Nine Updates, the Arriving Army Troop Train!

"Uh, no, they've arrived already."

"We met with Mata first, then they stayed there to guard 'Kokujo' and those key targets, while we came to find you."

A male member of CP9 quickly offered an explanation.

"Well, that's good." Laskey nodded casually, continuing to watch the fierce battle in the distance, but it was clear that Steve Guts was completely dominating his opponent.

Although both are Kabaneri transformed from Nue, there is an insurmountable gap in their basic strength.

Steve Guts was a native of the Sea Star Person, and his physical constitution was much stronger than that of the people of this world. In addition, he was proficient in the Rokushiki Physical Arts and Awakening Observation Haki.

The outcome of this battle was never in doubt from the start.

He held back his power and remained in a stalemate with the Horobi, just so that Team Leader Ron could observe as many details as possible.

Even so, the scale of the battle was quite exaggerated.

In particular, the spherical energy blasts that kept spewing out from the latter's mouth were practically demolishing Iwato Station, and even the nearby General Manager's Office was blasted into a large ruin.

"By the way, we found hundreds of Kabane imprisoned in cages in the hood of the 'Kokujo' vehicle, along with a blue-glowing heart nourished by their blood!"

"What, really?"

Upon hearing this, Team Leader Ron looked at the CP9 member who had spoken with delight. Then, Laskey smiled and said, "Not only that, Souei Wei, who specializes in developing the Kabane Virus, is also with Mata. You should have a lot in common to talk about."

"Great! Let's go, let's go see Dr. Souei!" Team Leader Ron said impatiently.

"What about Steve Guts's side? Aren't you going to check on him?"

"Let him arrest her and bring her back to the Ashika Base. Perhaps by the time Vice Admiral Tsuru arrives, she'll regain consciousness. Tell him to be careful with his strength and not hurt her!"

As he spoke, Team Leader Ron hurriedly asked a CP9 member to lead him there.

"Etc!"

Suddenly, a gray-green boy holding a strange yellow canister launcher in both hands blocked Ron's path, causing the two CP8 members responsible for his safety to instinctively step forward and shield Ron behind them.

"I don't care who you are, give me back Mumei!"

This person is none other than the 'male protagonist' of this world, named Ikoma, who is also a Kabaneri who is half-human and half -Kabane, and is extremely skilled at developing steam equipment.

"Hey, another key target. Team Leader Ron, this kid is also Kabaneri, but they call him Kabaneri." Laskey walked over and said softly.

"Then arrest him first, and we can explain it to him later when we get back to base. I'm not interested in him right now." After saying that, Team Leader Ron nodded and said casually, not taking it seriously.

He and Laskey were unaware that the boy before them was the only wild and male Kabaneri in the world—the one who had transformed himself into Kabaneri.

The second point is that men are far less able to endure pain than women. Therefore, after many experiments, Souei and his team found that the success rate of turning women into Kabaneri was much higher than that of men.

"Hey kid, do you want this little girl? Sure, but are you planning to come with us obediently, or do you want to be knocked unconscious and carried away like her?" The CP8 member carrying the Mumei man walked over and grinned.

"I suggest you just walk by yourself, so we don't have to go through all that trouble. What do you say?"

Ikoma gripped the handle of the 'Piercing Gun' tightly, his finger poised at the trigger, ready to fire at any moment. But when he heard the man's words, he suddenly became conflicted.

He can be impulsive at times, but that's only when he's sticking to his own opinions; otherwise, he's very rational.

The current situation is that it's unlikely that he can snatch Mumei from so many people on his own; in fact, he might die in vain.

Fortunately, they asked him if he wanted to be knocked unconscious, which meant they didn't want to kill him for the time being. In that case, the best option was to stay conscious and follow them, as that was the only way to keep an eye on Mumei's situation.

"I understand, I'll go with you."

Reluctantly, Ikoma put down the 'Piercing Gun' he had developed himself. This weapon, which he had personally developed, possessed greater penetrating power and impact than ordinary Steam Gun.

Its power is enough to easily penetrate a 10-centimeter-thick steel plate!

In the distance, the 'battle of the two Nue' between Steve Guts and Horobi continued, with the former seemingly enjoying it and showing no intention of quickly ending the fight.

The remaining CP9 members, including Laskey, who stayed behind to continue monitoring, watched speechlessly as the newcomer played around.

"Captain, should we remind him?"

"Let's wait and see. I'm also a little curious about their power."

Meanwhile, Mata, who remained at the station, along with four arriving CP9 members, had already brought Souei. Ayame Yomogawa, Yukina, Kurusu, and others to the front carriage of 'Kokujo' to guard the strange heart that was radiating a bright blue light.

To be honest, this thing looks pretty good.

But the thought that it was fed with the blood of hundreds of Kabane made Ayame Yomogawa and the others shudder. At first, they couldn't believe that Biba Amatori would actually take them to Kongokaku!

"Team Leader Ron and the others are coming."

"Where is Captain Laskey?" Mata asked hurriedly.

"Captain, stay there and continue watching Steve Guts fight that 'Nue' called Horobi," the CP9 member, who had only recently arrived, said, glancing at Souei Wei beside her.

"It seems everything's alright, that's good," Mata breathed a sigh of relief. But Dr. Souei looked at them in surprise and said, "Fighting Horobi?"

"How is this possible? I know all too well how terrifying 'Nue's' combat power is. It has the power to easily destroy a section of a city wall with a single blow!"

The CP9 female member sneered, "The 'Nue' you mentioned, our Biochemical Research Institute has already created it, and it's even the kind that can retain its conscious will."

"Right now, our 'Nue' is fighting against the 'Nue' you created, but judging from the feedback over there, the latter is no match for the former at all."

After hearing this, Souei Wei flew into a rage and shouted, "Impossible!"

"No researcher in Hinomoto understands the Kabane better than me. I've been studying it for over ten years. A 'Nue' that retains its own will simply cannot exist, or rather, no one but me could possibly create one!"

"Hmph, Team Leader Ron will be here soon. You can ask him yourself then." This female CP9 member curled her lip disdainfully, thinking to herself, "Natives are just natives, they have no sense of propriety at all."

Just as the argument between the two sides had subsided, and Souei Wei was about to ask another question, a series of Rumbling sounds came from afar.

The voice made Mata instantly look up; she couldn't help it, it was too familiar.

"What's that? Another train?"

Everyone looked up and saw another black Armored Train slowly approaching along the tracks. Since the city gates were already wide open, the train didn't need to wait for the Gate of Opening.

"Hey, how come there's a second 'black cab'?"

Ayame Yomogawa asked in surprise, knowing that Armored Train in the country were white, except for the 'Kokujo' of the Hunters, which was specially painted black.

"Judging from its appearance, it looks like a 'Yatsushiro,' a type of 'Hayajiro' mainly used for transporting Tekkai, only the color has changed," said Yukina, the train conductor who knew the most about 'Hayajiro' among the people present, hesitantly.

"Our Army is here!"