"This is footage sent back by special forces members after they entered Itomori Town this morning."
As Elysia spoke, she pulled up a video and played it on the large screen in the command center.
The footage is from the mission recorder worn by the team members.
In the footage, hundreds of special forces members, in groups of four, enter the town in an orderly manner and are then confronted with a large number of lifelike stone sculptures.
Initially, due to the large number of special forces members, the stone sculpture being stared at remained motionless, like a puppet.
After obtaining permission to attack, one of the team members tentatively fired a shot at the stone sculpture.
Bang!
Gunshots rang out, bullets struck the stone sculpture, yet not even a white mark was left—its strength far exceeded that of ordinary stone.
This action seemed to have angered them.
The eyes of the stone sculpture suddenly lit up.
A blinding burst of holy light erupted like a flashbang, instantly turning the recording camera screen white, leaving only the crisp sound of a neck being snapped and the abruptly stopped screams:
"Ah..."
...
"A stone sculpture body that a rifle cannot penetrate.
Possesses a teleportation ability similar to 'Schrödinger's cat'—once you look away, it might appear behind you and snap your neck.
The eyes can emit a strong light.
It has a contagious nature similar to a zombie virus: those whose necks are broken will turn into stone sculptures of the same kind."
After Elysia finished her summary, she looked at a general beside her:
"This type of anomaly is beyond the scope of our bureau's independent handling capabilities and requires support from field troops..."
"It is my duty."
The two sides then began discussing action plans.
Hayashi, standing to the side, put down the Itomori Town information in his hand, his brows furrowed slightly.
"What's wrong?" Yukino was the first to notice his unusual behavior.
"…Nothing."
Hayashi shook her head, not voicing her doubts.
Stone sculptures, teleportation, neck twisting... This sense of déjà vu, combined with the previous 096 and the information left behind by the Foundation's "Dead Man Task Force."
His first thought was of SCP-173—the Foundation's "mascot."
The monster is known as the "Little Peanut."
But…
He had no recollection of 173 being infectious or capable of releasing holy light.
However, the Foundation has ventured into countless parallel universes, and there are many terrifying variations in the original 173.
Combined with what the Foundation staff member said earlier—that "173 and 096 were released to destroy humanity"...
Perhaps the calamity that befell Itomori Town was indeed caused by 173.
If it really is it, with stone carvings all over the town, where is the original object hidden?
While Hayashi was deep in thought, Elysia encountered a problem.
Based on the sacrifices of Satou Kazuma and the special forces, they have figured out the characteristics of the stone sculpture:
Do not look away, and the other party will unleash a burst of intense light.
Strong light can be dealt with—military sunglasses can help.
However, the point about "not being able to look away" is extremely tricky.
They discovered that the stone carvings were extremely strict in determining when to "look away":
Even blinking counts.
Even with more than ten people monitoring a stone sculpture together, it is difficult to guarantee that nothing will go wrong. Team members must be trained to blink alternately to avoid blinking at the same time.
One mistake means a teammate is twisted and transformed into a member of the stone sculpture army.
Humanity will eventually experience fear and exhaustion...
Itomori Town originally had about 1,500 residents, and with the addition of tourists, Satou Kazuma, and special forces members, the total number of stone sculptures is about 1,700.
To minimize the risk of mistakes, ten people are needed to keep an eye on the statue.
This means that at least 17,000 soldiers are needed for continuous surveillance.
If we consider the need for day-night shifts and manpower fatigue, implementing a three-shift system would require over 100,000 people…
Even more problematic is that some of the stone sculptures may have infiltrated the Tokyo area using their "Schrödinger's cat"-like movement.
If it comes true...
That would be a disaster far more terrifying than the zombie virus.
We need more support!
Even Elysia looked worried at the thought that these monsters might appear in the city.
The general standing to the side also looked grave.
Japan is permanently stationed with two field armies, but each army has only 30,000 to 50,000 personnel.
The numbers seem barely enough, but full mobilization would take several days, and right now...
It is no longer possible to completely blockade the stone carvings.
"A troop movement of this scale would take at least several days!" The general's face turned pale.
"At present, we can only ask everyone to make do—it is unrealistic for ten people to keep an eye on one statue, so let's change it to two people keeping an eye on one statue."
"Only three thousand people are needed... Please everyone, please persevere."
Elysia had no choice but to resort to this desperate measure.
She was well aware of the risks of being watched by two people, but... she had no other choice.
"This is the only way." The general nodded painfully—all those who carried out such a dangerous mission were his soldiers.
"Hmm…" Elysia remained silent.
She had considered using her powers, but her intuition told her that these stone sculptures were of a very high level, and her power would probably be insufficient to directly influence them; only by "observing" them could she deal with them.
Just as her face was filled with deep sorrow, Hayashi's voice rang out leisurely:
"Miss Pink Fairy, why don't you ask... if I have a solution?"
The sound attracted everyone's attention.
"Hayashi?"
Elysia looked at Hayashi with a puzzled expression, then remembered the information she had received when Hayashi took in Tomie.
--Crow!
"You want to call your pet crow for help?"
"Putting aside the fact that crows' eyes can't withstand strong light, and there aren't any ready-made crow sunglasses, just look at the quantity! You don't have that many crows, do you!"
Thinking of the crows controlled by Hayashi, Elysia shook her head and said.
"Who says my crows are afraid of bright light and that there are few of them?"
Hayashi shook his head and then, in front of Elysia, he slit his wrist, blood dripping down, much to Elysia's curiosity.
The generals stared in horror.
The blood seeped into the soil, and like tree roots, the crimson blood vessels spread rapidly to form a fungal carpet!
One by one!
Then, one by one, fleshy spheres sprouted like flower buds and quickly bloomed!
A crow flew out from the crimson flower of flesh and blood.
Although Hayashi can only precisely control a little over a thousand of them, it doesn't mean he can't produce more crows.
And even if he can't control it now, he can fire a few more shots!
Under the Gambling Authority.
Below the level of mental strength 6*6*6*6.
He can control any number of crows!
Soon the fungal carpet spread throughout the entire base.
Ten, a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand! One hundred thousand!
In Elysia, Yukino... their gazes were drawn to a dense swarm of crows that blotted out the sun, circling and dancing around Hayashi.
It gives one the feeling of dark clouds looming over the city, threatening to crush it.
"Go!"
With a flick of his finger in the direction of Itomori Town, the crows flew into the town in batches, like an orderly army.
To the astonishment of the soldiers in the town.
It fell onto the wall, onto the streetlights...
Staring at these stone carvings.
Some of the stone sculptures facing them emitted a holy light into their eyes, and some soldiers clearly saw that the eyes of these crows turned into the color of black gemstones.
It just stared straight at the stone sculptures.
In an instant!
The entire Itomori Town was eerily quiet, with only the heavy breathing of the soldiers.