[Collapse of White Line]
When I wake up, I’m lying on the bed in the medical room.
I raise my body and look around. Then I find that quite a few injured are lying in bed like I am.
*Throb* My head and my eyes hurt. Did I collapse due to overusing my ability?
However, even though I used my ability to the limit, I don’t feel that much pain. I feel like I can still use my ability.
That is to say… I have fainted for quite some time, huh.
“Um, excuse me,” I grab a member in charge of medical treatment wandering around the medical room.
“Shion-san, you woke up.”
“Please tell me about the battle situation. How long has it been since I fainted? …What happened to Getsuri-san?”
Being asked suddenly, the woman in charge of medical treatment looks around restlessly, but then she takes a deep breath and speaks calmly, “As for the battle situation, we have withdrawn to the final defense line currently, and Tameiki-san, Byakurei-san, and the rest of the remaining members are mobilized there.
It’s been about one and a half hour since Shion-san fainted…
Also, Getsuri-san has…”
Seeing the woman in charge of medical treatment looked down, I realize that he had died.
A feeling of emptiness passes through my chest.
He wasn’t a bad person. In that first duel, he tried to kill me, but Getsuri-san just wanted to be recognized…
There was also that time when he saved me.
*Phew* I exhale and get up from bed. Only my jacket was taken off, I still have my shirt on.
At any rate, there’re things I still have to do now. I have no time to mourn Getsuri-san.
“Where is my jacket? I’m going to return to the front.”
“I’ll prepare it now…!”
———
Final defense line. The entrance to the center of Derrida Village is also widened by the Self-Defense Forces like the one in the underground parking lot.
The elevator only exists on the second basement floor and below, so I must use the stairs to get up to the first basement floor.
The central doorway and passage are wide and suitable for battle.
However, the widened doorway is currently completely blocked by Byakurei-san’s five-sided expansion of ‘Room Impair’
Having grasped the situation so far by sensing the sound, I walk in the corridor quickly and head for the central doorway.
The fact that this situation is still continuing means that no ally reinforcements have come for more than two and a half hours.
Looking overhead, I notice that the number of lamps is limited.
It seems that the electricity supply from Derrida was cut off and the inside of the hideout was switched to the standby power supply.
It’s not a favorable situation.
When I arrive at the central doorway, there is a crowd of surviving members.
Pushing my way through the crowd, I come to the front.
“Shion, are you okay already?”
“Ahh.”
There is Roll in the front.
Looking around, there is Byakurei-san who’s stretching out his hands and constantly deploys his abilities, Tameiki-san standing next to him, and even the others such as Kemuri-san and Face Punch-san, all the forces of the hideout are gathered here.
What I see beyond the doorway across the invisible wall of the Room Impair is the army of the SDF. I don’t know how many of them are from here, but it seems that there are still quite a number of them left.
The battle is in a stalemate due to Byakurei-san’s ability. Earning us some precious time.
“It seems the reinforcements haven’t arrived yet.”
“Yeah.”
As I thought, huh. That means that neither Boss nor Shido-san here yet.
“Um… Shion? No, it’s nothing,” Roll tries to say something, but stop.
I think for a moment, and I somehow understand what she wanted to say.
“…It’s a pity about Getsuri-san.”
He died as a result of saving Roll. Although it doesn’t appear on her face, Roll is surely pained.
“Yes…
…Getsuri left behind some words for Shion.”
Roll hesitates to speak. I nod and wait for her to continue her words.
“Shitty bastard, don’t let my angel die… so he said.”
I involuntarily shut up.
‘Don’t let my angel die’, huh.
I understand the reason why Roll hesitated to speak. She must be unwilling to convey that by herself.
Perhaps that’s exactly what Getsuri-san wanted to tell to Roll.
That person… seemed to understand my true nature after all.
There was that time when Getsuri-san told me that I was the type who only received the feelings of others and survived alone. (TN: Meaning he only took other’s feeling without reciprocating them, I guess.)
I think he was right. Even now, I think anything’s fine as long as I survive at least.
And I don’t think that’s strange.
Certainly, I felt pity for Getsuri-san. However, protecting others at the expense of myself… I don’t call it hypocrisy, but I think that way of life is wrong.
Roll also said these when we first met.
That even though we just became partners, she would bet her life on my behalf. That even if her best friend and I were to be put on a scale; she would choose me.
In Anonymous, there are occasionally members who die while protecting newcomers who have just entered.
Like Hakunetsu-san and Kuroinu-san.
Of course, I respect the two who protected me and died, and when I remember it, it still brings me to tears even now.
But they seemed protected me with all their might. I don’t think I would ever understand it.
“…that so.”
If it’s a normal man, he would probably say “I won’t let you die” even if it’s a lie.
Well, I don’t think I’ll just watch her die, and if possible, it’s better if no one died.
If possible, I want to protect people.
Just that, when in front of real possibility of dying, I’m not confident that I will prioritize others over myself.
That was why I avoided Roll’s eyes and could only reply in an evasive manner.
“I wonder what will happen,” Roll says after a while.
The anxiety of the surviving members is visible.
There’s no reinforcement even after two and a half hours. In addition, Boss and Shido-san have not returned.
It can’t be helped that they got anxious.
…By the way, I have something I want to say to Kemuri-san.
Remembering that, I walk up to Kemuri-san and call his name.
“What is it, Shion?” My eyes meet with that of Kemuri-san’s who turned to me and said so.
“Why didn’t you give a proper command a while ago? If it’s Kemuri-san, you should be able to determine the timing of withdrawal.”
Earlier, Kemuri-san was just standing on the sidelines of the battle, and only gave instructions for the first assault and withdrawal.
Even those weren’t appropriate instructions.
If we had withdrawn earlier, or if we were placed in the parking lot instead of the passage, we wouldn’t have had such a dangerous battle and there would be fewer casualties.
I almost died then.
I know that gazes are gathering on me. The place is a little frozen.
Anyone would hesitate to question the commander, in this case Kemuri-san, because they are afraid of lowering the morale. That’s why even I wouldn’t normally question him, but this time is different.
“That is, you see.”
“Yes?”
“Because I think of you all as sacrificial pawns.”
“…………” I become speechless reflexively.
Wouldn’t saying such a thing lower the moral? Thinking so, I look at the surrounding members, but very few responded in the same way as I did.
I see. This is a gathering of that kind of people.
Even though they are working to kill people, they could easily bet their lives on behalf of someone and the organization. Only I have different values … I feel like I’m out of place.
“It was for victory.”
“……I understand,” Being told that, I can’t say anything.
I bow down and step back.
Kemuri-san’s reply was not the answer to my question, but they were effective words to silence me.
There is no merit even if I doggedly oppose him here. The enemy is before us.
“Just right. Shion, since you’ve come back, move on to the next strategy,” Having said that, he calls up four people, Utsusemi-san, Tameiki-san, Face Punch-san, and Sen. There are five people including me.
We are brought by Kemuri-san and go out behind the crowd.
“What is the next strategy…?”
“We are able to attract the enemy completely, but the arrival of reinforcements is delayed. The current difference in forces is overwhelming.
So, I think we should just pincer attack them just by ourselves.”
I see. So that’s why he called the members with high firepower. It’s a mystery why I’m included though.
If there is Face Punch-san, we can wipe out units of 100 people.
“How do we get behind the enemies?” Face Punch-san says.
“We’ll use the evacuation exit to get out. If there is Shion, the enemies will not hear the sound of the blast. In addition to this member, I will also bring Chiyaku.”
Is that the case? However, in that case, Utsusemi-san can also do it.
I wonder if Kemuri-san doesn’t know that Utsusemi-san has stocked up my Sound Control ability.
…Well, I don’t need to say it. If I can go to the surface, I want to go.
That’s because I’m going to secretly call Renga. Well, if we’re going to do a pincer attack, Renga wouldn’t be a hindrance even if I call him, right…?
“It’s finally my turn, huh,” Sen who is in a suit that really good on her says. She has received the (animal) training of Chiyaku-san and is a member of Anonymous completely now.
“Kemuri-san, can I call Renga?”
“Ahh, I want you to do that.”
“So, from where are we going to get out, Kemuri?”
“Second evacuation exit. Since it’ll be hard for the enemies to notice it if we go out from inside the forest,” Kemuri-san answers Tameiki-san question.
Second exit, huh. Most of the evacuation exits have been crushed due to the withdrawal, but the one in the perfect place still remains, huh.
“I’ll leave my clone here,” The white smoke that came out of Kemuri-san’s body sways and form a human body, and a new clone appears.
“Let’s go right away.”
We follow Kemuri-san who starts walking after saying that.
To get to the second evacuation exit, we have to go down to the second basement floor, go all the way through a passage from there, and by activating the detonator at the end of the passage, we can break out to the surface.
“Oi, wait a sec, Kemuri. Aren’t these members overpowered? If we’re going to do a pincer attack, it’s better if some stay here,” When we get down to the second basement floor, Utsusemi-san unusually said something reasonable.
“Is that so?” It is unusual for Kemuri-san to answer a question with a question.
Utsusemi-san shrugs his shoulders.
“In addition to these members, there is Chiyaku, isn’t it obviously overpowered?”
“Rather, I think it’s not enough you know. I haven’t told the others, but the enemies’ forces on the surface is quite considerable.”
“Hee~, looks like I’ll be able to blow off some steam,” Face Punch-san says.
“How many of them are there?”
“Well, you’ll know it when we get up,” Kemuri-san evades the question. There must be quite a lot of them.
I feel a slight sense of despair.
“Shion, are you scared?” Tameiki-san who is walking in front of me says.
If asked whether it’s scary or not, I’d say it’s a little scary.
But there no other choice but to do it.
“Not at…” When I try to put on airs, Tameiki-san put her hand on my head.
“Don’t worry. I’ll protect you,” Tameiki-san lifts up the corner of her mouth and smiles a little. That makes me very relieved.
Should be fine. There is Tameiki-san.
When I think so, some of my fear faded away naturally.
When we reach the end of the central corridor on the second basement floor, we join up with Chiyaku-san there.
Chiyaku-san will follow as a medical staff.
She has a large medic kit in her hand and probably in case she has to fight, she is carrying a backpack that is probably filled with her own blood.
“Alright, let’s go. Shion, get ready.”
“Yes,” Being told so, I silence the sounds in the surrounding.
Seeing that I nodded, Kemuri-san operates the detonator on the wall and activate it.
*Bang* There is a blast, but the sound is silenced.
After a while, Kemuri-san turns the handle of the watertight door installed at the end of the corridor multiple times. Then the door opens heavily with a squeak.
There is a dust cloud inside, but light from the surface is piercing it.
“Tameiki, please,” Tameiki-san silently nods, proceeds to inside of the open door, and floats slowly, going up to the surface ahead.
“Go on,” Kemuri-san says, this time I, who is close to the door, goes inside.
Then my body floats and rises to the ground.
I see, Tameiki-san is manipulating the gravity.
When I come out of the hole to the ground, I’m gently lowered to the ground.
Having landed, I look around, there are vegetation spreading all over my field of view in the forest facing Derrida Village.
Looking back, the members are popping out one after another from the hole.
When everyone is gathered, Kemuri-san gives the signal to proceed.
We proceed in line in the direction of Derrida Village inside the woods.
“It sure is quiet.”
“Whaaat. It’s going to be filled with screams soon.”
It’s certainly quiet.
And there is something else, the way I hear the sounds is a little strange. I wonder what this discomfort is. Is the enemy using some kind of wide-range ability?
Only the chirping of birds and the rustling of trees can be heard constantly.
I proceed while thinking there is suspicious.
Let’s confirm the position of the enemies for the time being – thinking so, I expand the sound detection to search for the enemies.
However, the number of enemies that I can detect is small.
They are certainly packed in the vicinity of the center of the hideout, but their number isn’t as threating as Kemuri-san made it out to be.
Is it a detection-jamming ability…?
If that’s the case, it would be troublesome.
We eventually stop when we are about to reach the village.
Because we walked from the depths of the mountain, we are in a position where we can overlook the village.
However, we are astonished there.
“…”
“What the heck does this mean?”
I can hardly see the figures of the enemies.
The number of enemies gathered near the hideout is 200… No, there’s less than that? Anyway, there are only a few of them.
It’s different from what we heard.
While thinking about that, I remember that I have to Renga.
I immediately send out a sound and try to call Renga.
—But.
The sound can’t reach out.
If I just sending out a send instead of listening, I’m quite confident in the distance I can reach.
However, the sound I sent out was stopped within a radius of about 2 kilometers.
Why……?
I ponder about it. Strange. It’s as if the sound has lost its destination… it’s as if it’s going back and forth in place…
This is like…
“Oi, this is…” It seems that Utsusemi-san who is standing next to me also notice it, as he knit his eyebrows.
“…It’s like Shido-san’s, Infinite Corridor,” I involuntarily say it.
It’s at that moment that white smoke wraps my body.
At the same time, Utsusemi-san kicks my body.
*Goro goro* Having rolled over and hit a tree beyond, I immediately stand up.
Then, I see Kemuri-san holding a knife stands in the place where I was before.
His body is still slightly covered with white smoke.
…It’s a clone.
I move my gaze.
There, Face Punch-san is struck by Kemuri-san’s knife on the back of his neck with his eyes wide open.
I move my gaze.
Utsusemi-san is holding down Kemuri-san’s clone on the spot and staring in another direction.
I follow his line of sight.
There, is the figure of Tameiki-san who is struck by the knife of Kemuri-san in the pit of her stomach and vomiting blood while standing.
[Collapse of White Line]
When I wake up, I’m lying on the bed in the medical room.
I raise my body and look around. Then I find that quite a few injured are lying in bed like I am.
*Throb* My head and my eyes hurt. Did I collapse due to overusing my ability?
However, even though I used my ability to the limit, I don’t feel that much pain. I feel like I can still use my ability.
That is to say… I have fainted for quite some time, huh.
“Um, excuse me,” I grab a member in charge of medical treatment wandering around the medical room.
“Shion-san, you woke up.”
“Please tell me about the battle situation. How long has it been since I fainted? …What happened to Getsuri-san?”
Being asked suddenly, the woman in charge of medical treatment looks around restlessly, but then she takes a deep breath and speaks calmly, “As for the battle situation, we have withdrawn to the final defense line currently, and Tameiki-san, Byakurei-san, and the rest of the remaining members are mobilized there.
It’s been about one and a half hour since Shion-san fainted…
Also, Getsuri-san has…”
Seeing the woman in charge of medical treatment looked down, I realize that he had died.
A feeling of emptiness passes through my chest.
He wasn’t a bad person. In that first duel, he tried to kill me, but Getsuri-san just wanted to be recognized…
There was also that time when he saved me.
*Phew* I exhale and get up from bed. Only my jacket was taken off, I still have my shirt on.
At any rate, there’re things I still have to do now. I have no time to mourn Getsuri-san.
“Where is my jacket? I’m going to return to the front.”
“I’ll prepare it now…!”
———
Final defense line. The entrance to the center of Derrida Village is also widened by the Self-Defense Forces like the one in the underground parking lot.
The elevator only exists on the second basement floor and below, so I must use the stairs to get up to the first basement floor.
The central doorway and passage are wide and suitable for battle.
However, the widened doorway is currently completely blocked by Byakurei-san’s five-sided expansion of ‘Room Impair’
Having grasped the situation so far by sensing the sound, I walk in the corridor quickly and head for the central doorway.
The fact that this situation is still continuing means that no ally reinforcements have come for more than two and a half hours.
Looking overhead, I notice that the number of lamps is limited.
It seems that the electricity supply from Derrida was cut off and the inside of the hideout was switched to the standby power supply.
It’s not a favorable situation.
When I arrive at the central doorway, there is a crowd of surviving members.
Pushing my way through the crowd, I come to the front.
“Shion, are you okay already?”
“Ahh.”
There is Roll in the front.
Looking around, there is Byakurei-san who’s stretching out his hands and constantly deploys his abilities, Tameiki-san standing next to him, and even the others such as Kemuri-san and Face Punch-san, all the forces of the hideout are gathered here.
What I see beyond the doorway across the invisible wall of the Room Impair is the army of the SDF. I don’t know how many of them are from here, but it seems that there are still quite a number of them left.
The battle is in a stalemate due to Byakurei-san’s ability. Earning us some precious time.
“It seems the reinforcements haven’t arrived yet.”
“Yeah.”
As I thought, huh. That means that neither Boss nor Shido-san here yet.
“Um… Shion? No, it’s nothing,” Roll tries to say something, but stop.
I think for a moment, and I somehow understand what she wanted to say.
“…It’s a pity about Getsuri-san.”
He died as a result of saving Roll. Although it doesn’t appear on her face, Roll is surely pained.
“Yes…
…Getsuri left behind some words for Shion.”
Roll hesitates to speak. I nod and wait for her to continue her words.
“Shitty bastard, don’t let my angel die… so he said.”
I involuntarily shut up.
‘Don’t let my angel die’, huh.
I understand the reason why Roll hesitated to speak. She must be unwilling to convey that by herself.
Perhaps that’s exactly what Getsuri-san wanted to tell to Roll.
That person… seemed to understand my true nature after all.
There was that time when Getsuri-san told me that I was the type who only received the feelings of others and survived alone. (TN: Meaning he only took other’s feeling without reciprocating them, I guess.)
I think he was right. Even now, I think anything’s fine as long as I survive at least.
And I don’t think that’s strange.
Certainly, I felt pity for Getsuri-san. However, protecting others at the expense of myself… I don’t call it hypocrisy, but I think that way of life is wrong.
Roll also said these when we first met.
That even though we just became partners, she would bet her life on my behalf. That even if her best friend and I were to be put on a scale; she would choose me.
In Anonymous, there are occasionally members who die while protecting newcomers who have just entered.
Like Hakunetsu-san and Kuroinu-san.
Of course, I respect the two who protected me and died, and when I remember it, it still brings me to tears even now.
But they seemed protected me with all their might. I don’t think I would ever understand it.
“…that so.”
If it’s a normal man, he would probably say “I won’t let you die” even if it’s a lie.
Well, I don’t think I’ll just watch her die, and if possible, it’s better if no one died.
If possible, I want to protect people.
Just that, when in front of real possibility of dying, I’m not confident that I will prioritize others over myself.
That was why I avoided Roll’s eyes and could only reply in an evasive manner.
“I wonder what will happen,” Roll says after a while.
The anxiety of the surviving members is visible.
There’s no reinforcement even after two and a half hours. In addition, Boss and Shido-san have not returned.
It can’t be helped that they got anxious.
…By the way, I have something I want to say to Kemuri-san.
Remembering that, I walk up to Kemuri-san and call his name.
“What is it, Shion?” My eyes meet with that of Kemuri-san’s who turned to me and said so.
“Why didn’t you give a proper command a while ago? If it’s Kemuri-san, you should be able to determine the timing of withdrawal.”
Earlier, Kemuri-san was just standing on the sidelines of the battle, and only gave instructions for the first assault and withdrawal.
Even those weren’t appropriate instructions.
If we had withdrawn earlier, or if we were placed in the parking lot instead of the passage, we wouldn’t have had such a dangerous battle and there would be fewer casualties.
I almost died then.
I know that gazes are gathering on me. The place is a little frozen.
Anyone would hesitate to question the commander, in this case Kemuri-san, because they are afraid of lowering the morale. That’s why even I wouldn’t normally question him, but this time is different.
“That is, you see.”
“Yes?”
“Because I think of you all as sacrificial pawns.”
“…………” I become speechless reflexively.
Wouldn’t saying such a thing lower the moral? Thinking so, I look at the surrounding members, but very few responded in the same way as I did.
I see. This is a gathering of that kind of people.
Even though they are working to kill people, they could easily bet their lives on behalf of someone and the organization. Only I have different values … I feel like I’m out of place.
“It was for victory.”
“……I understand,” Being told that, I can’t say anything.
I bow down and step back.
Kemuri-san’s reply was not the answer to my question, but they were effective words to silence me.
There is no merit even if I doggedly oppose him here. The enemy is before us.
“Just right. Shion, since you’ve come back, move on to the next strategy,” Having said that, he calls up four people, Utsusemi-san, Tameiki-san, Face Punch-san, and Sen. There are five people including me.
We are brought by Kemuri-san and go out behind the crowd.
“What is the next strategy…?”
“We are able to attract the enemy completely, but the arrival of reinforcements is delayed. The current difference in forces is overwhelming.
So, I think we should just pincer attack them just by ourselves.”
I see. So that’s why he called the members with high firepower. It’s a mystery why I’m included though.
If there is Face Punch-san, we can wipe out units of 100 people.
“How do we get behind the enemies?” Face Punch-san says.
“We’ll use the evacuation exit to get out. If there is Shion, the enemies will not hear the sound of the blast. In addition to this member, I will also bring Chiyaku.”
Is that the case? However, in that case, Utsusemi-san can also do it.
I wonder if Kemuri-san doesn’t know that Utsusemi-san has stocked up my Sound Control ability.
…Well, I don’t need to say it. If I can go to the surface, I want to go.
That’s because I’m going to secretly call Renga. Well, if we’re going to do a pincer attack, Renga wouldn’t be a hindrance even if I call him, right…?
“It’s finally my turn, huh,” Sen who is in a suit that really good on her says. She has received the (animal) training of Chiyaku-san and is a member of Anonymous completely now.
“Kemuri-san, can I call Renga?”
“Ahh, I want you to do that.”
“So, from where are we going to get out, Kemuri?”
“Second evacuation exit. Since it’ll be hard for the enemies to notice it if we go out from inside the forest,” Kemuri-san answers Tameiki-san question.
Second exit, huh. Most of the evacuation exits have been crushed due to the withdrawal, but the one in the perfect place still remains, huh.
“I’ll leave my clone here,” The white smoke that came out of Kemuri-san’s body sways and form a human body, and a new clone appears.
“Let’s go right away.”
We follow Kemuri-san who starts walking after saying that.
To get to the second evacuation exit, we have to go down to the second basement floor, go all the way through a passage from there, and by activating the detonator at the end of the passage, we can break out to the surface.
“Oi, wait a sec, Kemuri. Aren’t these members overpowered? If we’re going to do a pincer attack, it’s better if some stay here,” When we get down to the second basement floor, Utsusemi-san unusually said something reasonable.
“Is that so?” It is unusual for Kemuri-san to answer a question with a question.
Utsusemi-san shrugs his shoulders.
“In addition to these members, there is Chiyaku, isn’t it obviously overpowered?”
“Rather, I think it’s not enough you know. I haven’t told the others, but the enemies’ forces on the surface is quite considerable.”
“Hee~, looks like I’ll be able to blow off some steam,” Face Punch-san says.
“How many of them are there?”
“Well, you’ll know it when we get up,” Kemuri-san evades the question. There must be quite a lot of them.
I feel a slight sense of despair.
“Shion, are you scared?” Tameiki-san who is walking in front of me says.
If asked whether it’s scary or not, I’d say it’s a little scary.
But there no other choice but to do it.
“Not at…” When I try to put on airs, Tameiki-san put her hand on my head.
“Don’t worry. I’ll protect you,” Tameiki-san lifts up the corner of her mouth and smiles a little. That makes me very relieved.
Should be fine. There is Tameiki-san.
When I think so, some of my fear faded away naturally.
When we reach the end of the central corridor on the second basement floor, we join up with Chiyaku-san there.
Chiyaku-san will follow as a medical staff.
She has a large medic kit in her hand and probably in case she has to fight, she is carrying a backpack that is probably filled with her own blood.
“Alright, let’s go. Shion, get ready.”
“Yes,” Being told so, I silence the sounds in the surrounding.
Seeing that I nodded, Kemuri-san operates the detonator on the wall and activate it.
*Bang* There is a blast, but the sound is silenced.
After a while, Kemuri-san turns the handle of the watertight door installed at the end of the corridor multiple times. Then the door opens heavily with a squeak.
There is a dust cloud inside, but light from the surface is piercing it.
“Tameiki, please,” Tameiki-san silently nods, proceeds to inside of the open door, and floats slowly, going up to the surface ahead.
“Go on,” Kemuri-san says, this time I, who is close to the door, goes inside.
Then my body floats and rises to the ground.
I see, Tameiki-san is manipulating the gravity.
When I come out of the hole to the ground, I’m gently lowered to the ground.
Having landed, I look around, there are vegetation spreading all over my field of view in the forest facing Derrida Village.
Looking back, the members are popping out one after another from the hole.
When everyone is gathered, Kemuri-san gives the signal to proceed.
We proceed in line in the direction of Derrida Village inside the woods.
“It sure is quiet.”
“Whaaat. It’s going to be filled with screams soon.”
It’s certainly quiet.
And there is something else, the way I hear the sounds is a little strange. I wonder what this discomfort is. Is the enemy using some kind of wide-range ability?
Only the chirping of birds and the rustling of trees can be heard constantly.
I proceed while thinking there is suspicious.
Let’s confirm the position of the enemies for the time being – thinking so, I expand the sound detection to search for the enemies.
However, the number of enemies that I can detect is small.
They are certainly packed in the vicinity of the center of the hideout, but their number isn’t as threating as Kemuri-san made it out to be.
Is it a detection-jamming ability…?
If that’s the case, it would be troublesome.
We eventually stop when we are about to reach the village.
Because we walked from the depths of the mountain, we are in a position where we can overlook the village.
However, we are astonished there.
“…”
“What the heck does this mean?”
I can hardly see the figures of the enemies.
The number of enemies gathered near the hideout is 200… No, there’s less than that? Anyway, there are only a few of them.
It’s different from what we heard.
While thinking about that, I remember that I have to Renga.
I immediately send out a sound and try to call Renga.
—But.
The sound can’t reach out.
If I just sending out a send instead of listening, I’m quite confident in the distance I can reach.
However, the sound I sent out was stopped within a radius of about 2 kilometers.
Why……?
I ponder about it. Strange. It’s as if the sound has lost its destination… it’s as if it’s going back and forth in place…
This is like…
“Oi, this is…” It seems that Utsusemi-san who is standing next to me also notice it, as he knit his eyebrows.
“…It’s like Shido-san’s, Infinite Corridor,” I involuntarily say it.
It’s at that moment that white smoke wraps my body.
At the same time, Utsusemi-san kicks my body.
*Goro goro* Having rolled over and hit a tree beyond, I immediately stand up.
Then, I see Kemuri-san holding a knife stands in the place where I was before.
His body is still slightly covered with white smoke.
…It’s a clone.
I move my gaze.
There, Face Punch-san is struck by Kemuri-san’s knife on the back of his neck with his eyes wide open.
I move my gaze.
Utsusemi-san is holding down Kemuri-san’s clone on the spot and staring in another direction.
I follow his line of sight.
There, is the figure of Tameiki-san who is struck by the knife of Kemuri-san in the pit of her stomach and vomiting blood while standing.
