Chapter 205
Chapter 205
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 205
Chapter Title: Infiltrating the Guardians' Lab
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"So, Chief Researcher Ben. What was the reason for pulling equipment from our lab and rushing out like that?"
"As you can see, it's about recovering the weapon. First time meeting you, right? Thanks to that, I had to ditch my cover identity."
With a thud, he set down the body bag containing the corpse of the executive who had gone to Switzerland and been killed by Wakamo.
The security team glanced warily at the woman as they took in everything from the coat to the gear used by Blade of Silence.
The Guardians kept their identities thoroughly hidden during operations, making it hard to uncover information under normal circumstances.
The woman in front of them introduced herself as an employee who had been working undercover at Wakamo Corporation.
"Frankly, I want to ask how you're handling things. It was a time-sensitive matter, so I contacted you via emergency line and called in the chief researcher."
"You should consult with─the higher-ups first... Proceeding like this without permission..."
"What if we get traced by that electronic bitch in the process? What about the fallout then?"
The security team let it slide without pressing further on Ben grabbing gear without authorization, overwhelmed by her flawless, logical rhetoric.
The Guardians were in disarray because the operation team meant to move when the Great Demon Summoning began in Switzerland had been wiped out.
Despite sending two top executives with authorities to deal with the great demon, they hadn't killed a single Wakamo Corporation member before being annihilated.
They couldn't gauge the enemy's strength at all, and with their own intel tightly guarded, it was a mystery how the enemy had known and been waiting.
Everyone acknowledged and feared that this group, which had pushed the Guardians into an unprecedented crisis just two years after appearing, possessed abilities befitting such a threat.
And in the wake of this catastrophic failure, an agent who had been hiding their identity had forcibly recovered the gear and body and fled to the American Guardians branch.
She was someone the chief researcher, who had devoted at least ten years to the Guardians, had personally brought in.
Top-secret among top-secrets—likely a special agent whose level they couldn't even fathom.
"As you can see, that's one of the reasons I've been steadily obtaining and inferring information on the Idol. I never thought I'd introduce a collaborator like this. It was a real emergency, so bear with me."
"Ah, understood. But there won't be a next time, Chief Researcher Ben?"
The security team recovered the body and gear and withdrew.
Ben calmly persuaded his colleagues without a hint of agitation, despite the worried glares from some researchers and the suspicious ones wondering if he'd betrayed them.
"Her name is Miss Rias. That's all you need to know. In a worst-case scenario, she's the one tasked with assassinating key internal figures."
"Nice to meet you, everyone. It's pretty frustrating that two years of effort went to waste. Aren't the European branch Guardians too incompetent? That's why I came to America."
"First time seeing her..."
"...Someone that standout was working in the Korean branch?"
"Our chief researcher is impressive... Well, he did say he has connections with the higher-ups."
"They say she can take down a Man-Eater squad too. How strong is she? Apparently, she's Surzday, a third-job-change warrior specialized in lightning."
"There's a class like that?"
"She smashed the security team with just a hammer earlier, and she looked pissed, so watch yourselves."
"Honestly, if I'd been hiding my identity for two years and had to flee to America in a day because of a European screw-up, I'd be stressed out too."
The researchers whispered among themselves, eyeing the striking beauty presumed to be Irish, with her red hair and freckles, as she conversed fluently in English.
She'd made a flashy entrance, smashing the security team who tried to pursue the chief researcher for fleeing with gear—using a hammer wreathed in lightning.
Then, she sharply rebuffed the security team's interrogation without flinching and brazenly hauled out the gear and body.
An elite among elites, perhaps even a future executive, the researchers murmured.
If she'd reached third-job-change, she definitely had the qualifications.
Probably just hadn't acquired an Authority due to the demands of her infiltration mission.
"Then we're in good hands, right? She doesn't trust the European branch after their mess, so she came to America."
"Nothing wrong with a future executive backing our team."
"Our chief researcher is something else."
"I get that it's fascinating, but don't pay too much attention. As you know, the more people who don't know, the better the position."
On the surface, she looked like a secretary, but in reality, she was a powerhouse who could take on the entire Guardians branch single-handedly.
The researchers assured her, as always, that they'd keep the secret.
She blended naturally into daily life without ever leaking her information.
It wasn't just training; they used special items to erase information.
That was why even Asuka's desperate tracking couldn't find them.
Just as Wakamo had the Internet Connection skill, they possessed items that implemented individual private network skills.
"Here you go."
Rias slipped the bracelet Ben handed her onto her wrist.
"Anyway, sorry for worrying everyone. And the idea that I'd suddenly betray the Guardians and bail now is just absurd, isn't it?"
"You're right."
"Yeah."
"Just make sure the government agents and scientists don't catch on. Honestly."
Ben was the one who'd left without a word, but since they'd made the fuss, the researchers clamped their mouths shut.
He asked them to leave as he and a higher-up needed to discuss classified matters, then led Rias into his room.
He lifted a floor panel to reveal an installed Transfer Magic Circle.
Activating it opened a portal in midair, like My Worlds.
Ben glanced at Rias, but she wore a bored expression, as if she'd known.
"Isn't it marvelous? The Guardians' technological prowess, I mean. Most join because they believe we won't lose—but there's a special reason too."
Rias slowly looked around Ben's private space as she listened.
No surveillance cameras or bugs in sight, but he signaled with his hand: be careful what you say.
She responded with casual sign language, surprising Ben, who then pulled out a notepad and wrote.
When he asked if she could read English, she replied with even neater, more elegant handwriting and handed it back.
The two sat facing each other, pouring warm coffee, exchanging silent glances.
"The American Guardians are the true headquarters, you could say. Coming from Asia, you'll feel it keenly."
[As you can see, we're sharing research facilities with US government affiliates. Means there are more factions in the upper echelons than you imagine.]
"Nothing stands out more than a foreigner working in Asia, but I hope the Idol intel I've brought checks out."
[Is Internet Connection and space creation that old a technology?]
"Your existence has been thoroughly erased. The government purges helped turn us into isolated islanders—good work out there."
[Yeah, at least since eight years ago. America had all sorts of classes, you know.]
"Will there be additional interviews or identity checks? Future executive is too grandiose for me."
[But is conversation even possible like this?]
To Rias's genuine question, Ben handed her a recorder.
Of course—the man who'd prepared meticulously for this exact moment had it all planned.
"My subordinates keep telling me not to spout nonsense, but I'm glad I finally have someone to believe me."
"What is it?"
"Wakamo Inarizushi is doing a holy site tour and coming to Las Vegas—no one believed me. Then I said she'd head to Yokohama Tower Square for a collab."
"Matches my schedule exactly."
"It's work, but I feel like a creepy stalker. That Idol is more desperate about VTubers than anyone imagines."
Rias, hiding cold sweat, clapped and agreed it was spot-on.
Ben gave her an access key, telling her to rest in the internal quarters, and she left the lab.
People shot glances at the red-haired woman striding confidently, as if she'd worked there for years.
Some wondered about the unfamiliar face, but seeing the grade on her ID badge hanging around her neck, they assumed she was a government agent and moved on.
People don't suspect if there's no hesitation or fear in the actions.
──Thus, Wakamo Inarizushi boldly infiltrated the US government's research lab.
She hadn't imagined it would be a place the Guardians used simultaneously while conducting research.
Once infiltration went smoothly, the rest was easy.
With the senior researcher—actually the top-grade lab director—backing her, who would suspect? If anyone did, Wakamo would just shake them off.
'Didn't expect to use a remaining fragment of the Idol's true body like this.'
She'd needed a completely new identity on the spot, so she'd made one.
As a bonus, she'd ordered Asuka to fabricate a nonexistent employee history and hide it in the Korean Climbers Association.
If you're going to do it, do it thoroughly.
With Asuka's support, Rias walked the corridors.
Yes─she was perfectly concealing her identity right now!!
As a climber, conversation was no issue, but she was flawlessly role-playing by deliberately using English.
She was immersed in the concept of being an [American secret agent] VTuber.
The greatest advantage of being a VTuber.
The freedom to embody any concept you desire.
In that vein, Wakamo was performing as a secret agent VTuber.
Training as a VTuber lets you master any concept, much like martial arts.
It was one of the skills any(?) pro VTuber could pull off.
'More importantly, that means the internet connection and sub-space the Korean Tower gave me are all originals too.'
This bastard Tower picked up Idols from somewhere and handed over early skills it scavenged instead of creating them.
The shocking truth made Wakamo dizzy, but since the idiot had never done proper work anyway, she just resigned herself.
Getting angry wouldn't change the past, and she had no choice but to live with this unreasonable reality.
'Whew, if I hadn't watched Dubidubi's 3-hour karaoke stream this morning for mental management, it would've been dangerous.'
Only VTubers know the link between feeling good from a VTuber's song stream and the talent for "perfectly impersonating another."
Wakamo, solving all problems via VTuber, was a freak who thought and conversed as one.
A special agent VTuber fluent in English, Chinese, Japanese, Hindi—no problem!!
And her true identity? A cute female producer raising idols at Wakamo Corporation?
Even she smirked at the killer concept.
Talented idols are hard to recruit, after all.
Infiltrating Guardians disguised as US government workers? That's star-level difficulty.
Compared to getting hired for a virtual live gig, it was a measly one-star job.
"Excuse me, Miss Rias, right? I heard you're from a congressman purged by the US government recently? If you have the lab director Ben's emergency contact, your service record must be around ten years?"
"──Hm, did they implement random verification like this during infiltration missions?"
As she entered her assigned private room, waiting agents naturally surrounded Rias.
Moreover, a figure wearing the unnecessarily flashy coat typical of executives approached with a friendly smile.
'She's not tense at all.'
They needed to interrogate in case the director had brought a spy.
High-ranking but tangled in government red tape, unable to wield his second-gen Man-Eater weapon.
To avoid loose ends, Buster raised the item called Orb of Discernment and met her gaze.
"As you know, it must be kept strictly secret."
Among Guardian organizations, they were infamous for tracking and capturing, but was her composure from ignorance or knowing defiance?
Watching Rias's enigmatic reaction, he asked her to place her hand on the orb and posed a question.
"What's your relationship with Wakamo Inarizushi?"
Wakamo knew the item Orb of Discernment.
One of the recent artifacts from the Russian Tower, it reliably distinguished truth from lies.
Guardians frequented the Russian Tower like it was home despite being wanted, but she didn't care.
What mattered was they suspected her, the one disguised as working at the Korean Climbers Association.
In truth, they were asking if she was a spy sent by Wakamo Inarizushi.
"A relationship where I want to kill her."
Chill─
The moment their eyes met, the agent's legs buckled; Rias steadied him by the wrist.
A deep crimson malice like her red hair blanketed the corridor, a horrifying sight visible only through eyes, barely stifling screams by biting lips.
Even trained agents, not direct targets, recoiled in terror from close range.
The hatred felt like skin-tearing agony—already akin to a weapon.
It wasn't hatred forged in a day or two. The killing intent toward her existence was so thick and deep that glimpsing a fragment felt heart-stopping.
And the item declared it truth.
Working under someone she wanted dead this badly, hiding her identity.
The researchers even called her a future executive.
She'd smuggled out a body and gear to escape—beyond climber prowess, agent skills unrivaled.
"A bit unpleasant, but necessary verification, right?"
"Y-Yes."
Her pure, blade-like killing intent left no room for doubt; Buster's legs trembled like a newborn fawn's.
Wakamo supported all VTubers, pushing and backing them steadily if they didn't cause trouble.
She clipped with permission, promoted diligently, visited collab cafes, funded...
Hoping the VTubers she backed would shine like stars (Idols) in the sky, she cheered and cheered.
For such a Wakamo, from start to finish, there was only one VTuber she truly despised, hated, found utterly annoying enough to kill.
That being was Wakamo Inarizushi, the trash clinging to easy climbing material, succeeding by sheer luck, discouraging other VTubers!!
Ultimate self-loathing? No, Wakamo had the intellect to separate concept from reality—she didn't hate herself.
She just hated her own VTuber persona!!
But for the fans who liked her, she always gave her all as a VTuber!!
She hated it inwardly, never voicing it lest it hurt fans, bottling it up.
Confessing it like this brought a strange relief.
"The reason I collaborate with Director Ben─is because I want to kill that Idol."
The agent seemed able to kill with killing intent alone; another sensed the Ether stirring within it, praying the detector was broken.
"Killing intent strong enough to react Ether... Even cut off from higher-ups, driven by pure vengeance, huh."
"You okay, boss?"
"Whew, that's the ally we need. Terrifying, but impressive!"
No more doubts—they gave her heaps of new gear, saying she hadn't received support while undercover, then left.
From hammer to Ether generator, boots and gloves with deployable nano armor... Was this even the right tech level?
EU Federation sold this stuff, accidentally revealing their backers.
"Ooh, badass. Total Iron Man."
She toggled the gear on and off with tabs, enjoying a bit, then pulled out the recorder.
[Listening to this recording means you're my collaborator. Skip anything not about me.]
Rewinding to long ago when the Tower appeared, alongside climbers, the world was plunged into chaos by the Tower, Ben said.
Amid that, the Man-Eater that emerged instilled horrific terror across the American continent, fulfilling its role, he continued.
A peculiar "word" slipped in, but she focused and kept listening.
[Man-Eater job-change requires eating at least three types of human flesh. Seemed too easy for such absurd power. The president back then ordered countermeasures, saying we must fulfill our role as humanity's police by founding the Guardians—but I don't remember seeing the "president" after. Where did he go?]
[My sister's husband, Leo N. Mason, was a scientist like me. Excellent man I trusted with my sister. He's probably working for the government now, hiding his Guardian affiliation. Story gets long from here.]
[America's Tower collapse and terrorism made the first year utter chaos. Naturally—monsters swarmed nationwide, climbers rampaged power-drunk. Mediators handled most, and swiftly founded Guardians brought current peace. That's when my sister died too.]
[My barely surviving niece Amelia had no hope without a miracle. Prayers to God went unanswered. In the end, Leo chose─to make his daughter a climber. A lifelong regret, but even I saw no other option then.]
[Fed her lab samples to meet job-change conditions. Entered the Tower, climbed by killing monsters, returned healed and fine... but where to start?]
[I thought since Leo had government ties and joined Guardians, he knew the job-change. Rumors he confessed before dying—but the more I think, the less it fits.]
Stories of suppressing and interrogating the disaster-causing Man-Eater clashed with tales of barely defeating it with full weaponry. Ben had no way to know who—Guardians or government—fabricated what.
[Man-Eaters possess Ether. Killable with weapons if not climbers, but not impossible. But Man-Eater frenzy is beyond human endurance. She had little sanity time, craved human kills—how'd they learn job-change conditions?]
[Raised to lab director, knew we train climber executives called that. But digging deeper bred questions. Leo and I accessed most tech upon joining—already advanced. Passed as US black-site lab then.]
[Now, development speed is suspiciously fast. Even with Engineer/Scientist data, excessively so. Who can produce this? Ordered to research Idols and Tower links, I'm sinking deeper into doubts.]
[If Vatican Tower has will, what of America? Korean Tower chats periodically with Idol. Who created Man-Eater class? ─Guardian head, this abnormal org, unlikely just US president.]
Independent network, tech impossible in short time, seamless alliance with non-English humans, EU Federation backing, Guardian activity overlapping Six Freaks boss Mediator's emergence, no Mediator force post-America.
Six Freaks are unpredictable; Mediators control/manage with rules. Not seeking modern civilization's end.
Guardians exist on Six Freaks pretext. But they hold the birth-reason Man-Eater, no Six Freaks ties—bothersome.
[No Black Tower in America. Mexico-inclusive US Tower power huge, called that, but no one chatted with it. Feels like preset patterns. More machine-like than others.]
──Combining what I know into a hypothesis.
[Guardians' backer is the American Tower.]
[No Legendary classes, just climbers killing each other—perhaps longing for ancient Babel Tower days. Man-Eater proven Vatican Tower Executioner.]
[Yes, they─kill humans for Towers. Executioners judging by Tower will. My answer at Black Tower records' end.]
[Leo and I exhausted means to restore sane niece, sole blood kin. But all Tower's arrangement. No better hostage to recruit famed US scientists.]
"Hm─"
It clicked like puzzle pieces fitting.
US Tower climb: mechanical responses, unchanging patterns unlike others.
Plus, Towers creating Legendary classes, US Tower making Man-Eater.
If Tower runs org? Hard for transcendent being to manipulate humans?
'Wow, the more I roast Korean Tower, the less it created.'
Remaining 60th floor Idol records clearly accessible due to Korean Tower's high cost.
US Tower, conversely, owned entire Americas as [US Tower] from start.
──More thoroughly, covertly than Vatican Tower.
Saw Mediator's violence quelling riots, knew, so stayed silent, patient, slow-moving.
'Then Tower Lord already elsewhere?'
Like Russia, left US Tower on system autopilot, possessing Tower Lord's body hiding.
Ben suspected, hence caution in speech.
'Then just switch Man-Eater affiliation to fix.'
Right there in thoughts.
Sudden chill; Rias reflexively stood, scanning.
Something swept her body. Indescribable dread!!
──The sensation when pondering how Korean Tower might kill her!!
[[Mixcoatl's Mask] brands you with Death's Mark.]
[Death's Mark effect: HP to 0, instant death.]
[No HP exists; effect nullified!]
"──What"
Unknown origin, remote instant death nullified.
She urgently peeled black skull tattoo from nape, but reconstruction restored it.
Wheeeeeen──
Alarms blared facility-wide.
Coming.
From deep underground, the Tower's Lion comes.
"What is it! Wh-what happened?!"
"Man-Eater's life signal suddenly─"
Before flustered researcher finished, ominous aura swirled around restrained Man-Eater.
Visible thick black mist coiled.
Lowered head lifted; nonexistent mask appeared.
"Personal item?"
Guessed she had it, but equipping without hands, never used before?
Next was instantaneous.
Man-Eater kicked leg; thick wall cracked, shattered.
Mad glaring eyes emitted light piercing darkness; visible aura reaped lives.
Woman wreathed in endless black death rain spewed soul-reaping black mist.
Even Ascender researchers, authority executives, veteran Guardians froze in terror.
Something higher-dimensional.
『Type fully "awakened" Authority by meeting conditions.』
Not just obtained/handled level.
Security, waiting soldiers/guards armed, aimed at Man-Eater.
"Contact US Association Chairman quick!!"
Faster than triggers for suppression, Man-Eater dashed corridors.
Running shockwaves burst dozens instantly into flesh scraps.
No map knowledge, yet pursued target knowingly, relentlessly.
Calm, composed hunt—not frenzied rampage—chilled more.
"Evac with Director Ben!"
"Y-Yes!!"
Rias (Wakamo) gripped issued weapons tight, evacuating researcher.
Implanted Ether generator ripped from prior Ascender, infused own Ether into hammer, concentrating lightning.
Plan: heavy hit to stun, drag far away.
Kwang─!!
Man-Eater kicked door open.
Killing intent unseen even in Antarctica.
Eyes held no reason.
Only intent to kill from her ragged breaths.
Eyes flared; power released—researcher fleeing behind burst like tomato.
"...Hah?"
Non-climber, yet burst person just by looking?
Man-Eater stomped hard, spun in place with arms bound, bizarre dance.
Alert appeared before Man-Eater—and in Rias's view.
[Man-Eater's Dance of Consciousness effect: Amplifies all attacks targeting humans!]
[Man-Eater's Lion's Body effect: Boosts all stats by gap with opponent!]
[Miss Rias total stats: 0! All stats +100%!]
[Man-Eater's God's Form: Consumes Ether to create gear!]
Mask side: cloak; upper body covering leather; feet to obsidian mirror-like; flames wreathed whole.
Armed with personal gear, Man-Eater powered legs, lunged at Rias.
Slash─!!
Full hammer swing at mask.
[Man-Eater's Weight of Life effect: Enemy attacks lighten by HP gap.]
Puffed like cotton; Rias's body flew skyward, contrary to expectation.
Man-Eater caught her mid-building-crash-ground-bounce, roared spinning heel to asphalt slam.
Man-Eater in city center: disaster.
Rias, lightning storm surging, grabbed nape, accelerated to mountain, smashed down.
No impact.
Upper body strength lifted pressing Rias; bucked like wild bull, threw off.
[Man-Eater's Authority - Cannibalism activates. Stats rise per killed climber.]
'Who shows these alerts?'
Authority-activated Man-Eater tore restraint suit, arms freed.
Just two hits: ragged, near death.
Chrarararak──!!
Pondering amid light chains falling before Man-Eater.
Gripped, yanked full force; sky-moon crashed down.
Wakamo-mistakable massive orb. Building-sized dragged earthward.
[Man-Eater uses personal gear Shiwa Teteo Sun Iron Ball!]
"Hey, that's plagiarism─"
Kwaang!!
Fierce, brutal, savage rotational smash; sun iron ball incinerated Wakamo.
Burned contact; spinning fierce flame storm; thickening black mist spread.
"I can make Jupiter storm in sealed space too...?"
Unknown use, but machine Ether blocked some attacks.
"I think, y'know, saving people is just trivial light work. ──Stuff big ideals/reasons, and saving gets bogged with tedious talk."
Rias breathed deep, infusing hammer Ether, eyes lightning-spewing.
"So, saving you is obviously no biggie bonus!!"
Truly important: harder afterward!
"Big corp VTuber CEOs leave legends. But means crying shared memories with companion VTubers. VTuber-CEO bond above all needs trust!!! I'll save you from unreason, job-change you to VTuber──!!"
Hammered incoming sun iron ball aside.
Closed distance; lost arm flowing Man-Eater fist with Taiji Fist, shoulder-chest bump, face close for clear hear:
"To grab VTuber gem, fight gods, dive infernos. That's big corp VTuber CEO caliber!!"
"──"
Mask eyes shifted.
Focal chaos, swirling emotions.
Rias smiled, sensing alert source.
"Nice to meet you, Amelia. Producer here to make you an idol!!"
Entry time over!!
Remaining arm hammer cracked mask; dodged space-warping kick, distanced, posed.
"At least take my card!! Saw Idol (VTuber) star in your smile!!"
Now, life-risking scout time!!
I'll stake my life to make you top Idol (VTuber)!
"Ki...ll..."
Strained, squeezed voice reached.
Ignited Wakamo Inarizushi's zeal instead.
Even if someday gone, if someone hopes on Idol's sparkle.
Won't vanish till then!
Long time: how much gap closed?
Donned myriad personal weapons, Tower Apostle-aura wreathed, Man-Eater surged.
Undodgeable vast power form; Wakamo undaunted, eyed girl.
"I never die."
Unyielding to harsh life waves, chased persistent strivers making short lives shining stars.
Wish surely reached star (Idol) for non-quitting trying kid.
"Come on, strongest. Weakest (Idol) faces you."
Provoked, Tower Apostle drew obsidian sword, charged.