Chapter 71: Pitiful Souls (BONUS)
That evening.
Tokyo, Tendo Mansion.
"Heya~!"
Yuuko drifted along the street with a bundle of explosives in her hands.
However, due to her ghost form, no one could see her.
Even the items she touched remained invisible to the public.
Above the Tendo residence.
Yuuko hovered, gesturing in a specific direction.
Then, she began her Devil Transformation.
Extreme Ghost Mode!
In short, it allowed her to freely shift between visible and invisible states.
"Hi~!"
She waved at the Tendo family members strolling through the courtyard and greeted them.
For a moment, the startled family members stopped in their tracks, looking around in confusion.
"It's up there!"
They immediately looked up.
And their eyes widened in horror at the sight of Yuuko floating in the air.
"W-What is that?!"
"A human… floating?!"
Panic broke out across the Tendo household.
"Quiet."
An old man stepped out of the mansion.
The moment he saw Yuuko, his pupils contracted sharply.
A Cursed Child?
Judging by her eye color, he could tell.
A previously undocumented strain of Gastrea virus?
Wasn't it said that the avian-type Gastrea couldn't produce offspring?
Did the experiments already reach that stage?
But more importantly.
Why had she come to the Tendo residence?
The old man was apprehensive, but maintained composure.
He stepped forward and asked calmly, "Young lady, what can we do for you?"
Yuuko blinked, then looked around. Not seeing her target, she asked, "Tendo Kikunojou… that's his name, right?"
She's looking for the head of the family?!
Yuuko suddenly pulled the explosives from behind her, making the old man's eyelids twitch in alarm.
"Wait—!"
Just as he was about to stop her, he heard Yuuko's cheerful voice:
"Returning this to the original owner!"
BOOM!!
Flames erupted and swallowed the night!
A violent explosion echoed across the Tokyo skyline!
Yuuko clapped in midair.
"Done~ Mission complete!"
For her, as a [Ghost Devil], this kind of job was nothing.
She floated around the wreckage of the Tendo estate, confirming that no one remained alive.
Then drifted back to the clan residence.
---
Seitenshi's Bedroom.
Seitenshi stood in front of the French windows, quietly staring in the direction of the Tendo estate.
The moment Yuuko asked for the address of the Tendo residence in the group, she had already expected the outcome.
She sighed softly.
"Why would you provoke a devil…?"
However.
Tendo Kikunojou had already gone to Osaka.
He barely escaped.
She wondered what kind of expression he'd wear when he returned.
---
The next day.
Major news shook Tokyo!
The Tendo estate had been bombed overnight!
No one from the household survived!
Only Kikunojou and a few family members accompanying him to Osaka managed to escape.
---
Tendo Civil Security Corporation.
Kisara held the morning paper in trembling hands, her body spasming as laughter spilled from her lips.
"Ha… Haha… HAHAHAHA!!"
Her laughter turned increasingly deranged.
"The once-proud Tendo family… reduced to rubble!"
"Tendo Kikunojou, you old bastard! Did you ever think there'd be a day like this?! Hahahaha!!"
"…Shame you managed to get away."
"But next time, I'll come greet you with a blade in hand."
Knock knock!
Suddenly.
The office door was knocked.
Kisara suppressed her hysteria slightly.
"…Come in."
Swish!
As soon as the words left her mouth, the door swung open.
Satomi Rentaro entered, a grim expression on his face.
Seeing him, Kisara narrowed her eyes and sneered, "Well, well. If it isn't the big-shot politician. What brings you here today?"
She never got along with Rentaro.
Because he was Tendo Kikunojou's adopted son.
And she.
She despised the Tendo family.
Rentaro slammed the newspaper down on Kisara's desk and said coldly, "Miss Kisara, that explosion at the Tendo estate."
"It was clearly orchestrated!"
"As a member of the Tendo family, please come with me to uncover the truth!"
"I swear, I'll bring the culprit to justice!"
His tone was firm and righteous.
He wanted to use this chance to bridge the distance between Kisara and the Tendo family.
"Don't act so familiar, we're not close."
Tendo Kisara's voice was cold.
The truth?
Heh—
She couldn't be happier.
Did he seriously think she still held any feelings for the Tendo family, just because of a shared surname?
He knew why she left the Tendo family, didn't he?
Now he came here to talk about justice?
Was he trying to disgust her?
But…
She really did want to know who that kind soul was, who avenged her so cleanly.
"Sure."
Kisara smiled faintly. "Great politician, be sure to investigate thoroughly."
"As soon as you find the truth, make sure you tell me~"
She must.
She must repay that kind-hearted person.
But…
Explosives…
Tendo Kisara fell into deep thought.
She had a pretty good suspect in mind.
---
Tokyo – Akaoka District.
Lynn's Peerage had mobilized.
The plan to house the Cursed Children from the outer districts was underway.
Inside the newly renovated warehouse.
Lynn stood before thirteen Cursed Children.
They stood close together, trembling slightly. Their eyes were filled with fear and anxiety.
"…Only thirteen?"
Lynn turned to Saeko.
Was this… a bit low?
Saeko bowed respectfully and reported:
"My apologies, Master. We visited thirteen hiding spots where Cursed Children were staying. But from each location, only one representative was willing to come."
Lynn understood immediately.
These kids were sent to scout ahead.
Being cautious made sense.
After all, there were too many shelters that claimed to help Cursed Children, only to turn them over for human experimentation or trafficking.
Such incidents weren't rare in this world.
So for Cursed Children, the word "shelter" wasn't something they could trust.
If not for this shelter having Seitenshi's endorsement, even getting these thirteen to show up would've been impossible.
How much pain had these children endured to become this cautious?
Lynn scanned the room.
Each child looked malnourished and pale.
They trembled ever so slightly.
Avoiding eye contact.
Afraid.
But still, they came.
In hopes of finding a place where they could finally belong.
Gambling on the possibility that someone might still have a conscience.
After all…
If they had any other choice, who would be willing to take that kind of risk?
Lynn softened his expression, raising a gentle hand to touch the head of the girl in front of him.
The moment his hand came down, the girl shut her eyes tightly, her eyelashes trembling, her body shaking uncontrollably.
But—
She didn't dodge.
If I dodge… I'll get hit again, right?
But sometimes…
Even if I don't dodge…
I still get hit.
(To be continued.)
Junkdog's Note: Bonus for 1200 PS next bonus at 1400 PS let's get higher guys.
Noticed that some people haven't seen Black Bullet so here's a little info.
---
In the world of Black Bullet, humanity is on the brink of extinction due to a deadly parasite known as the Gastrea Virus. When humans are infected, they transform into monstrous creatures called Gastrea (which is based on animals), which possess inhuman strength, speed, and regenerative abilities.
A strange side effect of the virus led to the birth of special children known as Cursed Children. These are only girls who were born with traces of the Gastrea Virus in their bodies while still in the womb. As a result, they possess supernatural abilities: enhanced strength, agility, regeneration, and sometimes unique powers depending on the Gastrea type influencing them. However, the virus in their bodies means they also carry the potential to eventually transform into Gastrea if not monitored. Therefore, Cursed Children are heavily discriminated against.
---
Chapter 72: Reincarnation
Eh?
When Lynn placed his hand on her head and gently patted it, she was taken aback.
People she'd met before either hit or scolded them, and their actions were always rough.
But this…
So gentle.
It was the first time.
She had met a good person!
She was absolutely sure.
Lynn had no idea that with just a small gesture, this little girl had already given him the "good guy" card.
Thirteen cursed children…
Lynn's eyes flickered slightly.
None of them matched any characters from the original story.
Then he looked at the system panel.
The [Evil Piece] skill flickered subtly.
As expected.
Just like he had judged.
The cursed children were all potential peerage members.
Even if their names and faces hadn't appeared in the original storyline, the special genes in their bodies set them apart from ordinary people.
Lynn felt a sense of relief being able to reincarnate into a devil family.
Otherwise, if he wanted to save all 653 cursed children, he'd have to come up with another plan.
There were plenty of powerful people in the main world, some capable of eliminating the cursed virus entirely.
For example, the angel factions.
But Lynn couldn't come into contact with them.
More importantly.
It was best not to let outsiders know about his ability to traverse worlds.
So, he wasn't in a rush to reincarnate them into his Peerage just yet.
First things first.
Let them eat their fill.
"Shizuka, I'll leave these children in your care for now."
Shizuka, who had just been squatting down and petting a little girl, stood up immediately.
She puffed out her chest, showing a confident expression, and said with assurance, "Just leave it to me!"
Lynn hesitated for a moment—this should be fine.
After all, among his Peerage, there really wasn't anyone more suitable for taking care of kids than Shizuka.
Shizuka squatted down again, pulled out a can of milk from her stash, and handed it to the cursed child in front of her, her face full of anticipation. "Wanna drink?"
Lynn: "…"
Maybe it'd be better to find someone more reliable…
He had Shizuka lead the cursed children to take a bath and change into clean clothes.
Then, they were seated around a long dining table, waiting for dinner.
The cursed children looked confused.
Looking down at the clean clothes they wore, they seemed a little lost.
Were they really allowed to wear such nice clothes?
"Master, dinner's ready."
Mahiru came out of the kitchen, wearing an apron and carrying steaming bowls of noodle soup.
Once all the dishes were set down in front of the children.
Lynn clapped his hands. "Alright, dig in."
Hearing his words, the cursed children exchanged glances.
One of them finally mustered the courage to speak, her voice trembling. "Is this really for us?"
Weren't they supposed to eat rotting vegetables and stinky leftovers?
Was this… the legendary last supper?
"Don't worry. Eat as much as you want."
Lynn gently patted her head.
She swallowed nervously.
Then, cautiously took a bite.
As soon as the hot soup entered her mouth, her taste buds were overwhelmed with rich, delicious flavor.
She froze.
Her eyes welled up.
Never, she had never eaten anything so delicious in her life.
After snapping out of it, she buried her face into the bowl, scarfing it down like she wouldn't care even if she were executed right after.
Seeing this, the other cursed children followed suit.
Before long.
A strange sight appeared inside the shelter.
The cursed children devoured their food hungrily, even as tears streamed down their faces.
Shiina Mahiru pursed her lips when she saw this, her heart tightening slightly.
It was just a simple meal, yet they were treating it like a feast.
After finishing, the cursed children sat blankly in their chairs, overwhelmed by a surreal sense of happiness.
They stared at Mahiru's gentle expression and couldn't help but ask, "Shiina-sama… are you an angel?"
Mahiru was caught off guard, then smiled softly. "No. I'm a devil."
"Huh?"
The cursed children all gasped, then asked in confusion, "Shiina-sama… you're the same as us?"
"Hmm? What do you mean?"
"Because everyone calls us devils… monsters…"
Mahiru's gaze grew complicated. She forced a smile and replied, "That's just because they're afraid of you."
She paused, then added, "How about it, do you want to become devils like me?"
A devil as gentle as Shiina-sama?
"If you become a devil, we'll all be family."
Mahiru didn't bring up any of Lynn's harem-style lines.
Little girls should be handled gently, right?
"Family!"
The cursed children's eyes lit up.
"I want to! I want to be family with Shiina-sama!"
"Me too! Me too!"
They yearned for a family.
If they had one, maybe they wouldn't have to scavenge in dangerous places anymore…
Mahiru turned toward Lynn.
Lynn smiled and took out the Evil Pieces he had prepared earlier.
"Alright then—let's begin the reincarnation ceremony."
…
Noda Mariko
Low-Class Devil
Race: Devil
Master: Lynn Valefor
Strength: i0
Agility: i0
Durability: i0
Magic: i0
Inherent Skill:
[Mole-type Gastrea Factor]
Earth Perception
---
Nishida Tsubomi
Low-Class Devil
Race: Devil
Master: Lynn Valefor
Strength: i0
Agility: i0
Durability: i0
Magic: i0
Inherent Skill:
[Hedgehog-type Gastrea Factor]
Existence Dilution
The cursed children sat in a row, upper bodies bare, feeling nervous for reasons they couldn't explain.
Lynn carried out the reincarnation rituals for them one by one.
Unsurprisingly, they were all ordinary devils.
Which made sense, special devils were rare.
However, because they were infected with the gastrula virus, each of them awakened a unique skill.
This was within Lynn's expectations.
As he listened to the system notifications ringing nonstop:
[You've obtained the skill: ...…]
[Your strength has slightly increased!]
[Ding! Your skill Evil Piece has slightly changed!]
After reincarnating all of them into his Peerage, Lynn took a moment to sense the changes.
Hmm… His strength had increased slightly, but not enough for a qualitative leap.
Still a long way to go!
Just thinking about how many cursed children he still had to reincarnate one by one gave him a headache.
And…
If he ended up with millions of them …
If he had to bless them all every time, wouldn't he be working endlessly?
He opened the [Evil Piece] panel to check the changes.
It was still the starry sky layout.
Although he'd gathered many followers.
Only seven chess pieces could orbit him.
"Only special devils qualify?"
He looked into the distance.
It seemed a dozen Evil Pieces stood silently like grains of sand, floating in a space both near and far.
In another direction, only two chess pieces appeared, looking quite lonely.
Those were probably Rei and Saya.
Lynn focused, and the two pieces floated into his hand.
[Miyamoto Rei], [Takagi Saya].
As expected.
He clicked on Rei's chess piece.
The Blessing details immediately appeared.
So it's possible to check their Blessing information directly from here?
(To be continued.)
Chapter 73: Freedom (BONUS)
It wasn't just viewing the Blessings info.
At the bottom of the Blessings screen, there was an additional [Update] button.
Lynn's expression changed slightly.
He picked up Saeko's Evil Piece and checked it again.
But this time, there was no [Update] option.
A flash of realization crossed his eyes.
"Special Devils are different from ordinary Devils."
Even though they were all his Peerage members.
Special Devils not only possessed unique abilities, but also had terrifyingly high potential.
It was like an organization: you had high-ranking officers and general staff.
Within his Peerage, the Special Devils were clearly the elites, while ordinary Devils made up the basic ranks.
Lynn thought about it for a moment.
This change was actually quite good.
At least he wouldn't have to manually update Blessings for the ordinary Devils anymore.
Putting Rei and Saeko's Evil Pieces back into place, Lynn looked again at the flowing sand-like Evil Pieces formed by the cursed children.
[Apoptosis Genome] (Incubating)
A new skill?
Lynn's eyes narrowed in doubt.
Could [Evil Piece] actually generate new skills through his Peerage?
He nodded thoughtfully.
[Apoptosis Genome] (Incubating)
—Factor Collection (Acquired: Mole Factor, Hedgehog Factor…)
—Factor Fusion (Dual Factor Integration)
—Unfinished
…
Lynn: "…"
So…
What exactly is this?
He looked over the information carefully and realized all the Gastrea factors had been gathered from the cursed children he had reincarnated into his Peerage.
However, for now, these factors didn't seem to provide any direct benefit to him.
After all, as an Ultimate-Class Devil, those minor abilities weren't useful to him anymore.
But—
Maybe once he gathered more factors, something unexpected would happen.
Leaving the [Evil Piece] space.
Lynn noticed the cursed children poking at their backs in disbelief.
"We grew—wings!?"
"W-What?! Are we turning into Gastrea creatures from erosion?!"
"But… I don't feel any weird changes…"
The cursed children were a little panicked.
Mahiru quickly comforted them, "Don't worry, everyone just got reincarnated as Devils."
Hearing her voice, they gradually calmed down.
Then they remembered what Shiina had asked earlier: "Do you want to become Devils?"
"Huh!!"
"So… becoming a Devil was real?!"
The cursed children gasped in disbelief.
At first, when they were told to take off their clothes, they thought it was to examine their level of Gastrea erosion.
After all, if any of them had excessive erosion, it could pose a threat to the entire shelter.
They all understood that.
But—
This was an actual Devil reincarnation ritual!
"It's gone! Completely gone!"
Noda Mariko was shocked. "The pain is gone!"
Because of long-term erosion by the Gastrea virus, the cursed children often suffered from intense nerve pain.
"Mahiru, check their conditions."
As a proper shelter, the Seitenshi had naturally provided equipment for testing Gastrea virus erosion.
After a short while.
The results came in.
The Gastrea virus had completely disappeared from their bodies.
The children stood there in a daze, murmuring.
"So… we're no longer cursed children?"
"That's right,"
Lynn smiled and nodded. "You're Devils now."
"Devils!"
Their eyes sparkled.
"Then… can we live past 15?!"
"Not just 15. Devils have a very long lifespan."
Mahiru smiled and replied warmly.
Upon hearing that, tears welled up in their eyes.
"Amazing!"
"It's amazing to be a Devil!!"
They jumped around in joy.
Nishida Tsubomi walked up to Lynn, looked up at him, and carefully asked, "L-Lynn-sama, can I bring other people here too?"
Gathering her courage, she continued, "I… I want everyone to become Devils too!"
As long as they became Devils, they could all live normal lives!
Lynn smiled, patting her head gently. "Of course."
"Bring as many as you want. I'll accept every single one."
This was exactly the outcome he was aiming for.
With the credibility established by the first batch of girls, more and more cursed children would come to the shelter on their own.
And as they grew stronger, the girls would naturally spread the word to others.
It was far more efficient than waiting for the Seitenshi to organize anything.
As for how to manage these girls.
Lynn thought it over. He didn't plan to send them out to farm EXP right away.
They were only around ten years old.
Let them enjoy a carefree life for a few years.
Once they grew up, they could decide what they wanted to do.
As his Peerage expanded, development would become necessary.
And at that point, they'd surely have a role to play.
Hmm…
They'd need a proper teacher.
Thinking of that, Lynn messaged Natsuki Minamiya.
Lynn: "Natsuki-chan, would you consider becoming part of my Peerage?"
Natsuki-chan: "?"
Natsuki-chan: "You've finally lost it, huh? Trying to pick up your school's little teacher now??"
Lynn: "So you admit you're a little girl?"
"Tch."
Seeing that Natsuki stopped replying, Lynn shrugged with a bored look.
Main World – Teacher's Office.
Natsuki ignored Lynn's later messages.
Still, she found his bold comment amusing.
This Devil actually dared to tease her?
Natsuki narrowed her eyes slightly, resting her chin on one hand.
Lately, Lynn's strength had been bothering her.
Every time they met, she could clearly feel changes in his aura.
Last time, she had used a Grade 1 Cursed Spirit as a little test.
In the past.
Lynn wouldn't have agreed to take one on so casually.
After all, he was just a mid-level Devil back then.
Dealing with a Grade 1 Cursed Spirit should have still posed a challenge.
But this time, he only requested a Grade 1 cursed item and accepted immediately.
He clearly had full confidence in his power.
So in less than two months.
What exactly had this Devil experienced to boost his strength so drastically?
If anything stood out.
It was the fact that Lynn had been recruiting a lot of Peerage members lately…
"At the very least, he should already be at High-Class Devil level now."
As a human mage, she had some understanding of Devils.
To recruit followers, one must at least be a High-Class Devil.
But still.
Doubt flashed in her eyes as she stared at the student profiles on her desk.
Kasumigaoka Utaha, Yotsuya Miko, Shiina Mahiru, Yurikawa Hana.
She glanced through their backgrounds again, brows furrowing.
"Aren't these girls just normal humans?"
"Sacred Gear users?"
Natsuki frowned again.
She'd had a few encounters with Kasumigaoka Utaha since she often took leave through Lynn.
Aside from the devilish aura around her.
There was no trace of Sacred Gear power at all.
So…
Why was he gathering such ordinary people?
Also—
"They're all beautiful girls."
"Don't tell me this guy… is planning to use his identity as a Devil to build a harem at school!"
(To be continued.)
Chapter 74: Do Not Provoke A Devil (BONUS)
Natsuki remained skeptical about the followers Lynn had recruited.
The more she thought about it, the more convinced she became of her suspicion.
Why else would he gather so many beautiful girls and ordinary people as followers?
Natsuki gritted her teeth. "That Devil dares to bring chaos into the Academy!"
So.
Was Lynn asking her to join just for his harem?
"You bastard… You've really got some nerve!"
Swish.
The door to the teacher's office was pushed open.
"Yo~ Who managed to piss you off this badly, Natsuki-chan?"
Hiratsuka Shizuka strolled in with a teasing tone.
Natsuki frowned. "How many times have I told you not to add 'chan' to my name?!"
"You're going to ruin my image in front of the students!"
"Ahh, it's fine, it's fine."
Shizuka waved it off casually. "You look so cute anyway, the students will behave just fine."
Smack!
"Ouch!"
Shizuka immediately held her head.
Natsuki expressionlessly withdrew her folding fan. "You iron-fisted Sensei, get to the point."
"And knock before you enter next time!"
"You're so heartless, Natsuki-chan."
Seeing the fan rise again, Shizuka quickly changed to a serious tone.
"Natsuki, has anything strange been going on with Yukinoshita lately?"
"Yukinoshita?"
Natsuki raised an eyebrow, then relaxed.
"You mean the head of the Service Club?"
Shizuka twitched slightly. Every time she heard that name, she couldn't help but cringe.
"If you mean strange… would encountering something supernatural count?"
"Supernatural?"
Shizuka's expression shifted.
Her family background gave her some understanding of these matters, but as a regular human, her chances of encountering anything supernatural were slim.
Still…
If this involved supernatural elements, things could get complicated.
How was she supposed to explain this to Haruno?
"Well… why not ask the President of the Supernatural Investigation Club?"
Natsuki didn't feel like explaining much, so she pushed the matter onto Lynn.
"The President of the Supernatural Investigation Club, huh~"
Shizuka nodded solemnly. "Got it!"
After leaving a word of thanks, she quickly exited Natsuki's office.
"…Is everyone looking for that kid now?"
Natsuki muttered.
She already knew.
The school board was investigating the incident at the old school building.
And their trail had probably led to the Supernatural Investigation Club.
But—
Lynn was a Devil.
No matter how powerful a human was, they were nothing in the face of true supernatural beings.
"You'd best not provoke a Devil, Shinomiya Oko."
—
Shuchiin Academy, Board of Directors.
Oko sat frowning at the documents in his hands.
"You're sure it wasn't Natsuki Minamiya?"
As one of the academy's directors, he was aware of Natsuki's true identity.
And as a member of the Shinomiya family, he understood this world was far more complex than it appeared.
But there was an old saying.
The more you know, the more afraid you become.
The deeper his knowledge of the supernatural grew, the less secure he felt.
He wanted power.
But the wealth and status that had once made him invincible now seemed useless in the face of this unseen world.
The most he could get were scraps of knowledge and worthless basic onmyoji magic.
He lacked the talent—and the time—to learn it properly.
So, he tried another path.
Wouldn't it be enough to raise an obedient cursed spirit?
…Obviously not.
He could nurture it, but not control it at all.
If not for that ridiculously expensive barrier, it would've already gone out of control and caused a disaster.
But he couldn't expose any of this.
After all, he had caused it. If anyone found out, it could threaten his status as the heir.
Now that the barrier was broken, he could only panic silently.
He had bet on Natsuki Minamiya, the top human magic-user, stepping in to contain the situation.
And he had won the bet.
But the one who actually handled it.
Wasn't Natsuki Minamiya.
It was…
"The Supernatural Investigation Club?"
His expression shifted.
A student club at Shuchiin possessed that level of power?
His heart burned with ambition.
He cupped his chin in thought, his gaze turning deep and contemplative.
Having student status made certain things far more convenient.
Kaguya.
It's time for you to serve the Shinomiya family.
—
Coffee Shop.
Yukinoshita Haruno slowly stirred her coffee, eyes absentmindedly gazing out the window.
Lately, Yukino's condition had left her restless.
Now that she finally had a moment, she rushed over.
Soon after, she spotted Hiratsuka Shizuka approaching, her eyes lighting up as she stood and waved.
"Over here!"
"Did you find anything?"
As soon as Shizuka sat down, Haruno asked urgently.
Shizuka rolled her eyes.
She hadn't even taken a sip of water yet.
Normally, Haruno would never act like this.
But since this involved Yukino, she was clearly flustered.
After a brief pause, Shizuka asked, "Haruno… have you heard of supernatural events?"
"…Huh?"
Haruno was stunned.
The Yukinoshita family was a prestigious household in Chiba Prefecture, but in the broader Tokyo scene, they were dismissed as country nobles.
Although her father was a councilman, he was just a regional one.
She had no real exposure to anything supernatural, at least not beyond what she saw in fiction.
But—
"Shizuka… You're not joking, right?"
Shizuka sighed bitterly. "I figured you'd react like that."
Haruno fell silent.
But from Shizuka's tone, she could tell this wasn't a joke.
So…
Was the world she knew not the full picture?
Her gaze drifted blankly as she muttered, "So… Yukino encountered something supernatural?"
Seeing that she was beginning to accept it, Shizuka reassured her, "I don't know the full details, but Yukino might just be shaken and having a hard time processing it."
Then what's the deal with the 5 million yen?
Haruno's eyes narrowed slightly, recalling Yukino's suspicious money transfer.
But she chose not to mention it to Shizuka.
Instead, Shizuka continued, "Before coming here, I asked around and someone recommended the Supernatural Investigation Club at Shuchiin. Maybe they're connected?"
The Supernatural Investigation Club?
The name alone made it sound like some paranormal-themed club.
But…
They were still just students, right?
Haruno didn't think much of it.
"Hmm… If I remember right, the Director of that club…"
"…should be Lynn, right?"
Haruno's expression froze.
Lynn… Valefor…
Wasn't that the name linked to the account Yukino had transferred money to?
Not long after Yukino made the transfer, she had tracked down the recipient's identity through her own channels.
She hadn't expected.
It turned out to be the President of the Supernatural Investigation Club.
Haruno furrowed her brows.
Looks like…
It's time to pay the Supernatural Investigation Club a visit.
(To be continued.)
Chapter 75: Cool Saeko (BONUS)
At the same time.
Black Bullet World — Late at night.
A group of little girls gathered inside a single house, chatting away non-stop.
They were clearly ecstatic.
"Mr. Lynn is totally an angel!"
"No! He's a Devil!"
"Right! Angels never came to save us!"
"That's gotta be God!"
"Nope! He's a Devil! A Devil!"
"Then… is he a Devil-Angel?"
"It's decided! When I grow up, I'll become a priestess who serves Lord Lynn!"
"What?! No way! I'm the only one who can be Lord Lynn's priestess!"
"Hey! Quit fighting! We're all Lord Lynn's priestesses!"
"Yayyy!!"
After their spirited argument, the energy finally faded, and they drifted off to sleep.
—
The next morning.
The cursed children woke up early.
Even though they were only around ten years old.
Their harsh lives had made them unusually mature.
Lynn hadn't just taken them in, he had turned them into Devils, completely breaking the curse of the Gastrea virus.
In their eyes, Lynn was their god!
They were determined to repay him.
So they looked forward to doing anything they could for Lynn.
Lynn smiled as he saw their eagerness.
He didn't turn them down.
They needed to feel useful, to feel that they had value.
That sense of being needed would help them heal.
"Then, I'll leave the mission of bringing back more companions to you."
"Yes, sir!!"
—
Outer District.
Nishida Tsubomi arrived at a remote sewer.
She squatted down and knocked on the manhole cover rhythmically.
After a short while, a small head peeked out cautiously.
The girl wore a ragged cap. Her long silver hair was messy, her brows sunken with fatigue, and tension flickered in her silver-violet eyes.
Upon seeing Nishida Tsubomi, she breathed a sigh of relief.
In a weak voice, she said:
"Tsubomi… you're back…"
"Fuse-chan, I brought good news!"
"Ah… really?"
The girl quickly stepped aside. "Come in!"
Nishida Tsubomi nodded and slipped skillfully into the sewer.
What a shame, her freshly changed clothes would soon be soaked with that damp, sour smell.
She composed herself and looked around at the children gathered within.
It was a small hiding place, with only fourteen cursed children, including herself.
They all stared at Tsubomi with hopeful eyes.
Tamako didn't let them down.
"Everyone, listen up!"
"Our savior has come!!"
—
At the same time, similar events unfolded at twelve other hiding spots.
Not long after.
With the efforts of the first batch of cursed children, word had spread.
Though many of the others were still hesitant, skeptical, or fearful.
Their trust in their companions was enough to push them to leave the sewers.
They followed their friends toward the shelter described as a sanctuary created by "God."
—
Two military-green trucks were parked at a central location that could access all the hiding spots.
Saeko leaned calmly against one of them.
Her gaze remained sharp, constantly scanning her surroundings.
The outer area was far from safe.
Gastrea creatures would sometimes appear, attacking any cursed children who ventured out to scavenge.
According to the first batch of girls, a total of 113 cursed children would be rescued this time.
With such a large-scale migration, if they ran into Gastrea, it could trigger mass panic.
Still—
As long as it wasn't a Stage IV Gastrea, Saeko could handle it alone while protecting the girls.
"We've got incoming."
Saeko suddenly spoke, her eyes landing on Nishida Tsubomi, who was waving from a distance.
Seeing this, she smiled faintly.
"They're here. They're here."
From the other truck, Shizuka jumped down and began looking around.
Hmm.
Among Lynn's Peerage, only Saeko and Shizuka knew how to drive.
When Lynn first found out, he was speechless.
He immediately had them practice in the Zombie World.
Of course.
If they could learn Teleportation Magic, that would be a different story.
Nothing else, just transferring cursed children would be so much easier.
"Sister Saeko! Sister Shizuka!"
Nishida Tsubomi arrived with thirteen more little girls.
Saeko smiled gently. "Go wait in the truck for now. You're the first ones here."
The girls behind Tsubomi looked nervous and uneasy.
They kept their heads low, avoiding eye contact with Saeko.
One girl even tried to shrink herself into invisibility, praying no one would notice her.
After some comforting from Tsubomi.
They finally climbed onto the truck.
Soon after.
The second, third, and fourth waves arrived without issue.
But just as the fifth wave approached.
"Huh? What's going on?!"
Mariko, who was leading that group, exclaimed.
Boom boom.
A subtle tremor shook the ground beneath their feet.
It felt like something was moving underground.
And the next second.
A massive beast erupted from the ground behind the group!
"Ahh!"
One of the cursed children at the rear screamed and fell.
She turned around, eyes wide in terror.
What appeared was a centipede-spider hybrid Gastrea.
Its face had no features, only a massive vertical mouth that filled the entire space, lined with three rows of jagged teeth.
A poisonous mist seeped out from its abdomen.
"This is bad!!"
On the truck, the cursed children who were already seated panicked at the sight.
Their hearts sank.
We're gonna die!
What do we do?! What do we do?!
As cursed children, the fear of death was deeply rooted in them.
Clang—
Just as despair settled in.
Saeko's katana was unsheathed.
She raised the blade and slashed in the direction of the Gastrea.
Whoosh.
A white arc tore through the air, cutting forward at extreme speed!
Before the Gastrea could react, the slash struck its tough carapace!
Shhhhk!
With a loud thud, its upper body was sliced clean off and hit the ground.
"Eh?"
Every cursed child froze at the sight.
"So cool… that big sister's amazing!"
Someone on the truck whispered in awe.
Mariko also stood stunned for a moment.
Then she quickly shouted, "What are you doing?! Move! Go!"
The others snapped out of their stupor and rushed forward, helping the girl who had fallen.
Mariko, who had inherited Gastrea traits, knew.
Unless its core was destroyed, a Gastrea wouldn't die.
She yelled out, "Sister Saeko! You have to destroy the core or it'll regenerate!"
Saeko narrowed her eyes.
Though she had cut the creature in half, its lower body still twitched.
From the severed part, dark tumors squirmed wildly, as if something was about to grow.
Core?
Saeko glanced around but saw nothing resembling a core.
Well then…
If she couldn't find it, she'd just slice it apart again.
She swung her blade a few more times.
The spider-like Gastrea was chopped into pieces, its body clattering to the ground.
Haaah~
The cursed children shivered in fear.
"So it was in the abdomen."
After chopping the creature into a rotten mess, Saeko finally spotted its core.
Without hesitation, she destroyed it.
Then she calmly sheathed her blade and turned to the girls with a gentle smile.
"All right. It's over now."
Silence filled the area.
What a cool big sister… though, a bit scary.
(To be continued.)