Underground Facility
October 26, 2026. Sunday. 25:59.
(59 minutes elapsed since the start of the operation)
Fuji Aokigahara Forest. South Area C-32.
We, who headed to the operation area from Yokota Base in three V-TOL assault helicopters, safely reached the descent point, Point C-65. After AAST Wolf Fang, who descended ahead of us, secured the area, our selected team landed our helicopter.
The helicopter that dropped us off temporarily evacuated outside the operation area. Point C-32, the entrance to the underground facility, was inside the sea of trees, but we were able to advance relatively smoothly. AAST Wolf Fang is organized into two squads, totaling 24 members. The first squad, Alpha Team, advanced ahead to secure the area, and the second squad, Bravo Team, is securing the rear. Our selected unit, Charlie Team, is accompanied by a reconnaissance drone remotely operated by Chris, maintaining constant 360-degree alert and reconnaissance. The reconnaissance data is projected onto the helmet’s visor screen, which is shared among everyone.
<This is Alpha Leader. Point C-32 cleared. Entrance to enemy facility confirmed.>
A communication came in from the leading Alpha Team, and the video from the Alpha squad was projected onto the visor screen. At the bottom of a large tree in the forest, something like a cave entrance was shown.
”This is Charlie Leader. Alpha squad, commence infiltration. There is a high possibility that enemies are waiting inside. Any members showing intent to resist are to be shot to kill immediately. If you encounter an AW, inflict a fatal wound and restrain and capture them as much as possible.”
Kamikura issues instructions. Members showing intent to resist are to be shot to kill immediately… I had prepared myself for it, but fundamentally this is an annihilation operation. Tension runs through my hand holding the rifle. I felt my heartbeat get a little faster.
<This is Bravo Team. No enemy sightings on our retreat route. We will continue to maintain vigilance and surveillance.>
”This is Charlie Leader. We leave the security of the retreat route to you. We will now commence infiltration into the enemy facility.”
After walking a little, the entrance to the cave comes into view. Alpha Team has already advanced and infiltrated. Inside the cave is dark, with no light at all. We seem to be heading underground little by little. We illuminate the surroundings with lights and proceed carefully.
<This is Alpha Team. We have confirmed a door inside the cave that appears to lead to a large shelter.>
A large-scale shelter… From the sent video, it can be seen that it is of considerable scale. An outer wall believed to be a shelter at the back of an open underground space. The door also looks sturdy. If they were able to build such a facility inside this sea of trees, I get the feeling they aren’t just an ordinary cult group. It clearly must require a large amount of funding.
”This is Charlie Leader. Alpha Team, prepare for forced entry. Plant C4 explosives and wait for us to rendezvous. After we rendezvous, detonate the door and breach.”
<Understood. After breaching, we will promptly rush inside and suppress.>
And then, we came out into the open underground space. Beyond that, the outer wall of the shelter I saw in the video was visible. Looking directly at it, the size of the facility is understood once again. C4 explosives had already been planted on the shelter door, and it was in a state of just waiting for Kamikura’s instructions. Alpha Team, waiting outside the blast radius, had their rifles ready, waiting to breach.
”Shisei――do you feel anything?”
Kamikura asked so.
”Hostility… I cannot feel it at the moment… No large spiritual reactions either…”
Shisei seems to be sensing something while holding her right hand out forward, but there doesn’t seem to be any particular reaction. Hojo-san is also conducting a spiritual search while holding her right hand out, just like Shisei.
”Hojo, can you illuminate the area with magical light?”
Kamikura asked.
”I can. It will become quite bright, so please be careful.”
”From Charlie Leader to Alpha Team. Cease use of night vision. Illuminating the surroundings with magic.”
When the sphere emitting bright light released by Hojo-san was fixed to the ceiling of the underground space, the inside of the cave was brightly illuminated.
”I wonder what it is… It’s like numerous weak auras are gathering. I don’t feel any hostility at all, but there’s no doubt something is inside.”
Saying so, Hojo-san takes out a cross emitting pale blue light from her habit. It’s the cross she used when she fought ‘Judgement’ before. Very fine decorations are applied to the edges of the vivid deep blue cross. It looks like a cross made of some special metal.
”A trial bestowed by Goddess Alsard. I will protect everyone and overcome it. May the divine protection of light be with us.”
Along with her words, Kirimine-san drew her longsword from its scabbard. I recognize this longsword. It’s probably the same longsword Tachibana-san was holding when the Ground Base was attacked before. The blade is close to silver as much as possible, but it also looks slightly bluish. Material-wise, I wonder if it’s close to the cross Hojo-san holds…? Vivid carvings are applied to the handguard and pommel, and the handle, unlike the blade, is of a color equivalent to the cross Hojo-san holds.
At that time, Chris’s video was projected onto the visor screen.
<From the Operations Room to Alpha and Charlie Teams. After the C4 detonation, a LiDAR drone will map the inside of the enemy facility. Please remain on standby alert until the scan is complete.>
”Understood. Alpha Team, detonate the C4. We don’t know when the enemy will appear. Do not neglect your vigilance. If anyone comes out holding a weapon, shoot to kill immediately.”
Then, along with a violent explosion sound, a cloud of dust rises. From the accompanying remotely operated reconnaissance drone, several ultra-small drones fly off and instantly dive into the destroyed door. The scan results were displayed on the visor screen in real time.
”――It’s quite deep.”
After a while, Kamikura mutters. According to the analysis so far, the inside of the facility seems to have a multi-layered structure. Assuming the current location is the first basement floor, there are areas down to the third basement floor.
<From the Operations Room to Alpha and Charlie Teams. Thermal biological reactions detected in the second and third basement areas. It’s a considerable number. I am sending the coordinate data.>
A communication from Chris. Looking at the data, there are a considerable number of biological reactions. The number is 100… no, close to 200 to 300 reactions.
”From Charlie Leader to the Operations Room. Can you detect the movement of the biological reactions?”
<Currently, the LiDAR drone has finished scanning and is returning to the mothership. Continuous motion detection is impossible without the mothership. I will have the mothership accompany Alpha Team.>
”Understood. Alpha Team, after the mothership recovers the LiDAR drone, infiltrate the facility and investigate the biological reactions on the second basement floor. There is a high possibility they are organization members. Do not let your guard down.”
The LiDAR drone that finished scanning is stored in the mothership. The accompanying reconnaissance drone is about the size of a large radio-controlled helicopter, but it has astonishing quietness. The reconnaissance drone, with a flowing form resembling a ray, infiltrated the facility through the destroyed door as if guiding Alpha Team.
<This is Alpha Team. First floor cleared. Heading to the second basement floor via the stairs at point A.>
From the scan results, this underground facility is quite spacious. There are several rooms on each floor. Looking at the video from Alpha, I get the feeling it’s something like an experimental facility, but perhaps because it was abandoned, I don’t see any equipment or facilities.
Some kind of anxiety I feel throughout my body… What in the world is this place…? I’ve never heard of such a facility existing in the underground caves of the Aokigahara sea of trees. My heart rate rose, and before I knew it, I was breaking into quite a cold sweat.
”――Himemiya. This facility was probably abandoned recently. Judging from this scale, a considerable amount of funding was invested in its construction. We haven’t grasped the exact scale of the Society of the Black Lily (Black Lily), but looking at its structure, this must be some kind of experimental facility. I see the possibility of a large organization backing them.”
Kamikura said so quietly.
”To build such a facility in a place like this… If it was large-scale construction, I wouldn’t think it strange if it was caught by our home country’s reconnaissance satellites. There is a high possibility they slipped past those eyes through some sort of method.”
<From Alpha Leader to Charlie Leader. We have reached the point on the second basement floor. Confirmed numerous women believed to be organization members… No, this is…>
Alpha Leader’s video is projected onto the visor screen. In it was the figure of numerous women, believed to be civilians, sitting down in a corner of the hall. For some reason, everyone looked exhausted with anxious expressions… Towards the back, perhaps tired and sleeping, numerous women are lying down in various postures.
<――Their ages are probably in their 20s to 40s. Everyone is frightened. There seem to be 200 people in this corner alone.>
”Do not neglect your vigilance until we rendezvous. We’re heading there immediately.”
We hurriedly infiltrate the facility and head to the rendezvous point on the second basement floor. The emergency lights are on inside the facility, so visibility is secured. It’s just a little dim and creepy. When we went down to the second basement floor, we were able to rendezvous with Alpha Team immediately.
”Nobody move! You all――what are you doing here?”
Kamikura calls out to the women gathered on the floor with his rifle ready. Alpha Team also had their rifles pointed at the women.
”Please… don’t kill us… We were told if we came here, we would be provided with a stable life… So…”
One woman in the front said so in a feeble voice.
”It’s alright. We have no intention of harming civilians. Everyone, please be at ease. Could you tell us your story?”
I speak to the woman in a way that puts her at ease. According to what I hear, they were told about three days ago online that they would be provided with food, clothing, shelter, and a job, and were brought to this facility from Tokyo by bus. But after that, the staff never came to this facility, and the women had been staving off hunger with preserved food and water that were in the facility.
The women brought to this facility all seem to have no place to return to. I wonder if they are destitute people who have slipped through the safety net…
Everyone has an extremely exhausted expression.
”Alpha Team, investigate the third basement floor. There should probably be similar women there too.”
<Understood. All members of Alpha Team, commence clearing with safeties off. If there are suspicious persons, call for them to surrender. If they do not comply, firing is permitted.>
Alpha Team goes down the stairs in the back. There is a place that looks like an elevator nearby, but it is probably not energized. It remains eerily quiet.
”Operations Room――do you copy? Everyone here is probably a civilian. There is no sign of anyone who looks like a member of Black Lily. I think you heard, but according to the women’s story, they were brought here by someone three days ago.”
<This is the Operations Room. It seems there was suspicious recruitment centered on SNS from about a week ago. Recruitment for resort facility staff with food, clothing, and shelter provided. It seems it was a women-only recruitment with a quota of 300 people. Information regarding that has been deleted now, but we were able to restore it from the cache remaining on the server. The situation is quite unclear, so please do not neglect your vigilance.>
Following Chris’s response, the video of the Chief is projected.
<Kamikura. The women seem to be quite exhausted. There is also concern about their health condition. If destitute people were brought here, we need to rescue them. Check the health condition of a few people with a medical kit, and if there is no problem, evacuate them outside the facility. There is also a possibility that members are mixed in. If you sense anything unusual, you may shoot to kill without mercy.>
”Understood, we will continue the investigation. To Alpha Leader. Upon discovering civilians, check the health condition of a few people with a medical kit.”
<This is Alpha Leader. We have found numerous civilians on the third basement floor. They are all lying unconscious. Many appear to be unconscious.>
”What did you say?”
The state of many women having collapsed is projected onto the visor screen. It looks like empty drinking water PET bottles and portable food packaging are scattered here and there on the floor.
”Kamikura, could this possibly be…”
I had a bad premonition. Kamikura also nodded slightly at my words.
”We’re going down to the third basement floor.”
We hurriedly go down to the third basement floor and rendezvous with Alpha Team. Countless women have collapsed in a wide area believed to be in front of the materials delivery elevator. Just like the second basement floor, everyone is an ordinary civilian woman in plain clothes. Most seem to have lost consciousness, but we discovered a woman who was moving slightly. I run up to her side and call out.
”Are you alright? Hang in there!”
The woman lying face up looks to be in her early 20s. However, her complexion is quite bad. Slowly, her eyes open.
(!?)
An intense chill runs through me. Not good. These eyes are no longer the eyes of a human. The eyes are bloodshot deep red, and the pupils have changed to a very pale green and have shrunk considerably!
”Kamikura! This is bad! These people are already――”
The instant I shouted that, an emergency warning was displayed on the visor screen, and an audio started playing. The video of Chris and the Chief, which had been displayed in a wipe, suddenly blacks out.
<――Communication with the Operations Room has been lost. From here on, operation command will be taken over by the tactical command AI system MARIA. A Biohazard Level 3 incident caused by the N-virus has occurred. Alpha and Charlie Teams, annihilate the targets and immediately escape from the applicable area. I repeat――>
”Aaaaaaahhh!”
Sudden screams can be heard. The women who had collapsed are eerily getting up. One of the Alpha Team members had his neck bitten by a woman who had gotten up. The woman who has collapsed in front of my eyes looks like she’s going to get up too. I can tell my heart rate is rising rapidly. We have no choice but to do this now!
”All members, gather in one direction! Watch out for friendly fire!”
”Kamikura! There’s an optimal engagement point in the back! It’s a dead end, but we have no choice but to fight here!”
The 3D map of the facility projected on the visor. The women who were on the second basement floor are also probably infected with some kind of virus. That means the women on the second basement floor will soon develop symptoms and avalanche into the third basement floor from the stairs. Since our retreat route has been cut off, it will be a war of attrition, but we have no choice but to defeat them all!
”Everyone! Follow me!”
Kamikura is providing cover for Alpha Team. I guide everyone to the engagement point and take an interception posture. The place that looked like a dead end seems to be in front of some kind of warehouse. The door looks sturdy and doesn’t budge.
Alpha Team, having regrouped, comes running with Kamikura.
”Commence attack! Aim for the head as much as possible! Do not allow them to approach!”
Spreading out to the left and right of the passage, Alpha Team, having taken their positions, commences attacking the women who have taken on a horrifying appearance. Countless bullets should be hitting their heads, but they don’t easily fall.
”We have no choice but to do this now!”
Capturing a head in the sights, I pull the trigger. Bullets fired in rapid succession on full-auto pierce the head, violently destroying it.
Innocent, ordinary women have been turned into monsters and are attacking us…
As if venting my unbearable anger and sorrow, I shoot through the heads of the completely changed women approaching one after another.
”This is Charlie Leader. Requesting immediate rescue from Bravo Team! Our retreat route has been cut off, and we are cornered by the enemy!”
Kamikura requests rescue from Bravo Team, who is securing the retreat route on the ground. But there is no response from Bravo Team. It should only be the Ground Base Operations Room that has lost communication.
”Bravo Team, what happened! Respond!”
Kamikura is frustrated. There is a possibility that Bravo Team was also attacked. This operation had completely leaked to the enemy. This is a cleverly laid trap!
”I will fight back too! Please prepare for the shockwave!”
Hojo-san points a cross emitting dazzling light at the approaching women.
”Goddess of Light, Alsard! Destroy evil with holy light and carve open a path for us!”
And the moment I thought intense light would be released from the pale cross. The light rapidly converges, and the light of the cross disappears. When I noticed, something like a magic circle the color of reddish-black blood was floating large at our feet.
”This is! An Attenuation Magic Circle!”
She looks at her feet and raises a voice of surprise.
”An Anti-Alsard Attenuation Magic Circle that negates Alsard’s power, huh… Hojo, you probably cannot use Alsard’s power inside this facility. But――”
Shisei grins eerily.
”The root of magic that does not belong to Alsard――is unaffected by this!”
When Shisei points her right arm at the approaching women, a fire dragon soars from that arm. The tremendous amount of heat raised the surrounding temperature all at once.
”――Perish! Prominence Waltz!”
The moment I thought Shisei’s voice echoed in my head, a tremendous fire dragon flies around the women while swirling, instantly burning the place to ashes. A considerable hot wind transmits over here as well. Perhaps from the pain caused by the tremendous heat, the completely changed women raising screams of agony while burning…
While watching that state, Shisei floating an eerie smile…
”Shisei! Don’t act on your own! I didn’t issue you an order to attack!”
Kamikura’s angry roar flies. Shisei’s attack range has become a blazing hell of flames. From that amount of heat, not to mention their clothes, even the skin of the women is burned and blistered, and they fall while raising screams of agony from the heat.
”I told you… I would make my move if we were at a disadvantage.”
Saying so, Shisei stepped back. But a fire dragon is swirling from her arm. It probably means she can unleash magic anytime she feels like it.
”There are too many of them! We’re gradually being pushed back!”
Mizuhara gradually retreats while firing her rifle on full auto. Alpha Team, Kamikura, and I are also fighting back, but our ammunition consumption is intense. In front of our eyes is already a mountain of corpses, but from the back of the passage, women with horrifying faces appear one after another. We should have defeated over 100 bodies already, but the women brought here are probably around 300. Considering that, we still haven’t even finished off half of them. At this rate, we will eventually run out of ammunition. The M7 magazine holds 20 rounds. The low maximum ammunition capacity was backfiring. Furthermore, this rifle is just a mass-produced product, different from the special specifications deployed to the UCIA. It’s not particularly high in power either.
I quickly take aim, switch from full-auto to single-shot firing, and shoot through the enemies’ heads one after another. There are enemies who don’t fall with one shot. Unless two to three shots are fired into them, the enemies surely won’t fall. I only have two remaining magazines left.
”Damn it! I’m out of ammo!”
Mizuhara throws her rifle, which ran out of ammo, onto the floor. Then she draws her handgun, takes aim, and fires one after another.
”Himemiya! Take them down with single shots! Remember your training!”
”I’m already doing it even without you telling me!”
Perhaps because their ammunition is running low as well, Kamikura and Alpha Team have also switched from full-auto to single-shot firing. But when that happens, our instantaneous annihilation power surely drops. Bit by bit, the distance to the enemies is getting closer, and we are being cornered. This is bad. At this rate, we’ll be annihilated!
“I will nullify the Attenuation Magic Circle for just an instant now. In that opening, Hojo, bestow your divine protection upon everyone, and Kirimine, take the vanguard and mow down the enemies. I will nullify the magic circle in 5 seconds!”
Shisei’s words echo in my head. Perhaps everyone present heard those words, as they switched their rifles to full-auto and commenced firing all at once.
“Unload all the bullets you have! After that, we’ll rush up the underground stairs in close combat!”
Kamikura shouts. Everyone holding a rifle annihilates the enemies on full auto. Emptied magazines being thrown away one after another. Violent gunshots and groans echo around us.
“Here I go! Match your timing! Flare Elimination!”
The moment I thought dazzling red light had covered the area, a tremendous red light flew in all directions like a laser from Shisei’s raised right hand. Then, the attenuation magic circle that had been floating on the ground lost its light. As if she had been waiting for the timing, Hojo-san released her spiritual power all at once, and the entire place was enveloped in pale blue light.
“Goddess of Light, Alsard! Bestow your divine protection upon us! Light of heaven and fire of affection, let my praying voice resonate!”
When she raised her cross and chanted powerfully like that, excluding Shisei, our bodies were enveloped in a pale blue aura of light. Along with our bodies becoming lighter, our depleted strength and vigor swelled up.
It was then.
(I can see them… Shining in seven colors… These are Natural Particles (Mana)…)
My body feeling a stronger divine protection than before… I wonder what it is… I feel like my vision has become incredibly clear… Particles of light in seven colors are drifting around…
They are incredibly beautiful… It makes me want to reach out my hand naturally…
“Thank you, Ayuka-chan! Leave the rest to me! I’ll show you――the quintessence of Alsard Church swordsmanship!”
Kirimine-san’s powerful voice. Coming back to myself, I threw away my rifle with its empty magazine and drew my tactical axe for close combat. Everyone else must have exhausted their magazines as well, as they threw away their rifles one after another and drew their tactical axes.
She, who was at the rear, rushed into the enemy swarm with incredible speed and swung her longsword emitting vivid light. Her figure tearing through and striking away enemies one after another is like a goddess who has descended upon the battlefield. In the blink of an eye, she overturned our disadvantage and mowed down the enemy swarm one after another.
“Follow Kirimine! If we can break through the second basement floor, we can return alive! Leave the vanguard to Kirimine and me! Everyone, don’t die!”
Kamikura also rushed into the enemy swarm, swinging his tactical axe while blowing enemies away with Psychokinesis.
We can do this! The momentum of her and Kamikura, having received divine protection, is tremendous. Almost by themselves, the two of them mow down the enemy group and carve open a path. The two annihilating the enemy group coming down the stairs in a bunch. And when the enemies broke off, we rushed up the stairs all at once.
“Just a little more! There are almost no enemies left!”
The enemies on the second basement floor were sparse. It’s probably still shortly after the virus developed symptoms. Kamikura is strong too, but Kirimine-san’s strength is overwhelming. She tears through enemies with tremendous speed, skillfully manipulating that longsword of hers. Perhaps it’s the result of the Chief’s training, her movements are on a completely different level than before.
And so, we safely overcame the crisis and succeeded in escaping outside the facility.
Alpha Team also lost one person as a sacrifice, but the rest are all safely surviving.
“――Himemiya, are you alright?”
Kamikura stares at me. Strangely, I wasn’t that out of breath. It’s probably thanks to Hojo-san’s divine protection. I feel like its effect is gradually fading, but I still have leeway in my stamina. Perhaps the divine protection also has the effect of suppressing stamina consumption and gradually recovering it.
“I’m fine. I train on a regular basis too, you know.”
Although I am strictly an investigator, I am a military person from a standpoint perspective. If it weren’t for the Chief’s daily training, I might have lost my life somewhere. The fact that I was able to shoot accurately in that situation must also be the result of my daily shooting training. I want to thank everyone.
“Ayuka-chan, what’s wrong?”
Although we safely returned alive, Hojo-san’s expression is dark. Kirimine-san calls out to her worriedly.
“――I’m sorry. To think an attenuation magic circle of that scale had been laid… I panicked from fear and couldn’t do anything… If I had calmed down, I should have been able to dispel the attenuation magic circle too, but I…”
Hojo-san, whose eyes are faintly watering. At her voice that sounds like she’s about to cry any moment, Kirimine-san holds both of her hands as if to encourage her.
“――Ayuka-chan. We were able to return alive because everyone combined their strength. I wouldn’t have been able to fight like that either without your divine protection, Ayuka-chan. Kamikura-san too. That’s why you thoroughly fulfilled your role, Ayuka-chan. You can be proud of that.”
Saying so, Kirimine-san gently hugs her close.
“It’s alright. We have Goddess Alsard on our side. And you have me on your side, Ayuka-chan. Always, always from here on too. I will continue to protect you, Ayuka-chan.”
At Kirimine-san’s words, Hojo-san began to cry as if the thread of the feelings she had been enduring had snapped. Kirimine-san gently stroking her head and hugging her. The power of the two is overwhelming, but they are still just third-year high school girls.
I was watching the state of those two with a smile. Then Kamikura walked up to Shisei.
“Shisei. If you hadn’t been here, we would have been annihilated. I can’t forgive you for launching a preemptive attack without waiting for orders, but… I’ll thank you once again.”
At Kamikura’s words, Shisei seems slightly surprised. Her complexion changes, albeit slightly.
“I merely… helped out a little. If you want to give thanks, you should say it to Hojo. A practitioner capable of bestowing that much divine protection upon multiple people… shouldn’t be that common.”
Shisei smiles eerily.
“And… my helping out also carries the meaning of an apology.”
Suddenly, Shisei’s eyes change sharply. The moment I thought she had disappeared from the spot in the blink of an eye…
“H-Hey! What are you doing!”
Seeing that sight, Kirimine-san involuntarily raises her voice. All of Alpha Team also seems to be shaken.
And Kamikura and I pointed the muzzles of our handguns at that person.
“Police Officer Mizuhara… I think it’s about time you stopped playing the innocent… What is this Hexagram carved into the back of your neck?”
Shisei, having taken Mizuhara’s back, completely holding her body and thrusting a knife at her neck.
“Ever since we first met… I had noticed. This Hexagram… spiritually carved into the back of your neck.”
“Wh-… On what grounds are you saying such a thing!”
Mizuhara, completely having her back taken and unable to move.
“Do you know why… I was released? The Section Chief never trusted you from the beginning. He was just letting you swim. The leak of Public Security investigation information, you are the culprit. The faint spiritual power residue I feel from the Hexagram on the back of your neck… The Section Chief released me because he wanted to obtain conclusive proof of his suspicions.”
Shisei accelerates her eerie expression even further…
“Now then, I think it’s about time you――reveal your true identity!”
“Aaaaaaahhh!”
Shisei making the blade of the knife thrust at her neck sink into the flesh. Along with Mizuhara’s scream, red blood begins to spurt from the wound. Shisei gradually piercing the knife deeper.
“Curse you! ――Curse you!”
Mizuhara shouted so. Her voice clearly changed to something heterogeneous. And when she shook off Shisei, who had completely taken her back…
She, whose eyes shone reddish-black――revealed her true identity.