Vol 12 Chapter 3 (1/2)

Chapter 3 - Bahaevity

Part 1

On the interior side of the hatch leading to the deck, I waited for the n consideration for space use? There was a double-door airlock chamber in front of the hatch

Waiting beside me was Iris, with a nervous look on her face, and Kili, as stretching with sleepy countenance

Lisa and the others had gone to the hatches on starboard and port side, leaving only the three of us here ere heading to the deck

”S-So Kili-chan, you didn't get enough sleep?”

”Not really Too et to sleep”

Kili gave an auous ansith a weary look

”Looks like keeping Vritra coh job”

I sympathized but Kili stared at me in disbelief

”Oh my, how did you know my mother was the reason?”

”Uh, I didn't, but Vritra is always out of control, you know?”

Noticing ue, I hastily explained s when I was observing the situation in the cabins, which was how I knew the hidden story Disliking sha a lot of trouble for Kili

Would she find this odd? A chill and sweat began to spread down my back Fortunately, Kili did not seeorously

”Yes, that's true For the sake of ive any details, but it was very tiring”

”I see It h for you, Kili-chan Oh, what about you, Mononobe? Will Marduk stay active if you're not at the bridge?”

After listening to Kili's response, Iris asked me

”Yeah, no proble over recon, I' the shi+p Jeanne will share necessary external information with me, and I can control Marduk like an extension of e the precision of my control”

Just by focusing my mind on marduk, I could find out Bahas

Marduk was currently flying north over a frozen ocean We were going to encounter Baha forward

”There should still be so behind it Once NIFL engages Bahamut in battle, I'll accelerate all at once to close in Once visual contact is o out”

I switched on the communicator on my ear so that everyone else could hear me

I heard ”roger that” froh the earpiece but next to me, Iris sounded the most nervous

”R-Roger, but I'm so worried The people at NIFL”

Seeing Iris so ill at ease, I placed my hand on her head

”According to reports frolfar, the only forces they are deploying are the un the Leviathan battle If the line cannot be lfar will most likely withdraw, so don't worry”

”Really? That's good to know”

Iris finally smiled but it was still very stiff Next, Kili interjected in exasperation

”Iris-chan—You've been worrying about others all the time, what about yourself? If you fail to use Catastrophe at the crucial moment, we're all in trouble, you know?”

”Eh Oh, don't worry about that I can generate Catastrophe, no problem It's just that I'm a little worried since the method is not quite the same as before”

Iris scratched her cheek and answered I added:

”Iris used to be able to generate Catastrophe directly, but now she can't do without using dark matter as an intermediary It's probably because I turned her back into a hu into Basilisk”

My explanation caused Kili to show overt displeasure

”—Is this really okay? Since the generation process requires darkdark matter from others? In the worst-case scenario, we'll have to consider unsealing my mother”

Kili pondered with a hand against the side of her face, but Iris hastily shook her head

”Oh, you don't need to worry about that I already found out during an exaard Catastrophe has virtually no enerate dark matter”

”Eh, that's so I didn't know Then does that allow you to use it with greater power than before? If it's virtually enerate it without limit”

Very interested, Kili inquired of Iris

”Hmm, how should I put it? Rather than transmutation, toas a 'gate' Although I don't kno enerate exactly, there should be a limit”

Kili shrugged at Iris as answering with her head cocked

”That's very wishy-washy, Iris-chan You're the only one who can defeat Bahaether”

”Sob Kili-chan, please don't put ive it my best shot”

Confronted with Iris' tearful gaze, Kili looked away in embarrassment

”I know you're already trying your hardest However, this isn't soor or deterht into it is necessary”

Although Kili's words were a bit blunt, Iris showed a look of comprehension

”Ah—Hey hey, Mononobe! Just now, did you hear that just now!?”

”Huh? What about just now?”

Puzzled, I asked her in return, causing Iris to explain with slight displeasure

”Seriously, don't you reive me the same advice before? Back when I couldn't do trans hard wasn't enough? I had to confrontlike that”

”Now that you mention it, I think I did”

Me special practice sessions in an underground training site together with Iris who had failed the test to get into the Dragon Subjugation Squad

”But what about it?”

Although it was very nostalgic, I had no idea why Irisit up

”So it's the same as what Kili-chan said, you know?”

”Oh, okay Yeah, pretty much”

Overwhellanced at Kili It see her with a look of puzzlement

Thus, Iris grabbed my hand and said with a happy smile:

”It's wonderful for the advice to be the same Kili-chan and Mononobe are a bit alike”

”Although I'et why you're so happy about this”

Unable to hide her confusion, Kili sighed

”Eh? Oh Why am I so happy?”

Even you don't know? Iris cocked her head in puzzlement

”—Forget it To be honest, no matter how much time I spend with you, I still can't say I understand you”

Exhausted in mind, Kili slumped her shoulders

To irl who effortlessly transcended expectation,” beyond the realreed coet excited again, I kept this comment to myself

”Captain, NIFL has engaged Bahamut”

At that moment, Jeanne's report came on the communicator Linked to Marduk, she could speak to me mentally, but in order to share infor the communicator as much as possible

”I copy that Marduk, ht speed We will exit the shi+p once Jeanne gives us the signal Don't forget to deploy the air barrier”

While increasing Marduk's speed, I called out to Iris and Kili

Close by, Iris and Kili nodded solemnly, then the others replied they were ready

Feeling that the distance to the fifth cala, I melded my consciousness into all of Marduk's armaments

Part 2

To delay Baha as possible, Marduk descended from maximum altitude to stay as close to the frozen sea surface as was feasible

A roughly ten-kilometer-wide black line was carved on the plain of ice This was Bahaht trail While Bahamut flew, its shadow for away at the Earth's surface

Even Marduk's radar was unable to read anything from the black line

And flying at the lion with outspread wings

Standing on the deck, I stared at the target within visual range that must be destroyed

Standing next to on with bated breath

The target was still dozens of kilo er presence than the ht now

The scene before e—Co Bahamut was undoubtedly there

Given Marduk's speed, ere going to engage the enemy in a few minutes

”Looking at it in the flesh It see in the sky”

Deploying a composite barrier of heat and air on the deck, Kili whispered poignantly Were it not for her barrier, ould not only be bloay by the strong wind but also frozen by the extremely low temperature around us

Lisa and the others should be standing ready on starboard and port side as ordered Since Marduk far surpassed the speed of flying by trans to the battlefield

”Its wings are notflaanisht?”

Staring at Baha her fictional armament, Caduceus

”It's probably using flame jets for thrust Like you say, Iris, it's more like an airplane But If it really came from outside of Earth, then it's a spaceshi+p rather than a jet plane”

While ai Marduk's weaponry at Bahamut, I answered Iris' question

The target was now locked There eapons capable of sniping fro Bahamut's attention, there was no need for us to attack before it noticed us More importantly, we needed to allow Iris' Catastrophe to hit

Listening to us, Kili seemed to notice a problem

”Outside of Earth—I see, that's definitely the kind of creatures the 'true dragons' are However, if Bahamut is a creature that feeds on heat, ould it visit Earth Logically speaking, wouldn't it go to the Sun instead?”

”Now that you mention it, yeah In other words, its objective isn't absorbing energy?”

Kili's observation ure out what else Baha for However, Iris see and she said to me:

”Maybe Bahareen peppers, which I don't like, I'd rather have Mitsuki-chan's tasty sweets”

”Quality over quantity? It's not impossible”

After I commented, Kili smiled wryly and nodded

”Fufu, that's very Iris-chan Perhaps on this planet, there is soons”

”So attractive”

These words stirred soent voice on the co

'—Engaged in battle with NIFL, Bahay is detected at its head Currently increasing rapidly!'

The instant I looked in the direction of Marduk's course, intense light flashed through the sky

An explosive scene occurred, alh the sun had risen from the north

Orange flaiant dragon's black silhouette overlaid on top

'Bahamut seems to have released a heat beaone —Most likely vaporized'

”Tsk Major Loki—How is the Naglfar?”

'The flagshi+p Naglfar evaded in the nick of time; it is still intact Oh—They just contacted us The operation will continue, just that the defense line has collapsed and it is no longer possible to halt Bahamut's advance They will act as a diversion to confuse Bahamut'

”Understood Still That firepower is quite unbelievable This is the first tiht?”

Watching the stea, I asked Jeanne

'Indeed The Atlantean weapons equipped on the Naglfar and the cooling projectiles used by the fleet must have been effective to some extent Since Bahamut saw NIFL as an ene smoothly We will be able to launch a heavy assault from behind with ease'

”Yeah—But don't be careless, everyone Tellus Iris, how e?”

While I was issuing orders to Jeanne, I asked Iris

”Uer send out Catastrophe in a 'zap!' Since I'll be using dark s, distance won'tas I can see clearly”

”Really? Then your range er than before If that's the case, we can launch the attack first without worrying too much”

Her reply reassured me somewhat

Iris' ability should be e had arisen

When Basilisk used Catastrophe, there was a range limit This applied to Iris too when she fired Catastrophe directly

But noith the target was so gigantic and hovering in midair, it was possible to make visual confirmation from farther away and attack

”Iris, get ready to attack Give the signal when you feel you can attack”

”Yeah!”

Iris nodded with a tense expression then took a step forward, wielding her staff fictional armament

”Iris-chan, don't get impatient, okay? If the first strike fails, Bahamut will surely see us as a threat and attack us Anyway, take a deep breath and relax first”

Kili offered advice to Iris, whose entire body was tense, then patted her on the shoulder

”Inhale Exhale Thanks, Kili-chan I'm much more relaxed now”

”Don't mention it If you miss, we'll all be in trouble”

Kili avoided eye contact while aze met with mine

”Yuu, do you have so to say?”

”Nope, or rather, what I wanted to say is no longer needed”

I shrugged and shook my head

”You're so bad”

Kili's face reddened slightly and shewryly, I watched the same direction as her

After getting closer, I could see flashes of light around Bahae on

Amid the tense atnal

Ten seconds, twenty seconds, thirty seconds—

Baha an increasing sense of nize it as a three dimensional entity

The heat beaon vaporized the frozen ocean surface, causing a massive explosion A brief htly

When the shaking stopped, Iris finally gave the signal

”Mononobe, from here, I'll probably—no, I'll definitely hit it!”

”Got it! Marduk, begin deceleration Lisa, you and the others will take care of Bahamut's attacks Spread out from the sides of the shi+p”

I lowered the shi+p speed to stabilize its flight while issuing orders to everyone else Since Iris was now able to attack, there was no need to continue approaching After that, all we needed to do was use Marduk's equipment and the power of the Ds to keep Iris safe

'—Affiro, everyone!'

At Lisa's signal, the girls took flight from the decelerated Marduk

There were no changes in Bahalfar and NIFL's re forces

”Preparations are complete, Iris Let us exterminate Bahamut!”

”Yeah!”

Facing forward, Iris nodded firmly then raised her staff fictional armament

”—Coments of the Far Beyond”

She recited the incantation that I had heardone's mind

Back when she used Catastrophe directly, her incantation was a little different But this ti dark matter, because she needed to summon dark matter to transmute into Catastrophe

”Coments of the Far Beyond!”

Iris repeated the sah unseen by the naked eye, dark s

Next, for the sake of destroying Bahamut, Iris narrowed the infinite possibility possessed by the dark le one

”Catastrophe—Actualize!!”

With these words, Bahalow of Catastrophe

The authority of weathering, stealing time from all creation—

Although I had worried whether it was possible to weather a ten-kiloon all at once, such concerns turned out to be unnecessary

—Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!

A deep roar like thunder could be heard fro in pain

Inside the light, Baha the intense battle against NIFL, the black dragon lost balance and fell froht

This was surely Catastrophe taking effect However—

”Jeanne, any change in Bahamut's size?”

I asked through the communicator

Indeed—I could not see any signs of Catastrophe causing any change in Baha should happen if its body had been weathered, but even though torinal form

'Although there was a e currently This is just a guess, but Baha new skin before the outer layer eathered away'

”H and cell division Did it develop resistance against Catastrophe—”

Hearing Jeanne's report, I could not help but gasp, but then I heard Lisa's voice

'No, I believe the issue does not lie with Bahamut Please examine Catastrophe's color carefully!'

”Color?”

Troubled, I looked at the red glow surrounding Baha definitely felt off It seemed different from the Catastrophe I had previously seen until now

'—Met it Compared to before it's less concentrated'

Ren's voice through the communicator made me realize it too

”Yeah, the red hue should be more intense”

Just as I muttered, Kili cried out from close by

”Hey, so this h—In other words, the output is lacking!? Iris-chan, if this continues, you won't be able to weather Bahamut away, you know?”

Confronted with Kili's question, Iris kept her fictional armament raised at Bahamut and replied:

”Sorry I know that But surrounding all of Baha me at my limit—”

Iris's voice sounded pained and her ar her best already

”Limit? Impossible The authority you inherited from Basilisk came into existence to defeat Bahamut In other words, you are the only one who can defeat that thing I will cheer for you, so show me some backbone!”

”Kili-chan cheering for me I'm so happy, but No matter how much harder I try, I still, dunno Also—”

At thatand turned to me I could see fear in her eyes, so I rushed over to pat her on the shoulder

”Iris”

Should I ask her to try harder or tell her not to strain herself? Neither was the right thing to say, so I remained silent

”Mononobe—I”

Just as Iris was about to continue what she was saying, Jeanne's voice interrupted

'Baha from its back! Quantity is twenty Aimed at us!'

I looked up to see ht and rise into the sky

'The projectiles show readings of high energy Probably—bo, too late to take evasive action!'

—Missiles? Created from inside the body?

But noas not the time to be shocked

Jeanne shared with hfast- missiles

”I will intercept the on the rest of you, Lisa!”

'Affirmative!'

Hearing the replies from Lisa and the others, I used my mind to lock onto every projectile At the same time, I connected the depths of my mind to one of Marduk's armaments, and spoke sharply:

”Hyperspace reversion rocket-assisted artillery, Abyss—Fire!!”

Themultiple warheads into the sky

The white exhaust streaked across the blue sky, leaving trails The warheads rushed at the ene holes in space and would have no proble projectiles

However, just before the warheads reached the targets, there was a cataclysmic development

'—The projectiles have split! There are now forty of them!'

”damn it!”

The instant I heard Jeanne's report, I detonated the Abyss warheads

Multiple black punctures appeared in the sky, sucking in the projectiles that had split apart Hyperspace that was not supposed to exist was crushed together with real space, destroying it along with the projectiles However, several shadows passed through the gaps to fly at Marduk

Covered in black scales like Bahamut's surface, the projectiles approached the battleshi+p with flarebacks

Just as Jeanne had said, these were definitely missiles

”Thirty-six destroyed Four intact—”

'If only four remain, leave them to us'

Firill replied

'Everyone, to stop the, use coolants to freeze them!'

'Mm!'

Ren and the others responded to Firill's call and took individual action to intercept the inco objects

'Freeze, ice fang!'

Fro a flash of blue-white light The others followed and released coolants at the projectiles

Bathed under intense cold air and extremely low-te their flarebacks Losing speed, the projectiles fell towards the frozen ocean surface

But without giving us any tiain

'Baha to escape Catastrophe! If Bahah probability ill be exposed to a heat beam!'

I looked in the direction the shi+p was advancing Indeed, Baha

Although Iris was trying hard, the red light had becoht of that, I made decision

”Jeanne, retreat Lisa, you and the others return to the shi+p at once We ithdraw from the battle zone with maximum speed Also inform Major Loki—NIFL—of our decision to retreat”

'—Roger that'

Jeanne answered with frustration, but Kili did not hide her dissatisfaction

”Are you giving up, Yuu? It's too soon to decide that Iris-chan has failed”

”We are not giving up, but siht noe need more time”