At first, Jaden thought Brunhilde and the others were just suffering from mild battlefield post-traumatic stress.
A little jumpy.
Overly cautious about normal things.
Nothing serious.
Something that would slowly improve over time.
But the moment he brought Erina and the others to the venue, Jaden realized-
He had underestimated just how severe the condition of these Valkyries actually was.
"Wow, it's so lively~"
Kurara ran ahead excitedly, staring at the bustling street with bright eyes, like a child seeing something new. Before long, she ran back, arms full of flyers.
"Jaden, Erina, Mukuro-look, look!"
"This street was just built recently! There are discounts and fun stuff everywhere~!"
Seeing her like this, Erina smiled and gently patted Kurara's head.
"Yes, there is."
But after sending Kurara off to explore again, Erina returned to Jaden's side.
Her smile faded slightly.
"Jaden... something's not right."
Erina was familiar with this newly built commercial street.
Totsuki even had investments here.
But the situation in front of them was clearly abnormal.
"For a new commercial street, I can accept that a lot of people would come for the opening events."
"I can even accept that some of those who look like regulars are repeat customers."
She glanced toward the residential area behind the commercial street and smiled faintly.
"But this street hasn't been built for long."
"Are all the houses already sold?"
"And from the looks of it... at least ninety percent of them are occupied."
"Are houses in a place like this really that easy to sell?"
Hearing this, Mukuro Ikusaba, who was following behind them, nodded as well.
"And there's more."
"There are constant glances being cast at us from within the crowd."
"And not just one or two."
Mukuro Ikusaba was different from Kurara.
Kurara's sense of hostility was extremely sharp-if there were even a single person in the crowd harboring clear hostility, Kurara wouldn't be acting this carefree.
Mukuro, on the other hand, was a former mercenary.
Her sensitivity lay elsewhere.
And she thought further ahead.
"Lady Erina."
"Do you want me to take action now?"
Erina considered it for a moment, then glanced toward where Kurara had run off.
"Go stay with Kurara."
"The two of you just need to be careful."
"I understand."
Mukuro hesitated, then looked at Erina again.
"Kurara won't be a problem. She may be stronger than you think."
"But you-do you need me to escort you to somewhere safer?"
She was still worried about Erina.
But Erina shook her head.
"Mukuro, you and Kurara just pay attention."
"Don't worry about me."
"After all-"
As she spoke, Erina leaned slightly to the side, resting directly against Jaden's arm, and winked at Mukuro.
"The position I'm in right now is the safest place in the world~"
Mukuro finally understood.
She glanced at Jaden.
After receiving a nod from him, she slowed her pace and quietly disappeared into the crowd.
After Mukuro left, Erina finally looked at Jaden.
"Jaden."
"What's really going on?"
Erina understood Jaden just as well as Jaden understood her.
When she pointed out the abnormalities earlier, she had noticed that Jaden seemed a little off.
At first, he looked like he was about to say something.
But after glancing at Mukuro, he stopped.
That was why Erina had taken the initiative to send Mukuro away.
Jaden knew there was no point hiding anything from her.
He sighed helplessly.
"If you're asking what's going on around us... honestly, I don't know all the details either."
"But Erina, the main reason is that I asked someone to help plan this date."
"And they... overdid it a bit."
"Everything you see around us right now is part of their preparation."
"There's nothing to worry about."
"Well, I wasn't worried with you here anyway."
Erina said that, then took Jaden's hand.
Her body relaxed completely.
She smiled and walked a step ahead of him.
"But if that's the case, let's go take a look."
"They've prepared so much-wouldn't it be a waste not to experience it?"
Jaden planned to talk to the Thirteen Valkyries later about what they'd done.
As for now-
"Mhm."
"Let's go, Erina."
...
Kure Fuki felt that everything today was extremely strange.
At first, she'd missed her chance because she overthought things.
If that were all, it wouldn't have been a big deal.
Missing an opportunity would make her uncomfortable, but not miserable.
After all, if not this time, then next time.
But she hadn't completely given up.
She still came to this newly built commercial street, intending to observe the situation.
If she could find an opportunity to blend in, great.
If not, she could at least observe Jaden's preferences.
But-
The strangeness began the moment she arrived.
Because she was tracking Jaden, she could only observe him and Erina from a distance using a special telescope.
She couldn't look at them directly.
Not even through reflections.
At most, she could follow their shadows to confirm their positions, then observe the surroundings to infer what they were doing.
To do that, Kure Fuki always hid on rooftops or in places far from the crowd.
And because of that-
Her brows furrowed.
After partially releasing her power, her senses had become exceptionally sharp.
And right now, she could feel gazes locked onto her.
More than one.
That alone put her on high alert.
But she couldn't pinpoint their exact locations.
So she pretended not to notice.
She stayed cautious.
Waiting for the other party to reveal themselves.
Then-
When the other side finally stepped out and approached her-
Something even more unbelievable happened.
"Little girl..."
"Judging by how carefully you're following that Strongest Creature on Earth..."
"You must be a remnant of the Conquest faction, right?"
A white-haired middle-aged man stepped forward.
He looked to be around fifty.
He was smiling.
There was a hint of madness in his eyes, and he didn't bother hiding it.
After all, what he wanted to do would be impossible without madness.
Hearing his words, Kure Fuki slowly raised her right hand and clenched her fist.
In that instant, her right arm swelled.
Muscles bulged as it transformed into a massive arm.
The Release was brief.
Then it faded.
Kure Fuki smiled at the man.
"Ah."
"This should be enough to prove my identity, right?"
The Conquest faction's Release involved direct physical expansion.
It was different from the Kure clan's Release.
However, Kure Fuki was already capable of partial Release.
After the Conquest faction was destroyed, she had learned this method.
After all, she wasn't Kurara.
Nor was she Raian Kure.
Her Release level wasn't particularly high, so she often used this technique to amplify its effect.
She just hadn't expected to use it today.
"It is enough."
The white-haired man smiled.
"Then it's perfect."
"I thought no one in this world would dare to resist that Strongest Creature on Earth anymore."
"But since someone like you still exists..."
"Do you want to join me?"
Kure Fuki felt like she might have hooked a big fish.
But she was still cautious.
So she asked.
"What do we do together?"
"Hide in the shadows and hate that guy in secret?"
"Does that even need to be asked?"
The white-haired man spread his hands wide.
He laughed wildly.
"-Of course, it's to kill that Strongest Creature on Earth!"
...