"Damn, where the hell did I end up? Is this even still my country?"
The midday sun poured down as usual, the shrill cries of cicadas echoing in his ears.
But what met his eyes was—
Unfamiliar streets, unfamiliar scenery, passersby in strange attire, and their bewildered stares directed at him.
It was clear—Mahiro was no longer in his original world.
He lowered his gaze to the ring on his finger, its silver surface glinting faintly under the sunlight.
The engraved memories instantly surfaced in his mind—"Cast away my cumbersome formalities..."
No.
He was recalling what had happened before he appeared here.
He still remembered—the next morning after that day, Mayumi's disheveled hair, her drowsy, half-awake expression, and especially her flustered, bashful reaction when she realized he was lying beside her. Even now, it remained vivid in his memory.
A few days later, they concluded their trip and left the Ogasawara Islands.
Tatsuya had also returned from completing his mission.
But he brought back an excavated relic—the Philosopher's Stone.
The military wanted him to decipher it.
Unable to handle it alone, Tatsuya sought Mahiro's help, hoping they could research it together.
However, the problem arose here.
When Mahiro, like Tatsuya, conducted an information-body analysis and trace on the Philosopher's Stone, attempting to read its activation sequence, his ring suddenly reacted.
As if awakened.
Not only did it devour the unearthed Philosopher's Stone, but his vision also went black. When he woke again, he was already here.
As for why he was so certain he had transmigrated?
Simple.
The place he was in now should still be Japan, but the technology here didn't seem as advanced, retaining many features from around the year 2000.
Most crucially—he had no idea which part of Japan had such enormous stone tablets!
Not only were they incredibly wide, but they also towered into the clouds.
And there were several of them!
It almost felt like they were enclosing the surrounding land.
"Whatever, I'll find a kind soul to get some fries... no, some intel first."
Mahiro urgently needed to understand his current situation.
He also had to figure out lodging.
After all, he doubted the mobile payment on his terminal would work in this transmigrated world. If he didn't find some money, he'd really be sleeping on the streets tonight.
But after wandering the streets for a long time, he still hadn't encountered the legendary kind stranger.
The passersby all looked at him strangely, with a sense of wary distance.
Even the women hesitated, though their eyes flickered with indescribable amazement.
He was currently wearing the casual suit Mayumi and the others had picked out for him back on Nanton Island. Maybe the craftsmanship was too exquisite, combined with his striking looks, making people mistake him for some young master from a wealthy family?
He didn't know how long he'd walked—probably until dusk.
Under the setting sun and fiery clouds, Mahiro suddenly stopped.
"What was that?"
He halted because of some strange noises, and they sounded almost like... human cries?
There was also a strange gurgling sound coming from somewhere.
Following the noise, he noticed a dark, indistinct object writhing in the shadows not far away on the ground.
"What the hell is that...?"
Curious, Mahiro walked over.
He discovered that it was a pitch-black figure curled up there.
"A person?"
Probably?
He crouched down and brushed aside the long, jet-black hair that covered the figure's face.
Confirmed—it was a beautiful girl.
Her skin was as smooth as jade, her long eyelashes trembling slightly. The red ribbon tied around her chest barely contained a pair of massive assets that could rival Yotsuba Maya's!
Just judging by her looks alone, she was easily among the top-tier of the girls he knew, roughly on par with Erika—a stunning beauty with an undeniable presence.
The only odd thing was her abnormally pale complexion. Her eyes were tightly shut, her lips slightly pursed, as if she was in great discomfort.
That strange gurgling sound was also coming from her.
"Could this be some kind of scam?"
Mahiro stood up and scanned his surroundings, even activating "Multi-Observation" and "Spirit Eyes," but found nothing suspicious.
Just then, however, he suddenly felt someone grab his ankle!
His first instinct was to kick back, but when he looked down, he stopped.
The girl, who had seemed unconscious earlier, was now awake, clutching the hem of his pants as she lay trembling on the ground, murmuring weakly:
"I'm so hungry... Could you give me something to eat...?"
Mahiro: "...?"
His eyelid twitched involuntarily.
For some reason, he didn't even know how to react.
Was it really possible for someone to collapse from hunger in the middle of the street and writhe around in the shadows like some kind of insect?
Probably not.
So this had to be a scam, right?
...
...
...
In 2021, the Gastrea virus suddenly erupted across the world, devastating human civilization to the brink of extinction in a short time.
Humanity lost the war against the viral parasitic creatures known as "Gastrea" and was driven into narrow territories, forced to live in fear and despair.
The distant Monoliths stood as the last bastions protecting what remained of human survival.
At the same time, humanity found its last hope against the Gastrea in the form of young girls capable of controlling the virus—the "Cursed Children."
"To think I ended up in this godforsaken world..."
Mahiro silently lamented as he pieced together this information from the girl's fragmented words.
This wasn't just a world on the verge of annihilation—it was a hopelessly screwed-up one.
Currently, he was in the Tokyo Area.
On the distant large screen, the broadcast displayed a figure—
A girl clad in multiple layers of pure white fabric as thin as Japanese paper, her head veiled in a bridal-style covering, as if draped in snow. Even her hair was pure white, giving off an impression of both dignity and fragility.
She was none other than the ruler of the Tokyo Area—
Seitenshi.
And sitting across from him in this high-end restaurant, maintaining the elegance of a noble lady while devouring food at a ravenous speed, was none other than the vengeful young mistress of the Tendou family—
Tendo Kisara.
"Eat slowly, no rush. There's more here, see."
Mahiro handed his portion of steak to her, then took a bite of parmesan cheese, chewing thoughtfully before picking up the red wine glass on the table for a small sip.
"Such refinement."
The mingled flavors of wine and cheese spread in his mouth as Mahiro savored the rich aroma of the wine while gazing at the distant scenery.
From this thirtieth-floor hotel, the entire Tokyo skyline stretched out before them.
Yet the most striking sight was the palace of white jade at the center—
The Holy Residence, home to Seitenshi.
A place akin to America's White House, Britain's Buckingham Palace, or France's Palace of Versailles.
"Burp!"
The sudden sound of a belch drew Mahiro's attention.
Turning his head, he saw the girl covering her mouth, her face flushed with embarrassment.
"Full?"
"Mmm..."
Kisara nodded sheepishly. "Thank you... I'll find a way to pay you back for the meal..."
"Don't bother. If you had money, you wouldn't have been starving on the street with no strength to walk."
Ignoring Kisara's red-faced stammering, Mahiro casually picked up the bill and glanced at it.
Just the six portions of sirloin steak she'd eaten totaled 400,000 yen.
Including his bottle of wine, the price reached an astronomical one million yen.
This price... it was practically robbery!
"Time to go."
Mahiro tossed the bill aside and grabbed Kisara's wrist.
"What are you doing?!"
Instinctively, Kisara tried to pull away.
Though she was grateful to this person who'd helped her when she'd fainted from hunger—and even felt some affection—that didn't mean he could just manhandle her!
But when she looked down, she realized her hand had changed.
In fact, not just her hand—her wrist, forearm, entire arm, even her whole body had transformed!
As if she'd become someone else entirely!
"What am I doing? Skipping the bill, of course." Mahiro said with utter sincerity.
"W-wait! Ah—"
Kisara let out a yelp as, before she could react, he swept her up into his arms, his fingers lightly brushing against the black thigh-high stockings covering her slender legs.
His overwhelming masculine presence enveloped her completely, the heat of it making her dizzy.
Then, the floor-to-ceiling window beside them suddenly dissolved into mist, the pressure difference creating a gale that rushed violently into the restaurant!
"G-guest! What are you doing?! Stop this at once!"
The waitstaff rushed over upon noticing the commotion, but the fierce wind forced them to squint, barely making out the figure of a silver-haired man standing at the edge, holding another man in his arms.
Had there been such a pair of guests in the restaurant?
They couldn't recall.
All they knew was that this person seemed intent on committing suicide in their establishment!
That absolutely couldn't be allowed!
"No way."
Mahiro turned back with a mischievous grin, then leaped off the edge.
"Eeeeeek—!!!"
Amidst the scream, their figures vanished into midair.
By the time Kisara regained her senses, she found herself unharmed, already standing on a street far below.
Looking back, she saw the restaurant they'd just dined in now far in the distance—separated by several kilometers at least!
"What did you just... do? How did I get here?" Kisara felt like her CPU was about to overheat.
Who am I?
Where am I?
What am I doing?
"Don't worry, just a little trick."
Parade plus Mock Teleportation indeed didn't count as any special technique.
But to Kisara, it carried a different implication.
She seemed to recall something, her gaze sharpening slightly as she asked seriously, "Are you... a survivor of the New Human Creation Plan?"
"New Human? Creation Plan? Survivor? What's that?"
Mahiro's face was full of question marks.
He wasn't pretending.
Although he knew about the anime Black Bullet and had indeed watched it, that was long ago. Many details had become hazy, the only thing he clearly remembered being those pitiable little girls.
Sometimes he really wanted to complain—how could those isekai protagonists remember the plot so clearly after transmigrating, down to every word?
Did they have a freaking Encyclopedia built into their brains?
"My apologies, perhaps I was mistaken."
Seeing his genuine expression, Kisara also began doubting whether she'd made an error.
"Haha, no worries, it's fine."
Mahiro waved his hand dismissively, not concerned at all.
"But Miss Tendo, speaking of which, I did save your life, right?"
"Wait, you know me?"
Hearing this, Kisara's eyes slowly narrowed into slits, her gaze turning dangerous again.
This was indeed a slip of the tongue on his part, but he remained composed as he said:
"Of course. You're the eldest daughter of the Tendo family, granddaughter of Tendo Kikunojou. Even after leaving the family, you're still quite famous."
"..."
Kisara stared at him intently for a long moment, clearly not buying this explanation.
But after failing to detect anything suspicious, she coldly said, "Since you know I've left the Tendo family, don't address me by that surname. Just call me Kisara."
Every word was laced with intense hatred—hatred directed at the name "Tendo."
"And what exactly did you mean by what you said earlier?"
Mahiro replied, "Actually, it's nothing much. I just arrived in Tokyo Area and don't have a place to stay, so... could I possibly impose on you for one night?"
"Hah?" Kisara couldn't help exclaiming, "You don't have any money?"
The moment the words left her mouth, the girl regretted them.
Isn't that obvious?
If he had money, would he have needed to drag her along to skip the bill?
Though this person seems a bit odd, he helped her when she passed out on the street—he probably isn't a bad person. And his skills seem decent too...
After pondering for a while, Kisara made up her mind and asked:
"What's your name?"
"Yotsuba Mahiro. 'Yotsu' as in the number four, 'ba' as in leaf."
"Yotsuba? What a strange surname... Well, if you've got nowhere to go, come with me."
With that, Kisara led him away from the spot, heading toward her place.
But when they arrived, Mahiro's eyelids wouldn't stop twitching.
"Miss Kisara..."
"Just call me Kisara."
"Alright, Kisara... you live here?"
Before them stood a multi-story commercial office building.
Outwardly unremarkable, but inside was a whole other story.
The first floor was a gay bar, complete with a pink neon sign outside.
The second floor was a nightclub, with scantily clad women soliciting customers on the stairs.
The fourth floor was even worse—a loan shark company, the kind that wouldn't hesitate to break arms and legs!
Was this some kind of criminal hotspot?
Kisara's destination was the third floor, where a brand-new sign read [Tendo Civil Security Corporation].
"This is the floor I just rented. Planning to set up my office here."
As she spoke, Kisara fumbled for her keys.
"Wow~ Must've cost a fortune, huh? No wonder you ran out of money for food and passed out on the street."
Mahiro stroked his chin, wearing an "I've seen through the truth" expression.
At his teasing, Kisara's cheeks flushed red, and she fell into an undeniable silence.
"...T-that's just temporary! Once I start taking jobs, I'll make the money back in no time!"
She sounded stubborn... or rather, she truly believed it. She had staked everything on this agency, emptying her entire savings.
She'd even moved in here.
Now she was a full-fledged poor little rich girl.
But the problem was...
Making money? Not a chance, sweetheart.
Even without having read the original work, the terrible surroundings alone made it clear—she'd chosen the wrong location from the start.
Who in their right mind would open an office in a criminal den?!
What kind of client would dare come here?
Before they even arrived, they'd either get dragged into the gay bar on the first floor or whisked away by the nightclub hostesses.
"Well, come on in."
Click!
The lock turned, and Kizuna led him into the Tendo Agency.
Unlike the messy, worn-out hallway outside, the interior was clean and tidy—a veritable oasis by comparison.
Though not particularly spacious, it had all the essentials.
A president's desk, an executive chair, and a sofa with a coffee table for client meetings.
The air carried the faint, lingering scent of a young woman.
Unlike Sayaka and Mayumi's subtly captivating fragrances or Miyuki's cool, minty yet sweetly elegant aroma, this was something else entirely.
Instead, it was more like the scent of laundry detergent—ordinary, yet carrying a faint sense of tranquility that brought a quiet calm to the heart.
"Sit down."
After inviting him to take a seat, Kisara snapped back to attention, boiled some water, and prepared a cup of hot tea for him, placing it in front of him before sitting primly across from him.
It was all very formal.
As if she were facing a client with a commission.
"Mahiro, you don't mind me calling you that, do you?"
"Of course not."
Mahiro picked up the teacup, blew on it lightly, and took a small sip.
Hmm. Just as expected—a cheap taste, and the brewing technique wasn't as good as Minami's.
But now wasn't the time to be picky.
"Alright then, Mahiro, I want to ask—are you a Civil Security Officer?"
"Civil Security Officer? No."
Facing Kisara's serious question, he slowly shook his head.
He knew exactly what a Civil Security Officer was.
It was different from the usual meaning of the term.
In this world, Civil Security Officers were short for private security companies—militarized civilian organizations responsible for exterminating the Gastrea that invaded human settlements from the outside world. Since they operated as private companies, they generally took on commissions, and their tasks weren't limited to just eliminating Gastrea incursions. They also included various assignments like bodyguard duty, escort missions, and search operations.
They typically worked in pairs, consisting of an Initiator and a Promoter.
Initiators were Cursed Children—children who could harness the power of the Gastrea and possessed their regenerative abilities, making them the primary combatants in the duo.
Promoters, on the other hand, were ordinary humans who acted as partners to the Initiators, assisting them in battle.
Though their combat abilities might not match those of the Initiators, they were still skilled fighters—though the members were often a mixed bag, with many being battle-hungry delinquents or outright criminals.
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