Editing Mushi Uta:Volume 12 Chapter 2 (section)

== 2.05 OPS1 Part 6 ==

The two-headed centipede tried biting off Makoto’s head.

“Move aside, shit!”

Thrusting Makoto away, Kasuou pushed the centipede back with her mist. Although she tried using her mist claws to rip it apart, the centipede resolutely pushed back with its gigantic jaws.

“Wanna have a contest of strength? Bring it on, piece of shit!”

“Where did Shachito, Yotsuba and Yakugami go to?!”

While colliding with the wall, Makoto shouted.

Rinrin answered from behind her.

“They said some enemies are coming from behind, so they went to beat them!”

“Acting alone again… I’ve had enough of them! Himiko! If more enemies are coming from where Shachito’s group it, let me know immediately!”

“Right!”

As Himiko nodded, the distinct color of fatigue rose to her expression. Makoto heard that she was never healthy in the first place, but she wasn’t the only one who was tired.

Makoto for sure, but even the howling Kasuou and everyone else was exhausted.

Naturally.

Already quite a lot of time passed since Makoto’s group infiltrated the Underground Fort—

“I’ll stop the enemy in place so you back off, Kasuou! Kaguya, I’m counting on you!”

“Can go at any time.”

“Aah? Don’t fuck with me, with this guy even I on my own—”

“Shuddup, just retreat already! I’m going… Sense Isolation!”

Noise echoed throughout the underground corridor. The twin-headed centipede competing against Kasuou stopped moving for a moment as though paralyzed.

“Tch!”

As Kasuou erased her mist, Kaguya launched golden lasers.

Its massive body pierced, the centipede bent backwards, crying.

However—

“…!”

Although it had many holes in its body and one head blown off, it assaulted Makoto’s group again.

“Fire!”

Himiko made a pistol shape with her hand and pointed at the centipede.

The column of flames erupting from the floor swallowed it.

Furthermore, the rhinoceros beetle that was Kabuto’s Mushi tackled it, sending it flying back.

“Kuh… I’ll fire one more time! Move, Kabuto!”

“Is he a zombie or what!”

Kaguya’s new barrage of lasers and Kasuou’s claws managed to rip the centipede’s body apart this time.

The man standing behind the centipede folded his knees, collapsing listlessly.

While breathing hard, Makoto turned to everyone present.

“I told you not to use your powers other than for sensing, Himiko! Also, wasn’t your aim too lacking, Kaguya? Kasuou, don’t lose focus!”

The Mushitsuki who were scolded turned rebellious eyes to Makoto. However, none of them said anything back.

Apparently they lacked the energy to even retort. It was also obvious they weren’t able to concentrate.

“I’m done here too. Coming back now.”

“I’m a bit too tired here.”

Putting a hand to her goggles, Makoto displayed the current time.

“…I don’t want to waste any time, but let’s rest a bit. Sakura, counting on you. You too, Tamamo.”

“Yeah.”

The nodding Sakura was also pale with fatigue. The rainbow scarab beetle which was her Mushi landed atop her long-handled hammer.

She struck the corridor’s wall with her hand hammer at full power.

Instantly there were glowing cracks on the wall. Something warped and creaked.

Several seconds later, a small door appeared in the door where there was nothing before.

“They seem to be back. Come inside, quickly.”

Calling toward the returning Shachito and the rest, Makoto opened the door.

A cave in a radius of a few meters welcomed them.

It was an improvised shelter created by Sakura’s power, which was able to freely manipulate any inorganic matter.

Once she confirmed all members evacuated inside, Makoto turned toward the imp girl.

“Tamamo, have you preserved enough energy? For how long can you employ your barrier?”

“About two hours, I guess?”

Their previous break was for three hours. Although she let her rest without participating in the battle, wishing for a complete recovery in this situation was probably too much to ask.

Sakura struck the door with her hammer. The door cleanly vanished.

“We’re resting for two hours. You should use this time to eat your rations and take a nap. Himiko and Shachito, you are to remain vigilant for things on the outside, taking turns.”

Makoto gave orders, but none responded to her. They all sat down as if saying they could finally take a break.

Makoto also lowered the case she was holding and sat on the floor.

Keeping herself as expressionless as possible, she sucked on some nutritional jelly—but inside she was not calm at all.

“Ah… how much time passed since we came down here?”

Kasuou, who was spreadeagled on the floor, spoke. Makoto answered her.

“A little more than 27 hours.”

“And we’re currently at…”

Nene asked. Makoto answered.

“Layer 12th.”

“And if I recall, C’s at…”

“Layer 30th.”

The time given to them was 48 hours.

Even a simple calculation made it clear that it was difficult for them to reach C within the time limit. Also, the more they exhausted themselves, the slower their pace would be.

That was why Makoto was panicking, but she couldn’t show it outwardly.

“There’s no problem, we’re doing alright. The number of enemies we’ve defeated so far—let’s call them Revived Mushitsuki—was nine. The isolated space we’ve sealed Shera into should keep going for a while, and wherever Asagi is, she’s hurt. C should be running out of cards. Once we get rid of all those Revived in our way, our pace will be quicker.”

Immediately more and more people began to raise questions.

“You said that there were only about ten Revived… right?”

“Shinpu could only control about ten fragments at a time. Although C absorbed that power, it’s unthinkable she’d be able to control more than the Original Three. So we can assume there are only ten Revived. —Since that’s Vice-Deputy Miguruma’s estimation, there’s no way she was completely off the mark.”

“Still, that’s about on par with our fighting forces.”

“As long as they’re not working together there’s nothing to fear. The scariest thing is… if one of us becomes a Fallen or dies. It’s an unlikely case, but if that happens—”

“Then they’ll get Revived by C and become an enemy…”

Yotsuba’s words made the entire suicide corps silent.

Makoto nodded.

“That’s how it is. —It’s fine, I won’t let any of you drop out, and it’s going well right now.”

“Revived, huh… do they really have no memories or emotions?”

Kabuto mumbled. Makoto glared at him.

“No, it’s not like I’m hesitating. It’s just that they’re a bit different from what they’ve told us at the East Central Branch. I heard that the Mushitsuki thought to have been Revived by the Central Headquarters’ experiments… Centipede and Minmin, had feelings.”

“…That was back when Shinpu was still alive and used the fragments, right? Now it’s C controlling it, and since she’s lost her personality and became something like a program, it’s not that odd.”

Makoto quickly explained this, and looked at Rinrin and Maimai to change the subject.

“How about communication with the outside? Did you get anything?”

“Maimai-chan worked hard! I used my Mushi to secure a contact route with the surfaceses! B-but the connection’s still unstable!”

“Operation 2, Operation 3… there are no changes. Our orders are focused on us to just keep going.”

A gloomy air permeated the shelter.

''It’s too late—

Never mind Operation 3, but about news from Operation 2—which was led by Harukiyo to wake up Sleeping Beauty? Makoto had never directly met him, but if the rumors about the powerful flame-clad devil were true, he should be able to solve everything quickly.

As everyone stopped talking, the short time of rest was gone in no time.

Two hours passed and the suicide corps stood up.

Although they managed to recover just a little of their fatigue, everyone had bad complexions. On top of there being only very little time left, they couldn’t tell what the other units did. Their morale was obviously low as well.

Makoto couldn’t think of any way to stimulate them in this fierce situation. On the other hand, she also lacked the strength to force them to do this.

“I’m creating the door. Alright, Terasu?”

Sakura was about to swing her hammer toward the wall connected to the corridor.

“Wait, Sakura.”

Makoto stopped Sakura, operating her visor.

This atmosphere was not good at all.

Would they really be able to reach C in this state?

Although she couldn’t bring it out of her mouth, she knew everyone thought this. Above all else Makoto herself felt like this, and she could feel that everyone saw through her.

A unit with low morale was weak.

Although no one dropped out so far, if even the slightest seam opened up, there was a high possibility for them to accrue irreversible damage. In the worst case, even a full party wipe was possible.

Makoto wanted to at least avoid what she hated the most, dying in vain.

“Rinrin. I’ve sent some footage to your goggles just now. Send it to everyone’s goggles. —Shachito, use that.”

Removing her visor, she threw it over to Shachito.

“Footage…? Got it, I just need to send it to everyone.”

“Yes. Look at this, all of you.”

This was a gamble.

They might lose their will to fight after watching the footage. Alternatively, there was also the fear they’d sympathize.

However, there was a need for everyone to reaffirm their goal again. Also, it was better to confirm right here who couldn’t fight, send them away and become lighter as a result.

“It’s footage of the enemy we’re to defeat—of C.”

“…!”

Everyone put hands to the goggles, expressions freezing.

This was the footage of C Makoto had been shown on the surface. An ocean of thick cables, a mountain range of machinery, and the transparent, shining, rectangular bed.

The girl lying there as well as the eyes peeking through the security cameras from afar.

The scenery of C’s bed, where the only possible conclusion was that time and space were distorted.

“Now that she’s absorbed Shinpu hidden by the Central Headquarters, we can’t tell when C—no, the ‘thing’ shown there would come out of the Fort. If she does, there’s no doubt she could create an innumerable number of victims, much more than even Shinpu.”

When Miguruma had shown this footage to Makoto, she thought.

''—There’s no way I can beat this monster.

This fear that could be called instinctive had paralyzed her.

“If the others in charge of operations, Harukiyo and Fuyuhotaru and others fail—we’ll be the only ones who must beat her.”

“—”

Everyone looked at Makoto.

“It’s true, right? If the Rank 1s start dropping—all of the members here will actually count as the strongest. And if C becomes freely able to move above ground, we’ll get easily finished by her lightning strike attacks.”

“…”

“Our enemy isn’t the Revived like Shera or Asagi.”

Makoto spoke.

“It’s C, the Rank 1 Super Class Mushitsuki—no, she already went past the framework of a Mushitsuki.”

Everyone fell silent.

Makoto waited for anyone to speak.

''Anyone’s fine… just say something—

She groaned in her heart desperately. She wanted to show them C’s footage only when they were closer to her location. If it made them all shrivel up by seeing it, they wouldn’t be able to get to C anyway.

However, in the current state she had no such leisure.

If they couldn’t properly see their goal, their hearts were going to give up by the unceasing chain of Revived—

“C—”

After a long silence, the one to open his mouth was Kaguya.

“C’s… what is she doing?”

What would come out of his mouth in the end? A declaration of new resolve? Or a declaration of surrender—

Makoto resolved herself.

However, what Kaguya spoke of was a question she hadn’t anticipated.

“Is that clear box she’s using as a bed—the Database?”

“…!”

Makoto felt like her heart was squeezed. For a moment, she stopped breathing.

“Wha—how do you…?”

Miguruma had emphasized to her that she was not to reveal this truth to the group members as much as possible.

The basis for why C lost her personality and why the Revived had no emotions.

How did Kaguya know about the object that could be called the core for this—

Instead of the speechless Makoto it was Rinrin who replied.

“Database…? Meaning, meaning, this is a memory device? If this isn’t just a transparent stone, n-no way, is this a Hologram Memory?”

Sakura and Maimai, who also had technical knowledge, paled as well.

“Don’t be stupid! It’s impossible with present science. And one this large, too…”

“I do know about Databasezzes… but, to think that this is Hologram Memory… judging from the size, it probably contains each and every bit of information that exists on this planet…”

Makoto did not know too many details about the principle behind this. However, as far as she could see from their reactions, just calling it a memory device like what Miguruma told her wasn’t going to cut it.

Even Maimai knew about the Database—about that bed.

Meaning, the East Central Branch knew of its existence.

Kabuto and Kaguya spoke.

“I have once helped in getting the disk we got from Centipede—the first discovered Revived—Kakkou.”

“According to Kakkou, the only one who saw it… inside the footage of C’s experiments, the keyword ‘Database’ appeared several times. So if you’re saying it became like this because of C’s experiments—I thought that this Database or whatever is also related.”

Following them, Himiko also spoke calmly.

“We’ve been thinking a lot about what this might mean… If C-san’s experiment was meant for reviving Mushitsuki—it would require a place where the information of all these Mushitsuki was supervised. A place to keep the memories, as precise and vivid as possible, to allow the Fallen to recall their dreams.”

“…”

Cold sweat began erupting on Makoto’s forehead.

East Central Branch—

They managed to dig out and obtain the truth that even Miguruma Yaeko tried hiding.

It was as different as day and night from the other branches who only followed the Central Headquarters. They were also different from Mushibane, who viewed the SEPB only as an enemy.

“You could call it a place to gather the fragments of Mushitsuki in order to revive them; a depository of dreams.”

Kaguya spoke.

“The key to revival from the Fallen state. —That’s the Database, right?”

East Central Branch, who once had Kakkou as their main fighting force.

What kind of battles had they fought in order to reach this truth?

The average Makoto couldn’t even imagine it.

“It’s a ‘Bed’. …So Vice-Deputy Miguruma called it.”

Makoto grimaced, forcing herself to smile.

“It’s not just C. Sleeping inside that bed are the dreams of both the Fallen and the dead. —It’s amazing that you know about this. But since you knew and yet were unable to do anything, it means nothing.”

“…”

Makoto spoke casually, and the East Central Branch Mushitsuki remained silent. What she said was true, so they probably couldn’t retort.

Still, there was no longer any sense to hide this.

“Yes, it’s just like you said. C’s just the medium connecting the Bed to the Fallen, and with Shinpu’s powers she can even do that to corpses. In the end, though, the digital information she’d stocked up can only create a pseudo-revival, and true revival was impossible—that was the experiment I’ve heard about from Vice-Deputy Miguruma.”

Once she decided on speaking of everything without any concealment, she felt actually refreshed. As if she got a load off her back.

“Well, looks like that memory-thingy is amazing, but… it’s apparently nearly at full capacity. It’d be another thing if she added individual Mushitsuki’s information one by one—but if C absorbs a new Original Three, the function will be lost.”

“…!”

All East Central Branch members were speechless. It really was that unexpected for them.

“That’s why we need to defeat C as soon as possible. That monster who’s taking over the Bed housing Mushitsuki’s hopes or whatever.”

Hearing Makoto’s words, the one whose expression clouded over was Nene.

“Monster… C-chan isn’t C-chan anymore, huh.”

“That Miguruma bitch! Using that brat as a toy…”

Kasuou struck her open palm with a fist.

While this girl was enraged, there was also someone calm. It was Yakugami.

“But Vice-Deputy Miguruma’s also the one who created Mushitsuki’s dreams.”

Right.

Miguruma played with Mushitsuki’s and even Makoto felt the desire to kill her more than once or twice.

But she wouldn’t be able to kill Miguruma. Because no matter how much she hated her, it pained her to admit that Miguruma Yaeko also held in her hands the salvation of Mushitsuki.

“—We can’t keep going like this.”

The one who suddenly said this was Shachito. He threw back Makoto’s visor to her.

“Our mission’s also to clean up the Revived to make it easier for the Rank 1s coming after us. But since we have no tidings from the other operations, we should act in an attempt to try beating C.”

The face of this boy with a hockey stick resting on his shoulder was that of a warrior. Not only was he not intimidated, he looked as though the act of finding a clear goal made him finally serious.

Makoto looked at the other suicide corps members.

All of them had intense expressions, but it didn’t look like they lost their will to fight.

Apparently her gamble was a success.

But the real problem was from here on.

“We need to change our strategy. —Terasu-chan, you also showed us that video because you thought that, right?”

Shachito looked at Makoto and spoke.

“If we continued like this, never mind defeating the Revived, we’d never reach C.”

“…Yes.”

Makoto honestly acknowledged it.

Unable to clear the way for Harukiyo, Fuyuhotaru—and Sleeping Beauty, they’d be unable to reach C. They needed a strategy in order to avoid that worst-case scenario.

“Anyone’s fine. Have any good idea? You especially Rinrin, isn’t there some optimal route?”

The curly-haired boy grimaced his freckled face.

“If there was, I would’ve already said it.”

“What a fucking bother. Let’s just dig down the ground to reach C. —C’mon, even Fuyuhotaru did it to save us. Let’s copy her.”

It was a Kasuou-like opinion. Rinrin shook his head.

“At the time we’ve evacuated into a place as close to the surface as possible. But since C’s in the deepest layer, it’s another league entirely. In the first place, we can’t stay with such a monster that can destroy everything.”

“What if we dig all together? I can also open up holes to an extent.”

Sakura spoke, but Rinrin’s response was unchanged.

“Even if we do this together, we’ll probably be able to get through two, three layers at the most. It’d be much quicker to use the elevator for that. Doesn’t even need a simulation.”

The Underground Fort’s elevator was at a different place for each layer. This was apparently for security purposes, but they didn’t know what they were so cautious about, with the structure as complex as it was.

Everyone fell silent.

While coming there they all wondered whether there was a shortcut.

Although it became even more urgent now, it wasn’t as though any convenient idea suddenly came to mind.

“My barrier’s also at its limiiit.”

Tamamo spoke with a sweat-drenched face. She kept using her ability continuously for more than two hours. If she exhausted herself, they’d probably get sensed by Asagi and attacked immediately.

Should they actually wait for one of the Rank 1s to come?

No, this would make it meaningless for them to come here.

The role of Makoto’s suicide corps was definitely not just cleaning up before the Rank 1s arrived.

“—Your simulation is only about cases where we use the corridors and elevator, right?”

The one who spoke this was someone unexpected.

It was Kabuto.

“What about if you consider places people don’t usually go through… for example, the air vents or the routes used to transport goods?”

“I obviously considered that as well. But the air vents going around each layer are much more of a labyrinth than the corridors, so it’ll be the long way, and as for special transport routes, there aren’t any in the first place…”

He was probably rechecking the structure of the Underground Fort. Rinrin, who controlled his mechanical gloves as though playing a piano, suddenly stopped moving.

“Ah—ahhh—”

“What’s wrong, Rinrin?”

Makoto called to him, but the boy did not immediately answer. He restlessly moved his gloves.

“N-no… I didn’t overlook this. I mean, that’s—it’s not a space meant for something to pass through…”

“Stop with the excuses! What on earth are you mumbling about?”

“T-the Underground Fort’s exact center—"

Rinrin looked up at empty air, speaking.

“The shaft in the center of the Underground Fort. In order to preserve each layer, the electrical cables and water pipes, as well as ventilation ducts, go through each layer’s partition… you could call it the backbone of the Fort. It’s obviously covered in thick walls and partitions, and there are no corridors to move between layers—”

“So we can just smash it open and dig down, then.”

Kasuou grinned.

“Compared to digging through the ground, there will be overwhelmingly less obstacles. If we just keep going through corridors, the possibility we’ll be able to reach the deepest layer within the time limit is less than 3%. But if we destroy the shaft’s partitions and force our way down—”

Rinrin moved his gloves and spoke.

“Our chances to get to the deepest layer—are 40%.”

“Everyone, assume battle position! We’re heading to the center of the Fort! Sakura, create the entrance!”

Makoto ordered the suicide corps members.

It wasn’t a high possibility at all.

However, for Makoto’s group right now, it was a miraculous probability.

“You’ve done well to notice that. A glorious achievement, Kabuto.”

“Just a fluke.”

Hearing Makoto’s compliment, Kabuto’s mouth loosened. —He was a combatant who applied for the team only due to the East Central Branch’s sentimentality. Or so she thought, but since according to rumors he was more of a sturdy and vigorous type rather than quick-witted, she made an unthinkable miscalculation.

“Let’s go!”

Sakura struck the hammer on the wall.

Going through the appearing door, Makoto’s group flew into the corridor. Following the new route appearing on her visor, she rushed through the corridors.

“Until we reach the center, we’ll advance in an assault formation! If an enemy appears alone, we’ll just push through by force!”

In their battles until now, they tried keeping their formations together. With Yostuba at the front, they then put those combatants who specialized in attacking such as Kasuou and Kaguya in a line. The adaptable Shachito was the rear guard.

After advancing a while in the underground corridors, Himiko shouted.

“A single flame appeared ahead! It has a hostile color!”

“Let’s take the initiative and attack! We’re busting through!”

“Poisonous kick!”

Yotsuba unleashed a flying kick against the figure approaching from ahead.

The figure stopped the kick. However, particles colored a venomous color came spurting out from Yotsuba’s legs.

“Sense Isolation!”

Makoto’s noise assaulted the figure.

The enemy was paralyzed helplessly—or not. A fresh smell and a spray of water blew away not only Makoto’s noise, but even Yotsuba’s poisonous gas.

''They protected against it? No, this ability’s—

Kasuou followed up with an attack of her own.

“ORAAAAH!”

[[File:Mushi Uta 12 p262.jpg|thumb]]

Claws made of hardened mist assaulted the figure.

They leapt back, dodging the claws by a literal hairsbreadth.

Kaguya came to the front next.

“Stand back, Kasuou!”

Golden lasers were shot toward the figure.

The enemy’s body shook like a willow. Moving with shaky movements, they dodged all the rays of light.

“—Hihah.”

Shachito was at some point standing on the wall near Makoto. Able to standing horizontally due to his control of mass, his body was wrapped in an orange glow, and then suddenly vanished. He apparently intended on joining the attack on his own.

“Wait! She’s—”

Before Makoto could stop him, a roar echoed.

Shachito, who supposedly teleported in an attempt to attack, was blown backwards. He apparently blocked the blow with his hockey stick, but his back was slammed against the corridor’s wall.

“Guh…!”

What made the counterattack on Shachito was the bizarre weapon held by the figure.

It looked like an organ of some creature, a grotesque stick—no, a sword. The blade body had countless holes and water dripped from them.

After countering Shachito, the girl took an Iai stance, the Japanese martial art of quick drawing.

She was Makoto’s past friend.

“Orion…!”

She was an equipment-type Mushitsuki just like Makoto, and also belonged to the same North Central Branch. —Her deathly pale countenance had no traces of her usual disinterested smile.

“Ah, that was a scare. This girl’s really strong. —An acquaintance of yours, Terasu-chan?”

While retreating using his teleport, Shachito asked Makoto.

“Orion. —She’s an expert. By the time she came to the North Central Branch she already became a sloth though… you should just think that any direct attack is going to GET flowed away and give up on it.”

Makoto bit her lips, focusing her mind. She told everyone to not get shaken by these Revived, so she couldn’t hesitate.

“She’s also a comrade of yours. Meaning—she’s Asagi’s disciple.”

“…!”

Several from the suicide corps were shocked. The Central Headquarters members grimaced probably because they knew how strong she was back from when she belonged to the Central Headquarters.

“She supposedly became a Fallen in North Central Branch jurisdiction. Why is she here…”

Kaguya looked at Makoto. —Come to think of it, he was the one who’d discovered her Fallen state when he was dispatched to the North Central Branch.

“Don’t think of us the same as the East Central Branch with their stupid isolation facility GARDEN. Mushitsuki who become Fallen in other branches’ jurisdiction are always sent to Central Headquarters. —Today’s the first time I realized the real reason for it, though…”

The moment she started seeing some hope this powerful enemy arrived to take the wind out of their sails.

But since Makoto knew her ability, she also knew how to deal with it.

“It’ll take time to beat her in a one-way corridor! We’ll need to take a detour! Change to a guarding formation! Rinrin, send us another route!”

A new route was displayed on her goggles.

The suicide corps flew into the neighboring corridor. A bit further ahead of them, Shachito and Yotsuba ran side by side, rushing through the corridor.

The fact that everyone listened to her for a change wasn’t because of any virtue of hers. Everyone simply realized how powerful of an enemy Orion was from how she completely blocked their chain of attacks.

“Orion’s ‘flame’ is pursuing from behind!”

“Don’t fight her! Never mind close-quarters combat, she’s not a big deal in mobility or long-range combat! Kasuou, if she seems like she’ll get close, just parry her!”

“Tch… Orion pampered you so much but you also use her like a tool, you shitty brat?”

Kasuou’s mumble as she protected the rear was transmitted through the visor.

“I told you, C’s personality is gone! Rinrin, does the shaft’s interior has a wide space? We can’t beat Orion easily unless we attack from all around her!”

“Can’t say it’s wide enough… but there’s a space!”

“Alright, once we break into the shaft, we’ll begin attacking Orion! When the battle starts Kasuou will secure the space, Shachito and Yakugami will run toward the enemy’s back! Kaguya, you’ll attack not just from one direction but all sorts of angles! Orion’s partition of water has the same effect as my Territory Isolation! Don’t think you can lower her attack power using abilities!”

“Whoops, another ‘forcefield’ is approaching from another direction. Should we ignore that as well?”

“…Yes, do it! Rinrin, following Shachito’s guidance, give us another route!”

For how long were they running the corridors?

The long-awaited words were shouted by Rinrin.

“From this end of the corridor it’s the center area! The shortest route to the shaft is turning in the right corner there and passing through an equipment storage—”

“I’m sick of running around!”

Kasuou howled. Forming gigantic claws, she blew away the wall at the end.

“Don’t waste your powers before we start digging work…! —Ah, honestly! Rinrin, send Kasuou the direct route to the shaft! All other members, protect her!”

“Oraoraaaa!”

Kasuou attacked haphazardly, destroying all obstacles, be they ceiling, floor or walls. As the partitions were blown away as though they were mere paper, Makoto and the rest followed frantically from behind her.

The Revived Orion was chasing them.

“Sense Isolation!”

Makoto stopped her legs, but soon the spouted water spray from the sword cancelled her noise.

“Poisonous Punch!”

“Fire!”

“Hien…!”

“Hihah!”

Even showered by this succession of attacks, the wavering Orion wasn’t fully caught.

“The shaft’s outer wall is already ahead! It’s quite thick so you can’t destroy it easily!”

“I’ll lower a part of its durability!”

Sakura struck her hand hammer against the floor.

Glowing cracks came to its surface, reaching the wall. They were spreading in all directions.

“GOTCHA!”

Kasuou’s full-powered blow opened a huge hole in the outer wall.

After passing through the wall that was several meters thick—their footing crumbled.

“—”

A divine temple stretching all over the place like a spiderweb—

For Makoto to have this impression upon a single glance perhaps meant that she saw too many movies and read too much manga.

It was a grand space gouged out to be a perfect circle.

In the center towered a gold pipe like a large tree, and steel to support it was spread around in all directions. Pale emergency lights lit the space, and only the loud noises of water and air passing through the metallic pipes echoed there.

“Wawawa!! I-I’m fallinginging!”

Together with Maimai’s scream, the suicide corps members fell into the center of the shaft.

“Hihah.”

Shachito swung his hockey stick. Orange Autumn Darters flew out of the suicide corps members, absorbed inside it.

Their falling speed lowered. All had their weights reduced and air resistance won against them.

As they landed on the ground far below, the Autumn Darters returned to them. Released from this half-weighted condition, they regained the sensation of their body weight.

“Orion’s coming!”

Hearing Kabuto’s voice, all members raised their heads.

Leaping from pipe to pipe, the girl holding the bizarre sword approached. Behind her another Revived could be seen.

“From this shaft’s floor—there are only nine partitions till the lowest layer! And they’re thicker than the outer wall!”

“We can fight here! Everyone, let’s fight in the formation I said before!”

“—No! We can’t beat Orion-chan in a straightforward manner! It’s better for Kasuou-chan and the rest to start digging!”

Makoto glared at Shachito.

No matter how far they came, apparently they didn’t intend to follow her orders obediently.

However, there was some truth to what he said.

“…Changing my orders! Kasuou and Sakura will open up holes down! Rinrin, Maimai will evacuate to the walls! All others are to annihilate the Revived! —You participate in the attack too, Himiko!”

“Yup, those’re the appropriate orders.”

She was angry at Shachito nodding so smugly, but dark mist passed through where his face was.

One of the ducts connecting top and bottom had a large hole opened up in it along with a roar.

“I fucking told you not to call me ‘chan’!”

Glaring at Shachito who teleported away to dodge the claw, Kasuou yelled.

“…!”

The entire shaft was blown away by fiery wind.

Apparently Kasuou had destroyed an air vent. The amount of air going all around the vast Underground Fort was enormous. So much air blew inside the shaft that they could barely stand up straight.

“This is no time to argue…! —Begin all movements!”

From Makoto’s command, the Mushitsuki all moved to battle.

They tried circling Orion who was leaping down from pipe to pipe from all possible sides. Even she couldn’t possibly evade a chain of attacks continually launched at her from all around. Shachito’s hockey stick and Kaguya’s lasers grazed her body.

“I’m tired of digging already, though!”

Although complaining, Kasuou kept working hard along with Sakura on digging work.

Makoto looked high above.

The other Revived looked down at Orion fighting everyone. At their feet were the glowing wings of a butterfly—no, these were rose-like buds growing there.

“Shachito! Once more, please!”

Shachito managed to surmise her intent from this short order. Swinging the hockey stick, he robbed her mass in the form of orange Autumn Darters.

Makoto kicked the floor, leaping high in the air. Although in her half-weighted state she was pelted by the gale, she somehow preserved her position and rushed up from pipe to pipe.

“Will you be fine alone, Terasu-chan?”

“Yeah! I’m leaving Orion to you!”

As they spoke while passing next to each other, Makoto faced against the host of the rose-like Mushi.

“Seeing that none of us seems to know you, you’re probably part of the Annihilators like Shera.”

She knew from intuition that this opponent was at least as dangerous as Orion.

At the same time her intuition also told her—that Terasu had a good compatibility against her. At the very least, leaving aside a close-range type like Orion, Makoto had never lost in midrange when she fought one on one.

“As if I’ll lose to y’all sneaky assassin types!”

Asserting this, Makoto put a hand to her throat.