While Suguro kun, Shiromachi kun, and Nakami san were caught in the tornadoes, we rearranged our formation.

Rea, Marin, and I took the front.

Gii and Nemusia provided magical support from the back, while Inoue san and Hiyami san flexibly switched between the vanguard and rear guard as needed.

In that short time, we exchanged information regarding the points of caution for the opponents we had each fought and quickly put together a simple plan.

Immediately, an anomaly began to occur within the tornadoes.

Just as I thought they had suddenly converged in one spot, the upper part began to draw a circle, as if being swung around.

"Is my magic running wild!?"

"Guu... that's not it. It's been grasped by the opponent."

"Seized control?"

"No, I think it's probably by brute force."

Just after I said that, a roar echoed from the center of the tornadoes.

"Guwoooooooooooooooh!"

Roaring, Suguro kun slammed the bundled tornadoes directly at us just like that.

"I-I'll stop it!"

"Since it is my magic, I must also take responsibility!"

Rea deployed her defensive wall to protect everyone.

But that alone couldn't stop it.

By Nemusia lessening the tornado's power with Air Burst, we somehow succeeded in defending.

However, the defensive wall shattered.

And in the next moment, countless bullets were fired from beyond the rising cloud of dust.

They belonged to Shiromachi kun, who had become a bone monster.

"I'll handle Shiromachi, Gatling Shot!"

Not to be outdone, Inoue san fired a rapid succession of bullets from her tonfas, shooting them down.

However, since Shiromachi kun's power was slightly superior, they couldn't be completely neutralized.

"The ones that were missed are—"

"Yeah, Erika and I will strike them down!"

We sliced the rest down with my knife and her sword.

But Nakami san still remains.

Where will she come from?

Given her personality, I don't think she'll come from right in front, but—

"...I thought you would come from behind, but for the proud you to be mimicking a mole."

Then Hiyami san said that.

She has Gyges pressed against the ground.

Apparently, she felt the underground vibrations from there.

Then Gyges immediately began high-speed vibration, transmitting the shaking to the ground.

"Throbbing Heartbeat—it probably works better underground than on the surface, right?"

Then the ground a short distance away bulged up, and a beast with sharp claws jumped out from inside.

"Gaaaaaah! This woman, interfering with me at every turn!"

Landing while vomiting blood was Nakami san, who had become a bipedal white wolf.

She glares at Hiyami san and raises her voice.

"You've become increasingly vulgar. The rotten smell is also terrible."

"I merely have the honor of drawing closer to Giraiguu sama. Receive my power of even higher purity! Guren—"

"Gishishi, Nine-Tails Whip."

Then Gii, who was standing behind her before anyone noticed, pierced Nakami san with nine whips.

Since she dodged at the very last second, the whips only grazed her, but perhaps because she unleashed magic simultaneously, the surface of her skin was slightly burned.

"Blood has rushed to your head, so you can't see your surroundings. Your body became a monster, and even your intelligence deteriorated?"

"Mocking me to the very end...!"

"Gishishi, I merely made a serious observation. Right, Hiyami."

"Yes, a thoroughly accurate analysis. You must be grinding your teeth because she hit the mark, Nakami kun."

"You bastards, how much are you going to make a fool out of me...!"

"Fool. Gishishi, she said fool!"

"That's a line said by a third-rate loser who is about to lose."

"—!"

Nakami san didn't say anything more and swung a blade of blood at the two of them.

It was easily dodged, but the speed and power are quite significant.

If she had released it cautiously, calmly, watching for an opportunity, it might have been difficult to dodge the first time.

Well, Gii and Hiyami san are probably there to not let that happen.

For now, it seems fine to leave Nakami san to those two.

"Oh... power is overflowing in my body. Right now, I am standing in a place where humans are not permitted to enter! Hey, isn't that right, Shiromachi!"

"I'm glad you're having fun."

"Don't be so pessimistic. Anyway, there are no women left in this world for Shiromachi to embrace. Before it goes to ruin, raging like a beast is also a kind of amusement."

"Ah, that's right. Seeing a fun-looking Suguro, I've started feeling that's not so bad either."

The problem is those two over there.

It seems that, after all is said and done, Suguro kun and Shiromachi kun have a relationship where they complement each other's mental states.

Even though Shiromachi was finally depressed, he regained his spirit the moment they got together.

Is that what friendship is? Hah, friendship between kidnappers is nauseating.

"Now, try to stop me, Kuragane! Mars Charge!"

Clad in a force field, Suguro kun makes a fierce charge this way.

That tackle and that absurdly strong punch called Areus Cannon are troublesome.

If he used the technique to throw his opponent on that tornado earlier, the skill's cooldown time should still remain.

So first, make Suguro exhaust his skills.

"Inoue san, please use the missile!"

"I'll try. Missile Shot!"

First, keep him in check with Inoue san's powerful long-range attack.

She fires the tonfa transformed into a missile.

"As if I'll let Suguro be stopped by something like that!"

However, Shiromachi kun immediately sniped the missile.

It exploded before hitting Suguro kun.

Although he was caught in the blast, there's no way he would be stopped by that much, and Suguro kun appeared unharmed from beyond the flames.

His speed also hasn't dropped much.

But Inoue san still had skills left.

"Continuing, Buster Shot!"

She connects the two tonfas together, transforming them into a giant gun muzzle.

The energy bullet fired from there is not something that can be stopped just because it was sniped.

The question is whether Suguro kun can deal with that using only Mars Charge, but—

"Then with Areus Cannon!"

Alright, he stopped the charge.

And the thrust-out fist pulverizes Inoue san's strongest blow into pieces.

The impact spreads around, and rubble dances in the air.

"To break that with bare hands...!"

Furthermore, Suguro kun is still unharmed.

He's truly outrageous.

Taking advantage of the sand dust blocking his view, Marin and I slipped past the outrageous Suguro kun and approached Shiromachi kun.

And almost simultaneously, we unleashed powerful attacks.

"Meteor Dive!"

"Izayoi!"

"What!?"

He cannot react to us who suddenly appeared—or so it should be.

"A mutual injury, I'll take one of your lives. Event Horizon!"

It came, the dangerous-looking attack Nemusia mentioned.

In an instant, from my left shoulder to my chest holding the knife was caved in and blown away.

No problem.

I just need to use Healing simultaneously.

Because of this, Meteor Dive's power was reduced to one hand, meaning it was cut in half, but even so, there's no way he could be safe after receiving a direct hit.

My Dreamer crushed around the upper right of his skull, and Marin's thrust took one of Shiromachi kun's arms.

"Kuragane—the same countermeasure as Nemusia (that woman)!"

"Information sharing is important, you know."

To launch a follow-up attack on the staggering Shiromachi kun, I closed the distance.

Then someone pulled my clothes from behind.

"Retreat."

Marin says.

"Shiromachi!"

Was Suguro's movement faster than expected?

He dove here in one breath and slammed his fist into the ground.

"Shatter into pieces!"

Marin and I flew back to avoid a direct hit, but—

The ground rose up around Suguro kun, and stone pillars as tall as I could look up at thrust out from the ground.

Furthermore, with a Kagon! Kagon! sound, they spread outwards in waves.

"That's ridiculous! What you're doing is completely nonsensical!"

It was a joked-about sight, enough to make even Marin raise her voice—and I might not be able to escape like this.

It's fine if I lose limbs, I have to think about how to survive.

While thinking that, Shiromachi kun, standing near Suguro kun, points both arms at us.

"I won't let you escape, Kuragane!"

"Kuh, in this posture—!"

Marin and I struck down the bone bullets being scattered with our weapons.

But even that has its limits, and the scattered bullets accurately left wounds on our limbs.

While doing that, stone pillars approached from beneath our feet—unable to completely dodge, I took a direct hit on my arm, and Marin on her leg.

Our fragments were easily severed and danced in the air.

Yet next stone pillars approached, and I was making a plan on whether to hit it with an attack and deliberately be blown away, when I saw a giant body jumping forward.

It's Suguro kun.

Even though we haven't even dodged the stone pillars yet, he is trying to unleash the next attack.

"I will not let you do it, Wyvern Rage!"

Interrupting there was Nemusia.

The green dragon that floated behind her spat out a wind breath and attacked Suguro kun.

"Tch, couldn't finish him off."

As expected of magic that consumes a large amount of MP, he had no choice but to deal with it with a skill.

Marin and I temporarily moved away from his aim.

At that time, my body was suddenly pulled back.

Wrapped around my waist is Gii's whip.

"Thanks, Gii!"

"Appreciate it."

"Gishishi!"

Gii saved Marin and me.

However, behind such a Gii stood Nakami san.

"There is no time to be looking elsewhere."

Originally, Gii was fighting her.

She probably forced her way through even from there to come save us.

As the price for that, Gii ended up showing a major opening.

Hiyami san tries to attack Nakami san in a hurry, but she doesn't seem likely to make it in time.

Sharp claws pierce Gii's belly.

Although she dodged once by opening a hole there, her body was immediately torn apart.

Strength also drained from the tentacles wrapped around me, and my body was thrown into the air.

I faced Nakami san and threw Dreamer at her.

"How dare you do that to Gii—Full Burst!"

Targeted by countless knives, the white wolf avoided them while doing backflips.

I managed to take distance for now.

I have to rush over and heal Gii quickly—thinking that,

"Healing Orb!"

Before I could, Gii used healing magic on herself.

Moreover, it's the type that heals us all together.

"Gishishi, just as planned."

"So she sacrificed herself to protect Erika."

"Wasn't Marin protected too?"

"I'm probably just an afterthought anyway."

"Of course an afterthought. I won't grudge my life if it is for Erika!"

That trust makes me happy, yet also frightful.

I understand she feels indebted, but as expected, I can't not return anything for it... right?

I can't think of any return that pays for a life.

And, while I'm tasting the slightly peaceful air, Nakami san, standing a few meters away, smashes it.

"If you do not grudge it, then proceed to die just like that—"

"As if I'll let you!"

Sensing something, Hiyami san interrupts by trying to punch her.

But Nakami san easily evades it.

If she enters "escape" mode, it's difficult to catch Nakami san, who surpasses her in speed.

"Crimson Burial Return."

The crimson color disappears from the claws that had sucked plenty of blood.

And in the next moment, Gii's body burst.

Without even having time to turn her body into slime, she died instantly while spilling her innards.

"Wh..."

Marin was speechless.

I had heard about it.

Nakami san activates skills using the opponent's blood, and once she has inflicted a wound on a part, she memorizes that location and can unconditionally attack that spot.

So I was mentally prepared.

"Resurrection."

I promptly resurrected Gii.

And restored her HP with Healing.

"Even though I went to the trouble of killing you, you are resurrected so easily. Are you not just like a zombie?"

I scoop up Gii's body and glare at Nakami san.

I got irritated.

Personally I have no connection with her, but perhaps because she is the adoptive parent, she has that Ooki-like "stench."

Her very existence is unpleasant.

Then Gii abruptly sat up, and while laughing "Gishishi," she slapped both hands against my face.

"Is that face for me?"

For an instant, I didn't understand what she was saying—but I immediately understood and answered.

"That's right. I'm pissed because Gii was done in."

"Gishishi, happy. When I think Erika is angry for my sake, my chest goes kyuu, and I get the chills!"

"The chills...?"

I don't know if that's correct, but I'm glad she's pleased.

"As if you have the leeway to be doing such things in the middle of battle."

Then Gii turned only her upper body around towards Nakami san and said while laughing and showing her teeth:

"Thank you."

"....?"

"Thanks to Nakami, I could see Erika being angry for my sake. Thanks to Nakami, my life became even more Erika's! Thank you, thank you. Nakami is a good stepping stone (Cupid)!"

I felt like I heard the sound of something snapping.

An intense murderous intent that seemed like it could drop the surrounding temperature by several degrees erupted and covered the area.

"My, my... Nakami kun, you seem to have stopped even pretending now."

"I don't have much MP left, so be careful. I don't want to carry Gii's corpse."

"Fine. If Nakami is the only opponent, I am unharmed so far!"

Gii, while showing composure, again faces Nakami san along with Hiyami san.

Then under Gii and Hiyami san's feet, explosions suddenly occurred—that was also an attack utilizing blood.

Both are dodging successfully, though.

"Which means Marin and I should hold off Suguro and Shiromachi."

"That's right. It's my fault for misjudging Suguro kun's power."

"Was it 'us', not 'I'?"

"I want to take responsibility regarding my family."

Marin looked this way with a slightly surprised look.

I was also a little surprised that a word like 'family' came out smoothly.

If it is said that people are mirrors, then surely someone who was loved by someone will come to love someone.

It's not just Yumemi chan and Rea.

The more I am loved by someone, the more my world will expand, I suppose.

"Well, I feel bad after saying that like a cool kid."

"What is it?"

"I'm stepping out for a bit. Can I leave the handling of Suguro kun and Shiromachi kun to you?"

"Why at a time like this—"

"Ooki moved."

At the end of my gaze was her figure running outside the hotel grounds.

Does she intend to escape somewhere again by taking advantage of the confusion of battle?

"I cannot overlook that. Understood, leave it to me."

"...Yeah, please."

To think I would end up saying a word like "please" to Marin.

I felt slightly conflicted, but such personal feelings will only get in the way now.

I lightly lowered my head to Marin and followed after Ooki.

◆◆◆

Akabane, after letting the hostages, including his daughter, escape outside the hotel, guided them to a nearby building.

And deployed Holy Ground, intending to wait for Erika and the others' battle to finish—or so it should have been.

But his figure is not in the rest room where the hostages are huddled in fear.

"Sob... Dad... Daaaaaad..."

Akabane Takashi's daughter, Akabane Kanako, was crying violently with her face buried in Mitsurugi's shoulder.

"There, there. Surely Kuragane san and the others will return soon, just endure until then."

Mitsurugi rubs Kanako's back.

At the end of her gaze was Akabane's corpse with his torso trampled.

He, after deploying Holy Ground in the rest room, got killed by a "Cast" while protecting a hostage who was late in escaping.

If Erika hadn't put him in the party, it would have been an irreversible situation.

Even so, no matter how much she explained that he would come back to life, there was no way the daughter could accept that reality immediately—Kanako had been continuing to shed tears all this time, is how it was.

Coupled with the roaring sounds from outside and the fierce shaking of the ground, the other people's anxiety also continued to strengthen.

"Ushizawa san, those are the sounds of Kuragane san and the others fighting... aren't they."

"Ai thinks so."

"We can't see it directly from here, but I don't think humans are doing this. It's like a war. Well, I don't know war either."

With missiles flying and tornadoes raging, Mitsurugi's analogy was not necessarily wrong either.

However, as long as the barrier is there, they won't suffer harm.

In other words, they can only wait.

However, before them, praying for Erika and the others' victory, a human shadow appeared.

"So this is where you were."

"Ooki sensei..."

Ushizawa calls her name, dumbfounded.

Mitsurugi glares at her with sharp eyes.

"You guys really only do unnecessary things, don't you. If you had obediently complied, Giraiguu sama would have taken you to the True World. Ah, but before that, Runa might have killed you. But that would have been better, than being killed by a monster without even reason. Like this man!"

Ooki squelch! trampes down Akabane's corpse lying in front of the entrance.

Kanako reflexively raised her face at that sound.

"Don't look!"

Mitsurugi hurriedly covers her eyes, but Kanako's vision had already captured the crushed corpse of her father.

"Nooooooooooooooooooh!"

"Fufufu, that's right, Giraiguu sama loves that kind of scream!"

"You scum! Get defeated by Kuragane san and die!"

"Naughty for a student, Mitsurugi san. But any words have no meaning. Since it has come to this, there is no way you guys can go to the True World! Giraiguu sama would not accept humans who resisted!"

"Ai thinks that even you guys aren't accepted by Giraiguu."

"What does a heathen understand? Well, fine, listening to sour grapes is meaningless! From now on, I will strangle you all to death with my chains. Take your seats and wait, okay?"

Ooki, dangling chains from both hands, steps forward.

"There is a barrier, she shouldn't be able to enter..."

When Mitsurugi said that, Kanako shook her head side to side as if her body was trembling.

"They are entering... those guys, are entering...!"

"What do you mean?"

"Last time was also like that... there was a barrier, but those guys entered the restaurant...!"

Before Erika and the others came to the 2nd floor—Kanako and the others were inside the Holy Ground made by Inoue.

If they were inside that, they wouldn't be attacked by monsters.

However, Ooki and the others are different.

No matter how they are inside, in terms of appearance and current properties, they are existences extremely close to human.

Therefore, they could just pass through the barrier and enter inside.

This too is probably because the power given does not assume "human versus human."

Exactly because of that, while Inoue was out getting food, half of the survivors were taken away.

Of course Ooki too was certain of victory based on the experience at that time.

No matter how many barriers they put up, it's useless.

She'll thoroughly laugh off Erika and the others when they return, seeing them despair at the mass of corpses—with such a scheme in her chest, she steps into the rest room.

But in the next moment, bzzzt! a flash of light burst forth, and Ooki's body was blown away.

"Gyah! Wh-What is this...!"

Furthermore, the right foot she put forward is scorched.

"To Ai, it looked like the barrier activated."

"It recognizes those guys as monsters!"

"What is going on... it shouldn't be like this. After all, it went well last time!"

Ooki extends a chain and attempts to intrude into the room again.

However, just like her body, the chain was blocked by the barrier and couldn't enter inside.

"Just what is happening..."

"I'm sure it biologically couldn't accept Ooki, don't you think?"

At the voice heard from behind, Ooki reflexively looked back.

◆◆◆

Ooki's panicked expression is comical.

Was being bounced by "my barrier" that unexpected?

Last time it was just the case that because it was a barrier made by Inoue san, who is a Cast, they could pass through even if the insides were monster.

"Kuragane!"

Chains are released along with a hysterical scream.

After fighting Suguro kun, how lukewarm this attack is.

I lightly deflect it, jump up, and rapidly descend towards Ooki.

"Meteor Dive!"

"That attack again—I just have to block it!"

She crossed both hands, solidifying that spot with multiple layers of chains, and caught the attack.

Certainly, Meteor Dive is often blocked when executed from right in front because it is simple.

But that is the case when there are means to block it.

Ooki forgot that the footing was unstable last time.

Because I fell and lost balance, the power was considerably reduced, but this time I'm on the ground.

It won't be like last time.

"zu, u... heavy..."

"Ahahaha, if you accept that head-on, all the bones in your body will break, you know?"

I feel Ooki's body being destroyed through Dreamer.

First the arm.

The muscle is crushed, the blood vessels burst, and the bones break and are shattered.

Next, shall I dislocate the shoulder, break the leg, crush the spine even? Or destroy the internal organs?

I could do it as much as I want if I intended to.

But well—Ooki has a face like she wants to escape right now, so maybe I'll lightly hold back for her.

"aaaaaaaaaah!"

Ooki, floating plenty of greasy sweat, tilted her arm along with her body while screaming, and deflected my attack to the side.

She has a face as if she got through it by sheer spirit.

And ran away full speed towards the hotel.

"Full Burst!"

I throw knives towards her back.

Several grazed her body, and Ooki tripped.

Even so, she became on all fours and continued to desperately run away.

"It seems doing this much is sufficient"

If she had just relied on "Giraiguu sama" immediately, it would have been quick, but she stuck it out more than I expected.

Is it that she can't show an uncool side to God?

If that admirable spirit had been directed even a little towards her family, she could have become a decent person.

I lightly saw off Ooki's absurdly slow back, and approached the corpse lying in front of the rest area.

"Kuragane san, that person was trying to save someone who was late in escaping—"

"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry but I don't have MP left to restore him right now, I will definitely bring him back once I return, so please wait a bit"

When I announced that, the woman clinging to Mitsurugi san slowly turns this way.

"R-Really...?"

"Of course, since I have a track record of bringing people back to life"

Saying that, I scooped up Akabane san's body and moved him inside the rest area.

There was probably no need to do that recklessly in front of his daughter, right.

I wonder if it's the type where he couldn't abandon Kanako because most of the hostages are amusement park customers, and he felt he couldn't abandon them as a staff member, or something like that.

When I turned my back and was about to leave that spot, Ushizawa san called out to me.

"Regarding Hiiro and Big sister, Ai asks again"

She bows her head.

Then the other people who escaped also supported me, one after another, in their respective words.

My objective is revenge, but receiving this kind of treatment doesn't feel bad.

"I'll settle everythiiiing peacefully and come back, so please wait just a bit more"

With supporting voices at my back, I followed after Ooki.

◆◆◆

Ooki, while hiding so as not to be found by Marin, Inoue, and the others, desperately pushed through the hotel rubble, searching for the passage.

That space where Giraiguu is is clearly distinct from the naturally existing hotel.

Even if the hotel itself collapsed, it should be protected by "special power" and couldn't be crushed.

And she finally finds the "hole."

Without even grudging her clothes being torn, she forcefully slid her body in, and that space alone was unnaturally unharmed.

"Giraiguu sama... please save me, Giraiguu sama...!"

Dragging her bleeding leg, Ooki runs down the straight passage.

And opening the door at the end with both hands, she prostrated herself before "Giraiguu" as if jumping in.

"Giraiguu samaaaaaaaah! I am very sorry, I was inadequate, in my current state I cannot defeat Kuragane and the others! Please, please, could you not lend me power!"

Discarding shame, a desperate plea.

Then part of the beast faces plastered on the wall moved, and a hawk face extended smoothly in front of Ooki.

"Ooki Ranko"

"Giraiguu sama!? Oh, to think you would call my name is an honor! I am extremely delightedddd!"

"You have worked well up to today. To scatter your life here, and not reach the True World, is too pitiful"

"Unworthy words...!"

"In recognition of your achievement in manifesting me in this world, I shall grant you special power"

"I-Is that alright!?"

Ooki, raising her face, floated a smile across her whole face, her eyes sparkling with happiness.

Furthermore, as a result of excitement, she even began to have a nosebleed.

The entirety of her life until now has been rewarded, is probably how she is feeling.

"Close your eyes"

"Yes..."

"Put out your hands in front"

"H-Yes!"

"From now on, what I give, grip tightly, and make it your own power. Understood"

"Of course! If I can receive Giraiguu sama's power, I would do anything...!"

Ooki, in joy, extends her hands to Tsumori Takuro's name tag that came out of the hawk's mouth.

Hiiro was watching the situation with a tense look.

Ooki's fingers touch the name tag.

Then, Hiiro felt power immediately drain from her body.

"Ah, aaaaaah! It's coming! It is entering! Giraiguu sama's! Giraiguu sama's wonderful power isssss!"

"Accept it as it is, everything. Down to the very last drop"

"Yessssss! Giraiguu sama! Giraiguu samaaaaaaaah!"

Having Kaigyo's power poured into her through the name tag, Ooki transforms into the "floor master."

Then Hiiro's body slipped off from the monster and fell onto the floor.

◆◆◆

I rushed into the room just at the timing Hiiro san separated.

Ooki is trembling her body in joy at being given "Giraiguu sama's" power, and isn't seeing her surroundings.

Taking advantage of that, I picked up Hiiro san's body, and escaped just like that.

When I jumped into the passage, I took out my uniform jacket from my smartphone, and temporarily put it over her body.

"Ah... thank you, Kuragane san"

"It seems we succeeded for now, doesn't it"

"Yeah, to think just passing that name tag would transfer power... if I didn't know that, I think I would have had no choice but to die just like that"

That's the result of various irregularities overlapping, so it's only natural that it took on a strange form.

Though the one who caused those irregularities was Ooki herself, which is the funny part.

"Kuragane san, you're not going outside?"

I had stopped my feet after exiting the passage and closing the door.

Because there was something I wanted to confirm.

"I wondered what Ooki's reaction would be when she finds out that isn't Giraiguu"

"Ah, right. That's Kaigyo's power, after all"

"I'm also curious what will happen when the person who abducted her reunites with Yumemi chan"

"Abducted... to make her a sacrifice for Giraiguu?"

"Exactly"

"So that's why Ikuna san, in that kind of place..."

"Did Hiiro san talk about anything with Yumemi chan?"

She shook her head side to side and denied it.

"I heard her voices a few times, but I figured my voice wouldn't reach her as well as I wanted it to."

The relationship between ruler and ruled, huh.

Certainly, just as her muttering becomes a loud voice, Hiiro san's scream might only be heard as the sound of clothes rubbing together by Yumemi chan.

"Then, do you understand what state Yumemi chan is in?"

Beyond the door, Ooki is still steeped in a false dream even now.

She should just see the "True World" already.

"I don't know. But she 'was there'. Even though I, who was indirectly connected with Kaigyo, couldn't keep my sanity unless in a full stomach state, she, who connects directly with Kaigyo's fang, was maintaining her existence"

"...Kaigyo is weak?"

"Not exactly... half-hearted? It was that kind of feeling, that the fang wasn't thrust-in well. But Kaigyo was not irritated. In short... yes, comparing it, just like human won't feel irritation if one of the cells constituting them is defective. It was normal state of mind.As usual, it went to hunt—ugh, ugh..."

Hiiro san puts her hand to her forehead, and floats a pained face.

Did I make her push herself too much?

"It's fine, you don't have to push yourself to talk. It's just that the connection with Kaigyo has been cut, and the head might not be fully returned to human."

"Yeah, yeah... have to discard... with human brain, can't contain..."

She repeats deep breathing several times.

Then her body seemed to become a little easier.

"Ah... but, as an instinct, or as a function, Kaigyo might be seeking..."

"What?"

"Physical body"

"Ah-..."

You mean Nemusia.

"As Kaigyo's, function... probably, the world's rot, yes, as a concept, to connect itself and the world, it needs to have a resident of that world as the core"

"And that's Yumemi chan."

"Right... but, what accident happened, and in this world's case complete rot is not accomplished"

Accidents probably happened multiple times.

As the result, only Yumemi chan's soul connected with Kaigyo's fang, and became the core of the gangrene.

And in order to make the rot complete, Kaigyo is seeking a physical body, is how it is.

"But, as I've said many times, it's a trivial matter. There's no frustration or impatience or anything like that; it's just a reflex reaction to an abnormal event, nothing more, nothing less—"

"It's okay now, I got the message across. I think I understand what a kaigyo is to some extent."

"Yeah... then, good"

It is different when you can hear the story from a person who was directly connected, though.

But with this, I could grasp the current situation almost perfectly.

Recognition is not wrong.

Or rather, I hadn't been misjudging from the beginning.

"I can feel the love."

Being loved by Yumemi chan.

Being loved by Rea , and it seems being loved by Gii.

I wonder if I can pay for those people's feelings.

...If I don't start thinking about it right now, won't it become something terrible when I get outside?

I was feeling such a fluffy sense of crisis, when finally――

"Different"

Ooki noticed.

Reflexively, a smile floats at my mouth.

"Different, different, different, differentdifferentdifferentdifferentdifferent! What is this, what is it! Giraiguu sama? Where is Giraiguu sama!"

Oh, oh, she is confused, she is confused.

That kind of thing is what I wanted to see, Ooki.

"Who are you! Eh? Ah, eh? Wh, why――No way, why you! Kaigyo? Not Giraiguu sama? Then Giraiguu sama――died?"

Died, is what Yumemi chan is saying.

I somewhat knew it, but the summoning itself had succeeded.

Naturally, strange things would happen.

Kaigyo and Giraiguu.

Because two god-like monsters are colliding.

"Lie. Our fault? Lie. Did we make a mistake? Lie. Already, are our bodies invaded by Kaigyo? Ah... lie, lie, lie, say it's a lie! Then what was my life! This life that I dedicated even by discarding everything to Giraiguu sama!"

That question, if it were me I would answer like this――

"...Everything, was in vain?"

Aha, as expected of Yumemi chan.

She understands.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! I won't believe! Something like that, something like that, aaaaaaaaaaaa!"

Screaming, the floor master begins to rampage.

About time, I guess.

I carry Hiiro san and run through the passage, kick away the rubble blocking the exit and escape outside.

And saying "wait here," I put her down in the shadow of the rubble, a seemingly relatively safe place.

"Buster Shot!"

Then just at that time, Inoue san stopped Suguro kun's movement with an energy bullet released from tonfas.

"Let's press on! Triple Cast, Wyvern Rage!"

Nemusia launches a magical attack there.

However, even while being unleashed by powerful magic right from in front,

"Areus――Burst!"

With a fist of incomprehensible power, he blew it away.

I feel he has powered up further than before.

Marin slips past such a Suguro kun, and approaches Shiromachi kun.

"I shall slash you down with Full Moon!"

"As if, I'll take the same move repeatedly!"

The continuous attacks Marin unleashed with her sword were neutralized by the gatling released from Shiromachi kun's both arms.

Furthermore, he takes distance, and moves away from the sword's range.

"Tch, is that one move short"

That one move Marin wants is――it's just, right behind Shiromachi kun.

"Goodbye Shiromachi kun"

"Wh――Kuragane!? You came back!"

"Full Metal Edge"

First, surely, I cut the thickest bone in the back.

Because the body's support column is gone, it's quite a fatal injury.

Shiromachi kun's upper body tilts.

There, from in front, Marin closes the distance all at once.

A deadly upward slash reminiscent of a sword drawing technique—it's called Hagetsu.

"This is the end!"

"Still――still, I!"

Of course, I am also behind, and there's no way I would hand over the credit only to Marin.

High Voltage, doubles the power of the next activation skill.

And the full-bodied blow using the hilt that is extremely effective against bone――finish the match with Handle Crash.

"Shatter into pieces!"

Decapitation and skull pulverization.

Shiromachi kun, who received both simultaneously, scattered soiled bone pieces while, this time for sure, completely died.

"Monster 'Human' killed. Congratulations, you have leveled up to 85!"

The level-up announcement resounds in my head.

That is a certainty proof of death more than anything.

"Shiromachiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!"

Suguro kun's scream vibrates the eardrum.

Marin and I left that spot seeing him rushing this way, but it seems his aim is not to attack us.

Scattered bones―monster's wreckage that it isn't even certain if it used to be Shiromachi kun any longer, Suguro kun picks it up and grips tightly.

"Ah... was it happy for you that you could depart within a battle? At the very end, I might have made you accompany my desire too much. Forgive me, Shiromachi"

It's nice, isn't it, a rooted evil person can be immersed at a time like this.

The shaking has become stronger.

Ooki should come up soon, I want to reduce the number as much as possible before that but―

"To be cornered even after obtaining Giraiguu sama's power...!"

"Guu, running around all the time since earlier is boring"

"While you are buying time, it seems you are being cornered into a further inferior position, though?"

Nakami san's side also seems to be the final act finally.

The white wolf is covered in wounds all over her body.

Facing her Gii and Hiyami san are still showing composure.

In this kind of situation Nakami san is still continuing to escape, which means―

"Did you forget. That we still have fighting power left."

"They do remain. But I, don't think she will come save you, though."

"No, she will surely come save me. Because I am her daughter. Mother's love, will surely save me―"

"Noisy."

Uninterestedly, Gii swings whips at Nakami san's feet.

She jumps back to avoid it, but there was Rea holding a shield.

"It came... Wall Pressure!"

She shoots the defensive wall deployed with Aegis towards Nakami san.

Nakami san, reflexive upon realizing it by the voice, called out to Rea as she looked back at the approaching wall.

"You again, the ungrateful person who betrayed Mother!"

"Even if you cling to that person, you'll only be utilized conveniently."

What Rea released is a simply obstruction called "pressing a wall against the opponent."

Exactly because of that, it was extremely effective in terms of taking away escape space from the opponent.

"Maybe, Runa was a victim too."

"I don't want to be pitied only by you―I am saved by Mother's love, and thanks to Mother I became human for the first time―as human―!"

Nakami san is pushed back by the wall.

Waiting behind her are Gii and Hiyami san.

"Yet you die as a monster?"

"Ah..."

Receiving Rea's words, Nakami san's movement stopped for just an instant.

In that instant, Gii released a sphere of light, and furthermore Hiyami san slammed in a finishing blow.

"Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

Burned by light, pierced by a stake thrust out from Gyges, and crushed by Rea's wall―Nakami Runa meets her second death.

"Monster 'Human' Killed. Congratulations, you have leveled up  to 88!"

This time for sure, complete death.

"Poor thing"

Seeing Nakami san giving her death agony, Rea muttered.

What Nakami san harbored must have been instant regret.

Surely if there was even one second of time, Nakami would have immediately returned to normal sanity (madness), and blindly believed in mother's love.

But there was no such time.

Because she was crushed and died.

What the creature called Nakami Runa felt at the end is strong regret.

However, only that "result" remains.

"Did Nakami die too"

"That's right, from here it's 1 against 7"

"Interesting"

Fighting with the fists, Marin and I were blown away by the shockwave Suguro kun emits from his body.

Inoue san and Nemusia immediately launch long-range attacks, but he threw Inoue san's missile, and neutralized it with Nemusia's magic.

"Now, everyone attack quickly! In this battle that grinds down life, show me my limit!"

Not showing any sign of being depressed by Shiromachi kun's death―no, rather Suguro kun's tension seemed to be rising further.

He desired a battle with life on the line.

And right in front of him, his close friend actually died.

The realization of being side-by-side with death strengthened further, perhaps brain drugs are being secreted in large quantities.

Well, far from inside the brain, even more than just being covered in muscle the limbs are covered in protruding blood vessels, truly dangerous drugs seem to be generated within his body.

I hate that.

The type that rejoices whether he wins or loses.

"Erika! Can you defeat him before Ooki san comes out?"

"Probably not. Seems she's coming out already"

I rush over to Inoue san and whisper to her.

"Hiiro san is in the shadow of that rubble, so take her inside the sanctuary"

After giving a large nod, she ran over there at full speed.

I was anxious if Suguro kun would react, but that seems fine.

That posture, maybe he's waiting for us to attack.

But before the 1-against-7 battle could begin, the rubble bulged up largely, and something revealed itself from underground.

It is a freakishly shapen monster mixing hundreds, thousands of beast bodies.

"Guwooooooooooooooooooh!"

A roar that sounded like women's voices mixed in with beast roars resounded, shaking the entire amusement park.

In the Throne Room it was just plastered on the wall, but now that it's out on the surface it was changing shape squishily just like slime.

"What? Are enemies increasing again!?"

"That's the floor master. Nemusia, the contents of that is Ooki, so you can fire without reservation."

"Oh, is that so. Then―Mystic Familiar, Wyvern Rage "

Two fairies line up beside Nemusia.

It's a convenient thing that automatically releases the set magic at the enemy.

Of course MP will be consumed for that number of times, but if she negates the cost there's no problem.

"Smite that one, my underlings!"

When Nemusia thrust her arm forward, the fairies activate the magic.

Green dragons appeared, and compressed air masses were released from their widely opened mouths.

Ooki immediately noticed, expanded part of her body and caught it.

"Ikuna Yumemiiiiiiiiiii!"

Simultaneous with a resounded scream containing resentment, Nemusia's magic exploded.

Blown up rubble, a gale raged.

The power should have been significant, but Ooki's wound was only the expanded part bursting.

That wound also immediately fills in.

As expected of the floor master――well it just looked like it healed, I think her power is surely being shaved off.

"Annoying... everyone, making a fool out of meeeee!"

"You seem rough, Ooki"

"Suguro... only you were alive. Perfect timing."

Ooki extended a wolf head towards Suguro kun, opened its mouth wide and bit him.

He lightly punched that head and made it burst from inside.

"What is your intention"

"I've found out, that everything was on that woman's palm!"

"Who are you talking about"

"Ikuna Yumemi! That one ruined everything of ours! Yet―yet why are you alive, in that form!"

Directing Ooki's gaze direct toward Nemusia as she has a hysterics.

I thought she might have seen her face once, but at that time did she think she was a different person who just looked similar.

I understand the feeling.

The more you look, the more you understand she unbelievably looks similar to Yumemi chan.

Well, it's natural since it is herself.

"Calm down Ooki. That isn't Ikuna"

"Because the hair color is different? That won't serve as any proof at all. First, I know well. Ikuna Yumemi's body and form! I was looking at it every day, from outside to inside! Aaaah, but not just there. Here, and over there too. Ikuna Yumemi is not one person! There are two people! Why! Whyyyyy!"

"Tch, did you get consumed by power. Words don't get through at all!"

Ooki, while being confused, for some reason repeats attacks against Suguro kun.

And finally, wrapped around his body and restrained him.

"Splitting among comrades?"

"To Ooki they weren't comrades from the beginning"

"...Because she doesn't try to believe anyone, she isn't believed by anyone. So, I wonder if she clung to God whose existence she didn't even know."

Rea said sadly.

But reason aside, Ooki has already come to the end of the line.

Mistakes cannot be erased.

Can't return.

First, a corpse of existence she called daughter despite it being a game is rolling there, yet she won't even notice it.

In the end Ooki Ranko might have been human who can only see herself anywhere.

"Let go Ooki! That one has different presence from Ikuna Yumemi, a different person!"

"No I understood. Soul and body separated. Because of that the ritual failed? Are we the cause? Or other factors!? But either way it's over now! There is no meaning for us living!"

"Just what―"

"It is not Giraiguu sama! This power too, and what is ruling this world, and what will destroy the old world is not Giraiguu sama! It's an unidentifiable 'something' called Kaigyo! We were deceived by Ikuna Yumemi!"

"I see..."

Suguro kun closing his eyes, showing a slightly depressed expression.

I don't think he would heartily love Giraiguu or something.

It was probably emotion planted in order to "deceive."

However, it was only for an instant.

"But it doesn't matter. I want to fight. To release all the overflowing power in this body, and kill Kuragane and the others! If that wish can be fulfilled! I repeat, let me go Ooki. Let me fight Kuragane and the others!"

"It doessssn't matter at all your desireeeee!"

Ooki is selfish anywhere.

Since she can't believe anyone, there's no way she would believe Suguro kun either.

So, she thrust a scorpion tail into his neck.

And dokun, dokun, sucks something up from within his body.

"Guah, ga... gi, stop... from me... taking away battle...!"

"Floor master and mere terminal, isn't it obvious which has higher authority? Suguro, Shiromachi, and Runa too, were in the end just tools in order to produce sacrifices! Less than an executive, has only value of bugs crawling on the ground! Then it's natural that you are useful to me. In fact, the reason you gained the power to fight was because of me, a high-ranking member of the Kaisei Sect—huh? Oh, ah... ahaha, ahahaha, so that's it, I understand now why I'm here! Why things have turned out this way!"

"I... I, wanted to battle... more..."

"In other words Kaisekyou didn't matter. Everything started from that day we abducted you―aha, I see... so you are laughing looking at this act of mine Ikuna Yumemi! And trying to laugh, Kuragane Erikaaaaa!"

Received the request, so I tried laughing with all my might from my belly.

"Ah-hahahahaha!"

This kind of thing is nice sometimes, quite pleasant.

Ooki has a face like she is terribly regretful after having presented it herself too.

"Of course I'll laugh. Suguro kun's manner of death. And Ooki, your self-destruction too, is ridiculously comical!"

"Then kill. I will make this my revenge stage by my own hands. I won't obey under Ikuna Yumemi's script!"

"Impossible."

"To state definitively, quite a confidence!"

"That body was originally made based on Tsumori Takuro's revenge spirit. Inoue Hiiro, who harbored same species hatred, might have been able to handle it. But Okoi was 'merely transferred'"

"I wonder if you can still afford to be composed after seeing this power!"

Ground is shaking violently, from behind... a sound of something large moving resounds.

When I looked back, the Ferris wheel Yumemi chan and I rode once was floating in the air.

"E-Erika, the Ferris wheel!"

Rea grips my uniform skirt and makes a scared voice.

"Welcome back Erika chan. I'll shoot it down."

Furthermore, Inoue san who delivered Hiiro san to a safe place readies tonfas but―I lightly pat Rea's head, and step out in front of Inoue san.

"No, fine. It'd be more regretful for Okoi if I did it, right?"

And, run out towards the Ferris wheel flying this way while rotating rapidly.

"High Voltage―Full Burst!"

Since I am only using it against monsters and monster-like humans I tend to be numb to it, but just scale is small, my skill too is cheat equal to or higher than that Ferris wheel.

Illusion Dagger shaves off momentum of rotation with only 2, Spread Dagger neutralizes most of its speed with 10.

And Spiral Dagger, Blood Pirouette slice up Ferris wheel's frame while rotating, segmenting it into several large masses, finally Ricochet Dagger shatters finely while bouncing off.

In the end, that huge Ferris wheel was neatly shot down before reaching me.

"Ku..."

Ooki regretfully bites her lip.

Seems she can't even roar high-spiritedly any longer.

"Current Ooki is like homesick having lost Shimakawa Yuya. A huge, useless figure."

Dreamer's tip direct towards Ooki, I give sign to everyone.

"Troublesome Suguro kun is also gone, rest is winning run, isn't it. Let's knock that one down with all-out attack, and go to next floor!"

Then I received shouts for all people.

Feeling a little good.

And we, unleashed skills against Ooki simultaneously.