“Ah, they’re here! The Awakener Association’s car! Could it be that the ‘other successor candidate’ is inside!?”
“Excuse me, could we get a comment!?”
“Can you tell us about the events that led to this reconciliation!?”
“Alright, move aside, move aside! It’s dangerous here!”
The area around Tokyo Dungeon No. 9 was well sealed off with fencing, but the gate where entry and exit were controlled was swarmed by the press.
It was obvious that Echigo Trading Company had stoked this frenzy, but the Association’s staff mercilessly cleared the reporters out of the way while the car slipped through the gates and deeper inside.
“Haa, good grief. I guess since it’s fellow awakeners, and one of the Ten Great Clans no less, encouraging the coverage, the media doesn’t think they need to fear the Association.”
“Well, the media has awakeners among them too. News anchors, announcers… of course they understand the situation better than ordinary people.”
As Yasuno and Tsukiko said, it wasn’t just paparazzi—many awakeners worked in ordinary industries like the media. Naturally, they were familiar with awakener matters, and they also had access to the awakener-exclusive network. Which meant, of course, that information circulated through those channels too.
In any case, they couldn’t follow once inside. When the car doors opened, Echigo Ryoichi was already waiting, along with several men and women. Counting heads, there were about twenty combatants, and another five who looked like porters or baggage carriers—a fairly large group.
“Ah, greetings. My apologies for the other day… I am Echigo Ryoichi.”
“I am Kogami Inari. A different man than last time, I see?”
“I reflected. I was far too childish.”
“Hoh… is that so.”
“Let’s start over from here. Regarding Echigo Trading Company as well, I believe we can have a discussion that satisfies us both.”
Smiling, Ryoichi shifted his gaze to Inari’s rear, narrowing his eyes.
“To think you would bring the Professor. A weighty figure indeed. Is she a personal acquaintance of yours?”
“Now, who can say?”
“Fufufu. Not someone I’d want as an enemy.”
Then, turning to Eru, Ryoichi said, “You should stand with me. In the public eye, the two of us are the representatives.”
That was certainly true. But still… only after glancing back to see Inari’s nod did Eru step forward to his side.
“I am Kotoriya Eru. It is my first time greeting you.”
“Don’t be so harsh. Last time I only bristled out of rivalry with Jiro. From now on, let’s get along.”
“Yes… perhaps so.”
She answered with her mouth, but her hand betrayed her feelings—gripping the shaft of her naginata tightly as though recoiling. Compared to Inari, Ryoichi seemed the very picture of a corrupt adult.
As though shielding Eru—though her taller height meant she wasn’t actually hidden—Inari stepped forward, raising her voice.
“I heard this is to be a large-scale subjugation. How precisely shall we proceed? Shall each group move independently?”
“Ah, that will be fine.”
“Hoh?”
That answer surprised Inari. She had assumed they would stay close, waiting for a chance to strike.
But to allow them to separate? That only made it seem more suspicious. Yet if they were fine with it… then so be it.
Inari nodded.
“Very well. Then let us do so.”
“Well, appearances of unity are still important… Let’s at least enter together.”
Indeed, long-lensed cameras were still pointed through the fence. He likely meant there was no need to appear divided before entering. Which was fine enough—in fact, they had already agreed in advance that “entering together” was acceptable.
“Umu. Then let us go in together.”
“Agreed.”
Nodding to each other, Ryoichi and Inari took the lead, followed immediately by Eru and Eri. Together, they stepped through the dungeon gate—
And in that instant, a zzzzshhh of static filled Inari’s ears.
“!?”
At once, Inari reached for Eru’s hand—only for her vision to be flooded by a window, shimmering with interference.
【That Which Cannot Be Proven nor Known】 has interfered with the Dungeon Gate!
Executing Random Teleportation
“Eru…!”
“Lady Kogami…!”
Though she had grasped her hand, the glow of teleportation pulled them apart.
When the light faded, Inari stood in a sunlit forest.
Tokyo Dungeon No. 9 was a forest-type dungeon, inhabited by insect-type monsters. At a glance, it matched the descriptions… and yet, the exact location seemed different from the prior intel.
And then—
“Vvvvrrrhhh!”
“I had not heard such monsters appeared here…!”
Before her stood a beetle—or no, a humanoid monster clad in the armor of a rhinoceros beetle. Each thud, thud of its footsteps radiated raw strength.
“Well then… It seems calling Tsukiko was indeed the right choice…!”