Chapter 37: Struggle

I've removed all the crystals from your arm.

The interior circuity is a bit of a mess, but you should be able to move around.

It's a good thing the power to the arm was cut before it got worse.

What about my weapon?

You can still use it, but don't expect it to perform at full capacity.

In your current condition, you can operate at about 10% of your normal max output.

Well then, considering that I'm usually 100 million times stronger than your ordinary Nikke...

... How much stronger does that make me?

You idiot, it's simple math. You're a million times stronger.

Whoa, you're like a math genius!

Many villains are erudite doctors and scholars.

*Sigh*... These two...

Laplace. Try lightly clenching your fist.

Heroic fist clench...!

*Gasp*!

Uh oh.

I said lightly...

Let me take a look. I'll see what's broken.

I'm fine, Maxwell!

One of the joints in my pinky finger got bent in a weird direction, that's all.

No biggie!

And what would you consider a big deal? Your arm getting ripped off?

Yeah, that'd be a huge deal.

Totally. The hugest.

Both of you, be quiet!

...

I wasn't even talking that loud...

...

Fine, I'll be quiet.

Laplace. Listen carefully.

You can move your arm. You can hold a weapon.

You can even fight.

But with the shape that you're in,

you should thank your lucky stars if you don't actively hold us back.

I'm the mechanic for Matis, and...

Funny, I thought you were their professional nagger.

...

Er... boy oh boy, lovely weather we're having, aren't we?

As I was saying, I'm a mechanic, and so I know what I'm talking about. You should head back and undergo repairs before continuing.

Maxwell, we already discussed this. The matter is closed.

*Sigh*... Fine. Do what you want.

Of course.

... Probably?

Don't worry, you ignoramuses!

We may not have Cinderella or GraGre, but we'll be fine.

Sure, we won't be able to depend on our two strongest members anymore, but it'll be okay.

... Totally fine! Yep!

... Why do I feel worse now?

Let's go!

Whoo!

...

Maxwell.

I'm terrified of Syuen.

What? Why are you saying that all of a sudden? I know that.

But I can handle it.

What in the world are you talking about?

Syuen is a villain, that much is certain.

But if she were pushed, there's a chance

she'd become something even worse than that.

Sure, we could head back to the Ark and get some repairs done. It'd be quick and easy.

But I worry that something even as innocuous as that could push Syuen over the edge.

...

That's why we need to keep going.

If we want to stop Syuen from going even further to the dark side, we need to accomplish something while we're out here.

!

Commander, did you hear that? Drake is... actually making sense.

Let's move out!

Let's go!

...

Wow, they actually... took our situation into serious consideration.

Maybe you were too harsh on them before.

Maybe a little... but they're still a bunch of morons.

...

Anyway, we should get going.

If we subdue her like we did before, I'm sure she would.

She's going to be more wary of us than ever.

The more I think about this, the more frustrated I get.

That egg made the first move and tried to consume Laplace's weapon, and then when that didn't work, Leviathan was the one who used the crystals.

We were only acting in self-defense.

Those crystals cut through Laplace's parts like a hot knife through butter, and that's what caused the malfunction. It wasn't our fault.

We're the victims here, and yet she's acting like we're the ones who betrayed her.

We'll have to try and get that point across to her when we talk.

Things escalated quickly, and it was hard to keep a cool head.

The fact that we were enemies didn't help matters.

It feels like we're getting the short end of the stick here, and I don't appreciate it.

Maxwell! Look at this!

Hurry, hurry!

What is it now?

Come here and see for yourself!

Hurry, hurry!

This better be good, or I'm gonna be upse...

... Cutey, Rapi. Come look at this.

Quickly.

Minions summoned by Leviathan, and quite a lot of them.

Using my hero vision, I detect at least 30.

Same goes for my villain vision.

No worries, I'll deal with this vermin in a jiffy!

You can do that?

... Actually, probably not.

... I shouldn't even get mad at this point. I should expect these kinds of answers from you.

Looks like we have to go around. It'll be a long detour.

Should I try flying us over one by one?

Of course, if I were to fall in, we'd end up as worm food... or snake food, rather.

Still though, it may be worth a shot.

Yeah, but wouldn't it be cool?

Subordinate.

Do you have a moment?

Brace for impact.

This is...!

...!

Do we have... a new hero?!

This is the Aegis Squad, reporting from the Admire.

We will be joining the Commando Unit's surface exploration operation.

Woohoo!

Yo ho ho!

Long time no see, everyone.

It's been a while!

Howdy.

Wow, it's kind of strange seeing the Admire up on the surface.

Your timing was impeccable, all of you!

A mobile base like this is precisely what a hero like me needs.

Bah, I was just about to make my move. You all stole my thunder!

Oh... sorry. We didn't mean to.

??

We'll make sure to time it better next time.

Oh, er... sure.

... If I just respond to Drake's nonsense as if it were normal, does that disarm her?

Why do you say that?

Oh... that...

Is your presence here classified? Secrecy isn't exactly possible when there's a hulking ship like the Admire involved.

Not exactly...

She was acting on advice from me, the great pirate Mast!

Following you in secret, only to step in at the critical moment, and saving the day all with minimal dialogue.

Now that, my friends, is how a true pirate does it!

Believe it or not, what she's saying is true.

I even managed to convince the Boss!

That means everyone is embracing the buccaneer way of life!

It's incredible when you think about it.

I'm not sure about that. I doubt Commander cares all that much.

At any rate, we're joining this operation.

Looking forward to working with you again.

Hmm... I do find something rather strange, though.

I figured you'd have questions.

Ask away, and I'll answer as best I can.

Okay, first question: How is the Admire even afloat right now?

We're not in the open ocean, after all. It may look like water, but this is all liquid metal.

We deployed a wave disruptor that breaks down the makeup of nanomachines.

It's something that Elysion has been developing for a long time. Something intended to go up against Heretics.

This black liquid, what we officially call Dark Matter, is a substance made of nanomachines, and so the theory was that this disruptor would prove effective.

And it has indeed proven to be a resounding success. Now, even though we've broken down the structural integrity of the Dark Matter, it still remains as liquid metal.

While this greatly reduces the Admire's mobility, the fact that it can move at all is what's important.

So for this operation, the Admire will be primarily acting as a mobile base and providing bombardment support?

Aye. That's correct.

It's unfortunate that I won't be able to show off my superior navigation skills, but since our movement is so limited, there's not much we can do about it.

Right now, we're essentially a stationary turret.

But given the Admire's gargantuan size, you guys could also use it as a bridge to cross dangerous terrain.

Like right now, for example.

Good point. We'll be able to use it to bypass some of the black liquid.

All right, second question.

How did you get here?

We're not even remotely close to open water.

The Admire is amphibious.

What?! Really?

Yes.

That's absurd!

Why would a company invest so much money and technology into preparing for a war on the surface which they have no idea when it will commence?

Hard to say. Perhaps it's merely a difference in corporate ideology.

??

Elysion's enemies are always up on the surface,

and so Elysion's future also rests on the surface.

...

I suppose that's true.

It's different with Missilis in that our enemies, and therefore our future, lie with the Ark.

Is it all right if I ask a question?

Of course.

Of all squads, why is it Aegis that got sent here?

...

Aren't you being a bit harsh, Rapi?

I'm hurt.

In a way, understanding the true meaning hidden in what may seem to be a rude question, and then giving an appropriate answer, is what any true adventurer would do.

Huh?

Very sharp, Rapi. I expect no less from you.

You're right. It would make much more sense for Absolute or Mighty Tools to be here rather than us.

However, the reason that the Aegis Squad came here is that

there's something only the Admire can do.

Everyone, will you follow me? I have something to show you.

Wow, she looks so cool doing that.

So,

let me get this straight.

Anis wants to do a farewell performance so she can retire... from being a pop star.

And to do that, you need to get the old group back together again.

However, you don't have any way to contact them, and so you want to use my channel to accomplish that. Am I missing anything?

Nope, that's everything.

10/10 summary, Dorothy!

... I don't even know where to start with this.

So you both used to be pop stars?

No, not me, even though I've got more than enough star power to pull it off.

It was... just me.

Who are these two behind you?

...

...

Oh, these guys?

They're lending us a hand with all this.

I'm Eyeri, and this is Avistar.

I'm Avistar, also from Overseer.

...

Sorry, but I don't like talking to strangers.

I'll have to ask you to leave.

I'm a big fan.

??

Could I get your autograph?

Wha...

You saved the Ark when the Raptures invaded.

You appeared like an angel and defeated the Heretic in one strike.

It left such a huge impression on me. I even made it the background photo on my phone.

...

You can't exactly sign the screen, but could you possibly sign the back?

I haven't really practiced my signature...

That's okay, you can just write down your name.

I don't have a pen.

Could I at least get a photo, then?

Sorry. I don't like taking photos.

How about this: I can open up the notes app on my phone, and you can type out your name.

... What would be the point of that?

The fact that you held my phone in your hands would be meaningful in itself.

I... no, forget it.

Please? It'll be quick.

*Sigh*...

Satisfied?

Thank you. I'll treasure this phone and pass it down through generations.

... Whatever.

Can we get this conversation back on track?

So, can we borrow your channel for a moment?

Just for one day?

Why would I ever agree to such a thing?

Because we're friends?

Yeah!

Just because we spent some time together on the surface doesn't make us friends.

Aw c'mon, we've gotten into a few scraps with each other before, but that only makes us closer!

If we become any "closer", we'd have each other at gunpoint before long.

Ooh, wait! We've already done that! So we must be super duper close then.

Heck, we've even shot each other. That practically makes us lifelong friends.

...

Coooomme ooooon, please? I'll even settle for a half day.

Sorry, but I have more important things being shown on my channel.

I don't have time to deal with these trivial personal affairs of yours.

Actually, now that you mention it, what kind of show are you doing, Dorothy?

Oh, right. What exactly have you been doing with the channel?

I'm advertising Eden.

Wow, no kidding! Is Eden going to open soon?

No, that's still a ways off.

Then why are you advertising it?

For the future.

The Ark and the Eden will become closer and closer, eventually forming an alliance, and I will become an ambassador between the two.

In preparation for that, I'm cultivating a positive image for Eden.

...

Hey.

What are you scheming?

Nothing. Do you think I have some kind of ulterior motive?

I'd say that much is obvious.

Haha, even if I had other intentions, there'd be no reason for me to hide it.

Who would stop me?

Us.

You two jokers? Without Rapi? Don't make me laugh.

Okay, you're starting to piss me off.

Tell someone who cares.

Argggghhh! Now I'm mad!

Gahhhh! Me too!

Gyaaaaahhh!

Grraaaaaahhh!

...?

What do you think? You didn't expect us to get that angry, did you?

Bet you didn't see that coming!

... *Sigh*

I'm getting tired of this. Please leave.

You're tired? Would you like a shoulder massage?

What the... no!

I've done some research on Dorothy's channel.

Her viewership ratings are through the floor.

There are only a grand total of two posts pertaining to the channel.

One from a user named Singsangsong which says, "So boring."

And another from Puruding that goes, "??".

...

Even for a small channel, these ratings are pathetic,

and the average number of related posts is around 1,000 per program.

If I were to guess, I would say the only people who see your channel

are people who accidently stumble upon it while channel surfing.

...

What specifically are you showing on this channel, anyway?

From the looks of it, just a single video played on a continuous loop. The file is called, "Eden: Paradise on the Surface".

She's literally just playing one video again and again?

Yes.

Let me see it.

Here.

The last piece of paradise on the surface.

Eden awaits you.

...

...

...

What is this?

It's a promotional video for Eden.

I didn't see any footage of Eden in there.

It's meant to be symbolic. Besides, we can't reveal Eden's location.

This video stinks.

Huh?

It stinks big time.

I knew you wouldn't understand. Do you have any idea how many messages are packed into this short video?

No, I don't, and I don't care!

Like I said, I hardly expected someone like you to under...

It's not just me! No one could understand this crap!

...

Your channel is a complete dead zone. No one is watching it. I've never seen such miserable statistics in my life.

If you had any clue how much media is consumed by people in the Ark, you'd realize how embarrassing those viewership numbers really are.

This isn't an ad, it's a whole bunch of nothing! No wonder it hasn't gotten any exposure.

Time will solve that.

Listen here, Miss High-and-Mighty. Any piece of content that doesn't make an impact right out the gate is dead in the water.

We might as well get a tombstone for this channel, because it's as good as buried.

Do you have any idea how much high-quality content gets released every single day?

...

This video is so lame, no one would even think about using it as a screensaver!

Ugh, someone get me a tissue! I'm tearing up thinking of how the Ark's poor electricity is being wasted on such a terrible video.

...

...

Lend us your channel for a day,

and I promise we'll raise your viewership ratings.

Using shock to grab attention isn't my style.

Do you want to sit here and play this video again and again for all eternity?

...

I don't know what your goal is, but this won't get you anywhere, no matter how long you wait.

It seems to me that you're trying to appeal to the people, yeah? Otherwise, why would you broadcast this in the first place?

If you want to do that, you need better exposure. We can help you with that.

We'll raise your ratings without touching your precious video, so let's make a deal.

...

Fine.

As long as you don't tamper with the original video.

All right, it's a deal.

So then, what is your plan?

Leave that to us. Just get everything ready for the handover.

Now then, let's get this show on the road!

... Does anyone here know how to make videos, by any chance?

Well, there goes all that confidence. And you were doing so well...

First and foremost, nothing is ever going to come out of that video. It's dry as dirt.

If we want to get more eyeballs watching, we need to win people over with some other videos.

Remember when we made that promotional video for the Aegis Squad?

Yeah, but the Commander filmed all that. We only came up with the idea.

You mean the one that was shown at the boat party? That video is the stuff of legend! Unfortunately, it got a bit buried under all the press surrounding the terror attacks, but it's still become something of a cult favorite.

... I suppose that makes sense.

Anyway, does that mean there's no one here to knows how to make videos?

If that's the case, I guess we have no choice but to outsource. Let's see...

I know how to do it.

Hmm?

You do?

Yes. I've made several promotional videos in the past.

Uh... Are you talking about the promos for Elysion? Those are all a bit too, how do I put this, fire and brimstone for my liking.

No, those videos were made by the marketing team.

Then what videos did you make?

Something similar.

Why do I not entirely believe you...

Where I excel is the editing process, stitching together pre-existing footage.

I'm not as strong when it comes to ideas.

So as long someone else points you in the right direction and provides some footage, you'll be good to go?

Yes.

Then there's no problem at all! I'm practically a wellspring of ideas.

You know, a little modesty never hurt anyone...

That means our only problem is finding source material.

Yeah.

What kind of video are we aiming for?

As the wellspring from which all ideas flow, I've got something in mind.

...

Oh. I forgot to take a picture.

What picture?

Of Dorothy.

... What are you up to now?

Nothing strange, don't worry.

...

Eyeri.

Yes?

If you get me a photo of Dorothy, I'll pretend I didn't see you secretly copying her fingerprints.

Oh, could you get me a voice sample while you're at it?

...

You do realize that it's illegal to possess a Pilgrim's personal data, don't you?

... Fine. I'll get you what you need.

Thanks! And if you could be so kind, delete all that other information you gathered.

... I will.

What in the world are you two talking about?

Should I explain?

No, I'll tell her.

When Dorothy touched my phone, I copied her fingerprints.

I also secretly took several photos and recorded her voice.

Dang. You're not just a fan. You're a fanatic.

Not in the slightest.

I was merely pretending to be a fan of hers.

To what aim?

Since Dorothy is a Nikke, she must have been built using technology found in the Ark.

I wanted to analyze her voice and fingerprints to uncover her past records.

To be precise, it's not exactly a fingerprint. More like a ballistic analysis.

I wanted to figure out what her body is composed of, whether there is any damage, and if there is, if those damage patterns correlate with any specific areas or weapons.

My phone screen has a rudimentary analysis tool built into it.

Since she only touched it briefly, I wasn't able to get any detailed information, but what I did get was still worth securing.

Why do you say that?

A Pilgrim conveniently pops up out of nowhere to save the Ark just in the nick of time, and now she's running her own TV channel?

I'd be crazy not to be suspicious of that.

I thought investigating her past might reveal something.

Everyone has some skeletons in their closet. That's our team motto.

If we're able to uncover what Dorothy did in the past, we can better ascertain what her goals might be.

Why are you so obsessed with digging up dirt on her?

Because we're an inspection unit.

Digging into people's past is what we excel at.

Is that why you joined up with us on this little venture?

No. I only got curious when I met Dorothy face-to-face.

However, since Neon caught me, I'll have to wait for another chance.

Ha! You can't hide from Vision Eye!

My suggestion is not to try anything like that again.

...

If I'm being honest, I find you two most suspicious of all.

You're being awfully chummy with an unidentified Pilgrim,

and you're cooperating with her without knowing what her intentions are.

What, are you worried that Dorothy might destroy the Ark or something?

She might.

I hope she does.

What?

What do you think, Neon? Will that work?

Yep, this should do the trick.

Now then, Avistar.

Yes?

From now on, I'm the brain, and you're the muscle.

I'll think, and you make.

Okay, sounds good.

All right, let's do this, my fellow bespectacled friend!

Oooh, I've got glasses too! Can I join?

Of course! Welcome to the Spectacles Alliance!

Huh. I just realized I'm the only one here who doesn't wear glasses.

You're only realizing that now?

At any rate, could you please leave? This area is for Spectacles Alliance members only.

What the... you all came here in the first place because you wanted to help me!

So this is the engine room?

There's all sorts of cool stuff in here.

Don't even get me started. This ship is packed hem to stern with all kinds of important machinery, and cleaning it all is a nightmare.

Yeah, but the microwave generator is great for heating up frozen food.

...

Hm? What's in that corner?

That label... is that alcohol?

You scoundrels! Are you smuggling booze?

N-no, I have no idea what that's doing there!

...

It's rum. Would it be all right if I try some later?

Huh? Is that really you, Rapi?

I would appreciate it if you taught me more about this rum.

...

All right, I'll treat you to some!

I'll prepare some snacks. You're all gonna love my starfish omurice.

While we're at it, let's set a date. What time works for everyone?

How about after this operation?

I've heard that drinking on the deck makes everything taste better.

Haha! You know what's up!

It certainly does. Especially when you're sneaking a few nips away from Helm's prying eyes, the taste is heavenl...

...

Er... I mean, hypothetically speaking, that is.

*Sigh*...

Wow, quite a few of the machines here are made by Missilis.

Then again, I suppose it's not that surprising for you guys to be using another company's technology. The quality speaks for itself, after all.

There are even some with the Matis emblem on them? How did you manage to get these? It's tough even for us to get our hands on dedicated Matis machinery...

...

No way!

We brought all the necessary equipment for upgrading Matis.

Everything is in perfect working condition, so you can use it straight away.

OMG! Power upgrade!

Pssh, I'm already at my peak power. There's no need for an upgrade.

We worked really hard to haul all this stuff here.

...

We'd be pretty bummed if you didn't use it.

Well... in that case, I suppose I'll use it.

How did you all manage to pull this off?

This surface exploration is the most important operation currently being carried out by the Ark.

Elysion, Missilis, and even private companies are all eager to participate in some capacity.

Surface exploration has been a long-cherished goal of the Ark.

Any progress made during this exploration, no matter how small, will solidify a company's reputation within the Ark.

Although there were some hiccups, such as the E2 Crystal being secured by Pathfinder and the Dark Matter being obtained by Absolute,

surface exploration is still regarded as Elysion's forte.

In that case, Syuen must have had a hell of a time getting us to be the ones chosen for this mission.

Actually, Matis are the only ones who could have been sent up here.

If it had been any other squad, the request would almost certainly have been denied.

...

Elysion's squad was originally supposed to join this operation,

but Syuen contacted our boss.

She asked if the Matis upgrade facility, which had been planned for some time, could be sent aboard the Admire.

Syuen did that?

...

Anyway, is anyone else hungry?

It hurts to admit this, but you're right. The Aegis Squad isn't the best fit for this operation.

We're not near the ocean, and this isn't a naval battle.

The main reason we were deployed was to bring you these upgrade facilities.

I dunno, it's not such a bad deal.

In exchange for us providing support, Missilis has agreed to cover the maintenance costs of the Admire for a while.

That will keep us afloat for a while yet.

So, in order to ensure that Matis was the top contributor in this operation,

Ingrid made a sacrifice.

...

I didn't realize Ingrid and Syuen were that close.

Consider it loyalty amongst fellow CEOs.

Ingrid has always believed that CEOs need to stick together.

Maybe she hopes that doing this will help that moronic Syuen grow up.

...

From what I heard...

She got on her hands and knees, in front of all the secretaries and record keepers.

...!

Syuen? On her knees?

I would pay to see that!

...

I...

I can't believe this.

This isn't the time to hesitate.

I can't believe she went that far for us...

Laplace! Drake!

Did you hear that? Syuen may be an arrogant shrew, but she crawled on her hands and knees in order to get us this opportunity!

The very woman who made us! Oh, the humiliation she must have endured!

How can we ever repay her?

What do you mean?

Isn't it obvious? We fulfill our roles as the ultimate heroes!

... Obviously I've got issues with the terminology, but I'll play along!

Get ready!

It's time to power up!

Wow, how majestic!

When I get upgraded, I'll be able to say all sorts of stuff, like:

You there! Chop chop!

Birdie! From now on, call me Powered Up Laplace, will you?

Because my power levels are about to go through the roof!

Hoohoohoo!

Hahaha!

Even though the facility was kept fully intact, I still have to make some adjustments.

It'll take some time, so in the meantime, try and keep Laplace and Drake out of trouble.

Without Maxwell to keep them on a leash, those two are going to be out of control.

Don't worry, Birdie.

Even if something goes wrong, I, the upgraded hero, will take care of it!

This is kinda frightening.

What if my power becomes too great? Would everything else in the world cease to have meaning?

What a terrifying thought!

I feel the same way!

It is.

Don't get ahead of yourselves. Keep tracking Leviathan.

I'll be doubling as your Operator, so don't try and be a hero out there.

The Admire's armaments are on standby.

Feel free to request a bombardment whenever you need it.

I'll make sure that every shot finds its mark.

We'll also have Anchor scanning the surroundings. Unlike Drake, she can detect objects, so that should prove helpful.

*BeeBeep*

Looks like you've been ousted from your position, Drake.

Hmph. It's not like there's that much machinery in this area anyway. My sensors wouldn't have been useful either way.

Besides, none of this matters anyway, since I'll be getting a power upgrade.

So there was a brief period where I didn't accomplish anything, so what?

Power upgrade! Power upgrade!

The prospect of us getting a power upgrade is exciting... so why do I find myself secretly wishing for it to fail somehow?

Oh. There's something ahead.

Hold on.

*Bee-beep. Bee-bee-beep* Scanning.

...

I'm picking up a whole bunch of heat sources.

About five clusters grouped together,

20 to 30 readings each.

Could that be where the eggs are gathered?

Looks like I was right. There's a whole bunch of eggs here, far more than what we saw before.

But...

Something seems off about this.

Yeah... even though I'm not sure what.

Ah, that's it, Commander!

I got too used to being around your messy room all the time, I forgot what proper organization looks like.

Just kidding... kind of.

Anyway, you seem to be onto something.

All the eggs are rather neatly arranged.

They seem to be separated into zones according to size and shape.

Small eggs on the right, larger ones in the center, and... unusually shaped ones on the left.

The texture, shape, and color of the shells on the left are different from the others.

These eggs were almost certainly sorted and arranged with intention.

But didn't Leviathan say that she had stopped being hands-on with the eggs

and left them to their own devices?

Seems to me she was lying.

Agreed. These were clearly organized with a purpose.

The eggs in each of these separate zones most likely have similar contents.

The only way to tell is to open them up.

Then, charge!

Let's go!

Commander, how about we use those two as decoys?

There's a change in the heat signatures.

Looks like they're activating.

Huh, that's interesting.

What is?

Whenever I had those two knuckleheads in tow, all of their reckless antics would drive me up the wall.

But seeing them from afar, it's kinda amusing.

It's like they say, "Life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but a comedy in long-shot."

Er... I think that might be a bit different.

Laplace, Drake! Run!

Run run run!

Situation contained.

I'll examine the remains of the Raptures.

...

It's as we expected.

Each Rapture classification corresponds to a specific egg type.

The larger and more ornate the egg, the higher the rank of the Rapture inside.

Yes, that much is certain.

She was lying through her teeth!

I wouldn't be so sure.

The best way to deceive someone is to use the truth as a smokescreen to hide what's actually important.

I don't think everything she's told us was a falsehood.

Rather, hidden under the layers of truth, there was something she didn't want us to know.

Hmm... Makes sense.

But why would Leviathan want to hide the fact that

she knows how to create superior fusions?

...

She probably figured that if we caught her, we'd try to stop her.

It looks to me like she's trying to create a Heretic.

That was my initial suspicion, but this process doesn't seem capable of producing a Heretic.

Fusing a Nikke and Rapture together isn't something that can happen so easily.

That makes sense too.

She could be attempting to mass-produce Tyrant-class Raptures.

Based on our conversation with her in the Crystal Region, the Four Beasts don't have any control over the Raptures.

Only after Behemoth transformed and grew larger was she able to manipulate them.

If size is a prerequisite for controlling Raptures, then Leviathan decidedly has no pull over them.

But those black snakes seemed to be entirely under her command.

I think it's evident that Leviathan created them using the Dark Matter.

Following that logic, these Raptures that are hatched from these eggs, being made from Dark Matter as well, would also follow her orders.

If she ends up being capable of mass-producing Tyrant-class Raptures, we won't be able to turn a blind eye to that.

True again. If she could produce these things on a mass scale, we'd be in a world of trouble.

If the Four Beasts came calling with an army of Tyrant-class creatures in tow, even the Offsprings would be in a tough spot.

Fortunately, only one Tyrant Class has been confirmed so far,

and it can't move outside of Dark Matter, so it doesn't seem like a major threat for the time being.

... But that may change depending on what comes out of these eggs next.

All right, let's keep going.

Have you heard that

paradise exists on the surface?

A place where there's no such thing as exploitation or dishonesty.

Where you can be whoever or whatever you want to be, free from limitations.

A place where there is no oppression or deprivation.

Where you'll always have a safety net, no matter what.

Eden, the last paradise on the surface,

welcomes you all.

...

...

...

You don't like it, do you? I knew you wouldn't like it.

I originally planned on giving you these huge angelic wings that would spread waaaaaay out.

Feathers would come fluttering down, and flowers would bloom.

It was good you didn't do that.

Huh? Really?

... Uh oh.

...

When did I say these things?

It's all synthesized audio.

I toyed around with some sound effects to mimic your voice as closely as possible.

Honestly, it turned out way better than I expected, considering that the program was free.

I see.

Who wrote the script?

... I did.

...

Hehe.

You really despise the Ark, don't you?

... I'm not sure what you mean.

I'm not used to speaking this directly, but I like it.

I like it a lot.

All right, I'll hand over the channel to you.

For one day, you can use it to say whatever you want.

Huh? But what about the ratings?

I don't care about the ratings.

I was surprised

with how much that sounded like something I'd say.

I'm satisfied with your effort, and so I'll grant you a favor.

That's rather magnanimous of you.

And you. The one with the glasses.

Yes?

Yes?

Yes?

... The one who asked me for my autograph.

Oh, that's me. Eyeri.

Come here.

Hand me your phone. I want to get a closer look at your screen.

Er... do I have to? My phone is kinda my personal property, ya know?

Does it look like I'm asking?

...

Yikes. Why are you being so menacing over a phone?

If you're so interested in phones, I can lend you mine.

Eyeri.

Did you not hear me?

...

I... I'd appreciate it if you could give it back sooner rather than later. I'm waiting for an important call.

I will.

Huh?

How long do I need to hold down for it to read my information?

!!

...

About 5 minutes.

I see.

Will that do?

What's this all about?

Hehe.

I told you before. I have no reason to hide anything from you.

You seemed awfully curious about me, so I wanted to oblige.

Go ahead. Find out all you can about me.

What kind of person I am.

What kind of life I've lived.

And...

What the Ark did to me.

...

It won't be easy. Best of luck to you.

I... I'll try not to disappoint you.

Hehe, I'm sure you won't.

All right everyone, I'm sorry, but could you all leave now?

I want to rest.

Oh, uh... I'm sorry, but can we use your studio?

The facilities here are really nice, so I was hoping that I could do some editing and other stuff.

Do as you please.

Oh, by the way, Dorothy, there's a whole bunch of stuff to eat in the fridge. Can I have some?

I'll turn on the air conditioning.

Could I trouble you for a cup of tea?

*Sigh*...

Behemoth's egg is up ahead.

But I don't see Leviathan anywhere.

It must be a trap.

Hmph, you cowards! I'm going in!

Wait.

There's something inside.

That's her all right. I recognize that outline.

How has she gotten so big so quickly? How many Raptures has Leviathan been feeding her?

...

I think Leviathan may have fed herself to Behemoth.

What?!

When Nihilister was inside the Ark, she revived Indivilia and Chatterbox by feeding them parts of her own body.

If sustenance is what Behemoth requires, then using another Heretic's body would be the optimal choice.

Although it's hard to say how much she's ingested, or how much is required...

Let's keep our distance, and then try throwing a rock at it!

Oooh, what do you think, Rapi?

I think I should stop trying to reason with you all...

Urgh...

So much for making a grand entrance...

Ow... my nose is killing me...

Gah! My nose is bleeding!

Who are you?!

What do you mean? You know who I am...

...

Huh? You're not Leviathan.

!!

One of the Four Beasts!

Strange. I came here because I sensed something familiar.

Do we know each other?

...

Sorry, my memory isn't so great.

Uh... no?

Oh, no kidding! No wonder.

Gosh, Leviathan never tells me anything.

Did she say anything about me?

Did she say I was good?

... Oh.

I see.

Maybe she forgot about me... yeah.

Oh, just so you know!

The reason Leviathan forgot to mention me isn't because I'm weak or anything, okay?

She's smart, but sometimes she forgets to mention important details.

It's a bit embarrassing having to do this myself, but in any case,

allow me to introduce myself.

My name's Ziz. Got it?

Commander... All right, I won't forget it.

I'm Rapi. Leviathan and I are old friends.

Sorry, it didn't sound that outlandish in my head.

Rapi... Rapi...

I'm Laplace!

*Gasp*!

Oh, sorry. Th-that was because I saw a bug on my arm.

It's not because your voice was loud and startled me, all right?

Er... okay.

Laplace... Laplace...

AND I'M DR...

Um... and I'm Drake.

Drake... Drake...

Nice to meet you, friends.

Hehe. This is my first time making new friends outside of Leviathan, Behemoth, and Bahamut.

Are you here to see Leviathan?

Now who's creating weird backstories?

Okay, gotcha! But where is she?

She's usually here.

Commander, what did I just tell you?

Oh. Does your stomach hurt?

Hold on. Let me see if I have some medicine.

Here it is.

Take this. It'll make you feel better.

Um... I'm not trying to take credit or anything,

but make sure to tell Leviathan I was the one who gave this to you, okay?

Kind and thoughtful?

Hehe, you don't have to go that far.

Still... I'm sure it'd make her happy to hear that.

Anyway, I hope you feel better.

Zi—!! Z—!!

!!

Oh hey, it's Leviathan.

Hey, Leviathan!

I met your friends!

You...!!

What? I can't hear you.

I said!

They're enemies, you fool!

...

...

You tricked me!

Encount...!

Agh!

Oof! What's going on?!

I-it's too dark! I hate the dark!

Ah-Ahhhhh—!!

U-Ughhhh—!!

Commander!

Commander! I'm coming!

Seven Dwarves Zero! Activate!

I'll catch you!

I'll try and land somewhere!

Those two can handle themselves.

Where do you think you're going?!

No!

Fire the anti-aircraft guns!

Aye, aye, Captain!

Urghhh!

That was close.

I told you, you've got nothing to worry about when it comes to those two.

Woohoo! Heroic Tumble!

No way, Villainous Tumble!

Heroic Landing!

Villainous Entrance!

To land from such an incredible height is a remarkable feat, even for a hero like me! How invigorating!

Grryyyyaah!

Dang, she's too fast!

Tell the systems to lead the target, then!

I'm trying, but she's still too fast!

Then manually adjust!

There's no way I can pull that off!

Come on!

Let's go!

They're going to take her on themselves!

Huh?

Phew...

Heh... hehe...

What are you guys? Heretics?

We're not Heretics, we're heroes!

No, we're villains!

Huh? Which one is it?

Pierce through!!

Huh?

Wha...?!

Wh-what are you guys?

You tricked me! You're nothing but a bunch of scoundrels! But... why are you so strong?

If I'd known that, I wouldn't have attacked you on my own...

B-but I'm not scared of you! Don't think otherwise! Not for a second!

I'd have done a lot better if I had some backup!

It's just that I hate an uneven fight. There's too much to think about when I'm going up against multiple opponents.

So that's what happened. You scooped us up with those wings of yours, lifted us in the air, and then dropped us.

Haha, not bad, right?

I can even fly. And super fast at that. I'm also really good at finding important things.

And I'm smart!

I know when to call for backup.

...?

Commander!

Haha! I did it! It's Vapaus!

So this is the feeling that Behemoth was talking about.

It feels like every single cell in my body is vibrating!

I'm not even sure if I can contain all this Dark Matter!

Leviathan!

But then again,

no one's better at controlling Dark Matter than me!

Yes, this is it! That's the feeling!

I can do it!

Wha... what?

Ahahahaha!

Die, traitors!

Everyone, brace yourselves! She's going to transform!

Did we just take down a Heretic after it transformed?

It... didn't feel like it was all that difficult, to be honest.

Doesn't she look a bit different than Behemoth did when she transformed?

Could she be incomplete?

Urgh... *Hack... cough!*

L-Leviathan! Are you okay?

I... I failed...

My transformation only half succeeded...

I really thought it would work...

...

Maybe I really am a born loser.

No, that's not true!

Sure, you're short, reaaally scary, and have a huge forehead,

but I still aspire to be like you!

... Thanks for the kind words.

Anyway, let's try this aga...

*Hack! Cough!*

...

...

Commander!

I thought this might happen, so I brought plenty of hemostatics, antibiotics, and anesthetics.

Hang in th... huh?

...?

...

Commander...

Didn't you get stabbed by Leviathan?

How are you feeling pain-wise?

Makes sense,

considering there's no wound.

Your body is caked with blood, so that tells me you were definitely stabbed, but...

...

I think the wound's already healed.

What?! That doesn't make any sense. Are we sure he was stabbed?

Positive! I saw it with my own two eyes! It was scary!

Could it be...?

The healing powers of a hero, that have only been heard of in legend?

Birdie! You're no longer a sidekick, but a full-fledged hero!

Would you quiet down?

For now, everyone report back to the Admire.

We've got plenty of medical equipment on board meant for humans. We can get a better look.

... Let's move.

What should we do about that egg with Behemoth inside?

I'll keep an eye on it.

A villain is the one who does the taking, not the other way around.

I'll keep a close watch on it too.

As a hero, it's my sacred duty to safeguard this egg.

Okay, I'll let you two handle that... although I'm not entirely sure what that egg has to do with being a hero.

Let's go, Commander. Can you walk?

...

Let's get you cleaned up first.

You need to wash off all that blood.

Commander.

The next time we meet Leviathan, am I permitted to use force against her?

She has no intention of talking.

We approached her with open arms, but all she did was come at us with the intent to kill.

She got us all wrong...

And it's got me annoyed.

Yes. Annoyed.

What? Why are you laughing?

Roger.

After I'm done with her, she'll be begging to talk with us.