"Bang, bang, bang...!"
A large amount of rubble rained down from midair, striking the road and sending crisp echoes continuously spreading out.
"Ugh..."
"Ugh..."
Mugino Shizuri and Frenda were already covered in injuries. Groaning, they could not get back on their feet for the moment.
"Pant... pant..."
Kinuhata Saiai, whose defensive capabilities were exceptional, had also dropped to one knee on the ground, breathing somewhat heavily.
"Mugino... Kinuhata... Frenda...!"
From behind them, Takitsubo Rikou could not help taking a step forward.
"Don't come over, Takitsubo!"
Without even turning her head, Kinuhata Saiai called out.
"Even if you come over, you won't be of any use at all, so just stay there and don't move!"
As she said that, Kinuhata Saiai kept her eyes fixed firmly ahead.
There, the girl in the Western-style dress and the strange boy had already arrived beside Kakine Teitoku, standing shoulder to shoulder with him.
"Even that 'Item' is only capable of this much?" The girl in the dress spoke as though talking to herself. "How should I put it? This is kind of disappointing."
"It really is disappointing." Without sparing Kinuhata Saiai so much as a glance, the strange boy stared straight at Mugino Shizuri and spoke as if eager to try. "If I'd known it would turn out like this, I would've challenged Number Four instead. I may have lost to Kakine back then, but if it were Number Four, perhaps I could win."
"Don't entertain any wishful thinking." Kakine Teitoku said instead, "It may not mean much to me, but the gap is still far too great for you. Unless you reach Lv.5, you'll never understand."
Though he said that, Kakine Teitoku clearly did not take Mugino Shizuri seriously at all.
Rather than looking down on her, it was more like he simply