Chapter 9: Seeking the next symbol.
Hajime, Cloud, Yue and Shea were inside a deep canyon. Before their arrival, they were met with Ulfric, whom was awaiting their departure.
-Flashback-
Ulfric was awaiting the group that was about to leave Verbergen. They were surprised to see the leader waiting for them.
"Wonder why the elder leader is here?" Hajime asked.
"Best to find out what he wants to say to us." Cloud surmised.
The group soon approached the elf leader. He was awaiting their appearance. On his hands, there was a scroll containing a map.
"Ah, nice to see you all here. I have some important information that will lead you to one of the labyrinths you're searching for." Ulfric revealed.
"Okay then. You got our attention. Where should we head to from here?" Hajime inquired.
"There is a labyrinth within the Reisen Gorge that's not far from here. It's located deep in the area though so you'll have to search hard to find it. I have a map of the region which will guide you there. It'll respond as you get closer to the entrance. Be wary though. The region has some kind of magic dampening effect, meaning that spells or skills that use mana will be hampered with. There are plenty of monsters out there so keep your wits at you." Ulfric informed, also warning the group.
The boys shared an appreciating tone with the leader.
"Thanks for providing the details. We will be heading there." Hajime spoke.
"And thanks for the warning concerning the monsters and the region. We won't forget this, for we will pay you back." Cloud followed.
-Flashback ends-
The group was now looking at the scroll in question. They were lost till the scroll revealed the path they needed to take.
"I can see that Ulfric was indeed helpful. He must have enchanted the map with some kind of location magic to guide us if we're lost." Hajime noted.
"Better to have a guiding map so we know where we are." Cloud surmised.
"We still need to search for it." Yue followed.
"According to Ulfric, the map should give us a hint as to where we can find the labyrinth." Hajime surmised.
"We did have to fight off those monsters across the gorge though. They were practically fodder to us, despite the time being night now." Cloud mentioned.
"It looks like it." Shea said, squirming about.
The others noticed Shea squirming about.
"Why are you squirming like that?" Cloud asked to Shea.
"Well, I need to go and powder my nose…" Shea spoke with a shy tone.
"You won't be finding a bathroom here…" Hajime spoke.
"Sadly enough…" Yue followed.
Shea pouted in response, which caused her to scurry to a nearby rock, squirming in the process. Cloud went to the rabbit girl to calm her down.
"In any case, since we can walk through the gorge to reach Gruen, we might as well head to the labyrinth here and take care of things." Hajime noted.
"We did pass by Brooke Town earlier, which we managed to get Shea some new clothes." Cloud noted.
The rabbitgirl in question was wearing a outfit consisting of a sleeveless blue bikini armor top that looks like a swimsuit, which leaves her stomach, midriff, as well as the upper portion of her chest exposed, along with a handmade coat that Yue created. She also had a blue miniskirt, a pair of white hot pants, with her legwear consisting of sturdy white boots that lace up to her ankles, as well as a leg lace on her thigh. There was a stylized choker that looked like a ribbon with a cross made from a piece of the Divine Stone. Soon, Shea discovered something and was gleeful. She quickly went to Cloud, catching his attention.
"What is it, Shea?" The swordsman asked.
"You guys! I found something interesting here!" Shea spoke, moving to a crevice within the cliffside.
Hajime and Cloud realized they inadvertently found the entrance to the labyrinth. They were quite impressed as they soon saw a pink sign with the labyrinth's name.
"The Great Reisen Labyrinth… Nice job finding the entrance, Shea." Cloud complimented, albeit reluctant.
Shea smiled happily, holding Cloud's left hand, whom had pink dusting his cheeks. Hajime and Yue silently giggled, seeing Cloud's flustered face. The swordsman noticed this and got his expression at check.
"Remind me to interrupt your tender moments." Cloud spoke comically.
Upon entering the Great Reisen Labyrinth, a shrill female voice echoed.
"Hi there! Welcome to my labyrinth! Allow me to introduce myself! I'm Miledi and I'm the one whom created this place!" The female voice spoke.
"Where is that shrill voice coming from?" Hajime questioned.
"The voice sounds like it's around this place, most likely someone is watching us from afar." Cloud noted.
"So they're watching us through a security measure. Not a bad touch, I'll admit that." Hajime noted.
"Who cares though? We found the entrance to the labyrinth so we should head inside." Shea spoke with positivity.
"Shea, wait!" Cloud said.
Cloud managed to reach to Shea before she progressed further in. He held her back to ensure nothing harmed her. He was holding her in a princess carry.
"Let's not wander off too far." The swordsman spoke.
Shea nodded sheepishly, feeling secure from Cloud's hold. She was still squirming due to not able to find a spot to relieve her bladder, but she held it.
"So this place is legit?" Hajime asked to Yue.
Yue nodded in response. This got the Synergist in surprise.
"That means Miledi was one of the Liberators." Hajime pointed out.
"Yes, Oscar's diary mentioned her in his notes. This is the real thing." Yue confirmed.
"Sounds like we have found one of them then. Let's be careful in here. We don't know what lies inside this place." Cloud warned.
"But how do we get inside the labyrinth?" Shea questioned.
"It is quite complicated to know. Better look around." Hajime responded.
The group began interacting with the stone walls but to no avail. Shea soon gave a certain wall a couple of knocks before a stone wall began opening, much to her surprise. Cloud quickly reached to her, just before the wall closed, separating him from Hajime and Yue.
"Cloud! Are you alright in there?" Hajime asked.
"I'm fine and so is Shea. There's only a one way passage here. If there's a way to meet up and regroup, we should find a spot to mark our progress so we can find our way." Cloud called out.
"Alright then. Be careful in there, Cloud. We'll find our way to reach you and Shea." Hajime said.
Cloud heard Shea panic. He noticed several daggers being tossed due to a hidden trap. He managed to deflect them all though some nearly impaled the rabbit girl, causing her to lose control of her bladder and wet herself in response.
"Please don't look at me right now…" Shea begged in embarrassment, using her rabbit ears to hide her eyes.
Cloud simply petted Shea's head, which managed to reassure her, though she was still embarrassed. Seeing Cloud ignoring her embarrassment and calming her down made her flustered in response to the swordsman's kindness. Hajime and Yue arrived in time to meet with Cloud and Shea. Both were about to ask what happened.
"Don't even ask nor say a word…" Cloud responded, eyeing at the nearby puddle.
Hajime and Yue kept quiet, knowing Shea was embarrassed.
"So, you two encountered traps here too?" Hajime asked.
"Yeah. Hidden dagger launchers. That's why Shea was almost impaled. I could say you and Yue had encountered some too." Cloud noted.
"Yeah… Needle launchers. It seems this labyrinth has a lot of traps that are non-magical, but are challenging to watch for." Hajime noted.
The group soon noticed a stone slab, which began showing some writing. Miledi's voice soon echoed in the halls.
"Aww, did that trap scare you that much? Are you going to cry to your mother?" Miledi's voice taunted.
This riled Shea more than the others, though Cloud, Hajime and Yue found it annoying enough to rile them.
"I think it's a good time to test out my new weapon you made me, Hajime…" Shea spoke with a hidden sense of anger.
"Guess so…" Hajime confirmed, providing Shea's new weapon.
The weapon Shea was wielding was a large hammer. Focusing her strength, she soon blasted a nearby wall that opened a passage. Cloud whistled in response.
"Not bad…" The swordsman complimented.
However, Miledi's voice echoed once more.
"Nice try, but these stones in the labyrinth will rebuild themselves after a certain amount of time passes. You're only wasting your strength." Miledi spoke.
This angered Shea in response. This caused Hajime to question of the creator.
"Somehow, I'm beginning to question whether Miledi was one of the Liberators… She's more of a scourge of humanity than anything else…" Hajime nitpicked.
"I would have to agree on that." Yue followed.
The group passed through several passages. Each time they did, more traps were triggered, much to their disdain. They were now in a crimson hallway that was dimly lit. There were several open passages.
"This place doesn't seem like a labyrinth, but it does feel like we're traversing in a maze." Hajime noted.
"It does feel like a maze… Still, I don't think it's just a maze. There are hidden traps here since we encountered some on the way." Cloud noted.
The boys soon stepped on a floorboard that acted like a switch. This alerted the group as the other passages soon closed with hidden shudder doors.
"Something tells me we're about to find out why Indiana Jones hates hallways." Hajime commented.
"Why is that…?" Cloud asked, but he was on guard.
A heavy rumbling soon alerted the group. Before long, a giant ball of stone was seen rolling to the group. Yue attempted to stop the boulder, but her magic was soon dissipated before it was cast.
"This labyrinth is sapping away my magic. I can't use projectile magic in here." Yue said.
"Talk about a setback." Hajime noted, firing Donner at the boulder, which caused it to sublime. However, a second boulder followed behind. Cloud equipped his Yaeko sword, using its gun form and fired a shot, destroying it. More rounded boulders began rolling in.
"Tch… I hate boulders now…" Cloud remarked.
"Let me handle this!" Shea said.
With a war cry, she used her hammer to hit the boulder in front, causing it to reflect its impact to the ones behind it. The boulders were now all over the hallway, stuck in them.
"Well, at least that's one way to getting through this trap." Cloud remarked.
The group made their way through another hallway. There, a hidden trap appeared. A hidden set of buzzsaws were seen buzzing about. Shea quickly used her hammer to jam them in place.
"You guys hurry to pass through. I can hold this." Shea said.
"Got it. Nice thinking there." Hajime remarked.
Once Hajime, Yue and Cloud passed, the swordsman used Yaeko to jam the buzzsaws in place, allowing Shea to pass through. They made it through the hallway with little difficulty, though some buzzsaws almost caught them. Cloud held Shea as he performed various flips, keeping Shea safe.
"That was a bit too close there…" Cloud remarked.
The next hallway held a deep drop off, which prompted the boys to rely on Aerodynamics to stay afloat.
"Looks like we need to reach the other side if we need to progress." Cloud said.
Shea held her hammer in response. She looked to Cloud, silently asking if she can open a passage. He nodded, allowing the rabbit girl to use her hammer, blasting open a stone wall, revealing a hidden passage.
"Making progress so far." Hajime noted, holding Yue in a princess carry while using Aerodynamics.
"Yeah. This almost feels too easy right now." Cloud remarked.
The next hallway was very unpleasant for the group. The reason? Several metal pans were seen being hurled to them near their heads. Cloud was forced to deflect them with Yaeko. In the event he missed some, Shea stepped in and used her hammer to deflect them.
"This maker is starting to anger me…" Cloud spoke with comical rage.
"Hahahaha. Having a headache with those?" Miledi spoke.
"Forget anger… She's really asking for it…" Cloud corrected, now showing his anger.
"I think we can all agree on how annoying she is." Hajime noted.
"Very annoying." Yue followed.
The next hallway proved difficult. There was a sticky fluid that slowed their walking, which made things slow to them. Even Hajime's and Cloud's monstrous strength proved difficult to navigate through the sticky slime that hindered their movement.
"Ugh… This feels disgusting." Cloud remarked.
"I know what you mean. Not even our strength can break through this sticky fluid. It's almost like glue…" Hajime noted.
"Very icky…" Yue commented.
"It's a nasty problem." Shea followed.
Miledi's voice echoed in the hallway once more, annoying the group further.
"Having a gooey pair of shoes? I'm glad I'm not in there." Miledi laughed.
Cloud and Hajime had their mana aura encompassing their bodies in rage. They were clearly provoked from the taunting Miledi was doing.
"This creator better hope we don't find her…" Cloud spoke.
The group soon found a hole, which Shea curiously looked at. Cloud noticed the trap and managed to pull her back, only for a white fluid to spray in his face.
"How is your day going? Had a nice splash?" Miledi taunted.
Cloud soon wiped the fluid off his face, but an aura of sapphire mana was soon flowing into a thick formation around his body. Hajime and Yue had to step back, knowing just how angry he was.
"Forget talking… I'm gonna cleave that woman in two…" The swordsman spoke in anger.
Enraged, Cloud swung his sword, hurling a Blade Beam at a nearby wall, destroying it completely.
'Better hope this Liberator realizes just how much of a problem she's causing before Cloud's anger gets worse…' Hajime noted.
The group were now in a familiar room. They noticed it and felt a sense of Deja vu.
"Why do I get the feeling we have been in here before?" Hajime questioned.
"I don't think it's just you. I can tell we have been here before." Cloud confirmed.
"How?" Shea asked.
Cloud reluctantly pointed to the nearby urine puddle caused by Shea. The group realized something.
"It seems we're back where we started." Hajime noted.
"Looks that way." Cloud followed.
Miledi's shrill voice echoed once more. The group was now annoyed, but more concerned with Cloud as his anger began to grow ever stronger.
"So how did you enjoy the labyrinth? Tell me how it was to you all. Go on, tell me." Miledi called out.
Cloud's sapphire aura began raging around his body. He soon began performing a series of attacks on the walls with intense rage.
"BANE CUTTER!!!!" He shouted with anger.
Hajime, Yue and Shea both stepped back in fright from the monstrous strength Cloud was now exerting. He was destroying every single wall in his sight with palpable rage.
Back in the Heiligh kingdom, Yuka was seen drinking tea with six other classmates with her. There were four boys and two girls along with her.
"Nia, do you know when Aiko-sensei is departing on her expedition?" Yuka asked to the maid.
"I believe she is scheduled to leave the kingdom in a few days." The maid named Nia answered.
"What about Amanogawa-san and his group?" Yuka questioned further.
"They're making progress through the labyrinth." Nia responded.
"It's all happening so quickly… Still, if it makes her sad to be here, I understand." Yuka commented.
"That's quite a strange look there, Yuka. Is there something bothering you in your mind?" A girl classmate asked.
The person was a young girl with long light-brown hair, with a lock of styled into a side ponytail. Her name was Nana Miyazaki.
"I've been thinking heavily on this, Nana. I can't sit around all day doing nothing." Yuka said.
"I know… We can't do much since we heard that awful event…" A male classmate spoke.
The person in question was a young man with short black hair and gray eyes. He also wears glasses, suggesting poor eyesight. His name was Akito Nimura.
"I know that as well, Nomura-san… Who couldn't forget what happened…?" A female classmate followed.
The classmate in question was a young woman with wavy auburn hair that is styled into twin-tails, amber eyes and a mole on the left side of her chin. Her name was Taeko Sugawara.
"Even Sugawara-san is voicing her opinion…" A male classmate spoke.
The classmate in question was a young man with spiky brown hair and brown eyes. His name was Norboru Aikawa.
"Even Aikawa-san as well…" Taeko said.
"Still, I think I'm going to join with Aiko-sensei during her expedition." Yuka said.
"Are you sure about this? I hope it's not a hasty decision. Plus I find it a cowardly decision from the kingdom for them to withhold such details." A male classmate voiced his concern.
The classmate was a young man with short spiky dark hair. His name was Atsushi Tamai.
"It isn't a hasty decision, Tamai-san. I've thought this out for a while and decided to follow along. Ever since the deaths of Nagumo-san and Strife-san, I was scared for a while. Even confused as to what to do. I've been like this for a while and I want to do something in hopes of making amends. I'm sure you all feel the same thing. Try to keep your temper under control though." Yuka explained.
All remained silent, but they all had the same answer. They too felt guilty for being unable to stop the incident from happening. Their silence was a shared answer for them.
"Are you sure about this…? You do realize it's dangerous out there. If you're going alone, you'll end up dead like they did… They died acting bravely." Atsushi explained his reasoning.
"If it wasn't for Nagumo and Strife, I wouldn't be here speaking to you all. They saved us all from that trap." Yuka said.
"You're right…" Atsushi relented.
"How about you, Shimizu? What do you think?" Nana asked to the last male classmate.
The classmate in question was a young man with a pale complexion and freckles, black hair in an unkept fashion, purple eyes with black bags underneath them and diluted pupils. His name was Yukitoshi Shimizu. He nodded in response, remaining silent.
"Look, I'm not asking nor saying you have to go with me. You can stay here, but I refuse to stay here to remind myself of what happened…" Yuka said.
"Are you sure about this, Yuka?" Taeko asked.
"Look… I do not have the same spirit to go with Amanogawa and the others in the Labyrinth. The least I can do is protect Aiko-sensei." Yuka said.
Everyone watched Yuka walking away. Even Yukitoshi watched with surprise.
Back in the Great Reisen Labyrinth, Hajime, Cloud, Yue, and Shea were now moving forward through the labyrinth's deeper levels. Having managed to calm Cloud down from his rampage, they were making their way through. They all stumbled upon a large pair of doors. They were clearly tired from using their stamina.
"Quite an impressive door here." Hajime noted.
"Remind me to give that Liberator a good whack on the head." Cloud said, cracking his knuckles angrily.
"We managed to make it this far. Having gone through all fifty of the floors here, this must be Miledi's chamber." Hajime noted.
"I agree." Yue followed.
"Wish we had time to celebrate, but it's too early." Hajime noted.
"Knowing from experience back in Orcus's place, there should be a boss monster here. These suits of armor are making me nervous." Cloud noted with observation.
"I agree with Cloud. I got a bad feeling about them." Hajime said, looking at the suits of armor lining the hallway in the chamber.
"Not to worry. At least we can expect them." Yue said.
"That means those armor pieces might spring to life to ambush us…" Shea realized.
Cloud soon exhaled before placing his right hand on Shea's head.
"Okay, Shea. I think it's time we let ourselves loose with our anger. High time we give this a show of life and death." Cloud said.
"You're a tough bunny, I'll give you that. You can handle yourself well in a fight." Hajime complimented.
"I'll never leave my pupils for I take care of them." Yue followed.
"So don't worry about holding back. Go wild as ever." Cloud said.
Shea felt happy before hoisting her hammer up.
"Time we give Miledi a taste of her own medicine! We're gonna beat the heck out of her!" Shea said.
Hajime and Cloud held their respective weapons in lieu. Cloud held his giant sword, Yaeko, ready with Angel and Zack while Hajime had Donner and Schlag loaded. Upon stepping forward, the suits of armor began to move. The group began fighting off the suits of armor as they approached.
"Let's go wild!" Cloud shouted.
Using his anger, Cloud began cleaving through the armor pieces, using his Lightning Field skill to enhance his sword's cutting prowess, slicing them down with ease. Hajime was shooting the armor pieces, which caused them to lose part of their structure. The ones Hajime shot were briefly stumbled upon by Shea, whom noticed the armor pieces were rebuilding themselves. Shea had little time to react when a nearby armor piece almost got to her before Cloud intercepted it with his sword. Yue was holding two canisters of water, which allowed her to focus a beam of water powerful enough to cut through their steel alloy.
"Don't get careless now." Yue said.
"I know. This got us all off guard." Shea said.
Having regained her focus, the rabbit girl began swinging her hammer, knocking down the suits of armor around them.
"Eat this!" Shea yelled, hitting one with a powerful strike from her hammer.
The effect was akin to dominoes, causing the other suits of armor to collapse. Yue followed along, throwing beams of condensed water to the pieces of armor, slicing them clean. Cloud channeled his rage with Yaeko, cutting through the armor efficiently with Lightning Field acting as a conductor. Hajime fired all his shots and reloaded his revolvers. Cloud bought some time by shooting Angeal and Zack, destroying several armor pieces.
"Sure are a lot here!" Cloud said.
"Make way for the exit! Hurry!" Hajime said.
The group made it through the chamber, passing the suits of armor. They were still pursuing them, despite reaching the end.
"Those guys were relentless. There was no end to them." Hajime noted.
"I agree. They really know how to mess with your head." Cloud said.
Soon, the platform they were standing on began to float up. The armor suits were still moving to them, but they couldn't go any further. They saw a metal figure awaiting them. It was a taller form of the armor sets the group faced, easily dwarfing them in size.
"What the…?" Cloud asked.
Shea soon noticed it was about to land at them, prompting the group to evade where it will land.
"Hi there. Congratulations for making it this far." Miledi spoke.
"Looks like this has to be some kind of sick joke here." Hajime commented.
"A giant armor with an ego to match." Yue commented.
"That's definitely the big boss." Shea said.
"More like one with a big head…" Cllud commented offhandedly.
This got Hajime, Yue and Shea to snicker in response.
"This is Miledi Raiden, everyone's favorite Liberator, at your service!" Miledi announced.
Hajime looked to the armor with a serious look. Cloud also followed as well.
"Who are you exactly? Miledi Raiden may have been a Liberator, but she was human and long time ago. She would have been dead by now, thanks to the notes Oscar Orcus written down." Hajime questioned.
"Oooh, this is a surprise. You mean you and your friends made it through Oscy's Labyrinth?" Miledi asked with glee.
"We're asking the questions here. If you don't answer us, then we may as well beat you up to get some answers." Cloud said.
"We've come here to find ancient magic and a symbol of the Liberators. Anything that gets in our way will die." Hajime spoke with a dark conviction.
"I'm being truthful. I'm Miledi Raisen, the creator of this labyrinth. Though I must confess, try making a friendlier tone when asking, please?" Miledi replied.
'Give me a break you shrill voiced woman…' Hajime thought in anger.
'This woman is just riling us up… And she's good in getting our nerves.' Cloud thought.
"So you're seeking the ancient magic… Whatever your reason, it must be important." Miledi deduced.
"Yeah. We have a goal. We intend to go back to our home. We were brought here by a foolish god whom thinks we are play things. We were not brought here by our choice." Hajime explained.
"I understand. It must have been a tough time." Miledi sympathized falsely.
"Our reasoning to find ancient magic is to learn whether there's a spell that allows one to jump between worlds. We have no intention of making our life here in this world. This is my answer, along with everyone with me." Hajime announced.
"Will this ancient magic be able to make us head back to our home world?" Cloud questioned with a serious tone.
"Hmmm… Nope, I won't reveal it that simply." Miledi teased with the armor piece making a thinking gesture.
'I'm really going to rip that armor apart…' Cloud thought in anger.
Hajime soon equipped Orkan and began firing missiles.
(Play Final Fantasy VII Remake OST - Let the Battles Begin)
"Then perish." He spoke with venom.
He aimed the missiles to the center chest of the armor. Hajime used his Demon Eye to reveal a weak point in the chest section of the armor.
"Go for the core, where her heart is." Hajime said.
The missiles managed to impact on the center chest, but all they did was graze the armor with barely any damage. Shea and Cloud came up from above and slammed their weapons hard on the armor. It tried to defend itself by crossing its arms to block the attack. Shea soon began putting more pressure, causing the armor hands to crack.
"Wow, not bad there." Miledi spoke with surprise.
"You think that's it?" Cloud spoke, holding Yaeko in its gun form.
"Whoa, this one too?" Miledi asked in surprise.
"Not the only one here!" Hajime followed.
"Take it in the heart and perish!" Cloud said, firing Yaeko with Hajime firing Schlagen AA point blank.
Shea leaped off the armor piece, allowing the shots to hit the armor chest. The shots hit their mark. The boys and Shea regrouped with Yue.
"Did you all get it?" The vampire princess asked.
"It looked like it." Cloud answered.
"But we don't know yet." Hajime followed.
"I really hope that was the end of this fight." Shea said.
"Nah. All your efforts just tickled me. You thought you had me there." Miledi said, revealing her armor being barely scratched.
"Figures. That armor is made with Azantium alloy." Hajime realized.
"The hardest metal in the world. You're more than welcome to try another round." Miledi said.
Shea soon picked up something from her ears. She realized what it was.
"Watch out, everyone! From above!" She warned.
Hajime and Cloud soon noticed several missiles heading to the ceiling. The result created a cave in with numerous boulders raining down to the group.
"How about we play a game? Be careful not to get squashed." Miledi teased.
"That's not good… Shea!" Cloud said.
"Crap, this is bad… Yue…!" Hajime followed.
The boys held their respective girls in a princess carry, leaping away from the platform they stood on. The falling boulders shredded the platform to smithereens. They were using Quick Step to avoid the falling boulders before landing on another platform. The cave in was raining more rocks to the group.
"Damn it…!" Cloud exclaimed.
"They just keep coming!" Hajime followed.
The boys kept dashing about, avoiding the falling rocks. Miledi's sigh was heard as she voiced her disappointment.
"They couldn't handle it… If they couldn't get past me, they wouldn't handle the gods whom damned us here." She said.
"Oh? Sounds like you wanted us to fight against the beings whom caused all the strife and history in this world." Cloud's voice echoed.
"Too bad for you, we hold no interest of this world. We all wished to head back to our home." Hajime's voice followed.
Miledi looked with surprise to see the two boys holding their girls on a platform. They were above her in a considerable distance.
"How did you two get up there?" She asked.
"Don't bother trying to figure us out… We're only a distraction." Hajime said.
Yue was behind the armor and soon began spraying the pressurized water into a condensed beam. It cleaved the armor with little difficulty.
"You think that would affect me? My armor would just repair itself overtime." Miledi asked.
"Not unless we are relentless to prevent that!" Cloud shouted.
The boys soon dashed to Miledi from above. Hajime deployed a grappling hook that latched on to the chest armor.
"Can you be more original?" Miledi teased.
"We already know about your armor's density. Hence forth…" Hajime paused.
The boys fired their revolvers at the base of the chest armor, causing it to collapse. Yue, using the leftover water around the armor, casted an ice spell.
"Freeze! Ice Coffin!" She commanded.
A bed of ice was created, trapping Miledi's armor. The Liberator gasped in shock of the ice forming. Hajime soon had a machine that was attached to his bionic arm. It was a large pile driver, easily towering the Synergist. Cloud realized what he was doing.
'I see now… He's using the pile driver in conjunction with Lightning Field to attempt to pierce the armor. With that skill acting as an enforcement, the stake should pierce through.' The swordsman thought.
The pile driver soon deployed several grappling hooks to the ground to stabilize its hold. Hajime charged it with Lightning Field, which made it roar to life.
"This time you'll disappear!" Hajime shouted.
The pile driver ejected a large stake made of Azantium that was channeled with Lightning Field. It easily pierced the armor, but it only was able to drive the stake in. The effect was clearly not intended.
"Nice try, but you realize that even without a magic circle, magic is constantly being dampened here. You'll have to do better than that, but I'll have to give credit to that blonde girl on casting such a mana taxing spell in this place." Miledi said.
"That's what you think… Now Shea!" Cloud said, holding his sword in reverse.
"I got it!" Shea responded.
Hajime watched as he knew the stake he placed in the armor was directly pointing to a core of the armor. It was thanks to his Demon Eye artifact, that allowed him to see where it was. Shea channeled with all her might on her hammer and dealt the finishing blow, forcing the stake to pierce further in the armor. Miledi screamed in fright as the stake managed to go through a core component of the armor. The armor was shut down soon after.
(Let the Battles Begin OST ends here)
"Guess that's over." Hajime said.
"Yeah… Shea, come over here please." Cloud said.
"Yes?" Shea asked.
Soon, Cloud was rubbing her head affectionately and with care. Her rabbit ears perked up from the sensation.
"You did well, Shea." Cloud said.
Shea smiled with affection as her face had a blush. Hajime hid his smirk, seeing how Cloud was being quite affectionate to the rabbit girl. The moment was interrupted when Miledi's voice echoed.
"Sorry to interrupt this tender moment, but I'm still here." Miledi said.
"Didn't we destroy your core?" Hajime inquired.
"Yes, and I'm using what's left of the power to share a few words." Miledi spoke.
"We're not interested." Cloud replied.
"This is just to rephrase what you told me. You're seeking the ancient magic to find a way back to your homes, correct? I have to share some details to you all." Miledi spoke.
"Alright then. Go ahead and explain." Cloud relented.
"It is possible for you to acquire the means to make your way back home. You'll have to conquer the other labyrinths to acquire the ancient magics so you can achieve that goal. Good luck on your journey." Miledi said.
"Oh? Quite a surprise to hear from you, considering you almost killed us in over a hundred different methods." Hajime commented.
"To point things out, the Liberators were indeed gifted beings. However, when we realized the tyranny caused by the gods, we chose to fight back. However, it proved fruitless, thus leading to the creation of the labyrinths that act as trials for any participants. There are five more labyrinths and that map you possess will show you the nearest ones. The closest one from here would be the Great Gruen Volcano in the Gruen Desert." Miledi explained.
"I see now… In a way, you have been testing us, seeing what we're capable of." Cloud surmised.
"It sounds like you're predicting that we might end up fighting the gods." Hajime realized.
"You already have treaded through this path, seeking the great labyrinths. Whether you're aware of it or not, the path you've chosen is already set." Miledi said, slowly fading.
"She's disappearing…" Cloud noted.
"I guess I am… All of you… Become a god killer so you can reach to your home." Miledi said.
"It doesn't matter who gets in our way… If they block our progress, they will die." Hajime reminded.
"Tell yourself however you wish… The choices you made in this world may end up making this world a better place in the end." Miledi responded.
An orb of white light was seen leaving the armor.
"Looks like she's moving on…" Yue spoke with some sympathy.
"Enjoy your life with all your drive." Miledi spoke.
The group soon moved forward, silently considering Miledi's words. They followed a pathway that the floating platform they stood on led to.
Inside the inner atrium of the labyrinth, the group stumbled upon a surprising moment. They all held looks of disbelief. The reason? They encountered a small humanoid figure that bears the voice of Miledi. It was wearing a white robe, smiling obliviously.
'This is the Liberator…?' Hajime thought with angered disbelief.
'Not what I presumed…' Yue thought.
'This person was the one taunting us…?' Shea angrily thought.
'A small target…with a big mouth…' Cloud thought.
"Surprised!? It's me, Miledi." Miledi spoke from the figure.
The group tried to comprehend what they're seeing. It was a difficult moment for them to process what they're seeing.
"Enjoyed my dramatic speech when you thought I was dying? I'm not a good actor in that part, but what do you think?" Miledi asked in joyful glee.
The Liberator was oblivious of the group's inner rage as they all reconsidered Miledi's words. Cloud held his sword out, channeling Lightning Field with maximum voltage while Shea held her hammer.
"Wait! Don't hurt this body! It's really delicate! Please calm down!" Miledi begged, seeing the swordsman and rabbit girl clearly enraged.
Both swung their weapons with their anger channeled. Cloud purposely missed, but left a deep scar on the ground due to his Blade Beam skill. The sudden rush of the energy blade frightened Miledi deeply. It distracted her enough to allow Shea to hit her head with the hammer.
"Next time, watch your taunting…" Cloud spoke, clearly bothered.
The group was soon standing in a magic circle. They all acquired the ancient magic from Miledi.
"So, what is this ancient power? It appears to be gravity magic." Cloud surmised.
"Yes. Use it wisely." Miledi spoke with an apologizing tone.
Miledi then looked to the group in question.
"Hmmm… It looks like neither the boys and the bunny girl are capable of using it. I think the vampire princess has more capability with it." Miledi said.
"So you know Yue's a vampire?" Hajime inquired.
"Yes, a long time ago. I knew of the vampires. It's not difficult for me to know them." Miledi answered.
The Liberator soon provided a ring with a garnet background. There were two ellipses interlocking near the top center of the ring. One was a large circle from the bottom while the other was smaller from the top.
"That's two symbols now…" Cloud remarked.
"Two? Meaning?" Miledi asked.
"We just need to find two more labyrinths to overcome before going back." Hajime answered.
The Synergist soon walked to Miledi. This got the Liberator on guard.
"Before we leave, isn't there anything else that we can use here? Surely even you have rare materials or artifacts left here. Come on and spill the beans." Hajime ordered.
"We may need the materials in order to better prepare ourselves for the coming trials." Cloud responded.
"To think that I'm being met with greedy people. However, I can see the logic of that response. I'll provide this…" Miledi said.
A large chest of Azantium alloy was provided from a treasure trove ring Miledi possessed. Cloud inspected the metal with a discerning eye.
"It's the real thing. Azantium alloy." He said.
"I guess that satisfies our needs." Hajime noted.
He used a ruby ring to transport the Azantium alloy in a hammerspace for future use.
"We're done here now. Now, to leave this place…" Hajime said.
"Well, later you guys." Miledi spoke, pulling a large cord.
Soon, a gush of water flooded the room. The floor they stood on opened as the water flushed the group out, leaving Miledi behind.
"Try not to die in the other labyrinths!" Miledi spoke with a giggle.
"Damn that midget!" Hajime complained in the water.
Hajime, in reflex, threw a grenade at Miledi, who was forced to leap into cover when the explosion occurred. The group was forced to hold their breath as the water current dragged them out of the labyrinth. While moving through the current, Shea stumbled upon a fish with a human face. The fish in question gave a comically disgusted expression before speaking through telepathy.
"What are you looking at?" The fish questioned.
This proved too much for Shea, causing her to exhale in the water. She was now drowning from the lack of air.
Outside, a clear lake of water was shown. From the surface, a heavy gush of water was seen erupting like a geyser, sending the group flying. Hajime, Cloud and Yue were catching their breath from the swimming they endured.
"To think we got flushed out like that." Hajime said with disdain.
"Remind me to give that woman a beating if we see her again…" Cloud spoke.
"I agree…" Yue said.
Soon the swordsman looked around for Shea.
"Anyone seen Shea yet?" Cloud asked.
Their answer came when they heard a loud splash. Shea was unconscious as she floated at the surface of the lake. Cloud quickly swam in and pulled the rabbit girl to solid land.
"Shea!" Cloud shouted in panic.
Hajime checked for her breathing, but she wasn't moving.
"Cloud, you have to give her CPR. Hurry!" Hajime said.
"CPR?" Cloud asked.
"Oh for the love of… Just breathe out in her mouth to help her breathe again." Hajime explained.
Cloud began applying CPR while following Hajime's instructions. He soon began doing chest compressions to force the water out of Shea's lungs.
"Come on!" Cloud panicked.
Soon, Shea began coughing out the water, now breathing. She finally caught her breath and looked to Cloud. In a sudden moment of glee, Shea held Cloud close in a deep kiss, much to his surprise.
"Geez, Shea… Take a moment to consider that you almost died…" Cloud complained.
The swordsman's face held a pink blush in response, much to Hajime's and Yue's amusement.
The group was now at an inn within Brooke Town. It was a decent sized village surrounded by a wall of stone with a moat. Their clothes were obviously drenched. They were at a reception.
"Good evening, travelers. Welcome to the Masaka Inn. How can…I help you all?" The female receptionist reluctantly asked, noticing the drenched group.
"Yes, we would like two separate rooms for the night. It's also requested that we may need food and in needing a bath as well." Hajime requested.
"Two rooms?" Shea asked.
"Well duh… I have Yue with me and you have Cloud." Hajime noted.
Cloud grunted with some discomfort, recalling how Shea was.
'I know we haven't slept for a while since we have been traveling inside that labyrinth for a week. Still, this is a bit much, even for me…' Cloud thought.
"Still, I'm glad to be with Cloud." Shea spoke with glee, holding the swordsman, much to his confusion.
"Aren't we acting all cute?" Yue commented.
"Wait, you two have went that far?" Shea asked to Yue.
"And what of it?" Yue asked with implication.
"Then that means I'll ask Cloud to take my maiden hood as well!" Shea spoke with glee.
The entire inn got silent from Shea's bold statement. Hajime and Yue remained silent as well while Cloud looked mortified, hiding his expression under his hair. Soon, a spoon hit the ground.
"Huh? Was it something I said?" Shea asked, shaking her hips in a cute manner.
Cloud could only respond by sliding off Yaeko from the hook on his back. His face tilted up with his eyes now glowing red with silent anger from the embarrassment. A growling noise was heard, much to the hidden horror of Hajime and Yue, knowing how angry he could get.
"Shea…" Cloud responded with a comically angered tone.
The rabbit girl looked to the swordsman, whom turned around with mana overflowing from his body, causing an ethereal sapphire glow to surround his body. Hajime and Yue had to move back, away from the rage that their friend was now undergoing…
"Run…" Cloud followed, holding Yaeko in its gun form.
The rabbitgirl was forced to run away as he began shooting at Shea with careful aim. He didn't use actual rounds, but used dummy bullets that gave a nasty impact. Hajime and Yue could only watch as the rage induced swordsman kept firing dummy bullets to Shea, whom was now avoiding the attacks with fright.
After the constant rampaging chase, Cloud settled down. Hajime and Yue made a mental note to not embarrass him further lest they incur his wrath. Even Shea, despite her monstrous strength, was afraid of him. Yue and Hajime were soon sleeping together, though the vampire princess was seen being intimate with the Synergist. Cloud was still awake, looking outside the horizon.
'I wonder if my memories will come back… I'm still finding bits and pieces, yet my mind is still a mess.' He thought.
Shea soon walked to Cloud, holding him from behind.
"Is there something you need?" He asked.
"I was worried on what you're thinking. You seem to be thinking of something deep." Shea admitted.
"I'm just thinking of what I have to find that I lost. I only managed to regain some of my memories, but I'm still in blank slates. I'm also worried about what will my next actions be once I regained my memories. Despite enduring the awful times back in the Great Orcus Labyrinth, I'm questioning whether or not it's worth regaining my lost memories." Cloud admitted.
Shea soon hugged Cloud from behind, pressing her body in back of him.
"No matter what, you're always you, Cloud. You gave me a sense of freedom and helped my family when we were in need. I know the future may not be set in stone, but I do know this. You always cherish your friends despite not showing it. Once you do recover your memories, I will be with you." Shea said.
Cloud inhaled in response. The emotionless mask from his face was slowly cracking away as he held Shea's hands that interlocked on his chest.
'Shea…' He thought.
He soon felt himself being turned to face her whom held a content expression. She began moving forward, closing to his face.
"No matter what, I always love you." Shea confessed, kissing the swordsman on his lips.
Cloud didn't make any form to resist. He closed his eyes in a calm manner, unable to refuse the kiss. His hands, though reluctant, soon held Shea close from her back, pressing her body close to him. The rabbit girl briefly yelped in surprise, but was content in holding him close. Soon, Shea and Cloud fell asleep in their bed, with their arms interlocking. Shea had her top briefly removed while Cloud slept, allowing her to embrace the swordsman.