"Hey! Renji! Stop talking to this coward! Look at me! Look at me! Hahahahaha!"
Power strode over, pulling up her jacket sleeve to reveal her fair arm, then flexed her muscles at Renji with exaggerated force.
"I've done special training! Now I'm full of power! And my intelligence has also increased a lot! You hide behind me later! Watch how I kill all those zombies in the underground garage!"
To be honest, Renji couldn't see any muscles on Power at all. Fiends weren't human—their power source didn't come from muscles in the first place.
Moreover, Kishibe hadn't trained Power for very long, so her physique was basically unchanged.
However…
Renji's gaze involuntarily drifted downward, landing on Power's chest, where the curve was round and firm, full yet without sagging.
It was perfect.
Renji squeezed hard with his hand and, just as he expected, felt nothing but air, flattening it instantly.
Power's delicate body trembled. She quickly squatted down, her face flushing red as she stared up at Renji.
"Hey! Human! What do you think you're doing! Be careful or I'll kill you!"
"Tch The padded bra girl got exposed, huh Hahahaha!"
Before Renji could say anything, Denji walked over from the other side, casually carrying a gleaming axe on her shoulder.
She stopped beside Renji, wiped her delicate nose, and grinned at Power with a roguish smirk.
"Hehe, you just don't get it. Renji likes natural, pollution-free things the most. Look at me, I never use those tricks."
"Hey! Denji, how dare you mock me too?! Be careful or I'll kill you!"
"Hmph hmph Come on if you dare You're not the only one who did special training. Those zombies in the underground parking lot? Killing them will be a piece of cake!"
Kobeni listened to Power and Denji tossing around words like kill, kill all, kill, kill, kill, and her heart, which had only just calmed, grew heavy with dread again.
"I really… want to go home…" she murmured softly.
"Kill all those zombies! And then… um… and then… cough… cough cough…"
Denji edged closer to Renji, her face reddening. She cleared her throat awkwardly, and seeing Renji unmoved, she beamed before leaning her head against his chest.
Her cheek rubbed softly, back and forth. She looked up at him with eyes flickering with complex emotions—desire mixed with hesitation and shyness.
"And then, Master Renji… um… can I… can I touch… this time… I want to touch… touch that…"
"Hey! You bastard Denji! How dare you rub against my pet again! I haven't given you permission yet!"
Power suddenly cut her off, standing up and grabbing Denji with a loud shout.
"So annoying! How many times do I have to tell you! Renji is my master! He's not your pet!"
"What did you say, you bastard! Renji promised me in writing that he'd be my pet for life! Just like Meowy!"
"Renji never said that! You're just self-hypnotizing again! You big liar!"
Denji was dragged back by Power, and the two launched into another heated quarrel. Renji sighed helplessly.
"Hey, hey! Renji! Over here, over here! Himeno wants to discuss something with you!"
From a distance, Himeno waved at him. Hayakawa Aki and Kishibe stood beside her, talking. Renji jogged over.
Kishibe glanced at him, then spoke in a calm tone.
"Renji, your strength is the greatest among the newcomers, and your potential is the largest as well. That's why I called you over. Think of it as training for the next generation."
Renji nodded.
Hayakawa Aki asked about the specific plan, but Kishibe didn't answer immediately. Instead, he looked up at the towering hundred-meter building.
"The underground parking lot of this building is massive, so the plan remains unchanged. Gather everyone from the Special Divisions. Two people per group, each responsible for their assigned sector. Some teams have already gone in—it's just you few left. Remember, safety comes first."
Renji and Himeno were assigned as partners, tasked with clearing the upper right corner of the underground parking lot.
Golden light shone as Renji began his system role-play. His hair and pupils shifted color, silver-white armor forming over his body as he embodied Arthur Pendragon.
The laundry pole materialized in his grip. With a swift swing, he cleaved the head off a lunging zombie, black blood spurting into the air.
"Himeno, by the way—did you hear about the latest notice from above?" Renji asked.
From the shadows around her, grotesque heads emerged—some missing jaws, others with eyes gouged out. Soon, the decaying bodies attached to those heads stumbled forth, drooling foul saliva as they roared and lunged toward her.
In the next instant, five-fingered handprints appeared out of thin air across their skulls. The marks deepened, turned black, and their heads began to collapse inward under invisible pressure.
Himeno clenched her right hand tightly. A series of chilling cracks echoed through the garage as the zombies' skulls were crushed in an instant.
Blood and brains splattered, staining the ground a deep crimson. The creatures staggered, their arms flailing weakly. From a frenzied charge, their movements slowed to a limp shuffle, until they collapsed lifelessly at Himeno's feet.
Renji wiped the black blood spattered across his face and gave a nod.
"I heard about it. Everything's under Makima's direct command. Speaking of which, Himeno-senpai, there's something I've been meaning to ask you."
"Hm? What is it?"
The Ghost Devil's right hand tightened again, crushing another zombie's head like pulp. Himeno moved with practiced precision, clearing a safe perimeter before glancing at Renji.
Renji swung his blade, cleaving through another rotting neck as he spoke.
"Himeno-senpai… can you go beyond the map boundaries of Tokyo and Kyoto? Have you ever wondered what it's like outside these two cities?"
Himeno shook her head.
"I can't go out. I tried a long time ago. Ever since I was sent here as a child, I haven't been able to leave."
"Every time I reach the edge, some invisible barrier blocks me. No matter what method I tried, nothing worked. As for what lies beyond Tokyo and Kyoto…"
She paused, her tone steady, though tinged with resignation.
"…I've wondered about it, but I can't imagine it."
Her words carried no surprise. She had known this truth for a long time—everyone here had. None could leave. And so, everyone had long since accepted it.
Renji cut down the last of the zombies in their sector. With a flicker of light, the silver-white armor covering his body dissolved into nothing, signaling the end of his role-play transformation.
Her answer stirred something in him. Renji recalled his countryside trip with Reze—the things she had said to him. His voice fell into a mutter.
"How can there only be Tokyo and Kyoto…? What's outside…?"
"Speaking of which," Himeno's voice broke in, "is that what you consider your main quest in this world, Renji? To find out what's beyond?"
Renji was startled. Looking up, he saw Himeno had drifted closer without him noticing.
He hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
"…I guess so."
"Oh… I see…"
Himeno tapped her chin thoughtfully, then scanned their surroundings. But suddenly, her expression shifted—terror flashing in her eyes.
She raised a trembling finger, pointing into the distance.
"Wha… what is that?!"
Renji snapped his head in that direction, but saw nothing. Just empty space.
"What?! What thing?! Invisible… ugh…!"
A sudden weakness washed over him. His body buckled, forcing him to hunch over. His hands instinctively clutched at Himeno's outstretched arm.
And then—
Himeno's grip had seized Renji's "little Renji."
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