The research facility had white outer wall. The Alpha squad was lining up along that wall with orderly formation. Bernard who was in the lead had his gaze fixed at the door that his subordinate was trying to break.
The other squads, Beta squad and Gamma squad were trying to infiltrate from other entrances. Each of those squads was accompanied by a clone of Kousuke.
Kousuke was vigilantly sensing his surrounding at the back of that formation while being aware of Emily who kept glancing at him with a complicated look.
「……Emily. I’m really not bothered, so Emily too don’t get bothered by it. Rather than that, focus your mind for now. Even though we are protecting you, that doesn’t mean it’s okay for you to not be careful okay?」
「Ye, yes. I’m sorry Kousuke.」
Actually, Emily was thinking that because she almost called Kousuke as Abyssgate just before he was about to jump from the helicopter, Kousuke accidentally fell down from the helicopter. Because of that she was a little down thinking that she had held the other back right away from the beginning.
Emily apologized right away when she got down from the helicopter, but Kousuke who had offhand knowledge that it was the easiest to get aimed at the moment when a helicopter was taking off or landing down was being busy acting vigilant at the surrounding, so he only replied「Aa, yeah, it’s fine」that sounded really curt.
Of course, he was also really didn’t mind, so his words sounded light coupled with that factor too, but from Emily’s viewpoint she felt that Kousuke’s words had different nuance. So to speak, for her it sounded like「Emily is the same with the other guys huh? Well, it doesn’t really matter though」.
As the result, Emily leaped at Kousuke. Kousuke was startled and he drew back, but Emily kept clinging at him while yelling things like「You are misunderstanding Kousuke! The bad one is the idiot troops of the security bureau! I just got unconsciously carried away by them, I actually wanted to call your name properly! Please, believe me Kousuke!」
In a site of a battle where a curbstomp play had just been performed, in a situation where they were surrounded by the special force troops around them, furthermore in a time where they were going to march into the enemy base after this, Emily-chan clung while imploring「Don’t hate me!」unashamedly. It seemed that her nerve had unexpectedly become thick and sturdy through the case this time.「Oi, Aby. We are going to charge in. Keep your flirting with your girlfriend for later.」
Bernard warned with an exasperated voice seeing the love comedy of the two that was completely lacking in tension (seen from the side) just before they broke in.
「Oi, captain-san. The way you call me get even friendlier huh. If you want to get along with me that much, it’s fine to call me Kousuke you know?」
「Is that so? Then you can also call me with my name you know, Aby.」
「……I absolutely not going to.」
The ignoring phenomenon occurred really naturally. It wasn’t like it was caused because of sarcasm, ill will, or teasing. Bernard was calling Kousuke as Aby with so much naturalness like a leaf that would fly if it was blown by the wind.
Beside Kousuke who was making a sour look, Emily who was called as “girlfriend” had red cheeks while her mouth was smiling broadly, she was also throwing a gaze that was mixed with slight jealousy to Bernard who called Kousuke with pet name Aby, even though it was Kousuke’s alias. She was busy with various things.
「……How envious. How jealous. Flirting with a cute girl in this kind of situation……damn Abyssgate.」
「Who do you think you are addressing without any honorific just now? I’m going to get rid of you while dressing it up as accident you know?」
Allen had a handkerchief that he took out from somewhere and bit on it while going ‘mukii!’. It seemed that he was considerably broken. In respond to such Allen, Vanessa was giving a warning with a voice that didn’t sound like a joke……as for her, surely she was already at a point of no return.
The troops including the captain who were emitting nervousness from preparing themselves with the possibility that they themselves might get infected with Berserk exchanged gaze at each other with wry smile seeing the exchanges of Kousuke and co.
「Captain, we can proceed.」
Bernard received the report from the troop that succeeded in unlocking the door and he used his radio. Both Beta squad and Gamma squad also returned affirmative signal for their breaking-in preparation.
Bernard started counting. Inside the tightly tensed atmosphere, the count――turned into zero.
「GO-!」
The troops were invading into the facility with fluentness like a flowing water from Bernard’s signal.
Emily was desperately following at the middle of the troops while being surrounded from three directions by Kousuke, Vanessa, and also Allen.
The safety confirmation「Clear」reported back through the radio from each squad.
The corridor was dim. It seemed that the place was only installed with fluorescence lamp for emergency use. The existence of Kousuke and co was known from the battle at the helicopter. Therefore the facility personnel must had already turned off the facility’s function and starting to escape.
The squad’s objective ranged from capturing to erasing the essential personnel that were important even among the staffs of this facility. And then, their most important duty was to not let the water supply got polluted by Berserk no matter what happened. There wouldn’t be any advantage for the enemy to spill the current version of Berserk, but the possibility of what these cornered people might do……it couldn’t be viewed optimistically.
Therefore, now that they had been detected, they had to suppress the whole facility swiftly. The troops were confirming their current position with a device in hand while advancing without hesitation inside the ominous facility without any human presence.
They could see the end of the corridor ahead. It seemed that the path became T-junction there.
It was at that time,
「Enemy-. At the front, they’re armed!」
「Spread out!」
Kousuke’s yell reverberated. Bernard gave instruction swiftly in a flash. The troops parted to left and right in a second and took cover behind pillar or room entrance. Kousuke also hugged Emily and dived behind a pillar.
Almost at the same time with that, *dadadadadada-* Consecutive gunshots were reverberating. Muzzle flashes blinked at the corridor ahead, at the next moment impacts ran on the wall and pillar where Kousuke and others were hiding and smashed up the surface.
It seemed that it was an ambush by human.
The reaction of the troops was also swift. They aimed toward the spot where muzzle flash was visible and began firing with polished accuracy.
「We cannot waste time in this kind of place! Jazz-, grenade!」
「Yes sir―!」
The troop called Jazz pointed the grenade launcher attached under his rifle muzzle and fired deep into the corridor. Right after that, heat wave blew through along with a fierce roaring sound.
「Go-, Go-, Go-!!」
Bernard’s command resounded while the wave of the explosion hadn’t ended yet. The troops were firing simultaneously while rushing deeper into the corridor. Their gun point was directed ahead at where the corridor was divided to left and right. In a moment they could see the figure of a man running away toward the corridor turn.
The following troops saw men collapsing on the ground, perhaps they were late to escape from the grenade explosion and crouched down. The men were groaning in pain, but right after that, they started to convulse. At that moment,
*tan-tan-tan-*
Gunshots echoed. The troops drilled the head of the men without hesitation.
「Clear」
「Clear」
The troops reported the confirmation of safety with calm voice. And then, as though nothing happened, the troops advanced forward once more with flowing movement toward the direction where they saw men escaping just before.
(……As expected, the real deal special force is amazing huh.)
Kousuke reflexively sent praise with a small voice. Vanessa beside him showed her affirmation with an expression that looked slightly proud.
(Naturally. They aren’t anything overwhelming like Kousuke-san, but the assault special force of security bureau is unmistakably elites. As long as their opponent isn’t a mass of absurdity, they wouldn’t fall behind that easily.)
As though to proof those words of Vanessa, the Alpha squad led by Bernard was exterminating the armed group lurking everywhere inside the facility to buy time, as though they were facing children. The squad kept advancing without stopping.
It seemed that the other squads were also the same from the report coming through the radio. There wasn’t also any report of someone injured. Kousuke who was sharing information through his clone bodies also understood how his clone bodies didn’t really need to do anything, so he once again felt for real the strength of the special force.
While they were advancing like that, Kousuke and co arrived into a spacious room. According to Kaysis’s data that they had downloaded before, this room should be the main research room.
As though to show that, there were several machineries that seemed for research use, incomprehensible items left around on a desk, and several personal computers here and there.
「Captain-san.」
「Aa, I know.」
Kousuke called with a small voice, to which Bernard nodded. He already finished giving out hand signs and the troops also aimed their gun to cover all blind spots.
「Yoo yoo, ain’t this the great elites of security bureau. Just what are you doing, standing around silently in this kind of place?」
The one who was saying such thing with joking mood was a frivolous man with a large scar on his cheek as his peculiarity, Weiss. Perhaps as the expression of his composure, he didn’t even touch the light machine gun hanging on his shoulder by a strap. Both his hands were raised up as though to show his surrender.
「……Weiss Ingram. I never thought that you are in this kind of place.」
Allen sighed with his gun pointed. When Vanessa asked with her gaze「Who?」, Allen said that he was an inhuman mercenary who some time ago was failed to be caught by Agent L from JD Agency and then went missing after that.
Hearing that, Bernard’s motivation to leave the man alive turned zero, and then was about to give erasure order in a snap.
「O, oi oi, wait a second. If you kill me, something disastrous will――」
「Fire-!」
Weiss was about to say something, but Bernard was merciless. He signaled the men to fire without compromise. Weiss jumped to the side without delay and countless bullets passed through the spot where he was just at a few moments ago.
Weiss hid behind a desk while cursing「This is why I hate the spoiled elites-」and sent instruction through his radio. The subordinates of Weiss who were hiding everywhere inside the room pulled their trigger toward the troops right away.
The troops immediately scattered to position where they could cover each other and began firing back to every directions. Kousuke was also starting his half Abyssgate transformation in the little chance some stray bullet would go to Emily while suppressing the enemy force.
「Shit-. That Kaysis bastard. The pay is not worth it at all for something like this! Oi-, old man! Not yet!? We cannot hold on any longer here!」
「――」
Weiss threw an angry yell while firing back with his light machine gun. Right after that, a man was crawling out on all fours from the shadow of a desk located deeper in the room. It seemed that the man was crouching because he couldn’t move due to the intensity of the gunfight.
Weiss who saw that clicked his tongue and took out a smartphone from his breast pocket, and without hesitation he pushed on one of the buttons lighting the screen. When he did that, a scream immediately surged.
「My bad. Die for my sake a bit.」
The button Weiss pushed was the detonator for the【Berserk】that he made his subordinates drunk.
Naturally, Weiss’s subordinates knew the true nature of the thing they were made to drink. They knew yet they drunk that kind of thing. If they were asked why, it wasn’t because of loyalty but because of fear. Simply because if they didn’t drink it then they would be killed by their boss Weiss. That fear allowed them to take the drug even knowing the true identity of the drug.
Because in Weiss’s mind he didn’t think that he would be able to escape while leading all his subordinates, he made this inhumanly ruthless decision. He made everyone except his close aides and useful subordinates to take in the drug.
「Chih. All troops, concentrate at the berserkers! Don’t get hit by any splash!」
Bernard’s order was given, at the same time Kousuke began to deal with the berserkers. He didn’t neglect guarding Emily, but there were Vanessa and Allen beside her. It was Danessa-san who recently only showed her unfortunate side, but her strength was an authentic one.
After all, by herself she protected Emily from the dozens of pursuer led by Kimberly while being isolated and helpless, she was a formidable fighter that could overcome even a berserker if it was one-on-one with leeway to spare.
As for Allen, it went without saying. he was a murder specialist that could take on at the same time several berserkers that were the primary source of infection who got dashed with the undiluted solution of【Berserk】. Even now he wasn’t letting any enemy getting nearby by means of martial arts that looked like Gun-Kata using two handguns resembling a certain demon king.
But, even so, in this kind of situation where they were surrounded by berserkers from all directions, and it was at a range this close, it couldn’t help that the attention would be directed to that way……
「Ah」
Emily unconsciously raised her voice. Ahead of her gaze there was Weiss who was trying to get out of the room quickly where right now he was opening the door, and a man in lab coat who got his collar grabbed by Weiss before he got thrown into the place behind the door.
Kousuke lopped off the head of a berserker, and then he was about to set forth to capture Weiss――just before he could do that,
「Then, sayonara everyone. Please enjoy your welcoming party until the end no matter what.」
Saying that, Weiss pushed the smartphone button and the solid door closed loudly.
It was unclear just what his reason of pushing the button was. But that reason was immediately turned clear.
「Guruurururururu」
A low growling voice resounded between the gunshots.
「Captain-san! The door deeper inside!」
「-, oi oi, what’s that……」
Kousuke was pointing ahead. There, the door that was at the wall on the opposite side of the door Weiss and others went through was being opened before they knew it. And then, Bernard stiffened reflexively when he saw the thing coming out from there.
The thing coming out from there, was a large body that might reach two meters in length――a beast. Its appearance looked like a cat. It had lean limbs and a tail swaying relaxedly. However, it had a large body that couldn’t be found anywhere on earth. Its eyes were bloodshot, and saliva was dripping down from its mouth.
From behind that beast, there were also things that weren’t cat, but they were also enlarged beasts that looked hungry without any sanity. There were dogs, mouses, and also monkeys. Every one of them was literally a monster.
「I see. There is no reason to not use Berserk on animal. And this place is a research facility. It will be stranger instead if there is no animal as guinea pig……」
Bernard muttered that with a disgusted expression. He then gave instruction to his subordinates and they rearranged their formation. But, at the same time there were angry yells resounding from the radio. It came from Beta squad and Gamma squad. It seemed that at their side they also encountered berserk animals.
Thanks to Kousuke’s clone, currently there wasn’t any troop who became unable to fight, but they didn’t seem to be in the situation where they could link up with each other soon.
「It can’t be helped. We don’t know how many of this things there are, but I’ll clear――」
「No, Aby. You go chase Ingram and others together with Doctor Grant.」
Kousuke who was in Abyssgate transformation once more was about to take on the berserk animals――the Berserk Beasts. But Bernard stopped him.
Kousuke reflexively turned an expression of disbelief「Are you sane?」to Bernard. Bernard gave a glance to such Kousuke before throwing a flashbang and tear-gas grenade. If they were animal, then even if they were turned mad, they might falter a bit in front of objects that intensely stimulated their sight and smell. That was Bernard’s thinking but……
Unexpectedly, it seemed that his thinking was right on the mark, The Berserk Beasts didn’t falter, but they leaped back greatly.
Bernard was including that useful information into the tactic inside his head while he spoke to Kousuke using the time he bought.
「Both Ingram and that man he took away are both preys that cannot be allowed to escape. We don’t know what kind of escape method they has prepared, on top of that we cannot let they buy any time. Besides, there won’t be any meaning of you taking the girl here if they get away isn’t it?」
Bernard said that with a smile. His gaze turned toward Emily who was desperately looking at the situation around even while he was turning small with both her hands holding her head.
It was exactly as Bernard said. The reason they picked this place from among the places that should be suppressed was for Emily’s sake. Emily herself knew that she was asking for something selfish, even so she earnestly requested and arrived here. It wasn’t for the sake of the world or even for the sake of the security bureau. It was for the sake of Emily that he came here. It was none other than Kousuke who declared that.
Kousuke looked at Bernard once again. The berserkers around had mostly been dealt by the troops, even so if they had to face the Berserk Beasts then it would be a struggle between life and death for them.
But, the gaze that Bernard returned to Kousuke contained not even a shred of hesitation or fear. He would give his all for the sake of doing what must be done. There was only the resolve as a professional in his gaze.
「I’ll send my clones here quickly when they finish taking care the guys at the other places. Don’t be reckless and focus on buying time.」
「That’s really reassuring. If it’s just buying time it will be too simple that I might let my guard down unconsciously.」
Bernard smiled fearlessly. Kousuke also returned back a fearless smile while he helped Emily stood up.
「Bernard. You are a good guy.」
「You notice it this late? You are unexpectedly slow huh, Aby.」
Saying that, Kousuke and Bernard thrust their fist at each other. For some reason Vanessa’s eyes were sparkling at the exchange of manly smile between the two, but they ignored it for now.
Kousuke pulled at Emily’s hand and broke into a run right away. Vanessa and Allen were also following behind.
At the same time, the Berserk Beasts might instinctually hate letting their prey got away more than feeling disgusted toward the tear gas. They all rushed off toward the four.
「Don’t let them hinder Aby and others-!」
The troops laid out a barrage following Bernard’s order. The berserk beasts were blown away to the side and made to be unable to stop the charge of Kousuke and co.
Using that opening, Kousuke was able to reach the door where Weiss went into. Kousuke opened the door while he looked at Bernard and the troops who were facing the berserk beasts who had changed target.
Seeing Kousuke and others stopped moving and looking here, Bernard yelled angrily.
「Don’t mind us, just go quickly-! Heh, no need to worry, we are going to catch up with you guys soon.」
「Wai-, stupid-! Just why did you say that just now!?」
The speech of Bernard that was said with a fearless smile caused Kousuke to make a retort. Just how could Bernard say that kind of lovely speech in this critical hour? There was no way Bernard who wasn’t an otaku was running a joke here, which made that speech sounded excessively ominous.
But, in a perfect form Bernard added more lovely flag as though he was being possessed in this critical hour.
「Aby! Let’s get some beer when this case is over!」
「Stop it already! In the battlefield,『When I go home~』type of speech is something that mustn’t be said the most!」
Of course, Kousuke’s words were ignored so naturally it was unnatural like usual.
「Doctor Grant! There is one thing I want to say to you along with my subordinates if we can meet again later! Will you hear it then!?」
「Eh? Ye, yes! It’s a promise!」
「That’s why stop ittt! Emily too don’t reply back! It’s seriously not funny at allll!」
‘As expected, perhaps it was better that I remain here.’ Kousuke thought so, but right after that, one of the berserk beasts approached Kousuke and co. But because Allen pulled in the other three into the door’s other side while saying「Please hurry!」, the beast didn’t manage to get near.
The solid door was closed, and in the end the sight of Bernard giving them a thumb up with a nice smile was seared into their brain.
The door was dented then from the tackle of the berserk beast, after that the sound of gunshot resounded *gan gan gan*.
「Now, let’ stop standing idly here and proceed!」
Vanessa and Emily stood up from Allen’s words. Kousuke also stood up with a speechless expression.
Like that, Kousuke and co started running deeper into the corridor. Vanessa suddenly whispered.
「What a sorrowful affair.」
「You are annoying!」
Kousuke’s retort exploded toward that extremely imprudent line. *bachikon* Vanessa’s head was struck with such sound while Emily and Allen were bewildered at that incomprehensible act of the two. Kousuke then prayed.
「Bernard. I’ll send help there as soon as possible so seriously, don’t die.」
For some reason, the figure of Bernard giving a thumb up with a nice smile couldn’t vanish from Kousuke’s mind.
AN: Thank you very much for reading this every time.
Thank you very much too for the thoughts, opinions, and reports about misspelling and omitted words.
I don’t have writing time at all with 7 days of continuous working, but this chapter made it in time somehow with just a bit of lateness……but I’m sorry for the lateness.
Next chapter will be the climax.
The next update will be at 6 P.M Saturday too.
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