On the way back to the internet café, the group was unusually subdued. Nobody said a word along the way.
In the span of a single day, two companions had been killed by monsters, and another had been seriously injured. The threat of death hung over everyone's head, suffocating them.
Until now, the so-called "world destroyed by the Catastrophe of Supernatural Stories" had been nothing more than an abstract notion.
Only now, after people had paid for it with their lives, did the unlucky souls stranded in another world finally understand: this was a terrifying apocalypse where their lives could be in danger at any moment.
"We're back."
When they spotted the familiar internet café sign on the corner, someone finally called out.
With the café in sight, many of the passengers let out sighs of relief and quickened their steps without thinking.
The underground internet café was hardly a pleasant place. Before this, many had thought its stuffy air and lack of sunlight made them uncomfortable. But now, the underground café they had once disliked had become a warm, safe haven.
Amamiya Natsuki entered first and gave the place a quick check. Then he said:
"It's safe. You can come in."
The passengers waiting outside the café, standing in the rain and anxiously peering inside, heard that it was safe and poured in.
"Natsuki-kun, what about Mr. Oyama?"
Amamiya Natsuki hadn't even had a sip of water before someone came to ask his opinion.
Mr. Oyama was the unlucky person who'd been dragged into an alley by tentacles and nearly killed earlier.
Amamiya Natsuki said:
"Of course we should help clean and disinfect his wound... Miko, injuries caused by the red-eyed monsters can't get infected, right?"
Otherworld Miko gently shook her head.
"Don't worry. They can't get infected."
Ryuzaki