Monster Girl Raising Project: Restart

Chapter 5 The Dragon and the Shisa Girl part 1

☆ Megalon
Ultraman had collapsed. But it looked like someone else's problem.
Someone checked Ultraman's Kaiju Phone. They shouted out that Ultra had 1 less candy compared to everyone else.
Battra, who was in charge of the checking, had been blamed. Someone pleaded in her defense, for some reason agreeing with her.
Everyone was uneasy. They were guaranteed safety by Godzilly, so why did they fail?
They discussed. They shouted. They pressed at each other.
What happened? Why did this happen?
They insisted. They argued. Yet, there was no conclusion. Even if they asked Godzilly what was wrong, she wasn't in a talking state.
Gyaos' party buried Ultraman outside of the Plaza. The other parties also separated in small groups. The anxiety that was unseen formed in their chest. Megalo didn't know why, but she was aware that a life had been stolen for no reason.
Even though she was pulled into this game, even though her head was dizzy thinking about being forced to be in a game where she could die, even though the rules of the game were ambiguous, she didn't know what reason there was for the death.
Two hours after Ultra collapsed, just before they returned to reality, Gabara and Jet Jaguar argued. Gigan annoyedly stomped her feet, Megalon looked up at the sky. There were no stars, moon, or clouds, only a pitch black sky.
Gabara and Jet Jaguar, seeing Megalon staring at the sky of nothingness, stopped their arguing and looked up. Gigan stopped stomping her hooves, and also looked up.
Gabara muttered,
"This... will make hunting quite easier"
Ultra was the gatekeeper occupying good Hunting Grounds. If she was gone, then Megalon's group can enter those Hunting Grounds without anyone complaining.
On the contrary, it was Megalon's group that currently has 4 members without losing even 1 of their Party, so that means they have the number one strongest combat strength of any party, right?
Megalon became sad when she thought of such a thing. She looked at her other Party Members, Gabara, who had already opened her mouth, had no question on what she thought. Jet and Gigan nodded, both thinking of the same thing.
Megalon became even more sad.
When Chika returned to reality, she first looked at the sky. 2/3rds of the crescent moon were hidden behind the clouds. The stars were also covered behind the dark gray clouds, making them unseen to her, still, it was a night sky like any other. She came back safely, and she appreciated seeing this night sky.
After she woke up in the morning, she washed her face, before breakfast she raised incense into the family altar and clasped her hands together. Until now, she's never had these habits, although she was not really a faithful girl, there really was nothing else she could do.
Her brother was laughing, her parents were concerned, her grandfather praised her in admiration. Those reactions that she got left and right were probably because Meg placed her hands together. She was aware that she looked a bit comical. However, if she could rely on it, she wanted to cling to anything she had.
In school, there were often many things she was embarrassed about. On the way to school, she bumped into a utility pole. In the middle of class, she was pointed out by her teacher, the surrounding students blurting out in laughter.
Meg, who had always tried to be inconspicuous, was being laughed at. Before, she would feel down for a week. Now, Meg didn't care.
She had no care because she was thinking about the game. How was she going to open the next Area? Were the Monsters found there ideal for hunting?
She wasn't doing this because she wanted to clear the area, but part of it was because she wanted to make sure she was safe. The other part was drowned in imagining the ways she could die.
The reading club stood up after 30 minutes. Her friends were worried, but she said "It's nothing," while strongly showing her smile. Hurriedly, she returned home and transformed into Megalon.
She dug up the soil in her garden and placed it into a pot, from there, she'd transform it into lunch. Rolled Omelettes, Asparagus, Bacon, Octopus Wiener, Sprinkled Rice, Deep-Fried Chicken, Petite Tomatoes, and occasionally Spinach. The fruits were packed in another tupperware.
She thought the contents were a bit childish.
Would it be fun to eat this kind of lunch? Meg thought, as she made it according to her hobbies. Maybe she should take a look at some websites and study from there.
She changed her clothes and left to the sports arena, on the way, she helped an old man load radishes onto his truck. He thanked her, and she responded with a smile. In her heart, helping people at a time like this felt like self-deprecation. It was an escape from reality.
After watching their practice session, she ran towards the park. The crows were cawing, it was that time of day where the red evening sky glared in her eyes. Soon it got dark.
Ninomiya-Kun literally rushed towards her.
In the sports arena, there were night equipment. As soon as it got dark, they practiced with lights on. Several insects gathered over at the light, sometimes beetles would show up, and in the Summer, kids and enthusiasts who aren't interested in baseball would also show up.
Ninomiya-Kun, who had just finished his night practice, made it in time to eat the food that was prepared. When the two of them finished eating, he got closer to Megalon. He gratefully said "Thanks again for the meal," to her. When he thanked her, Megalon felt happy, and slightly embarrassed.
While Ninomiya-Kun was eating, Megalon sat on the same bench, watching him from a distance. Occasionally their eyes would meet, and she'd get worried if he knew she'd been watching him forever, so she would look away, but once he began eating the delicious food again, she looked at Ninomiya-Kun once more.
He had a shaved face, sometimes still having traces of his beard. In class, even though Megalon thought that he was still young, Ninomiya-Kun acted more like an adult man. His strong chest muscles moved up and down together as his cheeks and jaws were chewing. On his cheeks, there were small traces of acne. He was still a middle schooler.
After practice, he ran all the way here, sweating as a result. You could still smell traces of it, and Megalon's cheeks turned red. Even though he was eating vigorously, he still held his chopsticks in the correct position, as if he was a prim and proper boy.
Some rice grains stuck to his cheeks, should Megalon point it out? Should she just take it off? If she waited for a while before he ate it, it might be bad for him, won't it? So, she should wrap it in a tissue and throw it away. While she was worrying about it, Ninomiya-Kun picked up the rice with his fingers and ate it.
On this day, Megalon observed Ninomiya-Kun's face and eating gestures. She didn't talk much. Just thinking about talking made Megalon nervous. She didn't want to bother Ninomiya-Kun, with his innocent cheeks, enjoying her cooking.
However, on the second day, Ninomiya-Kun spoke unexpectedly. Megalon listened to the topics he liked to talk about. Recently, his batting has been pretty good. Sometimes his coach would bring his dog over. It was a big dog with a scary looking face. He got angry because he couldn't play in the Knuckleball practice. Because his bike is broken, he's had to run to school.
All of those were all topics he talked about fondly. Megalon was also happy if she saw Ninomiya-Kun having fun.
"So how are you doing?" asked Ninomiya-Kun.
Megalon was stuck thinking of an answer.
She's noticed. Megalon couldn't talk about herself. She couldn't talk about her being a Kaiju Girl. She couldn't talk about the unreasonable game she was being forced into playing. She can't just introduce herself as Meg either.
Even though she goes to the same school as him, when she's Meg, she's not . Even if it isn't a lie, it's still a lie. Even if he looks for her at school, she couldn't make him delicious food because she wasn't Megalon.
She always cooks for her friends, and even though they do say it's delicious. Ninomiya-Kun told her that if anyone thinks her food isn't delicious, then they can't be human.
He laughed at that, Megalon also laughed, but inside she was slowly sinking.
The third day. Once the day was over, she'll be called back to the game. Then, she'll have to survive for 3 more days.
I hate it. I want to cry. I'm feeling depressed. At the very least I want to be able to do everything I can here. Even if I can't be saved, at least I could feel a sense of compassion.
Even though she thought of all those things. She could say none of them. She'd die if she did.
Megalon talked about herself. Not Meg Tatehara. Not Megalon the Kaiju Girl.
She talked about this fictitious girl who went to a neighboring high school, and loved cooking and watching baseball.
She was taught cooking by her mother. Her mom was a better cook than Megalon.
Recently, when a cat pooped in her garden, her grandfather was mad.
A friend of hers slipped on a banana peel and fell, just like in those comedy Manga.
Although when she went to Karaoke, she put in a random song, it was a song she knew by chance, so she sang it from beginning to end.
Ninomiya-Kun laughed at her fictional failures, and Megalon also smiled, suppressing her sadness and adversity inside.
After finishing his meal, Ninomiya-Kun got closer to Megalon as usual, returning her lunch box. While they were exchanging it, their pinky fingers touched each other. Ninomiya-Kun looked flustered, and left afterwards, running off.
Megalon looked at her pinky's fingertips. She wrapped her hands around it, grasping it tightly.
______________________________________________________________________
☆ Godzilla Junior
Kanoe was buried in her thoughts. To be exact, she wasn't concealing that she was buried deep in thought. That was abnormal. Her parents and older brother were concerned.
She'd be asked "What're you worried about?" but Kanoe simply smiled and said "There's nothing to worry about." Which only made them more concerned.
Mamori was also questioned about Kanoe. She didn't answer.
If she could, she would like to answer that the Lady of the house is a Kaiju Girl, and is playing a game where defeat equals death.
Kanoe was still thinking about something now. That's fine. Mamori was also full of thoughts. But if it's Mamori, she tends to have a place to think. If she wants to think about something, she'll go to her room.
Like Kanoe, she wouldn't occupy someone else's room. She placed wine and crackers on a tray, not drinking or eating in others' study desks. She didn't drop the crackers she placed on the desk either.
Mamori rose, raising the blinds, opening the windows. The late autumn breeze was chilly and cool. The sultry heat inside the room escaping outside, fresh air came inside. The blue lawn spread outwards. Since it was nighttime, it was tinged with a dark purple color. Tall hedges surrounded the gardens. The insect noises were comforting to her ears.
It was said that they bought the pine crickets, and released them there. She heard it cost them a thousand yen each. She'd like to think that was an exaggeration.
Mamori left the window, returning to her bed and sitting down. She looked at Kanoe, she was still thinking about something while on her rotating chair. At least act like this is your room.
The Totoyama Family is a member of the Hitokouji Family, living together. Mamori's room was also in the Hitokouji house, thus they shared a room. Even if Kanoe used it freely, it was hard for Mamori to complain.
But that chair was different. It was a mail-ordered furniture catalog bought for 35,000 Yen made in Europe. Mamori bought it with all the savings she had, thinking it was a wonderful and comfortable chair. Not minding Mamori's personal belongings. Even if she was under the Hitokouji household, she should have no right to do that.
"Can you at least give me my chair back?"
"Mamori, are you thinking about something?"
Answering a question with a question. However, she was right, Mamori was thinking about something. Mamori had something bothering her mind, but she couldn't find the answer.
Why did Ultra have the least amount of candies?
She didn't understand anything. She didn't even know how it was even possible in the first place.
Before the Logout period, after the event where Ultra died. Gyaos and Destroyah tried to resuscitate her. Neither mouth-to-mouth nor cardiac massaging worked. Even if they used Healing Medicine, she couldn't come back.
Her cause of death was heart paralysis. According to Godzilly's explanation of the event rules, the one player who possesses the least amount of candies will be eliminated.
The conditions of "Least amount" and "one player". If either of these conditions aren't satisfied, then they won't be eliminated.
Battra guessed that if there were multiple people who had the least amount, then no one would be eliminated, Godzilly even admitted so herself.
If two or more people had the least amount of Monster Candies, then the event will end without any eliminations.
Everyone cooperated to equalize their candies, Battra confirmed them. They had briefly thought that with this, they could overcome the event.
Then Ultra collapsed, her name was called. When they checked Ultra's Kaiju Phone, the number of Monster Candies displayed on the screen was one less than everyone else.
Everyone began to condemn Battra because it seemed like she didn't check the candy amount tightly, several people denied that.
Battra lost in a battle with Ultra. She confirmed from behind there, in the center of the fountain, with the Kaiju Girls making a circle looking at each other, and it certainly wasn't just Battra, but Godzilla Junior as well.
Godzilla Junior wasn't just for walking, but she also saw the Kaiju Phones. Everyone really did have the same amount. There was no one that had a different amount than anyone else.
The other Kaiju Girls also testified Battra's innocence. No one made any strange movements. The surrounding Kaiju Girls were all being watched over by each other, because they couldn't trust each other. Or maybe they wanted to trust each other, so they kept their eyes on them.
To the right of Ultra was Gyaos. To the left was Destroyah. Both of them admitted that Ultra's candies matched theirs.
Then why did Ultra die? What was the reason for her having one less Monster Candy than everyone else?
The answer never came.
If they activated your Kaiju Phone, you could transfer candies. But that was already possible since before.
While they were equalizing their candies, the Bibibibibip sound that played whenever they transferred echoed across the Square, as Godzilla Junior checked the Phones. She also checked both sides, stopping if the numbers are different.
Did someone manipulate a Kaiju Phone using magic? That's not possible. Even though Kaiju Phones are physical things that can be beaten up, there was nothing inside of them.
Even if you tried to manipulate it outside with magic, it'll just break. Godzilla Junior herself had tried that.
"Ultra's candies..."
Kanoe said what Mamori was thinking.
Kanoe took out Mamori's math notepad from her desk drawer. Uncapping it, she wrote the Kaiju Girls' names, their Party, and their Kaiju Skills.
"That's my notes... and my pen..."
"Ah, yes. I'm going to borrow it for a bit."
Party A
Battra - High Performance Wings
Godzilla Junior - Modifying machinery and atomic abilities
Party B
Gigan- Hooks for hands and weaponry, buzzsaw, laser eye, and flight
Gabara - Manipulates dolls and dreams
Jet Jaguar - Befriending certain types of people and creatures and flight
Megalon - Makes delicious food and dig holes with drills
Party C (Ultra's Party)
Gyaos - Communicates with buildings. In-game usage is limited (To the right of Ultra), beams, and flight
Destroyah - Melts into the landscape (To the left of Ultra), flight
Moguera - Teleports with gems, robotic weaponry, flight
Ultra - Grows bigger (Victim)
Party D
Biollante - Transmits her emotions, shoots out radioactive sap, vines
King Caesar - Puts objects in scrolls, martial art master
Titanosaurus - Invincible suit, cause strong, hurricane-like winds (Kaiju Phone only)
The breakdown table that she wrote had more information that Mamori expected.
"Why is it this detailed? Even though they never told you, you knew about their Kaiju Skills."
"Just as you are in charge of hunting, Mamori. I am in charge of information gathering, and I have many acquaintances. While we were all in the Square, I asked a question. Although the Dark Ghidorah Kaiju Girl, Desghidorah, was supposed to be the criminal, the murderer of our ally, who was killed and had her items stolen, hasn't changed. Everyone didn't want to be suspected and was hiding something."
Now that she said that, Mamori knew for the first time.
"And you can't believe that?"
"I asked the other Party's Kaiju Girls in that place. If they lied, there would be some reaction. Even if I didn't accuse them of lying, an unnatural reaction will always appear. But if someone is falsifying their magic, then it's different."
If someone was misrepresenting their Kaiju Skill, then she would be the culprit.
"So do you know the culprit? Was there someone who could use her magic to alter Ultra's candies?"
"I don't know."
"You don't know?"
"Perhaps I should rephrase myself. I need no evidence. Just seeing the person is enough for me. These notes, I present to you Mamori, as a sign of goodwill. I'm not going to try to identify the culprit based off motivation or opportunity. You're different though, aren't you Mamori? So these will be useful to you."
Kanoe pushed the notes to Mamori. She held a stuffed bear sitting at the side of her bed and leaned back on her chair. While she was indulging in her thoughts, she didn't know how Ultra's candy was reduced, nor on her culprit.
Mamori felt disappointed. She couldn't understand it, and while she made a disappointed face, she sat down on her bed. And afterwards, she laid down.
Knowing everyone's Kaiju Skill, in addition to the items in the game, she began to think about how Ultra's candy could be reduced.
She couldn't think of anything.
It was impossible.
Even if they could destroy a Kaiju Phone, they can't manipulate a Kaiju Phone as they wanted. The only way to turn off the sound is to turn off the Kaiju Phone itself, so that won't work either.
The best candidate for actually being able to do something like that would be Godzilla Junior. Her remodeling abilities had a wide variety of applications. She could modify a Kaiju Phone to not make any noises and display anything when transferring candy, probably.
But Mamori knew that she couldn't possibly be the culprit. She didn't do it.
However, Mamori only knew this because of course she would know about herself, everyone else wouldn't think that Mamori was innocent. She also had a motive, "My team was defeated by Ultra in a duel". Mamori wondered if anyone suspected her.
"I didn't do it."
"I know you didn't."
Kanoe, well, she would say that. If others asked her, even if Mamori doesn't see it, she'll probably defend her too. Whether or not people would accept it is another matter.
"Don't worry. I have no doubts."
"No, but thinking normally, I think I'd be suspected more than others."
"You won't, because I told everyone that your Kaiju Skill was 'Creating Tanks'."
Mamori looked hesitantly at Kanoe. Kanoe instantly stared back with a blank expression.
"That's why you won't be suspected in the first place, right?"
"I guess."
Mamori raised her body from her bed.
"Dagahra's killer, and her item's thief, we still haven't found her yet."
"That we haven't..."
Dagahra was killed, her item was robbed. The Miracle Coin, despite not being on anyone's Kaiju Phone, someone still had it. The Item state is said to be 1 (1).
So who's Kaiju Phone had it?
The Miracle Coin. Ultra. Both of these situations are impossible ones. Both of them involved Kaiju Phones. Which means...
"...The same culprit?"
"That's possible."
But what's the motive?
For Dagahra's murder, they probably wanted to steal the Miracle Coin. Still, even if it's rare, who would kill for such a vaguely useful item? Even if at that time, the link between life and death hadn't been revealed, and these were supposed to be Kaiju Girls of Justice.
For Ultra... Maybe because she was in the way? She was responsible for driving out and disallowing entry to other Parties looking for good Hunting Grounds. It certainly wasn't fun to have an obstacle in-game.
Both motivations involved the game. Dagahra's murder, and Ultra's murder, all had a motivation not to play the game, but to escape the game. By proceeding along the game, you could escape the game.
Ultra's party was selfish, but not enough to kill. She didn't know what events would come next. Just because Ultra wasn't here, doesn't mean an undefeatable monster would show up.
If the Demon Lord was a 100 Meter 15,000 Ton monster, could Ultra defeat it? Would Cherna Mouse lose? If so, then she's sealed the fate of all the participants.
And yet, there was still someone who wanted Ultra gone... was there?
Or maybe Ultra wasn't the target. Maybe Ultra died by chance?
Or maybe...
"...Right now, I just had a thought that I didn't want to think about. Can I tell you?"
"Be my guest."
"What if the Master did it?"
"And what's your reasoning?"
"Stealing the Miracle Coin, disrupting the elimination event, she could be trying to stop us from clearing the game, or remove all our hopes of escaping. She's secretly preventing us from clearing it. Shouldn't we consider that she enjoys watching us get rattled and shaken as she laughs somewhere? It's the Master that took us to the game world. Her Kaiju Skill must have something to do with machines or electronics or something, no? So as long as we're in the game, it's possible, right? Messing with our Kaiju Phones?"
If that was true, then it was hopeless. She was the organizer, at the same time she's the Game Master. If she chooses to interfere, then no one on the Player's Side can compete.
If the Master thought about slaying them, they'd be slain. If the Master wanted to kill them instantly, they'd be dead.
"It's better if you don't think the Master is the culprit."
"Why is that?"
"If the Master wanted to kill us, we'd all be killed without resistance. There would be no way for us to avoid it."
"But we don't have any resistance, like you said"
"That's wrong"
The smile that floated thinly on Kanoe's face told Mamori that she thought It was a desperate idea, but very unlikely.
"If the Master feels this way, then there's nothing we can do. Us 16 Kaiju Girls would be locked in the game, and she can freely threaten us to death. Her magic is powerful, no point in trying to break us or making us yield."
"Then I give up"
"Wait till I finish"
She placed her bear plushie on her knees, turning her rotating chair and looked straight at Mamori.
"If the Master wants to kill us because she wants to bully us, then even if we follow that train of thought, it wouldn't make any sense. We assume that if we clear the game she'll free us, she places someone with a malicious intent among the Kaiju Girl participants, and using some method, she stole Dagahra's coin, and Ultra's candy, why don't you think about that for a second."
"Well, I mean..."
No matter what she thought, it really doesn't make any sense. Because of that reason, she turned her eyes away. If she follows that low possibility, even if there's a possibility, she'd just be escaping from reality.
"If the Master is the culprit, then it's better to just give up. From a player's position, there's no way of fighting back. Even if we want to challenge her in battle, we should postpone that. In the meantime, we should stick to the theory that someone other than the Master is the culprit. It's not as absurd. That is where we should focus on. The Master has prepared a game with a high degree of difficulty. If we have our wits about us, we can detect loopholes. For example, matching our minimum number of candies, or purchasing a Monster Picture Book in an Area Town when an enemy Monster with jump repulsors appears. We prepare loopholes. Those who died without knowing these are the scornful types. It's possible to rob items by force, and manipulate the number of candies as well, and even the Master's Mascot Character disagrees with her. Even now, we see that people other than the Master are making their moves, so we make ours."
She squeezed the bear plushie. As she tilted her neck, Kanoe's grip tightened in both arms. As she smiled, the bear continued to deform.
"The culprit is being rewarded."
Mamori noticed. Kanoe was angry.
She was never one to forgive anyone who dared to touch her family. By family, Kanoe didn't just mean blood relatives. She meant anyone that was close to her.
When she went to a new High School, Mamori used to be called "Goldfish poop" behind her back. Even Mamori heard all those insults. The students kept talking pretty loudly. The students that she graduated with together in middle school wouldn't insult her, even if she would make a mistake.
Since she went to a different high school, a certain number of students that gathered up to badmouth Mamori.
After that they were absent from school for a week.
When they came back, they became good children who never said a bad word to her. They all trembled with fear when Kanoe approached them. She probably had something to do with it.
Dagahra was their friend. Mamori clasped her fingers together and placed her hands on her knees, hanging her head down in shame.
When she saw an injured person, she went to help without any warning, even when her opponent was over 30 meters, if she thinks what she's doing is right, she has no regrets. She was a real heroine of justice.
Mamori didn't deserve to call herself that, watching only from the sidelines, no matter what situation she's in, she'll always do the right thing with full power. There was no sarcasm. Always straightforward.
Mamori bit her lips, raised her face, and looked at Kanoe. Kanoe was still smiling. The bear plushie was no longer distorted.
"I can see through people. You can find their motives, Mamori. Together, we'll find the culprit."
Mamori nodded while chewing her lips.
______________________________________________________________________
☆ Gyaos
Ultra was buried just outside of the Town Square. They buried her with the giant sunflower seeds that she liked. They left one and buried the hole, instead of a tombstone, it was a burial mound.
The giant sunflower seed was, of course, not real. It was part of Ultra's costume. You could actually eat it. She often did when she was bored. She's the only one who didn't buy any Preserved Meals at the shop. Moguera envied her.
Yet, Moguera was still sniffling her nose. In order to discuss future plans, Gyaos turned to Destroyah. Destroyah looked at Gyaos. When she went to speak, she stopped before her voice reached her throat, and Destroyah spoke,
"I'm weethdrauing frum ze partie."
"...Huh?"
Destroyah was more indulgent than usual.
"Oui ztill don't knou hu ze treitor iz. Ultra wuz killd. I kannot trahst enywhan. Mai apologeez."
"What Desy's trying to say is... 'We still don't know who the traitor is, but they're still with us. Ultie was killed. I can't trust anyone anymore. There's no point in having parties. My apologies, but I have to leave...' Wait, Desy!?"
Moguera wiped her tears and her nose with her sleeves, and placed her hands on Destroyah's shoulders.
"You're gonna leave the group!? But everyone needs to work together now! You can't leave now, Desy!"
"Ar yuu kaming az well? If zo, ai won't stahp yu"
"I'm not going anywhere! But If you're goin' Desy, then I'm totally against that!"
Desybrushed off Moguera's hand, yet Moguera kept trying. Destroyah lightly kicked the ground, and stood beyond the grave of sunflower seeds. It was impossible for Moguera to step over the grave markers, and so she stepped carefully.
Gyaos tried to say something. She couldn't let Destroyah leave the party. There has to be something, anything she could say to make Destroyah change her mind, that'll make her stay.
She thought, she considered, but she couldn't think of anything.
"So, you're saying you can't trust me?"
The words that came out of Gyaos' mouth were terribly cold. It was dry. Gyaos licked her lips, but it was still dry. There was no water.
"You won't stop Moguera from coming with you. Yet you want to leave the party. So that just means you can't trust me, is that right?"
"Nya"
Destroyah body faded away. Her face, her clothes, her bow, her harpoons, everything melted into the color of the Wasteland, and she dissolved.
"Dohnt teik it zo badly. Ai beleeve yuu, Gyaos. Thatz whai ai vill leehv thiz to yuu. Ai vill ahvenj Ultra. Ze enemie. Shii iz still haiding sahmuehr."
"What Desy's... trying to say is... 'Don't take this the wrong way. I'm going to find Ultie's killer and avenge her. In the meantime, please try and clear the game.'"
"Isn't Ultra's killer the Master?"
No matter what she thought, there was no other way. After the time was up, Ultra's Kaiju Phone was immediately somehow altered, even though before the Time Up period, she had the same number of candies displayed.
Since Gyaos was the one besides her, there was no mistaking it. When they removed her Kaiju Phone, for some reason she had 1 less candy than everyone else.
Not to mention, both candies and items being hidden should be impossible. Yet the impossible has happened. There was only one person who could do it.
The Master.
"Even though it was an event where one person had to be eliminated, Battra found a loophole and exploited it. Since the Master was angry, she changed the rules of the game. Eliminating one person as originally planned. She took out 1 Magical Candy so no one could say anything."
"Zat's rong. Reemembah Godzilly. Sii knous ze truth."
"That's wrong. Remember Godzilly's reaction. He already knew."
"Eet wazn't a luuphole. Sii waz traiying tu help ze plaiers."
"It wasn't a loophole, he was giving a way out for the players, right?"
"Ze Mahstah alrehdy prepard ze raiht answah. Shi didn't geht angree"
"In the beginning, the Master already planned for us to find the right answer. There was no reason for her to get mad."
"Aht zat taim, vhen everywhan felt guiltea. samwhan waz smailing instehd"
"Back then, when we were all feeling horrible. Someone was smiling instead."
"Vhen Ultra fell. Samwhan waz smailing instehd."
"When Ultra fell, someone was smiling instead."
"Titanosaurus sed. Beuware of treihtorz."
"Titanosaurus gave us a message to beware of traitors. She told us there was a traitor among us."
"Zat persahn iz the calpriht. Ai vill faind zat persahn."
"Whoever they are, they're the culprit, and I'll find them."
As Destroyah talked, Moguera translated. As she repeated what Destroyah said, Destroyah slowly disappeared into the landscape. Eventually, she completely disappeared. She stopped talking. Moguera was waiting to translate, but Destroyah wasn't talking.
"Huh... DESY'S GONE!"
She ran across the tombstones, waving both her hands wildly, but touching nothing but the air. Destroyah had disappeared and left somewhere.
Gyaos started up her Kaiju Phone, she looked at the Party Info screen. There, the names registered in their party.
Gyaos and Moguera, and Ultra too.
Destroyah's name has disappeared.
According to Godzilly, it was easy to drop in and out of a party. Certainly, this was pretty easy.
"Moguera."
"What's up? Did you find a way to call Desy back?"
"Can I borrow your Phone?"
"Sure, but what for?"
Moguera handed over her Kaiju Phone. Basically, nothing's different. Gyaos placed her fingertips on the heart-shaped screen, and the standby screen was displayed. From there, she moved on. Moguera's address was displayed.
"Sorry, didn't mean that."
She returned back a screen, and went to the Party organization screen. Even there, it's the same as Gyaos' Kaiju Phone, there were the names of three people, with Destroyah being the exception.
She clicked on Ultra's name, when she removed her from the team, only two people remained. It seems like the survivors have to remove the deceased from their Party.
Gyaos returned the Kaiju Phone back to Moguera, adjusting her cap as well. She felt like she wanted to cry, and she didn't want that to be seen.
"Desy... she said she's looking for the culprit, right? Is there really a culprit?"
Was she talking to Gyaos? Or was she talking to herself? Since Moguera didn't say anything even though Gyaos didn't respond, she thought it was the latter. Gyaos gritted her teeth, bending the edges of her mouth downwards. With regret, a feeling of tiredness and helplessness began appearing.
As long as Ultra was there, she didn't think anything could go wrong. Even Ultra thought that as long as she was there, she'd puff her chest out and do her best to protect everyone. Although her strength was hidden, and she drove the other Parties away, she was a reliable ally.
Ultra was killed unreasonably. In a way unrelated to her strength.
Although Gyaos was the party leader, the real heavy hitter was Ultra, and the ones who gave orders to Ultra was Destroyah. Now, without Ultra, Destroyah had left as well. Only Gyaos was left.
It may seem like Moguera was also left behind. However, she was decisively different from Gyaos. Destroyah invited Moguera to leave. She said that she won't stop her if she comes along, meaning it was fine to form a party with her.
Which means Destroyah's reason for leaving the Party was Gyaos.
Did she not trust Gyaos? Or was Gyaos just not important? When she thought about those things, it seemed like she was about to cry.
Gyaos was the nominal leader, yet she had no achievements that could be noticed. She's never opened a new Area even once. All of them were performed by other Parties.
Inside the game, Gyaos' main Kaiju Skill was useless. Yet she still had experience as a detective. There was still the knowledge that she had learned from Detective novels.
Even if I couldn't use my Kaiju Skill, I could still be useful.
However, when the game started, she couldn't open the Area, she didn't have any leadership skills, any instructions she gave to Ultra or Destroyah were ignored.
"So, maybe we went like 'Alright, we found you!' to Ultie's killer, she'll give up! I know that she's probably walkin' around somewhere but... Wonder if she's dangerous?"
Gyaos locked eyes with Moguera, who wasn't preoccupied with worrying or fear. Destroyah invited Moguera. She invited Moguera to leave Gyaos' Party.
From under her hat, Gyaos glared at Moguera. Moguera pumped her chest with her right hand. She was reassuring her.
"But dontcha worry 'bout a thing! As long as I, M.O.G.U.E.R.A., is here, you're gonna be completely safe, Gyaosie!"
______________________________________________________________________
Soon, the game had temporarily ended. Gyaos returned to reality and to being Shinobu Hioka. No longer a Kaiju Girl, but a human figure instead. However, inside, she was still smoldered.
She beat the walls of her apartment, then she contacted her office, applying for a 10-day vacation. If she did this twice, would she coldly be kicked out? Or would they wonder what she's up to? Because she didn't like either option, she only told them the important stuff and turned off her phone.
She took out her Kaiju Phone, she browsed the net. She had stored the area code of the phone number in Moguera's Address book. She investigated that, and the name of her city was immediately displayed.
Gyaos drew in her notepad, and looked at her current timetable.
Gyaos couldn't use her Kaiju Skill in the game. However, in reality, she could use it.
Firstly, Moguera. She had to look for the areas where she was active, the same as how she investigated Mechagodzilla's real identity.
She moved in reality, increasing the information she got on her real life identity. As Destroyah said, if the Master was communicating with a Kaiju Girl, she had to press them somehow. She can't turn her back on anything.
Even if it turns out she's a pure Kaiju Girl, that's still useful information. That means she could increase her circle of trusted people by 1.
That's right. First, it had to be Moguera. Her ally was killed, another left, yet her mood was just fine. Was she just a carefree Kaiju Girl, or was there something hidden behind her attitude? Gyaos will identify that.