Chapter 189

Episode 185: Zero and the Silent Predator

In a corner of the central city, where the original streetscape had been completely obliterated,

Mizuki and the others could only watch the thorny cocoon.

“…It’s gotten quiet, but what happened?”

“Hmm, the smell hasn’t changed particularly…”

As two figures revealed just their faces from the shadows, suddenly the thorny cocoon began to collapse.

Crumbling away, from within the brambles emerged Zero.

Behind them was the figure of an angel bound by thorns.

“It seems like you’ve won.”

“Yup. So, shall we go for Round Two?”

“Eh?”

Mizuki stared wide-eyed at Tatarai.

Tatarai too tilted her head in confusion upon seeing Mizuki’s reaction.

“One enemy is gone, so Mizuki, I assume you’ve had your rest? Come on, let’s capture Solciera and head back. Let’s get our reward and have a barbecue party together!”

From the shadow behind Tatarai came the sound of growling stomachs.

It seemed as though countless entities within the shadow were seeking nourishment.

“Yes, time to head out!”

Mizuki, flung forth from the shadow, landed before Zero.

Looking up, she saw Zero removing the visor from the angel.

“Then, let’s go together… uh, is there something you need?”

“Um…”

“I’m about to knock you down right now and start Operation Big Reward Bonanza!”

“Ho.”

Zero smiled pleasantly.

And then—

“To defeat someone like me? That’s quite an amusing joke.”

“—Huh!?”

Behind Mizuki and Tatarai stood Zero.

At the place they had just vacated, only a man remained, collapsed onto his knees like discarded trash.

“Trying to surprise attack me, huh?”

The shadow stretching from Tatarai wrapped around Zero’s legs, but it was quickly negated by thorny vines.

“Oh my—”

“An interesting ability. But this feels more like a characteristic of a dungeon rather than an ability.”

“Did you understand all that from just now? Still, it might be better if the Board of Directors put a collar on you after all.”

“Wait, Tatarai! Solciera is my benefactor! I don’t want to fight here!”

Mizuki stepped between Tatarai and Zero, raising her gun halfway.

“In that case, we must protect her even more. If Silver Twilight targets her, you can’t handle it alone.”

“We can win. Me and my partner.”

“Partner?”

Mizuki looked perplexed as Zero grinned mischievously, bowing deeply.

“It’s time to formally introduce myself to the Board of Directors. I am Succession Model Zero. The ancestor of the Starlight and the arbiter of the Demons Gear. And—I am the Demons Gear who has formed a contract with Solciera.”

“Demons Gear…!? Is that true!?”

“——A combat capability like this alone is impressive. Eina is different, but I had heard about your existence from Rokuhara. Never would I have guessed it was you—”

Tatarai nodded appreciatively.

She wiped her saliva and said,

“Could you spare one arm for me to eat?”

“Are there no sane S-Ranks?”

Among these monsters exchanging verbal blows, only Mizuki fidgeted nervously, looking back and forth between the two.

“W-wait, Tatarai, stop! I just said this person… is this person even human? Besides, can the Demons Gear really do such things? Then where is Solciera herself right now? There are too many things I don’t understand…!”

Overwhelmed with confusion, Mizuki scratched her head vigorously.

Seeing this, Zero chuckled softly.

“You’re still the same as ever. I see why my partner likes you—oh!”

Suddenly, a snake of shadow shot out from Zero’s side.

However, it was immediately entangled and shattered by thorns.

“No problem with surprise attacks. Not bad. I also like spirited kids like you.”

“I like you too—you look very delicious!”

Their gazes locked.

The tension in the air suggested a serious battle could erupt at any moment.

The silence was broken first by Zero.

“Let’s play a little, shall we?”

Thorns shot out from the ground toward Tatarai.

There were ten of them, surrounding her from every direction.

With a ferocious grin, Tatarai sank into her shadow.

The thorns sliced through empty air.

In the next instant, Tatarai appeared behind Zero.

Her arms were wrapped in countless shadows.

“Thank you very much!”

“Hold it, sit down.”

Above Tatarai appeared a magic circle, and artillery fire was unleashed.

However, Tatarai didn’t even glance at it as she charged forward.

Above her head, the incoming artillery was intercepted by converging shadows.

No—these shadows were devouring the artillery.

The silver flashes were being consumed like juice by the shadow snakes with large mouths.

Zero watched this with interest, readying her scythe.

“Haha! You’re not holding back at all! Unlike other S-Ranks, you’re trying to consume everything seriously when given the chance! Personally, I find it very commendable!”

“Whole consumption!”

From behind Tatarai, a giant mouth emerged.

Zero swung her scythe down toward it.

Black blades clashed with shadowy teeth, sparks flying as they held each other in balance.

After several seconds of deadlock, both retreated and unleashed their next moves.

“This gets boring with repeated use of thorns.”

Silver chains shot out alongside her words.

They weren’t meant for restraint but for direct strikes.

On the other hand, Tatarai summoned wolves from the shadows and unleashed them toward the chains.

Chains and wolves intertwined, bit, and shattered simultaneously, disappearing almost instantly.

While observing this, Tatarai muttered,

“The chains taste good too! They have such a refreshing flavor!”

“This is the first time someone has commented on my techniques after using them. …Well, how about this one?”

Before Zero, massive magic circles overlapped and unfolded.

Connecting the rotating magic circles to the gun barrel of her scythe, she pulled the trigger.

“My treat. Eat as much as you like.”

“Main course…!”

This was a convergence of multiple artillery beams—a mysterious technology beyond the capabilities of current humans.

Gathering the residual magical power floating in the area from the earlier battle with the angel, the rotation of the magic circle intensified.

“These are the Stars’ Radiance.”

The trigger was pulled.

Simultaneously fired was an extremely compressed magical laser beam.

Compared to previous artillery, this high-density convergence beam was much finer. Though it didn’t touch the ground, it melted concrete and scattered debris as it advanced.

Ahead stood Tatarai, naturally clasping her hands together as if preparing for a meal.

“……Hehehehehe! So this is Solciera! I’ve come to adore you immensely!”

Tatarai laughed emotionally.

From behind her, dancing shadows continuously emerged.

“For the first time in ages, I can forget hunger!”

The shadows directly intercepted the laser.

As a result, an intense shockwave erupted around the area.

Yet, Tatarai calmly brushed her hair behind her ear.

“Don’t leave anything uneaten.”

“Even without your request—”

Shadows clamped onto the sides of the laser, devouring it piece by piece.

The ground turned red-hot and bubbled, forming a massive crater centered around Tatarai.

Still, she continued devouring the laser without pause.

Not only that, but she birthed larger snakes and additional wolves from the shadows, sending them towards the laser as well.

And then…

“—Thank you for the meal!”

Steam rose, and amidst the heat waves rippling across the center of the crater, Tatarai declared this.

In less than ten seconds, she had devoured every bit of Zero’s attack without waste.

“I wanted you to savor it a bit longer, but are you satisfied?”

“Hmm, I think I could last another hour easily.”

“You seem to have quite a troublesome body yourself.”

Zero responded with a bemused tone, yet somehow cheerful.

Then, she turned her back.

“It’s about time. I’ll take my leave.”

“Momentarily wait, Solciera! …No, Zero? Ah, anyway, just wait—”

Despite Mizuki’s plea, Zero disappeared from the scene via teleportation.

What remained was the battlefield, now in even worse condition.

“Tatarai, why did you fight?! What if you lost? You might end up like that man!”

Rushing to Tatarai, Mizuki pointed at the man lying among the rubble after being blown away by the attack’s aftermath.

He lay there gazing at the sky, muttering incomprehensible words.

“Loli… salvation… over there…”

Clearly not in a normal mental state.

“If Solciera’s partner, I believe it will be fine. But even so, if you were killed, ‘it would be fine’—eh?”

Tatarai swallowed the chain and replied with satisfaction.

“Zero wasn’t serious about fighting—just playing around.”

“Playing around?”

“Yes. I was going all out the entire time, but they never directed any intent to kill toward me.”

Tatarai glanced at the man and murmured.

“Which should the Board of Directors truly fight against—the angels or that?”

The terrifying combat ability moved unpredictably due to unclear motives.

If it were to turn against them, the consequences would be obvious.

However, Mizuki answered promptly.

“The angels, obviously.”

At those words, Tatarai wore a face of genuine surprise for the first time.

For some reason, it made Mizuki happy, and she continued confidently.

“Solciera is on our side. She’s our benefactor!”

That was enough reason for Mizuki to trust her.

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