[You have slain Nagakanzashi, earning 25 points.]
[Current points: 86]
Tong Gu felt a hint of regret—Nagakanzashi hadn't dropped any loot cards. Watching Kato Masaru pull Yamasaki Anzu from the corpse, Tong Gu noted that thanks to the protective suit, she was unharmed.
Looking at the black combat suit Yamasaki Anzu wore, Tong Gu couldn't help but marvel at its utility as a novice's weapon in the world of infinite possibilities. While the suit offered limited enhancement to someone with his robust physique, it greatly boosted an ordinary human's defense and physical strength.
Yamasaki Anzu noticed Tong Gu's gaze. Although there was no lust in his eyes, his sharp, piercing look made her feel vulnerable. Unconsciously, she shifted to hide behind Kato Masaru.
The live stream chat erupted in wails.
"Hey, Kato, could you move a bit?"
"Yeah, let our stoic pro take a look. What's the harm?"
[Sunshine Guo sent a highlighted message (CNY 1000): Kirigaya sure gets us—always keeps the camera focused.]
Li Mei glanced at the chat and clicked her tongue, her face flushing slightly. These people are nuts. In this kind of environment, they're focused on that?
Unaware of these side stories, Tong Gu impassively used his nano-blade to prod a relatively intact black-clad corpse. The person's shoulder and head had been bitten off by Nagakanzashi, likely due to damage to their combat suit during the fight.
Amid Yamasaki Anzu's startled cry, Tong Gu sliced open the corpse and stripped off the damaged combat suit.
[Damaged Combat Suit]
Watching from his cozy corner with a teacup in hand, Yang Yuanping smiled faintly. Though this kid claims he can't be a hero, his actions brim with an innate sense of righteousness.
A deafening roar came through the headset, startling Yang Yuanping and causing him to spill some tea.
Tong Gu also heard the roar and surmised that the battle between the Gyuki and Oka Hachiro's massive mech had entered a critical stage. With no time to explain, he tossed the damaged combat suit into his backpack and said to the others, "We need to move. The fight over there still needs us!"
Kato Masaru nodded without hesitation. The three quickly crossed the shopping district, heading toward the canal.
Boom!
Explosions erupted along the canal. Judging by the rising flames, the military had stepped in, recognizing the severity of the situation. Yet their firepower was futile against the Gyuki, leading instead to heavy casualties.
Tong Gu wasn't worried about the Gyuki fight. Through his Earth Sense, he could feel the invisible giant mech still lurking in the river. Oka Hachiro was biding his time to hunt the Gyuki.
Now, the priority was...
[Key plot characters: Shimohira Reika and Suzuki Ryouichi are in danger. Proceed immediately to rescue them.]
Tong Gu's heart skipped a beat. Without pausing to wonder why the two had been discovered, he waved to the others.
"You two go meet up with the remaining Osaka team members. I'll find the others!"
Yamasaki Anzu hesitated, knowing her teammates wouldn't care about her or Kato's survival. Before she could voice her fears, Tong Gu pointed at Katou Masaru.
"Kato, protect her. If necessary, find a place to hide!"
"Is everything alright, hero?"
Kato Masaru, always kind-hearted, had long been ridiculed as naive and impractical. No one had ever addressed him with such respect.
Looking at the mysterious, powerful swordsman in his team, Kato nodded solemnly.
Tong Gu launched himself onto a rooftop, the sounds and tremors below reflecting the chaos.
Where are they?
[Suzuki Ryouichi has died. Clearance evaluation reduced.]
Tong Gu frowned but quickly pinpointed their location when he sensed a sudden disappearance of movement.
Shimohira Reika stood amid the carnage, her beautiful face bloodied and her curvaceous body splattered with gore. At her feet lay a severed bald man's head, frozen in shock.
Panting heavily, Reika was engulfed by an oppressive aura of death, as if suffocating.
"You... are…"
Before her stood a towering, three-meter-tall monstrosity—a humanoid figure with a beast-like skull, arms lined with writhing tentacles, and a terrifying visage.
Reika was paralyzed with fear. She didn't understand what had happened. Her Osaka teammates had suddenly exploded, and she and Suzuki Ryouichi were pursued until Suzuki was torn apart.
Am I next?
Suddenly, the beast turned toward something behind it. On a distant rooftop, a tall man clad in black combat armor stood, the neon lights catching the blade on his back.
It's him!
Reika's constricted chest heaved as her heart thumped wildly. Air flooded her lungs, and she collapsed into the blood-soaked ground.
Tong Gu inhaled deeply, his blood pumping faster. He hadn't expected to encounter this foe so soon—the world's final boss: Narurihyon.
The beast, now in its bone-like form, looked at Tong Gu and waved a tentacled arm.
Tong Gu's pupils shrank. He stomped hard, shattering the rooftop beneath him as he dodged the immense force.
Boom!
The roof collapsed, walls cracked, and neon signs shattered, sparks flying.
"Oh?"
"You're… different."
Tong Gu emerged on the other side of the beast, which had unleashed its psychic power. This invisible force was incredibly dangerous; the best way to counter it was a sneak attack with the gravity rifle.
But the beast, sensing Tong Gu's hesitation, stepped closer, its massive form radiating overwhelming pressure.
Reika, though no genius, seized the chance and retreated.
Tong Gu exhaled, his grip tightening on the nano-blade. He studied every twitch of the beast's tentacles.
"You mean I'm different from the humans you've killed?" Tong Gu asked. "Or... I'm different from you?"
The beast growled, "How dare a human compare himself to a god like me!"
Tong Gu's lips curled into a smirk. "A god?"
"Just a yokai."
Moments later, amid smoke and rubble, Narurihyon's severed head fell, and Tong Gu stood victorious, his blade glinting coldly in the neon light.
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