My youth story cannot be a knight war

[I have held onto this most precious privilege in the world until the final deadline to change my fate has passed, and it all becomes meaningless.]

【This is... such a stupid and hateful mistake. 】

One of the most regrettable mistakes in this world is when a tragedy could have been reversed, but the opportunity was lost due to an inadvertent mistake. Now that everything has become a foregone conclusion, she, having lost her qualifications, can no longer change the fate that was destined to come.

The unprecedented remorse and pain in her life caused Yukinoshita Yukino's thin body to tremble slightly. She bit her pale lips tightly, her eyes dim and lifeless, just like the sudden light outside the window could not illuminate the darkness in her eyes.

The sky outside the window was pitch black, a rainbow-like aurora drifting across the sky. She clenched her hands, resting flat on her skirt, and raised her head slightly to look across the table. There, a photo framed with the group photo of the service club was nestled inside.

In that photo, everyone who was frozen in my memory looked their best. Fate hadn't yet visited, and everyone was smiling. That smile was captivating.

Reaching out to take the photo, her pale fingers caressed the two boys next to the girls, brushing against the white-haired boy's brilliant smile. Looking at the former Zaimokuza in the photo, Yukinoshita's body trembled violently, even the sound remained the same.

【"sorry……"】

【“Zaimokuza-san.”】

[Glistening tears fell on Zaimokuza's smiling face in the photo. The ice that had always existed in the depths of his dark blue eyes broke at this moment, turning into icy snow and flowing out.]

Yukinoshita Yukino cried, and her sobs gradually filled the office, unable to stop.

The scene gradually dimmed as the light curtain went out, and two white characters slowly emerged in the darkness. The two characters were pale and colorless, giving people the impression that they were nameless white flowers blooming on the ruins.

【"Return to the Ruins"】

5. The Beginning of "Guixu"

"This is……"

Looking at the weeping Yukinoshita Yukino on the screen, Kousaka Kyosuke suddenly felt a pang in his heart. At this moment, he remembered himself appearing on the screen at the beginning of the second chapter.

That distraught figure still left him with an indescribable pain. Kousaka also found it hard to imagine what kind of blow could have caused a man who wasn't even afraid of death to show that expression. That genuine sadness and desolation were not false, but it was something that shouldn't have appeared on the face of "Kousaka Kyousuke."

"Could it be that... it's really..."

He clutched the quilt in front of him tightly, feeling a strong sense of foreboding like deep black well water starting from the soles of his feet and slowly drowning his body.

But just as Kousaka was thinking, the dark light curtain lit up again, and the two white characters disappeared like dust.

"Guixu" is said to be a bottomless valley in the ocean, where all waters converge. It also serves as a metaphor for...

The end and destination of things.

【Tokyo, Toshima-ku, Ikebukuro Station. 】

10:25 AM

Today is Saturday, and after five long days, both students and office workers finally get two days of meager vacation time. Especially since Ikebukuro Station is so close to the shopping district, considering Tokyo's pedestrian flow, the flow of people in and out of Ikebukuro Station these past two days is nothing short of incredible.

But at this moment, the area around Ikebukuro Station, where many commercial streets had just opened, was as quiet as a dark alley. Looking around, there was not a single person standing on any of the streets. The cold wind blew through the streets, stirring up fallen leaves and dust. The scene looked remarkably like Chernobyl after a nuclear meltdown, embodying the atmosphere of a forest of steel buildings after the disappearance of humanity.

Beneath this silence, a chilling, solemn atmosphere silently permeated the area surrounding the Ikebukuro Station exit. This murderous intent was like a lance-headed viper crawling across a ground covered in identically colored dead leaves. Though indecipherable to the naked eye, the overwhelming sense of danger was enough to send shivers down anyone's spine who ventured near Ikebukuro Station. Its repelling effect was almost like the "enchantment" of feudal superstition.

The current silence at Ikebukuro Station is merely a facade. If someone were to use a thermal imaging device and stand at the station exit and survey all the surrounding buildings, they would be shocked to see on the display screen a dense mass of hot, red humanoid figures swarming through this steel jungle.

Hundreds, perhaps even thousands, filled the surrounding buildings, yet not a single sound was heard. This display proved their thorough training. Countless guns of varying calibers peeked out from their concealed positions. These weapons, representing the pinnacle of human lethality, were all pointed in the same direction—the exit of Ikebukuro Station.

The infrared light used for aiming guns flickered in the flowers planted near the exit, like red ladybugs flitting among the blossoms. Each red dot represented a bullet that might be about to be fired. The sheer density of these dots was a boon for those with trypophobia.

What a terrifying encirclement this was, like a swarm of spiders weaving a dense, rain-like web, quietly waiting for their prey to enter the confines of their webs. Then, all the spiders bared their venomous fangs and swarmed out, tearing the prey to shreds in an instant. Even throughout the history of terrorists worldwide, few have ever received such treatment, and it only occurs in large-scale modern wars.

However, everyone involved in this operation knew that they weren't here to eliminate a single terrorist or a criminal group. This time, there was only one goal, but it was one that no one with information about the other party dared to underestimate.

Just two hours earlier, several blocks away in Shibuya Ward, near Daidai Uehara Station, the enemy had committed a staggering massacre. They drove several trucks into an entire underground shopping mall, blocking its exits and killing over 1,200 people. They then proceeded to slaughter all the police officers who had rushed to intervene. They displayed remarkable combat prowess, even physically withstanding several rockets fired by the police on the scene, using special permission from the Metropolitan Police Department's top brass, without sustaining a single injury. The price they paid was the destruction of an entire street in Shinjuku Ward.

[And yet, this wasn't the end of it. Just an hour ago, the attackers repeated their tactics near Shibuya Station in the same area. The combined number of victims from these two incidents has now approached the 3,000 mark. Upon hearing this news, the Superintendent, already traumatized by the Sotoba Village incident, threw his head back, spat out a mouthful of thick, fishy blood, and collapsed to the ground in front of all his subordinates. He was rushed to the same hospital for treatment.]

The Superintendent, having been revived, was filled with unprecedented despair, knowing he was destined to step down. He had taken over shortly before the "Kurogaku No. 0" incident, and had been full of ambition, only to be confronted with the Gurongi resurrection. This caused Tokyo's public security to plummet, and from then on, it would only get worse.

Over the past year, Tokyo residents have truly lived in dire straits, as the media has consistently portrayed. The nickname "Tokyo's PUBG" has even become internationally famous. Residents have been relocating for safety, while capital has been withdrawn. Tokyo's GDP and public safety have reached postwar lows. To maintain his position, the Superintendent has held countless press conferences, created countless scapegoats, and mobilized every available connection to avoid becoming the shortest-serving Superintendent in history.

However, resources eventually run out. To avoid shouldering his share of responsibility for the staggering losses caused by the Outer Village incident, the Superintendent had already mobilized all of his remaining connections and resources. He had managed to suppress the calls for his resignation, but his remaining financial resources had also been drained.

Less than a month later, Incidents 35 and 36 gave him another huge surprise. The death toll from these two incidents exceeded 6,000, and all of them occurred within the area under his jurisdiction... It's easy to imagine the extent to which the previously suppressed public resentment has now boiled over.

But the Superintendent has run out of tricks. Everyone who could have taken the blame for him has already been ousted, and his connections are even more devastating. It's safe to say his downfall was inevitable. His name will go down in history as the "Superintendent with the shortest tenure in Metropolitan Police Department history," and that tenure wasn't even a year long.

The Superintendent, already a master of politics, naturally understood this, so upon waking up, he went completely mad, his deep hatred for Gurongi driving him nearly insane. Determined to drag someone down with him even if he died, he took advantage of his remaining position to grant supreme authority to the Unidentified Lifeform Countermeasures Headquarters, the agency responsible for this incident.

[——As long as they can eliminate the unidentified life form No. 36 that caused this bloody incident, they will receive any support they want! We have all the manpower and material resources! Even missiles can be obtained for you!]

[Now granted what amounted to unfettered authority, the Investigation Headquarters didn't hesitate and immediately conducted an urgent analysis of the target. After discovering that the enemy's targets and scope of operations were concentrated in the subways and nearby shopping streets throughout the city, the Countermeasures Headquarters made a bold decision.]

Using the privileges granted by the current Superintendent General, they ordered the suspension of all subway services in Tokyo for a day and the closure of all nearby shopping streets, leaving only one location open. This wasn't the end of the matter. Based on their understanding of the Gurongi's character, the Countermeasures Headquarters even went so far as to directly utilize the media, broadcasting the location of this location to the entire city. This open subway station was now Ikebukuro Station, and a dragnet had been set up. The hunters descended deep underground, awaiting the arrival of the ferocious beast following the sound.

This behavior is a blatant provocation, not even the slightest bit disguised. It's practically the opposite of directly calling out names on the radio: We've set a trap here, and we're waiting for you to die.

Even an elementary school child could see that this was a trap, yet it actually worked. The arrogant No. 36 accepted the police's low-brow provocation without hesitation.

Although many mysteries remain regarding the Gurongi, after nearly a year of interaction, the police have developed a fairly accurate understanding of their dispositions. Aside from unusual circumstances, they always act alone, and when faced with provocation, they never choose to humiliate or flee. They will charge forward without hesitation, even in the face of danger.

As expected, Number 36 had swaggered directly towards Ikebukuro Station. With its intelligence, it undoubtedly knew this was a trap, but it didn't care. About five minutes ago, in front of all the ambushers, it strode into the Ikebukuro Station entrance, walking into the trap set for it by the hunters. Its words and actions betrayed a deep sense of disdain, as well as a deep sense of arrogance and self-confidence.

[And based on the length of the underground street, it should have already connected with the hunter waiting at the innermost part.]

As expected, a powerful tremor suddenly spread outward from the entrance of Ikebukuro Station, causing the surrounding buildings to tremble slightly. Japan is located in a seismic zone, and to adapt to the constant earthquakes, the buildings here have been specially designed.

As the vibrations traveled from the ground to the buildings, the top floors of all the surrounding tall buildings began to shake. The amplitude gradually increased from slight at first to noticeable, and finally, with a loud bang, they trembled violently before stopping.

A massive explosion erupted at the entrance of Ikebukuro Station. Amidst the flames and thick smoke, a figure leaped out, tumbling until it collided with a fire hydrant. The immense force of the impact bent the hydrant, and the top exploded under the pressure of the gushing water, sending a column of clear water shooting skyward.

【"Woo..."】

Zaimokuza groaned in pain, his body hunched over, his hands clutching his left chest. Under the rush of water behind him, a diamond-shaped indentation could be vaguely seen through the gaps between his fingers. The red armor of his all-mighty form was completely sunken, and scarlet blood flowed out of the indentation along with a hot white mist.

Before he could even stand, another sharp explosion echoed from the white smoke filling the entrance of Ikebukuro Station. Another dark figure flew out, striking Zaimokuza squarely. The fire hydrant behind them, struck a second time, snapping at its base. The immense force sent both men flying low, only to crash into the wall of the shopping mall across the street.

A huge circular dent formed in the wall that had been struck, and Zaimokuza, who had been used as a cushion, was half submerged in it. A cloud of blood sprayed from his open mouth as he struggled to hold onto the body pressing down on him.

"Mr. Kousaka, are you okay...?"

“Ah, probably…”

The figure sent flying was none other than Kousaka Kyousuke. A diamond-shaped dent was also left on his chest, and each hand held a broken staff. The irregular fractures also emitted a hot, white mist. Anyone witnessing this scene could easily imagine Kousaka raising his staff to block the incoming attack, but the terrifying force instantly shattered the blocking weapon. Then, the incredibly powerful blow slammed into his chest, the immense force instantly shattering his defenses.

Footsteps, heavy as the sound of rolling wheels, echoed through the dense fog. The smoke and flames quickly dissipated under the jet of water from the burst fire hydrant. The firefighting effect was far superior to that of the corridor-mounted fire hydrants, which couldn't even generate enough water pressure.

A tall figure gradually emerged into view, matching the sound of footsteps. A pair of sharp horns gleamed with the cold light and patterns of steel, akin to refined steel. Scorching white steam, as hot as an engine's, gushed from either side of its open mouth. A pair of red and purple eyes loomed in the mist, and a tiny flame quietly burned on the massive hammer in its hand.

【Go-Baberu-Da·Primary Body·Elemental Fusion (Earth, Fire)】

"Damn it... This guy, like No. 35, can harness two different powers while maintaining his human form!"

The two of them stood up, Kosaka clutching his chest, feeling the turmoil within him, and spoke through gritted teeth. Zaimokuza nodded, his gaze fixed on the approaching Baberu.

"What should we do, Mr. Kousaka? We can't defeat him with the power we're putting in right now, but if we use all our strength in the city..."

Kosaka was well aware of what Zaimokuza hadn't said. If the two of them went all out, they could indeed defeat No. 36, but the price would be that the Toshima district would be completely destroyed in the aftermath of the battle.

"No matter what, we must find a way to get No. 36 out of Tokyo."

Kosaka broke free from Kaizaimokuza's support and reached out to pull out the purple crystal card from his card holder, speaking coldly.

"The impact of the previous incident in Banqiao District hasn't been fully addressed yet. We absolutely cannot allow Toshima District to suffer the same fate... Otherwise, the subsequent wave of unemployment and riots would be no less destructive than the carnage they've already caused."

"But there are always two sides to every coin. While starting a war in a city can lead to timidity, it's also not without its advantages—"

Kosaka folded his other hand's thumb into his palm, then suddenly raised it, pointing it at Baberu as he approached. His shout echoed throughout the sky above Ikebukuro Station.

[“Because we are not fighting alone now!”]

[At this moment, a series of gunshots rang out from the surrounding buildings. Countless bullets were fired at Baberu from all directions. After hitting the opponent's body, faint sparks flew and then fell down. The crisp sound was like the accompaniment of a fast-paced rock music.]

[For a Gurongi of its level, ordinary thermal weapons, even bullets from heavy sniper rifles, are completely ineffective. The hardness of its skin alone is comparable to the aviation materials used to make rocket shells, and the muscle structure beneath its skin is completely beyond human understanding of biology. These bullets, which can shatter a living person into pieces in milliseconds, are not completely ineffective, but they are no different from a normal massage for ordinary people.]

【“~”】

Baberu continued to advance without stopping, crushing all the bullet casings into brass pieces with his hard paws. He looked at the two men standing in front of him, their battle gear in place, and a puff of white steam of disdain emanated from his nose.

[Kousaka is of course aware of this. He can do the same thing right now, so he certainly doesn't expect these bullets to cause any damage to it.]

[His real purpose was never to hurt the other person, but to—to distract the other person!]

Another bullet was fired at Baberu's head. He sensed the incoming attack, but made no attempt to dodge, allowing himself to be hit without moving or avoiding it.

A sudden burst of white mist erupted at Baberu's head, enveloping him even as he was within arm's reach. An extremely pungent chemical odor surged from Baberu's mouth and nose. Caught off guard, he inhaled a large gulp, feeling a slight dizziness.

This aerosol bomb was developed by Ebina Hime specifically to target Gurongis. While the Gurongis' body structure is almost unique to each member, and a method that works for one Gurongi might not work for the next, they all share a commonality.

[That is, they are ultimately living creatures on this planet, just like all other creatures. Even if the Gurongi can survive for countless years in a seal without any energy supply, they still need to absorb oxygen like other life forms on Earth if they want to move.]

With this in mind, Ebina developed this special aerosol bullet. This bullet isn't cheap, but it's packed with a concentrated gas with properties similar to those of a neurotomist. Upon impact, it explodes, causing the victim to inhale a large amount of the gas through close contact. According to the computer's calculations, this concentration of gas is nearly fatal against low-level Gurongi. Even high-level Gurongi wouldn't feel well if caught carelessly.

[All the bullets fired before were to relax and paralyze the opponent's vigilance, but this bullet is the real killer move! ]

【“!?”】

Baberu hadn't expected such a sudden change from the attacks he'd previously dismissed. He stumbled back a few steps, quickly blocking his sense of smell.

At the same time, the massive amount of gas released by the aerosol bomb completely enveloped the surrounding area, causing Baberu to lose sight of Zaimokuza and Kousaka. Realizing he'd been tricked, he felt a rush of blood rushing to his head, and two thick jets of air erupted from his nostrils. This scene seemed to be consistent with the species his Gurongi form resembled.

[“Damn it! How dare you try to be clever with me—”]

Baberu angrily raised his giant hammer, ready to slam it down on the ground to vent his anger. But just as he raised it above his head, a towering figure burst through the mist and pounced on Baberu's back. With a roar, the golden blade of his sword slashed down towards his neck!

[“Oh my god!!!”]

6. Changes in the War Situation (5k)

[“Hmph~”]

A cold snort echoed in the air, filled with indifference and disdain, causing the air temperature to drop by several degrees, and then the blazing flames ignited it again.

The greatsword was less than half a meter away from Baberu's head as it emerged from the mist. At this distance, it would have struck in less than a second. However, Baberu, clad in armor and with a massive build, displayed astonishing speed that was completely inconsistent with his size.

As if time itself were being stretched out, Baberu spun at a speed nearly ten times faster than Zaimokuza's. He swept his raised hammer to the left, the flame-wrapped hammer swirling in midair, creating a dazzling ring of fire. The tip of the hammer, with its several spikes protruding from it, struck the greatsword that was swinging towards him, striking first.

The giant hammer struck the side of the greatsword. Hammers naturally have a counteractive effect on swords. The powerful force was transmitted to the weapon through the muscular arms. The moment the hammer struck the blade, the greatsword's blade visibly bent, and a mournful wail echoed from the blade.

The sword blade was directly broken by the giant hammer in the dazzling firelight. The hammer missed Zaimokuza's face by a hair's breadth. His purple compound eyes felt a blazing heat coming from the front. He almost instinctively tilted his head back to avoid it, but Zaimokuza forcibly suppressed the urge.

Another cold light illuminates Baberu's face. Zaimokuza's hand, placed behind his back, strikes out with a bang, holding another Titan sword! The previous attack was just a pretense!

The sword thrust forward into Baberu's face, but just as the tip was about to pierce its eyeball, a raised hammer struck the lower end of the blade from below. The Titan Sword, struck by the impact, thrust upwards, rubbing against Baberu's horns, sparking sparks before it missed.

[All of this happened in less than a second, the footsteps of death dancing back and forth over the two of them, finally coming to a helpless halt.]

"Is that all? KUUGA!"

Baberu roared loudly, his blood and fighting spirit ignited by this brief encounter, his fighting spirit surging. Zaimokuza, whose attack was blocked, remained silent. After seeing his sword blocked, he made a surprising decision.

The two Titan swords fell to the ground from their loosened grip, their blades twisting back into two broken pieces of railings. Zaimokuza opened his hands and grasped the huge hammer held horizontally in front of Baberu. Then he twisted his body and locked his arms with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu techniques, blocking all offensive capabilities!

The second after he finished all this, another violent gust of wind roared from the dense fog behind Baberu. Kousaka Kyousuke, wielding another greatsword, broke through the fog, covered in heavy armor, and roared as he slashed down! The air and white mist entwined around the blade along the torn path, aiming for Baberu's neck like a cloud line!

Gulkiller One Titans Form

[G1 Titan Slayer]

This was an extremely meticulous combination of techniques and a killer move. Kousaka and Zaimokuza had practiced this technique many times in private, alternating between offense and defense. Through repeated practice, they had become incredibly skilled, leaving no openings or gaps for the enemy to exploit between moves. One of them was responsible for blocking the enemy's ability to move, while the other seized the opportunity to deliver the killer move.

This combination of skills is very simple, but precisely because of its simplicity, it is pure, and because of its purity, it is powerful. In the past, less than five Gurongi could react in time to block this combination of skills, and in their imagination, they were all able to block it only with special methods. None of them could be resolved with simple combat skills.

【——But the enemy they faced this time, Baberu, happened to not be among them.】

Because it is no ordinary Gurongi, it is a top-tier existence even among the entire "GO" group of players. Long before it acquired its current abilities, Baberu was already able to transform on its own, a feat that other members of its kind could not achieve.

[In ancient times, Baberu was already a renowned warrior ghost throughout the Gurongi clan. His strength was honed through countless trials and tribulations, and all his skills were forged through life-or-death battles. Even in the entire history of the Gurongi clan, Baberu's combat skills would undoubtedly rank among the top five warriors!]

Facing a lethal attack from behind, Baberu showed no sign of panic. In this brief moment, he smiled at Zaimokuza in front of him, his laughter filled with extreme sarcasm.

Its body shifted sideways, its head dodging the falling sword, and it unexpectedly met the sword's edge with its shoulder armor.

The Titan Demon Slayer slashed at the shoulder armor, a molten light like forging iron. The protruding bone horns on the shoulder armor lifted and bent, connecting with the shoulder armor to form a primitive shackle, tightly clamping the greatsword. The side of the blade and the tip of the bone horns rubbed against each other, producing dazzling sparks.

【"What!?"】