Kämpfer:Volume 11 Chapter 1

  Volume 11, Chapter 1  

The water was dark, so dark that for a moment I thought I couldn't see. Thinking about it, it

was only natural that it was dark, since  

    I'd fallen into a pool at night. In other words, I was so panicked I couldn't even figure it out.

By the way, the  

    "I" I mentioned was Natsuru Senou. It's okay if I don't explain.  

    The reason for my panic was simple. Kondou Mikoto and I were suddenly dragged into the

pool by Shizuku.  

    Pulling us in showed that our student council president, Shizuku Sangou, was a complete

sadist. Normally, no one would drag someone into a pool without warning. But Shizuku

jumped in herself, which was different  

    .

    No, no, forget that silly explanation. Simply put, we were being chased by Suzuka

Yamakawa, the White Kämpfer  

    , and we jumped in in desperation.  

    Suzuka had originally intended to leave Kondou Mikoto alone. We must have panicked, so

we jumped in together  

    . The constant barrage of bullets was proof of that.  

    The hole at the bottom of the pool kept sucking water in. We were following the current,

and it looked like we'd be sucked in again.  

    Naturally, I panicked.  

    (Hey! We're going to get sucked in at this rate!?)  

    (Yeah.)  

    This is Shizuku. Why is she so calm? Even though it's all her own fault. The whirlpool swept

us

    around.  

    (We're in.)  

    (Don't be ridiculous!)  

    (It's okay to laugh.)  

    What kind of idiot would laugh underwater?  

    And just like that, we were sucked into the hole at the bottom of the pool.  

    The water wasn't cold. If it were winter, I'd feel like dying, but thankfully, it wasn't. My  

    eyes gradually adjusted, and I began to understand my surroundings.  

    The hole was about big enough for two people to dive through at once. Because it was a

tubular structure, it was difficult to tell who was in front of you  

    . But the current was guiding us, so we didn't have to worry about that.  

    (It hurts, it hurts.)  

    (What's wrong?)  

    (My body jerked.)  

    The current sometimes bumped against the wall. The wall is rough concrete, so it hurts.  

    (It seems hugging each other would be better.)  

    (It's okay if we don't.)  

    I told Shizuku that, but she always disobeyed. Her  

    slender fingers grabbed my collar and pulled me in.  

    (Hey!)  

    (It's safer this way.)  

    Perhaps, but what should I do about my feelings?  

    The water was still flowing. This is a large pool, so there must be quite a lot of water.

Shizuku skillfully adjusted  

    her feet  

    I stayed like this. Even if I pressed my face against this woman's ear, it wouldn't be  

    a big deal. My face was in such a state.  

    Suddenly, my body felt painful.  

    (Natsuru -kun? What's wrong?)  

    (It hurts.) If I  

    transform into Kämpfer, I should be able to hold my breath for a long time. My physical

strength is much stronger than that of an ordinary person, so a short  

    breath won't be a big deal. But I'm still a man, and we're still underwater.  

    (Gurgle!)  

    (Almost there.)  

    (It hurts! It hurts!)  

    Now's not the time to be idly talking. Sound travels faster in water, but that's not  

    the time to worry about that.  

    (I'm dying, I'm dying.)  

    (There's nothing I can do.)  

    Shizuku grabbed my head. Just as I was thinking that, her lips suddenly pressed against

mine.  

    (Hmmmm!?)  

    It felt strange because we were underwater. Anyway, this woman kissed me. This guy, I'm

almost dead  

    , and she's still planning something.  

    (Hmmmm! Hmm?)  

    Suddenly, a breath rushed into my mouth. Shizuku was blowing air into me with her

mouth. Why is it so warm? It feels weird.  

    But I still don't feel like it. There's not enough air on this small amount. And there's carbon

dioxide mixed in. Shit! I  

    'm dying!  

    Just then, my body floated up. Someone pulled me up, just as I was about to breathe.

Finally, my head emerged from  

    the water. Ugh, I'm saved.  

    It was still dark all around. But there was a red light, like an emergency light. This gave us a

rough idea  

    of the surroundings.  

    "Here,"  

    Shizuku said. Indeed, there was a foothold in her direction. But due to lack of oxygen and

my frequent chatter, I floated on the surface, unable to move  

    . The student council president grabbed my hand and pulled me up.  

    I was pulled onto the concrete foothold. A man in wet clothes must have been heavy, but

Shizuku, now  

    a Kämpfer carried me with ease, as if nothing had happened. My breathing became easier,

and my suffocation  

    eased. I lay flat on my back on the concrete.  

    "Ah, I'm saved."  

    "So weak."  

    "My life is hanging by a thread." "I'm  

    completely exhausted."  

    Shizuku's tone remained unchanged.  

    "If you were truly dying, you wouldn't be able to say so much."  

    "There are many strangers waving at me on the other side of the Styx."  

    "I clearly gave you air."  

    Thinking back to the kiss, I realized my face was flushing.  

    [That thing is of no use at all.]  

    "That's right."  

    Shizuku said bluntly.  

    "Huh?"  

    "That's only a temporary solution."  

    "Then, then why did you kiss me?"  

    "Because I wanted to."  

    She said it so casually.  

    Shizuku's expression was as if she was speaking as if it was a matter of course. Maybe you

think this is fine, but what about me? If I  

    die from being kissed by Shizuku, I'll never become a Buddha.  

    "I'm telling you, I was really in pain back then. You said 'I wanted to do it.'"  

    She leaned down close to my face.  

    "Because, maybe we won't have the chance to kiss again."  

    "Why?"  

    First, the white Kämpfer appeared, and then we clicked into the pool. I don't think it's over.

There's  

    more to come."  

    That's true. If it really ended like this, it would be a lot easier, but I think this is  

    just . After all, we haven't had a proper fight yet.  

    "I think I understand."  

    Shizuku said.  

    "So let's kiss now and talk about it later." 】

    No, I don't understand.  

    【Isn't there any connection at all?  

    】 【There is a connection. 】 【

    You're the only one who thinks so. 】

    【Oh, Natsuru, don't you understand? 】

    【How about another kiss here? 】

    Shizuku was about to move her face closer. I hurriedly stood up.  

    【Never mind, you look pretty energetic. 】

    【What are you doing! This is an emergency! 】

    【Because you've been lying down, Natsuru. 】

    Calling me Natsuru again. This woman is really something, calling me by my name without

even noticing.  

    To prevent my lips from being taken away, I put my hands in a defensive position.  

    【How many times do you have to kiss me to be satisfied? 】

    【I'll do it no matter how many times. 】

    【One time is enough, right? 】

    【Kissing is not like that. 】

    【This is an emergency. 】

    【Hey, Natsuru, remember what I just told you, right? 】

    【Ahhh.】

    Shizuku said this with a serious expression, but it was just a normal expression. But,

anyway, I'm getting serious  

    .

    [Something might happen later that will tear apart the relationship between you and

Natsuru. I haven't anticipated it,  

    and I don't know if I have the time to say this right now. But being able to say something

like this while kissing might be  

    a good memory.]  

    [What, doesn't it feel like you're dying?]  

    [I don't plan on dying.]  

    Shizuku, probably giving a wry smile.  

    [But I don't understand what happened before. After everything is over, you'll probably

answer my confession.]  

    "That's true," I was about to say. It's regrettable, but I can't forget it. Kondou Mikoto  

    did the same thing, and I have to make a lot of decisions now.  

    [I'll just forget what I said just now.]  

    Shizuku's expression seemed to see through everything.  

    [There will be a conclusion sooner or later anyway, and this is the last time we can talk so

casually like this.]  

    Yeah, maybe that's the case.  

    The fierce dog, Akane, also told me that women seem to take each moment very seriously.

I don't know  

    if this applies to all women, but it definitely does to these two. Time flows, so  

    what happened in that moment will soon become the past. So there's no point in dwelling

on it. Even so, if you value it  

    so much , it must be something very precious. I prefer taking pictures and things like that.  

    But if I get a new boyfriend, I'll probably forget the past. Ah, so that's why I want to

reminisce.  

    Well, those three days that Sakura Kaede and I spent so close together are permanently

stored in my brain's memory, so  

    it doesn't matter if I don't understand.  

    But doesn't this situation seem a little strange?  

    Shizuku raised herself up and moved closer to me again.  

    [One more kiss, shall we?]  

    [Wow, that's okay.]  

    I sat down and backed away.  

    Shizuku crawled over on her knees.  

    [Just once? Any time is fine.]  

    [That's not the case.]  

    [But please be more restrained in this situation.]  

    What are you talking about, you!  

    No, this guy must be planning something. I may seem slow, but I already understand. If I  

    ask her what her purpose is, then... my lips?  

    Shizuku crawled towards me on her knees, and I was running away. Shizuku, I just fell into

the pool, what am I doing?  

    There was a shockwave on my back. Damn, it was the wall. I couldn't escape. Shizuku's lips

were right in front of me. I was going to die! Hey!  

    Her breath hit my face. At that moment,  

    a loud noise came from the water.  

    [Hey! What are you doing, you bastard!]  

    At the same time, gunshots rang out. Several small holes were opened in the wall above

my head.  

    A person, with an amazing leaping ability, jumped out of the water and landed on the

concrete floor.  

    The figure holding the automatic pistol -like weapon was undoubtedly Akane.  

    [Akane?! Where were you just now?]  

    [In the swimming pool! She really jumped in without any preparation.]  

    Ah, that figure that fell from above earlier must have been Akane. Judging by her

aggressive expression, it seems she  

    jumped down against her will.  

    Akane in bulldog mode, for example, has a fierce gleam in  

    her eyes. [They're so beautiful, still being affectionate at this time. What's the show

coming up? Mating?] There's  

    no need to be so blunt about it. Can a dog have the heart of a girl?  

    Let's ignore that for now. Akane's gun is pointed directly at me.  

    [Whoa, stop!]  

    [I won't stop. It happens to me all the time. But I can't teach you a lesson, so I just have to  

    do this.]  

    [Teach you a lesson or something.]  

    [That's you!]  

    Akane didn't shoot me, but instead walked towards me without hesitation.  

    [Get out of the way! Shizuku.]  

    [You're so unromantic.]  

    [Who knew. You should know now isn't the time for this kind of thing!]  

    As she spoke, Shizuku moved a little further away from me. I didn't see our student council

president frightened by Akane's gun  

    .

    [Wouldn't it have been better if you'd come a little later?]  

    [If you did this to lure me out, you've done something foolish.]  

    [It would have been troublesome if the enemy fell for it.]  

    Akane looked amused.  

    [If that's true, I'd put ten little holes in your head, but I'll spare you now, as this is an

emergency.]  

    [I'm deeply grateful for your kindness.]  

    [But if you act rashly again, I won't spare you.]  

    [How can you spare me?]  

    [You bitch! Wanna try!]  

    [What should I do?]  

    Akane bared her teeth, but Shizuku remained calm as always. A normal woman, no, even  

    a man, would have backed off at the sight of Akane. This guy has a lot of nerve.  

    Shizuku walked away from me, as if not intending to further provoke Akane. If you look

closely, you can see  

    the glint of the chained dagger. Is this caution?  

    Akane's gun pointed at me and moved.  

    [Stand up! You brat!]  

    I always did as I was told.  

    [Looking listless.]  

    [You're too talkative!]  

    I looked around nervously. I could hardly call this cool.  

    [What's wrong? You idiot!]  

    [So that's what I meant.]  

    Before I could finish my sentence, Akane curled her hands and put them in her mouth.  

    She whistled. Then there was no response. Akane cursed, "Damn it," then stepped into the

water and stirred it with her feet  

    .

    [Hey! Mikoto! Get out!]  

    Then, looking upset, Kondou Mikoto emerged from the water. I jumped.  

    [Huh? Mikoto, were you in the water the whole time?]  

    [Yeah, I was diving with little Akane.]  

    She was clearly in the water, but her face was burning red.  

    [I wanted to show up right away, but it seemed like you, Natsuru, and President Shizuku

were getting ready for something, so...  

    ]

    [You said you were getting ready for something, so how could this happen! But  

    if it's Shizuku, then it's possible. I'm finally relieved.  

    Kondou Mikoto patted her chest. Shizuku came over with a dagger in hand. Kondou Mikoto  

    , sword in hand?  

    Wait a minute, Shizuku!  

    Shizuku was about to point the tip of her sword at Kondou Mikoto. Kondou Mikoto waved

her hands.  

    I wasn't hiding to sneak up on you!  

    I don't understand.  

    She remained wary. In fact, she'd threatened me just before we fell into the pool.  

    She was also responsible for the fact that I was soaked like a drowned rat.  

    You say I was careless, but don't you like it?  

    Shizuku, aren't you always careless?  

    The student council president glanced at me.  

    Akane, if Mikoto makes any rash moves, shoot her.  

    Even the bulldog girl looked surprised.  

    Hey, hey, blow your teammate's head off, okay? Do  

    you hate it?  

    No, I love it.  

    Akane grinned and raised her gun. The muzzle of the gun was aimed at Kondou Mikoto's

head.  

    Kondou Mikoto panicked. So did I.  

    [Hey, Akane! You've gone too far.]  

    [Natsuru, be quiet.]  

    It wasn't Akane who said that, it was Shizuku.  

    [It'll be over in a minute.]  

    Then Shizuku turned to Kondou Mikoto.  

    [Okay, Mikoto, don't do anything stupid.]  

    [I'm back to normal!]  

    [How did you do it?]  

    [You asked how I cured it!]  

    I didn't know if Shizuku believed it or not, but I couldn't stop her from asking.  

    [What's the reason?]  

    [Uh--, I woke up after falling into the pool.] [What happened?]     [I'm not lying. My mind

was still foggy until just now, but I cleared up when I was washed by the water. It's true.]  

    [Why did you defect to     the enemy ?]     [I don't know why, wait, don't point your sword

at me.]     [That's all nonsense, it's no use asking any more questions.]     [It's true, I don't

know why. As soon as I looked into the eyes of that visceral a nimal, I felt like I was being

sucked in.  

    Then, I thought you, the president, were my enemy.  

    【You're still my enemy now, right? 】

    【I told you that wasn't the case. I woke up in the pool. 】

    Shizuku kept staring at Kondou Mikoto. Then she put her dagger into her sleeve.  

    【Since you called me Shizuku, you don't seem to be lying. 】

    Come to think of it, this guy told us to call herself "Shizuku." Kondou Mikoto had been

calling her the president until just now.  

    【Akane, put your gun away. 】

    【Hey, won't you shoot her two or three times? 】

    【Stop it first. 】

    【Tsk.】

    Akane put away her automatic pistol with a look of resignation. I don't think even this guy

would shoot Kondou Mikoto.  

    No, she might even shoot her happily.  

    Shizuku declared to Kondou Mikoto.  

    【I've decided to believe you. 】

    【Because it's true. 】

    Kondou Mikoto breathed a sigh of relief. I was also extremely worried watching from the

side.  

    Indeed, Kondou Mikoto was a little strange when she was threatening us. For example, it

seemed like she couldn't make curry. And she had no  

    appetite . Even so, I didn't notice. I'm probably a fool.  

    [But that doesn't mean the questioning is over.]  

    Shizuku continued:  

    [Why are you acting like that?]  

    [Because, President, you're having a hot affair with Natsuru.]  

    [

    Sorry, I was just kidding. Um, after meeting Sakura Kaede in the room.]  

    Kondou Mikoto briefly explained the reasons for her situation. She seemed about to

elaborate, but she  

    tried to connect her conversation with Sakura Kaede with her business dealings with

ethnic minorities in Nigeria. So I  

    stopped her. She's funny, but once she gets going, she just keeps going on and on.  

    [The suffocating stray dog's eyes are glowing, aren't they?]  

    Shizuku's expression seemed to indicate she was thinking something.  

    [Did the visceral animal speak?]  

    [No.]  

    Kondou Mikoto shook her head. She was shaking so hard that water droplets flew

everywhere. Are you a cat?  

    [Like Sakura Kaede hugged her like this, not resisting or saying a word. She's really just a

stuffed doll.] She  

    was just a stuffed doll. As you all know, the so -called "Guanzi" (organized animal) is

considered  

    the worst -selling toy in Japanese history. There were even rumors for a while that it was

stuffed with real human hair.  

    A press conference was even held for this. But the president immediately said, "That's it,

it's just a stuffed  

    animal." Then he tore the "Guanzi" (organized animal) apart. The scene was so dark that

even reporters reportedly collapsed.  

    Shizuku asked again.  

    "Smothering stray dogs, are they always silent?"  

    "They talk sometimes. But not often." "  

    So, they can't disobey Kaede, right?"  

    She whispered, understanding it to herself.  

    "That's what I think."  

    Then Shizuku turned around.  

    "Let's go."  

    "Wait, where are we going?"  

    I asked. I didn't know anything when I was washed up here.  

    "Are we going to dive back into the pool again?"  

    "That seems a bit difficult. The hole must be sealed." Looking closely ,  

    the surface of the water, which had been surging just a moment ago, seemed to have

calmed down, and the current seemed to have stopped.  

    Even if we went back, we wouldn't be able to get back to the pool. Or do you want to get

even wetter? No.  

    After  

    saying that, I realized something. Everyone was soaking wet. We'd been in the water until

just now  

    , so our clothes were heavy. Our soaked tops clung to our bodies, making them

uncomfortable.  

    Not only that, but we could see the girls' underwear. Rather than feasting our eyes, I didn't

know where to look.  

    It was nice to have a little darkness.  

    I'd seen their nudes in pools and hot springs in the summer, but there was always

something different about it, a sense of  

    embarrassment . Maybe it had something to do with me being a man.  

    "Natsuru, why are you looking away?"  

    the bulldog woman asked, perplexed.  

    "Nothing."  

    "I don't like the way you turned your head. Are you planning to defect to the enemy?"  

    What a brain -dead woman. Wow, she pulled out a gun.  

    No reason!  

    No, you're hiding something, I know. She  

    's got a sharp sense.  

    But if I say anything unnecessary, she'll probably shoot right away. Hasn't she ever thought

about it? The one who shoots will be happy, right? I  

    'm speechless, and Shizuku comes to my rescue.  

    Natsuru is being shy. Huh  

    ?

    Akane narrowed one eye.  

    Because she can see our underwear, she doesn't know where to look.  

    This guy's reading my mind again. I've always wondered if Shizuku is an alien from  

    Andromeda . There's no doubt about it.  

    What! You jerk, pervert!  

    Her finger rests on the trigger. Wow.  

    You've kissed me and touched my breasts so many times, and it's just underwear that

makes you uneasy. Trying to act innocent? Huh?  

    Hey, idiot! Don't shoot! Don't shoot!  

    If you call me an idiot, I don't know what will happen. ]  

    [Idiots are idiots. No, please don't shoot. It's not good to be seen by others. Rather,  

    you should be embarrassed.]  

    "Why are you still shy? You touched my breasts before I transformed."  

    "That's a different matter. I'm a man." "  

    But I'm still a woman."  

    Akane is really easily angered. I seem to have accidentally provoked her. I don't think

anyone would know she'd be angry and still  

    provoke her.  

    I raised my hands in front of me. If I keep this up, she'll really shoot.  

    "Don't be so rough. What if you die?"  

    "Kämpfer won't die over such a thing!"  

    "I'm a man now."  

    "Then transform into a woman right now!"  

    "You said that."  

    Shizuku spoke again.  

    "Natsuru, transform."  

    "Why?"  

    "That'll be easier to fight."  

    "What?"  

    "Here they come."  

    Shizuku had already turned her gaze away from us. Her face was facing the corner of the

wall on the other side of the rippling water.  

    Something flashed in the faint darkness. At the same time, they ran towards us across the

water.  

    "Scatter!"  

    It was Shizuku's voice. Akane and Kondou Mikoto jumped to the sides. As a man, I was the

slowest to react.  

    With a whoosh, a silver streak streaked through the air. It was aimed at Shizuku, but she  

    dodged it at the last moment.  

    [Ah, as expected of the president.]  

    The one attacking was the white Kämpfer Nakao Sayaka.  

    Her weapon was a shogi -style saber. Her steps were swift, and her blade was sharp. But  

    Shizuku, who had dodged her attack, was no ordinary person.  

    Shizuku grasped the dagger with both hands.  

    [It's later than I thought.]  

    [Did you expect to be attacked? You're really quick -witted.]  

    [Were you planning to separate and defeat us individually?]  

    [More or less. I was only planning to fight Kondou -kun alone.]  

    [What? Me?!]  

    Kondou Mikoto was startled. Ah, so it seems they were just planning to push this guy

down.  

    My childhood friend, with a furious look on her face, pulled out her Japanese sword.  

    [What do you see in me!? A pot smuggled from ruins in Central Asia? Or  

    coins dug up from the Danube? Or perhaps something as small as a Roman -era arrow nock

from Wales? Could you please be more discerning  

    ?

    You'll get arrested for bringing these things out.  

    I'm not interested in ancient relics.  

    Sayaka reloaded her sword.  

    It's easier to just fight Kondou -kun, but I have no choice. Someone ordered me to do this.  

    Who?  

    You know what I'm doing.  

    A single thought suddenly crossed everyone's mind. Sakura Kaede!  

    Sayaka didn't answer us.  

    I must defeat you here, no matter what.  

    Stop kidding!  

    Kondou Mikoto roared.  

    You die!  

    Kondou Mikoto swung her sword at Sayaka. Her brute force -based attack perfectly

reflected her careless nature.  

    Sayaka dodged. But it wasn't easy. Kondou Mikoto possessed not only brute strength but

also great speed.  

    Sayaka spun her sword and thrust it out. Kondou Mikoto blocked the blow with the flat of

her katana, preparing to strike her head.  

    Sayaka didn't block with her saber, perhaps fearing she'd be cut off if she wasn't careful.

She jumped to the side.  

    A corner of her clothing was sliced, but it wasn't serious. Then Sayaka aimed the tip of her

sword at Kondou Mikoto's chest, preparing to  

    stab her .  

    Both Kondou Mikoto and Sayaka were in danger. There was no room for either to evade.

Just as I thought this  

    , the tip of the saber deflected.  

    Shizuku's dagger flew by, the chained dagger striking the saber accurately.  

    [Can you please not just focus on a one -on-one fight?]  

    [Oh, the president wins by numbers, right?]  

    [Numbers are an advantage, we must use them wisely.]  

    At some point, Akane also raised her gun. This meant Sayaka had to approach Kondou

Mikoto while engaging Shizuku and Akane at a distance  

    .

    Sayaka immediately retreated.  

    [I heard it was a one -on-one fight, so I waited here. Looks like Yamakawa -san missed.] ]  

    [She's doing a good job.]  

    Shizuku said, holding the dagger in both hands.  

    [On the other hand, I have a lot of things I want to ask you.]  

    [I hate it.]  

    Sayaka shook her head.  

    [President, you're also good at torture, so I refuse.]  

    [Can you please stop having such strange opinions of me?]  

    No, Sayaka is right. I've always thought Shizuku would be perfect for a female guard at the

detention center.  

    [The library committee sometimes discusses topics like, "President, are you a sadist?"]  

    Speaking of which, this woman is from the library committee. But she has no intention of

approaching Shizuku.  

    [I'll cut your budget. Anyway, come to us first.]  

    [I refuse.]  

    [We can solve this problem immediately with force.]  

    [I hate this, too. I'll leave first.]  

    Sayaka jumped back. Akane immediately fired, but the bullet only grazed the air.  

    Her jumping ability was impressive, but the fact she jumped into the water was even more

astonishing.  

    And just when I thought she'd dived, she leaped out of the water like a flying fish and

swam in the opposite direction. Before we could even startle, Sayaka had vanished behind

the wall.  

    [Damn it! She got away!]  

    Akane kicked the ground furiously. Shizuku, on the other hand, didn't seem to care.  

    [It can't be helped. That kid doesn't look like she's serious about fighting.]  

    [That's probably because there are more of us.]  

    [By the way, Nakao -san really acts like a well -mannered lady.  

    Couldn't ?]  

    [That's impossible. It's like asking me to work the front desk like this.]  

    If a woman acting like a dog were to be a cashier, everyone would be shocked. The only

people who would be happy about that would  

    be fools .  

    Akane glared at me unhappily.  

    [Forget about that. Hey, Natsuru, what are you daydreaming about!]  

    [Ugh—]

    [It feels like my head's been pierced.]  

    [Stop! I haven't transformed yet!] Fighting Kämpfer with my  

    physical body is impossible.  

    Why don't you transform?  

    Akane excitedly brought the muzzle of her gun closer. So stop it.  

    It's dangerous!  

    Please transform now.  

    Shizuku calmly told me.  

    Otherwise, it'll be difficult to deal with.  

    Still fighting?  

    Of course, we've only just begun.  

    Shizuku said matter -of-factly, undeniably.  

    Following Shizuku's instructions (she's always the leader in these times), we  

    began . Just in case, I transformed into a woman.  

    Since there was no way to the other side, we had to jump into the water again. Since we

were Kämpfer now, it felt  

    a little better than when we were men.  

    We climbed onto the concrete floor across from me, which was only about the size of two

tatami mats.  

    There's a door here.  

    Shizuku pointed to a metal door, saving us the trouble of searching. It was dark, so it  

    was difficult to see. The door was rusty and looked old.  

    Let's go. 】

    Shizuku said. I quickly stopped her.  

    【Wait, what if someone is lying in ambush there? 】

    【No, if there was, they would have come out just now. Generally, after a defeat, they will

retreat significantly. Even if they want to ambush,  

    they will be further inside.  

    Really? I doubted it, but Shizuku had already opened the door easily.  

    There was indeed no one there, only a long and narrow passage.  

    Suddenly, I felt a chill on the tip of my nose. I looked up and saw water dripping from it.  

    There was a pipe exposed on the ceiling, and it seemed that it was leaking from there.  

    This is probably why the passage is so wet and humid.  

    Several pipes of different sizes extend straight into the depths of the passage. Come to

think of it, I have been to a similar place before. There  

    must have been a white Kämpfer hiding there.  

    【We are deep inside now. 】

    Without waiting for our answer, Shizuku continued to move forward.  

    We had no other choice but to continue to follow her.  

    Among us, Kondou Mikoto seemed to have the greatest interest. This guy likes ruins and

buildings the most.  

    【It's really big. 】

    【Isn't it narrow? 】

    I said. Kondou Mikoto retorted in surprise.  

    【No, I'm talking about the area. Isn't this bigger than the area of Sakura Kaede's house?

Although  

    I've explored ruins like this in Mexico before. 】

    【What's it like there? 】

    【There are spears falling from above, like a skewer of thorns. 】

    Just saying unlucky things.  

    As Kondou Mikoto said, the passage extends very far inside. It must be connected to other

villas or roads or something.  

    How was it built?  

    【It seems to have been built for a long time. 】

    Shizuku asked Kondou Mikoto for her opinion.  

    【How is it? 】

    【Well - although it's not built hundreds of years ago, it has a certain history. There are  

    strange , so this couldn't be an expansion of an existing underground facility. 】

    Kondou Mikoto answered without hesitation. You not only like to visit ruins, but also have

some knowledge of modern architecture? On the other hand,  

    she is a woman who doesn't know much about the details, just like Shizuku.  

    【Do you know how long ago it was built? 】

    【About fifty years. ]  

    [Has it been that long?]  

    I inadvertently whispered.  

    [It is said that this generation has devoted itself to thorough development, wasn't it after

the war?]  

    [This facility might have existed before the war. It might have been expanded later.]  

    Shizuku said.  

    [Why build this?]  

    [Who knows.]  

    [Where are these idlers?]  

    [Idlers? They are not necessarily human.]  

    [I was speechless at what Shizuku said. She continued.  

    [And mediators are not necessarily human, and our ability to transform is not necessarily

within the scope of science.]  

    That's right.  

    Even if I'm used to it, it's still strange that I can transform into Kämpfer and become a

woman. Because  

    I only believe things when they happen to me, if it was someone else who said it, I would

probably doubt whether he is normal. This kind of technology  

    A human couldn't do it.  

    So, the guy who made me like this must be an alien. That doesn't seem normal. No, let's

just

    pretend there are no humans on this planet, only aliens.  

    [What do you think, President?] [  

    It's Shizuku.  

    ] [What do you think, Shizuku?]  

    [No clue yet.]  

    Shizuku said something dejected.  

    [With only these clues, nothing can be figured out. What will happen,  

    what won't we only gradually find out later?]  

    [Which way?]  

    [Yes, this way.]  

    She pointed to the wall, where there was a door.  

    [When?]  

    I muttered. It looked like a broken door with painted panels. It must be very old.  

    [It's open.]  

    She would open it even if I tried to stop her. Shizuku was about to open the door with her

hand, but it fell down.  

    Of course, it was dark inside. There was an emergency light just now, but there's nothing

here.  

    [I can't see anything.]  

    Akane complained.  

    [Hey, Natsuru! Give me some ideas! 】

    【What can I do? I don't even have a flashlight. 】 Akane rolled her sideburns with her

fingers.  

    【You idiot! You are a magician, right? 】

    【So what?】

    【Just find something to burn. 】

    Come to think of it. But, I feel bad to just give up like that.  

    【As for you, Akane, it's a good idea. 】

    I ignored the woman who shouted "You bastard" and approached the collapsed door.  

    Just as I expected, it was made of wood.  

    It was cracked everywhere because of aging. I stuck my hand into the crack and stepped on

it, tearing the door apart. Let's use this  

    as a makeshift torch.  

    【It would be better to roll it up with cloth or something. 】

    Kondou Mikoto said so. I hate using clothes. And the clothes are still wet. I think the wood

in my hand released  

    a flame .  

    I lit it. Oh, it's bright. Although it can only illuminate the area around me, it's enough to

replace a flashlight.  

    【You go first. 】

    Shizuku said. Okay, okay.  

    I stepped into the room.  

    "What is this?"  

    I whispered.  

    It was spacious, but the ceiling didn't rise to its height. And the floor was littered with all

sorts of things.  

    Broken pieces of tables, not -so-old bottles and jars —none of that mattered. What

mattered was that there were things scattered here that were, in  

    some sense familiar to us.  

    To avoid starting a fire, I held the torch higher, widening the illumination.  

    Shizuku bent down.  

    "It's the remains of an animal's guts."  

    She picked up a stuffed animal's foot. The cotton inside had aged and crumbled at the

slightest touch. From the inside,  

    it looked like an animal's gut factory.  

    So many animals, so abnormal they couldn't even be named, lay scattered on the floor.

And not just perfect forms (?),  

    but many that looked like garbage.  

    It's a bit of an exaggeration to say there wasn't even a place to rest their feet, but it was

close.  

    "Wow—it's like the underground ruins of Peru."  

    Only Kondou Mikoto understood what she was saying.  

    "This place used to be used to sew animal guts, right?"  

    "I don't think so."  

    It was Shizuku who replied.  

    There's no sewing machine here. They must have bought the merchandise and shipped it

here.  

    Ah—the viscera in the room aren't that old. They  

    're probably aged because they've been soaked in water. Is it a leak?  

    I straightened my back and raised the torch. Although it was faint, it still showed signs of

being soaked in water.  

    What are they doing with all these viscera here? A marketing strategy meeting?  

    Kondou Mikoto used a difficult term. Shizuku  

    smiled and said,  

    "You're planning to sell unpopular merchandise. You're quite brave."  

    But who brought all these stuffed animals here?  

    Good question. No one would have done that if they didn't have that intention.  

    Shizuku paced the room seriously.  

    Several of the viscera of the animals that were stacked together fell down.  

    Is this a warehouse or an experimental facility?  

    What kind of experiments are they doing?  

    That's what I asked.  

    All we know is that they've collected some stuffed animals with their internal organs

exposed.  

    For example, how about an experiment to make them speak? 】

    【Ah? 】

    【This might be a facility to make them messengers. 】

    Shizuku said to me bluntly. I was speechless.  

    The so -called experiment of making puppets speak is to implant souls into the puppets.  

    What will be produced is a guy as talkative as a tiger that commits seppuku.  

    If what Shizuku said is true, then the puppets here are the containers before the souls are

implanted.  

    It wouldn't be strange if they start talking at any time. Wow —— .

    I suddenly felt terrified for some reason and took a step back.  

    I felt like these guys would suddenly stand up and attack us.  

    【It's okay, they are just aging puppets. 】

    Even though Shizuku said that, they were already viscerally exposed and spitting blood, so

there was no way they'd be scared.  

    I glanced around fearfully. Shizuku seemed lost in thought, while Kondou Mikoto  

    looked around with a look of intense interest. As expected of a woman whose nerves were

made of titanium, a woman who'd wandered through ruins around the world.  

    Only Akane remained alone near the entrance.  

    "Hey, what's wrong?"  

    She answered with her eyes.  

    "Nothing."  

    "It's rare to see you so quiet."  

    She was always in a bad mood, so it wasn't unusual for her to be yelling and shooting at

the same time.  

    "You can shoot, too. If anything, I'll blow your eyeballs out. Just like Horatio Nelson (  

    the one -eyed British admiral)."  

    What are you talking about? What a loud woman.  

    Hearing this, it seemed like she was still in her usual fierce dog mode, which was unusual.

Somehow, I could tell what she was  

    thinking a dog would be so absorbed in thought was probably about something like the

destruction of humanity and the conquest of Earth.  

    "Do you have anything to say?" 】

    【If I have anything to say, it's about my frustration at failing to record the late -night

animation, and about making  

    a few small holes in that stinky bitch Sakura Kaede's head. Wait a minute. 】

    【So what is it?"  

    She and I turned our gazes together, looking at the animal entrails scattered on the

ground.  

    【Animal entrails. 】

    At this point, Akane fell silent.  

    【Forget it, I'll tell you later. 】

    【Can't I tell you here? 】

    【Shut up! I have a secret too. 】

    What is it? The secret to shooting on the road without attracting the police? Knowing this

technique is useless.  

    【Nothing valuable here, just some stuffed dolls."  

    Shizuku's voice came from inside. That's right.  

    【There's another door here."  

    Kondou Mikoto waved.  

    We walked over. It was also a wooden door, still in tatters. Shizuku put her hand on the

door and whispered  

    : 【It's starting to look more and more like a research institute. 】

    【Will there be strange monsters or something on the other side? 】

    Kondou Mikoto said something boring.  

    【I'm very excited about this. 】

    【Shouldn't girls be more afraid? 】

    【It's better to be happy. Shizuku won't be afraid either 】

    【If being afraid is more beneficial, then be afraid. 】

    I can't imagine that kind of scene no matter how hard I try. Besides, I've never heard of this

woman screaming "Ah!" when she saw a cockroach or a moth.  

    This is "Being scolded by Shizuku Sangou for the club. "Information on this, this guy never

seemed to be startled or screaming  

    .

    She was completely indifferent to insects and reptiles.  

    She wasn't afraid of the dark, so she hurried past places that required extra precautions

without avoiding them. Of course, she didn't make  

    any loud . The guys in the "Club Scolded by Shizuku Sangou" seemed very interested in

this, and seemed to have said  

    , "I want Shizuku -sama to whisper in my ear while you scold me." The way of perversion is

truly profound.  

    While I was thinking about these things, Shizuku opened the door. The room on the other

side was just as dark.  

    The room was just as damp as before, and there was a smell of water. Is the ceiling leaking

here too?  

    [Natsuru, torch.]  

    [Oh no.]  

    The fire is almost out. The wood chips are getting shorter.  

    So I'll go back to get the materials. I'll just use the broken door from before.  

    [Wait for me.]  

    [Please hurry.]  

    I would have done it even if you didn't say it.  

    If I go back, I'll have to walk through that pile of stuffed animals again.  

    "I'll go too."  

    Akane probably said this on a whim. It was enough for one person to do this. But I didn't  

    stop her, and there was no reason to. Whether it was luck or something else, I don't know.  

    The next moment, the ceiling collapsed with a roar.  

Translator's Notes

This chapter was translated from the Chinese translation of the original Japanese text.

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