"Dead men." The bald man strode toward Gai Tsutsugami, the air around him thick with menace and rage.
"The moment you made that move, you were already as good as dead." Gai leapt down from the high platform, radiating confidence and authority. He approached the thug with disdain—and in just three effortless moves, he took him down. The rest of the gang who tried to surround him were swiftly defeated as well.
"Amazing..." Shu Ouma murmured, stunned. He had never seen anyone so skilled, so dazzling. A deep sense of inferiority crept into his heart.
Hands tucked casually into his pockets, Gai walked over to Kurumi Tokisaki with cool arrogance. He extended one hand toward her and ordered imperiously, "Give it to me."
Kurumi smiled, her wine-red eyes glinting mischievously. In the next instant, Gai saw only a small fist flying toward his face.
Thud! Pain exploded in his eye socket as the force sent him staggering backward. His head rang, his vision spun, and for a moment he was completely dazed.
"So fast! I didn't even see her move..." he thought in shock.
"Serves you right!" Shu couldn't help grinning when he saw the aloof Gai sporting a swelling bruise around his left eye. For once, he felt vindicated. His admiration for Kurumi only grew.
"How dare that woman hit Gai!" a furious voice shouted from the roadside. A girl in a wheelchair glared at Kurumi, her face flushed with anger.
It was Ayase Shinomiya—a skilled mecha pilot who deeply admired and loved Gai. Though her legs were paralyzed, her abilities in combat were exceptional, reminiscent of Kallen Kozuki from Code Geass.
"Who are you?" Gai asked, shaking his head to clear the dizziness.
"Kurumi Tokisaki," she replied sweetly, her smile radiant.
"Why did you hit me?" Gai demanded, still disoriented, his tone half indignant, half bewildered.
"Because you made Inori do something dangerous," Kurumi said, narrowing her eyes, her gaze flicking briefly—yet pointedly—to his unharmed right eye.
A shiver ran down Gai's spine. He frowned and turned to Inori. "Why did you give her Fyu-Neru? You know how important it is."
"Gai's bullying Kurumi-chan!" Inori tilted her head, her face blank with confusion. The innocent response left Gai speechless. What are you even talking about?
Just then, a small girl with black hair and cat ears appeared in front of Kurumi, glaring at her with hostility.
Kurumi's eyes lit up instantly. So tiny... so cute... so adorable! Her mind filled with dangerous thoughts—she wanted to scoop the little cat-eared girl into her arms and smother her with affection.
The girl puffed her cheeks and reached out to snatch the robot from Kurumi's arms. But Kurumi simply lifted it above her head. The girl's petite height—barely one meter twenty—made it impossible for her to reach.
"Hmm!" The little cat-girl glared angrily, then jumped up, trying to grab it again.
"Left! Right!" Kurumi teased playfully, dodging the girl's every attempt. Watching the energetic black-haired loli hop and pout filled her with pure delight.
This was Tsugumi—a genius hacker known across the network. Even to the leader of Funeral Parlor, she showed a proud, aloof attitude. Her childhood, shrouded in darkness, had left her cold and distant from others. Only Ayase Shinomiya, crippled yet kind, ever received a hint of warmth from her.
Seeing the genuine joy sparkling in Kurumi's crimson eyes, Inori felt a pang of unease. Her hands fidgeted nervously before she finally stepped forward, taking the robot from Kurumi and gently handing it to Tsugumi.
"Hmph." Tsugumi snorted coldly, retrieving the Void Genome from inside the robot. She tossed the glass capsule to Gai and left, cradling the damaged Fyu-Neru in her arms.
At that moment, the sound of artillery fire erupted in the distance. Gai quickly opened his communicator. A man wearing glasses appeared on the screen and said, "Gai, GHQ has started sweeping through the infected zones again."
On the screen, massive mechs slaughtered civilians mercilessly. In one shot of the GHQ command post, Kurumi caught sight of the bald commander Daryl—the same man whose limbs she had disabled not long ago.
"Perfect timing," Gai sneered. "Let them serve as sacrifices for my ascension." Crushing the glass tube in his hand, he unleashed the Void Genome. Shards exploded outward as silver light streamed around him, spiraling and fusing into his right arm.
"Inori, I'm going to use you now." Gai's face lit up with barely restrained excitement as he reached toward Inori's chest.
Feeling tense and uneasy, Inori glanced nervously at Kurumi Tokisaki. Kurumi's crimson eyes dimmed slightly, her body turning as if she were about to walk away.
At that moment, Inori's heart plummeted. It felt as though a thousand-pound weight pressed down upon her chest, suffocating her. Pain welled up within her, so sharp it brought tears to her eyes.
"No." Without knowing why, Inori slapped Gai's hand away and ran a few steps toward Kurumi. She grasped Kurumi's hand tightly and lowered her head, looking for comfort like a child seeking protection after being scolded.
Kurumi's expression softened. Her crimson eyes shimmered with warmth as she gently stroked the back of Inori's head, running her fingers through her soft hair in silent reassurance.
Meanwhile, Gai stood frozen, stunned by her rejection. He had never imagined Inori would defy him. His expression stiffened with awkwardness before he sighed and placed his hand over his heart. Reaching within himself, he drew forth a black, blade-like weapon—and left without another word.
Before leaving, Gai cast Shu Ouma a proud glance, his meaning clear: Watch closely. This is what a king looks like. To him, that display of superiority was an achievement in itself.
"What the heck was that for?" Shu muttered blankly. When he turned back, both Kurumi and Inori were gone. Panic immediately set in—this unfamiliar place was terrifying enough, and the only two people he somewhat trusted had vanished.
At Funeral Parlor's base, Kurumi watched with amusement as Tsugumi commanded the organization's forces against GHQ.
The cat-eared girl was surrounded by holographic screens, her black bodysuit covered in luminous sensor dots. Her small hands and feet moved rapidly, tapping on the screens as she coordinated attacks across multiple fronts. Calm and precise, she led Funeral Parlor's counteroffensive with Gai at the forefront.
Another projection flickered behind her. Tsugumi bumped it with her small hips, adjusting its position without breaking focus—clearly used to multitasking like this.
"Hehe..." Kurumi chuckled softly, her expression full of delight—as if savoring an exquisite dessert.
"Kurumi-chan, why is GHQ killing normal people? Weren't they supposed to target only the infected?" Inori's usually soft and vacant expression grew tense. Her wide eyes fixed warily on Tsugumi, making the girl visibly uneasy.
"GHQ's power is overly concentrated," Kurumi explained with a pleasant smile. "They've practically taken over all of Japan. Maybe the higher-ups never gave such an order, but by the time commands filter down through so many levels, the meaning gets... distorted."
"And because GHQ's personnel have grown arrogant and corrupt, they've become reckless and violent. They might still believe they're following orders—but they no longer care about the lives they trample along the way."
Her smile deepened. "Of course, part of that's my fault too. I let them run wild."
The other part, however, was more terrifying. GHQ's top brass already knew—the virus would resurge this year. The apocalypse was coming. The immense pressure drove them mad. They didn't just allow atrocities; they encouraged them. Using human lives to push forward Project Crown.
Heaven had doomed mankind, and madness consumed them first. Now, the upper echelons of GHQ worshiped Kurumi as their last hope, their 'angel of salvation.'
People often said those in power were cowardly and afraid of death—but not these men. They were lunatics, ready to sacrifice themselves for what they believed was humanity's survival.
If Kurumi were to one day declare that Project Crown required their deaths, they would likely slit their own throats without hesitation.
"Who are you? How do you know all this?" Tsugumi demanded, glaring at her suspiciously. Her tone was sharp—Kurumi's insight into GHQ's inner workings was far too detailed.
"I'm not telling you," Kurumi said proudly, puffing her chest as she answered. "If you're that curious, find out yourself." Her haughty posture mirrored Tsugumi's own arrogance perfectly.
Tsugumi's face flushed with irritation. "Inori, stay away from her! She's hiding something—she definitely doesn't have good intentions toward you!"
Inori tilted her head in confusion, watching as the two of them argued. Who should I side with? she thought helplessly.
After a long pause, she made her choice. Kurumi-chan is always right. If she's not... then refer to rule number one: Kurumi-chan is always right.
So Inori blinked innocently and asked, "Tsugumi, are you bullying Kurumi-chan?"
Kurumi's delighted laugh rang out. Ah, my sweet little angel. So loyal, so precious.
"Ugh!" Tsugumi almost choked on her own breath, barely avoiding a coughing fit. "Listen here! I don't care what your plan is, but you'll never take advantage of her! Inori is our vice-leader—she's been with Gai since the beginning of Funeral Parlor! Her bond with us is unbreakable!"
"Inori, let's go home," Kurumi said softly, holding out her hand.
"Okay!" Inori replied immediately, eyes shining with joy. Without a hint of hesitation, she took Kurumi's hand and followed her happily out of the base.
Tsugumi shouted from behind them, "Hey! Inori, come back! What did she do to you? We've been together for years—how can you just leave like that?!"
But Inori didn't look back. Her mind was filled with only one thought, repeating over and over: We're going home. We're going home.
Tsugumi stared after them, stunned. "What the hell..." she muttered, collapsing onto the floor in disbelief. "We were supposed to stick together... How could she just leave like that?!"