“Five-bushel Makimori Satsuki here. We’ve discovered a localized massive outbreak of phantom beasts—visually confirmed to exceed 100, and likely far more. Coordinates have been transmitted. Squad Four is moving to intercept.”
Satsuki concluded her tense report.
Upon discovering phantom beasts, the protocol demanded immediate reporting to the Owari domain, followed by action only upon receiving approval. Without such authorization, there would be no compensation for property damage, injuries, or fatalities, nor hazard allowances for their efforts.
Phantom beasts emerged from the mountain, crashing down. Trees swayed violently as branches and leaves scattered, while grass and undergrowth were trampled into chaos. It looked like a flow of green and dark green being ravaged by white currents.
“It seems they’re all light-class phantom beasts—just Kotama. Should we consider that a silver lining?”
Shino murmured while peering through binoculars, focusing intently.
The sheer number of beasts was alarming, but unlike canine or boar-like types such as Inukami or Tesso, the Kotama were humanoid in form. Their slower movement meant a bit of breathing room.
“Satsuki-sama, what are the headquarters’ orders?”
“Assist with the evacuation of nearby residents and intercept the phantom beasts. The usual standard instructions.”
“Understood. There’s a defense stronghold nearby—the Higashi Tsukumi Regional Development Office. It’s small but fortified enough for battle.”
“Right. Handling this on our own would be tough.”
As Satsuki and Shino discussed, the members of Squad Four each prepared for movement based on their judgments. Of course, Shinonosuke was focused on getting Himari and Shizuna into the car first.
“Ugh, big bro’s here, but… this is still dangerous, right?”
“It’s okay. He’ll definitely help us. He’s super strong, so we’ll be fine.”
“Mm, yeah, I guess you’re right. I think so too.”
He seated the two in the back, encouraged them to fasten their seatbelts, and closed the door. While relieved at their calmness, he couldn’t help but marvel at their nerve.
As Shinonosuke surveyed the surroundings, a sudden blaring siren echoed through the mountainous area.
The siren rang three times with a tone that heightened a sense of urgency, followed by an announcement:
“This is the Owari domain. Phantom beasts have appeared nearby. All residents, please evacuate immediately to a safe location.”
The automated voice broke the message into distinct segments typical of outdoor broadcasts. The sirens blared again, repeating the announcement. As the site used to be a roadside station, the proximity of the broadcast system made it especially loud and grating.
“Let’s move. Get in,” Satsuki called, pointing to the passenger seat.
Shino, clearly dissatisfied, cast a worried glance her way. She likely preferred to ride in the same car as Satsuki out of concern but reluctantly boarded the other vehicle upon her subordinates’ urging.
“Come on, Shinno—no, never mind. Shinonosuke, hurry up.”
With no one else around, Satsuki corrected herself mid-sentence.
Prompted by her, Shinonosuke climbed into the passenger seat, and the car began to move. Despite the urgency, the autonomous driving system prioritized safety, its measured pace proving exasperating.
“The defense stronghold?”
“It’s a bit further back. It’s an old village hall that was incorporated into the town during the Heisei mergers and later renovated. It’s fortified as a designated evacuation center. We’ll regroup and coordinate there.”
Emergency evacuation facilities, both public and private, are scattered across various locations. However, in remote mountainous areas where the arrival of samurai is often delayed, combat-ready equipment is reportedly more actively deployed.
Shinonosuke removed his helmet, furrowed his brows, and let out a low grunt.
“Regrouping is fine, but…”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. It’s nothing,” he replied, deciding to keep his thoughts to himself to avoid causing unnecessary worry.
What was on his mind, however, was the reality of measures against phantom beasts. Samurai may be responsible for fighting, but their support comes from auxiliary officials, police officers, and local retainers. Even in urban areas, personnel are stretched thin, with even clerical domain officials being pressed into service.
While these clerical staff receive basic training for phantom beast emergencies, it’s typically only once a year. The training often consists of formation drills and roll calls, after which most return to their regular duties due to workload. Only a few younger staff take the time to check firearm storage locations, review manuals, and practice loading or operating equipment.
In this mountainous region, there might be a greater sense of urgency, leading to more thorough measures and training. But Shinonosuke couldn’t shake the feeling that it might not be much different from the urban centers. Knowing the realities as a domain official himself, he felt nothing but unease.
“Will they really be okay…”
It was now just past 3 PM. Despite the bright blue sky, the temperature in the area nestled between the mountains had begun to drop slightly.
When they arrived at the Higashi Tsukumi Regional Development Office, the defense stronghold, they saw an old settlement scattered along a narrow flat area partway up a nearby slope. The shadows of the mountains made the buildings appear dim, though the upper half of the mountain across the valley was bathed in sunlight, starkly dividing light from dark.
The contrast of brightness and shadow created a striking scene.
Yet there were no people in the settlement. Even the doghouses were empty, devoid of any dogs.
“It’s no use. The place is completely deserted,” Shino reported, her face tense as she returned from scouting the area. Her sharp gaze, clenched jaw, and trembling lips betrayed her anger and frustration.
“There’s no one, not just in the nearby residences, but in the office as well.”
“I see. That confirms it. Everyone has evacuated—even the domain officials.”
It seemed that the people had taken shelter in the underground bunker of the regional development office. Surprisingly, even the officials responsible for fighting the phantom beasts had joined them.
“This is desertion in the face of the enemy! Sabotage! They must be severely punished!”
“Calm down. That’s not for us to decide,” Satsuki said gently. “Our job is to fight the phantom beasts. Or rather, surviving comes first.”
Her words caused unease to ripple through the members of Special Division 4, including Shino.
At that moment, Shinonosuke approached with Himari and Shizuna in tow. Though his helmet concealed his expression, his irritation was evident in the way he walked.
“We can’t enter the shelter. It’s locked from the inside, and there’s no response to the emergency intercom.”
“I see. I had hoped to get at least the two of them to safety. This is troubling,” Satsuki said with a sigh.
“Still, this situation is beyond what I expected. I thought they might be ineffective in combat, but I didn’t anticipate that they wouldn’t even be here.”
“Why would they do this?”
“Why? It’s simple,” Shinonosuke replied. “No one’s coming, and there’s no oversight. It’s easier to hide and wait it out than risk your life fighting.”
Despite the explanation, Satsuki tilted her head in confusion. As a samurai, her noble sense of duty made it hard for her to understand such a commoner’s perspective.
Phantom beasts were nearly impervious to firearms, and battling them was a life-or-death endeavor. However, the residents they were supposed to protect were secure in a well-equipped shelter. If the officials simply hid and claimed they couldn’t hold out until the samurai arrived, it would seem like the more rational choice.
“That’s the ordinary way of thinking,” Shinonosuke continued. “If the entire settlement is made up of relatives, coordinating a story is easy. Adjusting ammo counts, tweaking reports—it wouldn’t be hard. And no one would be able to prove otherwise.”
Shino, however, was clearly unsatisfied with this reasoning.
“That’s unacceptable!”
“It’s not about whether it’s acceptable. It’s the reality of the situation.”
“Grr! I won’t stand for this! Violations of duty regulations, desertion in the face of the enemy, compliance breaches—I’ll make sure they’re held accountable and punished!”
Shino, strict about rules, clenched her fists in frustration, visibly upset.
