When Tokuyōmoto and SAT-EX arrived in Kawagoe City, fifteen minutes had already passed since the appearance of the Tunjiti.
Of course, that speed was already considered lightning fast—the nearby police station was still in a state of confusion.
What unfolded before them was a noodle shop almost razed to the ground.
Dust still hung in the air, debris and shattered beams scattered everywhere.
It was hard to imagine the brutal battle that had just occurred—one far beyond ordinary human imagination.
Beside a Tokuyōmoto vehicle, a blue-haired youth known as Kokoro chewed gum and activated his Ability to sense.
He reported, “There are two heartbeats under the ruins, but I don’t hear any sign of the Tunjiti.”
Director Kawada Hou, chief of the Operations Adjustment Room, immediately gave the order.
“Secure the perimeter! Rescue Team, go!”
The team members swiftly formed a security line.
Three LAVs blocked the road, and professional equipment was quickly mobilized for the rescue.
Time passed amidst the sound of rubble being cleared.
Ten minutes later, a loud shout from a Rescue Team member pierced through the dust.
“Found them!”
Kawada Hou strode quickly over broken bricks.
When he saw the familiar figure bracing the collapsed wall, holding up the debris with sheer strength, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of respect.
“Quick! Save them!”
Yuki Asahi.
It was him again!
The Rescue Team members surrounding him hurriedly worked together with pry bars and hydraulic rods, forcing open a precious gap under the immense pressure.
The boy felt the weight on his back suddenly lighten.
He slowly opened his tired golden eyes, glanced over the crowd before him, and said urgently,
“Move away!”
The Rescue Team members froze, then turned to Kawada Hou for instruction.
He nodded and waved them back.
Yuki Asahi lowered his gaze to the girl sleeping peacefully in his arms.
Feeling the steady, powerful heartbeat, his tense nerves finally relaxed a little.
He carefully pulled out a dust-stained police uniform from the wreckage and wrapped the girl’s bare body tightly, as if protecting an irreplaceable treasure.
He then used a piece of torn cloth to cover the back of her neck.
Predecessor always hid the blood on the back of her neck; she must have her reasons for not wanting others to see.
In the next moment, he let out a low roar, his waist and back surging with strength.
The heavy concrete fragments exploded apart.
Under the watchful eyes of all, he carried the girl and walked steadily out of the smoky ruins.
Kokoro’s heart jumped.
He quickly brushed his bangs aside, secretly spat out his gum, and forced a polite smile.
“An honor to meet you…”
Yuki Asahi’s golden pupils remained unmoved.
He walked straight past, heading for the medical vehicle.
Kokoro’s smile didn’t falter.
He hurried to catch up, then barked orders like a lackey at the stunned Miss Medical Worker.
“Hey! Get some clothes for Yuki-kun! Hurry! Why are you just standing there?!”
Kawada Hou’s eye twitched sharply.
Was this really the same arrogant, overbearing guy from the meeting?
Yuki Asahi boarded the medical vehicle with the girl in his arms.
Without a word, he drove everyone else out and gently laid her on the only stretcher.
His eyes, still shining with golden light, were fixed on her tranquil face.
The glow gradually faded.
Yuki Asahi sighed softly.
“Predecessor, stop pretending to sleep. I can sense emotions.”
Not pretending.
I’m dreaming!
Jiang Jian Yue muttered in her heart, but feigned being startled awake and slowly opened her eyes to glance sidelong at Yuki Asahi.
In truth, she had been awake the whole time.
At first, she’d played dead to buy time for adding points.
But as she continued, she realized… wait, did the Tunjiti just get killed?
There were differences in strength among the Tunjiti.
The first Devourer G she encountered was a pure stats monster, defeated by Yuki Asahi’s Mindforce explosion.
Masakazu Kinoshita’s Tunjiti was a Mechanism Monster—after Kaori Onishi countered it with a specialized Ability, its weak stats couldn’t compete with Yuki Asahi.
This time, Ikeda Sachi’s Tunjiti combined stats and mechanisms, but was a bit fragile.
Yuki Asahi must have finished it with a single furious sliding kick.
He didn’t even give Jiang Jian Yue a chance for a second round after point allocation.
She’d leveled up Rapid Recovery three times in a row, and Insect Blade twice.
She had planned to fully restore her arms and fight again, but before she could, the Tunjiti let out a dying scream—and the whole building collapsed.
Next thing she knew, she was being held tightly by Yuki Asahi.
It was embarrassing, but in Yuki Asahi’s arms there was, um…a faint sense of security.
Also, she suspected Yuki Asahi had Emotional Control activated, which made her feel even more shame about the situation.
All she could do was continue to play dead, regenerate her arms, and when the rescue began, her arms had just finished growing back.
Originally, Rapid Recovery couldn’t regrow bones from nothing.
But after a total of four upgrades, it had become a skill on a whole new level.
She had almost used up all her Insect Points—it was time to collect more bodies from The Light Extinguishers.
“What… did you say?”
Jiang Jian Yue pretended not to understand.
Even if Yuki Asahi pressed further, she’d insist she just dreamed of something weird!
But Yuki Asahi wasn’t that type.
He wiped dust from his face with the back of his hand, lowered his gaze, and spoke softly.
“Nothing.”
Still, when he remembered that, during that life-and-death moment, both of them were completely naked—Yuki Asahi could keep his cool in the heat of the moment, but after it was over, just recalling those fragments made his heart race.
Yuki Asahi almost felt grateful to Ikeda Sachi for dragging them into the Space together—of course, considering he’d killed so many police officers, Yuki Asahi still felt plenty of hatred and anger toward him.
But he could clearly sense that, during their days in Ikeda Sachi’s Space, Jiang Jian Yue had gradually lowered her guard around him.
If it had lasted a bit longer…maybe he could have…confessed?
His fingertips trembled slightly.
The images in his mind wouldn’t fade.
Both his rational and irrational selves surged as he blurted out.
“Predecessor, while we were in that Space… I’m sorry. I… thought of you. That way.”
Defying the heavens！
What are you saying?!
Jiang Jian Yue was no stranger to such things, so she instantly understood Yuki Asahi’s meaning.
No wonder he rushed back to his room that first night—it turns out he couldn’t hold back.
Yuki Asahi’s head throbbed, cheeks burning.
He regretted saying it aloud, and hung his head in embarrassment, not daring to look at Jiang Jian Yue.
He always felt guilty for thinking about his Predecessor like that.
Confessing felt like airing his sins in a chapel, seeking redemption through atonement.
—But no!
Saying such things!
Wouldn’t a girl he liked find it disgusting?!
Fortunately, Jiang Jian Yue wasn’t a normal girl.
She admired Yuki Asahi’s courage to confess and atone.
If it were her good brother saying such things to a girl he liked, she’d sincerely praise him.
Brother, you’re awesome.
Jiang Jian Yue thought it was no big deal.
For a boy in his teens, it was perfectly normal.
Besides, she had also…sort of thought about Yuki Asahi 0721.
Heh, as a devious adult like her, she’d never admit it aloud.
So, how should she respond?