Volume 12 Chapter 1 (1/2)

Chapter 1: The Bullet of G.o.dslaying

Part 1

「The worth of human isn't about whether their ability is high or low! It's a problem about how they live!」

The first custom-made Heart Hybrid Gear in history, 『Zecros』.

The hand-made dress(combat uniform) that was created by the mother Hida Nayuta for the sake of her daughter.

Clad in the history's strongest Heart Hybrid Gear that took the form of a treasured outfit, Hida Reiri looked down on the machine G.o.d Odin far below her.

In her expression was rage. Inside her eyes was determination. Conviction was dwelling in the white and silver armor wrapping her body.

Odin glared at Reiri as though measuring her strength.

「Divinity number, 960……thousand?」

After whispering in shock, Odin wiped off the dust on her body and questioned Reiri.

「What in the world are you?」

The blue light of magic power flowing through Zecros's armor increased in strength.

「Hida Reiri.」

At that instant, Reiri's figure vanished.

The rubble below Reiri's feet burst out, and the piled up remain of Odin's palace crumbled all at once.

Odin lost sight of Reiri's figure for a moment. It was something impossible. In these few thousand years she had never lost sight of her enemy.

'So a formidable enemy after so long huh'──when Odin whispered that inside her heart, she sensed a terrifying presence from diagonally behind her.

Normally, Odin almost never noticed enemy's existence. The reason was that most existence couldn't possibly be a threat for Odin. From Odin's point of view, she couldn't recognize an existence that was just too weak as an existence. Even if she saw their figure, even if she heard their voice, she didn't notice them.

Because of that, the presence Odin felt from behind her was something fresh.

A threat at the level that made her felt a chill.

A danger at the level that made her spine shuddered.

An opponent of such level was right behind her.

Odin tasted for the first time the shuddering feeling that was the mix of fear and antic.i.p.ation while she turned around.

Something exploded at very near distance to her.

Fierce radiance and flame blast, and the steel fragments pa.s.sed through right beside Odin.

Just what in the world happened!?

Fafnir should be standing guard there.

The figure of a woman was reflected on Odin's right eye. Inside the flame blast, the remaining half of Fafnir's head was lifted up by that woman.

「For a guard of yours, it's lacking in power.」

Reiri tossed away Fafnir's remain in her hand.

Aine and others were staring at that remain with feeling of disbelief. They recalled when they fought and lost against Odin previously. Not to mention Odin, they were unable to even defeat her servant Fafnir. Furthermore they weren't fighting alone by any means. Aine, Gravel, Aldea, also Grace and Zelcyone, even the Quartum were partic.i.p.ating in the battle. But even with all of them they had no hope to even return a blow at Odin and Fafnir.

Zelcyone whispered with a hint of detest.

「That d.a.m.n Reiri……just how much power that woman's magic armor has……」

Even Grace was half dumbfounded seeing Zecros's overwhelming power.

「Unbelievable……aah geez, this is too shocking……」

Odin stared with a cold eye at the remain of her servant tumbling on the ground.

「──Lacking in power……is it. No, it has been useful to me. Fafnir devoured the opponents that were too weak for me to deal with personally.」

「I see. Then is your feeling hurt that it's destroyed?」

Odin made a slight smile.

「No. It's the natural providence for the weak to be defeated by the strong. Besides, defeating you and obtaining your strength will make me even stronger.」

Odin waved her hand straight to the side.

Reiri instantly stood on guard. However, Odin's movement wasn't for attacking. It was a preparation for her to fight seriously. Machine was created from Odin's fingertips and it lengthened longer and longer. Parts were created from blueprint and they were put together on the spot. And then, a large spear was settled in Odin's hand.

It was Odin's strongest armament──Gungnir.

「Commander! That's her sure kill technique! It will surely pierce without any way to defense against! Be careful!」

「Surely……piercing?」

Reiri frowned.

「Here I come, Reiri!」

Odin readied her Gungnir and kicked on the ground. She rushed out as though vanis.h.i.+ng from her spot. In the eyes of Aine and others, it only looked like the ground was exploding.

However, there were two explosions.

Reiri moved forward faster than Odin.

Before Gungnir could connect with Reiri's karma, she flew inside her opponent's bosom instantly. And then a right straight punched into Odin's stomach.

「!? ──Gah」

Odin's body was flying from a corner of the ten kilometer arena to the opposite corner.

It was just a punch.

If Gungnir wasn't restricted by the physical law, Zecros was also something that transcended the common sense.

Odin's body crashed into the arena's wall along with acceleration G that could blow away one's consciousness. The shockwave that was produced instantaneously blew away the stand that was equipped with audience seat into pieces.

「UOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!」

Reiri dashed in order to attack further.

The strength she applied on the ground lifted up the arena's floor and the piled up snow was instantly evaporated from blazing flame.

──'I'll finish this in one go!'

Reiri pulled back her right fist and she flew toward Odin without decreasing her speed at all.

But Odin's right eye stared at the approaching figure of Reiri and she grinned. She lifted her body from inside the rubbles that were caving in like a cross as though she wasn't damaged at all. In her hand was the sure killing spear that would overturn even fate. Its internal mechanism started rotating in high speed and it emitted blue flame along with a high-pitched sound.

「This is as far as you go huh! Reiri!」

Odin thrust the strongest spear of G.o.d, Gungnir toward Reiri. The distance was enough to pierce her. Blue sharp light cut apart the s.p.a.ce and lengthened as though it was being sucked into Reiri's chest. The moment that radiance was about to reach, Reiri kicked on the ground. The ground was cracked and lifted up. In exchange of that destructive energy, Reiri's body was pushed to the side. She dodged the tip of Gungnir in a hair's breadth.

However.

「Guah!?」

Gungnir stabbed into Reiri's chest.

──'Wha-!! What happened!?'

Reiri was blown away to the opposite side of the arena once more while thinking with her chaotic mind.

She should have dodged it without any doubt even though it was just for a hair's breadth. But she was still stabbed by that spear.

──'So this is what Aine meant.'

There was a result that preceded the cause. The past was rewritten following the result that was forcefully created. The cause and effect were reversed. That was the power of that Gungnir.

Reiri's body collided on the ground and she bounced several times while raising snow and sand violently from her rolling. And then she stopped just before the arena's wall.

「Commander!」

「Reiri!」

The scream of Aine and Vatlantis members reached Reiri's ear.

Reiri clicked her tongue inside her heart.

──'They are too overreacting. If they make that kind of voice, they're going to make me think that I'm going to lose anytime now. It's not like I lost consciousness, my wound is also not really bad.'

The fact was that Reiri changed her trajectory just before she was. .h.i.t and killed the momentum. It seemed it was fortunate she did that.

Reiri lifted her face.

Even if Odin was approaching her, there was still time to reac──!?

Gungnir was approaching.

The spear of G.o.d was flying straight toward her.

Odin wasn't charging forward with the spear on her hand, she threw it from where she stood.

It was a tactic that Odin believed would bring victory. She planned to decide the match with that.

No matter what kind of person, they wouldn't be able to escape from Gungnir's law of cause and effect.

That was Odin's belief, so that must be the truth.

The next moment, Gungnir raised a horrible sound and pierced Reiri.

Aine and others held their breath.

Reiri was killed──everyone thought so.

But, Reiri's body didn't collapse. And then her right hand rose.

White light ran on that hand's palm. That light condensed and solidified, becoming a single sword.

A silver sword. Its form looked as though it was coordinated with Zecros's armor. That white and silver sword blade s.h.i.+ned with blue light.

「DEYAAAAAAAAAAAH!」

The sword flashed, leaving behind blue trail.

At that time, Aine witnessed something unbelievable. Gungnir that once stabbed her and caused her to wander at the abyss of death. That invincible spear was cut apart.

Gungnir raised a sound as though metallic parts overlapped each other and it fell on the ground.

Odin was staring at that situation from ten kilometer away at the other side.

「That's impossible……my Gungnir is……」

This time it was Odin's turn to feel confusion. It was a phenomenon that didn't exist in her experience until now. Why the spear that should pierce the enemy for sure didn't reach Reiri? Why did the spear break instead?

Reiri smiled fearlessly and then as though to flaunt to Odin who was making a dumbfounded face, she lifted her left arm. Odin's right eye snapped wide open.

「That's……you mean Gungnir was blocked?」

Reiri's left arm was attached with a small round s.h.i.+eld. The center of it was concaved and small cracks were running on its surface.

The armament of Heart Hybrid Gear was normally limited to one type. However Reiri's Zecros was an exception.

The sword in her right hand that cut apart everything.

The s.h.i.+eld in her left hand that obstructed every danger.

They were the unrivalled sword and s.h.i.+eld that a mother bestowed to a daughter in the worry of her safety.

Reiri rushed toward Odin once more. She was running while suddenly letting out a smile.

──'That person is just too overprotective.'

Odin too also made a smile on her lips.

「Interesting! If you say that you can block it, then try doing it one more time!」

Odin kicked on the ground and headed toward Reiri. The explosive shockwave caused the snow to soar steeply like a pillar. The heat from Odin's movement energy instantly evaporated the snow.

「DAAAAAAAAAAA!」

「UOOOOOOOOOOO!」

The two clashed right in the middle of the arena.

Fierce flash s.h.i.+ned. A moment later, shockwave and explosive sound reached the location of Aine and others. Odin bit her lip at the center of that shockwave.

「Kuh……again!」

Gungnir was blocked by Zecros's s.h.i.+eld once more.

「Hey Odin. If your spear exerted its strength on cause and effect, then this s.h.i.+eld also possess the power to interfere with cause and effect. It will be the same no matter how many times you try.」

However Gungnir's tip pierced into the center of the s.h.i.+eld and the cracks became bigger and ran deeper.

──It will reach the limit soon. But,'

Reiri didn't show the slightest sign of the impatience inside her heart. She brandished up her sword and swung it down diagonally. The sword's blade smashed apart the remaining Gungnir.

As though to thrust even more despair at Odin who changed her expression, Reiri slashed up at the right arm holding the spear with her returning sword.

Odin's right arm was easily separated from her body.

Odin who was acting that calm and composed before was put in disorder. And then she was staring at her arm dancing in the air with disbelieving eyes.

Reiri reversed the tip of the sword she swung up and swung it down at the defenseless left arm of Odin.

「Ga──」

The right arm fell on the ground, followed by the left arm slightly later. It was a defense and offense that happened in only the blink of eye.

「-……aAaAAAAaAuUaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!?」

Odin raised a never heard before scream.

Reiri stared at Odin's arms that were tumbling on the ground.

From their external appearance, the arms only looked like they were made from flesh and blood. However, not a single drop of blood flowed from them. And then on the cut section, in exchange of bone and muscle tissue, there was terrifyingly detailed wiring pattern printed on it. it was unknown what kind of material it was, but it could be felt that the wiring was drawn on elastic resin. And then depending on the angle one watched it, that wiring would look different.

──'So this is a G.o.d's body.'

Surely Odin hadn't been injured this deeply for a long while. It looked like Odin's mind couldn't catch up with dealing against the unexpected damage.

──'Now is the time if I'm going to deal her the finis.h.i.+ng blow.'

Reiri pointed the tip of her sword at Odin's chest.

「HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!」

Reiri's sword pierced Odin's chest.

That moment, Odin's right eye s.h.i.+ned blue and the crystal wings on her back s.h.i.+ned.

Reiri's instinct told her of the danger.

「UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!」

Along with Odin's shriek, several streaks of light were fired from the crystal wings. That lines of light split further at midair, bent, becoming several hundred streaks of light that rained down in the middle of the arena.

Aine immediately yelled.

「Watch out! Everyone, dodge──」

Light pierced Aine's back before she could finish her sentence.

「Guh……!」

Zeros's armor that was protecting Aine's body was smashed. The armor along her spine popped out. The destructive power pa.s.sed through Aine's body and blew away even the armor supporting her chest.

「aAAAAAH……Kuh!」

An impact that felt like it was making her internal organs pulpy attacked Aine. The intense pain and discomfort made her unable to even stand and she fell on her knees.

The explosive sound piercing her ears continued without pause. Amidst the explosions, Gravel, Aldea, Grace and other Vatlantis force were swallowed one after another. The snow was instantly vaporized and the surrounding turned hazy as though deep mist was falling.

Aine whispered with a trembling voice.

「E, everyone……」

Inside the mist, there was already no silhouette that was standing.

──'No.'

Inside the clearing up mist, there were two faint shadows surfacing.

「Fufufu, it's really troubling that my wings are cowardly.」

「So you still have that kind of trump car left……as expected from a machine G.o.d. You cannot be dealt with so simply.」

Reiri swung her sword and swept away the steam enveloping the area.

「Yes, the wing's light──Baldur(The G.o.d's Light) will automatically discover the enemy unrelated with my own will and shoot them down. It's irrelevant whether their divinity number is high or low. It will sweep away all the enemies. Reiri, let's consign all your comrades to oblivion!」

Odin let out a crazed smile and walked toward Reiri. Her two Gungnir were broken and she also lost the arms with which she was grasping those spears. Normally someone in that position wouldn't be unable to fight anymore.

However Odin had that wing. The wings that possessed Baldur(The G.o.d's Light) that could destroy hundreds of thousands of soldiers all at once.

Reiri readied her s.h.i.+eld and glared at Odin.

──'I was able to barely defend against those lasers. But, this s.h.i.+eld too will reach its limit soon. If I got hit by that one more time, it might break. No, rather than that──,'

Reiri took a side glance at the figures of her fallen comrades.

They wouldn't hold. There were also some whose magic armor was destroyed from the attack just now. If they got hit again…….

Odin's wings s.h.i.+ned blue once more as though sensing Reiri's fear.

「With this I'll be able to climb up the stair of evolution in one go! By using you all as sacrifice! Now, it's the end with this!」

「「I won't let you!」」

One other voice resounded exactly overlapping with Reiri's yell.

Reiri held her breath toward that voice.

──'So you are going to protect them.'

The voice's owner came down from the sky. It landed without reducing the speed, as though cras.h.i.+ng down on the ground. Explosive sound resounded and snow whirled up. There was a black figure at the center of the caving ground. In a flash a s.h.i.+eld was deployed protecting Aine and others right after the black Heart Hybrid Gear landed.

──'Kizuna!'

Equipping the Corruption Armament 『Nayuta』, and clad in Heart Hybrid Gear Eros that was hiding ominously might power, Hida Kizuna stood in Odin's way.

Still collapsing on the ground, Aine looked up to that figure with empty eyes.

'……Is it, Kizuna?'

The shape of Eros was completely different from what she knew. Rather it looked like the magic armor of Professor Nayuta who became machine G.o.d.

──'Am I, looking at an illusion?'

「Nee-chan! Leave everyone to me!」

「I'll leave it to you! Kizuna!」

With s.h.i.+eld and sword in hands, Reiri drew near Odin. However, the crystal wings emitted fierce radiance when there was only one step left.

「Peris.h.!.+ My sacrifices!」

The Baldur that was fired from the left wing split into many streaks that attacked Aine and others.

「UOOOOOOO!」

Along with Kizuna's spirited yell, the pink magic power light running through Eros s.h.i.+ned dazzlingly. The half-spherical s.h.i.+eld with diameter nearly a hundred meter covering his comrades increased further in thickness.

The solid s.h.i.+eld of light blocked Odin's lasers. Light and light collided and erased each other. Holes were opened on Kizuna's s.h.i.+eld as though it was worm-eaten.

Deploying a s.h.i.+eld this large wasn't easy. To say nothing of how Baldur was continuing to rain down on the s.h.i.+eld so powerfully, it would be broken through sooner or later.

But, there wasn't any unease in Kizuna's heart.

Ahead of his gaze, the figure that he trusted more than anyone was reflected.

With her long black hair fluttering, Reiri stepped forward toward Odin.

All the lights surging from Odin's right wing attacked toward Reiri. Even the s.h.i.+eld protecting Reiri couldn't absorb all the impact. Unimaginable impact was. .h.i.tting Reiri's body through Zecros that was covering her whole body.

It was an intense pain as though her nerves were directly caressed. She gritted her teeth against that pain and endured it with all her will.

──'Don't falter. This is the pain that a lot of your subordinates has experienced until now. It's not pain that I should be afraid of right now. What I should be cautious of is if this impact dislocate the joint of my arm or leg, if my bone is broken or my tendon snapped and so on, that my body will be destroyed until a state that cannot be compensated by any kind of mental strength. If that happen, then I will be unable to defeat Odin.'

Reiri put strength into the tips of her toes and pushed back the pressure of light with her s.h.i.+eld. And then she advanced for a step, then one more step.

If she collapsed, the subordinates behind her would die.

It would be a betrayal toward Kizuna who believed and entrusted the task to her.

And then, Hida Nayuta who shaved her life to create this Heart Hybrid Gear──,

This Heart Hybrid Gear, something that she received from her mother for the first time, would end up useless.

──'Such thing,'

「I WON'T LET THAT HAPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN!」

When Reiri's scream gushed out, the s.h.i.+eld broke.

──'Not yet!'

While fragments were scattered, the small wings s.h.i.+ning on Reiri's back opened. Their appearance looked like cute angel wings. However their power shoot up Reiri's body instantly.

The wings' crystal glittered right away and Baldur chased after Reiri. However they couldn't catch Reiri. Zecros's small wings was something to raise mobility rather than for flying in the sky. Those wings were granting Reiri's body with impossible mobility.

It produced kinetic energy and overweight that might flattened and tore off the body of a person wearing average magic armor. That impossibility was supported by Zecros's armor that in a glance looked nearly like simple nakedness.

「UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!」

Reiri evaded Baldur to the end and came down behind Odin.

She severed one of the crystal wings.

The right wing was separated from Odin's body and began to fall.

Reiri's slashed down sword was s.h.i.+ning blue.

The fragments of the broken wing danced in the air, their surface reflected the figure of Reiri slas.h.i.+ng up from below.

「With this──」

Reiri's sword bounced up as though drawing the word V. Odin's left wing flew in the air.

「It's over!!」

Reiri took a stance with her sword held horizontally, and then she rotated her body instantly. Her long black hair drew a circle as though following her movement. Blue radiance drew a line on Odin's waist.

Odin't face was stiffened from receiving the impact.

「How can it──this me, is」

Reiri's back kept being turned toward Odin, and she continued her enemy's words.

「Yeah. This is, your loss.」

Odin's upper body swayed violently. The upper body tilted feebly to the side and it fell down as though spilling over. The lower body fell on its knees and collapsed forward with slight delay.

When Reiri stood up, she stared at the collapsed Odin. There was no emotion on that face. The right eye was still opened looking up to the sky.

Odin who lost both her arms and only became upper body looked like a doll. Even though until just now she was an existence of machine G.o.d that looked only like human, it was mysterious seeing it like this.

Reiri let out a deep sigh and turned her back on Odin's remain. She went toward the direction of Kizuna and others.

「You all, are you okay?」

Kizuna took down the s.h.i.+eld. His shoulders was heaving from his rough breathing.

「Yeah. I somehow managed protecting them.」

When Kizuna let out a smile of relieve, he suddenly felt human presence behind him.

「Kizuna……」

He turned toward that voice.

Over there was the figure of a girl standing with shaky legs. A girl with her Heart Hybrid Gear destroyed, wearing only a ragged pilot suit.

「Aine……」

Kizuna called the name of the silver haired girl.

In her red eyes, tears were gathering, looking like they would overflow anytime.

Kizuna slowly approached Aine.

Even though he actually wanted to embrace her with his hands even for a second faster, it felt like her figure would vanish again if he rushed to her in hurry. He was scared of that. If he reached out his hand hurriedly, it felt like she would vanish like a figure that was reflected on water surface.

Aine too, even though she also wanted to run and flew onto that chest, her body was trembling and unable to move for even a step.

She couldn't wipe away the doubt whether the beloved person appearing before her eyes was just an illusion or not.

She endured this environment, slipped through many deathly battles, and desperately survived until now, all was for the sake to reunite with this person.

However for it to happen this suddenly, furthermore he was rus.h.i.+ng to her side when her life was in danger, was there any story that convenient?

If this was a dream she didn't want to wake up.

She prayed like that while staring at the figure of her beloved.

That figure was heading toward her while fearfully reaching out his hand.

Aine too reached out her fingertip as though getting sucked toward him.

That slender fingertip, was touched by Kizuna's finger.

Was the finger touching her really existed? She entangled her finger to his to ascertain it.

Feeling the warmth of the palm, the fingertip of both sides followed along each other's arm, touching to confirm that the body before their eyes was really a firm existence.

When Aine wrapped her palm on Kizuna's cheek, tears overflowed from her red eyes.

「Kizuna……it's really, you.」

「Aine-!」

Kizuna embraced Aine tightly. His hands circled to her back and he strongly pulled her toward him, embracing that body on his chest.

Aine also wrapped her hands around Kizuna's neck and embraced him.

She would never let go again.

It was as though she was swearing so.

Even if after this the G.o.ddess of fate would play a prank, or the G.o.d would determine a future of separation, she wouldn't let go no matter what. It was as though she was trying to convey that will of hers.

Gravel was staring at the figure of those two with a smile that looked like it would cry.

「Gravel……」

Aldea touched Gravel's arm with a pained look.

「No……it's fine.」

Gravel shook her head sideways, her short blonde hair swaying.

「It's fine, like this.」

Gravel picked up her hat that fell on her feet, and then put it on deeply as though to hide the thing glittering on her eyes.

Aldea didn't say anything. She only hugged Gravel's arm and put her head on that shoulder.

「Everyone! Are you all safe!?」

At that time a girl wearing red armor alighted down from the sky. The long black hair spreading from the wind smoothly drifted like closing wings.

「Kizuna──ku…..n」

Himekawa saw Kizuna and Aine embracing each other and she lost her words.

That was the figure of comrades rejoicing with each other of their reunion──that would be the end of it if it was spoken like that.

However, Himekawa understood instinctually. The figure of the two embracing each other was filled with an emotion that was more than that.

And then, she also understood the difficulty of cutting in between that figure.

Slowly strength left her whole body.

「Ah……」

Suddenly, Neros that was enlarged from the Core reinstall vanished.

「E, eh? I──」

Himekawa was looking down on herself that only had her pilot suit left in wonder.

Stain like a rain *drip* fell on the ground under her feet.

──'Eh?'

The stain was increasing as though there was a rain falling.

「This……why」

She didn't understand why tears were spilling down.

It wasn't like her love was unrequited. She wasn't rejected by Kizuna or anything. It was useless even when she persuaded herself like that. And then she was surprised of herself who was worrying about something like that rather than rejoicing that she was able to reunite with her comrades. What a petty and distorted woman she was. She felt all the more sad from that.

「……Hayuru?」

Aine lifted up the face that she buried on Kizuna's chest and stared at Himekawa.

「Aine……san」

Aine's eyes opened wide in surprise seeing Himekawa shedding tears. She slipped out from inside Kizuna's arms and embraced her friend who was continuing to spill out tears without raising her voice.

「Hayuru! It's Hayuru! I wanted to meet you!」

「A, Aine, san……」

Himekawa felt something hot on her neck. Aine was crying with her face laid on Himekawa's shoulder.

Perhaps, she was rejected by Kizuna. Kizuna didn't say it in words but, no──perhaps he wasn't even conscious of it himself but, he was already choosing Aine.

She lost against Aine.

However she had no resentment toward her rival in love who was hugging her with shaking shoulders. Rather, her feeling turned gentle. The large b.r.e.a.s.t.s pus.h.i.+ng on her, also the arms clinging on her back, they felt strangely lovely. The current Aine looked like a child that was liberated from terror and clung on her mother.

「Myy? What a really unexpected coupling this is.」

A blonde haired girl wearing blue Heart Hybrid Gear landed down with her thrusters jetting in reverse.

「Yuris.h.i.+a!」

Aine raised her voice happily.

「Co, couple!? Just what are you saying!」

Himekawa's face turned red. Yuris.h.i.+a returned a smile to such Himekawa and she dispelled Cross's armor. After the Heart Hybird Gear became light particles and vanished, Yuris.h.i.+a hugged Aine's body strongly.

「It has been a long time isn't it~!! AIne!」

「Yuris.h.i.+a too……you look like usual.」

Aine also responded by hugging Yuris.h.i.+a's body.

「I was also captured by a machine G.o.d you know? Though I was saved slightly earlier than Aine.」

「I see……Yuris.h.i.+a too.」

When Aine let go, she stared at Himekawa and Yuris.h.i.+a once more.

「Is there anyone else whose whereabouts is unknown?」

「No. Aine-san is the last one.」

「With this everyone is gathered☆」

Kizuna ruminated in happiness seeing the three's harmonious situation. And the shoulder of such Kizuna was tapped by a hand.

「Nee-chan……」

「Kizuna, you did well protecting everyone.」

Her smile was a bit like a boastful big sister.

「What are you saying. It was Nee-chan who flew out alone and defeated the enemy alone.」

Reiri's cheeks reddened and she went at a loss for words after groaning 'uu'.

「No……I somehow sensed that these girls were in danger……that」

「That's right~? We don't get any turn like this.」

Yuris.h.i.+a who sharply caught the conversation between the two cut into the talk.

Aine stared fixedly at Reiri's body once more as though she was licking around Reiri's body with her gaze.

「Wha, what?」

「Commander……that Heart Hybrid Gear, it's……」

Perhaps it was embarra.s.sing from just looking at it, because Aine's cheeks were blus.h.i.+ng and she showed a twitching smile.

Zelcyone who was making a grave expression approached near.

「I don't want to say it but, headmaster. Isn't it better to think about your age?」

「Wha……!?」

Reiri's face became bright red.

It was a Heart Hybrid Gear with excessively high exposure rate and cuteness that no one could object even if it was said to be the result of a little girl's hobby. It wasn't unreasonable for Zelcyone to say that.

Gravel also crossed her arms and groaned.

「Certainly……it's amazing.」

Himekawa also smiled with a troubled expression.

「Honestly speaking I'm also embarra.s.sed about Neros's design but……compared to the commander……」

「Sh-, shut up all of you! Don't pay attention to the design and other trivial things!」

Reiri turned her back on them with a huff in embarra.s.sment.

'Ooh', Grace raised her voice.

「The back figure is also erotic.」

「Gu……」

Seeing his big sister whose mouth was turned down at corners with bright red face, Kizuna followed up while sweating.

「Ne, Nee-chan. I, I think, it looks good you know?」

Reiri glared at her little brother angrily.

「What is?」

「N, no, like it suit you or……it's really s.e.xy, or cute」

「……Hmph.」

Reiri turned on her heel and started walking.

「Kizuna, we're going.」

「Eh? Where to?」

Kizuna hurriedly chased behind Reiri who was walking with long stride.

「We are collecting the configuration information Odin has.」

「Ah……I see.」

There was still something essential remaining to be done.