Lie:verse Liars:Chapter 9

--I don't know how long the intruder has been stuck in this "false world".

　Were they in here while we were trying to rescue the victim? Or before we arrived?

To find the intruder, the three of us jumped along the roof, relying on the intermittent sounds of explosions and the cries of the "fake beasts".

"Hey, Ruusuke. I was checking my phone earlier, but there was no application from anyone other than us to invade the false world from "Cain" to Caliburn, right?"

I nodded at Mashira's question.

"Yes, that's right. According to Caliburn's records, there are no other Awakened in this false world right now."

"But from the look of things, someone might be in here. I've been an Awakened for six months, and this is the first time I've experienced this but does this kind of thing usually happen?"

"I have just become an Awakened too. There is a possibility that someone who has just become an "Awakened" has gotten mixed up in this situation. But from the sound of the explosions I've been hearing, I'm guessing that the ones who have been mixed in this time are someone who can use a Disguise."

"In other words, it's a violation of the law, ignoring the person in charge."

"False World" incidents occur in various parts of Morihama City.

When an incident is confirmed to have occurred, an "Awakened" team is assigned to the "False World" case according to a number of rules. In this case, it was Tanaka and his clan, Team T.

　The rescue of the victim is left to the discretion and responsibility of the team in charge.

Sometimes, as was the case with us this time, the team in charge of the case may request a helper, but otherwise, in principle, the current arrangement prohibits other "Awakened" from interfering with a "False World" case for which they have been assigned the responsibility.

“Did people from other clans ignore their own and other's territories just to steal cases of other False World incidents?”

"It would be a big problem if that happened, but I can't imagine many other clans doing that, let alone ours."

"So what about the possibility of there being another team for the B.E. Butterfly Effect?"

I find the opinion of Kon that follows behind more persuasive to be honest.....

"The team in charge of the "false world" incident that occurred in our area is decided by the clan master, Homura-san. No matter how many people belong to our clan, I don't think anyone would go against Homura-san's decision and try to score points."

"Then who the hell is the intruder?"

"That's what we're going to find out, isn't it?"

She says this to Mashira, cuts off the conversation, and increases the speed at which she runs.

Is it because the victim who was serving as a human pillar is no longer there?

The air in the entire "false world" is stagnant, and the scenery seems to be distorted somehow.

In the midst of all this, I caught sight of the "fake bests" heading in the same direction as us.

The "fake beasts" seemed to be heading in a straight line toward the place where we thought the intruders might be.

I stopped once again and gave them instructions.

"Kon will go to the appropriate sniping points as usual."

"Understood."

"This is a dangerous mission. You have to be more careful than usual."

"Does that mean that Ruu-kun is very worried about me?"

"You don't have to confirm every single one of my words."

　Kon loosened her mouth and said, "I understand," and left this place in a flash.

"Mashira, we'll need to get a little closer--"

Just as he was about to say that, the explosion sounded again.

　And this time, I could see it.

"......, I don't think I've ever seen anything like that before."

I was so impressed by the explosion that Mashira, who seemed to have the same impression as I did, frowned as she saw something in her vision.

It's certainly different from firearms. If anything, it looked like Homura-san's "Let's go to hell" move, but...

With these doubts in mind, we resumed moving along the roof. Soon, we arrived at our destination.

"I see it, over there!"

The first thing that surprised me was that there was only one intruder.

When the "Awakened" cross into the "False World," they usually do so in teams, and not many people like to cross into the "False World" on their own.

From her height, she is probably a girl. However, the mask and hat make it difficult to see her face. Above all, in her hand was a wand that looked like it belonged to a magician.

The moment she raised her wand, electric shocks shot out all around her, and the "fake beasts" that were trying to crawl up the building screamed and fell.

"......Ruusuke, is it just me, or is that magic?"

"Looks like it."

Mashira was surprised as I am.

"Disguise" is the embodiment of an image. Naturally, the major element of "magic" is a popular image, and there were probably many "awakened" people who tried it.

However, I have never seen an "awakened person" who actually reproduced "magic" in a "disguise" and mastered its use.

The concept of "magic" does not match the characteristics of a "disguise" used by the Awakened.

Magic is difficult and nearly impossible to reproduce. Even if it were to take shape, there is still a possibility of whether it would even be usable.

It was because of this personal view that the existence of an intruder who actually handled the "disguise" using magic surprised both Mashira and I.

"That girl... who is she?"

A skilled "disguise" user? A veteran "Awakened" with a long career?

It was precisely because I had such an image of the intruder that I felt uncomfortable with this situation.

Even from a distance, I could see that the intruder was in a state of panic.

It looks as if she is just "fidgeting" and casting her magic spells to keep the "fake beasts" from climbing up to the roof of the building.

There is a strange imbalance between their abilities and actions.

I stared at the intruders with my eyes.

She's too far away for me to get a precise look at her, but all I can pick up are feelings of confusion and bewilderment.

　She does not seem to understand why the "fake beats" are attacking her.

"What are you going to do, Ruusuke?"

"Well, I'm going to help her......, or by the looks of it, I'm going to have to pull her out and bring her back home."

Once again, I stop and assess the situation.

The intruder in question is fighting on the roof of a building, and as far as the eye can see, a swarm of "fake beasts" are tightly surrounding her.

The situation is akin to a sinking ship being swallowed by a vortex of "fake beasts".

"Let's see..."

I put my hand on the right side of my neck as I think.

It would be a challenge to push through this many "fake beasts" and forcefully reach that building, but even if we did suceed, it would be even more difficult to escape from that encirclement.

　A simple rescue and escape won't do it.

But there's also....

"......Kon, can you hear me? What's the situation over there?"

"Sniper point secured. I'm ready to receive orders."

"Three o'clock from me. Can you get a clear shot at the building with the blue sign behind the fake beasts?"

"No problem."

"When I give the signal, aim and shoot. You know which way to knock down the building, right?"

"Of course I do. I always know what you're thinking, Ruu-kun."

"Mashira, I want you to go wild around there."

Just by looking at the corner of the group of "fake beats" I pointed at, Mashira seemed to have guessed what I was thinking.

"You want me to take the bait?"

"You don't wanna?"

"No way. This is going to be fun."

"I'm telling you, you're just a decoy. When I say go, you go."

"I didn't get violent enough earlier, so do you really want me to do it?"

Mashira smiles in a way that provoked me.

　Normally, I would have left her alone, but this time, the situation is different...

"Mashira. That was an order."

　As soon as I said that, Mashira shut her mouth and turned away, looking unhappy.

"......Ah-, I understand. Yeah sure, I'll do it."

　--So the operation began.

"Kon, do it."

As if on cue, a single grenade barrage is fired, causing a massive explosion on the ground floor of the target building.

The impact shatters the glass of the building's windows and rains down on the "fake beasts" who turn around.

The building begins to tilt as a result of the shrapnel explosions that follow, and one of the "fake beasts" surrounding the intruder falls to the ground, sending up a cloud of dust and sand.

　This cracks a corner of the sea of fake beasts.

On the opposite side, Mashira jumps into the crowd of "fake beasts" and begins to rampage.

Making full use of the "disguises" she has created in both hands, she overruns and kills the "fake beasts" in every direction.

　Two changes occurred during this phase.

The consciousness of the "fake beasts" that had been swarming around them was divided into their surroundings, and the intruder who had been isolated on the roof of the building in the center was also looking at us, puzzled by the events that had suddenly occurred.

　--I was approaching from directly behind the intruder, slipping through the crowd of "fake beasts".

I was slipped between the "fake beasts" using parkour while trying to get a good distance from the intruder whose back was turned to me.

　Okay, here we go.

The distance between the intruder and I was exactly 30 meters.

The sensation that I had literally pounded into my body until I coughed up blood did not lie.

I stop, reach out directly in front of me, and grip the air.

The back of the trespasser's hood crinkles as I do so, and you can almost hear her yelp as she stumbles backward.

The rest is simple.

"Aaaand---- now."

I turned around and swung my clenched hand into the sky with all my might.

"Heh? EEeAAAAAaaaaaAAAAaahhhhHHH!"

It was like a fireworks display.

The intruder was thrown into the sky while letting out a maddened, insane scream.

It's so full of excitement that you can't help but want to say "Tamaya".

The "fake beasts" who were there stared blankly at the flying intruder.

"Okay, withdraw."

In the meantime, I call out to my team members over the radio and begin to run backwards through the "Fake Beasts" again.

"aaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!"

And at about the same time that I started to slip outside the "Fake Beasts'" encirclement, the intruder who had been blown away began to fall.

I leapt toward the screaming falling intruder, running as fast as I could and caught her mid-air, and landed on the ground while sliding.

Since it was difficult to escape by going to the intruder through inside the building, we decided to have the intruder fly to the outside from the other side, a strategy that was successful for the time being.

　The intruder, who had been launched without knowing why was still stunned in my arms as if she had no idea what had just happened.

"Hey, I don't know who or where you are, but please get me the hell out of......"

.......Huh? Why does it feel like I've been in this situation before?

"AAAAAAAH!"

　As if to break through my sense of déjà vu, the masked intruder girl pointed at my face and exclaimed.

"Urasaku Rintaro!"

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　End of Episode 2