Chapter 3 – Tokyo Recapture Operation
Part 1
The Entrance of Tokyo was in a shape that traversed through the Japan imperial palace, it displayed an eerie presence.It was a transparent wall that crossed about a kilometer horizontally and vertically. It had no thickness, the surface was dimly shining and swaying slowly like a water surface. From this wall of light, magic weapons and fleets arrived in great amount. It was an understandable story for Tokyo to be vastly damaged.
The bay coast area was particularly in a bad condition, it was turned into a burnt filed with only rubble that stretched continuously. There was almost no undamaged building in the cities of Hibiya, Ginza, and Japan Bridge. The capital highway crumbled down, the bridge fell, the common roads were also filled with rubble and the traffic was paralyzed. Tokyo had completely lost its function as the capital.
Also, the human damage was considerable too. And then, even after the battle had quietened down, Tokyo was trembling down from the figures of magic weapons that strutted around as if they owned the place, the people were living in hiding. Lifelines like electricity and water didn’t function, the food amount also hit rock bottom.
The people didn’t have hope, there was also no means of salvation. What was left was only to die. The only difference was whether it came fast or slow. Rather, it was better to die quickly with a pain that would only last for a short while. The number of people that thought so were not few.
But, that too was just the story of last month.
“The reconstruction is going well isn’t it?”
Hida Nayuta was walking from Yurakucho towards the entrance.
“Yes……the work is carried out focused on each block…..the building in, Yurakucho, and Marunouchi will be finished soon.”
Large number of people were coming and going nearby the two. When there was a person that was wearing a business suit like a company worker, there was also someone that brought their family for shopping. Also, young male and female couples that seemed to be on date were also not few in numbers.
That scene was like the situation before the 2nd Another Universe Conflict happened, when the city was flourishing in holiday. They were not concerned of anything at all, whether it was of the crumbled buildings, or the paths with holes gouged out, or the AU fleet floating above, or even the Entrance that stood tall dividing the imperial palace into two. It was as though it was only natural for those sights to be there, or as though such sights didn’t even enter their eyes.
Amidst the congestion of people, Nayuta who was wearing the clothes of AU and Valdy who was wearing magic armor were walking. Nayuta’s clothes was a white long coat that was ordered in AU. It gave an impression like a doctor’s robe at a glance, but it also looked like a military uniform. Getting told that it was clothing from a SciFi movie could also convince someone seeing it. At the very least, there was no doubt that it would gather curious gazes in the middle of the city.
However, there was no one that gave heed to these two even when they passed each other.
“In accordance with the magic power plant project that Nayuta-sama created……we are going ahead from the areas that are nearby the Entrance. Is there……any problem?”
“No. It’s truly marvelous.”
Valdy’s cheek reddened from Nayuta’s words of praise.
Sound of construction rang out from everywhere in the surroundings. A great number of laborers were removing rubble from the street and progressing the reconstruction work of the pavement.
The laborers were talking to each other about the progress of the work, they also talked about trivial things. However, the content of those talks felt dreary in some respect.
“I saw it yesterday on television you know, it featured Hibiya in the gourmet program. The food looked really cheap and tasty.”
“Then, how about we try it after the work is over?”
That store was destroyed from the battle of Another Universe Conflict. In the first place right now the broadcasting station was not functioning, so there was no television broadcasts. Regardless of that, these laborers were repeating the same conversation every day. However, they were talking lively as if they were really having fun as though they were talking of this topic for the first time. Their eyes too were transmitting full vitality that could only be thought of as coming from a human.
“Seems like there is also no problem in the mind control.”
“Yes……in the previous experiment, the emperor also understood about the usefulness of the magic power plant……thanks to that, Zelsione-sama also kindly lent her power even more than before.”
“Even so, she was able to brainwash on a scale this large. Zelsione-sama’s power is really something.”
“Yes but, it’s only for the inside of Ya, Yamanote line……ring railroad. A wide area magic is deployed using the track of that ring railroad, so…..that’s how it is, please don’t try to get out to the outside……because it’s dangerous.”
The people spending a wealthy and peaceful livelihood were only the ones inside the Yamanote line. In contrast the outside was in ruin, there was almost no humans that lived in the neighborhood. It was just that there was the possibility of resistance force of humans lurking nearby.
“Understood. I only earnestly ask to please not let humans come near the inside of the loop line. It will be troubling after all if they destroy the magi power plant’s installation.”
“Ye, yes. I think, it will be fine. The patrolling of the magic weapons is also……still continuing.”
Nayuta looked at the direction of outside the loop line. Thereupon, at the opposite side of the overhead structure of Yamanote line, she could see magic weapons [Blue Head] and [Albatross] lining up.
“Roger. Then next it’s about the expansion work of the magic power plant, what about the progress at the area from Kudanshita until Iidabashi?”
“The, the work there is……lacking in workers……looks like it will be late.”
“If that’s the case, let’s put to use the gentlemen of the American army that are now used for maintaining public order.”
In this place, the people collected from Guam and Okinawa were having their minds controlled to be used as labor force. There were especially a lot of military personnel that were used for maintaining public order. The AU were using humans to deal with the crimes of fellow humans and cracking down on the resistance forces that were against AU.
“Let’s increase the area where we can collect energy just like this. We have to hurry in order to stop the destruction of Vatlantis after all.”
Valdy nodded with a meek face at Nayuta’s words.
“Nayuta-sama, this Valdy……even if I have to risk my life――”
At that time, an explosion sound could be heard from the direction of Tokyo bay.
Valdy readied herself to protect Nayuta and became alert of the surroundings.
“The sound just now……is from the sea……did the magic weapons encounter enemies? ……But, there should be no more humans in the coastlands.”
Nayuta smiled at Valdy who was murmuring in puzzlement.
“No. It’s likely the scouts of Ataraxia, otherwise it’s a surprise attack.”
“Enemy……”
Nayuta looked up to the sky of Tokyo Bay. The five hundred meter-class battleship that was floating there exploded and fell down.
Nayuta murmured joyfully.
“So you came. Kizuna, Reiri.”
Part 2
At Ataraxia, Gertrude was taking position in the middle of the control room at Nayuta Lab on transmission duty. She kept sitting on her wheelchair, but she wore her Heart Hybrid Gear and opened several communication windows around her body. She was opening several lines to multiple people at the same time, so several communication windows were lined up.Reiri came right beside her and gave instructions to Gertrude.
“It’s time to rush into Tokyo. Confirm the present condition.”
Gertrude nodded and chose Kizuna’s window to talk.
“This is Ataraxia, explain the situation.”
{This is Kizuna. It’s completely impossible to scout like this! The fleet and magic weapons of the enemy are too many.}
Reiri changed her expression.
“Kizuna! Can’t you go past without getting noticed?”
Reiri faced the window and yelled angrily.
Kizuna sent the image that Eros’s camera captured to Gertrude. All members that saw the image relayed to Ataraxia lost their words.
And then Kizuna yelled to the window.
“The situation is just as you see! This is the second coming of the 2nd Another Universe Conflict!”
A large force even more than imagined was stationed there. Several dozen battleships were on standby in the sky, between those ships were tens, hundreds of magic weapons flying around like fog.
“All gears charge! Be careful of stray bullets!”
Right after saying that, a bullet of light grazed passed right beside Kizuna. The battleships deployed along the Tokyo Bay began their bombardment. And then the magic weapons were surging forward. Kizuna plunged into the middle of that and flew while evading magic weapons and bombardment. He continuously changed his route left and right, he moved in inverted flight and soon rotated back again. Even so a bullet that came flying from somewhere hit his Life Saver and let flew sparks.
“It’s impossible! This is not a problem on the level that we can go past through!”
Kizuna and Amaterasu, and also Masters were evading the surging forward enemies while flying to Tokyo. They somehow slipped through the enemy and came near above the land. There, this time it was the magic weapons that were standing by at the main road and intersection that flew up one after another.
Fierce sounds roared, Kizuna looked above. Thereupon, one of the battleships that was carrying out ship bombardment was sliced into two. And then it exploded repeatedly while turning into fragments of light that were scattered by the wind.
Nearby the ship was a red Heart Hybrid Gear floating while holding two double-edged swords.
Kizuna faced the window to Ataraxia and shouted.
“Himekawa sunk a battleship with Gladius! Now that its come to this let’s rampage flashily. I’ll use that opening and go to investigate Tokyo!”
Reiri called out with a worried voice.
{Roger. Don’t forget to secure an escape route.}
Kizuna replied with affirmative and sent a communication to everyone.
“Everyone, I’ll infiltrate until the center of Tokyo like this! I’ll retreat after investigating around the Entrance. Until then, defeat every single one of the magic weapons and the battleships. Got that!?”
{Roger!}
Voices returned from all the members of Amaterasu and Masters.
Kizuna went north from Tokyo Bay and flew above the street that continued to Ginza and Yurakuchou. And then when he passed through the overhead structure of Yamanote line, he noticed how the situation changed completely.
“What, is this……there is reconstruction work?”
Until now there were only ruins that continued without end, but suddenly the scenery changed to a city with signs of living. Construction work was being carried out everywhere in the ordered townscape without rubble.
And then, there was something that was even more shocking.
“People! There are people. Nee-chan! Also……there are a lot, or rather……”
{What!? Are they AU people? Or else, are they humans of our side?}
“I don’t know. It looks like just before the Another Universe Conflict happened. I’ll land down after this to confirm!”
Kizuna lowered his altitude. He couldn’t suppress the rapid throb of his heart and landed on the street without even decreasing his speed satisfactorily. He ran right after that and talked to a male in a business suit walking nearby.
“Wait! You there.”
However that male didn’t even glance at Kizuna and passed through just like that.
“O, oi! Wait!”
It was like his calling voice wasn’t heard. He left without turning back with unhesitating pace.
“Shit-, I’m ignored! ……Oi, you all!”
This time there was a group of female highschoolers wearing uniform. Three people were talking while walking.
“I came from Ataraxia of Megafloat Japan in order to free Tokyo. I got something I want to ask a bi――”
However, these female students were also ignoring Kizuna.
“Oi! Can’t you see me?”
Kizuna grasped the shoulder of one of the girl and turned her at his direction.
That girl finally looked at Kizuna.
“Listen, I……”
However the gaze of that girl was passing through Kizuna’s body and focused at the far ahead. She didn’t recognize Kizuna’s figure at all. There was nothing particularly unusual in this girl, she was a really normal girl with expression and eyes that weren’t wrong at all.
It was just that she was unable to see Kizuna’s figure, she also couldn’t hear his voice.
“Hey―, what’s wrong―?”
The girl’s company called to her.
“Eh? Hmm. Nothi―ng.”
The girl that Kizuna stopped chased after the other two female students with fast steps and like that they continued to talk while walking.
‘―――What the heck, just what is the meaning of this?’
Many people were passing through around Kizuna. However, no one noticed Kizuna’s existence. Something cold crawled at Kizuna’s back.
‘They didn’t hear my voice even when I was talking to them, they also didn’t see me. This is, as if――’
“It’s like they are hypnotized……don’t you think?”
He heard a voice that he recognized. Kizuna turned back to the direction of the voice with a startled jump.
“You have come Kizuna.”
At the other side of the crowd of people, Hida Nayuta showed her figure wearing the clothes of the AU. Behind her was Valdy sticking close to her like a shadow in her magic armor Rael.
“Kaa-san!”
The moment Kizuna saw his mother’s figure, he tasted a nervousness that was even similar with terror. His legs unintentionally froze and he was unable to immediately rush.
‘Shit-! Get a grip Hida Kizuna! What are you doing getting cold feet at your mother! Just what are you coming this far for!’
Kizuna encouraged himself and glared at his mother. And then he stepped forward resolutely as though to rush forward, he walked until in front of his mother.
Looking at Kizuna who was like that, Nayuta was showing her usual kind smile.
“Ka……Kaa-san.”
When he saw that smile, things that he wanted to say, things that he wanted to ask suddenly welled up. Mountains of doubt and questions searched for an exit at the same time, making his throat hitched and no voice came out.
“Fufufu, I know what you want to ask. Why are these people not recognizing us, isn’t it?”
“Ye, yeah……that’s, true.”
There were other questions, there was something even more important to him. He tried to say that, but Nayuta’s words cut him off.
“Exactly as you guessed, they are put under a powerful suggestion. They cannot recognize the current situation and live inside the happy world before the Another Universe Conflict.”
Kizuna gulped audibly.
“Why……why are you doing this?”
“Because it will be really difficult for the experiment if they have free will left.”
‘――Experiment?’
“I promised you that I will show you something interesting didn’t I? Look over there.”
Chasing after Nayuta’s gaze, his eyes were caught at a strange machine installed at the intersection.
It was like a tree created from metal and electronic components. The trunk part was made from metal and entangled complexly by cables, it was growing high until around twenty meters. From the middle of the trunk, several antennas protruded out like spreading branches. And then from the tips, thin cables like telephone lines were spreading to four directions.
With that metal tree as the center, a metallic magic circle with diameter that reached fifty meters was spread on the ground. When he looked carefully, he noticed that the magic circle was drawn by a gathering of metallic cables that formed the tree in the center.
“This is……the interesting, thing?”
Kizuna didn’t understand just what was this thing that was like an object of modern art. But, he also felt like it was anticlimactic.
At that time, an office worker wearing a suit was hurriedly passing through Kizuna. He was apologizing with his all at the smartphone he held to his ear while sweating from his forehead.
“I’m sorry, the train was a little late……yes, in ten minutes……yes, my deepest apology. I will arrive soon.”
“He can use……smartphone?”
Nayuta shook her head to Kizuna who was whispering in admiration.
“Of course things like base station for telephone are not activated. That office worker is just feeling that he is making a call. He is not talking with anyone. Rather than that, look at the trace of his step.”
Being told by Nayuta, Kizuna dropped his gaze to the ground that the office worker passed through. There, his footsteps were dimly shining in bluish white, before long it was absorbed into the ground and vanished.
“What’s, that light just now?”
In order to answer Kizuna’s murmur, Nayuta pointed at the tree standing in the intersection.
Light particles were rushing about inside the magic circle drawn on the ground. Those lights arrived on the cable and reached the tree at the center. And then the tree trunk raised the bluish white light above as though it was taking water from the ground. And then that light was transmitted to the cables stretching out from the branches and crossed to the other side of the street.
The light passed over the moat of the imperial palace and vanished at the Entrance that was materialized there. The radiant light traveled along the cable and flowed into the AU.
“Kaa-san……what is that, just now?”
“Life force is sucked from that human then converted into energy.”
“Wha……”
Kizuna doubted his ears.
“What I called as energy is……that’s right, as I thought, calling it [magic power] imitating that world is suitable. Currently it only targeted the area around the Entrance, but three is the plan that before long the whole area inside Yamanote line will become a magic power plant.”
A great number of people were passing through in front of his eyes. Life force was stolen from all of the steps of the crowd. And then light particles followed the cables and flowed into the Entrance.
“Magic power? Plant……you said?”
Kizuna was unable to understand the meaning of those words.
“All of the people inside the Yamanote line are turned into an energy source for the sake of supplying magic power. They are supplying their life force that is their stamina and willpower as energy, that is what it means.”
‘What the hell, is that…….’
“Isn’t that, completely the same like the mechanism of Heart Hybrid Gear?”
“Yes. That’s why they will die if their energy is completely wrung out. That will just not work. For that reason an adequate management is necessary. The plant is absorbing half of the energy that humans recover in one day.”
“Why just half? It’s strangely kind just in that kind of place huh.”
Kizuna intended to say that as sarcasm with his all. But Nayuta didn’t even notice and continued her explanation.
“If we collect it all, humans won’t be able to do their activity. They will be completely asleep the whole day. That will inevitably invite the decline of stamina and there is high possibility of their life becoming short. That will result in a small amount of energy obtained. That’s why, in order to collect energy in the most efficient way, I make them to live following the schedule that I planned. For that sake they are given powerful suggestion like this.”
Kizuna stared at the coming and going people dumbfoundedly.
“Just why in the world, Kaa-san did something like this……this magic power, what in the world is it?”
“If I have to say it simply, it’s the all-purpose energy in the world over there. Although right now they are faced with a serious problem of the energy drying up. This is the countermeasure for that.”
‘The AU’s, energy problem she said?’
“Don’t fuck with me……they are invading this world for something like that?”
“Even if for argument’s sake it’s like that, but this is not really something that is particularly rare right? It also often happened in our world here.”
“That’s not the problem! You think doing something cruel like this can be forgiven!?”
“It can.”
“-……!”
Kizuna couldn’t say anything after getting an answer that was said so naturally like that.
“Isn’t this fine? They look happy see? Look at them, Kizuna.”
Kizuna looked at the faces of the walking company worker and students. There was a grim face and also a happy face, in any case they were faces that were living their respective ordinary day.
But that was a life that came from a fake ordinary day.
“Something like an ordinary day……a peace that is created from hypnotism, what kind of meaning is there in such a fictive happiness! Something like this is no different than livestock!”
Ten years ago he experienced being abandoned. Even so, someplace inside him there was a heart that was wishing for his mother. He honestly loved his mother. And now Kizuna threw his anger at that mother.
However, that mother spoke as if to admonish him.
“For the current them, being livestock is a fitting job.”
Kizuna clenched his fist.
‘――This is,
This is, my mother?
Come to think of it, perhaps I too am like a livestock for this person.
She raised me as a guinea pig, but she threw me away when I became unneeded.’
Kizuna glared at Nayuta with a grim expression.
“Kaa-san, I won’t expect anything from your conscience anymore. But, I’ll have you take responsibility.”
“Responsibility? For what I wonder?”
“For making Heart Hybrid Gear and then forcing it to other people! Why did you create something like Heart Hybrid Gear!? That kind of weapon! Not only that, you even went to AU and created for them Heart Hybrid Gear called magic armor!”
Nayuta suddenly sighed.
“Kizuna is making a mistake of the major premise here.”
“Mistake? What mistake! Making excuse after this far is――”
“The Core of Heart Hybrid Gear is not something that I created.”
‘……What?’
“The Core is a substance from AU. I also investigated it in Vatlantis, but over there the Core is also treated as a mysterious OOPArt, it’s unclear with what kind of technology it was created from. Most likely it was created by the race in the time before the Vatlantis Empire……by the people that ruled over the AU in the prehistoric era, that’s what I think.”
“Tha, that’s impossible! Then, how……”
“Around the outbreak of the 1st Another Universe Conflict, a Core was discovered nearby an Entrance. Most likely there was an outbreak of small scale Entrance. That Entrance was connected to the place where Vatlantis stored their Cores by accident and the Cores fell into the world over here……this is nothing but a hypothesis though.”
‘It’s not something, that Kaa-san created, she said?’
“It seems that, in the ancient times, these Cores were items that magicians used. They created armor using their own magic power, equipped their bodies with powerful weapons, it was a kind of magic tool. However, there is no magic power in humans. However looking at my research, I understood that there is something with energy that is extremely close to magic power. That is……”
Kizuna scowled his face.
“That is, the life force of humans……the energy of the living is it?”
“Right. Thanks to that replacement energy, even humans without magic power can bring forth Heart Hybrid Gear. What I did was only creating a mechanism to use human life force in replacement of magic power.”
“Then……even the method to suppress the reduction of Hybrid Count, or extracting the Core……”
“I don’t know.”
‘Shit-! Even though I finally found Kaa-san, it doesn’t solve anything.’
“――No, anyway……I’ll have you return to Ataraxia. If Kaa-san doesn’t know, then think how to do it from now on. Together with the method to repel back the AU.”
Kizuna opened the communication window.
“This is Kizuna. I discovered Kaa-sa……Professor Nayuta, I’ll take her back after this. Lend me a hand.”
Before he could finish saying that, Aine landed down from the sky.
“Kizuna! Professor Nayuta!”
When Nayuta noticed Aine’s figure, she raised her voice happily.
“Aah, Aine. So you came, I’ve waited for you.”
Aine faced Nayuta with a dubious face.
“Waiting……for me?”
“Yes. I’m expecting you. For your forbidden armament.”
‘――what is Kaa-san talking about?’
Aine too tilted her neck similarly like Kizuna.
“I don’t understand the meaning of what professor is talking about but……anyway, let’s return to Ataraxia.”
At that time, an unfamiliar high pitched voice resounded.
“I found you, Zeros!”
Kizuna searched for the owner of the voice and looked around his surroundings.
At the other side of the street, a battleship of AU was slowly showing its appearance from the gap of the buildings. The sight of the gigantic battleship showing its appearance from the cover of the building possessed a bizarre pressure.
It was a 500 meter-class battleship with elegant line and slim body. Thanks to its slimness, it could fly above a wide street. The hull was colored bright red, it was a type that they really never encountered before.
However, he recognized the figure that was standing on the bow of that ship.
The large type magic armor Demon which was crossing its arms. And then, the petite girl with twintails named Ragrus who was settled inside that large body.
“I thought that you will absolutely come to meet Nayuta! Now, I’ll catch and drag you in front of Zelsione-sama!”
The gear ignited its thruster and charged towards Aine.
Valdy raised a panicked voice.
“Ra, Ragrus, inside the wide area magic circle is-”
“I know! I must not dirty the sorcery of Zelsione-sama! Rather than that, catch those guys!”
“Eh……ah, so, sorry.”
Valdy’s arm starting from her elbow suddenly vanished.
At that time when Aine tried to move from the line of movement of Ragrus’s charge, a steel claw grasped Aine’s arm.
“Wha-……what’s with this.”
Aine felt creepy staring at the steel arm that grew out from thin air.
“Aine!? Shit-, that girl!”
Even Kizuna’s arm that was trying to go to help was also similarly restrained. Kizuna had cold sweat from Demon that was approaching with amazing speed. Demon’s large hands opened and approached Kizuna and Aine.
‘Damn it! It’s going to be dangerous at this rate if we get caught by that!’
Demon’s stout arms quickly reached out and grasped Kizuna and Aine’s body.
‘――Damn!’
Kizuna struggled trying to escape from Demon’s palm, but Demon’s terrifying grip strength grasped Kizuna and Aine’s body tightly. Demon ignited its thruster and rushed through the wide road. Kizuna and Aine were kept in its grasp and they passed through the overhead structure of Yamanote line in the blink of an eye.
“Now, we can rampage as we please if it’s on this side. Well, I guess you two will be crushed in my grasp first before that won’t you?”
The gigantic palms clenched with all its strength on Kizuna and Aine’s body.
Aine made an anguished expression and desperately resisted that power.
“Kuh……this”
Blue light of magic power rushed through the surface of Aine’s Zeros. She put her body’s full strength and tried to pry open the fingers of Demon. However just enduring Demon’s strength was the best she could do.
Eros’s armor raised a scream at the severe pressure. Cracks entered the surface and fragments scattered all over.
‘――Damn it, at this rate, we are going to get crushed for real!’
Kizuna endured his body that was raising creaking sounds while reaching out his right hand as if trying to grasp something.
“Mode Neros!”
The pink light that ran on Kizuna’s Heart Hybrid Gear [Eros] changed color to red. At the same time, the power of Himekawa Hayuru’s Neros now resided in Eros.
“Come! Sword!!”
A sword was created inside Kizuna’s palm.
“Wai-! What’s with that!?”
It was the result of his Climax Hybrid with Himekawa. Kizuna’s Eros made the ability of the partner he had Climax Hybrid with as his and with that he was able to create the weapon of said partner. He quickly grasped the created sword and aimed not at the Demon, but directly at Ragrus.
‘――Even if she is not killed, it’s enough to stop her movement. Rather I’ll let her live and capture her as a prisoner!”
“HAAAA-!”
He determined his aim at Ragrus’s shoulder and swung down his sword.
“Chih!”
Ragrus threw away Kizuna and Aine’s body with all her strength.
“UWAAAAAAAAAA!”
Kizuna’s body gouged the pavement of the street and rebounded. He rolled around for some hundred meters in bounces.
“Kuh, SHITTTT!”
He somehow controlled his balance with his thruster and halted his body by sinking in his feet into the road.
When he raised his face, Aine had recovered her posture even quicker than Kizuna and rushed in order to intercept Ragrus.
“Here I go, big guy!”
“Show me the power of the rumored Zeros!”
Demon’s gigantic hand chop was swinging down. Aine crossed her arm and blocked it overhead.
“Guu……-!”
The impact pierced her whole body. Cracks ran through the road surface from below Aine’s feet. Her arms almost broke.
“Hah! You block well. But, there is still more after this-!”
A punch with large swing blew away Aine. Aine’s body flew in a straight line and crashed into the building at the opposite side of the street.
“Aine!”
Kizuna lit up his thruster and rushed at Ragrus.
“URAAAAAAA-!”
He readied Sword right beside him and flashed it horizontally. Fierce metallic sound and sparks scattered and the sword broke right into two.
“……-!!”
It was blocked by the thick armor that covered Demon’s upper arm.
“Just what are you……doing-!”
In exchange, Demon’s back fist bored into Eros’s body.
“Guha-!”
With one attack that lightly shook him off, Kizuna’s body once again rolled on the street and smashed into the roadside tree.
Aine who raised her body from the rubble of the building walked out in front of Demon.
“Fuh……I’m displeased with this stupidly huge body, but how it’s using bare fist instead of projectile weapon is pleasing. I’ll get serious too now.”
Aine looked up at Ragrus with her red eyes and put her fist forward, while half her body moved back. Blue light ran through her whole body.
“Are you thinking that you can win against this me with that kind of tiny magic armor? If I beat you up and take you home, Zelsione-sama will……surely praise me. She will more, to me……”
The moment Ragrus had a distant look, smoke raised from below Aine’s feet. She kicked the ground and displayed a god speed step in.
“!?”
Demon immediately blocked with both its hands at the front. Aine’s fist struck at the arm shield. Shockwave was transmitted to Demon’s body and shook Ragrus’s body.
“Tsuu! ……Hee, so you can get out a really heavy attack with that kind of body. But, it doesn’t work on Demon!”
Gigantic fist was swung down. The fist that hit empty air sunk into the road and shockwave that was like an explosion happened. Fragments that became little pieces scattered at the surroundings, breaking the glass of the buildings that faced the street.
Riding that explosion, Aine ran to Ragrus’s side. She leaned her body diagonally until she almost fell and circled around while opposing the centrifugal force. She kicked the ground and jumped, twisted her body instantly, and unleashed a spinning kick.
The kick aimed at where the armor was thin, the upper arm. Even if Demon blocked it, it was supposed to inflict quite a damage.
However――,
“Naïve!”
Aine’s body was pierced by a red beam.
“Aine!”
“KYAAAAAAAAAA-!”
Demon’s palm opened and directed at Aine’s body. There was a hole opening right at the center of that palm.
“Particle cannon’s firing hole!? That bastard, so it actually has a projectile weapon!”
Ragrus broadly grinned daringly.
“After all a trump card has to be saved in reserve!”
Aine that was hit directly by the beam collapsed on the ground with smoke rising from Zeros.
‘Shit-, at this rate Aine will-!’
Kizuna stared at the broken sword in his hand.
Now that Sword had broken, there was only that left.
“Isn’t that right, Himekawa!”
Kizuna threw away the broken sword and yelled.
“Blade!!”
Four streaks of light glowed on Kizuna’s back. Those lights converged and created swords that shined like something wet. Those were the swords that soared in the sky, faithfully following Himekawa’s Neros, the [Blades].
“This is the trump card of the current me!”
Blades flew out from behind Kizuna. It rushed in the sky with speed that the eyes couldn’t follow. However, he couldn’t control them skillfully like Himekawa. It was difficult to draw complex trajectories like Himekawa could, it was his limit to prepare straight attack from four directions.
“Aah― geez, how irritating!”
Demon scattered light particle from its thruster and retreated in panic.
Kizuna used that chance to rush at Aine’s location.
“Aine! You okay!?”
After he hugged her up, Aine stood up on her own feet even while her face was distorted in pain.
“Rather than that……what about that girl?”
“Don’t worry, right now she is facing the Blades……”
Demon pulled back until an intersection and entered the side road. Her figure vanished from Kizuna’s sight.
‘――Damn it!’
The Blades floated stood still at the intersection. Blade was something that he controlled himself. The instant its figure vanished from his sight, it became impossible to control. If he had piled up experience and training as much as Himekawa, perhaps he would be able to make them fly to a certain degree. But, it was impossible for the current Kizuna. It was something like flying with your eyes closed. It was impossible if he didn’t have the map of the city memorized perfectly.
“Aine, it’s dangerous if we don’t move!”
The moment Kizuna and Aine’s thrusters spouted out rings of light, the department store right beside them exploded. The glass of the entrance was blown away into pieces and the marble pillar broke. A huge hole was opened going through the department store, the light of the particle cannon that gouged out that wall attacked Kizuna and Aine.
“UOOWAAAAA-!”
Explosion of flames occurred at the place the two were at. Fierce shockwaves and flames enveloped Kizuna and Aine’s body. The bodies of the two were sent flying by the explosion and floated in the air before crashing and rolling on the road.
Passing through the gaping wide hole in the building, a gigantic magic armor appeared.
“Really, you really give me a lot of trouble.”
“Sh……it”
Strength couldn’t enter his body. If he didn’t quickly take distance, they would be killed.
Demon’s feet stomped on the rubble, and step by step, it was approaching.
“I’m taking away Zeros. The black one over there…..I should kill it I guess.”
Blood and sweat flowed down Kizuna’s forehead. He could put strength into his arm and leg, but he was dizzy and couldn’t concentrate.
Demon came right beside Kizuna.
“Now, have your resolved yourself I wonder?”
Ragrus was looking down at Kizuna with a haughty face. The inside of Kizuna’s chest froze instantly.
‘Shit-! I don’t care what method it is, I’ve got to get away from this girl!’
Kizuna raised his body with his elbow and rolled on the rubble trying to escape.
“GUAA-!”
When Kizuna’s posture became looking up, Demon’s leg stepped on Kizuna. His ribs creaked and his internal organs felt like they were going to burst.
”Don’t dart about like a pest! Be obedient already.”
He was lightly stepped not for crushing him but for stopping his movement, but even so it was a heavy mass that could crush him to death.
Demon’s gigantic fist was slowly lifted up. The gigantic steel fist could pulverize Kizuna’s head just by its weight. That brutal weapon was now hanged over Kizuna’s head.
‘Damn it! At this rate I’ll be crushed to death!’
“Her I go black one! Drop dead!”
“Don’t fuck with me-! No way I’ll die in this kind of place!!”
As though in response to that scream, light gleamed in the sky.
‘――That’s?
The next instant, a pillar of light pierced in front of his eyes.
Ragrus opened her eyes wide in shock.
“!? ……Wha-!!”
A fierce explosion happened.
The shockwave made even Demon’s gigantic size step back. Kizuna’s body was blown away by the shockwave, he rolled out from under Demon’s floating foot.
Demon hardened its guard by its both arms and endured the impact while staggering a few meters back.
“Wha, just what in the world is……”
What happened in the next moment was an impact that should be feared even more.
Gigantic mass dropped down from the sky. The ground caved in and the cracked pavement broke and floated in the air. The water pipe and gas line underground ruptured causing a fierce explosion and water spray.
“Captain! Are you safe desu!?”
A sound he was familiar with resounded. Kizuna pushed away the rubbles weighing on him and raised his upper body.
“Sylvia!!”
With the arising conflagration on its back, the figure that fell down from the sky was flickering. Ragrus unintentionally whispered from looking up at that figure.
“Mo……monster?”
A huge monster could be seen. It had arms and legs, but it didn’t look humanoid. Its balance was bad, and its irregularly long neck that stuck out to the front even looked animalistic.
And then, above all, was its largeness.
With flames on its background, the figure that shed black shadow was running with purple light. It could be understood that it was using magic power as energy from that radiance. But――,
“Ju……just what is, is this……magic weapon?”
Until now Ragrus had never seen a magic armor even larger than Demon. No matter what kind of opponent it was, she always looked down at them from above.
But, this thing was different.
The head that looked like a dragon, but also looked like a rabbit, was shining with light that imitated eyes and mouth. Those purple eyes were shining far above Ragrus’s head.
Its shape and size wasn’t like magic armor. Rather it was closer to a magic weapon, but if that was the case, then just what was that girl settled at the center of that body could possibly be.
“I made you wait desu! The adjustment finally just finished desu!”
Kizuna opened his eyes wide at that size which he witnessed for the first time.
“Sylvia……this is, you?”
“Yes! This is Sylvia’s Heart Hybrid Gear [Taros] desu!”
It was a super large Heart Hybrid Gear. Exactly like a monster Heart Hybrid Gear.
Kizuna stood on his feet staggeringly and looked up at that large body.
“So this is……the result of the install that Sylvia and I performed, huh.”
“Yes! This is our first group work, the crystallization of love desu!”
Looking at it from nearby, he once again felt for real the largeness of every single part that composed Taros.
There were thrusters on the shoulder that controlled the posture, but with that many it felt like they could be used for several normal magic armors’ share. And then there was a large caliber main cannon at the exterior. The cannon muzzle had the size where a person could comfortably enter, it was not a weapon that could be handled by a magic armor. Rather it was a size that should be packed in a battleship.
The left and right arms were asymmetrical, at the right hand was a rectangle tough hammer, and the left hand became a gun. Something like a huge safe key was attached on the hammer for some reason. As for the gun, it looked nothing more than a thick metallic plank at a glance, but there were two eeriely large holes opened on the tip.
There were two-motored large rockets that were in charge of the mobility. A sword shaped large thruster was supplementing it. That absurd propulsive force looked like it could even fly away Taros’s large body until outside the atmosphere.
“Sylvia won’t let you lay even a single finger anymore on Captain desu!”
Ragrus whipped up her faltering heart and roused herself.
“What’s with you! Just because you have a big frame doesn’t mean anything!”
Demon ignited its thruster and struck at Taros.
Sylvia turned at Kizuna’s direction and yelled.
“Captain! Please leave this to Sylvia!”
“Bu, but!”
The charging forward demon broke the street light and the lowered fist gouged up the ground. It was like a launched rocket, the steel fist was shot heading to Taros.
The two gigantic Heart Hybrid Gears clashed.
With its tough hammer that looked like a safe, Taros blocked that fist. And then it swung its left arm that was like a thick steel plank.
Demon was blown back altogether with its guarding arm and crashed into the building that faced the street. Its body sunk into the wall and the impact of the crash tilted the building, glasses cracked all at once.
In order to deal attack to the downed enemy, Taros’s hammer was driven horizontally. Just on the verge of the hit, Demon escape and the hammer pulverized the wall and the pillar of that building into pieces. The building became unable to support its weight from that impact and crumbled down. Intense dust clouds and flames rose.
Kizuna opened a communication window while evading the dust.
“Aine! We are leaving this place to Sylvia and retreating!”
Aine was projected on the window and let out an amazed voice.
{Wait I mean, what is that? That’s really Sylvia’s Heart Hybrid Gear? That looks more like a monster.}
“Save the question for later. Rather than that, we will rendezvous at the sky for the moment!”
After saying that, Kizuna ignited his thruster and flew to the sky. When he came out of the dust smoke, Aine whose figure came out similarly like him entered his eyes. Aine also noticed him and flew towards Kizuna.
Kizuna opened a communication window with Sylvia.
“Sylvia, I beg you don’t force yourself! This is an order!”
{Roger desu!}
A smile and energetic voice returned from the communication window. Kizuna was slightly relieved and closed the communication window.
Aine stared in astonishment at the explosion that Taros and Demon created.
“So, that thing is……no, we can talk about that later. Rather than that, what are we going to do about Professor Nayuta?”
“Aah. Maybe we should go back to the place just now. Or else……”
Kizuna got quiet and created a grim scowl.
He wanted to catch her so much. However, the longer they stayed the higher the risk. If there were more powerful opponents like Demon that appeared, it would be hard to deal with it. He couldn’t get impatient and expose everyone’s life to danger by his whim.
“No……we understand well now of Tokyo’s situation, the result is more than enough as an operation. There is no meaning in remaining here longer. We are falling back.”
Kizuna opened a communication window in order to give out the retreat order to all members.
However, Kizuna lost his word from looking at the figure that was projected there.
{Going home already Kizuna? Take your time a little more slowly here.}
“Ka-……Kaa-san!?”
Nayuta’s figure cut into the communication window as if it had been hacked. The communication from Gertrude in Ataraxia opened beside the window that reflected Nayuta. Reiri’s face came out from the side and reflected in close-up.
{Kizuna, don’t listen to her! You’ve got enough result. We can form the next strategy with this! It’s fine already, just go home!}
Nayuta showed an exaggerated shrug of her shoulders.
{Reiri is too impatient. You can take a bit more time……that’s right, after two hours the elite squad native of Vatlantis, the imperial guard, that is under the direct control of the emperor will arrive here.}
Elite squad……the imperial guard she said?
{That Ragrus just now and Valdy over here are members of the imperial guard you know? If you come here for scouting, then isn’t it better to pay some respect to them once?}
{No need. If those kinds of fellows are coming as reinforcement, we’ve got to retreat as fast as possible instead. Kizuna, give the retreat order to everyone. Hurry!}
Reiri acted obstinately and rejected Nayuta’s words.
{Is that so……then it can’t be helped if that’s how you act. Well then, let’s kill all the humans that are becoming the energy source of the magic power plant all at once.}
It took him time to understand the meaning of those words.
‘――Kill she said……does she mean, killing humans? Also, all of them!?’
Kizuna opened his eyes wide and yelled with a loud voice.
“What are you running your mouth about! I don’t get what you mean! Besides, something like that……killing all of them all at once, there is no way that’s possible!”
{It’s simple. It will happen if the limiter is just released and their life force is sucked out all at once.}
“……-!”
Even Reiri questioned her with a hollow voice.
{Right now……how many people are there in Tokyo?}
{There are two million people in the experiment site. Aah, but you don’t need to worry that much about it. In the present condition only a part of them are becoming the energy source of the plant, so the one that will die will be nothing more than around a hundred thousand people.}
Kizuna felt dizzy.
“You are taking a hundred thousand people…….as hostage?”
Nayuta clapped both her hands.
{Let’s play a game.}
There was no one left that could follow Nayuta’s speech and conduct. The meaning was unclear. It was nonsensical.
Kizuna unconsciously held his head.
“Game……what’s with that! What the heck are you talking about!”
However Nayuta explained calmly.
{If you annihilate all the magic weapons and fleet that are stationed in this bay coast area, I’ll return back to Ataraxia. But, if you return home before that, I’ll absorb the life of a hundred thousand people dry.}
Kizuna didn’t understand at all, just what was his mother thinking, or how much of what she talked about was serious. But, he had the feeling of dread, that if it was this person then she might really do it.
Annihilate the enemy……could they do it? Kizuna asked himself.
He didn’t know if it was before, but for the current Amaterasu and Masters, magic weapons were just not a match for them. The problem was the fleet, but it was possible to deal with them if they could just use Corruption Armament. However, it would be a protracted battle with how many the enemy number was. Looked like he was really going to do Heart Hybrid on the battlefield. But if there was just time……they could do it!
Nayuta called for attention, as though she had predicted Kizuna’s thinking.
{I said it too before, but there is about two hours until the imperial guard arrive. That’s the time limit.}
“Two hours……huh.”
Kizuna knitted his eyebrows. It was really strict, but it wasn’t impossible. It was a time that made him think so.
{If you can annihilate the magic weapons and return before that, it’s your victory. It’s your lost if the imperial guard arrives. I’ll especially go without any punishment game even if you lose. After all if the imperial guard come then your survival rate will really go down, that’s already like the punishment game isn’t it?}
Reiri asked with a stiff voice.
{Why? For what reason you go that far!? If that hundred thousand people die, you won’t be able to make more magic power. Why are you taking so much risk for holding back Kizuna and the others?}
Nayuta smiled sweetly.
{This is the long awaited reunion with my children. It’s only natural to wish to be together with them as long as possible right?}
{There is limit even to being transparent!}
Reiri couldn’t hold back and yelled angrily. However, she heaved a large sigh and glared at her mother with a bold smile.
{But…..this is rare, coming from you. To dodge the question with such a stupid joke.}
{Hm? Is that so I wonder?}
Reiri snorted with a motivated face.
{Hmph, you don’t plan to kill them from the beginning. Isn’t that right? For you too, those hundred thousand people should be an important resource. To say nothing of the threat of killing a hundred thousand people with such silly reason, that’s impossible even for someone like you.}
Nayuta huffed a little, looking at the proud Reiri.
{Fuh, ufufufufu, ahahahahahahahahaha}
Nayuta raised a laugh in amusement.
{Aah, geez-, Reiri. You are really an idiot aren’t you?}
Reiri’s expression hardened.
{Something like a hundred thousand people is not that much. I told you already before right? Even just in this experiment site there are two million people you know? And then in this world there are tens of millions of humans.”
Reiri’s complexion changed, her eyes were swimming unfocusedly. Sweat flowed on Reiri’s chest.
{Bu, but, even if it’s you, to kill that many lives……}
{I don’t understand the basis of the thinking that someone can kill a person, yet they cannot kill a hundred thousand. Killing a person made you a killer, but kill ten thousand and you are a hero, there is also such saying isn’t it?}
Kizuna was made to realize once again. The dreadfulness of his own mother.
‘――Kaa-san, is serious.’
She wouldn’t steal life meaninglessly just for fun. However, if it was to achieve some objective, if it was needed, she would surely kill without hesitation. It was like dissecting a mouse in an experiment. By no means that the one doing it was having fun. But if it was for the sake of an objective, then there was no reason to hesitate.
It was irrelevant whether it was a person, or a hundred thousand people. This was not a problem of numbers.
Reiri hit the console nearby with all her strength.
{This……demon-!}
Kizuna could hear from the communication window, he heard the voice of his sister that was on the verge of tears. He barely raised a voice with his clenched teeth.
“……It’s fine as long as we annihilated everything isn’t it, Kaa-san?”
{Yes.}
“Got it.”
{Kizuna!}
He could hear the reproaching voice of Reiri from the window.
“Nee-chan. Kaa-san is……this person, is not thinking of human life as anything at all. No, that’s not it. For this person, humans are the same like a thing or tool. That’s why, perhaps, she will really kill a hundred thousand people. There is no need to hesitate at all.”
Kizuna opened the communication window once more and transmitted to all members.
“Informing all members. Strategy change. With our current battle strength, there is no problem in annihilating the enemy. We are sweeping clean the enemy in Tokyo! We are finishing this in two hours! But don’t do anything reckless. Those with their Hybrid Count in yellow zone are to report to me without fail! In the case that there is no response, retreat from the front line without hesitation. Okay!? Well then, all hands a go-!!”
He cut the communication with Nayuta when he opened that communication. Kizuna slumped his shoulders then.
“Shit-! Just what is Kaa-san thinking?”
Aine murmured worriedly.
“Kizuna……I wonder if there is a reason or anything in Professor Nayuta’s action? For me, I really cannot think that she has any design. It’s as if, this is just a whim or a simple idea……”
“Yeah, honestly saying, I also think so. But, Kaa-san shouldn’t be someone that will do anything meaningless. That’s why, she must have some kind of aim.”
However, they couldn’t do anything if they didn’t understand what it was.
At that time, Himekawa’s line suddenly opened.
{This is Himekawa. Kizuna-kun! Can you hear me?}
“What’s wrong Himekawa?”
{I’m in the middle of battle with the battleships at Tokyo Bay, but perhaps it’s because I overused the Corruption Armament, my Hybrid Count’s reduction is intense……that, I’m greatly sorry but, can you, re, replenish……}
Feeling of impatience was whirling inside Kizuna. His clenched teeth made a gritting sound.
Their lifeline that was the Corruption Armament had already one that became unusable. What left was Yurishia’s Crosshead and Aine’s Pulverizer. To overcome this situation, Aine’s Pulverizer was more suitable rather than Yurishia. However…….
“Aine……this is an emergency situation, no matter what your――”
At the same time with Kizuna talking to Aine, Yurishia’s window was opened.
{Can I make a request too? After all the enemy’s number is a lot, so the reduction rate is quite steep. It will feel a little uneasy if it’s not replenished soon.}
Kizuna immediately contacted Ataraxia.
“This is Kizuna! The Hybrid Count reduction of Himekawa and Yurishia are more than imagined. I want to do Heart Hybrid urgently.”
Aine made a surprised face. That surely was because she thought that she would be ordered to equip her Corruption Armament.
“E……err.”
Ataraxia’s window opened covering over what Aine wanted to say. In the window was a restless Reiri answering him.
{Got it, wait for five minutes. I’ll send the Love Room soon.}
“Love Room? In five minutes!?’
However, Reiri didn’t answer him and cut the communication immediately.
“Just how in the world Nee-chan is going to do it……is she going to use a helicopter like the time I did Climax Hybrid with Himekawa previously……no, five minutes is impossible with that……”
After that a contact came from Kei this time. She sent him the coordinate and told him to move to that location.
Kizuna and Aine moved in the air and headed to the designated place at once.
“This place, Tokyo’s Yaesu huh.”
It was the business district in front of Tokyo Station, but right now there was not a trace of it that could be recognized. Looking around from the sky, the surface of the surrounding was a mountain of rubble. There were also remaining buildings, but there was not a single one that was undamaged.
“Kizuna-kun! I made you wait.”
Himekawa came flying from the direction of Tokyo Bay.
“Kizunaa―, what are we doing in this kind of place?”
Next after her Yurishia arrived.
“No, even I don’t really understand about that. It’s just, I was told to wait here.”
The four floated in the air forming a circle. They watched each other’s back and waited for the Love Room’s arrival, but there was not the littlest sign that it would come. Just when he was getting impatient of what to do, a line from Ataraxia was connected to him once more.
{Kizuna, it will impact soon. Be careful.}
“Eh……impact you say?”
A sound like flying missile could be heard from the sky.
The next moment, a large rocket passed beside Kizuna and the others.
“……-!?”
It looked like an ICBM. A sound of destruction roared and it pierced at the middle of the business district. The impact raised fiercely billowing dust cloud with the missile at the center, the cloud was spreading in ring shape.
All present had deployed their Life Saver in preparation of the impact, but there was no sign of explosion.
“The explosion……didn’t happen. Is it a dud?”
Kizuna yelled towards the communication window to Ataraxia.
“You plan to kill us!? I heard that you are going to send the Love Room, but I’ve never heard of any ICBM coming instead!”
{That’s the new model Love Room. The middle range ballistic missile replenishment room!}
“Eh……?”
The rocket divided like a three stage rocket. The engine part that was at the farthest back fell to the ground just like that and raised a loud sound, but the middle part itself was attached with posture control thruster, it laid down on the rubble without even any large impact. And then it fired fixing anchors from its four corners that stabbed into the ground.
The setting of the new mode Love Room middle range ballistic missile replenishment room was finished.
“Don’t tell me……I had never thought that it will be carried by a rocket.”
“Our technical research department really used an out of the box method huh.”
Himekawa and Yurishia spoke in astonishment.
“Yosh, then Aine――no, Himekawa.”
Kizuna turned at Aine’s direction for a moment, but he immediately changed his direction at Himekawa.
“Eh……”
A sound leaked out unintentionally from Aine’s mouth.
Even though she was supposed to feel relieved because she didn’t get forced to do Climax Hybrid, she felt sad for some reason.
“Himekawa’s Hybrid Count is 20%, Yurishia is in 40%. That’s why Himekawa who is in more danger is prioritized. Is it fine?”
“Ye-, yes.”
Himekawa nodded with a reddened cheek.
“Actually if Hayuru and I can do Connective Hybrid, the talk will be faster though.”
Yurishia toyed her blonde hair with her finger while murmuring in disappointment.
“I guess……however, we still haven’t tried something like that in success, so we will go with a certain method.”
“Roger. I won’t let anything lay a finger on the Love Room, so rest assured. In exchange, next will be my turn okay☆”
Yurishia readied her particle cannon and took a pose with a wink. Kizuna smiled wryly and nodded, then he led Himekawa and their figures vanished into the Love Room.
Aine stared intently at the closed door of the Love Room. Yurishia lightly tapped at the shoulder of Aine who was being like that.
“Then, how about we go cleaning up the small fries Aine?”
“Yes……you’re right.”
Even so, Aine still stared at the door where the two disappeared with a sad gaze.
Part 3
Scarlet opened the missile unit on her back above the sky of Ginza that had become ruins.“-SHOOTTTTT-!”
The main weapon of Scarlet’s Heart Hybrid Gear [Ares] was the X-shaped missile unit equipped on her back. Large amounts of missiles were launched all at once from there. Each missiles detected a magic weapon and flew in pursuit while drawing a track of light behind. The missiles that were spreading to every directions made flowers of flame bloom one after another in the sky of Tokyo. Ten-odd magic weapons became particles of light and vanished.
“Hmph, this is easy! For the current me, this kind of bunch are just small fries!”
A magic weapon Albatross was flying from right under Scarlet that was in the middle of self-absorption.
“Eh!? Wa-, since when!?”
The Albatross that was standing by in an alleyway reacted to Scarlet and came attacking. It prepared its bayonet aimed at Scarlet and pulled the trigger.
Just right before that happened, the Albatross was blown away right to the side. A large hole was opened in its head, causing it to fall down to the city.
“Scarlet, letting your guard down is forbidden.”
It was a serious voice that seemed inflexible.
“Henrietta!”
The platinum blonde girl with glasses was flying while readying her long rifle.
“Thank you, you saved me!”
“Your welcome. Rather, Scarlet is getting too carried away.”
Henrietta lifted the rifle which had a length of almost double her height.
“I’ll cover you so Scarlet will……hm?”
Smoke was rising from the building a few blocks ahead in explosion where it was crumbling down. It was like a falling domino set, buildings were falling down in succession.
“Wha-, what is that?”
Scarlet raised a flustered voice.
Something pushed out from the building, entangled metallic lumps were flying out on the wide road.
“Magic Weapon!?”
Henrietta aimed her gun muzzle at those lumps.
“That’s not it! That’s……Sylvia!?”
Demon and Taros, the large magic armor and the super huge Heart Hybrid Gear kept entangled with each other while mowing down buildings, scattering sparks everywhere.
“YOUUUUU! MONSTERRR!”
Ragrus’s shriek burst out. Demon’s stout arm rained down consecutive blows on Taros’s armor, distorting the large frame.
“Withdraw back obediently desu! Get out from this world desu!”
The hammer at Taros’s right arm easily blew away Demon’s large body. Fierce impact attacked Demon and Ragrus.
“Kuh! How can this Demon lose in power-!”
Demon who was blown behind stabbed its leg parts in the ground. The ground was gouged up even while absorbing the impact and the body somehow held its ground.
There the gun at Taros’s left arm spouted out fire. Light bullet impacted Demon.
“Guwa-!”
Ragrus retreated while putting up a shield that was the same like Life Saver. The thruster on Demon’s leg parts jetted out particles and moved the large body in high speed.
“You won’t get away desu!”
Bullet that pursued Demon impacted the side of a building and explosion occurred in a line. The building broke following that line and crumbled down one after another.
“Even I also have fire power!”
Demon that escaped the bombing made a turn and faced Sylvia’s direction. And then Ragrus pointed at the sky, causing her battleship that was standing by above the sky to start to move.
“My true strength is not just Demon. A ship that moves following my will is also a part of my strength!”
Ragrus directed her palm at Sylvia and thrust it out.
The full bombardment of the battleship was opened and a bombardment aimed at Taros began. Bombardment that was like a rain was immediately heading to Sylvia and rained down. Fierce explosion opened holes on the street. Sylvia was attacked by flame explosion and shockwave.
“KUuUU-!”
Taros’s figure became not visible due to the bombardment’s explosion.
“Ahahahaha! How’s that, the barrage of my battleship!”
Sylvia deployed her Life Saver and protected her body from the explosion. However, at this rate it would only be a problem of time even for Taros to be defeated.
‘――First, Sylvia will shoot down that battleship desu!’
“IgnisMain cannon firing preparation desu!”
Rods elongated from Taros’s feett and back that stabbed the ground.
The large caliber particle cannon Ignis on both shoulders faced up and determined the aim at the red battleship. Purple light rushed on the whole surface of Taros, flowing into the main cannon [Ignis] of both shoulders.
The air around Taros was whirling, it was gradually increasing in momentum. And then the humming voice of low frequency wave, and a sound that was grating on the ear resounded, those sounds were becoming louder.
The purple radiance was focused in a twinkle and finally overflowed from Ignis. Taros’s figure was beginning to shine in purple color.
“GOOOOOOO–!”
Light to the degree that nothing in the front could be seen was bursting out. The ground trembled together with large reverberations that shook the bottom of the stomach. Taros’s body couldn’t withstand the impact and was pushed to the back while the rods that pierced the ground gouged up the pavement.
From both shoulders of Taros, pillar of light ran to the red battleship straightforwardly. That light instantly pierced the battleship. It evaporated the front armor and destroyed the mechanism inside until there was nothing left, the light particles opened a hole on the deck and rushed until it disappeared into the sky.
“Wha-!? What the hellll!”
Ragrus opened her mouth widely without closing it and stared in astonishment of her battleship sinking down.
The crimson battleship of the proud imperial guard, the ship that she received from Captain Zelsione that she loved and respected, was shot down in a single attack. Fragments of light scattered all over and fell down to the ground.
“……Unforgivable, unforgivable-, I absolutely, absolutely absolutely, won’t forgive this!”
From the whole body of Ragrus and Demon, red light that was like an aura was rising.
“Scorching Heat Soaring Arm ExplosionInferno!”
Ragrus’s body came out from Demon as if she was going to fall forward. She landed on the ground, due to her lack of leg part right now, her point of view was considerably lowered than before.
She looked up at her beloved magic armor with eyes that were blurred with tears.
In the next moment, Demon disassembled into scattered parts. And then, each single part changed shape in a transformation and reassembled once more.
The end result was like something which looked like an aircraft with arms as the frame, it could even be seen as a missile.
Looking up at the magic armor which had its appearance changed completely, Ragrus murmured with a trembling voice.
“I’ll put……all of my magic power. Demon’s strongest and worst, the true trump card……”
Ragrus’s hand touched Demon. Thereupon, red light of magic power was flowing into Demon from Ragrus’s body.
Sylvia felt a strange atmosphere from that state of Ragrus.
“By using all of the magic power of the wearer into energy, the main body of Demon will be used as a system that converts magic power into heat and light……this is Inferno. With this……I’ll erase everything.”
Sylvia’s back felt cold.
“Erase you say……what do you mean desu?”
Ragrus gently moved her hand that was put on Demon as if caressing it.
“If this is exploded in the sky, the area where the battle is carried out right now will be enveloped in heat and light of several thousand degrees. Everything will be destroyed, burnt, until there is nothing left……I’ll materialize a true hell here.”
“I, if you do such thing, even you will die desu!”
“There is no way I can live by exposing an even more shameful sight than this right!? To lose even the battleship that captain gifted me, I, don’t have any face anymore, to go home!”
Cold sweat flowed down Sylvia’s cheek.
“Of course, I will not just lie down and die. I’ll take everyone else to accompany me! This city of Lemuria, the humans, and you too!”
“Wait desu!”
However Ragrus didn’t listen. Demon too began to spout smoke, waiting for the time of the launching.
“Fly! And then, erase everything! My dream, my hope, my failure, and my humiliation too, everything. Please, Inferno!!”
The devil bullet was rushing towards the sky to make hell appear in this world.
Sylvia’s eyes shined in determination. She directed the hammer at Taros’s right arm to the sky.
“Seal release!”
The large safe key attached on the hammer was rotating. The steel bolt that sealed the mouth of the hammer was disconnected, and that door opened.
Sylvia sent communication to everyone all at once.
“Evacuate from the sky above Sylvia desu! Don’t come near one kilometer of the surroundings!”
Scarlet that heard of that transmission from relatively nearby got bewildered.
“Wha, what is it. So suddenly.”
Henrietta grasped the arm of Scarlet that was flustered.
“It’s some kind of a dangerous situation. Let’s evacuate.”
“I, I guess……wait, oy, don’t pull me like thattt!”
Sylvia directed the surface of the hammer which was released from its seal towards the Inferno that was rushing to the sky.
There was a hole that was like a cannon muzzle inside the seal. Inside it was a black whirling darkness.
“Corruption Armament [Ultimate Gravity CompressionTitania]!”
From the right arm of Taros that had been released from its seal, a pitch black darkness was launched.
It drew a black trajectory that light couldn’t get close to at all, the jet black lump chased after Inferno and rushed up the sky instantly.
Ragrus scoffed from looking at that situation.
“Hmph, it’s too late……with this……it’s already”
Ragrus who used up her strength collapsed on the ground.
“Zel, sione……sama, with this, I……”
Ragrus lost her consciousness while still keeping a happy smile on her face.
At the same time, Inferno burst open in the sky. It was an intense energy. That was the light of Ragrus’s life. It was as though one more sun was appearing above the earth.
――However,
One more celestial body was created above Tokyo.
It was a pitch black globe.
It didn’t allow for any existence of light, a black hole that opened in the sky.
The light and heat Inferno emitted were all absorbed into this black globe. The direction where the light advanced was forcibly warped and absorbed. Because of that, Tokyo’s sky was greatly distorted. And then in its center, even light couldn’t exist, a pitch black space was spreading.
Scarlet and Henrietta that were withdrawing quickly were staring in blank amazement at the black darkness spreading in the sky.
“Ju, just what is……that?”
“A cluster of gravity……that’s a black hole.”
“Yo, you are saying that such outrageous thing is a Corruption Armament!? Won’t something like that, destroy the earth instead!”
However, Titania was not something that was spreading without end. It stopped at a certain fixed range, and after it ate all of the energy of Inferno that was supposed to burn everything on the surface, it stopped.
And then, the black hole was shrinking in one go.
When that black lump was compressed until the size of a palm, it returned once more to Taros’s right arm once more. And then the sealing door was shut and locked at once.
“Fuwaaa, how nerve wracking desuuu……”
Sylvia almost collapsed from too much fatigue. In front of her reeling head, a floating window was opened. The happy face of Reiri in Ataraxia was projected.
{Sylvia, good job!}
“Commander. Thank you very much desu!”
Sylvia did her best to let out a bright voice so that her tired face didn’t show.
{But, your Hybrid Count is already near the limit. Avoid participating actively in battle from now on. Actually I want you to get replenished with Heart Hybrid, but……right now Himekawa is in the middle of Heart Hybrid, Aine and Yurishia are also waiting their turn.}
“It’s a great congestion isn’t it desu?”
{Therefore, withdraw for the moment. Stand by above the Pacific Ocean. Wait for further orders.}
“Roger desu.”
Sylvia ignited Taros’s rocket and retreated from Tokyo in the blink of an eye.
Aine standing on a building saw off the figure of Sylvia leaving.
She dealt mainly with Vikings and Blue Heads, the magic weapons which were inferior in mobility, but just when she defeated a squad of them she happened to see the battle between Sylvia and Ragrus.
And then Aine was shell-shocked from watching that battle. The overwhelming ability of Sylvia’s Taros and its Corruption Armament shocked her.
‘If it’s now, am I not needed anymore……’
Such thinking flashed in her head.
In addition Sylvia was honest. As for her, she always couldn’t be honest. She was a character that couldn’t be loved by other people, but if it was Sylvia then surely she would be loved by anyone.
‘――Surely, even Kizuna too.’
The moment she thought that, her chest hurt in prickles.
In addition Sylvia was also using Corruption Armament. That meant that she had also done Climax Hybrid with Kizuna.
Not only Sylvia. Hayuru also did Climax Hybrid, even now she was carrying out Heart Hybrid. Surely, after this Yurishia too would…….
‘Am I fine, with this?
I continue to reject Climax Hybrid no matter what. Right now Kizuna is still asking me to do Climax Hybrid, but eventually won’t he stop asking for it? And then someday, I myself will become unneeded, such day will…….’
Aine shook her head as if to clear away that thinking.
‘Right, so that even I don’t lose, Climax Hybrid is――,’
When she thought that, the next instant an anxiety that resembled terror welled up.
She must not do Climax Hybrid. Such warning was ringing inside her heart.
Something wrong would happen……she had that kind of hunch.
Suddenly a window opened and Scarlet’s face was reflected there.
{This is Scarlet. The nearby magic weapons are mostly dealt with. If there is anyone that wants help, the cavalry will rush there now!}
A window opened beside her, Clementine who liked western genre replied.
{It’s not necessary. Me and Sharon are enough for here.}
A different communication entered.
{This is Leila. There are too much enemies. It’s unmanageable with me alone. Five dollars for one magic weapon. You can defeat however many you like with fifty dollars. Just by paying fifty dollars, you can defeat as many as you like. Profitable right? It’s first come first served, so hurry.}
{On top of asking for help, you even try taking our money!? Ahh geez, putting aside Leila’s rash words, the reinforcement is a go. After this Henrietta and I will head there.}
Henrietta replied after receiving Scarlet’s words.
{But, we have to do something about the battleships and aircraft carriers at the bay coast area……there will be no end to this unless we do that you know?}
{No need to worry! Amaterasu will do something about that somehow!}
{I guess so. After all, those guys’ Corruption Armaments are phenomenal.}
After Clementine spoke cheerfully, Scarlet too grinned widely and appealed.
{Even Yurishia is there, it’s going to be fine! Well, we can just retreat if it gets dangerous, until then we will crush the enemy thoroughly!}
{Roger!}
Aine unconsciously forgot to breath. Cold sweat flowed on her chest damply.
They didn’t know about the matter of the life of a hundred thousand people in Tokyo. Besides it was to take on battleship or aircraft carrier with the equipment that Masters had. Thinking about that, Scarlet’s response was the most correct. Aine confirmed the time that had elapsed in this operation at the display of the floating window.
The remaining time was an hour and a half.
They had to annihilate the enemy before then. However, at this rate it was completely impossible to annihilate the enemy. Nonetheless, if they withdrew before that the lives of a hundred thousand people would be lost.
‘――But if there is my Corruption Armament…….’
Aine jumped and ran on the rooftop from building to building. And then she came until the place where she could see the Love Room under her.
The timing was just right when Kizuna was attacked by Albatross. It seemed that the effects of his Climax Hybrid was cut off in that situation.
Aine danced her body in the air without hesitation. And then she opened a communication to Kizuna.
“Don’t move.”
{Aine!?}
Kizuna looked up with a surprised expression. Aine rolled forward with a twirl and swung down the heel of her right leg with all her strength to Albatross.
“HAAAAAAA!”
The heel sunk into the head of the Albatross. Its head was easily smashed and the mechanism inside it jutted out. And then the particle cutter on her heel came out. The light sword bisected Albatross’s body into two. With that momentum, Aine rotated and elegantly landed down on the ground.
The Albatross caused a large explosion behind her.
However, such thing was trivial. Rather than that――,
“What are you doing staring blankly like that? I wonder if right now you are having a stupid wild delusion, like if there will be a beautiful girl descending down from the sky or something.”
Kizuna finally noticed and scratched his head.
“My bad. I let my guard down a little.”
“It’s true you let your guard down, but it has nothing to do with that right? You are weak after all.”
‘――No good. Even if I try to bluff my nervousness with a joke, it only shakes my determination. I can only go forward resolutely.’
“Though even for someone like you, there is a way where you can become useful.”
Aine grabbed the collar of Kizuna and then took him inside the Love Room.
She could hear Himekawa and Yurishia that just came back complaining, but she didn’t pay it any attention and closed the door of the Love Room right in front of their nose with a bang, then she wasted no time to lock it.
It seemed that the door was banged at the outside, but the soundproofing was magnificent. Something in the level of angry yell wouldn’t be audible.
{Come out-! Kizuna, Aine! Right now!}
Just when she thought that, a floating window appeared in front of their faces.
“Really, what noisy outsiders they are.”
Aine treated the two noncommittally and forced ended the communication, she then setted the communication to reject any calls.
“With this the noisy fellows are now gone.”
“……Aine, someone like you is really…”
Aine faced Kizuna who made a bitter face and spoke boldly.
“Kizuna. Do Heart Hybrid with me.”
Kizuna confirmed the display of his smartphone. However, Aine’s Hybrid Count was still in a safe area.
“Aine, you are still fine right? Rather it was Yurishia that’s more……?”
“This is not about replenishment. What I want is the forbidden armament.”
Kizuna’s breath hitched.
‘――Aine, are you serious?
Forbidden armament……in other words, you are determined to do Climax Hybrid, are you?’
If it was before this, then he would raise both his hands in happiness. But right now, he honestly didn’t feel happy.
‘Is it really okay……to force her to do Climax Hybrid?’
He recalled the figure of Aine who was shaking in anxiety and fear.
“Aine, we should be more careful with that……”
However, Aine’s red eyes were serious.
“I understand. But, the enemy is strong. Besides the army marching from now on is most likely the enemy’s regular army. We cannot keep acting like until now. If we stay like this, we won’t be able to overcome this battle. Besides……”
However, was this really fine?
An indescribable anxiety was swelling up inside Kizuna. For some reason, he felt like Aine was going to go somewhere far away.
“Kizuna. There is no need for you to worry.”
Aine’s tone of voice became gentle. Aine’s face was approaching to Kizuna’s face.
“Aine?”
“I am me. No matter what happens that will not change. That’s why――”
Aine’s lips were going to overlap with Kizuna’s lips.
“Let’s do it, the [Climax Hybrid].”
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