Chapter 27

Mount Jiza.

It's a large mountain with an elevation of about 4,600 meters.

The winding mountain road that extends from the foot of Mount Jiza penetrates the mountain and leads to the city of Saint Seria.

Saint Seria is a major city where the headquarters of the Self-Defense Force is located.

Almost no one uses this road to get to Saint Seria.

This is because a beautiful road has been built in the valley.

The mountain road, which runs through the mountains, has long been abandoned and is in poor condition.

Therefore, most people use the beautiful road built in the valley, but there is a bit of a problem with the supply trucks using that road.

It's a road leading to Saint Seria, where the Self-Defense Force headquarters' vans are constantly going back and forth.

It's difficult for the Anonymous supply trucks to use that road.

Even if they use a transporter or a transporter from another organization, it seems that those who originally operate in the shadows don't want to use that main road.

If there's someone with clairvoyance, it's a one-shot deal.

Currently, I and Sigh are driving a car we picked up, or rather stole, and are making our way along the bumpy mountain road.

After a while, we can see that the Self-Defense Force has blocked the road.

Sigh stopped the car in front of a Self-Defense Force patrol car, and a Self-Defense Force member knocked on the driver's window.

Sigh is wearing a tuxedo, but I wonder if that's okay.

"Death Sound, get out."

Sigh completely ignored the Self-Defense Force member and opened the door, then got out.

I quickly followed and got out as well.

"There are aggressive monsters in this area, so it's currently off-limits."

The Self-Defense Force member, who said this in front of us, was once again ignored by Sigh as he walked past.

"Hey, you..."

The Self-Defense Force member grabbed Sigh's shoulder from behind.

He grabbed it.

The Self-Defense Force member then merged with the ground.

Blood splattered at his feet and splashed onto mine.

Seeing this, the other personnel quickly went into combat stance but were quickly crushed.

"Whoa..."

I averted my eyes from the piles of flesh that had formed in an instant and followed Sigh.

You're being too ruthless...

"Death Sound, put on your mask soon.

I don't mind if my face is seen, but you do."

"Understood."

Seeing me put on the mask, Sigh put on his cool black gloves and got into the Self-Defense Force patrol car.

I also got into the passenger seat.

Then the car started moving.

"Do you know the situation?"

While turning the steering wheel and showing off his driving skills, Sigh asked.

The car is going at a high speed on this rough road.

"...Something seems off. I can't hear any battle sounds or engine sounds.

I can hear voices, but not the content from this distance..."

"Then it seems they've already been suppressed."

"...Is that so?"

Am I supposed to do something about that...

No, that's impossible.

While thinking about this, I half-gave up and looked out the window.

The scenery is passing by quickly due to the high speed.

However, my eyes stopped on something.

"Sigh, that!"

Pointing out the window, Sigh slammed on the brakes and stopped the Self-Defense Force patrol car.

His gaze was already on what I had pointed out.

"..."

"Is that... a corpse?"

Yes, a Self-Defense Force member in camouflage was impaled on an extended tree branch.

Looking around, I could see other corpses scattered about.

"There are also corpses of our people and the Self-Defense Force."

There are also new battle scars on the road, trees, and guardrails.

"It must have been a pretty intense battle."

"No, it's different.

Look at the corpses closely."

"Huh?"

When I looked at the corpses as he said, I thought they were just normal corpses, but there must be something.

"Our people and the Self-Defense Force members died from the same wounds.

It's not a monster... This suggests a third party intervened."

"...What, really?"

"Yes. It's troublesome, but I'll take care of this mission.

It seems too much for you."

After saying that, Sigh started the car again.

Lucky.

If Sigh does it, there's nothing to worry about.

I should thank the third party who intervened, whoever they are.

Actually, I should be more tense about the mission.

Relying too much on Sigh isn't good.

After a while, we could see the line of Anonymous supply trucks.

The supply trucks were parked in front of a tunnel.

Sigh and I got out of the Self-Defense Force patrol car while being cautious of the surroundings.

There was no one in the supply trucks.

However, the cargo was still loaded in the trucks.

"What's going on here?"

When I asked, Sigh covered his ears without saying a word.

"..."

I understood Sigh's intention a little later and made a loud noise.

The sound echoed in the forest.

I focused.

Limited sound vision.

Two people on the trees, one in the air.

Their breathing and heartbeats were disrupted by the sudden loud noise.

They were so sharp that I couldn't hear them without focusing.

Sigh was focused on my gaze.

Up, left, left.

I conveyed the enemy's position with my gaze, and a loud thud echoed.

The trees to the left were flattened, and a bird flying in the air was crushed to death.

"Ah. A troublesome party has intervened."

Sigh sighed deeply.

However, his heightened awareness was evident from the pressure.

The three enemies had not been taken out in the first attack.

They had evaded.

They had the judgment and reflexes to evade Sigh's pressure the moment they realized their position had been detected.

They were skilled.

Then three sounds appeared above us and landed around us in sequence.

"Wow! A big catch in such a place! I thought it might be weak reinforcements from the Self-Defense Force, but it's you, Mr. Sigh!"

"What! No way, really!? 'Heavy Sigh'!?"

"Really! It's the real deal! I'm a fan!"

The three people who appeared were dressed quite flamboyantly.

Their faces were hidden by Venetian masks, and they were a man, a woman, and a man from left to right.

Their ages were unknown as their faces were hidden.

Who are these guys...

While thinking this, I took a defensive stance.

They were stronger than me since they had evaded Sigh's attack.

I slowly closed the distance between Sigh and me.

Sigh moved faster than anyone.

The terrain under the three people's feet changed.

The three, who had already detected the attack, were already in the air.

Sigh's knife attack followed.

The knives were thrown at the places they were evading to, and they were on the defensive.

However, they were laughing and having fun.

"This! We can't win, right!?"

"Ahaha! That's true!"

"Gyahaha! How do we escape? Do something!"

"Use your ability to escape with us!"

"Then I'll die!"

"Whatever! Die!"

"What! My arm got stabbed! Help!"

"That's because you're bad at dodging!"

"Formation C!"

"Roger!"

The three, who had been moving around freely, suddenly stuck together at the command.

I thought they would be caught in one go by Sigh's pressure, but they suddenly disappeared.

All that was left was Sigh's pressure and flying knives.

They had vanished in an instant.

"They got away."

"...Sigh couldn't catch them?"

"Normally, I would have caught them in the first attack.

It might be because I've been repeatedly absorbing Poison Butterfly's scales, but my stamina hasn't fully recovered.

I couldn't use my ability to its full extent."

That's just self-inflicted, isn't it, ma'am?

"Who were they, anyway?"

"They are members of Nursery Rhymes.

They're not as big as Anonymous, but they are an organization that opposes the Self-Defense Force, like us.

They have fewer members, but many of them are elite. Flamboyant clothing and Venetian masks are their trademarks."

"I see... There are such organizations too."

The underground world is vast.

I only knew about Anonymous when it came to evil organizations, but it seems there are many others from what I've heard.

We might be famous because we do things openly.

"Let's report to Hyde for now."

Sigh took out a mobile terminal from his pocket and called the boss.

"Sigh?"

The boss's voice came from the terminal.

Due to his ability, I could hear the phone call clearly.

"Yes. The mission is complete, but the transport team is all dead.

Nursery Rhymes appeared."

"Those guys again. How many did you catch?"

"Zero. I wasn't feeling well."

That's a terrible excuse.

"I see.

They've been too playful lately.

Maybe it's time to take them down."

"Agreed."

"The branch will send a rescue team to recover the supply trucks.

Stay there for a while."

"Understood."

The call ended.

Sigh put the terminal back in his pocket, unbuttoned two buttons on his shirt, and got into the patrol car.

He leaned the seat back, crossed his arms behind his head, and closed his eyes.

"Death Sound, keep watch. I'm tired, so I'm going to sleep.

Wake me if anything happens."

If you sleep so defenselessly, I'll attack you, but I couldn't say that and just replied, "Yes."

It seems the master is a bit frustrated that he couldn't catch them.

Maybe I should have joined the fight.

I could have reacted, but I didn't move because I thought I might get in Sigh's way.

Well, the mission was technically completed, so it's fine.

I didn't do anything, though.

---

Thus, my training ended in a half-hearted way.

"Are you serious?"

At the branch, after resting for two days, just as I was about to return to the city where the headquarters is located, Sigh made a major announcement.

I thought something was off.

Even though I was treated for my injuries at the branch, I still felt a lingering fatigue and heaviness in my body.

I felt short of breath.

My body felt incredibly heavy.

I thought it was muscle soreness or fatigue from the training, but it turned out to be something else.

"Didn't you notice?

You're an idiot."

"No, no, I wouldn't normally notice that!"

"Normally, you would. If your body feels heavy."

Apparently, Sigh had been increasing the gravity on my body during the training.

Since I didn't notice, he gradually increased it, and by the end, the load on my body was 1.5 times its normal weight.

It was like I had been wearing a heavy restraint without knowing it.

"Alright. I'll release it for you."

When Sigh said that, my body suddenly felt light.

"Whoa!? Amazing! My body feels so light!"

"Hehe, I thought you'd say that."

"I feel incredibly strong!"

"You should be stronger to some extent."

"Really!?"

"Yes.

For now, the training is over."

My ears perked up.

For now?

What does that mean?

"No, I never want to do that kind of training again."

"We won't do that kind of training again.

The next thing you need is combat experience.

Send me your schedule. I'll be your Shade from now on on your free days."

"Eh... If it's a date, I'm all for it..."

"...That's fine too."

I turned around at the muttered words.

"Eh!? You're okay with that!?"

"Shut up. I was joking."

Training chapter ends.