Silver Wolf: "Did you miss a word there—'planetary system,' maybe?"
Tatsuki: "I can crush a planetary system with a single kick. Destroying a stellar system through spatial collapse is no issue either. A galaxy cluster, though—that takes some effort."
Silver Wolf: "..."
Momonga: "Boss, you're insane!!!"
Hai Xiaomei: "Th-that's… incredible!"
Having listened to countless conversations in the group, Hai Xiaomei had come to grasp the scale of stars, worlds, and the universe.
She was deeply shaken.
Mikoto Suoh: "..."
Thinking back to their last encounter, even he still felt a chill. That calm, easygoing man—capable of annihilating a galaxy.
Meanwhile, Mumei and Horobi stood in a corner, backs to the wall.
"What are they talking about? I don't understand a word," Mumei muttered softly.
Horobi frowned but didn't ask.
Mumei had been distracted ever since the conversation began.
"Announcement! The Hayajiro is approaching Aragane Station!"
A shout came from the watchtower.
Many people froze. Another Hayajiro? So soon? The Iron Fortress had barely arrived not long ago!
To resist the Kabane threat, the shogunate had built fortress-stations called stations. Only armored trains, known as Hayajiro, could travel between them—one of which was the Iron Fortress.
The Hayajiro were operated by the shogunate, manned by crews rotated among the stations. Each station survived by exchanging its own productions; the shogunate, controlling logistics, held immense power.
Despite their sturdy, awe-inspiring exteriors, the Hayajiro were not made for war but for transporting supplies—not for fighting the Kabane, but for escaping them.
Aragane Station thrived on heavy industry—ironworks and steam engines. Most Hayajiro were built and maintained there. Because of that, train arrivals and departures were frequent, and so was the danger of Kabane intrusion.
Yet even so—never before had a new Hayajiro arrived so soon after another.
Soon, the lookout noticed something wrong. His eyes went wide, his scream splitting the air. "The Hayajiro isn't slowing down! It's Kabane! Close the gate—now!"
Faces below turned pale. Hands moved frantically, struggling to shut the gate in time—but the runaway train's speed far outmatched any human effort.
BANG!
The half-closed gate was obliterated in an instant. The thunderous crash echoed through every corner of Aragane Station. Some people froze in confusion—and then—
"WOOOOOOOO!!"
The ear-splitting siren wailed through the station. Everyone knew what that sound meant.
Aragane Station had been breached—by Kabane!
The once peaceful station dissolved into chaos.
"The Kabane are here! Run for your lives!"
"Out of the way!"
"Don't push—ahh!"
In the midst of panic, a warrior's voice roared. "The Iron Fortress! Everyone—head to the Iron Fortress, now!"
He was one of the samurai serving the Shikoma clan, rulers of the station. His command gave the crowd direction—the desperate found an anchor and surged toward the Iron Fortress.
"At a time like this…" Horobi sighed helplessly. "Mumei, let's move. To the Iron Fortress."
Mumei nodded. "Right."
...
What she didn't notice was the chat group notification flashing in the corner of her vision.
[Apocalypse Journey]: Six-Person Run
[Duration]: Two Days
[Participants]: Tatsuki, Mumei, Mikasa, Vivi, Saiki Kusuo, Seitenshi
[Objectives]:
Eliminate as many Kabane as possible.Kill the Reincarnated Demonic Cultivator.
And—
[Parallel Apocalypse Mission]: Apocalypse Termination
[Duration]: Unlimited
[Participants]: Unlimited
[Objective]: Exterminate all Kabane.
Exusiai: "Oh-ho, an Apocalypse Journey, huh."
Saeko Busujima: "A pity, the monsters are zombie-like. Easy to handle—whoever's chosen should rack up a lot of points."
Vivi: "Huh? I'm in this one!"
Mikasa: "Do we need to prepare anything?"
Exusiai: "Probably just weapons and mental prep."
Kisara Tendō: "Stream it, stream it, stream it!"
Silver Wolf: "Didn't you guys notice the new enemy? The 'Reincarnated One'—that demonic cultivator?"
Tatsuki thought of the same concept instantly.
Tatsuki: "Whatever the enemy is, less talk, more action—let's go."
Seitenshi: "Understood."
...
"Hahaha! What a marvelous world! I am a demonic cultivator—here, I shall be invincible!"
A man with long pink hair spread his arms, laughing wildly atop a multistory roof. Below him stretched a city turned to purgatory. Across the ground glowed a massive gray sigil like a magic formation. In the sky loomed a tattered banner, covered in skulls.
Within the city, both Kabane and humans screamed in agony. From their mouths streamed ghostly essence, absorbed by the flag above.
"Another city down—once my Soul-Refining Banner reaches completion, I'll be un—"
His manic laughter stopped cold.
…
"So this is another world…" Suddenly transported, Mikasa surveyed her surroundings in awe.
"ROAR!" A guttural scream pulled her back to reality.
She turned to see a humanoid figure rushing at her—chest glowing red-yellow, lines of yellow pulsing through its flesh, eyes blazing.
In her mind flashed what the group had said: the creatures called Kabane. That man had said their weak point was the heart.
Calm and decisive, Mikasa reached for the twin blades inserted in the scabbard-boxes of her 3D Maneuver Gear.
She dropped low—then exploded forward like lightning, both blades slashing out.
Clang!
Though once human, the creature's heart gave a metallic clang. Even the force that could slice a Titan's nape only cracked the Kabane's steel shell.
Mikasa pivoted with her momentum; her other blade stabbed straight into the exposed core.
Shhh!
A yellowish fluid splattered out and Mikasa's first instinct was to block it with her jacket. The group had warned that Kabane were infectious. She didn't know whether that strange yellow liquid from the heart was contagious.
"Your movements are smooth."
The praise came from Tatsuki.
Mikasa looked up—golden droplets hung suspended in midair. She quickly withdrew her blades and stepped back, as several figures materialized nearby.
She didn't recognize most, but Tatsuki she knew—from the livestreams.
Saiki Kusuo watched the frozen liquid, his lips unmoving as a thought echoed: Time stop.
Tatsuki glanced at him.
Even without speaking, that was Saiki Kusuo. Time-based esper abilities—no surprise at all.
"Something like that," Tatsuki said.
Time resumed. The golden blood fell to the ground.
"Thank you," Mikasa said, locking eyes with him.
"Mm." Tatsuki scanned the chaos around them—people running, others being mauled, and more turning into Kabane.
Blood, terror, and screams filled the air. Aragane Station had become synonymous with hell.
Saiki Kusuo watched silently, brow faintly furrowed. Even he, an esper beyond comprehension, felt the instinctive urge to act.
Vivi looked uneasy—she knew she wasn't strong, afraid of being a burden. So, to at least do something, she began streaming.
[Ding! Vivi has started a livestream!]
[Silver Wolf has joined the stream!]
…
Seitenshi unfolded her radiant wings and halo, becoming a literal angel of salvation. The sight drew everyone's gaze.
She turned to Tatsuki, ready for orders. "Tatsuki, what do we do?"
"Let's find Mumei first. Our target isn't just the Kabane—there's also that so-called reincarnated demonic cultivator."
"I've already locked onto Mumei's position. Let's move."
Space rippled—and they vanished.
...
Near the Iron Fortress—
"Everyone! Get inside quickly! The Iron Fortress is about to depart!"
A young woman at the entrance shouted, voice trembling with sorrow.
Crowds poured inside frantically.
Mumei and Horobi, graceful as dancers, cut through the Kabane ranks—
one using her legs, the other her blade.
Together they felled monster after monster.
Before the stunned gaze of the woman at the gate, the two reached the train itself—only for five figures to appear, blocking their path.
Horobi's eyes sharpened; she raised her sword and shouted, "Who are you?!"
"Mumei's friends," Tatsuki replied with an easy smile. "What do you think?"
Mumei froze, mind racing. Do I… know them?
Then she caught sight of a familiar system prompt in the chat.
People who crossed from other worlds?Could such a thing really exist?
...
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