Chapter 147: The Highly Dangerous Ajin Leader
[TL: From now on, I'm changing "Abyss Men" to "Ajin" because I just realized today that the world the MC is currently in is from the film Ajin: Demi Human.]
Asagiri didn't keep them in suspense. Leaning against the tree, he calmly relayed what Crazy Mita had extracted from the on site commander's phone.
"Among all known Ajin, the Anti Demi Human Special Operations Group is especially wary of one individual. His name is Sato. He always appears wearing a dark green beret, so people also call him Hat."
His tone stayed even, but the information carried weight.
"Sato used to be special forces. His judgment is sharp, his execution is clean, and he can carry out missions with frightening precision. Whether it's solo operations, overall coordination, planning, or implementation, he's almost flawless."
Asagiri's gaze narrowed slightly.
"Even most Black Watch soldiers are far inferior to him."
He paused.
"However, Sato's style is extremely cruel. Cold blooded. Cunning. His psychology is… wrong."
Asagiri's voice turned colder.
"He showed violent tendencies since childhood. He likes danger. He craves it. Only battles on the edge of life and death can give him pleasure and excitement."
Yuuki Asuna couldn't help interrupting, her expression turning strange.
"Wait… the more I hear this description, the more familiar it sounds."
"Oh?"
Asagiri looked genuinely surprised.
"You've met someone like that before? People like that exist in our world?"
Yuuki Asuna went silent for a beat.
"…Flawless. Excellent judgment and execution. Chasing excitement from danger."
She looked straight at him.
"Isn't that you?"
"Don't talk nonsense. I'm different from Sato."
Asagiri waved a hand, smiling as if she'd just accused him of stealing snacks.
"I do enjoy the excitement this death game brings, but I calculate the risks. And even if I'm ruthless in battle, I don't go around seeking hostile relationships just to kill for no reason."
His smile thinned into something sharper.
"In the end, I'm a Player who enjoys thrills. Sato is a twisted, violent killer. Maybe there are similarities, but we're not the same kind of person."
Yuuki Asuna nodded, a gentle smile returning.
"Right. Continue."
"There isn't much else."
Asagiri shrugged, his tone almost casual.
"Sato once broke into another research base and took an Ajin who was being held there as an experimental subject. He claims he's the leader of a faction that will 'liberate' all Ajin from human hands."
His eyes didn't soften.
"But with his personality, he doesn't actually care whether Ajin live or die. He just wants to start a war against humans for pleasure and excitement."
"And if he wants to expand his organization," Asagiri added, "he will definitely come to rescue the Ajin imprisoned in this research base."
"But can he really break through the base defenses alone?" Kato Megumi frowned slightly. "Even we can't force our way in. How can a flesh and blood person do it?"
"No. That's not the right assumption."
Before Asagiri could answer, Iwanaga Kotoko spoke, eyes thoughtful.
"If an ordinary person could revive after death, it wouldn't be hard to deal with. Tranquilizers, continuous fire, suppress them."
Her deep purple eyes flickered.
"But someone like Sato is different. Even alone, a special forces soldier with elite combat ability and tactical skill is terrifying. And there's more."
Kotoko's voice dropped, as if threading a needle.
"Sato has successfully breached a research base before. There's no way he did it through a frontal assault."
She shook her head, certainty sharpening her words.
"He's from this world. He must have collaborators the Anti Demi Human Special Operations Group doesn't know about. He's not fighting alone."
Then Kotoko seemed to catch a new thought. She looked at Asagiri and asked carefully.
"Sato is outstanding enough that, by the system's standards, he should qualify to become a Player."
Her eyes narrowed.
"Could it be that Sato, like Crazy Mita in our last Dungeon, also received a system issued quest to obtain Player status?"
"That's very possible."
Asagiri nodded. A hint of excitement lit his eyes, and the corner of his mouth rose.
"With Sato's personality, even if there were no reward for killing Players, he would still attack them for the thrill. But if the reward exists, taking their equipment or items and their phone after killing them, then he'll be even more motivated."
He exhaled, almost pleased.
"Ajin. Anti Demi Human Special Operations Group. Players."
"The paths of the three factions converge at the research base, and they're all hostile toward each other."
Asagiri's smile deepened.
"A war to the death is about to break out. This is truly excit… oh no."
He cleared his throat, composure snapping back into place.
"It's very worrying."
Yuuki Asuna stared at him, half speechless.
"You let it slip."
"Hmph."
Asagiri crossed his arms, adopting an inexplicably profound expression.
"In my opinion, Sato is merely someone offering his head for sale. You all warm the wine, and I shall swiftly slay him in battle!"
"Why are you doing a Three Kingdoms meme again?" Yuuki Asuna shot back, cheeks warming. "Warming wine to slay Sato?"
"Um. I'll interrupt your flirting."
Kato Megumi spoke calmly, then glanced at Yuuki Asuna, who was visibly blushing. Her tone remained gentle.
"We have a more urgent problem."
"What problem?" Asagiri asked.
"I'm hungry. You should be hungry too."
As if agreeing, Yuuki Asuna's stomach rumbled softly.
"Oh, how embarrassing…"
Iwanaga Kotoko covered her mouth and laughed.
Yuuki Asuna's face turned red, but she refused to lose.
"Hmph. I didn't expect being short to have this advantage. Your standby time is long enough."
"You…"
Kotoko clenched a fist, exasperated, then stared pointedly at Yuuki Asuna's chest.
"Heh. It's because those two places waste too much energy. They're not energy efficient or environmentally friendly at all!"
Asagiri chuckled.
"Then shouldn't I be the least energy efficient and environmentally friendly?"
To his surprise, both Yuuki Asuna and Iwanaga Kotoko flushed at the same time. They turned their faces away, voices suddenly shy.
"Y you… what are you saying in front of Phantom? Can you talk about that so openly…"
"Huh?"
Asagiri froze, then looked completely done with them.
"You two, stop. Where did your minds go? I meant I'm the tallest."
Yuuki Asuna realized what she'd misunderstood and turned even redder.
"You… then say it clearly…"
"How would I know?" Asagiri retorted, shamelessly confident. "I thought if you were hungry, you'd be thinking about food. How would I know what you were thinking of eating was…"
"Stop! Stop! Don't say any more!"
Yuuki Asuna knew him too well. She cut him off immediately, then stole a glance at Kato Megumi. Seeing Kato's expression was calm as always, Yuuki Asuna finally breathed out, coughed twice, and forced the topic back on track.
"But yes. We still have twenty full hours until we hit twenty four hours inside the Dungeon."
Her tone turned serious.
"We've fought twice and traveled a long distance. If we don't eat and rest, our condition will drop badly."
By now, Yuuki Asuna had fully grasped how brutal this Dungeon really was.
Ordinary Players who weren't aiming for the experimental data only had to hide in the city. If they avoided fights, they could survive by laying low.
But high level Players who carried the objective of clearing the Dungeon had a different burden.
They had to locate the research base, then cross a long distance to reach Chiba Prefecture. Danger was unavoidable along the way. Even if they arrived safely, they would be exhausted, and they would need food and rest immediately to reset their condition before the real war began.
Worse, if they were too slow, they might not even get time to rest before being forced into a decisive breakthrough while drained.
Information gathering. Stealth. Operational efficiency. Route planning. Armed enemies.
This was the true difficulty of the second stage.
Compared to that, the first stage really had been child's play.
"We should get food," Kato Megumi said.
She stood and brushed the dust from her clothes.
"I'm in the best condition right now, and I have a unique skill. I'll go down the mountain into the city and collect supplies, then bring them back."
Yuuki Asuna immediately stood as well.
"I also…"
"No. You can't."
Kato gently pressed a hand to Yuuki Asuna's shoulder and gave her a soft smile.
"If I'm alone, even if I run into danger, I can activate my unique skill without consumption while staying still and evade. But if you come with me, I'll have to spend stamina and mental energy to use my skills."
She shook her head lightly.
"So I'll go alone. Don't worry. I'll be fine."
"But it's too dangerous alone…"
"It's fine," Asagiri said, standing up with a smile. "Leave it to Phantom."
He walked over to Kato Megumi and drew an item from his pocket.
A pale gold hourglass.
The Hourglass of Reversal.
Asagiri held it out and looked directly into Kato's eyes, his voice low and serious.
"Take this. If anything unexpected happens, use it immediately. No hesitation."
He tightened his grip for a moment.
"It's just an item. It's far less important than you. Understand?"
"Leader…"
Kato Megumi looked at the Hourglass of Reversal, then at Asagiri's expression. She nodded quietly and accepted it.
Her fingertips brushed his palm by accident, and a strange flutter ran through her chest.
"Okay," she said softly. "I promise I'll come back safely."
.....
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