The road to the laboratory wasn't exactly easy to travel. Under the influence of the Catastrophe aura, the roots of overgrown vegetation had even arched up the concrete, cutting off the highway.
Although the Empire sent people to maintain it regularly, with such a long highway, there were always a few sections that appeared slightly rugged and difficult to traverse. Sometimes, the burly men of the Fourth Action Division in their combat uniforms even had to get out of the cars to clear the way.
Su Yuzu sat in her seat, hugging her legs. The girl's bottom had gone somewhat numb from all the bumping along the way. This body was, after all, that of a pampered Eldest Young Lady; she had almost never trekked such a long distance before.
On the road ahead, the burly men of the Fourth Action Division were clearing giant trees that had collapsed from the side. They revealed rare... essentially distorted smiles. Just imagine, a group of burly men built like small mountains, trying hard to control their expressions to look gentle and show a smile. Terrified of scaring the Eldest Young Lady in the boss's car.
That scene, while heartwarming, was even a little terrifying. They had never seen their own boss care so much about anyone other than Aberrants. To the extent that... when someone resentfully asked if the boss had fallen in love, the big guys all felt as if they had woken up from a dream.
Sitting beside Su Yuzu, Kujou Katora looked at that group of burly men revealing bizarre smiles, wondering what these usually iron-blooded tough guys were up to now. It was just that this group of people kept their lips sealed tight, resolutely not mentioning their conjectures to Kujou Katora. Otherwise... Kujou Katora would probably directly summon a pack of Hound of Blood to properly drill them.
Seeing that the atmosphere seemed to be getting weirder and weirder, Hayabusa changed the subject. The woman attracted Yuzu's attention.
"In the past, giant trees like this might have taken hundreds of years to grow. But after being influenced by the Catastrophe aura, it only takes a short ten-odd years for trees to grow into towering giants."
This was probably one of the fundamental reasons why organizations that worshipped the Abyss, like the 'Eye of Insight', would appear within the human faction. They believed—The so-called Catastrophe and Abyss were punishments from the planet beneath their feet against the humans who wantonly destroyed the world and initiated wars. It was the world's 'pest removal mechanism'.
Hayabusa scoffed at those sects. Su Yuzu did not. She was thinking about something else. She recalled the words that man who had been transformed into a Chimera Amalgam had said to her.
"Like the goddess pointing at the moon, what we desire is not the goddess's finger pointing at the moon."
"But the true existence of the moon."
Until the final moment of death, that guy's gaze looking at her wasn't mad; on the contrary—he was ecstatic. As if... he saw the moon.
The burly men cut the giant tree and rolled it to the side of the road, and the olive-green jeep convoy continued to advance. While driving, Hayabusa glanced at her own disappointing boss, who seemed like an obedient puppy in front of Miss Yuzu.
She complained in her heart. If only her boss could show even a tiny bit of the mighty dominance she displayed when facing those bureaucrats of the Empire in front of Miss Yuzu, she wouldn't be this passive in front of Miss Yuzu now.
However... for the sake of her salary next year, Hayabusa could only hold all these words inside her heart, then ponder... how should she help her boss coax Miss Yuzu to be happy next time. And then get back her docked salary. Of course... the premise was if she could come back alive this time.
After bumping around for half the day, Su Yuzu and the others finally saw their destination. It was a cluster of white buildings built on a seaside cliff. The most conspicuous among them was a white hemispherical building. In front of the building complex was a line of brilliant golden letters.
「Epiphany」.
「Epiphany Manufacture」.
A tall white wall enclosed the entire experimental park. Inside the observation tower beside the heavy iron gate, a woman wearing a white researcher's coat looked down at the convoy. Although they said they wouldn't use force unless absolutely necessary, Kujou Katora and the others were already prepared for battle.
Creak creak creak—
The tooth-aching sound of steel cables rang out, and the heavy gate in front of Su Yuzu and the others slowly lifted. Su Yuzu looked at the white building complex in front of her and suddenly had a feeling that something wasn't quite right. Kujou Katora and herself... might have found the wrong place.
This art style of a field of white buildings was really too conspicuous and memorable. Even though seventeen years had passed, Su Yuzu still remembered... this place was an explored area in the game. It was one of the few resting places in the wilderness.
And...
Clack clack clack—
The female researcher, stepping on sky-high heels, trotted down from the observation tower, signaling for the convoy to enter the park quickly. And... most of the NPCs in this experimental park could be said to be friendly. In the game, it was also one of the important outposts for resisting the World Boss Kujou Iruka.
"Quick, quick, quick—"
"It's very unsafe outside."
The woman shouted somewhat anxiously for the convoy to enter the park quickly.
Kujou Katora and Hayabusa exchanged a glance. The park before them, rather than being an experimental park, was more like a fortress built in the wilderness. They even had a barbican. If there really was an ambush, their group would probably suffer heavy losses.
"Lady Kujou?"
Kujou Katora closed her eyes, sensing with her Blood Manipulation ability, "There are nine people in each of the left and right observation towers."
"Seven non-Espers, one Second Sequence Esper, and the rest are at most First Sequence."
"If nothing unexpected happens."
"There is no one else."
"Go in."
If it was an intentional ambush, there wouldn't be so few people. The convoy slowly drove into the park.
Creak creak creak—
Only after the convoy had completely entered the barbican did the iron chains slowly lower the heavy iron gate. That female researcher walked up to Kujou Katora's car. After saluting Hayabusa in the driver's seat, she spoke.
"This Superintendent..."
"I wonder what you are here for this time..."
"We are combat personnel of the Investigation Bureau's Fourth Action Division."
Lifting her crimson eyes, Kujou Katora looked at that female researcher, "The purpose of the operation might be inconvenient to disclose..."
"We were passing by and wanted to adjust our condition a little."
"Is that okay..."
The female researcher looked at Kujou Katora hesitantly, her right hand pressing on her earpiece. If they were just ordinary travelers, she would have just let them in. But... the group of people in front of her was an 'army'. They were too dangerous.
Inside the earpiece, a soft, almost sleepy voice sounded.
"Mi'ya."
"Let them in."
Inside the white laboratory, a girl holding hot chocolate in both hands watched the surveillance of the barbican. The surveillance feed zoomed in continuously, the image finally freezing on the faces of Su Yuzu and Kujou Katora.
Lines of characters were typed out next to Su Yuzu and Kujou Katora's avatars.
"Kujou Katora..."
"And..."
"Soga Yura?"
"No."
The girl looked at Su Yuzu's strength assessment.
First Sequence...
Mental-type Esper probability... 73%, Physical-type Esper probability... 14%...
"She is Soga Yuzu."
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