Tokyo: The Player Behind the Scenes.

Chapter 254, Section 252: Post-War Disaster

"Talos-S team reports: The target at the Banqiao Ward Notary Office experienced abnormal dissolution one minute ago, suspected to be self-destruction, status unknown."

"Maintain vigilance and alternately suppress the advance with firepower."

Amidst the smoke-filled ruins, the Talos soldiers, fully armored, resembled human fortresses.

Using specially made blast shields and buildings as cover, they moved cautiously in groups of three, covering each other, as they moved through the shadows of the collapsed buildings, surrounding a monster they had just been fighting.

At this point, it had melted like a candle, and what was originally seven or eight meters high was now just a few writhing lumps of flesh.

Under the barrage of bullets, the flesh disintegrated under the intense bombardment, leaving only a pool of foul-smelling, hot, and burnt filth, completely devoid of any signs of life.

Tokyo.

With the complete demise of Ashiya Dōman of Mount Fuji, all the monsters in the city that depended on his power gradually collapsed.

One by one, the attacks ceased abruptly, their limbs beginning to crumble uncontrollably, eventually turning into thick, sticky blood that seeped into the cracks between bricks or flowed into nauseating crevices, trickling down the messy streets.

The air around us smelled more than just foul; it had a pungent, choking odor. Even the dead would turn into tear gas and continue to wreak havoc, nearly suffocating the residents hiding nearby.

The enormous semi-circular shield that had recently covered half of Tokyo has now shrunk to the area of ​​Nerima Ward.

Although the remains of Mount Fuji are still spewing plumes of volcanic ash into the sky, the lava rain has at least stopped now that Ashiya Dōman, the core driving force, is gone.

The shield barely held the line, preventing it from shrinking further inward. Against the backdrop of the boundless gray sky, it resembled a blown-out bubble, ready to burst at any moment.

At the center of the shield, at the top of the Skytree, Muramasa Taki's face was completely bloodless, and his lips were dry, cracked, and peeling.

The guardian jade that had once flowed with vibrant green light in her heart now had almost completely lost its luster, with only a faint trace of emerald green swirling in the center of the jade, about to go out.

The city-protecting talisman could barely hold for a while, but she could also choose to remove it now to avoid exhausting her already dwindling energy.

She's done everything she can. Even if the shield remains in place, there's no threat of it falling. The biggest concern is the volcanic ash deposition in an hour or two.

She couldn't possibly hold on until then.

Moreover, it wasn't ordinary volcanic ash, but radioactive dust mixed with radiation.

Preliminary estimates suggest that the thickness of the subsidence in Tokyo could reach a terrifying 50 centimeters.

This level of dust will cover everything.

Crops will be completely destroyed; that's inevitable. Respiratory diseases and radiation sickness will spread like a plague, and the death toll will far exceed that of the famine in the Kanto region caused by the Hoei eruption. Not to mention the mudslides and floods that will inevitably follow—those are minor issues.

With the power grid paralyzed and a substation short-circuiting and catching fire, attempting repairs amidst widespread radiation is tantamount to suicide.

The drinking water source in Tokyo will be completely contaminated, and this most important region of Japan is about to slide into a desperate situation similar to a nuclear winter.

The Japanese government has absolutely no capacity to rescue tens of millions of people. All it can do is distribute rudimentary survival guides and meager emergency supplies to help the public fend for themselves.

The only good news is that the authorities had anticipated that Mount Fuji would erupt in the coming years, so they have some emergency reserves and plans in place.

Moreover, the smoke had been rising for almost ten days before the outbreak.

From a purely natural perspective, given the size of Mount Fuji, the maximum eruption level is unlikely to exceed VEI5, and the global impact would be minimal. It would not replicate the summerless year in the Northern Hemisphere caused by Mount Tambora. Basically, only Japan would suffer greatly, while neighboring countries would experience minor volcanic ash.

To draw an analogy, it's less intense than the eruption of the Tongan volcano, with only about one-tenth the energy.

Even so, the blow to Tokyo was devastating.

[Moon: Breaking news! The knights are all alive and have emerged from underground!]

[Zheng: Understood. Tokyo is in chaos from now on, so please protect yourself.]

[Moon: Don't worry, I'm not that weak]

Uesugi has returned to his apartment.

The residents of this building are lucky; neither the lava nor the monsters have caused any damage to the place.

In addition, she had stockpiled a large amount of food and bottled water the day before yesterday, enough to last her for a month.

Without electricity, the quality of life would plummet, and a disheveled and unkempt appearance would be inevitable.

It's unclear how long her savings will last. However, given the current situation in Tokyo, money is likely to depreciate significantly; food, water, and medical supplies are the real hard currency.

This situation reminded her of the game "This War of Mine" that she had played before.

The most urgent task is to find a way to contact family members to let them know I'm safe.

However, Tokyo's public communication network has been completely paralyzed. It is estimated that only the official and US military can maintain a few communication lines. It is obviously unrealistic to rely on mobile phones in the short term.

She was frowning at her phone, which had no signal at all, when the ground shook again.

Compared to the devastating earthquake that occurred when Mount Fuji collapsed, this tremor was much milder. However, what followed was not a rumbling sound, but a strange, muffled friction sound, as if something was breaking through the earth's surface.

Uesugi immediately pulled back the heavy blackout curtains and peered out through the dust-blurred glass window.

Her gaze quickly settled on a community square not far away.

There, the ground arches upwards, and soil and gravel slide down. Then, the outline of a stone statue slowly rises and grows taller.

It was a stone statue of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, about four or five meters tall, made of rough and ancient material. A warm and tranquil milky white light was emanating from within, softly spreading out.

Even from dozens of meters away, Uesugi could feel the warmth of the light, and her anxiety melted away like ice and snow, bringing her a rare moment of peace.

"What's going on?" she asked herself softly, feeling incredulous.

But could it be Ksitigarbha?
This stone burial site emerging from the ground is not an isolated case.

In Fujiyoshida City and Gotemba City, which were almost deserted due to evacuation or fire, in the city center, at almost the same time, stone statues of Jizo emerged from the ground and stood silently.

Even amidst the rubble of the ruins of Mount Fuji, not far from Nobita and his companions, accompanied by an even greater tremor, a larger Jizo statue, over ten meters tall, emerged from the ground, its stone surface also shimmering with a serene glow.

"The radiation... has decreased?"

Nobi was squatting beside the unconscious Hayato when a strange feeling of lightness suddenly flowed through his body, as if it had relieved him of some invisible stinging sensation that had been present since he arrived here.

Iwasaki didn't speak. The black mist suddenly exploded, turning into a thick, massive, ground-hugging dark cloud that instantly covered an area with a radius of nearly a hundred meters.

A few seconds later, the black mist contracted rapidly, condensing back into a physical Ringwraith form.

“It didn’t disappear.” Iwasaki pointed his sword at the center of the remains in the area of ​​Mount Fuji’s main body. “It was forcibly gathered by some force and drawn to that place, the location where Mount Fuji used to be.”

"Is this a good thing?"

Nobi wasn't sure, and tried to wake Hayato again, but there was still no response.

Iwasaki nodded slightly: "For the vast majority of ordinary people, it is indeed a good thing."

"This is a formation, isn't it? The Nine Formations of Ksitigarbha?" Nobita looked up at the stone statue. "Could it be left by the White-Clothed Mask? He has both the Crimson Demon Slayer and the Nine Formations of Ksitigarbha on his hands. Who exactly is he to Doman Akatsuki?"

“Perhaps.” Iwasaki casually changed the subject, his gaze sweeping over Hirosue Eri, who was standing blankly on the muddy ground not far away. “The island is still nearby. I need to take him back to Tokyo as soon as possible. You can handle things here.”

His words were not a question, but an announcement.

Nobita remained silent.

He himself was already at his limit, Hirosue Eri was in a weak state, but Reno was awake and was swaying and struggling to move towards them.

Iwasaki ignored Reno's approach, then flew into the air and disappeared into the volcanic ash. Nobita bent down to continue checking Hayato's condition, asking without looking up, "Mori, do you still have any holy spring water on you?"

Renault stopped and, without hesitation, reached into his pocket and pulled out the only two small crystal bottles he had, handing them over with a swift and decisive motion.

Nobita took the bottle, his movements pausing subconsciously, a hint of surprise flashing through his mind.

To be honest, he already knew that Renault's closeness and adoration for him were probably fake, and that he had ulterior motives.

The identification method is very simple, because you can't get any cards from him at all!

Even Uesugi, whom he had never met in real life, was able to provide him with a card. Given Reno's friendly demeanor, even if it was delayed, a bond should have been formed by now.

But no, so he realized that Renault was most likely faking it.

Therefore, Nobita never relaxed his vigilance against Renault, remaining outwardly calm but secretly on guard.

But now he's so readily handing over two bottles of holy spring water that could save lives?
It's simple, because he's already made a profit.

Surely you don't think he deliberately got injured while underground just to avoid fighting.

His true purpose was to take care of the injured and unconscious Hayato, using the guise of care to actually act as a vampire.

It was because Renault drained his life essence that Hayato is now unconscious and looks like he's dead.

He is the root cause of Hayato's current state of severe injury and near death.

Nobita pried open Hayato's mouth and fed him the first bottle of holy spring water.

The liquid slid down his throat, but Hayato's eyelids remained unmoved, and his vital signs remained weak. Nobi gritted his teeth and downed the second bottle, but the situation remained unchanged, showing no improvement.

This is a huge problem. None of the players have any healing abilities to save their lives. Nobita felt helpless.

Could I redeem it with points? But the points haven't been settled yet, and only the Life-Sustaining Pill and Body-Strengthening Pill are cheap in the game store; all other pills are ridiculously expensive.

Holy Spring Water is the most effective health potion they can currently obtain.

If none of these work, are we supposed to expect medical intervention?
Renault stood to the side, his eyes thoughtful.

It seems the aftereffects of having one's life essence drained are quite severe; even the holy spring water can't replenish it.
Left with no other option, Nobi had to urgently seek help from players via private messages to Uesugi and Taki.

[Zheng: You're saying Hirosue Eri was also there?]

[Zhi: Yes, she's in very poor condition, but she should be conscious. What's wrong?]

[Zheng: I suspect that Hayabusa might not want to live a nomadic life with you. He may have family, and he doesn't have the ability to conceal his identity. Now that his appearance has been exposed to the countermeasures department, they've probably already discovered his identity. Joining the government might be the best solution to save his life right now. The government has the ability to transfer him to a safe environment for treatment.]

[Satoshi: I'm worried about Hayabusa's own wishes.]

[The reality is staring you in the face: Tokyo's medical system is paralyzed. You're injured too, and in your condition, you're simply incapable of finding him a safe area and effective treatment. Should you let him die, or accept official protection and care? Since Hayabusa can't answer that now, the choice is yours, but the answer is obvious.]

[Zheng: Don't worry too much, I've got the countermeasures department covered. I'll try to look after Hayabusa. Besides, after this battle, the fact that we players have a way to communicate directly is no secret to the countermeasures department. They might only be one step away from confirming the existence of the game.]

[Zhi: Understood, thank you for your help]

[Zheng: I'm not bothering you, you're bothering Hirosue Eri. You need her help now.]

Nobita put away his communicator and silently took a breath of the dusty air.

"Sen, keep an eye on him."

Nobi whispered something to Reno, gesturing for him to look after Hayato. Reno nodded and silently sat down next to Hayato.

Nobi struggled to his feet, stepping on the gravel, and walked step by step toward Hirosue Eri, who was still sitting in a duck-like position.

As he got closer, he seemed to see a few wet drops fall from Eri's downcast cheeks, soaking the mud and stones beneath her.

Sensing someone approaching, Eri immediately turned her head slightly, quickly wiped her eyes with her hand, and asked in a calm voice, "What do you want?"

Nobita pretended not to have seen what had just happened and made a request.

Hopefully, she can bring Hayato along when the official team arrives so he can receive medical treatment.

"The support team should arrive soon. You can go now. I will truthfully inform the authorities that there are extraordinary beings here who need rescue." Yingli, still with her head tilted to the side, calmly agreed without refusing.

Nobita hesitated for a moment, but still sincerely said, "Thank you."

Then he turned and, together with Renault, staggered away from the edge of the battlefield that buried Mount Fuji and a millennium plan.

Only after the two figures had completely disappeared did Hirosue Eri slowly raise her head, and the tears she had been suppressing finally slid down her cheeks silently.

She hastily wiped away her tears with the back of her hand, gently clutched her heart, slowly stood up, walked to a spot not far from Hayato, and silently sat down.

Looking at the enormous Ksitigarbha statue in the distance, still radiating a soft glow, her mood seemed to calm down slightly.

She glanced at Hayato, who was unconscious beside her, then gently hugged her knees and curled up.

The sorrow of the forest continuously seeped into her heart.

It seems that the more she is assimilated by the power of the divine flower, the stronger her empathy for the forest becomes.

Looking at the arm, the seed roots on the wrist have already spread to the shoulder.

I don't know how much longer she can hold on.

Tuk-tuk-tuk.

A sound came from the sky, and a helicopter hovering at low altitude spotted Yingli on the ground. It hovered over a relatively flat patch of scorched earth nearby, then slowly descended, raising a cloud of dust.

They landed smoothly, and a group of bulky figures in airtight protective suits emerged.

Leading the group was Leon, whose signature confident stride was recognizable even through the thick mask.

He approached Eri and pointed to Hayato on the ground.

“He needs the best treatment,” Eri said.

Leon nodded, waved his hand, and had someone bring out a stretcher to take Hayato onto the helicopter.

Others, wearing the same protective suits but with different badges, surrounded the faintly glowing statue of Jizo.

Some people took out impressive-looking instruments and quickly scanned and recorded readings of the stone statue; others carefully touched the stone surface with small tools; still others were clearly interested in the deeper areas—the area that was once part of Mount Fuji itself—and took steps to venture further in.

Eri was unaware that radiation was being concentrated at the original site of Mount Fuji, but she instinctively sensed that the area was very uncomfortable.

“Don’t let him go in,” she said, her voice slightly hoarse. “It’s dangerous inside.”

Leon immediately agreed and had someone stop him.

“Minister,” a researcher carefully removed his hood, “just like in Tokyo, the radiation has disappeared.”

Leon didn't seem surprised; he simply nodded slightly.

His gaze passed over the busy researchers, through the dust kicked up by the helicopter landing, and finally landed on the stone statue.

Its benevolent face stands silently on the edge of the blackened remains of Mount Fuji, emitting a faint light against an endless expanse of darkness painted with volcanic ash.

Is this your mercy?

(End of this chapter)