CH 71

By Effugium March 15, 2023

The snow that had begun falling in the middle of the night had lightly tinted the cityscape, and Tokyo was glowing white in the morning sun. Against this backdrop, the temporary headquarters of the heroes in Asagaya was once again in an uproar as if it had been poking at a beehive.

「Local Human Disaster Warning! Forestry Sentai Kikoranger is currently fighting in Okutama!」

「Put a gag order on the media! Never leak any information!」

「That’s definitely impossible! Mt. Takao just blew up!」

The information that the strongest hero, Mayuzumi Kirika, has awakened into a mysterious being was quickly delivered to the Hero Headquarters. Heroes who are able to move are already working to deal with the situation, but it cannot be said that they are having any success.

The monitor showed Mt. Takao with no-entry restrictions set up. Mt. Takao had been scraped away as if a child had broken up a sand hill, and the shape of the mountain itself had been changed.

Although there were no reports of casualties due to the location, the damage caused by Mayuzumi Kirika’s awakening as a mysterious being was enormous. However, the fact that “that Mayuzumi Kirika” had turned into a mysterious being made the faces of the heroes darker.

Tanba, the head of the R&D office who had been Mayuzumi Kirika’s guardian, finally collapsed from the stress of the situation.

「Commander Asaka, Mayuzumi Kirika is your subordinate! This is your fault!」

「If it is possible to intentionally prevent the awakening of a mysterious being, then we must question the very existence of the Hero Headquarters.」

「Gunuu! ……I’ll peel that thick skin off your face someday!」

The senior staff at the Operations and General Staff Headquarters was in a state of panic as they searched for someone to blame. After all, they had lost a person who had broken all the records in the Hero School’s history, and it was not in the form of a death in the line of duty, but in the worst possible way. The damage to the Hero Headquarters was immeasurable.

Meanwhile, Asaka, who currently has no pieces to move, can only follow Kirika’s movements.

「Forestry Sentai Kikoranger destroyed! Target is on the move! Heading south at high speed!」

「Requesting the Shizuoka Branch’s Oyabun Sentai Jirochoger to mobilize! Unrestricted use of firearms and giant humanoid weapons is authorized!」

「It’s the biggest energy reaction I’ve ever seen……. It’s like a fusion reactor!」

「You never know when it will explode again! Do whatever it takes to stop her from invading the 23rd Ward!」

A force that can transform a mountain is a great threat to human society just by itself.

Heroes not only in the Kanto region but also in eastern Japan were now mobilizing to take Mayuzumi Kirika’s life. Whether in a mountainous area with few people or on an uninhabited island off the coast, there was no place for Kirika Mayuzumi, who had turned into a mysterious being, to rest as long as she was in Japan.

「Mayuzumi-san……」

Asaka’s PC monitor clearly showed the trajectory of Kirika as she flew around avoiding the city.

…………

Meanwhile, the Ark Dominion underground secret base. The room was filled with darkness as if to hide the man who was the owner.

Only the light of a large monitor shone brightly in the pitch-black room.

What was projected on the screen were the heroes who had been beaten up. And a mysterious being girl with black wings.

「Have you finally awakened?…… Kirika」

Looking up at the screen was an old man with pure white hair and sharp, blade-like eyes. His eyes were somewhat sad and his back was much more hunched than usual.

「As expected, you also knew about it. No wonder you went on a business trip even while the branch was being attacked.」

From the darkness comes the voice of a very pretty girl. Tagaraak, a senior member of the Ark Dominion since its formation, sighed as she looked at her wrinkled ally.

「Even the leader of evil can’t help but love his grandchildren.」

「I want Kirika to lead her own life. That’s all I wish for.」

「The road seems to have been cut off. In any case, if it interferes with our supremacy, it’s only a matter of whether it’s sooner or later.」

「Kukuku, my (mysterious being) life doesn’t quite go the way I thought it would… Fuhahahaha!」

The old gentleman’s laughter echoed in the pitch darkness. After a short laugh, Dragius III asked his right-hand man, the young girl.

「Tagaraak, do you think Rintaro can save Kirika now?」

「Well, it’s impossible even if you look at the best case scenario. Even if he could save her, he wouldn’t be able to do anything after that. Hero Headquarters will be hunting seriously.」

「Geex, you sure say the hardest thing straight out.」

「If “that” thing is ready, it would be a 50-50 chance.」

Dragius and Tagaraak looked up at a monitor that was emitting a dazzling light. On the screen, black wings were flying over the ocean.

…………

Rintaro received first aid from Swordminas in the infirmary.

After being buried alive on Mt. Takao, he had been searching for his Death Green Transformation Gear in a desperate attempt to find it. By the time he managed to return home on his own, it was long after dark.

「Even though Rintaro is a mysterious being, but your wounds heal so slowly.」

「That must mean that my blood is thin. Ah, it stings……!」

「Alright, good job enduring it.」

After disinfecting, Swordminas wrapped a bandage around Rintaro’s arm with a familiar movement. The bruises and lacerations were severe, but fortunately no bones were broken, to Rintaro’s relief.

「……Still, to think that Victor Black would have a mysterious being awakening」

Rintaro’s eyes were downcast at the casual words of Swordminas, which was out of character for him. He could not get Kirika’s sad smile out of his mind, not to mention the shock that his junior had awakened a mysterious being in front of him.

Ark Dominion is always quick with information. They had already learned that the Hero Headquarters was conducting a campaign against Kirika on an unprecedented scale.

Rintaro couldn’t stand still when he thought that time might be of the essence.

「Thanks Swordminas, I might have something to ask from you again.」

「Hey Rintaro, you’re not planning to go, are you?」

「Geez, you sure have a good instinct.」

One of the main goals of the Ark Dominion is to protect mysterious beings. It is then the responsibility of the heinous mysterious Death Green to deal with the stray mysterious beings that cause a stir in the world.

Rintaro said it as if it were a matter of course, but Swordminus pulled his sleeve as if pleading with him.

The awakened Kirika is far too powerful to be called a “stray mysterious being”. She was a mysterious being with enough power to wipe out half a mountain. She could not let Rintaro go.

「……That’s too reckless. You know she’s not a small-time person, right?」

「Don’t get me wrong. I’m just doing my job, whoever it is I’m dealing with.」

「Rintaro…… You……」

「Even if she doesn’t want to, we’ll force her to come with us.」

Rintaro’s eyes, as murky as dirt, were still staring straight ahead. Swordminas was unable to say anything more when she realized that this was how Rintaro had saved her as well.

「Uuu…… You’re prepared right?」

「Of course. Let’s chase her to the ends of the earth and catch her!」

At that moment, a small figure appeared leaning against the door of the infirmary. The hooded figure smiled and gave a thumbs-up.

「I’ve heard what you had to say, ssu! I will do my best to support you as your number one sister, ssuyo!」

It was Samecchi, dressed in a fuzzy fur coat and holding a large ball. It was the first snowfall of the season, and she was dressed as if she had just been outside having fun.

「Ooh, Samecchi! That’s reassuring!」

「Mufufu, In term of picking-up job, Samecchi is the senpai, ssu! Actually, Samecchi has already found out where Victor Black is, ssuyo!」

「That’s great! I thought you were just joking around, but you are such a brilliant Samecchi!」

「Ehehe, Aniki praised me, ssu!」

Samecchi blushed and smiled with a carefree smile, showing her fangs. Rintaro patted her fuzzy, hooded head.

「Then Aniki, let’s immediately prepare to set off, ssuyo!」

「Yeah, I’d go anywhere. So, where is Victor Black now? Abashiri? Or Hateruma Island?」

Samecchi thrust the ball in her hand at Rintaro and said with an energetic smile.

「Antarctica, ssu!」

What Samecchi was holding in her hand was not a ball but a globe. Her little finger was pointing at a white continent.