After more than a month of unconsciousness caused by his severe injuries, Gai finally opened his eyes. The members of Funeral Parlor who had remained at his side immediately smiled in relief.
They then told him everything that had happened over the past several months, including the blockade of the Seventh Ring, the conflicts among the students, the evacuation plan that had just taken place, and various other minor matters. Most important of all, of course, were Da'ath's worldwide broadcast from Ward 24 and what had happened to Inori.
"...So much happened while I was unconscious?"
Gai was still extremely weak as he lay in the hospital bed. His face was pale and bloodless, and perhaps because he had been unconscious for so long, a beard had begun to grow across it.
"Yes, but fortunately Mio was here. Otherwise, none of us would have known what to do."
Ayase glanced at the purple-haired beauty seated beside her and sighed with emotion.
"That's right~ Mio was a huge help. Good thing you woke up today, or we might have forgotten all about you~"
Tsugumi teased.
"I see... Thank you for your hard work, Mio. It truly is fortunate that you were here... It seems you have quite a talent for leadership as well."
Gai wiped the sweat from his forehead, then smiled at her.
"It was nothing..."
She shook her head indifferently.
"It wasn't only Mio. The Kuhouin family also provided crucial assistance. While the Seventh Ring was under lockdown, they supplied us with large quantities of food, clothing, and vaccines."
Ayase continued her report.
"I see. I will have to thank the old master of the Kuhouin family properly afterward. Arisa, please convey my gratitude to him."
With Ayase's support, Gai slowly sat up and leaned against the headboard before looking toward the blonde woman opposite him.
"Mm, I'll tell Grandfather. Besides, under the present circumstances, anyone with even a little common sense wouldn't help those people from GHQ, would they? The Kuhouin family also wants to see the entire country return to normal."
Arisa smiled.
"Yes... So do we."
Gai sighed, then touched the wounds bound beneath the bandages covering his body. The pain still lingered inside him, but the fact that he had awakened at all was already something to be grateful for.
"Mio, I heard you were the one who treated my injuries?"
Gai looked toward the girl beside him.
"And Hare..."
The Shogun had not forgotten the girl who was not even a member of Funeral Parlor yet had followed them here.
"Huh? Um... It was nothing..."
Hare hurriedly waved her hands, then instinctively shrank behind the Shogun.
"I see. Thank you both. You helped me greatly."
Gai sincerely thanked the two girls.
The other members of Funeral Parlor also looked at them with gratitude and admiration, making both girls feel somewhat awkward.
"By the way, that evacuation plan was executed at exactly the right moment. Even I might not have thought of such a method. No, perhaps I simply would not have dared. Acting as bait and still escaping unharmed while facing the full force of GHQ Headquarters... Only you could have done something like that, Mio."
Gai smiled helplessly.
"You flatter me. It was everyone's achievement."
She responded modestly. Though, strictly speaking, she had not escaped at all. She had simply annihilated all of them instead... Mm, that could probably be considered another form of escape.
"Pfft..."
Behind her, Hare had rested her chin on the Shogun's shoulder. Hearing that response, she could not suppress a muffled laugh.
"...?"
Hearing the soft laughter beside her ear, the Shogun turned in confusion toward the little kitten perched upon her shoulder. Once she understood, her soft lips curled upward, and she lightly poked the little kitten's nose.
"Right, Gai... About Inori—"
She shifted her attention away from Hare and looked toward Gai on the bed.
"Yes. There is something I need to tell all of you as well... the truth about Inori's origins."
According to Gai, the girl had originally been nothing more than a vessel intended for the resurrection ritual of Mana Ouma. During an accident, she escaped from the laboratory and was coincidentally discovered by Funeral Parlor. Afterward, they took her in and made her one of their own.
Gai had also happened to give her the name Inori Yuzuriha. To Inori, Gai therefore occupied a role much like that of a father. As time passed, the girl gradually grew and matured under Funeral Parlor's care, eventually becoming the Inori Yuzuriha they all knew.
So when Inori had said that Funeral Parlor was her home, she had not been wrong.
"Then the Inori we just saw on television... Could it be—"
She asked.
"Yes. That was not Inori... It was Mana's consciousness awakening within her body."
Gai nodded.
"...Mana?"
Hearing that name, the Shogun narrowed her eyes slightly. Was that the voice she had heard inside the embryo back then? That woman whose voice resembled Inori's? But had she not already destroyed her?
"Mana Ouma was Professor Ouma's eldest daughter and Shu Ouma's older sister."
"Huh? Shu's... older sister?"
Hare froze in surprise. She was actually Shu's relative?
"Yes... Mana was the first person infected with the Apocalypse Virus, as well as its host. She was also the key figure and instigator behind the massive viral outbreak ten years ago—the Lost Christmas."
"—!" ×N
Everyone was stunned.
"..."
The Shogun lowered her eyes in thought...
Inori is actually the counterpart of someone so dangerous?
"The Lost Christmas ten years ago ended in tragedy, and Mana, the central figure behind the outbreak, died as a result. But... things were not that simple. When Mana died, she left behind the Origin Stone, which has now become the key to everything."
"That stone contains Mana's genes and was also the key to Inori's birth. As long as the stone exists, Mana will never truly disappear."
"...Although the so-called wedding was stopped before, the stone remained. As time passed, the consciousness belonging to Mana awakened inside Inori's body. This time, it is far more serious than ever before."
Gai's expression darkened.
"Then why do you know so much about this?"
The Shogun frowned and asked coldly. This man clearly had his own motives behind everything he had done, just as he always had... including his reason for leading Funeral Parlor.
"Haa... To be honest, my original goal truly was to see Mana again. If possible, I even wanted to resurrect her. But gradually, I came to realize... If Mana were revived, she would undoubtedly bring an irreversible disaster upon this world. Or rather... the Mana in my heart died long ago. The one who exists now is nothing more than an aggregation of the virus."
He looked at everyone.
"We cannot allow Mana to be resurrected, nor can we let this world suffer the pain of another Lost Christmas. We must stop them."
"Wait—! Wasn't this only about the entire country? How did it suddenly become a threat to the whole world?"
Argo hurriedly spoke up, asking in bewilderment.
"I am afraid this time, Mana herself is directly involved."
Sextant adjusted his glasses.
"Yes. That is precisely the case. Funeral Parlor must launch a counterattack now. We cannot delay any longer."
Rumble! Rumble!
The moment he finished speaking, the sky transformed into a dark abyss resembling hell. That eerie melody was growing louder and louder, and powerful shock waves erupted from the direction of Ward 24 from time to time.
"There is no time to lose."
When the Shogun saw the darkness covering the sea beyond the window, her slender brows furrowed, and she immediately rose to her feet.
"Leave Inori to me."
She looked at Gai and the others as she made the proposal.
"Yes. That was my intention from the beginning. As for everyone else... Ayase, have you gotten rusty?"
"Heh. As if. My hands have been itching for a fight."
Ayase smiled.
"Good. The main force can follow Ayase. As for weapons and equipment—"
"The Kuhouin family will provide everything."
Arisa finished for him.
"Much appreciated—!"
After saying that, Gai threw aside the blanket and sat on the edge of the bed. The movement startled Ayase so badly that she immediately reached out to support him.
"I am fine. Under circumstances like these, if I, the commander, do not take the field personally, I would be neglecting my duty."
Gai stood and changed into the clothes beside the bed.
"The main force will follow Ayase and me and deal with GHQ's defensive lines. Mio, you can seize the opportunity to charge inside. Is that acceptable, our 'Athena'?"
Gai looked toward her.
"It is."
She nodded.
"What about the rest of you?"
He turned toward everyone else.
"Understood!" ×N
Everyone answered loudly.
"Good! Then this will be Funeral Parlor's final mission... I hope every one of you returns safely..."
"Understood!" ×N
Everyone except the Shogun responded once more.