Chapter 26
“Not human…?” Ikoma was dumbfounded.
At this moment, Mumei moved towards Ikoma, appearing in Ikoma’s front. Before Ikoma could respond she firmly held onto his cloak.
*RIPPPP*
As a sharp tearing sound is heard, Ikoma’s cloak was directly torn apart by Mumei, Ikoma’s body was suddenly exposed in the air. When his body was exposed to the air, all people sucked in a cold breath. They could see on the body of Ikoma, pieces of metal and iron everywhere sticking out, a bandage that was twisted tightly had also tied down one-third of his body. Moreover, his skin did not only have a sort of lustre that an average man did not, it also had veiny red marks spread all over, extending towards his heart.
Then, this heart of Ikoma’s also had another feature, it shined. This was the heart of Ikoma. A bright glowing heart. A heart that was exactly like a Kabane’s…
“Ka-Kabane!”
The surrounding people simultaneously sent out a scream.
“You…!!!” Konochi Kurusu’s heart was tied tightly, his expression was thoroughly substituted by a murderous aura, saying loudly: “You really are a Kabane!”
“No… NO!!” Ikoma’s footsteps retreated, as if suffering a betrayal from the world, repeatedly not willing to acknowledge a fact, loudly calling out: “I am not a Kabane! I am not a Kabane!”
It was only a pity that before the cold facts, nobody will believe Ikoma. Konochi Kurusu did not plan to say anything again, his Steam Gun directly pointing to the heart of Ikoma, his finger had also moved to press the trigger.
However, before Konochi Kurusu’s gun was able to be fired, a hand suddenly extended, pressing on it.
“I say, when can you change this aspect of your’s where you seem calm on the surface but are in actuality very irritable?”
The person who had held onto the Steam Gun in Konochi Kurusu’s hand is Fang Li.
“Don’t worry.” Fang Li did not look at Konochi Kurusu instead gazing at Ikoma as before, looking at the appearance of Ikoma that seemed to be shaking continuing: “Give him time to explain.”
“Explain?” Konochi Kurusu’s expression did not change, just like Fang Li, only gazing at Ikoma, the viciousness in his eyes did not retrocede: “What explanation? Could it be that his heart is not enough to show that he is a Kabane?”
“But have you taken a good look at him? Doesn’t he seem more like a person than Kabane?” Fang Li curled the lip, said: “Let alone didn’t someone just help him say he wasn’t a Kabane?”
Hearing Fang Li’s words, the person who responded first was none other than Ikoma. Ikoma turned his head and looked to his side where the person who had torn off his cloak, causing the present aspect while actually seeming as if the matter had nothing to do with herself, stood. Looking at Mumei that was yawning, he subconsciously wanting to open their mouth to ask.
But, before Ikoma could make any noise, Mumei explained.
“I said it before, he is not a Kabane, only he is also not human.” Mumei had as if restored some of her energy, her sluggish look starting to appear healthier. She observed the crowd.
“He… No, I should say, we, we are situated between Kabane and Human, Kabaneri.”
While saying those few words, Mumei turned around to show her back and threw over her untied coat over her body, making her back exposed in in the eyes of everyone.
At this moment, the facial colour of everyone changed.
“You…” Ikoma was shocked saying: “You… You are also the same?”
Right. The same.
On Mumei’s slender and fair back, at the heart’s position, there seemed to be a glowing heart, impressively.
Looking at Mumei and Ikoma along with their similar to Kabane glowing hearts, all the people had as if lost the ability to speak, unable to respond again. Only Fang Li… he had already known about it all.
Kabaneri.
Just like Mumei said, this was an existence between Kabane and Human.
If a person were bitten by a Kabane, then after death they will turn into a Kabane. This was common sense that everyone knew. Even if they were bitten and hadn’t died, they would still gradually transform after the incubation period into a Kabane.
However, the world will never lack in unique and exceptional circumstance.
After having been bitten by a Kabane and gotten infected, if there was a situation where the virus cannot arrive at the brain due to various reasons, the person would not completely turn into a Kabane. Instead, they become an existence between Kabane and Human.
This existence is called Kabaneri. Kabaneri’s have a Kabane’s physical capability but they also have a Human’s will and thoughts.
The reason why Mumei is so strong is mostly because of this. This young girl for various reasons became a Kabaneri and after special training, she had gained an exceptionally formidable battle efficiency.
But Ikoma, not knowing of this existence of Kabaneri, transformed into one. In the original plot, when Aragane Station fell to the enemy, Ikoma escaped from the prison and to resist the Kabane, went home to take Tsuranuki Zutsu, thus fighting with the Kabane and ending up bitten.
Under the intense desperation at the time, the means that Ikoma found to stop the infection was to weld a metal sheet of iron in his body to control the virus invasion and prevent it from reaching the brain, he was successful in the end, not becoming a Kabane.
However, while the brain had not been invaded by the Kabane’s virus, the rest of his body had actually transformed into one.
Therefore, Ikoma became a Kabaneri, an inhuman existence. Naturally, for Ikoma the only thing he successfully preserved was his humanity, not turning into a monster that can only attack humans.
Who knows if other people would be able to accept a matter like this.
At this time, Mumei had actually put down her coat suddenly, turning around, her vision changed towards a distant place, saying.
“We can talk about this matter later, the Kabane that you kept on saying are here…”
Hearing this, the people were all startled, turning their head as if by conditioned reflex, looking to the direction of Mumei’s gaze. Over there, a black tide was swelling.
“Roarrrrrrrrrr!”
Fearful roars and other sounds combined into a huge sound wave that disseminated in the air. Hundreds and thousands of massive Kabane, dense and numerous, they were like a black tide. Resembling a group of beasts galloping, rushing towards this area.
This made the hearts of everyone start shivering, their fright reaching a peak.
“Quick!!!” Fang Li quickly shouted. “Quickly get onto the Hayajiro!”