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Rewinding two minutes, at Itogami Island's industrial district on the outer edge—several middle-aged men in business suits stood atop the completely leveled ruins of Kusuki Happiness Enterprises, fierce sea winds whipping at their ties.
Itogami Island's area was considerable, which meant even the industrial zones were divided into multiple sections.
Unlike other factories, major enterprises like Kusuki Happiness Enterprises that had made a name for themselves on Itogami Island had contracted an entire industrial zone—or rather, an entire small artificial island—as their corporate office territory.
But now it had vanished, as though it had never existed. Like the entire artificial island had been restored to factory settings.
The original skyscrapers were gone, vegetation and roads had all turned to nothing. Only the artificial island's most basic foundation remained, bare and exposed. Looking across it resembled a vast, endless metal plain.
This was the scene that had greeted them when they'd first arrived this morning.
Aiba Sensai—as a city councilor of Itogami Island, he'd only received the news this morning.
As a middle-aged corporate slave who'd adapted through years of political career to sleeping at midnight and waking at six AM, when he'd received the phone call upon waking this morning, he'd actually thought his subordinate was talking nonsense from lack of sleep. He'd even chewed them out in the car.
But when he'd been dragged to the Kusuki Happiness Enterprises site, he'd discovered the news was actually true.
A massive enterprise occupying an entire small artificial island had genuinely evaporated overnight—and in the literal, physical sense.
Though Itogami Island was a demon sanctuary where most citizens were either demons themselves or at least carried some demon bloodline, meaning various magic flying around the streets daily was fairly common—as long as things didn't get too extreme, at most the island's Special Ward Security Team would impose some minor restrictions.
But directly wiping clean an entire artificial island overnight? How was he supposed to explain that to the citizens?
This wasn't just about losing his position anymore—it was... there was literally no way to explain this!
Sea winds ruffled ties, waves crashed against the artificial island's embankment.
Just as Aiba Sensai's thoughts wandered between contemplation and stupor, a subordinate's voice suddenly came from beside him.
"Councilor Aiba."
"What is it?"
"Have you noticed... the fog seems to be getting thicker?"
"Fog?"
Aiba Sensai snapped back to awareness and raised his head to survey their surroundings.
Because all the buildings on the artificial island had completely vanished, nothing remained to obstruct vision across the entire island.
Which was precisely why visibility became increasingly affected by air quality.
Aiba Sensai clearly remembered that when he'd arrived earlier, though some thin mist had lingered on the island, that was normal weather for coastal areas—it would typically dissipate gradually once the sun rose.
But now the fog had obviously thickened considerably, reaching levels where drivers would need hazard lights.
What was going on?
Just as Aiba Sensai wondered about this, an inadvertent glance made his hair stand on end.
Beyond the artificial island, within the vast sea fog, a mountain-sized silhouette vaguely emerged. It resembled an island—shaped like a whale's head viewed from the front. Just the portion above sea level rose hundreds of meters high.
In comparison, the artificial island they stood upon seemed as small as a dinner plate before that silhouette.
Then, across that enormous whale-head-like shadow, countless crimson eyes slowly opened.
!!!
Aiba Sensai's back instantly soaked through with sweat.
Simultaneously, the waves crashing against the artificial island's embankment grew larger.
❁❁❁❁
Meanwhile, inside the café beside the Keystone Gate's shopping center—
Having just drained his drink, Bokue hadn't even had time to set down the cup before his phone vibrated in his pocket.
Hmm? Who'd be calling at this hour?
Bokue pulled out his phone for a glance. It was actually Asagi Aiba calling.
"Asa~gi? Asagi? That's a girl's name, and it's saved by first name too. Girlfriend?"
Serafall leaned over curiously from beside him.
Bokue hummed in affirmation.
Across the table, Yume—who'd been spacing out—suddenly furrowed her small brows upon hearing that hum.
If she remembered correctly, yesterday big brother had said both Yukina-nee and Sayaka-nee were his girlfriends. Today another Asagi-nee had appeared.
'Mm~ just how many girlfriends does big brother have anyway?'
However, the little nightmare girl clearly wouldn't get a chance to voice that question. The young man clicked answer and brought the phone to his ear.
"Hey, what's up? Are you awake? I'm right by the shopping center now. What do you want to eat? I'll bring it up later..."
"Stop, stop! Don't talk about food right now!"
Asagi's urgent voice cut him off from the other end.
"We've got a huge problem! Bokue, remember those coordinates I sent you yesterday for Kusuki Happiness Enterprises?"
"Yeah, though there shouldn't be anything left there now..."
Bokue sounded puzzled.
Had he not cleaned up thoroughly enough when he'd rushed back last night?
That was impossible. He clearly remembered initializing the entire artificial island. What else could still be there?
"There is now."
Asagi's speech accelerated.
"Listen—something over four thousand meters long is approaching that location at extreme speed. It'll impact within ten minutes. If you don't want the entire Itogami Island flipped over, you'd better get over there and check it out."
"Oh, and my dad's there too!"
Four kilometers long...
Hearing that figure, Bokue couldn't help mentally visualizing it.
Four kilometers—what did that even mean? Currently, aircraft carriers worldwide averaged around three hundred meters or so. Four thousand meters would require lining up fifteen carriers end-to-end to match that length.
"What the hell could possibly be that long?"
Bokue's mood turned slightly complicated.
He wasn't particularly worried about this four-kilometer behemoth actually hitting Itogami Island.
After all, with magnetic field reinforcement, he could literally swing Itogami Island around to slice the sun in half. If they actually collided, who'd go flying was anyone's guess.
He was just curious what could possibly reach four kilometers in length.
Had it grown up eating miracle fertilizer? Or was miracle fertilizer its power source?
"Probably... the god-slaying weapon Kiriha Kisaki-san mentioned yesterday—Leviathan."
Through the phone, keyboard clicks sounded as Asagi's fingers flew.
"That Kusuki Happiness Enterprises apparently deployed some kind of bait in the waters near Itogami Island to attract Leviathan. Their original plan was to draw Leviathan over, then use all of Itogami Island's inhabitants as hostages to force Yume into entering Leviathan and controlling it with nightmare powers. But now Leviathan's arrived while Yume hasn't, and realizing the bait tricked it, Leviathan entered an enraged state. Then... you get the picture."
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