"The phone won't connect either."
Airi frowned as she looked at the phone in her hand. She had originally wanted to call Nangong Natsuki and inform her of the situation here, but she simply could not get through. The phone seemed frozen on its current screen, completely unresponsive no matter what Airi did.
"Anyway, let's go to the Iwato Dai Branch first."
Even now, Airi had not figured out what had happened to Artificial Island No. 12. However, she could sense an aura similar to when the Denizens of the Crimson Realm used Fūka in Shana World. From what she could tell, the situation on this Artificial Island was very similar to that time. The difference was that Fūka in Shana World had been created by the Denizens of the Crimson Realm, so one could trace it back to its caster. Yet this strange barrier seemed completely integrated with the entire Artificial Island, making it impossible to find its source.
For the moment, she had not found any enemies resembling Rinze or Denizens of the Crimson Realm. Airi therefore set aside her doubts and followed the address toward the Iwato Dai Branch.
Fortunately, the Iwato Dai Branch was not far from the station. Before long, Airi arrived at its entrance. The place looked like an apartment building, and the entire structure was pitch-black, as though no one lived there at all. Airi reached out, pushed open the door, and walked inside.
"Ah."
However, the moment Airi entered the lobby, she saw a girl about her own age standing in front of the reception desk. She wore a black school uniform, her dark brown hair tied back in a single ponytail, with red headphones over her ears. She looked rather lively.
The girl was startled when she saw Airi appear. She