The humanoid bird dispatched the last monster under Alice's control, and as she regained consciousness, she surveyed the situation. The bird advanced towards them with a palpable intent to kill. Hiro grasped a nearby metal pipe, positioning himself to shield the other three. Just as the humanoid bird lunged at Hiro, Alice intervened by pushing him aside and attempting to use her power against the bird. Unfortunately, the bird was blind and Alice's attempt failed. Its punch struck Alice, propelling her into a giant metal door, which crumpled and flung open.
Seeing this, Hiro's anger surged, and he promptly retaliated by striking the humanoid bird with the metal pipe. However, the blow merely left a minor scratch on its body. Unperturbed, the bird swiftly retaliated, sending Hiro soaring over the debris of the metal door. Coming to a halt, the humanoid bird paused to sense the scent of nearby humans.
Undeterred, it continued its advance towards the trio. Alex attempted to rise and shield Alice and Vionish, but his injured leg rendered him unable to stand. In a desperate move, Hiro sought to summon the power of the royal guard latent within him. Raising his arms, he began to chant.
-- Royal Guard of the heavens!! I summon you! --
The giant bird reacted with surprise, and a light emanated from Hiro's hand. Suddenly, two humanoid white crows materialized, launching an assault on the giant humanoid bird. The bird veered towards a wall under the assault of the crows' attacks.
Monsters from the zone rushed out, prompting Hiro to summon eight more humanoid white crows. These crows swiftly engaged the escaping monsters. The initial two crows joined the fray after subduing the giant humanoid bird.
Unexpectedly, the giant humanoid bird started to crawl towards Hiro and managed to utter a few words.
--- Hiro... is that yo.....u ---
Hiro's confusion was interrupted.
- Birdman!? -
--- Ye...s ---
Hiro quickly aided the birdman, helping him sit.
- What happened? Why are you here in the guild facility? -
The birdman struggled to speak due to the beating he had endured.
--- The humans... are worst ---
With that, the birdman lost consciousness.
As the metal door swung open once more, Sarutobi entered along with Beast Master, Washuwamido, Doom, Mr..GON, Brood Mother, and other tamers.
Approaching Hiro, Sarutobi offered an apology. --- Sorry, we're late. --- He managed a smile despite the bruise on his face.
Beast Master promptly summoned a giant bear to prevent the remaining monsters from exiting the zones. Meanwhile, Brood Mother began weaving her intricate web throughout the room, to capturing Monters attempting to escaped.
Doom confidently flexed his newly mechanized arm, a testament to his resilience after losing his limb in a previous battle. Standing beside his partner Mr. Gon, he wielded his demonic cudgel with ferocity, striking down and subduing each monster that crossed his path. While Doom engaged in close combat, Mr. Gon positioned himself in the rear, skillfully firing arrows to provide essential support.
In a simultaneous display of might, Washuwamido rode atop his humanoid bird companion, a majestic buzzard. As he soared above the battlefield, Washuwamido held his burning spear with a commanding grip. With a swift and calculated thrust, he attacked the monsters below him. Remarkably, upon impaling a monster, his burning spear brought about instant healing, and the creature swiftly succumbed to his control.
The remaining tamers seamlessly joined the intense fray, utilizing their unique skills and abilities to subdue the rampaging monsters. Amid the chaos, Beast Master stepped forward, ready to demonstrate his incredible power. Positioned at the entrance to the zones, he harnessed his primal roar—a fearsome sound that reverberated through the hallways. This echoing roar elicited fear in the monsters, causing those in zones 1 to 8 to tremble and immediately yield to his authoritative command.
The combined strength of the tamers turned the tide of the battle, gradually bringing the chaotic situation under control.
Suddenly, a group of men, including Mr. Minamoto, materialized on the scene, their presence announced by the applause that accompanied their approach towards the battlefield. Among them, Mr. Minamoto kicked the fallen monsters with disdain as he strode forward. A battalion of personnel accompanied them, efficiently guiding each subdued monster back to its cell with the assistance of the tamers.
As the group reached Bird Man's side, their intent to return him to confinement became clear. Hiro's anger flared, and his voice reverberated through the room as he vehemently interjected.
"Leave him alone!"
The force of Hiro's shout hung in the air, causing a hushed silence to fall over the facility. All eyes turned to him, and Mr. Minamoto approached Hiro, initiating a conversation.
"Ah, the famous food cart boy! I've heard much about you—a young lad who tames monsters with his cooking prowess. Quite an impressive skill, though not exactly suited for procuring monsters in large quantities."
Mr. Minamoto's attention then shifted to Bird Man, and with a swift motion, he drew a hidden sword from his prosthetic arm. Hiro's shock turned to horror as he witnessed Mr. Minamoto ruthlessly stab Bird Man. The blood seeped onto the floor, a chilling testament to the brutality of the act.
Driven by anger and sorrow, Hiro lunged forward, forcefully pushing Mr. Minamoto. In a swift response, the white humanoid crow under Hiro's control attacked Mr. Minamoto. However, an unsettling change occurred as Mr. Minamoto's eyes mirrored those of Alice, glowing with an eerie light. The white crow weakened, gradually disintegrating into dust. The dust took on the form of the number 69 before vanishing completely.
Mr. Minamoto's expression remained piercing as he fixed his gaze on Hiro. Without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving the facility behind. Hiro's fists clenched; his frustration palpable as he watched Bird Man's lifeless form on the ground. Driven by a surge of determination, Hiro once again stood, his intention to attack Mr. Minamoto from behind clear. However, Sarutobi swiftly intervened, rushing towards Hiro to restrain him.
Sarutobi's grasp held Hiro back, and as Mr. Minamoto looked on, a sinister smirk played across his lips. Among Mr. Minamoto's guards, one of them gently carried Alice on a stretcher. Hiro's confusion surfaced in his words.
- Where are you taking her? -
The guard's response only deepened Hiro's bewilderment. -- Mr. Minamoto's granddaughter deserves superior care.--
Hiro was taken aback, his shock evident. The realization that Alice was blood-related to this cruel man struck him like a thunderbolt. It seemed that their uncannily similar powers might be explained by their shared lineage, a revelation that stirred up a whirlwind of emotions within Hiro..
With the monsters safely back in their cells, Sarutobi summoned the medics to attend to Vionish and Alex's wounds. Later, he called Hiro over, and the two of them walked out of the facility.
- Did you know about all of this? - Hiro questioned, his voice tinged with frustration.
Sarutobi looked puzzled. -- About what? --
Hiro's expression was a mix of disbelief and anger. - About everything. The underground operations, the monster situation, and that Alice is Mr. Miyamoto's granddaughter. -
Sarutobi shook his head. -- I had limited access to the underground facility as a Class 7. While I'm not entirely in the dark about the guild's business, I'm not privy to all its operations. As for Alice's relation to Mr. Miyamoto, that's common knowledge. Alice's mother was Mr. Miyamoto's daughter. --
Hiro took a deep breath, trying to process the information. - I see... -
Exiting the HQ building, Hiro was greeted by the munchies, showing their affection as they ran toward him. Sarutobi signaled toward his car and drove away, leaving Hiro alone with the munchies. He embraced them warmly before deciding to reenter the HQ building.
Taking the elevator to the highest floor, Hiro made his way to Mr. Miyamoto's room. Upon arrival, the guards attempted to stop him, but the munchies transformed into lion-like creatures and intervened.
Ignoring the commotion, Hiro approached Mr. Miyamoto's table and slammed his hand down. - I quit! -
