Meanwhile, in the section at the base of the offshore platform.

「Haa… haa… No more. I- It can’t go any deeper…」

Kenmochi Minato, the sword mountain mysterious being Swordminas, who was in charge of watching the base while the others were away, pleaded with tears in her eyes.

「Let’s try pushing it a little further in, nyanna.」

「Hiii……! It’s so full inside that it hurts……！　I am going to die……!」

「That’s not true! If you try hard, you can get at least the tip in!」

The cat demon mysterious being Nyanzo mercilessly rejected Minato’s pleas and shoved in tightly. It was already small space, the flesh was stuffed to the brim.

「Nhooooooooo!! I- It’s gonna breeaaaaaak!!」

As Nyanzo puts her weight on top, a tragic cry echoed across the sea.

「I told you it’s over capacity! if we cram that many people in, the submarine will break!」

「That being said, we can’t just leave them here, nyanna. Let’s pack them all in to the limit, nyan.」

The taiyaki-shaped submarine was so overcrowded that there was barely enough space for an ant to fit inside. The roughly fifty prisoners rescued from the “village” section was stuffed in with no gaps, reminiscent of rush hour traffic on the Saikyo Line.

Minato was pushed into the deepest part and was naturally unable to move.

「Hieeeeee! It’s really going to break! It’s going to sink!!」

「……Haahaa…… I am on, wan…… My legs can no longer move, wan……It’s painful, wan……」

「So I’m the last one left, nyanna. I’ll push through with all my might, nyanzo.」

The cat-dog duo, the cat demon mysterious being Nyanzo and the negative dog mysterious being, Negadog had transported almost all of the mysterious beings who had been confined by themselves.

「……There is one more left, wan……」

「That one is impossible, nyanna. That’s what Ojiki said too, nyan.」

「……So frustrating, wan… So regretful, wan…」

「It can’t be helped, nyan yo. At that point, It’s no longer a mysterious being, nyanna.」

The two of them looked up at the imposing offshore platform towering above them. Then thought about them, who were probably still staring each other down within the enclosure.

………………

…………

……

What the mysterious beings of the Hundred Beasts Legion saw was the completely changed appearance of the person they were searching for, Haruka. The giant, measuring 18 meters in length, was created by combining mysterious beings together and could no longer be called a mysterious being.

Of course, there was no way to take her who had transformed into a giant dinosaur. After witnessing the fate of his former family, Bearion acted quickly.

The only way to save her was to kill her with his own hands. The only way to show respect for her as a person, Bearion, The Hundred Beasts General, was prepared for that possibility as he embarked on this rescue operation.

However, an unexpected obstacle stood in Bearion’s way.

「I firmly disagree!」

The one who stopped Bearion with these words was Colonel Usanyi-chan, the number two in the Hundred Beast Legion. Faced by Bearion, who had made up his mind, Colonel Usanyi-chan stood in his way with her arms outstretched, not backing down a single step.

Now, the only ones left in the area were her, Bearion, the only remaining dinosaur, Haruka, and the unconscious staff members.

「There must be a way to save Haruka…」

「Listen, Usanyi. She’s not “Haruka” anymore. There’s no way to change her back. Do you understand?」

Of course, Colonel Usanyi-chan had no idea how to save the mysterious being that had turned into a chimera. She also understood that they did not have enough time to stay in this “village” for long.

「B- But……」

What Bearion said makes sense. In her head, she knew it’s the right thing to do.

Just as Colonel Usanyi-chan was at a loss for words, all of the Bearions’ fur stood on end and the air became tense in an instant.

「Hey Usanyi, cut it out already.」

The atmosphere was completely different from earlier, like that of a father speaking to a disobedient child. What she was facing now was not her usual kindly boss, but a determined wild beast.

Bearion, Hundred Beasts General, was a mighty warrior who once led the Kanto region’s largest militant mysterious being organization. His voice and gaze are powerful enough to make not only mysterious beings but all living creatures bow down before him.

If you were to be exposed to the true intimidation of a Bearion up close, at best you would lose control of your bladder, and if you were unlucky your heart could stop. Colonel Usanyi-chan was no exception, her legs were shaking so much that she forgot to breathe, let alone blink.

「A……Ah……！」

Instinctual fear took control of her body, refusing to make a sound. She was made to realize that even Number Two is nothing more than a small rabbit in the face of the king of beasts.

「This is the last time, don’t interfere, Usanyi. I don’t want to hurt two of my family members…」

Colonel Usanyi-chan noticed.

It was so faint that no one noticed. Bearion’s voice was trembling.

No one wants to kill a loved one with their own hands. This is especially true for Bearion, who loves his “family” more than anyone else.

He was willing to shoulder this sin. Not anyone else, but himself, on his own huge shoulders, one that loves his family.

But that’s exactly why.

He will surely regret it. He will probably regret killing his precious family with his own hands for the rest of his life.

「With all due respect… With all due respect, I would like to say…」

Colonel Usanyi-chan lowered her outstretched arms, took a deep breath, and opened her eyes wide.

「Although I am not worthy, I will be the one to do this important role!」

With a click of her boots, she turned around forcefully and Colonel Usani clicked her heels twice.

Her red eyes were fixed on Haruka, who had turned into a dinosaur.

「Wh-what are you talking about, Usanyi?」

「Bearion-sama, I owe you, as well as the Hundred Beasts Legion (feamily) an apology.」

Bearion couldn’t see Colonel Usanyi-chan’s face, as she had her back turned. But from her small back, he could see a firm resolve, different from the selfishness she’d had earlier.

「Seeing Haruka-san, Bearion-sama’s beloved, in front of me, I felt a sense of relief, though it was embarrassing. “Now I can be by your side again,” I thought. “There will be no one in the way anymore.”」

Blood seeped into Colonel Usanyi-chan’s gloves, which she was gripping tightly.

Colonel Usanyi-chan shook her red-stained fists.

「Funhh!!!!!」

She aimed at her own face and punched it with all her might. Perhaps because she punched without holding back, a large amount of blood began to trickle down from her small, pointed nose.

Even Bearion was surprised and grabbed Colonel Usanyi-chan’s shoulder.

「Oi oi, what are you doing, Usanyi!」

「Please don’t stop me! This is punishment for the treacherous subject who indulged in her own selfish desires, betrayed the faith, and lost sight of what loyalty really means!」

Without even wiping the blood from her nose, Colonel Usanyi-chan quietly lowered herself to her knees. She prepared to deliver the “Full Power Drop Kick (Shoot)” her deadly kick that has defeated countless heroes in the past.

「With my current ignoble heart, I am sure I will be hated and have no right to stand beside Bearion-sama. That is why I am determined to once again show my loyalty here.」

As she put strength into her legs, her sturdy boots flew off, aiming for the exposed, defenseless cervical vertebrae.

Even if Bearion holds a grudge against her for a thousand years. Even if the Hundred Beasts Legion branded her as their sworn enemy.

Compared to the disloyalty of continuing to support Bearion while he is in the midst of despair and harboring impure desires. It would be better if she herself fell into evil without having to burden her master with the blame.

「Come on, Usani, this isn’t something you should get your hands dirty on! Why would you go that far?!」

The full-power drop kick (shoot) fired from the critical point surpasses even the Bearion’s power in terms of instantaneous firepower alone. Despite this, Colonel Usanyi-chan replied to Bearion, who was still trying to stop it.

「It is because I love you, Bearion-sama!!!」

She unleashed the power she had accumulated to the limit. Just as Colonel Usanyi-chan was about to fire her powerful legs like an arrow,

Zdoooooooooooooooon!!!!!!!

The entire “village” area shook violently with a thunderous roar, as if an active volcano were erupting.

A huge crack appeared in the ground that served as the base for the Full Power Drop Shoot, causing Colonel Usanyi-chan to lose her balance.

「Uguhh!!!」

「Wh- Whaat!!?」

Bearion frantically looked around and in the corner of his eye he saw one of the staff members grinning. Attached to the wall behind him was a large lever with the word “Emergency” written on it.

「H-hihi… I can’t let anyone know about this place… For the sake of our country’s research into mysterious being cells… Hihih…」

The 3-meter-thick concrete outer wall rumbled loudly.

It was obvious to everyone that the offshore platform “Village” was about to collapse.

「You bastard!! That was cowardly, goraaa!!!」

After conducting so many experiments on mysterious beings, they now try to destroy the evidence along with the facility. Bearion was furious at the Hero Headquarters’ despicable actions, but getting angry won’t stop the explosion.

Eventually, the sturdy section itself begins to collapse, sending huge debris raining down one after another.

And it’s not just rubble.

In addition to the three-meter thick concrete, the superstructure of the offshore platform was also about to hit Bearion’s group from above. Even a mysterious being’s sturdy body would not able to withstand it.

「Usanyi, Let’s get out of there!」

「Bearion-sama! Guh……!?」

As Colonel Usany tried to stand up, her face contorted in intense pain. Perhaps due to the recoil from her Full Power Drop Kick (shoot) suddenly failing to fire, Colonel Usanyi-chan’s leg was bent in the wrong direction.

「Kuah…!? Don’t worry about me! At the very least Bearion-sama should get out of here!」

Colonel Usanyi-chan shouted as a huge piece of rubble weighing several tons approached her head. Colonel Usanyi-chan’s eyes widened as she saw a large crack appear in the ceiling.

In a few seconds, Colonel Usanyi-chan’s body would be crushed along with Haruka.

Was this the punishment for harboring a ignoble love in her heart and betraying loyalty?

Knowing that this was the end, Colonel Usanyi-chan closed her eyes.

However.

A loud voice drowned out the roar of the falling rubble and pierced her bunny ears.

「Uuuuuusaaaaaaaaaanyiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!!!」

As the huge, deadly rubble approached. A huge, hairy body covered Colonel Usanyi-chan’s body.

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<226: Words Locked Under The Ice
228: Karma>