We defeated about 30 Casts that day.

Even if we blew their bodies to pieces, if we were unlucky we couldn't find the name tag, so even knowing their weak point, it was still quite tough.

I feel like each of us had an arm or a leg blown off countless times.

However, seeing how Nemusia wasn't that fazed by those kinds of injuries, she might be used to it in the Adrasia Kingdom.

We took a massive amount of name tags and returned to the restaurant to process them.

The task of piercing the cases while looking at the names written on them felt almost like we were mourning those who were once employees.

The staff are already dead—since I, the very person who said that, was thinking such things, the state of mind of Akabane san watching from a distance must have been quite complicated.

In any case, as we split up and finished destroying the Cast Hearts, our levels rose drastically.

Considering the possibility that we might not have the leeway to allocate stats during the battle with Ooki and the others, I used almost all the points I could right now.

[Kuragane Erika]

[Level: 81]

[HP: 90/90]

[MP: 60/60]

[Strength: 50]

[Magic Power: 20]

[Stamina: 30]

[Agility: 80]

[Remaining Stat P: 0]

[Remaining Skill P: 0]

[Acquired Skills]

Healing Lv. 3

Cure Lv. 3

Resurrection Lv. 1

Fire Lv. 3

Burning Lv. 3

Fire Wall Lv. 1

Water Lv. 1

Tame Lv. 3

Fusion Lv. 1

Sanctuary Deployment Lv. 1

Cartography Lv. 1

Dual Slash Lv. 3

Sword Dance Lv. 3

Blood Pirouette Lv. 5

Duplicate Duo Lv. 1

Full Moon Lv. 1

Power Stab Lv. 3

Handle Crush Lv. 3

High Voltage Lv. 10

Shockwave Lv. 10

Full Metal Edge Lv. 3

Meteor Dive Lv. 1

Illusion Dagger Lv. 5

Spread Dagger Lv. 3

Spiral Dagger Lv. 3

Ricochet Dagger Lv. 3

Full Burst Lv. 1

Weapon Enhancement Lv. 1

To make the most of the characteristics of a light weapon like a knife, I focused on speed.

On the other hand, regarding skills, keeping in mind the fight against Suguro, I allocated points focusing on the power of a single strike rather than consecutive attacks.

I was honestly hesitant about whether to acquire a Rank 6 skill, though.

Rank is like an indicator of strength assigned to a skill. Skills without prerequisites like Healing, Fire, Power Stab, and Illusion Dagger are Rank 1.

And the skills you can acquire by raising the level of Rank 1 skills are "Rank 2"—they go up like that.

Like that, up to Rank 5, you can basically learn the next one by raising the previous rank's skill to Lv. 3, but things change a bit when it comes to Rank 6.

For example, the "Meteor Dive" I learned this time requires High Voltage (Rank 3) at Lv. 10, Shockwave (Rank 4) at Lv. 10, and Full Metal Edge (Rank 5) at Lv. 3 to learn.

In other words, it requires about 20 skill points. If I used these points on other skills, I'd be able to do a lot more different things.

But because it costs so much to learn, it should be powerful... I think. Probably.

I can't really say anything until I actually use it.

On the other hand, Nemusia's stats were—

[Nemusia Adrak]

[Level: 75]

[HP: 30/30]

[MP: 450/450]

[Strength: 5]

[Magic Power: 130+30]

[Stamina: 10]

[Agility: 20]

[Remaining Stat P: 0]

[Remaining Skill P: 0]

[Acquired Skills]

Healing Lv. 1

Wind Lv. 8

Air Burst Lv. 10

Quick Move Lv. 5

Wind Sphere Lv. 3

Tornado Lv. 10

Storm Lv. 3

Wyvern Rage Lv. 1

Overcast Lv. 3

Dual Cast Lv. 10

Reaction Cast Lv. 5

Triple Cast Lv. 10

Mystic Familiar Lv. 3

Magic Master Lv. 1

Magic Enhancement Lv. 3

She was refreshingly specialized in magic.

She acquired only the bare minimum of recovery magic, solidifying everything else entirely with wind magic and skills that support that magic.

Since she learned two Rank 6 skills, she should be able to output considerable firepower.

But she has low stamina and hasn't raised her agility that much, so it'll be quite tough if an opponent gets close in a 1-on-1 situation.

I think either me or Inoue san fights in the vanguard while she supports us from the rear.

Even so, she remains a reliable asset.

By the way, the plus increase in her Magic Power is thanks to the Magic Enhancement skill.

I also have Weapon Enhancement, but if level 1 grants an effect equivalent to +10 stats, maybe I should level that up next time my level goes up.

And finally, Inoue san.

[Inoue Yoshino]

[Level: 79]

[HP: 180/180]

[MP: 30/30]

[Strength: 108]

[Magic Power: 10]

[Stamina: 30+30]

[Agility: 30]

[Remaining Stat P: 0]

[Remaining Skill P: 1]

[Acquired Skills]

Healing Lv. 3

Cure Lv. 1

Snake Blow Lv. 5

Bee Sting Lv. 5

Capture Throw Lv. 1

Swing Blade Lv. 3

Hammer Break Lv. 3

Cross Charge Lv. 3

Tactical Arts Lv. 1

React Blow Lv. 5

Strong Blocker Lv. 3

Guardian's Stream Lv. 3

Revengence Blood Lv. 3

Guns Tonfa Lv. 10

Power Shot Lv. 5

Napalm Shot Lv. 10

Gatling Shot Lv. 5

Missile Shot Lv. 3

Buster Shot Lv. 3

Stamina Enhancement Lv. 3

Opposite to me, her stats seem geared towards overwhelming the opponent with sturdiness and power rather than agility.

I don't know all the skills she has learned, but she's probably good at close combat using tonfas, so her direction is correct.

I'm just a little concerned about the glimpses of unsettling words like Missile and Buster.

I know this is a bit late to ask, but were tonfas originally meant to fire bullets or something?

"Phew, looking at nothing but numbers and letters is tiring,"

"Even though my body feels lighter, this fatigue in my eyes and head remains unchanged."

"I guess it strictly only grants power for fighting. But I wonder if it was alright to use up all our stats like this,"

"Indeed, I am somewhat curious about those so-called production skills too."

"I think we can leave those for after our numbers increase. If we save everyone, we might have the leeway for that."

Surpassing level 80 means I should be able to increase my party members up to 8.

If that happens, rather than having everyone fight, having them make various things at the base would probably make fighting easier.

Having said that, that's only if the rescue operation goes well.

"Please be safe, Kanako...!"

Akabane san repeated it as if praying while sitting in his seat.

Facing the battle, his feelings for his daughter must be growing even stronger.

By the way, he has also become my party member.

However, as expected, it seemed he couldn't accept turning his colleagues' remains into experience points to level up, so I made him a member after processing the Cast Hearts.

Even at level 1, his physical abilities should have improved considerably, so he should at least be able to rescue and guide the abducted people.

"The message from Gii san hasn't come yet, has it,"

Inoue san said, looking at my smartphone placed on the table.

"Gii's job is already done, so all that's left is to see how Shiromachi moves. She said she completely erased Okada, so it might take some time for them to notice."

"The sun has already set today—well, it has not set, but the time is night. I think it might be fine to just sleep."

"Right, it's not like we aren't tired from fighting the Casts. The people occupying the hotel are probably strong, and even if they die, they turn into monsters."

"Hiiro san might be there too."

"...Yes, I don't want to think that fighting her could happen, but."

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. We just have to look at her appearance and figure out a way to save Hiiro san."

When I said that, Nemusia, sitting next to me, whispered in my ear.

"You say such things, but is there truly a way to save her?"

I whisper back so Inoue san can't hear.

"The possibility isn't zero. It depends on Hiiro san."

"Have you thought of something?"

"Rather than thought of something... it's more like praying."

The ecology of the Casts is strange.

Unlike zombies and the monsters derived from them, their main body is the name tag.

And there's a high possibility that Hiiro san also became a monster as a result of receiving a name tag.

If so, wouldn't the master of this floor be the name tag itself, rather than Hiiro san?

I was hoping that would be the case.

But either way, if the main body disappears, this floor will collapse.

When that happens, the existence known as Inoue Yoshino will—

"Is there something on my face?"

"How old were you again, Inoue san?"

I cover it up poorly.

But Inoue san answered normally.

"I'm 26."

"I thought you looked around 20. You have quite a baby face, don't you."

"I get told that a lot... haha."

"I think you are strange to get depressed from being called young."

"I mean, I'm a police officer, you know? If a criminal underestimates me, it's over. Actually, even my colleagues underestimated me. Even though I wouldn't lose in a physical fight."

"Seeing you bravely protect us, you were truly a model police officer."

"Y-you think so... getting told that makes me blush."

The reaction of someone not used to being praised.

She might have truly been looked down upon and had a hard time during her police officer days.

"Why did you decide to pursue that profession, Inoue?"

"When I was in the early grades of elementary school, a friend of mine died. They said it was a traffic accident, but another friend who was playing with us at the time said it wasn't an accident."

"Could it be that Kaisei kyou covered it up?"

"Thinking about it now, that was probably the case. The friend who died, I think they said he was the son of a city council member or something. But back then, not a single person believed it."

"So you aimed to become a police officer to solve that mystery."

"That's just one reason, though. The truth is, I never wanted to feel like I did back then ever again... that was probably the biggest part. I thought that if I became someone who could protect others, the same thing wouldn't happen."

Inoue san said with a distant look in her eyes.

In the end, even after becoming a police officer, the same thing happened.

Moreover, in the worst possible way, with herself becoming the victim.

"But in the end, I died... and Hiiro was surely sad. I couldn't even change Hikarinomiya City, where Kaisei kyou is nested. If I hadn't investigated Kaisei kyou back then, would I still be alive now?"

"I don't think a person who would risk their life to protect unrelated people would be satisfied with that."

"Right. No matter what happened, I probably would have ended up investigating Kaisei kyou."

What has happened cannot be changed.

Inoue Yoshino was killed by Kaisei kyou.

The Adrasia Kingdom was destroyed by Kaigyo.

And Yumemi chan was offered as a sacrifice.

"Unreasonableness" beats us one-sidedly, yet those responsible continue to reap the benefits in a safe zone where they won't be judged.

To judge them, perhaps we ourselves have no choice but to become the unreasonableness that steals from them.

"Hm... a tremor is coming."

When Nemusia reacted, a little later the entire restaurant started swaying side to side.

"Since it happened the first time, it's started shaking frequently."

"The foundation of this amusement park was probably gradually rotting from the bottom. That's why we couldn't see it until now."

Looking outside through the window, I saw the Ferris wheel tilting in the distance.

"Oh, to think something so massive is sinking into the ground. I feel like I am watching the end of the world."

Soon this floor will also collapse and disappear.

The time limit is 1 day, or perhaps 2 days.

Watching the sight of the rides sinking, it seemed there wasn't much time left.

◆◆◆

The next morning—having finished breakfast, Shiromachi was wandering around inside the hotel.

And he called out to a shirtless Suguro, who was training in the courtyard.

"Hey Suguro chan, did you see Okada chan?"

"I haven't seen him."

"I see. He didn't show up for breakfast, and he isn't in his room either."

Interrupting his training, Suguro wiped his sweat with a towel and faced Shiromachi.

"Have you asked the others?"

"Of course! I even asked Ooki chan and Nakami chan. Aren't I great?"

"You are great. But if that many people haven't seen him—"

"Did he run outside?"

"If he's a traitor, it's a possibility."

"Would Okada chan do something like that?"

The two headed to a certain room inside the hotel.

Monitors were lined up there, displaying the outside situation.

The security cameras produced by Myourenji's skill record by reacting to moving objects.

Suguro and Shiromachi went back through the saved videos, searching for anyone leaving the hotel.

But Okada was nowhere to be seen.

"See, I knew it. Okada chan didn't go outside."

"Then where is he?"

"Maybe eaten by Giraiguu?"

"Yesterday, Ooki should have taken her daughter to feed it."

"Besides, there's no reason to go in there anyway. I'll search a bit more."

"I'll help too."

Suguro and Shiromachi split up to search for Okada's whereabouts.

But no matter how much they searched the hotel, his figure was nowhere to be found.

As a bad premonition swelled within Shiromachi and irritation began to show on his face, he passed by Inuzuka.

"You have a face that brings bad luck."

"Inuzuka chan... hey, you wouldn't happen to know where Okada chan is, would you?"

"As if I'd know, I don't even associate with him."

Inuzuka pushed him away haughtily.

But that was her usual behavior.

Shiromachi was irritated, but he wasn't foolish enough to take it out on Inuzuka, the incarnation of hysteria.

"I see..."

"What, can't find him?"

"Yeah, I'm searching with Suguro chan but he's nowhere to be found."

"Since when has he been gone?"

"I asked various people, but they said no one has seen him since around yesterday evening."

"But he was arguing with Myourenji around last night, wasn't he."

"Huh...? Inuzuka chan, are you being serious!?"

Shiromachi grabbed Inuzuka's shoulders and pressed her.

Bewildered by his exaggerated reaction, she answered, "Y-Yes."

"You haven't asked Myourenji yet?"

"No, I asked. I asked, but he said he didn't know."

"Then isn't that guy lying."

"Do you remember what the argument was about?"

"They were saying something about Ushizawa. I wonder if they were fighting over a woman."

"Kuragane's companion? Come to think of it, I heard that guy snuck into the hall without permission."

The incident where Myourenji invaded the hall late at night and secretly photographed Ushizawa's sleeping face had long since reached everyone.

With that setup already in place, it wouldn't be unnatural for Myourenji to have taken Ushizawa out and pressured her for a relationship.

"Besides, why didn't you know? Judging by the locations of the rooms, Suguro should have heard the same argument too."

"Suguro chan... hid it from me?"

His face changing color, Shiromachi ran off.

Watching his back, Gii slightly twisted the corners of her mouth.

He first headed to the hall on the third floor.

To question Ushizawa about yesterday's matter.

Overwhelmed by Shiromachi's intensity, Ushizawa honestly told him everything that happened.

That Myourenji suddenly took her out of the hall.

And brought her into the warehouse on the second floor.

That when she raised her voice, Okada came and started an argument with Myourenji.

But since Ushizawa ran away during that opening, she answered that she didn't know what happened to the two of them after that.

That in itself wasn't a lie, so she answered completely honestly throughout.

◆◆◆

Bursting out of the hall, Shiromachi now hurried to Suguro, who was walking around inside the hotel.

And as soon as he found him, Shiromachi grabbed him by the collar.

"Suguro chan, what the hell is going on!"

"What happened."

"That's my line. The story is you heard Myourenji chan and Okada chan arguing yesterday too."

"Who did you hear that from."

"Inuzuka chan. She said judging by the position, you should have heard it in your room, Suguro chan."

"..."

Suguro slightly averted his eyes from Shiromachi and sighed.

That meant he admitted to covering it up.

Further anger seeped into Shiromachi's expression.

"Why did you stay quiet!"

"I heard it, but I wasn't certain it was Myourenji and Okada's voices."

"That's not all, is it."

"Shiromachi, assuming it was true, what do you intend to do now."

"Investigate Myourenji chan's actions."

"And if you find proof?"

"I'll kill him, obviously! If there's proof, it means he didn't just kill Okada chan. It means he was leaking information outside to earn favor points with Ushizawa chan, right!"

"I think you're jumping to that conclusion too quickly."

"No way in hell. Myourenji chan even hid the argument with Okada chan. Who else could have done it but him!?"

Suguro crossed his arms and furrowed his brow.

"I can't shake the feeling that we're being guided somehow."

But that attitude only rubbed the furious Shiromachi the wrong way.

"Suguro chaaan. That's just you being scared of something you can't see. Even if Myourenji chan alone dies, our absolute advantage won't waver. Right?"

"Because Giraiguu is here, is it."

"Yeah, and I don't wanna bring a traitor to the True World we're being led to. We should squeeze out all the pus now while we can."

Suguro couldn't say anything.

In the first place, the anxiety he harbored didn't exceed the bounds of intuition and premonition.

There was no way he could find words to argue back.

◆◆◆

In the end, Shiromachi headed to Myourenji's room alone.

"Myourenji chan. You're in there, right, come out!"

When he banged violently on the door, it slowly opened.

Then Shiromachi slipped his fingers into the slightly opened gap and forcefully swung the door wide open.

"Myourenji chaaaan."

With veins popping on his temple, he grabbed Myourenji's collar and pulled him close.

"Wh-What is it, Shiromachi. What business do you have with me."

"You lied to me, didn't you."

"What are you talking about!?"

"Don't play dumb!"

Showered with a deeply menacing roar, Myourenji let out a feminine scream, "Hiiii!", with tears welling in his eyes.

"I already know you were arguing with Okada chan."

"Hah... u-um, that's..."

"Why did you stay quiet, Myourenji chan!"

"Wait, it's true I argued with Okada! But I absolutely did not kill him!"

"Who said you killed him?"

"Eh?"

"No one even thinks he's dead yet. Why are you assuming he's dead?"

"B-Because... the situation... If he's been gone since yesterday and hasn't gone outside, doesn't that mean...!"

"Tch, making lame excuses."

Myourenji was thrown away, slamming his back hard against the floor.

And stepping on him as he rolled on the floor, Shiromachi stepped into the room.

"I'm gonna search every nook and cranny, don't get in my way."

"A-Ah... wait, give me a little time..."

"I told you not to get in my way!"

Summoning his weapon, the long rifle, Shiromachi shot right in front of Myourenji's face.

His bangs burned, and a distinct smell drifted in the air.

"Uhiiii! I'm sorry, but please, just spare my life!"

"Depends on the results. Myourenji chan, step out of the room and don't move an inch. If I hear footsteps, I'll shoot your heart right through the wall. Got it?"

"Understood... I'll do as you say..."

Dropping his shoulders dejectedly, Myourenji exited the room.

Shiromachi reached out to a nearby shelf and swept away the screws placed on top with his hand, roughly clearing them away.

◆◆◆

It was the morning after we wiped out the Cast Hearts when a message from Gii arrived on my smartphone.

Reacting to the notification sound, everyone who was resting simultaneously gathered around me.

And we peered at the message displayed on the screen.

『Shiromachi made contact with Myourenji. He completely thinks Myourenji is a traitor. It's only a matter of time before he dies.』

Nemusia and I exchanged glances and smiled at each other.

"It seems the time is ripe."

"Yeah, let's go!"

Together with Inoue san and Akabane san, we left the restaurant.

Our destination is Hotel Forest Castle.

The time has finally come to rescue Rea and massacre Oki and the others.

◆◆◆

An hour after entering Myourenji's room, Shiromachi finally came out.

"Shiromachi, how is it—"

Ignoring Myourenji's words, he forcefully put his arm around his shoulders and dragged him to a different room.

"U-Um, did you find something? No, you shouldn't have found anything, but did you fi..."

Shiromachi glared once at Myourenji, who was repeating incomprehensible words that weren't even excuses.

Noticing the murderous intent contained in those eyes, Myourenji's throat froze, and he became unable to utter a sound.

(It's over... I'm dead... He noticed that...)

The place he was brought to was the spacious room usually used for meetings.

Myourenji was forcefully made to sit in a chair.

Sitting next to him, Shiromachi pointed his smartphone screen at the table.

With a clunk, a lump of metal clearly larger than a smartphone came out of the screen.

"Myourenji chan, I don't really know much about this kind of stuff, but. What is this?"

Probably, Shiromachi knew.

Even so, he was trying to make Myourenji say it.

Cold sweat was pouring from his entire body, seeping even into his black pants.

Naturally, the palms placed on his thighs were also wet with sweat, and it felt gross when he clenched them.

"It's... a bomb."

"Heh, a bomb. I'm pretty sure I didn't let you learn any skills for fighting, right, Myourenji chan?"

"I-I also thought I could be of some use during a fight... so, with the production skills I learned, I became able to make them..."

"And so you made this. Then why did you hide it from me?"

"Th-That's, um... because I thought I'd be scolded. So, um, I was going to use it when something happened and explain it after showing results. It's the truth!"

"Yup, liar."

Shiromachi suddenly brought out his gun and blew away Myourenji's right ear.

"Ha, hahiiiiiiiii!"

At the merciless violence completely contrary to his calm expression, Myourenji screamed and lost control of his bladder.

Even so, Shiromachi's expression didn't change.

(Shiromachi is completely pissed...!)

Myourenji knew.

Just how dangerous Shiromachi is when he made that face.

He had actually seen it at school.

He made the same face when he beat Erika half to death.

"Lies, lies, lies, all lies. Myourenji chan, when are you going to talk honestly to me?"

"It's the truth! Believe me!"

"I have plenty of proof that makes me not believe you. By the way, is this bomb the only one you prepared? Were you planning to plant them all over the hotel and threaten us eventually?"

"One? No way, I should have made at least 5 and stored them in the same place—hah, don't tell me they were stolen? That smartphone wasn't lost, it was stolen too! But nothing showed up on the security camera I set up in my room..."

"Heh, you had a security camera in your room, Myourenji chan.It's the first time I'm hearing of this."

"B-Because, you hated having them installed inside the hotel, Shiromachi!? You know, because you didn't want to be recorded doing 'that' with girls. So I only put one in my room. That's not the problem here, right?"

"I guess. By the way, is the smartphone you mentioned earlier this one?"

Another smartphone came out of Shiromachi's smartphone.

Seeing it roll onto the table, Myourenji instinctively reached out.

"That's right, this i—"

With a bang, everything past his extended wrist was blown away.

"U-Uwaaaaaaaaah!"

"Don't touch it without permission, you really can't let your guard down."

"W-Wait. Why, why are you going this far to me!"

"Myourenji chan, you didn't tell me you lost a smartphone, did you."

"...B-Because, if I told you, you would have hit me, right?"

"Yeah, it would have ended with just hitting you. If you had merely lost it."

"Kh..."

"By the way, this was inside the PC Myourenji chan uses in that room. You hid it quite carefully."

"Wh-Wh-Who would do something so elaborate..."

"You did, Myourenji!"

"N-No! You're wrong, you're really wrong!"

Bleeding profusely from his ear and hand, shivering in pain, Myourenji was terrified of Shiromachi's murderous intent.

It was a sense of despair so deep he thought, 'just kill me already'.

But there was still a "truth" that hadn't been thrust before him yet.

"I-It's true I lost the smartphone. So, to cover it up, I took a smartphone of the same shape from the stock and used it!"

"To do spy work with this smartphone, right."

"What are you talking about!"

"Don't play dumb. The messages are deleted but the traces are clearly left behind. The record of Myourenji chan contacting Kuragane Erika!"

A blood-stained screen was thrust in front of Myourenji's eyes.

There was indeed a "Deleted Message" indicating a connection between him and Kuragane.

"I don't know, I don't know anything about that!"

"Myourenji chan had a thing for Ushizawa chan. And to make that girl fall for you, you betrayed us and sided with the actually-alive Kuragane chan."

"It was stolen! It was supposed to be a room with a security camera, t-there shouldn't have been, hih, any anomalies!"

"And you told them the whereabouts of Suguro's party members, Makuchi chan and Rikitomi chan, and had them killed. Furthermore, you even had my buddies Haida chan and Hosokawa chan killed!"

"Surely, the opponent has the ability to turn invisible! That must be it! Kh, guuu... If not, this is too weird!"

"And to top it off, you even killed Okada chan! You piece of shit, just how many of our comrades were you planning to take from us with the lust welling up from your lower half!"

"I really don't know anything about this!"

Myourenji pleaded his innocence and screamed in tears while standing up.

But there was no way that voice would reach Shiromachi.

"Guns Orbit."

Shiromachi's skill activates.

Countless satellite-like objects with muzzles began to float around him.

"W-Wait... I... I..."

Shaking his head side to side, Myourenji backed away.

But his back soon hit the wall, and he lost his escape route.

"I, I don't want to diiiiiiie!"

"Full Fire!"

Bullets were fired simultaneously from all muzzles, including the gun Shiromachi himself held.

The number easily exceeded 100.

100 bullets, each possessing the power to kill a person instantly if it pierces the brain.

They rained down mercilessly on Myourenji's body, completely destroying his flesh in the blink of an eye.

Riddled with holes, leaking blood, flesh, organs, and what used to be his brain from those holes, Myourenji collapsed to the floor with a splat.

"Haa... Haa... Haa... I avenged you... everyone!"

Breathing heavily, Shiromachi was intoxicated by his victory.

However—Myourenji's supposedly dead body began to move.

"What...?"

It bulged out, and several arms sprouted from within.

As if using his remains as a gate and crawling out from it, a giant zombie centipede using human arms as legs revealed itself.

Attached to its front end was a zombie with the appearance of someone other than Myourenji.

And it stared intently at Shiromachi with rotting eyes that looked ready to spill out at any moment.

"H-Hey, what gives. Why has the dead Myourenji turned into a monster."

What flashed through Shiromachi's mind were the words Haida screamed right before he died.

『Right now, I'm being attacked by a monster at the stall! Hosokawa was probably killed by that thing too!』

A monster at the stall.

Right in front of them, who weren't supposed to be attacked by monsters, a monster that was neither a Cast nor a Hole-Man appeared and attacked.

Why.

What could have happened for things to turn out like this.

The answer was right in front of him.

"I always thought it was too convenient and weird that we were chosen by God. It's weird that not just Suguro chan, but even I could get such monster-like powers! Because think about it, that Ooki chan was the one who told us we were 'chosen', right? That Ooki chan, who covers up murders, is completely absorbed in a cult, and is basically a lump of fishiness!"

He had accepted death by Giraiguu.

No—in reality, even that was just something he was made to believe by the "Master," but at least he didn't feel any rejection toward it.

But Myourenji's end was different.

"We turn into monsters when we die, don't we. No, I don't want this, I don't want to become a hideous monster like this!"

As if to deny reality, Shiromachi began firing at the ruin of Myourenji.

The monster, which hadn't attacked until then, began to counterattack upon receiving the attacks.

It was the same as the Casts outside and the ruin of Hosokawa that Haida encountered.

They are of the "same kind," so as long as they aren't attacked, they wouldn't be hostile—

The giant monster raged, and the roars and gunshots of the Shiromachi echo throughout the area.

◆◆◆

Suguro heard a disturbing noise coming from the room Shiromachi and Myourenji had entered.

The moment he immediately tried to head there, a loud explosion echoed with a Boooooom!, and the entire hotel shook violently.

Rubble fell from the ceiling, the blast wind raged indoors, and gray smoke filled the back of the hallway.

Clicking his tongue with a "Tch," Suguro changed his destination and hurriedly ran into the monitor room.

When he entered the room, Nakami had arrived a step ahead and was staring at the monitors showing nothing.

"All security cameras have been destroyed."

When she turned around and announced that, Suguro clicked his tongue again.

"Shiromachi probably killed Myourenji. And that has been transmitted to the enemy faster than to us!"

Without Myourenji, the building's cameras cannot be repaired.

The opponent is making their move knowing that—Suguro understood.

"What shall we do."

"They are coming. Prepare to intercept them—"

In the middle of uttering those words, he felt an intense murderous intent from behind.

Immediately equipping his weapon, the thick armor, he turned toward the presence and thrust his fist forward while twisting his body.

Then, piercing through the wall, a black-haired girl holding a Japanese sword appeared.

"Your life is mine!"

What Marin unleashed was a sword technique (skill) specialized purely in taking the opponent's life at high speed, piercing through obstacles along with the enemy.

Suguro, facing her, also responded with his maximum power martial arts (skill).

"Like hell you can, Areus Cannon!"

Both unleashed their current "strongest single strike" as their opening move.

"Izayoi," which pierces all matter and draws a full moon on the opponent's flesh. (TL Note: Izayoi mean sixteen-days-old moon)

And "Areus Cannon," bearing the name of a god, which blows away the opponent using only a shockwave without even touching them.

Just before the two powers collided, Nakami sensed the danger and escaped from the room.

And the next moment, the room's walls and equipment could no longer maintain their existence and were blown away without a trace.

Furthermore, even the floor was gouged out, and the resulting crater exposed the rotten earth beneath.