OTO Chapter 109

[Collapse of Green Caterpillar]

Two months have passed since Utsusemi-san returned to the hideout.

After he came back, he worked harder than I expected, and the busy hideout began to regain its calm. Only the executive members seem to be busy as usual.

That is why the tag of Roll and I got a two-week vacation for the first time in a long while.

Honestly, we have nothing to do for two weeks in Derrida, so Roll and I decided to go somewhere.

Therefore, at present, Roll is going to get permission to go out, while I am exploring the hideout alone.

Because we were busy with missions every day until we got the vacation, I could only grasp the structure inside the hideout thanks to the map.

In addition to that, the interior work on the 5th basement floor was just finished the day before yesterday. And thus, access to the 5th basement floor has just been permitted today.

The hideout has already regained sufficient functionality. There seems to be no further construction planned so far, and Derrida has become more excellent as a base than before.

After I take the elevator down to the 5th basement floor, there appear a beautiful floor.

The interior work is just finished, so it is sparkling no matter where I look.

The floors from the 1st basement floor to the 4th basement floor are quite muddy because the members go in and out of the base. Even if you try to remove the muds, this area is a wetland, so you cannot completely remove the muds.

Therefore, the cleaners always seem to be busy.

I proceed on to the new floor.

The place I arrive at after getting off the elevator is a little hall, and from there the passages are divided into front, back, left, and right.

According to the map, all the passages seem to be connected, so for the time being, I go to the corridor in front of me.

“Where are you going, Shion!”

Because a loud voice suddenly echoes from behind me, where there is no sound before, I’m shocked. And then I’m irritated.

“Utsusemi-san, can you stop silence the sounds and approach me? I might attack you reflexively, you know,” Looking back, there is Utsusemi-san wearing a traditional haori and hakama costume. Utsusemi-san seems to really like this outfit, as I have never seen him wear any other outfit.

“Hah? Try it if you can.”

I sigh at his random belligerent attitude.

Utsusemi-san has been getting in touch with me at every opportunity since then. I think he probably wants to fight me.

However, I don’t feel like I can beat Utsusemi-san, who has acquired the abilities of Sound Control and strengthening system Superhuman, in a head-to-head combat.

Although they are deteriorated copy, if the abilities are the same, the Silent World might be offset after all.

“…Utsusemi-san, don’t you have a mission today?” For now, let’s ignore his words.

If I do this, it will not turn into a battle with Utsusemi-san. For the time being, Utsusemi-san is an ally after all.

I think I really should have killed him at that time.

“Ahh, there is an executive meeting today. So, I’m on standby. What are you sneaking around for?”

“It’s not like I’m sneaking in particular. I’m just confirming the map.

Utsusemi-san yourself, what are you doing in such a place? The meeting room is in two floors above, right?”

I heard that the particularly important equipment was brought into the B5F yesterday, and the systems related to central management are already in operation.

This was what Roll heard from Shido-san, but Observer will also deploy directly to this floor from now on.

There aren’t many rooms that you can use on your own conveniences, and there isn’t anything interesting. In fact, even though it is a newly opened floor, there is no one here.

Utsusemi-san should have no reason to enter here.

“Haha, do you want to hear it?”

I don’t.

“Well, whatever.”

I don’t want to get entangled with Utsusemi-san anymore, so I try to move on.

Then Utsusemi-san grabs my shoulder.

“I came to get the ability of Observer.”

“You will be killed by Boss you know.”

“Idiooot. Hyde won’t touch anyone other than a traitorous subordinate~. Such a magnanimous man wouldn’t care about such a thing. He will allow this bit of mischief, see.”

Certainly, even though Boss finds fault in guilty members, he never kills them.

It seems at that time with Desuko-san was an exception after all. Speaking of which, he has a history of fighting to the death with Yoiyami-san. I feel like I knew quite a lot about Yoiyami-san, but I still can’t think of the reason why they fought even until now.

Well, putting that aside, I think that copying Observer’s ability is enough to be called as an act of betrayal.

“Well, have it your way.”

Thinking that it is better not to get involved, I shake off Utsusemi-san’s hand. However, Utsusemi-san grabs my shoulder again.

“You are going with me, you know?”

“Haah?”

What the heck are you saying – with such a face, I glare back at Utsusemi-san. Utsusemi-san keeps his hand while a grin floats on his face.

“Shion, you haven’t seen Observer’s real body, right?”

“I’ve never seen it, but I definitely won’t follow you.”

“Honestly, I haven’t seen it either. It was decided that only Kemuri, Shikkou, Hyde, and Shido were allowed to deal with it directly.”

Utsusemi-san doesn’t seem to be willing to response at all, but then he tells a little interesting story, so I shut my mouth unintentionally

“It makes you curious, right?”

I can’t deny it. However, if only the members mentioned by Utsusemi-san are allowed to deal with it directly, it is all the more reason I cannot get involved.

“By the way~, Observer is in the room on the left at the end of this corridor.”

“I don’t think you can enter such a room without permission though.”

“Well, obviously. That’s why I went out of my way to pick this from Kemuri’s new room before coming here.”

Having said that, Utsusemi-san shows me a white card key.

I’m familiar with it; it is similar to the previous hideout master key.

“It seems to be a master key of this floor.”

“You’re really going to be killed by Boss, you know.”

“With this, you become my accomplice.”

“Please stop joking.”

“Oi, oi, are you planning to tell someone what I’m about to do? You can’t get out of this.”

“Why are you dragging me into this?” I ask a genuine question.

He should have no reason to involve me.

“Well, that’s because you’re a witness. Even though I’ve cleared the people out of here with great trouble.”

What witness. Utsusemi-san was the one who appeared on his own.

No, but certainly. If Utsusemi-san kept moving silently, I would have noticed it.

However, it’s no wonder that there is no one here.

“…To begin with, you don’t need Observer’s ability, right? You have my Sound Control after all.”

“Sure, your ability is useful, but when asked if it fit my personality, it is not. You have to be very precise in using it.”

“The ability of Observer is the same, you know.”

“I won’t know it unless I use it, right?

It seems that Observer can detect a range of several thousand kilometers if they want to. It’s too amazing, isn’t it? I want to experience that feeling.”

It’s for pure curiosity, huh.

However, this person sure is really determined to get me involved.

At such times, I really regret my lack of mobility. I can’t even forcefully shake off Utsusemi-san.

“…I understand. I’ll follow you, but I won’t help you okay?”

“Alright, alright, then let’s go. I’ll trust you with the surrounding lookout.”

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