Crack...
At this moment, Inori was crawling alone through the ventilation duct. As she passed over the underground parking lot, she saw the civilians being tortured by the soldiers below.
"..."
Her movements paused. She pressed her delicate lips together but did not intervene. Instead, she withdrew her gaze and continued crawling toward the duct's exit.
When she reached the outlet, she did not immediately step out. She halted, slowly raising both hands to lift the cover just enough to leave a narrow gap, observing the situation below.
Aside from a lone soldier standing guard, there was no one else around. The others were outside executing civilians.
"..."
She gently pushed the cover upward, her eyes locking onto the white helmet of the soldier below. Placing her hands on the edge of the duct, her slender body flipped down with agile grace before landing lightly on the ground.
Click...
When she landed, she deliberately touched down on the balls of her feet first to avoid making extra noise. Fortunately, the chaos outside was overwhelming. The soldier in front of her, his back turned, noticed nothing and remained standing still.
Suppressing her presence, she slowly approached him from behind. After scanning the surroundings once more and confirming no one was nearby, she wrapped one arm around his neck, clamped a hand over his mouth before he could cry out, and with her other hand swiftly pressed beneath the trigger of his firearm to prevent him from instinctively firing.
"Mmph—!!!"
The soldier immediately struggled in panic, instinctively hooking his finger on the trigger. However, nothing happened.
"..."
He pulled the trigger with considerable force, and the pressure made Inori's fingers ache. Biting her lip, she drove her knee into the back of his calf.
"Mmph!!"
He dropped to his knees at once. Seizing the opportunity, she stripped the gun from him and let it fall to the ground. Then she pulled a silenced pistol from her waist and pressed it directly against his neck, leaving no gap as she fired twice.
Pfft~ Pfft~
Even with a suppressor, the shots still made a noticeable sound. Fortunately, she had pressed the muzzle tightly against his neck, and with the noise outside so chaotic, the two shots did not alert anyone.
Thud!
The soldier collapsed limply. She dragged him into the shadows, holstered her pistol, and leaned against the wall as she looked toward the numerous soldiers outside.
The Special Virus Countermeasure Force, commonly known as Anti-Bodies, had the authority to independently identify the infected and deal with them based on their own judgment. Yet they abused this power at will and were known as the "White Devils."
Leading them was General Yan.
"...Yan."
Looking at the robust, dark-skinned officer projected on the terminal, she pressed her lips together slightly. A trace of coldness appeared in her eyes.
Meanwhile...
Daryl was walking over with a white flower in hand, looking somewhat intoxicated. As he passed the innocent civilians about to be executed, he brushed his golden hair back.
"What a miserable sight... I can't help but feel moved inside. Heh heh~"
He glanced at the trembling residents, the desire in his heart growing ever stronger.
"Sir soldier!!"
Tap tap...
A woman who wanted to plead for her husband ran over with hope on her face and grabbed his arm. The movement caused the flower in his hand to fall to the ground.
"!"
His pupils shrank.
"Please, I beg you! Save him! My husband isn't sick—he's perfectly healthy! Please!"
Looking at the woman crying and begging before him, his expression twisted more and more viciously. A surge of anger rose within him, and the pleasure on his face changed abruptly.
"Get the hell away from me, you filthy old hag!!!"
Smack!!
He slapped her across the face.
"Ah!"
The woman was sent sprawling to the ground, her face already red and swollen as she sobbed.
"Mom!! Waaah..."
A child in the distance cried out continuously but was immediately restrained by the soldiers.
"You damn bitch, what if you infect me, huh?!"
Smack!
He strode over and began kicking the woman on the ground while cursing at her. The other soldiers remained unmoved, coldly holding their rifles.
"..."
Watching this scene, Inori's eyes darkened as she recalled Gai's earlier words.
"The ace of GHQ's security forces—their most evil and savage fangs—that is our current enemy."
After saying that, Gai looked toward the Shogun, who had already changed into her hooded windbreaker. His gaze met the girl's violet eyes.
"Are you ready, Mio?"
"There's no problem with killing all of them, right?"
She looked at the woman being beaten by the blond man, pressed her lips together, and asked in a cold voice.
"Ah... Do as much as you can. But General Yan must be taken alive. Daryl's Void is key, so leave him to Inori. The rest of the soldiers are yours alone."
Gai smiled as he answered.
"..."
Silently, she pulled up her hood and stepped out from the concealed area, leaping directly down from a viaduct dozens of meters high.
"Sir, what about them?"
A soldier asked General Yan inside the truck that housed the central control room.
"It's fine. They're useless now. Kill them all."
General Yan replied with a cold sneer.
"...Understood!"
The soldier hesitated for a moment before nodding.
Bang!
Outside, Daryl kicked the woman's nose until it bled and even spat on her.
"..."
The battered woman had no strength left to resist. She curled on the ground, covering her face as she trembled.
"Mom—!!!"
The child in the distance was still crying.
"Make that brat shut up!!!!"
He barked impatiently at the soldiers, then drew his handgun and aimed it at the woman below.
"Isn't it just giving birth to a brat? Why get so damn annoying?"
Click. The handgun was cocked.
"...Gai, can I kill him?"
Watching this, Inori asked coldly. Even her usually gentle voice had turned sharp.
[No. His Void is key... You know that, Inori.]
"...Mm."
Inori pressed her lips together and finally nodded.
"Mio... I'll leave it to you."
Inori subconsciously closed her eyes and prayed silently in her heart.
Click! ×N
The surrounding soldiers raised their guns toward the blindfolded residents ahead.
"Prepare to fire—ready!!!"
Yan ordered.
"Whistle~"
Daryl whistled as he prepared to shoot the woman. However—
"Hm? Who's that over there?!"
"!" ×N
The next second, he heard a soldier shout.
"Ha?!"
He turned his gaze over.
The other soldiers—including the ones nearby—also looked toward the end of the ruined street ahead. A figure in a windbreaker was silently walking toward them.
The hood concealed the person's face, revealing only a pale, delicate chin. The hem of the coat fluttered in the wind, exposing the skirt beneath and black-stockinged legs. Her figure was graceful and well-proportioned. It was clearly a woman.
"Stop right there! Take one more step and we'll open fire!"
Click ×N
They raised their rifles and aimed at her in warning.
"..."
Yet the woman continued forward without hesitation, as if their threat were nothing more than background noise.
"...Heh~?"
Daryl watched with obvious interest.
"Who is that?!"
Inside the control room, Yan demanded in irritation as he stared at the screen.
"We don't know. She appeared out of nowhere without any warning. Possibly a terrorist."
A soldier replied.
"Tch... Looking down on us, are you?! Take her down with the rest! If she resists, open fire!!"
He ordered disdainfully.
"Understood! Take her down!!"
The soldiers abandoned the execution of the hostages and redirected all their guns toward her as she approached.
Tap... Tap...
The Shogun continued her measured steps. Seeing that they had taken the bait, a faint smile curved her lips. She raised her hand, and a violet sphere of light formed above her palm.
"She's making a move!!!"
"Open fire!!!"
Bang!!! ×N
The soldiers fired like startled birds, unleashing a barrage toward her.
Whoosh! ×N
A storm of bullets poured down upon her. She did not even look. With a single step, she transformed into a streak of lightning and shot forward. In that instant, time seemed to slow. She passed through several soldiers, tossing the sphere of light into the sky. It exploded into a dense forest of crackling thunderbolts.
Boom!
Crackle—!
In a single instant, the soldiers were scorched black.
As time returned to normal, Musou Isshin formed in her hand. She flashed forward again toward the soldiers preparing to execute the hostages.
"Wha—!!!"
"What is that?!"
"Open fire!!!"
Bang! ×N
Seeing the soldiers ahead reduced to charred corpses in an instant, those behind her fired in terror at the streaking lightning. It was impossible to hit. Like a violet thunder dragon, the light tore past them.
Slash! ×N
The soldiers she passed were severed at the waist. Their bodies were devoured by violet radiance and disintegrated into dust, leaving no trace behind.
The Shogun reformed in place. Without even glancing back, she flicked her blade lightly, shaking the blood from it.
Tap!
Sensing movement behind her, she did not turn. She merely tightened her hand slightly.
Beside the soldier attempting a sneak attack, a demonic puppet arm materialized from the void. With a single punch, it struck him, twisting his bones grotesquely as it sent him flying onto a distant rooftop. In that instant, his body was torn apart midair, blood scattering across the ground.