kscans

Chapter 172 - What Arrived Was...

"The Invisible Ninjas?!"

"Please don't call me by that name."

As I landed diagonally behind him, Yamashita-san’s voice cracked.

Did I startle him that much? But I couldn't worry about that right now.

"Excuse me. My parents are members of the Walkers and came to Tokyo today. Can you tell me where they're assigned?"

"Huh, uh, why are they members of our guild?!"

"I don't have time to explain. Do you know where they are? They're not from the main branch, but a sub-branch. I think the name of the branch was—"

Even as I questioned him, the stream of people arriving at the shelter was endless.

And so was the advance of the monsters drawn to them.

"■■■■■■—!!"

"T-They're here again?!"

"KYAAAAAAAA!!"

Screams echoed, and the laments of men and women, young and old, reached my ears.

I clicked my tongue and drew my sword, but another shadow moved towards the giants faster than I could.

"Dossseeei!!"

A young girl parried a descending giant sword with a greatsword as tall as she was. She wore an Arcane Gear that resembled a modified military uniform, and her hair was in twin side-up pigtails.

The size difference between her—a girl who looked no older than a middle schooler—and the giant wasn't just adult and child, it was more like adult and puppy.

And yet, she exchanged one, two blows, sending sparks flying, and on the third, she shattered the giant's sword. Then, in a single bound, she closed the distance, slashed the Jötunn's shin, and severed it completely.

"■■■■■■—!?"

As the giant fell forward, a stake of light shot out from a suddenly appearing magic circle and pierced its neck.

Looking over, I saw an elven girl in priest-like Arcane Gear. She spun her staff once, and as she struck the asphalt with its butt, a magical barrier materialized in the air.

As it blocked the incoming ice bullets, a gray-haired girl with black wings took flight.

Perhaps to match her hair, she wore a gray tube top, hot pants, and a black jacket. Dressed in Arcane Gear that didn't look suited for a warrior, she carried a massive scythe.

"Gonna kill you!!"

Baring her canines, she swung the scythe. Its blade became enveloped in black, and she reaped the heads of two approaching giants at once.

She ascended sharply to evade a thrusting spear, then immediately dove. She brought her scythe down from an overhead stance, cleaving a helmet in two, and without slowing down, she took the hand of the greatsword user running on the ground.

The two of them flew in a V-shape and charged at the giant reinforcements that were running towards them. Just as the greatsword user was thrown into the enemy group, her weapon split with a crack.

It hadn't broken. The blade opened to the left and right, revealing a 'cannon' that had been hidden in the center.

Gripping the crossguard like a handle with her left hand, the girl assumed a firing stance in mid-air. The storm of ice attacks fired to shoot her down was blocked by a black, haze-like magic and a barrier of light.

"Go!"

A ray of light was unleashed. With a high-pitched metallic screech that sounded nothing like cannon fire, a mass of high-purity mana swallowed the giants.

As a pillar of fire rose, the girl landed on the ground. A part of the cannon opened and closed, ejecting an empty shell casing.

"What is that…"

Those three are insane. I think they're the ones Director Akasaka had with him at the briefing, but… I didn't know they were this strong.

However, it seems they're defending the shelter.

The priestess-style girl began healing the evacuees, and the gray-haired girl summoned wolf-like familiars from the shadows to carry children and the elderly towards the building.

The girl with the twin side-up hair… was starting some kind of speech.

"Those with courage! Those with spirit, gather! Do what you can! Even if you lack the power to fight, there is still something you can do!"

Standing defiantly atop a double-decker bus, she raised her greatsword and shouted something.

It seemed she was recruiting people to help with the evacuation. People were being drawn to her speech, which, despite her girlishly cute voice, was filled with a dignified spirit.

Charisma, is that what it is? No, she's imbuing her voice with mana. Is she strengthening her 'Kotodama'? It would be quite effective on non-Awakened people. It might even be too effective.

It's scary, but I can't worry about it now.

"Yamashita-san, please. Tell me."

"W-Well. I, that is, I don't know everyone's assignments."

"Then who does?"

"Y-Your branch manager should be over there… a man named Kawada-san, he has glasses and a little mustache, with a face like a vice principal—"

"I'm in your debt. Well then."

I flew in the direction he pointed, searching for the man named Kawada.

I found a man with glasses and a mustache talking with some people in suits. He was wearing Arcane Gear, so he was easy to spot.

I landed in a steep dive next to the man, who was clad from the neck down in Sengoku-era warrior-style Arcane Gear.

"Whoa?! W-Who are you?!"

"Excuse me, do you know a married couple named Yagawa? They're my parents."

"Huh? The Yagawas? Now that you mention it, they did say their son was an Awakened Person…"

"Where are my parents? Please tell me."

"W-Well, they should be guiding evacuees on the east side, but…"

"Thank you."

"W-Wait a minute!"

He grabbed my shoulder, stopping me forcefully.

"You're a minor, aren't you?! It's dangerous, stay in the shelter!"

"But!"

"Your parents wouldn't want you to be here! Leave this to the adults and wait somewhere safe!"

"Let go of me. I don't want to get rough!"

"Calm down, Kyo-chan…!"

A restraining voice came from my earring, and I stopped the arm I was about to shake off.

That's right, calm down. I have to get this arm off me peacefully somehow.

The arm held my shoulder firmly, as if to say he would never let me go. This guy is a little strong. Can I shake him off while holding back? If I went all out, I could for sure, but there's a chance I'd injure him….

"Kawada-san. That boy will be fine."

"Huh?"

It was a man in a suit standing nearby who stopped him.

He held a tablet and looked at me with sleepy eyes.

"That boy is the top B-Rank Candidate. He's probably the strongest person here."

"But, he's still a child—"

Perhaps flustered, his grip loosened. My chance!

"Sorry, and thank you!"

"H-Hey, kid!"

I pulled away from Kawada-san's arm and kicked off the ground, soaring into the air.

"Aira-san!"

"Ten o'clock from your position!"

"Got it!"

I accelerated, flying over the evacuees.

A hellscape where smoke rose from all over the city and the roars of giants echoed through the gaps between buildings.

The thought that my parents were in the midst of that sent a cold sweat down my spine.

The bodies of those who died in outbreaks, which I had seen so many times before, flashed through my mind. Similar things were already strewn across the roads of Tokyo.

A man in a suit whose head was crushed by rubble. A young woman whose torso was severed. An elderly couple who had sunk into a pool of blood, holding hands. A blood-soaked baby carriage.

—Like hell I can just wait…!

"Hey! Kyo-chan! I heard from Senpai!"

"Erina-san! How are things over there?!"

"Erina-san and I are engaging the giants while moving on a different route. It's east of the central government complex, right? We're heading there!"

"Please do! You two be careful too!"

"You bet your sweet bippy!"

"Kyouta-kun, don't you do anything reckless either!"

"I'll do my best!"

As I flew, I scanned my surroundings relentlessly. I sharpened my senses to their absolute peak, determined not to miss even the faintest mana signature.

In that instant, I caught sight of moving humanoid mana signatures 500 meters ahead. Multiple of them.

"There…!"

I kicked the air with both feet, decelerating as I raised my torso. I twisted my body to change direction and took a shortcut through a building's window.

I passed through an empty office and shattered another window to get back outside.

Was it a group of evacuees? It seemed they were being led towards the government complex by other Awakened.

I descended and approached the Awakened Person guarding the rear.

"Excuse me, do you know a couple named Yagawa?! They're with the Walkers! They're my parents!"

"W-Wha?! Where did you, fly from?!"

"Please tell me!"

"Ah, um, they're still over that way, looking for people who were left behind…"

"Thank you!"

I looked in the direction he pointed and sensed a mana signature.

Not human! A giant!

"■■■■■■—!!"

"I-It's here?!"

"Hurry! Run!"

With the panicked evacuees at my back, I kicked off the ground and accelerated. At the same time, I released wind from the Flügel and charged.

There were four Jötunn. The one in the lead took a deep breath and exhaled an icy breath.

Its target is the evacuees! Don't you dare!

"Enough already!"

Concept Interference.

I caught the breath attack with my sword and deflected it upward. As I closed in, two spears were thrust at me, but I evaded them by moving diagonally up. I used a barrel roll to steady my body, which was about to be thrown off balance, and slashed the neck of the one that had breathed fire.

"Get lost, you monster!"

I slammed my left arm into the eye of a spear-wielder that had turned towards me, and without a moment's pause, I channeled fire and wind into it.

A short shriek echoed as a focused heat ray exited the back of its head.

Without waiting to confirm the kill, I kicked off its eye socket and retreated. I gained altitude just as an ice machine gun fired from the side.

"■■, ■■■■■—!!"

As I escaped upward, the remaining three fired their ice attacks wildly. I dodged them by accelerating sideways, drawing an arc into the shadow of a building.

My Spirit Eye had already confirmed there were no other people around here. No need to worry about my surroundings!

Listening to the sound of the wall crumbling, I descended behind the building and entered it.

They were firing without aiming, so there was no gap to exit. In that case…!

As ice bullets passed by me, ravaging the sparsely furnished room, I looked up. Then, I focused my consciousness on the Flügel, which was automatically drawing mana.

I won't stop the supply. Actually, this thing doesn't have a stop function. But I can pour more in.

—GICHIGICHIGICHIGICHI…!!

A sound like twisting bundles of leather straps echoed from the mantle. I'm sorry, Ooyama-san. I'm about to do something really reckless.

"Maximum, output…!"

WHOOSH. A gust of wind powerful enough to shake the entire building erupted.

In that instant, my body was launched upward.

"Guh…!!"

The sudden acceleration and the impact of hitting the ceilings, even though I was shielding myself with my left arm.

My consciousness nearly flickered out from the intense pain and G-forces, but I broke through a dozen ceilings and made it outside.

Looking down, I saw three giants on the ground, having lost sight of me in the dust cloud from the collapsing building. I charged towards them.

One of them noticed me, but it was too late. I plunged my sword into its eye as it came before me, piercing straight through its head.

Blowing away the blood with wind, I approached another wall with my momentum. I ran along the wall, shattering it, and left the giant sword that was swung at me behind.

The spear-wielder took a step back to secure its weapon's range, but I wouldn't let it. I dove in, pierced its side, and accelerated diagonally upward. I sliced its torso in a reverse diagonal cut, and the wind and fire I left in the wound exploded.

The last remaining one raised its sword, roaring.

"■■■■■■—!!"

"SHUT UUUUUUUUUUUUUUP!!"

I blocked the descending blade with my left gauntlet and, using the Flügel's acceleration, forcefully batted it away. My bones made a strange sound, but it would heal anyway.

I drove the sword, held in just my right hand, into the center of its chest, piercing its leather armor and reaching the skin beneath.

Then, I released my mana at maximum output. I twisted the hilt to face upward and flew so that the blade exited from its left shoulder.

The Jötunn was engulfed in flames on the ground. I spared it a single glance and abandoned my ruined sword. As I reformed it, I also repaired my left gauntlet.

"Hey! I can't see well, but isn't your fighting getting sloppy?!"

"…Sorry. I know I'm getting pretty desperate."

"I won't tell you to calm down. But take care of your body. You don't want to collapse in the middle of this, do you?!"

"Understood…!"

No time to wipe my sweat. I gained altitude, confirmed the location of the government complex, and flew in the direction I was told.

A few seconds later, I picked up a mana signature. This time, it has to be…!

"Dad, Mom!"

"Huh? …Kyouta?!"

My parents, who had just emerged from an alleyway, let out dumbfounded voices as I descended from above.

Seeing my dad, who still looked like 'The Generic Soldier,' and my mom, who had a strong 'Rural Hunter' vibe, I let out a sigh of relief.

I could tell at a glance that they weren't injured, and the tension drained from my shoulders as I landed on the asphalt.

Behind them were several dozen non-Awakened people and three Awakened. The three, a man and two women, stood protectively around the others, so they were likely adventurers from the Walkers.

"Thank goodness, you're both safe…"

"Wait, why is Kyouta here?!"

"You should still be on the bullet train at this time! Why did you come to Tokyo?!"

"Because I was worried…"

"'Because I was worried' is not an excuse!"

"Honey, save the lecture for later! Kyouta, you're evacuating too!"

"That's right, Yagawa-san family. Save the family squabble for later."

An elderly adventurer approached with a wry smile. His Arcane Gear resembled that of a foot soldier.

"S-Sorry, Leader."

"So you're Kyouta-kun. Your parents told me you're an adventurer. I don't know your level or rank, but since you can fly, could I ask you to do some reconnaissance from the air?"

"Understood."

I nodded and immediately gained altitude. I was glad my parents were safe, but I couldn't let my guard down.

Then, I touched my earring and called out to Erina-san and the others.

"Can you hear me? I've found my parents. We're heading to the shelter now. I'd like to regroup there."

"Okey-dokey, Kyo-chan! That's great!"

"Yes. Sorry to have worried you. But…"

"We can't let our guard down until we're safely out of Tokyo, right?"

"Exactly. I'm counting on you."

"You got it! Let's make the name of the Invisible Ninjas echo throughout the land together!!"

"Sorry, no."

"Whhhhyyy?!"

I ended the communication and looked around. If I flew too high, I'd be targeted, but if I didn't, I couldn't see my surroundings well. There are just too many tall buildings in Tokyo.

And so, as I began my aerial reconnaissance through my helmet.

I saw a truck flying towards us.

"EVERYONE, GET DOWN!!"

I shouted down as I went to intercept the truck. I caught it with my whole body, somehow managing to stop its fall.

But that wasn't all. Several cars were being 'thrown,' raining down on us.

"Tch!"

I deflected the truck sideways and dropped it, then drew my sword and unleashed a fiery slash. I blew up about six cars in mid-air, but three got past.

I stopped the ones on a direct collision course, but…!

The vehicles crashed into a building, creating a shower of debris. I glanced at my parents and the evacuees escaping from it, then turned my gaze to where the attack had come from.

"…………"

I lowered my altitude and landed on the ground. I put my feet down in a spot that was conveniently blocked by rubble.

"Dad, Mom! Are you okay?!"

"W-We're fine over here! What about you, Kyouta?!"

"I'm fine. But I think I'm out of mana from that interception. I don't think I can fly for a bit."

"What?!"

"Just wait! We're coming to you now!"

"No! Let's take another route to the shelter! It'll be faster and safer!"

"But…!"

"It's okay, I won't do anything reckless!"

"…We're trusting you!"

"We'll be angry if you're lying!"

"Yagawa-kun! Let's definitely meet at the shelter!"

My parents' voices and the voice of the man called Leader grew distant.

Listening to them through the rubble, I turned on my heel and faced the opposite direction.

"Well now, you terrible actor. Whose mana ran out, I wonder?"

"Who knows. But it was a necessary lie."

I re-gripped my sword and took a deep breath.

Then, I turned my gaze forward, to the giant shadow approaching me.

Its golden helmet was clearly visible even in the cloudy night. It wasn't because of the fires spreading throughout the city. The mana it contained glowed eerily even in the darkness.

Its total length must be over ten meters. The monster dragged its massive body forward, destroying the surface of the road as it advanced.

Its entire body was covered in metallic silver scales. From its powerful serpentine body grew a pair of hind legs that were small in comparison to its torso, yet as thick as logs from a human perspective.

In contrast, its arms were long and thick, with bulging muscles befitting its size, or perhaps even more so. In its right hand, it gripped a Western-style sword that glowed with an ominous green light.

A monster with the characteristics of a dragon. And yet, its face was not a dragon's.

"Grrr… grrr…!!"

A low, growling voice emanated from steel-colored lips. And a steel-colored face.

A man-faced dragon, with even its eyeballs dyed the same color. I held up the hand mirror I had taken out in my left hand.

"Aira-san. Appraisal, just in case."

"…As you might have guessed, it's a goddamn boss monster."

A voice laced with panic came from my earring.

"Did you stay behind to stall it?"

"I thought it was the only way."

I didn't think it was the kind of opponent that would let us escape if we turned our backs. A rear guard was necessary. And I was the only one there who could do it.

"Didn't you say you wouldn't do anything reckless?"

"That means I will do something reckless."

"That's sophistry."

"Sorry."

"Don't apologize, you liar."

The man-faced dragon roared from beneath its gleaming helmet.

"Fafnir. That is their name."

The evil dragon from Norse mythology. The monster slain by the hero Siegfried, or was it Sigurd?

In the legends, there was only one dragon.

"Honestly. You don't see a bargain sale like this every day."

Right now, they were filling a four-lane road before my eyes.

There have been cases where multiple boss monsters were spotted in the same dungeon at the same time. Such instances are rare, but they certainly don't have the decency to appear one by one.

But to think they'd appear by the dozen. It's almost laughable.

"I'll say this just once. Don't you die."

"Of course."

The moment I slowly raised my sword, multiple roars thundered.

That alone caused the surrounding buildings to crack, their walls crumbling to pieces. As the horde of dragons accelerated, I too took flight.

"I will absolutely make it back alive…!!"