Kibishi's POV

  The coldness of the air had gotten worse.

  There I was. Sitting on the ground while leaning against the cold metal of this building, as Kuma and the others watched over Tao and me.

  I could tell that this was not something that was normal during their missions. Their expressions told me that the way that thing attacked us was extraordinary.

  The way it's speed outcssed even those three girls was something else.

  "..."

  My mind was drawing a bnk. I could not really think straight. The air was messing with my mind.

  Bu-bump!

  "N-ngh!"

  My heart was aching. It was getting harder to breathe. My whole body was panicking.

  I tried to see what was going on, but it seemed like my vision had started to blur out as well.

  I held my chest, seeing my breath with every breath I drew into my system.

  "The force field broke the moment it attacked us. I doubted another one could be made for the night," Yosei whispered and narrowed her eyes. I could hear her breathing getting heavy as well.

  "Damn it! This was NOT the night for this crap!" Kuma slowly summoned a giant sword. She gripped it tightly as tiny particles started to disappear around her palm.

  It must have been a part of her magic. Or was it part of the advanced technology that humanity made for the supernaturals? I would have said the tter, to be honest.

  Stomp. Stomp. Stomp.

  Footsteps were being heard. They seemed to be drawing towards us instead of fading away.

  Crap.

  That thing was heading our way!

  Stomp. Stomp.

  I could see Kujira shaking like a leaf. Whether it was from the coldness or from the rhythm of the footsteps, I honestly could not tell.

  Despite that, Kujira stood her ground and pushed her hand in front of us.

  Kuma's palms seemed sweaty. Almost as if they were damp with water that was from the ocean.

  But despite the sweat, Kuma was shivering as well.

  That must have been from the cold. Or was it?

  I could not think straight at that point. My body was not moving much. All I could do was use my eyes to observe the scene.

  I saw Yosei looking 'fine' despite her breathing still being heavy. She was not shaking like the rest of us. It must have been because she was the leader; Yosei wanted to show no weakness if she could help it.

  I had to say, it was amazing. Everyone was trying their best to stay calm.

  Not panicking was the right call.

  The footsteps may have been coming closer, but it did not really know that we were here. If we all could move very slowly as we traced down the noise of the footsteps, then we all should have been fine.

  "Are we going to move?" Kujira asked Yosei.

  "Of course. We might be on guard, but let's avoid fighting for now." Yosei slowly walked towards me while tiptoeing. She then lifted me onto her back, which shocked me. I had not known that Yosei was that strong.

  Of course, I assumed all supernaturals were strong in their own way, but still.

  "Kujira. Hold on to Tao and carry her on your back." Yosei then looked at Kuma after giving Kujira a command. "Kuma, you will be our eyes on our backs. Make sure that 'thing' does not catch us leaving."

  "Got it," Kuma nodded.

  "Leave it to me," Kujira nodded as well.

  Kujira slowly started to carry Tao on her back. That was when I noticed something strange.

  "Ah." That word came out of my mouth naturally.

  Bu-bump!

  That sight.

  Bu-bump!

  That sight of Tao right then.

  Tao was breathing even heavier than Yosei. Her ears, cheeks, and nose were burning red. I could see Tao closing her eyes as she tried to cling to Kujira's shoulders.

  That sight. That very sight made me uneasy.

  Bu-bump!

  I knew that this pce was so freezing that you could practically say that it had started to feel like the North Pole. I knew myself well enough to understand that this cold was affecting me, too. I could barely move even if I wanted to.

  It would take a lot of willpower just to stand.

  It seemed like the Super Codes we had were not strong enough for this amount of coldness. But still, I was sure that without it, we all would have been freezing to death.

  No.

  I was sure Tao and I would have died the moment the cold air kicked in.

  This told me that the air in here could have been hitting zero.

  "Tao? Are you okay?" Kujira whispered to Tao.

  "Y-yeah, I will be fine. W-what about Kishi?" Tao whispered between each breath she took.

  "You should worry about yourself first." Kujira let out a deep sigh and then shook her head. "He is fine. Just do not worry about it too much." Kujira answered Tao's question.

  "Thank goodness...." Tao gave a weak smile before shivering.

  "Tao..." I whispered before instinctively gripping Yosei's shoulder. I felt Yosei move from my grip, but I did not pay it any mind right then.

  I then felt something going over my body.

  I looked and saw a red bnket covering my body. I then saw another pink one being tossed to Kujira.

  I looked and saw Kuma zipping up the heavy bag that she had brought before.

  Wait. Where had that come from?

  "That should keep them warm," Kuma said as she made the big bag disappear into thin air.

  Wow.

  Technology.

  I wondered what the production of-

  Wait, no time for that.

  "Thank you, Kuma. Kujira. Please lead the way to the building we were in before." Yosei demanded. Well, I think that, but it was more like a kind offer or something like that. A friend asks another friend for a favor.

  "You do not have to tell me twice. Tao. Please hold on tight and do not fall asleep. You cannot afford to be in this cold." Kujira added and then adjusted Tao's weight so that she could get a better grip on Tao's shivering body.

  "Right..." Tao muttered as she tried not to fall asleep.

  Bu-bump!

  Seeing that made my heart ache. I was feeling myself fading into the darkness.

  Was it due to the cold? Or was it something else?

  Static!

  My head suddenly got a lightning bolt zapped inside my skull. It was almost as if a jackhammer was digging a deep hole in my head and trying to dig into my very brain.

  "That girl should not exist..."

  A deep and cold tone appeared in my head.

  Static!

  "T-that voice again..." I held my head.

  What was up with that voice? At first, I had thought it was my own inner thoughts, but I was starting to second-guess myself.

  Maybe it was just my consciousness trying to push out disgusting thoughts in dark moments like this? Or, could it have been something else?

  ... No, it had to be the former.

  Though I had no evidence for that cim as well...

  "Huh?" I heard Kuma's voice, which snapped me back to reality.

  "What is it, Kuma?" Kujira asked, as if she had halted her movement. We all had been hiking in the midst of the fog.

  My mind must have wandered while they were doing that.

  "...Hey, where is that 'thing'?" Kuma asked in a scared tone.

  "What?!" Yosei rushed towards Kuma's side in the quietest manner. Her footsteps were silent. It was either some kind of magic or her skill.

  Yosei looked around the area.

  But from what my eyes could see, there was nothing out there—just pure ruins.

  "What the hell?" Yosei continued to look from left to right.

  "E-eh?! Where's-?!"

  Yosei's eyes suddenly glowed yellow as she swiftly turned around and raised both her arms in the air.

  Wong!

  A force field appeared so fast that I did not even see her cast it.

  Boom!

  But that was nothing compared to something that represented a dump truck hitting the shield SECONDS ter...

  Crash!

  Dust formed around the area. If it had not been for the shield, then we all would have died from that surprise impact.

  But that did not mean that the impact hurt any less.

  I started to feel my consciousness fading as I could feel such coldness spread over my body.

  ...Ah.

  It felt like I was on the floor....

  My body could not move, and my head was hurting so much that it was like a needle had been shoved on top of my forehead.

  I could hear voices... but my mind was not collecting the words...

  My body... was losing its warmth...