Half an hour later.

"Damn, senior Hattori, why haven't they arrived yet......"

Two days ago, Ryoma stood in front of the observation deck, ignoring the wind and snow on his face, looking out worriedly.

Borrowed a phone at the shrine, and he had already contacted Hattori Senpai.

When the other party had led the team to the abandoned factory in the middle of the night, there was no trace of the two of them, but they had harvested strange corpses and bullet holes all over the ground, and they were in a hurry.

After the emergency coordination of the Yamanashi Prefectural Police Department, the first rescue team has arrived from halfway up the mountain.

"Directly below the observation deck, there is the crater...... Unless the great god Asama appears, your friends will probably ......"

The gray-robed old man standing behind him stated the facts in a calm tone.

"Yamakari Priest...... I'm sure that guy won't burp so easily......"

Ryoma turned around and said firmly to the old man.

“…… Because, from childhood to adulthood, no matter what kind of sinister environment, this guy can grow up with a smile and savagely. ”

Sosuke Araki's idiot-like sunny smile came to Ryoma's mind two years ago.

Shortly after the three of them fell, he also heard Sousuke swearing in a trance, and the guy might have found a place to stay, but he was just trapped.

This old man, who kindly borrowed Ryoma's phone and clothes from the second time ago, is the priest of the Asama Taisha Shrine on Mt. Fuji Okunomiya on the top of the mountain.

The elderly mountain hunter priest was alarmed by the sound of gunfire as early as when several people reached the summit.

After decisively calling the police, he has been observing (shaking) in the dark (Se) in the temple.

“…… In that case, let me pray to the gods for you, a friend......"

With that, the Yamagari priest turned around and returned to the main hall.

In a sense, the priest in front of him represents the owner of the land under his feet.

That's right, the land above 3,360 meters of Mt. Fuji is privately owned.

The owner, Asama Shrine, who received the land from the Tokugawa shogunate and charged the Japanese government a high rent every year.

The main shrine of Asama Shrine, located at the foot of Mt. Fuji, is dedicated to Asama Okami, whose real name is Sakuya of Kihana.

The Okunomiya Shrine, located on the top of Mt. Fuji, was built in an unknown year, month, or period.

However, anyone who climbs to the top of Mt. Fuji will ask for the protection of the god Asama in this Okunomiya palace for the protection of the god Asama.

"Damn...... Please get me faster......"

Ryoma, who was impatient, angrily kicked the horn on the mountain rock, and fell a patch of snow.

This feeling of impatience, powerlessness, and despair gnawed at him like an abyss.

……

"Hanyu-san...... Can you hear me? ”

In the depression of the inner wall of the crater, Sosuke Araki was carefully examining the situation of Hanyu Mai.

Since Saya Yuzuki had fallen off a cliff half an hour earlier, Sosuke Araki had loosened his weight and carefully lifted Hanyu up the hollow.

After all, Hanyu Mai, who can climb up on his own, weighs less than 50KG, which is quite bearable for him whose muscle strength far exceeds that of a Korean actor surnamed Kim.

Then, with his hands free, he climbed into the depression as well.

After clearing the snow inside, the deformed cavern, which appears to have been formed by a volcanic eruption, with solid ice mixed with volcanic rock, is barely enough for two people to live and shelter from the fierce cold wind of the mountain pass.

Outside the cave, the inner walls of the endless silver-white crater reflect white light enough to blind people in the morning sun.

Mai Hanyu, who was already running out of strength, suffering a gunshot wound, and was in a rather bad condition, became weaker and weaker after entering the cave.

"The Sleeper...... You must regret it, jump down with me, and wait here for the end of your life......"

Leaning against the mountain wall, Hanyu Mai spoke nonsense with misty eyes and weakness.

"How can you regret it...... What was Hanyu thinking when she helped me block that shot? ”

Sousuke Araki shook his head slightly, holding his body against the outside of the cave, trying his best to stop the wind that poured in.

"You're my assistant, the most important material for human research, and I won't let anyone hurt you...... Even if I want to squeeze you dry and slice you, I can only do it myself......"

Mai Hanyu, whose face was red from the cold, gave the answer without hesitation.

"Sure enough...... Ha ha...... That's an honor......"

Sousuke Araki was smiling, and Hanyu Mai suddenly fell with her head down, and she fainted.

"It's so hot......"

Sosuke Araki reached out to support her, only to feel that the back of the other party's hand was hot to the touch.

"Oops...... Fever......"

Sousuke Araki didn't hesitate to take off his coat and wrap it around Mai Hanyu's thin down jacket, then picked up a little snowflake and gently covered the other party's forehead after the palm melted.

“…… Hold on a little longer, someone will definitely come to the rescue......"

In such a sub-zero environment, Hanyu Mai, who has a high fever and is weak, needs to keep warm.

The only part of her forehead that needed to be cooled down was just to avoid convulsions or brain damage caused by the heat.

"The Sleeper...... I'm happy to ...... today."

Perhaps it was Sosuke Araki's method that worked, and Mai Hanyu, who leaned on Sosuke Araki, began to whisper gibberish again.

"I don't know why, obviously there is no evidence to confirm, I just have always believed in the existence of 'cosmic consciousness', 'hidden energy field lifeforms' and 'black claws'......"

"Okay, don't sleep, tell me slowly why ......"

Sosuke Araki echoed her words softly, trying to maintain her consciousness.

"It's as if there's always a voice in my heart that is telling me that everything is ...... It's all real, waiting for me to uncover. ”

Hanyu's voice grew quieter and quieter.

“…… From the moment you appeared, I actually confirmed the existence of these things one by one...... You are here now, and it must be the arrangement of the cosmic consciousness......"

"Yes, if we can get out of here, I will definitely believe in the existence of that cosmic consciousness with you!"

Seeing her delicate face grow paler and paler, with a sickly flush, Sousuke Araki's heart sank to the bottom of the sea.

"Jingle Bell ......"

At this moment, a mobile phone rang, which touched Sousuke Araki's mind.

Are you hallucinating?

Their mobile phones were taken away and destroyed by Kota Matsudaira early in the morning.

So, where did the ringing of the mobile phone ring in the cave come from?

Following the voice, he reached for Hanyu's coat pocket.

took out an old pink phone that was vibrating......

Saya Yukaki.

Did she slip the phone into Hanyu's pocket before letting go?

“…… Feed...... Teak...... Did you get that 'goods'? ”

Picking up the phone, a deep male voice came intermittently on the other end.