Openings song: Afraid to shoot Strangers from Sabaton / Iron Maiden.
Did you think this would ever be updated?
Me neither.
Started on 23/08/2021
Ended on 26/08/2021
Mattheus moved his body through the spaceship. Getting in was easy enough. The ship hadn't even registered him as an incoming threat. He would just make his way through it.
You could say what you want about his boss but he knew how to make a fucking program. The man just opened a part of the ship while his Nanites hacked their way through it.
'Mat, you're in?' He heard Joel's voice through the intercom. The Hunter was sure that he would need Joel for this.
"Yep. So where do I have to go?"
"Control room is up ahead. I can help you through." Mattheus smirked as he moved down. He felt like Sam Fisher. He held up his sidearm although he prayed that he didn't have to use it. He had to fully rely on his stealth. He took a few deep breaths and moved along the ship.
There were no alarms going off.
He smirked as he remembered the plan that Kizuna laid out. It all hinged on him though. If he could find a way inside the ship, he could hack the ships in and caused them to go haywire. That would allow the groups to move in.
They would be split up later.
The Masters would make their way in via another location. Kizuna and Ichika would go together so that Kizuna would be protected. Meanwhile, he was going to be alone. Joel had been working and give him an extra weapon.
The same large version of Chasseur that he used during the World Purge disaster.
'Well, it can always get worse.' Mattheus thought and before that, he cursed himself that he would say that as several women moved past him.
His cloak wouldn't give away his location but he swore that his heart would be beating out his chest. His eyes were trained on the women around him.
"Did you hear that one Lemurian had infiltrated us?"
"Yeah, from what I hear, we have to make sure that we kill them."
"No, we have to capture them. Especially the silver one. It is said that she is Aine-sama."
Mattheus raised an eyebrow when he heard that. Aine was important? That would be the first.
"Not only her. I also heard that we have to capture the ones that aren't us alive. I think that our mistress called them males."
'Well, one is using the right terminology.'
"I didn't think that Zelshione-sama told us to do that." Mattheus looked over at the small girl. His fingers were twitching. The need to pull a trigger was finding a good reason to do so.
"I'm not talking about Zelshione, Ragrus. I am talking about our mistress. Brunhilde." Mattheus found that the name was a bit too familiar. Yet, he continued to sneak his way around the women. Climbing up the stairs, he looked up to a helmet one.
He could swear that she was looking right into him. Her clothes covered up more. It was near as clothes from the earth.
"Brunhilde-sama." The attention was torn away from Mattheus and the woman turned to the kneeling forms.
"Is everything alright?"
"It's nothing." The voice tugged on heartstrings. The hair passed by as Mattheus really found it looked like his own.
"Come on. That ape wants us to prepare. I want you off my ship by then, Ragrus." The gritting of teeth made it clear that the small girl didn't like to be ordered around. Mattheus gave her a thumbs-up.
His heart was no longer going crazy and the Hunter just crept through. The doors were still open. He flung himself inside before they closed.
For him, it was just easy moving. His little friends were telling him where to go.
Besides the secure line of him and Joel, it was complete radio silence. On the bridge, he saw the group outside, looking in.
They would need to exercise patience a bit longer. The Hunter just crept through the hallway. Whenever he saw female warriors passing, he would fling himself to the wall or creep up. This really wasn't getting any easier.
But finally, Mattheus reached the control room. Even things like those ships looked similar to their earthen counterparts.
'Joel, when I hack into this, everyone will come running. Are you sure that I can pull this off?'
"We got no other option, big brother. Do it." Mattheus took a deep breath and placed his hands on the module. He would worry about the intruders later. There was no one now.
"Hunter's Faith. Activated." His cloak came off and his hands touched the control panel. Before long, energy slipped in and the place lit up. Mattheus couldn't crash the ships but he could make sure that they would be stuck in place and that nothing would work.
When his Nanites found the ship, he prayed that his boss would be watching over him. More and more power came flowing out of him while he felt the ship closing down.
The energy even left his body as the windows were shattered. It would make escaping a whole lot easier.
"Joel!"
"Already on it. You're doing great, Mattheus. Keep going." The Hunter heard the doors sliding open.
"You? How did you get through our defenses?"
Turning around, Mattheus took off his hoodie and flipped them to the bird.
"Better quality of equipment. See you cunts in Tokyo." Standing on the broken window, he opened his arms, and with a cocky grin, he threw himself off the ships.
"Everyone. Get moving! Their ships are down!"
[That's some excellent news, Mattheus! We'll see you there.] He saw the pilots moving in while their enemies were in the dark. He knew perfectly well they had only bought some time.
The Hunter activated his unit and he flew through.
The intercom worked clear.
[Everyone, you heard Adjzof. Take your positions and make sure that you take back our capital!]
'Talk for yourself.' Mattheus held that for himself when he heard those words from Reiri.
"Joel. Quickest route to Tokyo tower."
"Already sent to you."
He didn't think he would love that boy more even if he tried.
Flying over the city, he got an uncomfortable feeling.
The city made him
Mattheus landed his unit. He was high up and his fear of heights was diminished as he trusted on his unit.
"Joel. What do you suggest?"
"Deploy your rifle from this height and provide watch over. I would say that you focus on Kizuna and Ichika. Your rifle is already programmed for you. Be warned though. It is a pretty intense weapon." The Hunter deployed his rifle.
Joel wasn't joking. It was indeed huge compared to his previous weapon. It really was the same as the one he used back in the ISA. Laying down, Mattheus found that the high-powered scope could easily aim down.
Observation deck 2 was just high enough. It looked like the city was still going on. People were walking the street and it was like the city was still alive.
"What the Fuck?" Mattheus said as he finally saw Kizuna and Ichika appear out of the subway system.
[Hey guys. You see this as well?]
Mattheus voiced over the intercom.
[We see the same. It's like they are here but they don't react to us.] Ichika said back while he and Ichika looked at each other.
The people were chatting and laughing. They didn't react to Ichika or Kizuna who had no idea what they were seeing.
"What the?"
"It's like they're hypnotized." The two boys looked up and both were startled when they saw Nayuta Hida standing.
Like it was something normal. Like it was barely worth noticing.
"You have come, Kizuna. And you as well. Boy." Ichika glared at her.
"I have a name. Ichika. I'm Ichika Orimura." The Byakushiki pilot looked over at her and back at Nayuta.
"What is this? What are those people doing here? Why aren't they reacting to us?" Kizuna was now standing by Ichika.
"Kaa-san, he is right. What is this?"
A smile appeared on her face. A smile that he wanted to wipe so fucking bad off her face.
"I know what you want to ask. Why are these people not recognizing us? That is because they are placed under hypnosis. They cannot recognize the current situation and live happy in the world before the AU conflict." Kizuna gulped when he heard that and Ichika looked back at his friend.
"Why are you doing this?" Ichika asked.
"Because it will be really difficult for the experiment if they have the free will left?" Nayuta said back to him as if she was commenting on the bad weather.
Mattheus heard through the intercom what she was saying. And his restraint was again tested. He had times that he really wanted to kill another human so badly.
[Yo. Commander. I got that cunt in my scope. Do I have permission to blast her into hell?]
[Denied. Adjzof. We need her alive. I understand. We need to take her alive]. Not really happy with that, Mattheus decided that he could be sassy.
[As long that is reasonably practical. When that is no longer the option, I'll blast her brains, your orders are damned!]
Mattheus knew that Ichika and Kizuna would be sharing that sentiment.
"Experiment?" Kizuna asked Nayuta while the woman was looking them over.
"I promised you that I will show you something interesting? Look over there." Their eyes were now going to a strange machine 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 a 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.
"And what is that supposed to be?" Ichika asked Nayuta. The Infinite Stratos was never into modern art but it felt hugely underwhelming.
Then they saw how an office worker passed the two boys. They could hear the man rambling through his phone. It was an overall normal sight were it not for the fact they were in a dead city.
"He can use a phone?" Ichika asked.
Nayuta sighed when she heard that.
"You are really similar. Lok at his feet." They did so and his footsteps were dimly shining in white before the ground absorbed it and there it vanished.
"What was that now?" Kizuna asked his mother while Nayuta pointed at the tree.
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 was that just now?"
Ichika began to figure out where this was going. His stomach dropped into a pit.
"Lifeforce that is sucked from that human then converted into energy."
"What?"
"What I called energy, is [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."
Ichika looked around at all the people. It was now clear to him. Every last one of those souls. They were used as an energizer.
"This is the same as Kizuna's Heart Hybrid. But why aren't they just asleep?"
"Because if they would be inefficient. That will inevitably invite the decline of stamina and there is a high possibility of their life becoming short. That will result in a small amount of energy being obtained. That's why, in order to collect energy in the most efficient way, I make them live following the schedule that I planned. For that sake, they are under hypnosis. Under a suggestion, if you will."
Kizuna looked around at all those human beings.
"So you did this? Why? Why would you have done this? What do you gain for it?"
"If I have to put it simply for you, it's for purpose of the AU. They're faced with the serious problem of energy drying up. this is the countermeasure for that."
This was the problem of the AU.
"You have to be fucking with us. They're invading this world simply because their energy is run dry."
"Even if you say that. It's something that this world has faced as well, right?"
Ichika glared at her and he felt how Kizuna's body began to burn. Energy came through the boy. And for some reason, it was seeping into Byakushiki.
"Do you think this is the same as energy shortage? How can you do this? How can you condemn the world to this?"
Ichika shouted at her while he was burning with the same rage.
"I fail to see the issue. They're happy. Look at them." It was something that both males just found. It was like those people were living the daily life. Something that both craved.
"This isn't normal. They're treated like they are cattle." Kizuna looked around. It was no different from how he was usually treated.
She couldn't see the difference between them.
"For the current them. They should serve as cattle." Ichika casted a worried glance at Kizuna. His mother turned and walked away. His mother turned him inside out.
"I don't think that you have any conscience left. But you are coming with me. You have to take responsibility."
"Responsibility. For what I wonder?" Ichika counted his blessings that he didn't know his mother. If he was anything like Nayuta, he was much happier not knowing her.
"For making the HHG and forcing it on people. Why did you create this weapon? Not only that, why did you go to the AU where HGG is called Magic Armor?"
The scientist sighed.
"You're making one major mistake. I didn't create the HGG."
So she was also a fraud.
"The Core is a substance from the AU. I also investigated Vatlantis. But over there, the Core is treated as a mysterious artifact. It's unclear what kind of technology it was created. Most likely, it was created by the race in the time before the Empire. By people that ruled over the AU during the prehistoric era." Mattheus thought back on the Assassin's Creed Series.
That had the same time loop. One thing that crept on him was the fact that he didn't see anyone else appear. Where were the girls?
"How is that possible?" Ichika asked as he looked around. "The time doesn't add up."
"Around the time of the 1st AU conflict, a Core was discovered by an Entrance. Most likely, a small one. It was connected to where Vatlantis stores their Cores and that fell over into this world. An interesting hypothesis is all it is."
Kizuna felt the floor being swept away.
"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."
Kizuna scowled when he heard that.
"This life force. The energy of the living is what is powering this?"
"Indeed. Thanks to that replacement energy, even humans without magic power can bring froth HHG. What I did was only creating a mechanism to use human life force in replacement of magic power."
"Then to replace a Core or to suppress the reduction of the Count?"
"I don't know that."
Kizuna had hoped that his mother would have all the answers that he needed. Yet, she proved to bring only more.
"Anyway, I'll bring you back to Ataraxia. Even if you don't know, you'll help us to recover and fight back the Intruders."
Kizuna looked at Ichika who nodded at him.
"We'll bring her back. Even if we have to break every bone in her body." Kizuna and Ichika looked ready.
"Still, what you wear is not an HHG. I heard it before. It's called an Infinite Stratos. I would love to get my hands on it. I need to investigate it."
"You can look up my unit. When you dragged it from my cold dead body." Before they could even ask for reinforcements, Aine came from the sky.
"Kizuna! Professor Nayuta!"
The woman looked up at Aine, there was some happiness in her voice.
"Ah, Aine. I have waited for you." Aine doubted that if Nayuta was waiting for her.
"Waiting for me?"
"Yes, I was expecting you. For your forbidden armament."
'What is my mother talking about?' Kizuna wondered while Aine tilted her head.
"I don't understand what the professor is talking about. But you have to come with us to Ataraxia. "
[Don't we have a mission to finish?] Mattheus asked over the intercom.
[By the way, you have incoming. Get the fuck out of there.] From above, they saw an HHG coming their way.
It was Ragrus. It appeared that they got out of the jam. Not that they blamed Mattheus.
The girl was looking mightily confident.
"I thought you would go after Nayuta. Now, I'll catch you and drag you in front of Zelshione-sama!"
Before the girl could recover, another person appeared. Valdy.
"Ragrus. Inside the wide-area magic circle is." The petite girl glared at the newcomer but she was right.
"I know. I must not dirty the sorcery of Zelshione-sama. Besides the Valkyries are also around. But first." She focused on Aine.
A giant bang went off and the arm was thrown apart. Ragrus looked at it and found it was torn apart. From the huge distance that Mattheus was away, he had pulled the trigger. Their mouths had dropped open.
"What the? Who did this?"
Ichika smirked when he knew exactly who it was.
"Mattheus. And if I know my brother, he would tell you to go fuck yourself. For now, we have to retreat." The group did exactly that. Ragrus couldn't fight back against the bullets that came out from nowhere.
They were more than happy to see how Mattheus was fighting back.
Nayuta and Valdy were also shocked by the sheer amount of damage that was handed to Ragrus. Another bang and a leg went down.
Even with Demon's durability, the bullets through her.
'When you deal with a tank, use long-range weapons.' Remembering how many tanks sucked in the Division Two, Mattheus would still prefer to use long-distance sniper rifle attacks. A well-placed bullet could either take out a critical weak point or it could pear through armor when you amped the bullets.
[I can only do so much from here. The most I can do is stalling her. Does anyone has a good idea?] Ichika knew better than to fight a titan of that size and while Kizuna could tap into his reserves from what he got with Himekawa. Yet, it wouldn't be enough to stop her. Mattheus just watched as Ragrus found the bullets to throw her off.
Kizuna would admire the handy work from Mattheus if he had a chance. But that proved to be out of the question.
Yet, he would need more to bring her down.
"Ichika, can't you use your Reiraku Byakuya? It would be doing much damage."
"Can't do that, Kizuna. It would eat through too much energy. It would cause too much damage as well."
Quickly they moved away while Mattheus could only provide so much cover fire.
A fierce explosion caused their attention to be taken away.
"What the?" A gigantic mass came down from the sky and the ground caved in. The worn water and gas lines busted and caused destruction. Then they heard a voice that put them all at ease.
"Captain, are you safe?"
"Sylvia?" Kizuna, Ichika, and Aine's mouths dropped open when they saw the giant monster. It had arms and legs but it wasn't looking like a human being. It was bigger, it even rivaled Ragrus Demon in size.
Its head looked like a dragon but it had traits from a rabbit and it was shining light from the mouth and eyes.
[Good thing they are chicks. You can say they would otherwise be compensating for something.] Mattheus had to grin when he heard that line from Joel. He was right though. That thing was just huge.
"Sorry for the wait. The adjustment finally finished." Kizuna was just happy that their reinforcements had arrived.
"Sylvia. Am I happy to see you!" Ichika shouted at her while she nodded.
"Yes, this is Sylvia's Heart Hybrid Gear. Taros." Kizuna had his mouth that dropped open when he saw the unit.
"So this is the result of the install."
"Yes! This is our first group work, the crystallization of love." Mattheus really didn't need to hear that.
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 to 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 eerily 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' large body until outside the atmosphere.
Sylvia tensed her expression and glared at the enemy in front of her eyes.
"Sylvia won't let you lay even a single finger anymore on Captain!"
Ragrus roused herself and stood up.
"What's with you? Just because you have a big frame, it doesn't mean anything!" Demon ignited its thrusters and struck at Taros.
"Captain. Leave this to me."
"She is right, Kizuna. She can do this." The clash of the two giant HHG's would be destructive. It wasn't a good idea to stay around.
With its tough hammer, which looked like a safe, Taros blocked the fist. It responded in kind and swung the left arm.
Demon was blown back with its guarding arm and crashed into the building. It really was a Clashing of Titans.
The building where Ragrus crashed collapsed in on itself with her. Glass was shattered all around her.
In order to attack her enemy, Taros drove her hammer in. Just on the last second, Demon slew away the hammer. The weapon pulverized the wall and the pillar. The building collapsed from the added weight
Kizuna dragged Aine along while Ichika moved across the debris.
He didn't know that HHG could be used to such an extent. And he really didn't want to know what was tested out on the girl.
[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!" Kizuna barked back and he trusted on Ichika flying along.
Kizuna ignited his thruster and flew to the sky. When he came out of the dust smoke, Aine noticed him and flew to him.
Ichika was right there with them.
"Sylvia. I beg you. Don't force yourself!"
[Roger!]
"Mattheus, watch over her, please!" That order came right after he talked to Sylvia.
[You don't need to ask. I'll be sure to keep her safe.] Seeing how the smallest of their members fought, Sylvia was clearly trained by this. She could handle this just fine.
He was relieved to hear that from the two.
Aine stared into the horizon where they saw the two fightings.
"So that thing is. No, we can talk about it later. Rather than that, what are we going do with Nayuta?"
Ichika looked back where they came from.
"I doubt she would still be at the place where we left her. We need to take Tokyo back." looking at Kizuna, the HHG pilot was furious. When he felt a strong hand on his shoulder, he looked up.
"I get you. You want her in as much as we all do. But we can't. It would be too dangerous. We are going to take back this place."
[Talking confident, aren't you?]
A window opened at Kizuna's when they saw her face.
"You?"
Kizuna said and Nayuta was looking at them.
Another window opened with Gertrude in Ataraxia opened next to his face.
[Kizuna, don't listen to her. Orimura is right. You need to take back the city.]
Nayuta took an exasperated sigh.
[You are too impatient. You can take a bit more time. Even with the ships out, it will only be two more hours before the elite squad of Vatlantis, the imperial guard will appear.]
Elite squad? The imperial guard. Who could they be?
[Ragrus and Valdy are members of them as well. But those are just scouts compared to the guard. Besides those, we also have the Valkyries.]
[Valkyries? It doesn't matter. Orimura is right. We have to take back the city. The Masters, Farandole, and Himekawa have already captured a few critical points. It's up to you to take the rest of them.]
[As it would be that easy. The Valkyries are highly trained warriors. I think that Adjzof male would find them interesting. Besides, if you think it would be that easy. Good luck to you. Because if you can't, I'll wipe the city clean.]
It proved to Ichika how high the stakes were now raised. This woman saw human life as worthless. There would be nothing to gain for playing this game of hers but they couldn't leave the city.
[Kizuna. For this matter, you will need to keep the levels high. I'll send you the Love Room. Orimura, can you watch over it?]
The Byakushiki pilot shared a look with the Eros Pilot. He wouldn't see an issue.
"Will do," Ichika said and Kizuna sighed. Just their luck. It would prove to be a dreadful fight.
[Mattheus, can you also watch over me?]
The Hunter had to turn his body around with the giant rifle. Even with his Infinite Stratos, it was a lump of steel that weighed a ton. He had seen that Sylvia could handle herself just fine. Really, that little girl could be a real powerhouse.
[Just a second. Looking over,] Mattheus heard the shift. He was all alone. There was no one around him. The Masters were too far away, Sylvia was fighting and he hoped the tower would hold out.
[Found you, bastards. Yeah, I got you in my scope. Just a second]
The Hunter opened a link with the youngest.
[Sylvia, you copy?]
Luckily, the girl was trained very well so she had no problem blocking the fist of Ragrus.
[Mattheus? Yeah, I copy.]
[Sil, I'm going to look over Ichika. Can you do this alone?]
Not willing to trouble her senior, Sylvia would give him the answer he wanted.
[Don't worry about it. I'll take care of this myself.]
Mattheus was glad for that.
Still, better leave the door open.
[If you need help, don't be shy.]
[Roger!]
Kizuna looked up to the sky and saw that rockets were coming their way.
"That's one way to get a delivery." Kizuna really picked up habits from Mattheus when he joked.
"You really had to send it via ICBM. Wasn't there a better way?
[That's the new model. The middle range ballistic missile replenishment room!]
Kizuna chuckled when he shared a look with Ichika.
"They have to come up with better names!"
"Fully agreed. Now, then." Kizuna looked over the stats. They would need to begin.
"Himekawa, you go first?"
Aine made a soft noise of disappointment when she heard she wasn't picked.
"Your count is the lowest. Yurishia got about 40%. It's fine, right?"
"Yes!" Her cheeks were already red.
"Well, if Hayuru and I can do a Connective Hybrid. The talk will be faster though." Yurishia toyed with her blond hair.
[Eh, hello! You keep forgetting we're having a fight. You two, go fight. Got enough enemies to pick from. So if I were you, stand ready.]
She glared in the direction of the tower.
"You are right. I'll be watching over the Love Room as well. In exchange, next turn is mine." The particle cannon was deployed and with a wink, she gave Kizuna a sexy pose. Kizuna gave a wry smile and Ichika sent a nod of sympathy.
Then they saw enemies coming their way. Ichika would be waiting there and he hoped the ladies would be enough to stop the enemies.
But then a scene of a sun began to show.
Mattheus had seen the entire fight going on. He had already shifted his scope to see the Masters fleeing from Sylvia. It was hard to think she was the same girl that had guided him around once.
The Masters like him were watching the fight.
He had also the mic open to hear the shout of Ragrus.
"YOOOUUU MONSTERRRR!" Ragrus shrieked while Demon's arm rained down blows on Taros' Arm. Sylvia was lucky that she was a tank build.
"Withdraw back obediently! Get out from this world!"
The hammer of Taros's right arm blew at Demon's body. The impact gave away particles that Mattheus could even see through his high power scope.
"How can Demon lose in power!" Mattheus was again happy that he didn't bring Joel along. The boy was now having a field day while he looked over the stats.
Demon was blown behind and it stabbed its legs or what was left of them in the ground. The ground was tearing itself apart when it absorbed the impact.
Taros gun spouted fire and the light bullet had a huge impact on Demon.
Ragrus tried to retreat while it put a shield. Despite the high speed, she wouldn't get away.
The bullet pursued and it impacted a side of a building. Those just began to fall down like a set of dominoes.
"My true strength isn't Demon. A ship that moves with my will is also part of my strength!" Ragrus directed her hand and it followed her.
Sylvia's mouth drooped open when she saw how Ragrus was forcing it to move. It would start its bombardment soon. But then it stopped.
Ragrus mouth dropped open.
"What? My ship should be moving." Sylvia looked back at the ship. It was struggling to move but it was still fighting the power of Ragrus.
[Mattheus?] The Hunter really began to like that girl.
[My handy work, Sylvia.] She heard the man with a strain in his voice.
[I can't stop it though. Only hold it off. When it goes off, you'd be up shits creek! Do something to take it out!]
Sylvia nodded to his voice.
"I will stop this. I will help you, Mattheus!" The girl began to focus on the ship.
"Ignis firing preparation."
Rods came from the feet of Taros and stabbed the ground. The large-caliber particle canon Ignis faced up and due to Mattheus's help, it was all too easy.
Purple light rushed on the whole surface of Taros and it flew into the main canon of Ignis. The air around Taros was whirling and increased in momentum. The humming voice of a low frequency became louder.
Mattheus found that the Ignis really resembled his White Death. For some reason, a swell of fatherly pride shined through when he saw how Sylvia did that ship in.
Even from the distance he was, he could feel the trembling of the ground. Taros body couldn't withstand the impact and it was pushed back while the rods pierced the ground gouged up in the pavement.
The pillars of light ran to the battleship and it destroyed the ship. It evaporated the front armor and destroyed it from the inside and it left a hole on the deck.
The explosion destroyed the ship from the inside out. Mattheus was getting even more impressed.
"What the hell!" Ragrus opened her mouth when she noticed how Sylvia destroyed her ship.
Ragrus battleship, the one she received from Captain Zelshione that she loved and respected was shot down.
The girl looked down and her hair covered her eyes.
"Unforgivable. Unforgivable. I will never forgive this!" From the body of Demon, red light that was like an aura rose up.
"Inferno!" Ragrus body came out from Demon as if she was falling forward. Landing on the ground, her view was now lowered.
She looked up at her beloved armor. Her eyes were filled with tears.
"I have put my magic power. Demon's strongest and worst weapon."
Ragrus' hand touched Demon. Red light of magic was flowing into Demon from Ragrus.
Sylvia felt a strange atmosphere from that state.
"I'll use all magic power. The main body of Demon will be used as a system that will turn everything into heat and fire. Inferno. I'll erase everything."
"Erase?" Sylvia gulped when she heard that.
"If this explodes, the area where this battle is carried out with being burned down. There will be nothing left here. A true hell!"
[Christ. She's insane! Sylvia, do whatever you can to stop her]
Sylvia understood that reasoning with her wouldn't work.
"Seal release!" The large safe key is attached to the hammer. The steel bolt that sealed the mouth of the hammer was disconnected.
"Everyone fall back from the sky. Don't come near one click of the surroundings." Scarlet heard the message and she had her mouth falling open.
She heard it loud and clear though.
"Everyone fall back!" Luckily, no one questioned her. Mattheus was hoping that Sylvia could pull it off before they would be destroyed.
Sylvia directed the surface of the hammer which was released from its seal towards the Inferno that was rushing to the sky.
"Corruption Armament Titania!"
From the right arm of Taros, pitch darkness had been launched. It drew a black trajectory and it went right after Inferno.
Ragrus scoffed when she saw that coming.
"Too late."
She fell down on the ground with her strength gone.
Before Inferno could really set loose, a sun, it was hit by the Titania. A black hole that sucked up the sun. Mattheus saw how Sylvia had saved everyone.
The Masters had seen the same thing as well.
Then the black hole was shrinking. It went smaller and smaller. It was condensed where it fit again on Sylvia's hand.
"That was nerve-wracking."
[Sylvia, good job!]
"Thank you very much, Captain!"
[We really picked a good one, didn't we, Kizuna!] Matheus said through the intercom.
Then The Hunter noticed something else. Further away, he saw a group of women. They were too far away to pose a threat. It was like they were afraid of waiting. He was sure that he saw the helmet before. Her hair was long and Mattheus found that it really looked similar to his own.
Then the helmet went off. His mouth dropped open when he saw the face. He whipped his eyes and then looked again. They were too far away, even with his own scope. When he looked again, they were gone. Mattheus really wondered how much further things would go.
'Captain, hurry the fuck up!'
Before they could enter the room, they were blown away by another attack. The Love Room was destroyed. It had also thrown away Ichika who didn't have a chance to getaway.
"Ichika!" The group turned to him and there stood Zelshione. The purple-haired captain.
She looked over the girls and before any could react, she used her powers. It was like the girls were just impaled by energy. Before long, they fell down. Zelshione had entered the arena. She had taken out Amaterasu in a matter of seconds.
"It's pointless. That girl is falling down in the darkness. I'll get my answers on how the other woman got her hands on the Core of Zeros. But for now, I'll amuse myself with you." With a hit, Kizuna was thrown away.
He felt again the hits of Kizuna. There was only one way. He had to goad her until she became reckless.
"I think that I'm going to throw up with how you do things."
"I don't care about your comments." And before he could fight back, she pulled the whip and raced at him. Despite his best efforts, he felt how fast and vicious she was whipping. His body couldn't take the hits and it appeared that Zelshione wasn't stopping anytime soon.
When she hit again, Kizuna felt the blood rushing.
Not just hers.
"Guwaa!"
Kizuna had a wound on his legs.
"The screams of a man, they don't sound too bad." Again, she gave him a trashing. Kizuna wished that something could happen.
But before he had a chance to call for help, he saw how the Masters were stopped.
"Wondering about your allies? Don't get your hopes up, boy. My Quantum will stop them before they can come over."
Kizuna felt one more blow from the whip of Zelshione. He knew that he was really too far beaten to take care of this matter on his own. His teammates were out now, no backup coming to his ways. Zelshione had put them all to sleep.
And with another blow, the dominatrix tore through his last bounds of energy.
"You are strong for a Lemurian. For a man, I'll give you that. Still, not enough to beat me. Just surrender and I will give you the sweetest pleasures."
Kizuna felt his face go blurry from his exhaustion and wounds.
"I can't do this alone." He muttered. This was the last push. Either he won from Zelshione or they would lose this entire endeavor. He was all alone in the matter.
"No one said." He looked up to hear a young man speaking.
"You had to." That was another voice.
Before Zelshione could register, a bullet had forced her to fall back. Looking up, Kizuna was greeted by Mattheus who fired again.
"Ichika!"
"On it!" The Byakushiki pilot used his sword against Zelshione who was forced back. Ichika easily avoided the attacks easily. All thanks to the training.
"Gotta thank Laura!" He said as he blasted his shotgun. It pushed Zelshione to the side where Mattheus had her in his sight. She was forced back into her machine by the bullets coming her way.
"Get up, Kizuna!" The young man looked up to Mattheus who stood before him.
"Please, Kizuna!" Ichika shouted at him and Zelshione rolled by to avoid another blast.
The Eros pilot looked at Mattheus and Ichika. The two men were fighting side by side. Like it was normal. Ichika's sword met Zelshione's.
Pushing back, she flew up to where another bullet hit her. Yet, it only seemed to enrage her.
"You filthy!"
This time, she avoided the shot. Ichika and Mattheus could only force her to a standstill. There was no way they could beat her in a fight. Not like this.
Both turned to Kizuna. Mattheus shoving his hand in the face of Kizuna while Ichika glanced back.
"Kizuna, get up, brother!" They shouted at him and Kizuna felt his mouth drop open. He looked back at Ichika and Mattheus. His Eros Core responded to the feeling.
The feeling that he was between Ichika and Mattheus. It was warm. It was accepting. His Core just felt good.
"You see me as a?" Kizuna asked, hardly believing the words.
"Brother. Yeah, pretty hard not to." Mattheus joked as Ichika saw how Zelshione backed off.
"What are you apes talking about?"
Ichika smirked and turned his head to Kizuna.
"You and I, Kizuna. We are brothers. We stand together. So are you going to sit back or are you going to help us?"
The Pilot nodded but then something unusual happened. He had taken over the Pilots before but this time, he was taking the shape of Byakushiki.
Meanwhile, at Ataraxia, they were seeing the same thing. Chifuyu saw how the shield levels of Byakushiki were rising. With all the damage, Ichika would have been running on fumes. Yet, the energy was going up.
"What the?"
"Eros is responding to Byakushiki!" Joel was looking it over. There was energy going out of Eros going right into the Infinite Stratos. And it responded in kind. This was incredible.
This was insanity.
He wasn't insane. This was really happening.
"How is that possible?"
The punk scoffed while he turned back.
"Not that difficult to figure out. You said that Eros is based on the bond between Pilots. Despite all things, HHG and IS are machines. They have just discovered one of the strongest bonds that can ever exist in the world. Brotherhood. Ichika and Mattheus, they see Kizuna now as one of their own." They witnessed how Kizuna's Eros completed the form.
Bulkier, larger, stronger.
Recognizable.
"Mode Byakushiki," Kizuna shouted as Eros changed into the unit. For Ichika, he could feel how energy went up. He had to activate his power. It would be too much otherwise.
His Reiraku Byakuya shined through the night. Pink energy escaped from Kizuna and it formed the Heart Hybrid Gear into the Infinite Stratos.
Despite the energy flowing through his unit, Ichika saw that his shield points were rising. It became clear to him and anyone watching that they had achieved something unheard of.
Mattheus stood back and let Kizuna find his way. He raced over to Ichika who stood more than ready. It was like Kizuna was copying Byakushiki and Zelshione would be the perfect target.
Not that she agreed to that.
"Like I will let you stop me." The drones set through but for Ichika and Kizuna, they stood side by side and raced to them. Tearing through them like they were made of tissue paper, the Albatrosses were just wiped away.
In a perfect duo, the two worked. Their swords shined through the night and Mattheus just watched them work. Until he remembered that he also had a weapon for close quarters. Dissolving Chasseur, he made his Goedendag appear and flew right after the two boys.
"Leave a few for me!" Mattheus just tore through the arm of one. His handgun appeared and it began to blast.
Kizuna remembered that he had trained with that weapon before. Would it be possible?
He remembered the feeling of the gun. A perfect copy of Chasseur was there in his hands. He smirked and pulled the trigger.
"Nice work, Kizuna!"
"Thanks, Mattheus!"
The three men turned to their last foe. Zelshione was horrified.
Those three. Those three weak males had decimated their entire last company of robots.
They didn't forget about her.
"Now, I would normally not get into this. But I had enough for one night. Kizuna, Ichika." Mattheus nodded to the two.
"Tear her a new one."
Ichika and Kizuna shared a look. In their eyes, they read the same.
They would enjoy this.
Zelshione made her whip crack but it was just encouragement of Kizuna and Ichika. Their lights, yellow and pink was even going through the night.
They switched between their flying. Meanwhile, Mattheus stood back and let his weapons dissolve. He was tired. He longed for a soft bed. And a hot meal.
He smiled.
Kizuna would earn his place between them all.
Zelshione had no idea who to pick first. The blade of Ichika reached her the first while Kizuna smashed from behind her. They just relied on their swords.
"Do you see this? Ataraxia. Do you see this?"
Kizuna's Yukihira blew on Zelshione while Ichika took care of her whip. With the last swipe, they ate away her energy and when Ichika switched the blade to his right hand, they punched right through her.
The commander was blown away and tore through the debris. Ichika and Kizuna fist-bumped but then grimaced when they saw Zelshione stand up.
"She's ready for more?"
"Well, let's not disappoint her. Right, brother?"
"Read my mind, brother." Ichika could see how his energy bar was going through the roof. Even with Reiraku Byakuya activated, he still was at full peak.
He didn't give a fuck anymore. He wanted to fight.
Ichika raced at Zelshione and beat Kizuna to the punch. His sword hit the damaged machine of Zelshione while Kizuna came from the side.
It was like they thought the same. They no longer had to say anything to each other while swipes and strikes were delivered.
Zelshione's unit was destroyed around her.
Mattheus found that he wouldn't just sit back there. It wasn't right that the two would stain their hands with the blood of that filthy whore. When the purple-haired woman fell on the floor, Ichika and Kizuna were both still boiling with bloodlust.
The two would be all too happy to kill her.
"I think that we all had enough for one night." Turning to Mattheus, they suddenly noticed how exhausted they were. They had been fighting this entire night.
Ichika smiled back at Kizuna. Holding out a metal fist, Kizuna looked back at it.
"You gonna leave me hanging?"
The Byakushiki Mode was dying and just his empty fist-bumped Ichika's.
"Nope. Thank you, brothers." Ichika and Mattheus smiled back at him but found that by beating Zelshione, they had defeated the spell they had on her.
"Glad to see you girls running around!" Ichika shouted while the girls just flocked over Kizuna.
"Captain are you okay?"
"Hida-kun, that was reckless."
"Kizuna, what is going on?"
Aine remained quiet but she joined the group while they tackled Kizuna. Mattheus saw the Masters from the back. He saluted to them and they returned it.
"Now, I don't know about y'all but I think that I want to go home. A hot meal, a soft bed. Sounds like heaven to me."
That was indeed what they needed. All of them turned to the sun that was rising. They could have this.
Until they heard a soft voice speaking. All of them turned around to see a girl standing there. Her hair was waving and it showed red. The eyes weren't visible just yet. Ichika really wondered what was wrong with their clothing.
"Princess of the Vatlantis Empire, Ainess Synclavia." The soft giggle caused their hair to rise.
"Nee-sama!"
At the Infinite Stratos academy.
Kerlongsj, Jozek and Tabane looked over the stats. They had a modest ship that was equipped with the most modern technology. Most of the men had already retired. It was high enough so it wouldn't disturb the people living nearby.
It was now the middle of the night and besides those three, every last one of them had already gone to bed.
Exhausted they were all yet, for them, they wanted this before they would leave.
For the last weeks, they had been trying and scanning the area where the ISA once stood.
Jozek worked over the details and it looked like his boss was right.
"Nothing ever disappears. You are right on the money, sir."
"I knew I was." He clasped his lieutenant on the shoulder.
"Thanks, Janousek." The young man beamed from the comment. He was proving himself.
"This is all touching but it doesn't bring us any closer." Before Tabane could finish her sentence, the ship was rocked.
"Shit, what the fuck?" It was like they were flying. Yet, Kerlongsj knew that no one would be flying the sip.
"I think that we're about to find out what happened to the ISA!" The Devil said. The rocking ceased as soon it started. The ship came to life. No one could sleep through that. Kerlongsj knew that they were right on the money.
Outside, he saw the Infinite Stratos Academy. And he couldn't decide if he was happy or horrified that it was left to the water and wind.
Took nearly 1,5 years to follow up the chapter. I'm a real piece of shit to cut it off on the ending here. Let's hope that for next time, it won't take that long.
If you wonder why this chapter is written out, one evening, I got on the chapter and I just didn't stop. Ideas that had been flowing for years but that never came on paper.
One time they had to come out.
Don't hold your breath that I will write out more. I do hope I will but I don't know when.
Maybe around February next year.
I got quite a few request fics to make up in the next year. I'll be returning to my roots a bit but even further for my next one. BNW is also nearly done but that hangs on the requester and I hope I can update that chapter this month.
Look at the list of the updates to see what we'll be getting next.
1,5 years ago. Things were normal then. Also, for those who found that I jumped around a bit. That is mainly due to the story and my own ideas that just came through.
Unfortunately, it's late at my place and I had a long day of work after me.
I got the day off tomorrow and I'll be writing out the opening of the second season. It will contain quite a few spoilers that which I hope that will sate your curiosity.
I can give you the name of the song already though.
Castle of glass.
That is for tomorrow.
Saluut.