Disaster (
Summary
Outside of the Combined Forces of Humanity Headquarters, Iglay with a backpack, is seen walking alongside her dog Sam. Having just briefly seen a giant floating face in the sky, the girl wonders what that phenomena was. However she senses that something troublesome with the Kyokai is happening and complains it's getting tiring with just one surprise after another. Since there was no indication that negotiations by Zaybi with the Lawless have concluded, the girl believes that she and the refugees should evacuate from the Lawless' territory. And yet, everyone back at base is still waiting for the mage to return, which she warned them as foolish. Because of this Iglay cannot stand those who act too nice, but now wonders where she should run away to.
However her thoughts are distracted when she notices a group of men crawling along a cable from one rooftop to the next. She soon recognizes one of them to be Gisangi, and it confirms her worst fears that Zaybi's negotiations had failed with the Lawless. Iglay though turns away, and resumes walking away from the area, claiming that what happens to the other refugees back at base don't matter to her.
Back at the building that the refugees are using as shelter, Thear is getting restless at waiting, as already Zaybi has been gone for over an hour since he was taken away, and the people who went to check have still not returned. Thear is concerned something must have happened to them. Takuya admits that even Masayoshi has vanished. Hiroshi reports from a window that he saw a giant face form in the direction of the Kyokai Headquarters. Mika is frustrated as they have no idea what's happening.
Given the situation, Muun believes that they should assume the worst case scenario, that their people who went to the Kyokai's hideout were completely wiped out and that the Lawless are preparing to invade their base. If so, Thear thinks that they need to hurry and prepare for an interception immediately. Old Man Gio though asks how would they can even fight back as all six of those who could fight have already left, and the ones who remain are the injured or sick. Far from fighting, the group can't even manage to escape. Worse yet, as Takuya points out, the other side can control Titans. It would be far too reckless to try and even fight against them.
Even so Thear doesn't think that the Lawless will accept their unconditional surrender or be treated humanely. In his view, giving up is far more reckless than standing their ground. Heidi raises her uninjured hand to volunteer to act as a decoy, to buy the others time to escape. She reminds everyone that the moment Zaybi failed, neither negotiation nor combat would work against the Lawless. If Zaybi has indeed failed, then the situation is absolutely hopeless. Hence Heidi will be a decoy and buy them as much time as she can, and while she doesn't know how much, it's better than doing nothing.
Takuya is hesitant at this plan and is worried about her, but Heidi merely states that this is what her life as a Neo-Terran is worth. She states that she would gladly give up her own life as its her own choice. This is not a good enough excuse for Heidi to sacrifice herself to Takuya and he urges her not to treat her life so lightly.
Suddenly, Iglay bursts into the room, warning that the Lawless are here and coming. Thear tries to pinpoint the Lawless from a window to see if he can snipe them, but Iglay tells him and the others that the Lawless are already on the roof, having snuck there using the neighboring rooftops of the abandoned buildings to go undetected. The invading party is reported to be ten men strong. She warns that if these men fight, people will die. Right now they all need to get outside and hide. Having said her piece, Iglay then runs away, bidding the refugees goodbye.
The refugees take a moment to process the horror of the news, before the room erupts into panic. Amidst the fearful people, Takuya, managing to keep a cool head, tries to get everyone to be quiet and calm down. So far the invaders have not noticed that they know of their intrusion, so he urges everyone to act calmly.
One of the refugees from Titan's Crown believes he can drive the invaders away, but others in the group advise him against this course of action and instead ask him to lend his strength to aid the injured. Hirsohi is prepared to fight with an old pipe to protect Mika, but even the teen knows that its impossible and she urges him to flee. Other refugees cry out that they all need to run.
Takuya then takes charge over the crisis, giving out orders for the sick, injured and elderly to hide in the shadows as much as possible, while those who can move to assist them as much as possible. He promises them that they will get through this, while he orders the women and children be given priority in escaping outside. Despite these directions, Takuya knows that either way blood will be spilled, and wracks his brain on what he should do, wishing Masayoshi was present.
Outside, the Lawless band led by Gisangi are grappling down from the roof of the base. One of his subordinates asks why they are raiding the refugees as they already have their leader and can leverage anything out of them now. However Gisangi finds that all so boring and that the real purpose of the raid is to just shoot the refugees for fun and see them beg for their lives. In any case he believes that Rinri will just eliminate all the refugees in the end, so before that happens its best to steal a few bites as it were. His subordinate have no arguments now, and are eager to have some fun and find any other world snacks like pudding. One of the Lawless then reports that something weird is happening in the base right before they enter.
The Lawless then invade through the broken windows of the Combined Forces of Humanity Headquarters, but find the entire building empty with items left discarded. Gisangi, examining the items left behind, deduces that the people in the building were present not too long ago and so assumes they noticed the Lawless approach. Annoyed Gisangi shouts out, demanding to know where the refugees are hiding. Figuring that they are still close, he orders his men to find and kill every one of them.
Most the refugees have managed to sneak outside the base and Thear notes that the Lawless did not bring any Titans. However they are still not in the clear as many of their people couldn't run in time and are still hiding in the building. Thear readies his Cosmic Ring, despite Muun's reservations. The former thinks that he now has the advantage and can clear the Lawless out by himself, given their primitive weapons and lack of Titans on their side.
Gisangi, seeing that his men's prey are not coming out of hiding, decides to test out a Soul Container he has in his possession. It turns into a PS-G-46 firearm, which he takes aim and uses to target a nearby building. The shot take it out, which so happens to be right next to where most of the refugees who were able to flee are hiding. Gisangi then calls out to the refugees to come out else he will bring every building down in the vicinity. In face with this new variable, Thear powers down his Cosmic Ring. Muun is relieved that Thear has stood down, and chosen not to underestimate the enemy, as doing so would have led to more unnecessary casualties.
Takuya notes that it is only a matter of time before the Lawless find them. Having no time to waste, he decides to takes a gamble, rushing out in the open for Gisangi to spot him. Thinking he has given up, Gisangi orders him to call for his friends to come out of hiding. Takuya though refuses. Based on Gisangi's timing and his small group, Takuya has figured out that the man isn't following the orders of his boss and is acting independently.
Gisangi asks "what about it?", when Takuya reveals this to him. Takuya, while lacking knowledge of the rules of the Lawless, knows that insubordination in any organization is a clear offense. If Gisangi's boss finds out about him trying to pillage and plunder without permission then he will risk losing his own position in Kyokai. In face of this Gisangi is silent, and Hiroshi, hiding with the other refugees, realizes that Takuya is standing his ground against the bandit. Takuya tries to reason with Gisangi that his raid had failed the moment the refugees realized it. He tries to urge him to retreat before his boss learns of his actions. In response to this Gisangi whips out his Soul Container and aims it at Takuya, declaring he doesn't care what he has to say, boasting he only acts and thinks later.
Seeing Takuya in danger, Thear tries to charge his Cosmic Ring, but before he does, Gisangi, standing in front of an opening window, is pulled back by an unknown force. Thear is confused on what just happened as Takuya is still cowering, half-expecting a blast from the Soul Container weapon. Suddenly a random blast is shot out of the base, destroying one of the windows. What's more, ominous screams are heard from the building, before ending in silence.
Takuya, needing to find out what happened, goes in first, telling Thear and Muun to remain behind. Thear tries to stop him, as he isn't armed. Even so, Takuya feels that he needs to do what is right. He recalls his childhood, when a Kaiju devastated his home town. He and his mom were watching the devastation from a hill with other survivors. Takuya had asked his mother where his father was, and from her mournful words learned that he lost his life, when he found some injured people who were trying to evacuate. With humanity driven to the edge of extinction, Takuya believes that the one thing humans must never do is lose the goodness in their hearts, otherwise they lose what makes them human. If they lose their righteousness then the world will turn dark without kindness or love. So no matter what happens, Takuya swears to never turn his back on his father or what he believes is right.
Inside the building, Takuya comes before the room where the Lawless invaded. Although he is terrified he needs to know what happened so that he and the others can survive. As such, he refuses to let someone else do it, finding the need to take action for himself. He takes a peek in the room, and what he beholds is a massacre. The room is covered with blood and the broken bodies of the Lawless. There is only one person alive among the bodies, one who inspecting Gisangi's corpse. It is none other than Heidi, who is studying the Lawless' Soul Container. Having noticed Takuya in the room, she muses that he came rushing into an uncertain situation, chiding it to be so illogical.
Takuya, in disbelief, asks what Heidi is doing in the room, and if she is responsible for killing all the Lawless. Heidi though tells him to not come any closer, claiming that one of the Lawless must have fallen prey to a Parasite, which broke out and forced the Lawless to kill each other. She warns him to stay back as he might be infected if he touches their blood. Takuya though sees something wrong with this explanation, as if there was a danger of Parasites, then why was Heidi messing around with the Lawless' bodies.
Heidi then removes her bandages wrapping around her mouth, condescendingly calling him a brainless Paleo-Human. She reveals that she was the one who slaughtered the Lawless. Not wanting trouble she tells him this, so as to keep their stories straight. She then warns him if he doesn't play along then she will do as she wishes. A horrified realization crosses Takuya's terrified mind as he realized what Heidi is, before the other refugees arrive. Seeing Mika with them he tells them to keep her away, not wanting her to see the scene in the room. He then calls Thear and Muun to come and examine the room. Both natives of Celestia comment on the mess, though Muun wonders why there were were never any sounds of gunshots. She also asks why Heidi is present, which the other woman states that she was unable to escape in time, and the Lawless took her hostage.
Takuya, sweating with fear, then calmly gives an account that the Lawless contracted a Parasite, which burst out and attacked the others. He lies, saying that he saw a shadow run out and disappear which must have been the host. To Muun it makes sense as some of the Lawless were infected when the Combined Forces of Humanity arrived in the Land of the Lawless. Thear didn't expect the infection to have spread to the Lawless and finds things are getting complicated. Muun then realizes that Heidi must have touched the blood of the infected.
Heidi then promises that she will do as the people of Parasitica had warned and will self-isolate herself for 48 hours. She also warns that the corpses might have Parasites and so they will need to follow the people of Parasitica's instructions to get rid of them. Not only that, the host that ran away might still be in the area. For now they should round up everyone who ran away and patrol the area.
Mika, still being kept out of the room, asks if Heidi is alright, much to Thear's annoyance for her to stay back. Unknown to the other refugees, Takuya is visibly torn by having to lie to his comrades. However, Heidi tells him he did well, and it is revealed that the woman is a Neo-Human.
Characters in Order of Appearance
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| Volume 1 | 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 |
| Volume 2 | 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 |
| Volume 3 | 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 |
| Volume 4 | 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 |
| Volume 5 | 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 |
| Volume 6 | 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 |
| Volume 7 | 30 • 31 • 32 • 33 |
| Chapters not yet in Volume format | 34 |
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| Introduction Arc | 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 |
| Titans vs The Neo-Humans Arc | 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 |
| Demons vs Aliens Arc | 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 |
| Demons vs Titans Arc | 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 |
| Lawless Kyokai Arc | 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 |
| Current Arc | 28 • 29 • 30 • 31 • 32 • 33 • 34 |