''Free time is three hours from now, you know. Meet at the parking lot of the east gate here at the time!
""Yes!"

　The bus arrived at the parking lot at the east gate of the Asahiyama Zoo, and the tour of the zoo started under the guidance of Mr. Otani, the homeroom teacher.

I didn't know there was a restaurant at the entrance, so let's get something to eat. I didn't know there was a restaurant at the entrance, so let's have dinner right away!
'What are you talking about? You're an animal first!
Yes!

　The chairman's spirit pushed Takigawa to meekly comply.

'We'll see the owl house first to avoid the crowds, then we can take the route to see the Ezo deer forest and the wolf forest?
""Yes."

　No one can disagree with me after the display of spirit I've just witnessed.

''The chairman of the committee really likes animals, doesn't he?
He used to not like the animals in zoos and pet stores that much, saying he felt sorry for them because they were a freak show, but once he realized he couldn't help himself, he started to enjoy them in his own way.
Yeah, I see.

　When I asked Junna, she gave me quite a deep reason. Was there a conflict because she loved animals too much?

''Wow! Ezo deer!

　Yes, I'll let the chairperson do as she pleases in the zoo.

　While I warmly watch the chairman, who shows a different side of himself than usual, I also look at the animals in the park. And I also glance at the group following behind us.
　More than one group is following us.

Yuki-san. I have the feeling that other groups have been following us since a while ago, do you know why?
I'm a little afraid of the stare.
'Oh, you shouldn't worry about it. It won't do you any harm.

　It's probably the members of a dark organization (Mizukami-san fan club) that are following me. There are a few people who are always staring at me at school.
　Also, there are a few unfamiliar faces as well. From a gaze perspective, they're probably fans of Junna and Auru. Sometimes they give me a murderous stare. Scary scary. Let's not pay attention to them.

''Junkanai~, let's take a break soon~''

　When we had finished looking around the south side of the park, Aihara-san spoke up for our secret thoughts.

I'm sorry," he said, "I'm sorry, guys. It's just that the rest stop is nearby.
That's what I'm talking about. Then it's time for lunch!

　That's what I'm talking about, Aihara-san! He must have called out to the committee chairman when his lust for animals had subsided. Excellent timing. He's a good friend of the chairman.

'Rest stop! Ezo deer menchikatsu, Ezo deer flank and venison burger please!
Oh...
Great...

　As soon as we arrived at the rest stop, Takigawa ordered the no-time, oddball menu.
　I was going to try one of them too, but it's awesome to go all the way. The women were slightly taken aback.

I wonder what I'll do. Ezo deer mince and curry, please.
Then I'll have soy sauce ramen and a fried rice cake.

　Following Takigawa, Ishida and I ordered, and the women ordered one after another.

''Yuki-san!''

　That's when I heard a voice from the food section of the rest stop.

'Soji?'

　Looking towards the voices, I see Soji, Shizuku, Akari and the others. It seems that Soji's group was also at the rest stop.

'Yoo-hoo, Yuki-kun! You guys, come on over here.
There's a seat available, join us!

　Akari-san and Soji invited me to join them, so I headed to that seat with the rest of the group.

''To be able to join the Mizukami-san sisters, Aihara-san and Auru-chan, as well as Akari-san and Shizuku-san's Tsukino sisters... I'm too happy and kind of scared. But I'm happy!

　Takigawa is becoming emotionally unstable, but let's not worry about it.
　For now, the one next to Shizuku-san is empty, so we sit there.

'Shizuku-san ordered a venison burger, right?
Yeah. Yuki-kun, you make Ezo minced pork cutlets, right? Is it good?
'Yes, it's quite good. Hinna hinna.
'Hmmm, the venison burger is good too. Hinnah hinnah.

　Oh! I knew Shizuku would understand this stuff. My fellow nerds are great.

'Chicks? What are you talking about? Deer, right?
It's not "hina" but "hinna". I think it was the Ainu word for gratitude. Why I'm saying that now, I don't know.

　Takigawa and Ishida nodded their heads. Huh, non-Otaku would not understand this emotion.

'You're Junkanai's sister? She's so cute! The girl next door is super cute too! Half?
Nice to meet you, I'm Junna Mizukami. It's nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you. My name is Oulu. I'm half Japanese and half English.
Goofy, you two are too cute!
Calm down, Akari. My name is Light Tsukino. And I'm Soshi Kasai, Mr. Yuki's prefect.
I'm Shizuku Tsukino. It's nice to meet you.

　A short time after we started eating, Soji and his team were interacting with Junna and the two other girls.
　Following their lead, we also exchanged greetings with two delinquents and two middle school girls who were members of Soji's group.
　One of the delinquents was the shaved-in delinquent who always came to call me out. The other one is probably one of the crony delinquents who is always near Sorge, as I recognize him from the back of the gym. The two middle school girls are girly looking girls, both of them looking at Soji with admiration, as if they have a thing for him.
　And perhaps they have taken Soji's prefect's comment to heart, or maybe they're giving me a look of admiration.

''Oh, Soji's comment just now was a joke. Don't worry about it.

　I don't remember making Sorge a prefect at all, so I firmly denied it.

''Speaking of which, where did you see Yuki-san's group?''
South side. I'm going to take the north side now.
'Then you're just like us! Let's go see it together!
"Why are you lying so openly, we just finished looking at the north side. I'm sorry Yuki-kun, we're going to visit the south side, so see you all again!

　Akari and the others finished their lunch earlier and left the rest stop, dragging Soji with them. We waved to Akari and the others and resumed our visit.
　Speaking of which, Kuro said that Shizuku-san, Akari-san and Soji are xenophiles. Since Soji knows who I am, I'll ask him to show me his 'otherness' when he gets a chance.

'Well then, let's go see the polar bears next!

　Led by the energetic chairman, we headed to the polar bear corner...?

"Master, doukashimashita?
'No, it's nothing. I think it's in my head.

　Nia was worried about me, but I'd return it as nothing.
　For a moment. For a moment, really, but I thought I sensed a different kind of killing atmosphere than usual.
　I couldn't quite make it out due to the killings by the fans of the committee chairmen following behind me, but I felt like I felt the same real killings as I did when I fought the Yin-Yang Master and the Xenophiles.

　As I was thinking about this, before I knew it, I had arrived at the Polar Bear Pavilion.

''It's a polar bear!

　When I turned around at the sound of the chairman's voice, a polar bear with murderous intent was glaring at me.



◇



Godd*mn it!

　The jet-black sword that the jet-black crow let loose with each and every feather changing, is lightly shot down by the jet-black sword that Kuro releases.

''How can you use the same ability as me?

　The jet-black crow, which even released the wings necessary for flight as a sword, fell directly into the forest.

''Impossible, impossible, impossible! You can't handle it!

　The girl who had been controlling the corpse of a crow was confronted with countless earthen forms created by Black by controlling the carcasses of foxes and bears. However, she was crushed by the violence of the numbers and was finally seized in a daze.

''........Hmmm, I surrender. It looks like we can't handle it.''

　The One-Eyed Giant Man had put up a good fight, even though he had been blown away many times by Black's spiritual waves, but after staring sideways at his companions who had been defeated in a daze, he realized that he had no chance of winning and quietly announced his surrender.

''Kuro Tsuyoku.''
Kerr.

　Lynn's eyes lit up at Black's bravery, and White winced at the sight of his strength.