Amidst the deafening roar, the entire city's foundation steadily lifted upwards, as if an invisible giant hand was slowly hoisting the city skyward.
Witnessing this scene, Kikuchi Hara Asuki, beneath her professional attire, her tall frame trembled slightly from overwhelming shock.
Black stockings tightly enveloped her long legs, yet couldn't mask the turmoil within her heart.
She, who usually exuded composure and control, now appeared pale.
Instinctively, she reached out to support herself against the desk behind her, attempting to steady her form.
"How is this possible..."
Kikuchi Hara Asuki's beautiful eyes widened in disbelief as she murmured.
Her face was filled with incredulity as she stared at the city's foundation steadily rising on the screen. Her lips trembled, her throat tightened, and her voice shook with fear.
Even the legs encased in black stockings began to feel weak.
She forcefully bit her lower lip, only then managing to stand firm.
Kikuchi Hara Asuki simply couldn't comprehend it.
How could this possibly be happening?
The entire city... was floating...
Kikuchi Hara Asuki's mind went blank.
She tried to gather her thoughts, but discovered she was powerless.
The other staff members were similarly struck dumb by this scene.
Each one stood speechless, their jaws agape.
"Could it be the work of that Esper?"
At that moment, a staff member boldly made a guess.
Kikuchi Hara Asuki instinctively wanted to refute, but found that the words on her lips got caught in her throat.
"Commander, satellite monitoring shows that the Black Beetle's location has reappeared!"
From the other side, another staff member suddenly announced.
Upon hearing this, Kikuchi Hara Asuki's heart clenched.
Her gaze instinctively shifted towards another screen.
On that screen, the red dot marking the precise location of the "Black Beetle" truly reappeared, flashing brightly.
Furthermore, the red dot indicated that the "Black Beetle" was seemingly approaching the ground at incredible speed.
Upon witnessing this, Kikuchi Hara Asuki's heart skipped a beat.
She had wrongly assumed that the "Black Beetle" was ready and eager to launch its attack on the surface.
However...
Before Kikuchi Hara Asuki could speak.
In the next instant.
The satellite monitoring footage quickly switched.
It displayed the sunken pit beneath the slowly rising city's foundation.
The pit was pitch black, like an abyss with no bottom.
And, just then.
A faint golden light appeared at the bottom of the pit.
The golden light grew brighter and larger, until finally, a massive form appeared on the satellite monitoring screen.
It was the "Black Beetle."
It had reappeared!
But when Kikuchi Hara Asuki and the other staff members saw it again.
At this moment, the "Black Beetle" was firmly gripped by a large golden hand, forcefully dragged from the bottom of the pit!
"Wh... what?!"
"Th... what is happening?!"
Kikuchi Hara Asuki and the other staff members watched this scene.
Each one was dumbfounded.
...
At this moment, the enormous golden hand was tightly gripping the "Black Beetle's" body.
Pulling it from the pit.
The hand, like a mass of gas, constantly shifted shape, firmly controlling the "Black Beetle's" movements.
"Screech——!!!"
The "Black Beetle" let out a piercing shriek.
Its massive form twisted and contorted in the air, attempting to break free from the hand's grip.
But no matter how desperately the "Black Beetle" struggled.
The gigantic golden hand remained unwavering.
...
Kikuchi Hara Asuki stared blankly at the screen, her mind completely blank.
She couldn't understand how any of this was happening.
As one of the commanders of the Hero Association Headquarters.
Her duty was to handle unexpected situations.
But.
Witnessing this scene, she felt a deep sense of helplessness.
"Commander?"
Just then.
The voice of a staff member pulled Kikuchi Hara Asuki back to reality.
"The "Black Beetle"... where did it go? Kikuchi Hara Asuki regained her senses and asked the staff member.
"According to satellite monitoring, the "Black Beetle" is being taken towards Sōbu High by that golden hand."
"Sōbu High?!"
Upon hearing this, Kikuchi Hara Asuki's heart felt as if it were being squeezed by an invisible hand.
Various possibilities clashed and intertwined in her mind.
At this moment, a flash of insight struck her mind!
As if everything was being connected, from the city's foundation abnormally rising, to the "Black Beetle" being captured by the golden hand, and then being taken towards Sōbu High...
"Quick, switch the monitoring footage to Sōbu High!"
Kikuchi Hara Asuki practically roared.
Anxiety churned within her.
She had to confirm her guess immediately.
Although the other staff members were unsure what was going to happen.
They still executed the order without delay.
The satellite monitoring footage quickly switched.
The next second.
The scene at Sōbu High appeared clearly before everyone.
However.
When the footage switched back to Sōbu High.
The entire command room fell into a deathly silence.
Everyone seemed to be frozen in time, staring at the scene in disbelief, their hearts seemingly gripped by an invisible hand.
They saw.
On the edge of the window on the third floor of the Sōbu High teaching building.
Gu Cheng was still sitting there, his legs dangling, casually swinging, calmly observing what lay before him.
And, in front of him, the enormous golden hand was firmly gripping the "Black Beetle", flying towards Sōbu High.
The "Black Beetle", restrained by the golden hand's strength, was like a trapped beast, desperately struggling to no avail.
"Screech——!!!"
"Screech——!!!"
As if sensing the threat of death, it constantly emitted agonizing shrieks.
However.
At this moment, above Sōbu High, a large blade radiating golden light was poised for action.
The blade was incredibly sharp, emanating a chilling glow, as if it contained the power to destroy heaven and earth.
The hilt was connected by an invisible rope, slowly rotating...
Until the moment the golden hand brought the "Black Beetle" closer...
Gu Cheng lightly raised his finger.
The blade, radiating golden light, instantly ripped through the sky, accurately striking the "Black Beetle's" head.
The speed of this strike was blindingly fast, as if time itself was frozen.
The "Black Beetle's" massive form, bound by the golden hand, was utterly unable to dodge.
"Sssshh——"
A sharp sound of metal friction echoed throughout the city.
The golden blade directly sliced into the "Black Beetle's" head.
The horn, evolved into a giant sickle-shaped blade, was instantly severed.
The hard shell was brutally cleaved open, leaving a gaping wound.
Blood, like a fountain, erupted from the wound.
"Screech——!!!"
The "Black Beetle" let out a horrifying scream, like a sonic wave, piercing through tall buildings and reverberating through the streets.
It resonated in every corner of the city, even distinctly reaching the fields on the outskirts of the city.
It caused the cows and sheep grazing there to flee in terror.