Chapter 36 - Could you not be satisfied with my body in a situation like this!?

Lain, who had confirmed the annihilation of the 'Immortality Corps' through Masayuki's eyes, cancelled her alignment with him.

It was just to make sure, as there was an instance of a rulerdominator killed even at a long distance. It could not be asserted that the use of power towards Masayuki wouldn't extend to Lain.

"I'm thinking about whether or not Master's way of doing it is severely risky. It cannot definitively be said that there is no effect, even though you are only watching." (Euphemia)

Euphemia proposed from the side. It seemed she wasn't underestimating Yogiri.

"Euphemia. To what degree to you estimate him as a threat?" (Lain)

"Beyond mythological creatures, the Sword Saint, and the sages. I think we should not have anything to do with Yogiri Takatou more than this. If it is now, his interest wouldn't be here." (Euphemia)

"In other words, run away? That can't be done." (Lain)

As for the control system based on the sages, the sages must be an absolute existence. There must not be the likes of something which could threaten their lives, and they must not think a common person even had the potential to.

Almost all of the sages thought so. And Lain also had to act in accordance with that idea.

If she only wanted to ascertain whether or not she'd die, it was fine if she left before Yogiri nonchalantly. However, she would be suspected having a rebellious spirit in that situation. It was foolish as it seemed to be suicide.

"It may be considered to be me looking foolish...but I don't think you can even harbour killing intent towards Yogiri Takatou." (Euphemia)

"Certainly. There appears to be a part like that." (Lain)

Some of the 'Immortality Corps' were also comprised of Lain's family. Through their eyes, she saw how Yogiri's power was abnormal.

Yogiri killed the citizens who approached to attack, as naturally there were people who tried to attack him directly, but he also killed people who aimed at him with magic and arrows from a long distance. In other words, it was something which corresponded with sensing the attack beforehand.

"Well then, how about if I don't directly aim for Yogiri Takatou?" (Lain)

For example, a stray bullet and an accidental shooting. Those wouldn't be things that intended to kill Yogiri.

Such things as involving him in the attack's range as collateral damage, or she could also think about the likes of using a timed bomb.

"Still, would it be possible to prepare that kind of trick from now?" (Euphemia)

"That's right. If I need to kill him without harbouring killing intent, how about a technique like this?" (Lain)

Euphemia opened her eyes wide in astonishment. It was because Lain became two people in the blink of an eye.

It was a scene where the two people didn't even differ a tiny bit. It was a sight that seemed to be impossible without a mirror also being in that place.

"I have the regenerative ability to be able to regenerate instantly even if this body is completely burned to nothing. It's enough that it's no trouble to manufacture another body if I put that to practical use." (Lain)

"Th, that, I understand the matter of Master's great power...but what on earth is that?" (Euphemia)

"That's right. It's enough that I want to ask that as well." (Lain B)

It couldn't be differentiated by appearance, but she heard it would be Lain who newly appeared.

"What? Should I call it Lain B or something? B is my duplicate, but the memory which is connected to a person is completely missing. As I configured like that. In other words, it won't be like harboring killing intent or something towards that person." (Lain)

"Hmm. I don't quite know the meaning, but I guess there is a reason for doing it like this?" (Euphemia)

"You, rise into the sky and standby. Assault the town with all of your power depending on the signal." (Lain)

Lain B rose into the sky as she was told. It was something she said herself. It seemed it didn't think of any doubts, even if it didn't know the reason.

Lain produced duplicates one after another, and they floated into the sky. The whole army exceeded one hundred. The scene of beautiful women wearing red dresses dancing in the air was something truly magnificent.

"Err, woudln't the instructions to attack be no good if it is a magic attack or something?" (Euphemia)

Euphemia presented a question. It appeared she thought it was a considerably dull method.

"Aah. Magic to that extent isn't my strong point. It is quite powerful to thrust into it as is." (Lain)

It was a strategy that made use of Lain's special characteristics.

Lain's air mobility speed slightly exceeded the speed of sound. An ordinary person wouldn't be able to see the assault. It was fine if she did a kamikaze attack and struck randomly with her physical strength, which wasn't exceptional for a vampire. Even without establishing her aim, she was sure to damage the entire town with only the aftermath.

Lain's family had survived in the town, and they were hiding in places where Yogiri and others wouldn't sense them.

And then, she observed.

That is, her aim was to ascertain the moment Yogiri used his power towards Kurayami.

While the wind mixed with sand blew, the citizens were approaching and gathering in the plaza.

The several plazas in the city were designated as emergency evacuation sites.

Of course, it was obvious that it was best to go to a place which was disconnected from the path of Kurayami, who was walking straight.

However, not everyone was able to do that. The people who were in the central part of the city had no choice but to come here with the feeling they were grasping at straws.

"Hey, Takatou-kun. Possibly...are you able to do it to that as well somehow?" (Tomochika)

Tomochika asked while looking up at Kurayami in a daze.

Yogiri and others were still in the central part of the plaza.

"I think I'll be able to do it." (Yogiri)

"Are you? I wouldn't know of such a thing, whatever the circumstances may be...did you say you're able to!?" (Tomochika)

To Yogiri who replied easily, Tomochika snapped.

"Really!? I beg of you! I'll listen to anything if you are able to do it. So please help!" (Ryouta)

Ryouta asked while clinging to him. He appeared to be an honest person for a sage official, and it seemed he truly cared about his city.

"Do it soon if that's the case!" (Ryouta)

"I can, but I have a premonition something like that will be unpleasant. But, well, I probably can't leave it as is." (Yogiri)

He had no sense of duty to save the people of the city, but it seemed the restoration of the train would be delayed by that much if the town's damage spread.

Yogiri looked at Kurayami.

It was something like a faint black haze. Perhaps there was no substance, and it would be something similar to a lump of microscopic organisms. Either way, there was no problem in particular if those were united as an individual.

"Die." (Yogiri)

Turning his hand towards Kurayami, Yogiri released his power.

At the same time, an impact assailed the entire town.

A line indicating danger immediately spread out in the surroundings like a stitch.

"Get down!" (Yogiri)

Yogiri embraced Tomochika and pushed her down to the floor to avoid the line.

Ryouta, who saw that sign, also squatted to the floor in hot haste.

A moment later, something passed over Yogiri and others, and screams resounded from the surroundings.

It was the voices raised from the people who survived.

The things they saw, pierced with the fragments of something, crushed and broken, were the ruins of what the people once were.

"Wh, what? Was this Kurayami's attack!?" (Ryouta)

"No, Kurayami was killed." (Yogiri)

Yogiri pointed at Kurayami.

Although Kurayami was faint originally, its current state had become even sparser. It was dispersing. It wasn't dangerous anymore, it had become something that was merely scattering and vanishing.

"Eh? It was a different lot!?" (Ryouta)

"Indeed. So, there was a clause to attack which slipped into Kurayami's killing intent somehow." (Yogiri)

It had gone through the building, crashed into the ground, and devotedly destroyed the vicinity of the area with the shockwave.

And then, that something rained incessantly from the sky one by one, and was forcing the city into annihilation.

A mass attack was fired with speed that it didn't remain in his vision. The problem was that it wasn't something which was aimed at Yogiri.

"This, is this also something aimed at us?" (Tomochika)

"It isn't aimed but it is aimed. It seems to be trying to capture me. But, what is being done is simple." (Yogiri)

Yogiri and others were being exposed to carpet bombing, but they didn't know the true nature of this attack. Although he was able to deal with the rubble that flew, it was something indirect, and the attack itself had already ended.

"So, what will you do!?" (Tomochika)

"Well, I am able to deal with the fragments, so I think one way is to wait until the attack ends." (Yogiri)

"...Um, can you separate from me as it's already safe?" (Tomochika)

"Aah, I was thinking 'something is soft'." (Yogiri)

Yogiri's attitude was without change for some reason or another.

"Could you not be satisfied with my body in a situation like this!?" (Tomochika)

"Don't be hugging her tight like you're in a Hollywood movie over there, can you please do something in one way or another!?" (Ryouta)

Ryouta who was crawling as is while laying down cried out in an outburst of anger.

"We aren't embracing each other! It's one-sided!" (Tomochika)

Tomochika turned bright red and retorted reflexively.

"But, even if you tell me to do something in one way or another, I don't even know what is flying." (Yogiri)

"Well, it's a scene that's a little hard to believe in, but will you listen without making fun of me?" (Tomochika)

"What?" (Yogiri)

"There are women wearing red dresses falling from the sky." (Tomochika)

"You've understood it well." (Yogiri)

Yogiri was quite impressed. Not only Tomochika's still vision, but also her kinetic vision appeared to be something considerable.

"Is it also fine to get up?" (Tomochika)

"For now." (Yogiri)

The city had been destroyed in various places, but the attacks in the vicinity hadn't been carried out in a while.

Yogiri stood up and released Tomochika.

Tomochika also stood up, and pointed at the sky in the distance.

"They came from that way." (Tomochika)

"I don't properly understand." (Yogiri)

He didn't know what the enemy was thinking, but considering the result, it was a countermeasure against Yogiri.

If it was someone releasing something, he was able to kill the person who fired it.

However, it couldn't be helped if he was assaulted by the subject of the attack itself with speed that couldn't be seen by his eyes. At any rate, the person themself was dying when the attacked ended.

"Damn itt! The red dress, it seems to be that Lain! What is it! Again! I don't understand the reasoonnn!" (Ryouta)

Ryouta complained simply because it was unbearable.It merely seemed they were neither tender-hearted co-workers nor bosses.

"They are all Lain?" (Yogiri)

"It's probably parts of her body! Lain-sama's hyper-regerative ability makes even duplicating herself simple!" (Ryouta)

"I see. Is there a way of doing it, then?" (Yogiri)

Ryouta's few words supported Yogiri. It seemed he wanted to double-cross her, as she had readily destroyed the town he brought up under his personal care.

"There isn't a way to specify the opponent. If it was directly aimed at me, it would be simple." (Yogiri)

Although it was possible to counterattack if he was being directly aimed at, but it seemed the other party had thought about how they would avoid that and taken measures like this.

"Ah, are you able to do it in some way or another if we are aimed at?" (Ryouta)

Ryouta got his teeth into it. It seemed he had an idea.

"My class is mayormayor. Omitting the detailed matters, I am able to see the city with a bird's eye view. I saw the state of damage from some time ago, and there is a pattern in the attacks. The same place will not be attacked, and the area won't be attacked continuously." (Ryouta)

That may have been something unconsciously done. Even if a person tried to do something at random, there would be some regularity made.

"I see. You are able to narrow down the next attack point to some extent because of that. But, our movements won't be good enough even if we know it." (Yogiri)

"That's alright. I am able to teleport if it is a public place inside of the city I manage. I am also able to move together with several people." (Ryouta)

"Is that so! But then, Ryouta-san could run away at any time if that's the case." (Tomochika)

He would be fine if he moved to the edge of the city and escaped as is. He would be able to escape from this crisis with that alone.

"Couldn't you have abandoned the town and escaped by yourself!?" (Tomochika)

"This person is very decent even though he is a sage's official!" (Ryouta)

They decided to carry out this scheme at once.

They moved to a point that hadn't been attacked yet and was separated from the points that were attacked with Ryouta's power.

That place was a residential area.

They must have finished evacuating as there were no signs of people.

So, Yogiri and Tomochika held hands, and stood next to one another. Ryouta transferred to another place just to be sure. It was arranged that he would come again and take them to another place if their goal was off.

"Although, I don't think it was necessary for Dannoura-san to come along. I would do it by myself if I was alone, well, somehow." (Yogiri)

"Because I am able to see, the probability of success rises, don't you agree?" (Tomochika)

[I also have perception abilities.] (Mokomoko)

The attacks were being carried out in intervals of several seconds to ten seconds. There was sure to be some signs immediately.

Tomochika, who was staring at the sky, grasped Yogiri's hand tightly.

It was the signal.

Tomochika moved, and Yogiri followed her. The two people broke off into a run forward.

Running with all of his might, Yogiri felt something travelling behind them immediately. Into total darkness, into the shadow of killing intent. They rushed into an absolute place of death.

Yogiri released his power right away towards the something which was approaching whilst flying.

"Mokomoko-san!" (Tomochika)

[Ok!] (Mokomoko)

From Tomochika's uniform, something slipped out all together in a lump.

It unfolded into a dome shape in only in an instant and covered the two people.

A huge noise of something crashing into it immediately followed, the dome vibrated, and then silence arrived.

"Ahh, it wasn't something which was done in with it being struck hard, huh. It was verrrry bad for my heart." (Tomochika)

[Hmm. I thought it was sturdy to a certain extent, but I hadn't thought it would be something we would try out.] (Mokomoko)

Even if they could kill Lain who was assaulting them, the dead body would thrust into them as is.

What had protected Yogiri and others was the material they obtained from the robot aggressor.

It appeared to be something similar to an artificial muscle that was used inside of the robot. They had heard it was brittle if it was compared to the exterior of the robot, but it appeared that it was enough that it was able to repel a human body flying at supersonic speed.

[However, is it alright with one body or so?] (Mokomoko)

Mokomoko's doubt would be natural. At any rate, the enemy could throw as many bodies that were duplicated as they wanted to.

"I think it's safe because there was a response." (Yogiri)

However, Yogiri calmly replied so.

The next attack didn't come even when they waited a little while.

It seemed Yogiri's power had reached the enemy.