Far East Branch Headquarters - Den Lobby

The Den was abuzz with excitement and noise. After weeks of absence, the missing members of the First Unit were set to return. Sakuya arrived at the Den first, bearing souvenirs and good tidings. Lindow, still held up on assignment, was supposedly right behind her. Unfortunately, none of them were able to celebrate for long. The newlywed sniper sergeant came home to find the base in absolute chaos, God Eaters running in every direction, with only a handful of them sparing a glance. Questioning a few of the stragglers told her why. After days of fruitless searching, the Nova had finally been found.

And the 1st Unit was itching for a rematch.

God Eaters stepped out of the way when the elevator doors opened, a trio of soldiers entering the lobby. Soma strode proudly toward the mission desk, the ex and current corporal on either side. Alisa and Kota were already waiting for them, speaking amongst themselves, and comparing notes for the battle ahead. Sakuya stood at the terminals, checking inventory, and readying her gear. This was going to be the fight of a lifetime. Mistakes weren't an option.

The excitement caught the attention of everyone, drawing soldiers from all units to witness the preparation. With all of the noise, it didn't take long for the commotion to reach a certain New Type who came bursting into the hall from a nearby stairwell. Entering the main area, Neo looked around, eyebrows raising at the pandemonium. Catching sight of his blue hoodie, she made a beeline in his direction, hopping in front of him and stopping him mid-stride. "Soma, what's going on? Did something happen?"

"We've detected Nova's Oracle response. After clearing the area of Aragami, we'll move against it. We'll be sure to get it this time!"

"Hey, Neo! Long time no see," Sakuya greeted with a wave.

"Hello." Neo turned and addressed her only briefly before returning her attention to Soma. "You're leaving to deal with it now?"

"After preparations. We move out in five."

"I'm coming with you."

"No, you're not."

"Soma —"

"Where is your God Arc?"

"In the weapons hangar I assume."

Soma scowled. "Don't be smart, Neo. Is it working or not?"

"It should be soon. Licca said it was nearly functional, she just needed to make some adjustments on the settings."

"Then, when it's working, you can join up with us."

"That's —"

Kota clapped a hand against her shoulder, offering a reassuring smile. Don't worry, buddy. Everything's gonna be fine. I won't mess up this time! I'm going to beat it up so hard that it stays down!"

Neo brushed his hand from her shoulder. She wasn't convinced. "The Nova is stronger now, Kota. It devoured the Prithvi Mata, and gods know what else. You won't be facing the same foe."

"I know." Alisa appeared at her other side, looking battle ready. "That's why we're splitting into two teams. Our mission is to clear out the Aragami from the operational area before the search. The team that discovers Nova first contacts the other immediately. After linking up, both teams will take it down together."

"Who are the teams?"

"Kota, Soma, and I will be heading to the north. Sakuya, Lenkta, and Ichiro will be taking the south."

"Ichiro's going too?" Neo's eyes narrowed, her eyes shifting to the other man at Soma's side. The fact that even her guardian was permitted didn't sit right with her. "You'll need all the help you can get. I'll stay close, just let come with you," she argued.

"Not a chance, Neo. Not without your weapon," Ichiro addressed her calmly, more than prepared for her stubbornness."

"But —"

"Neo, without your scythe, you have no shield. Without your shield, you have no chance against the Nova. The Bias Field alone will take you out of the fight," he reasoned.

There was a moment of pause, his words seemingly getting through to her. Her fang worried her bottom lip, scowling. It was clear she understood the implications, her mind trying to find some sort of workaround. Some sort of argument. Anything that would allow her entry onto the battlefield. But she couldn't. She knew he was right. She was as good as a gunner without bullets in the face of the Alda Nova. Her eyes lowered to the floor, looking utterly defeated. "I want to help…"

"And you will," Soma responded. "Your God Arc should be ready soon. You're already authorized and cleared for combat. As soon as it's up and running, you can get a transport and join the fight."

He was met with silence. Neo clearly wasn't happy with the current game plan and looked as though she wanted to argue further. It pained her to admit to defeat, but she had little choice in the matter. It seemed she would be relegated to poking Licca until her scythe was back in her hands. "…Fine."

"Neo," Lenka started. She didn't shift her gaze, but he could tell from her eye twitch that she had heard him; from her tense posture that she was listening. "It should go without saying, but at this point I know you well enough that can't. Do not do anything rash."

Her eye twitched again, this time along with one of her fingers. Alisa spoke to her again, her tone markedly stern. "We're serious this time… anyone who runs off and takes things into their own hands — like what happened with Lindow — won't be let off easy. Even you. Remember that."

"Tch." she scoffed, turning away, and storming off toward the lift. Thankfully, it was already on the ground floor. As it moved upward, Neo leaned against the wall with an angry huff. "…Useless."

. . .

Tranquil Temple - North Side

The chopper tossed snow and ice upon landing, leaving a large crater just beneath. The trio hopped to the ground, lifting their Arcs, and setting off into the snow. As they moved, their radios hummed with static, Hibari's voice coming through a moment later. "Nova response detected! We've tracked it to the region, but we can't pin it down exactly. We'll try to get a clearer picture while you complete the Aragami sweep. Good luck team!"

"Roger that," Alisa answered.

Team 1 trudged carefully through the streets, taking a triangular formation and keeping their eyes peeled for any signs of movement. Soma was particularly on edge, taking point for this investigation. Alisa and Kota watched his flanks on either side, with the first in sword mode. The latter kept his head on a swivel.

The journey remained uneventful for the most part, a couple of Fallen Ogretails and a few Fallen Zygotes, but no eyes on their larger targets just yet. Growing bored of the silence, Kota's mind began to wander, his eyes focusing on the back of his teammate's hooded head. Some days had passed since the incident, but even so, the thoughts kept weighing heavily on his mind. Why wouldn't they? They defied all logic.

It was none of his business, that much he knew, but he couldn't help it. Soma Von Shicksal. The Death God. One of the Far East's most formidable soldiers, and without question it's most irritable. His serrated attitude was such that he, along with nearly everyone else, often walked on eggshells even just looking at the guy for fear of getting their head torn off. He was anger incarnate; Kota honestly doubted he had any other setting most of the time. Yet all of that seemed to change in the presence of their first New Type. And that had never been more evident than when they had found them that morning, nestled in each other's arms beneath a thin blanket.

It was bizarre. It was confusing. It was fascinating. And he could tell from the more subtle glances Alisa was giving him that she shared his sentiment. Surely, she had noticed it too, Soma's slowly shifting behavior. His curiosity was quickly getting the better of him, he could feel the words trying their best to surface. A razor thin thread was the only thing keeping him in check…

… and it snapped when he met Alisa's eyes, flickering between himself and their teammate's back. She wanted to know just as much as he did. And being the braver — or possibly less intelligent — of the two, Kota finally spoke up.

"So, uh… Soma."

"What?"

"How's Neo doing?"

"You saw her less than an hour ago. She's fine. Why?"

"Oh, no reason. Was just… worried is all."

That got his attention. Soma spun around so quickly he nearly whacked him with his Buster. "Why? Did something happen?"

"Uh, no! No, nothing in particular. Neo being Neo, I guess… well, it's just, you know, the last few days."

Soma stared at him. His concern was quickly morphing into utter confusion. Sensing his intentions, Alisa stepped in. "You two were out in the wilderness for some time. We were just wondering if…"

Realization appeared on his features, before disappearing beneath his typical scowl. "She handled it well enough; she'll be alright. Neo's far stronger than she looks."

Kota nodded. "Oh, that's good! So, you guys were okay out there? Didn't get bored, didn't run out of food, didn't get too cold…?"

The veteran rolled his eyes. "Neo is always bored, she doesn't need food, and she doesn't get cold."

"Oh, really? That's odd."

"Odd? Kota, you know about her ability…"

"Oh yeah, no I know that. It's just, you guys seemed so cozy, I thought —"

"What?" His change was almost immediate; his facial expression transformed from annoyance to livid in less than a millisecond. Landmine confirmed. But that didn't deter the younger gunner. It only spurred him on to press his buttons in a way that only Kota could.

"Well, when we found you guys, you just seemed pretty comfortable, that's all."

"Shut it, Fujiki," he snapped.

Kota smirked. "Okay, okay, fine. I'm just saying, I think that might be the first time I'm ever seen you smile, so…"

Alisa nodded. Goaded on by Kota's bravery, she couldn't help poking a little fun as well. "I just never realized you and Neo were so close, Soma. She certainly seemed relaxed."

"That's — it wasn't — would you just —" Soma spat and sputtered, frustrated, flustered, and furious, all at the same time. He could feel his face radiating with so much heat, he feared the snow itself might melt. At his sides, his teammates exchanged a look with one another before slowly growing a pair of wide smirks. "Just mind your own damn business!" he growled.

Turning away, he stomped off into the snow to continue his search. Behind him, the pair exchanged another glance, raised eyebrows and curious smiles. Putting his little outburst into their pockets for a later time, the two followed him before he could get too far off.

. . .

By the time the area was cleared, it was nearing nightfall. A Ravana and a Sekhmet later, the team stood against one of the ruined buildings taking a short break. Soma extracted the core from the remaining Aragami, pointedly keeping his focus in any other direction than the pair behind him. The last thing he wanted to do was engage and run the risk of giving any more ammunition to use against him. It was bad enough that the two of them had seen him and his teammate together — they had caught them in a state of rest, nothing more — it was even worse that they remembered, and worse still they were now prodding him with it. He wasn't sure what exactly they were hoping to pry out of him, but it wasn't going to work. There was nothing there to find. Just two childhood friends getting some much-needed sleep. Nothing more, nothing less.

Although, he couldn't deny how comfortable Neo's body had felt against his own. Her soft, smooth skin, her fluffy violet hair, her tiny, clawed hands…

Soma mentally smacked himself to regain focus. He could not afford to have his mind wandering. Not at a time like this. Not when the Nova could be anywhere in the vicinity. Not when —

"Yo guys, check out the moon! It's freaking huge!"

Kota's voice rang out, that insufferable shouting that always threatened to put him in a foul mood. This time however, he was actually thankful for the distraction. Though he would never admit it. Turning, he watched Alisa place her hands on her hips, telegraphing the coming debate.

"And if the moon was our target, we'd have found it already! It's up there every night, you know!"

"Wha — no, it isn't! Sometimes, it goes away!"

"It doesn't go away, Kota. It just isn't visible. I swear, sometimes —"

While the two of them continued their bickering, Soma paused. He could feel that uneasy sensation. The magnetic pull of Oracle cells, steadily growing stronger from over the horizon. Foreign cells. He quickly backpedaled, pressing his back against the building, and effectively putting an immediate halt to their conversation. The two fell in line beside him without hesitation; they had long learned to trust his instincts. Their disagreement would have to wait.

"The Nova's nearby," Soma muttered quietly, confirming their suspicions.

Peeking around the corner, Soma kept his eyes peeled searching for anything. Any sign. Then… he saw it. A large silver mass approaching, cresting over the nearby mountain. With a deafening roar, it leapt from its perch to the ground below. The earth shook beneath its feet as it landed, spraying snow and ice against the building walls.

Kota grabbed his phone. "Captain, we've got the Nova right here! It may have spotted us, so get over here quick!"

His teammates listened, growing tense when his voice grew frantic. "Hello? Lenka? Hey — oh, that's bad… the signal cut out!" Because of course it did.

Alisa whipped around to face him, gripping her Arc. "What, now?!" The sound of heavy approaching footsteps warned them of their opponent's impending arrival. It seemed it had, in fact, not spotted them just yet. But it was only a matter of time. They were going to have to make a decision. Quickly. And considering how their last battle had gone, she knew which would be the right one. "We can't beat this thing. We have to fall back."

"Agreed. There's no way we're taking this thing head on."

The veteran listened to the two of them go back and forth, running scenarios in his mind. It was true that the Nova had now bested them not once, but twice. It was also true that at this point, it was even more powerful than their last encounter, possibly wielding multiple elements. But there was one inarguable fact that Soma couldn't let go, fists clenching as he felt the Oracle cells draw near. That all of this was his fault. That this monster had been unleashed upon the world due to his own negligence. It was his responsibility. So, exterminating it fell upon him. It had taken them this long to find the creature. They couldn't risk losing it again. They might not get another chance. Leaving his comrades behind, he lifted his weapon and stepped out into the street.

"Soma —" Alisa called after him, noticing his movement.

"Seriously?!" Kota tried to stop him, the other brushing off his hand as he continued forward. "Dude, this is a bad idea! We can't win against this thing, not on our own —"

"This monster roams free because I let it… and I will be the one to cut it down."

"Really?! Is he really doing this?" Kota asked, staring incredulously at his teammate.

Within seconds, he had his answer. Soma charged forward, buster raised and ready for a killing blow.

Alisa groaned, lifting her rifle. "Ugh… Come on. We can't let him face it alone!"

"I'll put you down!" Soma roared, tearing down the street like a man possessed. The Nova faced him, chest rumbling with a threatening roar. It crouched to pounce, pausing when it heard the sound of gunfire. Alisa appeared from the sidelines to provide support, firing suppressive shots from the flank. The monster ignored them, hopping easily to the side and out of range. An opportunity. "Die!" Soma came down with all his might, cleaving his blade into the monster's flesh.

…Or so he thought.

The Nova stopped its movement, feeling the edge of the blade crashing down atop its neck. Then, the sound of metallic scraping rang through the air as it lifted his head. It was entirely unharmed, and entirely annoyed. It didn't even pierce the hide. Soma felt his heart freeze, the creature facing him with a menacing glare. "No…"

He didn't even have time to react. Lifting a paw, the Nova swiped him with twice the force, sending him flying down the street. "Soma!" Kota called out to him. He received no response.

Alisa took immediate action, switching into blade form as the Nova bared down on him with deadly fangs. "Get away!" Flipping through the air, she began her own assault, a well-placed slash right across the top of its head. It barely batted an eye, blocking her attack with its shoulder armor. "No…" Then, it jerked, body checking her and sending her flying through the air. Her body twisted around landing and sliding across the ground on her feet. "It's too strong!" She regained her footing just in time to see familiar pink crystals forming in the air suspiciously in the shape of icy javelins. Bracing for impact, she activated her buckler, protecting her body as they rocketed toward her at rapid speed.

It wasn't enough.

The magenta blades tore against the metal, overloading it almost instantly. Then, Alisa was airborne once more before tumbling across the ground. She didn't rise again. Kota growled following up the rear, gripping his gun. "Hold on, I'm coming!" Loading his healing bullets he took his aim. Then…

"Face me!" Soma shouted in frustration.

And he got his wish.

The Nova turned, eyeing him with glowing yellow eyes. He could almost swear he saw the slightest hint of a smirk on its deformed fuchsia face. Like it was taunting him. Daring him to try again. Like it wanted him to. Like it was having… fun. Neo was right. That thing was sentient. It had to be. There was no other explanation. And the thought made him all the more nervous as he gripped his blade, rushing forward. But there was no time for fear. Its intelligence only served to solidify his resolve. The monster needed to fall. This had to end here.

A side swipe was parried, scraping along the armor-plated arms. His second was avoided, the Nova hopping away with only the slightest effort. This thing was toying with him. He felt his anger boiling over into rage. Hopping back, he narrowly avoided its retaliation, before creating distance. The Nova gave chase. It lifted a paw to strike, claws extending like massive hooks.

Its strike was only brought to a halt by the sound of gunfire followed by a large blast against the side of its head. "Disengage, Soma! We gotta get outta here!" He tried again, firing more suppressive shots to try and keep its attention; give his teammate a chance to escape. But the veteran soldier ignored him, charging forward with all of his strength. "Soma!"

Kota's voice was the last thing he heard. The Nova didn't even bother to engage him. Instead, it lifted its head with a mighty roar, summoning blinding lights on the ground below. There was no time to stop, no time to evade. Soma took the lightning strike head on, sending him rocketing backwards and slamming against a stone wall where he sank to the ground, motionless.

"Soma! Talk to me, buddy! Come on!" He didn't answer. Not even as the Nova leapt back to prepare another attack. "Not good…" he muttered. This was it. It was a worst-case scenario. Soma was down. Alissa was down. And he was as good as dead. He was sure of it when a blinding light engulfed the area with him, and everyone else in it. Kota screamed, feeling the waves of divine energy washing over him.