“Mmgh…?”
Inari awoke because of a strange discomfort—more precisely, an unpleasant sensation, as if sothing were rudely brushing against her being. It was enough to rouse her from slumber.
And when she opened her eyes, it was clear sothing abnormal had occurred.
“What is this... fog?”
Yes, it was fog. That in itself wasn’t unusual to Inari—she’d seen similar mists before in the abandoned village. But for it to seep into a high-floor hotel room like this was no ordinary matter. What’s more, this mist clung to her skin with an unpleasant texture, and then… there was the scent.
“This scent... ah, it’s the sea. I rember it from that dungeon in Akihabara.”
Indeed, it carried the sll of the ocean—the salt and tide. This wasn’t just fog. Even if the Tama River was nearby, there was no reason for sea fog to reach this far inland. Moreover, Inari could sense what Awakeners called “mana” swirling within it.
“Hikaru. Wake up, now.”
She tried to rouse Hikaru, who at so point had snuck into bed beside her, but the girl remained deeply asleep—almost unnaturally so. Her life didn’t seem to be in danger, but if this mist was responsible for her condition, then Inari couldn’t leave her like this. With a hum, Inari summoned Kogetsu in its blade form.
“At the very least, I must clear this room.”
Inari traced her fingers along the blade. With her motion, Kogetsu glead green, exuding a cold brilliance.
“Banish the encroaching evil… Secret Sword: Oodenta.”
Riin. A chi, like a bell, rang out as a green ripple spread from Inari’s feet, instantly dispersing the mist in the room. Once the last wisp vanished, Hikaru stirred with a groan.
“Wha… what just—whoa!?”
She blinked rapidly, looking as though she saw sothing—specifically, a floating system window from The King of All Beasts, visible only to her.
[The King of All Beasts] is shouting at you to wake up.
[The King of All Beasts] is furious that the mist is a mind-corrupting evil.
[The King of All Beasts] is irritated that you didn’t wake up.
[The King of All Beasts] is considering forcibly waking you.
“Ughhh… That was close.”
[The King of All Beasts] is relieved you’ve finally awakened.
“I told you to stop intervening without restraint!”
[The King of All Beasts] is exasperated by your lack of urgency.
Muttering under her breath, Hikaru waved her hand like shooing away an insect and dismissed the window. Seeing that, Inari asked.
“Sothing wrong?”
“N-nothing!” Hikaru blurted.
Inari had noticed her whispering but respectfully flattened her ears—because she was a fox who valued her friend’s privacy.
“Oh? You’re good now?”
“Eh? Oh, uh… yeah. Thanks for being considerate.”
“Mm. More importantly, have you noticed? Sothing strange is happening.”
“...Seems like it.”
They walked to the room’s large window and pulled open the curtains. Outside, the dense mist stretched as far as they could see.
It was an unbelievable sight—tonight was supposed to be clear with a beautiful night view. Fog that reached up to this high a floor shouldn’t even exist. Though they’d arrived at the realization through different ans, both Inari and Hikaru were certain now: this mist was a form of attack.
The question now was what to do next.
“Hikaru, would you stay here? This mist has no effect on , so I’ll take a look outside.”
“Wait. I made a ss of things earlier, but I’m going too.”
“Still…”
“I’ve got a way to deal with it.”
As Hikaru reached into her bag, a golden armband with a lion’s face shot out and clamped onto her wrist. When she touched it, her outfit transford—light, mobile clothes overlaid with lion-thed armor: a breastplate, circlet, and gauntlets. It was the exact sa form she had worn in that comrcial.
“Oho… You’ve got quite the gear.”
“Well, I can’t say where it’s from. But with this on, that mist’s no problem.”
And indeed, Inari believed it. The gear Hikaru now wore surpassed anything Inari had seen other Awakeners use. It radiated the aura of a ferocious beast—yet not malicious. In fact, it felt like a protective power. With that armor, the mist wouldn’t even touch her.
“Mm, fair enough. Then, let us be off.”
“Oh? That was quick.”
“Swift action. It is a virtue.”
When they opened the door, they could see the mist trying to push its way into the room—but it couldn't.
“Ughhh, nasty stuff. Slls like the sea.”
“We don’t know how far this spreads… Let’s charge in!”
“Hell yeah, let’s gooo!”
With a cry, Inari and Hikaru leapt into the mist.
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