Chapter 134

The spider enters the forest, ducking noiselessly and skillfully through the trees. Then it stopped slowly.

I got off the spider with Rikka, and we walked without hesitation.

I don't know the details of the meeting point, but it doesn't matter. After all, with my eyes, a forest full of obstacles is just like an empty plain.

"Suzuhara......"

Tamamushi, who had been hiding in the bushes, noticed my approach and appeared, making a rustling sound. Following Tamamushi, Nanafushi also appeared.

But before I could get off the spider, I could already see both of them.

"So that's the barrier."

I muttered to myself as I stopped in front of Tamamushi, looking straight ahead.

I "see" a transparent wall in front of me. It's like a glass wall.

"Suzuhara, are you able to 'see' the barrier?"

Tamamushi asks with a surprised look.

"Can't you see it?"

"No, I can't. I just feel it somehow."

Tamamushi shook her head in response to my question.

Yeah, is it "invisible" to Tamamushi?

"I have mastered the art of barrier. So, I've been able to notice it, but normally I would have stepped inside the barrier to being able notice it. It's very unique for Suzuhara to be able to "see" the barrier itself."

As I listened to Tamamushi's story while looking straight ahead, I shifted my gaze to Nanafushi.

"It's a problem for me. If it weren't for Master, I wouldn't have even noticed the barrier."

As I looked at her, Nanafushi shrugged her shoulders and raised her voice.

So, Nanafushi can't even notice it?

It's not that Nanafushi's ability to notice is low, but it's that Tamamushi's ability to notice is excellent.

――Suzuhara-san .......

Marina's voice, which echoed in my brain, sounded extremely anxious.

Marina, are you able to "see" it?

――Yes.

When I asked Marina in my mind, she replied in an anxious voice.

Marina is looking at the scenery I'm looking through my "eyes".

A scene where there is another wall beyond the glassy transparent wall.

"There's probably more than one barrier."

"What?"

Tamamushi raised her voice.

"What do you mean?"

Tamamushi asks, frowning.

"My eyes see the barrier as a transparent wall, but beyond that I see a similar wall."

"Double barriers?"

"No."

"Eh?"

When denying Tamamushi's muttering, it made her to tilt her head.

I'm going to focus on the front and concentrate on my consciousness.

The effective range of my ability is a perfect circle with a radius of about 15 meters. However, by focusing my consciousness, I can narrow the unnecessary area and extend the effective range of a single point.

The maximum range is about thirty meters.

"I knew it......"

When I extend the effective range of my ability to the limit in front of me, I find that there are two more "transparent walls".

"There are not two barriers, but four barriers. That's as far as I can see from here. Probably there may be more."

When Tamamushi heard my words, she was stunned, then paled.

"Four layers of barrier? And you're saying there could be more?"

Tamamushi, clearly upset, let out a slight shudder.

"For the most part, the barriers I can manage to recognize are constructed using fairly advanced techniques. Assuming that it's a four-layered barrier, and if all of them are similar, it's not something that can be constructed yesterday or today. It would take at least a month, depending on the ability and number of the people."

A month. That means――

"That means that this plan has been in progress for quite a while."

"That's right."

The pale Tamamushi nodded at my question.

"Do you think all barriers are the same? For example, a number of barriers are put up to interfere with the communication ability and make it more effective."

"I can't say that they don't, but it's highly unlikely. Perhaps they are putting up barriers for different purposes."

It's means that they are putting up various kinds of wards in order to reduce the enemy's ability as much as possible.

It's a rather bad situation.

"I can't say for sure until I get inside, but there is one thing I can say for sure."

"What is it?"

"There are several barriers, one of them is probably to protect the barrier."

Hearing Tamamushi's words, I couldn't help but let out a sigh.

A barrier to protect a barrier. In other words....

"Barrier to prevent the destruction of barrier?

"Umu."

Tamamushi nodded at my question.

"Double barriers are generally used for such purposes. You put up a barrier that corresponds to the intended use, and then you put up a barrier to protect that one. It's a little complicated, but it's not a barrier to reinforce other barrier, but it's to protect a other barrier. In many cases, these barrier are very powerful because it focuses only on one point that is protection."

"Is it possible to destroy it?"

"It is nearly impossible to destroy it with physical force. If I can find the starting point for the structure, I can destroy it. But......"

"You're not going to tell me in plain English what will be destroyed if I find it, are you?

".....Umu."

When Tamamushi heard my words, she nodded apologetically.

Needless to say, this is a big deal.

Is Alice, a spy for the protection organization, a person with abilities that require this much caution?

No, maybe Tamamushi is also being watched out for.

I'm sure they're going to have Tamamushi and Alice fight each other, and when the time is right, they're going to bring in their forces, but they're going to have to be careful.

I can't say anything until I get inside, but I wonder how far they'll go to shut down our abilities.

――Why don't we call off the operation?

Marina's voice echoed in my brain.

――If we can't destroy the barrier, we won't be able to use mine or Yuka's abilities to support you in case of emergency.

That's right. As long as the barrier exist, Marina's "Denshin" cannot be used. If she can't use Denshin, then she can't use Yuka's mantra brainwashing either.

However, if I retreated at this point, Tamamushi would be chased.

It would be difficult to intercept the pursuers without knowing the enemy's plans.

If we're going to go up against them, I want to get as much information as possible this time.

"It's too early to say cancel it."

Nanafushi, who had been silent until then, raised her voice.

"No matter what kind of barrier they have, there are some species that can nullify most of them."

Nanafushi then turned her gaze.

"It's a simple, purely physical race. That is beastman."

Nanafushi, who was staring at Rikka as she spoke, glanced at me and smirked.

"There are barriers that block physical abilities, but if they use it, the physical abilities of everyone who enters the barrier will be reduced. That's why I don't think they would use such barrier. I'm just guessing, but I think the enemy is planning to bring in beastmen."

Hearing Nanafushi's words, I couldn't help but grin.

I see, I get the point.

Is it possible that the reason why they are putting up so many barriers is to make use of the physical abilities of the beastmen while blocking other foreign abilities?

"We're also a close combat specialist, but we can't help you if we don't have any bugs. If Master enters the barrier and can't release her bugs, we will be useless."

Nanafushi shrugged her shoulders.

No, no, no, it's enough to know that Rikka is likely to be able to exert her power without problems even inside a barrier.

But that's why, as originally planned, I need Rikka to wait outside the barrier.

If the enemy is planning to bring in the beastmen, the enemy will be more wary of the beastmen than anything else.

――If that's the case, I'll send the helpers over there now.

Marina's voice echoed in my brain. What do you mean, "helpers"? Are you trying to send Kazehana over here?

That's no good. If we send Kazehana over here, you guys will be in danger.

――But...

Please wait until the last minute to send Kazehana over here. If you guys are attacked in Kazehana's absence, the unit will collapse.

Listen, Marina. No matter what happens, you have to put your life first.

No matter what the situation is, as long as you, the commander, are alive, the unit will revive again and again.

You are the key. Don't ever forget that.

――......But you treat your own life like a "thing".

Marina complains about it. If you're complaining, it means you're convinced.

Okay, then, Marina, please explain the plan to everyone present.

A few minutes passed, and Marina's explanation by "Denshin" was over.

What I didn't expect was that Rikka, who I had thought would be reluctant to follow me, obeyed Marina's instructions without hesitation.

I guess she couldn't help but be convinced by the explanation that the enemy was most wary of beastmen.

"Master......"

Standing in front of me and looking up at me with her red eyes, Rikka dropped to one knee.

"When Master calls me, I will......"

Rikka, who was on one knee looking up at me, quietly raised her voice, put her right hand behind her back, and pulled out a large knife.

"In a hundredth of a second, I will surely rush to Master."

Her red eyes glittered as she said this.

"Are you stupid? When I call you, rush to me at one thousandth of a second."

"Yes, sir! Absolutely!"

It was a joke, but Rikka didn't hesitate to answer.

I'm counting on you. The strongest beastman.

And so, the mission was finally set to begin.

***