Chapter 11: Diamond

Be careful out there, Captain.

It's nothing but Miramon in the direction you're heading.

We've got reports from a Union observatory.

Several massive Miramon clusters are closing in on your location.

Sure, you're in the Tundra Cruiser, but before long...

... you'll be stranded in a sea of monsters.

Thank you, Mr. Gaius.

How's it possible that they're directly in our path...?

Can we verify this info from Gaius?

We've got intel that basically confirms it. There are tons of Miramon coming right at us.

Could the Shadow Decree be controlling the Miramon?

We don't have time to worry about that. They're nearly here.

Can we... hold out against them?

If it's really like what Gaius said, multiple clusters...

Raine's Wall provides some pressure, but in the end, the Tundra Cruiser is just a vehicle...

We need a miracle.

So what do we do? Run away?

...

You've run into Miramon, is that right?

Yes, Gaius informed us that large clusters of Miramon are closing in around us.

We're... considering retreat.

Commander Xuan Pin.

Yes, Mayor.

You were involved in the design of the Tundra Cruiser. You know there's something that can be done.

Yes, Mayor, but the price...

The reason I chose you to lead the exploratory team is because...

... I have full confidence in your ability to make things happen.

So get it done.

After all...

Miracles have a price.

Thanks for your trust.

I won't let you down.

Then I look forward to your victory.

What are you going to do, Miss Xuan Pin?

I'm going to pay the price for the miracle we need.

Miss Xuan Pin?! What happened?

The Tundra Cruiser was meticulously designed from its earliest stages of planning.

It can jettison the nexus cannon system to gain a brief period of increased maneuverability.

But this severely reduces its service life.

By the time we get back, the Tundra Cruiser will most likely be beyond repair.

Miss Xuan Pin...

So I've made a decision.

The Tundra Cruiser was built to protect Utgard...

And it's proven to be fit for that purpose.

Before the Miramon completely surround us...

We have to find a gap and clear our way through it!

Otherwise, without its firepower, the Tundra Cruiser would be nothing more than a sinking lifeboat in a sea of sharks.

And so one miracle must be exchanged for another.

That is...

The price of miracles.

An open scheme...

It's an interesting eastern concept!

If your plan requires you to stick to the shadows, then there's a flaw in your strategy.

The best schemes are carried out in broad daylight. Wouldn't you agree?

Abigail prefers open schemes.

Very well...

So do I.

I don't know if I'm just seeing things...

But I thought I saw...

A Miramon that looked like a person.

It's not unusual to see a few abnormal entities among the Miramon.

In this case, the abnormal individuals do not show signs of intelligence.

They're charging blindly at us, just like any other Miramon.

Our light weaponry should be enough to fend them off.

So this is what you call "light weaponry"...?

Utgard is always on the front line of Miramon attacks.

It's only natural that our definition of light weaponry might differ from the Union's.

These scattered Miramon pose no threat to us.

Which is exactly what I was afraid of. It means...

That the real danger is yet to come.

Remember those fluctuations?

If you combine them with the Miramon movements Gaius told us about, you'll realize that...

... Every time there's a fluctuation, the Miramon start to move.

It's pretty much certain that someone is using the fluctuations to control the Miramon clusters.

We're not dealing with some natural disaster, but rather a group of enemies who are operating according to a plan.

Would enemies like that...

Let us just escape their encirclement without a fight?

Miss Xuan Pin... look outside!

Just as I thought.

It was the Shadow Decree all along...

Prepare to engage!

I'm done playing around with you and your crew! We're outta here!

They were so weak! We fought them off easily!

Their goal was not to defeat us.

That's right.

The Miramon will have us surrounded soon.

They only wanted to slow us down!

This is...

We'll go through the process again! Pilot!

Uh... Set the power transmission's "Exchange" system to the "START" position...

When it lights up and says "System Initialization", set both initialization switches to "ON".

Co-pilot!

...Oh! Go to the navigation page and select the third line!

Alright. And if something goes wrong, you go to the Operation Manual and start from Item 2 on page 37.

Miss Xuan Pin... Why do we need to learn how to drive the Tundra Cruiser, anyway?

In a while, I might not be able to drive the cruiser anymore.

What?!

You two, you know about Utgard's Divine Wall, right?

Yeah, it's supposed to be Utgard's main defense against Miramon waves.

You mean...

That's right, the Tundra Cruiser is equipped with a miniature version of the Divine Wall system.

But Divine Walls consume too much Divine Power.

There's no way for us to carry so many Nexus Crystals on board. So...

... I'll provide the power for the Divine Wall myself.

But that's too dangerous! You'll overdraw for sure!

We've had to stop and fight the Shadow Decree seven times already today.

We've wasted too much time.

If we keep on like this, it'll mean a slow but certain death.

If we can activate the Divine Wall, we have a chance to break out and survive.

And we're not far from our destination now. It's the final stretch.

So the Shadow Decree will probably try another way to stop us.

Our surest shot is to activate the Divine Wall and charge straight ahead.

But...

You two both have things you'd be willing to do no matter the cost, right?

I've decided that...

I will pay any price to protect Utgard.

Never back down!

They're here!

I'll go and activate the Divine Wall.

We're not stopping this time, not until we break through!

Shh...

When are we gonna stop working overtime?!

We've been digging this hole for ages to get rid of the Tundra Cruiser.

It wasn't easy to make it happen, and now, with no rest, we've gotta scrounge through all this trash!

What's the point of this, anyway?

Could anybody really have survived that explosion?

It's hard to say.

That kind of military vehicle might've had an emergency escape system.

We're not far from the Miracle.

And we certainly can't let them reach there.

So search the whole place again.

I'm not the right guy for this kind of work.

Don't tell me you've gone soft, Freddy.

You don't want to get your shot at them?

You don't understand!!! I'm still tough as ever!

Whew! They were really close...

But at least they didn't find us.

I never would've thought they could destroy the Tundra Cruiser.

I guess that was their plan all along.

They weren't even trying to stop us with the Miramon.

They just used them to force us to take a certain path.

That way, they could set a trap and lead us right into it.

They're awful!

But even with all their schemes, they still couldn't catch you.

My amulet works pretty well, doesn't it?

We're not far now, so we can rest a bit before we leave.

They already searched here, so we should be safe.

... Sachiko...

?

Eh, I'm used to this by now...

This hairpin... This notebook...

They're Miss Tang Na's.

So that Miramon just now...

Was Miss Tang Na?!

I'm...

Shrinking...

Like desert sands blowing in the wind...

Like drops of water wearing away stone...

Like stagnant water drying up under the scorching sun...

Like hot coals being licked by frigid winter winds...

Perhaps no Esper has ever overdrawn on Divine Power as much as I have.

I realized that I was slipping, sliding across a fine line.

I had been fortunate, even blessed by fate.

Until one day, I saw what I'd become...

At the same time, it was like a rekindling of coals before the fire dies out...

I realized why I'd woken up.

Fate is cruel, yet grants some measure of mercy.

I couldn't get my memories back...

But I did get the moment I'd been waiting for...

... To see you again, Sachiko.

My daughter.

I need to ask you an important favor.

I'm no longer myself...

I don't want to hurt any one...

You have to set me free.

Miss Tang Na!

I'm just like Miss Tang Na. I don't want to hurt anyone.

If I ever turn into a monster...

If I ever turn into something other than myself...

Please, set me free.

No, I won't.

You'll never become a monster, Sachiko.

You'll always be...

A human.

Your journey... ends here.

?!