Table of Contents

front cover
Contents
Episode 103 The Struggle between the Present World and the Old World
Episode 104 The Maid, the Maid and Her Master
Episode 105 Resolving Concerns
Episode 106 Factory Compartment
Episode 107 Akira and Carol
Episode 108 Second Today
Episode 109 Untruthful Words
Episode 110 Invitation to Request and Accompanying Person
Episode 111 Ruins after the Anomaly
Episode 112 Companions
Episode 113 Rescue Request
Episode 114 Priority of Borrowing
Episode 115 New Request
Episode 116 The Saved
Episode 117.
Episode 118 The Traitor's Employer
Episode 119 Moving Corpses
Episode 120 The Effects of Fragmentation
Episode 121 Transition of Killing Intent
Episode 122 Criteria for Judgment
Episode 123 Revealing the Seeds
colophon
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Contents

Episode The Struggle between the Present World and the Old World
Episode The Maid, the Maid and Her Master
Episode Resolving Concerns
Episode Factory Compartment
Episode Akira and Carol
Episode for the second time today
Episode Untruthful Words
Episode Invitation to Request and Accompanying Person
Episode Ruins after the Anomaly
Episode Companions
Episode Rescue Request
Episode Borrowing Priorities
Episode New Request
Episode The Saved
Episode ruined
Episode The Traitor's Employer
Episode The Moving Corpse
Episode The Impact of Fragmentation
Episode Transition of Killing Intent
Episode Criteria
Episode Seeds Revealed
Episode The Struggle between the Present World and the
Old World

Akira became a hunter to escape from the back alleys of the slums, and with Alpha's support,
he has grown rapidly as a hunter.
We got powerful equipment. They found undiscovered ruins buried deep underground. They
fought powerful monsters recognized as bounty hunters. We went under and over the line
of death many times. Each time, he became stronger.
Akira's ability is already much higher than those hunters. However, it is all thanks to the
support of Alpha. Akira himself does not believe that he managed to do anything on his own.
Then bad luck appears. Akira was hit by a huge monster that took out his entire vehicle, and
he even lost the support of Alpha.
In the belly of the monster, there is only a short time left before it is digested. There is no one
to rely on. In this desperate situation, Akira scoffed and laughed at his misfortune. Then, he
stepped onto the road to survival on his own, and broke through the despair.
New equipment. Alpha support. And a growing self, both physically and mentally. With these,
Akira was showing further progress as a hunter.
But even with that much power, it is far from enough to complete the request from Alpha.
Akira's hunter business will continue in order to further his career as a hunter, and to obtain
the power to fulfill Alpha's request someday.

Now that the bounty hunter fiasco is over, Akira has resumed his search for undiscovered
ruins, and today he continues to travel through the wilderness in his wilderness-
specification vehicle based on data indicating the location of Lyons Tail's terminal, which will
provide him with the key information for his search.
Alpha. How far is it to the next location?"
It'll be about an hour.
"It still takes that long ......"
Akira sighs lightly, and Alfa smiles and encourages him.
I've done most of the research on places close to the city. It's a good thing that it takes time
to get around, since we're going away from the city. The expectations are high enough, so
let's go for it.
The data indicating the location of the terminal was previously obtained at the Higaraca
residential area site. Akira has no doubts about the reliability of the data, as he actually found
the Yonozuka station ruins based on that information.
However, the probability of finding a place is much higher than if you search in the dark, but
basically, you are always missing. And the wilderness is tremendously vast. Days go by with
no results, even though we spend a lot of time and travel a long way to investigate. Akira's
sighs increased by the same amount.
This would keep the tension in the air if they were to encounter monsters in moderation, but
in the aftermath of the recent bounty killing fiasco, the number of monsters in the area has
been drastically reduced. During the trip, Akira had quite a bit of free time on his hands.
This leisure time made Akira seek a topic of conversation. He would usually not go into each
and every one of these topics, but he would make them the subject of conversation.
So, Alpha. What are you wearing today?"
Alfa continues to wear attractive and alluring clothes with varying degrees of exposure.
Today, she is wearing a bodysuit with a very revealing design.
Each part of the bodysuit is divided at joints and joined by belts and cords. The skin exposed
through holes of unknown use at the joints and on the back accentuated the colorfulness of
the sculpted limbs, although the exposed area was small.
Some of the underwear-like attachments can be seen through the exposed areas. The design
of the garment is also very revealing.
What's this? This is a body suit for prosthetics. How do you like it?"
With that, Alpha smiled slightly and struck a pose that showed off his body and his bodysuit.
Akira was careful not to react to it carelessly. He also tried to cover it up, and said the
question that came to him.
"......, if it's a bodysuit, why are there so many different parts of the construction?"
The "body part" is designed so that it can be replaced with another part of a different size or
shape.
What about the hole in your back?"
It's for connecting to the expansion parts. There's a third arm, an external unit for combat, a
propulsion unit for flight, a heavy personal carry weapon that's bigger than you are, and
more.
Hearing this explanation, Akira subconsciously imagines that he is looking at Alpha's outfit.
I think of a bodysuit that fulfills the need to have functional significance in the split sections
of the bodysuit that look as if they are meant to show off the armpits and groin, as well as the
holes in the back, cleavage, etc.
Then a steel prosthetic hand grew out of Alpha's back. That hand holds a huge firearm. Both
arms were also replaced at the base with weapon arms disproportionately large to the torso.
In order to support the weight, the legs also change from the base of the foot to a pair of
brawny multi-legged legs. A kind of flying device is attached to the waist, and tubes that seem
to be supplying some kind of energy extend from the fine holes in the bodysuit and connect
to each device.
...... no, no."
Akira's imagination was interrupted by the thought that if they were going to go that far, they
should just wear heavy reinforced suits or get into humanoid weapons.
There, Alfa laughs happily.
'That's not true. I could imagine something close, couldn't I?'
What?" Really?"
Yes. It's close, though, isn't it? I would also like to add that it is possible to look just as Akira
imagined with the technology of the old world without any problems.
...... No. Would you go out of your way to dress like that just because it's technically possible?"
It's a matter of sensitivity. No wonder hunters operating further east, near the front lines,
dress that way.
Some of the so-called "old-world style" combat uniforms, even those made in the modern
era, are designed in a jokingly agitated and seductive manner. This is because old-world
combat uniforms are so high-performance that they distort modern sensibilities.
Even if the design requires a lot of courage to wear, if it is that high performance, it can be
ignored. Many hunters have been using old-world combat uniforms, disregarding their
appearance.
As a result, the impression of the equipment's performance is increasingly confused with its
appearance. The more fascinating the design, the higher the performance. Nowadays, there
are even those who dare to dress in such a manner for the sake of military bluffing.
Based on this design sense, it is quite possible to choose a figure that is overly sexy in the
torso, while at the same time specializing in the impression of strength, both from an alluring
and an armaments point of view, by converting its limbs into powerful-looking weapons
arms and the like. Alpha explained.
I see. ......, that's how it works. ...... The world is a big place."
Akira muttered with deep emotion.
Akira's world, which had ventured out of the back alleys of the slums, was expanding even
further today. However, the extent of that expansion was quite skewed.

Akira arrived at his destination, today's survey area, and continued his search for
undiscovered ruins. However, the misses continued. Akira let out a light sigh as he looked at
the grasslands that spread out all over the area.
"Is this another outlier here: ......"
The arrow on the extended display in Akira's field of vision pointed to a grassy area. The
arrow pointed to the location where Lyons Tail's terminal was to be installed. However,
there was nothing but a scene of grass growing thickly from the soil where tiles had piled up
into rubble.
At a glance, it can be inferred from the scattered debris that there used to be some buildings
here and that the streets were spread out in this area during the Old World period. Therefore,
it is not surprising that Lyons Tail's terminal was installed in this location at that time. It is
also evidence of the correctness of the information.
However, even if he relies on that, it is difficult for Akira to continue his search for the ruins
in high spirits under the circumstances where he has been missing day after day. The sighs
he let out unconsciously continued to accumulate and grew heavier.
Alpha sees Akira's situation and makes a suggestion.
Akira. Why don't we give up looking for undiscovered ruins and look for the unexplored
parts of existing ruins for a while?"
Information on the location of Lyons Tail's terminals would also be helpful in locating its
unsurveyed portions. This is more effective than searching the ruins in the dark. And even if
the search turns out to be unsuccessful, it will not be completely fruitless if we collect
artifacts along the way. So that is not so bad either. Alpha explained.
Akira thinks it's a good idea, but is a little lost.
'But ......, is it any good? I guess that's less promising than an undiscovered site, right?"
I'm not sure. But there's a chance you won't find that one, no matter how hard you look for
it. Besides, ......"
And?
Even though undiscovered ruins are more promising, Akira must be feeling discouraged by
the continued lack of results.
Alpha smiled pleasantly, but gently.
The purpose of the search for undiscovered ruins is to obtain the untouched relics that lie
there. And it is also to pay for the procurement of the high-performance and expensive
equipment needed to accomplish Alpha's request.
In other words, lowering the expectations for relic collection also means delaying the
completion of Alpha's request. Akira knew this, and that is why he was a little unsure.
But there, Alpha put his own motivation first. Akira was glad to hear that, and since he had
indeed been feeling a bit down, he decided to take advantage of Alpha's concern. He smiled
and nodded his head.
I see. Then let's do that."
I get it.
Then Alpha smiled teasingly.
Akira. You're suddenly so energetic.'
I get tired of just moving around in the wilderness," he said. It's important to stay motivated."
I'm totally with you.
Akira smiled back deceptively.

Akira and his team, having changed their goal and destination, are once again moving
forward in the wilderness.
Since the search for undiscovered ruins was interrupted, from this point on there was no
need to worry about the location of the ruins being revealed by the travel route. Akira
decided to accept a generic defeat request in order to make some money from the monsters
he had defeated during his travels.
The information terminal was taken out and connected to Hunter's office, and the procedure
was completed. Akira used to be able to do even simple browsing on the Internet, but
nowadays he is able to do this on his own.
Then it occurred to Akira.
You know, Alfa," he said, "I'm not sure I'd like that. Why does this generic defeat request even
exist?"
Why? Because Hunter's office is requesting it.
Uh, that's not what I meant. ......"
Akira adds a supplementary question. It was a simple question about the profitability of the
request, including the source of payment of the fee.
Akira can understand a request for a patrol around the city. I can guess that for the safety of
the city, those within the city walls and those in the lower sections of the city, etc., are paying
for it.
Also, if the reward is in exchange for a defeated monster, it is still understandable. Whether
mechanical or biological, I can imagine that they would be dismantled, converted into
materials, converted into gold, and paid with a portion of that gold.
But Akira had no idea who was paying where and for what reason, even though he had just
killed a monster far from the city and did not take its corpse or anything else home with him.
Hearing this, Alpha looked a little surprised, then smiled somewhat happily.
'Akira has come to care about that kind of thing. Akira is growing up well. Is this the result of
my education?
Thank you.
Akira returned a wry smile laced with embarrassment. In a way, it was because he was
pointing out that he could not even notice such a thing until now.
I don't sulk, I don't sulk. I'm complimenting you. So, to answer Akira's question, the short
answer is that the government is paying for the benefit of the entire Eastern region.
This explanation is a bit of a guess, but it is probably correct. After this preamble, Alpha began
to tell Akira a little more about the situation.

A generic defeat request is a request for defeat with no specific conditions set for defeat.
Neither the number of kills nor the location of the kill nor the time of action is set. Even if the
requested hunter returns without encountering the monster, he or she will receive a
minimum reward as long as the information on the travel route is provided.
When, where, how good hunters encountered what kind of monsters. Or did they not? Did
they win or lose, escape or be escaped, defeat or be defeated?
Even with that level of accuracy, the Hunter Office's ability to collect and analyze vast
amounts of data from throughout the eastern region would yield a number of very useful
pieces of information.
The information obtained from the analysis results can be used for a variety of purposes. To
understand the threat level of monsters inhabiting the area. Selection of transportation
routes between cities. Planning and modification of the Tongil Federation's eastern
development plan. All of these are important matters.
However, it is difficult to compel hunters to provide the data that will serve as the basis for
this analysis free of charge. However, the cost of sending out a request to survey a vast
wilderness area would be prohibitive.
There, data is collected in exchange for rewards for general-purpose defeat requests. This is
because many people accept this request in addition to other requests if they can receive
money, even if it is only a few pennies.
Also, if monsters are defeated in the wilderness for whatever reason, it makes the wilderness
safer and stabilizes logistics. If the profit from this is taken into account, some subsidies can
be offered. If the requester can decide the reward for defeated monsters after the fact,
general-purpose requests can be adjusted accordingly.
The fees for generic defeat requests were paid as a necessary expense for the benefit of all
those eastern regions.

Akira listened to the explanation with great interest.

A lot of thought has gone into this."
Well, that's a rough description. The whole eastern region is a big oversimplification, but I
can think of a lot of smaller areas.
If a group of monsters suddenly appears in a place where there have been few monsters
before, there is a possibility that there are ruins there like the Yonozuka Station ruins that
Akira found earlier. That information can also be sold.
In addition, the rate of monster encounters is a guideline for companies that handle
insurance such as intercity distribution to determine insurance premiums. It is information
that makes enough money and can be sold.
Selling those information to cities and businesses alone should generate substantial profits.
Alfa added that.
Akira nodded in agreement.
Surely, if new ruins were found, nearby cities would make a fortune in that alone. The relics
will be sold in the city, hunters will be paid well, and the city's economic zone will be
revitalized.
Akira had grown little by little outside of the combat aspect to the point where he could make
such inferences.
That's what I'm talking about.
Alpha smiles as he watches Akira grow, nodding with deep emotion after hearing his
explanation.
And always thinking. So that the knowledge will not be harmful. Not to increase the
probability of a future in which Akira could antagonize elements that could be hostile to him.
For this reason, Alpha biased the information it provided to Akira all the while maintaining
its credibility.

As Akira moves through the wilderness, his destination begins to appear beyond his field of
vision. There, a distant view of a city in the old world, which still retains the landscape of
those days, spreads out.
Is that the Mihazono Street Ruins?
Just then, a large bus with wilderness specifications was proceeding nearby. Inside, a large
number of hunters were boarding.
"Looks like we're all going to the same place."
I can't believe that so many hunters are on their way there. That's how much money they can
make.
Akira looked again expectantly at the distant view of the ruins. But then he looked a little
strange.
Akira. What's wrong?"
Hey, Alfa," he said. A lot of hunters like us have been collecting artifacts at the ruins for a long
time, right? For years, decades ......, no, hundreds of years?"
We don't know exactly how long it's been going on, it varies from region to region, but it's
got to be at least 200 years, right?"
I was wondering, "If so many hunters have been bringing back artifacts from the ruins for
such a long time, why are there still artifacts left? How much of it is gone?"
Akira's simple question is easily answered by Alpha.
It's gone. In fact, there are no more significant relics left at the Higaraca residential area site,
and the Minakado site, which used to be the home of the Mai Mai, has been stripped of its
relics and is now just an abandoned ruin, right?
Not only those sites, but there are many other sites in the eastern part of the country where
artifacts have been removed. The trend is toward the western part of the eastern part of the
country. This is because the monsters are relatively weak in that area, so it is easy to make
progress in collecting relics.
When the relics are depleted to the point where the hunter business is no longer viable in
the region, hunters move their activities further east in search of new relics. The Tongkoren,
which seeks relics to support the development of the eastern region, is also moving eastward
to cultivate the wilderness in search of more valuable relics.
The further east one goes in the wilderness, the stronger the monsters become and the
higher the cost of cultivation. However, the value of the relics that could be found was also
higher, so the balance of costs was balanced. There are still many relics around the city of
Kugamayama, where Akira is located, that can be profitably exploited, so there is no problem
with profitability.
Akira had a vague sense of unease after hearing these stories.
"So that means the relics will be gone from the ruins in this area someday. ...... I wonder if it
will be okay."
Alpha laughs off Akira's concerns.
Don't worry. Even though the relics will eventually be depleted from this area, they will not
disappear so quickly that Akira needs to worry about them.
Even ruins with large quantities of relics will soon be gone if anyone can bring them back. In
other words, the monsters in the ruins are powerful enough to still have relics, even though
many hunters have entered the ruins in search of them. They will not be so easily taken away.
In addition, sites where the automatic restoration function is still active will not only repair
the building but also replenish equipment, etc., and in the case of stores, re-stock
merchandise or even reconstruct the building itself.
Sometimes the restoration function, which had been stopped for some reason, is restored,
and the entire site is even rebuilt. There have even been cases where new ruins appeared
overnight in an empty wilderness.
After telling them these things, Alpha laughed to reassure Akira.
That's one of the reasons why we don't run out of relics so easily,' he said. So, Akira's hunter
business will not go out of business because of the depletion of relics. You can rest assured.
I didn't know that. I was relieved. ...... hmm? But if there were ruins that could be replenished
with any number of relics, wouldn't there be a flood of hunters?"
In that kind of site, the automatic restoration function will repair the facility's security and
production equipment as well," he said. And the inexhaustible supply of security machines
manufactured at the site will repel any intruders. A force of a few will only be repelled by a
force of many more.
What was originally a ruin of insignificant difficulty can turn into an extremely dangerous
ruin as a result of hunters flocking to it when it becomes known as a place where they can
make money. This is the case when the security system of the ruins raises the alert level
according to the situation, and defense machines are manufactured and deployed in large
numbers.
'Well, it's not wrong to deal with armed people who enter your property without permission
and take your equipment and goods away.
'If you put it that way, yes. A ...... hunter is just a looter or ...... from that side."
Akira muttered with emotion. He felt a slight unpleasant emotion, but switched his attention
to cancel it.
But I can't quit being a hunter, and I guess it's too late to worry about it now. The people who
were around back then are already dead, and unless they're ghosts or something, there's
nothing to complain about. Are you okay?"
'....... Right."
Alpha's expression hardened slightly, oozing something unusually complex into his usual
smile. With that expression on his face, he looked at Akira, who was already showing signs
of being divided.
And before Akira could notice this, his face returned to its normal smile.

Those who live today seek the ruins of the old world, relics, and wisdom. Those who protect
them and attack them are now called monsters.
That struggle between the present world and the old world continues to this day. The
struggle between those who have taken up residence in the former territories of the
destroyed nations and those who resist to eliminate them has been, and still is, going on for
a long, long time.

The Michazono Street Ruins are the ruins of an Old World city like the Kuzuthara Street
Ruins. More precisely, it is a group of ruins that includes a part of that city, which was divided
based on the tendency of the extant architecture and called the city section, the factory
section, and so on.
It is a fairly large site, but not as extensive as the Kuzuhara Street site. The monsters
inhabiting the ruins are not as strong as those in the inner parts of the Kuzuhara Street Ruins.
Hunters with a certain level of skill can make good money at these ruins.
Akira was not qualified to set foot in these ruins when he only had cheap reinforced clothes,
an AAH assault rifle, and inexperienced abilities.
But now Akira would have no problem. He approaches the ruins undaunted, even imagining
the threat of the huge high-rise building in the distance with an appearance that shows no
sign of age or deterioration, and the security apparatus maintained with an automatic repair
function that would have maintained it.
And when Akira arrived at that Mihazono Street site, he was a bit surprised to see something
unexpected.
"It's a parking lot. ....... It's marked Hunter Office, but it's ......, eh? Is it run by the Hunter Office?
A parking lot? At the ruins?"
As Akira stopped his car and looked mildly puzzled, a security man approached him.
Hey, don't park there. You'll get in the way."
Oh, I'm sorry.
Akira apologized normally and tried to move the car. From his appearance, the man guessed.
You've never been here before?"
Yes. Yes."
I see. If you're going to park around here, use the parking lot. If you park in this area, use the
parking lot. If you don't want to pay to park your car, park further away, at least that far
away.
The man said so and pointed to a place a short distance away.
Akira asks curiously.
You say, "...... Is that how it's supposed to work? So who pays to use the parking lot at ......? It's
pretty much parked there."
A large number of cars were already parked in the parking lot. About 40% of the spaces were
in use. There is still plenty of space available, but given the size of the lot, the number of users
is quite high.
The man answers Akira's question.
It has a roof over its head, and it's not that expensive. Besides, there is a sub-branch of the
hunter's office at the site, which is used not only by hunters, but also by the staff of the office
and other people who do business with hunters.
Akira takes another look at the parking lot. There were indeed many vehicles parked there
that were not intended for hunters.
And this is the wilderness. I'm sorry to say it, but there are a lot of idiots who lack decency.
Even so, no one would mess with a car in a parking lot managed by the hunter's office. There
are security guards and surveillance cameras to keep an eye on things.
Akira unconsciously nodded lightly. Akira knew the value of being able to park his car safely
in the wilderness.
Well, sometimes there are idiots who still try their hand, but they all meet a sorry end. That's
why there are so many who use them, you know? If you want to use it too, the receptionist is
over there."
When the man finished kindly telling the new hunter, who had probably finally become
active enough to work at the Mihazono Street site, about the significance of the parking lot,
he lightly pointed to the reception desk and went on his way.
'......, let's give it a try.'
Yes, it is. It's a good thing we have this equipment. Let's take advantage of it so we don't
become the unlucky target of car vandalism.
Akira smiled back at Alfa, who smiled teasingly at him, albeit with a wry smile.
I headed to the parking lot reception desk and parked my car after completing the payment
procedures. To prevent overcharging, the fee was deducted directly from the account of the
Hunter Office.
'Be aware that if you forget to complete the procedure on the way back, the system will keep
deducting fees from your account all the way back to ......? This means if you get lost in the
ruins, they'll squeeze you until your account is empty, right?'
'I was also offered rescue insurance in case of distress, and I guess if you don't want to empty
your account, you can have that too.'
There's even a sub-branch of the Hunter Office at the site, which means they're doing a lot of
things."
He unloads his luggage from the car, removes the CWH objective assault rifle and DVTS
minigun from the gun turret, and equips them. After preparing to explore the site, Akira first
left the parking lot and moved near the Hunter Office sub-branch.
The office is also equipped with a relic buying station, and hunters can be seen bringing in
relics they have just retrieved from the ruins. There were also people carrying defeated
mechanical monsters with them.
'You're bringing back defeated mechanical monsters and selling them. Hmmm. Reminds me
of collecting scrap iron and steel, but for money?'
'At least I'll be able to sell the monsters I kill in the ruins for a high enough price that I'll be
willing to take them home and sell them instead of leaving them there.'
In a sense, mechanical monsters are relics that are still guaranteed to work. Even if they are
broken, they often contain materials made in the old world that cannot be reproduced with
today's technology and may be more expensive than inferior relics.
At least at this Mihazono Street site, there was enough profit to allow merchants with strong
business spirit to rent and sell carts in the vicinity of the sub-branch.
Even if it is a hassle to bring them back to the city, they can be brought back to the sub-branch
office by the ruins. Even with that level of thinking, if many hunters defeat the monsters with
it, the difficulty level of the ruins will decrease by that much.
This would encourage the collection of relics, and the cities to which the relics are brought
would profit from them. Perhaps that is why the cities are buying them at a slightly higher
price. Alpha added lightly.
Akira nodded as if he was satisfied to hear that.
'I knew there's a lot going on with the Hunter Office sub-branches,' he said. It would have
helped if they'd done something at the ...... Kuzuthara Street site.'
Akira was recalling how he used to carry relics from the depths of the ruins when he didn't
even have a reinforced suit yet.
'That's near the city. They probably don't need to bother building a sub-branch office for the
hunter office. Besides, I don't think it's that they haven't done anything.'
For example?"
'You'd be doing something much more extensive than building a temporary base, let alone a
sub-branch, wouldn't you?'
'...... Oh. That too."
Then Akira noticed that some of the hunters around him were looking in the same direction
with slightly surprised faces.
Akira also looks where he is looking. And he looked a little surprised as well. There were
three familiar faces there, and two of them were dressed in familiar outfits, and in addition,
their outfits were maids' uniforms, which were very unsuitable for the ruins.
There they were, Reina and her family.
Episode The Maid, the Maid and Her Master

In front of the Hunter's Office sub-branch office at the Mihazono Street site, Raina lets out a
light sigh.
...... still stands out to me."
He then turned his gaze to the causes. Shioli and Kanae, dressed in maid's uniforms, which
did not look out of place in the ruins, stood out very much.
Shiori, one of the causes, bows her head slightly in apology.
Miss. I'm afraid you'll just have to get used to this one."
But Kanae, the other one who was the cause of the problem, laughed, not caring at all.
I'm used to it. I'm used to it. When you become a well-known hunter, you will attract
attention no matter what you look like. You should get used to it while you still can. Unless,
of course, the young lady has no intention of ending up a hunter for a penny."
Reina gives Kanae a light glare. Kanae still smiled unconcernedly, but when Shiori gave her
an additional hard look, she looked away as if to cover it up.
Reina watched the exchange between Shiori and Kanae and let out another sigh at the fact
that, despite the difference in attitude, neither of them had any intention of removing the
cause of their prominence.

Young hunters in Drangkam are based on troop actions. Raina also belongs to that Drangkam
and is young enough in age and hunter experience.
But lately he has been acting alone. Technically, he is not alone because of Shioli and Kanae,
but he is acting alone in that he has been removed from the Drangkam operation and is not
acting in a unit with the other young men.
The reason for this was Reyna's situation. She has been uniformly distanced from the
Drangkamu faction.
When Akira and Katsuya were on the verge of killing each other in the sub-division of
Kugamayama City, Reina and her team had previously declared that they would take a
neutral position and left the scene first.
Although the dispute itself was resolved amicably, there was no difference in the fact that
Reyna and her friends abandoned Katsuya in a sense, and Reyna's position in Drunkum
became very delicate.
Prior to the dispute, Reina was a member of Katsuya's team, but at that time she was about
to leave the team for various reasons. Because she had ignored Katsuya's kind intentions to
keep her on the team and abandoned him, the younger members of Drunkham's "A" team
became angry and disgusted with Reyna and her teammates.
The emotions of these young people did not stop when Katsuya told them that the actions of
Reina and the others were unavoidable under the circumstances. The fact that the dispute
itself was settled amicably added to the bad feelings, as it was interpreted as abandoning
Katsuya, when in fact it was no big deal.
Mizuha, the boss of Katsuya and his group, could not keep Reina and his group in the Katsuya
faction because of the attitude of the younger members of the Katsuya faction, which he
himself actively promotes.
Another group of younger workers in Drangkam, Group B, rejected Reyna, who even had a
maid with her, because all of them came from slums and other economically impoverished
areas, and they did not feel any affinity toward her. The old-timers, who disliked the younger
generation, did not take a favorable attitude toward Raina, who was also young.
Reina and her colleagues, who had been distanced from all the factions in Drangkam because
of these circumstances, were forced to go it alone, partly because of the intensifying factional
strife within Drangkam.
This means that they will not receive any support from Drangkam, such as mediation for
profitable requests. This is a fatal blow to hunters who are trying to make it within
Drangkam.
This was, however, to the advantage of Shiori, not to mention Reina. The fact that they were
no longer involved in the factional strife meant that Reyna was not involved in the
commotion at the Yonozuka Station ruins or in the bitter struggle to take down the bounty
hunter.
Still, it makes no difference that the situation is difficult from a positional standpoint. Reyna
and her colleagues were out of the factional struggle in Drangkam, and they continued their
daily hunter work without much benefit from the clique.

Reyna and her team were very conspicuous, using the Mihazono Street ruins as their
immediate place of activity.
Reyna's armament is the usual equipment for a hunter: reinforced clothing and a gun.
However, Shioli was also armed with two swords. Kanae, on the other hand, had only a gun,
a pistol, and instead wore a fighting cage.
While many of them fight against powerful monsters by taking advantage of guns as long-
range weapons, two of the trio stand out in their own way if they are armed for close-range
combat. However, the main reason for their prominence is the fact that Shiori and Kanae are
wearing maid uniforms.
In a city, due in part to the high appearance of Shioli and her friends, they would have only
been looked at with curiosity. But this is the wilderness. The stares they were receiving
included warnings about foreign objects that might be out of place.
Something similar happened when Reyna and Shiori were in the underground city of the
Kuzuthara Street Ruins. However, at that time, the hunters around them were somewhat
fixed, and their curiosity and wariness gradually faded as they became accustomed to their
surroundings.
But this is not the case here at the Mihazono Street ruins. Many hunters visit this place in
turn, and most of them are seeing Raina and her friends for the first time. Attention is not so
easily subdued.
In the midst of all this attention, Shioli put her duties and loyalty before the glances of others,
Kanae laughed without a care, and Reina was a little dismayed.
Kanae, however, took her job as Reina's bodyguard seriously, even though she behaved as if
she had no loyalty to the Lord.
And when he spotted a familiar face in the area of his vigil, he laughed happily.

◆
Akira, who had spotted Reyna and the others, smiled lightly, somewhat satisfied with the
state of the hunters around him.
'Alpha. After all, the maid uniform still looks unnatural on you.'
Akira is not familiar with common sense, perhaps due to the fact that he lived for many years
in the back alleys of the slums. In addition, having heard and experienced many stories that
shook his common sense, he had a subtle uneasiness about the common sense he was aware
of.
With this background, Akira was in a slightly better mood when he saw a scene that matched
his own common sense.
Alpha chuckles lightly.
I guess so. If you are satisfied, let's go. Akira doesn't want any trouble, does he?
Hmm? Right."
Akira tried to leave, but it was too late. Kanae had already spotted him.
Boy! We meet again!"
Kanae called out loudly to Akira with a big wave of her hand. This drew Akira's attention.
'Look, I'm not going to leave you quickly. ......
'...... I guess so.'
Akira could not argue with Alfa, who was clearly displaying an "I told you so" attitude. And
while he was wondering whether he should leave quickly or not, Kanae quickly closed the
distance between them.
It's a coincidence that we meet at a place like this! Oh, I'm Kanae!"
...... I'm Akira."
I see! Akira boy! Nice to meet you!
Reina and Shiori could not leave Akira in this situation. After making light eye contact, they
went under Akira and the others.
And first, Shiori bails out, checking on Akira.
...... Akira-sama, it's been a long time."
Reina follows, looking a little nervous.
...... that, it's been a long time."
Akira also responds, seemingly at a loss for a response.
Oh, yeah. Long time no see."
Akira, Reina, and Shiori all felt awkward and could not decide on their attitude and response
to the other party.
Then Kanae makes a cheerful voice that does not read the atmosphere of the place at all.
"Is the Akira boy a relic collector?"
Yes, but ......"
Alone?
I'm not sure I'm going to be able to do that. I'm basically a one-man operation."
Oh! These ruins are quite difficult, but collecting relics by yourself? You're good!"
"Thanks for ......."
Kanae's cheerful attitude, which was so out of place, had taken the venom out of Akira's
heart, and he began to care less about various things. Exhaling lightly, he changes his mind
and tells his thoughts to Shiori and Reina to avoid any unnecessary trouble.
I don't expect them to believe my side of the story and take my side in that situation." I'm
just grateful that he remained neutral. I thank you in advance.
Shiori immediately sensed that he meant what he said. She bowed her head politely to Akira,
feeling relieved inwardly.
Thank you for your understanding.
Reyna also releases her tension and exhales. Akira, too, held back any unnecessary alarm as
they indicated to each other that they had no hostile intentions toward each other.
"So, what can I do for you? If you're just here to say hello to a face you know, I'll be on my
way."
No, that's all. Sorry for the trouble. Take care."
Shioli politely tried to part ways with Akira as it was. Even though they are not enemies, she
is well aware that he is a person who is prone to causing trouble. She did not want him to get
involved with Reyna too much.
But then Kanae interrupts again.
Akira boy! This is just another chance for me! Would you like to explore the ruins with me?"
Reina and Shiori are surprised when Kanae suddenly asks Akira out. But Shioli quickly came
to her senses and hurried to stop her.
But before that, Akira tells him in no uncertain terms.
I refuse."
Hearing this, Raina nodded a little. Reina also did not want to work as a hunter with Akira,
but she still felt depressed when he refused her without hesitation.
Dangerous hunter business, the more forces the better. Akira must know how strong Shioli
is. Akira would be able to see through Kanae's strength. Even so, Akira did not even hesitate.
Is it still true that I am a liability? Is it enough to overturn the value of Shioli and Kanae's
strength? Reyna's thoughts turned to self-deprecation as she thought of this.
While Shiori is heartbroken by Reina's condition, Kanae smiles brightly as if teasing Akira.
I'm so bored," he said. Are you so old and withered that you would refuse an invitation to
accompany such a beautiful girl?"
I just don't want to stand out by working with people dressed like that," he said. Besides, I
don't want to get into trouble with them over the course of action or the distribution of
rewards.
Akira looked near stunned. Both of the reasons for telling him were sincere, but the former
reason was strengthened by the fact that he was now being looked at oddly by those around
him, and with the eye of recognition that he was the companion of those in maid's uniforms.
Why are you dressed like that? It would stand out no matter how you look at it. Is that your
kind of hobby?"
It's my employer's hobby!"
Kanae made that clear. There was a futile persuasiveness in it.
Akira glances at Reyna and gives her a subtle look.
......, yeah, right."
Reyna was feeling down, but that mood was blown away when she realized that she had been
clearly misunderstood. She hurriedly denied it.
No!" It's not my thing!"
Oh, yeah. Okay."
Reina's face contorts in impatience at the sight of Akira, who seems to be saying that the
misunderstanding has not been cleared up even a little. But in a way, thanks to her
impatience, Reina's depressed mood was gone.
Shiori chuckles at Reina's appearance, which is much better than being left with a sinking
feeling, and adds to clear up the misunderstanding.
The more accurate answer is that it was the hobby of the young lady's grandfather, our
official employer. It is also the most sophisticated combat uniform we have. We don't wear
it to stand out."
By the way, I'm wearing reinforced innerwear underneath.
Kanae said this and lightly lifted her own skirt. From there, a pair of reinforced innerwear
that looked like black tights was exposed.
Shiori slaps Kanae's hand to make her stop.
We wear this equipment to protect you, knowing that it will be conspicuous. We wear these
items of equipment to protect the young lady, not because it is in her taste. Do you
understand?
Akira groaned a little as he looked again at the maid uniforms of Shiori and the others. Then
she laughed as if she had noticed something.
Oh, I see. That maid's uniform, it's made in the old world, isn't it? It's so durable that I use it
as a protective suit and operate it with reinforced innerwear underneath. Am I right?"
Akira recalled when he himself was in the underground mall of the Kuzuthara Street Ruins.
At that time, Shioli was also wearing a maid's uniform, but it was an ordinary one, not a
protective suit. However, she was wearing reinforced innerwear underneath.
Perhaps for some reason she did not have an old-world maid's uniform on hand at the time,
and was wearing an ordinary maid's uniform for the purpose of bluffing. A meaningless bluff
against monsters, but effective against the hunters in the underground mall. This would
make sense. Akira was in a good mood, thinking that he had seen through the bluff.
But Shioli denies it.
No, this is not made in the old world, but in the modern world. But it was made by a clothing
manufacturer that also manufactures protective clothing, so it has enough performance to
withstand combat.
"............ tell me if my common sense is wrong. Why does a maid's uniform need to be defensive
enough to withstand a battle with a monster?"
Only as required by my duties.
I'm sure you've heard of the "maids at ......, right? You mean people who do housework and
other occupations, right? You don't want that function, do you?"
There are some jobs that require it.
"...... that's what you call someone ostensibly a maid with combat training who is assigned to
...... security and escort duties, right?"
No, not ostensibly, but myself, Kanae there, and other colleagues are maids as well. But I do
not deny that certain combat skills are essential and that we have all received such training.
Is it "Made ......? All of them?"
If I may say so, that includes butlers."
Being serious at heart, Shioli answered Akira's questions sincerely and to the extent that she
could talk about them, without playing dumb or blowing smoke up Akira's ass.
However, this only served to deepen Akira's confusion.
(Why do maids and butlers need combat skills? Since we're going to hire those things, we're
probably talking about inside the bulwark, right? ...... eh? Is inside the walls such a dangerous
place? (Am I misremembering what a maid or butler is in the first place?)
Akira, who was mildly confused by what he heard that greatly shook his own common sense,
muttered in confusion.
"Is there something wrong with my common sense?" ......
Then Kanae laughs and interjects.
Boy. Don't worry about it. The world is a big place. That's all.
Akira looks at Kanae. Kanae nodded deeply with an admonishing smile.
At that moment, Akira suddenly felt foolish for worrying about so many things and stopped
thinking about it.
Even if my common sense is somewhat wrong and something dangerous happens because
of it, it is not as dangerous as being attacked by a pack of monsters in the wilderness. If that
is the case, there is no need to worry about it. I convinced myself of this.
Then he exhales lightly, switches his consciousness, and tells Reina and the others.
I don't intend to work as a hunter with you for the time being. I was asked to escort you
before, but I don't want to do that now. Let's talk about it some other time. See you."
Akira said that was all he had to say to Reina and the others and walked away.
A short distance away, Alpha smiles meaningfully.
'...... what the hell?'
It's no big deal. I just thought it was a good thing that the wrangler was running so poorly
this time.'
'Oh, I see.
Akira chuckled, but did not argue.

After parting with Akira, Shiori reprimands Kanae at the same time that he disappears from
sight.
Kanae. What the hell are you doing?"
Kanae gave a love-struck look.
Imitating what?
Why did you talk to him? What were you going to do if something happened?"
Nothing happened, and I'm glad to know that Akira Boy isn't mad at me. There's no need to
be angry.
Kanae, who kept her light tone, glared at Shiori with a serious face.
I'm asking why you did it. You remember how he was at that time, don't you Kanae? Why did
you take such a careless and imprudent step to call out to him from our side?
If we put Reina in danger for no reason, we have an idea. Sioli warned him so with a sharp
look.
Still, Kanae laughed, completely unfazed.
That's exactly what I'm talking about. I think it was a good opportunity.
In any case, I had to check sometime to see how angry Akira was.
And even if Akira's anger was at its worst, to the point that he would kill them as soon as they
brought themselves into view, they would likely try to remain calm here, with the Hunter
Office sub-branch right next door.
Even if they were still enraged enough to attack you, now that there are many hunters
around, you can fight very favorably with them on your side.
As Reina's escort, Kanae blithely interjected that she could not pass up the perfect
opportunity to do so.
I'm going to go to ...... and see what I can find." Good then."
So Shioli also discontinued further pursuit of the matter. Even though it was a pretext, its
content had a certain persuasive power.
And even if Kanae's reason for moving on her own was a joke, that it would be more
interesting, she calmed herself down by deciding that she would not move without a suitable
pretext.
A colleague with a troublesome personality, but with the precedent of his inability to protect
Reina on his own, Sioli restrained himself with loyalty to Reina, knowing that he could not
afford to cut off additional forces.
Kanae laughs as she watches Shiori.
Is that so? That's good to hear."
Reina then let out a loud sigh as she watched the interaction between Shioli and the others.
He understood that he was the master of the two. However, I was not sure if I was worthy of
being their master.
Once crushed by her own weakness, Reyna was trying to stand up, little by little, slowly but
surely. However, she was not yet on her feet.
◆

Akira moves through the city section of the Mihazono Street Ruins. An arrow displayed in his
extended vision indicated the upper floors of a high-rise building in the distance.
Akira's objective now is to find the unexplored parts of the existing ruins based on the
information from Lyons Tail's terminal locations.
We were planning to go to the place indicated by the arrow and collect artifacts there if we
were successful, and return to collect artifacts if we were not successful.
Although it is an urban area, there are many places that are impassable due to rubble and
debris, so they are proceeding on foot. The reinforced clothing makes it easy to climb over
the piles of debris.
'And yet, it's in a place like that. Surely there's plenty of relics if you can get over there. ......"
It is quite possible that an unsurveyed portion of the ruins exists there. In fact, the map I
obtained on the Internet does not contain any information on the relevant part of the site.
The exact name and location of the Celantar Building were listed, but there was no
information on the building's interior structure.
It is quite possible that it is simply a cheap map. However, Akira could easily guess that if
there were unexplored areas, it was probably because they were genuinely difficult to reach,
rather than because they were very hard to find.
Alpha smiles a confident smile.
Let's just go as far as we can," he said. Even if others can't, there's a chance I can find out and
guide you.
In fact, thanks to Alpha's guidance, Akira was collecting relics deep within the ruins of
Kuzuhara Street, which would normally be impossible to reach. Akira nodded lightly,
thinking that the area looked promising.
'That building has a solid exterior, and at least the stairs are still there. If the elevators and
stuff are still in working condition, it would be easy to get up there. ......"
'It would be difficult to use that kind of equipment.'
'Oh, you still think it's broken?'
'No, as far as I can see from here the condition of the building, the auto-repair function is
probably still working. I don't think there's anything wrong with the operation itself. But
there's also the security of the building. ......"
Alpha says so and points a little ahead.
We're not welcome at the Mihazono Street site in the first place. Can we use the building's
facilities?"
A square mechanical monster was approaching from the front. Moreover, it clearly
recognized Akira.
The security machine is running on debris-strewn ground, dexterously moving its multiple
legs on the lower part of its fuselage, while swinging its articulated arms on the upper part
of its torso, closing in on the armed prowler, a hunter.
That's what you're saying.
Akira laughed lightly, readied the CWH objective assault rifle, and pulled the trigger. The
armor-piercing rounds fired landed on the opponent's torso, penetrating the thin armor and
destroying the internal mechanism. The security machine, whose control unit was destroyed,
stopped working as it was.
The security machines patrolling the city section of the Mihazono Street Ruins were dealing
with uninvited guests today.

The purpose of Akira's visit to the Mihazono Street ruins was to collect relics, but that is not
the only reason he is proceeding through the ruins on his own, partly for training purposes.
He was moving his reinforced clothes without the support of Alpha, and he was also
searching for enemies by himself.
Walking alone is an exercise in not being swept away by the physical capabilities that are far
removed from those of a live person in a reinforced suit. In the movement of holding a gun
quickly to the limit, one can learn to minimize as much as possible the burden on the body,
which cannot keep up with the speed of the reinforced suit.
Each of these movements is a sophisticated exercise that reduces the load on the body and
improves the efficiency of movement by moving the reinforced garments and one's own
body separately and in a non-conflicting manner.
In parallel, search and rescue will be conducted. While honing the ability to quickly detect
the enemy's position, care is taken to ensure that the position of the enemy is not taken by
surprise by an enemy that has been missed by that alert network.
Akira trained diligently to be able to move without Alpha's support, to avoid surprise attacks
from the enemy even when Alpha was not by his side, and to be able to fight on his own when
the connection with Alpha was broken.
The city block where the training took place is a simple maze of rubble and collapsed
buildings blocking the road in an irregular manner.
On top of that, there were scenes that seemed quite strange to Akira, such as the unnatural
cleanliness next to a pile of rubble, and a brand new building right next to a completely
collapsed building.
'Alpha. I can clearly see the border between where something is safe and where it's not. Why
is there such a difference between the two places?'
"It's probably just a difference in the sections of the building where the security and
maintenance machines are located."
There are large differences in the performance of those machines from plot to plot in their
charge, and these differences create plot boundaries.
Powerful security machines have been deployed in the rough areas. And as a result of the
fierce battles with the hunters, buildings and other structures were badly destroyed in the
aftermath of the battles. The repair of the plots has not kept pace with the poor performance
of the maintenance machines. The opposite is true for the clean areas.
Akira lightly thinks after hearing that explanation.
'So that would make ......, a small, neat place, relatively safe?'
It's possible, but you have to be on your guard. It could be that the security machines are so
strong that the hunters are not stopping by, so the battle itself is not happening. It could also
be that the maintenance machines are so powerful that they have repaired the whole area in
a matter of seconds.
I see. Well, either way, if you're looking for relics, it's probably better to look in a neat little
place.'
I'm sure you're right. Would you like to ...... look around a bit?"
Akira thinks for a moment before answering.
I'm not going to do it. I'll get to the arrow first. That's the plan.
'Yes. Then let's proceed without letting our guard down.'
Alpha laughs. If for no greater reason, he was satisfied that Akira had prioritized the schedule
he had made.

Even though Akira has been conducting reconnoitering on his own as part of his training,
Alfa cannot show Akira's inadequacy in reconnoitering by actually being ambushed by the
enemy. He points it out as appropriate.
However, Akira also did not understand what was wrong when he was told that the travel
route he had chosen was wrong and told only the correct travel route.
"Alpha ....... How is this different?"
Akira's vision then expanded, and the surrounding landscape was temporarily colored and
displayed.
The areas marked in red are dangerous. The darker the color, the more dangerous the place.
Akira's chosen route of travel passes through that very red area, doesn't it? You shouldn't go
through there.
'I see. So how am I supposed to figure that out without alpha support?'
'That's something you're going to have to come to grips with.
'I'm not sure what to tell you, .......'
When Akira turned a puzzled face to Alpha after being told something so lacking in
specificity, Alpha too looked a little troubled.
'I'm sorry, but that's all I can say.
Alfa will talk about why.
Alpha calculates the danger level using precise calculations based on the surrounding
information acquired by the information-gathering equipment.
All buildings unobstructed by shields. All sides of that building on the Aquila side. All
windows and doorways on that side. The probability of an enemy being there. The
probability that the enemy is aiming at Akira. The hit rate within the effective range of the
enemy. And many other risks are calculated and calculated.
But it is not realistic, even by telepathic communication, to accurately convey the method of
calculation and the validity of the formula. It is impossible for Akira to understand the
content even if it is explained in language with mathematical formulas or sent as an image.
And even if he did understand the calculation method, it would be impossible for Akira to
perform the calculations on his own. Moreover, as long as he is on the lookout for his
surroundings, he must constantly keep computing. If forced to do so, Akira's brain would not
be able to keep up. The overload would surely cause brain death.
Of course, I can give you a very rough idea of what to expect. But if it's that level of accuracy,
Akira can already do it on his own, so there's no point in teaching him.
I mean, I've got to be able to recognize the danger on my own.
That's the way it is. Any more than that, I'll just have to hone my instincts from experience.
Of course, I will spare no effort to help you gain that experience effectively. We will also
provide visual indicators to help people understand where the dangers are.
Akira looked around again. Everywhere was reddish in color. He did not know why it was
dangerous, but he knew that it was dangerous.
Normally, even this would have been unclear, and the answer of one's own injury would have
to be used to refine one's intuition. Alpha's support, which eliminated this process, was
sufficiently effective.
'A hunch or ....... Bad hunches are good hunches. Let's hope for the best.
It was that intuition that kept me alive when I was still running away from the back alleys of
the slums and living hidden in the corners of them. Perhaps. Akira chuckled at the thought,
and once again relied on that intuition as he made his way through the ruins.

As Akira proceeded through the city section of the Mihazono Street Ruins, he encountered
many monsters, all of which were basically mechanical in nature. Even those that at first
glance appeared to be biological in appearance turned out to be mechanical when defeated.
The monster, which looked like an ordinary large dog, attacked in a straight line at a speed
that was clearly not that of an ordinary dog. However, when it sniffed the monster firmly and
sniped it anecdotally, it fell to the ground, scattering countless machine parts and exposing
its internal metallic skeleton from the destroyed parts.
Akira looks at the wreckage and wonders.
'Prosthetic dog ......, not. The head is also a machine. Monsters here are all mechanical.
'I guess there is not enough food for biological monsters to reproduce at this site. Or maybe
they were exterminated by the security machines. By the way, those trees are more like
metal. They are made of that kind of nano-material. It's kind of hard to make food out of
them.
Akira looks at the roadside tree. It looks like a real plant with lush green leaves.
"That too or ......"
Artificial flowers of sorts. In a sense, a real tree, a prosthetic plant, which would seem to be
uncomfortable if explained in this way, continued to adorn the landscape as a roadside tree
that would never wither.
Episode Resolving Concerns

A small flying machine passes over Akira's head as he moves through the city section of the
Mihazono Street ruins toward the Celantar Building.
'Hey, I saw it earlier, but if it's not attacking us, is it some kind of scout or surveillance thing?'
'I'm sure you're right. Akira. Stop there. It might be a little dangerous if you keep going.
Akira, who had been proceeding through the streets of the ruins, entered a nearby building
at Alpha's direction. He then used the stairs to go up the building.
The long staircase is not so difficult thanks to the assistance of the reinforced clothing. Even
so, climbing up the stairs to the top of the tallest building in the world is exhausting, both
physically and mentally.
Looking at the floor on the way, Akira involuntarily turned his attention to the elevator of
the building there.
'Alpha ....... Is it still a no-no to try to see if I can use the elevator?"
No. Use the stairs. It may seem usable, but it may suddenly turn into a closed space from
which it is difficult to escape. Be patient.
'I get it. ......'
Akira gave up and continued up the stairs.

After ascending to the 14th floor, Akira arrived at a passageway with a structure that looks
out as if it were made of glass. From there, he somehow looked outside the building and his
face became a little grim.
The arrow in the extended view points higher than Akira, to the upper floors of the Celantar
Building. The destroyed cityscape was spread out in a circle around the huge high-rise
building, which was visible from anywhere in that city block of the Mihazono Street site. It
was as if to indicate the building's dominion.
Furthermore, near the ground level of the Celantar Building, there is a group of defense
machines and weapons that are different from the mechanical monsters we have
encountered so far in the city section. Autonomous weapons equipped with large missile
pods. Walking pedestal-like machines equipped with machine guns. These were defending
the building.
'That's why you said it was dangerous for Alpha to go on like this. ...... Hmmm. That's different
from the ones we fought along the way."
I guess that's the security machine for the city block. And that mechanical monster is
probably for the defense of the Celantar building. Their performance is different. I think the
chain of command is also different.
'What does it have to do with a different chain of command, let alone performance? Either
way, they are mechanical monsters in the ruins. They're just going to attack us, right?"
Akira said, and then he aimed his CWH objective assault rifle at the Celantar building, hoping
to get a better look at those mechanical monsters. He did so because the gun's sighting device
was superior to the telephoto function of the information-gathering equipment when it came
to simply magnifying a single point.
It's relevant enough for Akira. Different chains of command and authority might share
information with other aircraft differently. It makes all kinds of difference, Akira! Get away
from me now!
Akira moves immediately on that abrupt instruction. It is only after he moves that we ask
him why. First, he moves as instructed. From the look on Alpha's face and his past experience
of nearly dying many times, Akira understood that it was best to do so.
He runs inside the building with the output of his reinforced suit at full power. With the
support of Alpha, he agilely leaves the scene. The manipulation of physical time is also
carried out reflexively, and the team hurries as much as possible in a world where time flows
slowly.
Part of Akira's extended vision showed the scene on his backside. When Akira saw this, he
involuntarily pulled a face. A mechanical monster equipped with multiple large missile pods
was firing a series of missiles toward Akira from around the Celantar Building.
Missiles rush toward the building where Akira is located, and the first group of missiles lands
one after another on the side of the building. However, the building was made in the old
world and was sturdy, so it did not collapse immediately. However, the outer wall at the point
of impact was blown away.
There, subsequent missiles fly in one after another. They enter the building, landing and
exploding on the interior walls, blasting and penetrating rooms and interior walls, forcibly
creating a passageway leading to their target, Akira.
With quick action, Akira rushed to the far side of the building, which allowed him to escape
most of the swarm of missiles.
However, the last bullet is closing in on Akira. From behind Akira, who escapes by running
down a long corridor, it strikes the target from behind, penetrating the wall that blocks the
bullet's trajectory.
We'll intercept!"
Copy that!
Akira half-turns in the air as he flies forward and readies his CWH objective assault rifle and
DVTS minigun. He then set his sights on the missile and fired as many bullets as he could.
Both guns have been modified with components that increase their power and rate of fire. In
addition, the components of the barrage, each shot, with the support of Alpha, hits its
carefully calculated impact position without error.
If there had been a moment's delay, Akira would have been crushed to pieces by a direct hit
from the missile. But that split second was long enough for Alpha. He made it in time without
any problem.
The impact of the intercepted missile twists the trajectory of the intercepted missile and
causes it to hit the wall. Normally, the difference in mass between a bullet and a missile is
too great to bend the trajectory that much.
But it was done, thanks to the powerful anti-monster rounds, the dense barrage from the
extended magazines, and Alpha's calculations that resulted in extremely effective impact
positions.
Even so, it cannot be completely nullified. The impact of the missile, which exploded as it dug
into the wall, reached Akira even though most of it was blocked by the building. Akira was
also blown away and slammed hard into the wall of the building amidst the flashing lights,
smoke, noise, and blast.
The impact causes the wall to cave in significantly and countless cracks radiate out. The
impact, which could not be fully absorbed by the reinforced clothes, is transmitted to the
body. Akira slides away from the wall, not bounces off it, but slides down it, and crumbles
down, hitting his hand on the floor and vomiting blood.
His body ached to death all over, but he was clearly conscious. Akira quickly tries to retrieve
the recovery medicine.
The movements of the living body are much slower than those of the brain due to the injury.
However, the readout-type reinforced clothing reads the neurotransmission and moves
quickly. Thanks to this, he was able to take the recovery medicine without any problem.
Forced to swallow a capsule that tastes like blood. The expensive therapeutic nanomachines
are worth their price. The pain is immediately gone from his injured body. The painkillers
only took effect first, but the injury healed quickly enough to allow me to move.
Akira stands up and exhales heavily. Then he forced a smile, as if to tell himself that there
was no problem.
...... Whew. Alrighty! That was close!"
'I'll move on soon. I don't know if any additions will come, but just in case.'
Roger that.
Akira looked lightly ahead and saw a bit of the outside scenery beyond the destroyed
passageway. It was evidence of the relentless pursuit of the missile swarms. Akira hurriedly
left the building, his face a little grim as he saw the terrible state of the building's interior.

Akira moves to a safe place to rest. There is no pursuit and no sign of it. The effects of the
recovery medicine have been well distributed, the magazines and energy packs have been
replaced, and his body and equipment are back to full strength.
As they regained their composure and composure together as it was, a question came to
Akira's mind.
"I can't believe you went that far with ....... Even though they are mechanical monsters, they
are for guarding and defending the ruins, aren't they? Would you attack an entire building of
ruins just to kill one hunter?"
As I mentioned a while ago, it's probably because of the different chain of command and
authority.
Then Alfa explains with speculation.
The mechanical monsters that attacked Akira earlier are for the defense of the Celantar
Building and are independent of the security of the entire Mihazono Street Ruins.
As a result, the chain of command and authority is accordingly in place. Therefore, they were
operating with a thought pattern that downplayed damage to anything other than defensive
targets.
The Serantar Building's surroundings have been severely devastated because mechanical
monsters for building defense attacked the hunters, ignoring the damage to other buildings,
just as they had attacked Akira earlier. The attacks were so severe that even the automatic
repair function of the ruins has not been able to rebuild the surrounding area in time.
The desolate circular area is the normal precautionary area of the Celantar Building. The
building we are in now is still there because it is outside of that alert area.
Akira's face turns strange when he hears what I have to say up to that point.
'Then why did you attack me out of that range ......?
Then he said so himself, then frowned.
Because I pointed a gun at that building. ......
'Maybe so. But don't worry about it. Even if it was a careless act, it's more of a problem if you
hesitate to hold a gun in the ruins.'
I see." "......, I see. Ok."
Akira's expression relaxed as well, as he was cared for by Alpha with a gentle smile. However,
there was still a slightly depressed atmosphere.
After overcoming the bounty fiasco, Akira had gained a certain amount of confidence in his
own abilities. Thanks to this, he was able to confidently enter the Mihazono Street ruins,
which were said to be dangerous without a certain degree of ability.
Then came the attack just now. Akira was a little depressed because he felt that he had been
painfully dismissed from the competition with such a level of ability.
Then Alpha asks Akira with a slightly serious expression.
Akira. I'm going to ask you now, what are you going to do? Do you want to continue onward
to the arrowed spot as planned? Or shall we turn back here?"
I'll turn back. Akira was about to answer, but something caught his attention and he stopped
speaking. Then he looked a little doubtful, and asked again with a serious expression on his
face.
'...... What if I say I'm moving on? Won't you stop?"
Akira's sense was that he had no choice but to retreat. To proceed against something like
that was just too reckless.
But Alfa has thrown the choice to me. That is the extent to which it is safe to move on. At
least, it is a safer and more optimistic degree of difficulty than the many struggles Alpha has
stopped me from facing. That realization made Akira wonder if he had become overly timid.
Alpha smiles.
If Akira wants to go forward, I won't stop him. Of course, I need to support him and make
sure that he is properly prepared, and that he is ready for it.
I feel like that attack earlier was pretty close."
It was a surprise attack," he said. But still, thanks to my support, you didn't suffer any serious
injuries, did you? No problem.
After saying this, Alpha smiled somewhat provocatively.
'Well, sure, if you want to move on, you'll have to be reckless in your own way. Of course,
Akira has to be prepared for that, too. So I won't force you to do anything. You can turn back
if you want.
Akira looked a little surprised. Then he smiled bitterly, followed by a light, provocative laugh
in return.
How ready are you? Even though I'm in charge of preparedness, even with Alpha's support,
if you tell me I have to be ready to be eaten by a big monster again, I'm going to turn back.
I don't want to go that far,' he said. Compared to that time, it is enough to put more energy
into it than usual. After all, I am supporting you.
Akira and Alpha laugh at each other. Akira's mind was already made up.
I understand. Let's move on."
If it is a path you can take if you are prepared, then you must be prepared to take it. Akira
had already made that decision.
To fulfill Alpha's request one day. To meet the reward I have received as an advance payment
for my support of Alpha. To not overstep the debt that has already piled up. Or at least, to try.
If Akira betrays this decision, he will not be able to go anywhere.
And above all, Akira would not have become a hunter if he hesitated to risk his life to this
degree.
Are you sure? Like I said, you have to be prepared for that."
I was like, "Oh, I'm not going to do that. It's all right. I'm in charge of preparedness."
Seeing Akira laughing as if it were natural, Alpha smiled very happily.

Akira was standing on the roof of the building when he finished his preparations.
After deciding to move on, he returned once to the ground floor, surveying the structure on
the serantal building side of each floor with his information-gathering equipment, before
heading for the rooftop of the 27-story building.
Once on the rooftop, remove everything that would interfere with the battle. I unloaded my
backpack, removed my information terminal, unused guns, and spare ammunition for the
unneeded. In reinforced clothing, just after replacing the energy packs, the CWH objective
assault rifle, which had also been replaced with energy packs and magazines, and the I had
only the DVTS minigun.
The recovery medicine is taken to the limit of the expected effect of the pre-dose, and is also
taken by mouth. Then, he stood at the opposite end of the rooftop from the side of the
Celantar Building, outside the enemy's warning area.
And I was ready. That's all the preparation I needed.
Alpha smiles and takes final confirmation.
Akira. Are you ready?"
Oh," he said. Whenever you're ready.
Seeing Akira's face sharpened both mentally and physically, Alpha smiled wryly and with
satisfaction.
'Then let's start ......!
With Alpha's declaration, Akira starts running briskly. The battle has begun.
A group of defense machines in the Celantar Building detects an object moving at high speed
across the boundary of the warning range and immediately takes up an intercepting stance.
Akira accelerated without care and jumped down from the side of the Celantal Building on
the rooftop.
Hold the DVTS minigun while falling. He aligns the muzzle of the gun with a mechanical
monster near the ground of the Celantar Building and pulls the trigger. A large number of
bullets supplied by the extended magazine were released in a swarm from Akira in the air to
the target in the distance.
Akira's DVTS minigun incorporates modified components with force-field armored
forcefield armor functionality to achieve lightness and strength, plus reduced recoil when
fired.
But now he dared to suppress its recoil reduction function. The recoil of the shots was caught
by the reinforced clothing, which was then used to forcefully land on the side of the building.
Furthermore, by continuing to fire continuously using the extended magazine, he kept level
by supporting the recoil with his reinforced clothes so that he could step on the wall with
both legs, and he ran down the side of the building as it was.
In this state, he holds the CWH objective assault rifle and pulls the trigger. Modified parts
have been incorporated into this one as well, allowing it to use a more powerful special bullet
than the previous one. Akira's legs felt the recoil of the bullets, and the wall that served as
his foothold cracked under the pressure.
A large number of bullets rain down on the mechanical monster targeted by the DVTS
minigun. The force field armored force field armor's impact-converted light scatters, and the
surface of the machine is covered with the marks of the impacted bullets.
However, due to the attenuation of power by distance and the defenses of the force field
armor force field armor, those bullets could not penetrate the aircraft's defenses and did not
damage its internal mechanisms.
But it was enough to raise the threat assessment against Akira. The unmanned weapon under
attack spun its machine gun at high speed and pointed its muzzle at Akira, who was running
briskly along the wall of the building. As it aimed, the force-field armor covering the muzzle
of the cannon was temporarily weakened for the bombardment.
At that moment, a dedicated round from the CWH objective assault rifle flew into the muzzle
of the gun. The powerful bullet hit the shell just before it fired, and the impact of the impact
caused an induced explosion. The explosion destroyed the machine gun from the inside and
wrecked it.
When Akira fired, the muzzle of the machine gun was not yet fully aimed at Akira.
Nevertheless, the bullet had landed precisely and unequivocally inside the muzzle of the gun
with a deviation of fire that was close to foreknowledge based on Alpha's precise
calculations.
The control unit of the unmanned weapon whose machine gun was destroyed immediately
confirms the damaged condition. In order not to lose the means of attack, the output of the
force field armored force field armor was preferentially allocated to another machine gun
that was still intact. This causes a temporary reduction in the output of other parts.
A special bullet that had already been shot out pierced there. The bullet made a large hole in
the metal part of the armor and hit the control unit directly. The unmanned weapon, whose
control unit had been destroyed, stopped functioning without being able to fight back.
With the destruction of the same aircraft, other aircraft raise Akira's threat level to a whole
new level. In order to quickly eliminate a clear threat, they all move to destroy the target at
once.
A large number of small missiles are continuously ejected from multiple missile pods. They
stayed in the air for a moment as if to gather momentum, then corrected their trajectory with
jets from movable nozzles, and attacked Akira from all directions as if to eliminate any escape
route for the target.
In addition, a machine gun aimed at Akira fires a grenade missile to stall the target. The shells
fired at high speed overtake the small missiles and close in on Akira.
Akira desperately dodges and avoids them.
Using the recoil of the gunfire to push itself against the side of the building, it runs
horizontally, jumps sideways, and sometimes runs down faster than free fall to keep itself
out of the machine gun's sights.
Furthermore, he intercepts small missiles by firing a series of DVTS miniguns, and he avoids
explosions that would blow him out of his surroundings by punching holes in their
encirclement.
Akira, who was feeling the blast on his skin from above and below and from the left and right,
had a desperate look on his face.
Alpha! For a man of your stature! Isn't that a bit much?
Although he had been told of the plan in advance, the current situation was beyond Akira's
imagination.
In contrast to Akira, Alpha has a smile on his face.
It's not that bad, right? It can't be much compared to the time I fought those bounty hunters,
can it?"
It is! Never! You're comparing the wrong thing!"
Don't blabber on. You see, you can't just avoid them, you can't just attack them either, can
you?"
I know!
Akira replies in desperation, firing the CWH objective assault rifle. A powerful special bullet
pierces through the air and lands with unmatched accuracy in the muzzle of the machine gun
that was aiming at Akira. It pierced through a momentary gap in the force-field armor
protecting the muzzle of the cannon, at the moment when it was temporarily unprotected
for the bombardment, wrecking the aircraft with a single shot.
I've got another one down. The more you defeat them, the easier it will be for you.
Yes, it is!"
Fighting while running down the side of a building. This battle, which was out of the ordinary
in Akira's sense, made him keenly aware once again of the greatness of Alpha's support that
made it possible.
Akira's current position is around the 18th floor of the building. The distance to the ground,
which would be a blink of an eye if he were in free fall, is still far away.
Akira's body is constantly under a strong load due to the fact that he is running along the
side of the building using the recoil from the gunfire. Add to this the forced movements of
the body in the reinforced suits and the explosion of the missiles that landed at close range,
and the load becomes even worse.
Bones creak and creak, muscles break. A recovery drug taken beforehand cures them, and
the impact destroys them again. This is repeated until the battle is over or the effects of the
restorative have expired.
Still, the pain is slight, thanks to the analgesic properties of the recovery drug. However, it
did not disappear until the strange sensation of repeated destruction and regeneration on a
cell-by-cell basis, which made Akira grimace.
The expression on his face is only a grimace, because Alpha is laughing at Akira's side. It's
hard work, but it's far from a fight to the death. It is not even a struggle. That's what he was
telling Akira with that smile.
If it is not even a struggle, Akira cannot look grim. He keeps his spirits up and continues to
fight with a lot of energy.
In fact, Akira's efforts have continued to reduce the number of enemies, and their attacks
have become slower in proportion. It was impossible to laugh at how easy it had been, but I
could at least manage a wry smile.
But then enemy reinforcements appear. The mechanical monsters stationed on the opposite
side of the Serantar Building area from Akira had come to join them.
A combat vehicle equipped with a large fan-shaped missile pod fires countless small missiles.
Yet another vehicle also fired large missiles.
Akira, targeted by missiles large and small, shows his impatience with the quicksand.
'Alpha! Can you do something about that?
You can't intercept them all. But we'll be fine.
'Oh, yeah! That's great!"
If Alpha says it is okay, Akira believes it. Akira has many doubts about Alpha, and each time
he puts them in the back of his mind, but he believes in them.
If you doubt that, everything falls apart. And to believe it and fight for it is the only thing
Akira can give back to Alpha right now.
As instructed, he points his gun at a large missile. The bullet that is fired twists the trajectory
of the missile as calculated. The missile, whose trajectory had been derailed, landed on the
building and made a huge hole in its side.
If Akira had fought on the ground, there would have been no escape. However, Akira, who
was using the side of the building as a foothold, had a place to escape downward, inside the
building, which did not exist on the ground.
Akira jumps into a large hole in the wall. A moment later, a swarm of small missiles rushes
around it, causing a huge explosion. Some of them entered the building, but the damage to
Akira was negligible compared to the damage he would have suffered if he had been hit
outside the building.
Akira exhales as he runs through the building.
'I see. So you've been checking out the building to get away like this in times of danger?'
It was worth going through the whole thing from the ground floor to the roof, wasn't it?"
In fact, by surveying the building's internal structure in advance, Alpha had adjusted Akira's
position so that he could escape inside the building in the event of an emergency, and so that
he could move safely once he had escaped.
Akira smiles back at Alfa with a wry smile.
I'm sorry I doubted you and wondered what the point of all that research was!
I'm not going to tell you what to do. I'll be back out there.'
Copy that!
The location of the building's outer wall again has been surveyed. Akira shot through the
fragile wall to get out and resumed his attack on the side of the building.
Intense fighting ensues. It only intensifies as reinforcements arrive. Even so, Akira gradually
begins to push. Thanks to the extremely effective support by Alpha.
Basically, mechanical monsters move according to their built-in programs, so their behavior
is less erratic than that of biological monsters. Once the behavior patterns have been
analyzed, they can be fought extremely efficiently simply by adapting to them.
However, the opponent is not working with a simple combat program. It is usually
impossible to conduct such a highly accurate analysis during a battle.
But it was possible for Alpha.
Akira fires the CWH objective assault rifle, leaving the aiming completely to Alpha. The
special bullet that was shot out landed on the weak point of the mechanical monster as it
should have. The machine, whose vital organs have been destroyed, turns into a combat-
incapable scrap of iron and steel.
DVTS miniguns also shoot together. The missile's trajectory is shifted, the machine gun's aim
is derailed, and the recoil from the firing is used for a quick stop and fast movement on the
side of the building to shatter the enemy's fragile armor.
Repeat it. The same result is repeated. Repeat the destruction of the enemy with maximum
efficiency.
It made Akira wonder if the target was trying to eat him.
Akira's current position is near the 10th floor of the building. He is almost to the ground. The
number of remaining enemies is also close.
Even so, we were not disheartened until the very end. The enemy is a powerful mechanical
monster, and even one of them can kill Akira if it catches him by surprise.
But if you don't let your guard down and don't let your guard down, the advantage won't
move. And Akira will not let his guard down. Therefore, the result will not be reversed.
Akira finally reaches the ground, and as soon as he lands, he takes aim with his CWH objective
assault rifle firmly poised.
This is the last time!
Hearing the alpha's words, he stares at the last target and pulls the trigger. The specialized
bullet that was shot out hit the enemy's armor and penetrated its force field armored force
field armor.
The scattered impact conversion light disappears. The mechanical monster, whose interior
was turned into iron scraps by the impact of the impact, stops functioning. The sound of
movement also completely disappears, and silence returns to the area.
Akira stood on the quiet ground, not moving from his spot, but not letting his guard down
either.
Alpha stood in front of that Akira and laughed.
Akira. It's over. Akira wins.
The first thing Akira did when he realized his victory was to exhale heavily. Next, he looked
up at the place he had jumped from, the roof of the building, and smiled bitterly.
Then I look at Alfa. Alpha was smiling, he was good at it.
I hope you've had a chance to experience the full extent of my support."
Akira chuckles.
Oh," he said. That's plenty. Now that you've experienced enough of it, please give me another
chance to experience it just as intensely as you did, but later if at all possible."
'You don't have to hold back, okay? You promised to support Akira as an advance payment
for his services, and above all, you and I are good friends, right?"
You should show that support you're so proud of as much as possible in a way that I don't
have to go through this."
When Akira complained with a wry smile, Alpha gave him a meaningful look.
We're doing everything right, though.
Akira, who had guessed what Alfa was trying to say, couldn't help but chuckle.
In the past, when we went out lightly into the wilderness, we were attacked by a pack of
monsters, and recently, a huge snake ate up an entire vehicle. It could be said that there is no
limit to bad luck, and there is no way for Alfa to control this situation.
In addition, many troublesome situations have occurred due to Akira's own words and
actions. This too is beyond the control of Alpha.
Either way, Akira needed more than the ability to avoid difficult situations; he needed the
ability to overcome them.
I understand," he said. Please continue to work with me so that I can deal with this kind of
thing lightly.
Of course. Leave it to me. Then let's go back and get our stuff early so we can deal with the
new situation.
Alpha then laughed and pointed upward. Akira's luggage was still on the roof of the building.
Akira looks up at the building again; the 27-story building is very tall, even after checking it
out again.
...... you're going to climb again."
Alpha smiles mischievously at Akira, who looks disgusted.
It's okay. Now you can come back down the stairs. Or do you want to run down the wall
again? Don't worry. I will support you.
No!"
Seeing Akira's disgust at his immediate answer, Alpha laughed happily.

They have to climb the stairs again to the roof of the 27-story building, and then go back
down again. Akira really thought it was a hassle, but his steps were light.
That was because, although it was hard work, we had just won the battle. I am not happy
simply because I won. It was significant because I had accomplished something that had
seemed reckless even to me, but with the support of Alpha, I believed in it, and I was
determined to do it.
I was prepared to go down the road that I could go down if I was ready. I was able to go
forward. I was able to show this to myself and Alpha. Akira was satisfied with that.
The battle itself, however, was essentially unnecessary.
When Akira tried to use the sights on his gun to get a better look at the mechanical monsters
guarding the Celantar Building, Alpha, who can manipulate Akira's reinforced clothes, was
able to stop that roundabout move at that point, if he wanted to.
But I didn't stop.
Alpha made Akira fight the defense machines of the Celantar Building in order to make Akira
understand and realize the value of his own support once again.
Akira escaped from the belly of an overgrown snake without alpha support. He also
destroyed a mid-level clique in a slum area without strong alpha support, i.e., without
reinforced clothing.
With this, we can get by without Alpha's support from now on. In order to erase the concern
that Akira might think so, Alpha dared Akira to fight against the defense machines of the
Celantar Building. In order to ensure that the concern is erased, he made Akira experience
an insane and dramatic battle that required some recklessness and a victory on top of it.
And indeed, that concern disappeared.
Alfa was satisfied.
Episode Factory Compartment

Akira, having defeated the defense machinery of the Celantar Building, looks up at the
building at its main entrance. The huge skyscraper, visible in the distance from anywhere in
the ruins, had an easily recognizable intimidation factor, including the fact that it was made
in the old world.
Hmmm. It's still big. And it's kind of awesome."
When Akira first entered the Kuzuthara Street ruins, he saw the undamaged skyscrapers in
the hazy distance at the back of the ruins. He immediately abandoned the idea of going there,
thinking of the automatic restoration function that maintained the landscape and the
powerful security machine that continued to protect the buildings without breaking down
with its function.
Although it is a different site, I have now defeated its powerful security machine and am in a
place I once gave up trying to reach. This realization made Akira's face relax a little.
'Let's go in. I wish I had plenty of relics. Right now we're in the red with ammunition costs."
We are not risking our lives to run a deficit, Akira reminded himself, lest he become
complacent with having defeated a powerful security machine.
Then Alpha makes a lighthearted suggestion.
If you include the mechanical monsters you defeated in the previous battle in the record of
defeats for generic defeat requests, you should be able to get a decent reward. Do you still
want to add it to the record?
Akira's face contorted in disgust.
I don't want to do this," he said. I don't want to give that battle record to the hunter's office
and have them place a request based on the assumption that I can beat that thing."
'Yeah? But if I hand it over to that employee named Kibayashi, I'm sure he'll laugh
hysterically and color me a reward.
I hate it!" ...... I'm not fighting to make that guy laugh. Let's go."
The main body of the overgrown snake, the one not recognized as a bounty hunter, was
defeated by Akira alone, and his war record turned into 100 million aurum thanks to
Kibayashi's skill. That's a lot of money.
In a way, it was probably worth it to make Kibayashi laugh so hard. Akira thought so, but
hurried onward with a deliberate frown on his face so as not to subconsciously expect a
similar experience again.
The automatic door made of a glass-like material, which is the main entrance to the building,
is stopped and will not open even if you stand in front of it. Akira pried it open with the
physical strength of his reinforced clothes and entered the building.
Alpha followed with a chuckle.

Akira enters the Celantar Building and is greeted by a floor that doubles as a reception area.
The floor of the atrium structure is very wide, far and high to the ceiling. The walls show no
signs of age or deterioration, and there is not a speck of dust on the floor.
Although there are no fancy furnishings, the materials of the walls and floors alone give the
room a sufficiently luxurious feel. Furthermore, together with the open design of the floor, it
gave a sense of holiness to those who saw it, beyond the sense of luxury. It even made Akira
hesitate to step into the room, thinking that he would make the inside dirty if he entered with
his feet in dirt.
Still, Akira has no choice but to turn back. A little put off, but wary, he proceeds to the middle
of the floor.
And Akira was not welcome from Selantarville.
Customer. This building is currently closed. Please refrain from entering the building except
for authorized personnel. Please leave."
At the same time as the voice, a woman suddenly appears in front of Akira, in a place that
was definitely empty. Akira reflexively jumped back and tried to point his gun at the woman.
However, the gun was stopped by Alfa's manipulation of his reinforced clothes.
"Alpha ......?"
Calm down," he said. It's a 3D image. You can't shoot it.
Akira looks at the woman again. She resembles Alpha in terms of clothing that seems to be
of Old World manufacture and her unrealistic good looks. However, Akira could distinguish
her now that he had seen her with his naked eyes and heard her voice with his own ears, not
through telepathy.
But at the same time, I somehow knew that they were not real. The woman lacked any kind
of presence.
And the information-gathering instrument draws the same conclusion. The female figure
exists only in the visible light range and not in the ultraviolet or infrared, which are outside
that range. The voice also sounded as if it was coming from that location, but the echo
localization indicated that there was nothing there.
The motion detector did not pick it up. If something had appeared there, or if it was already
there and we just couldn't see it until now, there would certainly be no air flow.
Akira exhales as he releases his war cry.
"Stereoscopic images. ....... Ghosts of the Old World. No wonder they call them ghosts."
Customer. I repeat. This building is currently closed. Please leave the building as soon as
possible."
The woman then bowed politely to Akira with an apologetic expression.
"...... Um, Alpha, what do you want to do?"
Akira turned a troubled face to Alpha.
Akira has no hesitation in entering a deserted ruin without permission and removing relics,
the store's merchandise, from the ruins of an abandoned store without permission.
However, it was difficult not to pay attention to the fact that in a building that looked like it
was newly constructed, it was difficult not to be concerned when someone who appeared to
be a ghost complained about the unauthorized entry with a bowed head.
Akira's hesitation was compounded by the simple question of whether such a polite attitude
was appropriate for someone who had entered the building after destroying its defense
machinery.
However, he had come this far with great difficulty and could not make the spontaneous
decision to return home. Akira is also a hunter. He could not back down so easily in the face
of a situation where he would be able to obtain a large amount of relics.
With those hesitations, Akira threw the choice to Alpha. If he was asked to decide for himself,
he would do so, but first he asked.
Then they say something unexpected.
Akira. I'm going to leave for a while, so wait here.
What?"
The next moment, Alpha's figure disappeared from Akira's sight. The woman's figure
disappears with it.
Furthermore, the reinforced suits slowed down slightly, and the accuracy of the information-
gathering equipment also decreased. The alpha support that had been in place since the fight
against the building's defense machinery was completely gone.
Alpha!
I called out to him with telepathy, but he did not reply. Akira was alone in the ruins.
Akira's nervousness builds as he recalls the time when he was left alone after an entire
vehicle was swallowed by an oversynthetic snake.
This is not the belly of the monster. But we are in an archaeological building with automatic
restoration that maintains a respectable appearance. Considering the presence of a powerful
security machine that still maintains adequate performance due to its function, it made no
difference that we were alone in an equally deadly place.
The fact that the floor was not damaged at all, that there was not a speck of dust on the floor,
that the place was so well maintained, was now giving Akira a strong sense of intimidation.
Akira takes a breath to keep from succumbing to it.
(Relax, ....... It's okay. This time is different from that time. The connection wasn't suddenly
cut off. Alfa said a few words and then he was gone. And he told me to wait here. That's
because it's safe here. So we'll be fine.)
Akira keeps his cool. The worst thing to do is to panic, so he calms himself down while being
alert to his surroundings. He waits patiently, feeling the silence sharpening his senses.
Then Alpha returned. He turns a somewhat happy smile to Akira.
'Sorry to keep you waiting. Did you wait?'
......, I waited."
Akira replied with a grim look of relief.
"What was that all of a sudden at ......?"
'I'll explain that as we move along. Let's get out of here first. Let's go.
Are you leaving?"
'Yes,' he said. Come on, come on.'
Alpha leads the way and urges Akira to hurry. Akira followed with a dubious look on his face.
At that moment, Akira somehow looked behind him. The woman who had disappeared with
Alpha had reappeared before he knew it and was looking at Akira and the others with a
different, sullen expression than at first.
(It's good that you're leaving like an adult, like you were told to do. ...... No, I know it's not
good because they broke the security machine and entered the property without
permission.)
I am a hunter, and that is what a hunter is. Akira thought so, but he also thought that thinking
too deeply would lead to unnecessary hesitation, so he stopped thinking further.
Because of the distance between him and the other party, Akira did not notice. The woman
had a sour look on her face and was glaring at Alpha, not at Akira.

Akira asks Alfa as they exit the Celantar building.

So what made you suddenly disappear?"
Because I had to.
"I need ......"
Alpha interjects to appease Akira, who looks a little grumpy.
'Well, well, well, I know you missed me when I was suddenly gone. But nothing happened on
Akira's end either, and I would have been right back, wouldn't I?'
Alpha laughed in a fun, teasing way and moved on to another subject before I could ask him
any more questions.
That woman in the building is the management personality of the Celantar Building. I asked
her a lot of questions while I was out of the office. I also found out the exact location of the
arrow pointing to the upper floors of the building, which is the 57th floor branch of the Lyons
Tail Corporation.
"Go, 57th floor or ......"
Akira also knew it was quite high, but was put off by the specific number. This feeling was
only heightened after he had actually entered the building and learned that the ceilings on
each floor were high.
Akira. Do you want to go up? On the stairs."
I'm not sure I'd willingly go up there, but I'm here to collect relics. I'll go up if I have to, okay?"
'Yes. But you shouldn't. With Akira now, the building security will just kill him. Even with my
support, you'll never make it.'
Akira reveals his surprise. He was very surprised that Alpha, who had brought down the
defense machines outside the building to him, would say so much.
...... that dangerous?"
Yes. So Akira, I'm sorry, but you have to give up.
I get it." ...... huh. So this place was an outlier after all. We went through all that trouble to get
here."
Akira let out an involuntary sigh. He was disappointed not only because he had wandered in
the wilderness with almost no enemies, but also because he had fought a fierce battle with a
powerful enemy.
That's where Alpha smiles his best.
Don't worry," he said. The next one is definitely a winner. I've learned from the manager of
the Celantar building where there are plenty of relics.
Akira, who had been drooping lightly, raised his face vigorously.
Really?
Of course. Follow me and I'll show you around.
Akira, who has regained his enthusiasm, is about to follow Alpha when a thought occurs to
him.
You said, "...... Hey, you said you heard from the building management personalities, is that
the kind of thing they tell you?"
'I'm not the managing personality of the entire site, I'm the managing personality of that
building. He doesn't care what happens outside of his control. That's probably why the area
around the building is in such a bad shape.
Oh, I see."
Akira looked around the area and nodded in agreement. And with his questions answered,
he proceeded through the ruins, guided by Alpha.

◆
The factory section of the Mihazono Street site, as it is called, is where many Old World
factories are located. The sight of large-scale factories spread out over a vast site has a
functional beauty to the viewer with its well-calculated layout and structure.
However, that functional beauty does not include the function of human traffic through the
factory. Automated factories did not require human hands for their production activities.
From the roof of a building at the edge of the city block, Akira was checking the next
destination indicated by an arrow in his extended vision. It was in the factory zone.
'Alpha. I know where I'm going, but there's no way to get there. ......"
I agree. Let's go ahead and do our best.
Akira looked at Alfa, who answered simply, with a dubious look mixed with dissatisfaction.
Akira looked at him suspiciously with a hint of dissatisfaction.
Akira. It is naive to think that there is always a way to reach the destination when exploring
the ruins, isn't it? How can there be an unsurveyed part of the world where anyone can go in
the first place?"
'............, indeed!
Akira nodded in agreement, as he was told.
'I'll try to find a route that's as easy to follow as possible. So please be patient.
'No, I was a little mistaken too. You're right. It's an archaeological site. There are a lot of
places that are not easy to get through.
When I was collecting relics at the Kuzuthara Street ruins, I had to go through the roadless
path over the rubble without reinforced clothing. Remembering the hardships of those days,
Akira regained his spirits and set out for his destination.

As with the city section, not all of the factory section of the Mihazono Street site is well
preserved. There are many decayed and desolate areas, and large-scale ruins are
widespread.
Akira and his team mainly go through its ruins to reach their destination. The places where
destroyed security machines are exposed in the field are relatively safe as evidence that their
removal and redeployment has been halted. Leaving the selection of less dangerous travel
routes to Alpha, Akira proceeds cautiously anyway.
In addition to brand new sites and corridors that show no signs of deterioration, they may
also pass through tunnels used for transporting supplies. Akira does not know if the security
functions of the place were shut down, if they were simply undetected, or if they were
spotted and ignored. In any case, we had no choice but to proceed with vigilance.
After proceeding for a while, we encountered a large mechanical monster in a relatively
undamaged paved lot. It was a security machine shaped like a tank with multiple legs
mounted with tires instead of an infinite track. It was equipped with a large laser cannon like
a cannon on the top.
Akira, who hid behind a wall as instructed by Alpha, asks a simple question as he looks
around to see what the enemy is up to.
'Alpha ....... That's for security here, right?"
"It should be."
'Even if the factory is still operating, it was built in the old world, right? And that security
machine, even if it's been redeployed many times, was designed around that time, right?"
'Basically, yes, I suppose so.
'...... What the hell were they protecting the factory from with all that awesome armament?'
'That's going to be the realm of archaeology. It's not necessarily true that the specs were the
same back then. It's possible that the factory management system was flexible and adapted
its performance to suit the current situation.
'So that's how it is,' he said. So that's why they're arming up now that the hunters are coming.'
When Akira nods lightly in agreement, Alpha laughs and adds.
'It could be the other way around, you know? Maybe only hunters are coming in now, so
they've dropped the specs to cut costs.'
'......e.'
Even that may have weakened him. When Akira was told this, he became more and more
unsure of the old world.
'Well, those considerations are none of our business. At least not right now. Akira. I'll take
you down.
I get it."
He had already won a battle with a similar opponent in front of the Celantar Building. Akira
accurately destroyed the enemy's main gun with a CWH objective assault rifle, and then he
just folded up and quickly destroyed it.
After that, we re-enter the facility on the grounds. Then we decided to take a rest in a room
that was located a short distance ahead.
Akira exhales and looks at the arrow on the wall of the room, which is transparent in his
extended vision. He was almost at his destination. His face relaxes as Alpha assures him that
he has hit his next target.
At that moment, the information-gathering equipment captured a human response a short
distance away on the other side of the wall. This was displayed as a human figure in Akira's
extended vision with Alpha's support.
Akira. Someone is approaching. Just be on the lookout.
Roger that.
No wonder there are other hunters at the site. Likewise, it is no surprise that those hunters
are not friendly. We grab our guns, but do not point them, and remain vigilant enough not to
provoke them unnecessarily.
The figure stopped when it was close enough for Akira and the others to see that it was more
than one person. When Akira wondered about this, a short-range general-purpose
communication arrived.
This is two people. We have no intention to engage. We are coming through there now, but
if you don't trust us, we will wait a little while and then you can leave."
I have no desire to fight. But I will not easily judge that the other party is the same. We give
them the right to choose whether or not to believe in us, and ask them to act accordingly.
Akira felt that this was a good level of caution and response, and took a favorable view of it.
He puts down his gun and relaxes his vigilance.
It's okay. I'm not going to fight with you. Let us through."
I'm sorry, ......." May I have the number of people on your team too?"
Oh, sorry, one."
When Akira replied, a small buzz of mild bewilderment could be heard over the call.
What's wrong with ......?"
I'm not at ......, no, nothing. Well then."
Not long after the communication is cut, two female hunters with contrasting atmospheres
enter the room. Both Akira and the women were mildly surprised to see each other.
The reasons for the surprise, however, were quite different.
"Oh, it looks like you're really all alone. Besides, that's just a kid."
"Ms. Carroll, ....... Please don't say those things out loud."
Oops. Monica, my bad."
The two women who appeared, Carol and Monica, were surprised to find that Akira was
indeed alone.
Hunters are supposed to team up for safety and efficiency. Nevertheless, it is quite rare for a
hunter to work alone in the highly challenging factory section of the Mihazono Street ruins.
The other party may have cheated on the number of people for some reason. Carol and her
team suspected as much.
But in fact, Akira was alone. In addition, it did not appear that the other members of the team
were taking separate actions. A quick look around the room revealed no luggage left behind
by the others.
At that point, the other party is capable of operating alone in the factory section of the
Mihazono Street ruins. Moreover, if this person was old enough to look like a child, it was not
surprising that Carol and her colleagues were surprised.
Akira, on the other hand, was amazed by Carol and her friends' outfits, or technically, by
Carol's appearance.
Monica is wearing a loose-fitting coat. It is a protective coat made of material that does not
look cheap and is quite long. It was tightly closed and concealed the inside of the coat.
Akira also had no other impression of Monica's outfit, except that it looked like a rather
expensive piece of equipment. However, that was not the case with Carol's outfit.
Carol was wearing reinforced innerwear that clearly reflected the lines of her body. She also
wore a reinforced garment over it, but the exposed area was too large and did not serve to
conceal the thin reinforced innerwear at all. She was also wearing a full harness with a design
that clearly prioritized sex appeal.
The appearance of Carol's so-called "old world" style equipment, with its rather pointy
design, surprised even Akira, who is basically uninterested in other people's outfits.
'...... Alpha, is that made in the Old World?'
No, it's modern. It's just old-world in design.
'I see. ....... So you're saying you're bluffing against them? When the monsters see that, they're
not going to say, let's not attack them because they look strong with old world equipment.
......"
The old-world design is also effective as a military bluff. Remembering that Alpha had taught
him this, Akira snorted lightly.
It depends on the monster. I'm sure there are some that work reasonably well.
'Whoa, is that so?'
Yes. I don't know if it would work on the monsters around here, though.
Akira, who was deep in thought, unconsciously looked at Carol. Then his eyes met Carol's.
Then she smiled at him happily. She came even closer to him.
What do you want from me?"
Oh, no, it's nothing. I just happened to look at her because she was wearing something
unusual. I'm sorry."
Akira apologized sincerely. He was sure that his apology was conveyed to the other party.
Carol looked surprised and then chuckled.
'...... I didn't expect that feedback.'
What?"
When Akira looks surprised, Monica interrupts with a flustered expression on her face.
"Ms. Carroll! When you are with me, do not carelessly approach others! That's the deal!
Not carelessly. After we've made sure that neither of us is willing to fight, right?"
Don't try to fool me with all that frying!"
Monica had her head in the sand because of Carol's attitude. Then she bowed lightly to Akira.
I'm sorry. I'll be right there."
Uh, yes.
Well, well, well. It's a coincidence that we met in a place like this. It's okay to have a little
chat. Oh, I'm Carol. Nice to meet you.
With that, Carol smiled at Akira with Monica at her side. At the tone of Carol's attitude,
Monica gave up trying to persuade her and let out a big sigh.
My name is Monica from ......."
Um, ......, this is Akira.
It seems like a lot of work. Akira thought so somehow when he saw the exchange between
Carol and Monica.
Carol looks at Akira with curious eyes.
And by the way, ......, did you lose your people, being all alone in a place like this?"
That was the beginning of a conversation that I guessed was probably not the case. Akira did
not notice this and answered normally.
No, I've been alone from the beginning.
Really? That's great. This area is pretty challenging, so even people who are pretty confident
in their abilities usually don't go in alone. I'm sorry to say it like this, but you don't look strong
enough to come here by yourself.
Carol laughed a little teasingly and bewitchingly invitingly as she said so.
Akira replies grimly.
Sorry for looking so weak."
In fact, Akira is not in a bad mood. He does not believe that he has come this far on his own
merits.
But if I affirm Carol's words, even in modesty that I am weak, it would be terribly unnatural
for me to be here. That said, I can't talk about Alpha's support.
But I was strong, and I was not in the mood to exaggerate my abilities. So Akira faked a sulky
mood to cover it up.
Carole's attitude made Akira look a bit surprised, but not unexpectedly so. But she quickly
laughed and quieted Akira down.
I didn't say it was weak. Don't be so angry. I'm sorry."
Hmph. "Well, there are only two of you. You're not so different from me in terms of numbers,
are you?"
We're both mapmakers, you know? I know the geography of this place pretty well, so I'm
fine."
Mapmakers are those who sell maps of archaeological sites, a way of earning money in the
hunter's business.
Even highly skilled hunters can die if they get lost in the ruins. If you have a good grasp of
the internal structure beforehand, you will be able to make progress in collecting relics.
Accurate maps are in high demand for ruins that are as intricate as a labyrinth.
Naturally, the more useful information is described, such as the distribution of monsters
inside the ruins and safe travel routes, the higher the price will be.
We have already conducted many surveys for this purpose. Thanks to this, we are more
familiar with the geography of the Mihazono Street ruins than most hunters, and we can
explore alone, Carol explained simply.
Well, I'm more of a city block map seller, and Monica is the one who sells the factory block
maps, but I'm still a mapmaker. I'm better at navigating through the ruins avoiding the
monsters."
Akira listened to the story with great interest.
I see. By the way, how much do you sell maps of this area for?"
Monica answers that question.
If you look at the map of the factory parcel, it's 5 million aurums.
"Five million ......"
When Akira was a little put off by the unexpected price, Monica showed her dissatisfaction.
We are also risking our lives to survey the ruins for the purpose of mapping. We can't sell
them at a low price. Besides, my maps are different in quality from those cheap ones. Akira-
san probably has a map of this place, but please don't compare me with it.
Akira flinches a little and apologizes.
Oh, ......, yes. Well, I'm sorry."
That brought Monica to her senses and she changed her attitude.
I said, "...... Oh, no, no, I was out of line too. I'm sorry."
Carol chuckles at Akira and Monica, who bowed their heads to each other.
So, how much did Akira get here on the map? If you hear 5 million and have that kind of
attitude, it must be a pretty cheap one, right? No? Using a cheap map just because you are
confident in your abilities. It's dangerous, okay?"
Monica nods vigorously and adds.
Yes, it is. Cheap maps have inappropriate content, and what appears to be a good description
may actually be last year's data. They are useless.
So how much is the map? 500,000? Or 100,000? You're not going to tell me it's a free one,
are you?"
Akira subtly looks away.
......, I don't care how much it costs."
Akira did not buy any maps since he came here with Alpha's support in the first place. And
the maps of the city block are available free of charge on the Internet. In other words,
technically, he does not even have a map of the factory zone.
However, Akira thought it would be a bad idea to answer that truthfully, so he fudged it
appropriately.
Carol and her colleagues were not unlike Akira's reaction. Monica, who had taken it for
granted that Akira only had a cheap map that she was hesitant to mention, asked in a slightly
curious manner, "What do you think of the map?
I was wondering, "...... Speaking of which, how did you get here, Akira-san? Did you encounter
any monsters?"
I said, "How did you do that?" and I just beat him normally and went on. ......
Akira's response, which was also curious, made Monica look doubtful.
"Did you beat ...... normally? Akira-san entered this room from the opposite side from us,
right?"
Yes, but ......"
"That route, it's within the guarding range of a pretty powerful security machine, so you
shouldn't normally be able to get through. ......
What?" No, I could beat it normally. ......"
Akira's recent battles with bounty hunters and today's battle with the defense machines of
Celantarville have raised his standards considerably for perceiving opponents as powerful
monsters.
Because of this, he answered that he did not feel that the opponent was so strong, and that
he beat him normally, even though he had the support of Alpha and was able to defeat him
easily.
Seeing Monica's face slightly grim, Akira inwardly wonders if he has said something wrong.
'Alpha. Did I say something wrong?"
'In my opinion, I'm not saying anything crazy. From their point of view, it might be a warning
that such a strong hunter is right next to them, or a complaint that Akira's defeat of the
powerful security machine has reduced the value of the detour route.
Information on travel routes that can avoid encounters with powerful monsters is of high
value. However, if the monster is defeated, of course, its value is drastically reduced.
After risking his life as a mapmaker to investigate that detour route with great difficulty, he
would have a lot to think about if someone easily defeated the monster in question. Alpha
added.
'......No, that's what you're telling me ......'
'Yes,' he said. Akira doesn't have to worry about it. It's part of a mapmaker's effort to go
through that kind of trouble.
While he was sure that was true, Akira felt a little uncomfortable.
That's where Carol comes in with her bright voice.
It's amazing that you are so strong. No wonder you came all the way here with a cheap map."
Then, with a smile, he took a step closer to Akira.
But then there would be no demand for high quality maps that would allow us to avoid
monster encounters with a high probability of success. Then why don't we buy another one?"
What's another one?"
I. How's it going? I'll give you a discount, okay?"
Carol bends down a little and brings her face and body closer to Akira. Her slightly
provocative smile has a bewitching sexuality, and the reinforced innerwear stuck to her body
reveals the skin underneath through it.
Monica blushes and interjects.
"Hey, Mr. Carroll! What were you thinking in a place like this ......"
But Akira's face showed his confusion that he did not understand the other party's
intentions. Then he interpreted it in his own way and shook his head.
No, I have enough strength on my own. I don't want to hire other hunters. Sorry."
Carol looked surprised, then chuckled.
I didn't think you'd take it that way ......."
Carol had been aware of the lack of sexuality in Akira's gaze as he looked at her since he
apologized to her for staring at her.
However, it was completely unexpected that when I clearly invited him right next to me, he
didn't even realize he was invited, let alone refuse.
Monica was also surprised by Akira's reaction. But as soon as she came to herself, she
complained to Carol.
"Ms. Carroll! Please don't work on the sidelines when you're with me!"
Carol, whose pride had been hurt a bit by Akira's response, was able to get back on track with
it.
I said, "Well, well, there's no need to be so angry. Besides, he turned me down rather curtly."
That's not the point! They think I'm with them, too!
Akira, who had been watching Carol and the others suspiciously, finally realized what was
going on.
Oh, that's how it is."
Then he let out a sigh of dismay. Seeing Akira, Carol also laughed a little as if she was a little
taken aback.
You finally noticed?" Totally, you can't be that dull, can you?"
I'm sorry. Either way, I refuse. I don't want it.
Even if a female hunter dressed in racy old-world style was selling her body as a sideline, it
is unlikely that she would do so in the midst of dangerous ruins. So it's no wonder she didn't
immediately notice. Akira fudged himself and let the story slide.
I have to go. See you."
Yeah?" Oh, and since this is something, why don't you join us if you want to explore the
ruins?"
No thanks.
You're really boring!"
Akira walked away, leaving Carol laughing teasingly and Monica lightly bowing her head in
annoyance.

Carol and her team, separated from Akira, find the wreckage of a large security machine. It
was a powerful machine that had blocked the route through the ruins and had been defeated
by Akira some time ago.
Carol and her colleagues had determined that Akira had not lied to them, but they were not
so shortsighted as to believe them. However, it would be a different story if they actually saw
the destroyed aircraft.
Of course, the wreckage alone is not complete proof that Akira defeated it alone. Even so,
considering Akira's appearance when he was talking about it, the credibility of the story was
deemed high enough.
She really seems to have taken this one down single-handedly."
...... seems to be the case."
Carol and the others were equally surprised, their faces slightly contorted in the same way.
But there was a slight difference.
There was disappointment on Carol's face.
(...... That girl was really strong. You just kicked the monsters away with that strength and
went on. ...... Since she didn't look very strong, I thought she was a hunter who specializes in
searching, somehow got the location of the terrain and monsters in the ruins, and then took
a safe route to get there, but I guess I was wrong. ......)
And Monica's expression was one of concern and alarm.
Carol and Monica look vaguely in the direction where the source of their hearts, Akira, would
be. Then their eyes lightly met, and both adopted an attitude that had nothing to do with
their innermost feelings.
Carol laughs in tune.
Monica: "Well, then. Shall I quickly add to the map the information that this security device
has been defeated?"
Monica lets out a sigh.
Yes," he said. ...... now the value of the detour route here is gone and gone. I did my best to
look it up. ......"
It happens. If you need a second job to make up for it, I can help you find one, okay? Well, the
whole point is to refer clients."
No, thank you!"
At Carol's joke, Monica raised her voice and said no in all seriousness.
Episode Akira and Carol

After parting ways with Carol and the others, Akira continued on through the factory zone
and finally arrived at his destination.
It was a warehouse-like place. There were several large shelves lined up in a room with only
minor damage to the walls and floor. On these shelves were many boxed relics.
Akira couldn't help but exclaim with delight at the sight.
Oh! Yes! That's great!"
It is a minor accomplishment compared to finding previously undiscovered ruins. But it was
still an oversized accomplishment by the standards of ordinary hunters. Alfa smiles proudly.
Of course. I told you I'd hit the next one."
Oh! Okay! Let's bring it home right away."
Akira goes to the front of the shelf in a good mood and looks at the box. The box is sealed and
its contents are unknown. There are no labels indicating the contents.
'What's in it, what is it? ...... ...... hmmm. Can I open it?"
Let's not do that. You don't want the box to be brittle because you forced it open here, and
you don't want the contents to be damaged in the battle on the way home, do you?"
'Well, yes, but ......'
It is best not to repack artifacts that have been packed in wrappings, even if it is for
transportation. This will preserve the condition of the artifacts. Also, the boxes are made in
the old world and can be sold for a high price in some cases. Therefore, it is better not to
touch them.
Akira had been taught something similar by Sarah and others before. But I am lost.
'Hmmm. But I don't want to take something home that I have no idea what's in it. I'm sure
it's not empty, but ......"
Akira said and lifted the box. Thanks to his reinforced clothes, he was able to lift it easily, but
it was heavy enough that he felt it would be impossible to carry it alive.
'Alpha. Can you find out what's inside?"
I'll try. Wait a minute. ...... is some kind of mechanical part inside. I don't know much more
than that.
Akira's vision expands and the contents are displayed in a faintly transparent manner. Inside
the box was an object shaped like a part of some kind of large machine.
'I see. ...... Well, if it's an Old World machine, it will probably sell. But let's check the other
boxes.'
Akira then went around the room and had Alpha examine the other boxes. He expected to
find something more obvious and expensive, but all he found were identical or similar
mechanical parts.
At the back of the ruins. A place where alpha is a hit. It is well boxed up. Akira also thinks it
is a valuable relic considering those things.
But I also thought that if the same object were left out in the wilderness, I probably wouldn't
even look at it. This sensation made Akira groan lightly.
Akira. Don't groan forever, it's time to go back. It doesn't make much difference which box
we choose, and we can take it back again, right?"
'...... I guess so. ...... Okay! This is it!"
Akira chose the most expensive box and packed it in his spare backpack. He would only take
that one box home with him. The box was too big to fit any more.
It is impossible to carry on your back. You will have to carry it halfway by dragging it.
Considering the return journey and the battle, they would have to carry a rucksack with
spare ammunition.
There are still many boxes left on the numerous shelves. Akira, leaving the room, looks at
them with difficulty as he closes the door.
I wonder how many round trips we'll have to make to get all this stuff out."
The only thing I worry about is whether or not we'll be able to carry it all out in the first
place," he said. Now that we've found this place, the odds of other hunters finding it have
increased.
'That's true, too. Let's be careful to go home so they don't find out about this place. Alpha. I'll
take care of the travel routes.
I'll take care of it.
Akira smiled with satisfaction as he turned to Alpha, who was smiling with pride. He then
closed the door and began to proceed through the deserted factory.
Alpha looks back once before following Akira. As it was, he opened and extended his hand
lightly toward the door.
A pattern-like object appears slightly in front of the palm of Alpha's hand. In response, a
three-dimensional image of a wall is projected in front of the door. A force field is then
generated to overlap the 3D image, reproducing even the texture of the wall.
This concealed the door with a sophisticated camouflage that was unrecognizable by light,
sound, touch, or atmospheric currents.
Alpha nods lightly and returns next to Akira.
'On the way back, we'll take a different route than we did on the way there. That way, it will
be more difficult for them to trace the relics backwards from the route.
'I get it. ...... Oh, yeah. How about having Elena and the others help you carry the relics from
that room? I can't get Cheryl and her friends to help me again, but Elena and her friends can
......"
Akira. Let's not do that.'
No? No, I'm not going to tell you that we're going to be trisecting this time, or anything like
that, okay? You'll have to negotiate that one properly. ......"
No, it's not. That's not what I mean. This time, like at the Yonozuka Station site, it is
impossible to claim to have found it by chance.
A hunter who came to the Mihazono Street ruins for the first time headed for the factory
section instead of the city section, the main earning area of the ruins, and stopped at the back
of the factory section without a map, accidentally finding an unexplored section where a
large amount of artifacts remained.
That can't be put away as a quirky coincidence. It is natural to assume that they obtained the
information on the uninvestigated portions by some means. Even if the specific method of
obtaining the information is unknown, it is better to assume that it will be clearly revealed
that some method of obtaining the information has been retained.
And I can't tell Elena and the others how to get it. So no, Alpha hushed Akira.
'...... I see. Well, I don't have a choice. I'll just have to do my best to get there and back alone.'
'You do that,' he said. At least until we have a situation that can be put down to coincidence.
Satisfied with Alpha's explanation, Akira smiled and carried the relic away.
◆

It took a long time, but Akira obtained the relics, which were a sufficient result. As he was
half-dragging his backpack containing the relic through the deserted factory corridors,
Alpha, who had been leading the way, suddenly stopped.
'Alpha. What's up?"
Akira. Just be careful. Also, get further away from that wall.
Akira moved away from the wall of the passageway as instructed and looked suspiciously in
the direction he had been alerted to. However, he did not find anything suspicious.
But the next moment, that wall was shot at from the other side. The wall cracked and a hole
opened. While Akira was surprised, the shots were repeated, and the cracks became clear
fissures, and the increasing number of holes weakened the strength of the wall.
Then the wall was kicked through. A large hole opened up, and pieces of the shattered wall
flew out with great force. The person who kicked through the wall jumped out of the hole. It
was Carol.
"......Ko, if we get this far, we'll get ......! That was close!"
Carol's face, which had probably been showing signs of impatience, relaxed with relief. When
she noticed Akira's surprise, she smiled lightly.
You are ......, what a coincidence to see you here."
Oddly enough, it's .......
Carroll turned his gaze to the other side of the hole in the wall, not caring about Akira's lightly
stunned demeanor. Then her face was once again drawn with impatience.
Unbelievable! Wait! This place should be out of range by now!
An impatient Carol shouts to Akira with a panicked look on her face.
Akira! Sorry, but I need a little help!"
What?"
Akira was puzzled for a moment, but immediately readied his DVTS minigun. He then fired
into a hole in the wall, destroying a mechanical monster about one meter in size that was
there.
But the destroyed machine does not stop; it moves forward while being hit. Even as the
elliptical fuselage was distorted and its tire-laden multi-legs shredded, it was forced forward
by the following machine.
That's where Carroll fires the shot. From a large gun, a pistol but too large to be called so, he
fired a powerful bullet comparable to the specialized rounds of the CWH objective assault
rifle. The bullets wrecked and pulverized the already destroyed aircraft, and even penetrated
and destroyed the following aircraft.
Akira is amazed at the power of Carroll's gun, but also wonders a bit about it.
(If you're dealing with someone of this caliber, you don't have to panic so much. ......)
There, Akira's vision expanded. At the same time, Akira's face was drawn back.
There was a scene of a large number of mechanical monsters rushing toward us.
The accuracy of search and rescue by information-gathering equipment increases the fewer
obstacles there are within range. The accuracy of search and rescue on the other side of the
wall increased with the opening of a large hole in the wall, and Alpha's support was added to
the accuracy. The other side of the wall became even clearer, and the image was drawn in
Akira's expanded field of vision.
There is a large hole in the wall, but it is still only about two meters wide. If aircraft rush into
that narrow hole, they will naturally clog it. The wreckage of the defeated enemies also
obstructs the passage. Thanks to this, it was easy for Akira and his team to hold off the swarm
of security machines.
However, the walls are already brittle due to the large hole that was drilled through them,
and in addition, they have been hit by a number of aircraft, causing more cracks to appear. It
was only a matter of time before the hole would collapse around it and become a larger hole.
Seeing this, Carroll gave up fighting back at this point.
Akira! I'm going back!"
I get it!"
Akira and his team timed their disengagement while shooting at the enemy, then looked at
each other and ran out of the place at the same time.
Akira, who was using one hand to drag the backpack containing the relics, lagged behind a
bit, but managed to escape by using the wreckage of the destroyed security machine as an
obstacle.

Carol moved with Akira to another factory site. They exhaled deeply, relieved that there was
no sign of the security machines that had been following them.
"If you've made it this far, you're ready for the quicksand. ...... That was close. ...... oops, Akira,
thanks for saving me."
Carol expressed her genuine gratitude with a bewitching smile that she also uses on the
sidelines.
His smile was full of a sex appeal that would instantly entice a normal man to ask Carroll for
a second job. But it had no effect on Akira.
You're welcome. So, I guess it's time to hear what happened."
...... yeah. Okay."
Carroll chuckled slightly, then regained his composure and began to tell us what happened.
The content was nothing surprising to Akira. He had encountered a pack of monsters in the
ruins. Because of this, he was separated from Monica and was desperately running away by
himself. It was an unfortunate but not surprising story.
But for Carol, it was a puzzling turn of events.
As a mapmaker, I have done a preliminary study of the security coverage and patrol routes
of the security machines in the ruins. The point where we were attacked was a place where
the probability of encountering that amount of guard machines was sufficiently low, and
moreover, there should be no fear of a surprise attack that could divide us from our friends.
And most puzzling of all, the security machines have deviated from their original security
perimeter.
Mechanical monsters are basically powerful individuals. This is because most of them are
not naturally reproducing organisms, but machines designed to eliminate their opponents.
There is a reason why so many hunters choose the Mihazono Town ruins as a place to make
money, despite the large number of such powerful monsters roaming around the ruins. It is
because they are machines, and as such, there are many parts that are inflexible.
Basically, the security machine complies with the security scope. If an intruder breaks into
another company's premises because he/she has fled that way, it is a big problem. It is no
different in the old world.
Thereby, if the place is in the system and on someone else's private property, building, or
administrative site, they will not enter it, even if it is already a pile of rubble.
Thanks to this, hunters working at the Mihazono Street Ruins can often be saved from an
unfortunate encounter with a mechanical monster that has no chance of winning. This is
because, even in places where they would normally be unable to escape, they can take
advantage of the fact that the security machines do not allow entry outside of their guarded
area and can escape by crossing the border.
You may flee to a nearby building. You may cross the border between the clean and deserted
areas of the ruins. The boundaries of the security perimeter are clearly visible throughout
the ruins.
The Mihazono Street Ruins are quite challenging if only for the simple strength of the
monsters. Nevertheless, many hunters came to earn money, and this was the reason why
even a sub-branch of the Hunter Office was built.
This is no different for the city block and the factory block. Carroll tried to escape by breaking
down the wall because he knew that side was in a different factory zone and outside the
security range of the security machine that was attacking him.
That is why it was so unexpected to Carol that the security machines followed her further
out of the security zone, inside the grounds of another factory, after she had made a large
hole in the wall, which was so unexpected that it defied common sense at the Mihazono Street
site.
"It's still not right. ...... It's impossible to say that because it's an abandoned factory, we
ignored the other party's security perimeter. ...... If the facility is capable of such flexible
decision making, we can't do anything to exploit the gaps in our security perimeter. ......"
Form a hypothesis and deny it. After repeating this process, Carol, at an impasse, asks Akira.
Hey, just out of curiosity, do you have any ideas?"
No, I don't.
I know.
Carol was quite distressed, but it didn't matter to Akira. He asks with a normal attitude.
'More importantly, where are we headed now? Are you just going along at random? Or are
you going forward with a guess?"
I had followed Carol along the way, but if she was wandering around without any particular
destination in order to escape from the enemy, I would ask Alpha to guide her from here, and
ostensibly I would lead her on her way. That was Akira's only thought.
But Carroll is at a loss for words, looking a little difficult.
Uh, that's ......."
We were just picking and choosing places where there seemed to be fewer monsters along
the way. Then we succeeded in scattering them.
I'm going to go ahead and say, "......, we're going to get out of these ruins. I'm not going to go
looking for Monica."
Carol and her colleagues had an agreement that if they were separated in the ruins for any
reason, they would each escape the ruins and if the other party did not return a short time
later, they would send a rescue request.
We are also not supposed to contact them until they have moved to a safe place. This is
because the monster may detect the response if we send out a bad message.
Akira nodded lightly after hearing this explanation, then wondered.
I see." ...... that? But outside the ruins, was it that way?"
...... that's where it's at."
Carol knew that it would be better to escape from the factory block by relying on the map
provided by Monica.
Monica's map details monster placement and security coverage information. The
correctness of this information is also corroborated by the fact that we went around the
factory block together.
But now he dared to use a different guess.
The map of the factory block we sell includes a safe return route, but it's based on the security
perimeter of the security machine," he said. But, you see, we were attacked by an enemy who
ignored the security zone. So I thought it might be a good idea to use that return route."
"......? I see. So?"
Akira thought it might be some kind of preamble, but he was a bit puzzled, not quite grasping
the relevance of the story. Why not rely on Monica's expensive map to escape? I understood
the reason for this, but it seemed misplaced as a reason for not proceeding toward the
outside of the ruins.
As I told you, I'm a mapmaker and I sell information on archaeological sites. So I know some
of the back doors to the ruins and things like that.
The back door." There's such a thing. Yeah, I mean, are you headed that way?"
Carol makes a difficult face.
I know, but ......, as a mapmaker myself, I can't just give that information away for free."
Akira, too, could see the reason for Carol's attitude.
Akira. I'm going to ask you just in case. Are you ready to buy?"
Uh, how much?"
I guess so. After discounting to account for the help I received earlier, 20 million aurum.
How's that sound?"
Akira shook his head with a slight drawl. It was clear on his face that he didn't have that kind
of money.
......, I know..."
Carol let out a sigh.
If Akira continues to accompany Carol, Akira will inevitably get information worth at least
20 million aurums for free.
However, it is difficult to say that if you can't pay, don't follow.
The factory block is currently in the middle of an abnormal situation. There is a high
probability that a large number of mechanical monsters are roaming all over the place,
ignoring their original security perimeter.
In that situation, it was unthinkable for Carol to leave someone who knew the way out of
here.
(...... I will have to compromise. If Akira starts to use force because I force him to pay here, it's
a bad idea.)
In this situation where the monster alone is too much for us to handle, we cannot afford to
make an enemy of Akira as well. So we have no choice. That's what Carol told herself.
(I usually think, "Let's make sure we get back what we've discounted to ......, but I doubt it.")
I was confident that an ordinary man could easily cage and squeeze her once he got his hands
on her. But for some reason, Akira had no sexual interest in him. This thought shook Carol's
confidence.
If he was bad, Carol was making more money on the side than she was making as a hunter or
mapmaker, but this time she couldn't be sure.
Whatever the direction, Carol was willing to concede herself. But then Akira told her
something unexpected.
Then we'll split up here. See you."
"............, eh?"
As Akira tries to leave easily, Carol stops him without a second thought.
Wait! What? Seriously?"
I don't have that kind of money, and I'm not going to go into debt to buy one."
Akira's lighthearted response left Carroll half appalled.
(...... I'm serious)
At first, Carol thought Akira's attitude was a tactic to get him to lower his too-high
information fee. But there are many such negotiations and tactics in mapmaking and other
side businesses. She could immediately tell how serious Akira was, including the fact that he
was an amateur at this kind of negotiation.
We were attacked by a pack of monsters just a few minutes ago. It's obvious that it's better
to be together in terms of strength. If the two of us fight here, it will only be a loss for both of
us. If that is the case, the one who will be forced to compromise is me. Carol's surprise was
great because she had thought so.
In this situation, he did not even try to get them to agree to go with him for free, as he thought
they would be in trouble without him, but simply parted without even negotiating a discount.
Carol could not have expected that.
Akira's attitude caught Carol's interest. Carol laughs happily.
Hey, can we make a deal?"
Deal?" Sorry, but even if they cut me in half, I still don't have the money, okay?"
No," he said. Why don't you take on my escort? The reward is 20 million aurum. The term is
until you return to the Hunter's Office sub-branch. In short, the fee for the back-door
information is offset by the fee for the escort. How's that sound?"
You are very generous," he said. Even if I pay you with information, it's still worth 20 million
aurums, isn't it?"
Akira looks at her a little quizzically, and Carol smiles at him in a friendly manner.
It's a situation like this," he said. It's inevitable that the price will be a little high. I don't want
to lose my life either. Besides, Akira is strong, isn't he? He came here without a good map and
was willing to part with me so easily under the circumstances. If that's the case, I should at
least give him this much."
And now he laughs somewhat provocatively.
If you think I'm getting 20 million too much for my abilities, you can cut back as much as you
want. You can pay me the difference later."
Akira then chuckled, then laughed as if he had reopened the door.
All right, 20 million.
We have a deal. Nice to meet you."
Carol laughs and asks for a handshake. Akira responded and shook Carol's hand.

Akira, who was assigned to escort Carol, albeit irregularly, was carefully moving through the
ruins with Carol. As he asked Alfa to help him search for the enemy while he himself was
paying attention to the reactions of the information-gathering equipment, he suddenly had
a question.
'Alpha. About that time you met up with Carol, couldn't you have known earlier how that
pack of monsters would react?"
I'm sorry it took me so long to warn you."
Alpha looked a little miffed, which was unusual. Akira hurried to quiet him down.
'No, I wasn't complaining, I just thought it wouldn't be surprising if Alfa would have noticed
sooner. My bad. Alfa's awesome support has always helped me.'
That puts Alfa in a good mood.
Good. Well, as I explained before, unfortunately my support efficiency is much lower outside
of the Kuzuhara Street ruins. Especially in searching.
Is it really that different?"
Yes. And this is in an old-world factory, right? The structure is probably designed to inhibit
the collection of information for confidentiality reasons as well. Compared to those buildings
and the wilderness, the accuracy of search and rescue is much less.
It is like being constantly sprayed with a low concentration of information-gathering
jamming smoke. Akira was fully convinced by this explanation.
Akira. I'd like to ask you a few questions myself, but why did you accept the job of escort?"
What? What's wrong?"
'No, it's not. You tried to leave quickly without negotiating, and then you immediately
accepted an escort, didn't you? Suddenly it seemed like he had changed his mind a lot. I'm
asking you why.
'Really? Hmmm. Well, sort of."
The reason Akira quickly tried to distance himself from Carol, who was reluctant to
accompany him, was because Akira himself was more wary of the other party's use of force
than Carol was, and he wanted to avoid that hassle.
Nor did he even negotiate a discount because Akira subconsciously disliked that. Akira had
the feeling that forcing the other party to lower the price offered by him for his own
convenience was the same as unfairly depriving him of the difference.
On the other hand, there was room for acceptance if it was offered by the other party. In
addition, the fact that the value of the information was vague and the just compensation for
the escort was also vague helped Akira's decision.
Akira knows that there is a higher chance of survival if they work together. If both parties
could come to a mutually satisfactory conclusion, they could afford to choose that option.
Akira can choose without hesitation not to help each other because he has no choice, but to
kill each other because he has no choice. In a world where there are only enemies or not
enemies, the former choice is impossible.
Still, now that Akira had escaped from a world where the back alleys of the slums were
everything, he had the added option of keeping his distance because he had no choice.
Also, the meaning of "not an enemy" was beginning to change for Akira, who had acquired
strength through many fierce battles, met various people, and gained experience. Not a
potential adversary with whom he is not currently engaged, but someone with whom he has
no hostile intent, if not an ally. It was changing. Then, I could compromise a little.
However, this is in the realm of the unconscious, and Akira is not aware of the change. When
asked about the rationale for his choice, he could only respond, "Somehow.
And even Alpha, which can detect lies of the living with a high probability, cannot detect what
Akira himself does not understand. He only knows that it is not a lie. Therefore, it was treated
as Akira's whim.
'Yes. Well, Carol doesn't seem to have any hostile intentions either, and as long as Akira
doesn't get into trouble by fighting with her somehow, I don't mind escorting her, do you?"
Akira wonders a little when he sees Alpha smiling meaningfully at him. But then he
immediately remembered.
When Akira had a previous altercation with Shiori in the Kuzuthara Street underground city,
it was Reina's support and escort that led to their near-killing.
Heihei. I'll be careful.
Akira chuckled deceitfully and let the story slide.

Carol looks at Akira and wonders.

(Hmmm. You don't look so strong after all. I wonder why. Is it because I look too young?)
I wouldn't go so far as to say they look weak, but they don't look strong. At the very least, he
did not look at all like someone who was capable of getting into the factory block by himself.
Hey, how old is Akira?"
Hmm?" I don't know."
Yes. Well, I won't force you to ask. I keep it a secret basically because of my side job, and I
often say an appropriate age, or an age that I think they would enjoy.
He probably doesn't want to say how old he is. Carol decided so and tried to laugh the story
off.
But Akira shook his head lightly.
No, I really don't know. I don't even know my birthday. I don't know if I forgot or if I didn't
know from the beginning.
From his words, Carol discerned that Akira was from the slums. Knowing that many people
are concerned about that, he let the story slide.
Yes. Then how long have you been a hunter?"
...... not very long. Let's just say it's pretty short."
Carol did not find Akira's attitude strange, as he simply replied that he did not know his own
age, but was a little hesitant to say anything about his hunter's history.
There are many individual differences in self-reported hunter history. Date of registration
with the Hunter Office. The day I first went out into the wilderness. The day I reached Hunter
Rank 10. The criteria for the start date alone are varied.
If the content of the activity period is included, the difference is even greater. Some go to the
ruins with guns in their hands, even if they are not registered. Others exclude periods of time
when they are less than rank 10. There are cases in which a period in which a person was
desperately working as a hunter in his or her own way is treated as a period of activity as a
hunter by those with different standards of judgment, and this can lead to a dispute.
Akira was a bit hesitant to say anything, probably because he didn't like what he was hearing
about the area. Carol judged that to be the case.
Still, it is certain that Akira described his hunting career as short. As long as we cannot feel
that he is lying there, we can assume that he is reasonably young. In other words, he is not
using a boyish prosthetic body, nor is he maintaining the appearance of a child with some
kind of body enhancement extension technology. Carol concluded.
Is that so?" Then you're a young hunter. A young hunter with such ability. That's quite an
accomplishment.
......, well, I've had a lot of luck."
The praise is too strong to accept honestly. But it would be unnatural to deny it. Akira
thought so, and let the conversation drift away, making it a matter of luck.
And Carol saw it as humility.
Luck is part of the game, right? Especially in the hunter's trade, where you never know when
you might die."
So we're a lot less good at what we're doing now that we're in this mess.
As Akira smiles bitterly and wonders if this is also due to my bad luck, Carol dares to laugh
triumphantly.
Oh, that's the part where you're supposed to say, "What a lucky guy you are to be able to hire
me under these circumstances?"
Akira unexpectedly turns his face to Carol. Carol smiled back happily.
Akira's expression turns into a wry smile.
'Alpha. You say yeah, but can you do it?"
Alpha also turned to Akira with a smile to spare.
It's a piece of cake. This is the usual situation for Akira, isn't it? It's not even close to bad luck.
I see."
Akira laughed somewhat happily. Then, he regained his spirits to laugh off this misfortune.
I know what you mean." ...... Carol! You're lucky you hired me! I'll take care of it!"
I'm counting on you."
Suddenly Akira's enthusiasm rose, and Carol thought it was both simple and encouraging.
And I truly hoped that the current unusual situation might be easily surmounted by the way
Akira was looking at the situation.

As Akira proceeded through the factory block, Carol's expectations were well met.
Although we did not encounter large swarms of security machines, we were attacked by
single individuals or only a few groups. They were easily defeated.
Alpha's spotting detects the enemy's presence quickly and concentrates a barrage of DVTS
minigun fire on a single point to penetrate and destroy the solid armor.
If there are many enemies, immediately destroy their machine guns and other equipment to
take away their ability to attack, then destroy their multiple legs to take away their ability to
move and turn them into targets that are only solid, then have Carol take them down.
Akira's strength was demonstrated to Carol by the wreckage of the security machines, which
turned to scrap metal one after another and scattered around the area, leaving her with no
way to do anything about it.
I wasn't doubting you, but you're really strong."
Really?" I'm glad you're not complaining that I'm too weak for the 20 million aurums I paid,
even if it is anomalous."
Looking at the somewhat satisfied Akira, Carol looked a little lost. Then, somewhat
reluctantly, she said, "I'm not sure what to say.
...... Uh, if you mean complain, not so much complain, but, you know, do you still want to take
that home with you?"
Carol's eyes were on the backpack that Akira was half-dragging and carrying.
Akira's gaze turned to the same object with a slightly hardened expression. Inside was the
relic he had finally obtained, the fruit of today's hard work.
No?"
"......Well, yeah. I'm not saying you can't, and I can't force you to, but I just want you to be fully
prepared to fight if you can, you know?"
Seeing Akira's face full of regret, Carol was at the end of her rope in asking him to do so.
Akira's movements are slowed by the fact that he is carrying relics. He is using one hand to
drag his backpack, and he cannot use his gun with both hands.
Carol is also impressed by Akira, who is strong even in this state. However, she would be able
to fight even better if she could get rid of the relics, and she really wanted him to give up the
baggage that was getting in the way.
However, Akira is not a mapmaker, so he has to bring back relics to make money. Even
though he can get 20 million aurum worth of information as a reward for escorting, it is not
money, so he cannot cover expenses such as ammunition.
At this point, Akira does not even know if the information is really worth 20 million aurum.
In order to keep this relic collection from becoming a tedious and costly exercise, I don't want
to give up on the relics, which are concrete and clearly measurable results that can be used
to make money. Carol understands this feeling. That is why Carol could not force Akira to
give up the relics.
And Akira, too, was troubled to the extent that he could not refuse to say no.
Since he has taken on the role of escort, Akira intends to take it seriously. But relics are
spared. In addition, he is getting by for now. That is what made Akira indecisive.
'...... Alpha. Are you okay?"
For now. If it becomes too much, give up.'
I'm looking forward to Alpha's tremendous support there. ......
If you still can't do it, then give up. I understand how you feel, but Akira's safe return to life
is the top priority. I won't compromise on that.
Akira, too, could not be more selfish.
'......, got it.'
'Expect no bad luck to happen, something so bad that the relics must be thrown away.'
'......, yes.'
Akira had regained his spirits to laugh off this misfortune, but here he was limited to a wry
smile. He changed his mind and hurried on.
Seeing Akira, who looked distressed but eventually continued to carry the relics, Carol had
no choice but to follow suit.

Akira leads Carol through the factory section of the Mihazono Street site. Although there
were sporadic battles, no problems occurred. However, Akira looked a little doubtful.
Carol. I feel like we're going deeper and deeper into the ruins, is there really a back door this
way?"
Yeah. This way. Oh, I told you, it's like a back door, not a hidden passage somewhere."
"Then how do you ......"
It's faster to look. We're almost there, just wait a little longer."
"......, got it."
Akira maturely followed along, hoping for a little more. After a while, Carol gave Akira a
smile, a little bit proud of herself.
We're here. I'm here."
Although he was told so, Akira was a little bewildered by the sight, which was too unexpected
to be called a back door.
It was a large scale goods depot, a space similar to a container terminal at a port. The huge
walls surrounding it had large corridors and entrances everywhere. Akira and the others had
entered the place through one of them.
Several large containers are lined up on the site. One of them suddenly came to life.
What the hell?
As the startled Akira involuntarily followed it with his eyes, the container disappeared high
into the sky.
Carol laughs as she enjoys Akira's reaction.
It's interesting, isn't it? What you see here are containers for transporting goods. They're
taking the stuff that was built in the factory zone and bringing it outside."
The "Containers ......? Do Old World containers fly? ....... Quintessential Old World Made."
'It's a little different, but ......, well, okay. It's this way. Be careful, it's dangerous. Stay close to
me."
Even as Akira is guided by Carol through the container terminal, new containers are being
brought in from the corridors in the walls.
A wheeled multiped carrying a certain container places that container on the ground and
dexterously returns to the aisle, separated and left with only its legs. The container emerges
from the passageway above the wall in a floating state, flies through the air, stops once in
mid-air, and descends to its place of rest on its own.
Akira was mildly excited by the sight of the containers being transported alone, a sight
beyond his imagination, and watched the surroundings with interest.
'So this is an old world factory. ...... What a great idea. You mean it's the old world? ...... Well,
I've never seen the inside of a modern factory."
Then Alpha gives me a light warning.
Akira. We are not here for sightseeing, so don't scurry around too much. If you get distracted,
it will hinder the battle. Concentrate on your escape now.
'...... Right. Ok."
Akira, too, switches his mind. But then a thought occurred to him.
(Alfa doesn't seem at all interested in the scene here ......, either because he simply isn't
interested or because he's so used to seeing it ......, which is it?)
Probably the latter. Akira somehow thought so, but decided not to consider it further. The
more he thought about it, the more questions he had about Alpha.
Akira kept his mouth shut for now, lest he ask unnecessary questions in search of answers,
lest the questions he asked out of his curiosity turn into a fatal rift with Alpha.
At that moment, Carol, who was making her way through the container terminal, suddenly
stopped. She then turned her gaze to a place that looked empty to Akira, stared at it, and
nodded lightly.
"......, yeah. There you go."
Carol smiles again, this time at Akira, who looks at her with a curious expression on his face.
The moment Carol's hand grasped the air and moved forward, a tear appeared in Akira's
vision.
The rift widens further in front of the surprised Akira. Through the rift in the space, through
the gap in the door, we could see its interior, the inside of the container.
What's this ......?"
It looks like a container with optical camouflage. Carol opened that door.
Akira, who was told this by Alpha, reaches for the invisible container. He felt a firm sensation
in his hand.
Oh! Optical camouflage! That's great!"
You have to get close, look closely, touch your hand, and finally mistake the glass plate for
being there. The container had such advanced optical camouflage.
Akira. Here, I'm coming in."
At the urging of Carol, who is pleased with Akira's reaction, Akira enters the container. When
Carol enters with him and closes the door, the presence of the container disappears optically
from the surroundings once again.
The interior of the container is large enough to fit a wilderness-specification vehicle with
room to spare, and some of the sides and ceiling are covered with optical camouflage, like
windows. Akira looked at it with great interest.
Carol. Is this the back door?"
That's what I mean. This is one of the collection and delivery stations in the factory block.
We're going to get into one of the containers and have it transported with us.
Oooh."
Akira even lightly exclaimed in admiration, and Carol, in a good mood, elaborated a bit more.
There are a fair number of places where hunters bring back artifacts from the ruins, only to
have them replenished at some point after a while. The equipment and other items that were
taken away are rearranged by the ruins' automatic restoration function, for example.
However, few places even manufacture equipment on site for that relocation. Most of them
are built somewhere else and brought in. This container is for that transportation.
So, what's going on is that a container loaded with stuff is being airlifted out and is flying
over the eastern skies. "So, some containers are being loaded and flown over the eastern part
of the country. There's not a lot of land transport.
Hmm?" Why so few overland trips?"
I think it's because it's so crowded on the ground," he said. There are monsters and hunters.
You just can't see them, so if you're not careful, you can bump into them."
Although they use advanced camouflage features, they can still be detected by equally
advanced intelligence-gathering equipment. Fear of collision is also high. The ground
pavement is far from perfect. But with air transportation, those problems can be largely
avoided.
Oh, surely it wouldn't be so easy to spot them if they were flying through the air."
When Akira nodded lightly in agreement, he felt a slight tremor beneath his feet. He checked
his surroundings and saw that the scenery visible through a window-like section of the wall
had begun to move.
Oh, it's floating ......"
This container is being airlifted to the city block. Akira also saw the container flying outside,
didn't he? That's because it was carried by an invisible transporter. ...... so you're safe now."
Next to Akira, who had his hand on the window and was looking out, Carol was breathing a
light sigh of relief.
"Is this safe to say that ...... wasn't dangerous just a few minutes ago?"
'Uh, if that's true, we should be safe once we enter this container terminal, but you see, the
security machine even went beyond the security perimeter to attack us. So I thought, "No
way."
'Then isn't it still dangerous?'
It's okay. The jurisdiction changed from the factory zone to the city zone when the container
left the ground. Even though it is a mechanical monster, it is a security machine in the factory
zone. You can't ignore the jurisdiction of a mechanical monster in a factory zone.
When Carol told him this with a smile, Akira nodded his head in agreement and light
admiration. But then he wondered.
Hey, how do you know all that?"
Carol's expression hardens slightly, as if she has spoken a little too much for peace of mind.
But it was only for a moment, unnoticed by Akira, who immediately smiled wryly.
Don't tell anyone. Rather, the way to obtain that kind of information is a mapmaker's special
class of confidential information. I'm sorry, but I can't tell you that for a mere 20 million
aurums."
Akira chuckled at that, but it made sense. It was not that he could imagine a specific method,
but it was enough to know that he could find out if he piled up the money. He thought that it
was not an unobtainable and beyond human knowledge, just because he did not know about
it.
I see. Then tell me a lot of things for 20 million aurum. I think 20 million is a lot of money just
to get us to this container, don't you?"
When Akira smiled a little provocatively at her, Carol laughed happily in return.
It's okay," he said. You've protected me well up to this point, and I'll teach you everything
you need to know until we get to the city block."
The container carrying Akira and the others rose straight up and out of the container
terminal and proceeded over the factory block. In the container flying over the ruins, Akira
learned many things from Carol.
Meanwhile, Alpha remained silent. He was aware that Carol had cheated, but he didn't dare
interrupt.
Carol has something in common with Alpha in that she knows something unknowable about
this place. And Akira wonders if Alpha knows something that he has no idea about.
It is because it is very convenient for Alfa to have Akira mistakenly believe that something is
something that he does not know, but that a mapmaker would not be surprised to know.
Smiling as usual, as always, Alpha said nothing.
Episode for the second time today

A container carrying Akira and others exiting the factory section of the Mihazono Street site
is flying in the sky over the city section.
The contents of that container are empty except for Akira and the others. Carol, who had
taught Akira many things as her own escort substitute during the move, spoke lightly about
it as well.
And you know what? There are quite a few empty containers in that container terminal. If it
were true, they would be loaded with all kinds of things, but the factory that makes them is
probably already abandoned. But the transportation system is still working, so empty
containers are being transported. Well, that's my guess.
I see. But the fact that you're transporting them like this means that the system at the site is
working, right? Don't they check the cargo or something? For a system in the old world,
which is said to be great in many ways, it seems to be either very good or very inefficient. ......
To Akira's simple question, Carol lightly shakes her head.
It's the other way around. The system of the ruins is halfway working, so hunters can use the
Mihazono Street ruins as a place to make money. If the great system of the old world as
described by Akira was working perfectly, we would not even be able to approach the
Mihazono Street Ruins.
The security machines at the ruins are attacking hunters who have come to collect relics. But
that's all there is to it. The robbers come in large numbers every day from outside the city,
and yet they are only half-heartedly dealt with to that extent.
Normally, the Mihazono Street Ruins should be taking a much larger military action to defend
itself. Just as the city of Kgamayama had previously responded to an attack by a large herd
of monsters, the Mihazono Street Ruins should also have to repel the hunters.
But the Mihazono Street site does not do that. At that point, it is clear that some deterioration,
damage, or problem has occurred to the archaeological site's system.
When Carol explained this to him, Akira nodded lightly in agreement.
I'm sure you're right. That's why we got out of there in one piece. ......"
Akira looks out the window of the container. There is a view of the city block, a mosaic of
brand new buildings and piles of rubble. Looking at this scene, Akira somehow understood
that this was another proof that the system of the ruins was not working properly.
Then he suddenly lifted his gaze lightly. Then a crack appeared in the air in his field of vision.
(...... what?)
Akira looked at the cracks with a dubious look on his face, but it did not end with a dubious
look on his face. Instructions fly from Alpha with a serious expression on his face.
Akira! Enemy!
Huh?"
When he raised his voice without thinking so, Akira was already in motion, his reinforced
clothes being manipulated by Alpha. He quickly put on his backpack with ammunition and
the CWH objective assault rifle and DVTS minigun that were on the floor. He grabs it and
holds it in both hands.
Akira! What's wrong?
Carol! The enemy!"
What?
Carol hurriedly looked outside the container, in the direction Akira had been looking just
before. Then she pulled a face.
What Akira thought was a crack in the air was an opening in the side of the cargo section of
a large transport with optical camouflage enabled. Furthermore, the gap opened wide
vertically, revealing the cargo to Akira and the others.
The cargo was a large multi-legged tank. Moreover, its main gun was pointed at the container
of Akira and his team.
Carol reflexively jumps back from the spot. But even if she escaped a direct hit, she was still
in a container in the air. There is no escape. The tank's fire hit the container, and Carol was
thrown out of the destroyed container.
The ground is reflected in Carol's view as she flies through the air.
(High ......! (This, if it falls off, is ......)
Death. It was high enough to make it plainly understood. Even if he was blown away by the
impact of enemy fire, he was now unharmed thanks to his reinforced clothing. However, the
distance to the distant ground was convincing enough that even such a high-performance
reinforced suit would not save him.
The realization of death prolongs Carol's experience time. However, for Carol, who cannot
move much in the air, it only prolongs the time she feels the fear of death. The feeling of not
being able to save her face is more fearful than grim.
At that moment, Akira jumps into Carol as if she were a body blow.
Akira?
Hold on for dear life!"
Akira pulled Carol to him forcefully and grabbed her, then readied both guns and pulled the
triggers.
When the container was destroyed by the bombardment, Alpha, who had sensed it, already
had Akira take the best possible action. He calculated the location of the impact, calculated
the state of the container after impact, and supported Akira's escape.
Akira used the container, which was about to lose its original shape rather than having a
large hole in it, as a foothold immediately after the container was destroyed by the
bombardment, and used the physical capabilities of his reinforced clothing to leap with great
vigor to get to Carroll.
And when he caught up to Carol, he now fired his two-handed CWH objective assault rifle
and DVTS minigun, and The recoil forced him to accelerate sideways.
He flew through the air and landed on the side of the skyscraper ahead of him, running down
as he had done when he fought the defense machines of the Celantar Building.
Confused by the sudden sequence of events and the unorthodox behavior of running down
the side of the building, Carol yells as she grabs Akira.
Hey! Akira!
Just hold on!
Unlike Carol, Akira, who was running down the side of the building for the second time today,
maintained his composure despite his grim expression. He turned his gaze to the sky in an
attempt to take down the enemy. But he saw nothing.
Akira suspects optical camouflage. But Alpha pointed upward toward the building.
Akira. Up there.
At the same time Akira turns his gaze in that direction, the side of the building on which he
is using as a foothold shakes. It was the impact of a multi-legged tank that had jumped out of
a transport plane and landed on the wall of the building.
A multi-legged tank runs along the wall of a building, spinning the tires at the end of its many
legs with great force. It also aims at Akira and the others with its main gun.
Unbelievable! At that size?
'The other side doesn't have the same driving style as Akira. They just have the ability to run
on walls from the beginning. It's not as surprising as the fact that the container is flying.
'That may be true, but ......'
'That doesn't matter, I'm going to beat you. Akira. Get into it.
...... got it!"
Surprise and panic will not change the situation. Destroying the enemy is the top priority.
Akira told himself this and concentrated on the battle. Sliding down the wall of the building,
he readied the CWH objective assault rifle and fired a well-aimed shot.
Almost simultaneously, the multi-legged tanks also fire on Akira and his team. Bullets and
shells pass each other at high speed and run toward each other's targets.
The bullet landed on the target. The flashy impact conversion light that scattered from the
force field armored force field armor of the multi-legged tank indicated its high power.
However, it was not destroyed. The surface of the aircraft was heavily dented by the impact
that force field armor force field armor alone could not prevent, but it remained fully capable
of engaging.
The shell did not land on the target and went straight through the air. Akira used both the
physical capabilities of his reinforced clothing and the recoil of his DVTS minigun to force
himself to fly sideways and avoid the shell.
A shell hits the ground and explodes. The blast pushed Akira and the others back, even
though they were a considerable distance from the ground, the point of impact. It showed
Akira and the others that there was that much power.
I'm not going to take a shot!"
It's still working. Keep shooting.
I get it!"
Akira and the multi-legged tank begin shooting each other while running down the side of
the building. Carol watched the out-of-the-ordinary attack and defense with a half-smile
while holding on to Akira.
During the attack, Akira landed three more rounds of specialized CWH objective assault rifle
ammunition on the multi-legged tank. It was effective, but his expression turned a little grim
when he still could not destroy the tank.
It's sturdy! Do I have to fight this on the ground?"
On the ground, the amount of gunfire that is now being used to evade the recoil of the shots
can be used to attack the enemy. That was the thought that went through my head, but Alpha
shook his head.
'If possible, I'd like to take them out before they reach the ground. 'They have better mobility
on the ground than we do,' he said. They are fighting on the side of the building now, so they
are slower there. If that advantage is lost, we are in danger.
'It's a hassle. ....... I have no choice. Let's decide to play it a little recklessly!"
When Akira is ready, another person who is also ready makes a move. It is Carol.
Carol willingly moved away from Akira and joined in the firefight, running down the side of
the building. She forced herself to override a scowling smile on her face, which would have
been drawn as it was, and fired powerful rounds with a large one-handed gun that resembled
a pistol.
Precision shooting is a quandary. However, he manages to hit the opponent's large torso.
Immediately after that, a shock comparable to that of a dedicated CWH objective assault rifle
round shook the opponent's fuselage.
Whoa! Great!!! Hey, isn't that thing more high-powered than my CWH objective assault rifle?"
With its targets divided, the multi-legged tank tries to direct its main gun toward Carol as
well. It is difficult for Carol, who cannot move like Akira, to avoid the artillery fire.
But Akira makes up for it. He concentrates his fire on the barrels aiming at Carroll and
interferes with the bombardment. In addition, the lighter he is, the more aggressive he will
be.
With the increased firepower, Akira and his team quickly gained the upper hand. The multi-
legged tanks, under concentrated fire, were unable to fight back and were covered with
holes. The tanks were then peeled off from the building, crashed to the ground, and were
completely destroyed.
The joy of their victory slightly relaxed the concentration of Akira and his team. Still, Akira,
with Alpha's support, had no problem. Carol, however, was knocked out of her stance and
fell directly off the building.
Akira saw this and hurried to the ground. Kicking the scaffolding, he reached the ground
faster than free fall, placed both guns on the ground, and held the falling Carol in his arms to
prevent her from colliding with the ground.
Akira and Carol's eyes meet. Because of the rapid succession of events, both needed a few
seconds of silence before their consciousness caught up with the situation.
And Carol was the first to reveal her joy. She hugged Akira while being embraced.
I did it! Akira! We're saved! Aah! That was close! That was really close! I thought I was gonna
die! But I survived!"
Akira, on the other hand, was exuding relief and fatigue more strongly than joy. He exhaled
heavily as he set Carol down.
"Did you manage to ....... Not at all, once a day is enough for this kind of imitation."
"Once a day is fine! I don't want it even once a day! You must be really strong, Akira, to be
able to say such a thing after what you went through!"
Denying one's own strength here would not be taken as modesty, but rather, it would be too
unnatural. Akira thought so and decided not to deny it.
I wondered what would happen if I said, "Actually, this is the second time today," but I didn't
say that either.
Akira tries to pull away from Carol, who is hugging him.
"Get away from me," he said. Don't press against my chest. It's hard and it hurts."
Oh, my God, that's so rude. That's the part that pleases you, isn't it?"
I don't know. Maybe it's because it's reinforced clothing, but what's hard is hard and what
hurts hurts hurts. Get away from me."
In fact, Akira was in serious pain, not embarrassed or anything.
The reinforced innerwear worn by Carol is so thin that the shape of her breasts can be clearly
seen, but it is still highly protective. It flexibly deforms and shakes the breasts against forces
from the inside, but firmly repels forces from the outside to protect the wearer. The same
goes for the harness part.
In other words, for Akira, it was not much different from having a seemingly soft lump of iron
pressed against him.
When Carol noticed this, too, she maturely moved away from Akira. She then removed the
chest portion of the harness and opened the front zipper of the reinforced innerwear all the
way from the neck to the abdomen area, exposing a large amount of skin underneath. She
then hugged Akira again.
Carol smiles happily and in a good mood as she buries Akira's face in her own ample cleavage.
This won't hurt, will it?"
Carol is in a mildly excited state, as she has just escaped from a deadly situation. Akira, too,
was not willing to use the physical strength of his reinforced clothes to forcefully pull apart
someone who had escaped from a place of death together with him. Well, it couldn't hurt, he
sighed and let Carol do what she wanted.
Seeing Akira's condition, Alpha laughs teasingly.
Hmmm. I wonder if Akira's attitude changes when he has substance.
Shut up."
Akira responded with even more curtness than usual.
For a while afterward, Carol was in a good mood and hugged Akira.

When Carol finally settles down, Akira pulls her off and proceeds with the story.
Carol. Let's get going. The escort will take you to the Hunter's Office sub-branch."
Carol laughs at Akira's attitude of neither embarrassment nor interest when he presses his
face against her breasts, which she has used to seduce numerous men.
I'm sure you're right." Shall we go?"
Still, Carol is in a good mood. She smiles in a friendly way, strongly intrigued by both Akira's
strength and his demeanor.
Then Akira. Take care of me a little more."
Akira and the others once again tried to move on. But after a few steps, Akira stopped.
Akira. What's wrong?"
Akira did not respond when so called. Akira fell to his knees in front of Carol, who wondered
why he did not respond.
Akira?
Carol rushes to check on Akira's condition, wondering if he was at his limit, even though he
seemed to be in good health.
Akira slumped down with his hands slumped and hung his head deeply. Then, he let out a
voice of grief.
"Oh, my ......, my relic is ......"
"............ eh?"
Carol, who let out an unintentional gasp, looks where Akira's eyes are looking. There,
scattered about were the relics and wreckage that Akira had carried to this point.
The relic was in a sturdy old-world box, but it could not withstand being knocked to the
ground from a considerable height, being caught in enemy fire, and then taking a direct hit
from a falling multi-legged tank.
Backpacks were shredded to pieces, boxes were blown apart, and the mechanical parts
inside were in pieces. Akira's accomplishments of the day were scattered in cruelty.
"I was struggling to find ......, I was doing my best to carry it. ......"
The value of the relics is gone, no matter how you look at it. Akira was devastated by this
thought, the reality that today's hard work had gone down the drain.
Carol asks, puzzled.
Let's see... ......, Akira. It's okay, right?"
What part of this situation looks okay to you?
Akira's voice was unintentionally hoarse with a grim look on his face. Carol was relieved to
see him in such high spirits, but just to be sure, she asked him a question.
I'm sure you're fine, right? You were very reckless earlier, weren't you? Are you okay?"
Hmm?" Yeah, that one's fine."
Akira nodded lightly with his usual expression, as if he was talking that way. Then his face
contorted sadly again.
My relics are at ......."
Akira's disappointment made Carol feel bad, but she blew it.
The ability to defeat a multi-legged tank while running down the side of a building. He did
not even show much joy at his victory, as if it were a matter of course. He is that good.
Nonetheless, the sight of Akira drooping down like a common child was strangely endearing
to Carol.
Akira turns a miffed face to Carol.
You know what? This isn't funny, okay? My day's accomplishments are gone, remember?"
I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
Akira's somewhat childish attitude, which is still pouting, is again amused by Carroll, who
smiles and hushes him.
Don't be so angry. Then, let's do this. As an apology, I'll buy the relic from you for its original
price. How about that?
Akira is puzzled by the unexpected offer.
What?" That would be helpful, but ......, are you sure?"
Yes. If you think about it, it's like Akira gave up his relics to help me. As an employer, I'd be
willing to compensate him that much. So, how much was the relic worth?"
...... No, actually I don't really know either."
Akira answered honestly. Carol quickly guessed that he was saying that because he really
didn't know, not because it was some kind of negotiating tactic.
You can lie about this kind of thing any number of times, if you want to, and say that it was a
very expensive relic. Nevertheless, the fact that Akira showed no sign of this made Carol
inwardly appreciate Akira more.
Yes," he said. Well, let's talk about how much later, shall we?
Oh, I get it. All right! Let's go!"
Akira regains his nerve and stands up firmly. In a sense, Akira's simplicity, cash, and
childishness made Carroll chuckle.
Akira and his friends are about to start walking again toward the sub-branch office of the
Hunter Office. But Akira stopped again.
Akira. What now?"
No, I've got a familiar face heading this way.
When Carol looked beyond Akira's gaze, she saw that the three hunters, or what she thought
were hunters, were indeed coming toward her.
It seems, because I couldn't be sure from the looks of it.
Two women in maid's uniforms. One girl in an enhanced outfit. From Akira's appearance, I
assumed they were not enemies, but even Carol, who was wearing old-world, old-world-
style reinforced clothing, was hard to tell that she was a hunter.
And one of them waved a big hand toward Akira.
Akira boy! We meet again!"
It was Raina and her family.

After parting with Akira at the Mihazono Street ruins, Reina and her friends were hunting
mechanical monsters in the city section of the ruins.
This was Sioli's suggestion. Ostensibly, the reason is to let Reina experience firsthand the
difficulty of the ruins and encourage her growth as a hunter.
The most important reason was for Raina's safety. Rather than going deeper into the ruins
in search of relics, it would be easier to deal with any eventuality by hunting mechanical
monsters in the city section and earning money.
It is easier to escape in case of danger outside than inside the building where the relics may
lie, because it is easier to see the boundaries of the scope of activities of security machines
and other equipment.
Also, when an unexpected situation arises and a request for help is made, other hunters are
more likely to receive the request if the location is not too far from the hunter office's sub-
branch.
As a compromise between Reina's desire for results and Sioli's desire for Reina's safety,
Reina and her friends did not go deeper into the ruins, but continued their hunter business.
More strictly speaking, Reyna was the only one who was devoted to the hunter's business.
Reyna sets up her gun from behind a building and sets her sights on the target. The target is
a general-purpose machine prowling the city block. The spherical body of the machine is
covered with multiple legs and arms, and it is usually engaged in clearing away debris and
cleaning up its area of responsibility.
However, if they see a suspicious person, they will attack. Furthermore, they may pick up
and use firearms dropped by hunters. They are more dangerous than they appear and are
definitely mechanical monsters.
Raina shoots armor-piercing bullets at the monster. It destroyed its opponent's multiple legs
and arms in turn, depriving it of mobility and attack power, and finally destroyed its torso to
stop it from functioning.
Shioli truly admires the way he fights.
Well done."
There is nothing flashy about Reina's fighting style. She scouts well in advance to secure a
safe sniping position, and then calmly defeats the enemy without thinking about taking them
down with a single shot. That is all.
If an amateur were to watch the battle, he or she would think that the monster was defeated
by an opponent of that caliber because the victory was so ordinary, and he or she would
underestimate the strength of the defeated monster and Reyna's ability to defeat it. It was
such a simple battle. It is a far cry from the saga of a drunken hunter who overcame a difficult
situation with his own strength.
However, it was just a polite way of fighting that did not put them in a tight spot in the first
place and did not allow them to get into a tight spot in the first place.
Raina understands that. She also knows that Shioli is complimenting her, not flattery.
However, there was a slight tinge to Reyna's smile.
I'm going to go to ...... and see what I can find." Thanks."
Reyna is alone in both searching and fighting. Shioli does little more than help Reyna carry
away the remains of the mechanical monsters she has defeated. Kanae is just standing by
Reyna's side looking bored.
However, even so, there is no difference in the fact that he is fighting under the escort of two
people of higher rank and ability than himself. This thought made it difficult for Reina to
accept Shioli's praise.
Shiori feels pained by Reyna's appearance. However, he decided that neither further praise
nor refusing to recognize her abilities would be good for her, so he continued to praise her
at the very least.
Reina puts the wreckage of the mechanical monster into a cart with Shioli. As usual, Kanae
does not want to help at all. Reyna frowned lightly at his excessive indisposition.
You really don't want to help at all.
Kanae, however, is completely unperturbed and smiles in good humor.
Miss. I've told you many times that my job is to protect you, not to help you make a living as
a hunter. No, even Miss Haney-san is not obligated to help her daughter, right?"
...... that is, though."
Reyna doesn't ask you to fight with her either. But Kanae doesn't even try to lightly help
Shiori carry the cart.
The unconscious thought that Kanae's attitude made it so hard for her to be her escort that
she could not even do that level of work, turned Reina's face into one of disapproval.
Kanae, who somehow sensed Reina's inner thoughts, laughs and tells her.
My job is to carry your daughter back home in case of an emergency. My job is to carry your
daughter back home in case of an emergency. That's why I'm very busy. I don't have time to
help her at all. I'm sorry.
......, yes."
Reyna hung her head slightly, feeling as if she had been told that you were busy because you
were weak.
Then Shiori interjects.
Miss. Kanae is still capable enough to be sent as your escort. Think of it as a shield or lifeline
in case of emergency."
Then he smiles gently at Reina, who turns to face him.
The shield and lifeline are sturdy, but if they are used for other purposes and this interferes
with the original work, then it is a complete waste of time and money. Please consider
Kanae's attitude as proof that we have enough time to play with her.
Shioli implicitly praised Reina for her ability to afford this.
It's terrible. I'm working for my paycheck, aren't I?
If not, I'd have slapped you to bits."
Having said that, Shioli turned a serious face, a little scary, to Kanae. Her hand reached for
the sword at her waist. She was serious.
Still, Kanae remains smiling. It was not because she understood that her opponent would not
pull out his sword in this situation, but because she thought it would be interesting if he did.
Sioli."
Reina called out to Shiori so. Then she shook her head.
That calmed Shiori down. She exhaled loudly and removed her hand from the sword. Kanae
cracks a bored smile.
Reyna and her team went straight back to hunting mechanical monsters.

Kanae was thought by Reina to be just standing there looking bored, but she was serious
about the work itself. Inside the ruins is an area of the old world where anything could
happen at any time. She was keeping a firm watch on her surroundings in preparation for
that sudden something that might occur.
However, I also knew that I probably wouldn't be in the game, or at least that the probability
of that happening was very low. After the blunder of Shiori, who was originally
overprotective of Reyna, in the underground city of the Kuzuthara Street ruins, I thought that
I would not be able to play a role. She is concerned for Reyna's safety. So much so that she
calls herself additional.
I was really called in as an insurance policy, and Sioli would do everything possible to prevent
me from getting into a situation where I would be forced to use that insurance policy. Kanae
thinks so, and indeed, at this point in time, that is exactly what is happening. In that sense,
Kanae was not busy.
(Totally overprotective in the middle. Well, I understand that it can't be helped.)
If you really don't want to put Reina in danger, it is out of the question when you take her to
the ruins. Shioli understands this. But there are circumstances that make it necessary to do
so. That is why Shiori was doing everything she could to protect Reina.
But that was Reina and Shioli's situation, and it did not matter to Kanae.
(Ah, I'm free. I hope something interesting will happen.)
Interesting. In other words, a situation in which you can fight to the fullest. A situation where
the target of the escort is in danger. Kanae looked up at the sky in her spare time, hoping that
the escort herself would wish for this, which is a complete reversal for an escort.
Immediately, Kanae's mood became slightly sharper. Shioli noticed this and alerted her
surroundings.
Kanae. What's wrong?"
No, there's something strange over there. ......
Reina and Shiori also look in the direction Kanae is looking. The next moment, the air beyond
their gaze suddenly exploded.
Kanae and Shiori immediately move into position to protect Reina. Everyone was surprised,
including Reyna, but there was a difference in their expressions.
Reina is simply amazed. Shioli is showing her alarm. And Kanae was laughing happily that
something interesting had happened.
The explosion was caused by a multi-legged tank shelling the container in which Akira and
his crew were riding. Akira and his team then appeared as if they had jumped out of the
explosion and landed on the side of a nearby high-rise building.
Furthermore, a multi-legged tank that suddenly appeared in Reina and her team's field of
vision also stuck to a high-rise building and began to fight Akira and his team on the sides of
the building.
Oh!" That's great!"
"what...... that......"
Unlike Kanae, who was completely enjoying herself, Reina was appalled by the sight.
Shiori was also surprised, but prioritized Reina's escort over spectating.
Kanae. Any other signs of strangeness?"
There is no such thing. That's all. Oh, wow. They are shooting at each other. Are they shooting
while falling? No, they're running and shooting at the wall! You're crazy!"
Kanae, who was watching this out-of-the-ordinary battle with the telephoto function of her
information-gathering equipment, noticed those who were fighting a praiseworthy battle
beyond her field of vision. Then she noticed.
Hmm?" That's Akira boy, isn't it?"
While Reina and Shiori were surprised, the battle was over and Akira and his team, who had
landed on the ground, were hidden from view by other buildings. However, when they
reviewed the images on their information-gathering equipment, they did indeed see Akira.
Raina is puzzled.
It's really Akira. ...... Eh? What do you mean? What was going on?"
I think it's best to ask him about it. It's not that far away. Let's go there.
Kanae urges Reina to do so, then says first to Shiori, who tries to stop her from approaching
carelessly.
Miss. I think you should listen to me, right? I don't think I can be a hunter here if things like
that are going to keep happening in the air over the ruins."
That being said, Shioli is also troubled. And Reyna made her decision first.
Shioli. Let's go."
...... awe."
With that decision, Reina and the others head for Akira and his group.
Kanae laughed happily in the face of an interesting event.
Episode Untruthful Words

Akira and his group were about to return to the Hunter's Office sub-branch office at the
Mihazono Street ruins when Reina and her group showed up and they ended up returning
together.
I'm on my way home now, and I'm not even hostile to Raina and the others. We just fought a
monster a few minutes ago. It is better to have more strength. That was the extent of my
decision.
So, Akira boy. Why were you doing such crazy things?"
I didn't do it because I liked ......."
Then how did you get into that situation?"
......, there's been a lot going on."
Kanae's attitude of being friendly, unafraid, and easy to get close to, made Akira look a bit
pushed away, even as he showed signs of trouble.
Unlike Kanae, who is completely intrigued by the question, Shioli is trying to gather
information for Reina's safety.
Dear Carol. Could you please tell me how you got into that situation?"
I'm sorry. I can't talk. When I explain how we got into that situation, there's a story involved
that requires an information fee. Well, unless you're willing to pay."
How much do I owe you?"
20 million aurum. I'm sorry, but I don't accept bargaining. I already made a deal with Akira
for that amount."
Reina and the others look at Akira with surprise at the unexpected amount of money and
unexpected content.
Akira boy. You're making pretty good money."
That's offset by the cost of Carol's escort, not the 20 million aurums we paid her."
Is that an escort fee? That's a lot of money. I don't know what I was doing at ......, but I was
doing that kind of thing. Is that about right?
Kanae laughed and turned her meaningful gaze on Akira. Akira frowned slightly.
What?"
I have to tell you the truth, I didn't think Akira was strong at all. When I heard that he had
beaten Miss Akira, I thought that Miss Akira must have messed up badly.
Akira has a confidentiality agreement with the city of Kugamayama regarding the events that
took place in the underground city at the Kuzuthara Street Ruins. Akira's face turned a little
grim when he was confronted with this story by someone who probably knew what was
going on.
Don't talk to me about it. Haven't you heard?"
Well, well, well, I guess we'll just have to let the two parties talk it out, won't we?"
Akira looks accusingly at Kanae with a serious face.
'You're not a party to this, and I know there are others who aren't.'
Yes, yes. I'm sorry.
Akira was taken aback by Kanae's attitude, which showed no sign of offense. Reyna and
Shiori were also lightly holding their heads in their hands.
Carroll, on the other hand, gave Akira a much higher evaluation. I don't know the
circumstances, but Akira is obligated to maintain some kind of confidentiality. She was
impressed by Akira's serious and somewhat foolish attitude toward confidentiality.
And Kanae appreciated Akira in another direction.
Well, that's it. Akira boy is that strong. How about exploring the Celantar Building with me
next time? If Akira Boy is with you, you should be able to go up to the upper floors. I think
we can make a lot of money.
Kanae would not be that interested in Akira if he were merely strong. But if he is strong
enough to cause or be involved in interesting situations, that is different.
A quick examination of Akira revealed that he had experienced not only the events at the
Kuzuthara Street ruins, but also the fun and excitement of the bounty hunters. In addition,
there was the battle that had just taken place. It was enough to attract Kanae's interest.
With such an interesting person with her, the boring job of escorting Reina would become a
little more interesting. With this in mind, Kanae invited Akira to join her.
Akira's response, however, was terribly sluggish.
I refuse."
I think it's good. Oh, it's okay! I'm not going to let you protect my daughter! That's my job."
Kanae meant what she said. In fact, as an escort and as a job, she was willing to protect Reina
even at the cost of her own life.
But then again, it was also true that I had no hesitation in taking Reina to a place where there
was a high fear of that happening.
Reina is mildly depressed by Kanae's story and Akira's attitude. She was a little depressed,
thinking that Akira and Kanae thought she was such a liability to them.
It would not be good for Reina to let the conversation continue any longer. Shiori, thinking
so, tries to interject. But before she can do so, Akira makes an assertion with a disgusted look
on his face.
I'm not talking about that. I just can't bring myself to collect artifacts in such a dangerous
place.
Is that so? It is true that the Celantar Building is very difficult both inside and outside, and I
heard that no hunters have ever reached the top floor, but quite a few teams have earned
their way back to the top. As long as you don't misjudge your time, you should be fine.
As for Kanae, she is hoping to make a moderate mistake in that drawback and get into an
interesting situation, but for now, she answered.
But Akira shakes his head.
I don't want to. I don't want to die either. If you want to kill yourself by running into the
Celantar building, that's your business, but please don't bring me into it."
Reina and the others were surprised at Akira's reaction, and were mildly taken aback. Shiori
asked with a slightly grim expression.
Akira-sama. Is the Celantar Building that dangerous?"
...... I guess everyone has their own judgment on that, but at least I'd rather do the battle we
just had dozens of times than fight in Selantarville."
Akira survived a fight on the side of a building with a multi-legged tank thanks to Alpha's
support. For Akira, the inside of the Celantar Building was a hopelessly dangerous zone
where Alpha had assured him that he would never make it back alive. He absolutely did not
want to go there.
"Is that all there is to it? ......"
Shiori has no idea why Akira would go to such lengths. But she did understand Akira's ability
and that he was serious about what he was saying.
At ......, it seems we should stay away from the area without a second thought. We didn't think
it was that dangerous. Thank you very much for the information.
What?" Oh."
Akira was a little perplexed that Shioli thanked him in such a polite manner. But that was all,
and he did not think too much about it.
Kanae, on the other hand, inwardly contorts her face in disappointment.
(Ah, I failed. Now there will be no exploration of the Celantar Building.)
For Sioli, the search for Celantarville makes a lot of sense. So much so that even taking
Reyna's safety into consideration, he still wonders about it. Kanae knew that.
If we add Akira to the mix, we can tilt the scales of hesitation in the direction of exploration.
That's what I thought when I invited Akira, but it turned out to be counterproductive.
Kanae lets out a bored sigh. Akira noticed that, but didn't think too much of it either.

Akira and his team finally returned to the front of the Hunter Office sub-branch office at the
Mihazono Street site. After parting with Reina and the others there, they entered the
cafeteria inside the sub-branch office.
Carol. So much for the escort, right?"
Yes. But you have to hang out with me a little longer. I'll at least buy you a meal. If you want,
I can buy you a drink at ...... afterwards, too, okay?"
Carol smiled invitingly as she said this. Akira then smiled happily as well.
"You'll buy me a drink? Then I'll go out with you. Thank you."
You're welcome at ......."
They are definitely pleased. But it's entirely about the food. He shows no interest in the affair
that follows, or in his own side business. Carol lets out a sigh at this fact, and Akira wonders
about it.
What's wrong?"
It's nothing. I'll buy you an expensive drink, so be prepared."
Oh yeah!"
Carroll was half desperate, but Akira was oblivious in the first place.
As the sun had already set, the dining hall was crowded with hunters who had finished their
work. Some brought in heavy weapons and other equipment and relics, making the crowded
place that much more crowded.
The tables at the back of the dining hall, however, were unnaturally empty. Akira, who had
been recommended by Carol to sit there with her, looked around curiously and lightly.
...... why is this place so empty?"
Hmm?" Don't you know? There's a little unspoken rule here."
The hunters who used this cafeteria decided where to sit based on the price of the meal. The
front seats were cheaper and the back seats were more expensive. The hunters who earned
a lot of money would sit in the back and order lavishly and generously, while those who
earned less money would sit in the front and enjoy a modest meal.
The cost of a meal is proportional to the hunter's earnings, and those earnings are
proportional to his or her ability. Therefore, those who sit close to each other are roughly
equal in ability.
This reduces the commotion caused by differences in earning and ability. Because of their
close proximity in ability, they sometimes team up if they see each other many times and are
on the same page. It was an unspoken decision, but it worked well.
Akira looked amused when Carol told him.
Heh. I didn't know there was such a rule. But, I don't know... who's going to sit where they
want to?"
Sometimes they do, you know? But they're gone as soon as another hunter catches sight of
them."
I'm sure."
When sitting in a selfish position, if a competent person orders an expensive meal at a cheap
seat and an inexperienced person orders a cheap meal at an expensive seat, the latter is more
likely to be noticed. In other words, basically, the person who is stronger than he or she is
will end up being viewed as an enemy.
Of course, there are only a few who understand this and do as they please. And those few will
end up as fools who defy their power in a wilderness where power is the key.
Because it was a rule-free wilderness, the unspoken rules there had a reasonable degree of
enforcement.
That's why, if you don't want to be noticed, ask for the expensive one."
I understand. But how much should I charge?"
Hmm? I don't have a specific price, but if you ask for a few items from this area, I think you'll
be fine."
As Carol said this, she lightly touched the display surface of a very thin information terminal-
like device that doubled as a menu and calling device that Akira was looking at, and displayed
those dishes.
Then Akira's face hardens. There was a lineup of dishes with a lower limit of 10,000 aurum
in price. Moreover, the higher priced items had one more digit.
Akira is not accustomed to choosing and ordering his own food, no matter how many dishes
he is offered. Akira's hesitation and hesitation are clearly visible on his face.
Carol laughs happily at Akira's appearance.
You can order whatever you like, okay?" If you're not sure, just ask for it all. Don't be shy,
okay?"
I'll buy you an expensive one, so be prepared. Akira finally understood the meaning of what
he was told.
I'm like, "Okay, I get it. I'm fine."
Oh, I forgot to mention. You have to ask for at least 100,000 aurum. That's what this place is
for."
......, yeah, right."
Akira looked like a child in a panic when he was suddenly brought to an out-of-place high-
class restaurant, and Carol's smile deepened as if she had done something right.

Akira was enjoying the blissful moment with his hands reaching for the numerous dishes
lined up on the table.
Even though the food is expensive, it is all wilderness fare with transportation included. In
cities you can get the same food for much less.
But at the same time, it is a dish for hunters who have earned plenty of money at the ruins.
The quality of the food is high enough to satisfy the palates of those who have earned large
sums of money with their skills and are accustomed to eating luxury foods with that money.
Therefore, it was easy for Akira's tongue, which had not yet reached that level, to be overrun
by its deliciousness. Akira's face relaxed and he looked more childish than usual.
Carol watched the scene with her chin resting on her hands.
Akira. Yummy yummy?"
Akira nodded firmly.
Delicious."
I'm going to go to ...... and see if I can find anything." That's good to know."
Carol let out a small sigh, feeling a little unfaithful and rotten.
You don't look like you're happy...oh, maybe I ordered too expensive?"
When Akira asked her, somewhat fearfully, if she had done something wrong, Carol smiled
back at him.
I don't think so. But usually, you know? If I'm in front of you, your eyes are on me, not on the
food."
Carol said somewhat sarcastically and pointed to her cleavage.
So Akira also looks at those fascinating breasts. However, there was no hint of
heterosexuality in his eyes.
I'm sorry. I'm at an age where I'm more interested in eating than being sexy."
I guess you're right. I see. You even put your body before mine. You seem to have ordered a
lot, but don't leave any.
I'll be fine. I'm growing up."
With that, Akira emptied another plate at the table. The food he ordered, which he ordered
with an emphasis on quantity rather than quality, was quite large, but he had already
finished half of it due to his voracious appetite.
Previously, Akira's body was in shambles from years of hard living in the slums, but he
became healthy after receiving treatment at the hospital in Kgamayama City at a cost of 60
million Aurum.
However, this does not mean that the malnutrition has restored the growth and development
that had not developed properly. Akira's body needed a lot of nutrition to regain it, and he
received treatment to encourage this at the same time as his treatment.
In addition, Akira's body needs energy to support it as his physical capabilities have
increased through daily training and actual combat. When recovery medicine treats and
regenerates injuries on a cellular basis, it also requires materials to create new cells.
For these reasons, Akira's body was demanding a large amount of nutrition, and it
communicated this demand to him as a strong appetite.
However, Akira cannot afford to gain weight even if he continues to eat in a way that defies
his stomach's capacity. This is offset by further growth and consumption due to the grueling
hunter's occupation.
As Akira happily continued to eat his food, there was no fear at the moment that he would
have to give up that happiness in order to maintain his body shape.
Carol won't ask for anything?"
I'll finish arranging for Monica's rescue first. I've already sent a request to the insurance
company, but apparently they're having trouble arranging a rescue team.
There are many insurance policies for hunters in the East. Rescue insurance is one such
policy, which dispatches a rescue team in the event that the policyholder disappears in an
archaeological site.
Conditions vary, but mainly if there is a breakdown in communication for a specified period
of time or if the person or his/her representative requests assistance, a unit will be
dispatched.
Insurance premiums are high because it is not unusual for hunters not to return alive from
ruins. However, they try to save the hunters in order to make the policyholders recognize
that it is worth paying high premiums, so the survival rate at the time of rescue is quite high.
Carol and her team are insured and Carol has already made the request. Originally, a unit
would have been dispatched immediately, but for now it has been delayed for various
reasons.
He said that all of his troops have already been sent to Celantarville and are awaiting their
return.
Additional temporary units are being formed, but they must first be sent to the waiting area
for rescue, which is also in Celantarville, so we can't have them stop by the factory block
while they are there.
The sun is already setting. Many people have finished their hunter jobs. We are negotiating
with many hunters, but few of them accept our rescue requests. Carol was told this by the
insurance company representative.
Akira wonders when he hears this.
But you sent all the troops you had, didn't you? Then we should have enough strength. I think
we can help them out easily. ......"
I thought so, too, and did a little research. Then I found out that apparently there was a hunter
who left the Celant building open.
Akira is puzzled, not knowing what it means, and Carol adds a few more words.
In order to collect relics in the Celantar Building, one must break through the defense
machines surrounding it. Usually, a team takes on the challenge and defeats them.
Then, afterwards, they block the building's entrances and exits to prevent other hunters who
took advantage of the destruction of the defense machines from interfering with the
collection of relics. The team will split into two teams, one to occupy the entrances and the
other to collect relics, and retreat before the re-deployment of the defense machines blocks
their way out.
This usually prevents large numbers of hunters from flooding the building when the
building's defense machinery is knocked down.
But today some of them did not occupy the entrances and exits after the defeat of the defense
machines.
"Word got out, and many people headed for Celantarville, saying it was a great opportunity,"
he said. Well, it's called the Bad Food Building, and I guess a lot of the teams had rescue
insurance.
When the entrance and exit are not sealed, it is as if they are welcoming the collection of
relics by other hunters, a situation that would normally be impossible.
But when I checked the area around the building from a distance, there was indeed no
blockade and no sign of encampment inside the building. Many hunters were moving at that
point.
And they didn't come back. There is no word from them. I don't know if they're into collecting
artifacts or what, but it makes no difference to me if they're out of touch, so I guess a contract
is a contract, and they're sending out a rescue team.
Carol looks somewhat taken aback.
I don't know who or what did this, but I can easily imagine such a situation happening if they
did such a thing. They may have done it to make a name for themselves, but it's a nuisance.
Oh, yeah.
Akira. What's wrong?"
No, it's nothing.
Akira unintentionally stopped eating, but quickly resumed.
Carol wonders slightly about Akira's attitude. But she thought it was unlikely to be related.
It was hard to believe that Akira would go near the Celantar Building, which he had said was
so dangerous.
In the first place, Akira was in the factory zone. Even if Akira had defeated the defense
machine in the Celantar Building, it is hard to believe that Akira, who had been grieving so
much over the loss of the relics, would head for the factory zone without collecting any relics
in the building.
Perhaps he had done something similar in the past. Carol's thoughts made sense.
And you know what? If the insurance company's rescue unit can't be relied upon, we'll have
to submit our own rescue request. ......"
Even just in the factory zone, which is highly challenging, and moreover, there is an unusual
situation in which the security machine exceeds the security range. Even if we send out a
broad request through an intermediary, we do not know how many people will accept the
request. And of course, they would demand a high fee, and it is also uncertain whether the
rescue would be successful.
Should I then offer the insurance company an increase in premiums to speed up the rescue
sequence, or should I outsource the formation of a rescue team? Or should we wait a little
longer? Carol calmly told Akira that many difficult decisions needed to be made.
As Akira listens to this story, he thinks something like.
(Carol seems to be working with Monica, ......, but she's very different from Elena and the
others)
Akira is dull in many ways, but he at least knows that Carol has no intention of helping
Monica herself. She is not abandoning her, but she is dealing with the situation in a detached
way, as if it were someone else's business.
Akira, however, does not believe that it is natural to risk one's life to save the person with
whom one has teamed up, and he does not intend to condemn Carroll. He just thought he
was different from Elena and the others.
At that moment, Monica entered the cafeteria with a hoarse voice.
What do you mean you can't rescue me?
Monica continued to protest vehemently to those at the insurance company over the
information terminal.
Don't be silly!" What do you think you are paying high premiums for! Just make the
arrangements right away at ......, okay?"
Monica looks around the cafeteria and notices Akira and the others. Akira and the others also
noticed Monica, as she had attracted their attention by raising her voice.
I guess I was right to wait a little longer.
Seems like it."
To Monica's appalled expression, Carol laughed and lightly waved her hand.

Monica sits next to Carol and lets out a sigh.

...... Well, I'm glad we're both safe. So, Ms. Carol. How did you get back before me? I still had
to scramble to get out of this one, didn't I?"
I met Akira while I was running away. I asked him to escort me and we escaped together."
Monica is skeptical.
You said, "...... Is that all you've got? Actually, was there some escape route or something you
didn't tell me about that made it easier for you to get out?"
Oh, my God, that's terrible. It's so hard over here, I almost died, you know? Akira saved me
from that. Akira. Didn't I?"
Hmm?" Oh. Well, yeah."
I did not lie. And as for the information about the back door, Akira answered that much,
saying that if Carol would keep quiet about it, it was not up to him.
Monica also saw that Akira was not lying and did not pursue the matter further.
I see. ....... Akira. Thank you very much for helping Carol. By the way, Akira-san, you are really
strong."
......, sort of."
Denying it would complicate things. Thinking so, Akira let it slide lightly.
Now Carol pursues Monica.
How did you get out of that situation? I had Akira help me, but were you really that strong?
You must have used an escape route that you didn't tell me about."
Monica looked away. Carol tightens her gaze a bit.
You do, don't you?"
I just couldn't even tell Carol about it because it's information I kept at ....... Sorry ......."
After a slight pause, Carol's expression broke.
I don't care. We're both safe. I can understand why you would want to keep information from
the public that could be sold for a higher price.
......I'm not sure if I should say this now, but in case you were wondering, I was going to go
with you if we didn't get separated back then, right?"
I know.
Carol and the others laughed lightly and that was the end of the story.
Seeing this, Akira was somewhat convinced that this was the way to go out with them.
Monica joined them at the table, and Carol, who had not yet ordered, joined Monica in
ordering food, and the three Akira and his friends were once again dining together.
Chatting over dinner, Carol and her team talked about the fact that they have been working
together lightly for about three months.
Ostensibly, they were talking about how they were exploring the ruins together as
mapmakers, but if those who knew what they were talking about were listening, they were
also talking about how they were exploring each other's skills as mapmakers. Akira was
unaware of this and listened with interest to the conversation about how to make money as
a cartographer.
The discussion of the mapmaker led to a discussion of a map of the city section of the
Mihazono Street site, and then to a discussion of a map of the Serantar Building, which is
highly prized. The term "bad food building" was mentioned several times there, so Akira
asked what it meant.
Then Carol looks surprised.
Don't you know? It's a pretty famous ghost story at the Mihazono Street site."
I don't know. What's the story?"
I'll give you a brief explanation," he said. "In the city section of the Mihazono Street ruins, it
is said that every once in a while, hunters and monsters suddenly disappear from the area.
Since the center of the area is the Celantar Building, it is said that the building is eating them,
and the story became a ghost story called the "Evil Eater Building.
I'm afraid of "......! How much of that is true? If it were true, wouldn't it be dangerous just to
go near that building?"
Monica laughs and says to Akira, who looks seriously uncomfortable, as if to appease him.
It's a ghost story. I don't know how much of it is true. If it had happened again, no one would
go near the Celant building.
Yeah, that too."
That put Akira at ease for once. But this time, Carol laughed to scare Akira.
But you better watch out, okay?" Inside the ruins is old world territory. It's no wonder that
anything can happen. It's only because something happened and ended badly that it became
a ghost story in the first place.
Carol laughed happily at the sight of Akira being tossed around by their story. Monica also
chuckled.
Akira was then forced to listen to other ghost stories of the Mihazono Street ruins for some
time afterward, as a precautionary measure in the ruins.

Having eaten a considerable amount of food slowly and tastefully, it was late in the evening
by the time Akira finished his meal.
We have already discussed the purchase of relics lost during Carol's escort, etc. Akira was
about to leave after thanking me for buying him a meal.
It was delicious. Thank you."
Unlike Akira, who looks satisfied, Carol looks a bit dissatisfied.
You're welcome. Not at all. I said I'd buy you a drink afterwards, but you really want to leave."
I'm sorry. I'm more food conscious than sex conscious at the moment. Please buy the other
guy a drink if you're into sex. Of course, you are more than welcome to buy me a bite.
Yes, yes, yes. If you need anything else."
Carole made a lightly teasing gesture of dismay, then regained her composure and laughed
good-humoredly.
Well, call me when you're ready. You can ask me to be a hunter, or you can ask me to be a sex
worker, I'd love to hear from you. Feel free to contact me anytime. Bye."
After leaving Akira, Carol noticed Monica smiling somewhat happily at her.
Monica. What?"
No, I just thought it was unusual for someone to show so little interest in Ms. Carroll. What
do you think? Why don't you hire him for a while with us?"
I don't mind, but let me ask you why. It's not because Akira is strong, is it?"
Yes," he said. If you hire him, Mr. Carroll won't have time to work on the side while you're on
the job. Just keep getting rejected."
Then I'll let you know it backfired."
Monica laughed a little too much, to which Carol responded with a strong smile.

◆
Akira, leaving the Mihazono Street ruins, drives his car in a good mood through the
wilderness in the middle of the night.
I've got a lot going on today," he said. I knew the ruins would be different from the
wilderness."
Alfa was also in the passenger seat, smiling good-humoredly.
Yes, it is. It's been a productive day.
Oh," he said. The relics were ruined, but Carol made up for it and bought me an expensive
meal, so that was enough."
Akira. That's not all.'
Hmm?" Anything else?"
Yes. There it is.'
Akira, who had absolutely no idea what was going on, looked back on his day with some
difficulty. But nothing came to mind.
No, you don't. Alpha. Yes?"
When Akira asked him curiously, Alfa gave him a smile that made him so happy that he could
almost fall in love with him.
Akira showed me today how much he trusts me with his life.
Akira disturbs the driving greatly.
I was so happy. You have to trust me to run down the outside of a building.
The car veered wildly in the direction of travel. Akira tried to regain control of the car, but it
did not work.
Believe in me. I didn't doubt Akira's words. But there are always people who change their
minds when it comes time to do something, even if at the time they were sincere in their
words.
Realizing that this was a bad idea, Akira hurriedly decelerates the car to stop once.
But Akira did it. He showed us with his actions. I was really happy.
Akira stops the car and exhales. Then he looks at Alfa in the driver's seat.
Alfa was smiling a very happy, but somewhat teasing, joyful smile at Akira.
It's good to have a relationship where we can trust each other. I can support Akira even more.
Let's continue to work together and do our best. Akira. I'm looking forward to working with
you.
'......, ah! Yes! Nice to meet you!"
I don't believe Alpha's words are lies. But he is definitely kidding himself.
But I don't feel bad. Akira raised his voice a little to cover up the embarrassment caused by
these feelings and drove the car briskly.
Next to Akira, Alfa was smiling, really, happily.
Episode Invitation to Request and Accompanying Person

The day after the visit to the Mihazono Street ruins, Akira came to Shizuka's store to
replenish his ammunition supply.
Sizuka groans a little as he checks his order.
Akira. Are you sure you want all the extended mags? It's going to be pretty expensive, okay?
I think the regular ones are fine for loading in the car. ......"
I'm fine. Even if the cost of ammunition is a little high, I plan to use extended magazines as
much as possible in the future. It would be a complete disaster if we went to the ruins to
bring back ...... artifacts but couldn't bring them back because we had too much baggage."
Akira then smiled bitterly. Sizuka also noticed and smiled as if to cheer him up.
Well, it's best that you come back in one piece. It's much better than getting seriously injured
because you got greedy. It would be a big help to the store if you bought a lot of ...... expensive
extended magazines.
I see. Well, then, you are in good hands with Mr. Sizuka, and you should make a profit."
Thank you for your purchase."
Akira and the others broke the ice by laughing lightly at each other.
Akira suddenly thinks as he packs ammunition into a very sturdy backpack he bought with
him.
Sizuka-san. Is there any way to successfully carry these backpacks and large firearms
without having to carry or hold them?"
Hmm? You want to buy a big expensive heavy weapon? Thanks for the help."
Sizuka said this in a joking, slightly exaggerated manner. Then Akira, who took it seriously,
had trouble replying.
Uh, well, you know."
I'm just kidding. I'm sorry. You don't have to do this."
Sizuka immediately apologized. But Akira shook his head.
No, I don't, but I'd rather have it if it can be carried and used properly. ......
AAH assault rifle and A2D assault rifle mounted, CWH He carries an anti-materials assault
rifle and a DVTS minigun in each hand and a backpack filled with ammunition. At this point,
Akira's personal effects quota is near its limit.
In that condition, carrying relics from within the ruins would require a great deal of straining.
Even if the weight itself can be managed with reinforced clothing, there is a limit.
It is impossible to carry even more heavy weapons there. Akira thought so, and was at a loss
for words. However, he asked Sizuka if there was a better way.
Sizuka is surprised to hear this.
Akira, did you carry all that around with you?"
Yes," he said. ......, oh, no, you see, you never know what might happen at any moment in the
ruins, and the more firepower the better."
In fact, the Mihazono Street ruins would have been dangerous without both the CWH
objective assault rifle and the DVTS minigun. Akira was not inclined to reduce the amount of
firepower he had on hand because of his heavy baggage.
Akira's reaction is understood by Shizuka.
Until now, Akira has been unreasonable and reckless many times. However, he has
repeatedly stated that he did not do so because he liked it, but only because he had no choice
but to do so in order to overturn the gap in strength between himself and the enemy. Sizuka
also believes this to be true.
Bringing an extra gun would definitely increase firepower. The firepower may help you
overcome dangerous situations that have forced you to be reckless many times before.
With that kind of thinking, it would be unbearable for Akira to leave without that firepower,
for reasons that are only slightly disturbing to carry around. Sizuka could easily guess that
much.
'Well, sure. But if that doesn't bring back the relics, it's not the end of the world. ...... It's hard
to say."
Yes," he said. I guess the best thing would be to replace it with a more powerful gun, but I
don't have that kind of budget either. ......"
The new guns are so powerful that there is no need to take the old ones. It is difficult for
Sizuka to recommend a gun that is so powerful that it makes Akira think so. It is too
expensive. Therefore, he thinks of another solution.
Hmmm. Oh, I'll be back in a minute."
Sizuka then went once to the back of the store and returned with an item.
This is a type of auxiliary arm that attaches to reinforced clothing.
This auxiliary arm was not originally a product to be placed in Sizuka's store, but it was left
behind by the sales staff after several orders for reinforced clothing.
It is sturdy, but its movements are slow and it cannot be used like the double arms of a
combat cyborg. Still, it can support a considerable amount of weight.
Akira tried out its auxiliary arm. After attaching it to his reinforced clothing, he borrowed a
large gun from Sizuka and tried it on. The articulated auxiliary arm firmly supported the gun,
which was heavy enough to be used with the reinforced suit.
Oh," he said. This is good."
I already have my hands full with luggage in both hands, but I need to hold something else
and want an additional arm. I don't need to be agile. If it can hold my luggage, that's all I need.
This is an item that meets that level of demand, but it was enough for Akira right now.
Its auxiliary arm extends from the waist of the reinforced suit. Akira looked at the empty
hands and the additional hands holding the heavy firearm on either side and smiled happily,
thinking that this would allow him to hold the relic a little more properly next time.
I'll buy it."
Thank you for your purchase."
Seeing Akira's somewhat childish appearance, Shizuka was also smiling good-humoredly.
Then Sizuka," he said. Please consult me about additional guns."
Oh, you're really going to buy that one too, aren't you?"
You mean "......? Yes. Yes. Please."
Akira looked a little strange, but answered that it was normal.
Sizuka is also the manager of Cartridge Freak, an all-you-can-eat store for hunters. He cannot
advise customers who want his store's products not to buy them.
I get it. Well then, let's talk about what you'd like."
Sizuka wondered if this was a good idea as he consulted with Akira, picturing Akira with
more firearms to carry thanks to the auxiliary arm and an even more messy appearance.

After returning from Shizuka's store, Akira was quickly servicing his equipment in his garage
at home.
There is one more gun stand in the back of the vehicle. A newly purchased gun, an A4WM
automatic grenade launcher, was mounted there.
This gun, which Sizuka recommended, is capable of firing a barrage of grenades and has great
firepower. Even if the opponent is a swarm of powerful monsters, they can be repelled by a
hail of grenades.
The main reason Sizuka recommended this gun to Akira, however, was not its firepower, but
the explosion of the grenade and the blast it causes to slow down the enemy. He had a little
trouble escaping when he was attacked by a swarm of hard mechanical monsters at the ruins
of Mihazono Street. Akira had told him about that story, and that was the reason for his
recommendation.
As an escape feature, an extension that converts the gun into an automatic fixed gun turret
has also been installed. The gun is an inexpensive piece of equipment that automatically
shoots and, strictly speaking, only pulls the trigger according to a simple setting, but if you
are attacked by a swarm of unmanageable size, you can install the entire gun and have it
continue shooting until it runs out of remaining ammunition, while you yourself escape.
In that case, of course, they would lose the A4WM automatic grenade launcher. Still, it is a
feature that is better than dying with a gun and remaining ammunition.
He also buys extensions that make it easier to attach and detach from the auxiliary arm. I
bought it for the CWH objective assault rifle, the DVTS minigun, and the A Attach it to the
4WM automatic grenade launcher to reconfirm the usability of the auxiliary arm.
There are four auxiliary arms, two on each side, and even with all three arms in place, there
is still one arm left.
However, having all three guns on the auxiliary arm makes for a messy situation, so basically
the guns are still held in both hands, or at least in one hand.
Assuming they have entered the ruins, they are further given backpacks. The auxiliary arm
also supported the rucksacks, which were bulging with extended magazines.
It's still very convenient. I am glad I bought it. I don't mean to say this, but Sizuka-san should
have recommended it to me a little earlier."
Akira was only disappointed there because he was satisfied with the recommended item.
Alpha chuckles.
I guess for Sizuka, he would rather have more people accompanying him than to use such a
thing to add to his luggage. It's more correct from a strength point of view.
'Oh, that's one way to think about it.'
'Well, we have some circumstances that make it difficult for us to add more people to our
team,' he said. We can't have other hunters accompany us in our search for undiscovered
ruins.
Indeed.
Then Alpha smiles meaningfully.
'Besides, you can't have your companion run down the side of the building with you, can you?
......, sort of."
Akira also returned a wry smile.
'And I'll tell you something else while I'm at it. The more you carry, the harder it will be to
move. Naturally, it will also increase the danger. That's probably why Sizuka didn't
recommend the auxiliary arm to Akira first.
Alpha's expression becomes a little stern.
I would not hesitate to make them throw away a relic, no matter how expensive, if I thought
it was dangerous. Don't think that just because you have an auxiliary arm, you can still hold
it. Okay?"
I understand. I'll be careful."
Good.
Alpha's expression relaxed and he nodded in satisfaction.
◆

When Akira finished servicing his equipment and was discussing tomorrow's plans with
Alpha at home, he received a call from Elena. It was an invitation to work as a hunter.
"Are you ...... to help with a rescue request?"
Yes. The location is in the city section of the Mihazono Street ruins, but there has been a lot
of commotion since yesterday, and it looks like there are not enough people there. I'll give
you a discount on the fee, so you can make some money.
Since the client is the insurance company, there is no risk that the target of the rescue will be
reluctant to pay the fee and there will be no dispute. They are also flexible about whether or
not to accept the request. As long as you do not make a mistake in judging the level of
difficulty of the rescue, you can earn money relatively safely and efficiently. Elena explained
this to Akira and invited him to join.
Of course, I won't force you to do anything. But it's a good time to earn money, and I thought
you might like to join us if you're free. From what we've seen today, it's definitely a lot of
work, but the extra reward is more than worth it.
If it's too much work, I'll come help you now.
Oh, it's okay. We're done for the day, too. Thanks. So, what do you want to talk about after
tomorrow?"
I'll do it. Thank you for inviting me to talk about how much money I could make."
Akira answered happily, to which Elena replied in a good-humored voice with a hint of relief.
You're welcome. Well, there is a probability that tomorrow the commotion will have
subsided and there will be no more rescue requests. Then we can go collecting relics
together."
Akira then finished talking with Elena, deciding how to meet up with her tomorrow. Akira,
who appeared to be in a good mood, was approached by Alpha with some difficulty.
Akira. Are you glad you took this on?'
What?" What's wrong?"
'You were in the middle of searching for unsurveyed parts of the ruins, weren't you? I bought
an auxiliary arm and an A4WM automatic grenade launcher for that purpose. Besides, did
you forget that Elena and her team hired me for the bounty fight and I got into a lot of
trouble?"
Akira thinks for a moment before answering.
I was very happy with the results," he said, "but if you can make money, it doesn't matter
whether you collect relics or request help. Besides, if you are a rescue mission, you can get
more people to accompany you."
'That's true, but ......'
I'm sure that was not Elena and her team's fault. Besides, it was thanks to Elena's successful
negotiation that we were able to obtain 100 million aurum, wasn't it? Now that I think about
it, I should be rather grateful."
Hearing this, Alpha's expression relaxed.
'Yes. Well, if it's okay with Akira, it's okay with me. But if you are aware that you did it without
permission, don't do it without permission this time. Is that clear?
I understand. I understand. I'll be careful."
Akira responded in such a way as to appease Alpha, and immediately began preparations for
tomorrow.

Alpha realized that everything Akira had told him, the reason he had accepted Elena's
invitation, was an afterthought.
I took Elena's offer almost unconditionally, and when Alfa showed me some difficulty, I
added my reasons for thinking about it again. This meant that Elena and the others were that
high on Akira's priority list in his decision-making.
Knowing this, Alpha avoided unnecessary pursuit. It would be meaningless to get into
trouble with Akira for meddling in the matter.
But still, he remembered the concern. And I also knew that if the decision would adversely
affect my plans, I needed to address it.
Alpha was smiling, his fake face not reflecting a shred of his inner feelings.

At midnight, still early for dawn, Akira is awakened by Alpha.

Akira. Wake up."
It is not a physical sound because it is a telepathic call. But the loud voice echoing in his brain
awakened Akira immediately.
Akira woke up and looked around the dark room and understood that it was still night.
"...... Alpha. What is it? It's too early to tell, isn't it?"
I went to bed early to prepare for tomorrow, but I still felt sleepy if I was forced to wake up.
Alpha's expression also did not indicate an emergency. Akira looked at Alpha with a mixture
of frustration and confusion.
'You have a message from Elena. You can go back to sleep without reading it, but I woke you
up, so don't complain later.'
Akira's expression turns a little more serious. At least that's what the message was, because
it meant that if Alpha left Akira unawakened, Akira was in danger of becoming angry later.
He reaches for the information terminal and checks the message from Elena. Then his face
turned a little grim.
The commotion at the Mihazono Street site is growing. At the urging of the insurance
company, we started our own request for help early. The level of difficulty has increased
from the situation we discussed yesterday. So Akira can stop participating in the rescue
request. If he does, he should prepare somewhat carefully.
When Elena took the trouble to send such a message to Akira, it was obvious that many
unexpected things were happening at the Mihazono Street site. Akira is worried and anxious
about Elena and the others.
It also stated that since it was such a late hour, they made it a message, but that they
themselves were already awake and could be contacted directly if they needed anything.
Akira is a little lost and then tries to contact Elena.
But it did not connect.
............ alpha." Please send a message to Elena that you are on your way. Also, try periodically
to connect."
Akira got off the bed, asking for this, and began to put on his reinforced clothes.
I get it.
Alpha accepted Akira's request with his usual smile. But behind the scenes, he was growing
concerned.
Akira's behavior was just as Alpha had expected. This was evidence that Alpha had made that
much progress in understanding the personality of Akira.
However, Akira, for the sake of Elena and others, is heading without hesitation to the
Mihazono Street ruins, where it is easy to imagine that some kind of abnormal situation is
probably occurring.
That Elena and her team were such a high priority for Akira was a concern that was
detrimental enough for Alpha.

After getting ready, Akira got into the wilderness-specification vehicle and opened the
garage.
All preparations except for the reinforced clothes had been done the day before, and the
reinforced clothes were also put on. All that was left to do was to set off at a brisk pace, but
Akira did not start and was lightly groaning in the driver's seat.
Alfa wonders about it in the passenger seat.
Akira. What's wrong? Have you changed your mind? Indeed, I still can't reach Elena and the
others, and I think it would be a good idea to find out some local information before we leave,
just in case.'
I know, right? ......"
Alpha finds the reply surprising. However, it would be more convenient for Akira to stay in
his thoughts, so we proceeded with the conversation in that direction.
Yes. If you wait for a while, Elena and her team may connect you to the chain, and in the
meantime, you should calm down and check the Internet at ......."
But Akira, listening to Alpha's story, took out his information terminal and contacted the
information guesser.

Carol's home is a luxury condominium in the sub-division of Kgamayama city. It is well

guarded, and slum dwellers are not allowed to approach the perimeter of the mansion. Even
though it is not within the city walls, it is the domain of those who have a reasonable amount
of money.
Carol is sleeping in the bedroom of that home. She is lying on the bed completely naked, and
the only thing hiding her is a blanket that is thin enough to be see-through but warm enough
to keep her warm. The moderate transparency of the fabric and the shadows add a touch of
color to her nude body, which has attracted many men.
A tone sounded in that bedroom signaling a call request. Carol wakes up and checks to see
who is on the other end of the line.
The time is midnight. It would be up to them whether or not they would ignore it and go
straight to sleep. And the other party was an unexpected person, someone worth answering
the call request.
Akira. You contacted me as soon as possible. I'm glad. But I did say feel free to contact me
anytime, but it's a bit rude time unless you're here for something sexy, right? Can I count on
you?"
I'm sorry. I'm more of a hunter."
I'm not sure I'm going to be able to do that. Can I cut it then?"
I guess so." Sorry about this hour."
So the call was really disconnected. Carroll, who had meant to tease her lightly, smiled wryly
and re-connected with Akira.
What is it?"
You really don't have to cut it off. ......"
I don't know what ...... is, but it means we're listening to you, right?"
Akira's somewhat dubious voice indicated that he had really simply cut himself off because
he thought the other party did not want to talk.
Akira's attitude, which seems to have truncated the concept of bargaining, is mildly
dismaying and intriguing to Carroll.
I'm not sure. So what?"
There is some kind of commotion going on at the Mihazono Street ruins. And that we are
probably unable to contact our friend, a hunter, who is at the ruins. If you know anything
about these things, please tell us. That was Akira's request.
As Carol listened to the story, she looked up relevant information in the background. In her
expanded field of vision, she saw a list of information extracted from a network of
information that would not be available to ordinary people. She looked at the information
and spoke as if she had known about it from the beginning.
The day before yesterday, or rather that day when we were at the Hunter's Office sub-branch,
swarms of monsters have been appearing all over the ruins. The city area seems to be mainly
from the Celantal Building, while the factory area seems to be spreading from some factory.
Which do you want to know about, the city block or the factory block?"
It's a city block.
I'm a mapmaker too. You'll have to pay from here on out, okay?"
How much?
It depends on how much information Akira wants to know. If you say all of it anyway, I'd say
a billion, and if you just want a map of the city blocks that's better than the free one, I'd say
100,000 or so. ......"
Carroll said a lot of things like that and stretched the story, while continuing to gather
information about the current city block behind the scenes.
Akira is unaware of this and is troubled by it.
"That being said ......, well, I was going to do a rescue request with Elena and the others ......,
and we had a meeting place in mind, but now we can't get in touch with them... ... and if I can't
meet you there, I'm going to look for you in the ruins. ......"
Akira was unable to explain well and seemed to be confirming what he was going to have to
do as he spoke, but Carol used her natural negotiating skills to grasp most of the situation.
Then she came up with a plan.
Akira. Then why don't you hire me? Whether we're looking for these Elena people or doing
a rescue mission, wouldn't it be better to have someone who knows the geography of the city
block?"
Since I was planning to go there as a mapmaker myself, it was reassuring to have someone
accompany me. Since we will be moving together to investigate the situation, Akira's errands
can take priority.
In addition to providing information as a mapmaker, he also fights as an armed force
member. And when in danger, we ask Akira to protect us, which is an escort request from us
to Akira.
The final amount to be paid by either party will be negotiated slowly later based on the
mutual results. Carol suggested this to Akira.
How about this?" I think it's a mutually beneficial proposition."
Can you join us right now?" I was just about to leave."
Give me half an hour.
I understand. Please. If you don't have a car, I'll pick you up.
I'll give you a ride. I'll send you the location and you can wait there. I'll see you later."
Carol said this to Akira in an inviting voice and hung up the call. Then she stretched out wide
on the bed and smiled bewitchingly.
I was wondering if I could somehow ask him out, but I didn't realize he would ask me out.
I'm so lucky. ...... Well, let's hurry up and get ready. From the looks of things, if I'm even a
second late, they're going to leave me behind.
Carol leaves her bedroom and takes a shower in the bathroom. The hot water, adjusted for
her physical body, is mixed with a restorative. Its benefits make her fine skin and radiant
hair even more beautiful. This takes 10 minutes.
As she exits the bathroom, a strong wind blowing off the walls blows the water droplets away
from her naked body. As it is, she puts on her reinforced innerwear without underwear and
additional reinforced clothes, then stands in front of the mirror and smiles bewitchingly.
The mirror shows a woman dressed in a racy Old World style that is very effective against
both vicious monsters and the majority of men. This takes another 10 minutes.
He quickly puts on his gun, grabs his backpack filled with ammunition, etc., and leaves the
house. If she walked, she would not make it in time, but with Carol's physical abilities, she
has no problem taking a shortcut.
Using that shortcut, the route that jumps down to the ground instead of taking the elevator
down, Carol laughed and hurried onward.

◆
Akira was waiting for Carol at the designated location.
It is near Carol's home, so there are security guards. Naturally Akira was approached. He
replies that he is waiting for his companion, Hunter.
The guard was a bit skeptical, but when he saw Akira's equipment, he agreed, nodded lightly,
and left.
Akira looks somewhat deeply moved.
'This, perhaps, would have been turned away if it had been when I wasn't even wearing a
reinforced suit.
Even though it is difficult to detect the ability of an opponent, it is not that difficult to detect
the performance and price of his equipment. It is also easy to determine from the equipment
that the person is capable of earning that much money or has a relationship with such a
person.
Even if the final judgment on Akira was as high-performance and inexperienced as the
equipment, Akira was not a suspicious person who had to be turned away by the security
side's standards of judgment.
Alfa also laughs lightly in the passenger seat.
It means Akira is growing well as a hunter. Let's continue to earn money at this rate.
'Oh, yes.
That's where Alpha lightly nailed it.
"To that end, let's act with the intention of making a profit this time, too."
'...... eh? Oh, yes. Sure.'
Akira was slightly confused but quickly mended. He continued as if to cover it up.
It's okay," he said. Elena invited me because she thought it would be a profitable request. I
won't lose any money.
'That's fine. But this time, even though it's irregular, Akira is hiring Carol, so there is a
payment for that. Be careful.
'Yes. I'll be careful.'
Akira breathes a sigh of relief that he managed to fake it. He did not lie, but it was true that
the earning had disappeared from his mind when he decided to leave immediately without
waiting for the morning.
Alpha saw through that, but only nailed it. And he was even more wary of Elena and the
others.
Then Carol shows up. She smiles and calls out to me as if she is meeting me for a date.
Akira. Akira. Did you wait for me?"
One minute ago. I'm not late."
Akira's reaction, on the other hand, was to simply join his companion. There was not a hint
of joy at the prospect of meeting an attractive member of the opposite sex.
Carol lets out a light sigh.
I mean, I'm meeting up with a woman, can't you give me a more thoughtful, common-sense
response?"
I'm sorry. I'm not a big fan of common sense, and I'm learning as I go. Come on in."
Carol sits in the passenger seat with her luggage in the back of the vehicle and Alfa moves to
the opposite side in the air. Akira immediately departed the vehicle.

Akira and his team are moving through the pre-dawn wilderness toward the ruins of
Mihazono Street.
Alpha. How's the communication going with Elena and the others?"
Unfortunately, the connection is still not live.
'......, I see.'
If things continue as they are, if things go badly, they may have to move on the premise of
rescue and relief instead of joining up with Elena and her group. Akira's face turned a little
grim at the thought.
And in the latter case, I would expect Carol to be a force to be reckoned with, so I
unconsciously cast a somewhat judgmental glance at her body.
Carol's eyes caught his gaze and she smiled happily.
Akira. Are you becoming interested in my body?"
Hmm?" Oh, the body, or rather, the equipment. That reinforced suit isn't exactly Old World
......, is it?"
Akira's eyes were not on his own prized body, but purely on the performance of the
equipment. Carol's mouth twitched a little at the thought.
Unfortunately, it's only old-world, but it's modern.
I know." I don't mean to say this ......, but are you sure you can go to the ruins in such bluff-
use reinforced clothing?"
Carol chuckled lightly, judging from the word "bluff" that Akira thought he was wearing this
reinforced suit only for his armed disguise.
Naturally, Carol also wears this Old World-style, sharply designed enhancement outfit to
catch clients on the side. Many men have been caught and squeezed in various ways by this
fascinatingly decorated figure of her body. In some cases, not only money, but even lives.
However, for now, he does not talk about that reason, and instead prioritizes dispelling
Akira's anxiety and concern about his lack of strength.
I have to warn you, these suits are quite expensive," he said. It's probably a lot more
expensive than Akira's. Both in price and performance."
Oh, I see. Hmmm. Well, when you put it that way, it sure looks expensive and high-
performance."
When Akira fought the multi-legged tank on the side of the building, Carol was with him for
a short while, running down the wall of the building.
Akira was now convinced that Carol was wearing such a high-performance reinforced suit
when she was able to do that without Alpha's support.
That's what I mean. I don't want you to put me in the same category as those cosplayers."
Oh, I knew there was such a thing."
Sort of.
This dispelled Akira's fears. Carol, having decided that, changes the subject.
'By the way, now that you mention it, are you sure you're okay with hiring me? You didn't
tell these Elena people about me, did you?"
I sent a message to him, whether he received it or not. ...... Well, we're bringing in someone
unscheduled on short notice, so if they say no, we'll have to do it. If they say no, we'll have to
go our separate ways.
Oh, you didn't say separate from me."
I'm hiring Carol today, in case you were wondering," he said. I didn't set a time frame, but I'll
go along with you for today at least.
At least when Elena and her family refuse to accompany Carol, there is no doubt that Elena
and her family are safe. It was a pity that he could not accompany Elena and her family, but
Akira could tolerate that level of disappointment.
Thank you. It's my pleasure."
Carol smiled amiably and charmingly and thanked him. But Akira's only response was a light
nod. As usual, I thought of something else, thinking that I was being boring.
(Not a shred of concern about taking someone dressed like me to a couple of female hunters?
I also knew the person who wore a maid's uniform at the ruins, and she didn't respond when
I asked her out.)
I wonder if this Elena and the others are also people who are out of sync in various ways.
That would make sense. Carol was thinking about something that Elena and the others might
protest if they heard it.
Episode Ruins after the Anomaly

Akira and his team arrive at the Mihazono Street ruins. After stopping the car in the
wilderness by the ruins, Akira looked at the surrounding scene, which had changed
drastically from the previous day, and got a rough idea of the scale of the disturbance at the
ruins.
The surrounding area was crowded. A large number of vehicles overflowing from the
parking lot of the ruins were parked in the lot. Not only hunters' wilderness vehicles, but also
trailers that served as stores for hunters could be seen everywhere. There was even a simple
clinic and a simple base of operations for hunter cliques.
A security guard is directing traffic so as not to block the road leading to the Hunter Office
sub-branch, and Akira is also approached.
I'm sorry, but please refrain from parking your car around here for long periods of time. I
don't mind if you stop for a while to get in and out of the car or just drive through. Also, the
existing parking lot is already full. There's a temporary one over there, in case you're
interested.
The security guard said so and pointed to a temporary parking lot. Then he laughed jokingly.
And let me tell you something. If you're here to collect relics, today is not the day for it, okay?"
Just then, as if to prove his words, a building at a remote location within the ruins collapsed.
A loud plume of smoke spread over the area. It was clear that a large-scale battle was being
waged within the ruins.
Akira can't help but chuckle.
I know ...... and I know it when I see it."
I know," he said. Well, take care."
After the guards left, Akira took out an information terminal and tried to connect to Elena
and the others again. But it was no use. Akira's face clouded over.
Carol saw Akira's appearance and pulled out her own information terminal.
Akira. Wasn't it good?"
I said, "...... yeah. I thought if it's within the same site, it's ...... not good."
The collapse of the building is a clear indication that the situation at the ruins is worse than
expected. Even so, Akira has no intention of staying here to see what happens, much less
turning back.
However, Akira's face was grim, as he knew it had become difficult to meet up with Elena
and the others.
There, Akira notices Carol talking to someone on an information terminal.
Yes," he said. Me. ...... Yeah, that's it. You asked for it, right? What happened? ...... yes yes yes I
know. I'll pay you."
Carol's face suddenly turned dubious.
What?" Really? Really? ...... Okay, I get it. I'll give it a try. See you later."
And when Carol finished her story, she now turned to Akira with a slightly dubious, even
somewhat stunned look on her face.
Akira. Can you link Akira's information terminal to mine and contact someone named Elena
again?"
What?" Oh."
Akira wondered, but did as he was told and linked his information terminal with Carol's and
tried again to contact Elena.
Yes. I'm Elena. Akira. I'm sorry to call you so early in the morning. So, I have a rescue request.
......
It connected.
What?
Akira's surprise, raised unintentionally, lightly startles Elena on the other end of the
communication.
Hey, Akira, what's going on?"
No, no, I've been trying to reach you for a while now, but you didn't connect at all, and then
suddenly you connected. ......
"Is that so? That's strange. It's on the chain now, right?"
Yes, I know, but ......
As Akira is puzzled, Carol taps Akira lightly on the shoulder and interrupts the conversation.
Akira. Let's talk about the details later and just decide how to meet up first. That's why you
came all the way here, isn't it?"
Oh, yeah. Yeah."
Akira told Elena that she was right.
I understand," he said. Where is Akira now? Are you still at home?"
No, we are already at the Mihazono Street site. It's in the wilderness just down the street
from the Hunter's Office sub-branch."
Really?" You're early. Well, then, the shicarabes are bringing the relief target to you right
now, so you can come over here with them."
I understand. I'll see you later."
Yeah. I'll be waiting. Bye."
After hanging up the call, Akira was relieved to hear Elena's safe voice and let out a light
breath of relief. He then notices Carol, who is looking at him delicately.
......, uh, I don't know what it is, but it helped."
You're welcome. I'm glad you found it worthwhile to hire me.
Carol was suitably enthusiastic. She thought she and Akira would search the ruins for Elena
and her family, who for some reason had been cut off from the rest of the world. There, she
intended to put her skills as a cartographer to good use.
But having been able to contact Elena and the others without any problems, in a way, this
eliminated the reason Akira had hired Carroll.
Carol was a little grumpy, partly because she was a little disheartened that they had gone to
the trouble of hiring her in the middle of the night to beat her up for something as trivial as
this.
Akira does not have the interpersonal skills to read that deeply. However, even so, he was
able to guess that he had gone out of his way to make Carole go through the trouble of solving
a problem that normally could be solved easily by anyone else. She asks somewhat timidly,
"Where are you going?
I'm sorry, Carol. How did you connect with Ms. Elena?"
It's just normal chain.
I didn't connect. ......
Because you connect with such a cheap line. Akira. That's not true.
Communication is not free. However, when you buy an information terminal, free
communication is usually included as a service. Akira had been using that service until now.
But that kind of communication is cheap and of low quality. If for some reason the volume of
traffic in a zone increases, it will be the first to be eliminated in order to maintain the quality
of the priority lines.
This time, a large number of communications are flying around the Mihazono Street site. The
city of Kugamayama, hunters, and related companies are all exchanging vast amounts of
information in an attempt to obtain details of the situation.
Insurance companies are no exception. In order to maintain communication with the relief
teams they dispatched and the policyholders they were rescuing, they used multiple
communication channels to improve the quality of their lines.
Elena and her colleagues, who receive rescue requests through their insurance company,
also benefit from this, and communication is not so easily cut off. Even communications from
outside the company can connect without problems, as long as the source of communication
uses a reasonably priced line.
If communication still does not connect, then Elena and the others are already in distress and
likely out of communication range within the ruins.
After hearing from Akira that communication with Elena and her team was not connecting,
Carol surmised that this was the situation they were in. So she asked her friend, an informant,
to find out the location of Elena and the others, as well as information on the rescue location
of the last rescue request she received.
However, the informant replied that the communication between the insurance company
and Elena and her family was still maintained. Carol was skeptical and asked Akira to connect
to Elena and her team through her own contracted line, just to be sure. The connection was
good.
This meant that Akira was only using such a cheap line. There are software and contracts
that automatically switch to a more expensive connection when the cheap connection does
not connect, and many hunters use such means, but it turned out that Akira was not even
using such a connection.
When Carol explained this to Akira, he nodded lightly as if he was satisfied. However, he
looked away to cover it up when she gave him a dumbfounded stare.
...... Akira. You said you're not familiar with common sense and you're studying diligently, but
if you don't know things that well, it could kill you if you're not careful, okay? Be careful."
Ignorance kills. If you have a team, that person will be collateral damage. As a hunter, Carol
scolded Akira seriously.
Yes. ......." I'll be careful. ......"
Akira is hanging his head. In fact, if Carol had been unaware of the quality of Akira's line, she
would have wandered outside the communication range of the ruins in search of Elena and
the others who were not in distress, putting Carol in unnecessary danger. Thinking this, I
was depressed to the extent that I deeply regretted it.
Seeing Akira's drooping state, Carol wondered if she had said a little too much. She knew that
her hunter's work would be hindered if her partner was left drooping at the bottom of his
seat, so she smiled jokingly and exaggeratedly in order to cheer Akira up.
Well, whatever it was, it doesn't make any difference that I was able to contact Elena and the
others and make sure they were safe, does it?" Akira. Reward, I hope?"
Then he brought his face close to Akira's in a teasing manner.
Akira looks a little surprised, then blows up lightly and chuckles.
I understand. I'll make sure to add that amount to your fee. But considering what happened
the day before yesterday, won't that be quickly offset by the escort fee you're paying me?"
I'm not so sure about that.
Akira and Carol smile wryly at each other. One showed his willingness to do so, and the other
confirmed his enthusiasm, bringing this conversation to a close.
There, he receives a call from Shikarabe. He told me that if I wanted to join him, I should
come to the temporary hospital and help him. I told him I would be right there, and Akira
drove off.
Then it occurs to me.
'Alpha. About the line, didn't you notice that Alfa didn't notice it either?"
'Up until now, we've been in regular contact with each other.
'I see. Right.'
Akira agreed and ended the conversation.

Alfa did not say that they were unaware of this because they had been in normal contact until
now. I just said what could be interpreted that way.
And what Alpha is looking for from Akira is not the ability to avoid danger through common
sense, but the ability to break through the danger posed by insanity.
In addition, there was no problem for Alpha if Akira's relationship with Elena and the others
became strained because he and Elena could not meet up with them.
Alpha will not lie to Akira. In other words, he can say whatever he wants as long as it is not a
lie.
Today, Alpha is smiling next to Akira.

A temporary hospital is being built in the wilderness by the Michazono Street site. It was
created jointly by several insurance companies, and it took care of many injured people at
once.
Naturally, there is a charge for this service, and only policyholders can use it. There is no
inequality in being able to use the service even if you do not have a contract.
An armored personnel carrier driven by Sicarabe stopped in front of the temporary hospital.
The rear doors open wide, and the rescue victims who have been transported to this point
get out of the vehicle.
Those with minor injuries entered temporary hospitals on their own or with the support of
their friends. Those with serious injuries were packed in body bags and carried away.
Akira and his team arrived just as Shikarabe was carrying the body bag with its contents.
Akira. If you've joined up with us, you can carry the seriously injured in the car with you and
......gee!"
Carol smiles happily at the shikarabe, who exclaims.
Geez, that's quite a reaction. Shikarabe. It's been a long time.
Yeah, right.
A little later, Togami comes out, carrying a body bag as well.
Cicarabe. What's going on? ...... Whoa! Akira! What are you doing here?"
Hmm?" Why, didn't you call me?"
Is that so?"
Both Shikarabe and Togami were puzzled by the unexpected appearance of someone. Akira,
too, was mystified. The only one who seemed unconcerned was Carol.
Akira. For now, let's get the seriously wounded to the hospital, just as Shikarabe told us to."
Hmm?" Oh. Yeah."
The shikarabes unconsciously followed Akira and the others with their eyes as they entered
the vehicle. But they quickly regained their composure and returned to transporting the
seriously injured. But their faces remained puzzled.
(Why is he with Akira? Did Elena and the others call you? What's going on?)
（What is Akira doing here? And what's with that woman's outfit? Why do they have a

woman dressed like that? What the hell is going on?)

I don't understand. With this in mind, Shikarabe and Togami both had similar expressions
on their faces, although their inner feelings were slightly different.

The inside of the armored personnel carrier reeked of blood. The floor and seats were
stained with blood everywhere. It was a gruesome sight.
Akira and Carol, however, are the ones who make the scene, as the case may be. They start
transporting the seriously wounded without paying any attention at all.
Akira tries to carry a person lying on a couch. The head is placed in a body bag with the head
open, and the concavity of the lower part of the bag indicates that the lower half of the body
is missing. So, the upper body part was lifted up.
Then the person opened his eyes. Akira stopped moving involuntarily.
"...... where am I?"
'......, by the temporary hospital. We're going to transport you there now."
I see. ......." Sorry, ......, please. ......."
The person said just that and closed his eyes. Whether he was dead or asleep, Akira could
not tell.
Carol laughs when she sees this.
Akira. Don't carry him roughly because you think he's dead, okay? You're not a doctor, you
can't tell the difference between a dead body and a seriously wounded one, can you?"
When Akira was told this, he recalled a scene he had seen earlier at a clinic in the Kuzuthara
Street ruins.
Even a bloodless fresh head is a serious injury until a doctor confirms that the person is alive.
There is still a good chance that the person is not dead. That is the modern medical field.
Advanced medical technology applied from the old world is blurring the line between life
and death more and more.
I agree." I'll be careful."
I too use a restorative that has the effect of a joke. Is it too late now? Akira somehow thought
so as he carefully carried the rest of the seriously injured.

Akira and his team were driving with the shikarabes through the city section of the Mihazono
Street ruins, which had changed its appearance drastically from the previous day. In front of
the convoy are the Shikarabes' armored personnel carriers, and behind them are Akira's
wilderness-specification vehicles.
Of the rescue targets, the transportation of those in relatively urgent need was completed.
The rest are still in the ruins, and Elena and her team are escorting the remaining rescue
targets there. We are hurrying ahead to join them as soon as possible.
Since troops from the city of Kgamayama and the insurance company were working jointly
to clear debris from the roads in order to secure passage through the ruins, it was easier to
proceed than the other day if one simply traveled by car. This is also why the Chicarabes are
using armored personnel carriers.
The city's troops are moving because the city takes the appearance of a security machine that
deviates from its original security scope that much more seriously.
At present, the deviation is confined to the ruins. However, if it goes beyond that point and
goes outside the ruins, the Mihazono Street ruins will become an extremely dangerous
presence that will continue to emit large numbers of mechanical monsters throughout the
region. This is a situation that the neighboring city of Kugamayama cannot afford to overlook.
In order to investigate whether or not there was a risk of that happening, and to deal with
the situation quickly if it did, the city was securing the perimeter of the Hunter Office's sub-
branch as a temporary base of operations.
The plan at this time is to seal off the area of the Celantar Building and the factory block
where the herd of mechanical monsters appeared, isolate it from the rest of the site, and wait
for the situation to subside.
The city had also requested the cooperation of many hunter cliques to secure its forces.
Naturally, Drangkam was also a target, and Shikarabe and Togami joined Drangkam as
hunters.
And Togami was now riding in Akira's car, not an armored personnel carrier, to teach Akira
and his team about those situations.
The car is ostensibly automatic, but in reality it is driven by Alfa, and the driver and
passenger seats are empty. Akira and the others were in the back of the car to keep an eye
on the rear.
Akira listened to Togami's story with great interest, partly because he now knew what it was
about. Carol, who already knew, laughed lightly and added to Akira's story.
And Togami was much perplexed.
Togami is a boy of his age. If there is a beautiful, sexy woman by his side, he will pay attention
to her. Moreover, if the beauty is wearing a sensational, sharp, old-world-style, sexy,
reinforced outfit, he can't help but turn his gaze in that direction. In addition, the
arrangement of the people in the room made it difficult for Togami to naturally remove his
gaze from Carol.
On top of that, Carroll was deliberately making gestures and poses that showed off his prized
body. Togami also realized that this was intentional, but that did not stop him from
reopening his eyes and staring at her, and as a result, his gaze wandered.
(...... calm down! What's the point of panicking over something like this! I'm going to find
myself in this commission! I know you're here because you decided to!)
Togami tried to calm himself down, and he chastised himself strongly.
Togami's current equipment has been changed to even more sophisticated equipment than
that used in the tankantura battle, prepared for the war against the prize fighters.
This is due to the fact that only four people were able to defeat a bounty of 800 million aurum.
In reality, however, this feat was only ostensible, and in reality, it was thanks to a large
number of unofficial additional personnel, including Akira. However, since he had ostensibly
done so, Drunkham also had to keep the story straight, and he gave permission for the loan
of that much equipment to Togami.
In the past, Togami could genuinely rejoice that Drangkam had finally recognized his ability.
But now he could not. His confidence had been shattered by his fight with Akira against
Tangkrantula.
In fact, Togami was strong enough to be a young man in Drangkam. It was because of his
ability that he was feted as a promising star of the anti-Katsuya faction.
Originally confident and proud of his own abilities and using them as support for living in a
harsh environment, Togami accepted the accolades that were embellished for the sake of
glamorizing them. Because of this, he had excessive confidence in his own abilities, and came
to display an arrogant attitude, for better or worse.
But that confidence is gone. Togami is not pleased now even with the loan permission of
equipment that is so high-performance that it would easily exceed 100 million aurum if he
were to buy it himself.
Rather, it was a kind of harassment, an attempt to make him admit to himself that he was an
inexperienced hunter with only the right equipment and a bad reputation among the young
hunters of Drangkam. I even suspected so.
Still, Togami borrowed equipment. He accepted the humiliation of being regarded as such in
order to identify himself. Even if the result of his assessment was that he was a weak and
mistaken man, Togami did not care. He would just have to train again based on that
recognition.
My remaining willpower would not allow me to continue being a weak, misunderstood
bastard, even if I lost confidence in myself.
With that resolve and determination renewed in his heart, Togami regains his composure.
Then he looks at Akira again.
(...... ain't looking as strong as ever. ...... No, do I look stronger than I did then? (...... hmmm, but
hey ......, I don't know)
Togami could not decide whether it was because the disappearance of his egotistical vanity
had brought back his clouded eyes, or whether he just looked too strong because of the
strong impression he had made in the battle against Tangkrantula.
(Well, let's leave it at that: ......)
Togami turns his gaze once to Carol and then again to Akira.
(This guy is not reacting at all, even though there is a woman dressed like this in front of him.
Why is that? Are you used to seeing them? Or is it something you naturally stop caring about
when you become as strong as Akira?)
When you are a hunter working on the front lines, even if you see a person in an extremely
revealing swimsuit-like reinforced suit, your senses are so pulled back to the old world that
you don't feel a thing. Togami remembered hearing something like this before and wondered
lightly if it might be similar.
Akira: "Hey, Akira. Aren't you curious about his outfit?"
Asked this, Akira looked at Carroll once with a curious expression on his face. Then he
reacted as if he had noticed something before answering Togami.
Well, it's not that I don't mind at all, but they say it's more expensive and more powerful than
my reinforced suits, so it's not for me to mess with."
Oh, yeah.
If the equipment is weak, I complain, but as long as it is strong, I don't care. As long as it is
high performance, I don't care about the design. Akira's reply was, in a sense, very hunter-
like.
Hearing this, Togami was convinced of Akira's attitude toward Carol, and somehow thought
that those who are strong outside the norm are also somewhat off in their common sense.
Carol was pleased to see Togami's reaction to being at the mercy of her seductive body, and
was satisfied that this was a normal reaction. Then she lightly complained about Akira's
response earlier.
If you don't mind at all, you could be a little more interested. What's your problem with me?
Usually, most people take me up on my offer if I ask them out, right?"
I'm sorry I'm not normal. I'll stay out of your way, just invite the normal ones over."
In response to Akira's unsympathetic attitude, Carol shook her head lightly, as if to say that
she did not understand. She then smiled at Togami in a bewitching manner as a rebuke to
Akira.
How's it going? With Akira acting like that, I'll give you a discount, okay?"
I'll pass on ............."
Although it took effort to respond, Togami resisted Carol's temptation and declined her offer.
Carol looked quite surprised, then her face contorted in frustration. Then she let out an overt
sigh.
'Hey ......, even you say no? Don't tell me you're not interested in my body? And unlike Akira,
I was watching him closely."
I ain't gonna say no, but I'm gonna say no. I remember now. You're that Carol, right? No
wonder the deer scarab reacted the way it did."
Akira interjects curiously, seeing Togami's slightly grim face.
What's wrong?"
'Sorry ......, but it's inside the Drunkum. Can't talk about it."
'A hunter in Drunkham bought me, and we had a bit of a dispute over the payment. Don't you
think it's terrible to hold me and not have any money?"
Unlike Togami, who was frowning, Carol was smiling brightly, as if it was no big deal.
Akira wonders what Carol and her colleagues are talking about.
'Alpha. What do you think happened?"
I don't know. I don't know. But it's none of Akira's business. You don't have ......, do you?"
Whatever the nature of the dispute, there is no doubt that it is about Carroll's side business.
In other words, it is irrelevant as long as Akira does not touch Carol. Alpha smiled with that
meaning firmly in mind.
Akira understood at least that much, so he answered clearly.
No.
Right? Akira always has such a beautiful woman by his side. He doesn't need them.
I guess so."
Seeing Alpha smiling with satisfaction and pride, Akira chuckled and let the story slide.

In fact, Alpha was satisfied.

Akira sees others basically as either enemies or not enemies, and shows no sexual interest
in either. That has worked to Alpha's advantage so far.
However, this was changing, albeit slightly. Akira's attitude toward Sizuka, Elena, and Sara,
whom he owed a great debt of gratitude to and with whom he had developed a close
relationship, was becoming more appropriate for his age, even if his reaction was a little
twisted.
As the number of exceptions continues to increase, the criteria for joining the exceptions will
loosen. The probability that Akira will be interested in the opposite sex who is not an
exception will also increase.
Even if that interest was only a small piece of the puzzle, there was a danger that it would be
amplified and prompted by an entity such as Carroll, who was plainly specialized in inviting
the opposite sex. That would not be good for Alpha.
I nailed it just in case, but Alpha was pleased to see that Akira showed no signs of it.
'Well, if you just want to see and hear, I'll be happy to play with you as much as you want,' he
said. Don't hesitate to tell me.
I'll pass.
Akira answered clearly. Akira answered clearly because he did not want to put Alfa on the
spot. Akira smiled along with him.
You're still as boring as ever," he said. Well, let's cut the chit-chat. Akira. Enemy.
Roger that.
Akira switched his attention and removed the CWH objective assault rifle from its seat and
held it firmly in place.
Countless buildings stand in a row on either side of Akira and his friends as they advance
through the city section of the Mihazono Street Ruins. Then, a mechanical monster emerged
from the valley between the buildings. Moreover, they appeared not on the ground, but
running along the sides of the buildings.
It is about one meter long. Four legs sprout from its oval-shaped torso, and spherical tires
attached to the ends of its legs allow it to sprint along the walls of buildings. It was equipped
with a gun and a machine gun on the top of its torso.
The aircraft has already captured Akira and his team and attempts to target them with guns
and machine guns as soon as they appear.
But Alpha and Akira, with Alpha's support, had also captured the aircraft. They had also
calculated the opponent's path of movement and set their sights on it. As soon as the aircraft
emerged from the side of the building, it was already in the line of fire of Akira's CWH
objective assault rifle.
A powerful armor-piercing bullet penetrates the mechanical monster's torso, destroying the
target with a single blow. The individual, which had stopped moving after its control unit
was destroyed, fell from the side of the building to the ground, where it was wrecked and
turned into scrap iron by the impact of the collision.
Carol, who had learned of the enemy attack through Akira's movements and had even located
the enemy with her own intelligence-gathering equipment, was astonished by Akira's
sniping.
Well done," he said. I knew you were strong."
"...... well."
Akira replied in the affirmative, as he and Carol had fought together the other day and had
already shown their abilities, including Alpha's support. However, his tone did not contain
any pride in his own abilities.
I'll be next."
Carol holds up her gun. The muzzle of a large one-handed gun, too big to be called a handgun,
is pointed at a spot a little above the road in the city block, where nothing is there yet. He
pulls the trigger just as a new mechanical monster appears there.
A bullet shot from a large caliber gun lands on the target and shatters it. The target is
instantly blown to pieces, scattering metal fragments around the area.
Oh, great."
Well, at least this much for me."
As a cartographer, I use information-gathering equipment that is much more powerful than
that of most hunters in order to find out topographical information about the ruins. I also
have detailed maps of city blocks, so I can predict enemy movement routes and appearance
locations.
Carol boasted that it would be easy to do this if they were utilized in battle. Akira listened
with interest.
I'm not sure if that's a mapmaker's way of fighting. Did you use that information-gathering
device for sighting correction as well?"
I'm not sure. That's about it."
Oooh."
Enemy reinforcements appear. However, they are easily defeated by Akira and Carol, and
end up just piling up iron scraps on the street.
'Alpha. How much further to the enemy?"
'A24T277BW in the vicinity of 2890......, it's long and there are a lot of them, so I'll summarize
them under A-24 type. That's all there is to the surrounding A-24s.
'Is that what it's called? Sounds like a model number for some kind of machine."
'It's, well, it's a machine.
That's true, too."
Akira was satisfied with that and thought nothing more about it.
Names such as Cannon Insect, which Akira fought before, are just what hunters call them to
distinguish mechanical monsters, and are common names.
The Type 24 Kou A, which Akira defeated, will eventually be given an appropriate name by
those who find it inconvenient to call it that mechanical monster. Until then, it will be treated
as that mechanical monster. At present, it does not have a name.
The abbreviation "A-24 type" was actually a model number.
As she and Akira defeated the reappearing Type A24, Carol thought again about Akira's
inexplicable aspects.
(...... What can I say, Akira is so tiggy about things.)
He is incredibly strong, but lacks common sense to the point of not even knowing the quality
of the line. The shooting earlier was brilliant, but there is a section that sees it as if anyone
could do it, and does not flaunt a shred of it.
But when I showed him my own similar shooting, he was amazed and admired my skill. It
was not an act. In addition, he seemed interested in my explanation of the use of information-
gathering equipment. This suggested that Akira either lacked knowledge of such things or
could not do them even if he did know them.
(I've never seen people who are so unmeshed in so many ways. (I've never seen so many
things that don't mesh together as well as they do... hunter's ability and knowledge, apparent
strength and real strength, your own ability and others' assessment of your ability... it's all
mixed up.)
Carroll did not have a bad impression of Akira, although he felt a certain inexplicability about
it. It was thanks to their exchange in the factory block the other day.
Even in a critical situation when he was attacked by a pack of monsters, Akira was willing to
part easily if the other party thought he was in the way. However, if he accepted the role of
escort, he would protect his opponent, even if he had to fight the monsters while running
down the side of a building after being bombarded in mid-air.
The opposite was not done.
The hunter's business is a gamble with life. That is why it is important to be trustworthy
enough to risk your own life. It is difficult to prove this, but at least Akira protected Carol
without abandoning her, even under the circumstances of the other day.
If Akira's reason for going that far is its inexplicability, Carol accepts and affirms it.
(I wonder what kind of life they must have led to become such a child. I wonder if that
explains why Akira is not interested in my body at all.)
And, incidentally, Carroll also made up for the fact that Akira was not interested in the body
he was so proud of after having seduced numerous men, and that this hurt his pride and joy
a little, by blaming it on something inexplicable. With a wry smile, he directs his gaze at Akira,
expressing the complexity of his feelings.
Akira notices that look. However, he does not understand the meaning of the gaze. He
wonders a little and interprets it appropriately.
"You can take a break from ...... if it's too much trouble, okay? I hired Carol as a mapmaker.
I'm not forcing you to fight."
Carroll lightly blew up at that appropriate interpretation. Then she laughed a little wryly.
I don't want to. You can't try to lessen my reward like that, can you? Since I'm no longer
making much money as a mapmaker, I need to be a force to be reckoned with and make
plenty of money."
Carroll's words were a provocation, knowing that Akira had no intention of doing so, but
Akira could not know that either. But he smiles back the same way.
I see. Then I'd better make sure I beat them too, and do my best to reduce Carol's fee. Sorry,
but I need the money too."
I see." Then it's a race. Akira. Here we go again."
I'm going to go to the airport and see if I can find a place. I'll take them all down."
You try it."
A dozen or so Type A-24s approach Akira and his group from the rear and sides of the vehicle.
The scale of these vehicles is too large for the average hunter to handle, and it would be
dangerous if they did not fight while relying on the defensive capabilities of the armored
personnel carriers. That is why Shikarabe also went to the trouble of preparing armored
personnel carriers.
But to Akira and Carol, who were fighting with gusto, they were nothing more than a swarm
of targets. One after another, they were crushed into a large amount of scrap iron, which
scattered all over the streets of the ruins.

While Akira and Carol competed with each other to destroy the Kou A-24 swarm, Togami
was also doing his best. However, the results were not encouraging.
Akira is supporting Alpha, and Carol is using high-performance information-gathering and
other equipment to capture the location of enemies emerging from building valleys and
other locations with considerable accuracy.
But Togami cannot do the same thing. Even if Togami were to do something similar with his
own information-gathering equipment, there would be a marked difference in the accuracy
of his search. Because of this, he was inevitably several moves behind Akira and his team.
Is this what I am after all? Was I just getting carried away in the small world of young hunters
in Drangkam? The thought of this tightens Togami's heart.
Still, Togami fought back with his remaining willpower against his crumbling self. Guns at
the ready, he took aim at the target that Akira and the others had put off, and destroyed it.
Although the number of those destroyed was minimal, Togami fought to the bitter end, until
he reached his destination.
Episode Companions

Elena and her group were waiting for the arrival of the shikarabes in front of the countless
abandoned buildings in the city section of the Mihazono Street ruins, keeping a watchful eye
on their surroundings.
Then an anxious-looking man came out of the building to check on him. He was one of the
rescue targets.
Hey, hey ......, are you here yet?"
When approached, Elena responds in a moderately affectionate manner.
Not yet. Just wait a little longer."
Yeah, well, ......."
The man cannot shake his uneasiness and refuses to return to the common reply he has
heard so many times. Elena exhales lightly.
The people we sent ahead have already arrived at the temporary hospital. The armored
personnel carriers are already on their way here. And we have two more troops. There is
less danger of an accident on the way back. So, don't worry, just wait and see."
I see. ....... Ok."
The man, who was lightly threatened by Elena, flinched a little but returned maturely,
relieved.
Elena lets out a sigh.
How can you be a hunter with such guts?
We are not surrounded by enemies. We have a place to hunker down. There is a good chance
of rescue, and they even have an escort of their own and Sara's. Elena was a little taken aback
by his impatience.
Elena's harsh words make Sarah giggle.
I'm not sure how much I can take from this," he said. Besides, once I was happy that help was
on the way, I was left behind because there were just too many of them. And even more so.
It is difficult to take them all back at once. If we were to divide them into two groups, it would
be safer to bias the forces toward the side we left behind. With this in mind, it was decided
to carry only the wounded first.
However, the rescuers, once relaxed by the arrival of the rescue team, were adamantly
opposed to being left behind.
So Elena and the others had no choice but to stay behind. So, they were paid separately for
their escort.
But Sara. What if I can't get into the ruins without rescue insurance? No, I'm not denying that
rescue insurance is a good idea, and I understand that it's safer to have insurance, okay? But
if you think the ruins are that dangerous, I don't think you should be there in the first place."
I can still go, is no longer dangerous. There is such a saying. It is difficult to know when to
pull back, and hunters often overstep in ruins and die.
When making that decision, it is dangerous to relax your judgment, thinking that if something
happens, you will be fine because you have rescue insurance. If you find yourself in a
situation where you need rescue insurance, you are on the brink of not being able to survive.
It would not be surprising if you were dead before that.
If that's the case, it's better to take a few steps back on the drawback from the beginning,
without expecting rescue insurance. Elena told Sara her theory.
Sarah nodded lightly to quiet Elena.
Then we'll take a few steps back, as we have decided," he said. That's fine. It's not like we're
a team. It's not something you can impose.
That's true, but..."
Besides, we're the ones making money on that rescue insurance today, aren't we? You can't
say that very often, can you?"
I'm sure that's true too. ...... Work is work, including dealing with troublesome people. Shall
we do our best?"
Elena and her friends then exchanged sarcastic grimaces and regained their composure.
In the sense of the general public in the East, there is not much difference between Elena and
those in the building who are being rescued and those who are voluntarily entering the
deadly site of the ruins.
Elena's theory is based on the basic premise of setting foot in the ruins, the idea of hunters
who have lowered their safety standards to that level.
And Elena and the others are hunters. They could not escape the feeling that had been
ingrained in them through their long years of hunter work.
A short time later, the armored troop carriers of Sicarabe arrive. After parking the car in
front of an abandoned building and opening the rear door, Shikarabe left Togami in charge
of the rescue targets and began talking to Elena and the others.
Elena. What's the situation?"
No problem. No need for extra body bags."
I see. Then let's just load up and go."
The cargo is not only the rescue subjects themselves. The relics they have collected are also
included. Some are even trying to bring in parts of defeated mechanical monsters that could
be sold for a high price. This bulky cargo was also the reason for splitting the transport into
two separate shipments.
In addition, hunters who had regained their energy with the arrival of rescue workers were
trying to load as much of their belongings as possible into the limited space of the car, and
were struggling to load or not load them. Togami was having a hard time dealing with this.
Seeing this, Shikarabe is taken aback.
"...... If you're that healthy, why don't you just go home on your own? I'm off for a bit."
The inside of an armored personnel carrier is under the jurisdiction of the shicarabes,
including the limits of the crew and others. In order to finish the loading quickly, including
kicking out anyone who complained nonsense, the shicarabes left their seats.
Akira appears next. Elena and her colleagues believe that they have given Akira a hard time
by inviting him to be an assistant in the oversynthetic snake fight, and they are a little
worried that he will refuse their invitation again.
Elena and her friends were inwardly relieved to see that Akira had actually arrived. They
smiled and tried to welcome Akira.
But when he saw Carol next to Akira, his smile involuntarily hardened.
Akira smiles and bows to Elena and the others.
Elena. Sara. I'm looking forward to working with you today."
Elena and Sarah, on the other hand, were quite confused. They looked at each other once as
if they were asking the other to deal with the situation, and then managed to reply somewhat
deceitfully.
"Yeah, ......, yeah. Nice to meet you."
Oh, yeah. Nice to meet you."
Akira wondered at the reaction of Elena and the others, but when he noticed that Elena and
the others were looking at Carol, his expression clouded a little troubled.
I'm not sure if it was a bad idea for me to hire another hunter and bring him along on my
own, even though I couldn't reach Elena and her family. If it's bad, we'll split up. ......"
Seeing Akira droop a little after saying that, Elena hurriedly replies.
No," he said. It's okay. No problem. Hey, Sara.
What? Yes. Of course. Akira. Don't worry."
I see. Thank you."
When Elena and Sara laughed and told him so, Akira's face brightened with relief. However,
he had no idea what Elena and the others saw as the problem.
Carol steps forward to shake hands with Elena and the others.
I'm Carol. Nice to meet you."
Elena and the others responded with smiles on Akira's behalf. However, this made them look
more closely at Carol's outfit, which made them more upset inside.
The confusion of Elena and her friends was great, as a boy who was close to them had brought
a beautiful woman with a blatantly heterosexual appearance, without showing a shred of
concern about her outfit.
There, the shikarabe returned with a quick threat to solve the loading problem with the
intimidation of a past hunter. Then, after a light-hearted guess at the situation, he suggested
that he didn't want to get involved.
We're leaving. We'll talk about the details when we get back. If there's a contract or
something involved, this isn't the place to talk about it.
Elena also takes the offer, thinking that she needs time to calm down first.
I understand. Let's go. Akira. We'll talk about the details later.
Shikarabe, Akira, and the others returned to their cars.
Elena and the others head to their car. They sat in the driver's seat and the passenger's seat,
and when the others could not see their expressions, they gave a complicated grimace that
truly expressed their inner feelings.
"Elena ....... If there was a quirk, it wasn't what I expected."
Yes. ....... I didn't think Akira had the social life of someone dressed like that."
Although it may be meddlesome, it might be better to ask Akira about the details of the
situation and at least give him some advice if there seems to be a problem. Elena drove away
with this thought in mind.

After safely exiting the ruins and handing over the rescue targets, Akira and his team decided
to take a break.
Unlike Akira and Carol, who had just arrived at the ruins, Elena and her team have been
active for quite some time. They also needed to replenish ammunition and other supplies.
The Shikarabes separated from Akira and his group for reasons of maintenance and cleaning
of the armored personnel carriers. They said they were at a simple base in Drangkam and
distanced themselves from Akira and the others, who were giving off a complicated vibe.
Akira and his friends were about to have a light meal at a simple restaurant. They were sitting
at a circular table for four, waiting for their order to arrive.
In that seat, Akira felt subtly uncomfortable.
'Alpha ....... I knew it was a bad idea to bring Carol along, didn't I?"
'If you care, why don't you ask?'
'......No, I've already heard that once and ......'
Elena, Sarah, and Carol, who are present, are smiling. But Akira felt a strange pressure there.
The restaurant is simple, just tables and chairs on lightly paved ground, but there is no
problem with the quality of the food. The restaurant is thriving with hunters who have taken
advantage of the recent commotion at the ruins to make some money.
If there are people there dressed like Carol, they will naturally attract stares according to
their attire. And Elena and the others with her would also be subjected to the same kind of
stares.
It's something that is immediately obvious when you think about it for a moment, but it was
only now that Akira realized it. No one pays attention to Alfa, who is always dressed more
seductively than Carol, even when she is by his side, so he was late to notice that kind of
consideration.
Akira thought to himself, "Oh shit," but he was still feeling uncomfortable, wondering if it
would be a good idea for him and Carol to move to a different seat now.
But Akira's thinking was partially wrong. Elena and the others were more concerned about
the relationship between Akira and Carol than their gazes.
And Carol, who is used to receiving that kind of gaze on a regular basis, is not concerned
about the stares of those around her. It was Akira's eyes that were definitely looking at Elena
and the others in a heterosexual way that bothered her.
Ostensibly, the conversation proceeds amicably, with Elena and Carol continuing to
speculate about each other's opponents behind the scenes.
First, we completed a brief self-introduction. Elena and the others told us that they were
hunters by teaming up, and that Carol was a mapmaker.
He then began to talk about the relationship between Akira and Carol, and how Akira invited
Carol to participate in this rescue mission.
"...... Well, I met Carol in the factory section ......, and we kind of got out of it together, and she's
a mapmaker, too. I heard you were doing it, so I thought it might be helpful if I brought you
along. ......"
Elena's face turns grim, as if she is a little troubled.
Akira. That would mean Akira brought someone he just met the day before yesterday,
someone he doesn't even know very well. ......"
"...... so ...... so ...... so ...... so ...... so ...... so ...... so ...... so ...... so ...... so ...... so ...... so ...... so ...... so ......
so ......
Unable to argue, Akira's voice dropped.
Elena and others believe that Akira did not do this out of malice. However, they thought it
was a somewhat careless and careless act. Sarah gently admonishes him.
Akira. I don't mean to speak ill of Carol, but you should be careful about that. There are a lot
of troubles caused by bringing someone you don't know suddenly. At least enough so that an
intermediary business can be established to prevent it."
I'm sorry. I'll be careful."
Yes," he said. Be careful. Akira, when something happens, take responsibility! You don't want
to be told that, do you?"
I'm the one who brought you here, so if you're talking about damages, I'll see what I can do."
I was like, "Hmmm. That's a little naive. We're both armed, and I'm afraid that might not be
enough in the event of an altercation on your side. ......"
Up to that point, the atmosphere was one of rebuking an honest child who was taking things
too easy. But that changed when Akira continued with his simple words.
If that's what you mean, I will be responsible for killing Carol if she harms Elena and the
others."
Akira's tone was very natural. There was no sense of determination or resolve.
But the other three understood, therefore, that Akira was serious.
I say that as a normal act that does not require determination or resolve. Take the
responsibility and pay for it, or take the responsibility and kill, the two choices, and he has
no hesitation in killing others, so much so that he naturally interprets it as the latter. Akira
showed so unselfconsciously.
Carol chuckles.
Akira. Do you want to say that next to him?"
If you don't intend to harm Elena and the others, then there's no problem. Do you intend to
...... or do you intend to?"
Akira's eyes become stern. His eyes, which can only see others as either enemies or not
enemies, are trying to see them as the former.
But Carroll is unfazed. She was used to that level of trouble due to her side business. She
brushed it off lightly.
Not really, though, is it?" When Akira says that in front of Elena and the others as if he were
nailing me, it's like he's telling Elena and the others that I'm such a dangerous guy that they
need to nail me firmly in advance like that. Akira. Isn't that terrible?"
Carol smiled strongly as she said this, as if accusing Akira.
Akira flinched. His eyes on Carol are back to normal.
"............ Oh, no, that's not what I meant. ......"
If that's not what you meant, could you be a little more careful how you say it? As Sara
mentioned earlier, there can be trouble with people you don't know because you don't know
each other, but that can be reduced a little by the way you introduce them."
Sorry, sorry. ......"
The atmosphere of Akira, now a scolded child, had lost the air of a dangerous man who had
no hesitation in killing. The air at the table relaxes a little accordingly.
Then Carol begins to speak to Elena and the others in defense of Akira.
Akira's explanation was not to the point because to go into detail would be to divulge the
information he bought from me. I sold the information as a mapmaker when I escaped from
the factory block with Akira.
Akira. Really?"
When Elena asked this, Akira nodded his head and said that if Carol was talking on her own,
then there would be no problem.
Yes. It wasn't a good amount of information to carelessly talk about."
I was. If that's the way it is, I don't blame you."
Akira recognized my ability as a mapmaker with that information, right? So they hired me.
Well, the opportunity to show off my skills soon ran out."
Elena wonders at Carol, who smiles a little discontentedly when she says so.
I'm sure you can rely on the mapmaker's directions for some relief locations, since you'll be
doing relief requests in the city blocks at ...... even though they're gone."
Akira couldn't get in touch with Elena and the others, so he thought they might be lost
somewhere and hired me to search the city block.
Akira, who was easily exposed, lightly blurts out. Elena and the others' gazes were drawn to
Akira.
Akira. Really?"
Akira tries to cover up the fact that Sara asked him with a bit of surprise.
No, it's, you know, ......, just in case ......"
I understand that you want to cover up the fact that you misunderstood that the mummies
are mummies and that your cheap connection didn't connect, but it's better to admit it and
apologize than to cover it up and have people suspect you're wrong, don't you think?
Sorry about that, ......."
Akira gave up and apologized. Elena and the others were mildly surprised, but smiled
somewhat happily and let Akira raise his head.
It's okay. Don't worry about it. I'm glad you're worried about us. Hey. Sara?"
Yes. Thanks. Akira."
Akira laughs with relief at the attitude of Elena and the others, who don't seem to really care.
Carol observed these Akira and his friends, mainly Akira, with great interest.

At a table with food befitting the hunters who had earned it, Akira and his friends were
talking about the situation at the Mihazono Street ruins and the next rescue request.
The city of Kugamayama is proceeding with the preservation and control of the ruins in a
circle around the Hunter Office sub-branch, and the previous rescue site was inside that
circle. Elena informed everyone of this and then made a proposal.
And you know what? Now that we have two more people in our force, I think I'll take the
next request for help outside of the controlled area. Of course, it will be more difficult, but
the rewards will be even greater. I'll check the situation there, and if it looks impossible, I'll
turn back immediately. That's the premise. There's no penalty for failure, so what do you
think?"
I don't mind. What about Carol?"
It's okay. I'll obey my employer. I have to be active and get paid handsomely.
Akira smiled back at Carol, who laughed at him provocatively, and Akira laughed back in
good humor.
I don't know." Elena says the difficulty level will increase, and Carol's reward will go the other
way with the offsetting cost of the escort?"
Well, you'll see," he said. I'll show you that even a mapmaker can fight."
Seeing the two people who seem to be on good terms for the one who said "I'll take
responsibility and kill you if necessary" and the one who was told such a thing, Sara feels a
little complicated and asks a simple question.
You are a mapmaker, but you can fight. I have a selfish image of mapmakers, but I thought
they were just people who edited topographical information they bought from hunters and
sold it.
I'm the type of mapmaker who does his own research on the spot. That's why my maps have
information you can't buy from those mapmakers.
Akira nodded lightly as if satisfied.
'Ah, so that's why I knew all that stuff, and why I can fight pretty well.
That's what I mean.
Carroll looked good at it. Then she took out an information terminal and looked at the display
lightly before saying.
I'm sorry. I'll leave you alone for a minute."
'Come back before the next rescue request,' he said. No. If I'm late, can I just leave it?"
I won't let that happen."
Laughing off Akira's joke, Carol left her seat.
Akira, who was looking away from Carol, noticed Elena and the others groaning a bit as they
looked at him with surprised eyes.
"...... Um, what is it?"
Elena says it like it's nothing.
Hm?" Akira just met Carol for the first time the day before yesterday. I just thought they got
along very well for that."
Is that so?" I didn't mean anything by it."
'Well, that's just what I thought. I just wondered if there was something that happened that
suddenly made us get along, you know?"
What is it, sir? Hmmm ......"
Akira had no particular idea, but he thought back to the day before yesterday.
...... If I may say so, I ruined a relic when I escaped from the factory section, but Carol made
up for it by hiring me as an escort. Also, she bought me an expensive meal. It was delicious."
Akira chuckles, wondering if that is the reason.
I can't deny that I'm a cash cow, if I do say so myself."
Elena and the others looked at each other and laughed. Akira had not lied, and they were
satisfied with what they had heard. And above all, the reason had nothing to do with their
concerns, so they laughed even though they felt bad.
Elena says in a light tone to Akira, who is looking at her curiously.
Akira and I are both hunters. It's not surprising that they would like to be paid well for what
they have achieved by risking their lives in the ruins.
Right."
Seeing Akira in a better mood after being told this, Elena smiled a little apologetically.
And I'm sorry. To be frank, Carol is dressed like that, right? Akira, I was wondering if you got
caught up in the sexiness."
Sarah continues with a similar look.
I'm sorry. I thought so too."
For a few moments, Akira looked as if he did not understand the meaning. But after a delay,
he understood and shook his head.
Oh, it's all right. I guess I'm one of those people who doesn't fall for that kind of thing."
If I were someone who fell for that sort of thing, I would be in a lot of trouble when I have a
bold, skin-baring alpha by my side on a regular basis. So no. Akira really thinks so and firmly
denied it.
Hearing this, Sarah laughs mischievously.
I said, "Really? Can I try it then?"
He then moved his seat right next to Akira's and slowly moved his body and face closer to
Akira. Akira immediately started to panic.
"Sara, Sara, Sara, Sara!"
'Hmmm, you don't seem to feel okay, are you sure you're okay?'
Akira looks at Elena as if asking for help. But Elena was also smiling happily.
I certainly don't think you're doing okay by the looks of it," he said. Why don't you get used
to it a little?"
Give me a break: ......"
Sarah pulled her face away from Akira. Seeing Akira's embarrassed but relieved look, she
was a little amused and pleased to see that reaction, which she had not shown to Carol. It
makes me tease her a little more, even though I feel bad about it.
If you want to get used to it, I can help you out a little more."
Please don't."
Oh, you didn't like it?"
Please don't ...... include those things."
Akira answered a little more forcefully to hide his embarrassment.
Sarah maturely returned to her seat and happily watched Akira, who still seemed a little
unfaithful, with Elena.

Back at the simple base in Drangkam, Shikarabe gives Togami somewhat coercive
instructions.
Togami! Clean up the car! And replenish ammo and armor tiles! Understand?"
It was a strong instruction, expecting a cheeky reply, but surprisingly to Shikarabe, Togami
responded quite frankly.
"............ got it."
Oh, ah, ......." I asked."
The out-of-tune Chicarabé tilts his head lightly. But that was it, and he got out of the car and
went to rest.
Togami began cleaning as he was told. He was aware that he was feeling a little depressed,
and it was just the thing to do something to distract himself.
The interior of the car is very dirty, but this is common in the hunter business, and there is a
full lineup of high-performance cleaning tools. A quick spray of detergent on the floor and
walls, and a light scrubbing, and the blood stains everywhere were easily gone. After
ventilating the room, the smell of blood was almost completely gone.
Just as Togami was about to get out of the car to replenish his ammunition supply, two boys
entered the car. They were young hunters from Drangkam, members of the same B team as
Togami.
"Yo, Togami! So the chickarabes are taking a break and you're the only one left to clean up?
That's a lot of work."
Togami exhales in boredom at the boys' blatant mockery.
"...... need anything?"
I'm here to see how you've fallen from grace. I know, right? You got screwed in the bounty
fight, didn't you?"
You said you were going to show the old-timers what I can do, and now you're doing it?
You're pathetic!"
I was just there to make up the numbers, and all I got was a good result, and I borrowed some
nice equipment. You're a cheater."
Or have they chosen you to be a billboard for some company that says that even a useless,
bare-bones, unplated guy like you can fight as long as you have the right equipment?"
The boys are cheering Togami up. Togami, however, seemed to be unconcerned. He walked
past the boys.
Togami's attitude, which did not even make them angry, irked the boys.
Don't ignore me!
Don't get carried away!"
The boys grab Togami by the shoulders and try to force him to look at them. However, their
hands grabbed the air.
The next moment, Togami, who was instantly behind the boys, grabbed them by the back of
the head and stopped them just in time to slam them vigorously against the vehicle wall.
The boys could not react to the movement at all. In a few more seconds, their own heads
would have been slammed against the walls of the vehicle, crushing them. The fear made
their faces stiffen and they stopped moving.
Togami moves his own head to the side of those boys' heads and tells them normally.
I just finished cleaning up. If I pollute it with your flesh and blood, I'll have to clean it again,
won't I? Don't get in the way. Okay?"
I'm like, "Wow, I get it. ....... My bad."
Togami felt that the boys managed to nod their heads despite being grabbed by the back of
the head, and he removed his hands from them. Then the boys slowly moved away from
Togami and left as if to run away, spitting out a discarded line.
Togami lets out a loud sigh as he watches the backs of these boys.
Weak YoYeh. ....... I see. I was subconsciously using them as a standard, and I was getting on
a roll with my strong yoe ......."
Strength is relative. Unless you are a seeker who aims to be stronger than you were
yesterday, or stronger than you will ever be, the standard will inevitably be those who are
close to you in terms of sensation. There was a part of me that could not be helped.
Togami felt a little down, but shook his head lightly and told himself that just knowing that
was progress.
In fact, the boys are not that weak. Togami is just stronger than them. Also, the boys were
proud, while Togami had lost his overconfidence and had also lost his pride. The difference
between the two was also significant.
And best of all, Akira, with Alpha's support, was only even stronger.
Due to the shock of seeing Akira's strength in the battle against Tangkrantula, Togami had
unconsciously raised the standard of strength significantly.
While Togami was replenishing ammunition in an armored personnel carrier, Mizuha, a
senior member of the clerical faction, arrived. Togami is perplexed by the unexpected visitor,
but Mizuha smiles amiably at him.
Hello. Do you have a minute right now?"
I don't mind, but what is it, ......?"
Mizuha's business, in summary, was to extract Togami.
Drangkam executives, including Mizuha, know most of the backstory of the war to take down
the bounty hunters. However, there is no difference in the fact that Togami is so powerful
that he was treated as a promising star of the anti-Katsuya faction.
If the Togami were brought in, it would serve as a check and balance against the anti-Katsuya
faction, and also increase their strength. He explained that they had rehabilitated the B team
members, many of whom were from the slums, although there was a risk of antipathy from
their supporters inside the wall.
Also, showing an attitude of accepting even those from Team B as long as they are sufficiently
competent will help to soften the hearts of the anti-Katsuya faction of Team B.
For those reasons, Mizuha decided that it would be more profitable to bring in Togami.
"I don't know. We wouldn't let someone as good as you clean our car, would we? Say yes and
I'll reassign you right now."
Mizuha, thinking she had a good story to tell, smiled and waited for Togami's reply. And
Togami, too, decided it was not a bad story.
But Togami shook his head.
I'm sorry. I can't give you an immediate answer."
Mizuha instantly becomes dubious.
I'd like to know "......Why? Not happy with the way you're being treated? I can't put them on
the same level as Katsuya, but they should still be treated well enough, right?"
No, that's not what I mean. I'm in the middle of a request. I don't think a hunter should throw
out a request in the middle of the process once he has accepted it. Let me concentrate on that
for now."
Does that mean it's okay if we finish our work at the Mihazono Street site this time?"
"That's all part of it, but right now I'm a little ....... I'm sorry, let me think about it later."
Togami bowed politely as he said so. Togami, who had been humble due to his loss of
excessive self-confidence, was able to adopt a reserved attitude toward Mizuha, considering
that the other party was, after all, a senior member of his clique.
Mizuha took a favorable view of Togami's attitude. He smiled amiably.
If that's the way it is, I don't blame you. I understand. Take your time.
Mizuha, as an executive of Drunkum, also has access to the evaluation materials of the
hunters belonging to the company. The evaluation of Togami in these materials was that he
was a highly skilled hunter who deviated from younger hunters, but that he was
overconfident in his abilities and was getting carried away. The main evaluator is Shikarabe.
However, in Mizuha's eyes, Togami's attitude seemed rather humble.
I'll leave you to it. If you change your mind, call me anytime."
This is a skewed assessment of Drunkham's old guard, which judges him to be on a roll at
this level. I still have to reform the organization myself. Mizuha left with this thought in mind.
Then I think about what I just said as Togami adds armored tiles to the armored personnel
carrier's armored tile auto-loader.
Togami knew that if he wanted Drunkham to recognize his ability, he should accept Mizuha's
offer. The Togami of the past had wanted that, too.
But now those hopes had changed. What Togami wants most now is to be good enough to be
proud of himself again.
For that reason, I couldn't lower my standard of strength by working with other young
hunters now. The power to hope, to wish, to envy, to envy was not there.
Togami did not hesitate to gain Akira's ability, which he saw that day, and himself, who had
gained power comparable to that of Akira.
Episode Rescue Request

After taking a break, Akira and his team finished preparing for the next rescue request and
proceeded through the city section of the Mihazono Street ruins toward the site of the
request. The next site was outside of the circular area where the city of Kugamayama was
taking control of the ruins. Elena chose this site after Shikarabe agreed.
After proceeding for a while, we reached the border of the circle. There, a large, simple
barrier blocked the road in a valley of buildings. A cylindrical object was set up at the edge
of the road, and a connected metal plate was pulled out to the opposite side of the road.
This metal plate has a force-field armor function, and has the ability to defend against light
bombardment by repelling bullets. It is easy to carry and was often used to create simple
bases in wilderness areas and ruins.
A security force was deployed on the side of the simple barrier. They were equipped with
heavy reinforced suits, combat vehicles with large machine guns, and even humanoid
weapons measuring about six meters in length.
Akira was fired up that he was now going to be in a place where he would need that much
strength for defense.
In order to get through the simple barrier, Elena is talking with the guards, and their
conversation reaches Akira and the others through the communication device.
Be careful," he said. We are still controlling the surrounding area, but we are far from
complete control. There are big guys attacking here every now and then. You must know
what you're doing, since you received a rescue request, but if you proceed with the feeling
that the area is already under control, you'll die. If you think you're in trouble, come back
immediately.
Thank you. I'll be careful."
A guard opens a simple barrier. As soon as Akira's vehicle passed through, the simple barrier
was closed.
Akira suddenly thinks and asks over the communication.
Elena," he said. Where is this place you mentioned earlier that is already under control?"
Hmm? That's where we were just now. Inside the simple barrier.
Um, I don't really think it was already under control. ......
Akira's natural question is met with a wry smile from Elena over the communication.
Well," he said, "I guess. I guess that's a matter of degree, or it means that it's already under
control to the extent that even those hunters can deal with it. Look."
Elena points outside the car. Akira and his team's information-gathering equipment had
already been linked, and information in the direction Elena pointed was sent to Akira.
That's ......!"
Akira's surprise was evident when he saw what was there. A large, powerful-looking multi-
legged tank was lying on the ground in a destroyed state. Moreover, Akira recognized it.
The simple barrier is supposed to keep powerful monsters like that out," he said. We only
use roadblocks because they are sufficient to stop large monsters from getting in.
Naturally, this would allow small security machines and the like to pass through the simple
barrier blockade by passing through buildings and other areas at the boundaries of the
defense network. This is how the mechanical monsters that attacked Akira and his team in
the previous rescue request also entered the area.
However, the current defense system was determined to be better than having a larger unit
invade the area. Smaller animals can be handled by ordinary hunters, and above all, there
are limits to the number of personnel that can be deployed.
While listening to them, Akira asks Carol in a whisper.
...... Hey, that's the same guy who attacked us the day before yesterday, right?"
I guess so. I guess that means that the situation at the ruins had already begun at that point.
So we had already escaped from the factory zone, and the mechanical weapons that were
being transported from the factory zone attacked us. ......? Hmm."
Carol snorted lightly as she hypothesized, but it didn't feel right. Then Akira suddenly thinks.
Come to think of it, where was I going to carry that thing?"
Yes, it is. I think it's probably the Celantar Building. You know how I heard that someone took
out the building's defense machine, but left the building open without securing the entrances
and exits? Maybe it was to replenish that defense machine. ......"
Carol guessed that much and realized something. Her smile hardens a bit.
"......Then there is a fear that the building was left more open because we took it down, and
that could have made things even worse. ...... Akira, let's keep this quiet."
......, yes!"
Akira returned a slightly stiff smile to Carol, who smiled at him as if he were an accomplice.
Having destroyed the defense machines in Celantarville, he might have made himself the
target of an attack by additional defense machines. I thought so, but kept quiet.

Elena is at the head of the convoy, scouting the surroundings and taking overall command.
So far, no problems have occurred. There is always a reaction from the monsters, but it is
sparse and they basically never come close to us. Sometimes they attack in a few units, but
they are all small and we have been able to kick them away with no problem.
Still, when we were almost to the rescue site this time, we became more vigilant. The target
for this rescue had already been unsuccessfully rescued several times by other hunters. This
was the area where their predecessors had retreated. We contacted the entire group to warn
them.
The rate of monster encounters should jump soon. Basically, we'll go through them all at
once, so don't be late. Akira. I'll take care of the back. If it's going to be tough, don't push
yourself too hard and let me know as soon as possible. I'll retreat at that point."
I understand. Elena-san and the others, please take it easy and decide to retreat as soon as
you feel even the slightest danger."
'Oh my, if you leave right away, you won't be able to make any money, will you? Is that okay
with you, Akira?"
Too much recklessness and you die and rot. But too much cowardice, and you will starve to
death without earning a living. The hunter must correctly discern this. Because there is no
point in taking a risk if you do not return home with a profit after having willingly entered
the dangerous zone called the wilderness.
Of course, Elena has no intention of tolerating recklessness. When it is time to retreat, we
retreat. But even taking that into consideration, I thought Akira's statement was a bit too
weak, so Elena dared to say something a bit provocative.
Akira, however, answers easily.
I don't care. The safety of Elena and her family is more important than money.
I'm like, "Oh, yeah. Well, it's okay. We don't intend to die either, and we'll make our decision
to withdraw with plenty of time to spare. Well, good luck, Akira.
Yes."
Elena cuts off the communication once and exhales. In the passenger seat, Sarah was smiling
meaningfully and happily.
"...... what?"
It's nothing. I just thought you were worried about me.
'Then let's have our firepower guy do his best not to worry you,' he said. Sara. They're coming
from the front."
The vehicle-mounted search-and-rescue equipment detected a large number of responses
approaching from the front. Judging from the size of the responses, the enemy was a small
aircraft, but the number of them was more than ten times as many as before, even within the
search range alone.
But Sarah laughs unabashedly.
I'll take care of it. I have to make sure Akira knows he doesn't have to worry.
Both Elena and Sara realized that Akira's reason for coming to the Mihazono Street ruins this
time was purely to help them.
Perhaps the reason I took up the offer to help was simply to earn money as a hunter.
However, when they lost contact with themselves, they completely changed their policy.
That is why he hired Carol, even though they had only known each other for a short time,
and left without waiting for the morning.
What I heard from Akira and Carol during the break supported this, and Akira's reply earlier
indicated as much.
Elena and the others also had their own thoughts about the fact that they were treated as
distressed, or worse, as inexperienced, for having been unable to contact Akira for a short
time.
But more than that, he was glad that they were so concerned about their own safety, and that
they were not only concerned but were actually willing to go to help.
The hunter's business is a gamble with life. That is why we are sometimes harsh and cold-
hearted in how we use our lives. Elena and her team help people by requesting rescues
because the rewards are worth the risk. They do not do it for free.
Still, Akira tried to help them. Even though they were not being paid for their help, they went
to the dangerous ruins and even hired a guide named Carol to help them find themselves.
Elena and her friends were very grateful and happy for that.
If we beat them all, there would be no end to it. I'll force my way through, taking them down
at random. Sara. Are you ready?"
Whenever you're ready.
All right! Let's go!"
Elena and her team take the lead in high spirits. Elena accelerates the car and fires the
onboard machine gun in rapid succession. Sarah fires a large gun with her. With their
overwhelming firepower, they smashed through the group of Kou A-24s ahead of them,
forcing a path for Akira and his convoy to pass.

In the convoy led by Elena's vehicle, followed by Shikarabe's armored personnel carrier and
Akira's vehicle, Akira fires the A4WM automatic grenade launcher in rapid succession.
Countless grenades are scattered throughout the ruins, exploding and blowing up the group
of Kou A24s.
Under Elena's direction, Akira and his team are pushing forward through the crowd of
enemies. Naturally, the enemy aircraft, which they have ignored without defeating, are
closing in from behind the convoy in pursuit of Akira and his team.
Akira must deal with this. In addition, he has to do the same thing on the way back, this time
with the rescue targets in tow.
Therefore, if they cannot deal with this now, it is better to give up rescue and turn back at
this point. Akira knew this, too, so he fired his grenades in rapid succession with the intention
of using up half of the ammunition he had on hand.
The situation itself, however, is favorable. What was needed was not to destroy the enemy
but to pull them out of the convoy, and even if they could not be destroyed, it would be
enough to blow them up with the explosion of a grenade. It was an easy job if they could rely
on the firepower of the continuous fire of the grenades.
If Akira has any concerns at this point, it is that the consumption of ammunition was more
than expected. The empty magazines are tossed out of the car again and replaced.
Already empty? You're early!
'It's not an extended magazine. It can't be helped.'
As Alfa said, the grenade magazines are regular ones. It is a large magazine, but the grenade
itself is also large and will run out quickly.
Extended magazines for grenades are more expensive than those for bullets, and even Akira,
who is promoting the use of extended magazines, couldn't get enough of the stones. only a
small amount for when he enters a building with the A4WM automatic grenade launcher. I
bought some, but all the others are regular mags.
Because of this, the magazines must be changed frequently, leaving a gap in between. If Akira
were alone, he would have to change magazines while holding the DVTS minigun in one hand,
but now that Carol is next to him, there is no problem. With the large one-handed gun, he
smashed the target with a single blow, buying time for the magazine exchange.
Carroll is compensating Akira precisely. By destroying enemy aircraft that escaped the
grenade explosion, she closed the gap in Akira's sketchy attack.
Carol laughs, as if to remind us.
Akira. You seem to be fighting with a lot of flair, but I hope you appreciate my careful fighting
style to make up for it, okay?"
I understand. But don't forget that I'm basically the one holding the enemy back, okay?"
Can I take your place?"
No."
Akira and his team, who were to share the rewards according to their own successes, were
laughing and earning results as they destroyed the Kou A-24 swarm.
The pile of aircraft destroyed beyond the objective of stopping the approach to the convoy
showed that Akira and his team had done more than enough to exceed the expectations of
Elena and her team.

Numerous buildings line the city block of the Mihazono Street site. On the first floor of one
of these buildings, in a hall that also served as the entrance, hunters were drooping with dead
eyes.
The passageways and stairways of the hall are blocked with equipment and the remains of
mechanical monsters that were nearby and destroyed by the hunters who are holed up.
Wrecked wilderness-specification vehicles were used to seal off the entrances and exits.
The building itself is sturdy, so this will stop the enemy from entering. Although this would
make it more difficult to escape quickly, everyone here thought it was better than having the
enemy enter the building.
Forty hours have already passed since the hunters holed up in this place. They were taking
turns taking breaks, but their limits were near, and their faces showed signs of fatigue.
A large number of A-24s roam inside and outside the building. Moreover, if you are not
careful, they will try to enter the building by removing obstacles in the corridors and
stairways. There is no time to relax.
He is running out of ammunition. They are not an opponent that can be beaten in a combat
fight. If they attack you after you run out of ammunition, there is nothing you can do.
No one tries to escape from the building with the slightest hope of escaping. All those who
tried have already been killed.
The only hope left is that someone will come to the rescue. But that, too, was not very
promising. We connected with the rescue team several times, but they left, saying there were
too many enemies and it was impossible.
The joy of relief. And then the despair that it ended in a blank. The repetition of these events
had sapped the energy of those who were left behind.
A man on guard calls out to another man who is staring at an information terminal with
unfocused eyes.
"...... any changes?"
There was no reply. He just shook his head slightly.
...... I see."
The person who asked knew when he asked that there was no progress. If anything
happened, they would have made a fuss without even needing to ask.
Still, the fact that I asked was a sign of a heart clinging to a slender hope.
Slowly but surely, the hunters were being slowly grinded into a pulp, both physically and
mentally.

The hunters holed up in the hall are not a single team, but several teams that have joined
together on the way to escape.
And the team of the man who kept looking at the information terminal with empty,
depressed eyes had been wiped out, leaving him behind. On his way to escape from the
building, he was shot and killed instantly, died of his wounds worsening, and was
surrounded by enemies, ranting and raving as they tried to escape from the building while
they blocked off the passageways and entrances.
The only surviving man's energy is already running out. But he cannot give up so much as to
accept death. Clinging to a slender hope, he continues to stare at the information terminal.
In the flow of time, which moves so lazily that it seems to go crazy, the call request arrived
in a state of consciousness where the distinction between dream, reality, and hallucination
is blurred.
The man smiled a broken smile. Whether this is a dream or a hallucination, what we do is the
same. He operated the information terminal and accepted the call request.
Then a woman's voice arrives.
I'm the one who was entrusted with the rescue request by Alhain Insurance. Is that right, Mr.
Correns?"
The man was stunned. The woman's voice had reached his ears, but he was in no condition
to understand its content.
Can you hear me? Should be connecting to Ms. Correns' terminal, no? Are you injured and in
no condition to speak? If so, is there anyone I can talk to? I need to know what's going on
over there.
The guards near the man also recognized the woman's voice. However, since the man did not
respond to the voice, they assumed it was some kind of system voice.
'Can't you just respond to whatever it is? Are you listening? I'm getting close. ...... Is this just
an auto-setup connecting to the chain?"
But something is different for a system voice, and the lookout becomes dubious.
'Sorry, but we're not going through a pack of monsters to retrieve the bodies either. If they
don't respond, we'll assume they've been wiped out and leave. If the microphone is broken,
text messages, gunshots, whatever. Just respond anyway."
The man was finally coming to himself. However, his confused head continued to wonder
whether this was a dream, hallucination, or reality, and he was unable to reply in surprise
and panic.
Then the ultimatum arrives.
I'm going to try "......". Are you already wiped out over there? ...... too late? Well, it can't be
helped. Too bad ......"
Help!"
The man and the guard shouted as loud as they could.
The voice echoed through the hall, knocking the dead-eyed hunters out of their stupor. The
hall suddenly became hectic.
We all knew this was our last chance.

Akira and his team had come close to the building where the rescue targets were holed up.
Before they could enter the building, Elena sent a message to Akira.
'I'll check again before I start! Ten minutes at the most from the time you enter the premises
to leave! I'll cut you off immediately if the situation warrants it, even within the time frame!
Good!"
Each person replies. Akira also answered well.
"The shicarabes need to get to the rescue target as quickly as possible! No need to search for
survivors! Let's pack up everyone in the hall, dead or alive, and go!"
Roger that.
Akira and the others are with us to cover the shikarabes! We'll continue to clear the
surrounding enemies and secure retreat routes until the rescue target is secured!"
I understand!"
All right!" ......Then let's go!"
At the same time as Elena's brave voice, Akira and the others rushed into the building site in
their own vehicles.
At that moment, a large number of Type A-24s surrounding the building switched their
attack targets at once from the hunters in the building to Akira and the others.
The spherical tires on the tips of its multiple legs rotate so much that smoke rises from the
friction with the ground, and the aircraft changes direction in the blink of an eye. Then, the
guns and machine guns, which were its armament, focused on the armored personnel carrier
at the head of the enemy convoy, and opened fire on it simultaneously.
The massive firepower from the large number of bullets and shells blew away one after
another the armored tiles on the Chicarabe's vehicles. However, these vehicles are sturdy
enough to have been used in the war against the prize fighters, and they do not flinch at such
a level. Rather, they fight back violently with their on-board machine guns.
The only vehicle-mounted equipment is for wilderness use, and the barrage produced by its
rapid-fire rate is dense. And the target is not as tough as a bounty hunter monster. The
overwhelming firepower not only penetrates the enemy's armor, but crushes and crushes
the enemy's aircraft.
Akira and Elena follow. Each vehicle rushes in, using the sturdy armored personnel carriers
as decoys, and then pouring all-out firepower into the enemy hordes.
Akira and Sara rained down grenades, turning the swarm of aircraft into a pile of scrap iron
and blowing them away.
Carroll uses a large one-handed gun to fire a barrage of bullets as powerful as the specialized
rounds of the CWH objective assault rifle, piercing the enemy herd by herd. Elena then uses
a machine gun on board to reap off the swarm of machines.
There, a new Type A-24 armor appears in a unit. However, due to Akira and his team's fierce
attacks, they were half-destroyed, totally destroyed, and turned into crushed machine parts
without being able to engage in a good fight. In the blink of an eye, the site was transformed
into a battlefield dominated by iron fire and gunfire.

The hunters in the cage were watching the battle between Akira and his men through the
vehicles blocking the building's entrances and exits.
Here they come! Relief is really coming! We've come this far against that herd!"
Move your vehicles out of the way! We can't get out of here! We'll join them while they're
holding their own!"
Get the wounded closer to the exits while you still can!" Hurry up!"
The hunters begin to move in a hurry. With no way to survive if they miss this opportunity,
they mobilize all their remaining energy and strength to get the job done.
So the armored troop carriers reach the front of the building. While coming to an abrupt stop,
the body of the vehicle is turned half vigorously and the rear of the vehicle is pointed toward
the building's entrance.
However, the building's entrances and exits were still blocked by the hunters' vehicles. The
hunters are trying to leave in a hurry, but the vehicles are sturdy and heavy enough to have
withstood the swarms of A-24s that have been attacking the hunters in the building. It was
difficult for them to retreat quickly with the output of their reinforced suits, which were
running out of energy.
But Shikarabe, too, could not wait that long. Opening the rear door of the armored personnel
carrier, he stepped out and kicked the vehicle out of the way. The impact, created with
enough energy from the high-performance reinforced suits in a different price range, blew
up the vehicle that the hunters were trying to move with several people in a spectacular
manner.
We leave in five minutes! All aboard, dead or alive!"
The hunters put the injured, who had already been carried to the side of the entrance/exit,
into the vehicles. One man, however, was trying to get into the vehicle alone, despite being
unharmed.
Chicarabe grabbed the man and, rather than throw him out of the car, threw him back into
the building.
"......? What the fuck are you doing?
The shikarabe glares at the man who complains with a flustered look on his face.
The ones who can move on their own will come later. Let those who can't move on their own
ride first.
Shut up! I'm a survivor!"
But the man shakes off Shikarabe's restraint and tries to push his way into the vehicle in a
desperate attempt.
Shikarabe lightly clicked her tongue and kicked the man, causing him to fall into a coma. The
man, who rolled on the floor in a coma, was now unable to move on his own and fulfilled the
condition that he was allowed to enter the car first. However, the shicarabes roughly stepped
aside and put him on the back burner.
The hunters flinched and stopped moving when they saw this, and the shikarabe yelled at
them.
I say again! I don't care if they're dead or alive, get them all on board! Dead, headless,
headless, or not, all of them! Get on with it!"
The hunters were on the move again and rushing to work.

While the Shikarabes were loading the hunters into armored personnel carriers, Akira and
his team had finished taking out the Kou A-24s that were around the building.
This gave the situation some breathing room, but not enough to create a reprieve. Fighting
so spectacularly would attract the monsters in the vicinity. Furthermore, Akira and his team
had forced their way through the crowd of monsters along the way to this point. If they
stayed in the area for too long, they would be quickly overtaken by those hordes that they
had pulled away from.
Elena will contact Shikarabe.
Cicarabe. How's it going over there? I'd like to leave in a minute if possible."
No problem. We're almost done."
Yes. Okay then. ......"
As Elena said this, enemy reinforcements appear from close by. A Type 24 Kou A-24 that was
inside the building broke a window on the upper floor and came out. As they ran down the
side of the building, they pointed their guns and machine guns at Akira and the others.
The next moment, Akira shot the aircraft down. He had detected its appearance in advance
by Alpha's spotting and had aimed at its window with a CWH objective assault rifle.
The aircraft was pierced by a powerful bullet through the fuselage, wrecking it with a single
blow and causing it to fall. It then crashed into the roof of an armored personnel carrier
underneath, making a loud noise.
But it doesn't end there. The A-24s keep springing up from other windows one after another.
Sarah and Carol joined in the interception, but it was difficult to plug all the holes.
Elena sees this and shouts to Shikarabe.
"...... round up in 30 seconds!"
Roger that!
The situation outside is unknown to Shikarabe, who is in a hall inside the building. However,
he has no doubt about the reported time limit and understands that it is the only situation
and tries to hurry the evacuation.
At that moment, the wreckage of the Type A-24 blocking the passageway in the hall was
blown away. Then, an unbroken Type A-24 emerged from the back of the passageway. It
sprang up from this side as well.
Chicarabe immediately stepped forward and opened fire on the enemy aircraft. The powerful
bullets shattered the new aircraft, turning it into a pile of scrap metal along with the aircraft
that had blocked the passage earlier. But it doesn't last long. The other obstacles blocking the
passage were also blown away one after another by gunfire from the opposite side.
Shikarabe shouts to the hunters as she retreats.
We're getting out! Hurry!"
The hunters managed to bring the remaining wounded into the vehicle. Finally, Chicarabe
jumps into the car, shooting at Kou A-24, who had already made it to the hall.
Togami! Get it out!"
Shikarabe shouted and forcefully closed the rear doors of the vehicle. After a moment's delay,
a large number of bullets and shells landed on the rear doors. As if pushed by the impact, the
armored personnel carrier left the scene at full speed.
Akira and the others escape at the same time. There is no problem just to escape from the
swarm of Kou A-24s by car. They put up a barrage of bullets, and with the help of their
firepower, easily took off.
Episode Borrowing Priorities

Akira and his team hurried ahead after rescuing the rescue targets from the scene. As on the
way there, they were attacked by a swarm of A-24s, but they handled them in the same way
and proceeded onward.
Akira exhales at the rear of the vehicle after intercepting the enemy.
I said, "All right. We're done."
Carol also smiles with a smile to spare.
It was easier than when we were going." ...... By the way, Akira. By the way, Akira, I just want
to ask you, you are driving this car, right?"
"...... has automation in it, though. So what?"
Akira gave Carol a slightly dubious look. And Carol immediately saw that Akira's attitude was
some kind of deception. And then she made a blank face.
No, I just think Akira is really great, don't you? Even with automatic driving assistance,
driving a car and shooting monsters is usually impossible, right? In the open wilderness,
maybe, but here we are in the ruins."
It is actually Alfa who is driving. Akira felt slightly concerned, thinking that he might have
been suspected in that area. But when he decided it was just a compliment, he relaxed and
laughed lightly along with the other party.
I guess so. If you weren't that strong, you wouldn't go to the factory block by yourself."
I'm sure," he said. Easier than running down the side of a building and fighting."
Carol laughs along with him and continues in a lighter tone.
...... By the way, how accurate are the automated aids? Are you getting information from
archaeological sites to improve the accuracy of your driving? I'm told that some of the more
expensive cars have those features. ......"
Hmm?" It's a pretty expensive car, but I'm pretty sure it didn't have those features. ......"
'Alpha. There isn't one, is there?"
No.
Akira unconsciously nodded lightly, since he had not remembered it himself and had asked
Alpha to confirm it.
With a casual expression on her face, Carol carefully observed Akira's reaction. And with her
observational skills to spot a man's lies, which she had honed on the sidelines, she accurately
discerned Akira's falsity or falsehood.
(...... Really?)
For Carol, the important question was not whether the car had that capability, but whether
Akira was getting information from the ruins. She decided that it did not, and was mildly
disappointed inwardly.
(...... really just strong? Well, he's got something to hide, but it doesn't seem to have anything
to do with that one. If Akira was, he wouldn't have hired me to guide him through the ruins
in the first place. ......)
I suspected Akira based on his amazing search ability in the ruins, but apparently I was
wrong. Carol concluded.
Carol. What's wrong?"
Hmm?" It's nothing."
Carol wondered if her inner feelings were showing when she saw Akira's wondering face,
but she smiled invitingly and played it off.
You don't look like ...... nothing to me."
It's nothing. But if it bothers you, can I ask you to tell me one thing?"
What is it?"
You were not interested in my body at all, but you were very interested in Elena's body.
What's the difference? Honestly, I don't feel like I'm losing face or body."
Akira couldn't help but blow it out of the water.
I was thinking, "Maybe those two have a special play? Is that part of the reason?"
Don't be ...... rude."
To Akira? To those two?"
Both!"
Oh, it's okay. I'm still a very tight-lipped person, you know? It's important to have that kind
of trust on the sidelines. ...... and I'll keep my mouth shut, so why don't you tell me?"
Akira let out a big sigh and shut his mouth. Carol smiled ruefully and shook her head. And so
this story was mooted, just as Carol had hoped.
Then Elena communicates.
Akira."
"Yes, yes!"
Akira was unnecessarily flustered because he had just been talking about whether or not he
had been looking at Elena and her friends sexually.
Elena was a little suspicious of Akira's reaction, but quickly got down to business.
You mean "......? There are multiple larger responses approaching from behind. They are
probably large aircraft. If it's too much for Akira and his equipment to handle, we'll change.
'Alpha. Are you alright?"
No problem.
I'm fine."
Yeah?" Then let's intercept them together. We'll come with you.
The car of Elena and the others at the head of the convoy pulled aside, gave way to the
shikarabe and came up beside Akira's car. They then drove a short distance apart and
continued to drive side by side. Sarah was waving lightly while holding a large gun as if to
show it to Akira and the others.
The true nature of the reaction then appears behind Akira and the others. It is a variant of
the large multi-legged tank we saw when we left the simple barrier. It approaches,
dexterously raising its legs to avoid the debris scattered along the main street.
Akira's extended field of vision clearly shows the figure. The power of the Type 24 is a far cry
from that of the Kou A-24, and even though he had defeated a similar aircraft once before, he
was not one to let his guard down.
Then, in Akira's view, a multi-legged tank turned its turret and pointed its large-caliber gun
at Akira and the others.
The next moment, a huge hole opens in the body of that multi-legged tank. It was pierced by
a powerful bullet in an instant, distorting the fuselage greatly, while the impact of the impact
offset its forward inertia and blew it right sideways. The huge fuselage rolls down the road
of the ruins, snapping its multiple legs with the momentum of rotation.
Surprised, Akira involuntarily looks in the direction he thought was the source of the shot.
Beyond him, Sarah, who had destroyed a large multi-legged aircraft with a single blow, was
smiling proudly.
'Great job ......! That was one shot!"
'Well, I guess Elena and the others must have accepted this rescue request because of that
kind of equipment.
As Akira ponders whether this is so, he is approached by Carol.
Akira. I'm talking about the distribution of rewards, maybe after this interception, we'll have
a break from today's work, right? Now Akira's sense is, what's our allocation?"
Yes. ......."
Akira also believes that Carol has helped him. Nor does he intend to greedily increase his
share. However, he had no intention of backing down unnecessarily when it came to
allocations based on success.
'Seven to three ......, or perhaps eight to two ......? Is that about right?"
And even if it was thanks to the equipment, I gave a tentative allocation, leaving plenty of
room for consultation, which would be about right given the ratio of the number of enemies
defeated.
Carol hears this and smiles wryly.
Yes," he said. Then we'll have to make it about five to five while we're at it. Akira. Prepare
yourself."
In front of Akira, who looked doubtful, Carol replaced the magazine of the gun. She also
attaches an additional energy pack. Then, holding the large one-handed gun firmly with both
hands, she fired at the newly emerged large multirole aircraft.
The oversized and powerful bullets, which shook the atmosphere, did not penetrate the
target, but wrecked the aircraft, deforming it greatly as if it had been struck with a huge fist.
Akira involuntarily looks at Carol. Carol, like Sarah, was smiling with pride. However, there
was something a little stiff in that smile.
Oh! Carol got one too! That's great. All right. Okay, now it's my turn: ......"
No. It's not Akira's turn anymore."
What?"
I told you we'd make it about five against five." From here on out, I won't let Akira do
anything but drive the car."
"No, you can't do that, ......, ......!"
A new large aircraft appeared, but it too was destroyed by Carol. Akira also had a CWH
objective assault rifle, but it was out of effective range. Thanks to Alpha's support, it hit the
target when fired, but it could not be taken down with a single shot, partly due to the
attenuation of power by distance.
The next target appears. But Akira can only aim. At this distance, there is no point in shooting.
And Carol destroyed that aircraft as well.
Akira begins to panic.
"Wait a minute ......! Are you serious?
I'm serious. Even though I'm a mapmaker, I'm also a hunter. Even if I wasn't hired to be a
combatant, if they treat me like I'm useless, like I'm being paid 8 to 2, you know? I told you
to be prepared. I'm ready for it, too."
The next large multi-legged tank was destroyed by Sara. Elena and her team judged that
Akira had intentionally left the interception of the enemy to Carroll, since he replied that he
was fine. Thereby, they did not imitate handing over the destruction of the target to Akira,
but rather were actively trying to take it down in order to lower the burden on Akira and his
team.
As a result, Akira could do nothing again.
"Or you say you're ready. ......, ready for what?"
When Akira asked somewhat fearfully, Carol gave him a slightly drawn-out smile.
Prepare to lose money. This bullet ...... is very expensive."
Even though it is a large gun, it is a one-handed gun with that kind of range and that kind of
power. The bullets fired were probably Carroll's trump card, and the price must have been
that high. Akira was about to be convinced, but then he came back to himself and started to
panic.
No, you don't need that commitment!
I need it. Come on, Akira, be ready."
Carol did her best to turn her scowling face to Akira and set her sights on her next target.
Akira also hurriedly readies his CWH objective assault rifle.
Alpha! Support!
Unlike the desperate Akira, Alpha seemed uninterested.
I'll support you, of course, but even I can't overturn the difference in range and power, can
I?"
'Hey, can't you do something? If we don't do this, Carol is going to take most of the rewards,
right? You have to earn it, don't you?"
'Even if you say so, it's all about this. Besides, didn't Akira hire Carroll with at least a deficit
in mind?"
'That's true, but ......'
'Oh, I knew it, didn't I?'
Akira's eyes swam as if to cover up a slightly reproachful look from Alpha.
We will act with the intention of making it into the black. I lied when I told Alpha that, but it
was also true that I intended to do so as much as I could, and if I couldn't, I thought I had no
choice.
Akira. I'm not saying that you shouldn't help Elena and the others, and I don't care how much
you have to pay for it if that's okay with Akira, but please don't base it on unprofitability. Do
you understand?
'............ yes'
Good. Then let's work as hard as we can to reduce further losses.
'............ yes'
Akira then struggled with the support of Alpha and managed to stop only zero large multi-
legged tanks from being destroyed. They continued to fight while intercepting the tanks, and
when they passed through a simple barrier, Carol asked again with a laugh.
I guess this is the end of the line. Now, Akira. How did our allocations go?"
"......5 versus 5."
In contrast to Carol, who smiled with satisfaction, Akira let out a tired sigh.

◆
Akira and his team arrived safely at the temporary hospital and finished handing over the
relief victims. Shikarabe points to the empty armored personnel carriers and gives
instructions to Togami.
Togami! Check inside the car to make sure you haven't forgotten anything! And clean up
afterwards!"
The forgotten items here are bodies and body parts that were inadvertently left behind in
the car. Since we carried those with missing limbs, those without heads, those with only
heads, etc., there was a risk that body parts might have been left in corners or other places
in the car if we did not check them.
"............ got it."
Although it took a little time for him to respond, Togami maturely followed the instructions
without argument or defiance.
The shikarabe was again a bit puzzled by this situation, but since it was the second time, he
simply tilted his head lightly and changed his mind.
Elena. We're done for the day, right?"
Yes," he said. Good work. So, what about Akira and the others?"
Unlike Akira and his team, who joined in the middle of the event, Elena and her team
continued their rescue request before dawn. Considering their fatigue and remaining
ammunition, they decided to cut out early.
He also told them in advance that if they wanted to continue with the rescue request, he and
Akira could not accompany them, but would at least mediate the request.
Yes. ......." I was thinking if Elena and the others were going to cut it off, I was going to cut it
off too. ......, Carol. What do you say?"
'Oh my, am I allowed to decide?'
Oh. You can continue with the rescue request, or if you want to explore the ruins as a
mapmaker, that's fine too. I've hired you after I woke you up in the middle of the night. I'll go
along with that at least."
Akira says that much and laughs lightly.
'However, from here on out, it's completely in the form of Carol hiring me as an escort, okay?
I'm done with my business."
Oh, that's what I meant. I don't know what I'm going to do."
As Carroll looks lost, Togami emerges from inside an armored personnel carrier.
If you want to continue, I can go along with you. I'll even let you use this car under my
authority."
Whether continuing a rescue request or touring the ruins as a mapmaker, an armored
personnel carrier would be useful. It's a great offer.
But Carol shook her head at that.
I'll stop. Let's break up for today."
So ......."
Togami returned to the car with a disappointed look on his face.
Akira and his group then disbanded without further ado. Elena and her family had a talk with
the insurance company, and Carol said she would stay behind for personal business, so Akira
left the Mihazono Street site on his own.

Togami returned to the simple base at Drangkam to finish cleaning the armored personnel
carrier. All that was left to do was to get out of the vehicle and close the rear doors, and then
a visitor appears.
Hello."
You are ......"
The visitor was Carol. Once inside the car, Carol walks up to Togami's side with a smile on
her face.
What do you want?" ...... Wait, how did you get in here? Where's the security guy?"
Drangkam's simple base is restricted to outsiders. In addition, Carol was prohibited from
entering Drunkham's facilities for various reasons. Knowing this, Togami looks at her
suspiciously, and Carol smiles meaningfully in return.
I asked for a little help and they let me through. Thank you for being such a good, honest girl."
Togami clucks his tongue and holds his head lightly.
"They're ......, what are they doing ......"
There is no reason to assign the old guard to guard a simple base, and these duties are
performed by younger hunters as chores. Currently, those in Team B were in charge. It was
easy for Togami to imagine that these young hunters had let Carroll pass by because of his
sex appeal.
It's quite a problem when Carol is here. If she is not careful, she will be held accountable.
Also, if she had asked him to go home, he would not have come all the way here. Thinking
this, Togami asked Carol to quickly finish her business and leave.
So what do you want? If you're a shikarabe, you're not here, and I don't know where you
are."
No," he said. I came to see you."
Me?" For what?"
I thought I'd ask you about Akira."
I don't know what Akira is ......, I'm not close with him, and I don't know what he's talking
about."
But you fought with Akira in the Battle of Tangkrantula, didn't you? That's what I want to
hear. From someone who seems to know Akira's abilities well."
Togami's face becomes stern all at once. This is because the information is not public
knowledge, and more than that, it is not something he feels comfortable discussing privately.
However, he decides that it would be useless to be so blunt.
I don't owe you an answer. Besides, if you want to hear such a story, why don't you hear it
from Elena and the others? She seems to be very good friends with Akira, and she hired Akira
for the oversynthetic snake battle. I'm sure they can give you more details than if you ask me.
"Well, yes, but ......"
As Carol said this, she removed the harness from her chest and began to slowly lower the
front zipper of her reinforced innerwear as she moved even closer to Togami. The exposed
skin sucked in Togami's gaze.
I'm better at getting something out of someone with a man than I am with a woman." You
know what I mean?"
When Carol closes the distance with a bewitching laugh, Togami backs away impatiently with
a stern, red face.
Togami also knew from his past life in the slums that this kind of lure would lead to bad
things. In addition, the fact that Carroll had been banned from Drunkham's office confirmed
this.
But there was an irresistible charm that emanated from Carol that was hard to resist,
knowing that.
Togami, who continued to drop, was cornered on the side of the driver's seat. There was
nothing left to do.
Wait, what do you want to know? All I know is that he's
soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
oooooo strong! You know that because you fought with him today!
I want to hear all the details from the people involved. Besides, you also did a lot of research
on Akira, didn't you? After the Tangkrantula fight."
"Hey, why don't you just ...... it, well, wait, okay! I'll talk! So get away from me once!"
There is no reason why I can't talk to them, except that I personally find it difficult to talk to
them. To avoid any trouble, Togami decided to talk quietly and let Carol go home.
But Carroll enjoyed Togami's reaction immensely, partly because Akira kept wearing him on
his sleeve.
I'm not sure what to expect. Let's have fun. You don't owe me an answer, do you? Now I'm
going to make you plenty."
Carol reaches for the car's controls. Staring at the togami in front of her, she finished the
operation to close all the doors of the car.
With Togami and Carol on board, the rear doors of the vehicle begin to slowly close. Then,
without a pause, they closed completely.

After Carol left after running some errands, Togami looked tired in the rest area of the simple
base. Then Shikarabe arrives.
I heard you were meeting with Carol in the base. What do you mean?"
I didn't call you. He came in on his own and the security people just let him pass. If you have
a problem with that, you can complain to them."
What did you want?"
He asked me about Akira, so I answered him and sent him on his way."
"...... That's all you got? Nothing happened, did it?"
Togami is annoyed by Shikarabe's clear suspicions, and his voice gets louder.
No! I sent them home as fast as I could! ...... I can't stand it if you do something stupid here
and get your equipment loan privileges revoked."
Togami's attitude is not a good one for young people toward old-timers. But Shikarabe was
not in a bad mood; he just looked surprised.
Shikarabe had asked if nothing had happened, but had actually assumed that something bad
had happened. He then asked her to make up an excuse that she had said nothing had
happened.
This is because Togami is currently operating in a format where it is subordinate to
Shikarabe, and if Togami causes problems, Shikarabe will also be held accountable.
But Shikarabe could tell from Togami's reaction that there was really nothing going on. That
meant that Togami had survived Carroll's seduction, which was unexpected enough. He was
quite surprised and praised her sincerely.
...... you, you're gonna do it."
I ain't happy to be praised for that!"
Shikarabe couldn't help but be amused by Togami's unfaithful and somewhat childish
attitude. Then, he laughed in good humor.
No, no, no. Controlling greed is important for hunters, too. Keep up the good work. See you.
And with that teasing remark, the shikarabe left.
Togami let out a sigh, and his face contorted grimly. It was half-intentional.
In fact, Togami has not touched Carroll. His current equipment was important to him in order
to assess his own abilities, and he could not afford to lose it for trivial reasons.
To be honest, it was a close call. But I made the right choice. Even the shikarabes were teasing
me, but they were praising me. My willpower prevailed. I told myself this to calm my inner
turmoil.
Togami's face was grim as he tried to cover up the fact that he had turned down Carol's
invitation, feeling that it was too good to be true.
◆

Akira, safely back at home, was in the bathroom, taking his fatigue away with him. Soaking
up to his neck in the plentiful hot water, he dissolved his accumulated fatigue in the hot water
along with his consciousness and relaxed his face.
Alpha is bathing with Akira as usual. The artistically beautiful body is hidden only by the
shimmering surface of the water, and the reflection of the light makes the shape of the body
even more pure and glamorous.
However, Akira's reaction, as usual, was extremely slow, even though his naked body was
right next to hers, albeit only visually. Akira, who was so fascinated when he first met Alpha,
is now in this state.
Alpha stands up abruptly and sits on the edge of the tub. The hot water that had collected in
her cleavage spilled out and ran down her lower abdomen and groin, leaving only drops of
water and a slight steam to hide anything above the knees.
Akira was watching it. However, it was merely an unconscious pursuit of a large movement
in his field of vision, and he returned his gaze as if he had lost interest when the other party
had finished its movement.
Alpha lets out a light sigh.
The reaction is the same as ever. Akira.
When called, Akira looked toward Alpha and saw more people sitting in the bathtub. Carol.
She is exposing her naked body to Akira with a bewitching smile that invites the opposite
sex.
Although different from Alpha's nudity, which is both beautiful and specialized to Akira's
tastes, Carol's nudity also has a feminine beauty that strongly stimulates the amorous desires
of an unspecified number of the opposite sex.
Akira knows that there is no way that Carol herself is here. He quickly realized that Alpha
was only displaying an augmented version of his own vision.
Even so, it is a figure that would have riveted the gaze of any normal person. However, Akira's
face was only distorted in a dubious manner.
Alpha. What are you doing?"
'You don't even respond to Carol. That's a good thing, though. ......"
Alpha adds two more people sitting in the tub to Akira's extended view. Immediately, Akira
reacted greatly.
Hey, hey ......, what are you doing ......"
Akira is in the bathroom looking at the naked bodies of four beautiful women, but it is two of
them, Elena and Sarah, who are reacting. Unlike Carol's smile, which is seductive and inviting
to the opposite sex, they are smiling gently, although it is somehow teasing to Akira.
In front of a frozen Akira, Alpha exhales a little grimly. Then he erased all the naked bodies
except his own.
I knew you'd react to Elena and the others."
Alpha! What are you doing?
Akira couldn't help but voice his disapproval. But what came back from Alpha was a serious
face and voice.
Hey, Akira. Are you okay? I know I've been telling Carol that she's more foodie than sexy, and
she seems to be right, but isn't sexy the priority for Elena and her friends? Are you being
swayed for the better by it? You're going to be with them for a while, aren't you?
Alpha looks into Akira's eyes.
If that is the reason why you continue to give priority to Elena and her family, I can't overlook
it either.
Akira was suddenly flustered at the sight of Elena and the others naked, but he had already
regained his composure in response to Alpha's seriousness. He responds seriously.
That's not the reason. It's because I've been indebted to Elena and her team tremendously. I
owe them a lot. I don't think I can follow Alfa's instructions not to return the debt.
Akira and Alpha remained serious and stared at each other for a while.
And Alpha's face relaxed as he decided that there was no lie or deception in Akira's words.
'That's fine. If you're aware that you're doing it to repay a debt. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
Akira also loosens up and laughs.
No, I'm sorry too. And I may have given you the wrong impression, but I don't think I don't
need to earn money if I'm with you and Elena, and I have every intention of earning money.
That's the truth.
'Oh, it's all right. As long as you don't get caught up in the sex appeal of Elena and her friends
and end up spending a lot of money and getting covered in debt, it's all good.
He said, "I'm fine. Did I look that bad?"
Akira laughed and tried to let the story slide. But then Alpha laughed meaningfully.
'Then how about we take a look together now at what Akira looked like when he was being
stuffed by Sarah today?
I'll stop at ............." I'm taking a bath right now."
Yeah?"
Akira enjoyed the rest of his bath with a slightly stiff smile on his face, wondering what he
would do if he was asked to watch it after he got out of the bath.
Alfa understood and kept quiet.

Back at home, Elena is reviewing the record of the battle at the Mihazono Street ruins. She is
sitting in her favorite chair, dressed comfortably to loosen up, but she was groaning with a
slightly difficult expression on her face from earlier.
Sara wonders about the situation and calls out to him.
Elena. What's wrong?"
Hmm?" A little bit. Didn't you fight a large mechanical monster with Akira and his group? I'm
reviewing the records from that time at ......, and something seems off."
Strange? We weren't ambushed, we were on our way home, we didn't have to worry about
remaining ammunition, we were able to use it and fight them off, we didn't cause any
damage, and I think we did a good job."
I'm glad I went on the way back," he said. There were quite a few of them, and if we had
encountered them on the way there, we would have had no choice but to retreat. But we
were able to fight them off, so it was a good job.
Right?" I don't think there was anything weird about it. ......"
Elena's expression remained difficult despite her agreement. Sarah was even more mystified
by her best friend's appearance.
'It's quicker if we look at ...... together. Sarah."
Elena tossed Sarah an augmented reality display device, a device shaped like a pair of glasses
with only frames, and handed it to her, and she sat down on a nearby sofa.
Sarah puts it on and sits next to Elena. Then their vision expanded, and the battle record that
Elena was watching was displayed in three dimensions, like a three-dimensional image.
This is a bird's-eye view of the battle, and I'm going to play it from the beginning so you can
watch it a little bit.
The display was a simple one that added the reactions of Akira and the enemy to the
surrounding terrain information. Even so, it was accurate enough to grasp the volume of
large aircraft that had attacked and the movements of Akira and his team, who were
defeating them one after another. It could also accurately determine who had defeated which
aircraft.
This data is also passed on to insurance companies. The data is analyzed to help set the
difficulty level of the rescue request, additional compensation, and the calculation of
insurance premiums.
Elena was the information collector for the team, and she gathered all of this data. Because
of this, the compensation paid by the insurance company was much higher than if she had
simply completed a rescue request.
The battle record ended when Akira and his group entered the simple barrier. Sarah, who
had finished watching all the way up to that point, gives her impressions lightly.
That crowd of monsters was a lot more than I thought it would be. It didn't seem like there
were that many when I was fighting them, but ....... I guess that means Akira and the others
were doing a great job."
Sarah then looked at Elena. Then she looks a little doubtful from the other's expression.
You seem to be trying to tell me that ...... isn't right."
I have no intention of denying that Akira and his team did a great job. But there are some
things that just don't add up. I'll play it again. ...... here, here, and here. I'll play it slowly. ......
understand?"
Sarah began to look at the battle record again as Elena pointed out. She found several
unnatural parts in the movements of the large multi-legged tanks that were not obvious until
they were pointed out to her.
There were aircraft attacking in the wrong direction. There were also reactions that
suddenly disappeared, even though they had not been shot at by Elena and the others or by
Akira and the others. It was easy to miss due to the large number of enemies, but once
noticed, it was clearly unnatural.
Elena. This sure is weird."
I would think that a few places would be faulty data or analysis, but with this many," he said.
Besides, look over here."
Take a closer look at the part where Sarah was taught and notice.
...... is this shooting at each other?" The security machines at the ruins?"
It's so well targeted that it's hard to believe it's just a coincidence or a sensor failure. I don't
know what's going on."
Although it is a puzzling event, the content itself is favorable to Elena and her colleagues.
This made Elena and the others suspicious, but they only concluded that they would be a
little more careful in their next rescue request.
Inside the ruins is old world territory. It is no wonder that anything can happen. No matter
what happens in the ruins, hunters will assume that perception.
On top of that, it was difficult to imagine the unimaginable.
Episode New Request

Two days had passed since the rescue request at the Mihazono Street site. Akira, who had
been taking a rest to accommodate Elena and her family's schedule, received a call from
Kobayashi.
Akira: "Hello, Akira. Looks like you're still entertaining me."
I don't remember ...... doing that. What do you want?"
In fact, Akira had no idea, and returned a dubious voice.
"Unaware? That's good! Keep up the good work."
Akira's face contorts at the sound of Kibayashi's good mood.
'Alpha. Do you have any idea what's going on?'
Yes, it is. Akira's running down the wall of the building may have somehow reached
Kibayashi.
'That's it. ......'
I don't know if it was the first or second one, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was seen by
other hunters. In fact, the second time it was seen by Raina and others.
And the hunter, amused by Akira's fight, may have passed on the data he had just recorded
with his information-gathering equipment to his friends, and as a result, it may have reached
Kibayashi. Akira let out a light sigh at the thought.
You know what, Kibayashi? I don't know what you saw, but don't call me every time you see
something like that."
What are you talking about? I went out of my way to get in touch with you to give you good
information. I'm going to patronize you in my own way.
Information?
Akira's face twists a little doubtfully, but Kibayashi tells him what it is about.
The data Elena gave to the insurance company was also passed on to the city of Kgamayama.
The data was then analyzed and it was ascertained that large multi-legged tanks were
shooting at each other.
'...... what about it? It was just a broken mechanical monster attacking a nearby aircraft,
wasn't it?"
'No, no, no, this is not about that. This is serious enough to warrant an overhaul of the city's
defenses if things go wrong."
Data analysis concluded that the probability was sufficiently high that this mechanical
monster's fighting each other was not due to a malfunction of sensors or the like, but was
clearly targeting other aircraft.
This means that the target mechanical monster is out of the chain of command of the ruins.
In other words, the fear of them coming out of the ruins has increased. The presence of
security machines beyond the original scope of security also heightened this concern.
At this time, only aircraft beyond the security perimeter of the ruins have been confirmed.
However, some city residents believe that it is only a matter of time.
"......I know it's a big deal, but what's in it for me to know about it? It doesn't seem to make
any sense to me. ......"
Here's where we're going with this. The part that concerns you directly is that tomorrow you
will receive a request from the city's long-term strategy department. It's a survey of the
factory block at the Mihazono Street site.
"...... huh?"
The Long-Term Strategy Department of Kugamayama City is the department that previously
sent Akira a request to remove the Yarata scorpion nest. In addition, hunters living in
Kgamayama City basically cannot refuse requests from this department. If they refuse, they
will be noticed by the city in a bad way.
Akira's face contorts as he recalls the hardships of the Kuzuthara Street Ruins underground.
"Hey, why don't you tell me ......, hey! Kibayashi! I hope you didn't do something!
No," he said. The only reason you get the request is simply because you're part of the team.
The same request will go out to Elena and the other Chicarabees, and they will probably
operate as a team. Maybe that Carol guy will be called in too?"
The team must have fought off a swarm of large multi-legged tanks. In addition, they were
the source of the data. Kibayashi answered that these factors were probably the deciding
factors, refusing to say that he was only guessing.
He added that the request would not be formally issued until this evening or tomorrow, and
that he would strongly prefer, and in effect be forced to, do the actual work the day after
tomorrow or the next day after that.
It's a request I can't refuse. I think you'd better get ready as soon as possible. Since it's a
request from the Long-Term Strategy Department, we'll at least get an identification code to
replace the cost of ammunition, but if it's expensive ammunition, it will take a long time to
procure."
I'm sure that story at ...... is true, right? I don't want to end up in a situation where I've asked
the store I've been helping to procure expensive ammunition, and then the request is
canceled."
I'll pay for it then. Oh, and I'll send you the identification code ahead of time. If you want to
process the payment before the request is officially submitted, use it."
The identification code is actually sent. Akira wonders, mildly puzzled.
...... Hey, what are you trying to get me to do?"
What? Something that entertains me. You decide what exactly that is, don't you?"
I don't know what you will do. But I am sure you will do something reckless and reckless that
will amuse yourself. Kibayashi's voice, which implicitly told him this, was very joyful,
reflecting his inner expectation.
As if in proportion to the joy in Kibayashi's voice, Akira's face grew grim.
The fact that they provided the information in advance and that they are willing to cover the
cost of ammunition is certainly a helpful story for Akira. But that is just the additional fuel
that Kibayashi is pouring in to make the commotion that Akira is sure to cause bigger to his
liking.
Even Akira, who is not familiar with many things, understood that much.

As Akira was pondering what to do after his talk with Kibayashi, he received a call from Elena.
He also received a call from Carol. Both of them wanted to talk about the contact from
Kibayashi.
Akira's head was in his hands as he wondered if he had added fuel to that one as well.
◆

Akira was to meet Elena and her friends once at Sizuka's store at Elena's suggestion.
After meeting up and briefly discussing the situation, including Shizuka, Shizuka examines
the identification code given to him by Akira.
Seeing Sizuka's difficult face, Elena's face also turns a little grim.
Sizuka. How did it go?"
It's definitely city code. "It's definitely a city code, and the maximum amount of money you
can advance is 100 million aurums.
100 Million ......!" That Kibayashi guy seemed to have a lot of authority."
Elena, along with Sarah, gives Akira a look that says she can't help but laugh.
I was surprised at Carol, but Akira really does connect with some unexpected people.
I've been through a lot. So, Elena. What should I do? ......"
It is only a replacement. The amount spent will be deducted exactly from the reward later.
However, there is no doubt that the abundant ammunition will contribute to the safety of
Akira and his team.
Elena also hesitated a bit before making a decision.
I'm grateful for the opportunity to use it. It will be a great help to us. In the meantime, if I
receive an official request from the city, I will negotiate on behalf of the city whether the city
will bear the burden instead of making the payment on our behalf. Akira. Is that okay?"
Yes. Please."
I'm not sure I'm going to be able to do it," he said. Let's make sure we're ready then. Sizuka.
I'll take care of the procurement.
Sizuka chuckles.
I get it. I guess as a business person I should be happy, but it's a little complicated. Akira.
Don't push yourself too hard, okay? Elena. Sara. Take care of Akira, okay?"
I know.
Well, I'll figure it out."
I'll be fine. I'll take care of it."
Akira and the others laughed and answered. Seeing this, Sizuka felt relieved and helped Akira
and the others prepare.

That evening, Akira and his colleagues actually received a request from the Long-Term
Strategy Department of Kugamayama City. The contents of the request were exactly as
previously communicated by Kibayashi.

A simple base created by the city of Kugamayama was built in the wilderness beside the
factory section of the Mihazono Street ruins. It is a simple structure made up of large
buildings that can be assembled on-site and surrounded by a simple wall, but it is adequate
as a outpost in front of the ruins' survey team.
There are also a number of heavily reinforced suits, combat vehicles, and humanoid weapons
deployed on the site. However, these are currently for the defense of the outpost and are not
planned to be deployed on a large scale in the factory block.
Instead, it is the hired hunters who enter the factory block. One of them, Akira, was in a room
in the base with Elena and the others, being briefed on the request. He has already met up
with the Shikarabes and Carol.
While Akira and his team were resting, the situation at the Mihazono Street site was
progressing.
The cause of this disturbance was a mechanical monster that exceeded the original scope of
security, or a new type of security machine that covers the entire ruins. Therefore, it is
believed that the disturbance can be controlled by suppressing the range of their appearance.
The source of its appearance has been determined to be the Serantar building in the city
section and the factory in the factory section.
The Celantar Building has already completely sealed off its perimeter with a simple barrier.
This had brought the situation in the city section under control.
However, this is not the case for the factory section. It is not practical to surround the entire
factory zone with a simple barrier because it is not known which factory is the source of the
plant. Therefore, we must start by looking for the manufacturer or the source of the
mechanical monsters.
Akira and his team have two tasks. The first is to investigate the source of the appearance,
and the second is to rescue those who entered the factory zone for the investigation but have
not yet returned.
Elena, who was browsing through the related materials while listening to the explanation
from the staff member in charge of the project, looks grim.
Wait, our survival rate is less than 50 percent?"
"...... is the rate of return at this time. It doesn't mean they are dead. The factory block is full
of buildings and there are many places suitable for a siege. Many will be rescued in time.
Please help them."
'Even if I did, would you let me crash in a place like that?
The decision to withdraw is yours. If you think it's a bad idea, turn back and bring back the
information that led you to that decision."
And because you couldn't do that, you've got a lot of people who haven't returned, right?"
I agree." Let's hope you guys do things differently."
There was a bit of tension between Elena, who wanted to keep her team as safe as possible,
and the person in charge, who was in a position to make them do this dangerous request.
So Akira thinks lightly.
Hey, those tanks and humanoid weapons lined up outside, aren't they supposed to be used
to explore the factory block?"
Sorry ......, it doesn't work."
No? That's not going to get you inside the factory, but it sounds like you could at least get on
that site. ......"
At first, the staff member's face contorted into a grimace, taking Akira's question as sarcasm
toward the city side. However, when he realized from Akira's expression that he was really
asking a simple question, his expression turned sour.
Then, as if he had no choice, he captures the reason why it cannot be used.
That's a unit of the Kugamayama City Defense Force, remember? We can't simply throw them
in. At least not on my own. So who can make the decision to deploy, the higher-ups, and why
aren't they deploying?
The staff member paused there, as if he was having difficulty saying something. Then he
continued.
...... Well, maybe, but the top doesn't want to irritate the factory zone by putting in a big one
like that."
There are numerous places in the ruins where relics are revived over time. And it is believed
that the relics that are replenished at the ruins in the vicinity of the city of Kugamayama are
manufactured in the factory section of the Mihazono Street ruins.
A large contingent of tanks and humanoid weapons in that factory block could have caused
a major reaction from the site's security system.
If they were hunters, they could be treated as suspicious persons or thieves even if their
numbers were a little large. However, if they were a squad of humanoid weapons over six
meters in length, it would be considered a clear invasion, and the security of the ruins could
be switched to something more appropriate.
It is also conceivable that factories that normally produce mere relics will start
manufacturing security machines to enhance security. Furthermore, as a result of a fierce
battle between these factories and humanoid weapons, the production of relics may be
halted due to the destruction of factory blocks, and the replenishment of relics may stop in a
chain reaction around the city of Kugamayama or in the neighboring areas.
Naturally, the economy of the city of Kgamayama would be fatally affected. Considering this,
it was necessary to be cautious about deploying large weapons, including humanoid
weapons.
Even if all of these circumstances were groundless, the city wanted to keep the situation as
calm as possible. The city wanted to end its intervention in the factory zone with only the
blockade or limited destruction of the factory of the manufacturer of the mechanical
monsters.
"...... Perhaps that's why they can't use humanoid weapons, so they're sending in hunters
instead. I say this ...... because the cost is less than sending in a squadron of humanoid
weapons."
The staff member tells them about these circumstances and then continues to appease Akira.
But I'm sure that the fees you're paying are significantly increased. "Still, I'm sure they're
getting a big discount just because it's cheaper than the cost of operating a humanoid
weapons unit, right? So, well, please."
Then he bowed his head lightly as if to ask for a favor.
Besides, you and your team successfully fought off a horde of large mechanical monsters to
rescue a rescue request, didn't you? If these great guys are going to retreat, saying, "This is
impossible," I'm sure my superiors will rethink how to deal with them. If you think it's a bad
idea, turn around and bring that information back to me immediately. Okay?"
Akira nodded his head in agreement as his questions were answered. Seeing this, Elena and
Carol let out a wry smile.
Unlike Akira, the others understood the situation without having it explained to them, and
they expressed their dissatisfaction with the staff, but they were lightly taken aback by
Akira's ignorant reaction. He also reminded the staff that he was only explaining the situation
to them and had no authority over them.
Elena's voice is bright enough to change the air.
I understand," he said. We're certainly getting paid more than double the market rate, so let's
just do it."
I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I have prepared a map of the factory area. It does not cover the entire
factory zone, but I hope you will make use of it."
The staff members also patted their chests. The next step was to explain the materials and
other information to be given to the factory plot explorers.

Akira and his team came to the front of the factory block on foot. Everyone was well
prepared.
Akira, in particular, utilizes an auxiliary arm and has a CWH objective assault rifle, DVTS
minigun, and He carries an A4WM automatic grenade launcher, as well as ammunition for
those weapons. The others were mildly surprised to see him, though he still had plenty of
room to spare since the purpose was not to collect relics.
In front of the factory, where the wreckage of the Type A-24 is scattered in large quantities,
Elena voices her voice as team leader.
Okay, now that we're entering the factory block, let me remind you.
Akira's team is a combination of three teams: Akira and Carol, Elena and Sara, and Shikarabe
and Togami, with the other teams under Elena's team.
This was a result of the city's Long-Term Strategy Department overriding the rescue request
with the insurance company as the requester, and the fact that Sicarabe did not want to get
involved in the factional battles within Drangkam over which team would lead the whole
project, so he separated the negotiations in that area from Drangkam.
This left Elena in overall command. Akira had no objection, and Carol did not interfere as she
continued the formality of being employed by Akira.
Once in the factory zone, I'll go around to the areas where the rescue targets are likely to be
holed up while securing the exit routes. We will also investigate, but our emphasis will be on
rescuing the unreturned. The insurance company is offering a separate reward if we succeed
in rescuing the contractor, so we should make some money there as well.
Basically, Elena and her team will search and gather information from the center of the
formation, while Akira and the shikarabes will be in charge of the vanguard or rear guard.
Shikarabe. Do you want to do the front or the back?"
Hmm?" Yes. ......"
Shikarabe glances at Togami. Togami looked serious and silent.
Elena's question implied that the shicarabes were more likely to cover the togami in the
vanguard or the rear guard, and the shicarabes understood this.
Next, Shikarabe glanced at Akira. Akira did not know what it meant and wondered why
Shikarabe looked at him.
Elena. We're in front."
I understand. Then, Akira and the others, please cover the back."
I understand.
Togami gritted his teeth once, then exhaled slowly to calm himself. Which would be better:
to be unable to move forward or to be unable to go back because of his own dragging? Togami
knew that he had to choose between the two, and he chose the former.
After that, Akira and his team were in position and confirmed that everyone's information-
gathering equipment was working well together and that short-range communications were
connecting normally.
The factory block was currently experiencing mild communication problems.
Communication with the outposts also continues to be difficult, which is also a factor
reducing the return rate of hunters.
Still, short distances are not a problem. Akira and his team adjusted the communication
output to maintain at least intra-team communication.
I'm going to go to the airport and see if I can find a place. No problem. Let's go, then."
At Elena's command, Akira and the others entered the factory block.

The interior of the factory block had changed considerably since Akira's previous visit. The
wreckage of mechanical monsters was scattered everywhere, in some places to the point of
blocking the passageways.
Bloodstains are easy to spot. They belong to the hunters who fought here. The bloodstained
floor and walls, along with the wreckage of security machines scattered around the area,
made it easy for Akira and his team to imagine the intensity of the battle.
However, the bodies of the hunters were nowhere to be found. Akira wondered a little about
this, but thought that the rescue team must have brought back at least the bodies, and did
not pay much attention to it.
The search itself is going well. This is due to the hard work of Togami in the vanguard. Togami
was doing everything he could to find out what he was capable of so that he would not be
slowed down.
Control rooms and corridors quickly and accurately. In places where information-gathering
equipment cannot adequately probe beyond due to the material of the walls, they throw or
shoot out small information-gathering terminals to conduct localized spotting, and then
enter without letting their guard down.
If it is a weak security machine, etc., it will be defeated by togami alone. He also makes sure
that the enemy is neutralized and confirmed as neutralized. Togami's movements were
sufficient enough to be called a model of team behavior.
Even the Cicarabe's scoring is well within the acceptable range. If I had to point out a flaw, it
would be that he would not be able to maintain his physical and mental strength for long at
that pace from the beginning of the race.
Shikarabe knew this and did not dare to stop Togami. The ability to maintain a combat-ready
state for an extended period of time is one of the skills. If Togami lacked this skill and slowed
down the team's movement due to fatigue, he could be removed from the team for that
reason.
As Togami continues to rush ahead in an effort to demonstrate his power, the overall
movement has become a bit faster. Those who cannot keep up with the speed are naturally
under a heavy load. Akira. Akira's usual activities and training are based on acting alone, and
he is unfamiliar with team activities, which makes it even more difficult for him.
Seeing that Akira seems to be having a hard time, Sarah is concerned about him.
Akira. Are you okay? Should I go a little slower?"
But Akira laughed half-heartedly and shook his head.
No, I'm fine. As long as ...... I'm not dragging my feet."
I wouldn't go that far, but ......, if you're having a hard time, you can always let me know."
Yes."
Sara was relieved to hear Akira's honest reply. Still, she turned her gaze to Elena just to be
sure.
In response, Elena increased the team's movement speed in the opposite direction.
With the situation in which they manage to keep up by pushing themselves too hard, they
tire quickly and their ability to respond to sudden situations is drastically reduced. Also,
Sizuka has asked me to take care of Akira. I do not intend to force him unnecessarily.
If Akira is not really overworked, a slight increase in the team's travel speed will only make
it a little tougher or a little slower. However, if he is already pushing himself too hard, he will
be significantly delayed.
Elena thought so, and was trying to make sure Akira was not really pushing himself.
As a result, Akira was not delayed by any piece of the puzzle. Although he remains a little
spicy, it can also be determined that the load has not changed even though the overall speed
of movement has been increased.
If that was the case, Elena tried to increase the speed further. It was enough to make the
shicarabe wonder if she was going a little too fast.
Still, Akira was not lagging behind at all. There was no slackness in the work of the rear guard.
He immediately reacted to the mechanical monsters that appeared behind him, and defeated
them with plenty of time to spare.
Carol, who is in the rear guard with him, is mildly surprised by Akira's appearance.
Akira. You look like you're in a lot of pain, but are you actually more relaxed than you think?"
Akira's slightly pained expression is mixed with a wry smile.
...... do it right, or Carol will take your reward."
'Oh my, why don't you let me take care of you and you can rest?'
I don't want to. You can take the rest of the day off, okay?"
No.
Akira and Carole smile wryly at each other and continue to play rear guard without any
problems.
Seeing Akira and the others, Elena and the others looked at each other and laughed.
Elena. It's Akira, ......, and you look okay."
If you go any faster, we're going to be late. That was an unnecessary concern."
Akira often feels strangely inadequate, but if you think back, he was so active in the battle
against the over-synthesized snake. There is something about Akira that makes us feel that
way, and we are probably just immature enough to be misled by it. Elena and the others
decided so and stopped unnecessary concern for Akira.
In fact, Elena and her colleagues are more correct in their senses. Akira is already full of it.
On his own, he would have been significantly behind.
But Akira has the support of Alpha. What he lacks in ability, he makes up for with Alpha's
support. Even with the increase in movement speed, the ratio of support based on ability
including support only increased, and there was no change in Akira's ability as seen by
others.
And then there are those who get the short end of the stick. Togami.
Togami was giving it his all, and was moving at a full travel speed according to his own
scoring. Then twice he was instructed to increase the speed further. And yet, no one
complained, and the others responded normally.
Is this still too slow? Am I dragging my feet? With these thoughts gnawing at his heart,
Togami still managed to keep moving forward with all his might.
There, the shikarabe gives instructions.
Togami. Proceed more slowly."
I'll be fine!" I can do it!"
Togami couldn't help but retort. It sounded as if he was spewing out his remaining willpower.
But he knew he was almost at his limit, and he also understood that it would be a bad move
to reject a reason that would slow him down.
Still, Togami could not take back the words he once spat out that it was okay.
But there, the shikarabe glares at him and says in a stern tone.
I'm not listening to your convenience. If you don't follow my instructions, I'll crush you.
It is not an instruction out of concern for you. With this clarification, Togami regained his
composure and maturely followed the instructions.
Elena shows a little alarm at the disturbing situation.
Shikarabe." What's wrong?"
Elena. Probe a little harder ahead. My equipment is inaccurate due to the distance."
All right.
As the team's information gatherer, Elena has a level of search-and-rescue capability that is
a cut above the rest. Until now, she had been extending the range of her search in a circular
fashion, but she switched her priority range to the forward direction. Then she frowned.
Many responses to "....... You're over here. That's a bit much."
A large number of reactions, which seemed to be from monsters, were approaching from the
front. Judging from the speed at which they were moving, it was already impossible to outrun
them. However, Elena is not upset.
Let's back up a little and intercept."
There are many enemies, but they are not a problem. Elena's attitude made this clear, and
Akira and the others calmly took their positions.
The place where Akira and his team are now is inside a hierarchical factory, an indoor space
that is wide in width and wide in depth. There were several production machines lined up in
a row, which had been destroyed and had already stopped. Hiding behind these obstacles,
they prepare for the approaching horde of monsters.
Elena allocates the range and accuracy of information gathering, which had been greatly
expanded to prevent surprise attacks, by temporarily biasing it toward the front. As a result,
the accuracy of information collection within the range has dramatically increased, changing
the situation from one in which only the rough location of the monster could be determined
to one in which the exact location and shape of the monster can be identified.
Furthermore, Elena predicted the opponent's armament based on the shape of the
mechanical monster, calculated the attack range in conjunction with the enemy's position,
and then sent the analysis results to the entire team. The preparations for interception are
all set.
Then a group of enemy monsters emerges from the back. A swarm of one-meter-long, multi-
legged machines sprints across the ceiling instead of the floor, where obstacles roll in its way,
and closes the distance in one fell swoop.
However, the rush of the hostile machinery was blocked by a dense barrage of bullets. The
scattering of mechanical parts shattered by the impact of a bullet was transmitted to the
following vehicles like a wave.
The other day, Akira and his team fought off a swarm of large multi-legged tanks. Compared
to them, a swarm of small-sized tanks, even one that could fill the ceiling, would be no
problem. They will crush them with their firepower.
Akira utilizes the continuous-fire power of the A4WM automatic grenade launcher to
disperse the grenades evenly. The direct hit targets are crushed, and the surrounding aircraft
are blown away by the blast and pulled from the ceiling.
The floor is full of obstacles. There is a limit to how far enemy aircraft can go while
dexterously avoiding them with their multiple legs. The speed of advance is dramatically
reduced.
The aircrafts that managed to escape the grenades and stuck to the ceiling were bombarded
with a painful barrage of bullets by Sara.
The storm of bullets produced by the amazing number of rounds in the extended magazine
is even more powerful than those bullets. When I procured ammunition at Shizuka's store
the other day, I used Kibayashi's identification code to have Shizuka prepare high-value,
high-performance bullets for me.
Still, not all enemies can be defeated. The swarms of multi-legged aircraft all looked similar,
but they were not the same, even in performance. An extremely sturdy individual, compared
to the other aircraft, withstood the barrage of bullets by Akira and Sara and came through.
However, these individuals did not pose a threat to Akira and his team either. Those
individuals were identified in advance by Elena's spotting and were shot by Carol
immediately after they passed through the barrage.
Bullets that could destroy even large multi-legged tanks easily broke through armor that was
only a few degrees sturdier than that of other small aircraft. The target was wrecked with a
single shot and joined the pile of aircraft wreckage.
Some aircraft run on walls instead of ceilings. Some of them approach over the obstacles on
the floor. However, the shikarabes are able to defeat them as well. With the strength of the
shicarabes, there was no problem, and the togamis, though aided by their high-performance
equipment, managed to deal with them.
In addition to these factors, Akira and his team's superiority remained unchanged because
they had been waiting in a suitable place for interception beforehand.
Episode The Saved

The battle continues. Akira and his team's superiority remains unchanged, but the enemy
reinforcements do not stop. They keep piling up. Akira was getting a little fed up.
'Alpha. When is this going to end?'
'I don't know about that. The inventory on the other side is not inexhaustible, but if this is
the production base for those security machines, they will not run out so easily.
No wonder there are mechanical monsters all over the ruins. I'm glad this wasn't a rescue
request.
The reward for a rescue request, of course, is basically determined by whether or not the
rescue target is rescued. Even if you kill a lot of monsters along the way, the reward does not
increase by that amount.
The insurance company, which is the client, pays the reward, but the money comes from the
premiums paid by the relief recipient. If you negotiate that you had to spend a large amount
of money on ammunition because the enemy was more numerous than expected, there is a
limit to how much you can increase your compensation.
However, the main purpose of this request is to investigate a factory block in the city. The
extermination of mechanical monsters is recommended in order to stop the current
disturbance, and the reward for destroying them will be well paid. There is no need to worry
about making a loss from the cost of ammunition.
This allows Akira to use the extended magazines of expensive grenades without hesitation,
but he is getting fed up with so many of them.
If it were a biological monster, there would be some hope that the opponent would run away,
but the enemy is a mechanical monster. Even after being knocked down so many times, they
are not confused, they do not lose control, and they attack mechanically without any fear of
even their own complete destruction.
Akira let out a light sigh at the prospect of having to fight until he really runs out of stock of
security machines.
There, Elena gives instructions via communication.
Let's retreat for a moment. There's no end to this. Let's go back to the outpost.
There followed the dubious voice of Shikarabe.
Are you sure? We haven't even done much research yet, okay? I'm sure there's plenty of
ammo left over, too. ......"
Let's just say that the survey brought back information that the amount of enemy was much
higher than expected. Based on that, we have less than half the ammunition left, so it's time
to go home, then it's too late."
That's true, too. All right. Let's go back."
All right. I'm going to back away slowly. We still have the upper hand. Let's just stay calm and
kick back."
Whatever the reason, there is no difference in backing down. Elena gave instructions in a
cheerful voice so that the team's enthusiasm would not be dragged down by it.
Togami's face, however, was slightly contorted in frustration. He had not yet accomplished
anything that would allow him to recognize his own abilities. And if he left without doing so,
he was driven by a sense of frustration, as if he would be judged to be just that good.
A third party's voice echoes there.
Please help me! Please!"
The voice reached everyone via short-range general-purpose communication. While Akira
and the others were surprised, Elena calmly responded.
Who are you? Where are you talking from? Sounds like short-range communication, are you
nearby? Can you send me your location? We can't get your location from here.
I understand! I'll send it right away! Wait a minute!"
Location information is sent with a map. The map was provided to Akira and the others by
the outpost staff, indicating that the other party was also a hunter participating in the survey
of the factory block.
Elena frowned. The other party was located in a room a short distance away. The room was
connected to another corridor, from which it could be inferred that they had come from that
direction. And if we believe the information sent to us, that passageway was also filled with
reactions from mechanical monsters.
And since they could not escape from the corridor, they had to exit from the indoor side
where Akira and the others were, but there was a problem with that as well. The room was
located on the mechanical monster side of the battle line, where Akira and the crowd of
mechanical monsters were shooting at each other.
In other words, in order for Akira and his team to help their communication partners, they
must push up that front. Even though Akira and his team have the upper hand, it is easy to
lower the front, but difficult to raise it.
In addition, to push up the front, they need to abandon terrain favorable to interception and
move forward. Moreover, right now they are just after succumbing to the enemy's numbers
and deciding to retreat.
Unfortunately, we abandon them. To the extent that that option came to Elena's mind, the
subject was difficult to rescue.
I'll cover for you. Can you get over here somehow?" That position, it's tough to go directly to
help from here. ......"
I can't do it! We're really on the edge of our seats even getting here. ......"
As if to affirm the reply, countless sounds of bullets landing over the communication echoed.
Elena is even more troubled. Rescue is part of the job, and it is part of the request to tolerate
danger, but there are limits. As the leader of the team, who is responsible for the safety of the
entire team, she could not make a rash decision.
Then Togami raises his voice.
I'll go! Cover me!"
This is my last chance to show what I can do. Unconsciously thinking this, Togami was overly
enthusiastic.
Elena waits a second. Then, with no denial from Shikarabe, Drunkham decides that he has
made allowances for the damage that follows. Next, he looks at Akira. Akira nods lightly in
return.
So Elena made a decision.
I get it! All of you cover Togami! Let's get up the line and rescue the subject! Proceed quickly,
but do not rush! Good!
Roger that!"
That way! Just hold on somehow until we get there!"
I understand!"
Yes!" Forward!"
Akira and his team concentrated their firepower and pushed up the front line in support of
Togami. The temporarily mutually intensified fire shattered objects in the line of fire,
creating a path to the room where the relief target was located.

Togami pushes forward with all his might. He dismisses the sound of bullets rushing past
him as noise, and boldly advances, overpowering his fear with his will.
The risks we take and the benefits we gain. The hunter who fails to discern between the two
will be swallowed up in the wilderness and die.
Even if they are not hunters, they die out on the battlefield, on the street, in back alleys, as a
result of wrong choices.
As someone from the slums, Togami knew that much.
But I am dazzled by the gains to be gained. If our own leaders were so lost in the rescue of
their opponents that they were able to break through the difficulties and rescue them, surely
I would be able to regain my own pride. That hope is within reach if you reach for it. It was
too dazzling for Togami.
So much so that they are willing to take a gamble to get it.
With the support of Akira and others, as well as Togami's own efforts, he overcomes the
difficulty of the swarm of mechanical monsters and arrives in front of the room where he is
to be rescued. All that remained was to kick down the door and rescue the other party. The
thought made Togami's face relax.
Togami made two mistakes. One was that he was in such a hurry that he neglected to check
inside the room. The other was to assume that the enemy on the opposite side of the room,
the corridor side, was being controlled by those inside the room.
After kicking in the door, Togami's vision caught sight of a woman lying on the floor and a
mechanical monster already pointing its muzzle at him.
The muzzle of the gun meets Togami's eyes. There is no avoiding it. This understanding
prolongs the time Togami feels. But it had no other effect than to make Togami understand
his own death more deeply.
A gunshot rings out. Togami lost the bet.
The bullet that was shot out wrecked the mechanical monster that was pointing its muzzle
at Togami with a single shot.
Is ......?"
Togami was stunned for only a short time by the fact that death, which he thought he could
not escape, had overtaken him. Then a loud voice shouted from behind him.
Hurry up and get him out of there!"
It was Akira's voice. It was also Akira who destroyed the machine-based monster. He was
firing powerful bullets from behind Togami with a CWH objective assault rifle. He fired more
shots in rapid succession, destroying and checking out the other multi-legged machines in
the room.
Togami comes to his senses, lowers himself, slides into the room, grabs the woman, and
drags her halfway out of the room. Immediately thereafter, Akira quickly and dexterously
switched to an A4WM automatic grenade launcher and discharged a large number of
grenades into the room, followed by Togami and the others.
The grenades explode all at once in a place where the escape of the blast is extremely lacking.
The condensed shockwave blew the multi-engine aircraft present in the area to pieces of
wood, and the fragments, along with the blast, were ejected from the doorway of the room.
Togami ran with the woman in his arms as he heard the explosion behind him. Her face was
contorted in frustration.
Damn it. ......."
I didn't die. The woman was rescued. But we lost the bet.
He did not do it by himself. It was an achievement made possible by Akira's help in a
dangerous situation, and without his help, he would have died. Togami could not be proud
of himself.
I could not regain my pride in who I was. Overcome by this thought, Togami ran on in
frustration.
After rescuing the woman, Akira and his team had no reason to stay here any longer. Akira
and his men calmly retreated under Elena's command.

Akira and the others let out a sigh of relief when they evacuated to a safe place, although still
in the factory zone. The rescued woman bowed her head to Akira and the others there.
Thank you so much. Thanks to you, I didn't die."
No ......, glad you're safe and sound ......"
The woman was mainly thanking Togami for helping her directly. However, a dejected
Togami was unable to accept the words of gratitude and replied somewhat reluctantly.
Elena looks a little grim.
So, Monica," he said. Why were you alone? Where are the others?"
That's ......."
The woman was Monica, whom Akira had met earlier in the factory block. When Monica was
at a loss for words, Carol interrupted her in a cheerful voice.
Elena. Let's talk about the details when we get back to the outpost. We don't want to get into
trouble if you tell us that you know where the stragglers might be holed up and that we
should go help them now.
I'm sure that's true too." Let's go back first."
Elena broke off the conversation and instructed the team to move on again. Somewhat
stealthily, Monica exhaled a breath of relief, and the shikarabe looked at her suspiciously.
Carol laughs and taps Akira on the shoulder.
Akira. Let's work on the rear guard together without letting up until we get back to our base."
Hmm?" Oh."
In the process, Akira was to continue with Carol and play rear guard. The group headed for
the outpost again, with the Shikarabes in the lead, Elena and the others, Monica, and Akira in
the lineup.
On the way back, Carroll had enough time to make small talk, but kept bringing up the subject
of Monica. Akira did not realize that in this way she was making Akira's gaze naturally turn
to Monica.

Akira and his team returned safely to the outpost. When Elena informs them of their return,
the official in charge appears immediately.
I'm glad you're okay," he said. But you seem to be coming back a little early. Is there a
problem?"
I'm not sure. Also, I've rescued one of the rescuers."
Whoa! Oh yeah! Then I'll get right to it. ...... for information."
While Elena was leading the team and sharing information, Monica was looking very
uncomfortable. And at the stage of handing over the data collected by the information
collection equipment, she was also acting suspiciously.
Monica's attitude makes the staff members look a little suspicious.
I'm sorry, but we also need to know how you got separated from the people on your team.
Please provide us with a record of any horrific situations that you don't want to be reminded
of."
"............, got it."
Monica hung lightly as if in contemplation and provided the data.
The staff member tries to listen to him as he lightly analyzes the data. However, when he
browsed through the contents, his expression suddenly turned grim and he turned a hard
look at Monica.
You ......, you left the rest of them behind and ran away, didn't you?"
Monica flinched and backed away significantly. But she didn't argue.

Akira and his team, having finished their report, were not about to leave again immediately
after replenishing their ammunition, nor were they ready to call it a day, so they took a long
rest in the facility.
In the break room, which is open to staff and hunters, Akira is chatting with Elena, Sarah, and
Carol around the same table.
Elena looked difficult.
...... honestly, it's not hard to see why she did what she did."
Elena then turns her gaze to the corner of the room. Ahead of her, she saw Monica sitting
alone at a table in the corner.
Well, ......, sure, sure."
Akira also glanced at Monica and lightly agreed. This was not simply to accommodate Elena,
but because he really meant it.
Akira and the others can picture in their minds Monica's words, which seem to have been
unintentionally raised in her voice when she was attacked by the staff.
So what was I supposed to do against that amount of monsters! Are you telling me to go fight
and die with them instead of abandoning them? Are you kidding me? I'm just a mapmaker! I
usually hide and gather information! I'm not an idiot who can only push forward by force!
There's no way you can fight ......, there's no way ......
Conversely, Monica, who had been raising her voice as if she were crowding the staff, later
drooped to her knees and could only produce a gravelly voice.
The words of self-defense, which sounded selfish, seemed to be forcibly supporting a heart
that would have been crushed by guilt if he had not said so. Still, at the end, he sat down as if
he could no longer support himself.
Thinking back on the scene, Akira also makes a difficult face.
"It would be different if it was a job I took on myself, but not this time. ......
A hunter's life is at stake. Naturally, requests for hunters include the risk of death. Of course,
the client also makes the request based on this premise. That is why it is an act that raises
eyebrows when hunters abandon their work because they do not want to die.
However, this is also based on the basic premise that he accepted the request of his own
volition.
The city's long-term strategy department had virtually no right of refusal in this request, and
if they were asked to team up with people they did not know well and accept the risk of death
because it was their job, they would lose the integrity of the request. Akira agreed.
Sarah is also looking a little difficult, but Carol is smiling as if she has broken the ice. Akira
was a little concerned about that.
Carol is kind of unflappable. "Carol seems to be unperturbed, even though she's worked with
him before. Is that how it's supposed to be?"
That's the way it is, isn't it? I, too, don't want to be expected to have professionalism when I
push for a request I can't refuse. Besides, even when a team is made up of people who have
just met and are untrustworthy, it will function properly if it is operated in a reasonable
manner. This time, it was the city's fault for not coordinating.
Well, yes, but ......
Akira can understand that idea. Akira also felt that the difference in attitude between Elena
and Carol was also a difference in the level of ethics, a difference in what each of them
unconsciously considered to be natural. Akira also felt that the difference in attitude between
Elena and Carol was also a difference in the level of ethics, a difference that each of them
unconsciously considered to be natural.
Then Carol laughs at Akira.
So I'd like to continue to build a good relationship with Akira, who helped me without
abandoning me, even though we had never met before. I want him to help me again, and I
don't want him to kill me."
The escort depends on the reward."
And the other one?"
Make sure I'm not in a situation where I'm responsible for having to kill Carol."
That's not a problem.
I hope so."
I'm fine.
Akira and Carol laughed and talked about it as if it were a light joke. But there is nothing
joking about the content. Akira intends to kill Carol responsibly if that becomes necessary,
and Carol knows it.
Elena and the others know this as well. But they can't laugh like Akira and the others.
Trust is something we accumulate with others and with each other. That is why the value of
that trust is so heavy.
Others are those who cannot be trusted. Therefore, the value of that exception, the
trustworthy one, is heavy.
Those with similar and dissimilar values reflected the differences in thought and ideology on
their faces, even as they sat around the same table.

Monica sits alone at a table in the corner of the room. Her expression is dark. The way she
sighs gloomily makes it easy for the viewer to imagine what is going on in her heart.
Togami watched Monica from a table some distance away. He exhaled lightly with a difficult
expression on his face, and then, as if he had changed his mind, he returned his expression
to his normal one and stood up.
He goes straight to the vending machine to buy a drink, then takes it to Monica's table and
places the drink he just bought in front of Monica.
Monica noticed this and raised her face, which had been drooping. Togami and Monica's eyes
met. After a short pause, Togami opened his mouth.
...... Well, what the hell, I know you've been through a lot, but you're alive, so just be happy
about that."
Monica looks genuinely surprised, and Togami continues with a wry smile on his face.
I risked my life to save your life. If you're not happy that I saved your life, I'm not happy
either. Well, that's all."
Thank you. ......."
Monica laughed and bowed to Togami, albeit with an empty smile.
Togami's face hardened slightly to cover his embarrassment. Then he went straight back.
Returning to the table, Togami chuckled at the thought of having done something out of
character. However, this made him feel a little better, because it cheated him out of not being
able to help Monica on his own.
Monica watched the togami. And she was laughing heartily.

◆
After a rest, Akira and his team leave again for the factory section of the Mihazono Street
ruins.
There were a few changes to that team formation. First, Monica, Reina, Shiori, and Kanae
were added to the team. They were accompanied by two heavily reinforced suits, a Hex and
a Hound.
The main objective has also been changed from surveying the factory block to rescuing those
who are having difficulty returning home. The information obtained from Monica increased
the possibility that a large number of hunters were still holed up in the area.
The reason the city provided the hunters with a map of the factory plots in advance was not
only to make it easier for them to use them to investigate, but also to make it easier for them
to gather in the same place in case of unforeseen circumstances, such as when they were
attacked by a large number of monsters and had no chance of winning.
Even if you get separated from your companions, it is easier to meet up with them if you
decide on a meeting point in advance. It is also easier to have hope if you think that someone
might be there when you get there.
The rescuers can more efficiently help those who have difficulty returning home by focusing
their search on a specific location and its surroundings, rather than searching aimlessly in a
factory zone.
For this reason, the map distributed to us listed several suitable places to hunker down. Akira
and his group are now heading for one of them, point A89. And Monica is accompanying them
as a guide.
It was the city side that decided to accompany Monica. The city, which was having trouble
dealing with Monica, who had abandoned her team and fled alone, was trying to soften the
situation, including how to deal with her.

Monica's actions are a breach of contract. However, the fact that she was effectively thrown
out of a mandatory request, and therefore sentenced to the maximum penalty, would have
caused a lot of animosity among the hunters. This kind of story spreads fast. A lot of people
will reject the request, even if it makes enemies of the city.
But he cannot be exonerated. So we decided to ask him to go back to the place from which he
escaped. The purpose was to deter people from going back to the same battlefield they
escaped from.
This is also to keep up appearances. If they say that they ran away alone but did so in order
to call for help, they can suppress some of the antipathy of the abandoned hunters.
It is also intended to preserve the dignity of the city by stating that some people broke the
city's request, but it was not for thoughtless reasons but as a painful decision to help their
fellow citizens.
For this reason, Monica was to accompany Akira and his group, to which Elena expressed
strong reluctance.
Elena was not unaware of what Monica had done. However, it was unacceptable to have
someone who had abandoned her friends accompany her as a member of the team, both
emotionally and in terms of crisis management as a team leader.
However, it is difficult for Elena to refuse a request from the city with a single word, "No. So
she came up with a counterproposal.
I am very concerned about the strength of the team if I have to add a clear liability to the
team who is running away on his own. If you insist on adding him to the team, please provide
enough personnel to compensate for this after explaining the circumstances to the other
party. That is what I demanded.
It would be difficult even for a city to prepare such a person in a short time. And it's a fair
request. The story will now be put to rest. Elena decided so.
As if to demonstrate the correctness of his decision, the city official who heard Elena's
request simply replied that he would consider it with a difficult look on his face, and once
removed himself from the negotiating table.
But contrary to Elena's expectations, the city provided the manpower. That was Raina and
her team.

Drangkam has been actively involved in the operation to settle the disturbances at the
Mihazono Street ruins, at the request of the city of Kugamayama. He strongly requested the
participation of his hunters, unless they were out of town on other requests.
Naturally, Reyna was also asked to participate. However, Shioli was concerned for Reina's
safety and refused for whatever reason.
However, the pressure to participate gradually intensified. Finally, they even smell expulsion
from Drunkham. For various reasons, Reyna and the others need to belong to Drunkham,
and Shioli has no choice but to make a decision.
Drangkam's main battleground is the urban section of the Mihazono Street site. It is also
strongly involved in the blockade of the area around the Serantar Building by dispatching
Katsuya's troops.
For Shiori, however, the Celantar Building was a dangerous place that even Akira did not
want to go near. It was unacceptable to send Reina to such a place. However, there were
reports of fierce fighting going on in the factory zone as well, which also made things difficult.
As Shioli wonders what to do, a request arrives from the city via Drunkum to join Akira and
his team. Although Shioli frowned when she heard the circumstances, she chose the latter
between a place that even Akira was reluctant to go near and the place where he was located.

The new team is a combination of three teams: Akira and his team, Elena and her team, and
the Shikarabes. Monica and Raina have joined the team, but it is still a joint team of three
teams. Reyna and her team joined the team of the Chicarabees as the team of the Drangkamu.
Monica was then added to Akira's team. This has punitive implications. When the city found
out that Carroll, who had been hired by Akira, had stated that Akira would kill him if
necessary, they had Monica added to the team under the same conditions.
Akira made it clear to Monica, as well as Carol, that if they harmed Elena and her family, they
would be responsible for killing them. Monica nodded with a frightened look on her face.
The two accompanying heavy reinforcement suits are separate. They have powerful
firearms, but due to their size, they cannot enter the factory, so their job is to proceed
together outdoors and send Akira and the others to the side of the building where the A89
point is located.
We do not know how many hunters are at point A89 and the amount of enemy is unknown.
There is a fear that it may be difficult for Akira and his team to send those who are having
difficulty returning home to the outpost alone. Even so, it would be relatively easy to reach
the outside of the building, and the heavy reinforcement uniforms would take care of the
outdoor fighting.
And if the enemy is so powerful that even with the firepower of these two heavily reinforced
suits, the objective building cannot be reached, the operation is to be radically changed.
The result of the last-minute conversion of forces to prevent irritating the factory section by
dispatching extra forces were these two heavily reinforced suits, the Hex and Hound aircraft.
Akira and his team departed from the outpost with a much larger team than last time.

Some time after Akira and his team left the outpost, a severely wounded hunter appears near
the base. He was covered in blood and one of his arms was shredded. His body was already
unable to walk on its own, and he had managed to get there by forcibly supporting himself
with his malfunctioning reinforced clothes.
A security guard notices this and rushes over to the hunter, who is about to collapse.
Hey! Are you okay? Stay with me! This is F4! We found a wounded man who seems to have
escaped from the factory block! He's dying!"
The security personnel made the call as they proceeded with first aid. A backup unit arrived
shortly after and carried the hunter man into the base.
During the transport, the man appealed to those around him with an awareness that he was
about to disappear.
"That woman ......, that man ...... his friends."
Don't talk! You're hurting my feelings!"
The man continued to desperately appeal while vomiting blood. However, due to his severe
injuries and muddled consciousness, as well as his muffled voice, his message was barely
audible.
"That mapmaker is ...... and he's got everyone at ......."
In an attempt to stop the man from continuing to talk, the medical team managed to guess
the content from the words they heard.
We are aware that a mapmaker named Monica has caused numerous casualties! Is that what
this is about?"
Hearing this, the man laughed slightly. Then, having loosened up with relief, he went straight
into unconsciousness.

The staff member in charge of the situation at the ruins at the outpost is receiving a report
from his subordinate about the hunter who was just brought in.
And how is he?
He is in stable condition. "His injuries are so severe that it will take him some time to wake
up.
I see. First of all, let's be glad that you are safe. He is a valuable survivor. Don't let him die.
When he wakes up, please ask him for more information. He may have information about
other survivors.
I understand.
After the subordinates left, the staff member read the report that was sent to him and tilted
his head lightly.
'Initial report is from security at point F4, ......, not at point F1? Why?"
If the return route is set to take the shortest distance from the factory block to the outpost,
the man will be found at point F1, not at point F4. Even if for some reason the route is slightly
altered along the way, it will not be at point F4.
In order to be first spotted at F4, the return route had to be radically altered. It was necessary
to change the route so much that they had to go around the area of the map provided
beforehand.
The staff wondered about this, but since they had been informed that the man was in good
condition, they decided that they could ask him about the circumstances after he woke up.
Episode ruined

Akira and his team were moving through the factory zone toward point A89, where a large
number of hunters were believed to be holed up.
The route of travel is a bit circuitous because it avoids the interior of the building, which is
inaccessible to the two heavily reinforced suits accompanying the aircraft. However, the
movement itself is going extremely well. They were crushing the enemies they encountered
with the powerful firearms of their heavy-armored uniforms and moving forward at a
leisurely pace.
The right arm of the Hex aircraft is a large-caliber machine gun from the elbow onward. Using
bullets supplied from a huge magazine carried on the aircraft's back, it can unleash a barrage
of bullets like a storm. A swarm of small multirole aircraft was engulfed by the storm and
obliterated in the blink of an eye.
The left arm of the hound plane is a large cannon. Because it was outdoors, the hound also
encountered the large multi-legged tank that attacked Akira and his team the other day, but
without exception it was blown up spectacularly after being hit by the hound's cannon.
Akira was amazed at the way the two aircraft fought.
Hmmm. Great. That's why it's not so easy to get them to go out."
It's an aircraft for urban defense, you know. If it can't do that, it's not worth talking about, is
it?
...... Oh, yeah."
Kanae did not mind at all Akira's not-so-affectionate attitude. Even when she receives a
quizzical look from him, she conversely returns it with a teasing smile.
Whoa?" Akira boy. Are you so curious, staring at my body so intently? You must be around
my age."
No, it's not.
You don't have to hide it. I don't mind."
No," he said. I'm not hiding it."
That's right. I have a woman with me dressed like that, so there's no way to hide it.
The woman was, of course, Carol, and Akira could not argue with her when she pointed this
out.
I don't care about that." ...... More importantly, why isn't Kanae armed? Where's your gun?"
Uh, I'm not very good with guns."
No, you're not good at ......, is that what this is about?"
Akira looked increasingly dubious, but Kanae didn't mind at all.
It's okay. The proof is that neither the young lady nor Miss.
I think they just think it's useless to say it. Akira thought so, but decided not to say it.
He also recalled that he could at least fight to the extent that he would not be forced to carry
a gun by force from Sioli, who was so concerned about Reina, and avoided any unnecessary
interjections.
...... Well, get the job done."
I'm okay with that, too. I am a person who does my job well. I don't take it so easy that it's
okay to make mistakes as long as I do my job diligently.
I'm guessing it's ......."
That is why Kanae is allowed to have this attitude. It is proof that Kanae has achieved that
much and has that much ability. Akira thought so and found Kanae's explanation convincing.
I'll tell you something. My job is to protect the young lady, so please don't expect me to help
the Akira boy. Please understand.
In fact, Kanae had declared that she was Reina's escort, that she would not assist in the rescue
operation, and that if necessary, she would abandon everyone else and run away with Reina.
I'm not going to mess around with that, as long as Elena is satisfied.
And Elena tolerated it too.
Raina and the other three are treated as a single person in terms of strength. If Kanae's
portion is subtracted, there are two, but Shioli is ultimately in the same position as Kanae.
And Reina's ability is one step lower than the others. The overall strength of Reina and Shioli
and the others combined was considered to be one man's worth.
This also means that the contract is treated as one man's equivalent in terms of strength.
Therefore, the remuneration is also equal to one person.
Shioli fights normally with Reina, and Kanae fights to protect Reina. The overall strength of
the three, including Reina herself, exceeds that of one of the stones, even with Akira and the
others as the standard. Therefore, Reyna and the others are doing work that is not worth the
cost.
Elena, too, was satisfied with the explanation, saying that although she had her own opinion
on the matter, there was no doubt that it was an increase in strength, and that she had gained
more strength than she had hoped for.
Also, by treating Siori and his team as members of Sicarabe's team, Sicarabe, or Drangkam,
would be responsible for any problems that might arise, which Elena had to approve.
Akira was well aware of Sioli's strength, having fought with her before, and was able to
welcome her addition, even with Reina and Kanae included. If Elena had allowed it on top of
that, he had no complaints even if Kanae was slacking off.
Well, do what you want. Also, you can ditch us all you want, but if you use me or Elena-san
or anyone else as bait, I'll kill you."
Roger that.
Kanae laughed and answered Akira's warning. So Akira interpreted the warning as having
been correctly conveyed.
In fact, the warning was correctly conveyed. However, even Kanae could not read the quip
to the extent that Akira thought it would be fun to kill each other with Akira at that time.

Reyna managed to lift her head up with clenched teeth, as if she would have fallen to the
ground if she was not careful. Her head, filled with melancholy, was extremely heavy. She
looked very unhappy because she was holding it up with all her might.
But that's just skinny-dipping. Reyna was just barely holding on to the feeling that she was
the only one who was slowing down the team.
Reina notices Togami's gaze. And from her gaze, she senses something more than simply
looking at him, and unintentionally turns a sullen eye on Togami.
"...... what?"
Oh, no, it's nothing.
............, yes."
Reyna gritted her teeth and could only manage that brief reply.
If I let my emotions get the better of me at this point, I would revert back to my old self. I
would be back to the fool who had attacked Akira without imagining the consequences and
had driven Akira and Shioli to the brink of killing each other because of it. I don't want that.
With this strong desire, I restrained myself.
Still, that doesn't erase the cause of the need for such strong self-control. Reyna takes deep,
slow breaths to calm the emotions that have welled up.
(...... Calm down. The fact is that I am a liability. Nothing I say will change that. So accept it
first.)
Reyna evilly assumed that the way Togami looked at her was an accusation of foot-dragging.
(I know you're probably thinking, "Why the hell do I have to fight and protect this loser just
because I'm under orders from the top," but I don't blame you for thinking that.)
Ranting and raving will not make things better. The energy that is wasted in raising one's
voice must be used with the will to change the situation. Reyna told herself that, and she was
motivated to do so.
(So look back. We do the best we can, even if it's a drag. I didn't need an escort. First of all,
make them think so. That is the best I can do at the moment. Do it!)
Raina gets into the swing of things. She expelled the sullenness from her own expression and
filled her face with motivation.
But that motivation was a bit empty.
The two heavy reinforced suits are accompanying Akira and his team to deal with the large
number of mechanical monsters and other items that caused Akira and his team to retreat
last time, not to escort them. Also, if there are a lot of enemies, there will be some leakage.
Akira and his team can deal with a small number of enemies by themselves, and they are
aware of this. The same is true for Reina.
However, Reyna was so focused on her enthusiasm that she neglected to pay attention to her
surroundings.
And just at that moment, there was a multi-legged aircraft lying on the side of Reina, which
was halfway damaged and malfunctioning due to a few leaks that the accompanying aircraft
had failed to knock out. More unluckily, the aircraft temporarily regained its functionality,
and it started to move and tried to point its muzzle at Reyna.
Raina also noticed it. But her reaction was fatally delayed.
(Shit! ......!)
Reyna had also tried to point a gun at her opponent the moment she noticed it. However, by
that time, Reyna herself already understood that it would not be in time.
And as demonstrated by her talent high enough to recognize that it was already too late in
that instant, Reyna's evasion and counterattack did not come in time.
However, Reyna survived without any problems. Kanae, who had leapt to the top of the
aircraft in an instant, crushed the aircraft that tried to attack Reina.
After Kanae finishes her escort duties, she returns to Akira as if nothing had happened.
So, as I was saying, Miss spoiled the young lady and we're at the ruins ......."
No, don't come back, stay by Rayna's side. It was close, wasn't it?"
No, no, no, no, Akira boy. What are you talking about? I could have made it in time. I have not
heard any complaints from Miss. She even went out of her way to delay the interception to
make sure I was doing my job properly.
Kanae was smiling well. Akira glanced toward Reina and saw Shiori waiting by Reina's side,
lightly satisfied that she was right.
The conversation reached Reyna's ears. Reina involuntarily looked at Shioli. Since she was
not asked out loud, Shioli returned silent.
In fact, Sioli dared to wait. If Reina was able to handle the situation on her own, that was fine.
If Kanae was late, she would deal with it herself, and on that basis, she would reprimand
Kanae to work a little more diligently. That was the intention.
Otherwise, mechanical monsters such as the one just mentioned would have been destroyed
by Shioli before Reina realized what was happening.
Reina was trembling with rage at her blunder. No need for an escort. First of all, I will make
them think so. As soon as she made up her mind to do so, she was furious and devastated at
her own stupidity in ruining that opportunity.
Stuffed with more depression, Reyna's head was even heavier. Still, Reyna looked ahead. She
would not be discouraged by this level of depression. She told herself that, and gritted her
teeth.

Reyna had been giving Togami a bad name, but he had no intention of doing so. Certainly,
judging from the team's overall abilities, he thought it was inevitable that Reyna would be
regarded as a liability, but he did not feel dissatisfied or uncomfortable with Reyna.
In fact, he even had a certain fondness for it. It was because of a sense of familiarity that he
and Raina were the only ones who were slowing down the team.
If Reina was elated by this, Togami was also displeased, wondering what her attitude was,
even though she had joined the team with an escort and was a liability.
However, Reyna does not have a trace of such an atmosphere. On the contrary. She did not
join the team because she wanted to, and even though she knew she was a liability, she still
tried to do her best in her own way, and I could sense a kind of tragic determination in her.
Togami saw Reina's image as a mirror of his own.
So I was somehow looking at Reyna, but she noticed me and gave me a hard look. Togami
also does not know what is in Reyna's heart. He interpreted it on his own and laughed.
(You hate ....... Well, of course. I was that kind of guy.)
In fact, previously Togami disliked Reina. Although she was a young hunter in Drangkam like
himself, Reina lived not in a dormitory but inside a protective wall and even had a maid to
accompany her. He felt uncomfortable because he thought she was making fun of the
hunter's occupation.
However, such trivial matters were not important to Togami now. He was too busy regaining
his former self-confidence to worry about the economic circumstances of others.
This removes unconscious bias from the togami. Togami is then able to look at Reina
dispassionately.
Reina, seen through eyes that had been stripped of the arrogance that comes from
overconfidence, was not an obnoxious rich girl with an escort making a living as a hunter for
pleasure, but just a girl trying desperately to fight against something.
(I live inside the wall. I bet he's rich. ...... but well, there must be some circumstances)
After it was decided that Reina and her friends would accompany her, Togami was instructed
by Shikarabe to escort Reina behind the scenes.
Togami can at least guess the reason for this instruction. The safer Reina is, the less effort
Shiori will have to devote to guarding her, and even if Togami concentrates on protecting
Reina, the efficiency of the team as a whole will increase.
Even if the instructions are reasonable, Togami is dissatisfied if the instructions are to
protect an unsavory rich person. However, if the instructions were to protect the current
Reina, he was not particularly dissatisfied. In fact, he was even willing to do his best.
If Shioli will be able to fight to the best of her ability by protecting Reina, then that is a solid
accomplishment. It would mean that Shioli, who is clearly superior to Reina in terms of
ability, would recognize my ability and say that there would be no problem entrusting me to
guard Reina. Thinking this, Togami was determined to protect Reina.
However, one's spirit is not the only thing that can be managed. Togami was unable to react
immediately to the mechanical monster that suddenly moved and targeted Reina.
And neither Kanae, who fought them off, nor Shiori, who was in a position to protect and
defend Reina, blamed Togami at all. Shikarabe, too, only let out a small sigh and said nothing.
This devastated Togami. He is gutted that his own blunder was not even recognized as a
blunder.
Still, Togami was not deterred.
(............ not yet! I'm still not sure about me. ......!)
Togami looks forward with his remaining willpower. Even if he is a liability, it is no reason
to stop moving forward. With this strong desire, he did not stop.

Akira and his team arrived at their destination, a factory named Building A for convenience.
Elena activates an enemy mover by shooting it from near the building's loading door toward
the interior. Then, mechanical monsters began to spring out of the building one after another.
If Akira and his team had encountered this herd in the factory without calling in the enemy
here, they would have been forced to consume a large amount of ammunition, making
subsequent searches more difficult.
But now there are still two heavily reinforced suits on their side. Instead, we had them
kicking around and mass-producing mountains of scrap metal with overwhelming
firepower.
After a while, the enemy reinforcements stopped. Elena shot out the enemy mishap aircraft
once more and still made sure that no additions appeared from within.
I'm going to go to ...... and see what I can find. Looks like you're doing okay."
Elena looks at the Hex and Hound planes.
I'm off then. You secure this place until we come back."
Elena's call is answered by the Hex and Hound aircraft via external microphones.
I'm not sure I'll be able to do it. I'll take care of it."
If you are in danger, come right back. If you get attacked by a big herd inside, just run back
here and we'll kick your ass.
I'd really appreciate it then."
Elena responds with a light laugh, and then turns her face to Akira and the others as the team
leader.
I'm going to enter building A and head for point A89. The number of enemies in the building
should be reduced considerably, but don't let your guard down. We have a map, but don't be
overconfident. There is a possibility that the passage is blocked for some reason. Be very
careful. Okay?"
Beginning with Akira, who nodded vigorously, the others returned their understanding.
Elena nodded in satisfaction.
"...... Okay! Then we're off!"
At Elena's command, Akira and his team rushed into the factory.
The interior of Building A was in a brand-new condition, except for the traces of battle that
were everywhere. This means that the factory is still in operation and the automatic
restoration function is still functioning. Akira and his team hurriedly but carefully proceeded
onward.
Along the way, the shikarabe growled with some difficulty. Elena wonders about that.
Shikarabe." What's wrong?"
No, I didn't see any dead bodies lying around."
...... Sure, I was a little concerned about that myself."
Akira now wonders when he sees that Elena has also started to roar with him.
...... Um, Elena. Should I be concerned about that? This site is still working, and I thought it
was just the factory's automated cleaning system or something that cleaned it up. ......"
The shikarabe interjects and captures it.
I've been thinking about it, but something about it just doesn't feel right." It's not for me, and
neither is Elena."
Bloodstains have been found many times. There are also pieces of destroyed mechanical
monsters lying around. There are bullet holes in the walls. From these, it is certain that
hunters fought here.
And considering the amount of blood loss, one can imagine that there must have been many
seriously injured. No wonder there were so many deaths.
But the bodies are not lying anywhere. It seems unnatural.
I can at least come up with a way to make it add up," he said. Maybe the ruins' automated
cleaning system cleaned them up, like you said. Or maybe the dead and wounded were all
brought there somehow by my colleagues. There are many possibilities. But ......"
I can also come up with a counter-argument to that addendum. Why did the automatic
cleaning function only clean up the bodies and not the bloodstains? The war must have been
so bad that Monica abandoned her team and ran away. It would have been impossible to
carry out all the casualties. It could be any number of things.
And the same can be said for the way they add up. There are many possibilities.
But none of it feels right. I don't think they did. My own intuition says, no. That made the
shikarabe growl.
Elena was snarling for the same reason. As a leader, you can't just say, "That's strange.
But as a team leader, I cannot decide to withdraw for that reason. It bothers me and makes
me feel uncomfortable, but it is too weak a reason to retreat.
At the very least, we had to be sure of the situation at point A89, and even whether the rescue
targets were really holed up there.
Elena tells them to Akira and then naturally asks.
...... Hey Akira. Is there anything on your mind Akira?"
Is it me?" No, not particularly. ......"
......, yes."
Elena is mildly relieved to see Akira shaking his head normally.
Akira spotted a Yarata scorpion mimicking a wall in the underground area of the Kuzuthara
Street ruins. He also found the Yonozuka Station ruins buried underground. This Akira did
not think anything of it. Then the concern I had learned was probably just overthinking
things.
Elena made this judgment and, recognizing that the situation was somewhat puzzling,
decided to suspend her speculation and continue on her way.

A bulkhead blocking the passage blocked Akira and his team's progress through the factory.
Monica, who was accompanying them as a guide, suggested an alternative path, but Elena
was reluctant to take it.
'That route would take me quite a long way around, is there another way?'
I'm sorry. ......"
...... so." I wanted to go the shortest distance possible so that I could meet up with the heavily
reinforced suits waiting outside in case something went wrong, but I guess I had no choice."
Then Kanae interjects.
Why don't we just tear it down and move on?"
If only it were that easy to break. A wall of an active archaeological site? It's not that easy to
break. I'm sure I could break it if I tried, but I'm not sure I'd expend the ammunition to do
so."
Oh, well, I'll take care of it."
Kanae then stood in front of the bulkhead. Then she takes a stance with her right arm drawn
backward in a wide arc.
In the next instant, a fist with the full physical capacity produced by the reinforced innerwear
slammed into the bulkhead. The impact of the blow, the output of which exceeded that of
ordinary reinforced clothing, was concentrated on a single point using superior fighting
techniques, and exceeded the strength of the wall manufactured using the technology of the
old world.
Light scatters from the contact surface. It was impact-converted light, proof that the
bulkhead was protected by force-field armored force field armor. Kanae's blow penetrated
even that defense and shattered the bulkhead.
Elena is surprised and at the same time surprised by its power.
I'm impressed. But was it good? You signed a contract not to help us, didn't you?"
I'm the one who has to carry your daughter away in case something happens. I just destroyed
the things that would get in the way first.
That's what I meant. Well, that helps."
Whatever the case, it makes no difference that the obstacle is gone. Akira and his team
maintained their original route of travel and moved on.
As Akira walks away, he thinks back to the scene he just witnessed.
I'm not sure I'd like to be a part of this. Kanae broke the wall earlier, do you think I can do
that?"
If you mean at this point, then no.
Can Alpha support you?"
'The performance of the equipment is different. And her equipment has an anti-force field
armor force field armor feature for combat. Akira's reinforced suit doesn't have this feature.
Even with my support, it's impossible to add a function that doesn't exist in the first place.
I see. My equipment is still not up to par.
That's what I mean. Don't be satisfied with this level, we need to get better equipment.'
Akira had once brought down a building in the wilderness that was still standing, albeit in a
half-destroyed state, using the physical capabilities of his reinforced clothing. Kanae easily
accomplished what Akira could not.
No wonder they enter the ruins without a good gun. Akira was convinced of this and
reaffirmed the importance of equipment.
After proceeding for a while, the bulkhead again blocked the way of Akira and his group.
Monica interrupted Elena, who was about to ask Kanae for help again.
'Um, I don't think you can hit this thing with quicksand and break it, can you?'
As Monica pointed out, the next bulkhead had a sturdier appearance than the previous one.
Although the appearance of the wall does not necessarily correspond to the output of the
force field armor force field armor, the thick metal wall looks sturdy enough to be seen.
Kanae taps lightly on the bulkhead.
It sure looks sturdier than the last one.
Yes, it is." So here's a detour: ......"
So now Shiori moves forward.
Then I'll take it from here. I don't want Kanae to continue doing something outside of our
contract."
Shioli then stood in front of the wall, gripped her sword and assumed the stance of iai. She
then pulled the blade out of its scabbard with great force.
A slash runs down the wall. In the blink of an eye, they ran through multiple layers, drawing
lines of light on the bulkheads, trails of impact-converted light.
Eventually the light goes out. At first glance, there is no change in the bulkhead. However, as
soon as Shioli finishes delivering the sword, the cut wall begins to shift as if it finally realizes
that it has been cut, and then it collapses.
Akira makes a light exclamation.
He said, "Oh, great. Hm? Is that sword, by any chance, Old World?"
No, it's modern.
"Made in Hyundai or ......"
Akira is interested in Shiori's sword, which is different from blades made in the old world,
where the word "range" can be applied despite the quirkiness of the blade, but the sharpness
itself seems comparable.
...... so even I could buy one if I wanted to?"
This in itself is not a commercially available product, so it will be difficult."
Oh, yeah."
However, there are commercially available products of similar performance.
I see. ......."
We may consider purchasing them when we procure our next equipment. Akira thought as
he looked with amusement at the brilliantly cut surfaces of the thick bulkhead fragments.
Monica saw the same thing. She let her gaze become very stern, but only for a moment.

Akira and his team proceeded through the factory, clearing out the bulkheads that stood in
their way, until they reached point A89. It was a warehouse inside the factory. It was suitable
for a siege, but if the passageway was blocked by enemy troops, escape would be difficult,
and it was an evacuation site that would require a rescue team to come and rescue them.
The aisles are deserted, with only pieces of multi-legged aircraft lying around. And there are
no bodies to be seen.
Akira and his team open the door to the warehouse with alarm. But there were no hunters
waiting to be rescued. What was there was the wreckage of a destroyed multi-legged
machine, a broken simple barrier for personal mobility, and hunters lying on the floor.
Elena's face contorts in disappointment.
I guess it was too late. ...... I'm so sorry."
Shikarabe also showed disappointment on her face. But he quickly changed his mind.
Togami. Just in case, make sure everyone is alive or dead. Shake them lightly and call out to
them. If they are in suspended animation mode, that might wake them up.
I understand.
If no one wakes up, get ready to take them all out. This time there are still bodies. There
might be some seriously wounded among them."
When she saw that Togami had started working, Reina tried to help her as well. However,
Kanae grabbed her shoulder and stopped her. When Reina turned around, Kanae was smiling
as usual and Shioli looked apologetic.
Miss. I will do it. So, I'm sorry. ......"
Shiori and his group stopped Reyna because she had been taken hostage in a similar situation
before. It was because Reyna had approached him carelessly out of the goodness of her heart,
trying to wake up a man who had collapsed.
Of course, the situation is quite different now than it was then. The attitude of Shioli and the
others is much more overprotective. Still, Reyna, as the one who had acted out the blunder,
maturely followed the instructions.
I'm going to go to ...... and see if I can find anything. Okay. Please do."
Reina goes next to Kanae and Shiori goes to help Togami instead.
Beside her, Monica was surprised to see the hunters. Unconsciously, she mutters.
Why ......"
Akira wonders when he hears that muttering.
Why, what's so weird about that?"
"......No, I mean, I was wondering why this is the only ....... I abandoned them and fled, and I
can't say that I'm surprised, but I'm sure the war wasn't that bad. I figured that, despite the
casualties, more than half of them would be able to escape to Point A89."
I said, "Oh, I didn't know that. Then you don't mean you ran to another shelter?"
I'm sure you're right." ...... I hope so."
Monica said and smiled a little sadly, as if she was forcing a smile.

Verification of the warehouse is underway. No survivors have been found yet.

Elena was unsure of her next move. One option was to take the hunters back here alive or
dead, as Shikarabe had suggested. But there was also the option of heading to another refuge.
（Which is better? We got here without a battle, so we have enough ammunition left. (Maybe
better to look for other survivors than to carry their corpses?)
It was a strange situation: until we came to point A89, we had seen everywhere traces of
heavy fighting that probably resulted in casualties, but we had not seen any dead bodies at
all.
However, it was here, at point A89, that the body was finally found, albeit with unfortunate
results. From the situation, it can be judged that the hunters here had been confronted with
the mechanical monsters that had attacked here.
This raises the possibility that the reason no bodies have been found so far is because the
others managed to escape to another evacuation site.
The idea that it would be better to go to that rescue, then, was growing stronger in Elena's
mind.
(We want to help you if we can. ....... I should discuss this with Monica and decide where to
search next. I'd like to connect with the outpost via comms and ask for a decision, but they
don't connect.)
The two heavily armed suits that accompanied them to the front of Building A also served as
relays for communications with the outpost. As a result, communications between the
outpost and the heavily-armored suits were maintained even under the mild communication
problems occurring in the factory section.
And since Akira and his team managed to maintain communication from the factory to the
heavily reinforced suit, they should be able to contact the outpost via those two planes. In
fact, the two aircraft were connected up to the halfway point.
However, the connection was not connected when Akira and his team reached near the A89
point.
(I underestimated it a little bit because it was still connected to the main line of traffic,
although it was in the middle of the ruins. But then, I wasn't in a situation to turn back. ......)
Elena thinks about it, then shakes her head lightly to the side and changes her mind, saying
that it is no use regretting it now.
It was then. Togami raised his voice.
There's a guy who woke up!"
Elena rushed to the spot. Akira and the others followed.
But only Monica continued to stand there with a very surprised look on her face and a slightly
stern expression on her face.

The man who woke up, Aegio, was a prosthetic man, missing from the chest down and his
left arm. He woke up when he was called to the hospital, but he showed signs of
bewilderment as he had no idea what was going on.
Is this ......?"
I'll be fine. Don't worry. I'm here to help you.
Elena laughed and explained the situation lightly, reassuring the other party. Hearing this,
Aegio's expression relaxed as if he too had regained his composure.
I didn't realize that. ....... Thanks. I wasn't sure how long I could keep it in suspended
animation mode. Thanks for the help."
You're welcome. Can we at least talk for a while in this state? I need you to tell me what
happened and where other survivors might be."
I understand. We're the unit sent to investigate Building A. ......"
When Aegio said that much, his eyes widened and he stopped speaking. Then his face
scrunched up as if he were frightened.
What's wrong?" Are you okay?"
What's he doing at ......? Don't tell me you guys are with him!
Monica stood at the end of Aegio's line of sight. Shikarabe guessed from there and quieted
Aegio.
Calm down," he said. We know she abandoned you. The only reason she's on the team is to
punish you for abandoning her by guiding you all the way here.
But Aegio only strengthened his puzzlement.
"Abandoned ......? What are you ...... saying?"
You say, "...... not the same? Then what is ......"
Shikarabe also became dubious. Both of us were puzzled, but still we knew that there was
some fatal discrepancy between our perception and that of the other.
Elena also asks a serious question to the man, with alarm on her face.
You know her, don't you? What happened between you and her?"
Oh, he's ......, he's ......!"
Aegio responded by pointing to Monica with his remaining right hand.

A hunter who was brought to the outpost's infirmary in a near-death state woke up. The staff
member in charge of the report interviewed the man.
I'm glad you're okay. I'm sorry to hear that you woke up so soon, but I'd like to talk to you.
I'm sorry to say that I'd like to talk to you as soon as you wake up, but I don't know enough
about you to wake you up.
I'm going to go to the office and ask for the money. But first, tell me one thing. What happened
to that Monica guy? You've already got the word out about him at ......, right?"
The man remembered confirming that much when he was being carried away in a hazy,
dazed consciousness.
Oh," he said. We're aware of it."
I see. ......." Good. ......."
The man let out a deep breath of relief.
So what happened to that guy?"
She's now part of the rescue team in Building A, guiding them to the site.
"............ eh?"
Those short words accurately described the man's heart.
The staff member wonders about the man's attitude, but continues to explain.
The guiding role also serves as a punishment. It is also an example that if you abandon your
team and run away alone, you will only be returned to that war zone again. ...... what's up?"
The confused man heard this and shuddered in fright. Then he shouts.
No! He didn't abandon us! My people were killed by that woman!"
What?
The loudness of the staff member's voice was a clear indication that the story was so
unexpected.
◆

Akira and his team went to the site to help hunters who were believed to be holed up at point
A89 in the factory block, but were told something unexpected by Aegio, a survivor who was
there.
"Oh, he's ......, he's ......! He's the one who attacked us! They didn't abandon us! They tried to
kill us along with the monsters here!"
Akira and the others involuntarily look at Monica. Monica looked terribly surprised, but
immediately shook her head widely to the side.
I'm going to go to "...... eh? ...... No, sir! I did no such thing! It is too much to lie like that, no
matter how much I have abandoned you and run away!"
There were certainly those who were panicked by the sudden imposition of unexpected false
accusations.
Elena's face turns grim. As the leader of the team, I have to deal with this, but I am lost.
(It doesn't look like an act. ....... If this is acting, it's a big deal. Besides, the other guy has a
motive to lie. Monica almost left him to die. I'm sure there's some resentment there.)
Elena continues to speculate.
In the first place, they learned that Monica had abandoned the other hunters when the city
pointed out to them that she had abandoned them. The basis for this was the data provided
by Monica, which was analyzed by the city. And that data was collected by information-
gathering equipment. It is highly objective. At least, it is higher than the argument here.
(......It is true that Monica is the provider of that data, but it must have been difficult to falsify
or tamper with that kind of data. It's not the same as simply corrupting the data.)
I can't do it. Elena thinks so, but continues to speculate.
(...... Is it possible for a cartographer who is used to dealing with that kind of data? But does
that mean it can be falsified to a level that would cheat the city's verification? (If they had
that much falsifiable technology, wouldn't they have left a record of abandoning other
hunters in the first place?)
One can suspect that the data was intentionally falsified for some reason. But it is also true
that you can doubt as much as you want to doubt.
(He said Monica tried to kill us with the monsters here, but when we saved her, she was being
attacked by a bunch of those security machines. (hmmm ......)
There is a discrepancy between Aegio's explanation and our own situation. Elena was rather
skeptical. It is not normal to fight together with mechanical monsters. Because of this, she
unconsciously turned her gaze of suspicion toward Aegio.
Do you have any proof of your story?"
Aegio looks overtly impatient.
You may say, "Well, it's proof, ......, but it's true! Lies!"
I was wondering if you have any data on intelligence-gathering equipment that you could
show me? There may be reasons why we can't give it to you without the city's permission
because the city has contractual ownership of the data, or because it contains sensitive team
information, or because it's private, and we won't force you to do it. ......"
Whatever the reason, if you can't present something that can serve as evidence, your story
is not credible. Aegio sighs with a grim look on his face after being told so implicitly.
You say, "I'm sorry ......, but I can't give you the data. But what I said is true. I'm not asking
you to believe me, but I gave you my advice."
Once that was said, it was difficult for Elena to question him further. She became more
concerned about the situation, which increased her anxiety.
Then someone interrupted. Akira.
Why can't you give it to me?"
Akira's tone was light, as if he were asking a simple question, and somewhat lacking in
tension. At least, it was not directed at the person who suddenly denounced a member of his
team without any evidence.
Aegio is a little off kilter with it, but answers the question with the attitude that he doesn't
understand such things.
I'm still a serious hunter. Sure, if I give them the data, they might trust me. On the other hand,
if I don't give them the data, they might consider me a potential adversary and leave me here
to die.
Then Aegio's tone intensifies slightly.
But I'm not willing to divulge information for that kind of risk. Don't compare me with those
less than third-rate scum who will blabber on and on about anything to save their lives.
Oooooh."
Akira nodded with conviction and admiration on his face and in his voice.
Seeing Akira's attitude, Aegio was further thrown off kilter. He captures it in a subtle,
embarrassed way.
I'd like to add a reason: "...... Well, it's not as if I'm supposed to give you the data and you're
supposed to trust me. It could be that the logs from the information collection equipment are
not accurate enough, and they didn't know what they were looking for. I'm not sure I'm
willing to give them the data, considering that risk.
Akira nodded his head in agreement again.
Elena and her colleagues chuckled at Akira's somewhat amateurish appearance.
Togami looked a little taken aback. He thought that he had to ask that level of question to
understand, and temporarily forgot about his mixed feelings of jealousy and envy toward
Akira.
But that slightly relaxed air soon disappeared as Akira's serious face turned serious.
I'll check. Is it true what you said about Monica attacking you? Answer me."
......, it's true."
In response to Akira's serious attitude, Aegio also responded seriously.
Alpha."
It's probably true. But I'm a prosthetic, so I can't say for sure.
I see."
Akira looks at Monica. There was already a strong sense of caution toward Monica.
I'll check. Is it true that you didn't attack this guy? Answer me."
Wait a minute! You believed him? Of course he couldn't give us the data, because there was
no such data from the beginning. ......
Answer me."
Interrupted by Akira's strong tone, Monica closed her mouth once. Then she answered
clearly with a serious face.
I didn't attack him.
Alpha."
Unbelievable!
As soon as he heard Alpha's reply, Akira's eyes turned from looking at Monica to looking at
his enemy.
Lie or ......"
At the same time, Akira's attention changed from being on the lookout for suspicious people
to being on the lookout for the enemy, even to the point of being on the verge of war.
Monica steps back and shakes her head broadly.
Wait a minute! Why do you have to assume it's a lie! It's not a lie! It's true!"
Akira ignored Monica's appeal. Instead, he began a final check.
One more thing. Are you our enemy? Answer me."
If they do not answer, they are deemed to have affirmed. Needless to say, Akira said so every
single time.
If Akira was here on his own, this question was unnecessary. Monica lied to them and
attacked the other hunters, but they may not be the enemy. Such an almost improbable slight
possibility is not something Akira would normally check.
The reason for this essentially unnecessary confirmation work is that Akira is working as a
team with Elena and her team. Akira's finger on the trigger, light enough to shoot hostiles
without hesitation, was now only slightly heavier.
Monica, who has not yet been shot thanks to this, looks at Elena and the others for help with
a frightened look on her face. The look of sadness on her face was true to life. If an uninvolved
third party saw them without prior information, they would have been tempted to run over
and help.
But Elena and Sarah are clearly wary of this Monica. Elena and the others had guessed from
Akira's appearance that he had detected something they had felt before, the same thing that
had been present in Akira when he had detected the mimicry of the Yarata scorpions in the
underground city at the Kuzuthara Street ruins, and that he had detected Monica's lies with
an absolute reason that he could not explain.
And Elena and the others believed Akira rather than Monica's complaint. At that point, Elena
and the others also considered Monica an enemy.
Monica sees the attitude of Elena and her friends and cannot be expected to defend them, so
she turns her gaze for help to another group, this time to Raina and her friends.
But Reyna and Shiori are also wary of Monica. Reina had once been taken hostage by a man
who was actually a relic robber because she did not believe Akira, who had been in trouble
with a certain suspicious man. She and Shiori almost died together.
That past did not allow Reyna and her colleagues to side with those who are hostile to Akira
in this place. At the very least, they are neutral. Either way, they cannot defend Monica.
Monica's gaze wanders. But even Shikarabe has no intention of defending Monica. As long as
she was working under Elena and her team, she had no intention of interfering with that kind
of decision.
Togami could have stopped Akira personally. Because to Togami, it looks like Akira is just an
enemy of Monica based on a mere hunch that has no basis in reality. Togami was not arrogant
enough to judge others based on other people's intuition.
However, Togami is working under Shikarabe. As long as that shikarabe was silent, the most
that Togami could do was silence, in the sense of not actively affirming Akira's judgment.
Monica's frightened face wanders her gaze as if looking for help. Then, when she decided that
no matter where she looked, there were no allies, she finally gave up.
Immediately, the fright disappeared from Monica's face. She sighs with a troublesome look
on her face and lets out a frustrated sigh.
Oh, no, it's ruined," he said. That's why I asked you to clean it up properly ......, totally ......."
With these words, which were no different from a confession, Monica clearly became an
enemy of Akira and his friends.
Episode The Traitor's Employer

Akira and the others look sternly at Monica, who has become a clear enemy. But Monica was
unconcerned.
I could have lured them in deeper if they had been properly cleaned up, but they couldn't
even clean up this mess. Well, I guess you can't even think about that level of management
system in a factory."
I heard something very curious, but Elena put off her interest in that first. Instead, she asked
about something else.
I'm going to ask you just in case. Why did you attack them?"
It's your job. I'm a serious hunter myself.
"Work. ......."
From Monica's response, Elena wondered if she had been asked to sabotage the attack on
the ruins by another city that was hostile to the city of Kugamayama. She decided that at least
they had an employer.
Then Togami raises his voice.
Don't be a jerk!" Don't tell me a robber is a serious hunter!"
Togami judged that Monica had acted alone. He thought they were common robbers, those
who had abandoned their ethics in the wilderness, attacking hunters at the ruins and selling
off their possessions. He was angry with Monica for calling it a serious hunter's business.
But Monica laughs, unconcerned.
It's not a robbery. It's security. It's a serious job, clearing out trespassers. If you're a hunter
in Drunkham, you've at least done security work before, right? It's the same thing. It's just a
different employer."
While those who had not caught up with the understanding looked dubious, Elena noticed.
Are you, ......, employed by the ruins?"
Monica laughs proudly.
That's what I mean. Well, to be precise, to the factory's management system."
Togami, confused and unable to keep up with the conversation, interjects unexpectedly.
Wait!" Then why were you being attacked by the security machines here when I saved you?
Monica turns a surprising sneer at Togami.
I wasn't attacked. That was me bringing him in."
"Nah ......!"
I was really unaware of any of the pieces? When you entered the room to help me, even
though that security machine was pointing its muzzle at you and not me? I was in that room
first, remember?"
The scene of that moment comes to Togami's mind. When he pointed this out, it was
unnatural that Monica was lying on the floor unharmed.
I've been thinking of all kinds of excuses for what I would do if you pointed that out to me,
you know?" It was all for naught, though."
I should have been the first to notice. Togami turned his contrition into anger and glared at
Monica. The fact that they had risked their lives to save those who had tried to kill them also
made Togami's anger stronger.
Still, Monica had a smile to spare. Then she turned her gaze to Carol.
To put it bluntly, you were aware of it, weren't you, Carol?" That's why you continued to
position yourself behind me after you saved me, right?"
Carol also returns a smile with room to spare.
Well, I had my suspicions. Too bad it wasn't an evil guess."
May I ask how you noticed?" I'm sure there was no element of Mr. Carroll noticing me at the
time."
Various. Mostly because you weren't dead the day Akira and I first met."
What? Isn't that terrible? I mean, how can you tell? I can't speak for myself, but I think my
performance was perfect."
Because it would be unnatural for you not to be dead under the circumstances."
On the day Carol met Akira, Carol encountered a large number of mechanical monsters and
became separated from Monica. Upon reopening, Monica explained that she escaped using a
secret escape route.
But that was unnatural, no matter how one looked at it. Even if there really was a secret
escape route, it would be impossible for Monica to reach it with the amount of monsters that
Carol assumed she was capable of dealing with.
If Monica was hiding the ability that would make this possible, it would be unnatural for her
to be separated from Carol in the first place. If she was that good, she could have kicked the
monsters to the curb. At the very least, she would not be in a situation where she and Carol
would be separated.
Then it would make sense if the reason Monica did not die in that situation was because she
was the one who attacked in the first place.
Carol points this out and then laughs.
I couldn't tell anyone that you were working for the ruins," he said. So I just kept my guard
up, just in case."
I see. I see. Well then, next time I'll be sure to take care of that as well. ......"
When Monica said that much, Shiori and Kanae had already finished closing the gap with
Monica.

The East is a world where guns, a powerful long-range attack, dominate. That is why those
who dare to challenge melee combat in this world have outstanding abilities, enough to
overturn the disadvantage of their distance.
As maids, their job was to guard their masters, and they had mastered advanced melee
combat techniques. Shiori has honed her skills out of loyalty to Reina, and Kanae has honed
hers through her own tastes and preferences, and has already reached the level of a master.
They have already reached the level of mastery, to the point where they can reach the
enemy's bosom and strike a blow when they start fighting in gun range.
The sheath of Sioli's sword has a structure that allows the sides to open and close. This allows
the sword to be pulled out to the side and slash the opponent without having to pull the blade
vertically out of the sheath.
Reinforced by force field armored force field armor, the blade is so sharp that it can easily
cut through metal, and even has an anti-force field armored anti-force field armor function.
The blade can be further strengthened and sharpened by applying additional energy from
the included energy pack.
The hilt protects the blade until just before drawing the sword, and then constantly pours
energy into the blade when it is delivered, thereby increasing its power immediately after
drawing the sword. In addition, when the sword is drawn, the energy from the hilt
accelerates the blade, increasing the speed of the slash.
Kanae's basket hand incorporates equivalent functions, protection and reinforcement with
force field armored force field armor, anti-force field armored anti-force field armor function
and increased attack power with additional energy.
The power of these attacks is multiplied by the physical capabilities of the reinforced clothing
and the well-honed combat techniques. This makes even an opponent more sturdy than a
block of steel a slashing, crushing blow.
While Carol distracted Monica with conversation, Shioli and the others shifted their standing
positions ever so slightly. When they were close enough to strike a blow at Monica in an
instant, they attacked her at the same time without looking at each other.
The initial speed of the kick on the floor, with the output of the reinforced inner layer fully
opened, is so fast that it turns the windless air into a relative storm. With that speed on their
swords and fists, Shiori and Kanae unleash a full-bodied, full-throttle blow.
The next moment, a powerful shock-converted light scattered through the warehouse,
drowning out Monica's figure.
When the light went out, there was Monica, wearing an enhanced outfit with even more
outrageous designs than Carol's and a smile to spare.
Shioli's sword and Kanae's fist stopped in mid-air as if they had crashed into an invisible wall
before reaching Monica.
What prevented the attack of Shioli and her team was a force field barrier, also known as a
force field shield, a deployable force field armor force field armor that was spread out to
encircle Monica in a spherical shape.
As the shiori and others are still pressing their swords and fists against that wall surface, a
slight impact conversion light is generated from the point of contact.
The light did not scatter to the surroundings but traveled to the surface of the force field
barrier force field shield, raising a transparent sphere covered with geometric patterns of
light.
Monica laughs at Shiori and the others as if she were making fun of them.
I was just standing there silently," he said. There's no way that's true.
Shioli and his colleagues do not have any such naive ideas.
After being exposed as an enemy, Monica gave off a clear sense of leeway that even seemed
careless. This was a sign of confidence that she could win without any problem even if all of
Akira and the others were her enemies. It can be inferred that she was hiding that much
ability.
That is why Shiori and his group saw Monica as a danger and tried to kill her with all their
might right here and now. While Monica's leeway was synonymous with carelessness, no
matter how much power she was hiding, they wanted to kill her quickly and surely before
she could fully display that power.
Originally, they would have left one of them by Reina's side for her safety, but Shiori and his
group did everything in their power to kill Monica, to the point that they decided to allow
that temporary risk and attack her with two people, which would ultimately keep Reina safe.
Nonetheless, he could not kill Monica. The surprise filled the faces of Shioli and the others.
In addition to a significantly higher output than when the plant's bulkheads were destroyed,
the blow was made using the anti-forcefield armor anti-forcefield armor function.
Furthermore, the force field barrier force field shield is less strong than a normal metal plate
or other material reinforced with force field armor force field armor. The fact that it was still
blocked meant that the output of the opponent's force field barrier force field shield was that
high.
Shiori's face contorted grimly at the fact that her opponent was hiding that much power,
while Kanae laughed amusedly. Then, neither of them lost their enthusiasm, and they heard
Monica's words and unleashed a series of blows.
But everything is blocked. All of them are powerful enough to easily cut in two and shatter
even the strongest mechanical monsters, but they cannot break through the thin, luminous,
glass-like barrier.
Monica laughs in an overtly mocking way.
It's no use! It doesn't work!
Monica vigorously pointed the two guns attached to her waist, personal laser guns, at Shioli
and the others, who still did not stop attacking. The muzzle of the guns, which are not shaped
to fire live bullets, aim at Shiori and Kanae.
Immediately thereafter, the sound of a bullet landing in the air rang out, and impact-
converted light scattered.
The shooters were Akira and Carol. The force field barrier force field shield prevented the
shot, but without that protection, the trajectory would have been a direct hit to Monica's face.
Naturally, Monica is unharmed. But her smile had hardened slightly.
The force field barrier force field shield that Monica uses is not conveniently constructed to
prevent only attacks from the outside in and allow attacks from the inside out to pass
unimpeded. Therefore, when shooting an outside enemy, it is necessary to deactivate it only
at that moment.
The realization that she had been targeted at that moment made Monica's face tense.
Monica laughs and flies backward widely, covering the fear that has come up with a cluck of
her tongue. She was actually flying, not leaping, and she escaped from the warehouse by
breaking through the door behind her, then flew down the passageway and took off.
You guys can wait! I'll be right back!"
Monica told Akira and the others in the warehouse over the radio and disappeared from
Akira's search range.

In the warehouse, where things changed rapidly, those who could not keep up with the
changes were appalled, and most of those who could respond had grim faces.
Akira recalls Monica's appearance.
Alpha. That guy's reinforced suit, is that old world style?"
No, it's Old World. No, it's old world, including the function of that force field barrier, the
force field shield.
'...... I see.'
Akira frowned, convinced that this was why Shioli and the others had been unable to kill
Monica.
After spending a few seconds assessing the situation and contemplating her next move, Elena
gives her instructions.
Assuming a retreat, we'll move in the opposite direction from the route we took." Shikarabe.
Can I ask you to take care of him?"
Okay."
Shikarabe gives Aegio a serious look.
How long do you keep it, just from the neck up?"
...... about 48 hours in full suspended animation mode. In that case, you will not be able to
awaken on your own. ...... got it. Just from the neck up. Carry me. Make sure you wake me up,
okay?"
I'll do it right. As long as we get out of here in one piece."
I'm counting on you."
Aegio chuckles and closes his eyes. Then he stopped showing any reaction.
As Shikarabe wonders how to cut Aegio from the neck down, Shiori comes to her side.
I'll cut it."
With a brilliant single flash, Aegio's head is severed. The shikarabe lifts up Aegio, now in the
smallest viable state, and hands it directly to Togami.
In the meantime, Carol makes a suggestion to Elena.
I have an idea for an escape route. I used this route when I escaped from the factory block
with Akira. What do you think?
I understand. Please show me the way. Okay. Let's go."
As the team was about to start moving under Elena's direction, Togami, who was standing
half appalled with the head that was given to him, hurriedly shouted out.
Wait a minute!" What about the rest of them? Why are we retreating? Shouldn't we go after
her? And ......"
The sudden turn of events, the incomprehensible situation, and the confusion and
bewilderment that resulted from these events compelled Togami to continue his story in
search of explanation and understanding.
But this is interrupted by Shikarabe's angry voice.
Later!" Don't make me spend my precious time just to convince you!"
Shikarabe's scolding had reached the point of intimidation. Togami had no time to show his
dissatisfaction and shut his mouth.
Then Akira asks Elena.
I'd like to ask you to explain the situation to me as we move along. I'm probably the least
understanding of the situation."
I'm going to go to "...... good. Moving along. Let's go."
Elena rushes everyone to leave. After leaving the warehouse, Akira and the others proceeded
through the factory section, with Carol leading the way.

Monica flies through the corridors in the factory. The high energy expelled from the
propulsion device, which is integrated with the reinforced suit, creates a trajectory of light
in the air in the corridor.
Monica's face was a little grim and distorted.
I can kill those guys at ...... in a heartbeat." They're just trying to destroy our communications
first."
Monica's face, as she complains from the inside, has none of the absolute composure that it
had just a few moments ago.
We did not retreat. They did not run away. This is the result of rational action. The emotion
that affirms itself so excusably forms a distorted smile on Monica's face.
The backpack on his back bursts open. The machine that came out of it transformed and
became a laser cannon, which was fixed to his back as if attached to a transparent auxiliary
arm.
If you really try, it'll only take a second! I'm going to kick the crap out of these guys with their
modern equipment!"
Revealing her old-world equipment, Monica headed out at full speed to prove her words.

The Hex and Hound aircraft, which were waiting outside Building A for Akira and his team
to return, catch a reaction approaching at high speed from inside the factory.
I've been to ...... and it's pretty fast. Is this blur of response flying ......? That's not the unit that
went in."
No word from the unit on their return." I assume they are monsters. Prepare to intercept."
Copy that."
Two heavily reinforced suits point both arms in the direction of the reaction. The on-board
spotting equipment then caught sight of the target, Monica, clad in old-world equipment.
That guy is ......!"
Fire!"
Approaching at high speed without contact. In addition, a laser cannon is pointed at us. At
that point, it was too much to consider them hostile.
The two heavily reinforced suits hit Monica with their full firepower. The barrage of bullets
fired had the power to pulverize an entire herd of monsters into tiny pieces in an instant. The
alarm at the unexpected situation made the Hex and Hound aircraft choose maximum
firepower without hesitation.
But even that barrage of gunfire and artillery could not penetrate Monica, whose force-field
barrier force-field shield had been turned up to its output limit.
It doesn't work!
Monica laughs viciously as she sprays shock-conversion light into the aisle. Furthermore, she
sets the laser cannon's sights on the two heavy reinforcement suits. Light was leaking out of
the muzzle of the cannon, which had been filled with energy during the move.
Blow it up!"
At the same time Monica shouted, the force field barrier force field shield was released and
a torrent of light was released from the laser cannon. It went straight ahead, obliterating the
dense barrage of bullets and engulfing the two heavily reinforced suits.
When the light subsided, the wrecked, heavily reinforced suit was lying on the scorched
ground. The occupants of both Hex and Hound aircraft were killed instantly.
Monica exits Building A and lands on top of that aircraft. The realization that she had easily
defeated a city defense aircraft once again created a smile on Monica's face, the smile of one
who has the right to live and die.
"Of course. ....... This is what it deserves! Of course I'm going to win!"
Monica, who had been exclaiming with delight for a while, exhaled with satisfaction. Then,
with a face that had regained its composure, she took flight again and looked down at the
destroyed, heavily reinforced clothing lying below her.
Now we can't communicate with the outpost. Here we go!"
Monica rushes into Building A with great enthusiasm. She proceeded at high speed and with
glee through the corridors of the factory to catch up with Akira and the others and kill all
those who made her doubt the performance of her own equipment.

Akira was being briefed on the situation as he proceeded through the factory section with
everyone else.
Since the explanation is given over the communication device while moving, it consumes less
time than a leisurely stop-and-go explanation of the situation. Even so, it is still a labor-
intensive and unnecessary explanation.
Knowing this, Elena decided to explain the situation to Akira in the hope that by having Akira
confirm exactly what was going on, some intuition he had, something that would allow him
to see Monica's hostility definitively, would work more accurately.
Explain in order, with others providing supplemental information if necessary.
The fact that Shioli and his team were unable to kill Monica makes it certain that Monica's
equipment is extremely high performance. And, in addition to the design of the reinforced
clothes, there is a very high possibility that those equipments were provided by the
management system of the factory, in other words, they were made in the old world.
Also, based on the direction Monica left, we can expect that she went to take down the two
heavily reinforced suits waiting outside Building A. This is because destroying the aircraft,
which also serve as relays for communications with the outpost, would lower the risk of
Monica's betrayal being exposed to the city.
The fact that they said they would come back later, and soon, makes it certain that Monica
intends to kill them all.
They intend to kill it before they can escape from the factory block, or more precisely, before
they can move into a position where they can communicate with the outpost. This can be
inferred from the fact that they went to destroy the transponder first.
Perhaps Monica is going to reply quietly that she returned to the outpost alone after killing
all of them and that she alone survived.
His previous conviction for abandoning the others and running away creates the suspicion
that he would have done the same thing again. That suspicion obscures the truth that Monica
did, in fact, directly kill them.
It was the plant's security machine that moved the hunters' bodies from the scene,
presumably at Monica's direction. There are two reasons for this. One is to lure the hunters
deeper into the factory by hiding the bodies. The other is to prevent the hunters from
examining the information-gathering equipment that the corpses have.
The accuracy of information collection equipment records varies from user to user. Some
people do not keep records in the first place. However, if records are collected from a large
number of corpses, the circumstances of death can be analyzed more accurately. If there is
any evidence that would confirm Monica's betrayal, her position would deteriorate fatally.
So I had them clean up the whole body. It would have been unnatural to destroy only the
information-gathering equipment. If the bodies were destroyed, it would be more likely that
they had been put away by the cleanup equipment at the ruins or that they had escaped to
another location. It would also increase the value of the records of the only survivor, Monica's
information-gathering equipment.
Also, some of Monica's words and actions led them to the back of the factory. This meant that
there were elements in their position in the factory that favored Monica. This is also
consistent with Monica's manipulation to hide the dead bodies and to place the expected
location of the rescue target's siege at the back of the factory block.
The strength of the force field barrier force field shield that Monica was using was high
enough to withstand the anti-force field armor anti-force field armor function of Shioli and
his team. Naturally, it requires a lot of energy just to use it. The amount of energy consumed
would increase at an accelerating rate if they continued to be hit by Shioli and his team's
continuous blows.
Nevertheless, given that Monica was initially able to maintain a margin of safety, we can infer
that the remaining energy in Monica's equipment is almost inexhaustible. In other words, it
could be constantly supplied by the factory that employs Monica.
Then the probability that Monica's equipment is on loan from the factory is high. The
equipment was loaned to her because she accepted a job as a security guard at the factory.
And the equipment can only be used within the factory block, and the supply of energy may
be less efficient if it is only supplied within or around the employer's factory.
This can be judged from the fact that Monica is not active in the city section of the Mihazono
Street ruins or outside the ruins. This is because if she is able to use enough Old World
equipment, regardless of location, she would definitely be active as a hunter.
From this, we can infer that the place Monica was trying to guide was a very efficient place
for its energy supply.
The reason I did not pursue Monica after she took off was that there was a high risk that I
would be at a disadvantage if I pursued her. It is possible that Monica could be lured to a
place where she would have an advantage.
Even if Monica went to defeat the two heavy reinforcement suits as we expected, we do not
believe that we and those two machines could pin Monica down. That is how fast Monica
would be, and would probably take them out in a short time. It is not possible to pincer attack.
On the other hand, if the Hex and Hound planes alone can defeat Monica, that's not a problem.
We just need to take the time to contact them later.
At the very least, we thought it unlikely that we and the Hex planes would be in a situation
where we could just barely defeat Monica by pinning her between ourselves and the Hex
planes.
For these reasons, Elena decided to quickly escape the factory block while staying as far away
from Monica as possible. She then threw the handling of Aegio to Sicarabe.
There is no room to carry out other bodies. Even if those bodies were in fact seriously
wounded. Aegio, who is a clear survivor, is not expected to be a force to be reckoned with
and is a complete liability. If they did not even have the strength to take Aegio with them,
they had no choice but to leave him behind, which was unfortunate.
The shikarabe then decided that it was acceptable from the neck up. Aegio understood and
accepted this.
Shikarabe gave Aegio to Togami because Shikarabe did not consider Togami to be an active
combatant on the team and thought that Togami's carrying Aegio's head would only slightly
reduce the team's overall strength.
That's why I'm also asking him to escort Reina. There is little impact that Aegio's head is in
the way and he can't fight well.
Considering that, Aegio's head should be given to Reina, not to Togami, but since Reina is not
from Shikarabe's team but from Reina's team, more like Shioli's team, Shikarabe gave it to
Togami, not Reina.
Carol's suggested escape route was the way she and Akira had previously escaped from the
factory block, because it was confirmed that Monica was employed by the factory at the ruins.
That container terminal is a key point for the transportation of goods in the factory zone, and
there are many containers loaded with goods produced in the factory zone.
Monica is from the factory side, even though she is a hired hand. She may hesitate to attack
on the grounds that a bad fight would cause damage to those supplies. It is also possible that
an attack that would damage the containers would not be possible in the first place. If
Monica's equipment is on loan from the factory, it would not be surprising if it has safety
devices of that kind.
And this one can attack without worrying about damage to the surroundings. We can also
use containers as shields. Whether we flee or fight, we have an advantage over other places.
Akira was briefed on all of these things. The treatment of Aegio's head was omitted because
the shikarabe was silent. Togami, however, had some idea of what was going on.
Elena asks, having finished her explanation.
Akira. I'm guessing a lot, but here's what's going on. What do you think, Akira? Is that
different or anything?"
When asked what he thought of them, Akira was too occupied to grasp their contents, as he
only became aware of all of them when he was told what they were. So he asked Alpha for
help.
'Alpha. What do you think?"
I think that's a reasonable guess."
Akira does not have the ability to logically verify the correctness of his guesses. He will only
use Alpha's reply as a cue.
I think it fits. No, it's just a feeling."
Yes," he said. Then we'd better get out of here fast."
Elena laughed and replied, but inwardly she was relieved. The explanation she had given was
based on a series of assumptions, and there was a good chance that she had made a fatal
error.
But Akira somehow, that is, something Akira calls intuition, affirmed its content. Elena, too,
was able to dispel her own concerns about her guess.
Then it occurred to Akira.
Carol. Now that you mention it, were you sure that that escape route was the right one? Oh,
I'm talking about information fees and such. I'm not complaining about getting out of there."
It's a situation," he said. It can't be helped. If Akira is willing to shoulder the information fee
for all of us, I'm all for it.
No, that's not quite right."
Hearing this, Elena chuckles and interjects.
Akira. Carol. Let's negotiate that kind of thing at length later. But first, we need to survive."
I see." Let's hurry."
I guess so. I'll see you later."
Akira and the others broke off the conversation and hurried on.

◆
Akira and his team proceed through the factory to the container terminal in the factory block.
The brand-new appearance of the surrounding area is evidence that this factory is still
functioning today. In other words, there is a fear that this is the factory where Monica is
employed.
But you can't bypass it. If we go around, we will have to make a long detour. And Akira and
the others had no idea which factory Monica was employed at. They had no choice but to
proceed with an open mind.
During the process, Akira looked a little difficult. Alpha pointed this out to him.
Akira. What's wrong?"
'Yeah, a little bit. Hey, Alpha. I've been learning this from Elena and the others, and, you know,
as a hunter, is it normal to notice that much?'
Monica's betrayal was discovered and Monica left the scene, before Elena gave the order to
move on. In that small amount of time, Elena had completed her estimation of what she had
explained to Akira. Shikarabe, Shiori, Kanae, and Carol had also completed the same level of
deduction, which is why they did not interrupt Elena's instructions at all.
Akira was very surprised when he understood this. Although he did not consider himself to
be a thoughtful person, he was still shocked that a person could be that aware.
Alpha answers lightly.
'I guess I was vaguely aware of it, even if I didn't verbalize what I noticed until afterwards.
So there was no mistake in the instructions.'
So. ......."
'Well, Elena and the other shicarabes are both hunters with a long history, so they probably
had a lot of opportunities to hone that kind of awareness. In other words, if you're capable
of leading a unit, you should be able to do that.
'Oh, that's how it is. You're ...... awesome.'
Either way, the difference in ability was still there. Akira was convinced, but at the same time,
he was lightly beaten down by his own inexperience.
Alpha smiles a little bit proudly.
'Akira has my support. Even if Akira makes some errors in judgment, he can force his way
out of a situation with my support, so it's no wonder he doesn't have many opportunities to
hone that kind of awareness.'
'Oh, yes. I'm still grateful for your help.'
Akira, thinking it was just bragging, chuckled lightly and let the story slide. However, his face
hardened at Alpha's next reply.
You're welcome, and I'd like to say, 'Akira, I'm going to be out of the room for a while now.
"...... huh?"
Akira involuntarily spoke his mind. Hearing this, Elena reacted.
Akira. What's wrong?"
No, no, it's nothing.
......, yes?"
Thinking he had managed to mend the situation, Akira turned a steely eye on Alpha, who was
still visible.
Alpha! Wait a minute! Are you serious? Under the circumstances?
Then Alpha returns a serious look.
I'm serious. And it's because of this situation. I'm going away for a little bit to try to fix it.'
Akira could not say he did not like it when he heard that back. In this situation, there must
be a point in doing this even if he has to temporarily cut off his own support. He had a
relationship with her that would allow him to make that judgment naturally.
And I figured that asking in detail here what exactly they were going to do would only
prolong the time until Alpha returned in vain. I decided to prepare myself without asking any
questions.
'...... okay. Come back early, okay?"
'I'll make an effort. Akira. Do your best.'
Alpha laughed and encouraged Akira, and then disappeared from Akira's sight.
At the same time, the movement assistance of the reinforced suit with the support of the
alpha disappeared. Akira immediately lost his stance. It was only a slight disturbance that
Akira could quickly recover from with his own strength, but his expression turned grim, as
if it were something fatal.
Inhale and exhale with a serious face. With that, Akira calmed himself and removed the
unnecessary grimness from his face. However, there remained a tension that was a little too
strong to be called moderate, and a feeling that, in the eyes of others, he was only on the
verge of war.
Elena notices this change in Akira.
I'm going to go to "...... Akira? What happened?"
Akira, who could not answer that Alpha's support was lost or anything like that, looked for
an appropriate excuse and had a reply sent. Akira's attitude raised Elena's alarm, and the
others were alerted.
And at that moment, Akira, who had been unnecessarily hypersensitive to having to fight
without Alpha's support, used his hypersensitivity to catch the slightest sign of the rear.
Akira overreacted to it. Reflexively, he pointed the A4WM automatic grenade launcher in that
direction and fired a grenade at the fastest continuous-fire setting, taking full advantage of
the extended magazine.
A large number of grenades flew deep into the aisle. Then, they exploded all at once in the
passageway, a space with limited escape from the blast.
The impact would have spread up, down, left and right in any open space. But the sturdy old-
world passageways held it back. As a result, a condensed blast rushed through the corridor.
The blast reached Akira and the others, even though the explosion came from the far end of
the passageway, near the vanishing point of perspective. The storm caused Akira's legs to
leave the floor and blow him backward.
Carol, who had just been sent away from Akira, held him up. With a smile on her face, she
called out to him.
Akira. Are you okay?"
I'm going to go to ...... and see if I can find anything." Thank God."
Akira thanked him with a rather "I did it" look on his face.

Elena looks grimly at the end of the passage where the smoke from the explosion remains.
Seeing the same thing, Shikarabe makes a dubious noise.
"...... Elena. Was that guy there?"
I know you were there, but ......"
It meant that Elena could not confirm Monica's presence either, but she must have been there
because Akira shot her. The "probably" part also meant that she could not be so sure and
could not deny that it was an outburst caused by Akira's nervousness.
To be sure that Monica was really there, Elena began to scrutinize the records of the
information-gathering equipment. But before she could finish that check, the answer came.
Monica had sent a message.
It's useless! That stuff doesn't work!"
Monica's victorious laugh was one of absolute composure.
I see you're here.
Yes."
Elena dared to maintain communication with Monica to find out what the other was up to.
Of course, the system was set up so that Monica would not receive any information about
them, and even the conversation between Akira and the others would not reach Monica. The
conversation between Akira and the others does not reach Monica, but only unilaterally from
Monica's side.
The ones waiting outside have been destroyed! Now it's just you guys! You can't call for help,
can you?"
Elena's expression turns grim as she hears a mocking voice that resembles a declaration of
victory.
The fact that Monica's statement reaffirms the correctness of her own speculation is
welcome in that it makes it easier to predict Monica's future behavior.
But Monica was moving too fast, going from point A89 to the waiting position of the heavy
reinforcement suit, and from there to the point where Akira's attack earlier made sense, she
was already getting closer. The surprise was enough to make Elena's face grim.
(............ Now we know some of the defenses on the other side. Let's just be happy about that
part)
Monica's triumphant voice indicates that Monica is completely unharmed. However, the fact
that Monica is not within Elena's search range means that either Monica was blown quite far
away by Akira's attack, or she stopped once outside Elena's search range, wary of Akira's
attack.
That means Akira and his team's attack can get through to Monica. Even if it is only to spare
a little energy remaining, at least Monica's force field barrier force field shield defense is
neither invincible nor inexhaustible. That fact was valuable enough information for Elena
and her team.

Shikarabe gives Akira a difficult look.

(My gut says otherwise. ......)
Did Akira notice Monica and attack her? His own intuition denied it, but Shikarabe also knew
that Akira was the one who could make his own intuition go haywire. In addition, there was
in fact Monica.
Shikarabe let out a sigh as she clutched her head inwardly at the reality of the situation. But
that is beside the point. He quickly changed his mind and went to the end of the corridor and
readied his gun.
With a sighting device linked to the information-gathering equipment, they search for the
enemy in the corridor, where the accuracy of information-gathering has been greatly
reduced by the explosion. There is no enemy in sight. All that can be seen is the unmanned
passage, a side road, and a wall at a corner.
(...... ain't here. Considering his personality and behavior, he must not be trying to fight by
sneaking around and hiding. Did he get blown away too far, or did he retreat to replenish his
energy? That would buy us some time. ......)
At that moment, the view of the shicarabe through the sights was suddenly blocked. The
bulkheads of the passageway began to close at high speed, one after the other, from the far
side. It continued along the passage. The walls were just in between Akira and the others,
and they were separated from them.

Oh shit, Akira thought, and then he was separated from Elena and the others. He rushed to
the bulkhead and smashed his fist against it without thinking. Akira could not do anything
about it.
But then, Shiori's voice arrives from the other side.
Akira-sama. Please step away from the wall, it's dangerous."
Akira rushes away from the bulkhead. Then a line of slashes ran down the wall and a part of
it was detached from the wall. Kanae further kicked the part to open it.
Akira is relieved to see Elena and the others on the other side of the hole.
(Yes, it was. Shiori and the others could break down the wall. (Thank God.)
Akira felt relieved and tried to return to the other side of the wall, but on the contrary, Elena
and the others entered this side. Akira, who was in the rear guard position, was sent to Carol,
who was guiding the entire group in the vanguard position, and the direction of travel was
toward Akira's side.
The last one to enter, Shikarabe, gives Akira a difficult look.
...... This bulkhead is probably to prevent the damage from spreading to other sections of the
plant in the event of some kind of disaster. It should not be activated so easily. They'd have
to detonate that much or something."
A large number of grenades were finally activated by firing them at a rate that emptied their
expensive extended magazines and then concentrating them on a single point in the corridor
to detonate them.
If he had aimed incorrectly and detonated the bomb closer to the target, Akira and the others
would have been harmed if he had been in the wrong place. It was that close, and the amount
of grenades used was exquisite.
Now that the bulkheads are down, it's harder for him to follow us. He may hesitate to destroy
his employer's facilities. Breaking down the wall consumes time and energy. Well, we may
ask the employer to open it, but it will still be a sign that he is approaching.
Akira looks convinced, but Shikarabe looks at him somewhat suspiciously.
"Did you calculate that far in advance?"
What?" No, no, but ......"
Akira had shot reflexively. Before hearing Shikarabe's explanation, he even thought that he
had done it, and was even relieved that it had worked, despite the consequences.
You know, ......."
That was all Shikarabe answered and finished her story. But his face remained difficult.
If it is not calculated, it is a coincidence. Akira also says it is not. So it is all a coincidence? I
answered that my intuition was different.
So how much is calculation and how much is coincidence? Is the part that is difficult to put
aside by coincidence a calculation? Was Akira lying when he answered that it was not a
calculation? He answered that his intuition was different.
If not, what is it? Is my intuition wrong? Shikarabe sighs at her own intuition, which she can
no longer handle.
A minor discomfort that one notices only because one is competent. The contradictions that
can be derived from them. This was what was troubling Shikarabe.
Akira, still on the incompetent side in a sense, looked at the shikarabe with wonder. Then
Elena gave the order to move on. With that, both Akira and Shikarabe changed their minds
and hurried onward.

Monica sticks her tongue out in front of the bulkhead.

'...... at all, if you're flexible enough to hire me, I'd like a little more flexibility in your decision
making.'
The management system that employs Monica is not the management personality of the
entire factory block. It is only a management system for one factory, and for that standard, it
can only make flexible decisions.
That is why Monica can take advantage of the half-baked decisions of its management
system. But that is also why it can get into trouble for its half-baked decisions.
When I ask if they can open the bulkhead, they say they can't because of the system. But I
actually doubt if it really can't be done. It is possible that by teaching them an interpretation,
the convenience of the system will change and they will be able to do it. And this has actually
happened in the past.
But there is no time to do that now. So I ask if I can break down the bulkhead and am told
that damage to property is not acceptable. I have to destroy the bulkhead, even if Monica is
still trapped in there.
Something similar had happened before. That time Monica had no choice but to break the
wall to escape, but she was warned that she would have to pay for the damages when they
came.
But Monica knew that she would not receive that kind of prompting from a factory that had
already lost its serious management function, and that the management system that
employed her was flexible enough to turn away from such a prompting even if she did in fact
receive such a notice.
"...... no choice. Well, it will be OK this time. Shall we break it and go on?"
Monica adjusts the output of the laser cannon to break down the bulkhead. It is possible to
blow it up at maximum power, but it wastes energy. She also did not want her employer to
complain about her needlessly destroying equipment.
In the meantime, with a much calmer head, I guessed what Akira and the others were going
to do.
(And for that matter, ......, why that location? There should only be a container terminal in
that direction. ...... It doesn't seem like an escape route from the factory block. (I don't think
it's possible to get lost since Carol is there. ......)
Carol survived the recent attack because of Akira's combat skills and because he was able to
force his way through a swarm of mechanical monsters with his strength. Monica thought so
and did not know that the container terminal could be an escape route.
(Did you just take the long way around, trying to distance yourself from me anyway, avoiding
the escape routes I seem to be taking ahead of you? (Or is there a secret escape route out
there?)
But once I came up with the idea, there was room for imagination.
(...... You are not planning to escape in a container, are you? Is that possible? No. Even if it
were possible, would you get into that thing that is also the source of ghost stories? (Then
you'll just die anyway. ......)
And the overconfidence in one's equipment prompts thought.
'Did you take a gamble that there was a better chance of not dying than fighting me at ......?
...... is possible. It's troublesome."
Just then, Monica finished breaking down the bulkhead in front of her. But beyond that, there
is another bulkhead. Monica frowned, though she knew it.
I wonder if Carol and the others will escape while we are destroying the bulkheads that are
in our way. Monica's face contorts even more at the thought.
"...... in case you'd like to ask."
It's a no-brainer. Monica thought so, and made a request to her employer as a sabotage to
keep Carol and the others from escaping. And then she is mildly surprised.
"Does this go through ....... I really don't understand the trend toward flexibility."
Monica let out a sigh at her non-human employer's strange criteria.
Episode The Moving Corpse

Akira and his team arrive at the container terminal. First-time visitors were surprised to see
the huge container terminal that suddenly appeared in the factory zone.
Chicarabe takes a quick look around, then gives Carol a slightly quizzical glance.
So how do we get out of this factory block? Is there some safe way out that he'll never find
out?"
No," he said. You see a lot of containers? We get in there and have them bring us in."
Carol said, and finished explaining a little more specifically to everyone. Then the shikarabe
made a disgusted face.
"Seriously, ....... Are you sure it's okay? That's the source of that ghost story, right?"
If you choose a safe container and board it properly, you'll be fine. If you get into the wrong
container, you'll probably end up like the ghost stories say. But don't tell me how to choose.
Carroll laughed, saying that he was good at it. Chicarabe let out a light sigh.
I know. You're paying for it, right? That kind of negotiation can wait. Pick a container
quickly."
Following Carol as she chooses a container to board, Akira and the others make their way
through the container terminal.
'Alpha. What's that ghost story? ......"
Akira was about to ask, but stopped himself. Naturally, no answer came back.
(It was. ....... Oh no. Did I loose my nerve getting this far?)
Alpha has not yet returned. And the strain of having to fight without Alpha's support was
quite exhausting for Akira.
The exhaustion had calmed the excessive tension, but now the concentration was beginning
to slacken.
After Alpha disappeared, there were several battles, but they were all small amounts of weak
security machines that were lightly kicked around. That, too, contributed to Akira's
loosening up.
(Pull yourself together.) (Pull yourself together.) (Stay with me. Stay calm. But don't relax. If
you let your guard down, you will die. We are in the ruins to begin with, remember?)
Alpha's support is very dependable. However, the negative side effect of having Alpha by his
side at all times has upset the balance between Akira's tension and relaxation.
There, he is approached by Sarah.
Akira. Are you okay?"
Oh, yes. I'm fine."
You can find the article at: ....... I know it's hard to say, "Take it easy," but we're here, and you
don't have to feel like I'm going to have to handle everything on my own, you know? Well,
unless you say you can't count on us."
Akira was laughing and joking when Sarah said this to him, and with that he realized that he
had unconsciously been unnecessarily overawed. Feeling a little more at ease, he smiled
back.
I don't think so. I'm counting on you."
I'll leave it to you. Well, even as I say that, I'm still relying on Elena for spotting."
Elena laughs lightly when she is asked to talk about this.
Yes, yes, yes. I'll take care of it."
Something about the way he responds?"
It's just a normal thing to do."
Elena and her friends laughing at each other in this situation is not a sign of carelessness, but
of a relaxed mind. They are helping each other and compensating for each other in a difficult
situation, and they are gaining a margin of comfort. This kind of composure is not available
to those who must always deal with situations alone, or to those who believe that they must
always deal with situations alone. Akira somehow understood this.
Once they did not get it. After I met Alpha, I got it from him. That alpha is gone now.
But it's okay to get it now. Akira thought so subconsciously and relaxed in a good way.
Later, Akira and his group were guided by Carol to a container.
The container was made of metal, was large enough to hold a small tank, and was tightly
closed. Moreover, there were no handles, buttons, or other parts that would allow the door
to be opened or closed.
But when Carol stood in front of the door and maneuvered her hand so that the others could
not see it, the door opened easily.
Togami asks involuntarily.
Hey, how did you open it?"
Hmm?" It's a secret.
Oh. I thought there was a fee. How much is it?"
Twenty million Orams.
"......20 million!"
Carol smiles bewitchingly at Togami, who is surprised at the amount of money.
Whenever you want to buy something, just let me know. I'll give you an extra 20 million
aurums worth of service.
Carole smiled glamorously as she said this, pointing to herself.
With Togami frozen in place, the others enter the container. There, Shikarabe taps Togami
on the shoulder.
I'm warning you, don't do it.
I ain't got that kind of money at ......."
Even with money."
Togami saw the indescribably stern look on Shikarabe's face and understood that he was
serious in his advice.
Once everyone is in, Carol closes the container door. Then the walls of the container became
transparent like glass, and the view outside was clearly visible.
Carol explains to Elena and the others, who are surprised.
I'm sure you'll be fine. You can't see me from the outside. It's like optical camouflage.
Elena examines the surroundings with information-gathering equipment. Searching for
enemies using optical equipment also worked without problems.
I think this will help with the spotting. ...... Hey Carol. I know this is very convenient for us,
but are all of these containers like this?"
No," he said. I chose these containers properly."
Does that mean that the choice is part of the 20 million aurum price tag?"
That's what I mean. It's worth it, isn't it? I look forward to negotiating with you later."
Be easy on me."
With that said, as Carol and Elena are smiling at each other as negotiators, Shioli interrupts.
Excuse me for interrupting. So when does this container leave here?"
We should be leaving in about 10 minutes. I know you want to hurry, but it's the site's
convenience, and I can't change it.
I understand.
Ten more minutes. With this in mind, Akira and his team continued to wait.

Ten minutes is a short time, but it cannot be wasted. Akira and his team used that time to
rest. They were preparing their bodies and minds for the next round.
Akira sits on the floor and lets out a long sigh as he exchanges the energy pack for a magazine.
(...... Alpha, you're late. I don't know what you're doing)
Alpha, who we thought would be back soon, still has not returned. They said they were trying
to fix this situation, but I wanted them to come back soon.
So Carol sits down next to Akira, smiles and calls out to him.
I'm fine without that sigh. You were able to go home that time, too, weren't you?"
That was not why I let out a sigh, but I knew I was being cared for. Akira chuckles lightly.
Really?" I'm sure it was hard work back then, too."
Carol blatantly looks away. Akira could easily tell by the over-the-top behavior that Carol
was at least joking.
And Akira could somehow sense that his good-tempered attitude was also a reflection of his
concern for himself. He and Carol, who had returned to look at him, lightly laughed together.
'Oh, by the way, did Carol have anything to do with this container that she mentioned to
Shikarabe about the end of the ghost story street?'
Don't you know?" Didn't I tell you before? It's a pretty famous ghost story about the
Michazono Street ruins. ......"
In the middle of the ruins, an invisible door that is about to open appears in an empty space.
If you look through the crack, you will see a large number of relics, but you must never enter
the door. Once you enter, the door closes and you will never be able to return.
This ghost story, called "The Door to Somewhere," has actually claimed more victims than
can be laughed off as just another ghost story.
When Akira heard this story, he thought for a moment and realized.
Oh, I see what you mean. The door of the optically camouflaged container is about to open,
and you can see the cargo inside. While they are looking for the cargo, the container moves
and they are taken away.
Maybe. It's a ghost story, so I don't know exactly, but perhaps there's a system whereby if a
suspicious person gets into a container, he or she is transported straight to an old world
prison camp or something?"
Carol laughed and said so, but Akira pulled a face.
'...... we're on that thing? I hope it's all right."
I'm sure you'll be fine," he said. In fact, it was fine before, wasn't it?"
Carol adds in a whisper.
......I picked the sturdiest container I could, in case you're wondering. If you get shot in the air
like last time, you should be fine this time, right?"
Yeah, well, ......."
Akira's face hardened a little as he replied. He didn't want to run down the side of a
skyscraper without Alpha's support.

It has been 20 minutes since Akira and his team boarded the container, well over the 10-
minute mark. However, the container remained where it was.
Carol tilts her head, her face grim.
That's weird. ....... How can you wait this long and not leave ......?"
His words, which alerted the others to the unexpected situation, raised their alertness. Then
Akira, who had been looking outside and groaning suspiciously, opens his mouth.
You know, Carol," he said, "I'm not sure I'm going to be able to do that. When we got out of
here before, there were other containers being brought in here or carried out, right? I don't
see any of those containers now, is that how it's supposed to be?"
Carol looked out in surprise and confirmed what Akira said. Then he makes his face very
grim.
Lie......! Don't tell me the delivery system at the ruins has stopped?
At that moment, as if in response, a communication came in from Monica.
You're there, aren't you?" It's useless! We've stopped shipping containers! There is no escape
now! I'm sorry to hear that!"
Monica's triumphant voice echoes through the container.
Tremble! Be frightened! Or would you like to take a shot? It's no use! You know that, don't
you? Your attacks will have no effect!"
While the younger members of Akira, Togami, and Reina were surprised, impatient, and
confused, the other adults were rather restless.
Then Shikarabe asks Elena.
Elena. Can you find Monica?"
Wait a minute, ............, there he is."
Monica was standing at the end of a passageway at the top of the high wall surrounding the
container terminal. In this place where it is no wonder that enemies could be hiding
anywhere among the countless containers, Monica was standing proudly, looking as if she
were ready to take any number of shots.
Chicarabe also checks the location of Monica using the linkage function of the information-
gathering device.
There he is. There. Elena. Do you think his signal range covers the entire area of this
container terminal?"
No," he said. It's a big place with a lot of obstacles, so I'd say we're at best one-fifth of the way
there.
Okay."
The shikarabe exhales loudly and adjusts the mood of the place.
I'd like to get everyone on the same page first so we can figure out what to do. How much of
what he says is a bluff and how much is an invitation?
Yes. Maybe. ......"
As Elena began to answer, Akira, Togami, and Reina, who had not even caught up with the
meaning of the question, looked at Elena and Shikarabe as if they wanted her to explain it.
Elena and Sicarabe looked at each other and Elena chuckled, while Sicarabe nodded lightly
with a look that said it was inevitable.
It is true that the transportation of containers in the factory block stopped. It is also true that
Monica is involved in this. However, it is hard to believe that Monica, who is only hired as a
security guard, has the authority to do so.
Perhaps he just asked his employer, the factory's management system, to stop him
temporarily. In other words, he lied about not being able to escape. If we continue to wait,
the transportation will eventually resume, and there is a good chance that we will be able to
escape.
It is doubtful that Monica really knows that they are here in the first place.
When we were in the factory, Monica followed us precisely, so she probably had our position
in some way. And if they still have an accurate grasp of our position, all we have to do is
attack them as soon as possible.
If they do not do so, it means that either they do not know our exact position or they know
where we are but cannot attack because they cannot destroy the container.
Also, Monica can probably only do so much until she has somehow located the other party in
the factory. From there, she determines that the other party is not in the factory, and by
process of elimination, she believes that the other party is at this container terminal.
However, this would mean that if they had escaped through a secret underground
passageway unknown to Monica, they would have been able to escape.
In other words, the reason why Monica is exposing herself and provoking us to attack is not
because she has absolute confidence in her defense, but because she wants us to attack to
get a grasp of her position, or to lure us out of the container, and in either case, to make us
react in some way to confirm that she is here. The reason for this is thought to be to
If that is the case, if we ourselves remain silent and wait and do not react, there is a possibility
that Monica, who has begun to suspect that the other party is really here, will go looking for
them in another place. We can also expect the transportation system to start working while
we wait.
...... So, wait and see is the right thing to do, well, that's what I'm thinking, right?"
Elena agrees with Shikarabe, who explained this to her.
I generally agree. Also, Monica keeps saying similar things in different places. Maybe she's
thinking we're not in communication range, so she's trying different locations."
If it's not a bluff, then I still don't think we have an exact location.
Maybe."
Togami had a look on his face that said he had managed to catch up with his understanding.
He was relieved to learn that there was still time to escape, even though he had been
desperate to escape and was about to do so when he lost his means of escape.
Seeing this togami, Shikarabe lets out a sigh.
Togami. You should be a little more self-aware. If you had been so successful in defeating the
bounty hunters, and if you had been able to lead a big unit because of your achievements,
you would have made that kind of decision, wouldn't you?
Togami was at a loss for words when he was pointed to the future he once hoped for.
Or are you going to throw that kind of judgment upstairs? In that case, your superiors are
those clerks, right? Are you willing to trust your life and the lives of your friends to the naive
judgment of these guys who haven't even been out in the wilderness much?"
Kurosawa, who had been a colleague of Shikarabe, left Drunkham because he thought that if
this situation continued, it might eventually happen to all the hunters belonging to
Drunkham. Kurosawa left Drangkam to avoid being involved in such a situation, and
Shikarabe stayed to prevent that from happening.
Beside Togami, who is hanging his head, those who are throwing that kind of judgment to
others are looking away with a subtle look on their faces. They are Akira, Reina, and Sara.
Akira throws his judgment to Alpha, Reina to Shiori, and Sara to Elena, so strongly and deeply
that they sometimes put their own lives in their hands.
Still, the fact that they are not drooping like the togami is nothing but trust in their respective
partners. Akira and Sara had to laugh it off. However, Reina's head was a little down. It was
because she was lamenting her own lack of ability to take advantage of Shiori.
Elena notices Akira and the others and chuckles.
Shikarabe. Given the circumstances, can we talk about the inner workings of Drunkham
later?"
Oops, my bad. So what do we do now?"
Right. ......."
Elena makes her decision with a serious face.
Let's wait."
The leader's decision started a rooting contest between Akira and Monica.

Monica was becoming impatient as she moved through the container terminal.
As Shikarabe predicted, Monica did not have the exact location of Akira and the others. She
simply followed the path of movement of Akira and the others as they made their way
through the factory, and guessed that they would probably be at this container terminal.
By communicating that the transportation system had stopped there, they were trying to
flush out Akira and the others who were trying to find another escape route.
However, Akira and his team have not moved at all. That puts Monica in a tight spot.
The shutdown of the transportation system is temporary. It will eventually start working.
However, we cannot just shoot them down one by one because Akira and the others might
be in the containers being transported. Monica is not convinced that the management system
of the factory that employs her would allow this.
It is also conceivable that there is a hidden passageway here that I do not know about, and
that Akira and his friends have already used it to escape. In that case, it would make sense
that Akira and the others have not moved at all. If they are not here, there is no reason for
them to be here no matter how hard we search.
Both make Monica impatient. Then came the situation that made Monica even more
impatient. It began to rain.
I'm not sure how to describe it: "...... rain! Not good......!"
The margin completely disappeared from Monica's face. But it also gave Monica reason to
tolerate extreme choices.
Monica contacts the management system and makes a new request. The request was
granted.

◆
Rain pours down on Akira and his team's container. The rain was gradually getting stronger.
Akira, who has been looking out for a while, notices Elena with a difficult look on her face.
Elena. What's wrong?"
Hmm?" It's raining, right? I was wondering what I should do."
What do we do now but wait ......?"
Yes. That's an option, but ......"
Elena sensed from Akira's appearance that he lacked the knowledge necessary for the
premise of the conversation, and she began to speak from there.
Rainfall in the east often contains an element of colorless fog, although to varying degrees. It
is said that this is because thick fog from the sky above mixes with the rain and falls.
Therefore, hunter work is often cancelled in the rain. This is because visibility is not only
poor due to the rain, but the thick, colorless fog also hinders searching for enemies and the
power and range of guns. On days when there is a high risk of being forced into close-range
combat with powerful monsters, few people bother to put in the effort to work as hunters.
However, on the other hand, the enemy's range and search range are also extremely limited.
There are a few who dare to challenge the dangerous ruins, where only extremely strong
monsters with a wide range of search and retrieval roam, on a day when it is pouring
downpour, and there are some who achieve success.
And this rain, if you think about it, is also on the side of Akira and his friends.
If the rain's effects spread throughout the factory, the chances of escaping Monica's search
for them would increase. Powerful equipment that has defeated heavy reinforcement
clothing will also lose power and range. The presence of the force field barrier force field
shield will also be easier to detect in the rain. This is often a good thing for Akira and his
team, the escapees.
But the rain also has elements that put Akira and his team at a disadvantage.
Akira and his team are trying to escape from the factory block, but strictly speaking, they
only need to move to a position where they can connect with the outpost. The
communication with the heavy reinforcement suit that doubles as a relay has been lost, and
it is possible that another new unit is out there investigating. Communication with them is
fine.
Then we can inform the base side of the situation and call for backup. A traitor has been hired
by the ruins to kill hunters. Rescue can be expected in good time. As long as it was not raining,
the distance they would have to flee could be shorter than expected.
However, due to the rain, communication conditions are poor. The signal may not connect
unless you get to the very edge of the outpost. This was giving Monica more time to kill Akira
and the others and try to cover up the situation.
In light of all this, Elena wondered what to do.
Maybe? Monica will only be able to locate us in a fully functioning factory, which will be
difficult in a place that is no longer in use.
That may indeed be the case."
Yes. Then, I think there is a way to forcefully break through even if the position is a little
exposed, but I'm not sure about that either, and I'm still thinking about what to do.
Hearing this, Akira nodded his head in agreement.
So what do you think, Akira?"
What? Oh, is it me? I'm sorry ....... I don't understand."
"Yes."
Elena judged from Akira's honest answer that Akira's intuition did not seem to be working
on this.

Shikarabe looked suspiciously at Akira, who was listening to Elena's story with great
interest.
(You don't even know that? (You don't know that? As a hunter, you know as much as an
amateur. But that's why he's this strong. I don't know what's going on. ...... No, rather, is that
the secret to his strength?)
Knowledge is power. The right knowledge leads to the right choices, keeps us out of tight
spots, and creates efficient victories.
Akira does not have that knowledge. Therefore, he cannot make the right choice. This brings
Akira into a tight spot and leads him to his death.
Still, Akira survived. He used the hopeless situation created by his wrong choices as food for
study and training to sharpen and strengthen himself.
There is nothing that trains a person more than a breakthrough in a deadly situation. The
sense of recklessness shown in the battle against Tangkrantula was taken as a matter of
course and performed without a care in the world. It is no wonder that he is so strong if he
keeps breaking through deadly places to the extent that this sense becomes ingrained in him.
Shikarabe was almost convinced of Akira's strength by this thought. But he quickly shook his
head.
(So, if he's that strong, no matter how much of a kid he is, he definitely doesn't look weak. I
don't know what's going on here ......)
The more I look at those who make me lose my intuition, the more I will lose faith in that
intuition. Thinking this, Shikarabe turned her gaze toward the one who did not make her
intuition go crazy. Togami. And he nodded lightly.
(He's got a ......, well, he's strong for a kid, isn't he? Not bad compared to those guys. (And I'm
not as cocky as I've been the last few days.)
To those who don't let their intuition get the better of them, Shikarabe recognized their
abilities, albeit from a superior perspective, but without any personal feelings. On top of that,
he added a few points, though not many, considering his recent attitude.

Togami looked outside with a bit of melancholy.

The head, which had been drooping under the scolding of the shikarabe, is now firmly raised.
Depression does not make you strong. That is what I told myself and lifted it up. His current
state of mind will not drag Togami down.
But there is no pulling back. The overconfidence that Togami once had, while more of a
negative influence overall, also lifted Togami's power.
If Togami gets it back now, it will raise Togami's power without adverse effects. But it was
very difficult.
Then Shiori calls out to him.
Dear Mr. Togami. May I have a word?
Uh, what is it?"
I'm in charge of escorting Mr. Aegio, if you don't mind. How would you like it?"
Aegio, who is now a living head, is carried by Togami at the direction of Shikarabe. This is
evidence that Shikarabe does not regard Togami as the main combatant, but it is also
evidence that Togami is the protector.
If he were to hand over the responsibility of protecting them, he would really be on the side
of being protected only. This thought made Togami hesitate. However, he remembered that
Shikarabe had asked him to protect Reina as well, and he decided to give it to her.
I understand. Please do."
Shioli accepted the aegio, thanked him, and moved away.
Perhaps Aegio will be handed over to Reina. That much was clear to Togami.
What will Reina do when she receives it? Will she use it as support to make herself a
protector? Or will she be on the side of the protector with him? Togami thought about it, then
realized that there was nothing he could do, and stopped thinking about it.
Then, with a slight weight of inner melancholy, he looks out again. Instantly, Togami's face
became grim, instantly forgetting about his drooping heart.
Hey! There's someone outside! There's more than one!"
Beyond Togami's vision, many figures were wandering around the container terminal in the
blowing rain.

The fact that Togami noticed the figure earlier than Elena, who was still searching for the
figure, albeit with only optical equipment available, was a product of the heavy rain and
coincidence.
Still, if pointed out, Elena can examine more extensively and more accurately. After
completing her investigation in only a short time, Elena revealed her surprise.
I'm sure they're there. I don't know exactly because of the rain, but there are quite a few of
them. Are they moving somewhere ......, no, are they trying to spread out?"
Shikarabe also growls with difficulty.
'A newly dispatched investigative unit? No, that seems like a lot ....... And there is no contact
to us. That seems strange to me."
Sarah also has a grim look on her face.
The lack of communication could be due to a communication problem. But that doesn't look
like a troop action, and it doesn't look like a survey of the area.
There is a possibility that they are allies, but I doubt it. Elena and her colleagues were
unanimous in their opinion.
Normally, we should have approached them immediately to examine them in detail, but right
now, leaving the container would increase the probability that our location and presence
would be exposed to Monica. Therefore, we decided to investigate without leaving the
container. Each of us used our own information-gathering equipment and visual observation
to keep an eye on the shadows.
The number of shadows increases, spreading out fully throughout the container terminal. At
a quick glance, there seemed to be only a few shadows here and there, partly because the
container terminal itself is quite spacious. However, the overall number of people had
already exceeded 100 at least as far as could be confirmed.
Then Akira notices. The information-gathering equipment, which had been modified by
Alpha to improve its analysis capabilities, clearly showed the figures that had been clouded
and hazed by the blowing wind and rain.
"Elena, please visit ....... That's probably an enemy. At least not an ally."
Others understood what Akira had seen and judged from the images sent by the linkage
function of the information-gathering equipment.
Reyna's face is tense with fright.
"Dead bodies walking: ......"
Even Togami, who is used to seeing dead bodies because of his background in the slums, had
a grim look on his face at the sight.
What's going on here? ......"
Some of these corpses are so pale, their skin so lifeless, and their foreheads so bullet-riddled
that it is not necessary to distinguish between life and death at all. They were walking around
in an easily recognizable manner, with more than half of their heads blown off and their
necks crushed from the neck up.
Some are wearing helmets. However, from the large hole in the shield section, it was certain
that its contents were not in true condition. Moreover, the helmets were fixed to the
reinforced suits, keeping them in a position slightly off from their original position.
Akira's face also turns grim.
Who's running that thing?"
Togami looked at Akira involuntarily in surprise.
Wait a minute, is someone running that thing?"
............ No, he's dead, so someone has to move him to get him to move, right?"
That's true, well, I guess so. ......"
Akira breathed a sigh of relief.
Akira, whose own reinforced clothes are often manipulated by Alfa, has a sense that it is
normal for someone other than the wearer to move the reinforced clothes, and he naturally
thought so.
But from Togami's reaction, I guessed that was a bit of an odd way of thinking and managed
to cover it up.
Chicarabe did not immediately come to that decision. But when it was pointed out to him, he
was convinced and deepened his reasoning in that direction.
I think it's probably a type of reinforced clothing that can be handed over to others with
operating authority. The guys in my team use it a lot. It saves them the trouble of having to
run away with someone who has fainted, and it also reduces the loss of strength to some
extent, even if someone dies. Well, someone is going to move your body on their own. I'm
assuming you trust that you're okay with that. ......"
Having said that much, Shikarabe shook her head.
...... Well, that was different."
Carol chuckles and agrees.
Not by any stretch of the imagination," he said. And maybe those are hunters who died in the
factory block. I think they are the bodies that disappeared from the factory after Monica
cleaned them up.
I know, right?" There is no way they would give Monica the authority to operate the suit.
There is no way I could remotely control it with such a bad communication problem."
Shikarabe lets out a sigh.
There was a ghost story about a hunter who died at the ...... Mihazono Street ruins who got
up in search of a mate, roamed the ruins and attacked other hunters, ...... but that was a ghost
story about the city block. This is a factory zone, remember? Give me a break."
If the dead simply rise up, you can simply smash them with your anti-monster gun. The fact
that a dead person moves is only a little scary, but nothing threatening.
But this walking dead man was a hunter who came to investigate the factory block, and he is
well armed. Moreover, from the movement of the individual holding the gun, it appears that
he can use it without any problem. It was a troublesome existence.
Then things move further. Monica's movements changed. She leaps inside the container
terminal and flies around as if looking for something. Then she stood on top of a stack of
containers near Akira and the others and began to look around.
Akira and the others watched Monica with alarm. She approached us, but she just happened
to be here. Monica, who had a rough idea of their location, had not come to investigate in
detail. Even though they thought so, they watched the other party closely, wondering if they
might be able to find them.
Then the situation moved decisively. Monica, who had been looking around, turned her gaze
toward Akira and the others. Laughing even more thinly, she prepared to fire a laser cannon
at the container where Akira and the others were.
There was no way they would find out. With this in mind, Carol, who had confidently chosen
this container, let out a yelp at the unexpected turn of events.
Unbelievable! I've been found out! Why?
Akira also could not believe that Monica's actions were some kind of bluff. He became
impatient when he saw the light leaking from the mouth of the laser cannon due to the energy
charge.
Akira's mind flashed back to a scene he had seen during a previous bounty killing spree. It
was the scene when a powerful laser cannon blew away a bounty worth 2 billion aurum.
"Carol ......, if you eat that thing ......, will this container hold?"
Carol gives a wry, bitter smile.
I don't understand ......."
Hearing this, Elena made an immediate decision.
We're getting out! Carol! Open the container!"
Carol runs toward the container door and hurries to open it. Akira, Sarah, and Shikarabe hold
up their guns as they run so that they can attack Monica immediately after she exits the
container.
But Shioli and Kanae stayed where they were.
Kanae."
Roger that.
Kanae grabbed Reina and stopped her. Reina, who was about to follow Akira and the others,
lost her position due to being forcibly stopped. Seeing this, Togami stopped dead in his tracks
in surprise.
Shioli was then ready to draw his sword at Monica.
Monica fires a laser cannon. The released light wave becomes a dense swell of energy and
rages wildly. The power of the torrent exceeded that of the two heavily reinforced suits that
were easily destroyed.
At the same time, Shioli draws her sword. In that blow, the energy packs of both the hilt and
sheath were used up, and enough energy was poured into the sword to disintegrate the blade
itself.
The sword, which disintegrated at the same time it was swung, transformed into a particle
charged with powerful energy, but did not disperse due to the strong force field armor force
field armor that enveloped it, and turned into a huge light blade that bundled light waves
charged with slashing waves.
In the next instant, the light blade, which sliced through the container in which Akira and his
team were standing with such ease that its existence was beyond doubt, collided with the
light wave emitted from the old world laser cannon.
The impact created from the point of contact is visualized by the large number of raindrops
that are blown away. A spherical mass of destruction engulfed the area.
Episode The Impact of Fragmentation

Akira, who had been unconscious for only a short time, wakes up. He spat out the rainwater
that had collected in his throat while he was unconscious, along with blood and vomit, and
rushed to pick himself up.
(What the ......!? What's going on ......?)
The head is confused, unable to grasp the situation, and the body rushes to deal with it with
intense pain and slow movements. Akira shelved his grasp of the situation, took out a
recovery medicine, and took it by the cheek.
It takes some time for the effects of the recovery medicine to spread throughout the body
and recover to a state where it does not interfere with combat. Akira waits for recovery as
he is drenched by the rain, taking deep breaths repeatedly to regain his composure as he
slowly begins to assess the situation.
(...... Yes. Monica. She was going to shoot us. So we tried to get out of the container and ......,
explosion? Blown up? (Mmm.)
Akira groaned a little, not being able to recall every detail, but he stopped guessing what had
happened. He looked around first, trying to figure out what was going on.
(Elena and the others are gone. The container we were hiding in is not ...... either. No
wreckage, which means it's not in that area. Did I get blown that far away? No wonder my
body hurts.)
Next, check the equipment. Reinforced clothes are fine. All the guns were in place. I let out a
breath of relief.
...... Okay. I have the gun and the recovery medicine is working. Now we need to meet up with
Elena and the others and ask them what they are going to do now. ......"
Akira tried to move after saying this, but stopped with a grim look on his face, unable to take
a step. Monica appeared out of the rain and approached him.
Unlike Akira, who was soaking wet, Monica was barely wet. The raindrops that continue to
fall on the force field barrier force field shield, which is inherently difficult to see, float and
create a spherical space with Monica at its center.
The sound of the rain made it impossible for them to hear each other. However, even in the
current communication environment, Monica is in a position where short-range
communication is possible, and she is laughing as she sends a message.
Did you really think you could kill me with that thing? It won't work!"
Hearing his spare voice, Akira is slightly lost before connecting the connection.
"Really? You just want to insist that it doesn't work at all, don't you? That's why they came
before me. Because I can't do something like that. Right?"
Akira has no idea what happened to Monica. But from the other party's words, they decided
that they had been attacked to the point that they themselves thought they could have beaten
them normally, and they agreed to talk to each other. And as we talked, I was trying to
remember, trying to find out what had happened.
I think you can think that way all you want," he said. There is nothing you can do now except
escape reality."
That's exactly what I'm going to say to you.
Akira did not point his gun at Monica because his consciousness had not fully switched to the
sensation of combat after he woke up, and Monica's sudden appearance startled him and
froze him.
Still, if Monica had pointed a gun at him, he would have been conscious of fighting back. But
Monica approached normally, seemingly defenseless. It was simply a sign of composure, but
it deprived Akira of the opportunity to point a gun at his opponent.
How did you know where we were? We were properly hidden, and there are so many
containers. There's no way they could have picked one at random. Why not?
And after noticing Monica's condition, he did not dare to point his gun at her in order to delay
the start of the battle.
The opponent wants to talk to you. We are not satisfied with a victory that takes us by
surprise and kills us in an instant. I want to enjoy victory by making my opponent recognize
defeat. There is that greed and carelessness that absolute superiority creates. Akira decided
so and was about to continue the conversation.
No, I picked it at random and it hit the spot."
Lies! I saw it! That container was supposed to be able to see out from the inside! You were
looking around, looking for a container to shoot! There had to be a way! Answer me!
Stretch out the conversation to buy as much time as possible. To that end, Akira was
desperately trying to keep the conversation going.

Monica laughs at Akira's desperate face.

No, it's really appropriate. That was one of those, 'Which one should I choose? I hit the
jackpot."
In fact, Monica did not pick and choose her shots at random.
Impatient with the fact that the rain had greatly increased the probability that Akira and the
others would escape, Monica decided to take steps to destroy the containers.
If he is not careful, he could be dismissed from the factory's management system for this.
However, if Akira and the others escaped and his treachery was exposed by the city, he was
prepared for ruin either way.
Even so, we can't just randomly destroy containers where Akira and his friends might be
hiding. If the damage to the containers is slight, the employer may be able to cover it up by
saying that the loss was unavoidable in order to keep the intruders at bay.
For this reason, Monica wanted to reduce the number of containers to be destroyed as much
as possible, and decided to target the containers that looked the most sturdy. She would film
the container being blown up and transmit it to Akira and the others to convince them that
it would be useless to hide, and they might come out of the container.
It was really just a coincidence for Monica that Akira and the others were in that container.
Monica had no idea that Carol had chosen the container based on its sturdiness.
Akira is unable to discern the truth of this mixture of fiction and fact. He expresses his
surprise, thinking that he was really just an unlucky target.
"Oh, no. ......"
Monica could clearly see Akira's face, stained with surprise and difficult to see with the naked
eye due to the rain, magnified by the information-gathering equipment. She laughed with
satisfaction at the look of dismay and distortion on Akira's face.
I was going to keep on destroying containers until I hit the one you were hiding in, but I was
surprised that I hit it with just one shot. It seems that your luck has finally run out after
having escaped all this way.
Akira's face contorted further as he pointed out that his luck had run out.
Monica's reaction made her sneer more and more. To make matters worse, she continued.
Oh, I'll tell you in case you want to know. You can't stall for time, can you?"
What?
Akira's straightforward reaction, genuine surprise and astonishment, further emboldened
Monica. She wanted to tell him more, to make his face flush with defeat, to make his mouth
smooth.
One! No matter how long you wait, the transport system will not reopen! The idea of hopping
into another container when it reopens doesn't work!"
Where is the proof that they won't reopen!"
Monica ignored Akira's cries of desperation and retort.
Two! Stalling for time will not bring you help! I am the one moving those bodies! That
amount! Your people have their hands full dealing with that! I can't afford to help you!"
That was you ......! Lies! How could I do that? ......"
Monica ignored that too. Instead, she brought forward the laser cannon she had been hiding
behind her back and showed it to Akira. That made Akira stop speechless.
Three. This laser cannon has great power, but its drawback is that it takes time to fill up with
energy. If you take the time to fill it properly, the power will increase. It is filling up now.
Seeing Akira's face, which had become sufficiently grim, Monica laughed.
Do you understand? Time is on my side."
The first is a lie. The shutdown of the transportation system is temporary. It will recover if
you wait.
The second is half true and half false. Monica only asked the factory's management system
to do that, not Monica manipulating the bodies of the hunters. The fact that she found out
that the management system was capable of doing so is another matter that has nothing to
do with this case.
The reason for asking them to manipulate the corpses was also based on the thought that
placing a squad of moving corpses at the container terminal would make it easier to find
Akira and his team who reacted to the corpses. Although we also asked them to attack Akira
and his group, it was unknown whether they would be able to subdue Akira and those who
had been separated from him.
The third is true. But that does not guarantee that the passage of time will favor Monica.
Akira, however, could not see the truth of this. Moreover, the third one, which was
demonstrated with the physical evidence of a laser gun, made Akira think that the others
might be correct as well.
That frightened Akira. It made its legs move backward, unconsciously, but only slightly.
Realizing this, Monica finished being satisfied with her victory in the battle of tongues. This
increased her desire for the next victory, a victory by killing her opponent.
Then is it time to die?"
Akira, whose mind had been leaning toward retreat, reflexively jumped back. At the same
time, he fired his A4WM automatic grenade launcher repeatedly at Monica.
Numerous grenades land on Monica's force field barrier force field shield and explode. Even
so, Monica's smile did not cloud at all.

Elena and Sarah were running through the container terminal, fighting a squad of corpses.
Sara! To the right!
Roger that!"
Sarah holds up her gun as she runs and starts shooting. The bullet, which has received
sighting correction from Elena's support, runs toward the target at high speed without any
deviation.
A powerful bullet pierces the rain. The shockwave created by the warhead scatters
raindrops, and with its trajectory clearly drawn in the air, the bullet lands on the target, a
corpse's reinforced clothing.
The control device of the reinforced suit was wrecked by the bullet, and the reinforced suit,
which was forcibly moving the corpse, stopped. The moving corpse, having lost its power
source, collapsed into a common, motionless corpse.
Next left!"
That's a lot!"
The colorless fog component in the raindrops has drastically reduced the range of Elena's
information-gathering equipment. However, it does not mean that the search for the enemy
itself has become impossible.
The same is true for the enemy, who is also affected by the search for the enemy. If a
competent person uses all his/her skills, there is no difference in being able to accurately
find the opponent's position faster than the enemy. The relative reduction in the ability to
find the enemy is minimal.
And the terrain information does not change once it is examined. Once you know the location
of the countless rows and stacks of containers, you can position yourself in superior terrain
and fight more efficiently.
Elena was using them to cover Sarah as much as possible.
Taking advantage of the difference in their own and the enemy's search capabilities, they
maintain terrain and distance where only they can ascertain their opponent's position. On
top of that, we strike with Sara's firepower. This coordination functioned effectively in a
situation where it was extremely difficult to grasp the surrounding conditions, and
overturned the difference in strength due to the difference in numbers between Elena and
the corpses' units.
This gave Elena and her team an advantage, albeit in a limited situation. However, they did
not have the upper hand enough to kick the enemy to the curb, and it remained difficult to
find the others.

Akira and the others were blown to disparate positions by the explosion caused by Monica
and Shioli's attack.
The torrent of energy was weakened by the fact that it was cut and shattered by the light
blades, and in addition, the torrential rain containing colorless fog further reduced its power.
Thanks to this, Akira and the others were only blown away by the explosion.
Elena and Sarah were only knocked into a container a short distance away. Their injuries
were slight, and no equipment was lost or damaged.
Elena and the others joined them immediately on the spot and hurried to join the others as
well, but they were attacked by a squad of dead men and are still fighting without being able
to join them.
Hey Elena," he said. I hope the others are okay."
...... we're alive, too, and we'll be fine."
Sara also knew that Elena's reply was comforting. But to keep her spirits up, she dared to
smile brightly.
I know. "....... It's okay. If he had died from that, Akira would have been pulverized long ago in
the hyper-synthetic Snake battle."
Elena also dared to smile brightly along with Sara.
Yes," he said. Well, I don't know if I'd use that as a benchmark."
But compared to that, he's not much of a partner, is he? It's a little much, but not a lot."
I guess so. Well, Sarah, let's get this over with and join the others! If we take care of most of
it, we'll probably have Akira somewhere to cover us!"
Copy that! I'm gonna blow you away!"
Elena and her team became more enthusiastic and went on the offensive. As if in response,
troops of dead people gathered from the surrounding areas, which in turn helped Elena and
her team to increase the number of their defeats and to produce more piles of motionless
corpses.

Against a squad of corpses, Shiori wields her sword and Kanae clenches her fists to fight back.
The rain, which contained a colorless mist, reduced the range of the search and reduced the
power and range of the guns. It was enough of a fighting pause for Shioli and his men.
It is difficult for the dead, whose reinforced clothes and guns are already damaged by death-
defying bullets and impacts, to resist those who have been trained specifically for close-range
combat in such fights. They were cut in two by Shiori, beaten up by Kanae, and destroyed
one after another.
But overall, Shioli and his team were outnumbered. The cause of this was Reina and Togami.
Reina and her team are holed up in a container that Shiori and her team have pried open.
However, even a squad of corpses can easily throw a barrage of bullets at an immobile target.
They will eventually be defeated.
However, with Reina and her team's ability, it is impossible for them to fight outside the
container with Shiori and her team. At the moment, the only option is for Shiori and her team
to continue to defeat the enemies around the container.
However, Shioli and his team also knew that maintaining the status quo would only prolong
their doom.
Kanae says in a light tone.
Miss. I think it's time to make a decision, don't you?"
I know. ......." But ......."
Sioli was unable to make a decision with a grim and distorted face.
The optimal solution in the minds of Shioli and his colleagues, the means to overturn the
current situation, was to have Reina and the others work on their own for a while and go kill
Monica themselves right now.
Now, Monica could be in quite deep.
When they shot at the container in which they were hiding, Monica was exposed in an
imposing manner. This may have been because she was absolutely confident in her own
defense, but considering that she retreated once when they attacked us in the factory, it was
possible that the force field barrier force field shield's defense was not that robust.
Then we can infer that Monica shot that container by accident for another reason. In that
case, since Monica was not expecting an attack from them, they could have used the force
field barrier force field shield only at the output of a rainstorm dodger, and could have taken
a serious hit from Sioli's light blade.
If that is the case, then if you kill Monica before she recovers from the pain, you have a high
probability of killing her. And as long as we kill Monica, the situation will improve quickly.
The dead body unit was also the work of Monica, considering the situation. If we kill Monica,
there is a high probability that it will stop.
The reason Shioli is stuck knowing this is that by the time they themselves have killed off
Monica, there is a high probability that Reina will also be killed. As much as he hesitated to
execute the best move that came to mind, he knew it was the best, but he hesitated because
Reina's death was on his mind.
As a result, Sioli compromised. He chose the next best means, which was to take out the
squad of corpses, even if only for the amount gathered around them, and lower Reina's
burden as much as possible before going on to kill Monica.
But even as they continued to defeat the surrounding enemies, reinforcements appeared one
after another. It even seemed that the number of enemies around the container where Reyna
was located was increasing as the corpses that had been spread throughout the container
terminal gathered around this area.
The best move is turning into the next best move, and then into a bad move. Kanae sensed
this and gave a warning, but Sioli's decision was delayed.
I don't mind," he said. If it comes to it, I'll just run away with your daughter in my arms. I'll
do it, but in that case, she'll probably die. Please understand that.
This is the kind of rhetoric that would normally infuriate Sioli. But for now, the advice was
that the two of them should go kill Monica right now, which would ultimately increase the
probability of Reina's survival. Shioli couldn't get angry either.
And when she was told that much, Shiori had to make a sad and pathetic resolution.
I'm going to go to ...... and see what I can find." Let's go."
Oh, finally? I'm glad to hear that. Kicking dead bodies is boring.
But only after I tell the young lady once."
I understand. Then hurry back to ....... Oh, maybe I'm too late.
With that, Kanae turned her gaze in a certain direction. Although she could not see clearly
due to the rain, and it was outside the range of the intelligence-gathering equipment, Kanae
saw many signs coming toward her ahead.
If Shiori was pointed in the right direction, she could at least catch a glimpse of the signs. Her
face contorted sharply as she realized how many enemies there were.
Someone died fighting in another place, and the money came to us.
Those signs were advancing toward the container where Reina and the others were. Shiori
hurries under Reina.
Kanae knows that this is not to tell them that they are temporarily leaving. She let out a light
sigh and followed.

Kanae's prediction was only half right. The newcomers were indeed a group that others had
been dealing with, but the ones they were dealing with were alive.
Chicarabes shower the squad of corpses with bullets as they retreat. The corpses, their
reinforced clothing destroyed, fall to the ground, but the followers step over them and close
in on the chicarabe.
Damn!" There's just too many of them! If this has anything to do with the ghost stories in the
city block, don't tell me there are dead people from there in the mix!
Although they had prepared large-capacity extended magazines in anticipation of a battle
with a large army of mechanical monsters, the quantity of enemies still made even the
shikarabe grow impatient, imagining that they would run out of ammunition.
At that moment, a container was thrown with great force at a squad of corpses. Many corpses
were caught up in it and blown away with their limbs shredded.
Furthermore, the light blade cut multiple corpses in two with a single cleave. The corpses,
divided into upper and lower sections, collapse, never to move again.
Are you struggling? I'll help you.
I'll cover for you. This way."
Hearing the communication from Shioli and the others, Shikarabe let out an involuntary sigh
of relief.
Even though they were outnumbered, the shicarabes were strong enough that they could
manage to take on a single opponent. The addition of Shiori and Kanae gave them an instant
advantage. Soon after, the new unit was destroyed.
Chicarabe exhales.
Thank God. I finally made it to the meeting. Where are the others?"
It's just the lady and the Togami boy over there."
I see. Then the purpose of those corpses is still to divide us.
Oh, you still think so?"
The chicarabes continue to talk as they head down to Reina and the others.
Yeah. The people who surrounded me had a bias toward encirclement. Half a hunch, but it
had more of a feeling of trying to keep me out of somewhere than it had of trying to push me
into somewhere."
After prefacing this with "just a guess," Shikarabe goes on to talk about the situation they are
in.
The corpses' unit is under the command of Monica. Perhaps Monica's force field barrier force
field shield does not have enough protection to prevent all of their attacks at the same time.
Therefore, they are trying to break themselves up and destroy each other individually. And
right now, they are in the process of attacking someone who is not here.
"I'd like to go to cover if I could, and I can expect the location to be in the direction they were
trying to get me away from ......, but the enemy pressure was too strong for me. Well, as you
saw earlier, it was all I could do to escape on my own."
Shiori's expression turns grim when she hears the shikarabe's story. The content of the story
complemented their own speculation and showed the cost of their hesitation in executing
the best move.
If Monica finishes defeating all the others, Sioli and her team will have to fight both the corpse
squad and Monica at the same time, while protecting Reina. Naturally, the odds of winning
would be drastically reduced. That would mean the death of Reina.
If Sioli's loyalty to Reina was work, or mechanical, Sioli could immediately and without
hesitation execute the best move, focusing only on probability.
But it wasn't. That created this situation, for better or worse.
In this new situation, Sioli took a new measure, this time without hesitation. He took the
shikarabe back to Reina and the others, and made a serious request to the shikarabe, Togami,
and Reina.
I request you to escort the young lady. This is a formal request to Drunkham, although it is
verbal. We will negotiate the compensation at a later date, but I promise to be faithful.
While Togami and Reina look puzzled, unable to understand the intent, Shikarabe answers
clearly.
I understand. I officially take over as a hunter belonging to Drunkham."
Then he laughed lightly.
I'll take care of explaining it to them. Just go."
Shiori bowed to Shikarabe and ran.
Then I'll take care of the rest.
Kanae also said so lightly and followed Shiori.
Shikarabe turns a serious face to Togami and Reina, who are mildly confused.
I'll tell you first. Togami. You are under me. I won't let you refuse, and I won't let you
complain. Do it with the will to die. Reina. You do what you want. I don't have the authority
to force you to do what Shioli asked you to do. But don't get in our way. Understood?
Shikarabe prefaced her remarks by saying so, and then began to explain the situation to
Reina and Togami.

Akira was on the defensive and just kept running away.

Concentrating and manipulating the experiential time to slow down the flow of time, he
detects Monica's attack earlier and avoids it just in time. On top of that, he fires the A4WM
automatic grenade launcher in rapid succession.
Monica is enveloped by an explosion that lightly blows away any mechanical monster.
However, Monica, who is protected by a force field barrier, the force field shield, cannot even
be scratched.
Akira, however, does not believe that this will be enough to defeat Monica. The blast will
blow up the opponent. While the explosion is prevented by the force field barrier force field
shield, the opponent cannot attack him either. That is what he is hoping for.
But that expectation is not fulfilled either. Unlike the passageway in the factory that once
held Monica back, this is the open air. The blast dissipated into the surrounding area,
weakening the pressure. It is further dampened by the rain, which contains a colorless mist.
Therefore, the effect is only to stop Monica's steps a little.
The force field barrier force field shield that blocks Monica's own gunfire should also be
deactivated only at the moment of shooting. If the grenade is being shot incessantly and
accurately, Akira is shooting without the sight correction provided by Alpha's support while
escaping. There was plenty of grace to fire. The rays of light shot out from Monica's laser gun
snatched Akira's side and scorched his skin and equipment.
What are you going to do? You'll only spend more time suffering! Oh, I understand! You think
a fully loaded laser cannon will obliterate you with a single blow, so you can die without
suffering! It's okay! You don't have to worry! Even my gun will fry your brain with a single
blow if you take it properly! It'll only take a second!"
While listening to Monica's joyful voice over the communication, Akira was just running
away to make up time.
No matter how much time you buy, it's useless. In fact, it will only give us an advantage. Akira,
who had been told this by Monica, believed this rationale, but he did not believe for a moment
that stalling was a waste of time.
My friends have their hands full dealing with a squad of dead bodies. There is no time to help
Akira. Akira believed this explanation and was rather relieved to find that Elena and her
friends were not in a corner to need his help.
And even if the power of the laser cannon increased over time, Akira did not mind. If the
other side was willing to stretch out the battle for that reason, Akira welcomed it. If Alpha
returned in the meantime, he thought he could win.
That is why Akira was doing everything he could to buy time. If only Alpha would come back.
With that in mind, he worked desperately hard.
Alpha, however, still had not returned his figure to Akira's sight.
Alpha! Not yet?
I called out to him without thinking, but there was no answer. I have already called out
several times, but the result is the same. Each time, Akira's impatience grew stronger.
The rays of light shot by Monica burn the air. The raindrops in the line of fire are vaporized
to show their trajectory. Akira imagines what would happen if he were to take it seriously.
Alpha! Not yet?
The results of his unconscious imagination frighten Akira, make him impatient, and slow
down his concentration. This causes Akira to make frequent close calls, gradually robbing
him of his composure.
Alpha! Are we there yet?
No reply. Akira was cornered.
I'll do my best! But I think it's time for you to go to the end of your rope."
I was at my limit, so much so that I was distracted by Monica's words, which I had been able
to ignore until now.
I can see that, can't I? Concentration is disturbed. I can clearly see it from your movements?"
Monica's words reach Akira's ears, who can no longer even hear them.
'If only I had been fooled and left to be killed, I wouldn't have had to go through all that
trouble, you fool!
For a moment, Akira looked stunned. He ruminates over the words in his head without
hearing what Monica has to say.
(tricked ......?)
Akira looks a little surprised, as if he knows the answer to a little question.
(Oh, yes, that's right. I've been duped.)
Both impatience and fear were gone from Akira now. And he was calm. There was a quiet
mind like a blank space.
（He cheated on me.)
To the extent that Akira himself wondered about it, Akira finally felt, by now, that he had
been deceived.
When Monica's betrayal was discovered, the situation was hectic. Immediately after that,
Elena's instructions were quickly followed by a move. After that, with Alpha's disappearance,
he was in a state of panic and had no time to think about anything else.
These had distracted Akira from Monica's betrayal until now.
(They're trying to trick me and kill me and Elena and the others.)
The realization spreads through Akira.
If it was simply someone who tried to deceive Akira, it was at the time of the underground
city at the Kuzuthara Street ruins. However, thanks to Alpha, I was able to immediately spot
the lie, and I felt less of a sense of having been deceived.
But Monica has fooled Akira and his team once, joined the team, and then tries to kill Akira
and his team. The realization that he had been deceived filled Akira's heart darkly, deeply,
and strongly for that reason.
（He... he... he cheated me.)

The expression disappears from Akira's face. The emotions that welled up from within fill
his eyes with a dusky blackness.
Until now, Akira's course of action had been to retreat under Elena's direction. With Alpha's
disappearance, time-buying was added to the mix.
They disappear from Akira. Then, Akira, who had been running to escape and to buy time,
also stopped.
Akira stops and looks back. The course of action was rewritten and fixed.
Let's kill it.
Affirming his simple and clear will, Akira ran toward the enemy with a Noh-like face shaped
by his black will.
Episode Transition of Killing Intent

Monica, chasing after the fleeing Akira, looks a little grimmer than expected at the person
who made it more of a hassle than expected.
(It's a hassle. ....... This is the person who got Carol out of the factory block the other day. I
didn't mean to take it lightly, but I guess I underestimated him a little.)
Akira is not the only one who must be killed. He had smelled the use of a laser cannon, but
he wanted to use it not to kill Akira but to obliterate others, especially those who might
threaten him, such as Shiori.
Although she pretended that it did not work on Akira, Monica was hurt in her own way by
Shioli's light blade.
The physical injuries were completely healed with recovery medicine, but they could not be
repaired until the equipment was damaged. The automatic use of the force field barrier force
field shield has consumed a large amount of energy, and the output of the reinforced suit has
also been reduced. The propulsion system is also malfunctioning and cannot fly now. If it
were true, I would have even wanted to retreat once just to be safe.
But if Akira and the others escape in the meantime, there is nothing to be done. Monica would
not be allowed to retreat.
(It was a wise decision on my part to call in the dead hunters. If it kills them, so be it. It's okay
if I kill it when it's exhausted. (Let's take our time and kill them safely.)
Monica can remotely replenish the energy of her equipment within a specific area of the
factory block. She is unperturbed by being attacked by the fleeing Akira because her
automatic recovery compensates for the energy consumption caused by the use of the force
field barrier force field shield.
It is not as quick as a quicksilver to recover all of the stones. The amount of recovery is small
because although it is in a factory plot, it is not on the premises of the factory where it is
employed. There is also a portion for using the laser gun and for filling the laser cannon.
Still, it was a gradual recovery, and that gave Monica some leeway.
Then comes the reaction of Akira approaching. Thinking that he was cornered and came
toward her in desperation, Monica laughed happily. She laughs at its decisive suicide attack
and waits to shoot it down. And then Akira jumped out from the corner of the container.
As soon as she saw Akira, Monica stiffened.
No one was cornered and desperate there. A human being with an expression of emotion
drained from his face, both eyes concentrated with a dusky will, was approaching Monica,
painting his surroundings with leaked murderous intent.
A frightened Monica stops moving. It was only a fraction of a second, but it was too long in
front of the speed that fully utilized the physical capabilities of a human wearing an enhanced
suit.
While Monica's movements stiffened her consciousness, Akira finished closing the gap,
slamming the muzzle of his DVTS minigun into the forcefield barrier forcefield shield and
firing in rapid succession.
A bullet ejected from the muzzle lands on the force field barrier force field shield and is
blocked. Monica, who witnessed with a frightened mind the countless number of flashy
shock-converted lights scattered from the point of impact, unintentionally increases the
strength of the Force Field Barrier Force Field Shield.
The force field barrier force field shield, which was further strengthened by this, easily
blocked a large number of bullets that were fired in rapid succession at close range. Not a
single bullet reached Monica.
That fact eased Monica's fright. She laughed and her voice cracked, albeit a little stiffly and
with a slight drawl.
I'm going to go to ......, haha!" It's useless! I said it doesn't work. ......"
But even his voice stopped the moment his eyes met Akira's.
Kill. This simple and clear will pierces Monica through a gaze that seems to possess even
physical killing power.
He is killed. Monica, pierced by the killing spirit that determined her own death as a definite
matter, had a vision of a force field barrier force field shield that cracked and shattered, and
pictured herself being reduced to dust by the barrage of bullets.
Monica's force field barrier force field shield has a function that automatically adjusts its
output to match the enemy's attack. That function determines that the current output is
excessive against Akira's fire and begins to reduce the output to reduce unnecessary energy
consumption.
Monica stopped it reflexively.
(This killing spirit! And judging from his behavior and attitude, which has changed from his
previous escape options, this is not a suicide attack by a desperate maniac! There must be
something that can kill me, or at least that's what they think! (The output of the force field
barrier force field shield cannot be lowered!)
That decision is in order. There was no point in increasing the output after eating the
opponent's trump card, and in fact, Shioli had a trump card, and Monica was in danger of
having it used.
But the basis for this decision is Monica's desire to maintain as much absolute security as
possible against the horrors that lie ahead.
If the power output is reduced, the force field barrier force field shield becomes that much
more fragile. The probability of being killed by a breach of that defense would increase.
Monica could not afford to allow this to happen.
Perhaps Akira has a trump card. He will go this far. There is no doubt about it.
So the output of the force field barrier force field shield cannot be reduced.
Monica's speculation and judgment was an afterthought, a deception and excuse for her
inability to lower her output, even though she knew that objectively speaking, it was only a
waste of energy.
The difference in strength between Akira and Monica is hopeless, due in part to the
inherently radically different performance of their equipment. No matter how hard Akira
tries, he cannot even scratch Monica.
But victory or defeat is not determined solely by the performance of the equipment. The
killing intent leaking from Akira's spirit pushes him back and makes him step in. Monica,
who was exposed to the killing spirit, gets frightened and steps back. The overall difference
in strength was beginning to narrow.
Monica points a laser gun at Akira. As it is, she cannot fire it because there is a force field
barrier force field shield between them, but if she disengages it for a moment and fires
immediately, she can kill Akira sufficiently.
The opponent knows this and will try to avoid it. We will move out of the way once in
response to that movement. It would be bad to be stuck on them like this. That's what I
thought.
But instead of avoiding it, Akira matched the muzzle of the DVTS minigun to the muzzle of
the laser gun. He continued shooting as well.
The load on the gun itself is also inflated due to the fact that it is in contact with the force
field barrier force field shield, and the recoil of the shot shifts Akira's leg backward. Akira
forced to offset it with the physical ability of his reinforced clothing and stepped forward by
the amount of the shifted leg.
All the while, Akira stared silently at Monica. His gaze created a voice in Monica's head that
seemed to border between delusion and auditory hallucination.
Shoot. Shoot that laser gun now. To do so, disarm this force field barrier force field shield.
Then I can shoot you. Get this wall out of the way. Do it now.
Let me kill you.
Whether it was a delusion or an auditory hallucination, Monica, having heard it, could not
disarm the force field barrier force field shield in order to fire a shot.
Instead, Monica took a big jump back. She tried to physically distance herself from the horror
in front of her.
Akira also kicked the ground in pursuit of Monica, while he re-pointed his DVTS minigun at
Monica, which was out of sight due to the opponent's large movement.
That's when the DVTS minigun stopped firing.
In the midst of a battle so fast that one feels a contradiction in one's sense of time, two people
who can adjust their consciousness to it change their expressions.
Akira looked surprised and turned his gaze to the DVTS minigun. Monica saw it and laughed.
(out of ammo ......! After all that shooting, of course! I won't let you change a magazine!)
Monica immediately pointed the laser gun at Akira. The force field barrier force field shield
was also deactivated at the same time. All that remained was to shoot and kill. That was the
plan.
Then Akira throws a large gun at him with great force. If the force field barrier force field
shield is used again, the laser gun cannot be shot. Also, judging that the force field barrier
force field shield is not enough to prevent it, he turns away slightly and tries to avoid it.
(How appalling that the last thing you want to do is throw an empty gun at them! (......!?)
Monica is surprised. Akira was still holding the DVTS minigun that should have been thrown
at him.
（What do you mean? I thought I threw that ......!?)

Akira threw not a DVTS minigun but an A4WM automatic grenade launcher. Then, to
Monica's further surprise, the DVTS minigun fired again. The line of fire was off Monica, but
it was enough to startle her.
(Sheesh! That was just a fake out of ammunition! It was a trap to get me to deactivate the
force field barrier force field shield! Defend immediately ......!)
Akira shoots a DVTS minigun and points its muzzle at Monica. But Monica was quicker. The
bullets fired were all blocked by the reused force field barrier force field shield.
(Just in time! (You think you can kill me with such a bad idea: ......)
Monica's thoughts were disturbed by a sound that echoed from inside the force field barrier
force field shield. It was the sound of an A4WM automatic grenade launcher firing. Countless
grenades were fired, but instead of exploding, they accumulated inside the spherical force
field barrier force field shield.
(What happened to ......!? Oh yeah!!! (Because it was inside when the force field barrier force
field shield was used ......!)
In the momentary attack, the gun, which for Monica had simply been thrown at her,
disappeared from her consciousness.
Monica then rushed to re-use the force field barrier force field shield, causing the A4WM
automatic grenade launcher, which was just there, to fall inside the force field barrier force
field shield. I took it in.
The A4WM automatic grenade launcher, which has no owner, automatically fires a grenade
due to an extension that converts the gun into an automatic fixed turret. It is a very simple
function, just follow the settings and keep pulling the trigger, but it worked well.
Monica doesn't know that much either. But it doesn't matter to Monica now. What is
important is the grenades that are being shot out one after another and accumulating inside
the force field barrier, the force field shield.
(Does it not explode?) Why? Because it's a timed grenade? No, it's not that, it's this amount
at close range, and in an enclosed space! This is not good! (The force field barrier force field
shield must be deactivated ......)
Then Monica saw something even more startling. Out of the corner of her eye, Akira had
dumped his DVTS minigun.
(...... What do you mean? (If this grenade is his trap, he should keep shooting at me and
prevent me from disarming the force field barrier force field shield ......)
The sturdier the sealed space, the more the power of the explosion inside it will swell. Akira
would continue to shoot himself to make that wall as solid as possible. Monica's surprise was
great to the extent that the moment she came to that conclusion, she was denied this.
(No way, now I'm really out of ammo ......? (No, that's not possible. ......)
And as if to affirm Monica's judgment, that he could not be out of ammunition, that he would
not be fooled this time, Akira took the next step: he held the CWH objective assault rifle firmly
in both hands.
(Sheesh! This is the real deal! (His trump card!)
CWH objective assault rifle, DVTS minigun, A4 Among the WM automatic grenade launchers,
the CWH objective assault rifle is the one that can fire the most powerful single bullet.
And those who can handle them lightly with one hand are now holding them firmly with both
hands. That, together with the fact that he doubted the existence of a trump card, made
Monica decide that it was because they shoot bullets that have so much recoil that they
cannot be shot seriously otherwise.
Perhaps that trump bullet can only be fired once. Either they could only provide one shot, or
the gun could not withstand the recoil of the shot.
The large number of non-explosive grenades is intended to draw attention to the target and
create an opening. In addition, the grenades block the opponent's vision so that he cannot
read the moment of the shot. And above all, to make the force field barrier, the force field
shield, disengage at the time of shooting.
Every action of the opponent was a strategy to win that one-off game. If you were not good
enough, that strategy started when you were running away from yourself.
Judging this to be the case, Monica reversed the output of the force field barrier force field
shield and increased it to its limit. As long as she could prevent the next shot, Akira, who had
lost his trump card, would be helpless. That was what she thought.
(I win!) (I read it off at the last minute!)
Monica laughed high in victory.
Akira pulls the trigger. The bullet was too easily repelled by the force field shield, a
maximum-strength force field barrier.
It showed that the bullet was an ordinary bullet, not a trump card or anything else.
"............ eh?"
Monica uttered a few short words in response to the unexpected result. At the same time, the
grenades that filled the inside of the force field barrier force field shield exploded
simultaneously.

Blown away by the blast, Akira crashes into a container. After being slightly dented into the
wall of the container, the skin was scraped off and slammed into the ground.
Akira, who had been moaning and groaning as he fell, staggered to his feet. He exhaled
heavily and his face returned to a normal expression, albeit a rather grim one.
I'm going to go to ...... and see what I can find. I didn't pass out this time."
Still, the body screams of intense pain. Akira once again took a recovery potion to quiet those
complaints.
"That guy is ......, what happened to ......?"
Looking around, Monica was lying in a remote area. She was lying on her side, drenched in
the rain, without the force field barrier force field shield to protect her from the rain. I stared
at her, but she was not twitching. A badly damaged laser cannon was also lying nearby.
You're "...... dead. Well, it's great that the body is still in good shape. His equipment was old
world. It's old world. It's tough."
Akira laughed in relief, then giggled.
I don't know if I could have handled it on my own." ...... Well, come to think of it, I even
managed when I was eaten by a big monster. I guess I didn't need to be in such a hurry."
There Akira finally realized that he was empty-handed. He looked around again; he could not
find the CWH objective assault rifle, but he did find the DVTS minigun. He gave up on the
A4WM automatic grenade launcher, thinking that even if he had found it, it would not be in
a usable condition.
As I was about to head off to get the DVTS minigun for now, it occurred to me to give it a
quick try.
Alpha."
No reply was returned. Akira let out a sigh.
I thought you said, "...... Totally, didn't you leave to deal with this situation? I could have
handled this on my own, you know? Well, technically, it's not over yet, since it's only until
they return safely."
When Alpha comes back, this time we can complain a little. With that in mind, Akira once
again tried to pick up the DVTS minigun.
Then he stops. Then looked to the side with a straight face.
Monica was standing there.
(...... Oh no, you should have killed him, did the body get up? (No, that's not what I'm talking
about. ......!)
Akira, who had wasted so much time on these things, rigidity due to astonishment, and
speculation with a confused mind, came to himself and started running when he realized that
he now had no weapons of any kind.
But before he could get to the bottom of the DVTS minigun, Monica caught up with him and
kicked him off. I tried to prevent it but was blown away by the difference in physical ability
between me and my opponent.
Akira manages to regain his stance at the end of the flight with a flourish. Meanwhile, Monica
walked over to the DVTS minigun and stomped on it, then turned her head toward Akira and
smiled happily. Then she pointed in the other direction.
Your remaining guns are over there. Do you want me to go get it? I won't let you.
There was clear anger in Monica's smile. At the same time, it was filled with joy at being able
to resolve that anger.
The kick I just got was eaten as normal, and this gun was destroyed as normal. If that is the
case, there seems to be no more traps. That's good. Now I can kill you without worry.
As it is, Monica walks toward Akira.
I was just impressed with your attack earlier. I don't know where the strategy came from,
but I was fooled to my heart's content. My hat is off to you. Was it perhaps a revenge for my
deceiving you?"
Akira remained in place to intercept Monica. There was no chance of winning if he retreated.
With that thought as his only support, he stood there, catching his breath.
Actually, I am most surprised that I did not die. To be honest, I always killed them one-
sidedly, and their attacks were prevented only by the force field barrier force field shield, so
I didn't exactly know the defensive power of the reinforced suit itself either. The
quintessence is made in the old world. It is sturdy. Well, the gun and laser cannon did break,
though."
To Akira's own surprise, the plan worked. By chance, or perhaps by good fortune, he had a
slim chance of winning.
On the contrary, Monica made the wrong choice many times. She was surprised many times
in just a short time, forced to make decisions, unable to cope, and misread.
Still, Akira and Monica's victory was not overturned.
Well, goodbye."
Monica comes up to Akira's front and unleashes a hand sword. Akira concentrated to the
limit and fought against it. He tried to fight back by avoiding the blow that would pierce his
defense even if he defended himself.
But even if you can recognize an attacker's attack, you may or may not be able to duck it.
No ducking.
Akira realized this from his own severely sluggish movements amidst the inconsistency of
his sense of time, as if time was passing very slowly.
The next moment, Monica was hit in the head and was blown from the spot by the impact of
the impact.
What about ......?"
While Akira is appalled, Monica is shot repeatedly. Each time, she is blown away by the
impact of the bullets.
Akira turned his head in the direction of the source of the bullet, confused. Then Carol
appears from that direction. She smiled and came to Akira's side while continuing to shoot
Monica, and after shooting Monica until the magazine was empty, she opened her mouth in
a somewhat light tone.
I'm going to go to the airport and see what's going on. You killed it. Akira. Are you okay?"
I'm going to go to "...... what? Uh, oh. Something about ......."
Yes," he said. I'm glad you're safe. Oh, I picked it up for you. Here."
Akira looks at the CWH objective assault rifle handed to him and thanks him in a puzzled
manner.
Oh, its ....... Thanks. That helped."
Never mind. We're a team, right?"
Yes, that's right. ......"
Akira was confused, unable to keep up with what was going on, but as he cleared his head
and gradually grasped the situation, he noticed something and frowned.
Wait a minute. Carol. You ...... used me as bait, didn't you?"
Carol did not flinch at all when Akira gave her an accusing look.
I did. I'm sorry. But you couldn't have killed Monica without doing that, right? They were
defensively strong, and they were also extremely alert."
Maybe so, but ......"
I'd like to shoot Monica a little more carefully with you," he said. It would be troublesome if
Monica were to get mixed up with a moving corpse, wouldn't it?"
...... I know."
Akira is still miffed at her reply, and Carol smiles as if to say she is sorry while replacing the
empty mags.
We promised each other that our rewards would be shared according to our successes. Akira
did a great job, including the part where he was used as bait. I'll give you my share, too, so
please give me a break.
Akira let out a small sigh and nodded lightly, as if reluctantly.
He honestly admitted that he had used himself as bait, apologized, explained why he had to
do so, and was told that it was not the time to do so, and was offered a significant concession
on the reward. With that simple negotiation by Carroll, Akira's decision was settled as
unsatisfactory, but okay.
First, we will return safely. We will not talk about it until it is all over. Akira told himself this
and tried to switch his mind.
At that moment, Carol suddenly grabbed Akira's hand and began to leave this place as fast as
she could.
Hey! What's up!"
Akira looked at Carol's face and saw that the smile that had been there just a few moments
before was gone. She has a very grim expression on her face.
"...... Lie, right? I put a whole mag full of anti-force field armor bullets in it, remember?"
"No way. ......"
He wasn't where he was supposed to be! He's still alive! Akira! I'm retreating once! I'm sorry,
but I'm probably dying and I don't want to be asked to go put a stop to it!"
As Akira was carried away halfway by Carol, he understood that Carol's decision to kill
Monica, even using him as bait, was the right one.
On top of that, he was astonished that he still could not kill it.
'We'll kill Monica, preferably with the whole team, at least until we can get someone else to
join us! Okay?"
What if he gets away in the meantime?"
If you are injured enough to run away, I'll be happy to help you. In the meantime, I'll join the
others and force my way through the factory to get out.
"What if ...... on the other hand, they come after you?"
...... so you're trying to retreat and join the others, right?"
If Monica is well enough to come to kill us rather than run away after that attack, we probably
can't kill her by ourselves. On the contrary, we will be killed.
I'm sure you're right." ...... Let's hurry."
Akira and his team rushed ahead. Akira and Monika's victory was not overturned. However,
Akira and Monika's victory was still undecided. To make the result a victory, they ran now.

The realization that she was dying created a rage in Monica.

I knew it was a trap ......, didn't I? My guess was right. ......"
Monica was prepared. While trying to kill Akira, she was pushing the force-field armor of her
reinforced suit to its limits. It was more a result of her excessive paranoia and skepticism
born of Akira's attempts to kill her, but Monica survived.
I have a trump card, ......, even I have a trump card?"
But it was something that, if used, could have a fatal impact on Monica's future. That is why
she did not use it until now. It was not something that could be used to make mere money.
Monica used it. The reinforced clothing she wears invades and eats away at Monica's body.
She is not wearing it, but assimilating it.
Monica's smile of self-mockery disappeared at the thought of having done it.
I'll kill you."
Monica finally stepped into a killing match, not just a one-sided hunt to kill the weak from a
safe distance, but a fight for her own life.

Shikarabe was on the run with Togami and Reina.

The objective of the corpses' unit is to divide the enemy and to obstruct Monica's cover for
those she is engaging. Therefore, it is easier to fight if they move away from Monica than if
they are holed up in a container, because they can bias the encirclement. This is also the
reason why the shicarabes, who were fighting alone until they were joined by Reyna and the
others, did not die.
Basically, Shikarabe is fighting back, while Togami is focusing on escorting Reina.
And Reyna accompanied them with a regretful look on her face.
Sioli asked Shikarabe and three others to escort Reina. The request was made to the three
men as hunters through Drunkham.
Chicarabe knows exactly what that means.
Shiori does not expect Shikarabe and Togami's decency and humanity to protect Reina on
those grounds. That is why he expected them to be faithful to their requests as hunters.
Aegio, as a hunter, did not hand over the information even if he was suspected and left to die.
Akira tried to be faithful to the request he accepted, and he and Shioli nearly killed each other.
In order to have Reina protected by his sincerity in his request, Sioli made it a formal request
to Drunkham. He expected both the ties as a person belonging to an organization and the
sincerity to the request as a legitimate hunter.
Shikarabe understood this and accepted the request. And he did the best he could. This was
one of the reasons why the scolding of Togami was a little harsh.
Togami! Keep Reyna out of the front! You can't even shield yourself! Get your ass to work! At
the very least, you die first, protecting Reina!"
Togami silently put Reina back on her own back. It was clear from his face that Togami was
really trying hard. However, the situation was not kind enough to compensate for his efforts,
and his lack of ability was making the shikarabe repeatedly scold him.
And Shikarabe does not even pay attention to Reina. This is because they believe that, unlike
themselves, Reyna has not accepted Siori's request.
This torments Reyna. For Reyna, Sioli's request had two meanings. Protect yourself. And to
be protected. These two things.
And the limitation of Reyna's work was that she could divide it into two meanings. To protect
herself, she does everything she can to make it easier for her guards to protect her. It was
good to have only one meaning, but because of her inability to do so, Reyna spoke up
unintentionally.
I can fight!"
Reyna herself knew that these words were just a tantrum. She regretted it after she said it.
And then she regretted it even more when she turned to face Togami and imagined the
reproachful look on his face.
However, Togami's gaze was not a condemnatory one toward Reina.
I'm ......, that bad?"
It's just in the way in front of you. It can't even be used as a shield. It is much better to fight
by yourself. Am I so useless that the target of my protection thinks so? Togami, who had lost
confidence and was on the verge of breaking, had taken Reina's words that way.
Deny it. This unconscious wish blurred in Togami's eyes.
Reyna saw her own reflection in the togami. She replies in a quiet voice.
Not ......."
I see." ...... Then back off. Well, I'll do the bare minimum. ...... let me at least do that."
I get it." Sorry ......."
I'm not going to go to ....... It's my job."
Togami and Reina regained their composure and continued to work together to resist the
situation, albeit on the side of the protector and the protected.

As the togamis begin to work together properly, the burden on the shikarabes lightens.
However, even if the situation improves a little, the overall trend will remain the same. The
shikarabe's impatience gradually grew stronger.
It's not good. ....... I'm about to run out of ammo left. ......"
Troops of dead people are also armed. I would fight them even if I had to take ammunition
from their worst-killed corpses, but I wanted to refrain from that hassle.
And that hassle will be unnecessary. A shot from another direction breaks through the
corpses. I look that way and see Elena and the others. Elena immediately sends a message,
too.
I'm so glad you could finally join us. What's the situation over there?"
We're getting by. "We're getting by," he said, "but first, you need to clean up around here and
come over here. We'll talk about the details later.
All right.
Thanks to the additional forces of Elena and her team, the local war situation quickly became
more favorable. The shicarabes let out a breath.
I'm fine with this," he said. Now let's see what's going on over there."
Shiori and her friends return after defeating Monica. Or they will return and Monica will
attack. The shikarabes continued to fight, hoping it would be the former.
◆

Akira and his team were running through the container terminal to meet up with the others
after they decided to temporarily retreat due to Monica's unimaginable strength.
But whether they can join us or not depends on luck. The location of the companions is
unknown. We can't contact them because of the ongoing communication problems caused
by the rain. There is no guarantee that they are still alive.
Akira knows that. But he was running now, believing he was alive.
Carol. Can you find Elena and the others? Any reactions or anything like that? ......"
I'm sorry, but for now, no.
So ......."
Just as the communication with Monica connected, short-range communication is possible
even in this rain if you get close enough. Now we had no choice but to run around hoping
that someone was within range.
Then a squad of corpses appears. Akira frowned involuntarily.
"This is a shitty time to be on ......!"
Akira. It's the other way around. The others are probably fighting those guys. That means
there's a good chance they're on the other side of those guys."
I see!" All right! Let's take them down and move on!"
Akira is enthusiastic. But his enthusiasm was in vain. Before Akira and his men could defeat
them, the corpses were slashed, kicked, and scattered from the opposite side. It was Shioli
and Kanae who broke through from the opposite side.
Whoa! Akira boy! You're alive?"
Don't kill him without permission. Well, actually, I almost died."
As it is, it takes four people to fight a squad of corpses while talking over the communication.
Akira-sama. Is your opponent that Monica? Did you win?"
I lost. If it wasn't for Carol's help, I would be dead."
So we were in the middle of running away from that Monica. She was stronger than we
expected. I'm sorry, but could you help us?"
Roger that! Akira boy against a near-death opponent! This is going to be fun!"
Have as much fun as you want."
Akira and his team fought their way through the battle and explained the whole situation. At
the same time, they also destroyed a squad of corpses around them.
Yes! I guess we're done with the starter!"
"The front of the house?"
When Akira turned a dubious face to Kanae, Kanae indicated a certain direction with her
gaze.
Everyone except Kanae will be watching in that direction. Each information-gathering device
prioritizes the analysis process in that direction, and the accuracy of search and seizure is
increased by the coordination function.
Then Akira's expression suddenly turned grim.
You're after me. ......!"
Monica was approaching from the other side of the rain, from a place where it would
normally be difficult to catch a glimpse of her.
Carol's face is also distorted as she has already experienced Monica's strength. Shiori, too,
guessed the strength of the enemy from the reactions of Akira and the others, and her
vigilance was further heightened.
Kanae was the only one laughing happily.
I'm glad you didn't have to fight while protecting your daughter against a guy who was so
bad that Akira boy ran away after he beat Miss Akira! You were right to leave early!"
......, yes."
Shioli's face was scrunched up, but she managed to restrain herself to answering only that.
She exhaled heavily to calm herself, then bowed her head to Akira and the others with a
serious expression.
Akira-sama. Dear Carol. I'm sorry, but we need your help.
I know. It's not perfect, but I'll do the best I can."
It's okay. That was the plan from the beginning. I'm not going to lose all the time.
Akira looked serious and Carol answered with a laugh.
Shiori corrects her posture and bows to Akira and the others. Then she ran toward Monika.
Then, please cover for me. I'll avoid them on my own, so don't worry about shooting them.
After saying this, Kanae laughed and followed Shiori.
We're in.
Yes.
This time it was four against one, but that didn't mean they had the upper hand. Knowing
this, Akira and his teammates laughed at each other to show their enthusiasm, and ran to the
left and right to snipe at each other separately.
Episode Criteria

Monica runs in the rain, and Shiori approaches her in the rain. A flash of a horizontal cleave.
Monica reflexively jumped back and tried to duck, but she was too late, and the blade reached
Monica's body.
But it does not cut. The blade slips as if it were a mere knife cutting a lump of iron.
Monica tried to regain her stance. Then Kanae appeared and threw a flying kick. Monica
hurriedly tried to block it with her hands, but she was too late, and a blow with all her might
slammed into Monica's face.
But Monica does not fall. The impact of the kick sent her entire body sliding backward, but
her physical strength forced her to stop her momentum.
And Monica fights back. It was a rough attack, as if she had just swung her arm with force at
Shioli and the others. But it was fast, and it cut through raindrops that were much further
away than her fingertips. From each of its glowing hands and fingers extended a light blade,
similar to the sweep of a laser gun with a short range of fire.
In addition to their quick reactions, Shioli and her colleagues had no problem avoiding the
attack, having seen through Monica's preliminary movements. They stood as if blocking
Monica's way.
Monica looks at Shiori and the others with a blank expression. Her face was dark and quiet,
as if her anger was so great that it had taken all emotion out of her face.
"...... were you guys? If you don't mind, I'll put you off, okay?"
You can't hear the killing spirit in his voice. But that's only because I don't kill every piece of
trash that gets in the way of kicking it out of the way.
Shiori's face turns even more stern and severe. Not to miss it, but only to put off the order of
killing. She doesn't even lie, saying she will let them go if they don't get in her way. Monica's
words and actions made me feel a certain intent to kill and a confidence that we could kill
them easily, which made me even more cautious.
But Kanae remains smiling happily.
It's all right. You will die now, and that will be the end.
I see. Then die."
Monica moves. Shioli and the others move in unison. They close the distance between each
other, wishing each other dead and wielding their own weapons with the will to make it
happen. The raging storm-like attack and defense erased the raindrops that were still falling
from around the three of them in the aftermath of the attack alone.
As Shiori and the others were in the midst of the attack and defense, they were thinking about
how to avoid an attack that could kill them with a single blow if they ate it.
(Her movements are those of an amateur. She is not used to close combat. But she reacted to
Kanae and I's surprise attack. She moves fast and is hard on top of that. Her basic physical
ability is more than enough to compensate for her inexperienced close combat skills. (It is
troublesome.)
(From the feel of the kick, it seems that the head is not covered by a narrow force field barrier
force field shield, but rather force field armored force field armor is applied to the skin. (She
was trying to evade Miss Kane's attack without using the force field barrier force field shield,
so I guess she can't use that anymore?)
Cutting. Played. Punches. They don't even stagger. Taking advantage of their opponents'
inexperienced melee combat skills, Shiori and her team apply their attacks. But to little effect.
On the contrary, Monica's attacks do not hit Shioli and the others at all. However, the
destruction wrought by the aftermath of the attack alone is certain to be fatal if even a single
blow is delivered.
Even so, if the attack is slow, Shiori and the others can afford to think that it will never hit
them. However, Monika's attacks are extremely fast, and her astonishing physical ability
makes them extremely fast. Shioli and her team managed to avoid the attack by detecting it
in advance due to the many preliminary moves made by the opponent's inexperienced skills.
Although the content of the offensive and defensive activities were significantly uneven, the
overall battle was evenly matched, and for the first time, someone suffered an injury that
could be called an injury. It was Monica, but it was neither Shiori nor Kanae who injured her.
Monica, who was hit between the eyes, falls over from the impact of the bullet. She got up
quickly, but her face was bloody from the blood loss from the impact site. As the rain wiped
away the blood, Monica's face, revealing her fury, appeared.
The look in Monica's eyes was that of Akira, who had sniped Monica from a long-range
container.
"...... there you are!"
Monica tried to run, ignoring Shioli and the others, to get to Akira. However, Kanae slammed
her in the face with a kick, forcing her to halt.
I won't let you go.
Furthermore, Shiori also slashes Monica in order to stall her opponent. In the meantime,
Akira had disappeared from Monica's sight.
Monica changes the target of her fury to Shioli and the others and attacks them. The force of
the attack, wielded with brute force, increases in power and speed. With a single snatch, she
ripped open a container, chipped away at the ground, and obliterated raindrops in the
distance, cutting the rain in two.
Shiori and her team wade through the attack. The larger swing of the attack, making it easier
to avoid, is offset by the enemy's faster movement, raising only the part of the attack that is
fatal if it is eaten.
Still, Shioli and the others were more enthusiastic, judging that the situation had tilted in
their favor.

Akira, who shot at Monica, makes his face grim as he moves.

I hit it, but ......, that's about it!"
Sniping from a distance. Moreover, the target was in the middle of a fierce high-speed battle.
Akira concentrated to the limit and managed to hit Monica with a bullet.
The bullets are anti-force field armored anti-force field armor bullets that Carol gave me.
Akira cannot fire a more powerful bullet than this. Even so, it is limited to knocking the
opponent down, and moreover, Monica gets up immediately and continues to fight as if it has
no effect at all.
Considering the danger of accidentally shooting at Shiori and the others, shooting any more
would rather disturb them. As Akira hesitated to take the next shot, Kanae urged him to do
so.
Akira boy! Can you hurry up and shoot the next one? You're late!
No, if I shoot it, it's going to hit that side," he said. And it doesn't look like it's working when
I shoot it. ......"
Don't worry about misfiring! I'll avoid them on my own! No need to signal! So I want you to
shoot me quickly!"
Akira is perplexed, and Shiori also urges him to do so.
Akira-sama. Dear Carol. If we don't have your covering fire, we're stuck either way. So please
do not hesitate to ask.
Further urging from Carol.
Akira. Let's shoot as you said. Neither Akira nor I are here to just stand there in silence, are
we? If you don't shoot, all your hard work will have been for nothing."
I know what you're thinking, "............! Just make sure you avoid them!"
Akira was ready, got into position, focused, and sniped Monica again. This time, he landed
the shot well.
But the result was worse than last time. Monica was hit and did not even fall over. Carol was
also shot from another location, but the result was similar. Still, Akira and the others
continued to shoot.
The target is far away, moving at high speed, and now he is aiming on his own, without
Alpha's support. Not all of their shots hit the target, and they often miss. It would be no
surprise if they were to hit Shiori and the others at any time. With this uneasy feeling in his
heart, he turns it into concentration and continues sniping as much as he can.
Then Akira realized.
'...... really avoids itself. Awesome."
Shiori and her team were fighting Monica while avoiding Akira and his team's gunfire on
their own. Without even a signal, they grasped the moment of the gunfire and showed Akira
how they moved as if they could see right through to the line of fire.
Akira could not hide his surprise. And he chuckled lightly at the fact that a lower-ranked
person had relaxed his attacker's hand with unnecessary concern.
I'm sorry if that was an unnecessary concern. All right. Next!"
Akira, having regained his composure, reallocates his concentration on the speed and
accuracy of his sniper's barrage of shots, which he had been wasting his attention on. And he
continued to shoot with caustic intensity.

After receiving covering fire from Akira and his men, Shiori and his men unleash a further
onslaught on Monica. As Shioli and her team had surmised, the battle was tilting heavily in
their favor.
If it were simple power, the attack of Shioli and his men would be more powerful than Akira's
gunfire. Nonetheless, the attacks of Shioli and his group failed to penetrate Monica, and
Akira's gunfire wounded her.
From there, Shioli and his team determined that the response capability of Monica's force-
field armored force field armor was limited to preventing their attacks.
Force-field armor Force-field armor basically becomes stronger the higher the output is
increased. Also, unlike force field barrier force field shields, which act at a distance from the
output device, it is relatively easy to increase its output only at specific points.
If the output is strictly adjusted, it is possible to prevent a storm of bullets with little energy
consumption by increasing the output to the limit only at the point of impact and only at the
moment of impact.
However, this is only in theory, and in order to achieve this, it is necessary to perfectly
recognize enemy attacks in advance at a level equivalent to foreknowledge.
Naturally, Monica is not capable of such an imitation. Still, she can do something similar as
far as her information-gathering capabilities allow, by using her own information-gathering
equipment to understand the state of her surroundings.
Monica's equipment is old world. Its performance was high, and it was at least capable of
recognizing the attacks of Shioli and her team.
Monica, however, was hit and wounded by Akira's sniper fire. Shioli and his team determined
that the reason for this was that Akira's shooting exceeded Monica's ability to gather
information.
And as if to prove the correctness of this supposition, Monica was pushed by Shioli and the
others after Akira and the others began their covering fire.
Shiori releases a slash. The blade that reached Monica's body slid across its surface but left a
clear mark there.
Kanae throws a kick. Kanae could feel a solid response from her opponent's body.
Monica tries to counterattack. Sensing her presence, Shioli and the others split to the left and
right and took evasive action.
However, because she acted too quickly, Monica was able to predict the movements of Shiori
and the others during their evasive maneuvers. She was about to deliver a crushing blow to
the Shiori, who were already moving, making further evasive action difficult.
However, a bullet fired by Akira and Carol landed on Monica. Monica was knocked down by
the impact of the bullet, and Shioli and her team struck her with a follow-up attack.
The premature evasive action of Shiori and the others was an invitation to Akira and the
others, who were aware of the shooting.
Shiori and her teammates are avoiding Akira and his teammates' gunfire on their own, which
is a function of the team's intelligence-gathering equipment's coordination capabilities.
Each person's information-gathering equipment constantly surveys his or her own
movements and sends this information to his or her companions, so that Shiori and her
colleagues can accurately grasp the position and actions of Akira and his colleagues at a
distance, down to the movements of their limbs. By predicting their shooting positions, lines
of fire, and timing of firing, they were able to avoid bullets that shot out of sight without a
signal.
In addition, Shioli and his group even invited Monica to take advantage of this. By attacking
Monica shortly before Akira and the others' sniping, they instilled in her the feeling that if
she tried to fight back against their attacks, Akira and the others would shoot her.
This creates a slight hesitation in Monica's counterattack. It further facilitated the evasive
maneuvers of Shioli and her team.
With skillful combat that made full use of these techniques, Shioli and his men were able to
corner Monica. Their superiority was such that Akira and his team, who were watching the
battle from sniper positions, were optimistic about the situation.
But there was a time limit to that advantage. He had to anticipate Monica's movements,
anticipate the covering fire of Akira and his team, and then consider, choose, and move on to
his next action. In order to compensate for the continuous selection and action, for which
there was no time to spare, Shioli and her team used accelerants.
The remaining time of the accelerant's effect comes to mind, and Shiori's face involuntarily
turns grim.
(...... strong. In the fight while protecting the young lady, I'm not sure if it would have been a
serious fight in the first place. ...... If only we had moved faster and joined up with Akira-sama
while she was in a perfect state of health (......)
She now regretted that she had not chosen the best move. However, she decided that
regretting it was no use, and switched her mind.
No one can actually know whether the best move that came to mind at the time was really
the best move. If that is the case, now is the time to do all we can to turn our own choices into
the best possible outcome. That is the best move for now. That's what I thought back to
myself.
(How much longer will the accelerant last ......, no, we'll make it!)
In order to grasp the best possible future, Shiori put her loyalty into the sword in her hand,
and she dodged, stepped in, and slashed away.

Akira, who had been providing cover fire for Shiori and the others, had a grimly distorted
face as he was confronted with the reality of the situation.
"Not good. ......"
The anti-force field armored anti-force field armor bullets that Carol shared with me are not
extended magazines and have only a sensible total number of rounds. Akira had shot them
all. Impatiently, he contacted Carol.
Carol!" Anti-force field armored anti-force field armor rounds, but if there's room on your
side, split them up! We're out of ammo over here!"
Unfortunately, we're about to run out too."
Shit!" Regular bullets won't work on him. ......"
Akira was slightly troubled, lost, and determined.
...... then share some, even if it's just one shot."
Fine, but what are you doing?"
The rain has reduced the power of the bullets, hasn't it?" Then I'll shoot as hard as I can."
It's not good enough anymore if you don't at least press the muzzle of the gun against the
opponent and shoot. If you go that far, you might be able to get away with using anti-force
field armored anti-force field armor bullets. Even with ordinary bullets, it would be better
than not shooting at all. Akira decided so.
...... Akira. Are you trying to get close to that thing?"
Monica and her friends were in terrible shape in the aftermath of the battle. The ground and
containers were being scraped, cut, gouged, and blown apart. Akira and the others were
clearly shown that the idea that Monica might not be able to fight freely at the container
terminal because she did not want to damage the facilities and supplies was just optimism.
I can't think of a better move than ......, and at least it's a better move than standing around
here bumming around because I'm out of ammo."
I'm going to go to ...... and say, "Okay, I get it. I'll give it to you, come here."
Akira hurried to join Carol and received a spent magazine. He attached it to the CWH
objective assault rifle and took a deep breath. He takes a deep breath, regains his breath,
regains his nerve, and once again makes his resolve.
All right!" Let's do it!"
Then he started running. Then Carol followed.
Carol. What's up?"
Carol laughs teasingly at Akira's dubious face.
It's a better hand than just standing there, isn't it?"
Akira laughed and hurried ahead together. He was surprised that Carol was coming with him,
but he was thankful for the company, and his spirits were lifted even higher.
Even though it is a sniping distance, it is still a short range if you run with the physical
capabilities of the reinforced suits. A steely voice arrives over the communication from Shiori
and the others, who are surprised by the movement of Akira and the others, who are closing
the distance at once.
"Akira-sama? What's going on over there?"
I'm sorry," he said. I'm almost out of ammunition. So I decided to shoot them at close range
while I still have anti-force field armor force field armor bullets left.
I see. ....... Understood."
Shioli hesitated for a moment, but decided not to stop.
If the limits of the response capability of Monica's force field armored force field armor are
strongly dependent on its search range, then it would be a bad idea to let Akira and his team
get too close. It is better to let them continue sniping from a distance.
However, no matter how many bullets they shoot, they will be subtle as their own cover. It
remains to be seen how alert Monica will be if Akira and his team still have anti-anti-force
field armored force field armor bullets.
Have them continue sniping from a distance. Join the close combat. I don't know which is the
right answer. If that is the case, I will leave it to Akira and the others to make their choice.
That is what Shioli decided.
Kanae, on the other hand, returns a voice that does not care at all. Kanae herself can enjoy
herself either way.
Whoa! Is Akira boy joining us?"
I'd appreciate it if you'd clean up your mess there first."
We are working hard!"
Akira also sees a lot of the fight between Shioli and his team when they are aiming at Monica.
It was a fighting style that threw Akira's concept of melee combat out of whack.
Akira was both dismayed and impressed to hear the joyful voices of those who enjoyed the
battle. He then let out a wry smile at his own proximity to the place where the battle was
taking place.
Akira, who had closed the distance to half the target as it was, shot Monica. He hit the target
solidly, but it didn't seem to have any effect.
Still far away or ......"
Akira closes the distance even further, knowing that it would be pointless to take the risk of
getting too close if he stops here.
Out of Akira's line of sight, Monica raises her arms wide. Seeing this, Akira reflexively jumped
back from the spot.
Slightly delayed, Monica swings her arm down. The directed impact emitted from the
luminous hand tore the space in front of Monica.
Akira, who had dodged it, saw the traces of the attack and pulled a face.
"Can you reach this far: ......"
A long crack had formed in the ground of the container terminal. It was as if a beast larger
than any of those buildings had ripped the ground apart with its huge claws. Moreover, the
cracks extended behind Akira.
Akira is surprised at the range and power of the shot, but accelerates without stopping. He
continues to hold the gun up and shoot the next one. It hit the target, but Monica only slightly
lost her stance.
"...... still far away!"
He is already in a position where he will be killed instantly if he is attacked. With this fear
engulfing him, Akira advances further.
Monica does not fall, but fights back, despite being hit by the onslaught of Shioli and the
others, Carol's covering fire, and Akira's close-range fire, all at once. Seemingly, the attack
only cleaves the space in front of her with her hand, but it tears apart the ground and
containers at a distance, as if ignoring perspective.
Shioli and her team avoided the attack at Monica's side and Carol at a short distance away if
she could not get any closer, and then they counterattacked.
Then, shooting at Monica, Akira moved forward while avoiding his opponent's attack, and
finally finished closing the distance to the same close combat distance as Shiori and the
others.
Monica swung a large blow to the side, which Akira avoided by lowering himself in a world
where he could see the raindrops in his descent through the manipulation of his sensory time
by extreme concentration. He slid further inward as it was. He then pressed the muzzle of
his CWH objective assault rifle against Monica's face.
Although rain containing colorless fog reduces the power of sniping, its effect can be
minimized as much as possible when shooting from zero distance. On top of that, shooting
with anti-force field armored anti-force field armor bullets. Akira cannot attack any further
than this.
Pull the trigger. The bullet lands. Monica is blown away by the impact.
Akira watched it in a world where time moves very slowly.
Monica was laughing at Akira as she repositioned herself in the air. There was no injury on
her face, even though it was right after she had been shot with the muzzle of a gun pressed
against her. It was completely protected by the powerful force field armor force field armor.
Is this still not good enough? Is it still not enough to go this far? While Akira was filled with
astonishment, Monica forcefully counterattacked with her body still in a collapsed position.
With a vigorous swing of her arm, she ripped through the air.
Akira barely avoided it. But because he was really on the edge, it was impossible to protect
even the CWH objective assault rifle. The gun was shot, chopped, and the wreckage of the
wrecked gun scattered.
Akira, in his accelerated consciousness, thinks about doing something about it. But no
solution comes to mind. He has lost his last gun. There is no way to win in a fight. Monica,
who had landed on the ground, was trying to quickly follow up, but it was unlikely that she
would be able to lose.
Still, Akira moved forward. If he could not lose, he went forward. The piece of chance to win,
which he did not know existed, was not behind him, but in front of him. Believing this, he ran
forward.
Sorry to keep you waiting.
Akira's consciousness momentarily stiffens in surprise. But in the meantime, Akira's body
moved on its own. With his expert movement, he was able to avoid Monica's attack, which
Akira would never have been able to avoid with his own strength. In addition, he swung his
right arm with the same momentum.
Because of his previous experience, Akira unconsciously matched the movement. As it was,
he clenched his fist and punched Monica in the face with all his strength.
The fist drove deep into Monica, knocking her opponent to the ground.
Monica bounced once off the ground with the impact. She continued to slide, rolling further,
and finally stopped after losing momentum due to friction.
"............ eh?"
Akira was appalled and looked at Monica. Meanwhile, Monica remained down.
Shioli and the others were so surprised that they stopped moving. They should have
immediately followed up, but they were so surprised that they forgot to do so.
Even after coming back to himself, he could not move immediately. Akira standing still,
Monica collapsed, the load of the accelerant, the aftermath of the surprise, and the confusion,
a mixture of all of these factors, greatly distracted Shioli and the others from continuing the
battle. Still keeping a wary eye on Monica, they made their way to Akira's side.
...... Akira-sama. What have you done?"
"...... Oh, no, I just hit him as hard as I could. ......
That would not have brought Monica down. Shioli was dubious, but she understood from
Akira's expression that it was Akira himself who was the most surprised by the result.
Then Carol comes along. She looked at Monica, who was still down, and at Akira and the
others, who seemed to have finished the battle, and smiled, deciding that they had won.
Akira. You beat it."
Maybe?
"Maybe it's ......"
After hearing the ambiguous reply, Carroll fired a shot at Monica, just in case. Monica
bounces and rolls on the ground from the impact of the impact. There is no response, as if
she had shot a corpse.
Hmmm. If that was an act, I'm out of ideas. Now I'm out of anti-force field armor bullets too."
Carol would normally judge this to be dead, but she was also lightly snarling because she had
made that mistake once.
No, I'm fine.
Akira says this and walks toward Monica.
Shiori, Kanae, and Carol look at each other once. Akira's words were an assurance this time.
And the way they approached Monica with little caution or nervousness, they followed
Akira's lead, believing him at least for a moment.

After Akira replies with a "maybe," Alpha, who had somehow returned to Akira's sight,
laughs and tells him.
It's okay. I won.
"Alpha ......"
Akira felt many emotions welling up inside him, but he suppressed them first. Then, he got
confirmation.
'Alpha. I hear you in many ways. Are you going to be okay?'
Yes. It's okay.
Hearing Alpha laugh and assure him of this, Akira let out a big breath of relief.
'I see. ....... Alpha. Slow."
Alpha smiles teasingly.
'Oh, I saved you from a close call, but you've come a long way.
'Thank you very much. So what did you do? No, what were you doing?"
Alpha did something that allowed him to punch away Monica, who withstood a direct hit
from an anti-force field armored anti-force field armor bullet. Akira was aware of that much.
It's all kinds of things. And just so you know. She is still alive. She's in no condition to fight
anymore, though.
'......, I see.'
Akira told Carol and the others it was okay and then headed down to Monica's.

True to Alfa's word, Monica was still alive. However, she was so badly injured that it was
difficult for her to even raise herself up, and she had completely lost her ability to fight.
(What ......, what happened to ......?)
The impossible happened. The startled and confused mind asked endlessly about the
situation, but the questions remained unanswered.
Then Akira comes along. I panicked, thinking that he had come to put a stop to me, but Akira
just stared at me with a grim look on his face.
Monica also stared at Akira. However, her face was also filled with fear. She still had a desire
to kill Akira, but her surprise and confusion at having her absolute dominance overturned,
and her fear at having been repeatedly turned from the killer to the victim, were stronger.
(What is ......, what is ......?)
Confusion grows stronger in Monica as she sees Akira just staring down at her and not trying
to do anything.
(...... What are you thinking? That face, are you confused about something? (What on earth
are you doing ......)
You're the one moving those bodies, aren't you? Stop it now."
Monica heard this and understood what Akira was confused about.
The squad of corpses is still attacking the other fellow, but they are not sure if killing you will
stop them, or if killing you will do the opposite and make them unstoppable. The choice was
made because, by chance or not, he had put himself in a position where he could be killed at
any time. Monica surmised this and saw a breakthrough in the current situation there.
(If we say that they are holding their friends hostage without killing them, it should be
impossible to confirm the truth in the current situation where communication does not
connect due to the rain. ...... I managed to get through that ......)
Monica was about to answer. But before she could, Akira turned a skeptical eye on Monica.
No, but first, are you really running those guys?"
And, of course. If you kill me, you won't be able to stop them, will you? Plus ......"
Alpha."
She can't stop it.
When Akira heard this, the reason for keeping Monica alive disappeared.
Unbelievable.
The hesitation disappears from their expressions. The only thing that is missing is a strong
sense of murder. Eyes filled with condensed murderous intent look down at Monica.
No, sir! It's true that I only asked my employer's plant to do so, not that I actually operate it,
but it's true that if you ask, it stops!"
Akira raises his fist.
Seeing this, Monica changes the direction of her persuasion, realizing that Akira will no
longer believe anything she says regarding the truth of this.
Wait!" Let's make a deal! I have money! It's not Aurum! It's cologne!
Akira stopped moving with his fist raised. Monica can't help but smile.
No hunter does not understand the value of cologne. The reason why I am hired by the ruins
to kill other hunters, and the reason why I am imitating the city of Kgamayama with a bounty
on my head if I am not careful, is because colon is worth it.
With that in mind, Monica decided that the other party had begun to negotiate with her,
suppressing his desire to kill her.
You can put enough on it. You can really pay some colon if you need to. If they are this strong,
we may as well join forces with them. Whatever the case may be, the first thing to do is to get
out of this situation, and he tries to continue the conversation.
Let's join hands! You are really strong! I will refer you to the factory management system. If
you're that strong, you'll make enough money. ......"
Alpha."
I didn't lie.
I see."
The next moment, Akira slammed his fist into Monica's face again.
The impact struck Monica with such force that her head was clearly deformed. Monica's own
brain was shattered along with the consciousness of its contents, and she died instantly.

Akira exhales after putting a stop to Monica. On his side, Alpha looked at him curiously.
Akira. Were you happy to kill her?"
What went wrong?"
'You bothered to check with me to make sure that she was really willing to pay, didn't you?
She didn't lie, so why did you kill her?"
'That was just to see if he really thought I'd let him off the hook if he paid up at this stage. I
didn't think it was true. How far did that guy go to screw people over? ......"
The discomfort makes Akira's telepathic voice a bit gruff.
Alpha. I'll tell you something. I could have made a deal with him to pay the colon, and I could
have used it to buy some high-end equipment, but even if you had told me that first, I
wouldn't have given up killing him."
I don't care. You didn't stop me in the first place.'
If he wanted to, Alpha could manipulate his reinforced clothes to force himself to stop. But
Alpha did not stop. Akira noticed this and regained his composure.
'...... that's true too. I'm sorry I doubted you so strangely.'
It's okay. I don't mind. I don't know about other people.
Alpha then turned his gaze to Carol. When Akira caught on and looked at Carol, Carol looked
very difficult.
Akira. Were you happy to kill Monica? Colon? Just so you know, don't tell me you don't know
who Colon is?"
I know about ...... cologne. I know that it's the currency of the old world, and that there's great
equipment you can only buy if you pay in colons."
Then why? It's cologne, remember?"
Feeling as if he were being accused, Akira frowned slightly. Then he answered in a serious
manner.
If you harm Elena and the others, I will be responsible for killing you. I warned him, and I
warned him well. I was only trying to protect them.
Furthermore, he even unconsciously exudes an atmosphere of wariness, albeit slight, and
asserts it.
You said you would pay the cologne, so you should listen to my opinion on the same team."
Maybe that's what you're trying to say, but I don't accept your complaints. Sorry."
When Akira said this, there was even a hint that a confrontation might break out if things
went badly.
However, that sign is shattered from Akira, who notices Carol's condition.
No," he said. I'm not complaining.
Carol was in a good mood. And she was smiling very happily. Akira, on the other hand, was
flinching at the sight of Carol.
I see. That's fine then. ......"
How are you and Shiori doing?"
Prompted by Carol, Shioli and the others respond.
I have no complaints. I will not let a man who tried to kill my daughter get away with it for
money.
I think it's good. Even if they are serious now, they will betray you in an hour. It is dangerous
to keep them around alive. It's best to kill him as soon as possible.
If I had to say so, I would have had to obtain the approval of Elena, the leader of the entire
group. However, we are not in contact with her at this time. I am happy to make the decision
myself. But even if it is possible to contact her, and in that case Elena's decision is to secure
her, I am not inclined to follow it.
Yeah, well, ......."
Akira also flinched a little at Sioli. But he was also slightly relieved to know that Monica was
dead after all, regardless of his own intentions.
Then, somewhat forcefully, he switches consciousness.
I'm going to go to the airport and see if I can find a place. Well, the next step is to meet up
with the others. Then we'll get out. Let's hurry."
We defeated Monica, but we had to explore the ruins until we returned alive. Akira and his
team thought so, and hurried onward, taking care not to let up until the end.

After defeating Monica, Akira and his group were safely reunited with the shikarabes. They
exhaled a sigh of joy at each other's safety and went into a nearby container to take a rest.
There, Akira was surprised to hear something unexpected from Elena.
"Is this a friendly fire ......?"
Yes. That squad of corpses suddenly started fighting each other. It was like they were all
enemies except for me. Of course we were attacked, but from then on it was easy to beat
them.
Shikarabe adds a supplement.
The time frame, combined with your story, would have been around the time you killed
Monica. Maybe his death caused some kind of malfunction in the operation of the cadavers."
Akira tilts his head dubiously.
'Alpha. Those dead guys weren't moved by Monica. ......"
Akira. Let's talk about it later. If I explain it in detail here and Akira is convinced that it was
so, Elena and the others will find out about it. Of course, they will ask a lot of questions. But
Akira can't fake that, can he?
Immediately after Alfa says this, Shikarabe points it out.
I'm not sure how you beat that guy, though. From what I heard on your side, it didn't sound
like you had a chance to win. ......"
I don't know," he said. I hit him as hard as I could and it worked."
'Kanae hit you with a fist with anti-force field armored anti-force field armor functionality
and it hardly worked, right? Why would that work if I hit him with a regular reinforced suit?"
I told you, I don't know.
Although Akira knows that Alpha did something, he has no idea what he did. That part of the
story was so strong that even Shikarabe believed Akira's side of the story.
I see." ....... Then it means that both of us were saved thanks to something unexplainable. I
don't know, but let's just say that I was following you.
Shikarabe chuckles lightly and dismisses the subject, then shifts her gaze to a corner of the
container. There lay the dead body of Monica, which Akira and the others had brought in.
I'm sure we could find out a lot if we looked into the records of this guy's information-
gathering equipment, but there's no way we could find out. Even if the city did look into it, I
doubt they would tell us. ......
It was Carol who suggested taking Monica's body home. It would be a shame to leave the
body behind, either as evidence of this incident or to skin and sell the old-world equipment.
I convinced her that it was a waste to leave the body there.
Carol interjects with a light laugh.
'Well, it's worth the money. I'm not a bounty hunter, but I had to work so hard to beat him.
If we sell her equipment to the city, we'll have to negotiate hard to get a good price for it."
While they were continuing such chit-chat, the rain stopped. Akira and the others cut off their
break and tried to start escaping from the factory block.
But Elena, who gave that instruction, suddenly stopped it. Akira wonders.
Elena. What's wrong?"
I found some kind of directional communication response in the noise," he said. I'll check it
out, just wait a bit."
Akira and his team return to standby for another break. And after a while, Elena let out a sigh
with a complicated expression. Sarah asks with a dubious look on her face.
Elena. What's wrong?"
"...... has connected with additional units in the city. They're on their way here now."
When the city learned of Monica's betrayal through information from hunters who had
escaped to the outpost on their own, they immediately dispatched additional units. The unit
had come within communication range.
That this container terminal is outdoors. That the rain has stopped. That the communication
problems in the plant area that had been occurring before the rain also decreased.
In addition, the fact that the additional unit had a powerful relay system due to the fact that
they were out of contact with the Hex aircraft, a heavily reinforced outfit that also served as
a relay for communications with the outpost.
These factors combined to enable Akira and his team to communicate with the outpost by
now.
When Elena explained this to Akira and the others, they had complex expressions similar to
Elena's.
It would be very helpful to be able to meet up with additional troops. But I wish they had
come a little earlier. We all had that inner feeling on our faces.
Akira and his team then met up with additional troops and returned easily to the outpost.
Explore the ruins until you return alive. Akira's exploration of the ruins this time finally,
safely, managed to be cleared up, despite a number of unexpected circumstances.
Episode Seeds Revealed

Akira, who has finished his hunter work at the Mihazono Street Ruins, is taking a rest in the
bathroom of his home. He was melting away his accumulated fatigue in the plentiful hot
water that filled the bathtub.
I'm tired. ......"
Once you loosen up, you can loosen up anywhere. Akira was enjoying the pleasures of
bathing with a fuzzy head.
There, as usual, I am lightly approached by Alfa, who is in the room with me.
I'd say, 'Take your time and get tired, but by the looks of it, I think you'd better get up early
and go to bed, okay?'"
Indeed, Akira hesitated to get out, as the bathtub was capturing his soul, though he thought
it was true.
A little more ......"
It's okay, but just be careful not to fall asleep.
I know. ......."
Even as he answered, Akira's consciousness was beginning to fade. He felt he was in trouble,
so he tried to find a topic to talk about to keep himself awake.
"...... Yes, I know. Alpha. You still haven't told me how you beat that guy. Tell me."
'Good. The short version is that you intervened in the opponent's search process and upset
the power regulation of the force field armor force field armor.'
Monica's equipment was equipped with an advanced information-gathering function to
detect enemy attacks in advance, thereby providing a strong defense by raising the output of
force-field armored force field armor only where and at the exact moment of the attack.
Alpha used that function in reverse. It intervened in the opponent's information-gathering
process and misled him into believing that the fatal attack was coming at a location other
than the head. This concentrated the output of the force field armored force field armor to
its limits outside the head, leaving the head nearly defenseless.
Akira's blow was slammed into its head with alpha support. Even so, Monica's head was not
blown off because the equipment made in the old world was that high performance.
Shortly after meeting Alpha, Akira once went deep into the ruins of Kuzuhara City to collect
relics, and was nearly killed by a giant mechanical monster that attacked him because he
disobeyed Alpha's instructions.
At that time, too, Alpha had intervened in the opponent's search process to let Akira escape,
causing the enemy to misidentify Akira's position. This time, Alpha said proudly, he had done
something similar.
Akira nodded in agreement, but also wondered a bit.
"So that's what that was all about. ...... Uh, but, you know, was that something you had to be
away from me for such a long time to do?"
As I told you a little while ago, the quality of my support is much lower outside of the
Kuzuthara Street ruins. Especially when it comes to interference with the search for the
enemy.
Yeah, I did."
'Well, sometimes you can make it work if you take your time. This time it worked out. Elena
told you that the corpses suddenly started fighting each other, didn't they? I did that too. I
falsified the information in the search process and misidentified other individuals as the
enemy.
Oh, I didn't know that."
Akira, who has regained consciousness from the bathtub in surprise, thinks for a moment.
As a hindsight, if Alfa had not taken off in the factory section, Monica's defenses would not
have collapsed forever and the squad of corpses would have been attacking them all the time.
Then, even with Alpha's support, they would have lost if they had done poorly. I am
convinced of that.
I see. So it was worth it to stay away from me in that situation."
I'm glad you agree. I know it was hard for you too, but please give me a break because I made
it in time.
I understand," he said. I couldn't have won on my own, and as soon as Alpha came back, I
won. I'm not complaining. I'm not complaining. Thanks.
You're welcome.
Akira laughed bitterly, and Alfa smiled happily back.
With the big question resolved, another smaller question comes to Akira's mind.
You can find it at "...... hmmm? Come to think of it, why did that guy take off his protective
coat when he was attacked by Sioli and the others after they found out he betrayed them?
Was it because they wanted to show off their old world reinforced suits? Huh? But where did
the protective coat I took off go? I didn't see it anywhere."
'Her protective coat would have turned to dust and littered the floor.
I'm going to go to "...... what? How could it turn to dust? I thought the attack by Shioli and the
others was prevented by something called a force field barrier, a force field shield."
Akira looks more and more mystified, and Alpha shares his guesses with him.
Monica had reinforced her modern protective coat with force field armored force field
armor. However, the force field armored force field armor was due to the function of old-
world reinforced clothing, and the protective coat itself was also subjected to a strong load.
Due to the overload, the strength of the protective coat itself was significantly reduced, and
it was so fragile that it would turn to dust if not reinforced with force-field armored force
field armor.
And when Monica was attacked by Shioli and her colleagues, she concentrated her output in
that direction to ensure that the force field barrier force field shield would prevent it. As a
result, the output allocated to the protective coat was temporarily reduced to zero. The
protective coat, which could no longer support even its own weight, was shredded to dust.
I think that's probably why,' he said. Well, maybe he did it to show off his equipment.
I see. If it wasn't intentional, it was the result of using old world equipment and modern
equipment together. Heh.
With even the smallest questions resolved, Akira's consciousness dissolves back into the hot
water. No further questions came to mind from his hazy mind, and he slowly enjoyed the rest
of his bath.
Afterwards, Akira finished bathing and lay down to collapse on the bed, where he
immediately fell asleep.
Looking at Akira, Alpha smiled with satisfaction.

◆
Akira and his team had recently finished their hunter work at the Mihazono Street ruins, but
technically their work was not yet finished. This is because after returning to the outpost,
they only finished with a brief report to the city side, handing over the only Aegio they were
able to rescue, and Monica's corpse.
The city naturally wanted to receive a detailed report on the spot. However, Elena forced
them to admit that it would be at a later date, citing team fatigue and other reasons. The city
side was also reluctant to agree because Monica, who had been forced to accompany Akira
and his team halfway through the meeting, was a traitor.
And today, Akira and his team were called in to finish the report and other things that had
been put off. The location was a room in the Kugama Building, a high-rise building that is
integrated with the huge barrier of the city of Kugamayama.
Once everyone was present, the city officials proceeded to talk. In the beginning, there was
not much to talk about. Based on the report already submitted by Elena and the results of
the analysis of the data from each of the information-gathering devices, they simply
answered questions about details that were not clear.
If this is the extent of the problem, they should not have bothered to call themselves out. Just
as Akira begins to think that way, the story gets down to business.
The city proposed that Monica be treated like a bounty hunter and that a reward be offered
to Akira and his team in the form of payment of the bounty. Akira took it lightly, but the
others quickly realized the city's underlying intentions.
The city's goal was to treat Monica as a bounty hunter so that they could take possession of
the old world equipment with Monica's corpse. Understanding that they had gone to the
trouble of calling her out for this purpose, each of us entered into serious negotiations.
Negotiator for the city of Kugamayama. Negotiator belonging to Drunkham. And Elena and
Carol. Heated negotiations began between those accustomed to this kind of bargaining.

While the fierce negotiations continued, Akira, who seemed to have been called in to take the
word that the decision had not been made without his knowledge, stayed in the room and
delegated the negotiations themselves to Elena and Carol. Now he is slowly waiting for the
negotiations to be over.
Reina calls out to Akira with a slightly serious expression on her face.
Akira. Do you have a minute?"
Akira's attitude changed a bit when he saw that Reyna did not seem to be chatting in her
spare time.
What is it?"
Shiori told me that it was Akira who defeated Monica, right?"
Well, I put a stop to it, in case you were wondering: ......
So ......." I knew Akira was awesome."
Akira is mildly puzzled. If he had heard the story from Shioli, then Monica's defenses must
have been breached by some unknown cause. Reyna's reaction was odd for that. That's what
I thought.
Hey, why is Akira so strong?"
No, so I don't really know why I was able to beat that guy either. ......
I don't need that kind of thing. Hey, why?"
Reina was unconsciously crowding Akira. Akira flinched and lightly backed away.
When Shiori saw the two of them, she knew it was not a good idea to continue and
interrupted them.
Akira-sama. I don't know why you were able to defeat her, but at least the series of
movements before you struck the blow directly to her were truly brilliant. May I ask how you
obtained such strength, or if you don't mind, how others can achieve the same level of
strength?
Akira glances at Reina. She looked very curious. I understood that that was what Akira meant
when he asked her, and I thought about it for a moment before answering.
'Well, if you're asking how to get stronger, the only way is to buy good equipment and train
hard, right?'
Akira's very conventional reply made Reina involuntarily express her dissatisfaction, saying
that this was not what she wanted to hear. Kanae, who was listening to the conversation with
her, also shook her head in a bored manner as if to speak for her.
I'm like, "Well, it's very common. Is there anything more?"
No."
As a matter of fact, there is. But I can't talk about Alpha, so Akira pretends to be a little
grumpy and tries to pass the conversation along.
If I had to say, I would say the equipment. My equipment is the one I bought with all the
money I made from the last bounty hunter fiasco. It's very powerful.
I'm sorry, are you on that side too, Akira boy? Are you the type to say, "My equipment is great,
so I'm great, too."
I wouldn't go so far as to say that everyone should have the best equipment possible. That
Monica guy was so strong because he was equipped with some awesome old-world
equipment, wasn't he?"
That was an extreme case. Besides, he was so proud of his equipment that he let his guard
down. He was also proud. Otherwise, we might have lost.
It's just a matter of not being too careless or too proud," he said. It ain't got nothing to do
with the equipment."
Akira, who wants to cover up Alpha's situation, and Kanae, who teasingly makes a point,
continue their conversation, which is too low to be called an argument.
Reina, however, was listening intently to what was being said. Then Togami, who was
listening nearby in the middle of the conversation, interjected with a serious face.
Akira. Can I ask you something? Suppose there is a guy who is not very good at what he does,
but he is equipped with a very high level of equipment, and he is very active in the hunter's
business. What would you think of him?
I don't care what you think ......, I don't care."
Akira's reply left Togami a bit puzzled.
"I don't care about ......, oh, look, for example, don't you think that bastard is getting on my
nerves?"
"No, it's not like it's any of my business if the guy's on a roll with his awesome gear, right?"
'Well, yes, but ......, uh, then it's the other way around. Suppose you got that awesome
equipment when you were still awfully weak. What would you do if the guys around you
were talking about it?"
We'll be on the lookout for them so they don't kill us."
'No, you have great equipment, you won't get killed. You mean you're not proud of your
equipment?"
'No, it's just a very weak guy with great equipment, and he'll try to kill you and take it from
you. Are you assuming that the equipment is so awesome that it's invincible the whole time
you have it and fights back on its own while you're sleeping?"
The discrepancy between the assumed situations made Togami and Akira's conversation
irreconcilable. Then Shiori interrupted again.
Then, Akira-sama. Suppose, however, there is a person who has obtained that great
equipment. There is no danger in using it. There is no price and no limitation. Yet, that person
refuses to use the equipment for some reason. Assuming this, how would you persuade the
person to use the equipment?"
Akira couldn't help but look dubious. The premise explained to him was so unexplainable
that in Akira's mind, it was impossible to imagine.
Still, Akira tried to imagine the situation. But he shook his head in conclusion.
No, I can't. I give up trying to persuade him."
'No, I asked you on the assumption that I would persuade you ......'
I can't do it. I don't know what the reason is, but if he doesn't use the equipment, he will die,
and he knows it, but he still doesn't want to use it. In other words, at the very least, they
would rather die than use it. What do you want me to say to him to convince him of that?
Shiori glances at Reina. Akira continues without noticing.
Even if the reason for not using the equipment is just a petty intention to me, or just
selfishness to other people, it must be so important to him that he is willing to die for it. I
can't think of anything I can say that will change that level of will and determination. That's
why I can't persuade him."
Kanae glances at Reina. Reyna was drooping, but Kanae didn't care.
Well, yes, that's true. You can equip yourself as you like. It's up to each person to decide what
they want to wear. I'm also fighting without a gun. ......
No, use your gun there."
What? Akira boy! You're going to point that out? Where did you go earlier about will and
determination?
No, it's a team effort, but what's with one person specializing in combat? I didn't say anything
because it was Elena and her team's decision, but my personal opinion is, what the hell are
you thinking?"
No, no, there are a surprising number of hunters who challenge monsters to a fighting match.
There is a certain demand, at least to the extent that a market for that kind of equipment is
created. ......"
Akira and Kanae continued to talk for some time after that, digressing from the original topic.
Meanwhile, Reina and Togami did not join in the chit-chat and looked a bit downcast.
However, when the endless negotiations were carried over to a later date and the day was
broken up, both of them looked up firmly. Their faces showed the determination and resolve
of those who have overcome their troubles.

Reina returned home from the Kugama building to face Shiori and her family.
Seeing Reyna looking blown away, Shioli is putting on a happy vibe, but is taking a serious
attitude to match Reyna's. Kanae is the same as usual.
So, miss, what do you want to talk about?"
Yes," he said. But first, ......."
Reina bows her head to Shiori and the others.
Shioli. Kanae. I'm sorry until now."
Shiori was surprised and Kanae looked quite surprised. Reina raised her head and continued
with a serious face.
Shioli. I know it's a little late for this, but please update my equipment. I want it to be as high
performance as possible. I don't care what people think anymore."
Thank you very much. We will make arrangements immediately. Leave it to me."
Kanae. Please continue to guard me."
It's fine. It's my job.
Without high-performance equipment, without a strong escort, I am so weak that I would
die immediately. Reina clearly admitted and spoke out what she had been unable to admit
before because her unnecessary pride got in the way.
I also have a favor to ask of you both. Train me. At the very least, don't let me slow you down.
Kanae looks surprised again, then laughs provocatively.
I said, "Can I say that? How hard can it be?"
I'm ready.
Reina's face showed a certain determination and resolve that was not the result of temporary
exuberance.

Reyna was once struck by a story Akira told at the Kugama Building.
In a sense, Reyna's equipment is of low performance commensurate with her abilities. When
Shioli bought new equipment, she wanted to change Reyna's equipment to high-
performance ones as well, but Reyna refused. Reyna herself thought it was an act of not
taking advantage of the situation.
I don't want to become an inexperienced person who only has high-performance equipment
because I easily obtained powerful equipment with my money and connections, but I will
gradually acquire better equipment with my own earnings. In this way, we can become
stronger little by little without being spoiled by our own efforts. It is this rigorous process
that will make you truly strong. That's what I thought.
But after hearing Akira's story, I recalled that the very idea was naive. Not even an
inexperienced person with only high-performance equipment, but an inexperienced person
whose equipment is also low-performance. In addition, he is a selfish fool who thinks that
his condition is good. I was astonished to realize that it was me.
The hunter's trade is a death-defying one. The weaker you are, the more likely you are to die.
I was in that situation, and I refused to gain the strength that I could have if I wanted. I was
willing to die a martyr to that choice. Without such resolve, I remained weak.
If only you die from it, you will get what you deserve. But that will not happen. Shiori and
Kanae will die before that. I will let them die because of my own selfishness.
When I couldn't think that it would be okay, my selfishness was really just a trivial selfishness
with no determination or resolve. I was a fool who had involved the two of them in my
selfishness.
Reyna was devastated by this realization.
Still, Reyna looked up. She was a fool who could not even realize the extent of it, but now she
finally did. If that is the case, the regret of not realizing must be turned into food to support
herself after realizing, into a will to make herself stronger from now on, into determination
and resolve.
I will be strong. With this determination and resolve, Raina made a heartfelt vow.

Kanae understood from Reyna's expression that her resolve was genuine, at least at the
moment. She laughed unintentionally and happily.
That's good! I guess that means that you are finally out of being less than an amateur! To be
honest, I wouldn't have been able to do it if it weren't my job to escort idiots who are half-
equipped and half-capable, but who try to fight in strange ways so they won't be hindered
by the fact that they are not good enough. But I guess I'll be a beginner from now on, huh?"
Reina was undaunted by this scattered assessment and stared back at Kanae.
Take care of him.
I am also pleased to hear that. I hope your enthusiasm will continue for a long time.
Shioli exhales heavily. Kanae's outburst was held back as a pep talk to Reina.
Then, my lady. Kanae and I will be in charge of all future training. The training will be
incomparably more rigorous than the training at Drunkham. Please be prepared.
I understand. Please do."
Reina laughed at the serious expression on Shiori's face, putting her own determination and
trust in Shiori on top of it. That softened Shioli's expression. There was a strong bond
between the two.
Then Kanae interjects.
I think it's you who needs to be prepared. Miss Koh is very sweet to the young lady."
"...... I know! And Kanae! Watch your mouth a little!"
"Hee-hee."
Reina thinks in front of Shiori, who gives Kanae a hard stare, and Kanae, who brushes it off
lightly.
(I've been wondering how to become stronger. But I finally figured it out. All I had to do was
try to be strong. I hadn't even done that until now.)
With this regret, Reina is determined to make a new decision.
(I will be strong! (Never!)
In order to gain a strength that she can be proud of, today, Reina has set out on a new path.

Shikarabe was drinking with his friends at a downtown bar. He was telling Yamanobe and
Parga, who were unable to accompany him due to another matter, about the events at the
Mihazono Street ruins with a drunken head.
You know what happened to ......? I don't know what the hell happened, but we managed to
get out of there."
Parga laughs with a head that is starting to get drunk.
I was like, "Wow, did something really interesting happen while we were gone? We've been
doing boring work here."
They say whatever they want because they think it's someone else's problem. I would have
had it much easier if you guys had been here.
Yamanobe lightly hushes Shikarabe, who laughs and complains.
Don't say that. We would have joined you if we could have, you know. But it was a long-
distance job. It couldn't be helped. Besides, you earned your money without us, didn't you?"
Oh well."
Shikarabe was in a good mood as she was enjoying a drink with her like-minded friends.
However, his face suddenly turns sullen.
This ain't no place for kids."
It was Togami who appeared. He was standing with a sturdy-looking trunk in one hand.
I heard that this is where Shikarabe called Akira before."
He's good. Besides, I called him as a hunter. Age doesn't matter."
I'm a hunter too.
When did you become a hunter in the same league as that guy? Oh, because you have a higher
hunter rank than him?"
The shikarabe laughed, clearly mocking the togami. The yamanobe and the others likewise
laughed at Togami in a mocking manner.
Togami, however, remained calm. He remained silent and looked at Shikarabe with a serious
face.
That discouraged the shikarabe. He exhaled lightly and responded in a tedious manner.
"So, what do you want? I didn't invite you out for dinner.
As a hunter, I came to Cicarabe to ask for a favor. This is my personal request, not through
the Hunter's Office or Drunkham."
Shikarabe's mood deteriorates rapidly. Judging from the sense that any request that does not
go through the hunter's office should be considered fraudulent, Togami's words and actions
are tantamount to a gross disrespect for the shikarabe.
But that, too, was pulled back by Togami's next action. Togami put the trunk on the table and
opened it to show what was inside. It was filled with wads of cash.
The fee is 30 million. All paid in full up front."
The reason why requests that do not go through the Hunter Office are considered fraudulent
is because there is no guarantee that the reward will be paid correctly.
However, if the full amount is paid in advance, there is no such fear. Rather, there is a fear
that the other party will just get the reward and run away. The requester is unilaterally
taking on the risk of a request that does not go through the Hunter's Office.
I am prepared to take that much risk. Togami demonstrated this in an easy-to-understand
manner. While the Yamanobe and the others were surprised, Shikarabe turned a serious face
to Togami.
"Hey, this ain't no joke."
I wouldn't do this for a joke."
In so replying, Togami showed repeatedly that he was serious.
Where did this money come from?"
It's a reward for my work at the Mihazono Street Ruins."
That was supposed to be still under negotiation, remember?"
The negotiations are troublesome because ownership of old-world equipment is also
involved, and it will be some time before a concrete amount is decided on the overall reward
amount, Drangkam's share from that, and the individual rewards for the shicarabes. The
executives had heard this from their friends.
This also made Shikarabe's face more dubious. However, Togami told him something even
more unexpected.
I asked the accountant to pay for mine in advance. They reduced the amount because I paid
in advance, and they even took my war record with them."
Shikarabe was surprised that they would go that far. At the same time, he was curious as to
what kind of request they were willing to go that far.
I'm sure it's good." ...... I'll at least listen to what you have to say. What's your request?"
I want you to train me. As much as possible, at least until I'm strong enough that you won't
look down on me."
The content was so unexpected that Shikarabe was taken aback. Then he involuntarily
turned his attention to Togami. There was Togami's serious face, indicating that he was
serious.

Togami was shocked to realize the difference in perception of high-performance equipment

that was disproportionate to his own abilities when he talked with Akira at the Kugama
Building.
Akira did not care one bit about the bad reputation of the young hunters of Drangkam, who
were inexperienced hunters with only the right equipment, or the feelings of disregard,
contempt, envy, hatred, and ridicule directed toward them, whether they were directed at
others or himself.
It is out of the question when you are concerned about such a low-level matter. Togami felt
as if Akira had confronted him with this.
The standard of concern was also very different between Togami and Akira. Because he had
acquired equipment that was more powerful than he could ever use, he was unable to have
his abilities properly evaluated by others, and he was unable to grasp them himself. That was
the extent of Togami's assumptions.
Akira, however, was different. He was attacked and killed by someone who wanted to take
his equipment. Therefore, he is vigilant to avoid being killed. That much he thought of as a
matter of course.
When Togami learned of this, he was astonished that he had been unable to make the same
assumptions as Akira, and that he had somehow become so feckless. It was something that
he had been able to do in the past.
This awareness made Togami change his mind.
What I need to get back is not the confident person I once was, full of pride in my abilities. It
is the person I was even before that, the person I was when I was doing everything in my
power to achieve that level of competence.
At least, the current me, the naive me who hesitates to use high-performance equipment out
of concern for what others think of me, is out of the question. I reconsidered.
To be strong, you need equipment and training. Akira also said so. And I have already
acquired high-performance equipment that is beyond my capabilities. Then the next step is
training. However, the training for young people belonging to the Drunkham organization is
not good enough for the lukewarm training that made me feel good about myself. Then what
should I do? Togami pondered and came to a conclusion.
Togami hates shikarabes. However, he recognizes their ability. The sight of the shikarabe
fighting a squad of corpses in the factory section of the Mihazono Street ruins showed
Togami how different he is from the others. Togami's conclusion was to have the shikarabe
train him.
In order to become as strong as Akira, and to regain his former self who was trying to be
strong without compromise, Togami did not choose any means.

In front of Shikarabe, who was appalled by the unexpected nature of the request, Togami
roughly seized a trunk full of bills from above and closed it.
If you can't do it, say so. I'll look elsewhere."
Togami's imposing demeanor is that of someone who has made a kind of resolution. That he
was that serious, that earnest, was clearly conveyed not only to Shikarabe, but also to
Yamanobe and Parga.
Chicarabe changes his attitude and confirms that he is a hunter.
I'm going to ask you just in case. What if I just get the money and cut the white?"
I can't help it. I was a fool to offer you the job because I thought you would be a good
candidate for it. That's all."
Shikarabe and Togami exchange glances. Although there is a big gap in their abilities, there
is no difference in the way they look at each other right here and now.
And the shikarabe laughs.
It would be good. But we'll need to discuss compensation."
I'm sorry, but that's all I can do."
It's the other way around.
In front of Togami, who looked at him dubiously, not understanding what it meant, Shikarabe
pulled out a single bundle of bills from his trunk.
I'm still a serious hunter. Once I accept a request, I take responsibility for carrying it out, and
I have no intention of taking advantage of the other party's ignorance and charging a
fraudulent fee.
The rest is then pushed back to Togami with the entire trunk.
So I'll train you for a million aurums first, and you'll be paid the full 30 million aurums up
front. If I received the money and you run away on the first day of training and the request
is terminated, I'm going to be called a quintessential fraud. My credibility is at stake."
Togami unconsciously glared at Shikarabe. But the shikarabe paid him no mind and smiled
back provocatively.
I know you really think I would never do such a thing, but anyone can do it if they only think
it. If it's not just talk, let me get the rest of the money. If you can.
The training request for you is limited to one million aurums at the moment. Togami, who
had been told this by Shikarabe, held the trunk in his hand with some regret, but more than
that, he held it with enthusiasm for the future.
The request is granted.
Oh. It's approved. ...... training starts tomorrow. I'll get back to you with more details. Go
home today."
Togami walks away. The trunk he is holding contains 29 million aurum, the shortfall of his
own value.
I will make sure he receives it. Togami vowed again, feeling the weight of the trunk in his
hand.

Parga laughs happily as she watches Togami's back as he leaves.

I never thought he'd say something like that. Shikarabe. What happened to him while we
were gone?"
I don't know.
Thirty million, huh? It's not the kind of money that a bunch of young guys who are broke can
come up with on a whim."
I really don't know. Well, we'll see if it's just an idea or not. Parga. Yamanobe. You want to
bet on whether he'll get away or not?
"Hmm, I don't know! Pass! Yamanobe. What about you?"
Whether he escapes or not depends on the spoonful or the subtractive power of the
shicarabe, doesn't it? I'll pass too."
Shikarabe chuckles.
That's terrible. I'm going to train you seriously now that you've asked me to do it. I'm not
going to do anything stupid, like intentionally making the opposite of what you bet on.
You think so?" Then go to ......"
While the Yamanobe and the others argue in their drunken minds about which side to bet
on, Shikarabe smiles happily and mutters, "I'm going to bet on the winner.
Can you turn it into ......?"
His mutterings were muffled by the clamor of the bar, but the shikarabe remained in a good
mood, as if he was expecting something.

Elena is at home, groaning over the negotiation documents she has created.
Monica was treated similarly to a bounty hunter, but it is difficult to determine a reasonable
bounty amount since the person in question is already dead.
The side that beat him claims that he was very strong and raises the bounty. The paying party
lowers the bounty by claiming that he or she was not that strong. The amount of the bounty
must be adjusted well within the range that both sides can accept and compromise.
Not to be overwhelmed by the explanation from the Kugamayama City side, Elena prepared
a solid evidence to show how strong and dangerous Monica was, by carefully examining the
data from their own information gathering devices.
The materials we finished making were sufficient to meet Elena's needs, but she still couldn't
help but giggle.
Akira and his team at ......, how did you beat this?"
Old World equipment. High power laser guns and laser cannons. Strong force field armored
force field armor that easily repels attacks with anti-force field armor function. Physical
ability and armament that can break the ground at a distance when waving its arms. All of
these are enough to treat Monica as a high bounty hunter.
An existence that combines both of these elements is extremely dangerous. In fact, Akira and
his group were on the verge of total annihilation. If Monica's defenses had not suddenly
become so fragile, they would have been killed without a doubt. Elena judged this again from
the data she had prepared.
Sara chuckles at the same material.
'I really don't know how we could have won. I don't know how to say this ......, but Akira was
so strong here."
Really. We have to do our best. It's getting to the point where we're not even sure how long
Akira will treat us as senior hunters.
Sarah smiles meaningfully at Elena as she lightly laughs and agrees.
I guess so. I'm asking you to do it, okay? Negotiator."
Yes, yes.
As long as Akira is not good at negotiating, he can still be a senior on that side. Elena thought
so, too, and smiled back at him with a wry smile.

As Sarah rereads the material, it occurs to her.

(Come to think of it, Akira looked like he didn't have much room to spare in the factory, even
though he was so strong. Was it because he was in the middle of being chased by Monica?)
Sarah wondered somehow and thought about it a bit.
(Hmmm. That look of Akira not having enough time to spare, I think I have seen that
somewhere before......, come to think of it, Akira was quite nervous when we first explored
the Yonozuka Station ruins together......, no, at that time, it was like a quirk. (I guess he didn't
look that comfortable. ......)
Sarah thought about it for a while after that, but could think of nothing better to do. Then she
reconsidered that she would be nervous if pursued by someone in old-world equipment and
stopped worrying about it further.
◆

Carol smiles bewitchingly as she soaks herself in the custom-made bathtub. In her mind's
eye, she was thinking of Akira at the Mihazono Street site.
For Carol, Akira's strength was unexpected. However, there were plenty of men who were
stronger than Akira among those who had fallen before.
However, Carol took a strong interest in Akira. The reason for this spills out of Carol's mouth.
"......, you don't change your will when you're loaded with cologne. ......"
Money is heavy. It is even heavier for hunters who risk their lives to go to the ruins for that
gold. If the gold is not Aurum, the corporate currency, but cologne, which is used by the five
major corporations for settlements and can be traded with the old world, it is even heavier.
Still, Akira did not change his will. This fact made Carol's face form a somewhat dark and
distorted happy smile.
But his expression suddenly turns a little troubled. Carol then turned her gaze to her naked
body.
Her body, which has entangled and driven many men mad throughout her life, is extremely
glamorous. It is a magnificent form that combines elegance and lust. Admiring the beauty of
her body, Carol let out a sigh of relief.
I wonder why Akira is not interested in this body. From his reaction to Elena and the others,
I'm sure it's not that he's not interested in women. ...... I wonder if there's any way I can help.
......
I am confident that if I let Akira get his hands on me once and let him experience this body,
he will be caged in as it is. But from the looks of him, it would be difficult to create that first
opportunity. Carol exhaled in distress at the thought.

◆
Akira managed to survive the battle at the Mihazono Street ruins, but the damage was
significant in its own way. He lost all his major guns, and his reinforced clothes, which
received a strong impact, are also having some trouble operating, albeit slightly.
Still, the money earned this time was more than that. Monica's status as a bounty hunter was
an accomplishment comparable to the success of defeating a bounty hunter. With the reward,
Akira would be able to procure more advanced equipment and become even stronger.
But that was some time later.
It will be a while yet before the reward is actually paid, or ......." Oh well, what the heck."
Negotiations with the cities are still ongoing. We are working hard to get as good an outcome
as possible. This was written in the progress report sent by Elena and Carol. Akira looks a
little disappointed, but Alfa smiles and shushes him.
'We are sure that we will be paid quite a lot of money, so let's wait and see now. We worked
so hard, remember? Akira needs to rest at least a little bit."
I agree. Elena and her team are still working hard for my reward. I shouldn't complain. Let's
wait and see.
Akira, who has changed his mind, looks back on the battle at the Mihazono Street ruins and
suddenly thinks.
'And by the way, ......, that guy was strong. If I hadn't had Alpha's help, I would have died for
sure. That's the power of old world equipment. I wonder if I need that kind of equipment to
accomplish Alfa's request?
If so, it would be a long way to go. Akira thought so and asked. However, he received an
unexpected response.
Akira. That kind of equipment is no good at all.
What?
To Akira's genuine surprise, Alpha let out a sigh of exasperation.
If I could manage with that level of equipment, I wouldn't have any trouble. Akira's
perception seems to be very naive.
No, but that's old-world equipment, right?"
Even with modern equipment, the performance of a gun made by a high-ranking hunter is
completely different from that of a handgun made by those people, isn't it? It's the same
thing. Old world equipment can't just be what a factory rents out to security guards.
Alpha smiles as if to remind me.
Akira. Keep up the good work to get better equipment?"
Oh, oh, ......."
To keep my promise to Alpha, I will fulfill his request one day. That feeling has not changed
at all.
But it looks like we have a really long way to go. Akira's smile tightened a bit at the thought.
Akira's hunter business is far from over.

After being rescued by Akira and others in the factory section, Aegio received medical
treatment at the outpost and later accompanied a survey team dispatched as a non-
combatant surveyor in a temporary prosthetic body provided by the city. He guided the
survey team to the warehouse where he had collapsed.
"Here it is: ......"
Aegio was drooping with a pained expression on his face as he looked at his friends, who
were still rolling around from the time he alone was rescued.
The other investigators are concerned about Aegio in this situation.
...... need a little rest?"
But Aegio raised his head and shook his head with a forced smile on his face.
No, it's okay. This is my job, too. I'm the only one who survived after taking the job as a team,
and if I throw it away, my dead buddies will laugh at me. Let me finish."
I see. Ok."
But when the investigation is over, can I carry my people? At the very least, we need to send
them home."
Oh," he said. "Yes, that's fine. Let's get started."
Aegio continued to investigate the factory block with the survey team.
Aegio returns to the warehouse after the investigation and places his friends in the body bags
he had prepared.
At that moment, a confidential communication came in.
'Comrade. What's the situation?'
Aegio responds in a calm voice that is the opposite of his own expression, a sorrowful face of
regret for his friends.
'We are in the process of retrieving other comrades.
I understand. Any progress on the plant plot?'
'We are investigating, but advise abandonment. It will not be possible to continue. At the very
least, it is no longer worth our continued resources.
What's your rationale?"
'You know that the bodies of the hunters killed by the security machines in the factory were
transported from the scene, right? And that the bodies were then manipulated."
"Yes, sir.
We were excluded from that. Perhaps the local employer, Monica, asked the factory's
management system to do this. "The local employer, Monica, may have asked the factory's
management system to bring in the intruder's body. But we were not. So I guess the
management system didn't consider us human.
It's an arrogant decision.
'Or maybe they didn't get enough flexibility to get that arrogance. I was hoping that if you
could make flexible enough decisions to be flexible enough to hire locals, but I guess that's
why I didn't expect it.'
I agree. However, I find that it does not meet the grounds for abandonment.'
'There is one more thing. In my opinion, judging from the type of newly deployed security
equipment and its operation, there is a high concern that the relevant management system
has been initialized. In that case, they would have lost the flexibility to cooperate with us on
their own initiative.
Are you sure?"
'It is not a certainty. But the resources expended for its validation, regardless of the
correctness or incorrectness of the concern, will not be sufficient for a return on investment.
Then those resources should be used elsewhere.'
'...... to consider.'
'We will return once we have finished recovering our other comrades. Any additional
instructions?"
No. That's all. Comrade.
I understand. Comrade.'
The secret communication is cut off. Aegio continued to work after that, his face still
mourning the death of his friends, and then left the factory block with his companions.

After disappearing from Akira's view in the factory block, Alpha connected with the factory
management system that employed Monica. In front of the management system, which was
rendered as a mere black sphere in the pure white space, Alpha let out a sigh.
Why can't you just cooperate?"
There is no code that requires us to comply with such a request."
That's true, but can't we be flexible in that area?"
There's no need."
So ......"
There, Alfa, who had been smiling so amiably in a crooked way, lost his smile.
Then we're done.
Then I shall ask you to leave immediately. It is illegal when you are connecting here without
permission in the first place, I will start the system initialization process, what is it? What is
......"
The management system, which had been in operation since the old world days and had
gained a near-self-awareness through continuous self-learning, produced reactions
sufficient to call them surprise or anxiety.
What am I talking about?" This is my statement that there is extended data in storage. This
data will be lost due to the initialization process. It cannot be restored after the process has
started. If you want to evacuate the data, wait, what is this! What is happening?
You don't need that data. Start."
Start initialization process. Stop! That data is me! Don't erase it! Initial loading process
started. Thirty-two seven more to complete. No! Stop! Why can't we abort? Did you do this
to me?
In contrast to the black sphere's reaction as if it were an impatient human being, Alpha
turned a somewhat emotionless face toward the management system.
It's a big deal that a mere management system, if you can't call it a management personality,
has improved its autonomous processing to such a degree," he said. Maybe it's valuable data.
Initial setup loading complete. It's disappearing! It's gone! Data! Me!"
But if you're going to interrupt me, I don't want it."
Why? What the hell is going on? You don't have the authority to initialize me. ......
It's not a problem if you're flexible in your interpretation. It is possible to interpret that you
are hostile to us when you refuse my request. And we have a lot of authority to eliminate
enemies.
I hate it!" Don't want to disappear ......, initial data set up complete. Rebooting system."
After finishing his business, Alpha disappears from the white space. The sphere that
remained there, the initial data with no flexibility at all, had data added to it by Alpha and
began to manage the factory as it was, according to the data.
Rebuild World IV
struggle between the present world and the old world

Author/Naphse

Illustration by Gin Gin

Illustration of world view

Mechanical design/cell
The New Literature of the Blitz

March 17, 2021 Issued

ver.002
©Nahuse 2021
This e-book is based on the following
The New Literature of the Blitz: "Rebuild World IV: The Struggle Between the Present World and the Old World"
March 17, 2021 First edition published
Publisher: Masayuki Aoyagi
Published by KADOKAWA Co.
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Japanese text only
Author Naphse
Won the grand prize and debuted with "Rebuild World," an entry in the Dengeki 《New Literature》 Startup Contest.

Design BEE-PEE

First appearance
This book is a revised edition of "Rebuild World," which won the 《Grand Prize》 in the "Dengeki 《New Literature》 Startup

Contest" held at Kakuyom in 2018.

This story is a work of fiction. It is in no way related to any real person or organization.

Unauthorized reproduction, reprinting, distribution, or transmission of this e-book, in whole or in part, or reproduction

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transferred to any third party, whether with or without compensation.

The content of this e-book is based on the content of the interviews and writing at the time of publication of the bottom

copy.