"Why did you save me? I've already been bitten by a Kabaneri... Even if you drag me onto the Iron Fortress, only a direct execution awaits me."
The Boy said with some bitterness. He also wanted to live well, but his body could only last for three days at most.
Rather than turning into a Kabaneri and attacking his companions, it was more practical to end his own life.
"Why do you want to be directly executed?" Unmei stood with her hands on her hips, looking very displeased at the Boy kneeling on the ground. "Do you really think you've become a Kabaneri?"
"Isn't it? Isn't this the best proof?"
The Boy lowered his head, confirming the position of his left chest. The glowing heart there was the best evidence.
"Although I don't know how you did it, you're not a Kabaneri, but rather..."
Just as Unmei was about to explain, a samurai with sharp eyes arrived at the rear car, threw the suicide bag in his hand to the ground, and pointed his gun at the Boy's head.
He was Kujin Kurusu, the guard responsible for Shikomorikawa Ayame's safety.
"I won't feel ashamed to be saved by you. If you still have humanity left, end your own life."
The Boy stared blankly at the suicide bag on the ground, then looked angrily at Kujin Kurusu, who was telling him to commit suicide.
"So I said! He's not a Kabaneri, but he's not human either!"
Unmei looked displeased at everyone, turned her back, unfastened the jacket she was wearing, and exposed her back to everyone.
At the position of Unmei's heart, a glowing heart made everyone's faces change.
Everyone, including Inaba Tsukiyo, looked at Unmei in surprise. She hadn't expected Unmei to also be such a special human.
"We are Kabaneri, a being between humans and Kabaneri in the world."
When bitten and infected by a Kabaneri, but the virus has not reached the brain, the infected human will not become a Kabaneri, but will become a being between humans and Kabaneri.
Kabaneri are such beings. They possess the physical abilities of a Kabaneri but retain human consciousness.
A large part of why Unmei is so powerful is because of her status as a Kabaneri.
At this point, Unmei approached Inaba Tsukiyo and sniffed her lightly.
'Strange... she's not...'
Unmei was a bit puzzled. Inaba Tsukiyo could easily deal with those Kabaneri, but she wasn't a Kabaneri? That was too strange, wasn't it?
"Meaning, you are still half monster, right? If so, you cannot be with the general populace!"
Kujin Kurusu looked warily at Unmei and the Boy. His concerns were not unfounded; after all, in his impression, Kabaneri were monsters.
The concept of Kabaneri appearing so suddenly made it difficult for him to accept, and he had witnessed the combat power Unmei displayed.
If a being like Unmei went berserk, her danger would far exceed that of a Kabaneri.
Just then, Inaba Tsukiyo stood in front of Unmei and the Boy, her right hand on the hilt of the sword at her waist.
Kujin Kurusu's gaze shifted to Inaba Tsukiyo. He quickly remembered that she was the young girl who had previously fought with the samurai to buy time for the Iron Fortress to start.
Given the sword skills Inaba Tsukiyo displayed, Kujin Kurusu didn't think he was her match.
He couldn't relax his guard; in just a moment, Inaba Tsukiyo could kill him about ten times over.
"You... want to protect him? Are you also a so-called Kabaneri?"
"At least, I won't watch him die by your hand. Because this Boy is more deserving of life than some humans hiding inside the Iron Fortress."
Inaba Tsukiyo had been in this world for less than a day. She didn't know Unmei or this Boy at all.
Rationally speaking, whatever they ended up becoming had nothing to do with her.
As long as she followed the main group to the next city, then slowly investigated how to resolve this world's crisis, she could eventually leave this world.
But she had to intervene in this matter, even if the individuals involved were a Boy and Unmei, who had no relation to her.
Compared to those samurai who only hid in the train cars, the Boy pulled the life-saving lever for the people on the train, and Unmei was her friend.
Even if this friendship was forced upon her by Unmei, since she had agreed to be Unmei's friend, Inaba Tsukiyo would not abandon any friend.
"I will protect these two people. If you have any dissatisfaction with my actions, you can speak up. Whether it's shooting or having the other people on the train ostracize us, I don't care about any of that."
"Anyway, you can even kill your own saviors, so I don't need to treat you as humans."
"!!!!"
Inaba Tsukiyo's words startled Kujin Kurusu and the other samurai.
And just then, a terrifying killing intent erupted from Inaba Tsukiyo.
This killing intent was so strong that the samurai who had their guns pointed at Inaba Tsukiyo couldn't even pull the trigger, and their steam guns dropped directly to the ground.
"Stop them!"
Just as the situation was about to escalate to the worst possible outcome, a clear voice reached everyone's ears.
Through the door to the front carriage, Shikomorikawa Ayame appeared in the rear carriage with two attendants.
"Ayame-sama!"
The samurai looked at the sudden arrival of Shikomorikawa Ayame in surprise, even Kujin Kurusu was startled.
But he quickly shielded Shikomorikawa Ayame, cautiously looking at Inaba Tsukiyo, who had her eyes closed.
"Ayame-sama! It's too dangerous here, please return to the front carriage quickly."
As Shikomorikawa Ayame's guard, Kujin Kurusu had to protect her safety. There were several non-human beings in this carriage, and as the head of the Shikomorikawa family, she could not be harmed.
"Thank you for your kindness, Kurusu. But this time, I want to decide this matter myself."
Since witnessing her father's death, Shikomorikawa Ayame had matured a lot; at least she wasn't as timid as before, unable to clearly express her opinions.
She knew very well that as the sole survivor of the Shikomorikawa family, she had to pull herself together and take on her father's mission.
"I'm truly sorry to trouble you. You've done so much, yet I can only keep you here." Shikomorikawa Ayame looked apologetically at Inaba Tsukiyo and Mumei, "But please understand, I must protect the people of the Iron Fortress."
"Personally, I am willing to believe that you won't harm others, as you all contributed your strength for the Iron Fortress's evacuation. However... for the safety of everyone else on the Iron Fortress, I must confirm that you won't cause harm to others."
"...I understand, trust is mutual. I think you are worthy of my trust." Inaba Tsukiyo pointed to the others, and finally to Shikomorikawa Ayame: "So what do you want to do? Are you going to abandon us?"
Shikomorikawa Ayame opened her mouth, first glancing at the silent Boy, then at Mumei.
She wasn't entirely clear about the situation of these two, but their presence would make the other people on the train feel afraid.
She wasn't a pedantic person, nor was she a selfish person who would abandon others for her own life.
But she knew one thing: Mumei and the Boy had helped them.
"I can let you stay on the Iron Fortress. You all fought Kabaneri. Without your help, we might not have escaped. This kindness must absolutely be repaid."
The samurai, who had been anxiously preparing to persuade her, suddenly didn't know what to say.
They had clearly seen Inaba Tsukiyo's activity in dealing with Kabaneri; because of her presence, many lives were indeed saved.
"But they can no longer be considered human. As long as they are not human, they might harm us. What if they turn into Kabaneri?"
The fear of Kabaneri had long been etched into the hearts of these samurai.
They had witnessed too many fellow samurai die fighting Kabaneri, and they deeply understood the terror of Kabaneri.
What if they turn into Kabaneri and attack the people on the train?
Even if they are human now, won't they turn into Kabaneri later?
If they turn into Kabaneri, can they really be fought?
Even ordinary humans are terrifying after turning into Kabaneri.
If these people turn into Kabaneri, would anyone truly be their match?
"Heh heh~ So, at the end of the day, you're worried that when they act up, no one can stop them, right?" Inaba Tsukiyo pointed to several samurai behind Kujin Kurusu: "Is it because you lack strength, or because you're afraid to die?"
"You..." The samurai who was pointed at glared angrily at Inaba Tsukiyo.
However, they had witnessed Inaba Tsukiyo's strength, so even if they were angry, it wouldn't solve anything.
Moreover, with Shikomorikawa Ayame still here, there was even less for them to do.
"If you're worried about them turning into Kabaneri and attacking you, then let me look after them? How about that?" With her right hand placed in front of her, Inaba Tsukiyo said: "As long as they don't leave the last carriage, you should be able to rest assured, right?"
Shikomorikawa Ayame and Kujin Kurusu frowned.
This was indeed the best suggestion; having Inaba Tsukiyo watch over Mumei and the Boy was indeed the best method.
The samurai, however, did not trust Inaba Tsukiyo. They believed that Inaba Tsukiyo and Mumei were in league with these Kabaneri.
But no matter how they tried to persuade Shikomorikawa Ayame, it was useless, because this was the best method.
Even the most stubborn Kujin Kurusu was not completely unreasonable. If the other party could reason well, there was no need to communicate through physical language.
"Please wait, I don't think you have any suspicion of being Kabaneri or Kabaneri. Even if you stay in the front carriage, it doesn't matter."
Shikomorikawa Ayame candidly expressed her opinion. Inaba Tsukiyo showed no signs of injury and had no need to stay with Mumei and the Boy.
"It's fine, even if I stay with others, they will still feel afraid. And it's very spacious here, better than being crowded with others. If you need my help, just come and call me."
Thus, Inaba Tsukiyo successfully reached an agreement with Shikomorikawa Ayame.
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