"What exactly are you plotting, Director Shuichiro Keido?!"
"You used Kurosu's ID to steal that stone! As if that weren't enough, you even handed it over to Colonel Yan?! What are you trying to do?!"
Standing before the imprisoned middle-aged man restrained in an interrogation chair, Haruka Ouma, a researcher at the genomic research institute, angrily questioned him. She had never imagined her colleague would do something so audacious, even injuring soldiers belonging to GHQ!
How were they supposed to remain in GHQ after this?!
She knew that although the Anti-Bodies served under GHQ, their ideals were fundamentally incompatible. As the conflict between them continued to intensify, something like this was bound to happen sooner or later, but she had not expected it to happen so soon.
"Heh... I saw someone familiar on the island. He has certainly grown, hasn't he, Dr. Ouma?"
Blindfolded, Shuichiro Keido merely smiled and brought up something seemingly unrelated.
"Don't drag Shu into this!!"
As a mother, Haruka Ouma's expression instantly turned icy as she rebuked him.
"Why would I...? I was merely mentioning him. I thought it might calm you down a little, but instead I seem to have added fuel to the fire."
He spoke to her as casually as though nothing had happened.
"...!"
Haruka Ouma frowned at him.
"The Void Genome, the research achievement we once took such pride in, was stolen by Funeral Parlor. And the person who used it happened to be one of their members, Inori Yuzuriha... Have you heard about that?"
He asked.
"What? You're saying the genome was—!"
When did that happen? I didn't know... Have they been keeping me in the dark all this time?!
"Heh... That's right. Those rats believed that possessing the Power of the King would allow them to do whatever they wished. Yet... hunters often appear first as prey."
Shuichiro Keido spoke coldly.
"...What are you trying to say?"
"You'll understand when the time comes."
Besides, the rats of Funeral Parlor were merely stepping stones toward the realization of his grand ambition.
...
At around two in the afternoon—
Inside Funeral Parlor's Roppongi Fort, everyone had assembled for an operational briefing.
"Is everyone here?"
Standing before the group, Gai looked around at those present...
"Before we begin, I have something to tell all of you. The danger involved in this mission is extraordinary. Should we complete it successfully, this will be Funeral Parlor's final operation. But should we fail... the consequences will be too terrible to contemplate. There will be casualties, many of them. We may even be completely wiped out."
He paused, unconsciously sweeping his gaze across their faces once more. None of them wavered. They continued looking at him like soldiers, waiting for his next words.
"Anyone who lacks confidence or fears death may withdraw immediately. There is no shame in doing so."
"..." ×N
Silence remained their only response. Not a single person stepped back.
"Good... I'll explain the mission."
The objective of this operation was to seize the stone they had failed to obtain before. That was right, seize it through direct confrontation.
Naturally, this did not mean charging recklessly into a frontal battle. They would use tactics. Through the Kuhouin family's financial support and the supplies they had seized from GHQ, they had already acquired a considerable number of vehicles and firearms. Never fight an unprepared battle—this was the principle Gai Tsutsugami had always followed. One could even say that everything had been arranged for this very day.
First, Gai would lead the team through the underground passages connected to the drainage system and have them wait there. The moment Tsugumi disabled the surrounding surveillance network, they would climb to the surface together. The buildings above would provide better cover for their formation. The drainage channel connected directly to the rear entrance of their destination, Haneda Airport, making infiltration much easier.
She extended a slender finger and measured the distance among the dense cluster of towering buildings below, then shifted it toward Haneda Airport.
Her assigned task was to act as a roaming support unit, helping wherever assistance was needed. Her mobility was extremely high, so there was no need for her to follow Gai and the others. She could move as she pleased.
Because of the current situation, Haneda Airport was preparing to launch one of GHQ's transport aircraft. That aircraft was the objective of this operation—or rather, it was merely the tool they intended to use. Their true target stood north of Tokyo Tower, the second-tallest column-shaped tower in the area. It was Ward 23, GHQ's primary command and control center in Tokyo.
She raised one hand in the shape of a camera and aimed it at the distant tower that rose even higher than the building on which she stood. The Eye of Stormy Judgment floating above her head rotated its pupil like a camera lens, matching the violet glow that had appeared in her beautiful eyes.
That was right... Their true objective was that tower, Ward 23. According to their intelligence, the stone had already been delivered into the hands of GHQ's supreme commander. They intended to take it back by crashing an aircraft into the building and forcing their way inside. The "aircraft" in question was the GHQ transport plane Gai and the others were about to hijack.
Sitting at the edge of the top floor, she leisurely swung her slender legs, then crossed one over the other as she waited for Funeral Parlor to begin its operation.
'Gai... Everything is ready on my end. The monitors and cameras are under our control. You can begin.'
Tsugumi's voice came through the earpiece.
'Good. Commence the operation!'
Following Gai's command from the other side, Funeral Parlor sprang into action. Her position was high and offered a broad field of vision, allowing her to observe the overall situation quite well. With the Eye of Stormy Judgment floating above her, it would also be easy for her to provide support.
On the rooftop of the building opposite hers, another person was also waiting leisurely for something. He was a handsome young man with slightly curled, medium-short hair, dressed in white with close-fitting trousers. His eyes were filled with coldness and a playfully brutal malice.
"Heh... The show is about to begin."
Hum~
"Are you finally going to appear, Eve? You really are... willful."
Da'ath raised his Void arm, which was glowing with silver particles, and smiled. The same radiance spread across his entire body. In the next instant, space seemed to tear open and swallow him, causing his form to disappear.
"—?"
As though sensing something, the Shogun deliberately looked toward the rooftop of the opposite building, but no one was there. She narrowed her eyes, then simply looked away.
'Gai, how are things on your side?'
Ayase asked over the shared channel while piloting her Endlave.
'Everything is proceeding smoothly according to plan.'
Gai replied.
"..."
Listening to the public channel through her earpiece, she frowned slightly. Every time he made a statement like that, she felt certain something would go wrong afterward. Still, she said nothing and quietly remained idle, since it was not yet time for her to act.
Meanwhile—
Bang!
After taking down the GHQ soldier guarding the area, Gai checked the time.
"The target transport aircraft will take off in thirty minutes. We must seize it before then. The moment you receive confirmation that the aircraft has been captured, the Endlave unit will immediately begin providing cover."
"Understood!"
Ayase answered.
Gai checked the situation around the corner, then signaled for the team to climb a ladder to the surface. They had emerged directly beside the rear entrance of Haneda Airport. This shortcut had saved them considerable distance. Thirty minutes was more than enough time!
What he failed to notice, however, was the extremely well-concealed camera hidden in a dark corner and trained directly on them. The feed on the other end was being watched by the Anti-Bodies unit under Segai's command.
"Switch the channel to G7."
After ending the call on his phone, Segai gestured toward the soldier at the control console.
"But... there is no G7 channel."
The soldier searched through the available options.
"Of course there isn't. I installed it temporarily."
Segai smiled wickedly, reached over, and pressed the button himself.
Click...
The next moment, the screen displayed footage of Funeral Parlor's forces underground.
"I was right~! Rats really do love hiding in sewers. Is the broadcast ready?"
He smiled delightedly and called toward the other side of the room.
"It's ready! It will be played across every GHQ-controlled network in the city."
A subordinate gave him a thumbs-up.
"Excellent. Turn the volume all the way up. Let everyone hear it."
"Understood!"
The subordinates at the control station pushed every slider on the console to its maximum setting.
"Has the stone been placed?"
He asked into the radio.
"Yes! Following Director Keido's orders, it has been placed on the top floor of Tokyo Tower."
"Has the supreme commander arrived?"
He asked with a malicious grin.
"Yes. The commander has arrived in Ward 23's central control room."
"Good... Stand by."
"Understood!"
Click...
He pressed a certain button, causing an image resembling a spiral gene to appear in the center of the screen. To the right of the gene was a waveform resembling an audio track. As the waveform pulsed, the gene gradually became unstable. Beneath it were various preset parameters, as though the system were waiting for something.
"Major Segai... Isn't the stone in Ward 23?"
The subordinate operating the computer asked in confusion. If it was in Ward 23, why had they just said it was at Tokyo Tower?
"That one is merely a counterfeit. It's the 'cheese' meant to lure out the rats."
A twisted smile appeared on his face. The mechanical eye on his left side rotated continuously, producing a faint grinding noise.
After all, they had never intended to hand the "stone" over to GHQ's upper leadership in the first place.
"This is Major Segai. Dear members of the Anti-Bodies, all personnel are to inject Vaccine D immediately. I repeat—dear members of the Anti-Bodies, all personnel are to inject Vaccine D immediately."
He issued the order to every member through the Anti-Bodies' communication network.
"Gai Tsutsugami... I heard you poured all your efforts into preparing for this day. What a coincidence..."
The Anti-Bodies had done exactly the same, sparing no effort in preparation for this day!
He lowered the lever. One section of the control panel split apart to either side, revealing a button-like handle marked with the emblem of the Void Genome.
"This should be enough, shouldn't it, Director Keido?"
Whatever extraordinary events occurred after this would no longer be his responsibility, all right~?