Deep within the redevelopment zone.
Okita landed on the rooftop of an abandoned building, then immediately sprang up like a coiled spring, leaping swiftly toward another derelict structure a hundred meters away.
The shouts of "Slow down!" from below were completely ignored as if she hadn't heard them at all.
"She just won't listen to a word I say!"
Stella weaved through the buildings, struggling to keep up, and couldn't help but let out a frustrated groan.
She began to miss the teammates Petra had assigned her before.
At least the "Dance God" senior, though also prone to acting on her own, would still listen to others. But Okita? Once she decided to do something, she wouldn't heed a single word—her determination was so unshakable that not even ten horses could pull her back!
Damn it, why were all the teammates she encountered after crossing into this world like this?
Though, to be fair, back in her own world and country, she had never been part of a team either. She had been planning to study abroad in Japan, but the next thing she knew, she woke up in this world...
"Did I lose her?"
Stella had been tracking Okita's movements as she hopped from rooftop to rooftop, but at one point, she didn't see Okita leap again. Thinking she had lost sight of her, Stella quickly scaled the wall and jumped onto the roof.
Once there, she realized she hadn't lost Okita—it was just that Okita had stopped moving.
Well, "stopped" wasn't quite accurate.
Because standing in front of Okita were several figures clad in black.
"So Japan really does have ninjas!"
Stella muttered under her breath and hurried toward Okita. Despite her frustration, she had to back her sister up now!
"Another one?"
On the other side, the apparent leader of the black-clad ninjas frowned.
"Whatever. Take them out first, then proceed with setting up the barrier!"
The three other ninjas nodded silently. Two of them split off and charged toward Stella, who was approaching from behind, while the leader and the remaining one drew their weapons and faced Okita.
Stella blinked in surprise as the two ninjas rushed at her with killing intent. Frowning, she raised her hands, and flames swirled forth like a vortex. In an instant, a golden greatsword materialized in her grasp.
"What are you people trying to do here?"
Stella's stern question was met with silence as the two ninjas lunged at her without hesitation.
With a sigh, Stella switched her Device to its illusionary form—a non-lethal version that would only knock opponents unconscious upon impact. Flames wreathed the blade as she swung it forward, pressing the two ninjas back.
Meanwhile.
Okita Souji faced the two ninjas before her. Like a robot receiving a signal, she paused for a moment, then extended her hand. A katana materialized in her grip.
A flash of cold light—the blade's gleam rippled like shimmering water.
Before the two ninjas could react, they felt a sharp pain in their necks, followed by a dizzying sensation as the world spun around them. Then, darkness.
Expressionless, Okita severed two heads with a single motion, then leaped lightly away, heading deeper into the zone.
Stella, still locked in combat with the other two ninjas, caught sight of this out of the corner of her eye. Her pupils constricted in shock.
Her gaze first fell in disbelief on the two headless corpses on the ground, then turned complicated as she watched Okita's retreating figure disappear into the distance.
The two ninjas seized the moment of her distraction, raising their blades to strike—one aimed at her neck, the other sweeping toward her abdomen. Their coordination was flawless, and even the sight of their fallen comrades failed to elicit any reaction from them.
"Annoying!"
Stella's expression hardened, a flash of anger crossing her face as surging flames erupted like tidal waves, blasting the two ninjas away.
She didn't bother checking if they were dead, immediately chasing after Okita's retreating figure.
After being roommates and teammates with Okita for a month, she had no idea—
"Her method of summoning a weapon… is the same as mine?"
The thought sent shockwaves through Stella's heart, like a rocket thrashing wildly inside her chest, leaving her unable to calm down.
Before this, though she knew Okita used a real sword and refused to wield an Orga Lux, she had never considered the reason.
In truth, ever since arriving in this world, Stella had also avoided using Orga Lux, fearing she wouldn't be able to activate it and expose herself. But she had assumed Okita simply preferred real swords—never imagining that her refusal might stem from the same reason!
"Wait… what was that?"
As they advanced deeper into the redevelopment zone, Stella's peripheral vision caught a fleeting figure in the distance—moving so fast it was like a bolt of lightning, vanishing before she could make out any details.
Ninjas emerged one after another, charging at Okita, sacrificing their lives to halt their progress. Yet without exception, Okita cut them down with blinding speed, sending them crashing into abandoned buildings, smashing through walls—whether they lived or died, no one could tell.
"What the hell is happening here?"
Stella was drowning in questions with no one to answer them, so she had no choice but to follow Okita further in.
...
Deep within the redevelopment zone.
After getting the answer from Yabuki Eishirou, Roy had rushed here at top speed. Enhanced by runes, he arrived even faster than Okita, whom he had ordered to follow.
"Where exactly is she?"
Roy pressed forward rapidly while questioning the person he was carrying by the collar.
"Even if you ask me again, all I know is that they were supposed to meet somewhere deep in the redevelopment zone, near the harbor…"
Yabuki, bobbing up and down midair, wore a rare look of panic. He knew Roy was strong, but he hadn't expected him to be this fast even while carrying someone—like a damn rocket! What a freak!
Roy clicked his tongue in irritation.
Useless.
If he'd known this would happen, he should've taken a strand of Claudia's hair or something to track her. Searching blindly like this was inefficient, and going back to her dorm now would be pointless. Thankfully, his vision was sharp, and with Okita's help, they should be able to find Claudia as quickly as possible.
"A sound?"
Roy's ears perked up at the metallic clashing noise in the distance—like a fight.
This deep into the redevelopment zone, where people rarely ventured, there was only one person who'd be fighting here right now!
With a powerful kick, he shattered a concrete wall, using the momentum to change direction and charge toward the source of the sound like a raging dragon.
Before long, he arrived at the source of the sound.
It was Claudia indeed!
The golden-haired girl was covered in blood, her body riddled with wounds. Her desperate struggle under the pursuit of the white-haired old man resembled a trapped beast's last stand, yet she still mustered every ounce of strength to evade. Pan-Dora's predictive function proved far more effective in defense and evasion than offense, and thanks to this, she had managed to hold on until now.
Footsteps like the roar of a missile explosion drew Claudia's attention.
Yet Yabuki Bujinzai, as if deaf to the sound, thrust his staff like a rapier straight toward her heart.
Boom!
A sound akin to a rocket launching erupted.
Following closely was a scream.
"Dad, catch me!"
Yabuki Bujinzai's hand hesitated for the briefest moment.
But after that pause, he showed no reaction whatsoever, ignoring his son who had been hurled toward him like a missile, and drove the tip of his staff forward with deadly intent.
In that instant, Claudia's gaze fell upon Pan-Dora in her hand.
After a split-second deliberation, she abandoned prediction.
The staff pierced her chest in an instant, plunging straight into her heart.
***
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