Part 4:
Through Many Tears, The Reality of Your Fate is Shown.
Chapter 10:
Undying Devotion
Saint-Germain's POV:
Alchemists' Hideout
"73,800... 73,801..."
Saint-Germain says this aloud to herself, dropping two white lilies over the rooftop of the hotel they used as a hideout, watching them be blown away in the wind as they fell. "Ever since the day my mother died, I've grown accustomed to being left behind. I'll see them again soon enough. Because my life, like theirs, isn't mine to keep."
Suddenly, someone behind Saint-Germain began to clap, which she promptly looked over and saw both Adam and the source of the clapping, Tiki. "My, my! Sounds to me like you're not afraid of dying." Tiki said.
"I'll give my life for my beliefs if that is what is necessary to achieve them." Saint-Germain replies. "Besides, it's better to sacrifice myself than to sacrifice someone else."
Tiki laughed at Saint-Germain's resolve. "What's this? Has the stone-cold Alchemist finally decided to show her feelings?"
"Now I understand why you've been counting the sins you've had to bear. You weren't doing it for them, you've been doing it for yourself." Adam added. "What a waste of one's time."
"I wouldn't expect someone as inhuman as you to understand." Saint-Germain retorts. "Not that you would care to understand anyways."
Kana's POV:
S.O.N.G. HQ
Meanwhile, over at S.O.N.G. HQ, things were on the relatively quiet end as most of the agents were going over that info that the Wielders had gathered at the Tsuki Shrine, Elfnein was fixing up Chris', Maria's, and now Tsubasa's and Shirabe's Gears to remove the recoil pollution on them, and all of the Wielders were getting some well deserved rest before their next battle... Well... Most of them were...
(Justice RIP (Storm) begins to play)
Down in the training room, Kana was wielding her Yato Symphogear as she fought off waves of Alca-Noise by herself. However, as she fought, she was unaware of an Alca-Noise preparing to take advantage of her blind spot and throw off her guard. Thankfully, a green blade came in just before the Alca-Noise could reach Kana, which made Kana sigh in relief when she heard it. "Thanks for that, Kirika-chan!"
"Anytime, Kana-sama!" Kirika replied. "After all, what kind of a retainer would I be if I didn't have your back dess?"
Kana smirks hearing this. "I don't think I'll ever get used to my kouhai calling herself my retainer." She chuckles, before activating her Igalima Augmentation and readying her weapon. "Ready to finish them off?"
"Dess!" Kirika answered excitedly as she summoned a copy of her scythe and readied her Gear's thrusters.
Twin Cutter: Cinderella
Together, the pair rushed through the Alca-Noise, tearing them apart in a matter of seconds as they dashed by, making absolutely sure that no Alca-Noise were left behind.
Shining Yato: Igalima Shadow Dragon Fang
Once they were sure all of the Alca-Noise were defeated, both Wielders transformed out of their Gears and gave each other a high five as the simulator shut down. "That was a great training session. I know it hasn't been long since I last used it, but it's good to see Yato still works perfectly fine." Kana says. "Thanks again for joining me on such short notice, Kirika-chan."
"I'm always happy to help, Kana-sama!" Kirika replied happily. "Like I said, I've gotta have your back at all times if I want to be a good retainer."
"That's sweet and all, Kirika-chan, but you don't have to be that devoted to me." Kana says. "I mean, sure, it's always great to be able to rely on you when needed, but you really don't have to come to my aid 24/7."
"But how can I hope to be a good retainer like all of the ones protecting your family if I wasn't at your aid 24/7?" Kirika asked.
"I regret putting my families' retainers on such a high pedestal if they're the bar she's trying to reach..." Kana said to herself, letting out a sigh as she faced Kirika once again. "Kirika-chan, the difference between you being my retainer and them serving my families is that, for them, that's also their jobs and livelihoods. Unlike them, you still have your life ahead of you to choose what you want to be for yourself. That, and I wouldn't be able to financially support you as my retainer the way things are here in this world."
"What are you saying, Kana-sama?" Kirika asked, her tone shifting from its normal energetic tone to a sadder one. "Do you not want me to be your retainer?"
"N-No, Kirika-chan, that's not what I'm saying. I'm just trying to say that I don't want to force you to be my retainer." Kana reassures the Igalima Wielder. "But at the same time, I want you to focus more on being the best version of yourself for yourself than putting your all into being the best version of yourself for me. Does that make sense?"
"I guess." Kirika replied. "But, Kana-sama, when you saved Shirabe's life back on the Frontier, you fixed one of the greatest mistakes I had ever made in my life. Without you, Shirabe's death would've been my fault, and I wouldn't be able to live with that kind of shame for long. You were our enemy back then, you had no reason to save me from my own mistakes, but you did."
"Kirika-chan..."
"I didn't deserve your help, but you gave it to me anyways. That's why I want to always be able to do the same for you." Kirika continued. "So, please, Kana-sama, let me continue to be your retainer, so that I can repay the massive debt I owe you dess!"
Kana smirks upon hearing Kirika's plea. "Considering everything that's happened since that day, I think Kirika-chan's more than paid back that 'debt'. But, if this is what she wants, something tells me I won't be able to stop her." Kana says to herself. "Alright, Kirika-chan, you can continue to be my retainer."
"DESS!" Kirika cheered loudly.
"On one condition." Kana states.
"Name it!" Kirika replied.
"Unless I am able to hire you as my retainer properly, you are only to serve as one when it's absolutely necessary." Kana says. "Your priorities will be to yourself first and foremost, only after everything you need to do for yourself is done can you focus your attention to my needs. You may be my retainer, but you're also my friend, and I don't want my friends forcing themselves to my every whim if there's something they need to take care of. Do I make myself clear?"
"Crystal clear, Kana-sama!" Kirika answered with a salute.
"Good." Kana nods. "Now let's go home. I'm sure Chris and Shirabe-chan are waiting for both of us to get back."
Suddenly, the door to the simulator opened up, revealing Chris followed by a partially sleepy Shirabe. "Do you have any idea what time it is?!" Chris said.
"Chris!" Kana gasps. "Wh-What are you doing here? I thought you were asleep."
"I was, until this one suddenly came into our apartment asking where she was!" Chris answered, pointing to Shirabe and Kirika respectively. "Why the hell are you even training this late at night?"
"I just needed to make sure my Gear still worked if I want to be useful while you and the others are still out for the moment." Kana answers. "Kirika-chan was just up and about when I went to train, so I asked if she wanted to join me. But I thought you told Shirabe-chan where you were going, Kirika-chan."
Kirika chuckled nervously. "Well, Shirabe was also sleeping, so I didn't want to be rude and wake her up..." She said sheepishly.
"...I'd lecture you on doing that, but seeing that we're in the same boat on sneaking off, I have no room to talk..." Kana sighs. "Sorry for not letting you two know where we ran off to..."
"It's fine, Kana. Just try not to make this a habit." Chris replied. "At least you were doing something useful instead of what I originally thought you were doing."
Kana raises an eyebrow at this. "And that is?"
Chris started to blush when the Zababa duo also gave her a puzzled look. "Well... I..." Chris let out a sigh. "I thought you were planning some sort of party for the idiot when we're still fighting that damned Illuminati."
Hearing this, Kana's eyes went wide. "Shoot! That is coming up, isn't it?!" She gasps. "I still need to get her a present before it's too late!"
"What's going on, Kana-sama?" Kirika asked.
"Oh? Did you forget about the idiot's birthday, Kana?" Chris asked mockingly. "Considering how chummy you two were, I figured you had everything prepared weeks in advance."
"What are you talking about, Chris-Senpai?" Shirabe asked.
"The idiot's birthday, obviously." Chris answered confidently.
Kirika's eyes went wide with wonder upon hearing this. "Hibiki-san's birthday is coming up?!" She gasped. "When is it? Tell me, Senpai!"
"Hey now, take it easy." Chris said, carefully pushing away Kirika, who was up in her face. "The idiot's birthday is coming up in a couple days. September 13th, to be exact."
"That's so close!" Kirika gasped again. "Now I have to think about what to get her for her birthday. What did you get her, Senpai?
"If I told you, then you'd probably tell her by accident." Chris answered. "Like hell am I gonna let that happen."
"You already got her something?" Kana asks. "Thought you'd just get something last minute like last year."
"Last year doesn't count!" Chris retorted. "Besides, I barely knew anyone at Section Two last year, so this year, I have to make up for that. Which is why I've prepared my gifts months in advance."
"That's so nice of you, Chris-Senpai." Shirabe said.
"Yeah, well don't go telling everyone I'm forgetful, unlike someone I know." Chris said, teasing Kana.
"Hey!"
"Now I gotta start planning on what I want to get Hibiki-san before it's too late!" Kirika exclaimed as she grabbed Shirabe's hand and made for the exit of the training room. "Goodnight Kana-sama and Senpai!"
"Well... That got her excited..." Kana says, before letting out a yawn. "I should definitely start thinking about what I want to get Hibiki tomorrow. But right now, all I can think about is getting some sleep. Let's go home, Chris."
"About damn time." Chris replied. "Also, if you tell the idiot anything about what I said here, I'll make you pay for it."
"My lips are sealed." Kana says with a smile. "Besides, I'm not the one she has to worry about saying anything..."
Hibiki's POV:
Lydian
The next day, following their return to Tokyo, the Wielders went about their normal daily lives during school hours as they waited to hear back from S.O.N.G. HQ. However, this moment of relaxation would be used to the fullest by a certain Gungnir Wielder who had a mountain of homework to catch up on, which she had been chipping away at between the fights against the Illuminati.
"I'm all done!" Hibiki exclaims from her seat, laying her head down on her desk in victory as she had finished her summer homework. "I thought I was gonna be trapped here forever..."
"You make this homework sound like it's been the hardest thing you've had to deal with this past month." Kana chuckled. "Either way, glad you were finally able to get it done."
"Congratulations, Hibiki... And, thank you." Miku said, confusing the younger Gungnir Wielder.
"I should be the one thanking you for helping me with my homework." Hibiki replies. "Why are you thanking me?"
Miku smiled. "Because you kept your promise to do your best with your homework and your mission." She said.
Hibiki had almost forgotten that she made that promise, but she wouldn't openly admit that when Miku looked as happy as she did now that it was fulfilled. "I mean, I'm just going about it the easiest way I could, you know?" Hibiki says. "After all, I'm not the smartest when it comes to making those kinds of choices. Sounds kinda reckless when I say it out loud, huh?"
"Sounds like your way of doing things if you ask me." Kana said.
"My way?" Hibiki asks.
Suddenly there's a loud smack against the chalkboard in the classroom, taking both girls by surprise. "Exactly! Your day!" Kirika exclaimed as she wrote the date of September 13th on the board. "It's almost upon us dess!"
"Yes, just two more days!" Shirabe added.
"Just two more days until Hibiki-san's birthda..." Kirika is suddenly stopped when Chris tossed the chalkboard eraser at Kirika, hitting her on the head rather lightly in comparison to previous strikes on a certain other Wielder many times over.
"Well, that's certainly one way to enter a classroom." Kana joked.
"Trust me. It wasn't my idea." Chris stated. "Now erase that before you get us in trouble."
"Yes, Senpai." Kirika replied.
Once Kirika had finished erasing the chalkboard numbers, she, Shirabe, and Chris walked over to Hibiki, Miku, and Kana at the former two's desk before continuing the conversation. "What was all that about?" Hibiki asks.
"Chris-san told us!" Kirika answered proudly, whereas the trio looked over at the blushing Chris who was trying not to make eye contact.
"About Hibiki's birthday?" Miku asked, getting an excited nod from the Igalima Wielder.
"Chris-chan told you about my birthday?" Hibiki asks, getting a mild grumble out from the Ichaival Wielder, which excited her greatly. "You remembered!"
"Don't go getting a big head over it." Chris replied. "I just happened to remember it was coming up. Nothing more, nothing less."
"Oh?" Kana asked teasingly. "If memory serves me right, you were a bit more ecstatic about it than someone who would've 'just so happened to remember'."
"Quiet, you!" Chris growled at Kana, which only made her smirk grow wider.
"But you did seem pretty excited, Chris-Senpai." Shirabe said.
"Yeah!" Kirika added. "She was practically exploding with easy-to-understand-ness!"
Kana was over the moon, seeing her girlfriend's face turn bright red from embarrassment. "Sh-SHUT UP, YOU TWO!" Chris shouted. "Let's just get over to HQ already, before we end up being late!"
Wielders' POVs:
S.O.N.G. HQ
With that, the Wielders left for the submarine to meet up with the others, who were waiting for them in the command center. "Everyone's here?" Genjuro asked, receiving nods from all of the Wielders. "Good. Then let us begin the briefing. Put it up on the screen."
"Yes, sir." Aoi replied, putting the map the Wielders got at the Tsuki shrine on the monitor, specifically the part of the constellation the shrines formed.
"Based on what you've learned at the Tsuki shrine, along with your battles against the Alchemists at this point, we've concluded that the enemy's next objective is the mirrored Orion formed by these intersecting lines." Genjuro stated. "From here, they will more than likely attempt to draw out the power they seek from the Divine Gate at this location."
"We're coordinating with the Shrine Association to reinforce defenses at the keypoints, as well as issuing a full-scale evacuation of the area." Ogawa added.
"They mean to conduct an even larger-scale ritual using the ley lines." Maria says, remembering what the results of their last ritual were back in Val Verde.
"And here I thought that worm thing was bad enough." Kanade adds. "The hell kind of monster could they be hoping to summon now?"
"Whatever comes through that gate will be something far more devastating than any monster..." Tsubasa replies.
"Do we even stand a chance against something like that?" Chris asks.
"We have to." Hibiki answers. "We'll find a way."
"There may already be a way to win: The power of the God-killer." Genjuro stated.
"The God-killer?" Shirabe asks.
"What's that?" Kirika adds.
"There are legends all over the world of beings worshiped as gods having to face death." Genjuro continued.
"Records show that German eugenics programs during the last world war involved collecting powers that could potentially kill godly beings." Aoi added.
"Hold on, does that mean-"
"Unfortunately..." Aoi continued, interjecting Kana. "The promising documents we received from Val Verde, and all the relics from the war had been stored in the former Kazanari HQ, which was destroyed by Controlling Director Adam Weishaupt."
"... I was afraid you'd say that..." Kana sighs.
"However, could we interpret their carefully planned actions as an attempt to conceal the existence of the god-killing power?" Genjuro thought.
"In other words, their actions imply that such a power is out there." Serena states, which Genjuro nodded in agreement to.
"The power of the God-killer..." Kana thought to herself, briefly remembering the giant from her nightmares. "If we can find that power, then maybe we can stop that monster from even showing up!"
"Ogawa." Genjuro said.
"Roger." Ogawa replied. "I'll coordinate with other intelligence agencies to gather any information that could help us."
As he said this, Ogawa ran out of the command center to get started as soon as possible. "We're counting on you."
With that, the Wielders left the command center and awaited further orders. In the meantime, they all went down to the cafeteria to have dinner before leaving for their homes. But as they ate, they couldn't help but think about this God-killer that Genjuro had brought up.
"A god-killing power, capable of taking down the divine..." Maria thought aloud.
"Something on your mind, Onee-san?" Serena asks.
"The power that the Commander mentioned earlier... Could it be within the Gungnir?" Maria says.
"I also considered that possibility." Tsubasa replies. "But the only thing stopping me from outright assuming it so is the fact that there are no god-slaying legends associated with the Gungnir."
"And, if it were the Gungnir that had this power, why couldn't mine destroy that giant worm thing back at Val Verde when we fought it, but Hibiki-chan's could?" Kanade adds.
"If you ask me, going off the assumption that Gungnir is this God-killer, maybe it has to do with how Hibiki used to be partially fused with a fragment of said relic?" Kana suggests.
"But the Gungnir shard was erased from Hibiki-chan's body when she was blasted by Shénshòujìng's laser." Serena states.
"Oh. Right." Kana replies.
"At this point, all we can do is wait." Chris adds. "After all, four of us are unable to fight until Elfnein's able to clean up the recoil pollution from our Gears."
"Which is why I asked for Yato back since she's already got her hands full at the moment." Kana says. "It'd be better for her focus on the Gears that need repairs anyways so that way I'm still able to help Serena, Kanade, Hibiki, and-"
"Dess!" Kirika shouts as she leans over the table in front of Kana and Chris, surprising them both. "Everyone, I have a great idea!"
"What's your idea, Kirika-chan?" Serena asks.
"Hibiki-san's birthday is two days from now, on the 13th! So let's throw her a birthday party!" Kirika says.
"Wh-What? Here? Now?" Hibiki asks, surprised by the sudden offer to throw her a birthday party.
"We're not imposing, are we?" Shirabe asks.
"No, not at all! If anything, I'm glad you're offering." Hibiki says. "But things are a little tense right now, especially since only half of us can fight right now."
"But it's your birthday!" Kirika insists. "You only get one of those every year!"
"You're right, but..."
"So it's only natural that you should get a birthday party on your birthday!" Kirika continues.
"Try to read the room, would you?" Chris says. "Don't be so naïve."
"Naïve?" Kirika asks, before remembering what happened the last time she heard that word...
"We have everything under control! Please evacuate immediately!"
"And what, pray tell, do you have under control, little miss naïve?"
"...Well now. Whose fault could that have been?"
Remembering that moment, Kirika's bright and peppy mood disappeared. "I guess my naïveté put you on the spot, huh..." Kirika says.
"No! Not at all!" Hibiki replies. "Seriously, I'm grateful for the offer!"
"Tell you what, Kirika-chan, once we're done fighting the Illuminati, we can celebrate Hibiki's birthday. I'll even help you get everything together for it!" Kana says, trying to cheer up Kirika. "Does that sound good?"
"Okay." Kirika answers. "But, I don't wanna force you to help if you don't want to."
"Nonsense! I'd be happy to help my kouhai!" Kana says. "Besides, I think we could all go for a party after everything that's happened this month."
"You could say that again." Kanade agrees.
"And who knows, maybe we can have this whole thing wrapped up before the 13th so that we can still have it on her birthday too!" Kana continues.
Hearing this made Kirika smile again. "You're right, Kana-sama." She says. "That just means I have more of a reason to give it my all dess!"
Saint-Germain's POV:
Ritual Site
Back at the shrine where the Illuminati had been setting up their altar, agents had swarmed the premises while Saint-Germain was away. However, that would only serve to backfire on the agents as several balls of light suddenly emerged from the darkness of the forest, each killing an agent, one after another.
"Blue One! Blue One, what happened?" One of the agents asked through their communicator, receiving no response. "Blue Two! Please respo-"
Before he could finish his sentence, the agent was destroyed by another ball of light, as Saint-Germain stepped from the shadows, getting rid of the remaining agents. "73,808. 73,809. 73,810. 73,811." She stated, counting them towards the amount of people that she has killed.
"They're all over the place." Tiki says, arriving at the shrine as Saint-Germain had cleared the area. "That means they know our plan, right? You gonna do anything about it, Saint-Germain?"
"Not at all." Saint-Germain answers, stripping off her clothes as she walks over to where the altar had been set up. "I'll use the life energy I've gathered to place the central control altar."
"Jade twinkles in the sky, what men called the dying erde. The whirlwind blows, and the flames from beyond rise high."
Chanting this, a golden pillar of light erupted around Saint-Germain, the pillar separating in the sky and descending onto the other nearby shrines as the markings inscribed on her back lit up. "The missing life energy that is still needed to open the gate shall be provided by my life..."
Meanwhile...
"Commander! Look!" One of the agents reported, showing the golden pillars on the main monitor.
"Contact everyone immediately!"
Hibiki's POV:
Hibiki and Miku's dorm
After finishing their food in the S.O.N.G. cafeteria, the Wielders returned to their homes to get some sleep before what could be the final battle against the Illuminati. However, their sleep would be interrupted a lot sooner than they thought when Genjuro suddenly called all of them. "Yes. Yes. Understood." Hibiki whispered, so as to try and not wake up Miku, but unfortunately, she did wake up.
"Hibiki?"
"I have to go." Hibiki says.
"Hibiki, wai-" Miku stopped herself, knowing that she had to let Hibiki go and do her job. "Sorry."
"It's fine." Hibiki replies, holding Miku's hand. "My birthday's coming up, right? I'll be back before you know it."
"Okay." Miku nodded. "Please come home safe."
"Will do." Hibiki says.
With that, Hibiki got out of her pajamas and into her normal clothes as she ran out of the dorm building, where Kana was already waiting for her. "Figured you could use a lift." Kana said, extending her hand out to Hibiki. "Let's get out there and end this!"
"Yeah!" Hibiki agrees, taking Kana's hand as they both vanish from sight.
The Wielders'/S.O.N.G.'s POVs:
Ritual Site/S.O.N.G. HQ
Gathering at HQ, the Wielders saw the Orion constellation on the monitor over the map. Suddenly, a call came in from Yatsuhiro. "Father?" Tsubasa asks.
"Preparations have been made on our end." Yatsuhiro reported. "When you're ready."
"Understood." Genjuro replies. "What's the status of the Wielders?"
"All active Wielders are en route to the Illuminati's location as we speak!" Sakuya reports.
With help from Kana, all of the Wielders that could fight were gathered and sent towards the ritual site in a helicopter. From there, they were able to see the golden pillars created by Saint-Germain's ritual, watching as energy flowed towards the outer pillars. "Look over there! It's really happening dess!" Kirika exclaims.
"Is that what I think it is?" Kana asks in surprise.
"Looks like it." Serena replies.
"The mirrored Orion!" Hibiki gasps.
"They're really pulling out the big guns now that two of them are gone." Kanade says.
"We have to stop them. Fast!" Kana adds.
"Massive amounts of energy are focusing towards the observation point via the ley lines!" Sakuya reports.
"If this keeps up, the Divine Gate will materialize in no time!" Aoi adds.
"With me, Gen!" Yatsuhiro said.
"On your mark, Brother!" Genjuro replies, pulling out a key just like Yatsuhiro's and inserting it into a slot on his desk.
"Authorization... Confirmed!"
Turning the keys on their desks, every Shrine in Japan that had a keystone cut off the ropes off of them, allowing them to activate and cut off the flow of energy into the mirrored Orion.
"Keystones positioned on the ley lines have been activated!" Sakuya reports.
"Ley lines have been successfully cut off!" Aoi adds.
"You got far too sloppy, letting us figure out as much of your plan as we have, Alchemists." Yatsuhiro said aloud, watching the energy flow be cut off. "Never underestimate the government."
From the helicopter, the Wielders watched as the golden pillars began to dissipate, allowing them to approach the center to begin combat. "Looks like they were able to cancel their ritual!" Kanade says.
"Now let's finish this dess!" Kirika adds.
Once they were over the ritual site, the helicopter door opened, and the Wielders descended towards Saint-Germain and Tiki.
"Balwisyall nescell Gungnir tron"
"Zeios Igalima raizen tron"
(Hitsuai Duo Shout begins to play)
After transforming, the five wielders land in front of the unconscious Tiki and nude Saint-Germain with their weapons raised. "This is the end for you!" Kirika exclaims.
"Symphogears... You don't know when to give up, do you?" Saint-Germain growled as she readied her spellcaster and charged at the Wielders, which made Hibiki charge at her in turn.
Meeting in the middle, Hibiki's fist collided with Saint-Germain's spellcaster as they transformed into their Ignite and Faust Robe forms respectively. "Is fighting really our only option?" Hibiki asks.
"You and I hold our own forms of justice in our hands. This is the only way left!" Saint-Germain retorted as she began to slash at Hibiki with her spellcaster's bayonet.
"You four keep her busy!" Kana shouts. "I'll take the autoscorer back to HQ and be right back!"
"I'm afraid I can't let you do that, Kana Kamui."
"Wha-" Before Kana could respond to the voice in her head, herself, Kanade, and Serena suddenly vanished from sight, entering another pocket dimension. "This again..."
"I've been generous enough to sit back and let you do as you please for now, but my generosity has its limits."
"That voice." Serena gasps.
"Is that the Illuminati's Big Boss?" Kanade asks.
"Consider the fact that I don't execute you now as my last gift to you before our goal of attaining divine power is realized."
"Is that what you're calling the literal nuke you dropped on the old Kazanari HQ? A 'gift'?" Kanade retorts, only getting a chuckle from Adam as a response.
"See you soon."
Upon saying this, a horde of Alca-Noise spawned around the trio, forcing them to fight their way out of yet another pocket dimension, unaware of how Kirika and Hibiki were fairing against Saint-Germain.
"Gungnir and Igalima have entered combat against the enemy!" Sakuya reports.
"Their unison values are stable!" Aoi adds.
"But what about the others?" Chris asks. "Where did they go?"
"We're not too sure, but the enemy may have placed another pocket dimension to lessen our numbers momentarily." Nastassja states.
"For now, we just need to hope that Akatsuki and Tachibana can handle the Alchemist on their own." Tsubasa replies.
Even without the other Wielders, Kirika and Hibiki were able to hold their own against Saint-Germain while in their Ignite forms, even if the Alchemist still proved to be a handful for them when it came to tactics.
"Your beliefs are hollow and fragile!" Saint-Germain shouted as she charged at Kirika, hacking and slashing away at her, while the Wielder in question was forced to sit there and block the barrage of strikes. "We'll use the divine power to seize the Lunar Ruins! Then we'll free mankind from the Curse of Balal, and put an end to the history of oppression it holds!" Saying this, Saint-Germain ended her barrage and blasted Kirika away with a massive shot from her spellcaster that turned into a giant wolf's head.
"But even if that's true... It's not worth sacrificing others to achieve!" Hibiki retorts, destroying the wolf head with a drill punch.
"After 32,831 sacrifices and 40,977 casualties, the sins that I must bear alone, it is far too late for me to change my mind!" Saint-Germain shouted. "And if you continue to stand against me, I shall not hesitate to add you to that number!"
Saint-Germain fired more shots from her spellcaster at Hibiki, this time using alchemy to make them disappear and reappear behind the Gungnir Wielder, sending her stumbling across the ground. With her enemy's guard broken, Saint-Germain followed up the bullets by jumping into the air and plunging her bayonet down towards Hibiki.
"Hibiki-san! Look out!" Kirika shouts, but the warning was too late and the blade landed right on Hibiki... Or so everyone at the Ritual Site and S.O.N.G. HQ thought...
Thankfully, Hibiki was able to avoid the bayonet's impact and held the blade in place with all of her strength. Hibiki had Saint-Germain right where she wanted her. With that, Hibiki activated the thrusters on her back and punched Saint-Germain right in the stomach, putting everything she had into her strike. Seeing this, Kirika used her thrusters to fly over and interlock her Gear's boots with Hibiki's before putting her all into her thrusters, allowing the duo to take Saint-Germain flying through the forest, dragging her across the dirt road at extreme speeds.
Certain Love Duo Shout
The duo traveled for several yards before their thrusters eventually gave in, forcing Saint-Germain onto the ground as they got up, reverted their Ignite transformations, and caught their breath.
However, even after all of the damage the Alchemist sustained, she still tried to pick herself up. "For the sake of the planet's future... No one should ever... No one should ever suffer that shame." Saint-Germain said, remembering her bastard father leaving her and her mother to rot, all because they were slaves. "I'll overthrow oppression!"
Saint-Germain got back up on her feet, surprising Kirika and Hibiki, but even with the tenacity to stand back up, she couldn't stand for long until the pain from the Unison strike forced her back down onto the ground.
"I've always believed in justice, clenching it tight in my fists. But... I also know that there are some things that can't be changed with a closed fist alone. That's why I'm not afraid to open my fists." Hibiki says, walking over to the wounded Saint-Germain and holding a hand out to her. "It's wrong to use the power of a god in order to remove a curse that was placed by them. People need to change their ways while remaining as people."
Saint-Germain sat on the ground, seeing Hibiki's innocent smile, and couldn't help but be in awe of her words and her mercy. "'Even if that's true'..." Saint-Germain said with a smile, which confused the Gungnir Wielder. "That unbending, unshakeable saying of yours... Maybe that represents the true power to change the world."
With that, Saint-Germain admitted defeat and reached out to take Hibiki's hand. However, just before she could...
"I've allowed this farce to go on for long enough."
Hearing that voice, the Wielders and Alchemist looked over at the shrine to see Adam hovering in the air, before suddenly restarting the ritual, not from the ground, but from the sky.
"What's going on dess?!" Kirika asks in a panicked tone.
"Ley lines in the sky?" Elfnein wonders aloud. "Adam gathered life not from this planet, but the stars themselves while using the actual Orion constellation to symbolize the Divine Gate. But the distinction between macrocosm and microcosm is the most fundamental law of alchemy! How is this possible?!"
Suddenly, Kana, Kanade, and Serena reemerged into reality, sporting minor scratches on their armor from the onslaught, but overall, they were unharmed. However, it didn't take them long to see what the others were looking at. "Anyone care to catch us up to speed?" Kanade asks.
"We're not quite sure how this is happening either, Kanade-san!" Hibiki answers.
While the trio was disappointed that there was no explanation for what was happening, they had no choice but to join the other Wielders and the Alchemist as they watched the ritual continue, with Tiki's unconscious body being lifted into the sky before suddenly being surrounded by a red pillar of light from the stars. "I applaud your attempt at stopping the ritual, but I'm afraid that you will not be able to stop it this time around." Adam said.
"We'll see about that!" Kana retorts. "Let's do it, Hibiki!"
"Right!" Hibiki replies, holding her hand out as Kana leapt into the air, spinning Hibiki around at a rapid pace and sending her flying towards Adam and Tiki.
Dragon Throw
Seeing this, Adam simply took off his hat and threw it towards Hibiki like a Frisbee, surprisingly knocking Hibiki back towards Kana and sending them both crashing into the ground below.
"He just countered their attack with only his hat!" Serena gasps.
"What the hell was that thing made out of? Freakin' titanium?" Kanade asks.
Watching this happen, Saint-Germain grit her teeth and looked up towards Adam. "Tell me, Controlling Director! Can this power really free mankind from the chains of oppression?" She asked.
"Of course it can... Probably." Adam answered as his hat returned to him, which he promptly placed back on his head. "But to be honest, I never intended to use such power for that reason. It was never part of my plan."
"You... You tricked me?!" Saint-Germain gasped. "Cagliostro... Prelati... All of the lives that were sacrificed for the revolution..."
"And now, you are no longer of any use to me." Saying this, Adam snapped his fingers, forcing Tiki into an upright position, before she opened her mouth and shot out a beam of energy that exploded on contact with the Wielders and Alchemist as they all braced for the impact of said blast. Seeing just how destructive this divine power was, Adam smiled. "This power is incredible!"
"...el ziggurat edenal"
A voice suddenly emerged from the explosion, which took everyone by surprise. "Is that a Superb Song?" Hibiki asks.
"Emustolronzen Finé el zizzl"
Kana lowered her arms, hearing the same thing Hibiki was. "It sounds like one, but who would... No!" Kana gasps as she saw who was responsible for singing the Superb Song. "Kirika-chan!"
Kirika had performed her Superb Song so that her scythe could be used as a shield against the divine blast, and even then, she was struggling to do so. "Yeah, I may be naïve. But if there isn't at least one naïve person with no worries of their own, then who will shoulder the burdens of others when they're suffering dess?" Kirika says aloud.
"KIRI-CHAN! NO!" Shirabe screams, watching her best friend practically sacrifice herself as everyone stares at the screen in utter shock.
While the move in and of itself was extremely risky, Kirika was able to successfully hold off the divine blast long enough for everyone to remain unharmed, but her scythe shattered as the blast ended, sending her crumbling to the earth. "Kirika-chan!" Kana screams once again, running over to the seriously injured Igalima Wielder and picking her up off the ground. "Kirika-chan! Please wake up!"
"K... Kana-sama?" Kirika weakly asks, seeing her Senpai tearing up as blood flowed down her face. "Is... Is everyone okay?"
"Yeah, Kirika-chan. We're... We're fine." Kana answers, trying her best to smile for her kouhai. "Now save your breath and hang in there. I'll get you back to HQ and Lilith can help fix you up."
"Wait." Kirika says. "Where's Hibiki-san?"
"I'm right here, Kirika-chan." Hibiki answers, running over to Kana and Kirika. "What were you thinking?! Why did you use your Superb Song to block that attack?"
"Hibiki-san, it's almost time for your birthday." Kirika replies, ignoring Hibiki's questions. "The most important part of a birthday is that you're still around to celebrate the next one."
"Now's not the time for this!" Hibiki shouts, choking on tears as she did.
"I don't know my real birthday." Kirika continues, which surprises Kana and Hibiki, making it even harder for them to hold back their tears. "That's why it's even more important to me that everyone else is able to celebrate their own birthdays dess..."
Saying this, Kirika passes out again. "Hey, no no no, stay with me Kirika-chan!" Kana shouts, shaking Kirika to try and wake her up, but when she did, Kana and Hibiki saw several empty vials fall out of her pockets. "Are these... LiNKER?"
"She suppressed the Superb Song's recoil by overdosing on LiNKER?!" Elfnein gasps.
"Kana-kun, get Kirika-kun back here immediate-!" Before Genjuro could finish his order to Kana, the dragon girl and Igalima Wielder vanished, only for Kana to reappear alone a second later. "Kana-kun?"
"I dropped Kirika-chan off in the medical wing." Kana says. "She needs medical attention. Now!"
"You were just here?!" Genjuro asks in surprise. "But how did-"
"Hurry!" Kana shouts
"R-Right!" Genjuro replies. "Lilith-kun, get to the medical wing and have the staff flush out the drug from Kirika-kun's system ASAP!"
"I'm on it, Commander!" Lilith says, before teleporting out of the room a few seconds later.
"Kiri-chan!" Shirabe shouts as she runs out of the command center and off towards the medical wing as well.
"Kana-san's teleportation speed is already fast enough by itself, but that speed and distance shouldn't have been possible even in her Radiance form." Elfnein thought aloud. "How did she manage that?"
"She went to HQ and came back here in that short amount of time?!" Serena asks.
"That's insane..." Kanade adds.
Suddenly, Adam started slowly clapping as he looked down at Kana. "So... You've finally decided to show off your hidden power, have you?" Adam asked with a smirk. "Who knew all it took was for one of your allies to sacrifice themselves to finally make it happen!"
"What the hell are you going on about?" Kana asks.
"Don't play dumb with me, girl! You and I both know what I mean!" Adam shouted. "So quit wasting everyone's time and just spill it!"
Kana's eyes went wide hearing that sentence, her thoughts turning back to her recurring nightmare. But before she would falter out of fear of what could come next, someone came to Kana's aid and stood between her and Adam. "Saint-Germain?"
"You've gone too far this time, Controlling Director." Saint-Germain said, taking Kana and the other Wielders, except Hibiki, by surprise.
"Oh?" Adam asked. "Is that the choice you've made?"
"If you seek to monopolize the power of the gods, then you are now the oppressor standing in my way." Saint-Germain answered.
"How very stubborn. That probably explains why I find you as irritating as I do." Adam replied. "No matter. The divine power will soon be complete. And once it is, no one will be able to stop me."
Despite Adam's words, Hibiki, Kanade, and Serena all rise and stand up next to Saint-Germain and Kana. "You and I are enemies, both holding tightly onto our own justice, with no hope of reaching an understanding." Saint-Germain said.
"But, right now, we're both facing the same direction, facing the same enemy." Hibiki replies.
"Our enemy is great, and the odds are overwhelming." Saint-Germain continued. "What do you say, Hibiki Tachibana?"
"The same thing I always say when I'm met with impossible odds:"
"Even if that's true!"
A/N: And with that, we end the chapter!
And now that the Alchemist trio have been dealt with, it's time for the grand finale against Adam and the divine power! But before that, I figured I'd shed some light on the changes that came about this chapter:
First of all, seeing a major point for Kirika was her excitement around Hibiki's birthday, I figured I would answer the question as to why Chris would care so much about the younger Gungnir Wielder's birthday, while also giving Kana and Kirika the much needed talk about the latter's insistence on being a retainer for Kana.
As for the other surprise twist in that of Kana's sudden power surge, unlike the other times when Kana was able to restore wounds, this time she used it to save Kirika's life by getting her to safety in record time.
And just in case you're wondering, no, this isn't the last time Kana's gonna get a temporary power boost in this part. But for that, you'll unfortunately have to wait a bit (Unless you're seeing this at a point after said chapter is released, then you can just keep reading to find that out.)
But either way, thank you so much for reading this chapter. I shall see you all in the next one!
