Chapter 10: Terror (5)
Masimo of Iron Blood.
Ranked 20th. One of only 20 S-rank Rankers.
It was said that his strength alone was at a level where he could face an A-rank Gate single-handedly.
Iron Blood.
Like his epithet, Masimo was the type to charge recklessly, offering his own body, a monster who subdued opponents with his bare hands using overwhelming strength.
It was known that when he finished a fight, he was always covered in the opponent's blood and his own.
The fact that he was undervalued among Rankers due to his vulgar conduct was one of the hidden pieces of information I had only heard at ‘Remble’. He supposedly does whatever he pleases.
So why on earth was Masimo in front of ?
"You did a good job protecting the kid with that soft body. Well done."
His cool black eyes scanned over and Lottie.
He helped, so is he on our side? Or could Masimo also be on the other side?
Despite the exhausting situation, my mind raced. I needed to judge whether the rope in front of was a lifeline or not. A weakling can't afford to be lazy in the head. This was almost a habit-like action.
As if sensing my appraisal, Masimo cracked his neck and waved his hand.
"Don't get any strange ideas. I'm on the side that ca to protect Lottie."
As if to prove his words, he reached into his shirt and threw sothing at . I caught it with a creaking arm; it was a pacifier.
"...?"
"Lottie has sothing that matches that. I bought it for her."
Kwaang!
Kieeeeeeek-!
After speaking bluntly like that, he kicked off the ground and smashed the overflowing monsters.
"Don't tell , her dad?"
It was shocking. I felt my depleted ntal energy being scraped together.
I examined the pacifier, and the ring shape where you put your finger was sothing I had seen before. There was definitely a similar one of a different color in the box where we kept unused items.
"Lottie's dad is Masimo?"
It's not like it's so kind of talisman, but for soone to carry sothing like this around, isn't that an act only Lottie's dad could do! In the first place, to be on terms to buy her a pacifier.
"You little rascal, you were really the son of an S-rank Ranker?"
Even while monster blood splattered and flesh fell from all sides, the shock was still a shock.
Her peacefully sleeping face looked so serene. The rumor within the Center was true. The reason A-rank Rankers were stationed here was definitely because an S-rank Ranker was involved.
The past three months flashed before my eyes. No wonder she was extraordinary; her bloodline itself was not ordinary.
And so, Masimo spent over an hour beating down monsters.
Around the middle, Cobe, who had recovered a little, hurriedly supported him, but his electricity, not as powerful as before, was no match for Masimo's bare fists.
Kwareureureuk!
"It took a while for a B-rank."
The Gate wavered and then began to crumble like a collapsing brick wall.
Gate destruction. The general principle was that if you beat down all the monsters coming through, the energy maintaining the Gate would lose its balance.
Probably.
"It is an honor to stand in the sa place as Sir Masimo!"
Cobe, covered in green gunk like , quickly stepped in front of Masimo and straightened his back stiffly. I had heard many tis that Rankers also had a pecking order, but it seed an A-rank was indeed below an S-rank.
"You seem to have contributed to protecting Lottie as well. Good work."
Cobe's face turned beet red, as if he couldn't believe he had been praised by Masimo. Cobe, with a flustered expression, moved his lips as if to speak and then firmly shut them.
To think his bluish face, due to the monster blood, could be seen turning red. He must have been extrely happy.
Masimo passed by Cobe and approached and Lottie. I spoke first, pre-emptively.
"Are you Lottie's father?"
"Father? That's not sothing to say to a bachelor. Why do you think so?"
Masimo's furrowed brow imdiately shattered my guess.
Then why did you buy her sothing like this? I glanced at the small object in my hand and asked again.
"You're not Lottie's dad?"
"Do I look like that kid?"
His sharply slanted eyes, dark brown hair, and a nacing face full of scars did seem a hundred million light-years away from Lottie.
"No. I'm sorry."
"...Saying it right away like that feels a bit strange."
What does he want to do. I just blinked blankly at Masimo, who tilted his head crookedly.
"Anyway, to protect a little kid in a ss like this, you're no ordinary person. What's your ability?"
"Immortality."
I didn't feel the need to ntion my other abilities, so I only told him the public one, and Masimo's forehead crumpled.
"Immortality? Those toys?"
A rude remark ca out instantly.
‘No, does Astava not have morality in its compulsory education? Calling a person a toy?’
Just as the skeptical question arose, Masimo continued.
"Ah, sorry. Delphi said it's not polite to say things like that. My apologies."
He's quite skilled at applying dicine after landing a pre-emptive strike. I guess there are so sane people around him.
"Yes, well, that's how people usually see it."
After that, neither of us said anything.
With Masimo's appearance, the incident was almost concluded. Nothing else happened, and even if there was sothing more, it didn't matter now that a being like Masimo had appeared.
The damage was great. The Ranker Rowena died, and several children and most of the sitters died. The reason many children survived was thanks to the sitters who put the children in the shelter and guarded the front.
The Center Director was found in the lowest level of the collapsed Center building. Thanks to his sturdy body, he was just sprawled out in a drunken stupor. I couldn't say anything since he was deceived by the Administrator, but I couldn't help but find it pathetic.
At the news that Casen had also died, all I could do was pat the shoulder of the half-crazed Helga a few tis.
Even for , who was used to death, it was truly a terrible disaster.
***
The day after the terror attack.
The staff of the roughly cleaned-up Center, except for two people watching the children, the injured, and Cobe who was maintaining the few remaining electrical devices, were all standing at the ruined pier.
Even so, everyone was dead, so it was just , the Center Director, Masimo, and Amanda. Oh, and Lottie too.
"This is driving crazy. Amanda, is it ti yet?"
"There's still a little ti left."
When the Center Director first saw Masimo, he was hesitant but didn't grovel like that. They seed to already know each other, even exchanging a few words naturally.
But the current Center Director seed not just anxious, but afraid. I was dying of curiosity as to what kind of person was coming.
"They're here."
Masimo, who was standing next to the Center Director, frowned and muttered. Not long after, a large yacht reached the ruined pier at high speed.
Four people walked out of the yacht. As three people in suits stepped aside, a woman of small stature stood behind them.
Piercingly unrealistic long silver hair. Purple eyes.
"...Professor Ingram?"
No, why is that woman coming out from here?
I could only be dumbfounded.
Camila Ingram.
A special professor at ‘Remble’, where I had attended before coming to the Center. A genius of the century and a Gate researcher belonging to the Association.
I was well aware that she was a celebrity active in various fields, but I also knew well that she was not soone who would co here.
Because Camila Ingram is not a superhuman. Why is she in this ss?
"Y-you've arrived! It must have been a long journey, you've worked hard...."
"Where is she, Lottie."
The Center Director's trembling voice was cut off. The cool voice was familiar. Because she was so busy, her lectures were only once a month, so I had only attended them twice, but I knew the tone.
A voice so cynical it was almost transcendent.
After she stopped the Center Director who was trotting after her and stood in front of , Lottie suddenly extended her arms.
"Uu!"
While I was flustered by the little one struggling to get away from , Camila skillfully took Lottie in her arms.
Without even a mont to be flustered by Lottie who had moved over so readily, Camila imdiately ordered.
"Follow ."
What is this situation. Why is she acting so nonchalantly.
As she entered the yacht with Lottie, I looked back at the Center Director. But the bearded man was fidgeting like a mouse before a cat, so I turned my head back. He was no help.
‘This is driving crazy.’
The three n in suits who ca with Camila were urging to follow with fierce eyes. Looking at Masimo, who was yawning with an indifferent face, it seed no one was going to give a choice.
In the end, I followed them into the yacht, and the interior was jaw-dropping. I've never been on such an expensive boat, but the whole luxurious setting seed to show Camila's status.
As expected, a genius, a high-ranking official of the Association, is different.
"You, what's your na."
Camila, who had placed Lottie on a bed on one side, approached .
"Ah, it's Arsen Neroro."
When I answered because she asked, the professor flinched and stepped back. Her cold, unchanging face slowly contorted as if she had seen sothing bizarre.
"Is there a problem?"
The silence was so long that I spoke first. It wasn't a normal reaction, so I wanted to know the reason.
"...It's different."
"Pardon?"
"Why? What went wrong?"
Camila, who had been backing away unexpectedly, bumped into the wall behind her and sank to the floor. Then she started hitting her own head. Moreover, she was gasping for breath, which was as bizarre as if she were possessed.
Ah. I was the one who was possessed.
‘No, but what is this situation. They said she was a psycho, and it's true.’
A person suddenly starts self-harming in front of , and whether it's because this is the first ti I'm encountering such a sight, my body instinctively froze.
Nevertheless, with the thought that I should stop her, I barely took a step, and the professor's movents ca to a halt.
"No. Nothing has changed. Everything was the sa?"
Listening to her talking to herself continuously was a bit creepy. I glanced back and made sure the door behind was firmly there. A crazy person might suddenly lunge at you, so an escape route is essential.
It was when I was practicing grabbing the doorknob with my right hand so I could open the door imdiately if needed.
"At this ti, Ferid Ville should have been the sitter, so why are you...."
Ferid Ville?
My head, which had been turned back at Camila's muttering, snapped forward.
That person was the forr sitter who had left due to Lottie's wickedness. Camila ntioning my predecessor's na out of the blue.
More than anything, how did she know sothing like that? The Center was supposed to be a top-secret, top-secret, top-secret institution. To know even the sitter's na, isn't that knowing too much?
‘A Gate researcher for the Association is quite a high position, so maybe she could know.’
After groaning for a mont, I opened my mouth first.
"That person... left due to circumstances, so I ca to work here."
I couldn't bring myself to say that an adult left of their own accord because Lottie was being naughty, so I told a lie.
"No. Ferid had no such circumstances."
But her eyes, which had been confused all along, couldn't have been more resolute. She shot up and slowly approached .
"Pardon? What is that supposed to...."
It was hard to understand Camila's words. Doesn't that an she already knows everything?
"Mr. Arsen Neroro."
"Yes."
"Co with ."
"Pardon?"
"I'm saying, co with ."
"...Yeees?"
"Do you not understand ?"
Her bizarre expression, shrouded in anxiety, was filled with irritation. Standing a couple of steps away from her, I kept my mind racing.
No. I understand. I understand, but you're spouting such unbelievable nonsense right now that I'm wondering if there's a problem with my eardrums.
I slowly shook my head at her pale, deeply furrowed brow. No matter how much a pretty face tries to coax , I am cool-headed.
"I don't understand the intention behind your words."
It was the mont I answered articulately.
Flash-
A familiar shape unfolded before my eyes.
[Acquired a Key Clue!]
[You have been chosen by the protagonist's second most precious person!]
[The ‘Power of a Na’ is strong!]
Get closer to the Captain. She knows everything.
Clue Accumulation Rate 3/5
It was the third clue.
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