Ele

As the team began to explore SE

a

The interior of the THAL building. They started from the first floor and slowly climbed up with the help of the map data they got from Carol.

In the rooms and corridors, there may be metal remains left by mechanical monsters, or blood stains left by hunters. The bullet holes and scorch marks scattered around appear to have been recent. All this shows how fierce the fighting took place inside the building. But even so, Elena and her squad did not encounter any enemies at all.

When they reached the fifth floor, they found a room with the door half destroyed. There were bullet burns around that door, and traces of monsters trying to get into it, chasing hunters who must have run into that room.

Akira nodded, didn't say anything, and they immediately prepared to break into that room. They prepare their rifles and match them well to make sure that if there are monsters in the room, there will be no trouble. After they quickly broke into that room, scanned the enemy, and made sure there were no monsters inside, Akira sighed and lowered her rifle.

Before they entered, they actually scanned the interior of the room with an information collector. While they didn't find any monsters, it was probably just because their information collector didn't detect them, so there's no guarantee that there were no monsters in that room. If they just let their guard down because their information-gathering devices didn't detect anything, they will end up having to pay with their lives for doing something so stupid, even more so at a time when the sensitivity of their information-gathering devices is weakened. Dramatically reduced.

Obviously not trained in teamwork, but even so, as a hunter with enough experience and skills, he should be able to judge what he should be doing by observing other hunters. And if he knew this, he should be able to tell how the other hunters were doing by their reactions when they broke into that room where there were no monsters.

So, judging by the way they broke into that room, it was clear that Aki

A's ability to work together in that group was the worst. After all, he didn't have enough training and real-life experience to learn the skill.

Thanks to the training of the Alphas, Aki

As's combat abilities are indeed superior, but his skills are not enough to compete with those like Shika

Abe et al. work in sync with other skilled hunters as skilled as others.

Aki

The only reason A didn't slow down the other hunters was simply because of his training and Alpha's support.

Before they broke into that room, Akira could see the footage of himself breaking into that room, where he was standing, where he was aiming with his rifle the moment he broke in, and the direction he should have checked first. Even if he can't follow that guided image, Alpha will forcibly move his body through his enhancement suit.

But in reality, before he broke into that room, before he searched the corridors of the Thranthal building, and before he even set foot in the Thranthal building, Akira had been training all the time. Because of this, in the eyes of Elena and the others, it seems that Akira is at least skilled enough not to slow them down.

From the slight deviation in aiming or the slight lag in the movement, it is not impossible to see through the true strength of Aquilas. But it's almost impossible, except for those top hunters from the easternmost front of the Eastern Side. Of course, Togami, who came to reconfirm his strength, was no exception.

After all, Togami, Hakube, Elena, Sara, and Carol are all better hunters than him. Their hunter rank was indeed higher than his, and Togami, who had been disillusioned last time, confirmed that they were indeed above him when he saw their movements during the search.

Aki

as Hu

te

Ra

k is lower than Togami. However, from the experience of working with Akira during the bounty and observing his movements until now, Togami also believes that Akira is definitely a taller person than him.

Togami looked at the other five hunters with a conflicted expression. Although he was with the hunter above him, he felt insecure, and he was afraid that this time he would not be able to make up his mind.

Elena looked at the room, frowning and muttering to herself.

It's going really well, really well.

Akira then asked Elena.

What's wrong?

Well? Well, no big deal. But, Akira, have you seen any dead hunters or monsters since we entered this building? I'm not talking about small traces, I'm talking about whole wreckage or corpses.

Akira doesn't remember seeing one. But he thought maybe he just missed them, so he decided to ask Alpha.

Alpha, is there such a thing?

No.

No, I didn't see them at all.

Akira doesn't really know what Elena has been bothering with. But if answering her question could dispel that concern, he thought he should at least answer honestly. When Akira thought so, he chose to rely on Alpha instead of his vague memories.

Akira replied so directly that Elena thought it was a little funny.

Sarah also said to Elena with a smile.

I don't see it either, is there any problem?

Since the outside of the building is full of monsters and dead hunters, I just find it really disturbing that we can't find anything similar inside the building. We didn't even encounter any monsters. However, according to Akira and Carol, every floor of the building should be full of monsters, and many hunters have been killed when they get there, including the hunter who received an SOS rescue request from Drarankham. But even then, we didn't see the bodies of those hunters, and we didn't see dead monsters. It's not like I didn't guess at all, but it's not a good idea to take that guess without first confirming.

Shika

Abe then asked Ele

A question.

In that case, let's hear your guess. Let's start with why you think we didn't find any monsters?

Basically, I think the monsters, after killing all the hunters in this building, they go out and fight the squads around this building, and then get killed by those squads. And since the encirclement also prevents the monsters outside from entering the building, there are no monsters inside the current Serantal building.

This time it was Sara who asked Elena a question.

So why haven't we found any dead hunters?

Current SE

a

The Thal building is actually still active, so the cleaning drone must have thrown them outside the building. Some of the dead monsters and hunters outside the building may have originally come from here.

Akira continued.

I see, then why can't we find those cleaning drones? If they did clean the building, why did they leave some wreckage and bloodstains?

They may have a set time for cleaning, and they are now on standby. It may also be because they don't have much combat power, so they take the initiative to avoid us. It also means that they can also determine our position in some way. As for the remaining wreckage and bloodstains, either the cleaning drones didn't clean it up, or because they prioritized cleaning up the big pieces, it took more time to clean up all the little things.

Elena answered the questions of the other hunters one by one. Akira and Togami actually simply asked some questions that came to their minds, and they unconsciously let down their guard. Their expressions relaxed slightly. On the contrary, after Elena answered Sarah, Shikabe, and Carol's questions, the three of them did not let their guard down in the slightest.

Shika

ABE then asked another question.

I get it. It does make sense. If that's the case, we should be able to continue searching without too much trouble, but what bad thoughts do you have about this situation?

Elenas's expression became a little solemn.

They are doing everything they can to kill us. The reason why we didn't encounter the enemies was because the AI administrator of this building had taken control of those monsters, and the AI told them to hold on to their strength for the time being, because they planned to attack us when they were sure they could trap us and we had no chance of surviving their attack. Although the reason we didn't see any dead hunters was because they were trying to lower our vigilance. After all, if we find some dead hunters, it will certainly make us more careful, which in turn may make us hesitate to go deeper. In addition, if cleaning drones leave buildings spotless, we may find it strange and make us more vigilant. That's why they didn't leave the building completely cleaned. Of course, it's strange to clean half of the building like this, but at least it won't make us retreat right away. On the contrary, it may even tempt us to investigate the reasons behind this strangeness. If I'm pessimistic here, I guess that's the gist of it.

After listening to Elenas's answer, all the sense of relief in Achillas's heart was blown away.

Carol said with an inexplicable smile.

Well, that makes a lot of sense too. So, leader, what are we going to do from here? I know you may not want to, but I hope you bring us some comfort after telling us something terrible. Two people faced death in this building yesterday, you know.

Carol glanced at Akira, and although her smile was the same as usual, there was a hint of temptation in her smile.

Elena stared at Carol for a few seconds, not uttering a word, as if trying to read something out of her.

You're right, let's take a look at the map first.

Elena updated the map that everyone else was looking at. There were small dots on that map, which began tracking their location from the first floor.

These are the information from the mini info-gathering device I installed. These devices can communicate with each other and send me the final result proactively. Since the sensitivity of the information gathering equipment and the range of short-distance connections are reduced in this building, I have placed a lot of these devices on our way here.

Lines come out of each point and connect them to other points close to them, indicating that they are actively connected to each other. At the same time, it also shows that their communication and scanning range is significantly reduced.

To be honest, I wanted to install them inside this building, but I didn't bring enough supplies because we didn't plan to come here in the first place, and I didn't have time to resupply. That's why I've only installed enough so that we can quickly secure our escape routes.

More dots appeared on the map that the other hunters were looking at, as if it was trying to cover the entire building with those dots, and then showed in red the amount of extra equipment they wanted to do so. After that, those extra points are gone.

If these devices find anything that threatens our escape route, we retreat. If not, we'll continue to search the building until I run out of these small information-gathering devices. Of course, you have to follow the trend and retreat if it is too dangerous.

The humanoid image in that map that indicates the location of each person then moves upwards, while leaving dots in the process of moving upwards. Then, when one of the dots turned red, the images immediately returned to the first floor.

Even if the monsters do gather somewhere upstairs, these information gathering devices will detect them very quickly if they go down to the lower floors and try to ambush us. And how wide the corridors of this building are, we should be able to limit the number of monsters trying to get through it, and I believe we should have enough firepower to force it out of this building.

Additional images representing monsters appeared on the map, and then the indicators representing the hunters there began to retreat, while using the layout of the corridors inside the buildings to reduce the number of monsters they were fighting at the same time.

Elena then finished explaining with the map, which was immediately restored to its original state.

Akira listened carefully to Elena's instructions as she looked at the map.

As I thought, having someone who specializes in analyzing information really makes things easy to understand.

This may be true, but honestly, I think it's enough to explain this level of explanation in words alone. I bet, Ele

a Deliberately use that map to help you understand.

After listening to Alfas's reaction, Akira tried to make herself sound strong.

I wouldn't understand it if she didn't, although I just wanted to say that such explanations are really easy to understand.

Is that so? Well, I'm sure Ele later

A will explain her plans in words on many occasions, so I'm sure you'll understand without any problem, right?

I'm sorry, I hope you can help me when this happens.

Of course.

See Aki

A easily gave up on looking strong, and Alpha chuckled.

Elena then smiled at Carol and said.

That's basically the gist of my plan, so, how? If you have something to say, there's no need to hold back. After all, I did not intend to ignore the opinions of those who had experienced the battles in this Seraintal building.

Carol glanced at Akira again to examine him. After confirming that Akira didn't seem to have anything to complain about, she smiled at Elena and thanked her.

I'm good with that plan. I'm glad to hear that there doesn't seem to be any need to worry too much as we continue to explore the ruins. As you really are, Akira trusts a lot, and it seems that you are also very good at leading indoor battles. It was only yesterday that I saw your skills in leading the battle outside, so I was a little worried. I'm sorry if I've offended you.

It's okay, don't worry. That's normal because in this case, we're basically trusting each other's lives, and I do think it's really important to confirm something like that. I'm glad you're happy with my plan.

Ele

a and ca

ol looks at each other while trying to hide the strange impression that they are actually talking about two different things. Sara smiled wryly, Hakube thought it had nothing to do with him and just ignored it, Togami was so nervous that he didn't notice, and Akira there just tilted his head, as if he didn't understand what was going on.

Then they went on to search the building. As Elena had expected, they continued to explore the building without encountering any monsters.

There are no monsters at all. The walls of the Seranthal building block out all kinds of information, including sound, perhaps to reduce the efficiency of the information gathering equipment in the building, but because of this, the atmosphere in the building is completely quiet. As if the silence confirmed that no one else was present except Elena and her team.

Aki

A continues to search the ruins as instructed by Alpha, while also training Aki

a How to explore buildings.

Say it, Alpha. Although there are no monsters at all, Ele

Which of the as, guess what you think is correct?

Akira, which one do you think it is?

To be honest, I had absolutely no idea.

This answer is actually the correct answer. If it is not necessary to make a choice, it is better not to make a choice without sufficient evidence. If you do, you'll be more susceptible to information that supports your guess, and you'll be more likely to reject information that refutes it.

Is that so?

And, in either case, it doesn't change what you need to do. If the optimistic guess is correct, then this will be a good training session for you. But if the pessimistic guess is correct, then you will not be ambushed at least. So don't let your guard down just because you didn't find a monster, even if there really aren't monsters around, let's continue to be cautious and take this training seriously.

You're right, but I don't actually mean to lower my vigilance. Like, did I really lower my guard there?

As far as I can tell, for someone who is exploring the ruins of an unknown dangerous Old World, you won't be so nervous at least.

Oops, it wasn't intentional, well, I'll be more careful.

Since he hadn't encountered any monsters, it seemed that Akira had let his guard down and let Alpha warn him. So he picked himself up and continued exploring.

Not long after they reached the fifteenth floor, Elena suddenly asked them to wait.

Await.

Akira sensed it keenly, and aimed her rifle in the hallway. Other hunters did the same almost immediately.

Elena stared at his message terminal, as if confirming something. Immediately, her face returned to normal and she concluded.

It's not a signal from a mechanical monster, so it should be fine.

Hearing Elenas' answer, the other hunters let their guard down. Then Sara asked Elena.

So, what's that?

Wait a second

With that, Elena looked at the signal coming from not far away from them. Then she found a small mechanism and picked it up. If the gadget is mixed in with the remains of a monster, no one can tell if it's part of a dead mechanical monster, but once you pick it up, it's easy to see if it's not part of it. A mechanical monster.

This one, right?

Elena looked at the little thing that stopped them and muttered to herself.

Akira watched with interest as Elena picked it up. It looks like a small information-gathering device used by Elena. But in terms of his knowledge, he doesn't know anything else.

Elena noticed Akira, then pulled out the device in her hand and spoke.

This appears to be a mini relay device. This one specifically transmits information around this device among hunters. When a team of hunters explores the ruins of the Old World, they need to communicate and exchange information with other hunters on the same team, and they will move separately at that point, right? So this device is mainly used for things like that. It can also be used as a sign so that they can retrace their steps as they explore the dangerous ruins. It also helps to track down the location of rescue teams if they are trapped in the rubble. Of course, some hunters simply leave it as evidence that he or she was able to reach such a dangerous location.

After listening to Elena's explanation, Jing nodded deeply. Elena saw Akira's reaction to her explanation, smiled slightly, and then ordered her team.

I'm sure it was left behind by the hunters who came here before us. Let's analyze it for the time being, wait a minute.

Elena then began to check the mini message repeater. When she connects her information terminal to the device, the information analyzing the device is immediately displayed through the same stereoscopic hologram display device she and Sarah use.

Elena then proceeded to analyze the information that was shown to her. Since she was the only one who could see that picture, it was as if she was just standing there, staring at the mini repeater, doing nothing, saying nothing. Looking at that, Akira asked Alpha.

Alpha, it seems to me that Miss Elena is just standing there doing nothing, but she's actually analyzing that device, right?

Yes, that's why you shouldn't bother her.

You don't even need to tell me.

By the way, it's no different than when you talked to me, you know. Since many other hunters are also using similar equipment, people won't suspect you when you do. And even if you suddenly turn your head to look at me, I'm sure the other hunters will just think you're trying to see something like Sa

a and ele

a The kind of display in use.

Is that so?

Except for Aki

A, no one can see the alpha. Because of this, if he tries to talk to Alpha normally, it will look like a suspicious person is talking to the air. Obviously he knew this, and although he tried his best to hide it, it seemed that as he expected, he did not completely hide it. So in short, he sometimes makes strange and suspicious moves. After being reminded, Akira seemed a little frustrated.

Elena said after analyzing some of the information from the small information repeater.

Shika

abe, this information repeater is made by a repeater from D

a

KAM people owned. It seems that it also sends signals in a non-standard format. Shika

ABE, is there anything in your information terminal? It could be some kind of D-only

a

An encoded signal that can only be recognized by KAM people.

Well? Wait a minute, let me check it out.

Shika

ABE then took out his information terminal and checked it.

No, nothing. I bet either because that signal was too weak or because my information terminal couldn't recognize that signal. What is the information that is broadcast through the normal format?

It's just a message asking for help because the monster is chasing them. While it is written as an SOS rescue request, it does not state who the issuer is, how much the reward is offered, or the duration of the request. It doesn't even contain the sender's hunter code. Even though it's still one of those SOS rescue requests, I bet no one will accept this request after reading this message. It is not known how many of them or where they are. It basically doesn't change our plans, and if they're still alive, we might help them, we stumble upon them, but we don't go out of our way to look for them.

Can you send me the encrypted signal?

Of course. There. I just sent it.

Elena had just sent an encrypted message broadcast by the mini-information collector to the white-edged information terminal. Shika

Abe then uses decryption software installed in his message terminal to decrypt that encrypted message. The output of the decryption software is basically another encrypted message and a short message that anyone who receives it is asked to send it to D

a

KAMS officer.

Thanks to Shika

abe vs. D

a

The officer at KAM had some connections, and he was able to further decipher that encrypted message. His face twitched as he checked the contents of the message.

Ahhh!!h

Shika

ABE shouted out his displeasure.

In his angry expression, it seemed that Shikabe had thought of something else. Elena was actually interested in why Shikabe made that face, but she thought it must be Derrankham's business, so it was better not to make any unnecessary guesses.

From Shika

Judging by abes's expression, this is clearly the same as D

a

The infighting within the KAM is related. In addition, the message is an encrypted message. Elena believes that if an outsider like her sticks his head into the content of that message unnecessarily, it will only lead to trouble.

Seeing that Shikabe was still thinking, Elena asked.

I don't know what that message is about, but is it okay if we keep searching now?

Shikabe glanced at Elena, looked to the floor, thought for a moment, and looked directly into Elena's eyes again.

In that case, I have a suggestion, no, a request. I wanted to change our main goal from simply exploring the building to rescuing the owner of that information relay device. Like you said, that hunter is from D

a

kam。 I'm in D

a

Kam's reputation is still among hunters, so I can't ignore this piece of information.

Elena then asks the head a question, trying to find out what is behind the head's sudden request.

I know it's a bit cruel to say that, but Hunter might be dead, you know. If you want to recover their bodies, I'm sure the main team here will recover all the bodies later after securing the building, so you can keep them for later. It is also possible that they fled the building on their own. So far, we haven't encountered any monsters. If they set themselves somewhere to hide from danger, I'm sure it would have been a breeze for them to escape this building now without the monsters.

After listening to Elena's pessimistic and relatively normal speculation, Shikabe replied with a hideous face.

No, I bet they're alive and in this building. It's possible that they've locked themselves off somewhere so much that they can't even confirm what's going on outside the room they're locking off, or they may be injured and can't go far. Rescuing the Hunter is also one of our current requests. What's more, if they are survivors of a change in the situation in the ruins, they may have some important key information to understand the reason for the change. I believe it's more profitable than just exploring the building, so, what do you think? If you start with D

a

kam there saved a hunter, I believe D

a

KAM will give you an additional reward, in addition to the rewards you get from the city administration. I can even talk to D for you

a

KAM side negotiates.

Shika

ABE wasn't lying, but he made this request for another reason. Ele

A was well aware of this, and she asked Shika

Abe asks a question.

I'll at least ask you this, what if I say no?

Then I won't ask again, I'm not going to convince you to accept it. You lead, I work under you, that's the deal. As a mere hunter, I have no intention of breaking this agreement.

Elena then thought that this must be something that Shikabe himself did not want to do, but because of his position in Derrankham, he could not just ignore it without any effort. And now, he's trying to find an excuse from Elena that he couldn't rescue the sender of that SOS message.

That's right, Shika

ABES's request must have been because of that encrypted message. Elena then asked Hakube.

One more thing, what exactly is the content of that message?

I can't say because its secret information only applies to D

a

KAM people. If you're wondering whatever, you need to join D

a

kam。 If you agree, I wouldn't mind using my right to tell you what the message is about here. D

a

KAM always welcomes new hunters who want to join its ranks.

Thanks, but no.

I see, then, will you accept this request?

Elena thought about it again, the content of that secret letter must be related to people inside Dracam, and it could not be shared with anyone other than Dracom. Or, at least, that's what Shikabe doesn't want to tell anyone other than Rankham.

Ele

a calculates all the risks and profits that the team can get there since she became the team leader.

Togami asked Elena nervously suddenly.

U-Uhhh, as D

a

The people at KAM, honestly, I would also like to accept this request if possible. D

a

Kam also advises us to save any hunter we can save but of course, if it's not possible, that's okay too

Togami wasn't lying there, but other than that, when he said this, he was actually looking for an opportunity to reconfirm his skills.

Elena glanced at Togami, then shifted her gaze to Akira. Akira continued.

Either way I don't mind, I'll follow Elena Sand's decision.

Carroll followed.

I don't mind, after all, that's what Akira said.

Next up is Sarah.

Well, we're here in this ruin, after all, because of that SOS rescue request, isn't it great considering it's just an extension of our original plan? Not to mention, we can also get extra rewards from it.

Sarah said this, looking at Hakube with a meaningful gaze. Shika

ABE responded immediately.

I can guarantee that I will go with D

a

KAM negotiates about rewards, but I'm only going to go that far. Well, D

a

KAM also has face to save, so I'm sure they'll give you a lot of money as a reward.

After listening to all the opinions of the team, Elena realized that among them, the only hunters who had experience fighting in the Thranthal building were Akira and Carol. She had intended to refuse Hakube's request if either of Akira and Carol showed the slightest sign that they didn't want to do so. But they didn't show anything like that. So Elena finally made her decision.

Elena's face turned rather serious, and she said to her team.

Well, from now on, our main goal will shift to rescuing those hunters. Judging by that mini-information relay device, we can speculate that they left a similar device to mark where they passed. So, put them to good use to help us find their place. And then most importantly, it's best to only search for rooms where they might seal their own. Once we retrieve the target, whether they are dead or alive, retreat immediately. Carol, I'll leave the room picking to you. Once you're done, decide on a route and go from there.

Carol seemed a little puzzled and tilted her head.

I gave you that map, so you should be able to do it yourself, right?

Elena's face changed and she replied.

I want you to make a decision based on information that is not included in that data. I know when you gave me that map, you didn't give all the information you had, right? Or at least, that data map doesn't contain any explanation of how you escaped the building with Akira yesterday.

Carol's smile disappeared immediately. Her gaze became very sharp, and her voice was slightly lowered.

Did you hear that from Akira?

Akira and Togami are surprised by Carol's sudden change. But the other hunters were not surprised at all. This shows the difference they experienced.

When Elena answered Carol's question, there was no change in either her expression or tone.

I did ask him, but he didn't tell me anything. He at least told me that he was trapped in this building with you, surrounded by monsters. Since neither of you forced your way to the first floor to escape from this building, that means there is another way to escape from this building. It must be some kind of secret route, whether it's a secret room, a secret hallway, a secret elevator, or something else. Honestly, in this case, I would also like to have this information as insurance. Also, I want to avoid a situation where we can't find a rescue target because they're hiding in that secret room, so that's why I'm asking you to do that. If you want to pay extra for that information, you can ask Shika later

abe。

There when his name is suddenly mentioned, Shika

ABE reacted immediately.

Huh, me?

You were the one who made us accept this request, and the target for this rescue is D

a

kam Hu

te

S, right? So at least do something about the extra information cost in the reward.

Ele

a There is a good point. Shika

Abe was well aware of this, and he sighed.

Carol didn't change her expression, she muttered to herself.

I see, so Aki

A didn't tell you, huh.

In the short time when everyone's eyes were on Elena and Shikabe, Carol suddenly laughed. It was a dark and ominous smile, as if revealing Carol's heart, mixed with a hint of madness and joy.

If anyone present had seen Carol's face, they would have certainly reacted in some way. But sadly, no one saw her. And because Carol's face immediately returned to normal, no one noticed the change in her at all.

Carol then smiled at Elena as if nothing had happened.

Got it, I'll get it done as soon as possible. Is it okay if I just add additional metrics to the map?

When Ele

AS's attention returns to CA

ol, she felt something was bothering her. But she didn't know what it was.

Of course, I'll count on you.

But unfortunately, Ele

a There is no room to think about what is bothering her. So she quickly decided to forget about it.

Alpha stared at Carol. Alpha does not exist in the same place as other hunters, so Alpha uses a different method than ordinary people in order to collect information about the people in that place. For example, she relied on the information gathering of that place Akira frowned, made a little strange by Alpha's words. He continued.

Well, yes, something like that.

Although Aki

a tried to conceal it, but sa

a Aki only

A shared the limited information she shared, so she could accurately guess how he was with Shika

What happened when Abe participated in a bounty hunt. And this time, before he could finish his thoughts, Alpha had already quickly guessed what he was thinking.

Akira was actually a little scared, and even if he didn't speak, it was only a matter of time before they could fully read his thoughts.

I do think Ele too

AS's decision was the right one. Although it ultimately depends on how you will evaluate this decision, and I'm sure even you don't count on Ele

A Possess god-level command abilities and be able to successfully lead a team of hunters full of amateurs through the battlefield of death, right?

Well, yes.

Well, there should be no problem. Ele

a Well done in analysing the current situation and adapting to new information. I can say so much about it, at least. So, if I have to start with search speed

Alpha suddenly stopped there and forcibly slipped Aquilas's body through his augmentation suit. Aki

A was so focused on Alpha's explanations that he noticeably slowed down. Knowing this, he cheered up in a panic and aimed his rifle at the intersection that the team had just passed.

Like I thought, wouldn't it be better if we talked about it later?

You're right, let's save it for later.

All right. But if talking to you slows you down, then I can't talk to you while you're exploring the ruins of the Old World, huh. I'm sure you'll feel lonely because of it too. Do you think I need to train you to do that?

Alpha said with a smile as Akira pouted as she spoke.

Ele

A and her team continued deep into the building. They didn't encounter any monsters while exploring the building, but unfortunately, they didn't encounter any rescue targets either.

They searched only those rooms where the hunters they were looking for were likely to set up barricades. But all the rooms were empty. While they did find some traces of battle and blood that could have come from hunters, as well as a few other marks that indicated that someone had once been there, they did not find any hunters at all, not even their bodies.

That changed when they got to the 20th floor. Just as they were about to explore the twentieth floor, Elena suddenly told them to stop.

They immediately looked out for it, looking around. They noticed that the 20th floor looked completely different from all the other floors below it.

There are hunters' corpses, wreckage, rubble, and monsters that are still moving.

From the outside, it should be the A24 monsters they fought in the city of Miha Ruins, but they were all badly damaged, with their torsos dented and their limbs blown to pieces. Some of them lost their legs, while others lost their wheels. But that doesn't stop them from moving around, as they are nimbly able to avoid the corpses and wreckage scattered on the floor.

Shika

Abe looked around and muttered to herself.

So, they just finished cleaning the lower floors, huh. Well, I guess it's better than having them wait to welcome us here.

Looking at what the monsters were doing there, they didn't seem to be waiting for Akira and the other hunters. But judging by the dead hunters on the floor, it seems that they will not let them pass peacefully either.

Elena immediately came up with a way to get rid of those monsters.

[I bet they're patrol drones.] And judging by the way they move around, they don't seem to notice us yet. Is it because their sensor is broken or what? They don't work with SE

a

Does the Thals secure facility exchange information? Or is it because factors that reduce the sensitivity of our information-gathering devices are also influencing them? Are they autonomous drones? Are they here to scout? Or are they just wandering aimlessly after their controls are destroyed? ]

Elena thought of a lot of possibilities, and then after considering all these options, she said to Sarah.

Sarah, kill them.

Roger that.

Sarah aimed her antimatter rifle at the monsters. Like the information gathering device, her rifle sighting device was affected by the Seranthal building, so the accuracy decreased.

However, this did not cause much trouble for Salas's abilities. She aimed her rifle at the torsos of those monsters, and once she was sure her bullet would hit, she pulled the trigger.

The bullet that flew out of the muzzle of her rifle hit the target accurately. That bullet was designed for firepower, not penetration, and as a result, it could easily blow up the torso of the A24. The force of the impact threw its body out, spreading its internal organs in all directions, and it rolled on the ground. It didn't take long for the next A24 to be blown away as well.

Elena tells her team to be vigilant while she observes A24, which has been turned into wreckage on the floor.

Akira suddenly realizes something strange.

Α。 It's the monsters Sarah just killed, and from the outside, they look like mechanical monsters, but they don't look like biological monsters, right?

Alpha found the question strange, but even so, she decided to recheck the dead monsters scattered on the ground. They are made of metal and some kind of nanomaterial. They don't seem to be biological monsters.

Well, from what I've seen, I believe they're mechanical monsters. What's wrong?

No, I just want to know what it means to kill mechanical monsters. Judging by what Sarah-chan is doing over there, is it to interrupt them and make them unable to move? Still, that still doesn't sound right?

Oh, I see.

Judging by Elena's tone, Akira wondered if they were really biological monsters that looked like mechanical monsters. This is a topic that can easily be debated.

Alpha then thought, Aki

A just met a monster. So, it might be better to let him focus more on observing his surroundings rather than thinking about other things. So she wondered if she should scold Akira.

But it's unclear if this is really unnecessary. Pickiness and caution make people more cautious, and sometimes they can even be the trump card to get out of a desperate situation. The ability to think outside the box and come up with incredible solutions is an invaluable skill.

To improve this skill, there is no other way than to remain critical and always ask tough questions. If Alpha scolds Akira, there's a good chance that Akira will do it obediently, reducing his chances of improving his out-of-the-box thinking skills.

If it's the ability to detect enemies, Aki

A can't be better than Alpha. As a result, Alpha decides that she should encourage him to hone other kinds of skills, although this is unlikely.

Alpha then answered Aquilas's question.

It can be interpreted as setting a short gap between the execution of an action that will kill and the target may be considered dead. So, apply it to mechanical monsters, I'd say Ele

A told SA

A leaves a small interval of time, from the moment she starts shooting at those monsters, until those monsters stop moving completely. Or, if possible, maybe not even set a time interval at all. That's what Elena asks of Sara. It's just speculation, but I believe that's the gist of it.

Isn't it enough to destroy them?

It can be said whether these monsters are part of the security of the building. When they are attacked, they may immediately call for reinforcements, or they may not. They may only ask for reinforcements if they judge that they cannot win with firepower alone. This condition may also include harm to one's own body. Some of them may have self-healing systems, and then they will repair themselves, check for damage to the body, and if the threshold is exceeded, they will call for reinforcements. So in order to stop them from doing something similar, one shot is needed to completely stop their function. That's why Elena uses the word. I think you can interpret her this way.

If they really were part of the security of the building, wouldn't they already know where we are and ask for reinforcements the moment we destroy them?

We don't know how much information was exchanged between these monsters. Maybe Elena wanted to make sure that was why she gave the order, or maybe she wanted to know from the gunshots how many monsters were coming. You know, it's hard to pinpoint our location just from the gunfire inside this building. After all, something is reducing the sensitivity of your information-gathering devices in this building, but we're not sure if that affects monsters as well. And, if they're really part of the building's security, even if their sensors are affected, they should already know where we are from the sensors scattered around the building. So these monsters may also know where we are from the information we share. I think Ele

a is also trying to check this.

Akira looked a little surprised, he didn't take that into account at all. This may be because he always relies on alpha to decide what to do in battle. After listening to Alpha's explanation, it reminded him of his lack of skills in that department.

I can make other guesses as well, but let's stop here. Now that we've just met some monsters, you'll need to be more careful from here.

Then tell me one more thing. Regarding the incident you just explained to me, does the hunter know that this is a normal thing? Am I the only one who doesn't know that far?

Probably just because Elena thinks you can understand what she's trying to say with just those words. Ele

a and sa

A seems to have been working together for a long time, so I'm willing to bet they can know what the other person wants to say without having to say it. I bet if she were to give you the same command, she would add an additional explanation. But judging by the content of that order, I think it was you who said it. If you are bothered by this, then from now on, you should study harder. I'll help you too, you know?

Alpha smiled mischievously, and Akira responded with a wry smile.

I guess I'm going to have a long way to go to become a good hunter, right?

When Alpha says she's going to help him, she's actually saying she's willing to make it harder to train and learn. Akira knows at least that much.

Togami continued to observe his surroundings and confirmed the change in the situation. Monsters were scattered all over the ground, and Elena was scanning the area earnestly. That's all that's changed so far.

Togami, who was seriously looking around, suddenly showed a confused look, and then looked slightly distressed.

Thinking in the back of his head, there were no more monsters in that area, and no reinforcements were coming, so wouldn't it be better to continue the search? After all, in order to reach their rescue goal as soon as possible, it is better to hurry.

Togami then asked Elena.

Uh, aren't we going to keep searching?

When answering, Elena didn't even turn around, nor did she change her expression.

Sorry, I didn't have time to explain it. If you have any questions, ask Shika

abe。

But, like, you know, we've been doing this for a while

It seems unlikely that Togami will back away at the moment, Hakube said in an impatient voice.

Shut up.

Togami was stunned and immediately turned to Hakube. Shika

ABE exudes a certain level of hostility towards him.

Shikabe said to Togami with a serious expression, not even hiding his annoyance.

Listen, Ele

a is busy, so don't interrupt her.

All right.

Togami obediently retreated, and Shirabe was quite surprised. Indeed, Shikabe added a little extra intimidation there to make sure that Togami didn't go too far and worsen the situation there. But then again, it's a bit strange that Togami is so obedient. Or at least, for Hakube, there doesn't seem to be any sign of resentment when Togami steps back.

[What the hell is going on with this kid? Now that he has become so obedient, although it is a good thing, it is still]

Although Hakube was really surprised, he immediately decided to forget about it for the time being. They had encountered some monsters just now, and as long as it didn't get in their way, they didn't have to think about it.

Togami then reassessed the current situation. From his point of view, including how cautious they were about the first monsters they encountered inside that building, he believed that they were wasting time and just delaying the rescue target.

The team was formed in such a short period of time, so it's normal for some team members to complain if they find that the orders issued by their leaders are just a waste of time or meaningless. But no one complained except Togami.

[So basically she's doing something important, and Hakube thinks so too.] But what about other hunters? Do they also understand why she did it and understand its importance? Is it only I who don't understand? 】

In fact, there is one more person who does not understand why Elena has not given the order to continue the search, and that is Akira. But Alpha gave him an explanation and answered his question.

Togami believes that he is the only one who does not understand what everyone is supposed to understand. So, he used all his brainpower, constantly thinking about why Elena had ordered to stand aside.

Elena then pointed her finger to the hallway that led to another opening on the right.

Sara. If possible, let it pass. If it becomes dangerous, just destroy it. No need to wait for my order.

Roger that.

Sara pointed her rifle at the entrance to the hallway, then said with a soft smile.

We don't really know what's going on here, so it's not safer to destroy it outright.

I'll leave that decision to you.

Sarah looked at Elena, and when she said this, her expression was serious. Sara then prepares herself while still looking relaxed.

Map of the 20th floor in Aki

AS goggles show. It shows the hallway Sarah pointing at with her rifle. After Elena gave Sarah's order, a red dot suddenly appeared on that map, somewhere deep in the hallway. This is an indicator of the enemy.

Alpha then enhances Aquilas's vision, so he is able to see through walls.

Akira was able to see the monsters marked by the red dots on the map, which were also painted red in his field of vision. Although he couldn't see the shape of the monster, he could at least see that there was a monster there.

Alpha then said to Akira.

They are enemies, I believe in Sa

a They can be dealt with. But also be prepared to be on the safe side.

All right. However, the picture still looks blurry, is it because of something that affects the information collection equipment?

Yes, that's right. Don't let your guard down just because you see the same information as on the map.

Akira points his CWH antimatter rifle at the hallway. His goal is the monster passage deep in the hallway and behind the walls.

Shika

abe and ca

The OL was also ready to aim their rifles, but they aimed at different corridors. Because they believe that Akira and Sarah are enough to deal with the monsters on the map. And they also understand that just because there are no monsters in other corridors on the map doesn't mean there aren't monsters there.

Togami also prepared his rifle and looked at Akira, who was surprised to find that Akira was aiming his rifle at the wall.

[Where is he aiming?] 】

Togami shifted his gaze from Akira to the wall where Akira was aiming. But it's just an ordinary wall, nothing that might attract attention. Togami looked at Akira with a strange look on his face again.

The red dot on the map begins to approach Ele

a and her team. It won't be long before they meet.

As the red dot of the enemy gets closer, Aki

A begins to see the shape of the monster through his enhanced vision. The image of the enemy began to get better and better. Because the closer he is, the more his information collector can read the monster.

Akira stalks enemies with her eyes. As they got closer, the image of the monster on the other side of the wall became clearer.

It was the same monster that Sarah had just killed, an A24-type monster. But this one was only slightly damaged, and it moved nimbly through the wreckage on the floor, through the hallway, and eventually appeared at Aki just as he was aiming for the entrance to the hallway

a.

Togami, who watched Aquilas's movements, was taken aback. He realized that Akira was looking straight at the monster in front of him.

[That guy is stalking monsters with his eyes, right?!] How did he do it?! ]

Togami was taken aback, and his attention was more focused on Akira than on the A24 monster that had just appeared. If that monster had known their location beforehand and had immediately shot there, it would have been a fatal opening.

Luckily, or more like Elena expected, the A24 monster just continued to walk through the hallway, not noticing Akira. Sara confirmed that the gun growing out of its back wasn't aimed at anyone there.

Tearing it off the monster's body, the impact also throwing it off balance.

The second shot hit the monster's torso, throwing its body to the ground.

As it tumbled, Sara unleashed her third and fourth shots. The third shot hit its legs, pierced its armor, and pierced its torso, while the fourth shot pierced its body, slamming its body against the wall behind it.

The monster was harmless in a matter of seconds. Then it staggered to the ground, twitching, as if trying to squeeze the last drop of its life, and finally stopped moving at all.

Elena looked at the monster Sarah had just defeated and snorted.

Akira looked at the monster that was almost in its original form and asked Alpha.

It's a little different from when Salasan came out with the first set.

I get it.

Monsters of the same type or species usually have the same structure.

It's a good idea, in which case you just need to be able to aim the monster gun accurately without my support.

So, what's the correct answer?

The correct answer is that your aim depends on your shooting level. With your current technique, I think it would be better to aim for its torso, break its balance, and reduce its precision. You'll need to be able to hit it at the very least, though.

You're right, the first step is to hit my ball.

It may take him a long time to shoot as accurately as Sarah, and Akira sighs.

Togami suddenly asked Akira a question.

How did you know where it was?

Akira frowned.

It's shown on the map, right? Or is it not showing up on your map?

As he spoke, he was obviously confused from afar.

I'm not asking about this, I'm talking about how you followed the monster when it was still behind that wall?

When Togami asked this question again, Akira finally understood what Togami was talking about. Under normal circumstances, a person cannot see the wall, and thanks to the support of Alpha, he can do this. Although there was some surprise in my heart, I still tried not to show it on my face.

The location of enemies on the 20th floor is shown with a red dot on the map, right? If you look at that, you can more or less guess the real location of the enemy.

They're basically just a rough approximation. But while the monster was still behind the wall, you had tracked it accurately. How did you do that?

Togami did not believe Achillas's explanation, and he demanded more answers. That's when Shika

ABE suddenly interjected.

Akira, you don't have to answer all his stupid questions. Just ignore him. I bet this guy thinks everything he can't do or understand is weird. There's no need to listen to him.

While it's unclear why Hakube said that, it's not bad advice for Akira. So Akira just nodded and said.

Got it.

Togami looked at Shikabe with a little hostility, but when he saw Shikabe's face mixed with a bit of mockery, he immediately lowered his head and lowered his head. Then he started monitoring his surroundings again. device to recognize 3D objects. Of course, she's using other methods as well. Basically, she doesn't need someone to be in her field of vision to see that person.

Moreover, they have no contact with people outside, while their information collection devices are able to capture anything. Judging by the sounds of the monsters trying to enter, the room was still surrounded by monsters. So, basically, they're surrounded by killing machines, and they don't get tired and don't hesitate to kill them.

If this continues, it's no surprise that they will feel mentally exhausted. Although Rena is still a little persistent at the moment, it is only a matter of time before she reaches the limit. Forget about fighting, and she may even lose the willpower to move her body.

If things get to that point, Shiori and Ding will have to fight their way through the hordes of monsters while protecting the extra burden in order to escape the building.

If Renas's condition deteriorated, it would endanger the lives of everyone in the room. And if they stay inside that building, Reina's situation will only get worse.

Shio

i knew she had to be in rei

a Lost her willpower before making the decision to try to escape the building. Shiori herself is well aware of this. Because of this, she said to Ding with a serious, somewhat painful expression.

I know. But now is not the right time.

There is still hope that the rescue team will reach them. While she didn't know how big the loss was here, so many hunters had died in the building, including Drarankham's, there was a good chance that Dralane would decide to do something about it, as it had a reputation to maintain. Knowing that there is a risk of greater damage, another rescue team will be dispatched.

At the same time, the monsters outside have waited long enough to leave there. If those monsters flooded the Seranthal building because all the hunters had entered that building, now that most of the hunters are dead, those monsters may eventually leave the building. And if it's just a temporary anomaly, those monsters will leave after waiting long enough.

But in the end, those are just possibilities. Maybe it was just wishful thinking on her part, but even so, as long as those possibilities weren't zero, Shioli still had to think about it, because she needed to decide whether to stay in that room or force her out.

If she makes the wrong decision, Reina could be killed. The thought that her bad decisions might eventually kill Reyna weighs heavily on her mind and weakens her decision-making abilities.

Ding more or less knew that Shiori was also working hard there, she thought.

[Anesan was too protective of Miledi.] Honestly, there's nothing good about mixing personal feelings in your work, and I wonder if it's really going to get better? ]

If Shio

IS's decision was influenced by her personal feelings, then Ka

AEs will have to make their own decisions. In other words, while Rena can still move, it is up to her to escape from that building. In the worst-case scenario, she may even need to kill Shiori to do so. But if she's lucky, they'll be able to live well. But she didn't know how much luck she would need to do it.

Shiori herself should be well aware of this. That's why she could have made a decision before it happened. Ding does believe in Shiori's skills, but she decides to remind Shiori anyway to be on the safe side.

I know it's my job to protect Milady even if it kills me, but I won't give up my life easily, you know?

I know.

Shiori's voice sounded a little ruthless, but at least it showed that she understood what Ding was trying to say.

Rena opened her eyes. Although, in reality, she is not sleeping, but has been in a half-asleep state, and she has given up forcing herself to sleep.

She tried to pull herself up, and she could visibly feel her body getting weaker and weaker.

She understands that she is a useless burden. The only thing she could do now, the only thing she could do at the moment, was to maintain her physical strength as much as possible for the sake of the other hunters there, so that she could move her body quickly. If the opportunity to escape that building finally presents itself, or if the situation suddenly deteriorates, do they have to flee again.

Rena herself knew that she could do that kind of thing, and she was completely devastated, and the shadow on her face was even mixed with self-deprecation, almost to the point of depression.

Rena took a deep breath and let out a long sigh as she tried to dispel the despair and fear in her heart with that long sigh. Then she tried to squeeze out a smile, and if she kept making a depressed expression, it would only make Shiori and Ding worry about her even more.

Oh well, it'll be fine.

Rena smiled and muttered to herself.

Then she went to Shiori, and Ding noticed her.

Good morning, ma'am, but it's too early for a shift change.

It doesn't matter, I just can't sleep, so I woke up early. It's boring to lie down all the time.

I see, although it may be earlier than scheduled, I think we can change shifts now.

Ding stood up and walked to the bed. When she turned her back to Reina and Shiori, her expression became grim.

[She's getting to the point where she can't sleep well, huh.] This is getting terrible]

Kanae, Reina, and Shiori. It's only a matter of time before they have to make their own decisions. Ding thought as he put his body on the bed.