"Those bugs actually band together in swarms?"
Crossing her arms over her chest, Seika's expression instantly turned solemn:
"According to that whatever-law, if there's a possibility for something to go wrong, that bad thing will definitely happen..."
Nijika chimed in with a retort from the side:
"That's called Murphy's Law."
Seika let out a soft hmph:
"Whatever it's called, I just feel that before long, a sky-blotting swarm of bugs will come attacking."
"Onee-chan, don't jinx it!" Nijika clutched her forehead, unable to stop herself from shooting a reproachful look over. "Hurry up and go wash your face and brush your teeth!"
"..."
Finishing up her personal hygiene, Nijika was in no mood to prepare a proper meal, so she simply whipped up three servings of bread and milk, one each for Seika, Hana, and herself.
"Hana, you eat first," Nijika stroked Hana's little head, her voice tender. "I'll tell everyone about the bug first to see if anyone else has been attacked."
Outside, the dense mist still churned, blotting out the sky and sun to the point where one couldn't tell day from night; however, the clock on her phone showed it was already eight in the morning, so the girls had naturally all gotten out of bed.
Seeing Nijika's message, the girls replied one after another.
Kita: "Eh, that sounds so terrifying."
Tomori: "I haven't encountered any bugs."
Soyo: "I haven't encountered any either."
Anon: "Um... when I was sleeping last night, I did hear a loud rumbling crash. I was so scared back then that I ran straight to mom and Dad's bedroom; I'm not sure if it was a bug ramming into the window."
Seeing Anon's message, Nijika soon pursed her soft lips.
Anon was attacked last night as well?
Could the monster that attacked Anon be the same kind of Otherworld locust?
No one else was attacked—why was it only herself and Anon who were targeted?
Nijika blinked, her gaze shifting downward to Hana who was quietly nibbling on her bread.
Although there isn't sufficient evidence, it seems like it might have something to do with Hana?
Nijika pondered inwardly.
"Mama?"
Hana tilted her small face up, offering the bread in her hand:
"Eat."
"Hana should eat it herself," Nijika's voice was ultra-gentle as she couldn't help reaching out again to softly stroke Hana's head.
Children are possessive by nature rather than prone to sharing; when Hana ate, aside from her 'parents'—herself and Kitahara—no one else ever received the privilege of being shared with.
Once Hana finished breakfast, Nijika finally asked her about her suspicion in a soft voice.
And then, she received bad news.
Once someone came into contact with Hana, they would be tainted with Hana's 'scent,' thereby turning into targets of attack for the bad bugs.
The reason Otherworld locusts attacked them and Anon was precisely because they had physical contact with Hana yesterday.
"Phew..."
Learning the truth, Nijika let out a gentle sigh.
She naturally wouldn't go so far as to regret it.
What was done was done, and hindsight is twenty-twenty; besides, before summoning Hana for help, Otherworld locusts had never once appeared.
"To be safe, I should still tell everyone the truth..."
Nijika pursed her soft lips, picked up her phone once more, and told the girls the truth.
Anon: "So that's how it is."
Kita: "Nijika-senpai, Manager, and Anon-chan, you all must stay safe!"
Soyo: "Everyone's stored food and water are sufficient, right?"
Tomori: "Stored a lot, no need to worry."
On the day of the school festival, Shimizu Rin had given a warning, so the girls were naturally prepared well in advance, stocking up on plenty of survival supplies; for a short while, there was no need to worry about eating and drinking.
Anon: "However, many people who didn't prepare food have now been forced to head outdoors..."
As a social butterfly with friends everywhere, Anon could glean intel from all sorts of covert channels; as she spoke, she sent over several video clips.
Nijika took a bite of bread and clicked on the first video out of curiosity.
The video quality was decently clear, depicting a street shrouded in mist where the roadside buildings could be faintly discerned, accompanied by the suppressed, terrified panting of the person filming.
Within the looming mist, a gorgeous woman clad in a trench coat and a formal fedora wandered before a building, appearing quite normal at first glance.
"What's wrong with this video?"
Nijika tilted her head in confusion, failing to spot the issue right away.
"It's the height," Seika had already sat down beside Nijika to watch the clip together, her expression solemn. "Look closely, Nijika—that trench-coat woman's head is clearly level with the second-story windows."
"Eh?"
Nijika was startled upon hearing this and hurriedly widened her eyes, only then realizing it was indeed so.
A woman whose head could look straight into the second-story window of a detached house—even a patient with gigantism couldn't possibly possess such an exaggerated stature; without a doubt, that woman was undeniably an urban legend anomaly from Otherworld.
Anon: "The woman in the first video—netizens are calling her 'Lady Hachishaku' right now."
Nijika pursed her lips and continued watching the following videos.
There was a Slit-Mouthed Woman brandishing a pair of colossal shears.
There was a seemingly adorable schoolgirl in a sailor uniform, only with no head on her shoulders.
There was a hair demon floating mid-air with only an upper torso, its locks writhing like venomous vipers in the air.
There was even a grotesque balloon descending from the sky, looping directly around someone's neck and hauling the person filming straight into the sky...
Beyond these anomalies that could barely be identified, far more anomalies had never been seen before—a motley collection of every bizarre variety imaginable.
The mist had persisted for a full day and night without dispersing; aside from elementary schoolers who remained carefree, the vast majority of people sensed a looming crisis, and some were even forced to step out of their front doors.
Modern working people were already exhausted to the bone from their jobs and only wanted to lie flat and rest after work; they had zero inclination to cook, eating out for almost all three meals.
Consequently, as the mist locked down the city, the many households that didn't even have crumbs for a mouse were thrown into sheer panic.
The mist was perilous, filled with all manner of prowling monsters.
Yet starving was just as agonizing to endure.
The absolute human limit without food is seven days, but ordinary people cannot even last three before intense hunger drives them mad.
Aside from this, there were all sorts of circumstances compelling people to go outside.
For instance, a child running a high fever of thirty-nine degrees with no antipyretics at home and physical cooling showing zero effect—as parents, they naturally couldn't stand by and watch their child suffer in agony.
Among those who went outside, some pulled out their phones to record videos, which was where these clips originated from.
Kita: "Ordinary people are completely powerless against those monsters... Why haven't the authorities eliminated the bugs creating the fog yet?"
Anon: "If they could eliminate them, they definitely would have done so long ago."
Soyo: "The mist couldn't possibly last forever, could it?"
Tomori: "It makes one worry..."
Ryo: "If the mist continues without dispersing, the number of people forced to leave their homes for survival will only grow."
"..."
Time quietly flowed by.
In the blink of an eye, another day passed.
The mist enveloping all of Tokyo still showed not the slightest trace of clearing.
As most people's food reserves dwindled to nothing, grievances on the internet grew increasingly intense; nonetheless, the majority still chose to remain at home, awaiting rescue from the authorities.
Until a mysterious account posted a video on Twitter: a squad of fully armed official operatives was advancing along the streets when they encountered a monster akin to a 'Grafted Scion'; thermal firearms—the weapons with which humanity ruled the Earth—were utterly meaningless before the creature, leaving only fresh blood and minced flesh flying in all directions.
In mere moments, a fully armed tactical squad was wiped out entirely.
The instant the video was published, it set off a massive uproar across the net.
Once the video's virality peaked, the mysterious account dropped another bombshell: internal call logs and chat transcripts among numerous official personnel—
"Currently, there is no way to dispel the mist."
"Even the most elite squads cannot guarantee their safety upon encountering monsters."
"The Administration Bureau must prioritize protecting official personnel until the mist disperses..."
"..."
In short, the common populace had been abandoned.
Consequently, anger and panic erupted uncontrollably like molten lava surging beneath Mount Fuji.
Many people stepped out of their homes to survive; not daring to venture to far-off convenience stores, they robbed the neighbors right beside them. Within a brief span, the civilized order collapsed into ruins, plunging countless souls into despair.
The idealistic psychic energy of a single person is feeble, but Tokyo held a staggering thirty million people, ultimately condensing into an incomparably vast reservoir of negative energy.
These invisible, idealistic currents formed rivers, flowing through the void and ultimately converging into the basement of a single villa.
Shimizu Rin was cloaked entirely within a black hooded robe, gazing expressionlessly at the void before her.
In the once-empty space, a long, narrow rift tore open like an eye of hell, and the Abyss Tree—previously in an ethereal state—finally thrust its boughs into the mortal plane.
Crack, snap.
Countless arcs of black lightning flickered around the fissure, yet were entirely incapable of inflicting any harm upon the Lord of Calamity.
As the divine-tier Calamity invaded reality, ordinary residents living around the villa were the first to be affected; an oppressive aura originating from the soul level surged outward, as if one had been plunged into the deep sea, making even breathing exceedingly labored.
Kita: "The mysterious leaker on Twitter... it's probably Shimizu-san, right?"
Anon: "It's likely her."
Tomori: "Um... a neighbor called mom, saying they wanted to come over to borrow some food."
Ryo: "It's best not to open the door. We just need to look after ourselves; order has already collapsed, and no one knows what will happen once the door opens."
Tomori: "But our family is on very good terms with the neighbors; we've known them for many years."
Nijika: "If Tomori really wants to open the door, call Hana over first, just in case."
Tomori: "Thank you, Nijika-senpai."
Soyo: "I wonder when Kitahara-kun will be able to return..."
Tokyo fell thoroughly into chaos, and the girls yearned for Kitahara's return all the more.
Inside the Ijichi household.
The fluffy animal ears atop Hana's head twitched lightly, and she stood up from the sofa.
"Hana, what's wrong?"
Nijika asked softly.
"Someone... summoning me," Hana spoke with her usual clipped, sparse vocabulary.
Nijika blinked, quickly catching on:
"It's Tomori, right?"
"Mhm."
"Go ahead then," Nijika naturally wouldn't stop her, merely instructing softly, "Make sure to protect Tomori well."
Humans are not made of wood and stone; who can be devoid of feelings?
When neighbors of many years come knocking to borrow food, most people would hesitate and struggle internally; those with hearts of stone are few and far between, after all.
Still, Nijika felt a bit anxious, clutching her phone as she awaited updates.
Fortunately, before long, Tomori sent a message indicating that her goodwill had not been betrayed; after borrowing the food, the neighbors had thanked them profusely and taken their leave.
Silence throughout the night.
The third day of the mist's descent.
Nijika woke up on time and cautiously drew back the curtains; what greeted her eyes was still the sky filled with dense mist without a sliver of sunlight, while monsters could be vaguely seen roaming outside the windows.
"Phew..."
Nijika let out a soft sigh, got dressed, and stepped out of her bedroom, only to see Seika sitting on the couch, her face filled with sheer excitement.
"Onee-chan, what happened?"
Nijika asked curiously.
"Nijika, you're up?" Seika looked up, the corners of her lips curling slightly into an eager smile. "That brat's speed of return has noticeably quickened again; at this rate, he should be able to return to the real world tomorrow."
Nijika's eyes brightened up instantly:
"Thank goodness! Kitahara-san is finally coming back."
The world had undergone a drastic upheaval; perhaps even Kitahara's return might not reverse the status quo, but as long as Kitahara was by their side, they could find complete peace of mind.
"I'll go make some food," Nijika clenched her fists. "A lot of people online are saying that once maintenance staff are gone, the city will soon lose running water and electricity. So while we can still cook, we should prepare plenty to store for emergencies."
Seika got up as well: "I'll help."
"No need," Nijika waved her hand to chase Seika away. "Onee-chan just wait to eat; don't get the bridal gown dirty."
Breakfast was ready before long.
Seika and Nijika sat down at the table and were just about to eat when the ahoge atop Hana's head twitched lightly, and she stood right up.
"Hana?"
Nijika looked over in confusion:
"Is someone summoning you?"
Just as the words left her mouth, the phone resting on the table buzzed violently.
"Could it be Tomori..."
Nijika guessed inwardly, but picking up the phone, she realized she had guessed wrong—the person calling was none other than Anon.
"Nijika-senpai, save me, save me, save me!"
The instant the call connected, Anon's frantic voice burst through the receiver.
"Anon, what did you run into?"
Nijika hurriedly asked for details.
"It's bugs!" Anon's voice trembled with tension. "A ton of bugs suddenly showed up outside, along with an oversized one that looks as massive as an airship! It feels like the barrier isn't going to hold!"
"Hold on, we'll be right over."
Not daring to dally, Nijika hastily hung up and utilized Fast Travel alongside Hana and Seika to head directly to Anon's home.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The moment they arrived at Anon's house, a torrential flurry of deafening impacts flooded their ears.
The previously hidden barrier had fully manifested; under the battering of Otherworld locusts, ripples spread across its surface one after another.
"Nijika-senpai, Manager!"
Anon rushed forward, clutching Nijika's arm tightly.
In the living room stood two nervous middle-aged adults—Anon's parents.
Seeing strangers appear out of thin air, Anon's parents were naturally frightened:
"Anon-chan, who are they...?"
"Mom, I'll explain later," Anon looked down at Hana, her face filled with hope. "Hana, can you get rid of those bugs outside the house?"
Through the hazy mist beyond the windows, dozens or perhaps hundreds of vicious, ferocious bugs were dive-bombing against the barrier—the very same Otherworld locusts seen previously.
Even more terrifying, an insect queen the size of an airship hovered mid-air, its crushing presence suffocating the room.
Hana tilted her small face up, looked at the bugs outside the window, and answered bluntly:
"Can't win."
Anon: "..."
Nijika: "..."
"Even Hana can't win?!" Anon panicked instantly. "Then what do we do?"
"Anon, don't panic," Nijika bit her lower lip, swiftly reaching a decision. "Since Hana can't eliminate those bugs, pack up your things quickly and come to my house with your parents."
"B-But..."
"No buts! Pack up, fast."
"T-Then we'll be intruding on Nijika-senpai..."
Anon bowed, hurriedly running up to her parents to whisper an explanation.
Otherworld locusts arrived with overwhelming ferocity; once they breached Hana's barrier, the consequences would be unthinkable, making retreat the wisest course of action.
"Onee-chan, I didn't consult with you just now..."
Nijika looked toward Seika, apologizing in a low voice.
"My thought was also to bring Anon over to take shelter," Seika crossed her arms, speaking warmly. "Nijika just happened to voice it first, that's all."
On the other side.
Anon's parents were very open-minded people; without any vacillation, they quickly packed their essentials and decided to leave together with Anon.
With packing complete, the group stepped into the mirror, heading straight for Shimokitazawa.
"The underground live house can serve as a temporary shelter..."
Nijika made arrangements softly.
Having just settled Anon's family in, her phone rang once more.
Picking it up, it was a message from Ryo.
"Not good. My windows were smashed open."
"Eh?"
Nijika went online to look and was instantly shocked.
After being forsaken by the authorities, some individuals had actually formed alliances—not mutual-aid coalitions, but alliances of despair hell-bent on dragging everyone down with them.
These people ventured into the mist carrying bricks, hammers, and tools, specifically targeting the windows of the wealthy and powerful so the mist would pour into their homes, achieving 'universal equality.'
Ryo's family operated a private hospital and were textbook capitalists, so they were unfortunately targeted; by the time they noticed, the fog had already flooded half the villa.
"How could people like this exist..."
Nijika bit her lower lip and hurriedly sent Hana to fetch Ryo's family over.
During this period, Soyo-chan actually ran into malicious neighbors; while the barrier could ward off evil spirits, it couldn't stop ordinary mortals, forcing her and her mother to come along as well—meanwhile, Tomori, whom everyone had worried about most, remained safe and sound.
The underground live house was spacious enough to accommodate several families without issue, yet the atmosphere was stiflingly quiet, a dreary, somber gloom hanging over everyone's hearts.
Time drifted by, each minute and second stretching out agonizingly long.
After an unknown duration, the clock on the phone finally reached eight in the evening.
Just as Nijika let out a quiet sigh of relief, thinking today would finally conclude, a violent impact suddenly reverberated.
Bang!
An Otherworld locust slammed violently against the window, sending concentric ripples scattering across the barrier.
The girls nervously peered outside, only to see countless Otherworld locusts circling overhead under the dim glow of the streetlamps.
"Oh no, those bugs actually tracked us here!"
Anon's face drained of colour.
Nijika bit her lower lip:
"No matter where we go, these bugs can track us down... What about going to the Eden Island in Otherworld?"
"No," Seika gently shook her head, her face serious. "That brat mentioned before that Eden Island is super dangerous right now; we can't go there."
Nijika took a deep breath: "Then we go somewhere else. In any case, we can't stay here."
"How about Kagoshima?" Ryo proposed coolly with her arms crossed. "The southern prefecture is a small region; it seems no fog has appeared there."
"Eh?"
The girls' eyes brightened instantly.
"Hana, let's head to Kagoshima... Hana?"
Nijika looked down at Hana, quickly noticing something off about her.
The ahoge atop Hana's head twitched gently; upon her usually impassive small face, a distinct look of anticipation now surfaced, her eyes glistening brightly:
"Back."
Anon looked over in confusion: "What is Hana saying?"
"Master... is back."
Clad in the pure-white bridal gown, Seika raised an eyebrow in perplexity:
"That brat should clearly still be some distance away from us..."
Before she could finish her sentence, a rift suddenly tore open in the living room's empty space, and a foot stepped right out.