Rebuild World

Akira and the others are launching an investigation into the Serantalville. Relying on the map data provided by Carol, each floor will be examined sequentially from the ground floor.

Metal pieces that appear to be parts of mechanical monsters roll around the aisles and rooms. There are also bloodstains that appear to belong to the hunters. There are also countless bullet marks and burn marks that can be judged to be relatively recent. It's all about making it easy to imagine the intensity of the battle. But I never encountered an enemy.

Akira and the others, who arrived on the fifth floor of the building, find a room half-opened with the door destroyed. There are countless bullet marks around, and they also appear to be traces of a hunter fleeing into that room engaging a monster trying to enter the room.

Akira and the others snorted silently and each arrived (for) to enter the room. He put up his gun, timed his entry, entered the room in a agile motion and quickly checked the enemy shadow inside so that he could deal with it without any problems even if a monster was present in the room. There were no enemies in the room. Akira exhaled and lowered her gun.

Akira and the others have defeated the enemy with information-gathering equipment before entering the room. As a result of the Sovereign, there was no enemy response. However, it could not be confirmed by the information-gathering equipment used and does not guarantee safety. There is no enemy because there is no enemy response. Such an alarm would result in a light loss of life. This is all the more so in the current situation where the performance of information gathering equipment is declining.

Akira and the others are not training together to act as troops. Still, if you are a fairly capable hunter, you will achieve efficient troop behavior as a result by accurately judging each other what you should do within your troop behavior. If you understand that, even if you just watch the movement when you control a room without enemies, you can get some idea of the opponent's strength.

Akira is the least capable of such troop action among the Akira and others. Akira doesn't have enough training or actual combat to wear that move.

Akira's prowess is excellent by jumping through it if she takes into account the duration of the actual battle and training thanks to Alpha's training. But it has not reached the standard of acting with powerful people like the Sikarabes.

The fact that Akira doesn't have to pull the troops' legs is naturally due to Alpha's support combined with training for Akira.

Preliminarily display the movement as it enters Akira's field of view. Displays the standing position after entering and the direction in which the gunpoint is pointed. Highlight a part of your vision to direct your gaze to the first place you should check. If the movement is delayed, manipulate the fortified clothing to force it to act. That's all Alpha does, even when Akira breaks into the room.

Akira's training has been going on for a long time before entering the Serantaru building, even before entering the room, during the passage, or when she entered the other room before. For that reason, as far as Elena and the others could see, Akira was showing Elena and the others the movement of a powerful man who would not take a pull.

It is not impossible to discern Akira's original strength due to differences in movement between Akira's fortified clothing and other parts, as well as deviations in sight and gun aiming. But it is also difficult if not extremely competent hunters operating in the eastern tip of the east, in an area known as the front line. Togami, who accompanies Shikarabe and the others to grasp his strength, was no exception.

For Togami, the four Chicarabe, Elena, Sarah and Carol are clearly more than Togami. Whether on the Hunter Rank or under the impression of seeing the movements of the Sicarabes seen in the consciousness of Togami, whose dignity had been removed, he had undoubtedly proved to Togami that it was superficial.

Akira's Hunter Rank is lower than Togami's. But both his experience when he accompanied him during the bounty neck crusade and Akira's move, which he showed Togami by the time he got here, made Togami understand that Akira was certainly also a qualified opponent.

Togami was looking at five people with a complicated look. It was not the reassurance caused by the fact that the powerful were accompanying them that all of their companions sprouted in the togami in the situation of hunters of character, but also the anxiety and haste that they could do nothing and end up without knowing anything.

Elena squeaks (crushes) with a surprised (much) look when she checks on the room.

"Is it good that things are going well?"

Akira asks Elena.

"What's wrong with you?

"Hmm? Kind of. Akira. Did you see the hunter's body or the remains of a monster in the Serantalville by the time you got here? The wreckage is not a fine-grained part, but something that has a certain size and original shape."

Not in Akira's memory. But Akira also asks Alpha, thinking about the possibility she missed.

"Alpha. Did you have that before you got here?

"I don't."

"I didn't see it"

Akira affirmed so. Akira doesn't know what Elena cares about. However, if a clear answer would resolve Elena's question, I should assure you. Akira thought so and did not rely on her memory to confirm it with Alpha.

I laughed slightly at how Akira looked, to which Elena replied so forcefully.

Sarah also answers Elena's question with a smile (cheeks) somewhere fun.

"I didn't see it either, but what's wrong with that?

"There were all those hunter bodies and mechanical monster wreckages rolling around the Selantar building, but it's kind of like there's nothing inside the building that looks like it at all. There's never been a fight. There were so many monsters in Akira and Carroll's story to fill the floor of the building that quite a few hunters, including those who received Drancam's urgent request, should have been sacrificed. And yet I don't see the hunter's body or the destroyed mechanical monster. It's not that I can't think of a reason for that, but it's a little too convincing to end because I came up with a good reason for Tsujitsu."

Sicarabe asks Elena.

"Then shall I hear the reason in turn? Why don't we have enemies?

"The mechanical monsters who were supposed to be here finished crudely killing the hunters in the building, so they headed towards eliminating the troops surrounding the building. So I engaged that unit and it was all destroyed. Troops surround the building, so the reinforcement monsters can't even get inside the building. So there are no enemies in the Selantaru building right now."

Now Sarah asks.

"Why can't we find the hunter's body or the remains of a mechanical monster?

"The Serantaru building is a site whose functions were still in operation at the time. An automatic cleaning machine cleaned inside the building and dumped them outside the building. Some of the remains of hunters' bodies and mechanical monsters scattered around the building were thrown out of the building by their automatic cleaning machines"

Akira asks.

"Why do you not even encounter that automatic cleaning machine? It leaves fine parts and blood on it for cleaning."

"We have a cleaning time, and now we're on standby somewhere in the building because it's not that cleaning time. Alternatively, they are moving to avoid encountering us because they are cleaning and have no combat capability. I think it's possible to figure out where we are in some way more than this building functions alive. Fine parts and blood stains may simply be the result of the performance of the cleaning machine, or they may simply be still in the process of cleaning, but they may have left a large amount of it behind first."

Elena answers Akira and the others' questions in turn. Akira and Togami were purely convinced when they heard Elena's predictions and unconsciously slightly loosened their guard, as did their expressions. But Sikarabe, Sarah and Carol showed a certain satisfaction when they heard Elena's answer, but they didn't let it loose.

Sikarabe asks again.

"I see. Sure, Tsujitsu doesn't fit. Then we can proceed with the investigation with ease. I'd like to raise my hands if I could, but what are your expectations if you're not optimistic?

Elena answers by making her expression a little harsh.

"We're doing everything we can to make sure it kills us. I haven't encountered any enemies before because Bill's managerial personality dominates mechanical monsters. Mechanical monsters scattered on each floor are gathered on the upper level of the building to prevent each of them from being destroyed by putting their power into action. And we're going to end the siege somewhat where we climbed the building. Hunter's body and the remains of mechanical monsters are not in the building to induce our alarm. If we see the wreckage of our enemies and the scattered bodies of our allies, we will undoubtedly increase our vigilance. Or maybe hesitate to go further back. Conversely, even if it is cleaned beautifully (clean) without a single dust (chisel) on the floor, that is clearly unusual and alarming. So I intentionally left some dirt behind. While it may certainly be unnatural for the hunter's body or the remains of mechanical monsters not to be in the building, it does not make him feel dangerous enough to make him decide to withdraw immediately. Ning may be a reason to move forward vigilantly (to see why it is unnatural). If you think pessimistically, maybe this is the place."

The look on Akira's face when she heard Elena's answer turns into something dangerous. The relief (mostly) that was born earlier in Akira's mind disappeared.

Speak with a grin that Carol left room for.

"That's a good story for Tsujitsu. So, as a leader, what are you going to do? Maybe Elena didn't want to do that, but after she stirred up her anxiety, I just want some sort of follow up. There were about two people in danger here the other day."

That's what Carol talked about and looked at Akira a little. Carol smiles lovingly, but the grin contained some provocative shades.

Elena answers after seeing Carol for a few seconds as she reads Carol's intentions.

"Right. Start by looking at a simple map of the building."

Elena updated the simplified map of Serantalville that Akira and the others are looking at. Spherical shapes appear successively on a simplified map. The shapes were displayed to fill between the entrance and exit of the first floor of the building and the room where Akira and the others are currently located.

"That's the reaction of a small information-gathering device I installed. It's a type of product that can communicate between devices, and it sends the search results to me. Since the range of information gathering equipment and short-range communication is declining in the Selantar building, it was necessary to install it in such a way as to carve it up."

A line came out of the center of the spherical shape and wanted to connect with the line coming out of the nearby sphere. It represents communication between terminals coupled to each other. At the same time, it also indicated that the range of exploration and short-range communication varied.

"If it's true, I'd like to install everything I've researched in the building as an exploratory range, but I didn't plan on entering the Serantal building, and I didn't have time to procure an extra, so I don't have that many. So we set it up so that we can secure our exit route, so that if there's anything there, we'll know soon enough."

Spherical shapes appear to fill the range surveyed by Akira and the rest of the Serantaru building. The number of small information-gathering devices required for this purpose is displayed in the estimates. The numbers turn red to indicate that there are not enough numbers, and the shapes for the uninstalled minutes disappear.

"If there is any anomaly in the exit path, withdraw immediately. Until then, proceed to the back until you run out of devices to install. Retreat when used up. Of course, if you need anything else, be flexible and withdraw."

A simplified people-shaped symbol showing Akira and the others climbs up toward the upper floor of the building, leaving a shape with terminals in the exiting passage. When the shapes of the exploration range that were displayed downstairs on the simplified map turn red, the human-shaped symbol tries to turn back and return to the ground floor.

"As there are mechanical monsters on the upper floor of the building, even if they bypass where we are and circle to the lower floor, they will soon find out within the scope of the information gathering equipment they have installed. The structure of the corridor you are exiting can also limit the number of enemies you deal with at once. We believe our firepower can break through and get us out of the building."

A symbol indicating an enemy monster appears blocking the exit passage. Symbols indicating Akira and the others sometimes used the terrain of the aisle to go out of the building while erasing the symbols of enemy monsters.

Elena finished her explanation while manipulating the simplified map. The displayed simplified map returns to its original state.

Akira had listened with interest to Elena's explanation by sharing the diagram.

I knew it would be easy to see with illustration.

'That's true, but to that extent, I'd like you to understand it from just the letter information. That's probably to explain to Akira. "

Listen to Alpha and answer so Akira can be a little stronger.

'... no, I'm not saying I don't know anything else. I'm just saying. "

'Yes. I know there's going to be a lot of oral explanations from Elena, but understand it properly.'

'... Excuse me. Then please make it up to me.'

"Yi"

Look at Akira, who answered honestly, and Alpha smiles with satisfaction.

Talk as Elena smiles at Carol.

"... this is what it looks like when you explain the standards of my command to a lot of people (oops), but what do you think? Please do not hesitate to say anything if you are dissatisfied. I don't want to scorn the opinions of those who actually engaged inside the Selantarville."

Carol trivially checks on Akira again. I can't see how Akira was dissatisfied or anxious with Elena's explanation. Having confirmed that, Carol sends Elena a smile with a compliment on it.

"It's okay. I was relieved to be able to proceed safely with the investigation. Only Akira trusts me, and I'm sure of my command skills in indoor combat. Most of yesterday's fights were outdoor, so I just wanted to make sure. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

"It's fine. We're keeping each other's lives as hunters, so I think it's important to check that hand, too. I'm glad you're convinced."

Elena and Carol smile lovingly while hiding each other's inner subtly deviant sense of confrontation. Sarah didn't smile bitterly, Sikarabe didn't care that it was irrelevant, Togami didn't notice because of the rush, Akira just leaned her neck slightly because her grasp of the situation was one now.

Akira and the others will continue their exploration of the Serantalville. Elena's predictions are in the right place, and she expands the scope of the investigation without encountering any enemies.

The enemy never appears. It is very quiet whether various information transmissions, including sound, are inhibited inside the building in order to reduce the performance of the information-gathering equipment. The silence made Akira and the others feel like there was nobody here but themselves.

Akira is continuing with instruction from Alpha in both indoor exploration training.

"Hey Alpha. No enemies at all, but which of Mr. Elena's predictions do you think is hitting?

"Which one do you think Akira is?

'... honestly, I have no idea'

'Then that's the right thing to do. If you don't need to make a clear choice, stop making bad decisions. If you choose, you will unconsciously be more receptive to information that affirms that choice, and you may reject information that denies that choice.'

"Is that what this is about?"

'Besides, it doesn't make any difference what Akira does now either way. It would have been a good training if the good predictions had been correct. If bad predictions are right, you don't have to be surprised. Think of it as a training to keep your mind together even in situations where you have no enemies, without losing your hand, because you have no enemies.'

'So is that.... I didn't mean to loosen my mind, but was it loose?

"As far as I can tell, you didn't reach a moderate level of tension to explore the ruins of the old world."

'I didn't mean to..., okay. Be careful. "

With no enemies coming out at all, Akira seemed so relaxed that she could be pointed out to Alpha without her knowledge. I kept my mind tight and continued my exploration.

When Akira and the others arrive on the fifteenth floor of the building for a little while, Elena abruptly gives a waiting instruction.

"Stop."

Akira increases her guard and puts a gun at the end of the aisle. Sikarabe and the others stay alert without any delay.

Elena had a look on her face that was confirming something for a while, but she returned her expression to tell Akira and the others whether she had come to a conclusion.

"... it's not a mechanical monster reaction. It's okay."

Akira and the others relaxed their alert to the surroundings when they heard about Elena. Sarah asks Elena.

"So, what happened?

"Wait a minute..."

That's how Elena answered and started looking a little further down the aisle. And when I found a small machine in the corner of the aisle, I took it. If it's mixed with parts of a mechanical monster scattered all over the floor, it's a small machine no wonder you think it's one of those parts, but if you check it out for your hands, you'll know it's something else.

"... this"

Elena was squeaking (crushing) at the small machine that stopped her feet.

Akira looks intrigued at the small machine Elena is holding. It looks similar to the small information-gathering equipment Elena had installed on the road. But that degree of inference is Akira's limit, and I don't know anything more.

Explain as Elena notices how Akira is doing and shows the machine in her hand.

"This is like a small information terminal. The main use is to install it somewhere and send (or retrieve) information with hunters passing nearby. When hunters explore the ruins of the Old World, they use it to give information to their fellow hunters who are doing something else, or to leave a bunch of messages to keep in touch. Hunters headed behind dangerous ruins could set up to leave their own tracks. If that hunter gets wrecked behind the ruins, let the rescue team follow in the footsteps. Sometimes a hunter who reaches the back of a dangerous ruin leaves it as a memorial or proof that he got there."

Akira snorts with interest when she hears Elena explain. Elena smiles and gives instructions to everyone about Akira.

"It would be something left behind by hunters who used to come here. I'll check it out. Just wait a minute."

Elena starts investigating small devices. The contents of analyzing the small terminal via its own information terminal and the information collection device are displayed in Elena's view. It is a function of a stereoscopic video display device that is homogeneous to that used by Sarah.

The investigation proceeds as Elena looks at the content of the analysis that only she sees. From the side (for) it just seems to stand silently staring at the small terminal. Ask Alpha as Akira looks at that Elena.

"Alpha. It just seems to me that Mr. Elena is standing there in silence, but, you know, you're doing a lot of things, right?

Of course. So don't interrupt me or look me in the eye. '

"I know."

'By the way, how Akira looks when you're talking to me doesn't make a big difference either. Many hunters hold similar gear, so Akira doesn't have to be the obvious suspicious one, does she? Even if Akira looks at me inadvertently, she wonders if she's looking at the display of her hands.'

"... Were you"

Alpha only looks like Akira. As a result, Akira becomes a suspicious person who talks to the void when she tries to talk to Alpha normally. Akira was going to be careful not to, but she still couldn't hide it completely. Which means Akira would have been a suspicious person from time to time. Akira was slightly distracted.

Elena asks Sikarabe after some analysis.

"Sikarabe. This small device belongs to a hunter who probably belongs to Drancam. Looks like he's sending something besides standard communications, but hasn't he sent anything to Sikarabe's information terminal or something? Perhaps it's a cryptographic transmission to Drunkham."

"Hmm? Just give me a minute. Confirm"

Sikarabe takes out his information terminal and confirms it.

"... you're not here. Either the output is weak or it's not in a format I can receive. What are the standard people being sent?

"It's a message from the monster asking me to help him because he's on the run. It says" emergency request, "but it doesn't state the client's name, hunter code, reward, or expiration date. Even though rescuing the survivors is within the scope of the request (Han-chu), reading this does not make it possible to go to help. The number of rescued targets, their whereabouts and their lives and deaths are unknown. It doesn't change the policy of our operation. If you are still alive and stumble upon our scope of investigation, I will help you. That's about it."

"Can we send over the data from the cryptographic communications we received over there?

"I can. Yes, I did."

The contents of the cryptographic communication received by Elena from the small terminal were transmitted to the information terminal of Sikarabe. The cryptographic communication software embedded in the information terminal of the Sykarabe decrypts it. What emerged after decryption was a message with information encrypted in another format and content instructing Drancam executives to always forward that information.

In relation to sending (or retrieving) information with Drancam's executives, Sikarabe's information terminal was able to decrypt the encrypted information in another format. The look on Shikarabe's face confirming its contents is heavily cloudy.

"Uh... damn it!

Sikarabe threw up words that strongly reflected her inner self.

Shikarabe begins to think of something with a expressive expression that perhaps contains frustration (needfulness) and impatience. Elena was surprised (a lot) to see how Shikarabe was doing, but at the same time decided to stop making extra guesses, thinking it might be about the problem on the Drancam side.

Definitely rubbing from the look on Shikarabe's face. And that's what I even purposefully encrypted in Drancam. It won't be a busy thing when outsiders stick their necks in the line of interest. That's what Elena decided.

Elena tells Shikarabe that she keeps thinking.

"I don't know what happened, but may I resume my exploration?

Sikarabe looks at Elena, drops her gaze and comes up with something, turns her gaze back on Elena again and then speaks.

"... so I have a suggestion, no, a request. I want this later course of action to be transformed into something that has taken the rescue of the hunter as the spindle just now. As Elena speculated, that hunter is a hunter belonging to Drancam. Drancam also has decency. You can't leave the hunter you belong to alone."

Ask Elena back to explore behind Sikarabe's words.

"I don't know what to say, but I think he's already dead. If the purpose is to recover the body, I think the main unit will be found in the process of taking control of the building. Or (some) may have escaped on their own. So far, there's never been an encounter with an enemy. If you've escaped from a cage somewhere, it's not easy to get out of this situation without enemies."

Sikarabe answers Elena's pessimistic and commonsense opinion with a rugged look.

"No, probably alive. You must not have escaped on your own. When I stood in a cage somewhere, I sealed it off so thoughtfully that I couldn't confirm the external situation. Injuries make long-distance travel difficult. It would also be possible. Rescue of the survivors is also part of our request. Besides, if you survive an anomaly, you may have valuable information that will lead to the resolution of the anomaly in the ruins of Mihazono. I think it would be more beneficial than simply proceeding with Bill's investigation, but what do you say? You rescued a hunter belonging to Drunkham, so I'm guessing you can expect a reward from Drunkham's side, apart from the rewards from Kugamayama City? Whatever you want, I can hang it up."

Shikarabe has not vomited lies. Except for the reason I suggested that to Elena. Ask Shikarabe after Elena notices it.

"I'll ask. What if I said no?

"That's the end of this story. I don't feel sorry for you. Act as a leader with Elena. I move under it. That's the deal. As a hunter, I'm not willing to turn that deal into a travesty."

Elena conceives. Although Sikarabe probably doesn't feel comfortable, she must make a certain effort to help the hunter to whom that drancam belongs in her position. And I'm trying to push Elena and the others why I didn't rescue her or (some) couldn't. Elena noticed that.

Sikarabe's words and actions are undoubtedly due to the contents of an earlier cryptographic communication. Elena asks Shikarabe again.

"One more thing. What was the contents of that cryptographic communication earlier?

"I can't talk because I have a duty of confidentiality within Drancam. If you really want to know, you need to comply with that confidentiality obligation after subscribing to Drancam. If that's still good, I'll admit to joining the party on this occasion under my authority. Drancam is always welcome to join competent hunters"

"I won't let that happen."

"Right. So, what are we gonna do?

Elena conceives again. The contents of the cryptographic communication are probably related to the mess in Drunkham, to such an extent that they cannot be spoken to by outsiders. At least it's not what Elena and the others have to hear from Shikarabe as hard as they can on this occasion.

Elena begins her reflection. As the leader of the team, he hangs profits and dangers on the scale.

Togami tells Elena she's not scared.

"Oh, as someone who belongs to Drancam too, I'd like to help if I can. There are also reasons why Drancam is being recommended for such rescue action. I'm not saying I can't..."

Togami's statement is not a lie. But it was also a statement in search of a better situation to test and grasp one's own strength.

After Elena sees Togami, she shifts her gaze to Akira. Akira answers.

"I don't mind either. I'll follow Elena's decision."

Answer Carol to continue and stand Akira.

"That's what Akira says, and neither do I."

Sarah goes on to answer.

"Well, we originally came to the ruins of Mihazono Street to take on a rescue request, and you should think it's an extension of that, right? I'm talking about how you can expect a separate reward."

Sarah says so and sends a meaningful gaze to Sikarabe. Sikarabe answers.

"My guarantee is until we multiply the rewards. Well, Drancam has decency, too. I'll pay the right amount."

Elena thinks on top of everyone else's opinions. Akira and Carol are the only two people in the Selantarville who have actually had combat experience. Elena was going to kick Shikarabe's suggestion if those two were showing disgust even with shards. But the two of us don't see that. Elena concluded.

Elena tells everyone with a slight tightening of her expression.

"We're switching our course of action to rescue the target hunter. Assume that the target hunter is installing the same communication terminal that he has just discovered in order to leave his own footprint. Find it and refine the target's location, while prioritizing a room suitable for hunters to stand and cage. We will withdraw when we secure the subject without questioning his life or death. Carol, please refine the room in question. As soon as we're done with that, we'll set a route."

Ask Elena as Carol looks a little strange.

"From the map data I gave you, you can tell what kind of room that is, right?

Elena answers without changing her expression.

"Please also consider what is not in the map data. You're saving a lot of it, aren't you? At least the information Carol used to get out of here with Akira wasn't in the map data she got."

Carol turns off her grin from her expression and asks Elena with a sharp eye that Carol has not had earlier, slightly lower her voice.

"... that's what Akira told you?

Akira and Togami were surprised at the change in Carol's appearance. But Elena and the others were not surprised to see how Carol was doing. Because of the difference in experience.

Elena answers Carol's question without changing her attitude.

"I heard, but Akira didn't talk. But before that, Akira and Carroll told me about the situation that was hard surrounded by tons of mechanical monsters. I can tell from that situation that something exists that allowed us to escape beyond the fact that the two of us didn't forcibly break through a herd of monsters aiming at the entrance and exit of the ground floor. Something that could be an escape route. A hidden room, a hidden passage, a hidden elevator, or something else. They want you to include that information and verify it. We couldn't find the subject because he was in a hidden room. All I'm asking Carol to do is talk about wanting to avoid things like that. If you're going to talk about needing a separate information fee, talk to Shikarabe later."

Sikarabe speaks up because suddenly her name came up.

It's me.

"It was Shikarabe who brought this story in, and the hunter who helps it belongs to Drancam, right? Do something about it to offset the reward from Drunkham."

Elena and Yo (more). Sikarabe thought so and exhaled.

Squirting (crushing) with the look on Carol's face as she turned off her grin.

"... yes. Akira didn't talk."

Carol only laughed deeply for a moment, just a few moments when everyone's gaze was shifting toward Shikarabe and Elena. It was a mixed grin of dark obsession, slight madness and definite joy, like a seeping inside boiling something dark and deep.

If someone on the spot had seen the look on Carol's face, he would have definitely had some reaction. But no one was watching Carol at that time. Carol's expression soon returned to normal, so Akira and the others never noticed it.

Speak to Elena with a smile (or even a smile) that doesn't even make her feel shards (or shards) like Carol did earlier.

"Okay. I'll be done in a minute. Perhaps we should add this location to the simplified map."

Elena noticed a slight confusion when she saw Carol. But I didn't even know why.

…… Yeah, please. "

But right now it's not a situation where you can care about something you don't know. Elena quickly changed her mind.

Alpha stares at Carol. Alpha is not real on the spot. For this reason, Alpha uses different means than ordinary humans to recognize something that exists there. As one of the means, the shape of the object is read in the information gathering apparatus and used as a three-dimensional diagram. Other means are also used. Alpha doesn't have to put that person in sight to see someone.

In other words, Alpha had a good look at Carol's expression earlier. And I raised my guard against Carol even more.