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Hybrid x Heart Magias Academy Ataraxia (Light Novel) - Volume 3 Chapter 3 — Uninvited Visitor
Volume 3 Chapter 3 - Uninvited Visitor
Part 1
When he noticed, he had already arrived in the classroom.
Because he was thinking while walking all along……he didn’t remember at all about anything that happened in the middle of his walk here, but it seemed he properly walked and crossed the traffic until here. Perhaps this was from habit or subconscious, but a human was amazing.
What he was thinking about was the incident at the lab yesterday. According to Shikina-san’s talk, the energy emitted from the success of Heart Hybrid might be the cause. It seemed that it was originally a system to constantly record the data when Aine was sleeping or passing the time normally in the room, and then it automatically started up from the reaction of Heart Hybrid.
No one grasped the existence of that system other than Professor Nayuta herself. The window that appeared in the room was a system that reacted to the input of Aine and Kizuna’s voice, the result of searching the database.
“To the other side of the Entrance……is it?”
“Hm? What are you talking about?”
Yurishia who sat behind Kizuna talked to him who was taking a seat.
“Aah, Yurishia. Good morning.”
“For some reason, it doesn’t seem like your heart is here. Has something happened?”
“No, it’s nothing. Ah, rather than that.”
Kizuna confirmed Yurishia’s vital sign from his smartphone.
“Your Hybrid Count is 68%. If there is still this much then……no, perhaps it’s better to do Heart Hybrid just for the peace of mind. Do you have time at lunch break Yurishia?”
“My, you are really proactive aren’t you♪ I’m happy, but I wonder?”
“I think you are still fine with this much, but we are approaching Okinawa after this. We have to prepare ourselves to encounter the enemy right?”
Currently, Ataraxia had separated from Megafloat Japan and independently sailed towards Okinawa. Okinawa which was a territory of Japan and was also a base of the American army now became the next site for capture. It was a dangerous operation, so Megafloat Japan and Megafloat West USA remained behind in a safe area and only Ataraxia would go to attempt approaching Okinawa.
“That’s why, we have to recover the energy when we can. It will be dangerous if a battle suddenly happened.”
“Danger you say……whaat? It’s like you are believing the false rumor before this.”
Yurishia chuckled.
“N-! No, there is no way, no way I believe that you know? A stupid rumor like that, hahahaha.”
“My, your face looks bad you know? You are also sweating. It’s fine to not force yourself if your health is bad you know? I’ll nurse you back to health if that happens♥”
Yurishia’s hand touched his forehead.
“I, I’m fine. There is nothing wrong with me.”
“Noo- good, show it to me properly. Ah, how about I measure your temperature with my forehead?”
“You must not overdo it!”
“Good morning.”
Himekawa arrived together with a greeting that sounded thorny. She vigorously pulled out her chair and sat in front of Kizuna loudly.
“Go, good morning, Himekawa.”
“――Hmph, flirting right since the morning……how shameless.”
Himekawa murmured with a voice that couldn’t be heard by other people, then she faced to the front as if ignoring Kizuna and Yurishia. She began to prepare for class by loading the data and the like.
It seemed that she was in a bad mood today. Did something unpleasant happen?
“Mor―ning, you guys, get to your seat―”
Sakisaka-sensei entered with her usual red jersey.
“No―w you guys, err―……what are we doing again? Class?”
Sakisaka-sensei became doubtful even in the normal class.
――And then the lunch break.
In order to ensure the favorite menu and seating, an intense battle unfolded.
Yurishia was walking beside Kizuna while humming a song.
“You are in a good mood.”
“Because, Kizuna is inviting me to a lunch. It’s obvious that I’ll be happy.”
‘――Does such thing put her in a good mood?’
It was an unexpected statement for Kizuna. He took a memo inside his heart, that it seemed to be useful to put the partner in a good mood for the Heart Hybrid.
“Hey, where are we going? It will be my treat.”
Yurishia showed an enjoying smile. It felt like he could see an illusion of blooming flower behind Yurishia like this. Her smiling face was so bright it was like even the atmosphere around them would change.
As expected she possessed flowery beauty, or perhaps something like stardom. This Yurishia.
“Before I was the one that got treated. So today it will be my treat. Well, it’s impossible for my treat to be that luxurious though.”
“My, that makes me happy. But don’t force yourself okay? If I’m with Kizuna, then anything is fine――ah”
Kizuna’s eyes chased the direction where Yurishia’s gaze was attracted to.
――Burger Queen?
It was a famous chain store that originated from America.
“Do you want to eat a hamburger?”
“How should I put it……I often see it in advertisement, but I have never entered one before.”
“So perhaps that kind of commoner fast food is actually rare instead for a celebrity like Yurishia. Want to try it? If it’s that store, then it will also be kind to my wallet.”
“Yes, a first experience together with Kizuna, I really look forward to it♪”
“That way of talking, that way of talking!”
At any rate Yurishia was in a good mood, he would try to level up the positivity level with this chance. Perhaps he could even ask about the source of her fight with Scarlet before this.
‘――That’s what I thought, but’
“Just why is this disgusting fake ace with the bad taste of the nouveau riche, stepped her foot inside our territory here?”
For some reason, Scarlet was sitting in front of their eyes.
A member of Masters each was sitting at both her sides, they were sitting in six people table facing each other. And then in front of all of them, were trays with hamburger set on it.
‘――Why did it become like this?’
Well, there was no empty seat, so the two of them only asked to share the seating.
The girl with her black hair cut short, sitting at the left of the other side was stuffing her cheek with hamburger while glaring at Yurishia.
“Really, good grief. The rich person-sama only tends to eat French cooking. Surely you dislike hamburgers that you have never even eaten it before.”
“How rude, Gertrude. I too have eaten hamburger before by ordering to the chef at the hotel I was staying before to make it for me. I recommend a hamburger cooked with truffle and wine and onion toppings to you.”
“Something like that is not the hamburger that we know!”
Gertrude was clearly in a younger year, she looked like she was in the second or third year of middle school. The look of her eyes was bad, she looked really cheeky like that. For some reason, her small body reminded him of a wild animal.
“Rather than that, why are you Masters in this place? Besides, that appearance……”
The three of them were wearing Ataraxia’s uniform. Could they possibly be moving here……no, transferring school here?
The glasses girl sitting at the right of the other side opened her mouth.
“The three of us are participating in the Okinawa capture force of the Japan-America alliance~. That’s why, we are also attending the school here~. Not only Masters, military and staff officers from West USA are also boarding Ataraxia right now you know~”
After saying that, she put tomato ketchup on her potato and bit at it.
“Is that so? I didn’t know.”
‘Nee-chan didn’t say anything about it.’
“That’s because it was decided in a hurry last night~. This is also so sudden for us that we were completely surprised~ we were woken up while we were sleeping~”
Somehow she felt like a carefree person.
“Ah, I forgot the self-introduction~ I’m Brigit Arclight~ Nice to meet you.”
Somehow he felt sleepy when hearing her talk. Her blonde hair reached until her shoulder fluffily, she was a girl that gave off calm atmosphere from her whole body. She looked like the same age with him.
Yurishia’s complicated face was taking a sip at her orange juice.
“Scarlet, Gertrude, Brigit, for you three to come to Ataraxia means that there are only four people protecting Megafloat Japan and West USA then. Well, they are in safe area so I think it’s fine but……it’s a little worrying.”
Scarlet glared angrily at Yurishia.
“Don’t be stupid! If there are four Masters, any kind of magic weapon is no match for them. They will protect West USA and also Japan altogether.”
Kizuna interjected between the talk of the two to intermediate.
“That’s right. I heard that Masters is a gathering of the elite. Aah― also, you three are also wearing the uniforms of here, are your transfer procedures finished already?”
“Yes. We will go to class starting tomorrow……you are Kizuna aren’t you? Hida Kizuna. You are the captain of Amaterasu? Once again nice to meet you.”
Scarlet offered a handshake.
“Aah, me too, nice to meet you.”
It seemed that she had a discord with Yurishia, but she also didn’t reject him. Kizuna held out his right hand and shook hands with Scarlet.
He tried to take back his hand, but Scarlet still grasped Kizuna’s hand unyieldingly. Instead, she threw him a suggestive smile.
Looking at that state, Yurishia’s eyebrows twitched.
‘Hm? What? She is looking fixedly at me.’
“Hmmm, so it’s you……I heard various rumors about you.”
“Rumor? About me?”
‘Aah……it must be, the rumor about Eros isn’t it?”
“Well, as long as you are in this academy, even if you don’t want to, my bad reputation will surely enter your ears I guess.”
“Bad reputation? I don’t know what you are talking about but……I know about you since a long time ago already.”
‘What?’
Brigit smiled sweetly.
“The First One(Origin Machine).”
Gertrude talked with a displeased voice.
“The Only One(The Only Man in the World).”
‘What the hell is that?’
“Aah, but certainly there is a rumor that I only just heard yesterday.”
Scarlet made a provocative smile as if she was glaring at him.
“Limit Breaker(The Man who Breaks the Limit).”
“By any chance……are those, all my nicknames?”
“Yes. Kizuna is a big name in this world you know……wait, you don’t realize it yourself?”
There was no way he knew about it.
When Scarlet released his hand from the handshake, Kizuna chomped at his hamburger in order to hide his embarrassment.
“Hey Kizuna. You have a special power, that is the only one in the world don’t you?”
“Aa―……no.”
Perhaps, she only heard the catchphrase about him that sounded good, and so she imagined various things about him before even meeting him. If she knew the reality, surely she would feel disappointed.
“Hey~ what kind of special power is that~”
“You can tell us without any exaggeration.”
Far from being disappointed, they would surely back away from him in disgust once they knew……
“No, I’m actually absolutely weak. In my default state, my combat ability is the same as nothing you know?”
“Now now~ Being humble really is the bad virtue of the Japanese~”
“Do you think you will sound cool saying that?”
“No……that’s the truth though.”
As the talk kept progressing, Scarlet’s eyes were shining with curiosity.
“Hmph, I become increasingly interested like this. Hey, Kizuna. After this, can you show me around Ataraxia?”
“After this? However, there will be afternoon class……”
“It’s fine, you can just skip school. Rather than that, let’s deepen our relationship as fellow leaders? From now on the number of joint operations will increase, it will be really important to hold on to communication with each other.”
Yurishia interjected as if she was at her limit.
“Wait there, Scarlet. Can you stop that? Kizuna is the captain of Amaterasu. Please don’t talk to him so familiarly like that. Besides right now, he is planning to have a lunch meeting with me. More than this――”
Scarlet made a mean broad smirk.
“Wha, what’s with you……”
“Hm―mm, he―ee, so that’s how it is. Just now when I held his hand, you also glared at me with a scary face didn’t you―. I cannot just leave this alone now.”
Scarlet took the wrapper of the hamburger she hadn’t touch yet then,
“Then, Yurishia. The one who finished their meal first will spend the afternoon together with Kizuna!”
Right after saying that, she began to eat the hamburger with amazing vigor.
“Wai-! No one agree to that.”
Even while saying that, Yurishia also began to eat up her hamburger and fried potato in opposition. However, Scarlet was overwhelmingly fast. She easily finished eating, wiped her mouth with the paper napkin, and made a triumphant smile.
“Haha-, this is my victory! Then, I’ll borrow Kizuna. Now, let’s go. Gertrude, Brigit, please take care of the cleaning okay!”
Scarlet stood up and took Kizuna’s arm.
“Wait, I too still haven’t finish……wa, don’t pull me, I understand already!”
He was forcefully pulled and dragged away outside the store.
“Ah, you, wait right there!”
Yurishia too was wiping her mouth while chasing them.
“What’s with you, don’t follow us! There is nothing that the loser will be given in the end.”
“You really talking big for someone who arbitrarily decide the rule and arbitrarily start the game. That one is invalid, invalid! Now Kizuna, leave alone that woman without sex appeal, let’s go to a date with me.”
Yurishia took Kizuna’s left arm and pushed her voluptuous bosom on him. Kizuna’s arm was sandwiched between soft hills.
‘A, amazing. What softness, what pleasantness. Even though only one of my arm is tasting it, this sensation feels like it is healing my whole body.’
“This Holstein cow……your sex appeal is just too excessive! This walking obscenity!”
“It’s better for Scarlet to add a little bit more sexiness you know? Well, perhaps it’s still too early for you. Your breast too, isn’t it far smaller than even Hayuru who is a Japanese?”
“That’s unnecessary advice! Not all American are big breasted! Mi, mine too has average size already! Don’t look down on me!”
Scarlet pushed Kizuna’s right arm on her own body. Certainly its volume was overwhelmingly little if compared to Yurishia, but even so he could feel softness, furthermore her body with muscle that omitted any pointless fat could be vividly felt by his arm.
“I can’t help but look down on such poor breasts, isn’t it Kizuna?”
“Please don’t ask for agreement from me.”
At his left and right, the female bodies’ sensation with goodness that was completely different from each other through his arm and encroached into his body and brain. The different pleasures were fighting each other as if his body and mind would be split into two.
“Aah― geez, no other way……I’ll pass the afternoon class. Just as you requested, I’ll show you around Ataraxia. However, Yurishia is also going with us. Do you agree?”
Scarlet looked dissatisfied, but she nodded reluctantly. Yurishia too made a face as if she had bitten a bitter bug, but she inevitably accepted.
“Then, first let’s start from the command headquarters.”
However Scarlet puffed out her cheeks and complained.
“Ee―, that’s boring.”
“Boring you say……then, which place do you want me to show you?”
“Interesting places!”
‘Are you a kid!’
Well, there might be no objection even if she was called a kid though.
Leading the two of them, they came out to the main street after passing the food district nearby the academy. Walking with two beautiful girls hanging on both sides was extremely standing out. Everyone first had their eyes attracted to Yurishia and Scarlet, then next they saw Kizuna in the center and made dubious faces. It was quiet harsh, being looked at by eyes that seemed to say ‘What the hell is with this guy?’
“Hee―, this place is quiet beautiful. There are few people though.”
“That’s because right now is the broad daylight of a weekday, everyone is basically in school or working. The people here right now are only those who are in night shift or those who have the shift to rest on weekdays.”
“Wah, the sign is in Japanese! ……But, somehow it’s not really different with the one in America. Feels a little cramped here though. Is there no temple or Buddha statue? Something like roof with lined up porcelain or wooden tower.”
“Aah― there are a lot of those things in Megafloat Japan. This float is fundamentally for R&D and defense tactics after all.”
“Also people wearing native clothes are few here.”
“Aah, originally there are few people wearing those clothes. There are quite a number of people wearing yukata on national holidays, or wearing jinbei as their sleepwear but……ah, Yurishia also has a furisode though.”
It unexpectedly suited even Yurishia who was blonde haired and blue eyed.
“It’s enough already about Yurishia! Leaving that aside, where is a good place for shopping around here?”
“If we go ahead a little bit more, there will be a shopping mall. There are a lot of shops there selling necessary things for our school, cheap but stylish clothes and accessory, there are also game center and karaoke.”
“Hee―, that sounds good. Let’s go to the game center!”
Yurishia intentionally let out a depreciating sigh.
“Really……how childish.”
“Then, it’s fine for you to rest on this bench you know? Auntie.”
“Aunt……-!?”
Yurishia’s teeth was gritted audibly.
“Fine……I’ll beat you into dust in this game center then.”
“Hah! Amateur. I’ll show you my skill.”
Both of them sat in front of a fighting game.
It was a game that was currently famous, individual characters battling each other inside SF fantasy background. It was not a simple fighting game, the deep manufacturing of the world and the characters was really charming.
By the way the games in this game center were not just simple amusement device. Peculiar function additions and tuning were performed on the games here.
They were items for the sake of training reflexes and tactical minds, games that questioned the player’s information processing power, things that tested their shooting skill and sword skill and so on, the games were tied to Ataraxia’s curriculum in some kind of shape. And then, the score was recorded in each individual’s information terminal and also got reflected on the ranking of the academy’s network.
“Go-!”
“Kuu-, why does this attack hit! I evaded it already!”
Scarlet was using a female ninja in sexy costume. So to speak a kunoichi character. Its offensive power was low, but it toyed with the opponent using its speed and rapidly attacked from outrange.
On the other hand, Yurishia was choosing a berserker. Its body was muscular and big, and it could attack with improbable power, but its speed was slow, its handling was also difficult. It could win if it could bring the enemy into its winning pattern, but it could be said as a gambling character.
“That’s why, even though I told you to pick a character that is easy to handle……”
“Hooray, I win!!”
“Kuh……this, is not how it should be.”
“Fuffuun, just recognize your defeat. This game is something like a battle simulation you know? In other words, you have been completely defeated by me. Understand?”
Yurishia stood up unsteadily from her chair. Her looks was changing into something dangerous.
“Fine then……I’ll recognize my loss. But, this thing is nothing more than a single facet of battle. Next, let’s pick something that is not influenced by prior knowledge and experience.”
“Well, I think it will be just the same though whatever it is. Choose whatever you like.”
Scarlet grinned with an evil face.
‘Fufun. Idiot. Just who do you think I am? I had been widely known as a gamer even before the Another Universe Conflict, there is no way you can win against this me. This game center is only filled with all the games that I’ve done to death. Even in the ten thousand to one chance, there is no way I’ll lose to the likes of Yurishia!’
“Let’s do this one.”
With sharp eyes, Yurishia took a gun in her hand.
“Err……what, is this?”
It was something Scarlet had never seen before. A rifle with a cork stuffed in it. And then, in front of them there were shelves lined up with toys and candies on it.
So to speak, the shooting stand.
“Let’s have a match who can drop the most prize in thirty second.”
Yurishia lined up all the rifles there at her surrounding.
And then Yurishia’s eye glint that was like a hunter aiming at the prey made Kizuna’s back shivered.
Yurishia was serious.
“Hm, hmph! In the end it’s just a shooting. I know that this is your specialty, but even I have my own confidence. Just watch, I’ll make you cry!”
――And then, the battle ended.
“GOD DAMN……there is no way, something like this……this kind of thing, is not a game.”
The result was Yurishia’s overwhelming victory.
It was bloodcurling how she took the lined up cork gun in turn and dropped the prizes altogether. She grasped the gun, shoot, throw it away and moved to the next gun, with that kind of sequence she repeated her movement with terrifying speed. Without even taking the time to aim, she shot adequately and properly dropped the prizes. What a skill.
“If this is a real battle then you are dead already you know, Scarlet.”
“I won’t use this kind of gun in a real battle! We aren’t fighting toys and box of candy. What’s with this thing!? Even FPS don’t have any gun shooting like this!”
And then the last decisive battle.
“Yurishia, are you listening? We will decide the match with this!”
“Well, fine but……even if I win against you, there is nothing that I will get.”
“You’re noisy! We are starting!”
Dance Dance Exclamation. It was a game that moved the body and took the step matching yourself with 3D image animation. By moving your limbs following the instruction, the player looked like they were dancing, the score would increase by accurately performing the dance. It was a game that tested the control of the whole body, the physical ability and reflexes. Those were also abilities that were indispensable to control a Heart Hybrid Gear.
Dance music of four-on-the-floor began to flow.
Raising the leg, then stepped in order to tread on the panel floating under the leg. The movement of the arm was detected by sensor and the score was increasing.
This was a tune with fairly high difficulty, but the two of them continued to dance without any miss.
“Amazing……”
The movement of the two and the music tune became the trinity in perfect synchronization. That state was like the result displayed by dancers from piling up training on top of training.
Flexible and sharp movements were executed nicely every single time. The red ponytail jumped like a whip. Golden hair shining sparklingly from the light it received. Supple back. With the addition of twist, the body danced in the air. For a while he forgot that this place was a game center.
He felt like he was watching a stage of a first class dancer.
And then, the tune ended, the arms of the two were swung up and stopped exactly. That timing was also perfectly matched.
“Sa……same, score.”
“I……wonder, if this is a draw.”
Both of them were breathing hard with their shoulders moving up and down, confirming the score.
The scores were exactly the same.
Part 2
After getting out from the game center, he responded to Scarlet’s request that wanted to go shopping and now they looked around the inside of the shopping mall. Although the place didn’t compare to the commercial establishment in Megafloat Japan, there was a wide range of products assembled here.
Ataraxia didn’t have the production equipment for daily necessities and pleasure items. All of the items here were produced in Megafloat Japan and carried here. Inside, there was also a store that sold things from before the 2nd Another Universe Conflict, it was popular on the floor where people could look for brand items with high rarity or maniac products.
The store where Kizuna and the others were in right now was a sport articles store that was widely popular among the students.
“Hey, Kizuna. Do you think this suites me?”
The curtain of the dressing room opened. At that moment, Kizuna fell into hallucination as if there was a spotlight illuminating the body. Yurishia’s limbs looked radiant. Then there was the white swimsuit that wrapped only a little of that body.
“Oohh, it, it really suites you.”
As expected, even a pilot suit was not a match to this bikini. Yurishia’s voluptuous breasts that looked heavy were supported only by the bikini with little fabric somehow, frankly it made him want to bravely reinforce it. If the bikini didn’t do it best, the pink colored part would be visible in just a little bit more.
“Is that so? Then, perhaps I should take this.”
Yurishia twirled on the spot and turned her back to him. Her ass shook like jelly. This was far more dangerous compared to the swimsuit she wore when they were in the unpopulated island for the resource investigation. Her ass was mostly bared.
“No, please wait a little.”
“Hm? What’s wrong? As I thought, you don’t like it?”
She once again turned around to him. Her breasts shook to the left and right, it left him in suspense whether the bikini could properly contain it or not. Besides, the cut in her nether region was……that place was also just barely covered. It was too dangerous.
“Whaat? Are you really that concerned with this spot★”
Yurishia sent him a heavy wink, she waved her hand flexibly and pointed at below her navel. That gesture was monumentally inflammatory.
“That, you know. It’s like your appearance is a little too risqué, other men must not see it……aa― I mean, there might be some guys that will get into a strange mood from that.”
Yurishia’s face became blank for an instant, but she immediately made a wide grin that looked triumphant.
And then she approached Kizuna and brought her face so close their noses might touch each other. Her breasts that were enveloped in the white bikini pressed on Kizuna’s chest, its shape warped from being sandwiched between the bodies. That happy sensation he tasted felt far closer compared than feeling it with his arm.
“It’s funny for you to worry or anything♪ After all my place here is for Kizuna’s personal use.”
‘Yu, Yurishia-, wha, what did you say!?’
Kizuna’s face became red in a flash.
“Wait, you guys! What erotic things are you doing in a store where there is a family coming!”
Scarlet opened the curtain of the dressing room in the opposite side and showed out only her face.
“We are not doing anything erotic!”
“It’s fine already, so just come here! Quickly, I give you a second!”
‘Aren’t you pulling the attention of the customers’ around all the more instead?’
Kizuna moved in front of the dressing room of Scarlet, as if he was running away from Yurishia.
“So, what is it? What do――uwaa!”
His hand was caught and he was pulled into the dressing room.
“Oi, what are you do……ing?”
Scarlet was wearing a red swimsuit that awakened his eyes. This bikini too was something that shockingly only covered a little area that didn’t lose to Yurishia’s.
“Tha, that’s quite, extreme huh.”
“Is that so? This is normal you know?”
‘Is that so? America is really amazing.’
“Well, certainly my breasts are not at the level of Yurishia, but I think my style is better than her. What do you think?”
Saying that, she showed him a pose.
Certainly, she was beautiful. She didn’t have big breasts, but her body line was balanced. She was slim like a model with few useless fat, but there was no rugged spot on her, her body actually looked supple and soft. She was not so slim that it looked like she would break if hugged, she had the flexible toughness like a spring.
“I see, I see. Ufufufufufun.”
“What’s with you, that’s an unpleasant way of laughing. I’m still not saying anything here.”
“Aa― it’s pointless, pointless even if you say it. Looking at your face I can understand right away.”
‘Sheett, however she is right on the spot, I can’t deny it.’
“But well, why are you getting involved with me this much?”
“That’s, isn’t it obvious, that’s because I’m interested in you.”
“Just why? I’m not really macho or anything.”
“See here, can you not think that all Americans like muscle?”
Scarlet pouted her mouth.
“I mean, what I’m interested in is that thing. What is it again? Heart Hybrid?”
“You, you know until that far?”
“That’s why I told you that we are going to have joint missions right? We finished sharing the minimum information already……so, I want to ask though, does this Heart Hybrid really have an effect?”
“That’s, it’s effective but……”
‘Wait a sec. Is Hybrid Heart could affect all kinds of Heart Hybrid Gears? Is it only limited to the Ros-series?’
“Scarlet, what is the name of your Heart Hybrid Gear?”
“Hm? It’s Ares. It’s a machine that stressed on firepower, what’s interesting from it is that its main weapon is not a beam weapon, but missiles. Its ammo is regularly replenished in fixed intervals. Amazing right?”
Certainly. Amaterasu didn’t have that kind of physical projectile.
“Then, what is Kizuna’s Heart Hybrid Gear called?”
“Uh, tha, that is……”
“Isn’t it fine, you don’t need to put on an air like that.”
“Well……you will know it sooner or later anyway. But, don’t laugh okay? Also don’t give any retort.”
“Ok, got it. So, what is it called?”
Kizuna whispered in a small voice, so it couldn’t be overheard.
“Eros.”
Scarlet made a dumbfounded face for a moment, but she immediately exploded in laughter.
“AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!”
“Shut up! I told you not to laugh already!”
“Ahahaha, no―, that’s super funny―. Just what’s with that name?”
“You think I know!”
“Hey, let’s try it a little on me. That thing called Heart Hybrid.”
“Haa!?”
“My Hybrid Count also has decreased quite much here. Remember, the sea battle before was terrific. Right now my Hybrid Count only has around 20% remaining.”
“20%……that’s, normally, around how long does it take you to recover?”
“Hm? Ummm, let’s see? After it becomes empty until it gets fully charged, generally it takes around a month I think? There is individual differences, so I don’t really know about the other girls though.”
‘――That’s fast.
Himekawa only recover 3% in two weeks.
As expected, so there really is a difference between the Ros-series and other Heart Hybrid Gear?’
”Hey, it’s fine right? If even Yurishia did it, then it should be OK for me too. Besides it can even power up the gear right? Limit Breaker-san.”
“That’s for Climax Hybrid but……by the way Scarlet. Do you know what kind of act Heart Hybrid is?”
“Nope. Not at all.”
‘Just what I thought……’
“Listen, Scarlet. Heart Hybrid is not playing around. It’s a full-fledged duty, it’s also a part of the big picture. I cannot make the decision on my own――!?”
The ground shook violently.
“Kyaa, hyaaa!?”
Inside the dressing room, he got entangled with Scarlet and lost balance.
“Wha, what in the world!”
“I don’t know……is there a storm, or are we stranded?”
“Anyway get up, the situation is……”
He tried to get on his hand and stood up. However the floor was too soft. The ground was limp and soft, but immediately under there was a little hard layer. This sensation was……?
“Ki, Kizuna……err”
Under Kizuna was Scarlet’s face. Her surprised yes was fixed on Kizuna’s face.
And then Kizuna’s right hand was on top of Scarlet’s chest.
Furthermore, this was not the texture of swimsuit. It was the smooth, but mellow texture of skin. In the middle there was also the elastic sensation, and right in the center, the largest protrusion could be――!?
The top of her bikini was completely out of place, Scarlet’s upper body was in a condition that had nothing hiding it. Her left breast that became exposed entered his eyes.
It didn’t even compare with Yurishia, but even so there was a breast there that was gently rising. For it to bulge up firmly like this when she was lying down facing up was quite something.
The pink colored summit that he guessed was surely under his right hand was slightly uncovered, the small head that stuck out looked lovely. It also looked slightly shrunken from the surprise of being suddenly exposed.
“Uwawawa, sorry! Yo, your swimsuit is-”
“I, it’s fine already so get off, also return my swimsuit!”
Scarlet hid her breast with one hand and begged for her swimsuit with a crimson face.
“Even if you told me to give it back, I’m not taking it in the first place!”
Scarlet stood up even faster than Kizuna could, and then she reached her hand towards Kizuna’s head.
“Wai-! Don’t push――”
Another impact attacked one more time at that timing.
“KYAAAAAAAA!”
“UOO!”
Kizuna’s balance was completely broke and he collapsed backward. In front of his eyes, there was a bikini bra dancing.
‘Aah, so it was on my head……guhaa!!’
The view in front of Kizuna became pitch black. Something soft was clinging close on his head, his breath stopped.
‘Ca, can’t breath!’
Kizuna tried to breath somehow and trashed around.
“Ah, do, don’t-, don’t move-“
Matching with Kizuna’s trashing, he could hear Scarlet’s indecent voice.
‘――This is, don’t tell me.’
When the thing in front of his head moved slightly, what rushed into his sight was the close up of a swimsuit that dug into the crotch. Kizuna’s hands were trying to move away the thing in front of his eyes, right now it was grabbing Scarlet’s buttocks firmly, parting it to the left and right.
“Yaa! My ass-, ahn”
Kizuna also felt a hot breath on his crotch.
“S, Scarlet, this is, I’m not doing this intentionally!”
He couldn’t move his body, so Kizuna could do nothing but talking towards Scarlet’s crotch. It seemed that she was feeling Kizuna’s breath sensitively, the chasm where the swimsuit was digging into tightened tightly.
“Yahn, don’t talkkkkkk-!”
At that moment, red light scattered from Scarlet’s body.
‘――Hybrid Heart!?’
“This is……so Heart Hybrid, is also possible for Scarlet too?”
The curtain was roughly opened and Yurishia’s face went in.
“Kizuna! Wait, what are you doing, at this kind of time!”
“Yurishia, thi, this is an accident! Rather than that, Scarlet can also Heart――”
“Save the story for later! This is an enemy attack!!”
“!?”
The information board inside the store all changed into enemy attack notification.
Kizuna’s chest instantly turned cold.
Scarlet stood up staggeringly. He guessed that her consciousness was still not clear from the effect of Heart Hybrid. But, he also couldn’t say something like that.
“Can you run, Scarlet?”
“Ye……s, I’m fine.”
Yurishia operated her smartphone and confirmed the information from the command headquarters.
“Kizuna-, the car from the lab will come soon. After changing into pilot suits, we will sortie immediately.”
“Yeah! What about the enemy’s fleet? How many the number of the magic weapons?”
Yurishia didn’t answer that question and kept glaring fixedly at the screen of her smartphone.
“What’s wrong? Don’t tell me……is it a vastly large army?”
Yurishia opened her mouth with a stiff expression.
“One person.”
‘――What?’
“The enemy is a woman wearing magic armor. Just one person.”
Part 3
Flames and smoke were whirling.
A large hole was opened on Ataraxia’s main street, flame was rising from there. The surrounding buildings collapsed, they were falling down while dragging down the neighboring buildings. Flames and black smoke were also rising up thickly from those wreckages.
With such flame explosions at her back, the AU woman wrapped in magic armor was standing. Equipped with three line particle cannons that were like wings of the magic armor, shining orange lines were running on the armor’s surface. Transparent windows lined up around her face. She was talking with the green haired beauty projected in the window.
{Well then Gravel. I will withdraw for the moment.}
“Roger. When I pull back I’ll escape this fortress on my own, but pick me up in the middle of the way.”
{I understand.}
The communication ended and the window that projected the beauty vanished.
The red muffler worn on Gravel’s neck was fluttering from the hot wind caused by the flames.
This flame explosion was due to the bombing of the enemy ship that approached near Ataraxia. That enemy ship didn’t stop and just left after only a single shot and dropping down a single woman.
And then right now the AU woman who landed on Ataraxia by her lonesome was surrounded by the defense unit which was mainly composed of the combat department students.
With nervous looks, all the unit members were staring at the AU human they witnessed for the first time.
They had heard the rumors, but no matter how they looked, they could only see a human. Her body was fortified with heavy weaponry, but even armored it was a female with exposed skin. To all appearances, she looked easier to deal with compared to the magic weapons.
The defense unit tightly grasped their newly developed anti-magic weapon rifle and gulped their saliva.
Their weapons were also developing day by day. It was still in the experimental stage, but they were also equipped with railguns and particle cannons developed for opposing magic weapons. Besides, right now the Masters of West USA also reinforced their force. The power of the opponent was unknown, but they should be able to repel her.
“Yo―sh! You guys, let’s show the enemy the power of the combat department’s boys!”
“UOOOOO!”
With a battle cry, the moral of the whole defense unit went up.
“The target is still not moving. Target is still in the middle of confirming the surroundings.”
“Give her a missile in place of a greeting! Don’t miss!”
Gravel looked around the surroundings, she was confirming the damage from the bombing.
‘――It was a little overdone for just a threat, but it can’t be helped. Besides with this commotion, perhaps Zeros will appear here.’
“Hm?”
Gravel’s sensor window displayed a danger signal.
The missiles the defense unit fired were falling aiming at Gravel.
Gravel’s firearm unit, the three line turret fixed around her waist turned up. The twenty millimeter caliber of the gunport emitted orange light like the consecutive flash of a camera. The flying out light cannon shell shot down the flying missiles one after another.
Gravel kept her hand crossed while staring at the explosion spreading in the sky.
“A welcoming firework huh. I’m greatly obliged.”
She smiled lightly and began to walk in the middle of the wide street. The destination ahead was a barricade built from the road rising up like an opened lid. At the other side of the barricade, the combat department of Ataraxia was standing ready with their gun muzzles aimed.
In front of that barricade, was a single woman wearing armor.
“We ain’t letting you get closer than this!”
It was Gertrude from Masters. She was wearing Heart Hybrid Gear with her hands holding her main weapon that was two high pressure particle guns in ready.
Furthermore behind Gravel there was a gun muzzle waiting for an opening from the other side of the smoke.
{This is Brigit. I can make her gray matter scatter everywhere with a headshot anytime~}
Brigit that circled behind the enemy was aiming at Gravel’s head with her rifle.
“Roger. We are commencing the situation. It’s not likely that we can establish negotiation with these AU bunch. If you find an opening, just kill the bastard anytime.” (TN: Gertrude’s talking style is a little strange, she is always using polite language mixed with verb suffix indicating contempt and disdain. Sadly I don’t know how to express it in English. I’m open to suggestions.)
Strength entered Gertrude’s fingers that were on the triggers.
“Stop right there! Throw your weapon and surrender right now. I respect your guts of coming here alone, but that’s just too rash. Stop any useless resistance.”
Gravel halted her pace.
“Oho? You are unexpectedly obedient. But, if you don’t resist at least a little, doesn’t that mean I cannot kill you? I feel like telling you to read the atmosphere but……aahh, quickly take off that Heart Hybrid Gear, then crouch on the ground――”
“I’ll ask one thing.”
Nervousness ran through all members of the defense unit surrounding Gravel with that one sentence.
“In this fortress, is there any non-combatants?”
“Haa?”
Gertrude raised a stupid voice.
“Are there civilians unrelated to combat that happen to board this fortress? That’s my question.”
Grasping the meaning of the words, Gertrude opened a communication window and called at the unit captain standing by on the rear.
“I don’t understand what she meant a little, so can you answer in exchange?”
{Even if you tell me that, I too don’t understand what she meant……but, if I have to answer the question literally, then in this Ataraxia there is no civilians. All personnel, whether directly or indirectly, are related to the defense of Ataraxia and the Megafloat.}
“――And that’s how it is. Are you satisfied with this and will surrender?”
“I see, I’m relieved.”
Gravel nodded in satisfaction.
“Then, I too will state my demand.”
“Haa? If it’s your safety then I cannot guarantee it you know. All people here has nothing but resentment towards the AU after all. Just prepare yourself.”
“Hand over Zeros and its wearer. Right now. Otherwise, I cannot guarantee the safety of you all.”
All present in that place were dumbfounded.
“Are you sane? What are you saying right in the middle of enemy territory?”
The orange luminescence on Gravel’s magic armor increased in intensity.
“So the negotiation breaks down.”
“Hahaa, from the start things like negotiation or anything,”
{Is just impossible!}
Brigit pulled her trigger. The instant it fired, together with dazzling light, radiance that looked like magic circle spread. The main weapon of Heart Hybrid Gear [Legura] that was a particle rifle fired a bullet of light.
“Go to hell, AU!”
The bullet that could pierce the armor of magic weapons in one shot, flew aiming at Gravel’s head. A hole opened in the wall of flame, pierced through the wall of smoke, and arrived until several meters from Gravel’s position. Sensing the presence of the bullet, Gravel turned around and faced the bullet of light that was right in front of her eyes.
‘――Got her!’
She was convinced of that. However,
The bullet passed through several centimeters before Gravel’s eyes.
“Wha――”
The bullet of the particle rifle pulverized the digital signage display at the side of the road in place of Gravel’s head.
Gravel bent her body backward while turning back and dodged the bullet with paper thin difference.
Brigit stood stock still in blank daze.
“How……could she evade that?”
“The bullet just now, a magic armor is it?”
The turret on Gravel’s waist rotated, turning toward the other side of the smoke where Brigit was standing.
“Brigit! Get away!!”
Returning to her senses from Gertrude’s yell, Brigit immediately ignited her thruster.
Gravel’s bombing hit the flame wall and the roar of destruction resounded from the crushed concrete at the other side. The retreating Brigit showed her figure from the flame wall. She tried to circle around Gravel and flew at low altitude while hiding in the building’s cover. And then she aimed at Gravel with her rifle.
“Die!”
Bullet was fired once again from the rifle. Brigit’s trajectory was also greatly disarrayed from the shooting’s recoil, her back contacted the building. The bullet of the rifle deviated and gouged a hole under Gravel. The wings on Gravel’s back rotated, directed toward the direction where Brigit was flying. There a three line particle cannon with bigger caliber was prepared. And then, a bombardment of twelve particle cannons in total pursued Brigit repeatedly.
The stray shell destroyed the city in succession. A building was hit, its pillar broken, and glass that became pieces rained down. The parked cars had holes opened in them before they exploded in flame.
The impact point of the bombardment gradually approached Brigit. And then――
“GUAAAAA-!”
Finally, Brigit was hit directly by the bombardment.
“BRIGIT!”
Black smoke climbed up and Brigit crashed down. She crashed on the ground with a violent impact, before she was rolling on the road. And then she collided on a building wall, raising a furious dust cloud.
Inside Gertrude, the feeling of wanting to check her comrade’s safety and her impatience towards the enemy were in discord.
‘What to do? What should I do!? What can I do!?’
“Aahh, damn it-! There is no spare time to check her safety-! All personnel, return fire-!”
Gertrude was yelling that, at the same time she rushed at Gravel. As if to chase after her, the combat department unit rushed out from the barricade.
“UWAAAAAAA!”
Gertrude shot her particle guns without stopping while running at the enemy.
‘The enemy has those heavy weapons. That means she is likely a fixed battery type. Then I’ll challenge her with speed!’
Gertrude made use of her light body and moved in zigzag. Even during such tricky movement, Gertrude’s shooting was still accurate. The magic circle of Life Saver spread like ripples on Gravel’s body. It was the proof that the bullets hit.
‘I’ll overcome her like thi――!?’
Gravel’s body rushed like a rocket. She appeared in front of Gertrude instantly and grasped Gerturde’s wrists. Gertrude’s both hands that were holding her pistols were lifted up.
“Damn……”
Fear together with cold sweat flowed out from Gertrude’s whole body.
Gravel’s twelve particle cannons were directed at Gertrude from super close range.
Flame and shockwave like raising explosion spread to the surrounding. The defense unit that surrounded the area was assaulted by the shockwave, lifting up the bodies of the students high in the air.
When the black smoke cleared up, there was the body of Gertrude powerlessly hanging down with both her wrists still grasped.
“I’ve never……heard something, like this. With that weapon, how……you can be”
Gertrude’s Heart Hybrid Gear was roasted and melted blackly, smoke was raising from it. When Gravel released her hands, she crumbled down and collapsed on the spot.
“No way……two Masters, are this easily……”
The defense unit backed down.
Looking at that situation, Gravel ran towards the barricade.
“Kuh! Don’t falter! Prepare the railgun!”
The barrel of a new type of railgun cannon peeked out from the gap of the barricade. It had a considerably large system that generally it needed to be loaded on a large trailer. Just its barrel was five meters already, then there were several thick cables connected to it from the ground because the electricity was supplied from Ataraxia itself.
“Fire!”
Together with intense static electricity and heat, a bullet was fired from the railgun. The bullet attacked with speed that surpassed mach 7, there was no way it could be dodged.
But, even before the bullet fired, Gravel’s body had flew high to the sky. She flew over the railgun and barricade easily and landed on the encampment of the defense unit.
“UWAAAA!?”
The students aimed their rifle in panic due to the enemy that landed from above out of nowhere.
“Wa, wait! Friendly fire is――”
Even before the sentence could finish, Gravel’s particle cannon fired. The turret directed horizontally fired cannon shells consecutively without stopping, Gravel then twirled her body on the spot. The bombing assaulted all directions at 360°, the defense unit was falling down like dominoes.
And then the control system and the cable of the railgun was also pulverized, it exploded in flame together with the trailer where the railgun was boarded.
“Hm?”
Gravel’s eyes shined sharply.
“Blade!”
Swords flying in the sky pierced at the spot where Gravel was.
“Swords soaring freely in the sky……Neros huh.”
Gravel that jumped backward looked up. Above, there were two figures floating in the sky.
Himekawa Hayuru wearing the red Heart Hybrid Gear, Neros, and Chidorigafuchi Aine wearing the white Heart Hybrid Gear, Zeros.
“So you appear.”
In contrast with the smiling Gravel, Himekawa and Aine’s complexions were pale.
“Thi……this is-”
Himekawa’s words were lodged from the disastrous scene.
The condition of the defense unit looked from above was mostly exterminated. It was a cruel state. The members of the defense unit were mostly the students of Ataraxia’s combat department. The students from the same academy were now collapsed on the ground moaning with blood flowing from their heavily wounded bodies. Also it was not just one or two victims.
“Te, terrible……”
Himekawa murmured with a face that almost cried.
Aine opened a floating window with grim face and investigated for Heart Hybrid Gear reactions.
“The Masters should have arrived already! Just where……-!?”
In the floating window of Zeros, the markers of Masters were shining. The enlarged image of the place was projected before Aine. The shot down Brigit that crashed on the ground, and Gertrude that was bathed in full bombardment from close range had lost consciousness.
“No good! We have to take them immediately to the hospital!”
“Yes. But, first we have to defeat her before we can start.”
Aine dropped down several meters away from Gravel. Her silver hair fluttered, her figure that landed on the ground was beautiful like the goddess of war. Her state with blue light running through her white shining armor even looked like a work of art.
Gravel raised a voice of admiration.
“Truly beautiful. So you are Zeros……Aine.”
Aine stared at the woman of AU with a dubious face.
“Are you also a fan of mine I wonder? It seems before I realized it, I have become famous in the AU.”
Even while talking frivolously, Aine was observing the enemy without letting her guard down.
The woman before her eyes was smiling thinly, she was standing in a natural stance. She wasn’t even readying anything or being alert. If she attacked right now, she had the hunch that she could easily defeat her――but, the dangerous air Aine felt behind the enemy made her hesitated to carelessly rush ahead.
“This is our first time meeting face to face. My name is Gravel. I am entrusted with the sixth conquest army of Lemuria district by Vatlantis Empire.”
“Lemuria……sixth?”
Aine didn’t understand the meaning of Gravel’s words. No, there was no need for her to understand.
She just needed to think of the way to defeat her. Aine persuaded herself like that.
Victory goes to the one who makes the first move. Should she begin? However……
A hesitation was born inside Aine.
She sensed a strange pressure from Gravel who was calm and took a polite attitude. She gave off an even more dangerous smell compared to any kind of gigantic magic weapon.
“I want to ask one thing. Do you――remember your time as a child?”
Inside Aine, it was not just hesitation, but mayhem that appeared.
‘This woman, what does she want to say?’
“Aine-san! You mustn’t get taken by what she says. There is no doubt that she is scheming something!”
Himekawa that was hovering several dozen meters above the ground withdrew her Sword from her waist. Matching that movement, the Blades stabbed on the ground were also flying up, their points aimed at Gravel and they halted in the air.
Gravel took a glance at the Blades, then she talked once again to Aine.
“Aine-dono, I want you to accompany me. I’ll promise that I won’t harm you and also this fortress.”
“Promise? Just how can I believe what a person from AU said?”
Aine pulled back one of her legs and turned her body diagonally. She raised her right hand to her face’s height, her left hand stretched forward in a stance. It was a stance like a kenpo practitioner.
‘――Total five meters until the enemy. This is not my range but, I have victory chance with Hayuru’s support.’
The left hand of Aine raised her index finger, and lowered it down.
“!”
Aine never even dreamed that the day she would use this combination would really come.
Himekawa needed less than a second to recall that signal.
“Bl, Blade-!”
The Blades that were floating in battle preparation were fired towards Gravel. However, Gravel only leaned her body a little and avoided the Blades.
However using that opening, Aine showed a step in with god speed. In an instant, she had filled the distance with Gravel.
“I got you!”
The fist that looked like it was fired from Aine’s shoulder struck Gravel. A shockwave that was like a bomb going off spread with the two as the center.
“Wha-!?”
Aine’s fist was blocked in Gravel’s palm.
“Splendid speed and sharpness, and then destructive power. Just as expected from you.”
Aine leaped back right away from the broadly grinning Gravel. And then she once again readied her fist.
‘――That’s impossible. The punch just now is not bad……yet she blocked it with one hand?’
Cold sweat flowed through Aine’s cheek.
“You are far different with the two from before. Should I say that it is as expected from a Ros-series.”
“What……did you say?”
“Of course, the difference in the pilot’s ability also has a large difference though.”
Gravel sent her hand to her back. She grasped the handle that jumped out from her back and slowly pulled it out to thrust it towards the front.
“My apologies, but I too will use my main weapon. I’m not so optimistic that I can cut corners against Zeros and Neros as my opponents.”
That was not a sword and also not a gun. It was a huge single edge sword with wide width, combined with a particle cannon of large caliber that was equal to a bazooka. A gunsword.
There was a trigger on the hilt, from there an ammo cylinder like a revolver with vertical length of fifty centimeters that was connected to the gun barrel. That gun barrel was shaped to half sink into a wide sword blade, the blade was lengthened longer than the gun muzzle. The length from its handle until the sword tip was even longer than Gravel’s height.
Himekawa withdrew her Sword from her waist as if in opposition.
“Fine then. Your sword and my sword, let’s have a match of which one is superior!”
The Blades that had been evaded once flew up to the air and aimed at Gravel once again from four directions. As if displaying the heightened nervousness of Himekawa, the Blades raised a buzzing sound.
Suddenly, the Blades vanished.
The next instant, there was a Blade in front of Gravel’s eyes. Only the trail of red light remaining in the air was the proof of the complicated trajectory the Blade took.
‘――So she is just all talk.’
At the same time when Himekawa was whispering that in her heart, the Blade was bounced right to the side.
‘――Eh?’
Sparks scattered, the blown away Blade tumbled on the ground.
Gravel’s gunsword flashed, depicting an orange orbit.
“That……-!?”
Gravel took a stance with her gunsword and rushed ahead. The huge blade aimed at Himekawa and attacked. The surroundings of the blade that traveled at terrific speed was wavering like a heat haze, forming a vortex.
Himekawa’s consciousness was concentrated on the tip of the sword that was approaching at herself.
“Haa!”
Just before she was slashed, Himekawa’s Sword scooped up from below. The tip of the gunsword was deflected by Himekawa’s sword.
‘――Avoided it! I’ll leap into her bosom with this chance and slash!’
The plunging Gravel and Himekawa crossed each other. Himekawa twisted her body that was back to back in close range with Gravel, and swung an attack like a gale to pass through Gravel’s body.
Gravel also turned as if in a dance. She swung down her raised gunsword in one breath.
A fierce metallic sound roared.
“Kuh!”
Gravel’s gunsword and Himekawa’s sword clashed. The shockwave reached until the ground and formed a crack in the road.
“As expected from Neros.”
“You too……however!”
The sword locking scattered sparks. Himekawa ignited her thruster and pushed her sword with all her strength. Gravel was sent flying backwards.
Gravel lifted her sword while backing down and readied it beside her face.
She was full of opening. Himekawa’s eyes shined and rushed in pursuit right away and ran her sword.
‘――I won!’
However, the instant she was convinced of her victory, something cold traveled Himekawa’s back.
The tip of Gravel’s gunsword was pointing at her.
So to speak, the nozzle was aiming at Himekawa.
Gravel’s finger pulled the trigger.
“Wha-!?”
Fierce impact ran through Himekawa’s body. It was as if she was struck by an unseen power, Himekawa’s body was blown away like a bullet.
Her bones creaked. All of the air inside her lungs were wringed out. She couldn’t defend it even with the Life Saver that she instantly deployed, crack entered the protector of the Heart Hybrid Gear and fragments were scattered. She crashed into a building that faced the main street and pierced through the wall.
“Hayuru!?”
Aine yelled with a blue face.
Himekawa’s body penetrated through the building, broke through the glass of the neighboring building, and tumbled inside.
“You bastard!”
Aine looked up at Gravel with a furious expression. She bent her knees in order to fly.
“!”
Gravel with her gunsword readied fell from the sky. Aine immediately changed the direction of her jump and flew behind close to the ground.
The gunsword stabbed the road and caused impact that was like an earthquake. The surface part that composed Ataraxia depressed down, creating a crater of around thirty meters in diameter.
Inside the rising smoke, there was Gravel smiling with her gunsword in one hand.
“Splendid. It was quite a speed to evade the attack just now. Your reflex is also magnificent.”
A shiver ran through Aine’s back.
If it hit her directly, she would surely die. But――,
“The attack just now. You intended it to miss from the beginning didn’t you? That gunsword is stabbing at the spot thirty centimeter ahead of my previous standing spot. Just what are you planning?”
Gravel shook her head.
“My objective is not to kill you. But――”
She pulled out the gunsword and directed the tip at Aine with unseen speed. The tip almost touched Aine’s chest.
“To make you accompany me, I intend to use any kind of method.”
“……That’s really forceful. A self-centered woman is going to be hated you know.”
Cold sweat flowed down Aine’s neck.
“This is also for the sake of saving the lives of many people. Please understand.”
“Saving lives……? What are you saying after stealing this many lives?”
“If you don’t come with me, then sooner or later, even more lives will be lost. In addition, all the people here are soldiers. A soldier should not have any regret if they lost their life fighting on a battlefield.”
Aine glared with a grim face.
“Just because of that!”
“But, if I can add one more thing……I respected the soldiers protecting this fortress. With such weak weapons, they bravely challenged me to battle without fear, I can’t help but being deeply impressed.”
‘――This woman, just what in the world is she?’
Aine was confused. Aldea that they fought before gave off the impression that resembled the imagination they had of the invading AU people. However, this woman called Gravel was different.
“Gravel, that’s what you are called right?”
“Yes.”
“Why are you trying to take me to the AU?”
“That’s――”
Golden light traversed the sky.
Explosion occurred in front of Aine. Light of particle cannon impacted the place where Gravel was, the dented surface unit that was now in the shape of a crater crumbled down. The moment the bullet impacted, Gravel and Aine leaped back and stood on the edge of the largely opened hole.
Aine looked at the direction from where the particle cannon flew.
“Yurishia! Also……”
There were three figures heading here by flying above the buildings. Yurishia wearing blue Heart Hybrid Gear [Cross], Kizuna in his black Heart Hybrid Gear [Eros], and then one more person wearing an unfamiliar white fuselage that emitted red luminescence. It was [Ares] that Scarlet of Masters drove.
On the back of Ares, four large boxes were loaded. They were missile units with flat shape. Two units were combined like sandwich, and like that there were two lined up and down, the large units were equipped compactly.
“I won’t let you do more than this! Deploy!”
The united missile units opened to left and right, looking from the front, the shape changed into X-shape. And then the front lids opened, showing the appearances of small missiles lined up orderly inside.
“Fire!”
In response to Scarlet’s command, the missiles all fired together with violent firing sound. The missiles were flying towards Gravel while trailing behind radiant light.
Gravel held out her right hand to the front. From her palm, a magic circle spread out. The missiles that flew nearing her with terrifying speed suddenly turned into slow motion, then their movement stopped in front of the magic circle. Even so the missiles were even now spouting light particles from behind in the attempt to attack the enemy. However, that propulsive power only crushed the missiles themselves due to the defensive power of the magic circle.
After a moment, they were all exploded.
Fierce explosion blast and shockwave broke all the glass of the surrounding buildings. The blast raised up thick smoke.
“Got her!”
Scarlet confirmed the spreading smoke below and took a guts pose.
“Not yet! Don’t let your guard down.”
Before Yurishia could finish her sentence, the sensor released a warning in the floating window.
Inside the black smoke, an orange light was rising towards them.
“Three magic armors huh. What a grand welcome.”
Piercing through the smoke, Gravel with her sword at ready appeared in front of Kizuna and the others.
Scarlet responded with a nervous expression.
“There is not only three. My comrades, Gertrude and Brigit too……”
‘――They should be here first to repel her. Where are they?’
Influenced by Scarlet’s will, Ares’s sensor discovered the other two units of Masters.
“Wha……-!”
Scarlet was shocked from witnessing the completely changed appearances of the two.
“YOU BASTARDDDDD-!”
The missile units fired in expression of Scarlet’s fury. All the missiles were fired simultaneously towards Gravel. The too many missiles made the line of fire that connected Scarlet and Gravel to be completely filled by the missiles’ trajectories.
“This really cannot be looked down.”
Gravel lifted her gunsword and waved it to her side, then its ammo cylinder jutted out to the side. A bullet attached on the back thruster detached and loaded into the cylinder, before the cylinder returned to the gunsword.
She largely twisted her body and pulled back her arm, and swung the gunsword with all her might.
“Reaver(Light Edge Slash)!!”
The instant the gunsword was swung, Gravel pulled the trigger. A light traveled tracing the blade and a streak of light elongated from the tip of the blade. It was a sword of light with length that could even reach several dozen meters. That sword of light ran in a straight horizontal line. With that one swing, the missiles Scarlet fired was swept clean. Explosions occurred in succession in the air, causing secondary explosions, forming a cluster of fire in the air.
“No way-!”
The sword of light assaulted towards the flustered Scarlet.
‘――This is a lie right? What’s with this. I,’
Scarlet couldn’t move. She could only look at the streak of light slashing towards her in slow motion.
‘――I cannot do anything. What should I do? Aah, if that hit me, I will die. Even though I understand, my body won’t move.’
She was only staring at the lengthily stretching sword of light swung down at her. And then――,
Intense light like a thunder flash exploded in the air. Fierce sound that might be like an explosion sound or thunder clap roared.
‘――Wha, what?’
Someone was in front of Scarlet. That back was――,
“KIZUNA-!?”
Kizuna cut in front of Scarlet who couldn’t move from surprise. He deployed a large Life Saver using both hands and blocked the sword of light.
“Guoo! What the hell, is this!”
He stopped it with the Life Saver, but an impact ran through his whole body. The might of Reaver grinded down the Life Saver, it was even shaving off into Kizuna’s palm. His skin broke and blood scattered.
Scarlet stared at that figure in blank daze.
“Ki……Kizuna, wai-, you……”
“UOOOOOOOOO!”
Kizuna maintained his willpower by yelling. Just a little more and his arm would break, and right before that happened the sword of light suddenly vanished.
“Somehow……I blocked……it?”
Kizuna wrung out his voice while his shoulders were heaving from his ragged breathing.
Scarlet slowly reached out her finger to the hand drenched in blood from protecting her.
“Kizuna, you, you okay? There is this much blood……because, you saved me.”
“Aah, just this much is fine. Rather than that, why did the attack suddenly――”
Kizuna looked at Gravel’s direction. There, a figure of white Heart Hybrid Gear striking Gravel could be seen.
“――Aine!?”
Aine commenced flesh bullet attacks with consecutive combination at Gravel. However, Gravel held back Aine’s attacks with her wings, the three line particle cannons and shook away Aine with her gunsword.
“Ku, AAAAAA-!”
Aine’s flicked off body flew in the air like a joke and sunk into the commercial building a few hundred meters apart from here. She lost her consciousness and collapsed like that.
Gravel sighed and began to walk towards the fainted Aine.
“My apologies. As expected I don’t have any leeway to pull my punches.”
Kizuna saw the fainted Aine and immediately opened his communication window.
“Aine! You okay!?”
However there was no response.
“Scarlet, I’m going to save Aine! Can you back me up with the missiles?”
“That’s, that’s impossible. The missiles are still not replenished yet……”
Ares had the ability to create missiles inside the unit in fixed intervals. However right now it had already used up all the missiles loaded in it. Until it could create more, some more time was needed.
“Both of you get back!”
Yurishia aimed the particle cannons on both her hands at Gravel’s back and fired. Gravel turned around and causally swung her huge gunsword, blocking the bullets of the particle cannons.
Scarlet’s face pouted and she yelled angrily at Yurishia who cut in.
“There is no way I can leave this to someone like you! Just pull back!”
“You cannot fight with your bullets empty. Rather than that, you go take the injured to the lab!”
Yurishia dropped down and landed on the main street that was full with rubble. Ahead of her, the enemy from AU, Gravel was standing with her gunsword in one hand.
‘――If I bombard from the sky, Ataraxia will become riddled with holes.’
Yurishia confirmed, that Aine and the other important facilities were not in her line of fire towards Gravel.
“Then, I’ll send you something intense now♪”
Cross’s Differential Frame converted into its bombing mode, its muzzle was aimed at Gravel.
The state of the blue magic armor which was gathering golden light, was reflected in Gravel’s eyes.
“Is that, Cross? Looks like this won’t be gentle.”
With quick movement, Gravel took out a bullet from her back. It was a different variety of bullet than before. That bullet was put into the cylinder.
“However, I’ll show you the proof that this Zoros is also not inferior in fire power compared to Cross.”
Yurishia opened her glossy lips and breathed in.
“GOOOOOOO!”
The large caliber particle cannon of the Differential Frame released an extremely thick bundle of light.
“Bullet(Bomb Light Bullet)!”
At the same time, Gravel’s gunsword also fired a bullet of light.
The two lights that were like comets collided a meter above the ground.
Intense light was flickering.
An impact of intense light was caused between the two. The mutual bombing was negating the other’s power. The surface part of Ataraxia was distorting from heat and began to melt.
Yurishia was staring at that radiance unable to believe it.
“No way! It’s a draw against Cross’s full power bombing!?”
However, the equilibrium between the two that made her wondered that it was a draw crumbled.
‘――Impossible.’
The power of the gunsword began to exceed the Differential Frame. The speed of her getting forced back gradually increased while the light was approaching Yurishia.
“Gah! HAAAAAAAAAA-“
Yurishia was blown away by the radiance of the Bullet, her body was thrown to the air. She crashed into a glass building, breaking the glasses into pieces and tumbled into the building.
Gravel turned on her heel and headed to Aine’s position.
“I won’t let you lay your hand on Aine.”
There was a figure standing in Gravel’s way.
“You are――a boy huh.”
Gravel opened wide her eyes.
The only man in the world who equipped a Heart Hybrid Gear, Hida Kizuna was standing.
“Aah, so what?”
“A boy wearing a magic armor huh……a magic armor is worn by a man’s body. Looks like you have quite the skill. I’ll look forward, to just how much skilled you are.”
Gravel prepared her gunsword and unleashed a preliminary attack.
“GAHA-……GUAAAAAA-!”
‘――What?’
The man if front of her eyes was easily blown away by the lightly thrust sword, then he collapsed.
“This is……well, really, what a let down.”
Gravel made a wry smile.
“Well fine. Let’s collect Zeros and the girl who called herself Aine. With that this time’s――”
Her stepping forward leg was unnaturally heavy.
Not only that, her whole body couldn’t move like she wanted it to. Just what was happening to her?
Gravel displayed a monitor in the air and confirmed the state of her body and Zoros.
‘――The magic power hit the bottom, already?’
Gravel lost her words from shock before Aldea suddenly talked to her from the window.
{Gravel, can you hear me?}
“Ye, yeah. What’s wrong?”
{The magic power of the battleship will reach the limit soon. What about you Gravel?}
“Yeah. Somehow I too am almost at my limit. Really, the magic power consumption in Lemuria is more than imagined……how troubling.”
Gravel sent a glancing gaze at Aine.
“At the very least, I’ll take her――”
The male wearing magic armor stood up. His step was shaky, but his eyes weren’t dead. He stood in her way to protect Aine.
“I won’t let you……lay your hand on Aine.”
It was likely that he was just barely standing on his feet. Even so, he glared at her, as if he was trying to kill his opponent using his gaze.
‘――Nice eyes.’
Gravel’s mouth slackened.
“In deference to a young man’s spirit, I will draw back for today.”
Gravel ignited her thruster and flew high to the sky in one go. And then, she disappeared away towards the northern sky.
Seeing off that figure from behind, Kizuna fell to his knee.
‘We, survived?
No, this is not survival. Perhaps, we are just overlooked.’
Rubble was scattered all over the road, flames were rising everywhere. Kizuna’s strength was spent, and he collapsed on the road. He murmured inside his vanishing consciousness.
‘――The next time, that woman comes attacking. What are we, going to do?’
