There was also the damage from his previous fight. Yahiro¡¯s body had long since surpassed its limits.


    ¡°We should be fine at this distance¡­¡­¡±


    Before the fatigue made him unable to move, he chose a suitable building and went in.


    Inside it was a convenience store in a relatively decent condition. Naturally, the perishable foods had already spoiled, but a portion of confectionery and canned foods was still edible.


    It seemed like the battle between RMS and the Spirit Beasts was still ongoing as intermittent gunshots could be heard sometimes from behind them. That was the reason why Yahiro and Iroha managed to shake off their pursuers without encountering any Spirit Beasts.


    ¡°¡­¡­Damn, it hurts. Don¡¯t go biting and scratching people¡­¡­ I¡¯m doing most of the work here, so the least you can do is to quietly let yourself be carried.¡±


    While adjusting his disordered breathing, Yahiro threw Iroha, who he was carrying, to the floor.


    On top of losing the sensations of both of his arms due to the fatigue, they were also covered in countless teeth and scratch marks. Those were the signs of Iroha¡¯s violent resistance as she cried out for him to leave her behind.


    ¡°Shut up. What¡¯s with you, making a big deal of those light scratches¡­¡­¡±


    Iroha glared at Yahiro with her red, tear-stained eyes. Sulking like a kid, she looked more childish than when he first saw her.


    ¡°©¤©¤Oh yeah! You! How are your wounds!? Didn¡¯t that actor-like foreigner cut your throat©¤©¤¡±


    Iroha stood up and approached Yahiro in a fluster as if she just remembered what happened. She had seen the moment Yahiro was killed by Firman La Hire.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. Since I don¡¯t die.¡±


    Deciding that he can¡¯t hide it, Yahiro showed her the neck that should¡¯ve been cut off.


    Iroha¡¯s eyes widened in amazement.


    ¡°Don¡¯t die, you say¡­¡­but why?¡±


    ¡°Who knows. Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m already dead. Since that day, four years ago©¤©¤¡±


    Iroha fell silent at Yahiro¡¯s detached words.


    Four years ago. The J-nocideGreat Massacre. No further explanation was needed for the people that had experienced that tragedy. There was no way of surviving the J-nocideGreat Massacre without any kind of miracle or supernatural ability. Iroha, who possessed the ability to control Spirit Beasts, naturally knew that.


    ¡°¡­¡­Why did you save me?¡±


    Iroha asked quietly, her tone different from before.


    Yahiro sat down on the spot holding his head between his hands.


    Aaah damn¡­¡­why did I do that¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Ha!? You saved me on your own and now you regret it!?¡±


    Having not expected that reaction, Iroha trembled in anger.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I regret saving you. The situation wasn¡¯t one which allowed me to choose who to save after all.¡±


    Yahiro muttered with a sigh.


    ¡°It¡¯s just that my client would¡¯ve been troubled if you died. And also I¡¯ve yet to receive my reward.¡±


    ¡°By client¡­¡­what do you mean?¡±


    Iroha¡¯s voice turned cold. Hearing that, Yahiro¡¯s tone got casual as well.


    ¡°I work as a retriever. That means I bring back works of art and handicrafts left behind in the 23 wards and sell them to the rich abroad.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s plain robbery.¡±


    ¡°Yeah maybe. But don¡¯t you think it¡¯s better if they are put on a show in some foreign collector¡¯s mansion rather than gather dust in Japan?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­probably true but¡­¡­¡±


    As Yahiro easily admitted to his fault, Iroha faltered to say anything even though she was dissatisfied.


    ¡°¡­¡­Wait. If you do that sort of work, then why did you come to us?¡±


    ¡°Like I said, it was the client¡¯s request. They wanted to have you retrieved, so they asked me to guide them.¡±


    ¡°Me¡­¡­? But why? Because I¡¯m cute?¡±


    Iroha blinked in surprise.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking this ever since we first met, but what¡¯s with your overly high self-esteem¡­¡­?¡±


    Yahiro muttered to himself, unsure of how to react.


    Going by looks alone, there was no doubt that Iroha was a beautiful girl. But her current tattered state after bawling her eyes out and the fact that she was wearing a school jersey made him reluctant to honestly accept that she was cute. Nonetheless, for the sake of argument, he did admit that she had the charm of a pet looking at how quick her facial expressions changed.


    ¡°To be precise, what I heard was that they were going to capture a boss-like someone that was leading a swarm of Spirit Beasts. But I never thought that the leader would turn out to be a Japanese girl.¡±


    ¡°Leading a swarm¡­¡­it¡¯s not like that. Nuemaru and the others are my family¡­¡­¡±


    Iroha cast her eyes down feeling depressed, as if her previous show of confidence was all a lie.


    And then she slapped her cheeks as if trying to pull herself together.


    ¡°Wait. Don¡¯t tell me, when you said the boss of Spirit Beasts, did you guys imagine me to be something like a boss monkey[1]?¡±


    ¡°My client seemed to know a little about you, though. After all, they were calling you Kushinada.¡±


    Ignoring Iroha who was getting angry saying ¡°How rude¡±, Yahiro continued.


    Hearing his words, Iroha nodded deeply for some reason feeling convinced, and said,


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Kushinada the name of a Japanese goddess? I see. A goddess huh¡­¡­That¡¯s definitely me.¡±


    ¡°Damn this girl is annoying¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°So, what kind of reward were you supposed to receive after bringing me back?¡±


    Iroha asked Yahiro in a reproachful tone.


    Yahiro gave a short and curt reply.


    ¡°Information on my sister.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I was supposed to learn the whereabouts of my sister who went missing four years ago.¡±


    ¡°Is that¡­¡­so. Sorry about that¡­¡­¡±


    Iroha averted her eyes in a fluster. It seemed like she was feeling guilty for making Yahiro talk about his missing sister.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize for that.¡±


    Yahiro shrugged with a wry smile.


    ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not like my client died or anything. It seems like they ran away before us with your children.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Err, I feel like I can¡¯t let that one pass. Why did you say ¡®your children¡¯? What do you mean? Shouldn¡¯t you use ¡®siblings¡¯ there!?¡±


    Iroha raised her eyebrows in a protest. Yahiro looked at her feeling puzzled and said,


    ¡°Siblings? But weren¡¯t they calling you Mama?¡±


    ¡°Mamana!¡±


    ¡°Ha?¡±


    ¡°Like I said, Mamana Iroha! That¡¯s my name!¡±


    Iroha put a hand on her chest and declared. Yahiro blankly looked at her for a moment, without understanding what she had said.


    ¡°Aaah¡­¡­I see now. How confusing.¡±


    ¡°Shut up. It¡¯s rude to call someone¡¯s name confusing!¡±


    Iroha pouted as if sulking. It seemed like this wasn¡¯t the first time she was teased about her name.


    ¡°So, what about you?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about your name! What should I call you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Yahiro. Narusawa Yahiro.¡±


    ¡°OK, so Yahiro it is.¡±


    I¡¯ve got it down, nodded Iroha, satisfied with herself.


    ¡°What about your age? How old are you?¡±


    ¡°Age? What year is it now? I think I was 13 when the J-nocideGreat Massacre began¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°So 17 years old? You¡¯re joking, we are the same age then! What month?¡±


    ¡°Same age you say¡­ You know now is not the time for this¡­¡­¡±


    Yahiro couldn¡¯t help but laugh at Iroha¡¯s out-of-place words. It was the nostalgic feeling of talking to his classmates, something he experienced after a long time.


    ¡°I see¡­¡­we¡¯re the same age huh¡­¡­ There were no older boys around till now, so everyone will definitely be delighted. Ren, Kiri, and Kyouta will have more playmates¡­¡­¡±


    Iroha broke into a pleasant smile as she mentioned the names of her siblings. However, her voice turned hoarse midway, mixed with sobs.


    ¡°But you know, I won¡¯t forgive you if you ever carelessly laid your hands on my sisters. They all are really good kids¡­¡­be it Ayaho¡­¡­or Rinka¡­¡­ They¡¯re all¡­¡­really cute¡­¡­they¡¯re all¡­¡­¡±


    She covered her eyes and cast her face downwards as if she couldn¡¯t endure anymore.


    After being attacked by RMS¡¯s troops, the well-being of her siblings was unknown. All their allied Spirit Beasts were already killed and there was no one left to protect the children.


    Even if he wanted to, Yahiro couldn¡¯t find any words to console her. He knew that whatever he said would only be a mere consolation.


    Escaping alive from that free-for-all fight between the rampaging swarm of Spirit Beasts and the Fafnir soldiers would¡¯ve been difficult even for the operators of Galerie. And survival was even more hopeless for the really young children. Even if Yahiro and Iroha had been there, their fate wouldn¡¯t have changed.


    Iroha also understood that. That¡¯s why she silently continued to cry without blaming Yahiro.


    The gloomy moment that made him feel that it would¡¯ve been better to just get cursed at was broken by a sudden electric sound. Something was vibrating inside Yahiro¡¯s leg bag.


    ¡°What¡¯s that¡­¡­sound¡­¡­?¡±


    Iroha raised her face which was still wet with tears.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this what Giulie forced me to take¡­¡­¡±


    Yahiro narrowed his eyes as he took out the small package that was still vibrating from his leg bag.


    It was a chocolate bar-sized candy box wrapped in the wrapping paper of a high-class western confectionery store.


    ¡¸Hellooo. Yahirooo¡­¡­can you see meee?¡¹


    A girl with orange highlights in her hair was waving her hands in a friendly manner on the screen.


    What came out of the candy box was a wireless communication device the size of a smartphone. As expected, the video playback was not smooth, but the audio was clear and there was little to no noise. There was a slight time lag in the response, probably due to the complicated encryptions being applied to the contents of the call.


    ¡°¡­¡­Giulie? What¡¯s with this communication device? Wasn¡¯t there supposed to be sweets in the box?¡±


    While looking at the torn wrapping paper, Yahiro questioned Giulietta Berith. His tone was sarcastic, indirectly implying that if he had known about the device, they would¡¯ve gotten in contact sooner.


    However, Giulie tilted her head as if confused and said,


    ¡¸Eh? Wasn¡¯t it there? A single ramune bottle.[2]¡¹


    ¡°What¡¯s this, a kid¡¯s meal!?¡±[3]


    Yahiro slumped down when he noticed the poor excuse of a ramune candy placed at the bottom of the candy box. A communication device was too bulky to be treated as an extra with it. And its importance too was incomparable.


    ¡¸ It seems like you¡¯ve managed to secure Kushinada.¡¹


    Perhaps having decided that there would be no progress if things were entrusted to the older sister, the person on the other end of the line switched to Rose. The presence of Iroha next to Yahiro seemed to have been transmitted to Rose and the others through the camera on the communication device.


    ¡°What about you guys? Did you manage to escape from the 23 wards? Considering the kind of situation it was, how did you do it?¡±


    ¡¸We had already prepared some means to escape. We did have to use one of our trump cards, though.¡¹


    Rose answered in a tone that lacked emotions. She didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of revealing the details of the said trump card.


    ¡°Did anyone die?¡±


    ¡¸Some did get wounded, however, there were no casualties among the operatorscombatants of Galerie. The children Kushinada©¤©¤Mamana Iroha raised are all safe too.¡¹


    ¡°Really!? Ayaho and the rest are all alive!?¡±


    Iroha interrupted Yahiro and Rose¡¯s conversation, her voice close to a scream.


    Rose moved the camera to display the figures of the children present in the same room as her.


    They appeared to be inside a vehicle. Seven children were seated nestling together on a horizontal row of benches. They seemed tired and anxious, but nobody was really injured.


    ¡¸Mama-oneechan¡­¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re kidding¡­Iroha-chan?¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, It¡¯s Iroha.¡¹


    The children called out Iroha¡¯s name one by one.


    ¡°Runa¡­¡­Honoka¡­¡­I¡¯m glad¡­¡­¡±


    Hearing their voices, Iroha collapsed on the spot with relief and started crying in a loud voice.


    Now who¡¯s the actual child here, calmly observed Yahiro. When he looked over, the children seemed to have wry smiles as well.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s with this communication device?¡±


    Yahiro asked Rose who was once again on the screen.


    ¡¸It¡¯s an encrypted communication device which is disguising your current location and the contents of this conversation.¡¹


    ¡°That means you knew that Raimat would turn against us from the start.


    Yahiro reproachfully looked at Rose.


    If they were up against just Spirit Beasts, then there would have been no use for an encrypted communication device. Rose and the others knew that Raimat would betray them before the start of the operation. And they hadn¡¯t told Yahiro a single word about it.


    ¡¸Hedging is one of the basics of a business deal after all.¡¹


    Rose calmly answered.


    ¡¸However, that communication device can only be used once. After that, there is a high chance of the encryption pattern being analyzed and your location being pinpointed. We can¡¯t continue this call for long due to the same reason.¡¹


    ¡°Would it be bad if my location was leaked?¡±


    Yahiro asked a question, to which in a way, the answer was obvious.


    Rose nodded as if it was a matter of course.


    ¡¸Raimat is pursuing you two. In addition, RMS seems to have dispatched 36 new operatorscombatants into the 23 wards. Most likely all of them are©¤©¤¡¹


    ¡°Fafnir soldiers, you mean.¡±


    ¡¸That¡¯s correct.¡¹


    Yahiro¡¯s expression turned grim at Rose¡¯s affirmation.


    From his previous two encounters, he knew how troublesome Fafnir soldiers could be. They had superhuman physical abilities and resilience. Individually, their fighting strength was inferior to Spirit Beasts, but instead, they used group tactics and human weapons. Yahiro had no confidence that he would be able to safely escape the next time he encountered them.


    ¡°What should we do?¡±


    ¡¸Please annihilate RMS.¡¹


    In response to his serious question, Rose nonchalantly declared. It was as if she had no doubt that Yahiro would be able to do just that.¡±


    Her words came out so naturally that Yahiro was left speechless.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be absurd! There¡¯s no way I could do that on my own!¡±


    ¡¸It would be legitimate self-defense. And it¡¯s not counted as a crime under Japanese law, is it?¡¹


    ¡°That¡¯s not the problem here! I¡¯m saying it¡¯s impossible considering the difference in fighting strength!¡±


    ¡¸Then, please escape from the 23 wards. However, head south, towards the Kanagawa district. Let¡¯s see, it would be better if you used the Dai-Ichi Keihin[4] to cross over the Tama River.¡¹


    Perhaps having expected Yahiro¡¯s objection, Rose suggested an alternate plan.


    ¡°Kanagawa District¡­¡­? Are you serious? Isn¡¯t it an unexplored region that not even retrievers get close to?¡±


    At the blue-haired girl¡¯s suggestion, Yahiro expressed his disapproval for a different reason.


    It was because he and Iroha were currently in Minami Ikebukuro. In order to head towards Kanagawa District from there, they would definitely have to pass through either the former Shibuya ward or the former Minato ward.


    ¡¸I know that. The entire region spanning the Shibuya ward and Minato ward is supposed to be a special danger zone even within the 23 wards. The den of Spirit Beasts, so to speak.¡¹


    ¡°If you know that then©¤©¤¡±


    ¡¸That makes it the optimal route. Have you forgotten who you¡¯re with right now?¡¹


    Rose interrupted Yahiro¡¯s rebuttal.


    He turned to look at Iroha¡¯s profile who was next to him.


    ¡°Kushinada, huh©¤©¤¡±


    The girl who could freely control Spirit Beasts as her own arms and legs. If her power was effective even against the Spirit Beasts she encountered for the first time, the danger level of the unexplored region would be greatly reduced. If anything, it was possible that the existence of Spirit Beasts would hinder the pursuers sent by RMS.


    ¡¸Anyways, you don¡¯t have any other choice. The reinforcements sent by RMS are heading south from Saitama since the former Saitama city is the turf of the Japanese branch of Raimat after all.¡¹


    ¡¸©¤©¤Plus, you¡¯ll find a ship when you reach Yokohama.¡¹


    Giulie cut into the conversation with a cheerful voice.


    ¡°A ship?¡±


    Yahiro frowned in confusion.


    Due to the J-nocideGreat Massacre, the entire highway network was cut into pieces, making ships an important means of domestic travel in current Japan. However, the slow speed of ships made them unsuitable for escape. He didn¡¯t think the situation would be any better even if they reached Yokohama.


    But Rose¡¯s next words cleared away his doubts.


    ¡¸A transport ship under the control of Galerie is standing by at Yokohama port. If you can make it there, we¡¯ll be able to get Mamana Iroha out of the country. And of course, her children too.¡¹


    ¡¸We¡¯ll go over there first and wait for you, okay.¡¹


    ¡°Ah¡­¡­Oi¡­¡­!¡±


    Before Yahiro could stop it, the communication was arbitrarily cut off.


    With a bitter look, he exchanged glances with Iroha while holding the now-silent communication device.


    ¡°So those girls were the client you were talking about? Aren¡¯t they quite young?¡±


    Iroha, who had somehow stopped crying, turned a doubtful gaze towards Yahiro.


    He wasn¡¯t unhappy with her reaction as he could understand how she felt.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. Well, they too must have a lot going on.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡­if not, I don¡¯t think such cute girls would have come to the current Japan.¡±


    Iroha was easily convinced and dropped the subject.


    Her opinion was kind of fresh for Yahiro. Those girls who were born in a family of arms dealers might also be going through some hardships he didn¡¯t know about.


    ¡°More importantly, the problem is what we should do from now on.¡±


    Iroha looked surprised at Yahiro¡¯s pointless mutter.


    ¡°Don¡¯t we have to go to the Yokohama port?¡±


    ¡°How much do you think we can trust their words?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with you? Aren¡¯t they your clients?¡±


    Iroha asked back, feeling shocked. Yahiro frowned looking discontent and said,


    ¡°I only met them three days ago, and this is our first time working together. So I¡¯ve got no idea if they are trustworthy or not.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡­they must definitely be planning something, but I think they are good people.¡±


    She stated in a strangely confident tone. Yahiro looked at her a bit surprised.


    ¡°Why do you think that?¡±


    ¡°Well, they did save the children.¡±


    Iroha had a self-satisfied look for some reason, puffing her chest with pride.


    ¡°They could¡¯ve saved the children to take them as hostages and make you think that way.¡±


    ¡°There was no need to save all 7 of them if they really wanted to take them hostage. I think it would¡¯ve been difficult to escape with the children from a situation where it was unknown if they themselves would survive.¡±


    Iroha offered her counterargument to Yahiro who wasn¡¯t breaking his cautious stance against the twins.


    He was a bit surprised at her level-headed thinking.


    Naturally, it was possible that the reason Galerie¡¯s members didn¡¯t abandon the children wasn¡¯t just because they were good people. In order to turn Iroha into their ally, the twins had decided that saving the children was necessary. Conversely speaking, it showed just how high Galerie regarded her.


    If that was the case, he thought that Galerie Berith could be trusted at least until he handed Iroha over to them. His conclusion wasn¡¯t wrong for the time being.


    ¡°Come to think of it, why were you raising children in such a place?¡±


    Yahiro asked a question that seemed too late to be asking at this point.


    Iroha had called them her siblings, but surely not all of them were related by blood. What kind of relationship did she have with them? Why was she looking after them? Why were they living right in the center of the 23 wards?©¤©¤He was demanding an answer that explained all those questions.


    And then Iroha¡¯s reply was something he hadn¡¯t expected.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t as if I was raising them all alone. In the beginning, there were more adults like a nurse, or the grandpa who knew a lot about machines©¤©¤¡±


    ¡°What happened to them?¡±


    ¡°Everyone died. It wasn¡¯t as if they were attacked by Spirit Beasts, but I think they couldn¡¯t bear the fact that the world had changed. There were also some that tried to leave the 23 wards and got killed by humans.¡±


    Iroha said in a flat tone devoid of all emotions.


    Without changing his expression, Yahiro fell silent.


    Four years had already passed since the J-nocideGreat Massacre. It certainly wasn¡¯t a short time to confront the transformation of the world. So it was not strange if the adults couldn¡¯t bear the despair of the deaths of their brethren and having to live trapped inside the territory of Spirit Beasts.


    ¡°I see. So that¡¯s why those children were scared after seeing us.¡±


    The two children Yahiro and the rest met at the vegetable garden were extremely on their guard.


    That was because their acquaintances, the adults, were killed by the people from outside the 23 wards. For them, the humans that came from ¡ºoutside¡» weren¡¯t salvation, but a disaster that threatened their peace.


    ¡°Of course, it wasn¡¯t as if we thought of living inside the 23 wards forever. We knew that the J-nocideGreat Massacre was over. Also, the expiration date on the preserved food too was almost up.¡±


    Iroha let out a short sigh as she looked at the leftover preserved foods in the store they were in.


    Although she and the children were growing their own vegetables, there was a limit to the amount they could produce with such a small number of people. In order to get food supplies, they had no choice but to rely on the preserved foods left behind in the commercial facilities inside the 23 wards. However, four years had passed since the J-nocideGreat Massacre and they were soon reaching the limits. Eventually, Iroha and the rest of the children would¡¯ve had no choice but to go ¡ºoutside¡».


    ¡°Even so, we couldn¡¯t have brought Nuemaru and the others with us outside©¤©¤¡±


    Saying that, Iroha hugged her knees.


    The Spirit Beasts living in the 23 wards were dangerous existences, however, they were also the shield that protected the children from the malice of the ¡ºoutside¡» humans.


    But if Iroha and the children wanted to head ¡ºoutside¡», they had no choice but to leave the Spirit Beasts behind. If that happened, Iroha wouldn¡¯t be able to keep protecting the children by herself. That was the reason why she continued to stay in the 23 wards.


    That was how their strange community came into being.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you made the wrong decision.¡±


    Yahiro blurted out his true feelings. Rather than trying to encourage her, his words were a mixture of admiration and envy.


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°The number of Spirit Beasts being less doesn¡¯t make it any different for us. Both the outside and the 23 wards are the same hell.¡±


    Iroha bit her lip in silence at his laconic words. While she was living with her younger siblings, Yahiro was alone in the ¡ºoutside¡» world. She had realized that fact.


    ¡°Just as I had my siblings, did you also have someone who acted as an emotional support?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­¡±


    At her simple question, it was now Yahiro¡¯s turn to become silent.


    It was not like he didn¡¯t have someone whom he could call his emotional support. However, he was hesitating to talk about them. He didn¡¯t think much about it till now, but now when he tried to talk about them, he felt as if he would be revealing a pretty embarrassing past.


    ¡°Come to think of it, it should¡¯ve been a while since you¡¯ve spoken Japanese, right? If that¡¯s the case, aren¡¯t you too fluent? Is it something that¡¯s not forgotten even after four years?¡±


    ¡°I think¡­¡­it¡¯s probably because I¡¯ve been watching streams.¡±


    Yahiro confessed in a defiant attitude as if saying ¡°Laugh if you want¡±.


    ¡°Streams? The ones on the internet?¡±


    Iroha¡¯s expression turned stiff for some reason. Yeah, nodded Yahiro and said,


    ¡°You see, there¡¯s a streamer who goes by the name Iroha Waon, and that girl still streams in Japanese. Although all her streams are just silly things like idle talk or cooking.¡±


    ¡°I-I see¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t go so far as to call her my emotional support, but I think there is a part of me that was saved by her. At the very least, it made me think that I¡¯m not alone¡­¡­wait, why am I talking about all this?¡±


    ¡°I-Is that so¡­¡­ What can I say, you¡¯re making me blush.¡±


    Iroha awkwardly smiled and scratched her head in embarrassment.


    Yahiro gave a cold stare at her suspicious behavior.


    ¡°Huh? Why would you blush?¡±


    ¡°Eh? Wait, don¡¯t tell me you still haven¡¯t figured it out!?¡±


    Iroha¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. And then she brought her face closer to Yahiro¡¯s.


    ¡°Me! The one you¡¯re talking about, that¡¯s me! Iroha Waon! Waooon!¡±


    ¡°No, stop. You don¡¯t have to do that.¡±


    Are you making fun of me? asked Yahiro with a hint of displeasure. He knew that it was unavoidable for him to get laughed at after saying that a streamer saved him, but he couldn¡¯t stand being teased like that.


    However, instead of Yahiro who was not taking those words seriously, it was Iroha that snapped.


    ¡°You¡¯re pissing me off! Believe me! Here, look! The new outfit! Rinka sewed it for me!¡±


    Iroha vigorously threw off the school jersey she was wearing.


    A nice flowery smell spread.


    Underneath the jersey, she was wearing a showy outfit that looked like the one idols or game characters wear. It had a lot of decorations and a pretty high degree of exposure, and the whiteness of her skin was dazzling.


    Her appearance was making Yahiro hesitate to look her in the face, but he also couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her. The look in his eyes was that of pure confusion and surprise.


    ¡°¡­¡­Why are you in Waon¡¯s outfit¡­¡­?¡±


    ¡°Like I said, I am Waon! Even today I was streaming before you guys came!¡±


    Iroha insisted to a surprised Yahiro. The true identity of Iroha Waon was Mamana Iroha. He understood the reason, but the reality wasn¡¯t sinking in. His mind was refusing to accept that fact.


    No one actually believed it, but Waon was supposed to be a Japanese survivor living inside Tokyo. And Iroha completely fit that description. Now that he looked closer, her features resembled that of Waon¡¯s. She would be the fitting image of Waon if she put on a silver wig and changed her eye color using contact lenses.


    And more than anything else, the decisive factor was her voice. It was exactly like Waon¡¯s to the extent that he felt it was strange for him to not have realized till now, even if he wasn¡¯t hearing it over a speaker.


    ¡°Wait, then is Yahiro perhaps, Yahiron-san!? Really¡­¡­!?¡±


    Iroha screamed while pointing at Yahiro.


    Yahiro suddenly felt the urge to cower, holding his head in his hands.


    The messages he sent to Waon till now were all read by the girl in front of him. He felt extremely embarrassed thinking that.


    However, Iroha¡¯s reaction was completely unexpected for Yahiro. She began crying profusely while looking at him.


    ¡°Oi¡­¡­Why are you crying!?¡±


    As expected even he got flustered. He thought he was used to her wide range of emotions, but her crying in this situation was so nonsensical that he could only be confused.


    ¡°Because¡­¡­after all, I was so glad¡­¡­¡±


    She said in a voice mixed with sobs.


    ¡°I was so scared¡­¡­that perhaps, there was no Japanese left to watch my streams¡­¡­But, it reached¡­¡­properly¡­¡­¡±


    She couldn¡¯t form words properly halfway through, but her feelings were conveyed to Yahiro.


    For Iroha who was isolated in the 23 wards, those videos were the means to check the situation ¡ºoutside¡» and look for Japanese survivors. That was probably the reason why she continued to stream even though her videos didn¡¯t get many views. However, there was no way she wouldn¡¯t have felt anxious after continuing to stream for many years.


    Just like Yahiro was saved by Iroha, it was possible that his existence too was a saving grace for her. It was a weird feeling, but definitely not a bad one.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move a bit more before the sun sets. I want to gain as much distance as possible from our pursuers before we enter the unexplored region. Even those guys from RMS shouldn¡¯t move during the night.¡±


    After waiting for Iroha to calm down, Yahiro called out to her.


    There were still a lot of things unknown about the ecology of Spirit Beasts, but from his experience, Yahiro had no doubt that they were more active during the night. Even if that wasn¡¯t the case, nighttime in the 23 wards devoid of any illumination from street lights was dark, and it would be suicidal to move around in the abandoned city during that time. The only time to move was now, before sunset.


    ¡°Got it¡­¡­The children are also waiting for me.¡±


    Iroha stood up while wiping away the traces of her tears. She looked more delicate and had a smaller face than what he had imagined looking at her from the screen, but she certainly had the look of Iroha Waon.


    ¡°You know, I never would¡¯ve imagined that Iroha Waon would be a girl that cries with her snot dripping¡­¡­It was honestly quite a shock¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up. That¡¯s where you should be more delighted. You did manage to personally meet and talk with your favorite streamer and touch her.¡±[5]


    Yahiro muttered his impressions to hide his embarrassment to which Iroha argued with a laugh. And then as if she had realized something, she hurriedly hid her chest and said,


    ¡°When I said touching, that didn¡¯t mean you can actually touch, you know!¡±


    ¡°Who would touch¡­¡­you¡­¡­¡±


    As Yahiro reflexively tried to argue back, in that instant, he was assailed by a sudden feeling of exhaustion.


    Losing his sense of balance, he placed his hands on the wall but was still unable to support his body and fell to the ground.


    He had no strength left in his arms and legs. It was as if it wasn¡¯t even his body. His consciousness was engulfed in darkness. He felt as if he was sinking to the bottom of a deep ocean.


    ¡°Yahiro¡­¡­?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡­kidding me¡­¡­the recoil¡­¡­not in a time like this¡­¡­!¡±


    His supposedly immortal body lost its strength and its temperature dropped as if it was frozen. The color of his skin, devoid of any blood, looked like that of a corpse.


    It was the sudden loss of his blessing of immortality. The time to pay the price of the blood that continued to be spilled had arrived.


    ¡°Yahiro!? Hey, what happened!? Hang in there, Yahiro¡­¡­! YAHIRO!¡±


    Iroha held the fallen Yahiro in her arms and was shouting something.


    Feeling only the warmth of her skin while losing all his other sensations, Yahiro completely lost consciousness as if a thread was cut.


    ¡°©¤©¤I hate it, Nii-sama.¡±


    The girl turned around and declared.


    She was a petite girl wearing a brand new sailor uniform.


    The rain that started falling made her hair wet. She had a slightly childish face with clean-cut features and impressively large pupils.


    It was a scene he had repeatedly seen in his dreams. A memory of the past that would never fade.


    ¡°This world, I really hate it.¡±


    The evening sun peeking through the gaps between the clouds was eerily red.


    The city which could be seen from the rooftop of the building was similarly red.


    A blazing flame was covering the earth.


    The girl spread both her arms standing on the edge of the rooftop with the deep crimson flame behind her.


    ¡°It would be good if everything breaks.¡±


    Behind the girl who had a beautiful smile, a dragon was flying around.


    It was a giant dragon, spreading its rainbow-colored wings.


    And then the boy clutched his bloodstained hands and screamed inside the dream.


    ?


    Yahiro woke up due to a feeling of suffocation.


    When he opened his eyelids, something was on his face, blocking his vision.


    The feeling was slightly like that of cats climbing on top of a bed on a cold, winter day. He felt a bit oppressive, but it wasn¡¯t uncomfortable. Through the cloth, he could smell a pleasant flowery smell and feel the gentle warmth of a body.


    ¡°Ah, sorry. Did I wake you up?¡±


    When he heard a voice from above his head, Yahiro¡¯s vision suddenly cleared.


    Thereupon he realized that someone was giving him a lap pillow. The pressure he was feeling on top of his head came from Iroha¡¯s breasts, who was leaning forward.


    ¡°Ma¡­¡­Mamana¡­¡­?¡±


    Yahiro raised his upper body, confused. He did feel as if he had just experienced something outrageous, but since he was in a daze having just woken up, the reality of it hadn¡¯t sunk in.


    ¡°Why¡­¡­was I¡­¡­¡±


    He looked around to grasp the situation. They were on the first floor of a partially destroyed office building. Right nearby, he could see a small convenience store that looked familiar. It was the spot he had chosen to take a rest right before he lost consciousness.


    However, it was dark outside the collapsed walls. A cold night breeze was blowing in through the gaps.


    ¡°How many days have I been asleep¡­¡­!?¡±


    Yahiro¡¯s expression quickly changed and he drew closer to Iroha.


    At his forcefulness, Iroha was a bit taken aback and said,


    ¡°How many days you say¡­¡­I think around three hours have passed since you collapsed¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Three hours? Only that much¡­¡­?¡±


    Yahiro looked at her feeling dumbfounded and shook his head.


    Iroha curiously looked back at him. She couldn¡¯t understand why he was feeling so shaken.


    ¡°I was surprised since you suddenly collapsed. Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡­that was just the recoil of my immortality. I did use up a lot of my blood today¡­¡­¡±


    Yahiro made a wry face and sighed.


    ¡°Recoil?¡±


    ¡°When I use my regeneration too much, then sometimes I lose consciousness like this without any warning. There was even a time when I ended up sleeping for five days straight.¡±


    ¡°Five days¡­¡­!?¡±


    Iroha¡¯s eyes widened as she became speechless.


    ¡°Then, what if you lost consciousness in the middle of a fight against Spirit Beasts©¤©¤¡±


    ¡°My immortality is not that much of a convenient ability. If I really couldn¡¯t die no matter what, then there would¡¯ve been no need to run around like this.¡±


    Yahiro made a self-tormenting smile and sighed.


    The Recoil of immortality. It was the price of his strange and monstrous regeneration ability which came in the form of a sudden ¡ºsleep of death¡».


    As if compensating for his life force lost due to injuries, Yahiro¡¯s body fell asleep on a fixed basis. In addition, it was a state of deep sleep almost like suspended animation.


    During that time, he became completely vulnerable. Even he didn¡¯t know what would happen if he got killed in that state. However, the regeneration stopping meant that his body wouldn¡¯t heal. So there was a high chance that he wouldn¡¯t be able to revive again. Yahiro¡¯s immortality wasn¡¯t perfect.


    ¡°Then, why do you do that?¡±


    Iroha asked with a serious face. Yahiro frowned, unable to understand the meaning behind her question.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Why do you work as a retriever in the 23 wards? Even after knowing that you might lose consciousness anytime¡­¡­and never wake up again, why do you do that¡­¡­?¡±


    ¡°Even if you ask me¡­¡­¡±


    Yahiro faltered and averted his eyes.


    To make a living. To earn money efficiently. He could think of various excuses to dodge that question. However, for some reason, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to lie like that.


    Perhaps it was because Iroha was seriously worried about him. It was definitely not because he felt like he owed her for the lap pillow.


    ¡°Say Mamana, where were you when the J-nocideGreat Massacre began?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    Iroha made a dubious expression at Yahiro¡¯s sudden question. However, he continued without minding.


    ¡°The official story says that the cause of the J-nocideGreat Massacre was due to a meteorite fall. The meteorite that fell on Japan brought catastrophic damage to Tokyo, and became the impetus for the J-nocideGreat Massacre.¡±


    ¡°A¡­¡­meteorite?¡±


    Iroha¡¯s expression stiffened and a hint of anger crept into her eyes. She had understood the meaning behind his question.


    ¡°That¡¯s wrong¡­¡­What I saw was something different. It wasn¡¯t a meteorite. The thing that made a deep hole in the center of Tokyo and summoned the Spirit Beasts wasn¡¯t a meteorite©¤©¤!¡±


    Her voice trembled as she whispered. Yahiro gave a small nod in return.


    ¡°I see. So you also saw the figure of that thing.¡±


    He gave a vacant smile as if shuddering. Only those who had survived the J-nocideGreat Massacre could share the terror and despair of that day.


    A meteorite didn¡¯t fall on Japan that day.


    The thing that triggered the J-nocideGreat Massacre was a different existence.


    ¡°It was©¤©¤a dragon. A rainbow-colored dragon, big enough to cover the sky.¡±


    Iroha said with an expression that seemed to be on the verge of crying.


    It was a fact that probably no one would believe, no matter how desperately they pleaded. The one to turn this city into ruins was just a single dragon. She knew that.


    That¡¯s why Yahiro continued with a smile.


    ¡°That dragon, it is my sister.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Your sister?¡±


    Iroha looked at him, puzzled. Her expression seemed to say that she didn¡¯t understand what he had just said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if she summoned the dragon or was possessed by it. But she certainly used the power of the dragon to try and grant her wish.¡±


    ¡°Her wish¡­¡­? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°The destruction of this world.¡±


    Yahiro declared in an indifferent tone. Even after saying it again, those words didn¡¯t feel real. However, a dragon had actually appeared and the peaceful everyday life Yahiro and the others had been living was destroyed. The dragon had fulfilled the wish.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I attacked Sui¡­¡­my sister. I tried to kill her with my own hands.¡±


    Yahiro tightened the grip of his right hand. He could feel the blood smeared on that palm. Naturally, it was just an illusion. An illusion that had never disappeared since that day.


    ¡°No way¡­¡­ You¡¯re joking¡­¡­right?¡±


    Iroha weakly shook her head.


    Yahiro shrugged and laughed in self-derision.


    ¡°My joke of a body is the proof. The person who kills a dragon and bathes in its blood becomes immortal. Don¡¯t you know about that legend?¡±


    Iroha was at a loss for words. She had actually witnessed that dragon and had also seen Yahiro¡¯s regeneration ability. No matter how much she tried to deny it, she couldn¡¯t refute Yahiro¡¯s words.


    ¡°But, didn¡¯t some time ago you said that you were looking for your sister?¡±


    ¡°You had killed her so why?¡±, she asked back.


    ¡°That¡¯s because I failed.¡±


    Yahiro¡¯s face twisted in anguish.


    ¡°Failed?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t able to kill my sister. That¡¯s why I¡¯ll find her, and this time kill her for sure. The reason I¡¯m working as a retriever is to gather the funds needed to find her. After all, being a retriever makes good money.¡±


    Iroha fixedly stared at Yahiro, who had coldly said it as if it were someone else¡¯s problem.


    Suddenly, tears started pouring out from her eyes, causing Yahiro turmoil.


    ¡°Wait¡­¡­Why did you start crying¡­¡­?¡±


    ¡°After all¡­¡­After all¡­¡­it¡¯s too sad! Having to kill your own sister¡­¡­living only for the sake of that, I feel sorry for you¡­¡­!¡±


    Iroha violently shook her head while sobbing.


    Why does she start crying so easily, thought Yahiro while being at a loss. He was happy that she cried for him, however, his real thoughts were that it was more of a bother.


    Yahiro, who had been living alone since the J-nocide, was naturally unused to dealing with girls his age. He didn¡¯t know how to treat the opposite sex in a situation like this.


    ¡°Hey, Mamana¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me Mama¡­¡­I don¡¯t remember giving birth to someone like you¡­¡­!¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡­I was just normally calling you by your family name though¡­¡­¡±


    It¡¯s too much trouble so should I leave alone, Yahiro started having such irresponsible thoughts.


    However, those carefree worries lasted only for that moment.


    ¡°Iroha, can you call the Spirit Beasts?¡±


    While picking up his katana, Yahiro lowered his voice and asked.


    ¡°Call the Spirit Beasts, you say¡­¡­ Do you mean like Nuemaru? I have never tried doing that.¡±


    Perhaps noticing the change in him, Iroha answered while sobbing.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    How troublesome, he said while biting his lips. That meant Spirit Beasts couldn¡¯t be used as her guards. He also couldn¡¯t make her ride one of them and escape.


    ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    Iroha stood up while wiping her cheeks.


    Yahiro glared at the outside of the building and gave a short reply.


    ¡°The enemies are here.¡±


    Inside the tactical operation center of Raimat International¡¯s Japan Branch, a large number of staff members sitting in front of combat direction systems were reporting the current situation in a flurry.


    ¡°Rakytov squad has located Kushinada and her companion.¡±


    ¡°Sending Kushinada¡¯s location to all the troops. I¡¯ll display the map of the area.¡±


    A large monitor in the center of the room displayed the image of an urban area taken from the sky. It was a real-time image of the 23 wards taken by an unmanned reconnaissance plane flying 18,000 meters above the ground.


    ¡°As expected, it seems like even the Spirit Beasts can¡¯t detect the reconnaissance plane flying in the stratosphere.¡±


    Seated on the commander¡¯s seat, Count Hector Raimat looked at the image and muttered in amusement.


    Although the skies above the 23 wards were designated as no-fly zones to avoid the attacks from Spirit Beasts, the unmanned reconnaissance plane flying at a high altitude had not been attacked so far. However, that situation could change since there was no guarantee that Spirit Beasts capable of attacks similar to surface-to-air missiles won¡¯t appear.


    ¡°©¤©¤That¡¯s correct. We can¡¯t increase the precision of the image anymore, but it will be enough to guide the troops.¡±


    A voice suddenly came from behind the Count. A young man wearing clothes similar to nobles had just entered the tactical operation center. He was the commanding officer of RMS, Firman La Hire.


    ¡°So you¡¯ve returned, Major. How is the condition of your new arm?¡±


    The Count turned his gaze towards Firman¡¯s right arm.


    Peeking out from the cuff of his uniform, that arm had been replaced by an artificial one made up of metal.


    ¡°There are no problems. It is a piece of equipment that was developed to be used with the ¡ºMod-3¡» in the first place, after all.¡±


    Firman raised his artificial arm and moved it.


    It was the substitute for his right arm which was severed during his fight with Narusawa Yahiro. Even with the healing ability of a Fafnir soldier, the lost arm couldn¡¯t be regenerated.


    Rather, that same healing ability had closed up the wound in an instant, making it part of the reason why his arm couldn¡¯t be reattached. Even so, the fact that he perfectly adapted to the artificial arm in just a few hours was definitely due to the recovery ability possessed by the Fafnir soldiers.


    The artificial arm, which was made keeping his dragonified state in mind, was twice as big as a normal human¡¯s. It had a maximum grip strength of over 200 kilograms, and it¡¯s metal fingertips were capable of piercing the armor plate of a bulletproof vehicle.


    ¡°I see. That¡¯s a splendid thing.¡±


    Muttering that in an indifferent tone, the Count returned his gaze to the monitor in the front.


    The unmanned reconnaissance plane flying in the skies above the 23 wards had its field of view in the vicinity of the Chuo ward. To be precise, it was in the place where the Chuo ward once existed.


    There was no land in the place where the former Chuo ward, and also parts of the former Chiyoda ward, former Minato ward, and former Koto ward should have been.


    Existing there was empty darkness.


    There was a huge, bottomless gaping void right in the middle of Tokyo.


    Its diameter was around 3 kilometers. The inside of the void, which was covered in jet-black miasma, couldn¡¯t be seen even with the latest reconnaissance satellites. Probes done using echo sounding or pulsed lasers were also ineffective.


    The only thing they knew about it was that it was the source of the Spirit Beasts. They appeared in this world through that void.


    ¡°PloutonionGate to the Underworld, huh¡­¡­It is dreadful no matter how many times I look at it.¡±


    The Count muttered in a tone filled with deep emotions. ¡ºPloutonionGate to the Underworld¡»©¤©¤That was the alias given to the void which drilled itself right in the middle of the 23 wards.


    ¡°Is that void the vestige of the regaliaauthority ¡¾Hollow¡¿?¡±


    Firman looked surprised. The existence of PloutonionGate to the Underworld was a strictly guarded classified secret. Even this was his first time actually seeing it.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. It is the passage to the underworld brought forth by the Earth Dragon ¡ºSuperbia¡».¡±


    The Count replied with a composed smile.


    The inside of PloutonionGate to the Underworld led to a world different from the reality known to mankind.


    Currently, that hypothesis was the most closer to the truth. It might seem ridiculous, but the unusual powers possessed by Spirit Beasts were strong evidence for that assumption. On the contrary, it is being said that the existence of PloutonionGate to the Underworld itself was something created by the supernatural ability of the dragon.


    ¡°If you are thinking of getting hold of ¡¾Hollow¡¿, then don¡¯t. It¡¯s not a power that can be handled by mankind. You should know this by looking at the current disastrous condition of the 23 wards.¡±


    The Count gently cautioned Firman, who was staring at the Ploutonion as if enthralled.


    ¡°I can understand that.¡±


    I¡¯m sorry for my ignorance, he straightened himself saying that.


    The supernatural ability of the dragon that had destroyed the capital city of a country in a single night. It had an extraordinary potential as a weapon.


    However, if only the scale of destruction was to be compared, then even nuclear weapons would suffice.


    And the danger of the dragon¡¯s ability could not be compared to that of nuclear weapons.


    The land swallowed up by the PloutonionGate to the Underworld was never destroyed.


    Crossing the boundary of the world, it had been transferred to the underworld along with the people living there.


    And then, only a huge void was left behind in this world.


    What kind of influence would that void have on the world was yet to be fully understood.


    Would it eventually close down, stopping the Spirit Beasts from crawling out? Or would it gradually continue to expand, consuming this world?©¤©¤They didn¡¯t even know the answers to those questions.


    ¡°The important thing is not the regaliaauthority. It¡¯s the dragon¡¯s ¡ºvessel¡».¡±


    The Count muttered as if persuading himself.


    ¡°Please leave that to me.¡±


    Firman declared with a face full of confidence.


    The Count nodded in a composed manner and said,


    ¡°Very well. What is the strength of the pursuit force?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s 12 Fafnir soldiers. We plan on sending in 24 more.¡±


    ¡°Would that be enough to defeat that Lazarusimmortal boy?¡±


    The Count asked in a doubtful tone. His words were filled with ridicule towards Firman as if saying, Didn¡¯t you let them slip away once?


    However, Firman surprisingly accepted his doubts without hesitation.


    ¡°If that guy was really a Lazarusimmortal, then it would probably be impossible to kill him no matter how many ¡ºMod-2¡» we send after him.¡±


    ¡°Then what will you do?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to kill him. We just need to wear him down through constant attacks.¡±


    Firman said with a cruel smile. That statement could be taken to mean that he planned on using his 36 subordinates as sacrifices, but currently, there was no one in that place to criticize him.


    ¡°Even for a Lazarusimmortal, it would be impossible to regenerate indefinitely in his human form. Even if he did, his spirit won¡¯t be able to withstand it.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    The Count cheerfully smiled.


    In a way, death was salvation that liberated a person from their sufferings. But a Lazarusimmortal, who was afflicted by the curse of immortality, was an existence forsaken by that salvation.


    Narusawa Yahiro¡¯s spirit would eventually exceed its limits and collapse due to the pain if he were to be constantly attacked. It seemed like a valid plan to defeat a Lazarusimmortal.


    ¡°However, the short operating time is a drawback shared by the Fafnir soldiers as well. It would be troublesome if the Lazarusimmortal boy intends to remain in the 23 wards.¡±


    The Count pointed out another problematic issue.


    The excessive burden on the body of operatorscombatants was the biggest drawback of the dragonification caused by F-Med. The time a person could maintain their dragonification depended on the individual, but it was 10 minutes at the maximum. Furthermore, repeated dragonification caused various side effects such as rapid deterioration of cells and strain on internal organs.


    Naturally, the operatorscombatants didn¡¯t know of that inconvenient fact. From the beginning, Fafnir soldiers were a disposable force intended for short and decisive battles.


    That said, it would be impossible to traverse the 23 wards where the Spirit Beasts were dominant without the Fafnir soldiers. If they were unlucky enough to lose sight of their targets and then if it took them a long time to track them down, they might run into a troublesome situation where the strength of RMS would be depleted first.


    The pursuit force managed to catch up to their targets this time, as for some reason, Narusawa Yahiro hadn¡¯t moved for nearly four hours. However, there was no guarantee that it would turn out well the next time. Currently, with no tracking methods other than the unmanned reconnaissance plane, figuring out Narusawa Yahiro¡¯s escape route was a pressing matter for Raimat.


    ¡°About that matter, Count, Galerie Berith actually offered to provide us with information.¡±


    Firman announced with an expression as if he was holding back his laughter.


    The Count slightly raised his eyebrows.


    ¡°Hou? That¡¯s surprising. I had heard that you had a quarrel with them during the operation.¡±


    ¡°There was a formal written protest against our attempt to steal Kushinada from them.¡±


    Firman shook his head with a wry smile.


    ¡°In addition, since the guide they hired ran away with Kushinada, they offered to leak Kushinada¡¯s escape route to us as an apology.¡±


    ¡°Leak the escape route¡­¡­you say?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct. Kushinada is supposed to be heading towards Yokohama port through either the former Shibuya ward or the former Minato ward.¡±


    ¡°Towards Yokohama¡­¡­huh. That¡¯s interesting.¡±


    Hmm, the Count stroked his chin.


    The unexplored region spanning across the former Shibuya ward and the former Minato ward was a danger zone full of high-grade Spirit Beasts.


    There was no guarantee that even Fafnir soldiers could break through that area, but with Kushinada who possessed the power to make the Spirit Beasts obey her, they might have decided that they would be safer using that path.


    ¡°Do you think we can trust the information provided by Galerie?¡±


    ¡°At least, there has been no discrepancy in the information so far. I believe even they wouldn¡¯t want to stay in a hostile relationship like this with Raimat International.¡±


    Firman gave a confident smile. Even the Count admitted that it was a reasonable decision.


    ¡°However, even the Fafnir soldiers would be hesitant to enter the unexplored region, I presume.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. But if they are heading towards Kanagawa, we can narrow down their escape route. They would definitely have to cross over the river if they want to escape from the 23 wards.¡±


    ¡°So you plan to go on ahead and ambush them, huh.¡±


    The Count closed his eyes and pondered.


    Firman¡¯s strategy was definitely not a reckless one. On the contrary, it was so convenient that it made him uneasy. Even if the information provided by Galerie Berith was false, it would only waste the deployed force and would not affect many people. Instead, that would become a good excuse to destroy the annoying Galerie Berith.


    ¡°©¤©¤Very well. I¡¯ll permit you to mobilize RMS¡¯s main force which is standing by at Sendai.¡±


    ¡°You have my thanks, Count.¡±


    Firman saluted, seeming satisfied.


    The Count stared at him with a blank look and said,


    ¡°I¡¯m not asking you this in return, but if possible, I would like you to capture the Lazarusimmortal boy as well, along with Kushinada. And yeah, of course, it doesn¡¯t matter if he¡¯s brought dead or alive.¡±


    If you can kill him, that is. At the Count¡¯s implication, Firman showed a ferocious smile.


    ¡°I swear on this arm, I will.¡±


    Yahiro was just a retriever, not a soldier. He didn¡¯t have the resolve to kill people, at least not by his own will.


    That¡¯s why the thing he feared the most was that they might be asked to surrender peacefully. Because he could not be so cold-hearted as to one-sidedly attack someone who wanted to talk.


    However, the operatorscombatants from RMS started attacking as soon as they became aware of his existence. Yahiro felt rather thankful as he wouldn¡¯t need to think of anything unnecessary.


    The operatorscombatants numbered four. All of them were Fafnir soldiers who had been injected with the F-med.


    Perhaps the reason why they were armed with knives instead of rifles was that they didn¡¯t want the bullets to hit Iroha. However, the fact that they chose hand-to-hand combat was convenient for him.


    Yahiro had no experience in killing a person. He wouldn¡¯t hesitate to counterattack in self-defense, but he didn¡¯t think that he would have a winning chance against professional operatorscombatants in a deathmatch.


    But it was a different story if the opponents weren¡¯t human.


    In the past four years, he had experienced fighting Spirit Beasts to a painful degree. And the fighting style of Fafnir soldiers was overwhelmingly closer to that of Spirit Beasts than of humans.


    ¡°How unfortunate.¡±


    Yahiro slashed one of the Fafnir soldiers who came attacking from the front with his katana.


    With the life force of Fafnir soldiers, a few flashy attacks wouldn¡¯t kill them. That put him at ease since he wouldn¡¯t have to hold back.


    ¡°You guys wouldn¡¯t have been able to come to the 23 wards without using those drugs©¤©¤I understand that, but even so you shouldn¡¯t have been in that form.¡±


    The Fafnir soldier collapsed after being slashed from his shoulder to his flank.


    The RMS operatorscombatants probably had a much higher ability than Yahiro in proper hand-to-hand combat. However, due to the sudden rise in physical ability, the Fafnir soldiers didn¡¯t have good control over their movements. If their opponent was just a normal human, then perhaps they might have forced through with their speed and power, but against Yahiro who was used to fighting Spirit Beast, their movement was too monotonous to the extent he felt bored.


    The remaining three Fafnir soldiers had surrounded Yahiro while he was attacking one of their companions.


    They attacked him simultaneously from three sides.  However, there was no sign of impatience on his face. There was no shortage of small Spirit Beasts that formed groups and surrounded their prey, so naturally, he knew the countermeasures to take against them.


    ¡°©¤©¤Wha-¡­¡­What happened!?¡±


    One of the Fafnir soldiers that tried to attack Yahiro suddenly lost his stance and fell over. The tough bodies of Fafnir soldiers had deep gouges as if they were sliced by an invisible blade.


    ¡°Those are just wires I got from a hardware store nearby, you know. But since you guys were needlessly moving so fast, even such a thing did a great deal of damage.¡±


    The wires Yahiro had set up around the room cut the Fafnir soldiers¡¯ flesh and blocked their movements. Now that they were trapped in the wires, he defeated them one by one.


    He did avoid their vitals. But other than that, there was no need to hold back.


    For an ordinary person, those wounds would¡¯ve been fatal. But considering the life force of Fafnir soldiers, they probably wouldn¡¯t lose their lives, provided that they were brought back ¡ºoutside¡» and given proper treatment.


    ¡°Lazarusimmortal©¤©¤YOU BASTARD!¡±


    Realizing that their companions were incapacitated, the next group of operatorscombatants rushed in. When Yahiro noticed that they had their guns ready, he immediately used the body of a Fafnir soldier as a shield.


    They had fired rifle bullets of high penetrating power. However, the robust body of the Fafnir soldier splendidly blocked them, making the operatorscombatants feel shaken.


    ¡°Kuh¡­¡­!¡±


    The operatorscombatants discarded their guns. Instead, they too turned into Fafnir soldiers after using the F-med.


    But that was exactly what Yahiro wanted.


    He threw a grenade towards them, now that they had let go of their weapons. It was the equipment of one of the Fafnir soldiers from the group that entered first.


    The grenade exploded almost halfway between him and Fafnir soldiers. Its fragments flew around in all four directions, and the Fafnir soldiers immediately lowered their posture to avoid them.


    In the meantime, Yahiro immediately closed the distance between him and the Fafnir soldiers.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too preoccupied with the fragments. Such things won¡¯t do much damage to us anyways.¡±


    The Fafnir soldiers were astonished to see him charging at them, covered in blood.


    One could only wonder how Yahiro¡¯s figure, making use of his immortal body, appeared to them who were still bound by the common sense of humans.


    ¡°Wait¡­¡­Sto©¤©¤!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯ve not been a monster these four years just for show.¡±


    Yahiro swung his katana downwards at them, who had forgotten to even counterattack and just screamed.


    From there, in less than three minutes, Yahiro neutralized a total of twelve Fafnir soldiers, putting an end to the first battle.


    ¡°Yahiro!¡±


    Iroha let out a small scream when she saw Yahiro returning covered in blood. Most of it was from the enemies, but it wasn¡¯t as if he was uninjured. She felt a bit shaken upon realizing that.


    Although his wounds had already healed, his clothes were destroyed by the self-destructive grenade attack, and were in a rather miserable state. But that wouldn¡¯t be a problem if he could get a change of clothes nearby.


    Fortunately, the stab and bulletproof uniform of Galerie Berith remained in a relatively decent shape, and although it got really dirty, it was not in an unsightly state.


    ¡°I¡¯ve dealt with the pursuers for the time being. Let¡¯s move before their reinforcements catch up.¡±


    Yahiro said in a calm tone so as not to frighten Iroha.


    The sound of the engines of the armored personnel carriers they could hear up until a while ago came to a stop. But that meant that the enemy operatorscombatants had reached very close to the two of them.


    He wanted to move away from this place as far as possible to avoid unnecessary fighting.


    However, Iroha stopped and turned a frightened gaze towards him.


    ¡°Dealt with, you say¡­¡­Did you kill them?¡±


    Her voice trembled as she looked at his bloodstained katana.


    For a moment, a slight pain ran through Yahiro¡¯s chest.


    Noticing the grimace on his face, Iroha suddenly covered her mouth.


    She had realized that Yahiro was hurt by her careless words.


    However, he could not even argue back, because before he could, Iroha tightly clung to him.


    ¡°Sorry. I said a really insensitive thing right now, didn¡¯t I? Even though you were fighting for my sake¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t really mind. Or rather, don¡¯t stick too close to me. The blood hasn¡¯t dried yet. Your precious jersey will get dirty.¡±


    ¡°No. I won¡¯t get away unless you forgive me.¡±


    She put strength in both her arms and resisted Yahiro¡¯s attempts to pull her off him. What an unreasonable kid, he thought while sighing with a wry smile, and said,


    ¡°I¡¯m not even angry. I mean, I didn¡¯t kill those guys in the first place.¡±


    ¡°Is that¡­¡­so?¡±


    ¡°You should know that by looking at my body. Those guys can¡¯t be killed easily. It would¡¯ve been troublesome if they simply kept regenerating, so I just made them experience a bit of pain that they can¡¯t move for a while.¡±


    The regeneration ability of Fafnir soldiers was not a match for a Lazarusimmortal like Yahiro. He was certain that they wouldn¡¯t be able to move so soon if they were to receive damage that reached their bones.


    Naturally, there was the danger of Spirit Beasts attacking them if he left them in a state where they couldn¡¯t move properly. But the reinforcements would probably retrieve them before it could happen.


    The more they divide their manpower to rescue the wounded, the less personnel they would have to pursue the both of them. Yahiro¡¯s decision to avoid killing those soldiers was because he had taken this into consideration.


    ¡°If you understand then let¡¯s get the hell out of here. Since the enemy reinforcements are already¡­¡­here¡­¡­¡±


    Yahiro, who was keeping an eye on the situation outside through a broken wall, gasped in surprise.


    The RMS operatorscombatants approached the Fafnir soldiers. That much was as he predicted.


    However, the objective of those operatorscombatants wasn¡¯t the retrieval of their allies.


    They took out a cylinder-shaped container filled with a crimson drug and forcibly thrust it halfway into the body of the Fafnir soldiers. It was an additional dose of the F-med.


    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous¡­¡­Why aren¡¯t they taking them back!? Do they intend to make them fight in that state¡­¡­!?¡±


    Yahiro felt shaken by the unexpected action taken by the enemy.


    The overdose of F-med had a drastic effect. The bodies of the wounded Fafnir soldiers swelled to more than twice their size and their wounds healed instantly.


    On the other hand, the ones that couldn¡¯t withstand the repercussions didn¡¯t number a few. The sudden multiplication of cells caused their bodies to break down, scattering flesh and blood as they crumbled.


    ¡°Does this mean that they have no intention to retrieve those who can¡¯t fight anymore¡­¡­!¡±


    Yahiro strongly clenched his teeth. RMS¡¯s operatorscombatants weren¡¯t comrades, but co-workers who just happened to be hired for the same objective. If they were useful, they would be exploited until the end and then discarded©¤©¤That was their way of doing things.


    ¡°Yahiro¡­¡­It¡¯s no use. We are surrounded!¡±


    Iroha shouted as she looked towards the entrance of the building.


    While they were distracted by the wounded Fafnir soldiers, the abandoned building they were hiding in was encircled by another squad of RMS.


    ¡°Iroha. Go upstairs and hide.¡±


    Looking at the stairs behind him, Yahiro instructed Iroha.


    ¡°What will you do?¡±


    Iroha asked with a tense expression.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ll end this soon.¡±


    ¡°Yahiro¡­¡­!?¡±


    Yahiro drew his katana, ignoring the voice of Iroha who was trying to stop him.


    Almost at the same time, RMS operatorscombatants rushed into the building.


    The first ones to come attacking were the four revitalized Fafnir soldiers who were overdosed with the F-med.


    The urge to attack had taken over them and they were in no state to cooperate as a group. Without even taking out their knives, they thrust their claws at Yahiro.


    Their movements were much faster than before they had been revitalized. Just as Yahiro slashed at the first one, a different Fafnir soldier attacked him, and he wasn¡¯t able to dodge it.


    ¡°Guh¡­¡­!¡±


    He was gouged deeply in the back and was blown backward. Taking advantage of that opportunity, the remaining Fafnir soldiers also jumped in. His sudden counter inflicted a severe wound on the second one, but the rampaging revitalized Fafnir soldiers didn¡¯t stop moving. When Yahiro realized that he wouldn¡¯t be able to counterattack in time, he prepared himself to take the enemy down with him and gouged the Fafnir soldier¡¯s torso deeply. His left shoulder, which he had used to defend himself, was crushed. But he was somehow able to suppress the rest of the attack.


    ¡°©¤©¤©¤!?¡±


    Just as he broke free from the encirclement of the Fafnir soldiers while groaning in pain, a storm of rifle bullets rained down on him. It was fired by RMS¡¯s reinforcement troops. Yahiro was shot in both his legs and fell down on the floor covered with rubble. And then a new wave of Fafnir soldiers rushed in.


    He was being attacked in waves by intermediate-range gunfire and Fafnir soldiers. It seemed like RMS had switched to a plan of wearing down Yahiro over time, rather than neutralizing him all at once.


    The rapid healing that sustained Lazarusimmortal¡® immortality was draining his stamina at a tremendous rate. That weak point was being exploited. If the battle dragged on, then the ¡ºsleep of death¡» might strike again.


    Yahiro, who was getting impatient, covered the blade of his katana in his own fresh blood. It wasn¡¯t as if there was a meaning behind that action. It was just his usual habit that came out whenever he fought with Spirit Beasts.


    A Fafnir soldier swung his knife downwards at the collapsed Yahiro¡¯s head. Yahiro forcibly turned his body and swung his katana while getting up.


    The attack was too light to do any major damage due to his unnatural posture. It was obstructed by the tough scales of the Fafnir soldier and only managed to deliver a shallow cut on the opponent¡¯s right arm.


    However, soon after that, Yahiro witnessed an unbelievable scene.


    The right arm of the Fafnir soldier he had cut made a creaking sound and instantly swelled to several times its size.


    ¡°GUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA¡ª!¡±


    A scream escaped from the Fafnir soldier¡¯s throat.


    His expression, which had been transformed into that of a dragon, was twisted in pain, and his face collapsed as if rotting from the inside.


    His regeneration ability was going out of control. The somatic cells continued to multiply endlessly and the body of the Fafnir soldier could no longer maintain its identity. It expanded to almost three times its original mass and exploded like a balloon bursting, scattering in all directions. Yahiro watched it in a daze, covered in the blood that scattered.


    It was his blood that caused the body of the Fafnir soldier to rampage.


    The blade of Kuyou Masakane, which was covered in his blood, came into contact with the Fafnir soldier and caused the abnormal cell activation.


    ¡°What the hell¡­¡­Are these guys, the same as Spirit Beasts¡­¡­?¡±


    Looking down at the scattered flesh of the Fafnir soldier, Yahiro muttered in dismay.


    Lazarusimmortal¡¯ blood was a deadly poison for Spirit Beasts. He was feeling confused as to why it also worked for the Fafnir soldier.


    However, there was a clear difference in the reaction caused by Yahiro¡¯s blood between the Spirit Beasts and the Fafnir soldier.


    The Spirit Beasts simply crumbled. On the other hand, the body of the Fafnir soldier showed abnormal cell activation. Rather, the cause of their death was more due to the overdosage of F-med.


    Or perhaps like an anaphylactic shock[6] caused by a poisonous substance©¤©¤


    ¡°Fafnir¡­¡­ I see¡­¡­So that¡¯s the reason, damn it! Raimat¡­¡­!¡±


    Yahiro¡¯s lips quivered in fury.


    He walked forward unsteadily, leaving himself defenseless and exposed. For a moment, the Fafnir soldiers stopped moving as if they were frightened by the fierce and ghastly air around him.


    The operatorscombatants on the rear fired at Yahiro. However, he didn¡¯t dodge them. He calmly stopped the bullets with his body and continued to move towards the enemy troops.


    The operatorscombatants who saw that should¡¯ve realized.


    From this moment onwards, Yahiro had unleashed the true power of a Lazarusimmortal.


    He had stopped fighting as a human©¤©¤


    ¡°Listen here, you RMS operatorscombatants! Get rid of that damn drug and get the hell out of here! If not, you¡¯re gonna die!¡±


    Yahiro warned them in a loud voice. However, that voice was drowned out by the incessant sound of gunshots.


    With an anguished roar, one of the Fafnir soldiers that tried to attack him from behind suddenly burst. Then another one. And then another one. Just by trying to get close to Yahiro, the bodies of the Fafnir soldiers were breaking apart as their regenerative abilities went out of control.


    Yahiro¡¯s blood was being scattered by the bullets. The Fafnir soldiers were self-destructing on their own by coming into contact with it. And they still hadn¡¯t realized that fact.


    The operatorscombatants, frustrated by the ineffectiveness of the bullets, took out a cylinder filled with a crimson liquid drug. As they thrust it into their bodies, Yahiro looked at them in disdain and sighed.


    All the remaining operatorscombatants had transformed into Fafnir soldiers.


    There were around 30 of them in total. That¡¯s right, just around a mere 30.


    ¡°If that¡¯s your answer¡­¡­then there¡¯s no need to hold back between us monsters.¡±


    Yahiro threw off Galerie¡¯s uniform.


    The upper half of his body became exposed. A metallic shine spilled out from the gaps of his torn shirt.


    A dull shine like that of rusty armor. It was an armor made up of fresh blood. Yahiro¡¯s body was transforming.


    Transforming into the true form of a cursed immortal monster.


    Just like the hero famed to have a body of steel, the legendary ¡ºDragon Slayer¡»©¤©¤


    ¡°Disappear. This world is not a place for us.¡±


    Yahiro¡¯s cheeks, covered in a rusty steel skin, twisted as he smiled fiercely.


    And then the trampling commenced.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s no need to be scared. We¡¯re leaving now, okay.¡±


    Iroha reached out and strongly stroked the golden fur while smiling.


    A huge monster, around 7-8 meters long, was lying down in front of her. It was an Anzu, a monstrous bird with golden wings and the face of a lion.[7] It was a Grade ¢ô Spirit Beast that often appeared in the vicinity of the unexplored region.


    ¡°There, there. You¡¯re a good boy. Well then, bye-bye.¡±


    She kept caressing the monster without minding the fact that it could¡¯ve easily killed her with a single bite of its huge jaws. Perhaps satisfied with that, the Spirit Beast flapped its huge wings and returned to its nest.


    ¡°That was nerve-wracking¡­¡­As expected, I get nervous whenever I talk to an unknown one.¡±


    Wiping the sweat off her forehead, the jersey-wearing Iroha let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°Usually, an encounter with a Grade ¢ô Spirit Beast doesn¡¯t end with simple nervousness.¡±


    Yahiro muttered while looking at Iroha¡¯s profile, who was laughing.


    Both of them were currently in the vicinity of the former Ohi Racecourse[8]. They had made it through the dangerous unexplored region, and would soon enter the former ¨­ta ward.


    On their way here, they had encountered more than 15 large Spirit Beasts. All of them were monsters that could wipe out a large military unit. Iroha had tamed them all and sent them back.


    That fact once again reminded Yahiro of the absurdness of her supernatural ability.


    Kushinada¡¯s power allowed her to control Spirit Beasts at will. If her ability was to be analyzed, it would be possible to not only remove the threat present in the 23 wards, but also to utilize Spirit Beasts as new weapons. It was no wonder that an arms dealer like Raimat International was obsessed with Iroha.


    While thinking that, Yahiro approached a motorbike parked on the road. It was a Japanese-made off-road bike used in motocross racing competitions. It was something he had taken without permission from an abandoned bike store.


    In spite of being left abandoned for more than 4 years, the motorbike was in a good condition, and the engine started easily with just a little bit of maintenance. It was an old model with a kick-starter system and no fuel injection system, but conversely, that proved to be fortunate. It was also thanks to getting hold of that motorbike that they were able to traverse through the unexplored region in one night after repelling the RMS forces.


    Yahiro restarted the motorbike while struggling with the unfamiliar kick-starter. They were less than 10 kilometers away from the Tama river, which was the border between two prefectures. If everything went smoothly, they should be able to leave the 23 wards before dawn.


    ¡°Well¡­¡­Somehow, this feels like something out of a teen film.¡±


    Iroha, who was sitting on the rear seat of the motorbike, started a small talk while worrying about her bangs that were disheveled due to the wind. The seat on the racing bike was narrow, so she inevitably had to sit glued to Yahiro¡¯s back.


    Due to being neglected for long, the road surface was in a dilapidated state and full of obstacles. Even though they were riding an off-road bike, the speed it could go was not much different from that of a bicycle, so there was no problem in having a conversation.


    ¡°A teen film?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Doesn¡¯t it happen a lot in movies? A beautiful honor student and a delinquent failure eloping together on a motorbike, or something.¡±


    ¡°The delinquent failure is supposed to be me huh¡­¡­¡±


    Yahiro said with a frown. He no longer felt like retorting at Iroha¡¯s mental strength, who called herself beautiful without shame.


    ¡°Are you still worrying about not being able to save those Fafnir soldiers?¡±


    She asked, leaning her weight on him.


    Caught off guard, Yahiro fell silent.


    The RMS operatorscombatants they had encountered last night were eventually all annihilated. They, who had turned into Fafnir soldiers, had their bodies run amok and burst open without even being able to touch Yahiro.


    Having ignored his warning and resorting to the F-med, they had brought it upon themselves. Even so, Yahiro had ended up taking the lives of over 30 people. Iroha probably thought he was feeling depressed because of that.


    However, he felt just a little bit better after hearing her say that he was not able to save those Fafnir soldiers. That¡¯s right. He wanted to save them. He didn¡¯t want to let them die, since they were victims just like him.


    ¡°¡­¡­It was Sui¡¯s blood.¡±


    Yahiro muttered as if talking to himself.


    He could feel Iroha¡¯s confusion from behind him.


    ¡°Sui?¡±


    ¡°The drug known as F-med which creates the Fafnir soldiers¡­¡­Its true form is Sui¡¯s blood.¡±


    ¡°By Sui, you mean your little sister? You said you were looking for her for a long time¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I should¡¯ve realized it earlier. Their figure, and that absurd regeneration ability¡­¡­That¡¯s the same power as me. Raimat had been using dragon¡¯s blood to create immortal soldiers¡­¡­!¡±


    Yahiro let out a low, stifled voice.


    The true form of the crimson drug known as the F-med was a blood product derived from Narusawa Sui¡¯s blood.


    A dragon¡¯s fresh blood is said to grant immortality to those who bathe in it. However, it also seemed to be a deadly poison for humans that were incompatible. The evidence of this was the Fafnir soldiers who got overdosed with the F-med and destroyed themselves by having their regeneration abilities run amok.


    To control that side effect, a drug was made by chemically processing dragon¡¯s blood and reducing its duration of effect. That was probably the true nature of the F-med. That¡¯s the reason why when Yahiro¡¯s blood got into their bodies, they received an intense anaphylactic shock and lost their lives. It was because his blood was contaminated with a higher concentration of dragon¡¯s blood.


    Raimat was utilizing the dragon¡¯s blood as a weapon.


    That information was hard to believe, but it brought forth another fact.


    It was that Raimat International had access to a large amount of dragon¡¯s blood in order to mass-produce the F-med. Dragon¡¯s blood©¤©¤In other words, the blood of Narusawa Sui.


    ¡°Does that mean the corporation called Raimat is holding Sui-san hostage?¡±


    ¡°I think so. If not, no matter how diluted it was, there¡¯s no way they got their hands on that much of Sui¡¯s blood.¡±


    Yahiro nodded at Iroha¡¯s question.


    Firman La Hire had called his exclusive F-med as the third improved version©¤©¤Mod-3. That meant that they had been researching the dragon¡¯s blood for many months or even years.


    They had obtained a stable supply of a living dragon¡¯s blood as experimental material for developing the F-med, and also as a resource to mass-produce the drug. Such a thing wouldn¡¯t have been possible unless they secured the dragon¡¯s real body.


    ¡°¡­¡­Wait. Raimat is the sponsor of your client, right?¡±


    Iroha¡¯s voice hardened as if she had realized something.


    Yahiro silently affirmed. The sponsor for the Kushinada capture plan was Raimat International. Galerie Berith was one of the private military companies hired by them.


    ¡°Giulie-san and Rose-san, was it¡­¡­? Did the people of Galerie Berith know that Raimat was holding Sui-san captive?¡±


    ¡°Probably. I don¡¯t know if they even knew that the F-med was actually Sui¡¯s blood¡­¡­no, they probably did.¡±


    Yahiro remembered the photo of Sui shown to him by the twins.


    The dragon girl was fixed to a coffin-like bed and her entire body was connected to countless tubes. The machines in her surroundings weren¡¯t just simple life-support systems, but also worked as blood extraction devices©¤©¤Yahiro was convinced of that.


    Even so, said Iroha while shaking her head, as if saying she still wasn¡¯t convinced.


    ¡°That¡¯s weird¡­¡­because, wasn¡¯t your reward supposed to be Sui-san¡¯s whereabouts¡­¡­Doesn¡¯t this mean that they knew you would turn into Raimat¡¯s enemy from the start?¡±


    ¡°It would mean that they tried to use me to whittle down Raimat¡¯s forces. In the first place, Raimat International and Galerie Berith were business rivals that just happened to work together this time. There¡¯s nothing strange about that.¡±


    Yahiro said in an indifferent tone. Iroha¡¯s tone became more serious.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. There¡¯s nothing strange. But that¡¯s what makes it strange.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°If Galerie Berith intended to make you fight with Raimat, then why are they helping us escape? It wouldn¡¯t make any sense if we ran away without fighting, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­¡±


    Yahiro couldn¡¯t say anything at what Iroha had unexpectedly pointed out.


    They were heading towards Yokohama under the instructions of the Galerie Berith twins. The reason for that was to escape from the pursuers from Raimat, who had their headquarters located in Saitama.


    Those weren¡¯t particularly strange instructions. In fact, the unexplored region had forced the pursuit of RMS to stop.


    However, it also meant less damage on RMS¡¯s side. That contradicted their objective of getting him to fight Raimat.


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t it be just to make sure they obtain you?¡±


    If the twins prioritized obtaining Iroha more than reducing Raimat¡¯s forces, he could understand their instructions. However, Iroha immediately rejected that hypothesis.


    ¡°If that was the case, why didn¡¯t they come to pick me up sooner? Making both of us cross the unexplored region, that roundabout way of doing things is definitely strange.¡±


    ¡°I knew from the start that there was something strange about those twins though.¡±


    Yahiro said with an attitude similar to that of a sore loser.


    Iroha had a good point. If they wanted to make him and Raimat fight, it was unnecessary to instruct them to escape. If Iroha¡¯s retrieval was the priority, then there was no need to show him Sui¡¯s photo. There was a contradiction in Galerie Berith¡¯s instructions. Those twins had a different objective he didn¡¯t know of.


    ¡°Even if we know that they might be deceiving us, there¡¯s no choice but to head towards them, since your children are waiting.¡±


    There was no point in thinking about unknown things, so Yahiro abandoned those thoughts. In any case, they were left with no other choice but to follow the twins¡¯ instructions.


    ¡°My siblings! Like I said, they are not my children but my siblings!¡±


    Iroha faithfully corrected his statement.


    Then she suddenly fell silent. She took a few deep breaths as if hesitating to say something, which was unusual. And then as if she had made up her mind, she confessed.


    ¡°Hey, Yahiro. There¡¯s something I need to apologize to you for.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡­You did something to me while I was asleep¡­¡­?¡±


    Yahiro asked in an uneasy tone. Wha¨C, Iroha¡¯s eyes widened and she said,


    ¡°What do you mean!? Something like that, of course I didn¡¯t do it¡­¡­!¡±


    ¡°No, I intended it as a joke. You didn¡¯t have to get so worked up¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°S-Shut up!¡±


    Shouting in a high-pitched voice, she started repeatedly hitting his back. Why is she getting flustered, thought Yahiro in confusion.


    ¡°So, what was the thing you wanted to apologize for?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡­I think, I might have met Sui-san before the J-nocideGreat Massacre.¡±


    ¡°Huh!?¡±


    Yahiro clutched the breaks tightly without thinking. The sudden brakes caused the bike to come to a stop, pitching forward.


    ¡°Gyaaah!? What¡¯re you doing!? You can¡¯t apply the brakes so suddenly, it¡¯s dangerous!¡±


    Iroha, who had barely managed to avoid getting thrown off, clung to Yahiro¡¯s back in a panic.


    Yahiro forcefully turned his body around and faced her.


    ¡°More importantly, what did you say just now!? When did you meet Sui!? And where!?¡±


    ¡°In¡­¡­a dream¡­¡­?¡±


    Overwhelmed, Iroha gave a vague answer.


    ¡°Dream?¡±


    Yahiro had an indescribably confused look on his face. It wasn¡¯t as if he thought that Iroha was teasing him. However, he also didn¡¯t know the meaning behind her testimony.


    Yahiro, who was staring at Iroha with furrowed brows, suddenly raised his face and his expression stiffened.


    ¡°I wanted to hear more about that matter, but it seems we don¡¯t have the time for that.¡±


    ¡°Yahiro?¡±


    Following his gaze, Iroha looked behind her and gasped.


    A ruined city just before dawn. The surrounding buildings had collapsed as if knocked down by a giant explosion, and the scorched earth spread wide.


    On the other side of the flat terrain, they could see a group of dark gray armored vehicles. Approximately 20 armored vehicles and countless operatorscombatants were lying in wait, surrounding both Yahiro and Iroha.


    All of them were wearing extravagant uniforms reminiscent of nobles from the middle ages. It was the uniform of RMS operatorscombatants.


    ¡°We were, ambushed?¡±


    Iroha widened her eyes in surprise and muttered.


    Since they had traversed through the unexplored region, there was no way RMS could have followed them. Even if they could, it was impossible to get ahead of them and gather such a large force.


    There was only one thing that came to mind. They knew that Yahiro and Iroha were heading towards Yokohama. Someone had passed the information of their escape route to RMS.


    There was only one possible organization that could do that©¤©¤


    ¡°Galerie Berith¡­¡­Those twins, they sold us out¡­¡­!¡±


    Yahiro punched the handlebars of the motorbike as his shoulders shook in anger.


    Immediately after that, the RMS armored corps surrounding them began the bombardment.


    A mortar shell fell in a parabolic trajectory and exploded behind Yahiro and Iroha.


    The explosion destroyed the road and pieces of asphalt came raining down.


    It wasn¡¯t as if the bombardment had failed to hit the two of them. RMS was aiming for the ground right from the beginning. Their objective was to destroy the road and block off Yahiro and Iroha¡¯s path of escape.


    ¡°Iroha, you should surrender¡­¡­!¡±


    Yahiro raised his voice as if to go against the shockwave.


    The twins from Galerie that should¡¯ve been here were nowhere to be seen. Those twins had sold the information on their escape route to Raimat.


    It was far-fetched to call that betrayal. To them, Yahiro was just a guide they just happened to hire. There was no way they would hesitate to abandon him. If they thought that it would be better to make Raimat owe them than to force themselves to get their hands on Iroha, Galerie Berith would sell both of them without a doubt.


    As a Japanese survivor, Yahiro should¡¯ve been used to getting deceived and betrayed. Even so, the reason why he was feeling so vexed right now was that somehow or the other, he had unconsciously begun trusting those twins.


    ¡°By surrender¡­¡­you mean to those guys?¡±


    Iroha responded in anger. For her, RMS operators were enemies who had destroyed the home she had been living in for many years and killed the Spirit Beasts that were like family to her.


    ¡°Since they are after your ability, they shouldn¡¯t treat you roughly. It¡¯s also possible that you¡¯ll get back your siblings, who were taken by Galerie, depending on how the negotiation goes.¡±


    Yahiro earnestly tried to persuade her. It was impossible to escape from this situation all while bringing her along. That¡¯s why he wanted at least her to surrender before she got caught up and injured due to the attacks.


    The ground burst open as if to ridicule his decision.


    It was due to warning shots fired by assault rifles. Hit by the gunfire, the bike got blown away, scattering sparks.


    ¡°©¤!?¡±


    To protect Iroha from the rain of bullets, Yahiro pushed her down to the ground. Several bullets grazed him and the scattered blood made his shoulder wet.


    He suffered lacerations on his trapezius muscle[9]. A part of his shoulder blade was damaged. It would take around 10 seconds for complete recovery. However, if he took those bullets head-on, even he wouldn¡¯t be able to protect her.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing!? Didn¡¯t you people come here to capture Kushinada!?¡±


    Yahiro stood up while grimacing from the sharp pain, and yelled at the assailants.


    He could see the figure of RMS operatorscombatants on top of the rubble of the destroyed buildings along the road. There were around 14-15 of them. In the center of the group was Firman La Hire with a large artificial arm.


    ¡°Of course, we will. But we haven¡¯t received any orders to bring her back uninjured, you see.¡±


    Firman ordered his men to fire warning shots again.


    Countless bullets rained down around Iroha and pieces of the shattered asphalt hit her. Even so, she didn¡¯t scream but instead kept angrily glaring at Firman.


    ¡°Since I¡¯ve mobilized such a large force, I¡¯ll lose face if you surrender so easily. Resist as much as you can and let my men have their fun.¡±


    His words made his subordinates laugh in a vulgar manner.


    The bullets that were supposed to be warning shots, had gradually started grazing both of their bodies. For the operatorscombatants, Yahiro and Iroha, the Japanese survivors possessing supernatural abilities, were the same as Spirit Beasts. Since it would also count as revenge for their co-workers, they probably weren¡¯t feeling guilty about hurting the two of them.


    Yahiro would still have a chance to win if they used the F-med. However, since they were using firearms without dragonifying themselves, he had no way of counterattacking.


    ¡°So that¡¯s¡­¡­your plan. You¡¯re trying to restrict my actions¡­¡­!¡±


    Realizing their intention, Yahiro gritted his teeth.


    The reason why they were continuing to fire those warning shots which could hit Iroha was to stop his movements. If he made a wrong move, she could get swallowed up by the bullets. By making him think that, they had pinned him to the spot.


    If that was the case, their next action would be©¤©¤


    ¡°©¤©¤©¤!¡±


    Firman pulled out a handgun with his left hand and shot at Yahiro¡¯s heart without mercy. Yahiro blocked it with his right arm.


    The bullet got deflected while scattering sparks, exposing his skin which was covered in an armor made of fresh blood.


    ¡°It¡¯s as I expected. Lazarusimmortal boy©¤©¤You¡¯ve bathed in the dragon¡¯s blood, haven¡¯t you? And hence, you¡¯ve obtained a body that cannot be harmed even by swords of steel, the body of ¡ºSigurdDragon Slayer¡»!¡±


    Firman¡¯s lips twisted in delight all the while he repeatedly kept pulling the trigger, and with each pull, Yahiro deflected the bullets that came flying.


    The armor of fresh blood covering his skin was his trump card that he hadn¡¯t even shown to Galerie Berith.


    However, he didn¡¯t have the leeway to keep it hidden any longer. If he dodged, then the bullets would hit Iroha for sure. Firman was intentionally shooting at such an angle.


    ¡°Splendid! It¡¯s truly a splendid ability! Even ¡ºMod-2¡» wouldn¡¯t be a match for you! I¡¯m sure the Count would be very pleased if I brought you back alive!¡±


    Throwing away the handgun whose magazine had become empty, Firman picked up a huge firearm from near his feet.


    It was a six-barrel coaxial machine gun with an absurd fire rate of around 6000 rounds per minute, an electric Gatling gun. It was originally intended to be equipped on a military helicopter, but Firman was holding it in one hand. In addition to the grip strength of his massive artificial arm, the supernatural strength of a Fafnir soldier made it possible to do that.


    ¡°But the itch on this right hand would not stop if I do that!¡±


    Firman fired the machine gun. He had only pulled the trigger for an instant, however, the dozens of bullets released in that instant hit Yahiro with unbelievable accuracy.


    ¡°Guh!?¡±


    The armor of fresh blood shattered, and Yahiro¡¯s entire body was torn apart. Even the steel body brought about by the dragon¡¯s blood was powerless against the large number of machine gun bullets that had hit him in that instant.


    At the mercy of the power of modern weapons, Yahiro was slammed to the ground. The fact that he still maintained his human appearance was more due to Firman¡¯s whim, who had avoided fatally injuring him, rather than the blessing of his body of a Lazarusimmortal.


    ¡°YAHIRO! YAHIROOOO!¡±


    Iroha stood up with her arms outstretched as if to protect the collapsed Yahiro.


    Two Fafnir soldiers came rushing and captured her. They pulled her away from Yahiro, paying no mind to her resistance.


    After confirming that she was taken away, Firman pulled the trigger again. Yahiro, who was trying to get up, was once again blown away, and his torn left arm rolled on the ground.


    ¡°Haha, you took that many bullets and are still alive? As expected of a Lazarusimmortal!¡±


    Firman was no longer even trying to aim. Countless bullets rained down like hailstones and turned Yahiro¡¯s body into minced meat.


    Even so, Firman didn¡¯t stop shooting. As if to test the limits of a Lazarusimmortal, he fired the huge machine gun every time Yahiro showed any hint of regenerating.


    ¡°But how much blood did you shed on your way here? The dragon¡¯s blood flowing in your body, how much of it is left!?¡±


    ¡°No! Stop! Let me go! YAHIROOOOO!¡±


    Iroha cried out in desperation.


    Yahiro was lying motionless. He had barely maintained a human appearance, but there was no sign of regeneration. That scene seemed to confirm Firman¡¯s words that he had shed too much blood.


    Firman made a faint smile as if he was finally satisfied.


    However, in the next moment, he was taken by surprise and his smile froze.


    ¡°DON¡¯T HURT YAHIROOOOOOOO!¡±


    The Fafnir soldiers who were restraining Iroha suddenly released her. Having shaken free from their hands, Iroha covered Yahiro with her body as if to protect him.


    Firman instantly removed his finger from the trigger. However, the machine gun that could fire a hundred rounds every second, had already shot countless bullets into Iroha in that instant.


    Fresh blood splattered from her whole body and fell on Yahiro, who was lying down.


    ¡°Tch¡­¡­Such foolishness¡­¡­!¡±


    Firman threw the machine gun and clicked his tongue. The coaxial machine gun he had prepared as a countermeasure for Lazarusimmortal was too powerful against a human. Even a simple graze would surely kill her. Mamana Iroha¡¯s survival was now hopeless.


    The brunt of his anger was now directed at the two Fafnir soldiers who had released her and let her die.


    However, he gasped in shock the moment he looked at them.


    The bodies of the two dragonmen, who were standing dumbfounded while staring at Iroha who was shot, were burning.


    A ferocious pale flame engulfed the bodies of the Fafnir soldiers and turned them into pure white ash.


    Even the regeneration ability of the Fafnir soldiers was powerless in the face of that fierce flame. Without even getting the time to scream, the flame swallowed them and they vanished without a trace.


    ¡°Huh¡­¡­? What¡­¡­is going on?¡±


    Firman¡¯s eyes wavered in agitation.


    The Fafnir soldiers weren¡¯t the only ones burning. Iroha¡¯s corpse, lying on top of Yahiro, was enveloped in dazzling flames. The radiance of that fierce vortex of flames that was rising to the skies was reminiscent of a giant dragon ascending to the sky.


    ¡°SHOOT! SHOOT THAT GIRL¡¯S CORPSE! STOP THOSE FLAMES!¡±


    Firman shouted, impelled by an instinctive fear. All his subordinate operatorscombatants pulled the trigger at once, and he himself readied the machine gun again.


    However, the bullets weren¡¯t able to hurt either Iroha or Yahiro. The flames instantly melted and vaporized the bullets before they could reach the two of them.


    ¡°Impossible¡­¡­!¡±


    Firman¡¯s handsome face twisted in impatience.


    As if triggered by that, a huge explosion shook the ruined city.


    The armored vehicle unit lined up behind Firman and his men exploded with a thunderous roar.


    It was a bombardment by a Main Battle Tank-class high-caliber artillery. The anti-personnel lightly armored vehicles stood no chance against anti-tank high-speed armor-piercing rounds.


    Not only the armored vehicles that received a direct hit but even the operatorscombatants who got caught up in the explosion at point-blank were hit by the flying debris and were immediately incapacitated.


    Before they could recover from the first explosion, the next attack landed, destroying several more vehicles.


    Mortar shells began raining down from the skies, and at that point, the armored vehicle unit had fallen into a state of panic. Unable to counterattack against the unexpected surprise attack, some of the operatorscombatants began to flee for their lives.


    ¡°Now what!?¡±


    Firman asked his adjutant as if shouting.


    Equipped with an infantry-use datalink visor, the adjutant squeezed out a dry voice.


    ¡°W-We are being bombarded!¡±


    ¡°I already know that! Tell me where it¡¯s coming from!?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s coming from an elevated railway track. It¡¯s an armored train belonging to Galerie Berith, the ¡ºY¨¢o Gu¨¡ng X¨©ng¡»!¡±[10]


    ¡°Galerie Berith¡­¡­you say¡­¡­¡±


    Firman looked back, surprised.


    The main force of RMS was stationed around the former Dai-Ichi Keihin national highway. A railway track ran parallel to that former national highway.


    An ashen railway vehicle stood on that track. It was an eight-car armored train.


    Each car was covered in thick armor and was armed with countless artillery.


    Its especially striking features were the four huge turrets mounted on the first and the last cars. They were 55 caliber 120mm smoothbore guns. Even a single-car of the armored train had the firepower equal to that of a platoon of main battle tanks.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, they are after us¡­¡­!? Did they use Lazarusimmortal and Kushinada¡­¡­to lure out the main force of RMS and annihilate it!?¡±


    Firman muttered in shock.


    Japan¡¯s domestic transport network had been devastated by the J-nocideGreat Massacre, however, but only some of the railroad lines were still partly functioning. That included a section of the 23 wards.


    By using that railroad network, Galerie Berith had secretly moved an armored train with high firepower to successfully carry out a surprise attack on RMS.


    The distance between the highway and the railroad was close, and there were no obstacles in the surrounding ruined city to obstruct the line of fire, so it was the optimal location for a surprise attack. By leaking the escape route of Narusawa Yahiro to Firman, Galerie Berith had lured out the main force of RMS to this place.


    ¡°Is this supposed to be the revenge for the fact that they were almost killed during the Kushinada capture mission? Those fools.¡±


    Firman¡¯s voice was calm despite him being unable to hide his anger.


    Losing the armored vehicle unit was definitely a huge blow, but RMS still had the F-med. Including himself, the surviving Fafnir soldiers numbered eight, but they would be enough to suppress Galerie Berith¡¯s armored train.


    Firman ordered his men to administer the F-med on themselves.


    The F-med they were given was the improved Mod-3. On top of improving all basic abilities, the time limit had also been greatly increased. It had the ideal capability for this situation.


    The dragonified operatorscombatants roared. Galerie Berith¡¯s armored train was armed with countless anti-personnel machine guns, but those wouldn¡¯t pose a threat for the Fafnir soldiers.


    Firman, who was about to order his men to start the counterattack, suddenly became stiff.


    It was because he could see a shadow rising up from inside the vortex of the pale flames.


    That shadow was a bloodied young boy carrying an unconscious girl in his arms.


    It was Narusawa Yahiro, holding an unsheathed Japanese katana.


    ©¤©¤Waoon! Good Morning!


    Yahiro felt as if he heard a nostalgic voice in the middle of his hazy consciousness. It was Iroha¡¯s voice.


    I must be dreaming, he thought.


    His surroundings were covered in a dazzling pale glow and he couldn¡¯t see a thing. Even discerning his own silhouette was impossible. He couldn¡¯t even tell if he was floating somewhere, or was continuing to fall.


    The only thing he knew was that Iroha was there. He could feel the presence of her bare figure by his side.


    ©¤©¤I¡¯m sorry, Yahiro. I didn¡¯t know anything, even though it was about myself¡­¡­


    Iroha¡¯s feelings came pouring into him. Her sorrow. Her grief. Her anguish. Her regret. And also her affection. The torrent of warm emotions seemed to heal the soul of the wounded Yahiro.


    ©¤©¤I finally remembered what happened that day¡­¡­


    Countless memory fragments came flowing into his mind.


    A blue sky. A sea of clouds. Wings of flame. A huge city and the surface of an ocean spreading below. And then light.


    A huge dragon with eight heads, and eight girls accompanying them.


    Suddenly, he noticed that a naked Iroha was standing in front of him.


    She was clutching a sword to her chest.


    Iroha raised the sword which was enveloped in flames and thrust it towards Yahiro¡¯s heart.


    Along with a feeling of inexpressible sorrow, the tears of blood she was shedding trickled down into his chest and©¤©¤


    ¡°There was more than just one dragon©¤©¤¡±


    ?


    ¡°This is not the time to enter other people¡¯s dreams and say ¡®Waoon¡¯, you know¡­¡­¡±


    Yahiro languidly muttered as he gently laid Iroha down on the ground.


    Her body, which was supposed to have been hit by the bullets, was fine. Her favorite jersey had been torn to shreds, however, there were no injuries on her bare skin peeking through the torn jersey.


    He now knew the reason why.


    Hurting her with a mere human¡¯s attack was impossible.


    ¡°You¡¯ve given us a good beating, Firman La Hire.¡±


    When Yahiro emerged from the flames, his body had transformed into a strange form that was neither that of a human nor a dragon.


    A tough outer shell, which looked like a cracked armor or the scales of a dragon, covered not only his arms but his entire body. Its surface had a bewitching shine and was shimmering as if it were covered in flames.


    The blade of his katana, which should have been shattered by the bullets, had also been restored.


    Gripping the tang[11] of Kuyou Masakane, whose koshirae[12] had broken, Yahiro slowly started walking.


    The Fafnir soldiers trembled as if overwhelmed by his silent gait.


    ¡°I give all of you permission to engage at your discretion. There is no need to kill him. Tear off his limbs.¡±


    Firman gave his men the order to attack.


    ¡°Understood¡­¡­!¡±


    Hiding their fears, all Fafnir soldiers pulled out Machete-style knives.


    Firman raised his artificial right arm and extended the claws equipped on the fingertips.


    He wasn¡¯t able to kill Lazarusimmortal even with all those bullets from the Gatling gun. If so, then there was no need to kill him. It would be fine if they just captured and froze him after he became immobile. That was what Firman thought. However, it was a fatal blunder.


    ¡°Come on, it¡¯s time for revenge©¤©¤!¡±


    Yahiro muttered as if he was calling out to his katana.


    And then he countered the Fafnir soldiers that came slashing at him. His movements were that of an amateur and could not compare to those of the operatorscombatants who had trained in knife combat. There was neither strategy nor defense in his beastly movements that ignored even the distance between his opponents. Just how many people realized that it was the best way to fight for a Lazarusimmortal©¤©¤


    ¡°Wha¡­¡­!?¡±


    Standing behind Firman, his adjutant was at a loss for words.


    Two Fafnir soldiers exploded right after getting into contact with Yahiro. They had lost control over their regeneration ability and burst open from the inside. Two more Fafnir soldiers that followed up on the attack were also defeated.


    It wasn¡¯t as if their attacks didn¡¯t reach Yahiro. Their machetes were obstructed by the shell covering him, and conversely, a slight cut by his katana dealt a fatal injury to the Fafnir soldiers.


    It was no longer a battle, but one-sided destruction that couldn¡¯t even be called a deathmatch. The positions had completely reversed before anyone could realize. Firman and his men were now the ones being hunted.


    ¡°Do you bastards intend to run away from your duties!? That violates the contract!¡±


    Firman¡¯s adjutant and the other operatorscombatants that hadn¡¯t dragonified started escaping, ignoring his orders.


    They weren¡¯t the only ones to make their escape. The armored corps that got attacked by Galerie Berith had already begun to rout.


    The Fafnir soldiers attacked Yahiro, but rather than due to Firman¡¯s orders©¤©¤it was more due to an instinctive fear. However, in front of a Lazarusimmortal¡¯s overwhelming strength, they were easily trampled down.


    The only remaining Fafnir soldier was Firman himself.


    ¡°They were operatorscombatants you hired with money. Of course they¡¯ll run away when the situation takes a turn for the worst.¡±


    Yahiro called out to him in a carefree tone, as if it were somebody else¡¯s problem. His tone was even a bit sympathetic, and that fact made Firman more furious.


    ¡°However, I won¡¯t let you escape, Major La Hire. Since there are a lot of things I¡¯d like to ask you.¡±


    ¡°NARUSAWA YAHIROOOOOOO©¤©¤!¡±


    Firman charged towards Yahiro with his claws ready.


    Yahiro stopped that attack with his bare hands. The artificial steel arm which was thrust out with the superhuman strength of a Fafnir soldier was as powerful as a huge war hammer. It wasn¡¯t something a flesh-and-blood body could oppose.


    Even so, Yahiro¡¯s arm didn¡¯t shatter. Firman realized that his overwhelming regeneration ability had healed his body before it could get destroyed.


    Yahiro swung the katana he held in his right hand. It was a sure-kill attack for Fafnir soldiers. Firman avoided it by rolling on the ground. His figure was unsightly, as he had no leeway to keep up appearances.


    ¡°How is this possible¡­¡­Narusawa Yahiro!? You were supposed to be dead¡­¡­!¡±


    Firman groaned furiously as his face warped in humiliation.


    And then he turned his attention towards Iroha, who was behind Yahiro.


    ¡°I see. So Kushinada¡¯s¡­¡­ That girl¡¯s true identity is¡­¡­the same as SuperbiaEarth Dragon¡­¡­!¡±


    Taking advantage of Yahiro¡¯s momentary lapse, Firman sprinted.


    He was heading towards Iroha who was still lying down.


    Yahiro realized that his aim was to take Iroha and run away. Since a Fafnir soldier¡¯s leg strength was greater than a Lazarus like him, if he let Firman escape from here, then he would not be able to catch up to him.


    Even after knowing that, Yahiro felt strangely calm.


    He knew what he had to do.


    The sword inside his body would tell him.


    ¡°Stop it, Firman La Hire©¤©¤!¡±


    With one last warning, Yahiro readied his katana.


    He imagined it. A flash of light that cleaved the darkness. A crimson radiance that burnt the skies.


    The flame sword Iroha was holding©¤©¤


    The blood of his entire body turned into a scorching torrent. It was the flame that burned dragons, the power of a dragon slayer. It was the power Yahiro failed to obtain that day.


    Words unconsciously left his mouth.


    ¡°¡¾HomuraBlaze¡¿©¤©¤¡±


    In an instance that felt like an eternity, the distance between him and the enemy was reduced to zero. In order to burn the diluted blood of Narusawa Sui©¤©¤the dragon¡¯s blood flowing inside the Fafnir soldier, he swung the blade.


    After covering a distance of ten-odd meters, which should¡¯ve been impossible, Yahiro slowly looked back.


    Behind him was the figure of the last remaining Fafnir soldier with his whole body engulfed in flames.


    ¡°Im¡­¡­possible¡­¡­ For me¡­¡­to lose to these¡­¡­¡±


    Firman, whose torso had been deeply slashed, collapsed on the spot as he tried to attack Yahiro. The flames burning his body became stronger and turned him into white ashes in an instant.


    ¡°¡­¡­You¡­¡­accursed¡­¡­monster¡­¡­¡±


    Firman¡¯s body disappeared leaving behind that curse.


    Yahiro watched it happen in silence.


    He didn¡¯t feel a shred of sympathy for Firman as he had fired dozens of bullets at him and even tried to kill Iroha. But even so, Yahiro couldn¡¯t help but think that if it hadn¡¯t been for the existence of the dragon, Firman wouldn¡¯t have had to face such an end.


    The crimson scales covering Yahiro¡¯s body came off and fell. At the same time, he felt the great power that was rampaging inside his body fade away. It was as if his body was unconsciously telling him that the dragon¡¯s blood he needed to burn was no longer there.


    ¡°Yahiro¡­¡­ You¡¯re alive¡­¡­?¡±


    Behind him, he felt Iroha get up.


    Just as he turned around, something soft hit him with a thud. Iroha had tackled him with great force and was clinging to him with tears streaming down her face.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad¡­¡­ I¡¯m so glad that everything is okay¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not okay. Why did you have to be so reckless?¡±


    I¡¯m the one who wants to cry here, he thought while sighing deeply. Recalling the despair he felt while seeing Iroha getting shot when he couldn¡¯t move still gave him the shivers.


    ¡°Also, I¡¯d appreciate it if you move away a little. And while you¡¯re at it, do something about those clothes.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Eh, clothes? Wait waaaaaaa!?¡±


    Iroha looked down at her deep-red torn jersey and let out a high-pitched scream.


    The streamer outfit she wore underneath her jersey covered a small area to begin with, but now it was in an even terrible condition. Yahiro couldn¡¯t hide his agitation at the feeling of her bare skin touching him.


    ¡°D-Did you see?¡±


    Hiding her chest, she glared at him with upturned eyes.


    ¡°No, not a thing.¡±


    Yahiro gave a curt reply as if trying to avoid the topic.


    Iroha raised her eyebrows while sulking and said,


    ¡°You¡¯re lying! If not, then why is your face so red?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because of the sunrise.¡±


    Feigning ignorance, Yahiro shifted his attention towards the east.


    The sun, which had just begun to rise, dyed the ruined townscape blood-red from behind.


    RMS¡¯s armored corps were annihilated, and the surviving operatorscombatants had already disappeared. Galerie Berith¡¯s armored train had finished its bombardment and was now eerily silent. And then©¤©¤


    A girl with orange highlights in her hair suddenly appeared between Iroha and Yahiro, who were cuddled close together.


    ¡°Hmm, I see you two have gotten quite close in just a single night. Did something interesting happen?¡±


    ¡°Kyah!?¡±


    ¡°Giulie! You¡­¡­!¡±


    Iroha screamed while still covering her chest and Yahiro reflexively put his guard up.


    The one standing there was Giulietta Berith, who had appeared without a sign. However, he couldn¡¯t feel any hostility from her. Rather, she looked at the katana Yahiro was holding with her eyes sparkling like a child, and said,


    ¡°Hey, more importantly, what was that!? How did you do that whoosh thing!?¡±


    ¡°No, even if you ask that¡­¡­¡±


    Yahiro mumbled while frowning.


    Giulie was probably referring to the move he had used to slash Firman. However, Yahiro himself could not remember how he defeated him. He had simply felt that he could slash him. Even if he was asked to do it again, he had no confidence that he could reproduce that move.


    ¡°So that was your RegaliaGod Corroding Ability, Yahiro? It¡¯s quite impressive. And the Gore Clad too.¡±


    A blue-haired girl with an unreadable expression standing next to Giulie said in a flat voice.


    Regalia and Gore Clad©¤©¤Yahiro frowned at those unfamiliar words.


    ¡°Rose¡­¡­ What are you guys thinking? Why did you show up now?¡±


    ¡°What a way to greet us. Even though we came to save both of you.¡±


    Rosetta Berith gave a nonchalant reply, not seeming particularly offended.


    Yahiro¡¯s lips twisted in irritation.


    ¡°You sure have the gall to say that after using us as bait.¡±


    ¡°And thanks to that we were able to cut down most of RMS¡¯s forces.¡±


    Rose declared in a straightforward manner, without a shred of guilt. Yahiro lost his words at her unexpected response.


    ¡°To sum it up, it means that Raimat¡¯s defense is now short on hands.¡±


    Giulie made a belligerent smile that was reminiscent of a ruthless cat.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡­ Your¡¯s¡­¡­ Galerie Berith¡¯s true objective was¡­¡­¡±


    Yahiro forced out a voice, feeling shocked.


    Galerie Berith knew that Raimat was holding Narusawa Sui captive, and also that Yahiro wanted to kill her.


    A confrontation with Raimat was inevitable if he wanted to kill her. The enemy was a major military enterprise with a large capital strength. Even for Galerie Berith, it wasn¡¯t an opponent that could be defeated in a proper battle.


    However, with the loss of RMS¡¯s main force, Raimat¡¯s private military division had fallen into a state of destruction. By using Yahiro and Iroha as bait, the twins had created a chance to kill Narusawa Sui.


    In front of Yahiro who stood in a daze, the twins with doll-like beauty respectfully bowed.


    ¡°We would like to extend our greetings again. My name is Giulietta Berith. This is my younger sister Rosetta. On behalf of the head of the Berith house, we have come to receive you both.¡±


    Yahiro and Iroha were puzzled by Giulie¡¯s courtesy. However, her expression was serious and it seemed like she wasn¡¯t teasing them.


    ¡°By both, are you talking about Yahiro and me?¡±


    ¡°It is as you say, ¡ºAvaritiaFire Dragon¡»©¤©¤Mamana Iroha-sama.¡±


    ¡°Ava¡­¡­Avaritia?¡±


    Being called by an unfamiliar name by Giulie, Iroha tilted her head in confusion.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you guys just after Iroha¡¯s ability?¡±


    Yahiro asked, keeping a wary eye on the twins.


    He hadn¡¯t forgotten how they used both him and Iroha as bait, even if it was to weaken Raimat¡¯s forces. He suspected that they planned to take advantage of the two of them again by cajoling them with sweet words.


    However, Rose firmly shook her head and denied it.


    ¡°You are wrong. The mission entrusted to us by Galerie Berith was to make you a king. ¡ºDragon Slaying Hero¡» Narusawa Yahiro©¤©¤Our master.¡±


    At her serious answer, Yahiro could not help but be at a loss.


    [1] The raw was ¡®¥Ü¥¹Ô³¡¯. I translated it literally but it means something like ¡®The one on the top of a group¡¯. It might be a slang but I couldn¡¯t find anything.


    [2] Ramune is a Japanese carbonated soft drink available in a Codd-neck bottle. But in this case, it¡¯s a Ramune candy. Something like this.


    [3] The raw was ¡®Ê³Í桯 or Shokugan. It is an abbreviation of a Japanese expression for ¡°Food Toys¡±. More here.


    [4] Common name for Japan National Route 15.


    [5] Iroha used the term ¡®Oshi (ÍƤ·)¡¯ here which means ¡°to back¡± or ¡°to support¡±. The term is common in Idol and VTuber communities.


    [6] Anaphylactic shock is a rare but severe allergic reaction that can be deadly if you don¡¯t treat it right away. It¡¯s most often caused by an allergy to food, insect bites, or certain medications. (Source: Google)


    [7] Something like this.


    [8] This place.


    [9] The trapezius is a muscle that starts at the base of your neck, goes across your shoulders and extends to the middle of your back.


    [10] The raw text was ¡®“e¹âÐǥ䥪¥¯¥¢¥ó¥·¥ó¡®. The ¡®“e¹âÐÇ¡¯ means Alkaid Star (a prominent star in the handle of the Big Dipper) but then the furigana wouldn¡¯t make sense. I randomly decided to check the Chinese name of Alkaid (Star), which turned out to be Y¨¢o Gu¨¡ng (X¨©ng), and that matches the furigana ¥ä¥ª¥¯¥¢¥ó¥·¥ó (Yao kuan shin). [Wasted 1-2 hrs on just this word]


    [11] Nakago(tang) is the part of the blade of a katana that extends to inside the handle. More here.


    [12] Koshirae refers to the ornate mountings of a Japanese sword. More here.

 Volume 1 - CH 4

    With its high annual precipitation, Japan was a country relatively blessed with water resources. However, the J-nocideGreat Massacre caused the water and sewage service to shut down, making bathing a luxurious custom.


    That¡¯s why the existence of shower rooms in Galerie Berith¡¯s armored train was probably the thing that moved Yahiro the most. After all, hot water came out with just a twist of a faucet. It was almost magical.


    Even so, the shower booths were narrow and the partitions were thin, probably because there was no space to spare. The conversion going on in the women¡¯s shower room could also be heard clearly through the ceiling vents.


    ¡¸Wow¡­¡­Rose-san, your skin is so beautiful¡­¡­! You also have a slim waist!¡¹


    ¡¸You too, Iroha. I¡¯m envious of your excellent figure. It¡¯s so splendid¡­¡­and so¡­¡­detestable¡­¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­You detest it!?¡¹


    Yahiro silently continued to apply the shampoo while listening to the unreserved conversation going on between Iroha and Rose. The body of a Lazarusimmortal only healed wounds that bled to a certain degree, so the hot water gushing out from the showerhead permeated the scratches remaining all over his body.


    ¡¸What did you do about bathing until now?¡¹


    ¡¸Aah¡­¡­ There was a hot spring in our Home, so we didn¡¯t have any trouble bathing.¡¹


    At Iroha¡¯s answer, Rose opened her mouth after a short pause and said,


    ¡¸A hot spring? Inside the 23 wards?¡¹


    Yeah. Or rather, the actual reason why we lived at that place was that the hot spring was there.¡¹


    ¡¸I see. So those amazing things of yours are the effect of Japanese hot springs¡­¡­ I get it now.¡¹


    ¡¸Well¡­¡­ W-Who knows¡­¡­¡¹


    Iroha gave a vague reply to Rose¡¯s strangely serious mutter. It was hard to imagine that this was a conversation between a Spirit Beast tamer and an arms dealer¡¯s executive. While thinking about what that ¡®amazing¡¯ referred to, Yahiro finished washing his entire body and reached for the bath towel.


    Right after that, the door to the shower room opened and someone came rushing inside.


    ¡°Yahiro Yahiro! Is the water temperature okay? Do you know how to use the shower?¡±


    ¡°Whoa, Giulie!? Why did you come here!?¡±


    The swing door connecting to the shower booth was as high as Yahiro¡¯s shoulders. The short-statured Giulie tiptoed to show her face above that door and said,


    ¡°I¡¯ve brought you a change of clothes. While I was at it, I thought I¡¯d do a body check too. Hoho¡­¡­ This is quite¡­¡­!¡±


    ¡°Hey, where the hell are you looking!?¡±


    Yahiro unconsciously stiffened under Giulie¡¯s wicked gaze. As he vaguely knew that she had come to ascertain whether he had healed or not, he unnecessarily put his guard up. However, since he had a bath towel wrapped around his waist, there was no need for him to be that nervous.


    ¡°You mean it¡¯s fine if I touch it too?¡±


    Saying that, Giulie started touching the muscles of his arms.


    ¡°I never said that!¡±


    ¡°Now now, it¡¯s fine, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡¸©¤©¤Yahiro, what are you making Giulie do!?¡¹


    ¡¸Wait, Rose-san! You can¡¯t enter the men¡¯s bath dressed like that!¡¹


    Since Yahiro could hear the conversation going on in the women¡¯s shower room, it was no wonder that his and Giulie¡¯s conversation was also heard by the other side. While listening to Rose¡¯s unusually emotional yell and Iroha¡¯s scream, Yahiro looked up to the ceiling, feeling fed up.


    ¡°It was great that we got to use the shower, right?¡±


    While walking down the aisle of the armored train, Iroha said in a cheerful voice.


    She was probably troubled by the sweat that covered her before as they had spent an entire night trying to escape without rest. Staring at her own appearance reflected on the observation window, she was in unusually high spirits.


    ¡°Well, it was nice that they lent us a change of clothes.¡±


    Next to Iroha, Yahiro said in a curt voice. He was feeling a bit uncomfortable since he had remembered the conversation between her and Rose, and he got strangely conscious of the smell of soap drifting in the aisle.


    However, oblivious to his feelings, Iroha closed the distance between them and said,


    ¡°Yeah. But, don¡¯t you think this uniform is a bit too revealing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not any different from the outfits you wear during your streams.¡±


    ¡°T-That¡¯s because they are cute¡­¡­!¡±


    The uniform she was wearing matched that of the twins and had a high degree of exposure around the shoulders and chest.


    The twins claimed that it was because it made it easier to move during a fight, but Yahiro suspected that its true purpose was for them to take advantage of their looks and gain an upper hand during negotiations. Iroha¡¯s current appearance was the result of that.


    ¡°Well, it looks cool, so why not? It¡¯s summer after all, and it doesn¡¯t really look out of place.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Yeah. If you think it looks good on me, then I guess it¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°I never said that though¡­¡­¡±


    While being amazed at Iroha¡¯s mysteriously high self-esteem, Yahiro stopped trying to retort any further. The reason being it was true that he thought it looked good on her.


    Opening the door connecting two cars of the train, both of them moved to the next car.


    The car they entered had been turned into a stylish diner-like free space, something that didn¡¯t suit the rugged armored train. It was a lounge car for taking breaks. The operators who were enjoying themselves with analog games noticed the two of them and went ¡°Oooh¡±, raising cheers. Yahiro was a bit puzzled by the unexpected welcoming mood.


    ¡°Yahiro! Look at you! You look surprisingly lively!¡±


    ¡°Josh¡­¡­ Wei-san¡­¡­ So you guys were safe too.¡±


    ¡°Yup. By the way, this Y¨¢o Gu¨¡ng X¨©ng, ain¡¯t it amazing? It¡¯s a diesel-electric train with an output of 4,400 horsepower. With this body and armor, it has a maximum speed of 110 kilometers per hour. You see, the essence of this train is the application of the tilting system used by high-speed rail transport to suppress the recoil of the high-caliber artillery. Combined with the newly developed hydraulic brakes, this train is both heavily armored and fast. The beds are cramped, hard, and uncomfortable to sleep on, though.¡±


    Josh started boasting about the armored train like a child in love with railways.


    ¡°This train can fight off Spirit Beasts up to Grade ¢ó. The reason why we were able to get out of the 23 wards with the children was that this train came to get us.¡±


    With a refreshing smile on his face, Wei Yang followed up with Josh¡¯s explanation.


    A few railway tracks remained undamaged in the vicinity of the former Tokyo Dome where Iroha and the children¡¯s ¡ºHome¡» was. Wei and the others, who had failed in accomplishing the Kushinada capture mission and were surrounded by a swarm of Spirit Beasts, used the armored train and safely evacuated from the 23 wards. The trump card Rose referred to during the wireless transmission was probably this Y¨¢o Gu¨¡ng X¨©ng.


    ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡­the children¡­¡­! Can I meet them now!?¡±


    Iroha leaned forward with a great force and asked Wei.


    While being overwhelmed by her vigor, Wei gave a light-hearted nod and said,


    ¡°Those children were in a passenger car that just joined with this train. I think they should be here by now.¡±


    As if proving his words, the door opened and a few small figures came rushing into the lounge car. They were Iroha¡¯s siblings who were living together with her in the 23 wards.


    ¡°Mama-oneechan!¡±


    ¡°Iroha-chan!¡±


    ¡°Mamanaaa!¡±


    They all clung to Iroha while calling her name.


    ¡°Everyone, I¡¯m glad¡­¡­ I¡¯m so glad you all are safe¡­¡­!¡±


    Iroha also hugged the children back and started bawling. Even though she had heard that they were alright, she must have still felt somewhat uneasy until she actually confirmed it with her own eyes.


    ¡°Umm¡­¡­ Ya¡­¡­Yahiro-san!¡±


    Yahiro, who was staring at the crying Iroha, was slightly surprised when his name was suddenly called. Standing there was a meek-looking girl wearing a sailor uniform, unable to hide her nervousness.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡­the girl from that time¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes. I¡¯m Sashou Ayaho! Um, thanks for saving me earlier at Home!¡±


    Saying that in a high-pitched and cute voice, the girl deeply bowed. Yahiro had saved her when she was about to be attacked by Spirit Beasts. After thinking for a while, he finally realized that she was thanking him for that time.


    ¡°Ah, well¡­¡­ I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay.¡±


    Yahiro, who hadn¡¯t experienced someone thanking him for a long time, couldn¡¯t come up with words on the spot. However, at his incoherent reply, the girl who introduced herself as Ayaho smiled bashfully.


    But at that moment, Yahiro¡¯s body froze as he felt a gaze filled with strong killing intent on him.


    That gaze belonged to Iroha. Yahiro felt the strong meaning behind it saying, I won¡¯t forgive you if you do something insolent to my precious sister. At the same time, that gaze also meant I also won¡¯t forgive you if you make her sad.


    What should I do then?, Yahiro thought. While he was grimacing over that, another child showed his face over Ayaho¡¯s shoulders. He was a boy around 10 years old and had a beautiful face that could be mistaken for a girl¡¯s.


    ¡°Aya-chan, who is this person? Is he the one that spent the night with Iroha-chan?¡±


    The boy said with a teasing smile on his childish face. Eh. Ayaho¡¯s face turned red as she became speechless.


    ¡°Wha¡­¡­ Kiri! What are you saying¡­¡­!?¡±


    Iroha got extremely flustered. Watching her behavior, Josh and the others burst out laughing. Nothing happened between us so there¡¯s no need to get flustered, thought Yahiro but he didn¡¯t say it out loud since it would have the reverse effect.


    ¡°Hmmm, your looks are passable.¡±


    The girl standing next to Yuki stared at Yahiro as if evaluating him. She looked younger than Ayaho, around the upper grades of elementary school. She seemed to be a beautiful, strong-willed girl.


    ¡°Kiri, you shouldn¡¯t tease someone older than you. Rinka, you too. Stop being rude.¡±


    A gentle-looking boy intervened between his siblings out of concern for Yahiro.


    ¡°Mama-oneechan, what does spending the night together mean?¡±


    ¡°What does it mean~?¡±


    The other young boys and girls turned their innocent gaze towards Iroha and asked, to which her eyes wandered helplessly. She seemed to be asking for help but Yahiro pretended to not notice it.


    As he was ignoring her, he felt a tug on his left arm.


    When he looked at who it was, his eyes met with those of a small girl.


    A little girl, who looked to be the youngest among Iroha¡¯s siblings, was holding Yahiro¡¯s hands and was staring at him. Her mysterious eyes seemed to suck him in.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, Yahiro-san. Runa, let go of Onii-chan.¡±


    Ayaho called out to her sister in a hurry.


    ¡°How unusual. It¡¯s rare for Runa to get attached to someone like this.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps he likes little kids?¡±


    The strong-willed girl called Rinka and the young Kiri voiced their thoughts.


    Hearing that, Iroha¡¯s eyes opened wide in shock and she said,


    ¡°Yahiro, is that true!?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t go taking them seriously!¡±


    Yahiro shouted back, feeling fed up.


    Not even three minutes had passed since they met up with the children, but he was already as tired as if he had been fighting Spirit Beasts for an hour. His respect for Iroha, who had taken care of the children up until now, increased a little. And then,


    ¡°Mamana Iroha.¡±


    Paora, who had entered the lounge car a little late, called out to Iroha.


    ¡°Y-Yes!¡±


    At her voice that lacked intonation, Iroha straightened herself, feeling nervous.


    However, Paora¡¯s expression was gentle. An opened ammunition box was placed near the tall girl¡¯s feet. Poking out from it was a pure-white furball as big as a medium-sized dog. It was a mysterious creature that couldn¡¯t be identified as a wolf or a small bear©¤©¤A Spirit Beast.


    ¡°Do you know this child¡­¡­?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡­way¡­¡­¡±


    Iroha fell to her knees on the spot. The white Spirit Beast came flying out from the ammunition box, which was used as a carry bag, and rushed towards her.


    ¡°¡­¡­Don¡¯t tell me, Nuemaru? Are you Nuemaru!?¡±


    Catching the Spirit Beast in her arms, Iroha shouted. The Spirit Beast wagged its bushy tail in agreement. Yahiro watched that with furrowed brows. Looking closer, he could find slight traces of that giant lightning beast in this furball.


    ¡°By Nuemaru¡­¡­are you talking about the Spirit Beast from that time?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Though¡­¡­he¡¯s now tiny¡­¡­¡±


    It was Paora that answered Yahiro¡¯s question.


    The lightning beast had taken RMS¡¯s shelling head-on and appeared to have died, but it seems like it reconstructed itself using the scattered flesh and survived. It was weird for a Lazarusimmortal like Yahiro to say, but the creatures known as Spirit Beasts were beings that existed outside of common sense.


    ¡°I¡¯m so glad¡­¡­you¡¯re alive¡­¡­ Yahiro, look¡­¡­ Nuemaru is aliveee¡­¡­!¡±


    ¡°I get it¡­¡­ I get it so don¡¯t cry¡­¡­! Or rather, stop clinging to me¡­¡­!¡±


    Without a care for their surroundings, Iroha started sobbing like a child and clung to Yahiro. He had no choice but to watch in resignation as his new uniform got sticky with tears and snot.


    Ayaho stared at both of them in shock. The other children too looked at them with deep interest, and Josh, for some reason, had also started crying and was wiping his tears.


    Rose, who had entered the lounge car at such bad timing, looked at Yahiro with a cold gaze and said,


    ¡°So you made her cry again, Yahiro?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by again!? I didn¡¯t do anything!?¡±


    Yahiro desperately tried to object to Rose¡¯s false and rash accusation.


    ¡°Now now, let¡¯s leave that aside and eat something. I¡¯m starving, you see.¡±


    Giulie, who was the last one to appear in that chaotic atmosphere, said in her usual leisurely attitude.


    Her words made Yahiro and Iroha look at each other. It had been nearly an entire day since he had a decent meal, aside from the few snacks and preserved food procured from the ruined convenience store. Iroha should also be in the same situation. As soon as they became aware of that, they started feeling really hungry.


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain it to you while we eat. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re curious about it. The dragon, I mean.¡±


    Giulie said while smirking.


    Yahiro and Iroha had no choice but to nod.


    The Berith twins invited Yahiro and Iroha to an open, glass-covered observation deck that didn¡¯t match the armored train.


    Four people¡¯s worth of food had been prepared on top of a table in the center of the deck.


    The ingredients themselves looked nothing luxurious. However, Yahiro and Iroha went speechless as soon as they saw the dishes.


    ¡°Yahiro, is that¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s definitely¡­¡­Japanese food.¡±


    Yahiro gave his affirmation to the baffled Iroha.


    Yakizakana, Dashimaki tamagoyaki, and miso soup along with triangular rice balls wrapped in crispy nori. There was also Konbu Tsukudani and two slices of Takuan©¤©¤ The dishes lined up on the lacquered tray were unmistakably Japanese breakfast.


    ¡°You see, our head chef Shin-san has mastered cuisines from all over the world.¡±


    Giulie said with a triumphant look while staring happily at the surprised Yahiro and Iroha.


    ¡°That¡¯s because I had been living in Japan before the J-nocideGreat Massacre.¡±


    Saying that, an Asian man in a chef coat brought cups filled with Japanese tea.


    Majority of the people of foreign nationalities living in Japan before the J-nocideGreat Massacre lost their lives when it began. On the other hand, a lot of people also managed to barely escape to other countries. The head chef Shin, employed by the Beriths, was probably one of them.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡­delicious¡­¡­¡±


    Taking a bite of a rice ball, Iroha said in a teary voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that. We have plenty so please enjoy yourselves.¡±


    Saying that, the head chef smiled in satisfaction and bowed.


    After waiting for him to leave, Yahiro turned toward the twins.


    ¡°You guys are treating us quite well, huh?¡±


    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s our duty as your vassals, My Lord.¡±


    Rose replied with a composed face and sipped the miso soup.


    With her mouth filled with rice balls, Giulie reached out to the edge of the table and said, ¡°Ah, pass me the shoyu, My Lord.¡±


    ¡°Like I said, what¡¯s with this ¡®My Lord¡¯ thing?¡±


    ¡°Are you two fooling around?¡±, Yahiro asked with a frown.


    ¡°I think we¡¯ve told you it¡¯s about the dragon-slaying hero.¡±


    Rose met his angry gaze with a cool expression.


    Is that supposed to be sarcasm? Yahiro¡¯s mouth twitched as he felt unpleasant.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t killed the dragon.¡±


    ¡°We know. That¡¯s why please do so. Kill all of the dragons, I mean.¡±


    Rose replied with an unchanging expression.


    Her nonchalant words made Yahiro raise an eyebrow.


    ¡°All of¡­¡­the dragons?¡±


    Rose assented to his question with a nod.


    ¡°On the day J-nocideGreat Massacre began, more than one dragon was confirmed to be present in the skies above Japan.¡±


    ¡°Eh¡­¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s estimated that a total of eight dragons made an appearance that day. ¡ºSuperbiaEarth Dragon¡»©¤©¤Narusawa Sui is only one of them.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard such a thing¡­¡­¡±


    With a trembling voice, Yahiro stared into Rose¡¯s eyes.


    He had witnessed only a single dragon that day. It was the rainbow-colored one summoned by Sui.


    Yahiro didn¡¯t know about the existence of other dragons. He had never heard of them. The possibility of ¡ºdragons¡» other than Sui being involved in the J-nocide never occurred to him.


    ¡°That¡¯s natural since it was being concealed.¡±


    She replied with a cold attitude as if to say, Don¡¯t make me tell you such an obvious thing.


    ¡°All the eye-witnesses died after all. There might be some exceptions like you, though.¡±


    Giulie shrugged with the tail of a grilled fish in her mouth.


    Yahiro stared at the two of them without saying anything.


    There was more than just one dragon©¤©¤He remembered hearing the same thing just recently.


    Iroha had also said those words in his dream.


    Right after she declared that, her body was covered by flames, reviving both Yahiro and her, who were on the brink of death.


    ¡°What exactly are dragons?¡±


    Iroha softly muttered. Her voice felt feeble and unreliable, as if it were from a different person than her usual self.


    ¡°That question is the same as if you ask, ¡®What is god?¡¯¡±


    Rose let out a quiet sigh. Blinking in confusion, Iroha asked,


    ¡°¡­¡­God?¡±


    ¡°Since ancient times, many gods and dragons were one and the same. For example, Quetzalcoatl and N¨¹wa, the creator gods. Or existences like Ananta or J?rmungandr, who were the world itself¡­¡­ Dragons bring forth a new world, and then are killed by heroes©¤©¤ They are beings destined to have that ending.¡±


    ¡°Beings that are killed by¡­¡­heroes?¡±


    Iroha hugged her shoulders as her voice trembled with fear.


    That¡¯s right, Rose nodded in response and slightly raised the corner of her lips.


    ¡°Therefore, dragons no longer exist in this world. If the dragons who were supposed to have perished appeared in this world, then they would be Maroudo[1]©¤©¤visitors that came from a different world.¡±


    Rose turned a meaningful look towards Yahiro.


    ¡°That¡¯s why they must be killed by the hands of the new hero we will create.¡±


    ¡°©¤©¤Is that why you told me of Sui¡¯s whereabouts?¡±


    Yahiro sighed unhappily while chewing on a rice ball.


    Rose had told him to kill the dragons.


    It made sense for her to inform him of Sui¡¯s whereabouts to get that wish of hers fulfilled.


    The information that there were dragons other than Sui had definitely surprised Yahiro, but conversely speaking, that was the only unexpected part. It didn¡¯t change what he had to do.


    ¡°Wait. How are the dragon and Sui-san related?¡±


    Iroha forcibly interrupted Yahiro¡¯s question and asked. After thinking for a moment, Rose seemed to prioritize giving her a reply first. Taking a sip from the teacup she was holding with both her hands, she opened her mouth.


    ¡°Dragons need a vessel in order to manifest in this world.¡±


    ¡°A¡­¡­vessel?¡±


    ¡°Saying a sacrificial priestess would be easier to understand.¡±


    Iroha gave an understanding nod at her explanation. A female that not only just served the gods but was more of a primitive existence that also served as an offering to them©¤©¤ That was what Rose meant by a vessel.


    ¡°Take the maidens abducted by the evil dragon Balaur for example. Or the nameless Libyan princess. Priestesses that are treated as sacrifices often make an appearance in dragon legends all over the world.¡±


    The blue-haired girl took her time explaining.


    Yahiro slightly frowned as he remembered the twins referring to Iroha as Kushinada. Kushinadahime was the name of a girl from Izumo who was also going to be offered as a sacrifice to a dragon.


    ¡°Looking at it from a different perspective, the dragons could be seen as beings summoned by the priestesses. It means that dragons first appear in human form. Just like you©¤©¤Mamana Iroha.¡±


    Rose coldly stared at Iroha, making her gasp.


    ¡°M¡­¡­Me?¡±, she asked in a choked voice.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t as if you were unaware, right? Did you think a normal human being could order the Spirit Beasts around?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡­that¡¯s¡­¡­¡±


    Iroha¡¯s gaze wandered around, feeling troubled. In a way, it was an obvious reaction. Even Yahiro would¡¯ve acted the same way if someone suddenly called him a dragon.


    But somewhere in his mind, he was also convinced.


    Just by being at Iroha¡¯s side, Yahiro¡¯s body, which had fallen into the sleep of death due to excessive bloodshed and exhaustion, recovered at an unprecedented rate. When he directly bathed in her blood, even his ability as a Lazarus dramatically improved, and he displayed an unusual strength.


    That strange phenomenon was explainable if Iroha was the same as Sui.


    It explained why the body of Lazarusimmortal Yahiro got after bathing in the blood of a dragon priestess had gained more strength. It was because he had bathed in the blood of a similar dragon priestess©¤©¤


    However, that wasn¡¯t Iroha¡¯s fault. She had no reason to bear the responsibility for that. There was a clear difference between her and Sui, and Yahiro was aware of that fact.


    ¡°Our contract was supposed to end after I retrieved Iroha, right?¡±


    Finishing his meal, Yahiro clasped his hands together and looked at the Berith twins.


    The job Yahiro undertook in the beginning was to guide Galerie Berith to Kushinada¡¯s dwelling. It had gradually turned into something troublesome as to escape the 23 wards with Iroha, but Yahiro didn¡¯t remember signing up for anything more.


    Rose nodded and narrowed her eyes mischievously.


    ¡°It seems like¡­¡­there¡¯s no need for the reward anymore.¡±


    ¡°Raimat International is holding Sui captive, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. She is currently in the former JGSDF base located in Saitama©¤©¤which is now the headquarters of Raimat¡¯s Japanese branch. We¡¯ll arrive there in approximately two hours.¡±


    ¡°©¤©¤!!? Is this train heading towards Raimat¡¯s base?¡±


    Yahiro¡¯s eyes widened in shock. It seemed like after annihilating RMS¡¯s main force, Galerie Berith¡¯s armored train was heading for Raimat¡¯s base of operations without a break.


    ¡°We did have to take a long detour since going through the 23 wards would¡¯ve been dangerous even for us.¡±


    Rose muttered uninterestingly.


    ¡°So your objective is to crush Raimat?¡±


    Yahiro scowled at her.


    As the private military company affiliated with Raimat had been annihilated, its military strength had drastically declined. The twins seemed to have planned a surprise attack before they got the chance to recover. There was nothing wrong with that strategy itself.


    However, Yahiro¡¯s objective was not the destruction of Raimat, but to kill his sister who had changed into a dragon. He felt unpleasant for being used to crush Galerie¡¯s business rival.


    As if to dispel his doubts, Rose shook her head with a smile.


    ¡°Certainly not. Those people aren¡¯t even worth that effort.¡±


    Yahiro felt a chill seeing the bottomless emptiness in her eyes.


    There was no lie in her words. For Rose, Raimat International was like a stone lying on the road that just happened to get in her way, which was why she would kick it away. Yahiro now understood that.


    ¡°Yahiro, don¡¯t you wanna kill Sui-chan?¡±


    Giulie stared at him with an amused smile.


    ¡°That girl is a vessel for a dragon, and we want you to kill the dragon. Don¡¯t you think fate brought us together?¡±


    ¡°What kinda fate is that¡­¡­!¡±


    Yahiro shot back angrily. However, even if he reflexively denied it, he had no choice but to accept the fact that their interests were aligned. He needed Galerie Berith¡¯s cooperation to reach Sui, who had been captured by Raimat.


    ¡°If not, will you be satisfied if we call this negotiating?¡±


    Rose calmly rephrased her words. Yahiro was confused at her sudden proposal.


    ¡°Negotiating?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct. Galerie Berith will offer Narusawa Yahiro and Mamana Iroha all the support they need. In exchange, we will have you two kill the dragons©¤©¤ Think of it as the sponsorship deals athletes get.¡±


    ¡°W¡­¡­Wait a sec, what do you mean!? Isn¡¯t this completely wrong!?¡±


    Iroha cut into the conversation in a fluster.


    ¡°Or rather, didn¡¯t you just nonchalantly include my name too!?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Is there any problem?¡±


    ¡°Of course! More like, there are nothing but problems! Yahiro, you too! Why are you talking about killing your sister as if it¡¯s a matter of course!?¡±


    Iroha glared at Yahiro.


    Yahiro turned away from her and looked out of the window. He then spat out as if muttering to himself.


    ¡°I can¡¯t ignore Sui. I¡¯ll kill her, whether or not it¡¯s what these people want.¡±


    ¡°Like I said, why!?¡±


    ¡°Because she is the one that caused the J-nocideGreat Massacre.¡±


    ¡°©¤©¤!!?¡±


    Iroha was taken aback and stopped moving.


    J-nocideGreat Massacre was neither a natural disaster nor an accident. Narusawa Sui had wished for a massacre. For that purpose, she had turned the capital city of Tokyo into ruins and killed all the Japanese.


    ¡°Can you still forgive her? If we let her go, she¡¯ll repeat the same thing again and again.¡±


    ¡°What happened¡­¡­? Why does Sui-san resent this world¡­¡­?¡±


    Iroha stared straight at Yahiro without blinking.


    Yahiro didn¡¯t give a reply. ¡°It would¡¯ve been better if that were the case,¡± he just muttered quietly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be the one to kill Sui.¡±


    Turning to face the Berith twins again, he resolutely declared.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t concern Iroha. So leave her out of this.¡±


    ¡°Wowww¡­¡­Yahiro, you¡¯re so kind~¡­¡­¡±


    Giulie whistled and cheered like a grade-schooler, making Iroha blush.


    Yahiro¡¯s face also turned red and he glared at the orange-haired girl.


    ¡°That¡¯s not it! She would just get in my way!¡±


    ¡°We also don¡¯t want to involve Iroha-chan, but if we don¡¯t, she¡¯ll get killed. You see, Raimat is not the only one after priestesses of the dragons.¡±


    Giulie lightly shared some precious information without breaking her cheerful expression.


    Worrying about the shocked Iroha, Yahiro¡¯s mouth twisted in irritation.


    ¡°What would someone gain by killing her?¡±


    ¡°Since time immemorial, many dragon slayers acquired the dragon¡¯s treasure by carrying out that great feat.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Treasure?¡±


    Is it like the drop items of an RPG? he thought with an awkward smile.


    However, as if not understanding the reason why he was smiling, Rose slightly tilted her head.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. It is the proof of a dragon slayer©¤©¤The ¡ºRegaliasymbolic treasure¡». Think of it like the golden ring stolen by the hero Sigurd, or the Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi obtained by Susanoo no Mikoto.¡±


    ¡°So is that treasure the true objective of Galerie Berith?¡±


    Yahiro thought that he understood their motive.


    Leaving aside the golden ring, even Yahiro knew that the Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi was a sacred treasure handed down in the imperial family since ancient times. It was easy to guess that they possessed tremendous value as works of art. There was no way that the girls, who called themselves art dealersgalerie, would let go of such valuable items.


    Killing the dragons and obtaining the Regaliatreasures©¤©¤If that was the true objective of Galerie Berith, he felt like he understood why they were willing to lend him a hand.


    Rose didn¡¯t deny his conjecture.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if you take it that way. Even if it¡¯s called a treasure, it¡¯s not something tangible.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    Yahiro was slightly taken aback by her words. The logic of obtaining something without a form didn¡¯t ring any bells for him.


    As if to clear his doubts, Rose pointed out towards the window of the running train©¤©¤in the direction of the 23 wards.


    ¡°For example, it is speculated that the giant hole in the center of the 23 wards, from which Spirit Beasts gush out, was created by Narusawa Sui¡¯s Regalia©¤©¤¡¾Hollow¡¿¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­So that¡¯s¡­¡­what a Regalia is¡­¡­¡±


    A chill ran down Yahiro¡¯s spine.


    All the doubts he harbored were cleared as if pieces of a puzzle coming together.


    He now understood why countries from across the globe were sending large numbers of armed forces into the Japanese archipelago, which was uninhabited due to the J-nocideGreat Massacre, or why a large number of private military companies were scrambling to get their hands on Iroha.


    If the dragon¡¯s treasure was a weapon that held enough power to easily destroy a country, then their actions were inevitable.


    The reason why Giulie had declared that Iroha¡¯s life would be targeted was now obvious.


    She was a Japanese survivor who could freely wield a dragon¡¯s authority. There was no way humanity would leave such an existence unchecked.


    It would be good if they got her hands on her first. If not, they would have no choice but to kill her before any other power obtains her©¤©¤ All of them were probably thinking this.


    That¡¯s the reason why the Berith twins had told Yahiro that they want him to kill all the dragons.


    ¡°You said that there were eight dragons, right?¡±


    Yahiro asked with a dry voice.


    The girl with orange highlights nibbled on a dried pickled plum and closed her eyes due to the sourness.


    ¡°Yeah. But it¡¯s not like the appearance of all dragons has been confirmed, though.¡±


    ¡°Sui is the only one I¡¯ll kill. I don¡¯t care about the rest.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. For now, at least.¡±


    Giulie laughed happily with tears in the corners of her eyes.


    ¡°The contract is established then. Now, let¡¯s seal it with a pinky promise.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Why that?¡±


    Looking at Giulie who held out the pinky finger of her right hand, Yahiro was a bit taken aback.


    ¡°Huh?¡± she exclaimed while tilting her head curiously. ¡°Isn¡¯t this what the Japanese do during a deal?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡­ Well, you¡¯re not¡­¡­wrong?¡±


    Overwhelmed by her momentum, the confused Yahiro intertwined his pinky finger with hers.


    Iroha stared at the scene with a complicated expression.


    ¡°What about you, Mamana Iroha?¡±


    Looking at her, Rose asked.


    With her large eyes wavering, Iroha nodded once as if she had made up her mind, and agreed to the contract while facing the girls who had the name of the demon Berith.


    ¡°©¤©¤What do you mean you can¡¯t cooperate?¡±


    Inside the tactical operations center of Raimat¡¯s Japanese branch, Hector Raimat raised his voice facing the communications monitor that had a rough resolution.


    Displayed on the monitor was the head of the Japanese branch of D9s, a major military corporation. The Count was currently negotiating with D9s for borrowing operatorscombatants from its private military division.


    ¡°I mean exactly what I said, Count. Our troops have been sent out to Sendai city to exterminate Spirit Beasts, so we don¡¯t have enough forces to spare for the protection of your corporation. However, if you can wait for about two weeks, calling additional operators from our home country is possible.¡±


    The branch head of D9s explained in a businesslike tone. His words were courteous, but it was plain to see that he had no intention to do so at all. He was politely trying to refuse the Count¡¯s request.


    ¡°Raimat will shoulder the penalty for abandoning the mission, so can¡¯t you send the troops you dispatched to the former Sendai city over to us right now?¡±


    Suppressing the anger welling up inside of him, the Count continued.


    D9s was a corporation made up of nine different international military companies. It had a large amount of personnel, especially in the private military division, making its military force rival that of superpowers.


    Naturally, it wasn¡¯t as if Raimat International was lacking compared to them in financial strength. However, the size of the companies didn¡¯t matter in this situation.


    Dispatched to the 23 wards, RMS¡¯s main force was annihilated. It had been crushed by Galerie Berith. As a result, Raimat¡¯s military force was more lacking than ever.


    If they were attacked by other private military companies, the current Raimat wouldn¡¯t be able to put up much of a fight. They had to replenish their forces before that happened. Securing more operators was a matter of the highest priority.


    The reason why they reached out to D9s was that they had been counting on D9s¡¯ abundant military strength.


    However©¤©¤


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have to pardon us for that, Count. The Canadian army, which is ruling over the Miyagi area, is a valuable client of ours.¡±


    The branch head of D9s turned down the Count¡¯s offer.


    His superficial argument was quite reasonable, and the Count had no idea how to refute it. The branch head then made a broad smile, which seemed deliberate, and further added.


    ¡°Even without relying on us, I recall Raimat International had its own unique private military division in the first place. It was RMS¡­¡­I presume. Can¡¯t you call back the main force you dispatched to the 23 wards? Well, that¡¯s assuming there are any left©¤©¤¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡­!¡±


    The Count boiled with rage.


    D9s knew about the annihilation of RMS¡¯s main force.


    Moreover, they refused to cooperate with them. In other words, they had given up on Raimat and had taken the side of Galerie Berith.


    ¡°Well then, Count. I¡¯ll excuse myself now. Send my regards to the twins of the Berith house.¡±


    Leaving behind that cutting remark, D9s¡¯ branch head cut the communication.


    The Count just stood there for a while, unable to utter anything due to the humiliation.


    ¡°This means Galerie Berith¡­¡­had already laid the groundwork¡­¡­!¡±


    Finally understanding the situation he was in, the Count tightened the grip on his cane.


    Ranga Patna, QueenslandQ DefensiveD ServiceS, and also D9s©¤©¤All the private military companies situated in the Kanto region had refused the Count¡¯s appeal for cooperation. Galerie Berith had plotted beforehand to isolate Raimat.


    Before they knew it, their plan of using the other private military companies had backfired, and Raimat was now backed into a corner. The Count could no longer hide his irritation.


    ¡°©¤©¤What about the reinforcements from RMS?¡±


    ¡°We have requested the home country to dispatch two battalions. However, securing personnel and the means of transport is taking time, so it would take them four days to arrive at the minimum©¤©¤¡±


    ¡°So that means we have to hold out with the remaining force till then¡­¡­ La Hire¡­¡­ You incompetent bastard!¡±


    The Count clicked his tongue at his secretary¡¯s report.


    All of this happened because Firman La Hire fell for the Berith twins¡¯ schemes and lost the main force of RMS. The Fafnir soldiers entrusted to him by the Count had also been annihilated, and he had also failed to secure Kushinada, their objective.


    As a private military company, Galerie Berith¡¯s military strength was nothing major.


    Although having a select few elites might sound good, the truth was that they didn¡¯t have much personnel and were making up for it with the quality of their operatorscombatants.


    However, as of now, Raimat didn¡¯t have sufficient forces to oppose them. RMS¡¯s headquarters was located in Europe so it was physically impossible to call in reinforcements in half a day or so.


    In contrast, Galerie Berith¡¯s movement was fast. It probably wouldn¡¯t even take them two hours to launch an attack on this base.


    To make matters worse, they had the Lazarusimmortal with them. As long as that annoying Japanese accompanied them, stopping their invasion with the help of Fafnir soldiers wouldn¡¯t be possible.


    The Count started seriously considering the option to abandon this base and escape.


    Losing the facilities of this base would be a hard blow, but with time, they could recover their strength. It would also be possible to strike back at Galerie Berith.


    The important thing was the operational data of Fafnir soldiers and the priestess of the dragon, which was the raw ingredient for the F-med. As long as he had those with him, the rest could be taken care of with money.


    Naturally, Gunzheit wouldn¡¯t allow him to transport the priestess of the dragon as he pleased. However, in the worst case, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to kill the auditor Auguste Nathan dispatched by them©¤©¤


    The Count¡¯s dangerous thoughts were interrupted by a sudden call.


    ¡°You seem troubled, Count.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!!?¡±


    The Count turned around in a panic.


    A tall, black man in a suit was standing next to the Count without him noticing.


    It was Auguste Nathan, the man who should¡¯ve been in the research facility.


    ¡°Sir Nathan? What¡¯s the meaning of this? This place was supposed to be off-limits for unauthorized persons©¤©¤¡±


    ¡°I heard that the Fafnir soldier unit under Major La Hire¡¯s command was annihilated. Also, the fire dragon ¡ºAvaritia¡» awakened and bestowed the regalia ¡¾Blaze¡¿ on the Berith house¡¯s Lazarusimmortal.¡±


    Ignoring the Count¡¯s question, Nathan stated.


    The intimidating air floating from his tall stature made the Count feel a vague sense of fear.


    ¡°Why¡­¡­do you know that?¡±


    ¡°All Fafnir soldiers are her kin. There¡¯s nothing strange in her sensing their condition, is there?¡±


    Nathan gave an indifferent reply as if it were nothing special.


    However, the Count shuddered, noticing the figure of the girl standing behind Nathan.


    She was a girl with pure white hair that seemed to have lost its pigmentation.


    She was supposed to be fifteen years old, but she looked much younger. Her arms and legs were thin and lacked muscles due to her long sleep. Dressed in a gorgeous gothic dress reminiscent of a western doll, she looked like a beautiful ghost wandering around a desolated old castle.


    ¡°Brynhildr¡­¡­ So you had woken up, Narusawa Sui¡­¡­!?¡±


    The Count turned a frightful gaze towards her.


    The girl©¤©¤Sui remained silent, coldly glaring at her surroundings with her large eyes.


    The staff present in the tactical operations center didn¡¯t know her identity. However, they could all instinctively sense that she was an existence different from them. Like a pitiful prey that had encountered a giant predator, all of them stiffened and held their breaths.


    ¡°You¡¯re lacking military force, right? Then you should be grateful. She is willing to help out.¡±


    Nathan declared in a dignified tone.


    Right after that, a huge impact shook the ground.


    The space itself creaked and a violent storm blew. All the glass windows of the tactical operations center shattered, and a jet-black void, which seemed to swallow up light itself, could be seen outside.


    ¡°The regalia¡­¡­¡¾Hollow¡¿¡­¡­!¡±


    The Count groaned.


    Multiple holes, each with a diameter of around a dozen meters, were drilled into the ground of Raimat¡¯s Japanese branch.


    The inside of the holes was shrouded in darkness and couldn¡¯t be seen. However, things started crawling out from the bottom of those holes. They were grotesque monsters that defied the biological rules of existing living creatures©¤©¤Spirit Beasts.


    ¡°Do you intend on turning this place into a nest of Spirit Beasts, Auguste Nathan!?¡±


    The Count shouted, forgetting his fears.


    The existence of Spirit Beasts would certainly hinder the invasion of Galerie Berith.


    However, the beasts wouldn¡¯t just assault the invaders coming from the outside. If anything, the Count¡¯s subordinates would be the first to be attacked.


    ¡°Stop shouting, Count. You¡¯re in the presence of a dragon.¡±


    Nathan arrogantly declared that and held something out to the Count. It was a liquid drug in a cylindrical syringe, much like the F-med. However, it wasn¡¯t deep crimson but was almost colorless.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°Something you were so eagerly waiting for. Unlike the imitation F-med, this is the genuine ¡ºDragon Blood¡».¡±


    Nathan replied to the confused Count.


    Widening his eyes, the Count took the liquid drug with trembling hands. His joy could be seen in his eyes.


    ¡°The Ichor of immortality¡­¡­ Can I also turn into a Lazarusimmortal with this?¡±


    ¡°As long as you have the qualifications, that is.¡±


    Next to Nathan who gave a cold reply, the white-haired girl smiled faintly.


    It was a beautiful and cold smile, enough to freeze all who witnessed it.


    The girl then started walking without uttering a word, and the tall, black man followed her like a loyal knight that served her.


    Right before leaving the room, Nathan turned around to look at the Count and warned him in an indifferent voice.


    ¡°Make your decision quickly, Count. You don¡¯t have time left.¡±


    With his head outside the hatch of the armored train, Josh was the first to notice the anomaly.


    Raimat¡¯s huge Japanese branch, which was built on the former site of JSDF¡¯s military garrison and was equipped with a solid defense system, was burning, covered in black flames.


    ¡°What the hell is going on over there!?¡±


    Keeping the binoculars pressed to his face, he raised a confused voice.


    The reason behind that disturbance was clear even from a distance. It was Spirit Beasts that caused it.


    Numbering more than dozens, they had appeared all over Raimat¡¯s base and were wreaking havoc without discrimination.


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me that¡¯s Raimat¡¯s Japanese branch!? Ain¡¯t it just a den of Spirit Beasts!¡±


    ¡°This is quite something. It¡¯s on par with¡­¡­no, more than the 23 wards.¡±


    Wei Yan¡¯s expression turned grim as he looked at the video sent by the reconnaissance drone.


    Yahiro silently nodded at Wei¡¯s words. Although he was used to the 23 wards, it was his first time seeing such a large horde of Spirit Beasts crowding together. It was as if he was looking at ¡ºPloutonionGate to the Underworld¡», the origin of Spirit Beasts.


    ¡°The earth dragon ¡ºSuperbia¡¯s¡» regalia ¡¾Hollow¡¿¡­¡­ Narusawa Sui seems to have awakened.¡±


    Rose, who had changed into her uniform and had armed herself, muttered with her usual lack of expression.


    ¡°You mean¡­¡­Sui caused all this?¡±


    Yahiro was surprised at what the blue-haired girl said.


    Knowing that Yahiro was coming to her, Sui had released Spirit Beasts all over the place. She would definitely do something like that. It was her way of welcoming him.


    ¡°Rose¡­¡­ What should we do¡­¡­with the survivors?¡±


    Paora asked in a low voice.


    A lot of Raimat employees had already lost their lives after being attacked by the Spirit Beasts strutting around the base. Even now, many employees were still trying to escape from their assault.


    Should we save them or leave them to die; that was the meaning behind Paora¡¯s question to her superiors, the twins.


    ¡°Paora, take your squad and bring those who surrender back to the Y¨¢o Gu¨¡ng X¨©ng. Of course, don¡¯t forget to disarm them. And Wei, you along with your squad will stay here and defend the Y¨¢o Gu¨¡ng X¨©ng. In any case, don¡¯t let the Spirit Beasts get close to the tracks.¡±


    ¡°Roger¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Understood, Giulie.¡±


    ¡°After all, lives must be cherished,¡± said the orange-haired girl as she grinned while Paora and Wei gave a nod.


    The tracks on which the armored train was running were less than 500 meters away from Raimat¡¯s base. The Spirit Beasts would come rushing into the train as soon as they start engaging. Although it was unexpected, leaving behind a squad to protect the Y¨¢o Gu¨¡ng X¨©ng was an appropriate decision.


    ¡°Then I guess we¡¯ll be the Princess and the Young Lady¡¯s attendants.¡±


    Hoisting his favorite light machine gun on his shoulder, Josh looked at Yahiro and smiled.


    It seemed like for them, the twins joining the raid was a fact not even worth mentioning. And for Yahiro, being treated as one of those girls¡¯ attendants was something he didn¡¯t approve of. He couldn¡¯t help but feel like he had made a wrong choice somewhere.


    ¡°What about you, Iroha?¡±


    Ignoring Yahiro¡¯s dissatisfaction, Rose turned to face Iroha and asked.


    ¡°This is¡­¡­what a dragon¡¯s power is capable of¡­¡­? Sui-san did this?¡±


    Looking at the video sent by the reconnaissance drone, Iroha muttered in a daze.


    Destroyed facilities, people running for their lives, and Spirit Beasts indiscriminately attacking anything which moved, including their own kind.


    That was without a doubt a scene straight out of hell. If the twins¡¯ explanation was true, then it meant that a single girl¡ªNarusawa Sui¡ªhad brought about that disastrous scene.


    ¡°I¡¯ll also come with you.¡±


    Postponing the decision of whether it would be alright to cooperate with Galerie Berith, Iroha declared in a resolute voice.


    ¡°Iroha.¡±


    Yahiro couldn¡¯t help but interject. A real battlefield awaited outside the armored train. Although Iroha was called the priestess of the dragon, she had lived her life having nothing to do with fights between humans. It wasn¡¯t a sight the girl should see.


    ¡°If I come along, it might be possible to reduce the number of people that are being attacked by Spirit Beasts!¡±


    However, Iroha responded without faltering, which caused Yahiro unable to argue back and fall silent.


    He had witnessed her power to control Spirit Beasts multiple times in the unexplored region. If that supernatural ability of hers could be used here as well, it would make it possible to calm down a part of the Spirit Beasts rampaging in the base.


    Galerie Berith no longer had the leeway to ignore such a valuable asset.


    ¡°Both Giulie and I will guard Iroha. You don¡¯t have a problem with that, right Yahiro?¡±


    ¡°Suit yourselves.¡±


    Yahiro listlessly shrugged in response to Rose¡¯s question.


    Soon after that, the steel tracks creaked as the armored train came to a stop as the vehicle transport car detached from the train. Two wheeled armored carriers burst out of the car and landed on the ground.


    The door of the personnel carriers opened and Yahiro, along with the others, jumped out.


    Enveloped in black smokes, Raimat¡¯s base was just a stone¡¯s throw away.


    ¡°©¤©¤Stop. Be a good boy and don¡¯t go that way.¡±


    Stretching her empty hands out, Iroha called out to the Spirit Beast.


    It was an unfamiliar Spirit Beast that could be called a crocodile in the shape of a borzoi, presumably belonging to the upper part of Grade ¢ò. In front of its huge body which could be compared to that of a buffalo, Iroha¡¯s figure seemed really helpless.


    However, the Spirit Beast was the one to yield after receiving Iroha¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t attack people, understand? Stay here and protect that train.¡±


    Complying with Iroha¡¯s command, the Spirit Beast turned around and threatened the other Spirit Beasts, driving them away.


    ¡°That was awesome, Iroha. Guess the power of the ¡ºDragon Priestess¡» was the real deal.¡±


    Josh, who was on standby with his gun ready, ran up to Iroha while singing her praises.


    Although he had witnessed her riding the lightning beast during their encounter at Home, this was his first time actually seeing her tame a Spirit Beast. Nevertheless, instead of fearing her, he got excited like a child, and was shouting ¡°That was so awesome¡±.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know much about it, but it sure is.¡±


    Iroha wiped the sweat off her cheeks while nodding.


    ¡°But compared to others I¡¯ve encountered, the ones here are a little scary. My voice doesn¡¯t reach them unless I get really close. It seems like they are frightened and irritated, and I feel bad for them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because they are being controlled by a dragon similar to you.¡±


    Rose¡¯s short reply made Iroha gasp in surprise.


    The Spirit Beasts in this base were beings summoned from the PloutonionGate to the Underworld by Sui. Even if she hadn¡¯t directly given them an order, the Spirit Beasts were still strongly affected by their summoner¡¯s will.


    The irritation and fear were perhaps the feelings those Spirit Beasts held towards Sui.


    ¡°At any rate, I¡¯m thankful that we can move forward without any Spirit Beasts getting in the way.¡±


    Smiling innocently, Giulie hugged the anxious Iroha as if to cheer her up.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± said Josh with his team nodding in agreement. Not a single Galerie operator was injured due to Iroha winning over each and every Spirit Beast they encountered.


    On the other hand, Raimat¡¯s guards had suffered severe damage due to Spirit Beasts coming out of the base they were protecting. As a result, Yahiro and the others managed to reach the base without having to fight them.


    ¡°Giulie, capture those from Raimat that are still alive.¡±


    ¡°For interrogation, right? Okay, leave it to me.¡±


    The older twin readily obliged, kicked down the glass door, and barged into the lobby of the headquarters.


    As the building¡¯s security system was still active, the intruder intercepting sentry guns reacted to her. However, before they could aim and fire, Rose used her assault rifle to destroy and neutralize all sentry guns.


    In the meantime, Giulie subdued all the guards present in the lobby. Since the guards had armed themselves with all sorts of weapons to prevent the entry of Spirit Beasts, they were quite literally helpless against the light and quick Giulie who had rushed in barehanded.


    ¡°Josh, have your team split up into two groups and keep a watch on the surroundings. As for Yahiro©¤©¤¡±


    Replacing the magazine of her rifle with practiced hands, Rose whispered to Yahiro.


    ¡°Take care of Iroha.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked, but after glancing at Iroha, he understood Rose¡¯s intention.


    Iroha looked deeply fatigued. Her expression was stiff and she was short of breath.


    It could¡¯ve been due to the stress of being in the middle of a battlefield, or else the price of forcibly bringing countless Spirit Beasts under her control. However, something else seemed to be wearing her down.


    And that something was most likely Sui¡¯s existence.


    If this place was Sui¡¯s territory, then Iroha was an outsider who had stepped into it. Perhaps her instincts as a dragon were making her fear the presence of another dragon.


    ¡°I have to go and check on Narusawa Sui¡¯s whereabouts, so I¡¯ll leave Iroha to you.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Rose©¤©¤¡±


    Leaving those words behind, Rose also went inside the building. She planned to interrogate the captured guards and get some information out of them.


    The reason why she left Iroha outside was probably done out of concern for not letting her witness the scene of interrogation. Making Yahiro look after her was also to keep him away from the interrogation.


    It wasn¡¯t as if Yahiro didn¡¯t understand where Rose was coming from, but for him, it was just an unwelcome favor. Even though she left Iroha to him, Yahiro didn¡¯t know what he should do.


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡­ Iroha, are you okay?¡±


    Yahiro awkwardly called out to Iroha, who was leaning on the armored vehicle, seeming exhausted.


    Feeling a little surprised, Iroha raised her face and forced a smile.


    ¡°Thanks, Yahiro. I¡¯m fine. But, is it okay if I lean on you a bit?¡±


    Saying that, Iroha got closer to Yahiro and placed her head on his shoulder.


    Realizing that her skin was oddly hot, Yahiro was perplexed.


    And then he understood the real reason behind her exhaustion.


    Yahiro, and perhaps even Rose, had misunderstood something.


    Iroha wasn¡¯t frightened or anything. It was the opposite. A fierce power was swirling inside her. And it was eagerly trying to run wild even now.


    Iroha was suppressing it through sheer force of will It was so that her dragon doesn¡¯t rampage©¤©¤


    Nevertheless, perhaps coming into contact with Yahiro had some sort of effect, as Iroha relaxed a bit, feeling relieved. As a result, the two of them were cuddled close together in the middle of the battlefield.


    ¡°I had a dream.¡±


    With her eyes closed, Iroha muttered as if talking to herself.


    ¡°A dream?¡±


    ¡°A dream of a world somewhere far away, a world that had perished. Memories of me before I became me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±


    Yahiro silently urged her to continue. It was hard to believe that Iroha¡¯s sudden remembrance of her dream in this situation was meaningless.


    ¡°I was probably the last remaining person in that world, and when there was no other way but to perish together with the world, a dragon appeared in front of me¡­¡­ No wait, I myself was the dragon¡­¡­ Sorry, but it¡¯s kinda hard to explain.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s how memories of a dream are.¡±


    ¡°Ahaha¡­¡­ You¡¯re right¡­¡­¡±


    Iroha made a wry smile at Yahiro¡¯s awkward attempt at encouragement.


    ¡°And you see, I met dragons in that dream. Dragons other than myself. There were eight in total, including me. Or should I say, eight heads?¡±


    She had met Sui in a dream©¤©¤ Yahiro remembered her saying the same thing before.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but at that time, I realized right away that they too were the last survivors of their own worlds.¡±


    Iroha¡¯s body, which was touching Yahiro¡¯s, shrank as if she were frightened.


    The last survivor of a ruined world. An overwhelming eternal solitude. Yahiro had already realized that it scared Iroha to a strange extent.


    ¡°Dragons bring forth a new world©¤©¤ I remember Rose-san saying that before. It¡¯s possible that we have been given a chance to do things over. The world that once ended up getting destroyed, there¡¯s a chance we might be able to remake it once again¡­¡­!¡±


    Her quiet monologue had now turned into a feeble cry.


    ¡°However, if there are eight dragons but only a single world©¤©¤the other dragons would become a hindrance. If there are others that possess similar powers, I won¡¯t be able to create the world I desire!¡±


    ¡°Is that why dragons are killing each other?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, maybe¡­¡­¡±


    Iroha put her trembling arms around Yahiro¡¯s shoulder. Getting her breaths under control, she somehow managed to continue speaking.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t agree with that. Destroying this world using a dragon¡¯s power, then turning it into a world they want¡­¡­ I don¡¯t wanna accept that.¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡­¡±


    Yahiro gently placed his hand on the anguished Iroha¡¯s head, just like he used to do for his little sister in a distant past he could no longer recall.


    ¡°Then, isn¡¯t it fine like that?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Yahiro¡¯s reply, which could be taken as an irresponsible one, caused Iroha to let out a discouraged voice.


    However, he continued without care.


    ¡°That¡¯s just what happened in a dream, right? Then there is nothing wrong with you doing whatever you want.¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re not wrong but¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°If the other dragons get in the way of that, I¡¯ll at least stay by your side and protect you.¡±


    Averting his eyes from Iroha who was staring at him from a close distance, Yahiro brusquely muttered.


    From the corner of his eye, he could see her eyes go wide as saucers.


    ¡°Yahiro¡­¡­!¡±


    ¡°However, that¡¯s©¤©¤¡±


    ¡°After we stop Sui-san, right? I know that. After all, I can¡¯t let this go on¡­¡­!¡±


    Iroha bit her lips and slowly looked around.


    The battle around the base was coming to a conclusion. A part of Raimat¡¯s staff managed to escape outside the base, while the rest were preyed upon by the Spirit Beasts. On the other hand, many Spirit Beasts also died due to the desperate struggle put on by the guards and the armored train¡¯s bombardment. Numerous corpses were lying around the base, and the stench of spilled blood was strong.


    It was Sui¡¯s malice that brought forth this scene.


    And Iroha was feeling responsible for not being able to stop her as a fellow dragon priestess©¤©¤


    ¡°Iroha.¡±


    ¡°Eh¡­¡­?¡±


    Suddenly grabbing Iroha¡¯s shoulders, Yahiro pushed her away.


    Since she had entrusted all her weight to him, Iroha lost balance and stumbled. When she raised her eyebrows while complaining and glared at Yahiro, her expression froze.


    Breaking through a window on the 3rd floor of the headquarters, something had jumped down.


    Falling from a height of over ten meters, that grotesque figure landed on its feet. It was a humanoid monster with its entire body covered in crimson scales©¤©¤the characteristics of a dragon.


    ¡°A Fafnir soldier!?¡±


    ¡°So they showed themselves¡­¡­¡±


    While Iroha had her eyes open wide in horror, Yahiro quietly drew the Katana he was carrying.


    Brandishing his fiendish claws, the dragonman glared at Iroha and roared.


    Meanwhile, new Fafnir soldiers started appearing one after another.


    The scraps of cloth covering their bodies weren¡¯t from the uniforms of operatorscombatants but were the remains of the suits that common employees wore. Raimat¡¯s employees had used the F-med to put up a fight against the Spirit Beasts that had appeared out of the blue.


    There was no sign of human intelligence left in their fiercely shining eyes. Unlike the operatorscombatants that were accustomed to battle, it seemed like the F-med made normal people lose their reason and go berserk.


    ¡°Go and hide, Iroha!¡±


    Yahiro held up his katana without taking a particular stance.


    It was the named katana he had received from Rose©¤©¤¡ºKuyou Masakane¡». Although the katana¡¯s mountings had broken during the fight with RMS, they were remade using a 3D printer inside the armored train. As a result, it now had a futuristic exterior, unbefitting a Japanese sword. But for Yahiro, the looks didn¡¯t matter as long as he could slash his opponents with it.


    ¡°¡­¡­So fast!?¡±


    Witnessing the speed of the Fafnir soldiers that rushed in to attack without warning, Yahiro¡¯s face turned grim. Although they had used the same improved Mod-3, compared to Firman, these Fafnir soldiers were showcasing bizarre agility. Even if Yahiro hadn¡¯t actually measured it, their physical strength amplification too seemed to have gone up.


    However, that didn¡¯t mean the efficiency of the F-med had improved.


    One of the Fafnir soldiers hit the armored car, which could handle even a shot from an anti-material rifle, and caused a huge dent in it. However, his right arm was crushed due to the backlash. Unable to endure their own movements, the knees and ankles of the Fafnir soldiers were repeating a cycle of breaking and regenerating.


    ¡°This is, Sui¡¯s doing¡­¡­!¡±


    Realizing the cause of the Fafnir soldiers¡¯ abnormality, Yahiro ground his teeth.


    Supposing the F-med was made using Sui¡¯s blood, it wouldn¡¯t be strange for the Fafnir soldiers that had used it to be affected by her. Just like with the Spirit Beasts summoned by her, her influence, which had spread all around the base, was amplifying the aggressiveness of the Fafnir soldiers.


    ¡°¡­¡­Tch!¡±


    Feeling extremely frustrated, Yahiro slashed deeply into the legs of the Fafnir soldiers.


    Although they had been strengthened, the Fafnir soldier¡¯s regeneration ability hadn¡¯t increased. They would stop moving if they received an injury that reached the bones. However, it also meant that there was no other way to incapacitate them without killing. In front of the large number of Fafnir soldiers that came attacking, Yahiro was forced to fight while avoiding their vitals and was driven to a corner.


    Is there no other choice but to use Lazarus¡¯ blood and kill them?


    For an instant, such doubts crossed his mind. However, he shook off those thoughts.


    Unlike the ones he encountered in the 23 wards, these people were non-combatants.


    Turning them into Fafnir soldiers and having them killed by him©¤©¤He realized that it was what Sui wanted.


    ¡°Yahiro, step back©¤©¤!¡±


    Hearing Giulie¡¯s voice in the middle of the melee, Yahiro chose to believe in it and jumped backward.


    Right after that, a silver, glittery veil spread in front of his eyes.


    It was actually a cast net made up of thin steel wires, reminiscent of spider silk. Giulie had managed to stop the horde of Fafnir soldiers by firing that net, which had been compressed to the size of a hand grenade.


    ¡°This prototype was developed to capture Spirit Beasts, but it seems like it works on these people as well.¡±


    Rose, who had returned from the building, said in an impassive voice.


    The anti-Spirit Beast steel wires didn¡¯t break even with the physical strength possessed by the Fafnir soldiers. In fact, the more they struggled, the more they got entangled, restricting their movements further.


    The few that had managed to escape from the net had their legs shot down by Galerie¡¯s operatorscombatants. It seemed like the Fafnir soldiers that had appeared inside the building were dealt with in a similar fashion.


    ¡°Are you done with the interrogation?¡±


    Yahiro lowered his katana and asked Rose.


    ¡°No. It was no longer necessary.¡±


    Saying that, Rose shifted her gaze to a different direction.


    A person Yahiro didn¡¯t recognize was standing on the other side of the trapped Fafnir soldiers. He was a tall, black man, wearing a high-class suit. He had an intellectual air about him, and the strong sense of intimidation he exuded made Yahiro put his guard up. A chill, unlike any other he felt before, ran down his spine.


    ¡°As expected, this is what these impromptu Fafnir soldiers can do after all. Although, I hoped they would at least make Narusawa Yahiro use his regalia.¡±


    The man muttered in a calm but strangely well-projected voice.


    The operatorscombatants of Galerie Berith all turned their guns toward that man. However, he didn¡¯t show a sign of worry and continued to stare calmly at Yahiro and Iroha.


    ¡°Neisan Oogusu[2]¡­¡­ What does Gunzheit¡¯s agent want with us?¡±


    Giulie called out to the man in an unusually displeased voice.


    Yahiro felt a sense of discomfort at the way she pronounced that man¡¯s name.


    ¡°Neisan?¡±


    ¡°©¤©¤My parents became Japanese citizens before I was born. So even if I look like this, I am a full-fledged Japanese, that is, if the country known as Japan still exists.¡±


    The man called Nathan gave a surprisingly frank reply to clear Yahiro¡¯s doubts, which caused him to be slightly taken aback.


    With that kind of appearance, Nathan could have easily falsified his nationality. However, even if the tragic J-nocideGreat Massacre had passed, he was openly calling himself Japanese. While Yahiro respected that action, he couldn¡¯t help but doubt that Nathan had some hidden motive behind that.


    ¡°Since when did Gunzheit start backing a particular corporation?¡±


    Rose questioned Nathan in a strong tone. But rather than laying her anger bare, her attitude was more like a referee that was reprimanding an opponent that broke the rules.


    ¡°It¡¯s a fact that Gunzheit doesn¡¯t have any hostilities against Galerie Berith. Making use of Raimat was her plan, not ours.¡±


    Nathan moved his gaze to the side.


    Only then did Yahiro and the others notice the existence of a girl standing beside Nathan.


    She was wearing a showy gothic dress that seemed out of place on this battlefield reeking of blood.


    Her skin and hair were white as if they had lost pigmentation. Only her lips were bright red as if dyed vermillion. Her arms and legs were abnormally thin, giving her an unrealistic, fairy-like air.


    Fringed with long eyelashes, her eyes were as clear as the calm surface of a lake, showing no emotions.


    ¡°Oogusu-niisama was just accompanying me in my selfish actions as my guard. You see, I really wanted to greet you all©¤©¤¡±


    Raising the hem of her skirt, the girl bowed elegantly, as if dancing.


    Yahiro glared at the girl and his hand shook as he gripped his sword.


    ¡°Su¡­¡­i¡­¡­!¡±


    A beastly roar escaped from the back of his throat.


    Looking at Yahiro, the girl narrowed her eyes, feeling amused.


    ¡°Good day to you, Nii-sama. I¡¯m glad to see you are still alive.¡±


    With a voice as clear as a bell, Narusawa Sui made a beautiful and lovely smile, enough to melt those who saw it.


    ¡°Or, were you just unable to die? Like that day, four years ago©¤©¤¡±


    ¡°SUIIIIIIIIIII!!¡±


    Yahiro could no longer suppress his killing intent. Laying his anger bare, he kicked the ground and raised his dimly shining katana overhead.


    In response to his rampaging emotions, a cracked, deep crimson armor covered his entire body. It was as if the invisible dragon¡¯s blood dripping off his body suddenly became visible.


    Simultaneously with the armor¡¯s appearance, Yahiro¡¯s physical abilities also rose sharply. It was a state in which the full potential of the human body was drawn out, disregarding the damage to the body. Even Josh and the others, who were seasoned operatorscombatants themselves, were astonished by Yahiro¡¯s transformation.


    However, Sui took Yahiro¡¯s bloodlust head-on without a change in her elegant smile.


    Nathan stepped out in front to hide Sui¡¯s figure. His left arm was covered in crystals that had a metallic luster. Seeing that, Yahiro¡¯s expression distorted.


    ¡°What!?¡±


    His swing had been stopped by the barehanded man.


    An invisible shield, which seemed like a thick wall, had formed in front of Nathan. Receiving an impact as if the power of his own attack was rebounded, Yahiro was sent flying to the back.


    ¡°Is that the extent of ¡¾Blaze¡¿¡­¡­no, you still haven¡¯t used up your regalia?¡±


    With a blank expression, Nathan muttered uninterestedly while watching Yahiro as he unsteadily landed. His tone was calm as if he were an observer watching over an unusual physical phenomenon.


    ¡°That appearance¡­¡­ Are you¡­¡­¡±


    Yahiro groaned while glaring at Nathan¡¯s left arm, which was covered in a gore clad that had a white color, just like Sui¡¯s hair.


    ¡°If you thought you were the only Lazarusimmortal, that¡¯s the vice known as pride, Narusawa Yahiro.¡±


    Nathan slammed the invisible wall against Yahiro, who tried attacking again.


    The armor covering Yahiro¡¯s body broke and fresh blood scattered. He tumbled over, exposing his defenseless figure.


    However, Nathan didn¡¯t follow up with an attack. His objective was only to guard Sui. His words that he didn¡¯t wish for any hostilities were true.


    But that didn¡¯t mean Yahiro and the others would just sit back and accept it.


    ¡°Josh!¡±


    ¡°On it!¡±


    Josh responded to Giulie¡¯s sharp voice, and the operatorscombatants of Galerie Berith all pulled the trigger simultaneously. The anti-Spirit Beast high-caliber bullets discharged in full auto, rushed towards the defenseless Sui. But right before they reached her, they were obstructed by Nathan¡¯s invisible wall.


    ¡°What the hell is that? What¡¯s happening, milady? Should I blow it up with a grenade?¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t work, Josh. You can¡¯t break it even with a tank gun. Since that¡¯s the authority to block PloutonionGate to the Underworld, ¡ºChibiki no Iwa¡»©¤©¤A practical application of the regalia ¡¾Hollow¡¿.¡±


    Rose replied to Josh¡¯s question.


    ¡°Hah¡­¡­ So that¡¯s a regalia! It¡¯s even more absurd than the rumors said!¡±


    Josh, whose light machine gun had run out of bullets, shrugged as if giving up.


    According to Japanese myths, the god Izanagi had used Chibiki no Iwa to block Yomotsu Hirasaka, the pathway to the underworld. The wall Nathan used was crowned that name, and it had become a solid barrier that separated Sui from the outside world.


    Yahiro couldn¡¯t kill her even if she was right in front of him. That fact made him feel a blinding rage and irritation.


    As if to ridicule him, Sui pointed her slender finger at the ground.


    Immediately after that, the earth creaked.


    The ground between Yahiro and the others¡¯ feet shimmered like a haze and transformed into a foreign existence.


    It had turned into a giant void filled with a jet-black lake that reflected no light.


    To be precise, instead of a lake, it gave an impression of being closer to the miasma that flowed out of the bodies of Spirit Beasts.


    A substance that didn¡¯t exist in this world. It was as if nothingness itself had materialized. Yahiro and the others hurriedly jumped away from the void that encompassed all that©¤©¤the new PloutonionGate to the Underworld.


    The Fafnir soldiers that were trapped in the net made of steel wires got swallowed up by the void along with their screams.


    As if to replace them, two Spirit Beasts appeared from the surface of the jet-black lake. One of them was a giant two-headed dog whose height crossed two meters, while the other was a pterosaur with a torso resembling that of a buffalo.


    ¡°Yahiro! Look after Iroha!¡±


    While calling out to Yahiro, Giulie ran in front of the Spirit Beasts. A silvery steel wire came out from the tip of the gloves she was wearing. She freely controlled the movements of the steel wire like a professional gymnast as it danced in the air, and coiled it around the buffalo-headed pterosaur, restricting its movements.


    In the meantime, Rose switched her weapon to an anti-material rifle she took out from the armored vehicle.


    She laid down on her stomach holding the large sniper rifle which matched her height, and shot straight into the head of the Spirit Beast that had its movements restricted by her sister.


    ¡°UUOOOOOOOOOO!!¡±


    On the other hand, Josh and his team had pinned down the two-headed dog through concentrated fire. It was probably the best course of action to take against the fierce beast that had suddenly appeared from below their feet.


    However, that didn¡¯t mean the void which spilled those Spirit Beasts out was shut. Before the two Spirit Beasts were completely neutralized, several new ones appeared at the same time.


    Being summoned by Sui, their target was the defenseless Iroha, who was standing still in shock.


    ¡°Iroha¡­¡­!!¡±


    Grinding his teeth in regret, Yahiro turned away from Nathan. He abandoned trying to attack Sui, and instead, frantically rushed over to Iroha.


    Watching him go, Sui¡¯s expression turned into that of boredom.


    But in the next moment, she raised her eyebrows in surprise.


    The Spirit Beasts that tried to attack Iroha had stopped moving and fell to their knees on the spot.


    ¡°Stop this, Sui-san!¡±


    Now docile, the Spirit Beasts followed Iroha like retainers as she approached Sui.


    ¡°Why are you doing such a thing!? Why are you summoning Spirit Beasts and trying to destroy the world©¤©¤!?¡±


    Sui silently stared at Iroha as she desperately appealed.


    Rather than being intrigued by the person in front of her, her expression was that of looking at a strange and mysterious insect.


    And then she clasped her hands in front of her chest as if realizing something and started giggling.


    ¡°Aah¡­¡­ You, I thought I had seen your face somewhere, but you¡¯re that streamer. What was the name? Aeiou? No, was it Waon?¡±


    ¡°You know Waon?¡±


    Iroha blinked in shock. In this situation where bullets were flying around, she never thought the topic of her streams would come up.


    Seeing her surprise, Sui looked even more amused.


    ¡°Let me answer your question. Shouldn¡¯t you also know about it? Don¡¯t you get hateful comments whenever you stream boring videos?¡±


    ¡°Eh¡­¡­?¡±


    Iroha was perplexed at that unexpected question.


    Sui continued while smiling innocently like a saint.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it fun to trample on things people hold dear? Those who think they are in a safe place, I¡¯ll make them understand true malice. I¡¯ll show them that peace, freedom, love, and goodwill are all meaningless.¡±


    The white-haired girl in a gothic dress narrowed her eyes as if entranced.


    ¡°What are you¡­¡­saying¡­¡­?¡±


    Iroha looked at Sui, feeling dumbfounded.


    Stop it, muttered Yahiro in his mind. That conversation shouldn¡¯t continue any longer. He shouldn¡¯t let Iroha hear Sui¡¯s words.


    But even after knowing that, Yahiro couldn¡¯t let out a voice.


    The bloodlust released by Nathan from the back was restraining his entire body. Nathan¡¯s attack would probably come flying the moment he turned his attention away.


    That was because Nathan¡¯s aim was to let Sui do as she pleased©¤©¤


    He wished for the conversation between the dragon priestesses to go on.


    ¡°Who helped the Japanese when the J-nocideGreat Massacre began? How many do you think doubted that their leaders might be wrong?¡±


    Sui asked Iroha, who was still silent.


    ¡°No such people existed. Believing that they were on the side of justice, they looked at the Japanese with contempt, hurt them, and kept destroying and destroying and destroying till it was all irreversible!¡±


    ¡°Is that¡­¡­why you caused the J-nocideGreat Massacre? Just to prove that¡­¡­?¡±


    Iroha turned pale at Sui¡¯s words and glared at her.


    The Spirit Beasts summoned by Sui were instilled with hostility and aggression against humans. What if that same influence extended to humans as well? What if she was able to plant murderous impulse toward the Japanese in all those who saw the dragon©¤©¤


    J-nocideGreat Massacre was the answer to that.


    The malice of just a single girl had killed all the people of a country.


    ¡°Once they learn that their justice was wrong, what kind of excuses will they make? Will they regret being swept with the flow and taking part in the slaughter? Will they repent? Will they hide the truth and pretend like nothing happened? Or will they continue to say that they were in the right? But you see, such a thing is unforgivable. That¡¯s because we¡¯re the really really pitiful victims.¡±


    Sui raised her voice and burst out laughing.


    Her beautiful laugh didn¡¯t have any hint of madness. But that¡¯s what made it twisted and dreadful.


    ¡°From now on, it¡¯s time for revenge. I¡¯ll make the people of the entire world know the fear of their own destruction.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you do that¡­¡­!¡±


    Sui¡¯s laughter was cut off by Iroha¡¯s shout.


    In the next instant, Yahiro¡¯s vision was dyed with a pale flash.


    Hot winds slammed against his cheeks. Flames with heat comparable to magma spouted from the depths of the earth and started swirling around Iroha.


    Those flames turned into pillars of fire that rose to a height exceeding that of Raimat¡¯s headquarters.


    The pillars turned into a flash of scorching heat and rained down on the earth.


    The torrent of flames headed for the void created by Sui. It instantly burned the jet-black lake and the void filled with emptiness till nothing was left.


    Yahiro blankly stared at the scene, while both Giulie and Rose slightly smiled.


    Nathan¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, but his eyes looked somewhat satisfied.


    ¡°My ¡ºHollow¡» got purified¡­¡­?¡±


    Sui blinked in surprise.


    Iroha¡¯s flames were still burning, but the void made by Sui had vanished without a trace. The phenomenon brought forth by Sui¡¯s powers had been overwritten.


    ¡°I see¡­¡­ So that¡¯s the authority of ¡ºfire¡», huh¡­¡­ Ahaha, as expected, you¡¯re quite interesting.¡±


    Looking at Iroha who had collapsed after using up all her strength, Sui started laughing.


    Unlike the vacant ones before, she had an innocent smile befitting her age. She looked like a little child that had found a partner to play with.


    A strange presence surrounded Sui, to which Yahiro immediately braced himself.


    She gently extended her left hand to cause another disaster.


    However, that hand was quietly stopped by Nathan.


    ¡°It¡¯s time, Sui.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Are they here already?¡±


    As if sulking, Sui pouted her lips.


    Nathan silently nodded and turned his gaze slightly upwards.


    ¡°This sound¡­¡­! Is that a helicopter?!¡±


    Josh reacted to the loud sound coming from overhead and quickly looked up.


    A gray military helicopter was trying to land close by. Yahiro realized that Nathan had called it to take Sui out of here.


    ¡°Y¨¢o Gu¨¡ng X¨©ng! Shoot it down!¡±


    Giulie shouted into the wireless transceiver.


    The distance between the helicopter and the armored train, which was on standby on the tracks, was just under a kilometer. It was easily in the range of the autocannons. However, right before the shells fired by the armored train hit the helicopter, they were all repelled as if they had hit an invisible wall.


    ¡°This is a regalia, Narusawa Yahiro. Stealing the authority of dragons, which cannot be controlled by living humans, and killing the dragons©¤©¤that¡¯s the duty of us Lazarusimmortals.¡±


    Remember that, said Nathan.


    Protected by the invisible barrier, the military helicopter boldly landed on the ground. The armored train ceased its bombardment, fearing that their allies might get hurt. Even Rose¡¯s sniper shot, which was aimed at Sui rather than the helicopter, was stopped by a new wall created by Nathan.


    Easily picking up Sui¡¯s light body with his right arm, he stepped on the ramp of the helicopter.


    ¡°SUI!!¡±


    Yahiro readied his katana and glared at his little sister.


    He tried to recall the feeling of when he defeated Firman.


    Iroha¡¯s flames had purified the PloutonionGate to the Underworld called forth by Sui. He thought it would be okay as long as he did the same thing. If that barrier was Nathan¡¯s regalia, then Yahiro striking it with his own would cause the both of them to cancel each other out.


    However, he couldn¡¯t move even after knowing that. The situation here was different, unlike the fight with RMS where he was absorbed in protecting Iroha.  He didn¡¯t know how to trigger his regalia.


    ¡°Stop it, Nii-sama. Your precious comrades will get killed if you don¡¯t stop being so persistent.¡±


    Seeing through Yahiro¡¯s impatience, Sui laughed as she got on the helicopter.


    In the middle of the loud sound of the helicopter¡¯s engine, those words clearly reached Yahiro¡¯s ears.


    Satisfied to see Yahiro feel shaken, Sui turned her gaze towards Iroha.¡±


    ¡°Try not to get killed by the others before we meet again, Waon-chan.¡±


    Bye-bye, she said.


    Now that both Nathan and Sui were inside, the helicopter quickly started ascending.


    Overwhelmed by a sense of defeat, Yahiro could only watch it as it flew off.


    The sister he had been searching for for the past four years was within an arm¡¯s reach. And yet, he was unable to kill her. Because of his failure, Sui would probably kill a lot more people in the future.


    Just like how Raimat¡¯s Japanese branch, that held her captive, had turned into a sacrifice©¤©¤


    With no way to vent out his anger and sense of powerlessness, Yahiro slowly lowered his katana.


    Right after that, Giulie¡¯s scream, accompanied by the sound of gunshots, rang from behind him.


    Your precious comrades will get killed©¤©¤


    The words left behind by Sui crossed Yahiro¡¯s mind.


    Driven by uneasiness, he looked back and was dumbstruck at the scene.


    Chaos was overflowing from the lobby of Raimat¡¯s headquarters.


    Spirit Beasts hadn¡¯t caused it. Neither did the Fafnir soldiers. Instead, what Yahiro saw was a monster in the guise of a mass of moving rotten flesh that looked big enough to fill an elementary school¡¯s swimming pool.


    ¡°Eeek, so gross! Josh, do something!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not working, princess! No matter how much we shoot that thing, it¡¯s not having any effect!¡±


    Replying in a panic to Giulie, who was trying to escape that monster, Josh and his team fired blindly at it.


    However, the giant mass of rotten flesh brushed aside the direct hits and began to crawl out of the building. It was unknown whether that thing could even feel pain or not. On top of that, whip-like tentacles burst out of the rotten flesh. One of them took Josh by surprise and wrapped itself around his legs.


    ¡°Guh!?¡±


    Having his leg pulled with unbelievable force, Josh fell over. He immediately tried to counterattack but bullets weren¡¯t enough to stop the mass of rotten flesh.


    ¡°Josh!!¡±


    Leaping in front of the monster, Yahiro swung his katana and sliced off the tentacle that had captured Josh. Released from the tentacle right before being taken into the mass of rotten flesh, Josh rolled on the ground and let out a strange voice.


    ¡°Thanks for the save, Yahiro.¡±


    Josh made a disgusted face and kicked aside the piece of tentacle still wrapped around his legs. Yahiro retreated with him, clearing away the tentacles that relentlessly came after them.


    ¡°What the hell is that thing anyway?¡±


    ¡°No idea. It suddenly appeared from the back of the building and swallowed up many Raimat employees.¡±


    ¡°Swallowed up¡­¡­?¡±


    Yahiro asked back with a shudder.


    Eventually, the monster managed to crawl out of the lobby and revealed the entirety of its ugly figure.


    Although it was hard to believe, the mass of rotten flesh had the shape of a human being.


    A bulging, ten-meter tall Noppera-b¨­[3] which crawled on the ground©¤©¤ That was the monster¡¯s real form.


    There were also traces of various other creatures on the surface of its body.


    The limbs of a beast, the wings of a bat, and a human face staring at the empty sky with vacant eyes. Buried under the mass of rotten flesh, they continued to writhe erratically. That abominable sight seemed like a sacrilege against all life.


    ¡°It¡¯s absorbing the Spirit Beasts¡­¡­¡±


    Still lying on the ground, Iroha muttered in a trembling voice.


    The monster was gradually moving towards her. But rather than being instinctively drawn to her, its movements were that of someone with a distinct will. Even after being reduced to a mass of rotten flesh, it still retained its fixation to obtain Iroha.


    ¡°Is that also Sui¡¯s doing?¡±


    Yahiro asked the twin sisters who had returned to protect Iroha.


    Giulie frowned and shook her head.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s a human who failed to become a Lazarusimmortal.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­That thing¡¯s a human? Really?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a mere shadow of a human who irreverently bathed in the ¡ºSpirit Fluid¡» of a dragon to obtain an immortal body. Am I wrong, Count?¡±


    The last bit of Rose¡¯s reply was directed at the mass of rotten flesh.


    As if to answer that question, a face emerged from the giant head of the monster. Seeing that, Yahiro was assailed by an awful nauseous feeling. That was because he recognized that face.


    ¡¸DEFINITELY NOOOOT, SIGNORINAAA BERITHHHH! AAAAND CIAOOOO! LADIES AND GENTELMENNNN OF GALERIEEEE BERITHHHH!¡¹


    The monster let out a thunderous scream.


    It was the Count¡¯s voice.


    The chairman of Raimat International, Hector Raimat©¤©¤ The monster in front of them was the body of the Count. He was the core of the rotten flesh that continued to multiply.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­a Lazarusimmortal¡­¡­?¡±


    Yahiro was struck by an intense feeling of aggravation.


    The Count¡¯s current state was probably similar to the Fafnir soldiers who overdosed on the F-med and went berserk. However, the ¡ºSpirit Fluid¡» he bathed in was far stronger compared to F-med, enough to keep his multiplying flesh functioning.


    At the same time, it also meant that Yahiro¡¯s blood wouldn¡¯t be able to defeat him.


    If it were Spirit Beasts or Fafnir soldiers, they wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand the reaction from the dragon¡¯s blood and would self-destruct. However, the Count¡¯s body was already rampaging and he was inching closer to self-destruction.


    As he had bathed in the dragon¡¯s blood of higher purity, Yahiro¡¯s blood would probably not have an effect on him. That¡¯s because even though he no longer retained his human appearance, he too, was a Lazarusimmortal©¤©¤


    ¡¸INDEED! INDEED! INDEEEEED! IT FEELS GREAAAAT¡­¡­ THIS IMMORTAL BODYYYY¡­¡­I FINALLY OBTAINED IIIIIIT!¡¹


    The mass of rotten flesh¡ªthat was once the Count¡ªtrembled with joy.


    ¡¸WITNESSSS THIS POWEEEEER! EVEN THE SPIRIT BEASTSSSS ARE JUST FOOD TO MEEEEE! I NO LONGER HAVE TO FEAR OLD AGE, SICKNESS OR DEATHHHH! THIS POWEEEEER! THIS OVERWHELMING POWEEEEER!¡¹


    The tentacles extending out from the Count¡¯s body indiscriminately attacked anything that moved.


    In order to maintain his multiplying body, he was greedily devouring everything, whether it was humans or Spirit Beasts. The Count had taken care of the majority of Spirit Beasts that had appeared around the base.


    ¡°I really wanna leave that guy behind and run away.¡±


    Giulie said in a careless tone.


    That¡¯s not a bad plan, thought Yahiro. Since the Japanese had died out, all that was left around the base now was just ruins. There wouldn¡¯t be any civilian casualties even if they were to leave the Count alone.


    And since the creatures the Count could devour were finite, he wouldn¡¯t be able to maintain his multiplying body, even if he was a Lazarusimmortal. He would eventually self-destruct if left alone. There was no reason for Galerie Berith to risk their lives to deal with him.


    However, Rose sighed and rejected that plan.


    ¡°If we did that, any trace of Narusawa Sui left in this base would be devoured by the Count.¡±


    ¡°Traces¡­¡­?¡±


    ¡°The data concerning the experiments she was involved with, or any clues related to her escape destination. We¡¯ll end up losing all that.¡±


    Are you still okay with that? asked the blue-haired girl.


    ¡°Did Sui and that man turn the Count into a monster because they had anticipated this¡­¡­!?¡±


    Yahiro let out a low groan. His sister¡¯s unfathomable malice made him dizzy. They had no choice but to kill that monster in order to pursue Sui. And if they avoided the fight, the clues necessary to follow her would be lost. Either way, Yahiro, and the others would suffer. Sui had made use of the Count¡¯s desire to make this happen.


    ¡¸DON¡¯T WORRYYYYY! I¡¯LL EQUALLY DEVOUR, VIOLATE YOU AAAALLLL!¡¹


    More tentacles sprouted out from the Count¡¯s body. A part of his multiplying body flooded into the headquarters. He was planning to devour the employees still hiding inside the building. If this went on, the Count would eventually erase all traces of Sui, just as Rose had predicted.


    ¡°What should we do?¡±


    While intercepting the incoming tentacles, Yahiro looked back at the twin sisters and asked.


    The Count¡¯s height had already crossed 15 meters and was still continuing to increase. It would just be a matter of time till the entire base was swallowed up by him. They didn¡¯t have the leeway to take their time thinking of a plan.


    ¡°Please kill that thing.¡±


    Rose said while staring at Yahiro. Her overly simple plan puzzled him.


    ¡°Me? Shouldn¡¯t you be asking Iroha to do that?¡±


    ¡°Using a dragon¡¯s powers is synonymous with summoning it. If worse comes to worst, we would be seeing a repeat of the J-nocideGreat Massacre.¡±


    Rose¡¯s words silenced Yahiro.


    The figure of the dragon he had seen four years ago flashed through his mind. If Iroha used her powers as a dragon priestess, it would be the same as summoning the dragon itself. And there was no guarantee that the summoned dragon would obey her. It could consume the personality of Iroha who served as a sacrifice and unleash its powers without limit. Yahiro could easily imagine such a future.


    ¡°However, if the Count has really become a Lazarusimmortal, then he would regenerate even if a single piece of flesh remained. I can¡¯t think of any other way to destroy that monster other than burning it to ashes. And that¡¯s impossible for me.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to burn that entire thing down.¡±


    Giulie threw irresponsible words at Yahiro, who had calmly evaluated his capabilities.


    ¡°You see, all you have to do is destroy the Count¡¯s soul, that is, something like the core of his existence.¡±


    ¡°And where is that ¡®soul¡¯ you¡¯re talking about?¡±


    ¡°How would I know? Shouldn¡¯t you have a clue, being a similar Lazarusimmortal?¡±


    Yahiro clicked his tongue at Giulie¡¯s half-hearted advice that relied too much on her intuition, saying, ¡°How useless.¡±


    Even so, some part of it still worried him. A Lazarusimmortal was able to regenerate even if the body was sliced into small pieces. Then there must be something that acts as a core for that regeneration.


    Was it the brain? The heart? Or else, something like a soul actually existed©¤©¤


    ¡°You think that it¡¯s possible to destroy the Count using Iroha¡¯s powers, right?¡±


    Rose asked in a composed voice that seemed out of place.


    ¡°A-Ah, well¡­¡­ Isn¡¯t it so?¡±


    There was no doubt that Iroha¡¯s flames¡ªthat had purified Sui¡¯s PloutonionGate to the Underworld¡ªwould be able to burn the current Count to ashes. The monster that was created using a dragon¡¯s power would be killed using a similar dragon¡¯s power.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then you can also do the same thing. A dragon priestess can bestow her authority¡ªthe dragon slaying regalia¡ªupon a hero.¡±


    Rose declared without hesitation.


    The girls that are chosen as sacrifices for a dragon could bestow upon a dragon slaying hero the power to destroy dragons. It was a motif that had been repeated multiple times in mythologies. It was said that the princess of Libya had thrown away her girdle to stop the movements of the dragon, while Kushinadahime had turned into a comb to accompany Susanoo in his battles.


    Of course, those were all myths. Just fairy-tales. However, in a world where dragons existed and Lazarusimmortal roamed around, Yahiro wondered how much of a difference there was between fairy tales and reality.


    ¡°But why does it have to be me? Aren¡¯t there other people more suited to be heroes?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, that¡¯s impossible. A dragon can only bestow the regalia upon©¤©¤¡±


    Saying that, Rose paused and brought her lips close to Yahiro¡¯s cheeks.


    She whispered into his ears in a small voice.


    ¡°©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤with, after all.¡±


    ¡°Eh¡­¡­?¡±


    Yahiro¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.


    The usually expressionless Rose raised the corners of her lips and made a devilish smile.


    Glaring at her, Yahiro showed signs of indignation and embarrassment, but also resignation and understanding.


    He now knew that everything had been orchestrated by the twins and that he was unwittingly made a part of their evil scheme.


    ¡°So that¡¯s what¡¯s going on¡­¡­ You guys planned for this right from the beginning¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°While I¡¯d rather have you be thankful, if you have any complaints, I¡¯ll listen to them as much as you like later. But you understand, don¡¯t you, Yahiro? Iroha is not the one to blame.¡±


    ¡°You guys are definitely going to hell.¡±


    Feeling resentful, Yahiro squeezed out a curse. Giulie stuck out her tongue as if she was caught playing a prank as opposed to Rose, who for some reason, seemed a bit delighted and said,


    ¡°Then that means we¡¯ll be heading for the same place as you.¡±


    ¡°Shut it!¡±


    ¡°Yahiro, what¡¯s wrong? Is everything okay!? You know this is not a time to be fighting, right!?¡±


    Perhaps unable to see Yahiro and Rose argue any longer, Iroha stood up unsteadily and intervened in a panic. Yahiro stared at her face with a complicated expression.


    ¡°Wh-What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, so don¡¯t get too close. I¡¯ll definitely do something about that monster.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡­ O-Okay. Got it.¡±


    Overwhelmed by Yahiro¡¯s motivation, Iroha nodded in reflex.


    Seeing the trust she held towards him in her eyes, Yahiro looked away from her, feeling guilty.


    And so, he once again faced the Count.


    Or to be precise, the thingmonster that was once the Count©¤©¤


    ?


    Contrary to his large and sluggish appearance, Count Hector Raimat¡¯s thoughts were as clear as never before. His aged body was now brimming with vitality, and his fear of death was now a thing of the past.


    What drove him now was an overwhelming sense of omnipotence and a thirst for evolution.


    Since time immemorial, there were folklores that were as popular, if not more so, than the heroic tales of dragon slaying.


    And those were stories of a human becoming a dragon.


    It was said that the dragon Fafnir, which was killed by the hero Sigurd, was originally a human that transformed into a wyrm to protect the cursed gold.


    The Count knew that he himself was turning into an existence that was similar to them.


    He had still barely retained his human shape. Even though he had absorbed multiple Spirit Beasts, and his body had grown large enough to swallow the armored vehicles, the Count¡¯s silhouette was still that of a human being.


    But since his transformation was caused by a dragon¡¯s ichorspirit fluid, his body would eventually turn into a dragon¡¯s. The bizarre multiplication of his cells was just a preliminary step. It was nothing other than the state of a caterpillar before it transformed into a butterfly.


    The Count wouldn¡¯t regret losing his human form.


    He had spent a long life working as a merchant of death, amassing plenty of riches and authority. He was aware that he had tasted all the pleasures he could living as a human. And when his fear of death overcame his longing for pleasure, the Count¡¯s desire changed to transforming into an existence that surpassed humans.


    And now the Count had finally obtained this body.


    The body of a dragon that transcended the limits of life.


    He had no interest in regalia, which could only bring destruction.


    All this time, he was only after the dragon¡¯s ichor, which could be summoned by a dragon¡¯s ¡ºvessel¡»©¤©¤the priestesses chosen as sacrifice.


    However, when he actually obtained the ichor and started transforming into a wyrm, the Count remembered. Immortals that could kill the dragons. He remembered that dragon slayers existed©¤©¤


    It¡¯s not enough. I¡¯m still not a true Lazarusimmortal.


    He had no choice but to acquire the regalia©¤©¤the treasure of a dragon that should be protected.


    The moment the Count realized this, a glint of light flashed in the corner of his vision.


    The monster screamed at the intense pain of his flesh burning©¤©¤at the fear of death he should have forgotten.


    ?


    ¡°YAAAAAAAAA!! This is not working at all©¤©¤!¡±


    Swinging the katana which was shining scarlet, Yahiro spat out.


    The supposedly immortal body of a Lazarus was complaining of an intense pain that foreboded mortal danger. It was the effect of the deep crimson flames covering Yahiro¡¯s entire body.


    A deep scar remained on the Count¡¯s large body¡ªwhich continued to crawl unsightly¡ªas if a high-temperature burner had been pressed against it. It was the mark from Yahiro¡¯s regalia, which the Berith twins had named ¡¾Blaze¡¿.


    He had managed to use his regalia. However, it wasn¡¯t powerful enough. He also didn¡¯t know where the so-called soul of the Count lay.


    On top of it, the recoil was more severe than he had expected. It seemed like the dragon¡¯s borrowed authority was beyond a Lazarusimmortal¡¯ capacity. Yahiro¡¯s body was screaming in pain just after a single use. He didn¡¯t think he would be able to keep on using his regalia.


    ¡¸REGALIA! REGALIA! REGALIAAAAA! HAND IT OVEEEEER! IT¡¯S MINEEEEE!¡¹


    Turning his large, wounded body, the Count approached Yahiro.


    ¡°©¤©¤!!?¡±


    Yahiro¡¯s knees gave out right when he tried to avoid the tentacles.


    Not in a time like this, he cursed. That was the sign of the sleep of death. It was the recoil from using his regalia. As his strength had suddenly left his body, Yahiro wouldn¡¯t be able to avoid the Count¡¯s onslaught.


    ¡°Like I¡¯d let youuu!!¡±


    The tentacles were destroyed one after another by the bullets fired by Josh and the others. Giulie used her steel wire to limit the movement of the mass of rotten flesh, while Rose¡¯s anti-material rifle pierced countless holes in the Count¡¯s face.


    However, it was plain to see that those attacks were nothing more than stopgap measures.


    They were only successful in gaining a few more seconds till Yahiro was swallowed up by the Count.


    And what happened in those few seconds threw Yahiro into a state of panic. Iroha had rushed in unarmed and had clung to him.


    ¡°Yahiro!!¡±


    ¡°Iroha!? What are you doing at a time like this©¤©¤!?¡±


    Forcibly moving his body that had lost all strength, Yahiro tried to push Iroha away.


    However, for some reason, she looked into his eyes and said with a reassuring smile.


    ¡°Remember what happened that time!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!!¡±


    In that instant, memories of that time¡ªwhen he first used his regalia under the morning sky that glowed red as if burning¡ªsurfaced in the back of his mind.


    Yahiro remembered seeing a vision of Iroha holding a flame sword and he had received it from her.


    At that time, too, Iroha was sticking so close to Yahiro that their skins were completely in contact.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I¡¯m right here by your side!¡±


    Yahiro¡¯s entire body was filled with strength as if those words were the trigger.


    The weariness brought on by the sleep of death also vanished and an immense heat¡ªenough to burn his body¡ªflowed out from the inside.


    Right after that, the Count¡¯s huge body descended like an avalanche and swallowed both of them.


    In order to assimilate with the two of them and gain control over the regalia, the torrent of rotten flesh and wild desire surrounded them both. However, that was exactly what Yahiro was after.


    Since he didn¡¯t know the location of the Count¡¯s soul, it would be fine for the Count to get close himself.


    If he wished to assimilate with him and turn into a single being, the Count would have no choice but to come in contact with Yahiro. The naked desire of the Count could be traced back to his ¡ºsoul¡».


    ¡°Incinerate, ¡¾Blaze¡¿©¤©¤¡±


    The flame sword held by Yahiro bisected the soul that had become muddy with desire, together with the descending rotten flesh.


    The body of the wyrmfail dragon burst open as if exploded and got engulfed in purifying flames.


    Pieces of rotten flesh that were leftover crumbled, releasing miasma.


    The hastily made hilt of Yahiro¡¯s katana cracked while scattering fragments.


    The incessant sound of gunfire finally stopped, and the base was enveloped in a brief moment of silence.


    Catching Iroha who was about to collapse due to exhaustion, Yahiro silently looked up at the sky.


    The helicopter carrying Sui could no longer be seen. He didn¡¯t even know which direction it flew off in.


    Illuminated by the lingering flames, the sky was red. It would soon be time for the sun to set.


    The wind blew, making Iroha¡¯s hair sway.


    The cries of cicadas could be heard from a place far away.


    Riding the wind, summer clouds slowly emerged from the western horizon.


    There was no dragon in those skies.


    For now, at least.


    [1] An alternate reading for the word Marebito, which means ¡®visitors that come from afar¡¯ or more commonly ¡®lost ones¡¯ or ¡®wanderers¡¯.


    [2] The name here was written in kanji (ŒŽ¤Í¤¤É½¤µ¤ó´ó¤ª¤ªÕÁ¤°¤¹) unlike the usual katakana (¥ª©`¥®¥å¥¹¥È?¥Í¥¤¥µ¥ó).


    [3] The Noppera-b¨­, or faceless ghost, is a Japanese y¨­kai that looks like a human but has no face. (Source)

 Volume 1 - Epilogue

    The cries of cicadas resounded in a Japanese-styled zen garden.


    A refreshing wind blew through the vast bamboo grove into the open sliding doors and made the wind chimes tinkle.


    The zen garden belonged to a large wooden house reminiscent of historical Buddhist temples. In the middle of one of its reception halls sat Auguste Nathan. Although he was sitting on the wooden floor and not on a cushion, his back was straight and he didn¡¯t move an inch. In other words, it was a perfect seiza.


    Eventually, the bamboo blind in front of him rolled up and a woman appeared from the other side.


    She wore a luxurious long hakama that looked to be something from the Heian period, and her long, black hair reached her waist.


    The crest on her hakama was that of the golden-winged bird©¤©¤which was the symbol of the imperial family.


    She looked to be barely over twenty years old. Although she carried herself in a dignified manner, her expression was soft and she had a mischievous air around her, like that of a kitten.


    ¡°Did I make you wait, Auguste?¡±


    As Nathan deeply bowed, the woman called out to him in an intimate manner. Her lovely voice resembled the chirping of a small bird.


    ¡°Not at all. You are right on time, Karura-sama.¡±


    Keeping his head bowed, Nathan gave a dry response.


    Perhaps dissatisfied with his attitude, the woman called Karura pouted.


    ¡°Would you like a drink? We have some fine gyokuro[1] on hand.¡±


    ¡°With all due respect, it¡¯s unnecessary.¡±


    ¡°What about some sweets? They just arrived from the Myoujiin main family estate.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s unnecessary.¡±


    Karura continued to act intimately, however, Nathan kept up his formal attitude. Eventually, Karura sighed as if giving up and straightened her expression.


    ¡°©¤©¤Let¡¯s hear the report, Sir Nathan.¡±


    She declared in a dignified tone completely different from before.


    Nathan raised his head without a change of expression and nodded.


    ¡°¡ºAvaritiaFire Dragon¡», who was hiding in the 23 wards, is now under Galerie Berith¡¯s care. We suspect that the Beriths¡¯ main family would soon reach out to Ganzheit.¡±


    ¡°Galerie Berith¡­¡­¡±


    Karura¡¯s eyebrows rose as if that had caught her interest.


    ¡°It is not really unexpected, is it?¡±


    ¡°The Beriths are one of the old families of alchemists, so I think they are used to dealing with dragons.¡±


    Nathan replied without a pause as if he had prepared his words beforehand.


    Since dragons had a deep relation with gold, alchemists were not unrelated to them either. Ouroboros, the major symbol of alchemy, was said to be a dragon that ate its own tail and formed a cycle. God Mercury, the founder of alchemy, was also symbolized by a three-headed dragon.


    ¡°I understand. If it¡¯s those dolls, then they will surely do well. But make sure to keep an eye on them.¡±


    Hiding the slight envy she felt towards the Berith twins, Karura replied. Even though both she and the twins were raised similarly as caged birds, the twins could move freely. That was something Karura yearned for.


    ¡°They also dealt with the parting gift we left behind without any difficulty.¡±


    ¡°Count Raimat¡­¡­ He was such a pitiful man. We had warned him so many times that seeking a power more than what his body could handle would just be the same as inviting destruction.¡±


    Feeling sympathy for the Count who had lost his life, Karura cast her eyes downwards.


    A different agent had already informed her of the final moments of the Count. After receiving the ichor and turning into an incomplete wyrm, the Count was incinerated by ¡ºAvaritiaFire Dragon¡¯s¡» regalia ¡¾Blaze¡¿.


    As dragons were something like a poison that brought to light the desires lurking deep within a person, it was, in a way, a foregone conclusion that the Count, who longed for immortality, would turn into a wyrm. Narusawa Sui, who had anticipated this but still chose to hand the ichor over to the Count, was probably satisfied with the outcome.


    ¡°Did you retrieve the data on the F-med?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It will be released publicly into the foundation¡¯s archive. After all, raising the level of secrecy too high could result in unnecessary speculation.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. Even the ambitious soldiers would have to accept it if they learn that Fafnir soldiers cannot be a replacement for a Lazarusimmortal.¡±


    Karura smiled in satisfaction.


    Nathan¡¯s objective wasn¡¯t to put Fafnir soldiers to practical use. Instead, it was the exact opposite. The mission assigned to him was to prove that Fafnir soldiers couldn¡¯t be used as a weapon©¤©¤that they were failed products who were no match for a Lazarusimmortal.


    The actions taken by Narusawa Yahiro helped accomplish that objective. Since a single Lazarusimmortal managed to easily annihilate a squadron of Fafnir soldiers, forces that would carelessly try to use the dragon¡¯s blood for military purposes won¡¯t appear for the time being.


    ¡°With the appearance of ¡ºAvaritiaFire Dragon¡», there are now six pieces on the board©¤©¤with ¡ºHeaven¡» and ¡ºLightning¡» being the only remaining ones. It is about time for the impatient lot to make their move.¡±


    A cold light dwelt in Karura¡¯s eyes.


    The birth of six dragon priestesses had been confirmed since the J-nocideGreat Massacre four years ago.


    However, this country didn¡¯t need six dragons. After all, dragons were existences that needed to be killed.


    They needed to be killed at the hands of the dragon-slaying hero.


    ¡°I have something more to report.¡±


    Nathan spoke after a short silence as if he was hesitating.


    ¡°I allow it. Continue.¡±


    With a demeanor that was used to giving orders, Karura prompted him to continue.


    Nathan nodded and slowly opened his mouth.


    ¡°¡ºSuperbiaEarth Dragon¡» really seems to be growing weak. She is still afflicted by the uncertain periodical long sleep, and the frequency of those sleep is gradually increasing. I doubt that she is as strong as she was four years ago.¡±


    ¡°And do you know the reason for that?¡±


    ¡°This is just baseless speculation, but it may not be unrelated to the fact that Narusawa Yahiro continued to be a Lazarusimmortal.¡±


    In the depths of Nathan¡¯s eyes which were devoid of any personal feelings, a flicker of emotion similar to a flame flashed. However, it lasted less than a moment and when he blinked, he had returned to his previous expressionless self.


    ¡°I see. That was a very interesting piece of information.¡±


    Narusawa Yahiro©¤©¤ Saying the boy¡¯s name, Karura made a bewitching smile.


    On her chest shone a crimson jewel that seemed to be the crystallization of dragon¡¯s blood.


    ?


    ¡°I love you, Nii-sama. I really love you.¡±


    In the middle of the cold downpour, the girl muttered.


    She was wearing a middle school uniform and her entire body was wet.


    Fresh blood was endlessly flowing out of the deep cut on her left wrist.


    Standing on the rooftop of a building still under construction, the girl turned around and made a fleeting smile.


    Clear tears were flowing out of her eyes that held nothing but despair.


    The boy shouted her name. He tried to appeal something with an earnest expression. However, his voice didn¡¯t reach the girl.


    The wind blew, and her pure white hair gently fluttered.


    And in the end, the girl declared.


    Her voice was quiet as if she was praying. Her face was adorned with a smile of madness.


    ¡°I wish this world where we can¡¯t be together should just be destroyed.¡±


    ?


    The home Yahiro returned to after a few days felt really dreary.


    It was located on the site of a private university on the outskirts of the 23 wards. Although he had been using that laboratory as his base for quite a long time and had supposedly gotten used to it, right now the place felt really distant and he couldn¡¯t calm down.


    He knew that it was because the noisy twins, the guys from Galerie Berith, and most of all Iroha weren¡¯t with him. But he chose to avert his eyes from that fact.


    He wouldn¡¯t mind if he was deceived or betrayed.


    However, he wouldn¡¯t be able to bear losing the things he holds dear again. If that were to happen, it would be better to not have anything at all from the beginning. It might be a common thing, but that¡¯s what he thought.


    He had been living alone for four years. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t want to admit that he had been influenced by the people he had been with for a mere day or so.


    Since he was having such thoughts, perhaps he had already gained something unnecessary. It wasn¡¯t as if he was not aware of that.


    ¡°They were the ones who brazenly took my hand, so I couldn¡¯t help it.¡±


    Yahiro mumbled those excuses which were intended for no one in particular.


    He hated troublesome things. He hated to have precious things taken away from him. He also hated to cut himself off from those things.


    However, since he was a Lazarusimmortal, one day they would all disappear from him. Then, at least till then, it might be fine even if he was to grasp that hand back on a whim.


    Moreover, those people were useful.


    He needed the help of Iroha and Galerie Berith if he wanted to fulfill his purpose.


    And that was to find Narusawa Sui and kill her.


    He had to kill his sister who would continue to take many more lives.


    That was his sole desire.


    All he wanted was to stop the madness of his sister who had told him that she loved him.


    That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t have the leeway to be saddled with a different thing.


    His reason to grasp the hand they offered would only be to make use of them. It should be that way.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±


    Why am I even thinking this? Yahiro shook his head, feeling ridiculous.


    The reason why he returned to this place was not to indulge in worthless sentimentality. It was to prepare for moving out. He had come to collect the necessary luggage since he would be accompanying Galerie Berith for a while.


    ¡°But then again, I don¡¯t have a whole lot to bring with me.¡±


    Few foreign currencies he had gathered in the period of four years and some change of clothes. That constituted almost all of Yahiro¡¯s assets.


    Besides that, he also had his modded smartphone that could be charged through solar energy. Booting it up due to his usual habit, he unconsciously made a wry smile.


    It was because he thought that he would no longer be able to watch the streams of Iroha Waon which he always looked forward to.


    Now that he knew her true identity, it would be difficult to enjoy her streams as much as he did before. He was now aware of what kind of a person Iroha actually was.


    But that didn¡¯t mean he had come to hate her.


    In fact, she was even more attractive than he had imagined.


    ¡°Well, I guess watching her streams one last time shouldn¡¯t be a problem©¤©¤¡±


    Yahiro turned on his phone while convincing himself that it would be a good substitute for background music. Right when he did that©¤©¤


    ¡°Waooon!¡±


    ¡°Woah?!!¡±


    Suddenly hearing Iroha¡¯s voice close to his ears, Yahiro let out a scream.


    When he turned around, he saw Iroha standing proudly with her hands on her head, making animal ears.


    ¡°Ahahahaha, were you surprised? Hey, tell me were you surprised? Good mooorning!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Iroha¡­¡­ You¡­¡­ What are you doing here!? Don¡¯t you know this place is still in the 23 wards?¡±


    ¡°This place is really dangerous,¡± he scolded her since she had come to the Isolation Zones where a lot of Spirit Beasts gathered.


    However, Iroha burst out into a laugh as if she had heard a funny joke, and said,


    ¡°Even if you say that, for me, the 23 wards are just like my backyard¡­¡­ Plus, I have Nuemaru with me so it won¡¯t be dangerous.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯d be of any use¡­¡­¡±


    Yahiro made an exasperated expression and looked at the lightning beast which was as big as a medium-sized dog and was clinging to Iroha¡¯s feet.


    Although he couldn¡¯t have understood Yahiro¡¯s words, the lightning beast somehow knew that he had been ridiculed, and electric sparks crackled around him as he glared at Yahiro.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡­ So this is where you were living. It¡¯s true, this has your smell.¡±


    Brazenly diving into the sofa, Iroha buried her face into the blanket and said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go sniffing someone¡¯s home so naturally!¡±


    ¡°Hey, is this your smartphone? Is it okay if I look at the photos?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not okay. And why do you want to see them anyway?¡±


    ¡°Well, I thought I might find screenshots of me.¡±


    Iroha raised her face and grinned. Looking at her, Yahiro sneered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have anything like that.¡±


    ¡°Really? But why? Don¡¯t boys usually look at the photos of the girls they like with indecent eyes?¡±


    ¡°And why did you even think I like you?¡±


    Yahiro glared at her with half-opened eyes and said, ¡°Don¡¯t make up stories about someone¡¯s past.¡± Just because he used to watch her live streams didn¡¯t mean he had romantic feelings for her. He was annoyed at her for making that assumption.


    ¡°That said, for me, Waon wasn¡¯t someone like that. I mean, she wasn¡¯t someone I¡¯d look at with lustful eyes.¡±


    ¡°I-I see¡­¡­ Maybe you thought that she was an earnest girl you shouldn¡¯t tease¡­¡­?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Earnest?¡±


    ¡°W-Well¡­¡­ It¡¯s really embarrassing to have someone actually say that to my face¡­¡­ Ahaha¡­¡­¡±


    After hearing Yahiro¡¯s explanation, Iroha blushed up to her ears for some reason and crouched. Although she had pointlessly high self-esteem, it seemed like she was the type who was weak against direct compliments.


    ¡°Let me say this now, but that¡¯s because I looked at her as a pet or family.¡±


    ¡°Family¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°And also because she seemed kinda stupid.¡±


    ¡°Huh!? Stupid!? What part of me are you calling stupid!?¡±


    ¡°How cruel,¡± she said while standing still in shock.


    By then, Yahiro¡¯s modded smartphone had finished booting and was on the lock screen.


    An old image was displayed in the randomly changing wallpaper.


    It was a very common family photo taken at the beach.


    The two adults who were the parents, with their eldest son and his little sister who looked nervous.


    Realizing that it was Yahiro¡¯s family, Iroha¡¯s expression stiffened.


    ¡°¡­¡­Sorry¡­¡­ I didn¡¯t really mean to look. I¡¯m really sorry¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s fine. Even I had forgotten that I had set it as the wallpaper.¡±


    Yahiro shook his head as if it wasn¡¯t a big deal. It wasn¡¯t a photo he would mind others seeing, even if the parents displayed in that photo no longer existed in this world.


    ¡°It¡¯s the picture of the day Sui came to live with us¡­¡­¡±


    Yahiro looked at the girl in the picture and said.


    Iroha gasped in surprise.


    Biting her lips, she lowered her eyes. After a while, she seemed to have made up her mind and looked up.


    ¡°Yahiro, do you ever think of returning to the world before the J-nocideGreat Massacre?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    Iroha looked straight at Yahiro and clenched her hands.


    ¡°¡­¡­You see, I don¡¯t have a family. I don¡¯t even remember my childhood. When I became aware of my surroundings, I was already living in an institution¡­¡­ So when I got a lot of siblings after the J-nocideGreat Massacre, I was honestly a bit happy.¡±


    Her unexpected confession made Yahiro forget to breathe for a while.


    A girl with no memories and family. That was the same as Sui.


    Sui didn¡¯t know her biological parents, nor did she have any memories of her birthplace. They couldn¡¯t find even a trace of how she had lived until then. It was as if she had suddenly wandered over to this side from a faraway world.


    Iroha, who was also a dragon priestess, was the same as Sui©¤©¤ Yahiro wondered if that really was a coincidence.


    Without noticing what was going on in his mind, Iroha continued.


    ¡°But I¡¯m sure they all had real families. They could¡¯ve lived happier lives. If I fight the other dragon priestesses, be the last remaining one, and create the world I want, would I be able to make it so that it never happened¡­¡­? What am I supposed to do?¡±


    Her voice became muffled midway and she spoke short words.


    While caressing Nuemaru who was on her lap, she hung her head and fell silent.


    Staring at her beautiful profile, Yahiro sighed.


    At that moment, he recalled what Rose had said during the battle with the Count.


    The blue-haired girl had answered his question of why he was the one who could use the regalia.


    A dragon can only bestow the regalia upon the person the dragon priestess falls in love with, after all©¤©¤


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you do as you like?¡±


    Before he could even think of what to say to her, those words left his mouth.


    ¡°Huh?¡± exclaimed Iroha as her eyes widened in surprise.


    Yahiro looked away as if to escape her gaze and said in a cold tone.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I say this before? You can do whatever you like. If the other dragons get in your way, I¡¯ll be at your side to protect you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah©¤©¤¡±


    Iroha awkwardly nodded. Her eyes were still wide open, and tears began to well up in them. Yahiro became uneasy and prepared himself, wondering if she was about to cry again.


    Although Yahiro was used to being cursed, scorned, and even killed, he could never get used to seeing Iroha cry, and he was sure he never would. Watching her cry made his chest hurt more than being slashed by a knife, so he really prayed she would stop if possible.


    Perhaps his prayers had been answered by the heavens, but Iroha didn¡¯t actually cry.


    It was because new trespassers had barged into the room.


    ¡°Ro-chan, did you hear that? Yahiro is so cool, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. His words can also be interpreted as a contract that guarantees the safety of Mamana Iroha from the attacks of other dragons. Let¡¯s add that to the contract between him and Galerie as well.¡±


    ¡°Even you two?! What are you doing here?¡±


    Yahiro shouted at the twins who had appeared out of nowhere and were saying whatever they wanted.


    ¡°We came here as Iroha¡¯s guards, as well as to help you pack your stuff.¡±


    ¡°Who did you think brought Iroha all the way here?¡± asked Rose, feeling exasperated.


    In the meantime, Giulie quickly spotted the laptop on the desk.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡­ Found your laptop. Hey, can I open the pictures folder?¡±


    ¡°Stop it, you idiot! Don¡¯t open it!¡±


    Unlike the time with the smartphone, Yahiro¡¯s panic was clearly visible.


    Feeling extremely impatient, he tried to grab the laptop but Giulie quickly dodged his hands.


    Seeing him so flustered, Iroha couldn¡¯t hold back anymore and burst out laughing.


    Her voice was cheerful as if she had been freed from the distress troubling her.


    After laughing for a while, she wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes and held out her left hand in front of Yahiro. Although a smile still remained on her face, she said in the most serious tone she could muster.


    ¡°Hey, Yahiro. Let¡¯s make a pinky promise.¡±


    ¡°A pinky promise? I¡¯m okay with it but what are we gonna promise?¡±


    Yahiro asked in a casual tone.


    Since Iroha had seen Giulie do the same before, he couldn¡¯t refuse her, even if it was a hassle.


    While he didn¡¯t think Iroha would be jealous, it was possible that she was feeling a sense of rivalry against Giulie. It would be a bother if Iroha started crying if he refused her.


    Yahiro knew that he shouldn¡¯t hold anything unnecessary with the bloodstained hands of a Lazarus. However, he felt that if he rejected even the hand offered to him, he would forget that he was a human and become a real monster.


    For some reason, Iroha was looking at Yahiro, who couldn¡¯t hide his inner conflict, with the eyes of a guardian.


    ¡°Stay with me until I make my wish come true.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s too vague?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you be a bit more specific?¡± he asked while frowning.


    The contents of the promise were so vague that its duration could be considered indefinite.


    Perhaps aware of that, Iroha nodded without arguing.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Then, let¡¯s do this.¡±


    She entwined her pinky finger with Yahiro¡¯s.


    Before Yahiro realized it, her face was so close to his that he could feel her breath.


    Iroha was the dragon priestess. A girl who was intended as a sacrifice and carried the regalia.


    Yahiro could feel her power flowing into him from their entwined fingers.


    Maybe it was the power to destroy the world.


    Maybe it was a cursed power that could cause the deaths of many people.


    Even so, his promise to the girl would still be fulfilled.


    The small wish of the girl who just wanted him to be by her side would be granted.


    That was because the Lazarusimmortal boy would fulfill his contract.


    Until the moment of the promise that would come one day.


    And so, Iroha narrowed her eyes mischievously.


    She uttered the words of a pure and innocent promisecurse©¤©¤


    ¡°Until death do us part.¡±


    [1] Gyokuro is a type of shaded green tea from Japan and is the most expensive green tea.