"You want to go there?!" Hearing Yukino's words, Nibutani was stunned, also showing hesitation, as that place was simply too eerie.
"Don't worry, you just need to guide us to the general area and point out the way." Seeing Nibutani's hesitant look, Yukino quickly added.
"I understand." Looking at Yukino's determined expression and then at Takeru's calm and composed demeanor, Nibutani nodded.
Her hesitation wasn't about unwillingness to take them there, but concern that they might also encounter danger...
"Then, thank you." Hearing Nibutani agree, Yukino let out a sigh of relief.
"No, I should thank you all. I don't know what Nara-kun did, but I really feel much better now. Thank you."
"If that's the case, time is of the essence, so let's head over." Seeing the exchange between the two, Takeru smiled and spoke up from the side.
Meanwhile, Taihei and Hachiman remained mostly in the background, silently observing Takeru and the others without saying much.
Along the way, Nibutani curiously observed Takeru's group. Their combination seemed a bit odd.
Yui and Ui looked like middle schoolers to her, while Taihei was clearly already a graduate. Plus, the team seemed led by Yukino and Takeru, two prominent figures at school.
Though puzzled, after the earlier incident, Nibutani also realized Takeru and the others might not be ordinary people.
'Could they be some special group, or perhaps descendants of a family of magicians?'
The more she thought, the more Nibutani unconsciously connected it to her own Chuunibyo-era settings… a centuries-old magician, feeling as if she had glimpsed another side of the world...
The journey wasn't too long, but under Nibutani's guidance, it took nearly half an hour. "That's it, that building over there!"
Seeing the familiar, gloomy building, Nibutani couldn't help but shiver.
Yukino and the others also felt extremely uncomfortable. This sensation was similar to encountering those two monsters at the cemetery, but compared to those, the feeling here was even more unsettling...
"Thank you for your hard work, Nibutani-san. Leave the rest to us. Also, we hope you won't speak about what you saw today." Yukino said seriously, looking at Nibutani.
"I... I understand. Can I wait here for you?" Nibutani hesitated before asking.
"Mhmm." Seeing the look of concern in Nibutani's eyes, Yukino gave a slight nod.
Afterward, Takeru and the others continued towards the abandoned building. The closer they got, the stronger that uncomfortable feeling became.
The area was also very desolate. Apart from the abandoned building, there were some shops nearby, but for some reason, they were all closed...
"It seems the source of the problem is here. We might face a dangerous situation ahead. If anyone wants to stay behind, you can remain here."
About twenty meters from the building, Yukino stopped the group and spoke directly.
Although Yukino hoped everyone could contribute to maintaining order in the world, she wouldn't force anyone to follow her orders.
Hearing Yukino's words, everyone pondered, their gazes unintentionally turning towards Takeru...
"..."
"I'll go in." Noticing everyone's looks, Takeru, though somewhat speechless, spoke softly.
Hearing that Takeru would enter, everyone seemed to relax a little.
Through their brief interactions, everyone had gained a sense of security from Takeru, to varying degrees… even Taihei and Hachiman, who were older than Takeru, felt the same...
"Then I'll go in too." After hearing Takeru, Rikka also spoke quietly.
"We're in as well." Taihei thought for a moment before speaking. He was the oldest here, so there was no reason to back down...
Soon, everyone decided to enter together. This outcome also relieved Yukino. She understood well that the main reason everyone was willing to enter was largely because of Takeru...
However, Takeru also made it clear to everyone that unless special circumstances arose, he generally wouldn't intervene.
Hearing Takeru's words, everyone nodded. This was a good opportunity for them to train.
"Alright, everyone be careful. If there are any issues, focus on protecting yourselves and supporting each other." Yukino gave the final summary, and the group headed towards the building, with Takeru taking the very rear.
Soon, they stepped inside the abandoned building. Within Takeru's extensive perception range, he immediately detected four disgusting monsters.
"Fireball!" Not long after entering, Hachiman directly cast his fireball skill, launching it at one of the monsters. Here, with no outsiders around, everyone could use magic freely...
"Argh!" The fireball injured a monster, also angering it. It glared furiously at Hachiman, as he was the one who had hurt it...
Seeing the monster charge, Hachiman showed a flicker of panic and hurriedly began gathering another fireball...
At that moment, an ice arrow shot out from behind Hachiman, accurately piercing the monster's eye and going straight through. The monster completely vanished.
The one who acted was Rikka.
Having battled numerous zombies, Rikka's combat skills might not have improved drastically, but her eyesight and precision had greatly increased.
"Let's keep moving forward!" Yukino and the others were also impressed by Rikka's shot, but now wasn't the time to discuss it. The group then continued upwards...