Vol 4 Chapter 1 (1/2)

Chapter 1 – Vatlantis

Part 1

A week passed since the Okinawa Capture Operation

Megafloat japan and West USA wereto the offshore five hundred kilometer east of Chiba’s Bousou Peninsula There was no contact with the eneained the peaceful ordinary days

“But, the previous battle was a failure as an operation Although we crushed the eneame was poor”

Reiri looked at the written report whilein annoyance

“We cannot repeat that in Tokyo”

Kizuna nodded strongly to Reiri’s words

The preparation for the next operation was steadily progressed in the research rooathered data was projected at the four surrounding walls, the map with Tokyo as the center was displayed on the floor Lines of light were stretching fro s that floated in the air Each of the floating as displaying various infor the roo around in irritation

“But, the investigation is not progressing at all If there is no more information of the actual place……shi+kina-san, what happened with the unation?”

Kei was sitting on a chair that was surrounded by console As usual, no expression could be seen froertips were busilytext on the

{We are sending out several unle one come back We expected that most likely they were shot down above Tokyo The detail is unclear due to the electronetic interference from Entrance The aircraft also couldn’t send back the data they gathered, so if the aircraft cannot return, we cannot obtain even a single information}

“Even though we could scout with unmanned aircraft at Guam and Okinawa……”

Kizuna groaned with a difficult face

{It can be thought that at those times, there was the intention from the enemy side to offer the information}

Like this they didn’t understand the number and forht, they couldn’t discover what kind of trap thateverything to chance

Kizuna suddenly recalled what happened previously

“Then, how about we rely on Yurishi+a to scout like at Okinawa?”

Reiri sighed, as if telling hi he understood already

“Tokyo is not like Guam and Okinawa that is an isolated island Even if we carelessly send scout, by the time they arrive at Tokyo, there is the possibility they will be surrounded by enemy with the escape route severed”

{It’s possible if it is a Heart Hybrid Gear that excelled in sensor and h altitude However, unfortunately there is no one that specialized in scouting, whether in Amaterasu or Masters}

Kizuna looked down and stared at theunder his feet

“……Then, what should we do?”

Reiri crossed her arms and answered naturally

“We can only try to do it”

Kizuna too didn’t have any answer other than that

“So we also stop any forcefulthe deadlock of the current situation…is it? Can we secretly infiltrated, like that time in Guam?”

“It’s best if we can infiltrate unnoticed by eneate But, they are surely not that naïve We are going with surprise attack tactic right from the start”

Kei separated her eyes froe that was mostly unnoticeable appeared in Kei’s expression

{Reiri, I understand that you are getting impatience about the matter of Professor Nayuta But……}

Reiri glared at Kei as though to repulse her gaze Kei looked down in fluster dropped her gaze fixedly on the keyboard

Reiri took a large deep breath and brushed up her front hair

“……But, don’t think that we canto divide the capture in several ti to launch surprise attack with the objective of confirth Gather as o too deep”

“Right, I’ to force myself……but…”

Kizuna knitted his eyebrows and spoke auously

“What is it? Is there so that bothered you?”

“No, it can’t be helped that we don’t understand the situation……”

Reiri opened heras in his mind

“You are bothered by the [interesting thing] that ht?”

Kizuna raised his face in surprise and nodded silently

“Shedding light on that is also one of the missions this time”

Kei tapped her keyboard to add so

{There should be so us to co there}

“Yeah But, even if we are thinking about it there should be no e can understand what is that soive instruction froet near the Entrance, it becoht? We can make do somehoith the communication of fellow Heart Hybrid Gear, but hoill Ataraxia make contact with us?”

“Gertrude that is in the e of communication But even so, I think thatdecision on the spot Ataraxia will also separate froafloat japan and approached near Tokyo aspreparation so we can send reinforcement anytime, but there is no satisfactory backup here Keep that in mind”

Ataraxia’s current position and the ion were reflected on the wall Several lines were stretching fro to Tokyo

{The infiltration and retreat route are currently in theThere will be no problem if it’s possible to hit once and then withdraever, for the sake of our peace of mind, we also want to assume of case where the battle with the enemy intensified and also if due to some kind of trouble, withdrawal become difficult}

Nervousness ran through Kizuna’s heart

‘――No, certainly we have to think about the worst case scenario too It will be ideal that it doesn’t co that can be done e actually fall into predicament

Kizuna faced Kei and nodded with a ed her to continue

{In that case, the usage of Corruption Ar to the situation and efficient replenishment of Hybrid Count will become the key}

“What does that mean specifically?”

{To inflict dae to the enemy, the most effective is to use Corruption Armament that possesses vast destructive power However, once it’s used, it cannot be used again for a while It’s desirable to carry out Cli at the situation}

“You mean to tell me, to do Climax Hybrid in the middle of battle?”

{Correct Besides in the situation that there are a large number of enemy or when the battle turn into a protracted one, there is the necessity to put into consideration the effect of the decreasing Hybrid Count In the worst case, when soht, it will be indispensable to replenish their energy with Heart Hybrid at the spot}

Kizuna cocked his head in puzzlement with complicated face

“However, even though we don’t knohat kind of situation it will be, where are we going to do the Heart Hybrid? There is also no e can bring the Love Rooht?”

{Regarding that, we have been thinking of a way No need to worry}

The letters displayed on the ere strangely overfloith confidence Just what in the world were they thinking, on the contrary it only stirred up anxiety inside him in

“Whether it’s exter with a little skir factor is as expected, the Corruption Armament So that you can carry out Climax Hybrid with the members of Amaterasu without any problem, have a favorable relationshi+p with them”

“Yeah, I understand”

――’However’, Kizuna murmured inside his heart

There would be no problem with Yurishi+a and Himekawa, but Aine was as usual in a reluctant state She felt it was scary to have her memory resurrected due to Climax Hybrid

Kizuna also tried to talk about various things with her to give her reassurance, but it was quite hard

“There is a bit of problem with Aine but……but ill have to rely on Zeros’s Corrution Armament [Pulverizer] later I’ll try to persuade her somehow”

“Yeah, I’ll leave that to you……also, there is one more work that I want Kizuna to do”

“Nn? What is it?”

“That is……”

Reiri paused her word and showed a worried expression However, she raised her face as though she had made up her mind and spoke resolutely

“There is one Core re in Ataraxia’s possession It was decided that this Core will be installed into the selected candidate”

‘――Wha-!?’

“What did you say!? Just wait a second, Nee-chan What you mean by that, is a student of Ataraxia will be chosen to be ht at the battlefield, isn’t that so?”

“Right We have already picked up the excellent students to be chosen Before the next Tokyo recapture operation, I want the pilot to be in a condition that can possibly participate in the mission”

Kizuna sed his saliva

A new Core would be installed In other words he was told to choose a candidate to fight at the front line risking their life

“Wait a second The Core……what is its name?”

Letters were displayed in Kei’s

{Taros} (TN: Could possibly read as Talos)

Kizuna’s body stiffened The inside of his chest quickly turned cold

‘――Of all things, it’s a Ros-series’

There were several types of Heart Hybrid Gear’s Core The [Ros-series] of Kizuna and others in Ah powered [Res-series] with Scarlet’s Ares as an example And then the series named [Gra] [Ruba] [Nil] and so on that the other

Even a them, Ros-series’ co in possession of [Corruption Armament] which possessed irrational destructive poas the characteristic of Ros-series However, in exchange of that high combat power, there was the need to supply it with one’s own life When the re amount of life, so to speak the Hybrid Count became zero, the wearer would meet their death

So that it wouldn’t come to that, Kizuna performed replenishment to the members of Amaterasu with Heart Hybrid So that the Hybrid Count wouldn’t go under the red zone, he was paying meticulous attention to it

But even so, it didn’t change the fact that this would make someone into a new sacrifice

“……But, Nee-chan Is it really fine?”

“What?”

“We, the current iven the Core by Kaa-san Even Nee-chan didn’t know that Heart Hybrid Gear is doing soy So to speak, Nee-chan is also a victim But――”

“If I know that and still giving out a Core, I too will join the rank of the perpetrator both in name and reality I won’t escape the vilification as an inhuman person, is that what you want to say?”

Reiri’s tone flared up Kizuna

“No one is saying that at all! Nee-chan was really that angry about Kaa-san, Nee-chan also said that you had never approving this for even once You said that actually you don’t want to do this, I understand those words are not so! But, that……how do I say it, this is also hard for Nee-chan right……giving that order”

Reiri’s mouth smiled broadly

“You are saying soh you are just a little brother huh What, I don’t want to act hypocrite after this far Even if I e ive the order with full knowledge of the circumstances”

“But……!”

Reiri raised her hand and stopped Kizuna who persistently opposed this

“I also don’t want use Taros’s Core proactively However, it’s also the fact that it’s hard to close the gap of battle strength between us and thee came out fro our battle strength, the probability to return alive for all o up, I have to use that method no matter what”

Reiri took into her hand the file that was put on the console

“This is the list of the candidates”

Kizuna reached out his hand to take the file presented to hiht before he took it

‘Is this really fine? I’ Ros-series to other people with this If I do this, I cannot criticize Kaa-san anymore But……’

Various conflicts were born inside Kizuna, they were circling around his head Those conflicts were gradually acco from Kizuna his ability to think “What to do?” Only such words were ruminated inside his heart, Kizunacoldly

“Kizuna This is so for you to worry about”

That voice was very soft, carrying a kindness that wrapped around Kizuna

With a ‘hah’ in realization, Kizuna raised his face and stared at Reiri’s face There, gentle eyes that were sy at him

‘――Nee-chan saw the dae of the battle with Gravel and reluctantly took this e of Ataraxia that received surprise attack Gertrude of Masters was seriously injured, and Brigit……she died in battle in the end Even Yurishi+a and Scarlet, they almost lost their life

Who was the one co them?

Me

Whose responsibility it is that so e came out?

Isn’t that the fault of me as the commander at the scene?

Everyone was fighting with all their strength bravely

But I kept disappointing, er, in the end I made Nee-chan picked a method that she didn’t want to use’

Kizuna bit his lip and accepted the presented file

When he flipped the front cover where nothing ritten, there was the profile and photo of students lined up in a row The files had several pages, but Kizuna’s eyes stopped at the na

“That list is lined up in order of their grades and aptitude’s excellence The current top is――”

――Sylvia Silkcut

The hand holding the file was tre

“Sylvia is the top of the candidates, to say nothing of how far she left behind the second and third places Thinking norround for doubt However, the captain is you You choose ill be added into Amaterasu”

‘Me?

I’ve to decide so that important no matter what?

Perhaps ht steal the life and lifestyle of that person here

I’ll have to do Heart Hybrid in order to recover the decreasing life, irrelevant with the wish of the person themselves here’

“Sylvia……”

Sylvia in the photo wasa serious face that normally he had never seen He understood that she was a little nervous and tensed in the photo When he looked at the picture, Kizuna recalled Sylvia’s s face that ithout worry Her voice that talked with idolization at him was resurrected in his ear Sylvia came everyday to his room and be too helpful for him in various ways

He was thinking that he wanted to protect Sylvia, he never thought for even once that he wanted to ht

However, ould heSylvia?

“……You don’t need to decide iret it”

Reiri spoke to hih she had read his sentiments

However, it didn’t change the thing that he must do

The current Kizuna had the feeling, that the ansouldn’t come out no matter how much time he spent

Part 2

The sky of AU, in the high altitude above Vatlantis E With its narrow and streaave off the i a tool of war And then its red hull thatit to feel awe That red color was the proof that this shi+p was of the fleet of the iuard

Its total size surpassed five hundred n of person could be seen on its hull or inside it The battleshi+p was also a giganticthe order of the owner and moved automatically There was no need of shi+p crew to le commander that handed down order

There was the figure of the person handing down order to this battleshi+p in the shi+p’s bridge That person earing a long mantel that was htily She was a rus

The inside of the bridge was like a living rooh class mansion, it really couldn’t be seen as the inside of a e’s wall in 360° was turned intoantic fur of an unknown animal was spread on top of the marble floor And then it was cos and a sofa that looked comfortable to sit at On the table, fruits and bottles filled with alcohol and juice were lined up, and floere scattered everywhere on the floor of the bridge

On the place a step higher in that bridge, a big leather sofa for the co in front of it and looked down at the guest that was boarding from Okinawa

“How is it, this shi+p of ifted personally to uard you know?”

The black haired fe near thethat faced the direction the shi+p wasturned her head back

“Yes I’ in this wonderful shi+p Ragrus-sama”

Looking at Nayuta that reverently bowed her head, Ragrus smiled proudly

“Isn’t that right, isn’t that right! You really understand well even though you are just a Lemuria person If you have such modest attitude, then it’s fine for you to be here But, if you say so impertinent, I’ll lock you into the cell like Gravel and Aldea just so you know! Valdy, you too relax however you like”

“Ye, yes……thank you”

Valdy as standing beside Nayuta turned to Ragrus and lightly tilted her head

Nayuta was enjoying the scenery fro at her appearance, Valdy spoke to Nayuta a little bashfully

“Nayuta-saet out from the palace so……is it, unusual?”

“Yes This is an extremely precious experience I only listened to the story, I didn’t really have a chance to look outside the palace with my own eyes”

It was the scenery of the suburbs of Vatlantis that usually she couldn’t really witness The green rural landscape was spreading as far as the eyes could see The gentle hilly area was going on, extending to thethe beautiful scenery of mountains area

There was also thick forest in theone understood that the land was blessed with abundant nature And then, there were cities here and there Those cities were not soe, small cities were developed in a fixed distance of each other

With a glance, it looked like a lineup of Victoria-style buildings that reses were all built fro and so on, everything was designed devoting to delicateness and with ornained the excellent technology and culture they possessed, of the wealthy livelihood the people there must have

However, regardless of such splendid cities, there was no figure of people at the city below her eyes

“Is there no people living in that city?”

Nayuta asked Valdy

“Yes……the cities around here, are all……abandoned”

Before long they could see another different city However, this city too was deserted, they couldn’t see a sign that people were living here The door, , and so on were left open

“The people are gathering in the capital, in addition it’s only natural of the population is decreasing isn’t it?”

She answered so, but in her heart she didn’t think that this was soation, the reduction rate of the population of this world was abnor by ten percent There ar, but she couldn’t believe that it was the cause There was also the case with the Another Universe Conflict, but it was a here they ic weapon, there was ale from it

And then the total population was also few The land size of Vatlantis wasmore than one-thousandth of earth However, frohost town, there was supposed to be quite a nu happened, and the population dropped sharply

Right now,concentrated in the capital Zeltis and few provincial cities However, even that capital was being approached by danger

“Ah! We can see it now, the capital Zeltis!”

Ragrus’s voice becah invited by that voice, Nayuta looked at far ahead of the shi+p

What was visible first was the black line stretching straight to the sky fro its appearance from under that line

――Vatlantis’s imperial capital, Zeltis

That was a city that was like a black arht that was pouring down froht and its body was always clad in the darkness of night

The black imperial capital that was the center of Vatlantis

And then, further in its central part

There, was the center of this world

A gigantic pillar that pierced the sky, the [Genesis(The Pillar of World Creation)]

It was created fro material that wasn’t stone or metal, it had the shape of square idth of two hundredfroh the cloud heading to the sky, its tips was largely spreading on the sky, like a tree trunk that took root in the land

The gigantic pillar of mechanical device that connected heaven and earth It was the syste of this world, the heaven and earth, and then also the whole creation, it was also the object of faith

As if to protect that Genesis, jet black palace was surrounding it

It was a jet black castle that emitted really ominous pressure Its appearance that was co ar the black city Zeltis It was like the palace itself earing ic armor

This palace was built for the sake of protecting this Genesis which orshi+pped as God For that reason, the palace itself was shaped attached with armor

That palace was surrounded by triple layer of high protective wall In this city that was partitioned by castle walls, the social status of the people here were lower the more outside the place they live was at And then, outside the wall spread the city where the normal citizen lived

Each of those layers of city were also all black

That was because all of the city was built using black colored reen or blue were running everywhere Those lights circulated to wall or rooftop fro the city in every way Zeltis’s black street and building looked hts

All of those were light of y of this Zeltis were totally supplied by ic power, dynaic ic weapon, ic power

For exae were running through the road, but all of those were alsojust at its front part, it looked coic weapon in the shape of horse, but behind it was a boarding space like a car that was connected to the horse Each parts of that body were shi+ning with the radiance ofusing ic power

The bli comfortably above the city were also si using the saic weapon

At the side of the hull,to perform various contact and advertise quite low, but it was skillfully evading the buildings

Above this city, Ragrus’s battleshi+p was advancing toward the palace

As they approached the palace and Genesis, the hugeness of the Genesis and its complex structure became obvious

The Genesis was like an absurdly gigantic ears, pendulum, etc, were interlaced complexly, it was packed full with really intricated mechanism

Some parts of that mechanical pillar were covered with outer wall that was applied with geo with those pattern carved on the surface,shape However, by no ht was lacking in electricity, the light was thinning from the middle before vanished co likeextre to stop

“It seeain”

Valdy peered at Nayuta’s side face

“Err……then, as expected……”

“The destruction of Vatlantis is caused by the Genesis that becaht the cause is the drying up ic power”

Saying that, Nayuta looked up at the pillar that was even extolled as God Chasing after that gaze, Valdy too stared at the sky with serious expression

“The sky is……lowered, again……”

Ragrus also grimaced

“I have to lower our altitude a little…I wonder, is the Genesis really alright?”

Following Ragrus’s instruction, the battleshi+p lowered its altitude a little

There was no ceiling in the sky of Vatlantis However there was a strange pressure, the position of the cloud was also far lower co to fall even now

Such sky was supported by the gigantic pillar called Genesis It looked like that However, the surrounding of the tip that was spreading in the sky was greatly distorted, cracks was running in the sky with the pillar in the center

The pillar that was trying to support the sky that was going to fall, on the contrary now looked like it was stabbing the sky, trying to destroy the whole sky

On the other hand, at the ground too, fissures were also running on the ground in radial shape with as expected the Genesis at the center There was also place with gap that had reached about several tens of meters at the center The palace that was created like ar out from the city outside the castle walls

Buildings were torn apart due to the fissures, bridges cru down, streets were divided

The same with the sky, it also looked like that below the Genesis also pierced the land, trying to break the earth crust itself

“Ah……”

Valdy raised a short voice

Exactly while they atching, the land began to cruround was tearing apart And then, the street and the cars running on top of it were sliding doard that gulf The pave as if sliding down on a slide

There were terrific sound of destruction and screah in the sky Without even any time to rush to their help, one of the area of the city was cru in its entirety at the blink of eye And then, water sprouted out fro city

Valdy and also Ragrus had no word for that really tragic sight

“It seeain”

Ragrus felt irritation at how cal

“You’re annoying! That’s obvious just fro that it feels good right? After all, you are someone from Lemuria! I’ll send you too to the cell because of crime of treason!”

“E, err……Ragrus, calm down……”

Valdy was interjecting in a nervous state Ragrus averted her face with a huff of her nose

“Do so about this situation quickly If not, you will――”

Valdy raised a cornered voice to obstruct Ragrus’s words

“Ah…Ra, Ragrus, the castle, you are going to crash……”

“He? Wait! KYAAAAAAAA-, dae-, avoid it! AVOID ITTTTTTT!”

One of the spire that for in front of their eyes When Ragrus gave the order that took the rudder in panic, the battleshi+ps tilted greatly The battleshi+p barely avoided contact just several meter from a crash

“I, I thought that my heart would stop……”

Ragrus sat down on the floor of the bridge fro out

Even while al an incident that would end up in death penalty, Ragrus’s battleshi+p gradually lowered its altitude and landed on the spacious landing place exclusive for iuard nearby the palace

The hatch of the battleshi+p opened, frorus showed her appearance

“Noalk promptly!”

Red carpet was spread frorus alking triumphantly on the carpet Froures appeared Both of them had their upper body bounded by leather belt that was inserted with restraining ic and locked inside cell all the ti were untied froth Hida Nayuta and Valdy were following after them

Although they were restrained, Gravel and Aldea were acting dignifiedly They easily overtaken Ragrus with her sallant walk

“Hey, ait there! What are you two doing going past me huh!?”

“The one telling us to walk promptly were you”

“Kuh, no back talk! Do you understand your place? You are criminal here, criminal! Act fitly with that……hey, wait I said―!”

After Ragrus ran and returned back to the front of the line, she paid attention to the back while walking on the carpet with a trot

Ahead of the red carpet, there were the figures of i up in a horizontal line Around fiftyin a row, all of the women

And then at the center, was a feroup members

The highlight was her whitely shi+ning purple hair, white skin, and coupled with her well-ordered face that was like a doll, she was drifting off a mysterious at other people Even a a conspicuously large presence Fron, it was clear that wouard However, from the extremely intricate decoration applied on her clothes, and the first-class fabric it used, it gave the iroup members

Ragrus hit her fist on her chest with a little nervous look, esture that displayed respect

“Captain Zelsione! I co Gravel and Aldea for the crime of treason”

Ragrus puffed up her flat chest and reported proudly