The sky gradually began to brighten.
For the people of Aragane Station, it had been a long night.
The place where they had always lived was gone.
Some of their family members had died, while others had turned directly into Kabane, never to return.
Even Yomogawa Ayame had endured the grief of losing her home and family as this long night finally came to an end.
Thus, for those who had survived aboard the Iron Fortress, today's sunlight was especially dazzling—and especially long-awaited.
People said that a new day meant a new beginning.
That saying had completely come true for the people of Aragane Station.
For those who had escaped with their lives, today likewise marked a new beginning.
Because not only did they need to find a new place to live, they also had to consider how they would survive from now on.
The only thing that remained unchanged was probably the Hayajiro forged entirely from steel—the Iron Fortress.
Carrying one Aragane Station resident after another, the Iron Fortress continued down the railway, advancing amid the sound of its whistle.
"Mm..."
Mumei woke beneath the slightly dazzling sunlight.
Opening her bleary eyes and letting out a sleepy yawn, Mumei comfortably stretched.
"I slept so well."
After a night's rest, Mumei had completely recovered her energy.
Only then did Mumei notice her surroundings.
Illuminated by the sunlight outside the windows, the entire carriage was fairly bright.
Steam boilers were operating one after another.
The train rumbled as it ran.
Within this carriage gleaming with the color of steel, Mumei noticed two other sets of breathing besides her own.
The first belonged to the boy across from her.
Mumei had not remembered his name. She only knew that, like her, he was a Kabaneri.
At the moment, this fellow Kabaneri was leaning against the wall and sleeping deeply, looking even more exhausted than she was.
Actually, if they really compared, he was surely more tired than her, right?
After all, in the span of just one night, the Station where he had lived had fallen. He was no longer human, was rejected by those around him, and seemed to possess some inexplicable sense of justice. He had definitely been put through the wringer.
As for the other person present, he was asleep against the door leading to the carriage ahead.
Mumei was rather interested in this person.
Clearly not a Kabaneri, merely an ordinary human, yet he could kill Kabane with an even more ordinary dagger.
Even more incredible was that Mumei, who was skilled in all kinds of combat techniques, could tell that this person was fundamentally a complete amateur in combat, yet he somehow possessed exquisite techniques for killing.
In short, he knew how to kill an opponent, but not how to defeat one.
Moreover, Mumei had repeatedly felt a strange sense of unease from him.
That feeling was practically telling Mumei...
"Don't underestimate him, or he'll definitely kill you..."
That was one of the reasons Mumei was interested in him.
He clearly looked so weak, yet he constantly made her feel like he was extremely dangerous. How could that not make someone curious?
"This is the first time I've met someone like this..."
As she said this, Mumei was just about to stand when she felt lightheaded and weak.
"Ah..." Mumei immediately understood her condition.
"I'm hungry..."
That was right.
She was hungry.
Thinking about it carefully, Mumei had not eaten anything since yesterday.
"No, I won't be able to hold on if this continues..."
Mumei's pair of amber eyes gradually turned a deep crimson.
Then, Mumei turned her gaze forward.
Toward the human who had aroused so much curiosity in her.
Then, Mumei slowly walked over.
Compared to Mumei and Ikoma, Fang Li was actually more exhausted.
Mumei's fatigue came from her constitution. It was beyond her control, but she had not actually expended much energy.
Ikoma's fatigue came from the shock to his mind. The destruction of his home and family, along with the change in his very existence, had left him mentally and physically exhausted.
As for Fang Li, he had simply spent too much physical strength.
Since Aragane Station fell, Fang Li had barely rested. One battle after another—indeed, one slaughter after another—had followed. He had killed more than a hundred Kabane, until his hands went numb, and the expenditure had been enormous.
After that, Fang Li had confronted Aragane Station's samurai to protect Mumei and Ikoma, then fought Kurusu Kunoichi, whose overall strength exceeded his own. He truly was exhausted beyond measure.
Still, the gains were certainly gratifying.
Not only had he completed every Main Quest and could return to the Main God Space at any time for evaluation rewards, he had also earned the astonishing sum of 29,700 Exchange Points. Nearly thirty thousand Exchange Points—he had absolutely returned fully loaded.
According to the guidance provided by the Main God Space, Main God Envoys received additional preferential treatment during their first Instance World, particularly in how they earned Exchange Points.
For someone like Fang Li, receiving 100 Exchange Points for killing one Kabane was a benefit that would no longer exist after the first Instance World.
It made Fang Li feel fortunate countless times.
Fortunate that he had been granted the Innate Skill, Mystic Eyes of Death Perception.
Without the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception, if Fang Li wanted to earn Exchange Points by killing Kabane, he could only honestly curry favor with Ikoma, the original protagonist. He would have to worship him like a god, asking him to make Tsuranuki-zutsu and provide Hayagumo Rounds before he could earn Exchange Points by killing Kabane.
Of course, even with a means of killing Kabane, he would still need to fight if he truly wanted to kill them.
For newcomers who had just entered the Main God Space, this hurdle was extremely difficult to overcome.
After all, even if someone gave you a gun, aiming would be a problem if you did not know how to use it, let alone all the other factors.
Because of his innate personality defect, Fang Li did not fear death, battle, or risk, nor did he worry about consequences. Combined with his abnormal sensitivity to "death," he had instinctively mastered the art of killing and easily crossed that hurdle.
That was why Fang Li's gains had been so gratifying.
For any other newcomer, completing all the Main Quests in their first Instance World would already have been an excellent result.
And with such gains, Fang Li had naturally paid a considerable price. Once everything was settled, he immediately fell asleep.
Just as his consciousness drifted in a haze, Fang Li noticed it.
Someone was approaching him.
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