Chapter 394: Episode 51

When the six members of the Guard Squad and three Silver Team fans woke up, they found themselves trapped in a cage isolated by a reinforced plastic barrier.

The Silver Team group consisted of five members in total: the puppy trio of "Rock," "Paypa," and "Caesar," and the cosplayers "Arthur" and "Shuji" who joined later. However, only the original three were here.

The audience participation game that started as soon as the offline meeting began was an exciting piece of content where fans shot at each other with Anesthesia Guns. This was more than just a survival game. Originally a group of indoor types, the Bad Dogs abandoned the idea of winning the championship while simultaneously reuniting the Silver Team.

I felt satisfied being able to see Nama No. 6 on the special stage of the stadium. I don't remember anymore. I have a feeling Arthur and the Bar were arguing about something, but they were both so busy filming Six that they barely listened.

It was two members of the Layer Group who arrived there, showing a lion-like performance. Encountering the Tea Team led by Grandpa Ginga, the dogs all had their tails tucked and were trembling with fear at the sight of over a hundred people. However, the "Musou" game of Arthur and Shuji began from there.

In fact, even in the eyes of the three amateurs, the strength of the Tea Team was abnormal. Not to mention their numbers, they were all hidden in identical hooded robes and led by fanatical loyalty. Shouting the name of the Galaxy Grandfather, the power of their fists was enough to crush concrete and bend metal fences like candy. Moreover, everyone in the team took it for granted to use that kind of superhuman power.

However, this nightmare army of fanatics was completely suppressed by the two cosplayers. I had heard he liked martial arts, but apparently, his ability was more than just a hobby. They must be karate masters. "The three of them are too amazing!" I praised.

Seeing the Layer Group's ability to annihilate the Brown Team in less than a few minutes, the Bad Dogs began to think that the Silver Team's victory was not a dream. If that happened, you might have a chance to meet the team leader, Six.

"Thank you, Brother!"

I dreamed of Six shaking hands with the Bad Dogs with a smile he usually wouldn't show. The tension of the three reached its peak, and they let out howls of joy.

However, their consciousness darkened there. The next time I woke up, I was already trapped in this cage with nowhere to run.

Outside the cage, a large digital clock with a countdown display ticked away. Less than 30 minutes remained. As the count progressed, the balloons installed on the ceiling expanded little by little inside the cage. What was inside the giant balloons with skull marks painted on them? It wouldn't be the usual punchline from a variety show.

Besides the three, there were many other people in the cage. By listening to them, I was able to understand the general progress of things. The humans gathered here were "hostages." If the Ichubers didn't complete the game and come to this place within the time limit, there would be no way to save them.

Someone tried to escape from this cage, but even after several adults gave them electric shocks, they couldn't break the reinforced plastic wall. There was a Pomoni outside the cage. He didn't seem to be monitoring the state of the trapped hostages, but was sitting on a Tube Chair without the slightest movement.

His gaze didn't move, staring at a point in the void. According to the story, he sometimes acted cheerfully in front of the camera as if he had suddenly become a different person, but basically, he had no reaction. I sat motionless in the chair as if I were dead. I couldn't help but feel uneasy about this situation.

Everyone here felt uneasy. I didn't even want to imagine what would happen if help didn't arrive in time. However, all I could do was wait. The Flow of time should have been constant, but the ticking clock felt like water leaking from a bottomless bucket.

"Hey Hey Hey!!"

Rock, one of the trio, suddenly started laughing. The other two were worried because he had been feeling unwell for a while, but now it seemed his condition had deteriorated further. His gaze was unfocused, and even though the temperature wasn't cold enough, his body was shivering and trembling.

"Rock!"

"... I'm not a doctor, but I am an Amateur Hunter. I can perform a simple check."

"Oh, thank you!"

A man who answered the call for a doctor, Paypa, performed a physical examination. After confirming everything, the man's expression was very grave.

"It's a reaction similar to acute Vera poisoning. D2... does this patient have a habit of drug use?"

"Uh, no, no, I don't know...!"

"Munch! Six-tan's panties munch munch! Haff haff, invincible haff chomp!!"

"No, you're completely crazy."

"No, the remarks are the same as usual."

"With this!?"

According to the man's diagnosis, an Amateur Hunter, this was likened to the addiction symptoms of psychotropic drugs. Although not fatal, there was currently no effective treatment. Paypa and Caesar were ordered to be his Companion as his withdrawal symptoms worsened and he became violent.

"I'm with you. It's okay."

"Same here."

Rock could not respond to the voices of his companions holding his hand to encourage him, and he repeated his nonsense with a pained expression.

"... That guy did it... I saw it... those two did us...!"

Rock was trying to say something to his comrades, but he couldn't think of any reliable words.

"Trust your comrades. I believe Arthur and Mr. Shuji will come to help you."

"Chigau! Those guys!"

The other two hurriedly stopped Rock, who was about to fly into a rage. In the already tense prison, the trapped hostages were mentally cornered. Any further commotion could trigger a panic.

"We, Six-chan, won't be bothered by this or that! Comrade Rock!"

"Bodyguards... Six-chan... protect..."

"That's right! Don't lose to the drugs!"

Rock regained his composure. However, I don't know what will happen in the future. Paypa and Caesar encouraged their struggling comrade. It was also to maintain mental stability in this dangerous situation with an uncertain future. Sharing difficulties and overcoming them together. Each other's words gave them strength and support to fight against the looming terror.

Just then, something moved outside the Transparent wall. The door, the only entrance to this large room, opened. Someone walked slowly into the room. In response, the Pomoni stood up from the chair.

"Hmm, so that's how it is..."

Paypa muttered to the figure. He recognized this person; all the hostages here probably knew him. Because of the walls, you couldn't hear the noise outside. No one knew what that "person" said.

"... Six! Six! Oh, thank goodness! You're awake!"

Released from the VR Experience Device, I returned to the real world. The first thing I saw was Noah's tear-stained and runny-nosed face.

He seemed to have recovered from the fainting caused by the electric shock. "Lorimazakon" was written on her forehead, but she didn't seem to notice. I can imagine who wrote it.

"I was so worried! You suddenly stopped responding, and I didn't know what would happen...!"

Apparently, I had been unconscious for a while. In terms of time, I don't know if it was when I was talking directly to Milky's "intermediary." Intuitively, there was no discontinuity in time, but the actual physical reaction seemed somewhat different.

I am currently moving in a form held by Noah. We have arrived outside the stadium. The four of us are running in the shopping district. If it were a stadium with good visibility, there would be no danger of a surprise attack, so I stayed there, but I didn't know if there was a situation where we had to move.

Velvet was holding a spiked popsicle in her hand. The blood on the surface had frozen, indicating it had already been used. The blade was alert, staring intently at the surroundings, showing a look of vigilance.

"You're finally awake?"

What did Velvet mean by "cleaning"? The target appeared from the shadows of the street corner.

"Idayo... Ideye uuuuuuu...!!"

It was a person who appeared with an eerie cry, the sound sounding like a half-baked mix of electronic sounds and human voices. It should be. There was a man who looked like an ordinary customer. From the expression on his face, it was clear he had lost his mind.

The man ran toward us at a terrifying speed. Velvet greeted him with the popsicle. The Aura of the club was strong. It was a blow that an ordinary person who couldn't use Nen could not withstand. If I remember correctly, if an ordinary person is attacked by Nen, their pores will be forcibly opened; shouldn't they be careless?

But that worry was unfounded. The body of the person who was hit was already covered in Aura. However, it looked different from the "Wear" used by us Nen users. Somehow, it was just radiating energy outward. This consumed too much Aura for the defense gained. You would run out of fuel quickly.

"Nande... Nandewakatte Kurenaino...?"

One of the man's legs was broken by Velvet. Normally, a broken bone shouldn't be able to move properly, but the man who had been blown away stood up immediately. He stood up with a bent leg. What made this possible was a Red Crystal that appeared from nowhere. It reinforced the broken part like a cast.

"What kind of B-Rank horror movie is this?"

The man's injuries did not seem severe, but because his legs were slightly bent, he was not running well. We left that person and ran. According to the story, it seems many ordinary people have experienced such accidents.

The beginning of the incident seems to have occurred while I was playing a VR game. Shortly after I fainted, an image appeared on the stadium's large screen.

"Fever Time!!"

Immediately after, the audience at the Venue began to suffer, and a powerful Aura began to emanate from their bodies. Those who became ferocious and started brawls appeared. It is said that most of them launched attacks on us YouTubers.

According to Blade's impression, this was not a deliberate action, but rather they seemed instinctively attracted by the intense Aura fluctuations on their own bodies. There was no rational purpose there, just an action seeking destruction.

Judging by the amount of Aura emanating from the spectators, I had expected them to exhaust their stamina quickly and be unable to move, but that expectation was wrong. While pouring out endless Aura, they attacked gamushara.

Even so, from Blade's perspective, it was only strong enough to be easily dealt with, but just like the person I saw earlier, it revived, attacking with immense power again and again. If he were heavily injured, it is possible he would be left with sequelae, so he seemed to have abandoned the stadium where the number of spectators was concentrated and fled here.

People know very little about this phenomenon. A Red Crystal appears on the wrists of spectators wearing a Wristband.

Not everyone in the audience participated in this incident. Some remained clear-headed. It is said that there are many cases where such people gather together and are close to one another. Although he could not say for certain, he felt that people with unstable mental states were more prone to abnormalities, while those with strong emotional support tended to avoid symptoms.

The method of prevention is also not omnipotent; once it develops, it cannot be cured. I asked if there was any treatment.

"This seems to be some kind of Nen Ability, but in my experience, this ability is based on using up the target, and even if the ability is canceled, they will not return to normal."

I found myself shocked by this answer. I did not think I wanted to help all the victims. I left the person who had attacked me earlier and ran away. I felt there was another responsibility.

That Red Crystal looked familiar. I felt this Material was very similar to the exoskeleton of my insect body. Moreover, when Six obtained the power of salvation, a Disaster occurred on that island. It grew like a plant, just like those Red Crystals that spread in the blink of an eye.

It might be related to my ability.

This is not impossible. Just as Noah inadvertently let the 'Emergence' run wild and spread the malaise of the mind, it is also possible that I used some kind of ability without knowing it. He desperately denied it in his heart, but once he thought of the worst Prophecy, it was firmly branded into his mind.

There is also the Smart Phone in my backpack. When I checked the device attached to it, my Smart Phone was covered in Red Crystals and was in an unusable state. Speaking of what happened in the VR space where I fought with Milky, there were too many things that left him confused and unable to sort out his feelings.

I wonder if the game management knows anything I don't about this ability. There is a part that can only be thought of as clearly incorporating this phenomenon into the game.

If you can contact the enemy at the center of the action, you might be able to get some information. Just like when I fought with Milky, I think that in order to draw out the enemy, I must first get the enemy's guess.

I must recommend it to everyone here. This is a very selfish claim. Even so, I did not choose to say nothing here when I was swept away. I will open my mouth.

"'I know where Pomerni is, so I want to go there'?"

Velvet preemptively interrupted my words. I hadn't said anything yet. How did she know what I was talking about?

"Because Milky is hinting at something similar. I can assume you have reached an agreement with him, since you have returned safely from the VR game."

This is correct. As promised, Milky told me where Pomerni is. Velvet then pointed in a certain direction. Looking around, several monitors were installed on the street. They all showed the same image.

The name of the disqualified Itu Bar has disappeared from the list screen arranging the gamers' names. Only Pomerni and Six remain. Velvet has no name.

"I, Blade, and Noah had previously applied for withdrawal, so if we consider that it has now been accepted, this can be explained to a certain extent."

Velvet stopped running. The rest of the people stopped their steps accordingly.

"Isn't it too convenient? Leaving just your name and Pomerni's is just right, and being able to ask Milky about Pomerni's whereabouts is also just right. There were all kinds of doubts at the beginning, but now it is time to explain. Including the contents of that backpack."

I felt as if my heart had stopped beating. Did you see inside? Before I knew it. No, there was a period of time when I lost consciousness. If it was during that gap, it is very possible.

"I, I'm sorry! I stopped him, but he forced me..."

Suspicion. From Velvet's perspective, this is a natural suspicion. I have no excuse to eliminate this suspicion. I can see that a clumsy lie would be seen through, and if I honestly said I knew nothing, I don't think people would believe me.

In Velvet's view, the suggestion I was about to make regarding Pomerni's whereabouts is clearly a trap. According to Milky, this information has a certain degree of credibility. This is based on information he obtained through internal management documents he hacked.

However, although Milky was able to get deep into the enemy's pocket, she could not figure out what the true purpose of this game was. This is information that was not recorded on personal computers to prevent leaks. In other words, Pomerni's whereabouts are enough for the enemy to find out.

Milky said that Pomerni might be there, but the enemy would think their location would be known. In other words, it is very likely a trap. Knowing this, I dared to jump into danger.

It would be easy if I were allowed to act alone, but Velvet was told to protect me from Sahelta agents, and Blade has me as a Hunter escort mission. I cannot take arbitrary action without everyone's consent. Perhaps because of this, I was instead suspected of being behind the scenes when I made the suggestion.

"Please answer."

It can be seen from Velvet's Aura that it is a battle stance. Noah was just a little flustered, but Blade seemed to be watching firmly. Velvet never stopped, and he was also waiting for my words.

I don't know what to say. Perhaps anything I say will not be enough to eliminate Velvet's suspicion. After thinking about it, I realized that the only thing I could do was express my true feelings.

The Red Crystal currently affecting the entire Venue might be related to me, but I don't know the reason. I told him honestly that my determination to go and help Pomerni will not change.

Hearing an answer that was not an answer, Velvet showed an annoyed expression. But I had no more words.

If you don't know, you can only say you don't know, and Pomerni must be helped now. No matter how long you wait without doing anything, the machine will not come. On the contrary, the chances of saving him will become fewer and fewer. Considering the operation of this game, I don't know what to do.

This is my selfishness. But this is what we can say to each other. The promise Velvet exchanged with the intelligence officer was made voluntarily by her, and I did not ask for the escort request that Blade received.

I didn't intend to give up here. Most importantly, if Velvet harbors hostility toward me, it can't be helped. I don't think I have a chance of winning, but I still have a feeling that I cannot back down. I strengthened the Aura around me.

"I will always be on Mom's side!"

As tensions rose, Noah stepped between us to break the tension.

"I don't care who my mom is; even if I am betrayed, I have no regrets. Thanks to Six, I was able to 'end my life' in a true sense."

In my heart, I thought even one person would be enough, but when Noah raised his voice, I felt relieved. Somehow, I hoped that Noah might have said that without thinking too much, even if I thought I shouldn't have let myself be in danger.

A somewhat unreliable but reassuring important companion.

"So wherever you go, I will follow you. That's it!"

Pish! Velvet didn't even look at Noah, who was pointing while he spoke. She must have anticipated this development. One of her eyes was fixed on Blade. I was more concerned about how he would move than Six.

Blade, who had been watching silently, slowly moved after receiving Velvet's gaze. He stood next to me, opposite Noah.

"I agree with Six-kun's proposal."

"... Are you crazy?"

It's hard to believe you went to the trouble of becoming my ally, but I felt more surprised than happy. I thought if it were Blade's position, he would object.

"Although the escort target wants to do something dangerous, I am not dissuading them, but extending a helping hand. As a Hunter who accepted the request, I am disqualified. I am equally eager to help Mr. Pomerni. If you don't enter the tiger's den, you won't get the tiger's cub. The enemy's intentions can perhaps only be seen by throwing oneself into danger."

Blade said he could not ignore the inhumane management. He is worried that if the truth of this matter is not clarified quickly and the enemy's true identity is discovered, there will be a large number of similar victims. It seems he chose to take the initiative to solve the problem.

"Could it be that the guy next to you is related to the mastermind?"

"Indeed, Six-kun might be greatly related to this matter to some extent."

"Do you really believe that?"

"No lies. That is what I think. As far as the ability to see through other people's lies is concerned, I think you cannot compare to Velvet-kun."

Velvet said nothing to the smiling Blade. Her aura of preparing for battle returned to normal.

"If the blade is by your side, I have nothing to say. Please decide at your own discretion. I will leave this alliance."

It took me a while to understand what she was saying. In other words, from now on, I will take different actions than Velvet. She is not getting involved with us.

If you think about it carefully, this is not wrong. He just said he couldn't keep up with us, as they tried to jump into the stage prepared by the enemy. The agreement with the Saherta agents is also a way of life. You don't have to risk your life to protect me.

It would be good if he could stop my actions, but he must have guessed that no amount of persuasion would change my mind. Furthermore, with Blade joining the Pomoni rescue faction, it is difficult to force them to obey. If that happens, it is better to ask to withdraw rather than worry about trouble.

"I fight with my body, I should have already achieved enough results. Please tell the intelligence agents of Saherta."

"I understand, this decision is not wrong, leave the escort of Six to me, get some good rest."

"Me too! I am too!"

Without even saying goodbye, Velvet turned and left. It was a very painful parting.

At first, I thought he was just a cold person. Sarcastic, suspicious, and unfriendly. He was an unscrupulous YouTuber who gained popularity by pointing out other people's mistakes. This was true, but before I knew it, I started to think that this was not everything.

She left the alliance, but this decision should not have happened now. When I checked the inside of my backpack, it was no wonder I made this decision while I was unconscious.

Not only Velvet, but the other two did not abandon me on the spot. She waited until I woke up to demand an explanation directly from my mouth.

This might just be an act aimed at extracting information from me. But I didn't feel uncomfortable because of the pursuit. She listened seriously to Six, looked at the "human" Six, and made her decision. Because that is how I felt.

Our claims were inconsistent, but the result was that even if we had to fight, even if I lost, I probably wouldn't hold a grudge against her.

I couldn't say it out loud, but as she left, I sent that feeling toward Velvet's back.