Having sensed the appearance of a gate through Clairvoyance, the members of the 7th Squad had interrupted their meal and set out using their respective vehicles.
Himari drove a lightweight buggy, capable of off-road driving and with minimal bodywork, with Nei riding shotgun as support.
Meanwhile, Shushu, whose innocent and cheerful nature was a perfect fit for her name, rode astride a uniquely styled motorcycle, helmet-less.
As for the remaining two...
"...Hey."
"Hm?"
"Why the fuck are you carrying me like this?"
Shinji, transformed into a slave by the Endless Chain, was running at full speed, holding his master, Kyoka, bridal style in his arms. For this mission, she had come unarmed, without her usual weapon. But that aside, she questioned from within his arms, holding the chain, as to why he had to carry her like this.
"My bad. It's just... I thought it'd be dangerous if you rode on my back while I ran."
"...That's no fucking reason..."
Unaccustomed to such treatment, she turned her face away, seemingly embarrassed. Held firmly by his powerful arms and pressed against his massive black frame, her awkwardness grew, gradually overwhelming her thoughts.
Even if this was technically the second time being carried like a princess, it was an experience she had almost no familiarity with. Her heartbeat gradually quickened, and not just her face but her entire body began to heat up.
In stark contrast to these maidenly reactions, he remained perfectly calm and composed.
"By the way, Miss Suruga! Are you sure you're okay without a helmet?"
"No sweat, no sweat! This bike is built so it won't tip over easily, so I'm fine!"
"If you say so..."
"Hey, Shinji Kamiya! Stop with the unnecessary chatter!! If you drop the Captain, you'll have hell to pay, you hear me!?"
"Yeah, yeah! I'll be careful not to drop her!"
"Tch, Shinji! We're almost there!"
As they conversed while running in parallel, they finally reached their destination. Coming to a stop while skillfully maintaining balance despite a slight skid, they were met with an eerie sight.
In the empty void floated multiple rocks arranged in a ring-like formation, with a swirling black hole at its center. Simply put, it looked like a black hole.
According to Kyoka, this was a spontaneously occurring gate, connecting this world to the Demon Capital.
"Our mission this time is to stand guard until this thing disappears."
"This thing, huh..."
After gently setting her down, Shinji straightened his back and stared intently at the strange phenomenon.
"Sometimes people from our world wander into it, and sometimes Ugly Demons slip into our world. But most of the time, they vanish after a few hours. We're standing watch until then."
"Our world, huh..."
"What's up, manager?"
The other members, having parked their vehicles nearby, joined them.
They seemed already in combat mode, one making a determined fist with gusto, another vigilantly scanning the surroundings while transforming one arm into a machine gun.
However, the sole non-combatant among them prioritized her own safety, positioning herself between the Captain and her slave, Shinji.
"Nah, it's nothing. Just hearing it called 'our world'... kinda makes this place feel like the afterlife or something."
"Well, it is a hellish place, after all."
"Honestly, there's still a lot we don't understand about this Demon Capital itself."
What exactly was this space that appeared decades ago?
Why did the Peach grant abilities only to women?
There were still many unsolved mysteries.
"Thinking about it like that... their ecology remains a mystery too, huh."
He voiced this doubt while pointing. A horde of monsters was heading their way from a distance. Strictly speaking, they were aiming for the path to the real world, but they couldn't just let them pass.
"Well, look who's coming. What's the plan?"
"Hmm... Himari, Shushu. Can you two handle it?"
"Yes, leave it to us, Captain!"
"Alrighty~, let's do this!"
The two chosen members stepped forward and charged out with vigor.
"Fucking die!!"
Closing the distance in an instant, she activated her rapid-fire machine gun, unleashing dozens of rounds. The enemies that took the brunt of it had their bodies riddled with holes; as they gradually lost their original form, they turned into charred husks.
"Booooom!!"
Meanwhile, against the Ugly Demons swarming to attack her, Shushu let out a powerful shout as she released her power.
[Paradigm Shift]
Her body began to grow visibly, eventually transforming into a giant several tens of meters tall.
Naturally, the surrounding monsters were sent flying, unable to break their fall as they crashed onto the hard ground.
"Amazing... Miss Suruga can get that big?"
"Shushu can freely manipulate her own body size. That's nothing for her."
"Rawr!!"
While standing guard and watching the spectacle at the gate, the giant Shushu let out a roar and stomped down with tremendous force.
An earth-shaking tremor and shockwave followed, powerful enough to be felt even from their distant position.
So, what happened to the numerous ferocious creatures around her?
The answer was simple... they were pitifully scattered and smashed to pieces.
"...Looks like I won't get a turn this time."
"Seems so. Look, the gate is fading."
Checking the object behind them, they could see it gradually disappearing. It was said they usually lasted several hours, but fortunately, it seemed this one wouldn't take that long.
As a result, the battle ended without Shinji seeing any action. They welcomed back the two girls as they returned through the dust cloud, offering words of praise.