Roppongi—District 24...
At this moment, GHQ's headquarters could only be described as utter chaos...
Who could have imagined that their entire mechanized army would be wiped out by a little girl who had barely even grown up?! It completely shattered their worldview.
(Medics!!!)
(Unit 322 heavily damaged!!)
(Unit 224 destroyed!!)
(Emergency ejection!!)
(Damn it!! Are we too late?! )
(Medics!!!! Why aren't they here yet?)
(Medics! Medi—damn it! He's gone!!!)
Inside one of the white mech control halls at headquarters, rows of mechanical pods kept bursting open without warning. The lids sprang up to reveal pilots inside convulsing violently. Some died the instant their capsules opened, mouths agape, eyes rolled back.
The medics standing by were overwhelmed. Every time a hatch popped open, they rushed over in batches, dragging out the severely wounded or the dead. The dead were laid aside without ceremony. The injured were treated immediately.
At the control consoles, rows of communication officers shouted updates at the top of their lungs, reporting the latest battlefield conditions. In short... the entire place was in complete disarray.
Bang!
Another hatch burst open!
(Second Lieutenant Mori injured due to recoil!!)
Bang!
Another one!
(Second Lieutenant Yuri's neural system at the back of his head was struck—he didn't make it!)
Bang!
Yet another...
(Second Lieutenant Jack's mech was sliced clean in half!!! He's foaming at the mouth—no sensation in his lower body!!)
(Sergeant Tom suffered brain damage—he's mentally incapacitated!!)
"What the hell is happening out there?!"
A brown-haired man in a beret leaned over the display screens, staring at the damage reports in disbelief. His face was pale as he muttered to himself. Even just looking at the data sent chills down his spine.
What kind of monster had they encountered?!
Boom!!
With a single slash, Inori cleaved the mech before her in two. She exhaled sharply. Hearing another mech rushing at her from behind, a trace of fatigue finally surfaced on her face.
Even her Void consumed too much stamina. She knew that once a Void was drawn, the bearer would lose a portion of their mental strength. An ordinary person would have collapsed long ago. She herself was only enduring the dizziness through sheer will as she continued fighting.
"It's still... not enough."
She murmured to herself.
She was still not strong enough.
Humm!
She forced out another slash. The blade cut through the air, its mark enveloping the mech and severing it cleanly at the waist. Then she leapt forward, reversed her grip on the sword, and plunged it straight into the machine's core!
Hiss—!
Oil sprayed out. The mech completely lost power.
"...Mm."
The next second, her vision blurred. A wave of dizziness struck her head. She almost collapsed instinctively, but quickly planted the greatsword against the ground to support herself. Lowering her eyes, she saw her once-pristine white-stockinged legs now stained with blood and grime. They trembled as she stood there weakly, her toes turning inward slightly from exhaustion.
...Is this my limit?
She already knew the answer in her heart...
But it wasn't over yet.
The last remaining mech ahead of her launched its missiles straight at her. She was too weak to move—she could only watch them approach.
Humm~
Unexpectedly, a warm violet light flashed to her side. It carried a familiar scent and warmth.
...It was Mio.
Though to her it felt gentle and comforting, to outsiders that violet glow was as sharp as thunder itself—like something that could pierce straight through one's heart at any moment.
Crackle—!
The Shogun's indifferent gaze swept across the incoming missiles and mechs. Lightning surged around her body like tidal waves. With a forward flick of her hand—
Countless bolts of lightning gathered from the void, forming a dense forest that intercepted the incoming missiles. With a slight squeeze of her delicate fingers in midair, the baleful arm wielding Musou Isshin emerged from the void. In a single stroke, it cleaved through the mechs ahead, even slicing nearby buildings apart like cliffs breaking away!
Boom! ×N
Flames erupted everywhere. The battlefield was cleared once more. Silence finally fell.
"...I told you to be careful. You never listen~"
The Shogun withdrew her radiance and caught the girl whose strength was fading, holding her close. Though she sounded reproachful, warmth filled every word.
"Sorry... Mio."
Inori apologized softly. Her hands loosened, and the Void greatsword dissolved back into dense silver particles. They spiraled briefly in the air before flowing back into her chest.
"What is that?"
The Shogun asked quietly, watching the phenomenon.
"...Void."
Inori pressed against her chest and answered in a small voice.
"Haa... never mind. I don't understand it. As long as you do."
She gave up trying to analyze it.
"...Mm, it's fine... It isn't dangerous."
Inori shook her head gently to reassure her.
"Can you still walk?"
Supporting the girl's shoulders, she asked.
"...Mm, I can..."
With her help, Inori forced her weak legs to hold up her upper body and slowly stood.
Beep—
The small robot, Fyu-Neru, arrived before them. This time, however, Gai's voice came from within it—clearly using Fyu-Neru as a wireless relay.
[Leave immediately. You have fifteen seconds. GHQ won't let this go so easily.]
Gai's voice carried electronic interference through the robot.
"Got it..."
Inori nodded.
[Ayase, you too! Retreat immediately!]
Gai called out again.
"I know! But I'm pinned down! Ah—!"
Mid-sentence, she was apparently struck, letting out a cry that could easily be misunderstood.
Inside the cockpit, Ayase's face was flushed red as she endured the relentless barrage from the gold-and-white advanced mech opposite her. Her body arched upward involuntarily.
Crackle—!
"Hehehe~! What now~?! You're mine, damn it~!!!!"
The blond man piloting the silver-white unit wore a manic grin. Like someone possessed, he switched one mechanical arm to a blade and mercilessly thrust it toward the nearly paralyzed mech!!!
[Tsugumi!!]
"Damn it... emergency ejection!!!"
Beep—!!
In the main control room, Tsugumi hurriedly slammed the emergency escape button.
Crackle—!
In that instant, the mech Ayase was piloting lost all power and collapsed in place.
Slash!!
It was finally pierced straight through by the silver-white mech before it and lifted into the air!
"Heh heh... Hm? No screaming?"
The man was just about to laugh when he sensed something was off. He leaned forward, examining the mech more carefully.
"Tch... so they escaped? Boring."
Clicking his tongue in disdain, he sliced the machine clean in half at the waist and tossed the wreckage onto the ground.
Crackle...
[Yan! What's your situation over there?!]
A transmission came from headquarters.
"The rats ran off!"
He replied impatiently.
[Is that so? We're pulling back as well... Headquarters wants to see you.]
Came the response.
"Tch... I got it already!!"
Bang!
He stomped down and crushed the mech's head beneath his foot, then stormed off in irritation.
On the other side...
Click!
"Ngh! Haa... haa...!"
Having barely executed the emergency escape from the cockpit, Ayase collapsed back into her seat, completely drenched in sweat. Her head tilted back as she gasped for air, her face deathly pale.
"Are you okay?! Ayase-nee?!"
Tsugumi shoved open the main control room doors and hurried to her side, helping her up with concern.
"I-I'm... fine..."
Ayase wiped the sweat from her face and answered in a hoarse voice.
Thankfully Tsugumi had reacted quickly. If the ejection had been even a second later, she might never have woken up again.
"That's good... I was worried I pressed it too late."
Tsugumi let out a relieved sigh and leaned casually against the cockpit door beside her.
"No... the timing was perfect. By the way... where's Gai?"
She asked.
"Gai has already retreated to a safe location. Inori and the big sister with her have gone there too..."
Tsugumi replied.
"I see... as long as everyone's safe. Help me up, Tsugumi."
"Ah, okay..."
She supported the girl carefully as Ayase slowly lifted herself. Then Tsugumi wheeled over the prepared wheelchair, allowing her to sit down gently.
Whirr~
Ayase skillfully operated the automatic wheelchair beneath her, turning it around. With a swift motion, she sealed the cockpit shut behind her, the door closing with a heavy thud.
"Ayase-nee, do you want to change clothes?"
Seeing her completely soaked pilot suit, Tsugumi asked.
"No... let's contact Gai as soon as possible."
Ayase shook her head, unconcerned about her current appearance.
"By the way..."
Halfway down the corridor, Ayase suddenly stopped her wheelchair and looked at Tsugumi.
"Hm? What is it, Ayase-nee?"
Tsugumi halted as well, puzzled.
"She..."
"Hm? She?"
"That purple-haired girl. Is she living with Inori?"
Ayase asked cautiously.
"Mm, that's what she said."
Tsugumi nodded.
"She's strange..."
"Strange? How so?"
"Mm— I saw it with my own eyes earlier. She knocked a GHQ mech flying with her bare hands."
Ayase hesitated briefly before speaking.
"Huh?! Bare hands?!"
Tsugumi exclaimed in shock.
"Yes... I'm sure I didn't see wrong. I was nearby at the time. With a single knee strike, she destroyed a mech several times taller than herself."
Ayase said firmly.
"Could it be... that big sister is infected with the 'Apocalypse' virus? Or maybe she's a carrier? Did she gain some kind of ability?"
Tsugumi analyzed aloud.
"I don't know either. Let's hear what Gai says."
"Mm... yeah, you're right."