Chapter 2121 In the Maze

"Tsk, block them, Yasha Shirayuki!"

After issuing an order to her special ability, Jinghua grabbed my hand and ran towards the foggy road without looking back.

Behind us, the supernatural blade named Yasha Shirayuki was unsheathed, cutting off all the monsters that came to chase us!

Fifteen minutes ago, we were working together with several other members of the Armed Detective Agency.

The sudden mist seemed suspicious, yet Dazai-san's ability to neutralize it had no effect. The phone was also out of service, and the last clue that pointed to a location was the location sent by Kunikida-san.

As we were groping forward, we had unknowingly gotten separated from each other without making any noise!

“Ga-ga-ah!”

And after that, what appeared in front of Jinghua and me were these monsters wearing bone masks and looking like little ghosts.

"Open the way, Yasha Shirayuki!"

As Jinghua shouted, the woman in the white kimono deftly cut down the monsters blocking her path. I gripped the iron rod I'd picked up from outside a warehouse and chopped it down on the head of a small monster that had dodged Yasha Shirayuki's attack.

It let out a scream, but I realized something was wrong——

Although I heard the sound, the iron rod in my hand seemed to have hit nothing. Moreover, whether it was Yasha Shirayuki or Jinghua and I's attacks, after cutting off the monster, there was no trace left.

They dissipated into the air like a smoke screen.

No...it's not like that. It shouldn't feel like this.

It should be harder, more difficult to attack, and might even deflect the blade...

"careful!!!"

Jinghua's scream brought me back to consciousness. At the same time, a monster suddenly jumped down from the container above my head.

Can't hide anymore!

"Rashomon."

The black blade cut through the air, the monster screamed, and turned into a cloud of mist and dissipated in the air.

At the same time, the monsters around them disappeared one after another under the attacks of Yasha Baixue and Jinghua.

"You...you are..." However, Jinghua did not drop the hand holding the knife. Instead, she rushed in front of me and blocked the person coming. "Akutagawa...!"

It turned out to be the young man in black who kidnapped me on my way home from school?!

"Oh? Long time no see, Jinghua, and—" He glanced at me and turned his head away. "Hmph, so that's how it is. Did you throw the bait directly into the enemy's lair?"

……ah?

"Humura is not bait."

No, you don't need to refute him, Jinghua-kun. This kind of person is difficult to get along with at first glance.

"Jinghua, you've changed."

I felt the girl next to me stiffen for a moment. What happened? Did they know each other before?

"Are you starting to pity the weak now? Or have you forgotten what you've done?"

Wait, wait, wait, what do you mean by "sympathy for the weak"? I'm not happy! Also, they obviously know each other, so why would Jinghua know someone from the Port Mafia?

Could it be that...

"Why, you haven't told her about your past yet?"

"……I……"

No, we can't continue this conversation. "None of this matters now, right?" I said, my mind racing as I watched Jinghua's face gradually turn pale. "Why are the Port Mafia members here?"

The young man named Akutagawa shut up, his eyes flicking towards me before looking away again. "The Armed Detective Agency isn't the only one to notice these clumsy tactics."

That means not only do the mafia know I'm not the criminal, they've also found the real criminal's hiding place, right? Damn, then why did they kidnap me and bring me to their headquarters? Damn it!

I was filled with fear and said, "Have you also lost your companions?"

“…” The other party didn’t say anything, but turned around and prepared to leave.

"Hey! Don't you want to find a companion?"

My voice made the man in black pause. "Why, do you have a solution?"

I pursed my lips.

We don't know the criminal's abilities, but this cargo terminal has been tampered with. The condensation hinders our search, and the mist separates us from our companions without us even realizing it. By the time we realize it, we're all separated, and there's no way to find the exit. Add to that the constant attacks from unidentified monsters, real or not, and your energy is quickly drained.

It feels a bit like the illusion used by Onmyoji and psychics. If that's true, then there must be a "formation eye" here.

There are two possibilities. First, the array's center is some kind of immovable object, while the caster can move freely within the array or even leave it. Second, the caster is the array's center, which increases the difficulty of breaking the array, but also means that the caster must be in this illusion.

Either way, there are rules to follow.

After telling the two people in front of him his speculation, the young man named Akutagawa narrowed his eyes slightly: "Oh? What's the basis for it?"

"...I have no basis for this." This was the truth. I always felt that even if I lied, I would be found out. I said stubbornly, "It's a feeling. Ever since...ever since I knew that girl's name, I've had a vague feeling."

We are trapped in the power of "Hazy Moon".

My head started to hurt again. I frowned, clenched my fists, and tried to appear more relaxed. Ever since I'd stepped into this place, that vague sense of familiarity had become increasingly clear, my head ached more, and my body felt uncomfortable.

"Those monsters are probably not real. The changing path is just a visual illusion. That's how I feel."

The mist and changing shadows here are like a mirage.

"We're being chased by monsters. It's likely because we're close to a dangerous area, like an exit or—"

"On the routes of others." Akutagawa seemed to have received some inspiration. "Because we don't know how many monsters there are, people generally don't choose to break through head-on. They will unknowingly be driven away from their original routes and separated from others. Although there is no basis for it, it is very reasonable." As he spoke, he frowned and his gaze finally stayed on my face for a longer time.

"Whatever you want."

Well, does that mean you agree?

I looked carefully at Yan Yanhua, but found that she was also looking at me, and then smiled slightly. "Let's go."

…As expected, I still care about the conversation just now, but I feel that it’s better not to ask now.

According to my inference, with Yasha Shirayuki and Mr. Akutagawa's Rashomon paving the way, although we did not directly conflict with those monsters, we also had some ideas about our route.

It wasn't long before the exploration paid off.

"Huh? Homura, Kyoka? And... and Akutagawa?!"

After breaking through the monsters' encirclement and blockade, we met Nakajima Atsushi who was also alone.

Having a new companion is great, but for some reason the atmosphere between Atsushi-kun and Akutagawa-san has become even more tense. They haven't even spoken yet, but just by looking at each other, I feel like the hostility is about to materialize.

...No! We're still in danger, can you guys just cooperate for now?!

"Human tiger, it looks so ugly."

“Hmm…”

"Atsushi-kun! That—" Forget it, let me say it!

"Are you saying that a lot of this is hallucinations?"

"No, it's not an illusion. How should I put it... Are you familiar with mirages?" I touched the containers lining the road. They were cold and solid. "It might be a maze created by the distortion of vision caused by water vapor. As for those monsters... Sorry, I don't have any idea yet."

Fortunately, Dun has always been easy to talk to.

"I understand. Mr. Dazai and Dr. Yosano are here too. If this is the way to get out..." He glanced at Akutagawa, who remained silent. "Let's move together, Akutagawa. You should have a companion trapped here too, right?"

"No need to say more, I have my own plans."

I looked at the two people whose atmosphere was still very tense, and carefully leaned over to Jinghua and bent down: "Um...are they not on good terms?"

"Yes."

No wonder.

The four of us continued our exploration in this subtle atmosphere. However, with Nakajima Atsushi by our side, breaking through the monsters' illusions became much easier. I only just discovered today that his ability is the ability to transform into a white tiger!

I still remember the first day I met Atsu-kun, I had a vague feeling that he looked a bit like one of my own Five Tigers, but I didn’t expect it to be true.

Following this pattern, a few of us walked further into the warehouse area. However, the closer we got inside, the weirder my body became.

Headache, tinnitus, a strange feeling of oppression and nausea coming from deep within my body. The alarm bells in my brain kept ringing, telling me I couldn't go any deeper.

At this moment, my eyes went dark.

"There seem to be a lot of monsters in this area, and the road is twisted. Maybe there's something at the end... Homura?!"

My body didn't touch the ground, and white light flashed before my eyes. It took me a while to realize that it was Dun who quickly supported me.

"Can't hold on any longer?"

"Humura, are you okay?"

Mr. Akutagawa's cold voice and Kyoka's concern sounded at the same time. I opened my mouth, gasped for breath, and waved my hand.

The tinnitus gradually turned into the sound of many people talking——

[Monster!], [Disgusting creature.], [Look, her eyes are red!]

Your power is a threat. Learn to control it. How can you be considered a monster?

It’s so noisy, my head is buzzing as if it’s going to explode!

[Hey, where are you from? Are you alone? ]

"Humura!" I snapped back to reality and saw Atsushi's golden eyes. "Are you okay? You're turning blue!"

"I……"

"trouble."

"Wait a minute, Akutagawa, are you going to abandon her?"

"Don't be so self-indulgent, Man-Tiger." Mr. Akutagawa turned his back to us. "I was only acting with you temporarily."

“Is there anyone there?!”

Jinghua suddenly shouted, interrupting the quarrel between the two people next to me.

"Tanizaki-kun?! Wait!"

Although I lowered my head and didn't see it, but from the reactions of Atsushi and Jinghua, it seemed that the previously missing Mr. Tanizaki had appeared. But before I could react, I heard Atsushi next to me say:

"Sorry, Homura, this might make you feel a little uncomfortable. Please bear with me."

The next second, my body was pulled and I fell on Atsu-kun's back.

He carried me on his back, his feet transformed into those of a white tiger, and he slightly arched his body.

"Let's go!"

After saying that, he rushed out like an arrow.

The author has something to say:

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In fact, at this point, Yan’s situation is almost revealed.

She is indeed not an ordinary human being, and her situation is very special.